What does Christmas feel like?

Not only have I seen statuses on facebook that say it doesn't feel like Christmas, but I've heard it from other people that just because it has been raining or it is not cold, they say it doesn't feel like Christmas. THEY say that it's not Christmasey enough. What the heck are they looking for then? Is Christ not Christmas? Is Christ not Love and Joy and Peace? Are THEY looking for materialistic decorations or an abundance of gifts or maybe even a tree?

So I pondered the question and asked myself, "Well, what does Christmas feel like?" Since we were not there when Christ was born, we can only imagine what Christmas must have been like to a woman who gave birth to a child in a place where animals called their homes, on something such as hay that animals called their food. There were no fancy decorated trees with dangling and sparkling bulbs, there were no strings of lights covering the entire stable where Jesus was born, there were no big screen tv's to unwrap and no keys to a car. There were no wreaths and mistletoe, no eggnog and no wine, and especially no jolly guy dressed in a red and white suit.

But one thing that was there was a Savior who had tons of love to give, so that we can try to be a better people. Too much emphasis is being put on what they didn't buy or how much they can run their credit card up to. What gift have you given Christ? Correction...what gift have you given Christ before December got here? What about Christmas in January, February, March, April and the other months in the year? So to me, it was already feeling like Christmas a long time ago. I don't know what THEY were talking about. Get with the program.
~QUEENBEE~

Grade A Value

The Lord did it yet again...He has showed the slap out but I absolutely love it. He has used me as a vessel to go to work full time, go to school at night taking two classes at a time and make the grades of an A in one class and an A- in the other one. It is not easy doing all this and being a parent and wife too, but the Lord keeps reminding me that this ain't my battle to begin with and that he does things in his own time and in his own way. So I just step aside and watch him do His thing.

All I want for Christmas

My hubby and children has asked me what do I want for Christmas. I keep giving them the same answer which is that I do not want anything and that I have all I need. They say no, what do I want???? Let me put it to ya this way, mostly anything I want that I can afford, I just go and buy it myself. So there isn't really anything I want or need. I am content. Christ is Christmas and Christmas is Christ every day of the year. I can't think of one single thing for them to buy me.....but then I thought about it....I do want something but it doesn't cost one single dime, only a little time....can I have a clean house for Christmas? I mean, can all rooms be cleaned, can the mirrors have a smidgen of windex and can the floors be swept, mopped, and vacummed? Can that black ring around the children's bathtub disappear and can someone, any one of the two will do, but can somebody pick up that piece of tissue on the floor that fell behind the toilet? That's all I want, really! Or is that asking for too much. I already know their response in advance: Who's coming to visit us? Excuse me, I don't have to have people to come and visit in order to want the whole house clean, do I? Of course not. I just want it, simple as that.

Since all of us will be off for the next two weeks, it would be a joy to walk by both of the teenagers room and not see one piece of clothing on the floor or more than one pair of shoes waiting to be pushed into the closet, with one shoe on the floor edging its way under the bed while the other one is wayyyy across the room somewhere. Why can't both shoes sit together? And that is what really drives me insane....everything on the floor is merely inches from the closet. I wouldn't even mind if everything was just crammed in the closet out of sight.

Ok family, yall heard it straight from me. That is my list and I even checked it twice and ain't no need to wonder if I've been naughty or nice. I hope I get what is on my list. We shall see.
~QUEENBEE~

Food for thought

At my home town church in MS, our pastor used to say that we are a peculiar people. I didn't understand that concept in my teenage years but sure enough as I got older, I knew what it meant. We like this but don't like that. We do this but don't do that and we eat this and we sholl ain't gonna eat there. We like certain people because of this and even don't like them because of that. Yeah you are even nodding in agreement. Another thing that stuck with me is this: what if we didn't have a choice and had to just deal with it just the way it is. Here is what I am getting at: We are having a Christmas potluck at work and each person had to bring something to share, whether veggies, ham, bread, or whatever--the entire building is suppose to join in. I asked one lady this morning what did she bring to the luncheon and she said that she didn't bring anything because she don't eat everybody's cooking and that she was going to O'Charley's to eat. I kindly said ok and as she walked away, I silently had these thoughts....

Ok, so you may not trust everybody's cooking but do you know the cooks personnally at a restaurant? I don't think so. Just because it was cooked in a restaurant, there could be some nasty chefs back in the back as well, doing all kinds of stuff. When you drive through a fast food place or buy only organic foods, how do you know that these foods are safe? I will answer it for you...YOU DON'T KNOW!! That is why you have to say grace over food and ask for blessings from Heaven. You don't know where your food comes from, whether you buy it from Wal-Mart, Target, Publix, it doesn't matter. You can even cook it yourself, it still doesn't matter because what if you bought something that was already contaminated and didn't know it. My point is this: I am not going to not go to events just because I don't know who cooked the food, and I may never know and I will continue to say grace and eat, drink(not alcohol) and be merry. Good Eating!!

I am here

I have a friend who lives about 12 hours away and always keep in touch through email just to say hello, and I, likewise, respond with well wishes too. We send each other birthday e-cards through the mail, Happy Easter, Happy Mother's Day, Happy Father's Day and all kinds of e-cards for whatever occasion that may come up. So basically we just keep in touch through e-mail. Well I hadn't heard from him in a couple of weeks so I thought I would send him an email, even though I was the last one to respond. Well even after I sent him the email inquiring about not hearing from him, I still didn't hear from him. Whatever was going on, I'm sure he would let me know in due time so I didn't send another email, I left him alone.

Well a few weeks after that, my friend emailed me saying he has been depressed because he went home for Thanksgiving and his mother, who had been in a nursing home with Alzheimers for some time, doesn't recognize any of her relatives and I was guessing she didn't recognize her first born son either. He went on in the email saying that he was having a few problems and was in search of other employment than where he is now. I could have replied and said that you have me here worrying over here about you, but I didn't. Instead, I just let him know that I was here for him and if he needed an ear to talk, I am here. Sometimes we get the wrong idea when people have a problem, we want to instantly solve it or tell them what they should or should not do, what they should or should not feel or what we have done in that situation to help us get through. All I wanted to do was let my friend know that I was here. I may not can solve money issues but with me being there, even if it is 12 hours away, a listening ear can stretch farther than the widest sea.
~QUEENBEE~

My new space

Well, I have officially moved out of my office into my new office. It is much nicer and bigger too. The new space is somewhat different than the old space. I am so used to people coming in and out of my old office in the other building and now that I have moved, it is much quieter and we don't get as many visitors. I like it, but just got to get used to it. One thing about my old office is that I stayed busy, or looked busy anyway because there was just always so much to do; but in my new office, the work load is much lighter but I am not complaining at all. In my old building, you were either hot or cold but in my new building, there is a comfort level all around. I am getting used to my new space. You must come and visit me SOMETIME.
~QUEENBEE~

Birthday wishes

Wow, can you believe it? I celebrated my 41st birthday this week and I had a great time. Yes, I admitted my age and am very proud to be blessed to make it to this point. God is definitely a great God! The people at work showered me with this and that and I was indeed grateful and I never ask them for anything, they just do it out of the kindness of their heart. As a child, one may say, "What are you going to get me for my birthday?" But one lady, a few years ago, told me this: "It's your birthday, do something for yourself." Those words stuck with me and so I decided to dress it up in gold for my 41st birthday. I bought myself these pair of jeans that hubby had been asking me to get. The jeans had gold all down the side of the pants on both legs, then their was the matching jacket and of course the gold shoes. I was a superstar for a day. When people saw me come in to work, I walked in their with boldness and confidence. It was like watch out world, QueenBee in the houuuzzzeee!!! People came by and asked what was the special occasion and said that I was wishing myself a happy birthday. They were like, "you're happy you're getting older???" I would reply with a yes, yes I am. I was celebrating life, and celebrating me. I was joyful and content. I enjoyed the gifts that I was showered with but the greatest gift I had was the fact that I was alive and kicking. God woke me up not only to see another day but another year. I am thankful for today and if I never see another day, you best believe that I made turning 41 the best birthday I had ever had.
~QUEENBEE~

You stank and I smell it

The fan/vent in the ladies restroom at work had suddenly stopped working. I am one to say that the value of this fan was greatly missed today. I had to use the toilet and I have come to a point in life that I am not going to be trying to hold my pee. When I got to go, I got to go. There is also a can of air freshner that is normally in the restroom but I do not know where it disappeared to today. I walked in and the smell of do-do was all around the bathroom. I tried to hurry up and let this stream of urine come out of me so I could get out of there. I was gasping for air but no air was to be found. Each whiff felt like my lungs were being contaminated. I do not know who was the person in there before me but I know they have got to feel a whole lot better because whatever they let out was happy to get out. I tried to hold my breath in the bathroom but didn't want to be found collasped on the floor in this horrible smell. That was just no way to go. I couldn't wash my hands fast enough. It smelled like two camels gave birth to a midget giraffe. The smell was hideous.

