Really Mother Nature?

Someone ticked Mother Nature off.  They must have - there is no other explanation for the really crummy weather she has been giving us.  The calendar tells me it is summer, but I have my doubts.  This is what I have seen so far this summer...

1. Hail.  Lots of hail.  BIG hail, small hail, lots and lots of hail. Dakota's car has some not so pretty new dimples and I'm really grateful that mine gets to live in a garage most of the time.
2. Wind that blows non-stop.  I have lost count of the number of limbs I have seen down around my neighborhood.
3. Rain, of the torrential variety.  Some days up to two inches of rain.  While my grass is very green, it is also soggy and full of weeds and impossible to mow - because of the rain.  And let's not discuss my vegetable plants that drowned.  Poor tomatoes...
4. Thunderstorms - amazing light shows but that thunder makes it hard to sleep.
5. Tornado warnings and actual tornadoes.  Not much more needs said about that.  

As you can see, what is missing from my list is calm, sunny, warm days.  Sigh...

Maybe Mother Nature can be bribed to ante up some good summer weather. Maybe I can start with a sacrificial hormonal teenage boy or two??

The Best Birthday Present a Brother Can Get

For 10 days a year my big brother and I are the same age.  I was his first birthday present - born just 10 days before he turned a year old.  I do believe that my parents must have been nuts.  I mean, I can NOT imagine having a 3-month old and finding out that another one was on the way.  It was hard enough having a 3 year old and a 2 year old when their respective brothers showed up!

(Back Row) Mike, Darcy
(Front Row) Becky, Cyndi, Roger
Circa 1981

But, back to my big brother.  While I personally think he is the luckiest guy in the world to get me for a sister, and as a birthday present to boot, I get the vague feeling that he might not agree.  That  feeling may be rooted in the various physical and psychological scars that I carry from him or it might just be my imagination.  Who knows?

Because I was his birthday present, for 10 days a year, we get to be the same age.  Except that growing up those were the most dangerous days of the year. 

 As hard as it is to believe now, growing up I was a tomboy.  I was taller than my brother, faster than him, and meaner than him, at least most of the time.  Therefore my parents couldn't really say "Don't pick on her because she's a girl" so instead they said "Don't pick on her because you are older than her."  Unfortunately, for 10 days a year that wasn't true.  And he made me pay-- I have the scars to prove it!!

But now as an adult, I feel like I am the one that has gotten the present.  While we might not always agree with one another or spend a lot of time together, I feel lucky to have him as a brother.  I know that he is always there for me.  So, now that you are once again OLDER than me - Happy Birthday Big Brother!

Mike, Darcy, Colt, Chad, Dakota
2011

What Make Me a Raving Lunatic?

Photo shopping courtesy of Colt

Everyone has them.  Those little things in life that bother you, like people who leave the toilet seat up or talk on their cell phones at the table in a restaurant.  Yes my friends, today we are going to be talking about PET PEEVES.  Specifically, mine. 

Now, I'll be honest.  There are a few things in my life that bug me annoy me drive me stark raving mad  make me look like the monster above mildly bother me.  My family thinks they are all silly things but I'll let you bet the judge of that.

1.  Open cabinet doors.  Why people? Why?  How hard is it to SHUT the cabinet door when you are done getting out your food or plate or what ever you were in there for?  I will be sitting at the kitchen table and look up and see 4 different cabinet doors open.  Really?  Are you afraid if you shut it you will use all of your energy and be unable to consume the snack you just made? 

This is apparently such a joke to my loving family that yesterday Dakota and Colt came up with the plan to open every cabinet door in the kitchen while I was at work and wait to see what my reaction would be.  It is lucky for them that I got home before they implemented this plan.  I doubt they've seen a head spin completely around before and it may have scarred them for life.

2. Being late.  It is not only a pet peeve, it gives me intense anxiety.  Even if it is just a couple minutes late.  I leave 30 minutes early to drive somewhere that I know will only take 15 minutes.  Because things happen you know.  We may have a tornado that suddenly comes up and drops a tree in the middle of the road and I would have to find a detour.  Or maybe I might pass Blake Shelton's tour bus and have to run it down so I can get an autograph.  All of this is possible on the way to my dentist's office, so I'm prepared and leave extra early just in case. 

