Last post Jan 19, 2010

Nice, huh! Welcome back to the most neglected blog IN THE WORLD! I do not know what has been up with me, but I just haven't been very bloggy lately. And Lord knows PUH-LENTY has happened around here in the last 100 or so days since I was last here.

My three readers, Paula, Gina, and Mark - I'm almost certain they have given up on me completely. I can't say I blame them.

So, besides not being bloggy, our computer went out. It started acting funny back in February. Then it went out. Now we will never buy another HP. Ever. So, then we got a new computer. Then Mark had to put some different software on it. I still don't know where we're storing pictures on this thing. So, no pictures on this post (what's new, huh!) I know, it's terrible.

Anyway, not being bloggy has been bothering me a lot lately. And I just decided that the longer I stay away, the more awkward it will be when I come back, and I just have to get back to it. And I'll tell you one reason why.

Mark blew me away this past Christmas with what had to have been one of the most thoughtful gifts he's ever given me. He had my blog printed into book form. It's like looking at the blog, but it's a book. With pages. Plus the pictures! I was completely surprised and it made me cry. You know the cry when you just shake your head because you can't believe what someone has done for you. I love him.

Another very sweet gift this past Christmas came from my Uncle John, who read my post about grape soda, printed it out, read it when we are all together for Christmas, passed out Welch's grape sodas to everyone in the family and then gave a Christmas toast of sorts WITH THE GRAPE SODA! It was so creative and fun and thoughtful. He bought about 4 cases of grape soda and that's what we all drank every time we were all together. So fun.

Another thing that made me think about blogging just happened a couple of days ago in the front yard. We have an ornamental pear tree that Mark planted a few years ago. Actually, it's probably been about 4 years since he planted it. The trunk is now probably about as big around as when I put my thumbs and middle fingers together and make a circle. ha! How's that for estimation! Anyway, I was working in the yard, planting flowers like an owl because I kept looking over my shoulder and Meagan, making sure she wasn't running into the street (it is absolutely amazing how much you can do with your hands straight in front of you when your head is screwed on backwards watching a toddler. MULTITASKING!) when I looked to my right and saw Emma Ruth hanging like a spider monkey from the lowest limbs on that tree. Immediately, IMMEDIATELY, I said, "Emma, get down out of my little tree, girl!" The words absolutely flew out of my mouth. And exactly after they flew out I vividly remembered a childhood memory.

I was about 13 years old and Cas was probably 7. We were in Oklahoma for a funeral and we were at a family member's house for the lunch after the funeral. There was a small tree in the front yard - small, but plenty strong enough to hold a little boy. Well, what do you think Cas Webster did? He climbed it. Of course he climbed it, for one - he was as boy; and for another - all we had were tall pine trees and some big oaks in our yard at home. Cas saw and opportunity and he took it. Bravo, Cas! He was having a good time scaling that tree when one of the aunts came out and upon seeing him in that tree said, "Cas, get down out of Uncle (So and so's) tree! You know better than that!"

You. Know. Better. Than that. What in the world?! HOW does he know better than that?! You know, Cas knew better than a lot of things, but he DID NOT know better than climing a dang tree! I bet if I could go back in time and watch that scene, I would see a 13 year old girl with long hair and braces cock her head sideways, narrow her eyes and raise one eyebrow, but rest assured - she would not DARE say a single word. But she'd be thinking it, alright. That girl was mean as a hornet to Cas Webster, but would not for one second abide anyone else being mean to that boy. I remember thinking, "Well, tell me WHAT that tree is for if not climbing?!" After she went inside, I remember Cas looking up at me with the most puzzled look on his face. I distinctly remember telling him, "Don't worry about her, she's mean." I'm pretty sure I told my mom the whole thing and she laughed about it. I would have done well to laugh it off, as well. As with most things, I think it irritated me more than it irritated Cas. And it should be noted, the aunt who fussed was actually not a mean aunt at all; she was actually one of the nicest of all, I just didn't know it yet.

I don't know what part of Emma hanging from the tree branches reminded me of that - the fact that she looks just like her Uncle Cas, except with long hair; or the fact that she acts just like him. Our tree is probably plenty strong enough to hold her little butt too. I should have told her to climb back on.