Getting to the door seemed to take forever. I thought I was surrounded by a fog of spoiled eggs on a bed of tainted calimari. Nope - it was like raw liver and fish mixed with turtle eyeballs and racoon pee that had been out in the sun for the umpteenth day. So when I did manage to open the door, I coughed profusely that I actually thought I was gonna upchuck my tongue. The smell had gotten inside my goozer and I was wishing that I could have taken my nostril lining out to wash it clean with bleach. I know that every body has to drop a turd and it may have an unusual smell but it don't linger that long, but this couldn't have been no ordinary turd from whoever was in the restroom. This person must have eaten skunk meat.

When I started coughing, the lady in the next room came to see if I was ok and all I could say was, "Pretend that this restroom is Jim Jones, so don't drink the kool-aid." She laughed out loud and I started laughing too. It was good to breathe right again. I'm gonna start carrying air fresher in my purse.
~QUEENBEE~

Key points

The lady across the hall from me lost her office keys. My office keys were on my desk and so she just walked over and grabbed my keys without asking. I said, "Excuse me, where are you going with my keys?" She said that she was going to go and unlock a few rooms. I looked at her like she was crazy because she knew good and well what I meant which was, "don't just come in here grabbing my keys without asking." She said, "Oh I'm sorry, I figured you didn't mind." But I do mind.

See, the principle isn't that I would mind her using the keys, the principle is that I am responsible for these keys and if she already lost hers, I need to know where my keys are at all time. Not only that, don't just be coming up in here grabbing my keys off my desk. Day number two came around and I didn't have my keys directly on my desk, I had them around the corner of my desk where my computer was sitting and so once again, the lady comes into my office and didn't see my keys and said, "Where are your keys?" I replied, "Who wants to know?" She said that she needs them. Uhhhh excuse me, don't come in here telling me what you need of mine when what you need to do is find your own keys. I said maybe if you ASK if you could use them, then I might not have a problem with it. She said, "Fine! May I please use your keys?" And just because she said it with attitude like I got to it, I almost said no you can't. So I reached from behind my computer and gave her the keys.

When she came and brought me the keys back, she just placed them on my desk and walked away...whoa, whoa, whoa WHAT? No thank you! You are probably reading this and thinking to yourself, Duh, Barbara, they are just keys but they are not just keys. These keys can open some very important things around here and my thing is this: The scripture says that if you are faithful over a few things, then God will make you ruler over many.

Anyhoo, on the third day when I used my keys to open the office, the lady across the hall was just standing there wanting to know if I could unlock her office and I just laid it on the line for her that I may not always be here and that she either needs to find her keys or pay the fine to get them replaced. I know she is just avoiding paying the fine for lost keys but she is going to need them plus it says on the keys that copying is prohibited so that is why I can't make her a copy. So later on that day when I went to lunch, I took my keys with me and left them in the car instead of bringing them back in. Sure enough the lady comes from across the hall and looks around on my desk and I asked her what was she looking for, she said that she was looking for my keys. I told her that they were in my car and that I was not going back out to the car to get them, so this time she had to call security to open up the doors for her. A light bulb went off in my head, DUH, that is what they are here for....either call them or get replacement keys. I think she has backed off from coming in my office looking for my keys after that. Good, because she was getting on my last nerve!
~QUEENBEE~

Deal or No Deal!

About a year ago, there was a free golf subscription just for filling out a survey and so I complied and got it for hubby, knowing my husband does not play golf nor had he even had an interest in playing golf. So when the first book came, hubby acted like he was all interested in this magazine and golf all of a sudden. Well the year is almost up for this free subscription and the golf magazine sent hubby this renewal subscription for 10.00, plus give a friend a subscription for free, plus a free bag.

So hubby mentioned it to me and I told him that we have enough bags at the house and that the deal was that yes, he find a friend to give the subscription to plus give the bag to the friend as well. Hubby said no deal and that he get to keep the bag. I did not like his answer. NO DEAL! I told him that adding another bag to the house is just stacking up on the junk that we already have and do not use. He CLAIMED he would use the bag, just like he CLAIMED he would use the other 15,999 bags....ok maybe not that many but it seems like that.

So I said ok, let's make another deal....I told him that if he gets to keep the bag that he would have to get rid of one of the 72,987 bags that he already has that is lurking under our bed and he agreed, but it was a slow agreement....but it was a start. DEAL! I WIN!

Kids say the darnest thing

I was talking to our 15 year old son one day and we were talking about peer pressure and not doing things just because everybody else is doing it. In doing so, I thought I would throw in an analogy and asked our son, "If everybody jumped off the bridge, would you jump too?" I really expected him to say, "No mother, I would not jump because everybody else is doing it and that would not be the right thing to do." Instead, this was his reply, "It depends on how deep the water is."

I was done. I threw my hands up and proceeded doing what I was doing.
~QUEENBEE~

Moving

My boss came to me and said that she needed to talk to me in her office. I didn't know what was going on but I went in with an open mind anyway. She started out asking me if I was ok and I said yes. My open mind was now shut. What did she want me in here for? I sat in the chair and proceeded to listen to what she was about to say. She said that she had gotten offered the position of Dean (a higher position) and that she accepted the position. So with her accepting that position, that means she would be moving from our department and our building. I did not express any emotion at that point and I continued to listen.

My boss took a deep breath and said, "You are moving with me." I didn't know what to say. I had so much going on inside at that point because instead of thinking of me, I thought of all the 70 people I work with and I was just one admin and how they would be lost without me. I started to think of what they would say when the announcement would be made that I was moving out of my department. Then my boss said that the move should take place real soon. That is now the talk around the office of what they will do without me being there. I want to be excited but I do not know what to feel. It's like a bittersweet moment.

I know I will be in a better looking office and I am so grateful that I still have a job and I also know it will give me an opportunity to move up. I have packed up everything in my office and there are 5 boxes sitting there. The people that used to come by and say hello says that they just can't come down the hall like they used to because they can't bear to see me leave. They see the boxes sitting there and says that it just don't feel the same. They are happy that my boss chose me to go with her but they are definitely not happy that I have to leave. I know it can't go both ways. I am so used to the office being somewhat noisy with people coming in and out, people down the hallway...and this week has been the quietest week EVER!! All I know is that moving day will be approaching soon and I have to go and I tell the people in my department that they can come and visit me in my new office but they say it just will not be the same.

Puppy sitting

I have never really been a fan of having animals myself but when my daughter's friend gave us a puppy at the beginning of the year for free, I went on and agreed because it put a smile on our children faces to have a dog....and I was the first one who said that I would NEVER get a dog. Well when the puppy died a few months ago from Parvo (a disease that dogs get) again, I said that I do not want to get another dog.

Hubby asked me one day not too long ago if we could get another dog. I was adamant about my decision and said no, no, no, no, no. I did not want the children to get attached like they did before and I was content on how things were. Well one night, after I came home from my class, the children met me at the car and said, "It wasn't our idea, it was his (speaking of hubby) and I asked them what it was and they said that we had a puppy. I knew it wasn't April Fool's Day but somehow I felt like I was getting punked.

I got out the car and walked inside and asked hubby if there was a puppy here, he smiled and pretended he didn't know what I was talking about...until I heard some barking outside. I looked at hubby and even though I was upset that he strictly went against my wishes, I said, ok what's the story behind the puppy being here. He said that it was a friend of his puppy and that now the friend is being charged $200.00 a month for the puppy to be there and that the puppy just had nowhere else to go....and I looked at him again and said, "So you said the puppy can stay here?" And I said, "I hope it's temporarily, right?" Hubby was silent and started humming like he didn't hear me. I told him that he should have consulted me first.

Well after having this puppy for a week, both of our children went to the fair and left me and hubby with the puppy. At first we had the puppy out on the patio but she started whining because she is used to the children (mainly our daughter) tending to her and her whining actually made me feel sorry for her, so hubby made her a bed on the floor next to the couch where I was sitting so the puppy can lay there. She wanted to run around but I told her that she was going to sit right here until the children come home. The puppy knew something was different but she stayed right there. I never would have imagined me doing this in a million years. Now here I am puppy sitting!