3.  Others being late.  Especially if it is for a dinner party.  In my (slightly OCD) mind, if I say dinner is at 6, it is on the table and ready to be eaten at 6.  Through strong medication (wine) and therapy (whining to my hubby) I am beginning to move past this pet peeve - but it is a work in process. I've at least managed to implement a cocktail and appetizer hour for dinner parties--whatever works, right?

4.  My dog licking, which he does NON.STOP. He can't even sleep in our room any more because it will wake me from a sound sleep with doggy homicide on my mind. Now I should say that we have a very senior dog.  We rescued him 10 years ago and at the time we were told by the rescue that he was about 4 1/2 years old.  At his first vet checkup we were told that we got lied to and he was much older.  As near as we can figure Jordan is now in the 16-18 year range. With his age comes pain.  I know that the licking is his doggy way of helping relieve the pain.  But I pay good money for hardcore pain meds that he gets twice a day (without fail because my dog is a Tramadol junkie that has taken to lying to get an extra fix, but that is a whole other blog post) so he really should just rely on the meds and give his mommy's nerves a break. 

So there you go - those are my four big ones.  I'm sure that there are others, but those are the ones that tend to crop up over and over and over again.  Maybe someday I'll get my family, human and canine alike, to shape up and quit annoying me but until then... leave me a comment and tell me what are your pet peeves?

From 30 to 40

Me at 30 - with one of my classmates from Northern Arizona University.

A few weeks before my 40th birthday, with my amazing husband.

Last week I turned 40.  I have to admit - it was a bit harder than I thought it would be.  I know, I know..Age is just a number.  You're only as old as you feel.  Forty is the new thirty.  Blah, blah, blah...  Honestly, I haven't had such a hard time with a birthday since I turned 30. What is it about those decade years that are so hard to swallow?  Regardless, as my birthday came and passed,  I thought back over the past 10 years.  What did I really accomplish in my fabulous 30's and how has my life changed?  

Let's see:

A new house, 1, 300 miles away from where I began my 30's. 

Two college degrees and a new career in education, something that had long been a dream of mine.

Boys that have grown from not having yet started kindergarten, 3rd grade, and 7th grade to young men -- two of whom have graduated from high school and the youngest looking to begin 10th grade. 

Living through having one of those boys attend basic training for the Army National Guard and then deploy to Afghanistan. 

More new cars than I can remember -- a minivan for when the kids were still smaller, an all-wheel drive SUV for the Omaha snow, two pickups for Chad, a kid car to replace the one Ben totaled, and then another kid car to replace that one after the u-joint broke while Dakota was driving it. 

Two male teen drivers and all the financial costs that includes and - heaven help me- the third one gets his permit in two weeks.

A plethora of family adventures that crossed a billion things off of my bucket list - swimming in both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans,  visits to a variety of National Parks and Memorials, cruising to Mexico, terrifying rides at amusement parks and water parks, white water rafting, concerts, fairs, rodeos, and visiting many new states!

Becoming a mother-in-law and seeing my oldest son married and on his own. 

Losing my dad.

My first wrinkle --- and several of her friends have since joined the party as well.  They also invited the gray hairs to jump in on the fun. 

More hairstyles and hair colors than I can remember!  (see the gray hair comment above)

New fitness goals - I would have never dreamed at 30 that I would be able to say that I've ridden 45 miles on a bike or completed a half-marathon.

Going from the second tallest person in my family to the shortest. 

Surgeries galore - one for me, one for Ben, two for Dakota.  Not to mention several broken bones, four bouts of physical therapy, MRI's, CAT Scans, x-rays, EKG, ultrasounds, and specialists to numerous to name.

Speaking of medical expenses -- 4 sets of braces, on and off.  Including a set for me.

