Mother's Day Treat (For You)

Good Wednesday morning!

I've added Day 2 of the Deck Completion Process. Much, much better than the Day 1 pictures. I now have hope for Friday night's Dinner on the Deck! Since Mikie's grill hasn't been delivered, it looks like a lasagna night... and maybe a Faulkner Family Movie Night will follow. We'll see if that comes to pass.

Austin went to his LAST Solo and Ensemble Competition last night... and Roxie went to her FIRST. They were both held at the same location. It's funny how so many of her "firsts" are coinciding with his "lasts." She is SO excited, and he is SO used to the process. They both did very well. He got his LAST high school Solo and Ensemble medal and she got her FIRST. I've included a picture of Roxie and my Commenter, Robin (bandofbrothers), in the Gallery. Robin was chaperoning the trip to the competition, and came over to congratulate Roxie on her medals.

It's hitting the 80s here in Alabama. We went straight from winter to summer (which is not uncommon). We'll probably still have some cooler temps, but they may come in June. Josh is the one suffering the most from the summertime temps. He's working out with the football team, and we're hoping and praying this will be the year he can make his dream come true and play football. He played some his 8th grade year, but his illness became progressively worse, and he wasn't able to finish the season. He's working very hard and staying until 3:00 in the afternoon the last two weeks. As soon as he gets home though, it is very evident the day has taken a toll. We take each day as it comes, and "pray him through." Thankfully, the weather has been sunny the last few days, and we haven't had to worry about tornadoes. Again, being in Alabama, that could change in a second, but we'll take the sunny days and enjoy them while we can.

We are constantly working on "perspective" in the Faulkner household. And God is constantly opening our eyes to other people and their situations. There are so many people suffering in so many different ways. Focusing on them helps us not feel sorry for ourselves, and realize how blessed we truly are.

Pastor Kevin preached a sermon Sunday morning that hit home with me. The past few years, if a name has popped into my head or I continually start thinking about a person, I try to physically act on it. (Contact the person to see how they're doing, send them a card, take them a meal or dessert, etc.) Our pastor called it "putting feet on our prayers" this past Sunday morning. That is exactly what our family needed during the worse of Josh's illness. We had people coming up to us occasionally when they saw us out and about and say they were praying, but we desperately needed the phone calls, cards, personal contact, etc. during those years. (We still need it from time to time. A "chronic" illness is on-going.) It was a good reminder for me and Mike to be more diligent.

We're here for such a short time, and for what? If we're not reaching out to others (encouraging, loving, celebrating, grieving, etc.), what and who are we living for? "If therefore there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing for selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:1-5

It was a great sermon. I'm going to try very hard to "put feet with my prayers" at least once every week if not more. It's amazing how often God will "give you a name" when you ask.

Okay. Enough with the sermon! Now for the really important stuff... more of MY Pet Peeves.

Pet Peeves #5, #6 and #7

Pet Peeve #5 - I know you might think I'm unpatriotic, but I do not like a Presidential Address on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday or Thursday evenings. (The nights Amazing Race, Celebrity Apprentice, 24, LOST and Survivor air.) There... I said it! And I don't mean Presidents I didn't vote for. I mean ALL Presidents. I think Presidential Addresses should air at 10:00 p.m., and then we could TiVo them, OR record them on tape or DVD, OR watch them when we usually watch the news. (We can see the news 24 hours a day anyway.) Or, just show the Address on ONE channel... not all of them.

Pet Peeve #6 - Going along with Pet Peeve #5, after the President speaks, why do journalists have to talk for 30 to 45 more minutes and tell you exactly what the President just said? I don't like that. If I listen to the speech the first time, I do not want a play-by-play five seconds after he is finished. At one time I was considered a semi-intelligent woman (not so much anymore), and I understood 45% of what he said the first time. A journalist repeating the speech again does not help me understand the 65% I didn't comprehend. (Again, this goes for all Presidents. It doesn't matter if I voted for them or not. You might say this is a bi-partisan opinion.)

Pet Peeve #7 - I think people should stop criticizing Michelle Obama's sleeveless dresses. I don't care if you're Republican (me), Democrat, Independent, etc. Her arms are fabulous, and if she wants to wear elegant, sleeveless dresses LEAVE HER ALONE! And even if her arms weren't so muscular, it's just a sleeveless dress! It's not like she met Queen Elizabeth in a tube top and a mini-skirt.

You didn't know I had a set of political Pet Peeves, did you? Yes, I am a very multi-faceted woman. Some might say an enigma. Others might say... Well, we won't get into that!

Mother's Day Treat (For You)

I know the title sounds selfish, but it really isn't. On Mother's Day, we would have lunch and visit one of our two mothers, and then visit the other mother. We took turns where we ate dinner. My mom lives 40 minutes away and Mike's mom lives almost 90 minutes away. Not impossible, but a good bit of driving time. By the time we would get home Sunday evening (we don't have evening church on Mother's Day), we were all more than a little tired from getting up to go to the early service, and then visiting everyone. And no one was really in the mood for one more Mother's Day celebration.

We tried every scenario, too. One Mother's Day weekend, we spent all day Saturday visiting mothers, and Sunday Mike and the kids took me out to eat. We waited over 90 minutes for a table (which is always fun with young kids... NOT).

Once, we visited my Mom on Saturday, and Mike and the kids visited his Mom on Sunday, and my gift was a scrapbooking day at the house alone on Sunday afternoon. (That wasn't good because I didn't get to spend time on Mother's Day with my kids.)

So, two years ago, we tried one more idea. We visited both mothers on Mother's Day. We spent a good deal of time with each one, and then took our time getting home. Once home, we did nothing special. We ate sandwiches, finished up homework, etc.

We could do this because we were celebrating MY Mother's Day the next Sunday. Brilliant! One week after Mother's Day, I receive my cards, my gift and my husband and kids take me to a restaurant of my choice for a nice, leisurely, uncrowded meal. We don't rush anywhere. We don't have to fight the Mother's Day restaurant crowds. I don't mind getting my cards and gift a few days later. It is wonderful.

Again, this is not supposed to be a whiny suggestion. "But what about me?" "When will it be my turn?" Mike and I don't take for granted we are blessed to have our mothers and a grandmother to celebrate with on this special day. We were just trying to think of a way to make it less hectic... and for us (and our mothers and grandmother), this definitely works.

Everybody's situation is different, but if this is an idea you could use, I would definitely recommend trying it at least once. Oh, and I hate it when people say Mother's Day is a "made-up" holiday. It's one of the best holidays around. Actually, I think it should be celebrated twice a year! That's Pet Peeve #5,003... another Hidden Pet Peeve!

Tomorrow I have a couple of special dates for you and your Mom. Check in to see if one of them would work for you.

Have a great day. Remember, if someone's name keeps popping into your head, give them a call. You may be surprised at what happens!

Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.