The day the squirrel went beserk...AGAIN.

If you have never heard about the squirrel that went beserk in a Mississippi church, you may want to see this video before proceeding.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K16fG1sDagU ..... but if you have heard about the Mississippi church who had a squirrel in it, then here is a story for you.

It all started Friday evening at work, most of the people had gone home and the supervisor was out to some meeting and that left me, a student assistant, and about one or two people in the building. It was almost close to 4:00 (closing time) and I was just finishing up a few things on the computer....I was just typing away, when.......I heard this man down the hall say that he thinks a squirrel got in the building. I stopped typing and began to listen to the conversation because I know if a squirrel had gotten into the building, that I may need to leave before 4:00. I walked to where the student assistant was sitting and asked her if she heard the man say he think a squirrel got in the building and she told me that I must have good ears because she didn't hear anything.

When I looked down the hall, there were two instructors standing there with a student and I kindly interrupted thier conversation and said, "Excuse me, I'm sorry to be nosey and get in your conversation, but did you say that you think a squirrel got in THIS building." One of the instructors said that he thinks he saw it out of the corner of his eye but he wasn't sure. The student then said that as he opened the door to come inside, a squirrel got in but don't know where it went. I immediately grabbed my purse and figured that we should shut down and get the heck out of there. One of the instuctors (A TYPICAL MAN) was trying to act macho and say that it was just a squirrel and that it won't hurt ya. But don't squirrels carry rabies and such if they bite you!!! My point exactly!!

Well no one knew where this squirrel ran to, but I know it wasn't in my office and I already had keys and purse in hand, so I don't know why they were still pondering if they should leave or not so me and the student assistant got our things and we left. Well Saturday and Sunday passed and Monday rolled on around and we didn't really think anymore of the squirrel until someone mentioned they heard something in their office. I was like WHOA!! I HOPE IT'S NOT IN MY OFFICE OR I'M GONNA HAVE TO TAKE LEAVE and go back home. It was not in my office but when the instructor went in her office, she said that papers were scattered everywhere and there were little animal droppings in her office. We all were on the edge.....she sat at her desk and said that she could hear some scratching in a desk drawer and when she slowly pulled it out, there was the squirrel. Now I am sure inquiring minds want to know how this squirrel got in the drawer in the first place. It had been in her office the entire weekend.....just thinking about it makes me want to spray everything down with bleach.

So she said that when she left, she shut the door and just left the window open all weekend. Not to mention that a thief could have come in the window and took the computer and stuff but she said she was just hoping if she left the window open that the squirrel would go out the window. When we all walked in on Tuesday, you could hear a pin drop because we wanted to know what happened to the squirrel.....it must have found its way out the window because he was no longer in the drawer of the instructor's office. I know one thing, I would never use that drawer again....EVER!!!

Never mess with a black woman's hair!!

Some black women may want to wear their hair natural, or kinky or whatever the term is today and I'm cool with that. I mean, it's your hair, you can wear it however you want to wear it but don't get upset with me about how I want my hair. Well, this weekend hubby was grilling a few things and so I figured that since he was grilling, that I would volunteer and go and pick up his medicine from the pharmacy since it was suppose to close at 6p.m. I looked up at the clock and said to myself that I had better go on to the pharmacy since it was almost close to closing.

As I was walking out of the house, hubby decided that he would water his newly growing collard greens that he had set out and I specifically said to him, "Let me get by so that I can get in the car and go and pick up your medicine." I knew he wanted to be playing around and just spray me with the hose and I specifically said to hubby, "You can spray me all you want, BUT DO NOT SPRAY NO WATER IN MY HAIR." He decided to continue to play and skeet bits of water here and there, as if to spray me. I then gave him THE LOOK.

As I was getting in the car, hubby took it upon himself to spray the hose a little harder and sure enough, the water hit my hair and some got in the car as well. He laughed so hard, but I did not see anything funny. I immediately got out the car door and walked back toward the house and told him that I was going to go and pack my bags and leave. (Keep in mind that I really need to get to the pharmacy) He was still laughing and asked where was I going...I told him that I didn't know and that he had pissed me off so I was packing my things and leave. I told him that I really don't have time and that I was going to pick up his medicine and that I would finish this when I got back.

I returned home and hubby had a friend in the yard as he was still grilling and I walked toward the door and hubby asked if I was still going to pack and I said yes. He apologized and said that he was sorry for spraying water in my hair. I wasn't really going to pack, it's just the principle that I asked for water not to be sprayed in my hair and even though I know he wanted to be in a playful mood, I was trying to get to the pharmacy so I can get back to doing my homework. So hubby said that he now knows not to mess with a black woman's hair.

The Mushroom Saga

I used to really like mushrooms with my juicy steak off the grill, along with my sauteed onions...YUM. I use the words "used to" loosely because I think I might be changing my view of mushrooms. I am taking this substance abuse class at the university and so hubby and I were watching television and it talked about how mushrooms were once considered a drug. I wish I could have had a rewind button because I know they didn't say what I thought they said...yeah they said exactly what I thought they said. Anyhoo, I told hubby that I don't think I want any more mushrooms and he said that the kind we eat are not poisonous and that I didn't have to worry.

Well on another note, hubby decided to cook something (I don't even remember what it was) and he took it upon himself to try a different mushroom from what I was used to eating. And these things were big (I don't do big mushrooms, it's just my thing) and floppy (yuk), not like the little ones that he has always sauteed for me. Soooooo, I looked at these giant floppy fungi and told hubby that I am not eating those mushrooms. He said that I haven't even tried them and don't know if I like them or not....I don't care if Abraham, Issac, Jacob, Daniel and the Hebrew boys put them mushrooms on my plate, I wasn't going to try them.

Well about two, maybe three days had passed and hubby finally put my steak on the grill and he sauteed them onions at the same time and I knew this was going to have to be entered in a delicious steak of the month club because hubby always has good steaks off the grill. As he presented my plate to me, I looked down at it and almost felt like Shug Avery when Mister brought her that food and she threw it at the wall. Hubby had the audacity to put mushrooms on my steak, after I asked him not to....AND....(yall ready for this???) he also had the audacity to put them big ole floppy mushrooms on it too...BUT...he had them disquised as the little mushrooms that I like...he actually took the big floopy shrooms and cut them up, as if I wouldn't know the difference. He asked me how was my steak and I told him that I would let him know as soon as I scrape them mushrooms off...

He paused....and I told him that I know these were not the same mushrooms....and again he paused like he was just caught red-handed and then he said, "How did you know?" Duh, I just know what I like and I told him to stop trying to trick me, even though he claims this was his first time. The mushroom saga continues.
~QUEENBEE~

Animals are smarter than humans

I don't believe that for one single minute that animals are smarter than humans. I was in the bathroom getting ready for work when I heard something on television that said animals are smarter than humans. I did not go and see who was saying it or what show it was, I was just listening. Here are a few reasons why I think animals are not smarter than humans.

1. They can't drive.
2. They poo and pee all over the place.
3. They can't read or write.
4. They have to wait for someone to give them their food.
5. They lick their own balls and bathe with their tongue.
6. They can't get a job.
7. They can't go on dates.
8. They can't tell me how much they love me.
9. They can't let themselves back in if they get locked out of the house.
10. They abandon their young to go and get more puppies
11. And lastly, they screw any and everything....oh wait....some humans do that too.
~QUEENBEE~

Back off

It's not that I mind people using my stuff in my office but I do have a problem with you assuming that I do not want to be asked to use it. I have this compartment on my desk and it has all different kinds of labels in it. The lady across the hall from me had asked if I had any labels she could "borrow". I don't know how you gonna borrow labels, because that would mean you would have to pay them back and I knew if she asking to use some of mine, then she don't have any to give back. I told her that I could give her a few labels and that was that.

Until.........

I was sitting at my desk the other day and she walks across the hall to my office. I could see her coming out of my peripheral vision or however you spell it...but anyhoo, I see her coming so I figured she was gonna ask if she could "borrow" more labels. NOPE!! She just walked over to my compartment tray and grabbed the labels and walked back across the hall. STOP THE PRESS. Did she just.....? Yeah she did!!! Did she even ask me if she could get my stuff off my desk? And then.....not even say a thank you behind it. Oh heck the nall!! I told her that this is my stuff on my desk and I don't just walk over to her desk and grab stuff and I would certainly appreciate it that she ask me before assuming. Heck, I might not feel like sharing that day.