Lost some friends, gained some new ones, strengthened the bonds with others.

Became a diehard football/baseball mom and cheered at 750 bajillion games -- and then transitioned into a trap mom with her own set of ear plugs. 

Developed a taste for wine - couldn't stand it at 30.

Transitioned from paper scrapbooking, with a closet full of necessary supplies and tools, to digital scrapbooking with only my laptop.

Can you say smartphone?  And Facebook.  Mustn't forget Facebook.

I could go on and on, but the thing that has become clear to me is this:

I have a life that I am proud of, and will continue to be proud of - through my 40's and 50's and beyond.  Some things change and some things stay the same, but it is all what makes me, me.

I wonder now what the future holds and what new adventures await me in this next decade of my life.  A new state to live in?  More daughter-in-laws?  Grandchildren?  New career paths?  A new found hobby? Vacations to exotic places? (ok, that one's just a hint for Chad)

Whatever may change or remain the same - I am ready for it.  Bring it on 40's!

To Be a Writer...You Have to Write

To be a writer, you have to write.  I know...earth shattering revelation there, right?  Probably not, but today it was for me.  Let me explain. 

I am a teacher.  A second grade teacher.  My job is to teach young minds how to be life long readers and writers.  In order to be the best teacher that I can be, I spend the summer dabbling in some personal "professional" development (ie...reading a teacher book or two so that I don't feel like I have wasted squandered spent too much time away from my chosen vocation on my summer vacation).  This summer I pulled an older book off my shelf that I have had for a few years but haven't gotten around to reading (let's be honest, I'm a chick lit junkie and it got lost behind the bright pink novels that are full of sexy guys and situations that NEVER really happen!). 

Anyway... the book is all about teaching writing and is called What You Know By Heart and is written by Katie Wood Ray.  Though it was published in 2002, it is still full of great thought-provoking lessons.  After reading the first few chapters today, where Katie discusses how she creates her writing curriculum based on what SHE does as a writer, I was left thinking.  What is it that I do as a writer?  Wait, when was the last time I wrote anything?  Does my Dad's obituary in March (as important as that was) really count? I do have that blog...but the last post was in 2012.  Ummm wait..that can't be right, that was two  FREAKING years ago!!!  How can I teach my kids to be better writing, using my experiences, if I am not taking the time to write?  

Needless to say, my realization is this -- if I am going to be an effective teacher of writing, I need to spend some time writing.  Writing to share my thoughts and ideas.  Writing to remember what the process is like.  Writing to gain understandings, as Katie Wood Ray says, that I can then share with my students. 

So this is my summer professional development commitment.  I will take the time to write, if not everyday, at least most days.  What will I write about?  Whatever comes to mind.  If I wasn't writing today about needing to write (ok, that's a funny sentence)  then I might write about watching the truck come around the corner today and lose it's load of bricks.  How that prompted a conversation between Dakota and I about how split seconds can truly make the difference between life and death.  Or how I am struggling with becoming active again after the death of my father.  How it has been three months now and I still can't find the intrinsic motivation to get going.  Or maybe how BAD it hurt when I got a shot in the heel today at the doctor and I bleed all over the floor.  I might write about how Dakota threw a magazine at my head (and hit me!) when I threatened to video his face as the Dr. took his stitches out from his foot surgery.  Maybe about disappointments when friends cancel plans on you or don't bother to show up for an important event in your life.  How turning 40 is WAY harder than I thought.  Or even how I hate to be late for anything, it gives me serious anxiety that even Xanax can't take away.  Not that I've tried Xanax.  If you ask my kids, maybe I should. Probably my husband would agree that Xanax is needed.  Wow -- who would have thought I had so much on my mind?

So, though this is the Heath Family blog, you'll be stuck with the rambling thoughts of Darcy over the next few months.  I'll try to incorporate some Heath Family news into the mix, as much as possible, and under the threat of death from the teenagers when I share anything remotely personal about them.  My hope is that through this process of writing I'll develop some understandings that will help me become the teacher of writing that I want to be.  Wish me luck friends!