Flowers On Wisdom Teeth Day!

Becca had her Wisdom teeth extracted yesterday. Mom (as in me) did the duty and drove her up to the Dr. and held her hand and calmed her for as long as the Dr. and Nurse would let me. Then I went out to WAIT!!!

Who is this hard on?????

Becca had Laughing Gas, and a nice trip from it according to her, and then general Anesthesia and woke up 45 minutes later asking if it was over. I sat and waited and stitched in the waiting room and fretted about how it was going. That is my job as a mother and I embrace it, and am grateful for the opportunity to be there and be the first person she sees when she comes off her little trip!!

After she passed her sobriety test ,we were released and stopped to get a chocolate shake (with a spoon ) for the trip home. Then a stop for meds at our wonderful Independently owner pharmacy and arrived home 3 hours after leaving.

tom arrived home from doing some Pro-bonno work for Stafford County Fire (they were running around like crazy trying to inspect all of the buildings after the earthquake). With him he brought these gorgeous flowers!! I could understand the lovely bouquet of his Little girl but I was not sure what was going on with the Dozen Long Stem Reds for me???

He said that they were for me , of course. Because.... he loves me and because he wanted to thank me for doing all of the Dr. visits for shots and vaccinations and tooth extractions and the like for both kids!! He has a very hard time seeing his own kids cry and in pain. At that point I lost it and had a good little cry! How sweet IS THAT!!! How WONDERFUL IS HE!!!!!

One of the best decisions I ever made was saying Yes to this Man!!!!

Living in "The Circle Game"

I am really feeling the racing passage of time today!!

The 2009-2010 school year begins today.

This will be Matthew's final year of High School.

Becca starts her 7th grade year.

It will be a year full of decisions and changes, growing and releasing, test taking, filling out forms, meeting deadlines and waiting for news. I am not at all sure that I am ready for this year to be here.
I know that sister Becca, 5 years his Junior, is not ready for Matthew to go to college. They are very good friends. Almost daily she speaks of missing him. Matthew has openly stated that he is not ready- even though we as parents, know that he will be by the time we get to that point. We are all sensing big changes afoot and we are all not ready. We have had more than our fair share of major changes and it feels like we are just getting really settled here in Virginia.
Time will help and time will continue us on our journey and we will be ready whether we are ready or not!!!
Several of my blogger friends have been discussing Circles and Dots lately. Circles as shapes, circlesa s symbols, passage of seasons, continuity and continuance, never ending . I have been humming this song as a result.
The Circle Game by singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell has always been a favorite of mine. It certainly fits this situation.

Yesterday a child came out to wonder

Caught a dragonfly inside a jar

Fearful when the sky was full of thunder

And tearful at the falling of a star

Then the child moved ten times round the seasons

Skated over ten clear frozen streams

Words like, when youre older, must appease him

And promises of someday make his dreams

And the seasons they go round and round

And the painted ponies go up and down

We're captive on the carousel of time

We cant return we can only look behind

From where we came

And go round and round and round

In the circle game.

When we have kids, we are always told to watch them every minute because "Before you know it, they will be grown and on their own." We mutter to oursleves, "It will never happen! They will NEVER sleep through the night!" or "They will never learn to do this or that for them selves.

What is that saying?

NEVER SAY NEVER ?????

Oh Yeah!

Then, WHAMO, here we are!!!

What A Difference A Week Makes!

LAst Sunday, at this very time wet noses were preessed against windows and all were praying for snow days- all but me!! today, not only have we lost an hour but it is 80 degree's and humid!! I HATE whip lash weather!! I love Spring when it arrives nicely, with rain and gentle soft breezes and grace, not like a herd of turtles and no breeze!! We have the doors and windows open and we can hear all of the birds singing and this part is wonderful. Life is indeed returning to the garden and I cut back the roses today so I will get good strong growth. Buried old banana's under each with a dressing of coffee grounds and said some nice soothing wake up words to each bush. Becca and I decided to go down to the rappahanock River in Fredericksburg to see what had been carried down from the mountains in terms of driftwood treasures and smooth stones. Of course, dear daughter wanted to go swimming!!! Mom said "NO WAY!!" this is a major river that has it's birth palce in the Oldest Mountain range in the country, the Blue Ridge Mountains- it is darn cold still. We set off to explore.


With Croc's at the ready there was no keeping the girl from getting her feet wet!!

We made our way along the top of an old dam- a Gristmill used to be located here ( Frances Thronton's Mill, to be exact) and then explored a little island that was covered with paths and made of huge pieces of Virginia Sand stone.



The stacks of wood were amazing but most to big to bring home. There are other access points that I will visit later where the grounds keepers are very anxious for all to take whatever they can carry!! It really starts to stack up especially after big storms in the mountains. I often find tumbled pieces of slag glass from old glass blowing concerns, that have been tumbled into smooth orbs by the water- very cool!




I also found some spots where I took bunches of pictures to use later as inspirations for art pieces. One has got to love all of the colors in this patch of mossey lushness!!





Becca climbed around like a mountain goat and we both got hot and sweaty. It REALLY was all that I could do to keep her out of the water. When she has a home fo her own, I guarantee that it will be located near moving water of some sort!! I kept her out of the water by bribing her with an ice cream. Old Mommy tricks do still occassionally work!! Off we went to a local Fredericksburg Landmark for a treat!


Everyone raves about Carl's. It is good ice cream- soft serve in three flavors, but to me it is nothing special. I think what makes it so special is the fact that it has been here forever, it is a One Of A Kind and it Never Changes. That gives alot of people so much comfort these days! There is always a long line and today was not at all different. It is the THING TO DO IN THWE SUMMER IN FREDERICKSBURG! So , If you are ever in this part of Virginia there are TWO things taht you MUST DO, 1. come and visit Liberty Town Artist Galleries and 2. have a cone at Carl's.
I do hope taht Spring is coming soon to all of you wherever you may be, and if you are down under, I hope that you have a gloriously cool and comfortable Fall!!