But the audacity to just do it is cause enough for me to try to break her hand off the next time she does it...oh my bad, there probably won't be a next time because I am moving everything around....but why do I have to move my stuff in my office!!!! I hope she don't think that just because we work in the same building across the hall from each other that my belongings equals to her belongings as well. It doesn't. She should get some stuff for her office like I do for mine. She better back off....don't let my cute face fool ya.
~QUEENBEE~

Abundance of blessings

I tell ya when the Lord says he will open up a window and pour you out blessings that you won't have room enough to receive it, you best believe it is true. Hubby and I plans out our grocery list together and we even put a price next to the items what we think it will cost and this is done every two weeks. Well I came home from work one day and there was this box of food sitting in the floor and hubby had mentioned that one of our friends had given us this box of food because they wanted us to have it. I am glad I wasn't too proud to receive it, even though we had asked for nothing. I started going through the box and we could use everything in there, it's just that we had no room in the pantry for it so we let it sit in the box and used it when we needed it.

About two days later, there was another box when I got home. I wanted to ask why we got this food and what did we do to get it but I was grateful for the blessing. Again, it could not fit in the pantry, so now this box sat on top of the other box in the kitchen. I looked in the refrigerator and we had more than one dozen of eggs, juices, sausages and breads. Hubby had mentioned that he was helping someone out with something and this was their way of paying us. Even though we didn't ask for pay and it was from our heart, they rewarded us with an abundance of food that we did not have to go grocery shopping for at least a whole month. We were beyond grateful and were not too proud to receive it either. So whenever I get ready to have a cook out, I will let you know.
~QUEENBEE~

A Loss of Time

Yes, I must admit that I have a colored watch that goes with just about everything I wear (except green, but I'm working on that). That is just my thing. I can't even begin to tell you how long I have been doing this. Well today I wore my red top and my blue jean shorts and I already knew the navy blue watch needed a battery so I didn't reach for that one, but I did not know that the red watch had died on me. So I grabbed the watch and headed on out of the door.

Halfway down the road, I just so happen to glance at my watch just to make sure I was on time in getting to work....and when I looked down, I was like what the sheezy!! My watch was dead. Noooooooo!!!!! I started to just take it off but I know it is all in my mind that if I don't have a watch on, I somehow feel naked. I kept looking at my watch, forgetting that it was not working, and was at a loss of time all day. It threw my entire day off because each time I looked down, it still said 6:45....well at least it was right at least twice today.
~QUEENBEE~

Only God...

We were driving back to Florida from a family reunion in Philadelphia, MS. The weather was kind of crazy and hubby don't normally go too fast on a slippery road. As we got into Mobile, AL and had to drive over that long bridge, I could see that hubby was in some kind of hurry. I didn't ask him about it because I thought he was just looking out for me, being that I was tired and sleepy, I thought he just wanted to hurry up and get me home. Normally, I would ask him why was he driving (not mainly fast, but faster than what he normally would drive while it was raining).

So hubby zoomed through one lane, then zoomed through another. Then I thought that maybe he had to drop a load and was trying to get off the bridge to get to a toilet but when he passed by the exit to get off, I knew that wasn't it. Hmmm, I didn't want to disturb him so I just let him be. He zoomed through another lane and all the while I am thinking to myself that he is really crazy right about now.

Well, by the time we actually drove across the Florida state line, the rain was still coming but it had ceased just a smidgen. When we got home and all got inside, hubby asked me if I knew why he was driving so fast and I said no. He said that as he got on the bridge in Alabama, he thought he saw a tornado cloud and he didn't want us first of all to be caught in it, and second of all, to be caught in it on a bridge. He said he didn't want to tell me in the car to scare me and he said he was just hoping I would not ask him why he was trying to get home like he did. Lo and behold, after he had told me that, he does what he likes to do the best....watch news.....and right there on the screen, the newsperson showed videos of people who had recorded a tornado on the bridge we were just on......AND...check this out.....the newsperson said that a tornado just touched down in Alabama. We just looked at each other.

All I could say was ONLY GOD!!! That was so powerful right there that I just had to share it with you. WOW!!! TOTALLY AMAZING!!!
~QUEENBEE~

Are you sleep?

It had been a rough day after being at work all day then going to classes right afterward. I came home and was exhausted. I ate some dinner, took a bath and came in the bedroom to just relax in the bed. The lights were off, the tv was off and it was just total silence. It was nice. As I lay there, hubby bust in the room like he forgot to stop, drop and roll and said, "You sleep?" Correction, he didn't say it.....he shouted it as if he was the bear to help you prevent forest fires. I rolled over and said, "No, I am not sleep, what do you want?" He says that he didn't want anything, he just wanted to see if I was sleep.

Don't you think that if I was sleep, that this unnecessary outrage would have waken me up! I said well since I am not sleep and you busting in here, you had better want something. He said nope he didn't want anything. That was so stupid. I then asked him why did he come in the room like that and it was like I was talking to Helen Keller cause he said, "Come in here like what?" I said, "why did you bust up in here like you were on fire?" He said, "I did?" Ok, this isn't going anywhere.....so I just told him to go somewhere so I can go to sleep. The next time he ask me if I am sleep....how about I just answer yes and then maybe he will actually want something or just pretend I am and not say anything.
~QUEENBEE~

The Cricket

There was a cricket that got in our house. I didn't hear it the first night but our daughter said she heard it but hubby assured her that it was probably on the patio and definitely not in the house. As night number two approached, I was watching television and our daughter said that she heard the cricket again. I turned the volume down on the tv and sure enough I could hear it too. This little thing chirped constantly, nonstop. I walked over to the kitchen and the closer I got this box we had in the corner, the more I could hear it. I said that the cricket was in the house and not outside and therefore asked hubby if he could get it out. He said he would.

The third day, I could hear the cricket down the hall and so went into the kitchen but this time, the noise was no longer coming from the corner, it was coming from somewhere, but where? I was determined to get it. He was so annoying. I asked hubby again to get it and this time his tone of voice was like I was aggravating him so I said to just forget it and that I would find him myself. We looked under cabinets, behind the microwave, in the pantry and all over the kitchen and each time we heard the chirper, we thought we were getting close to killing it. This went on for like two more days of non-stop chirping. We sprayed raid in cracks and crevices, but still this thing kept chirping. Oh my gosh, I could not hear myself think, so I had to go in the room to actually do my homework.

Well on that fifth day, I woke up to get ready and did not hear the cricket. I was hoping it just starved itself to death and died. I walked in the kitchen and right there laying on its back was this cricket, trying to turn itself over. Today was not his day because I reached for the raid and sprayed him. Our son got a napkin to pick it up and threw it away. One little cricket made all that noise, but I am glad it is gone now. Peace at last.
~QUEENBEE~

A sip, then a swallow

I am not a fan of V8 at all. I've tried it, and it's just not my thing. Well hubby was going to try the V8 in the can all because it was given to him. He opened the can and took a sip of it and said, "Whew, this needs a little something added to it." Now, hubby and I are not drinkers but he took it upon himself to make a pretend homemade Bloody Mary. Visualize with me if you can.....he put some salt in the can and then put some hot sauce in it. As he is mixing his homemade drink, I tell hubby that if it is hot going in, then it will be hot coming out. (The children thought that was very funny.) Ok, back to the point....so hubby has mixed his ghetto drink and sips it and says that the salt and hot sauce did the trick.

Now in comes our 15 year old son who thought he should taste hubby's mixture and so our son asks hubby if he could take a sip from it and hubby agrees. Instead of a sip, our son gulp down a whole swallow. When he did get it down, he said, "Dad, that is the most disgusting thing I've ever had." He then added, "That tasted worse than my throw up in the back of my throat." I told him the moral of this story is to be content and not always wanting what somebody else has. Our son said that he hopes he learns a lesson from that. I sure hope so too.
~QUEENBEE~

Time to let go

Several years ago, hubby, the kids and I were in Gulfport, MS at the outlet shop. I am not one of those people who feel that everytime we go out somewhere that I have to buy me something; but I did see these pair of jeans that had this beautiful design at the bottom of them and thought to myself that I really wanted these jeans. I just knew that absolutely nobody in Pensacola would have these jeans and that when I wore them to work, I would be envied. I kept passing by the jeans up but indicated to hubby how beautiful these particular pair of jeans were. Now with me being a plus size voluptuous full figured sexy woman, these jeans were actually in my size. Hubby egged me on to go and try them on and so I did. Oh my gosh, they fit my curves perfectly and I was just so in love with these jeans that hubby told me that I should get them. We had the money to get them and wasn't going to be in a bind or anything. I was like, "I don't know." Hubby said to me that when we leave Gulfport that we wouldn't be back no time soon and that I should get the jeans.....and so I did.

