Orchids and an Apology..

Check out my orchid in the window sill. I actually have a window full of them. Pete bought them for me for Mother's Day a couple years ago, and they've found a perfect spot on my kitchen window sill. I love orchids. Their blooms last a long time and I enjoy them all summer long. Many people are intimidated by orchids but they are really fairly easy to grow in indirect light. I think orchid snobs perpetuate that myth. I don't do a thing to mine but water it when it gets dry. This particular orchid came off the clearance shelf at Wal Mart. I think people are turned off when orchids aren't blooming and their foliage is yellowy. Orchid leaves are not supposed to be dark green. Strangely enough, that's an indicator of an unhealthy orchid with inadequate light.  If you see an orchid on sale somewhere grab one! They really are low maintenance and the blooms are long lasting.

Addie stayed home from school today. She had a very mild case of croup this morning. Thankfully she's outgrown the major cases that have landed us in the emergency room a dozen times in 6 years.  After I picked her up from my mother's house she still gave me the "sick face". 

  I told her she may not be well enough to go on the field trip tomorrow with her class. This face quickly followed:

The weather was cold and yucky today but in between rain showers Ali Grace found time to go out side and practice her jump roping skills. They have Jump Rope for Heart on Friday at EBA and I've never seen a kid more excited about missing an hour or so of class to go and jump rope!

This week Ali's class will take part in the spring concert on Thursday at EBA. The program is called "The Greatest Gospel Songs of America" and I can't wait to see it.  Addie has a field trip and will get her cap and gown for K5 graduation this week. Thankfully a friend's facebook status reminded me to send in the money for it tomorrow. This is a busy time of year and I've got about a dozen lists taped to the refrigerator. I'm hoping to mark off a lot of things before our trip to St. Augustine over spring break! 

And one more thing....

The same friend who reminded me about Addie's graduation gown, posted an interesting article regarding facebook. It talked about the down side of facebook and one of those is depression. I saw this in USA Today today as well. Both articles talked about people being depressed when they see other people having fun, going on vacation, getting together and enjoying family, etc. when these things are not possible for them at the time. I've never personally felt that way. I do have a few facebook friends who are over the top with their "my world is perfect" status updates, but for the most part, my friends are real. On the flip side, I hope through my blogging and my facebook that I have not given the impression that my life is perfect. Honey it ain't. I hope that I've not caused jealousy and depression in others as a result of what I've said or posted. A few years ago, my house was on the Waynesboro Women's Club Christmas Tour of Homes. It was a lot of hard work but I thoroughly enjoyed it. During the tour, a woman in her 40's came through. She was dressed in a well worn sweatsuit and her shoes were past their prime. I could tell she didn't have much in the way of material things. She sat in awe on my sofa and looked around my house. "She said this is just beautiful. I'm going to start saving my money today and decorate my house next year."

I sat down next to her and said "honey... with the exception of the wreath over the mantle, there's not a Christmas decoration in this house that didn't come from Wal Mart or Big Lots." That is the truth too.  So if I've ever given anyone the impression that I've got it together, trust me when I say we don't.  I'm much closer to Big Lots than to Bloomingdale's. Our kids pick their noses when they shouldn't. We go on vacations sometimes that we can't afford. Sometimes we're broke at the end of the month. Right now our shower is leaking and needs to be fixed. I found a a moldy glass of curdled milk under Ali's bed last week. My dishwasher is sitting in the middle of my kitchen floor right now because it won't drain otherwise. Get my drift? We're just like everyone else struggling through this life, doing the best we can and I apologize if anyone thought differently! I do love my wine and artisan cheeses but I like bologna sandwiches and Pepsi just as well. Enjoy this rainy week. Just think how beautiful the spring flowers will be in a couple weeks!