The jeans had this design around both legs that I could wear two different colored tops at two different times. Everytime hubby would wash and iron them, I had my tush right back in them. Well over the years, the material wore out on the jeans. The zipper had broke twice and each time hubby repaired them, the button had broke and hubby put another button on it. The seams on the side were coming apart and he knew how much I loved these jeans and he offered to sew them. This time I declined to let him fix them. I had these jeans over 8 years and it was time to let them go and so I made my way over to the trash can and dropped them in. I believe it was time.
~QUEENBEE~

Divas On A Mission

I have created a new facebook page. It's called Divas On A Mission (DOAM) It's just for all the females. It was just something I felt I needed to do. I can't explain it. We don't have to be friends in order for you to like the page, nor do I have to know you. You tell a female and so forth and so on. If I knew how to link it to this blog, I would....but since I don't, just go to facebook and type in Divas On A Mission (DOAM) in the searchbox and like my page. Make sure you type it in with the parenthesis. To know you are on the correct page, the picture that I chose is a silhouette of a woman and she has her head down like she is holding the walls from collapsing. My mission as a diva is to try to send out an encouraging message daily via my status. If I should miss a day, it's because I may have gotten tied up with either work, school work or the hustle and bustle of this beautiful thing called life. We all are divas, we just don't know it yet.
~QUEENBEE~

Fish Tales

I love me some good ole fried fish, I even eat it baked...depends on how it is cooked. Well someone gave hubby some fish and their was nothing wrong with the fish, it was just some big fish. That was some thick looking fish, and I already knew this was not my kind of fish. We were thankful for it but when hubby was cleaning it, I kindly asked him that when he got ready to cook the fish not to cook the whole fish and to cut it and cook it and then he and I could share just one fish. He said that he wanted to cook it whole and I had a difference of opinion and I specifically told him that would be entirely too much fish.

But noooooo, hubby had to be the hard head man and cook this whole fish. When he brought it to me, I just looked at it like it was an alien or something. I began to eat the fish and it tasted funny. I asked hubby what kind of fish was this and he told me some name that I wasn't even familiar with but I was grateful for it and tried to eat it anyway. He noticed that I wasn't eating the fish like I normally eat it and I told him something different was with this fish. He then asked me if it had an oily taste, not because it was fried, but the meat itself tasted oily and I said yes. I really can't describe it.

I am not one who likes to throw away food but I actually had to throw the fish out. I kind of felt bad for doing that but I just couldn't eat it. After eating those few bites, I felt like I needed to drink pepto bismol or something. Forget the spoon, just give me the whole bottle. It tasted like I was eating a baked tree after being dipped in lard. I wish I could think what hubby told me this fish was called but I don't want that anymore. I want to stick to what I know.
~QUEENBEE~

Saying it without actually saying it

I just believe that there are some things you have to be bold about when saying it. What's the worse that can happen, right? A student came by the other day because she missed taking her test at the regular time and wanted to know if she could make up an exam. In order for her to do that, she would have to take it over at our testing center and not in the classroom. So the young lady made an appointment to take the test and we had to make sure the test was over there before 9:00 a.m. Well by the time we had gotten to work at 7:30, the sun was already beaming and it was hot outside. I made my way into the cool air and was just about to unlock the doors when my boss said that she forgot about the test and that it needs to go over to the testing center. I looked around and saw that it was just me and her, so I said, "Why don't I make a copy of the test and send it as an attachment to the testing center and that way, they will have it and all they need to do is print it." It sounded like a good idea to me. My boss then said it was a nice day out and she will walk it over to the testing center.

See, in a hidden-behind-the-bush kind of way, she was really asking me to get in that sun and walk and in a hidden-behind-the-bush kind of way, I was letting her know that I was not getting out in that sun. I'm sorry if this comes out ugly, but I did not put on my nice white shirt that my hubby took the time to iron for me to get out in the heat and sweat while walking across campus and then come back smelling like a musty stallion. Yeah I said it!
~QUEENBEE~

My neighbor is really psycho

There were these boots that hubby wanted me to have. He said that I should order them before it gets cold and before the price goes up. I looked at the boots and thought that if he wanted me to have them, then I would get these boots. I received an online notification as to when the company was shipping the boots and when they would be delivered at my house. Well that night that the boots came, the delivery people dropped the package off at my neighbor's house and not our house.

So, the doorbell rang around 7:00 a.m. the next morning and hubby got up to answer the door. I was sound asleep so I didn't even know the package had arrived nor did I know that the doorbell rung. When I woke up, hubby said to me that I had a package in the living room and that it was delivered next door. When I went to get the package, it was all torn up so I asked hubby why was it torn like that...and this is is story.......

When the neighbor brought the package over, hubby asked the neighbor why was the package torn all open like it was....the neighbor said that he knew he didn't order anything and he knew his wife didn't order anything, so before he even looked at the name on the package, he tore the package open because he said don't nothing come in his house without him seeing what it is first. Hubby told the neighbor that my name was on it and that he should have looked first to see who it belongs to. The neighbor then said no, he did not look at the name. The neighbor then said that his wife can't order anything without him looking to see what she ordered first. He said his wife can't go and get a bottle of nail polish without him looking in the bag first. So my hubby asked him what if she was trying to get something for a surprise for him. The psycho neighbor said that he don't wany anything by surprise and she better not bring anything in HIS house without him knowing about it first.

When hubby was telling me this story, I was like, Are you for-real? I t0ld hubby that was insane. Hubby agreed. I don't know whether I should feel sorry for the neighbor or his wife. That man is psycho!
~QUEENBEE~

Role Reversal

Hubby and I normally go grocery shopping together. We make out our list and put prices next to the items what we think it will cost. If we have any coupons, we separate and sort them. We get up early and do what we have to do. I would say that we have a system going and it works for us. Well today was a different kind of grocery trip. Hubby had things to do at church and I was ok with that so when I mentioned to the kids that I would need help in grocery shopping, I didn't expect that the both of them would volunteer their precious teenage time to help me.

Our son pushed the cart for me and our daughter had a buggy of her own. I told her that she would take the coupons and go and get everything on our coupon list and then we would meet back in the middle. She did it without complaining and with a joyful heart. That was a blessing in itself.

The two of them were willing to get up early just to meet my needs and they assisted me in grocery shopping like hubby normally does. Today was a good day.
~QUEENBEE~

Doing it for the very first time

No silly rabbit, I am not talking about sex. Bring your minds back to this side for just a few minutes. I was listening to either the radio or the television as I was brushing my teeth and I heard someone say that we should at least try doing something that we have never done before. I don't know why that kind of hit me and wanted me to actually do it. But at that moment, I thought to myself, "Hmmmm, I think I will bake a cake." No, not a cake mix cake, but that good ole country cake from scratch. I had never done that so I was on my quest to get it accomplished.

As a child, I had watched my mother and my grandmother in their own kitchens get the ingredients together and put them in a bowl and when all was said and done, a delicious cake would be there to eat. I never thought that as I watched them, that I would be in my own kitchen trying to make a cake the same way they did. I wanted to call my mama and ask her what were her ingredients but I decided to try it on my own and call her later and so I began.

Everything that came to mind that I remember about this cake, I put it in the bowl and watched the mixer go round and round. The sugar went in, the softened butter went in and then the flour and the eggs. It was beginning to actually look like cake batter. I was getting so excited about doing it for the very first time. I poured the batter in the pan and watched it carefully as it cooked. When it did come out of the oven, OH MY GOSH, it smelt just like mama's. The family wanted to taste it and so when it was cool enough to come out of the pan, we all stood around in awe. Before I even had a chance to take a picture of it, the children took the knife and cut into it. They absolutely loved it. I was so happy. After all that, I called my mama and told her about it and she told me I put in all the ingredients correctly. My daughter has already asked when do I plan on making another one.
~QUEENBEE~

Where they do that at???

I know, I know, I know that you don't end a sentence with a prepositional phrase. I know that! But I was in awe when I went home to MS this weekend for my c/0 1988 picnic. There were really some characters there and they weren't afraid to let it be known that they are still as wild as ever. The picnic was outside under a few tents with these huge fans blowing some kind of decent air. Even though I have attended the 10th, 15th and 20th year reunions, I have never attended any of the picnics.

So we are all outside with shorts on, some had on skirts, and even a few of them had pants on. We had on our typical sandals and some even had on tennis shoes...you know, something that you would actually wear outside in the grass and since the majority of us are 40, 41, somewhere around there, one would think you would dress a certain way and hopefully some of the wild ways have left. So we were just sitting there and this car pulls up with thumping music and I immediately thought they had the wrong place. When this person gets out of the car, I really did think that she just had on a shirt and nothing else. The only way I knew that her shorts were shorts and not underwear was because it had a pocket on the back.

She got out of her car with these three inch heels that tied up her leg. It was like everything was now in slow motion. Every head that was outside turned and looked that way. But it didn't last long because the first thing that was said was, "It ain't even that kind of party" The next thing was, "Really? Does she not know this is a family oriented picnic OUTSIDE IN THE GRASS?" And then, "She still wild as ever." Yeah, we just want to know Where they do that at? Seriously!!
~QueenBee~

Try me and see

There is an instructor who works in my department came into my office with a student and they were looking for my boss. I told them that my boss wasn't in and if there was something I could help them with. The instructor, who does tend to have a nasty attitude at times, asked when will the boss be back. I never give a specific time because things happen that may prevent her from being back in the office at that time so I answered the lady and told her that the boss would probably be back in about 2 hours or so and again I asked if there was something I could help them with. The instructor then said, "There is nothing you can help me with because you wouldn't know the answer to this question."

So I'm sitting there with this look like, "you don't know until you try me and see." So that is exactly what came out of my mouth. I try not to be rude anyway but sometimes you just have to stand your ground to let these people know where you are coming from. So the student began to speak and say what he had to say and right then and there, I was able to answer the question and give him the info he needed. The instructor looks at me like I wasn't suppose to know the answer, like it was beneath me or something. I kindly asked if there was anything else I could do for them and they said no, and as the student and the instructor were leaving, the student turned to say thank you. I told him that he was welcome. Before assuming you think I don't know the answer to something, try me and see. Let me be the one to tell you that I don't know. You don't know what I know.
~QueenBee~

Is there anybody up?

I am sitting here watching the clock. I can hardly believe I am still up at 2:58 in the morning. The only thing that is open this time of night is legs and Wal-Mart. Well my legs aren't open and I don't have a reason to be at Wal-Mart. This is just one of those random nights that I am not sleepy. It could be due to the fact that I didn't have to go to work today and I chilled with all the homework I been doing. Oh don't worry, I will do more homework tomorrow in order for it to be done on time.

I never can tell when my clock says 2:58 in the a.m. because I am always knocked the slap out with that good ole thing called sleep. Ahhh how blissful. I need sleep now but can't go. I am wide awake looking at the surrounding lights around me as my daughter tries to sit up and hang with me. She is in here talking about how she would love to see a sunrise just above the horizon. That sounds nice, but actually sleep sounds nicer. I tell you what would sound nice too, if there was some adults who I can engage in adult conversation with and have a banana popsicle at the same time. SIGHS!!

I am going to be extremely sleepy once the daylight breaks. I can handle that because with all this homework that I have been doing lately, I haven't been sleeping too good because I wanted to first make sure my homework got done on time. Since the next homework isn't due until Tuesday, I decided to take a break tonight and then once I do get sleepy and fall wherever I may, I'll get some rest and then go back to doing the homework. Anyhoo, it is now 3:10 and I'm eating a small pack of M&M's and drinking water. Hubby is snoring like an aardvark on fire. Good for him. I will be snoring like that in a few hours. I can already feel it, this is going to be some real good sleep when it does come. In the meantime, I will leave you alone for now. Yall have a good night/morning. Peace out.
~QueenBee~

Unusual Text

I was sitting here minding my own business when I get this text from the same area code as mine. I normally do not answer texts where the number is unfamiliar but I did on this particular text. I answered the text because on one or two occasions my children have called me on someone else's phone because they ran out of minutes, so even though my children were home, I thought it was someone who was trying to get in touch with me and something was wrong with their phone.

The text came in and said, "Is your texting working ok?" I replied that I did get their text and my text was working ok. The person replied and this is what the text said, "My dad's phone broke and it is not working and he is depressed, sitting in a hotel room and I need you to call him to cheer him up." At this point, I'm trying to think of who in the world this could be but nothing came to mind. So I texted this random stranger back and asked who was this and who was their dad. The reply came back as Taylor. I texted Taylor back and told him/her that they must have the wrong phone number because I don't know anyone named Taylor.

I waited for a reply but nothing came. I silently said a prayer to myself that whoever this was that they were ok and that the dad finds comfort in whatever it was that was bothering him. It may have been meant to come to me, I don't know but I do know that you don't have to know someone to say a prayer for them.
~QueenBee~

Embarrassing Moment

Hubby and I were at CVS to pick up his medicine. I told him I was gonna sit in the car while he picked it up but he asked me if I would come inside with him and so I did. We walked to the pharmacy to drop off another prescription and decided to just wait for it. While we waited, we browsed a few magazines until his name was called.

To the pharmacy we go and since neither one of us had any cash on us, I pulled out my debit card from my mini wallet to pay for hubby's medicine. As I pulled the card out, a tampon falls to the floor. I didn't see it at first until hubby told me that something fell out. I looked down to the floor and there it was, an O.B. tampon still in its plastic. Hubby looked at it like he didn't know what it was and I said, "Oh, my tampon!" It was an embarrassing moment but I wasn't the one who was embarrassed, it was hubby.
~QueenBee~

She is on the phone!!!

I know I've blogged a few times about this lady I work with named Sarah. She has a very nasty attitude and I have tried to be patient with her numerous of times. She just comes into the office and demands to see the boss with stupid stuff. As she walks into the office, I say, "She is on the phone" but that does not stop Sarah, she just walks in there and starts talking while my boss is on the phone. The boss has to put up her hand to let her know that she will be with her in a few minutes. Sarah just stood at the door waiting on the boss to get off the phone. I said to Sarah, "I will have her to call you when she gets off the phone.".....She just stood there.

So I told my boss that the very next time that Sarah come bustin up in here like she the incredible hulk or something that I was just gonna shut her door because I find it very rude that someone is standing at your door while you are on the phone and listening to every word you say. My boss told me to do what I had to do and that she didn't mind one bit. That's all I needed. I was ready for Sarah now.

Sure enough, about two days later, here she comes and sure enough my boss was on the phone. So once again I said, "she is on the phone" and Sarah seemed to ignore me and stand there and I said once again that the boss would call her when she was done and she still stood there as if I was invisible and I calmly got out of my chair, walked right in front of Sarah, closed the door to my boss office and calmly took my tail back to my chair and continued to type. Sarah gasped! And oh no she didn't put her hand on her hip and I turned and gave her the look as if to say, How you like me now...and then turned back to my computer monitor and continued working. Sarah didn't like that at all and I said, "I told you that she was on the phone, now what can I do for you?" She walked away. When the boss came out of the office, she smiled, gave me a thumbs up and said Good job!!!

~QueenBee~

What's in a title?

I work as an Administrative Assistant at the college but that is just a title, that is not who I am. My name is Barbara. Simple and to the point. A lot of people use titles as if it is suppose to change who they are, make them sound smarter or to be distinguised by their peers. This is actually my first time mentioning what I am about to say: My boss came to me about a few weeks ago and told me that beginning July 1, that my title will change from Administrative Assistant to Senior Administrative Assistant. I said, "OK" and kept right on working. She was in awe that I didn't seemed impressed or even grateful and indeed, I am grateful to God for allowing that to happen but when she told me, it wasn't like I became a new person because yet, I am still Barbara.

She mentioned it to me again and I said, "Thank you" and still kept right on working. She asked me if I was excited about having a different title and I told her that people seem to let their titles get to them and that is how they are introduced as Dr. so and so, President so and so, Honorable so and so and that they tend to lose focus on who they really are and I told her that I didn't want that to phase me or change me. She said she never thought of it like that. I want to stay focused on what I have to do, because just as easily as it was given, it can be easily taken away. My boss went away learning a lesson that day. I haven't even mentioned this to my family because I don't want them to make it more than it really is. In the end, I am still Barbara.

A fullfilled journey

It has definitely been a journey. Our 18 year old daughter finally finished high school. I never doubted God but I sure as heck doubted our daughter. We have pushed and pushed harder so that our daughter could graduate with her class. There were times when all she wanted to do was watch television and text and hubby and I had to stay on her and to keep telling her that she has got to finish high school. Whenever she would come in from school, we would ask how school was that day and her reply was, "SCHOOL SUCKS! IT IS BORING!" Hubby and I would see this child of ours go in her room and the first thing she wanted to do was to turn on the television and catch a good movie. We would say, "Don't you have any homework today?" The answer was majority always no. We stayed on her though. We said to turn off the television and the radio and to put the phone down. We told her that she couldn't go places with her friends and that after church on Sundays, she was to stay in the books. She was trying to be the wind that blew us away but we stood our ground and we did not back down. We were not giving up on her, we saw potential.

I used the soup commercial when it says, "why settle when you can select". I told her why settle for a C when you can select a B. Even though we were not the parents who tells our children that they have to make all A's and B's because not every person is an A and B student, but each child does have that will and that drive within themselves if they see that someone else cares about their grades as well. Even when our daughter came home with a grade lower than what she thought she did, I kept throwing graduation date in her face and telling her that she has to make the mark and finish on time. She kept wanting to throw in the towel and she even said that she didn't think she could do it. Hubby and I told our daughter that we believe in her and that she could do it.

As the months started turning into weeks, our daughter finally got excited. And then the day finally came, she graduated high school on June 7, 2011. Amen thank ya Jesus.  There were a few of her classmates that didn't get to walk in the commencement exercises nor did they graduate, a few of them were her friends. I was sad for those youngsters but as a parent, we must encourage our children to strive to do their best and we have to believe in them as well. This has certainly been a journey and now that it has been fullfilled, it's now time to start my next journey as our daughter prepares for college in August. I guess it never ends.

Precious, priceless moments of time

I just really love the way our church celebrates education every year. It is so amazing to see the little children being promoted into the next Sunday School class and get their certificates and then stop to get their pictures taken. It is always a proud moment to see the little ones with their caps and gowns on who are going to kindergarten and then to hear the excitement of the next age group who are going to first grade. These are indeed priceless moments. Today, our 15 year old son got promoted to a higher Sunday School age group and then our 18 year old got recognized as being a senior of 2011. It was a special celebration today because one thing aboout getting older and moving on, is that they will never come back to this point in life.
All we will have hereafter are priceless memories that can only be cherished. It was more special that my parents got to come and see the first grandchild celebrate education and will be here to see her walk across that stage to get her high school diploma on June 7, 2011 (two days from now).

Here is a picture of my mom helping our daughter get her collar ready on her gown.

We may experience this when our son graduates high school in 2014, but we will never be able to experience how touching it was for my mom to help our daughter get ready. Our daughter, who, in August,, could hardly wait for school to be out, said, "Now that it is over, I wish I could do it again." WOW!

...on turning 18...

Our daughter just turned 18 this week and I really believe that the very instant that she crossed the threshold of 17.999 into an 18 year old, that somewhere in her crossing that she bumped her head and all the gushy brain matter instantly seeped out. It must have seeped down the street, and then went around the corner but it was far from my house. The night before she turned 18, our daughter asked me if she could go with a friend girl of hers. I asked where was she going and she was like, "Mommmmmmmm, I'm going to celebrate my 18th birthday." I was like but WHERE are you going? She proceeded to say they would be going to the mall to "HANG OUT." That answer wasn't sufficient enough to me so I started to ignore her while her beating around the bush answer was not fitting well with me.

She said to me that if she was turning 18 that she should be able to go where she wants to do. (IN MY CALM VOICE....) I said, you are right. 18 year olds should be able to go where they want.....in their own house. I told her that turning 18 doesn't make you grown nor does it make you an adult, it just means you went to bed at 17 and woke up at 18 and should be thanking God for that transformation and for another year. (18 YEAR OLD SIGHS!)

I told her that whatever it is that she wants to do that there will be plenty of time in her life to do that and that just because she turned 18 doesn't mean that I'm suppose to let up on my rules at the house. I told her that being "grown" comes with maturity, not with age.....and somewhere in that cranium, I think she is going to get it......by and by.

Laughter is good for the soul

Hubby heard about this website that gives away free stuff. Hubby then asks me to go to the website to see what they were giving away for free. It sounded like some kind of hoax but I went to the website anyway. As I was going to the website, I asked hubby what was he looking for as a free item and he said that whatever they were giving away, he wanted it. So again I asked hubby what if it was something that we didn't need or couldn't use....hubby said that it didn't matter and to just get it for free just because it was free.

So off to the website I go and the freebie was.....................................a free condom. You know how you ponder to yourself and put your finger at your head hoping that some lightbulb will go off instantly????? Yeah, that was me when I saw the free condom and I said to myself, hmmmm, hubby is 62 years old, what the heck is he (we) gonna do with a condom....and before I could finishing thinking to myself, I found myself putting in his name to get a free condom. I can hardly wait for the mail to bring it.....his eyes will pop out of his head and I'm gonna be ROTFLOL, really loud. Whew, I'm laughing from the mere thought of it. Somebody pray for me......right now. LOLOL

Just chillin'

Well, I finally made my way over here. It's not that I haven't been wanting to blog, it's just that.....well, you know the story, school and work keeps me busy.....mainly school. Well I just wanted to come by and see how everyone was doing. Been to work today, then school, now I'm home and chillin. Thank God for next week, I will be off from work...THANK YA JESUS. I have too many hours and so, therefore, I am forced to take a few days off (OF COURSE WITH PAY, SILLY) I do not return to work until June 13, 2011. I will take the time and enjoy family. Ok, I will be back with more blogging.......when I can. Love, peace and hairgrease, I'm out.

Slapping folks silly left and right

I had to tell my mind to calm down several times at work on yesterday. You see, sometimes my mind has a mind of its own. Yeah, you read it right. My mind goes off on these delirious rants and then I have to be the one to get it back in line. I will set the scenario up for you. There is an instructor who will be working in the math lab at work. When she came to my office to fill out the paperwork, I informed her that she needed to have a background check and a drug test done. She informed me that she don't do drugs and haven't done anything criminal. I told her that is good to know and that in order for her to work, she will still need to get it done and that the cost was gonna be $85.00. I also told her that it would be taken out of her check every other week because the company wasn't gonna take out the whole 85 at one time......this crazy lady went into a rant about how it would then be worthless to work there and that would probably be all the money she would make....SERIOUSLY - and I know people need their money but I told her that is the policy. She kept yapping and yapping and yapping and at that point, my hand felt a tingle to just want to slap her silly. I controlled myself but I told her if she wanted to work there, then she gonna have to do the background check and drug test and that was the end of that conversation. She wasn't too happy with what I said but she ended up doing the paperwork in the end.

Next scenario - There is a lady who is out at work in another department and has been out for about two weeks and don't know when she will be back at work due to surgery. So my boss thought I was gonna take over her work and do my work as well. That was not going to happen. She kept sneakingly passing off work to me here and there because the boss of the other department would ask my boss if she mind me doing this and that. I asked my boss if she wanted my work to be done or the other departments work to be done and that I couldn't do both - they both almost got slapped - because they first could have asked me if I wanted to do it instead of assuming, and then maybe if they would have offered more pay......so the other department had to hire a temp person until the other lady gets back. Shoot, I already got too much going on in my own department.

Last scenario - Remember the lady who came in my office in scenario one, yeah the one who didn't want to pay the 85 dollars? Well she comes back to my office close to the time of me about to get off work. I was cleaning off my desk, so I could get ready and go to class. She comes walking in there with her posse as if that was suppose to scare me or something. I was finishing up a phone call and at that very minute, she says, (in her bratty voice) - "I need you to fax something for me." I gave her that "excuse me" look  and said, "I am on the phone." I finished up the call and told her that I don't fax stuff and that our department is an independent office and that I will SHOW her how to use the fax machine. She said she aint got time and I said neither do I and that I'm about to get off work. She said, "So you don't go over and beyond!" (AND YOU SEE, YOUR HONOR, THIS IS WHY SHE  ALMOST GOT SLAPPED) Again, I gave her that "excuse me" look. I told her how to put the paper in, put her fax number in and then send and on that note, I was walking out the door. She and her posse were still talking when I walked out and she said, "that is my favorite administrative assistant." My mind was like, "YEAH WHATEVER!!"

Superwoman status

I may not be faster than a locomotive or even a speeding bullet but I have just learned to accept that I am superwoman. At least that is what my brain seems to think. No, I don't mean that I can do everything and do it perfectly, it's just that whose idea was it that women have to compete to be as good as a man? Ha!!! Well, I'm not trying to compete, I'm just trying to make it do what I can do while I can do it.

With me going to work full time, going to school part-time, a mother to two savvy teens, the queenbee of my colony, a cheerful and bubbly wife and (IN MY SPARE TIME) - making invitations and cards, while at the very same time - preparing for my daughter to graduate (WHILE HELPING MY SISTER PLAN A GRADUATION CELEBRATION FOR MY DAUGHTER) - active in my church and then of course taking time to bathe in between all of that.......WHEW.....what a sentence run on!

I should change my facebook status that says: DOING IT ALL AND STILL MANAGING TO STAY SANE. It may seem like I am overly busy with so much to do but I do know that going back to school is going to pay off. I may not see the light at the end of the tunnel just yet but I do know that I'm more closer to the finish line than I am turning back. Now that I have that off my chest, I'm going to go and put on my cape. I've got things to do.

Surfin' USA

I don't know why Escambia County, FL decided that I and our children should be on separate spring breaks this year because we normally are. Well, I decided that since they were going to be stupid and do that, then I would just take off work the last two days that the kids were off to spend time with them. I already forewarned them that going to a water park was not an option and that I was working with very limited funds. The teenagers opted to go to the beach but they wanted to bring friends with them. I agreed. I would be the person to go and pick up their friends and drop them back off at home.

So off to the beach we go....and as we were going to the beach, we were gonna pass by Krispy Kreme doughnuts so I asked them if they ate Krispy Kreme and they all answered in excitement, so we pulled into the place where the hot doughnuts sign flashing will make you run into a tree. So I had my two children and two other children and they each got 3 doughnuts a piece. So off to the beach we go. The only rule was that if they couldn't swim then stay out of the water cause if they drowned, they would just be dead cause I wasn't coming in no water after that. They thought that was funny, but I declare I was not kidding. I had asked them what time would they be ready to go and they said around 5:00 and I told them they needed to meet me at the car at that time or they would be considered missing. They all were there with about two or three minutes to spare.

Afterwards, I took them to the park and told them to go and play....the looks on their faces were like, PLAY??? I said, "yeah go play" and my daughter's friend say, "but we are teenagers, we don't go PLAY!! I turned around and looked at her and said, "if you don't get your tail out of this car....." and that's all I had to say and then I made them to clean out my car for all the trash they left in there. I told them that if I could drive them to and from the beach and feed them Krispy Kreme, then they were gonna do something for me too.

They had the time of their lives and my kids even thanked me for taking the day off and making it fun for them. I'm glad I did it and I'm glad they had fun.

Another Year....Oh my!

I have been so busy with school and then of course preparing for my daughter's prom and then graduation...but all that will come later but I just had to come and give a shout out to my own self for my 2nd year bloggerversary. Two years already? WOW - that is awesome, except I won't have to experience the terrible two's any time soon.

I'll holla!!!

I feel like bustin' loose

As I got ready to take a bath, our 15 year old son went ahead and got a shower in their bathroom. (I really don't know how he and our 17 year old daughter can even stand to be in their bathroom - it looks like it has been invaded by the grinch who stole Christmas.) Anyhoo, our son went in their bathroom and I went in my bathroom. I could already hear the water running so I figured our son wouldn't be too long. I had finished with my bath and had dried off and even gotten my night clothes on when I could still hear water running.

I'm saying to myself that I know good and darn well that this boy ain't still in this bathroom bathing...he ain't got got that much to wash and he must don't know that we are not friends with the employees of the water company. So I was about to bust up in that bathroom and tell him to shut that water off but then I thought if I really wanted to see my 15 year old son dancing around in the shower like he was some kind of monkey. I probably would have scared the behoovers out of him and he probably would have peed in my face. That definitely would not have been a pretty site.

Of mice and men

Our 15 year old is always trying to act macho around the house. He shakes his head at me and his sister when we say we hear something on the patio or in the backyard and he will rub on his moustache and say that he will go and check it out. Well we had to go and get the puppy some shots and our son said that he would go with us just in case the puppy needed to be held. When it was time for the puppy to get his shots, Mr. 15 year old Macho, Macho man said, "I can't stand for him to get a shot, I'm gonna close my eyes." Yall, that was the funniest thing ever. I was like whhhhhhaaaaaatttttttt!!!!

Midnight train to...well it ain't Georgia

I don't know where the midnight train is going but it sholl won't be Georgia. Here I am sitting up way past midnight wondering what the heck is on tv but yet can't find anything except George Lopez. I am usually in bed this time of night but here I sit in my recliner (I say mine because I have left a butt inprint in it) eating leftover fried corn from the day before. And I know good darn well that corn makes me all gassy inside but I said, "what the heck, just take the risk and just poot all over hubby's leg when I do go to bed." I am on spring break this week from work and tonight is the very first night I've had an opportunity to just sit up late because the other two nights I had to go to school, which meant going to bed at a decent hour.

I told hubby that I just had to sit up late at least one night just to see if I still got that midnight skill. So far, so good. I could just go and comment on everybody's post on facebook and when they look and see what time I posted it, they will all be in awe because I am never up quite this late. They might even be inclined to call 911 and report it and say that something was mighty suspicious at my house. I could just sit and paint my nails but darn, it might hinder the children's sleep for the mighty smells of nail polish remover and then I would feel guilty because they have to get up and go to school while they whine and want to stay home with me, but that's not gonna happen. I love them but not like that. LOL at myself...really LRL at myself because everyone is now asleep. (DUH, LRL is laughing real low----I made that up, can't you tell?)

I did, however, get a chance to register for fall classes at 12:17 because when I logged on to the university's website at 12:00, EVERYBODY AND THEIR MAMA NEM was trying to register at the same time. It took exactly 17 minutes for the registration site to load. As one of my friend says, "I must be some kind of geek to register for fall classes when summer hadn't even come yet." Shoot, a girl has to do what a girl has to do. I could create me a Twitter account and then delete it once I'm sober. Yall know I don't drink cause if I put the fun in dysfunctional and I don't drink, just imagine if I did....whew, that would be some kind of skaaeerrryyy! Uh-oh, how fast does food work? The corn is about to come out of its husk and the train is still stuck on the track while flipping channels over and over and over again.

Caught off guard

As I was sitting in class trying to write notes as the instructor talked, I was caught off guard when he said, "BARBARA, so what is police discretion?" Did he just call on me and I am writing?!?! Yes he sure did. So I put down my pen and thought in the air for a minute and said, "It is when the police try to keep things a secret." He said that I must mean being discreet and that discreet and discretion are two different things.

I was like, now if he see me writing that means I'm trying to keep up with all that he is saying and if he would have discussed police discretion then come back in a few minutes and asked the class or me, for that matter, what it was, then I probably could have told him.
.
Don't be expecting me to know it and you haven't gone over it. I know I have a responsibility as a student but you also have a responsibility as a teacher...you teach it, I learn it. I think he was just trying to play me for a fool that day cause when he asked the class to help me out, they all gave him a blank stare as if they all were a couple of deer caught up in headlights. He then proceeded with his lecture and included police discretion in it. Duh, I know what it is...NOW.

Before and After

   This is before

and this is after: 

A change is gonna come

I have decided that I am totally crazy and that I may need a check for putting the fun in dysfunctional.........my kids have told me I am crazy. My friends have confirmed it as well and I just might as well accept it.......NOT!!!

I have decided that I am going to cut my hair. That's a statement, not a question and I say that because when I tell people that I am about to cut my hiar, the first question they wanna ask is AM I CRAZY?.....The second question they ask is ARE YOU SURE?..... and the third question they ask is WELL WHAT DOES YOUR HUBBY SAY?

No, I am not crazy, not today anyway. Yes, I am sure and my hair and my hubby's hair are two different heads of hair. I don't have to get my hubby's PERMISSION to do something to my hair. We may be as one, but geez, I am my own person too. I just feel that I want a change. I've even gone to get some hi-lites put in my hair (see photo above) and the new me is gonna be steppin' out in her swagger......I can hardly wait. More to come when the change is taken place. Holla!!