From Childhood to the Present

Today is a day that I have energy.  I hit the ground running this morning, the way I use to every day.  Now, I have these productive days maybe two or three days a week.  That's OK, I'll take them and embrace the days I am too tired to do much but pray and check out the internet. 

This morning I made a large pot of sauce.  (It was started last night.)I won't be canning it, just putting it in jars and giving the sauce to my family to put in the freezer.  I added coffee grounds to the garden after I once again tilled the soil for planting the winter garden.  Seeds will go in this evening because our nights are cooling down now.

The two loads of laundry are almost done, with one dried and folded and the second going in the dryer.  I bleached a bunch of dish cloths and hung them out to dry in the yard.  I couldn't waste good bleach water so I cleaned the kitchen surfaces before letting the water go down the drain.  The bathroom counters also got a scrub down.

I did all of this while wearing my apron! 

The apron is a collection of curly olive and lemon tree branches in happy colors of yellow and green.  I love the apron, but the curly design is not my normal.  For the most part I tend to gravitate towards linier shapes.  I think because I'm not a froo froo girl.  I never have been.  There was a time - during my early years of life - that I would chastise myself for being tomboyish.  There was no chastisement on earth that could change my desire to climb trees and play with horse figures rather than dolls.  Or tag along behind my big brother rather than any girl my age.  (Poor guy.  He tried to be patient and judicious, but there were times it was difficult.)  What the girls did didn't interest me as much as what my brother and his friends were doing. 

My brother was extremely smart.  The only time he didn't complain about little 'Drag Along' (My nick name because my pants were always longer than my legs.) following him was when he and his friends gathered to play football in the empty corner lot.  They put me in the position of quarter back and always won the game.  Back then I didn't know why 1. he actually wanted me to play and 2. his team always won.  I was just so happy to be with him.  Here comes the smart stuff - He would threaten any boy who touched me.  So no tackling the quarter back.  LOL  That boy was always ahead of the game.

I was very surprised when my husband chose me instead of any of the other girls that swooned at his feet.  I was not a froo froo type and wore little makeup and plain clothes.  The one thing I wasn't afraid to do was ream him out and say no when I didn't want to bend.  I guess that's what he was looking for.

Today my clothes are still plain and I wear very little makeup.  My design ideas are still linier, as well.  I would rather read an article about a science discovery or economics than a romance novel.  The difference is I have embraced what I am.  It takes many different people to make up God's 'garden'.  I just happen to be a bit more difficult to grow.  I don't need fancy anything, I only need truth, love, respect, and kindness to flourish.

If I were to give any unsolicited advice to young women, it would be to see the multitude of qualities you've been given.  Acceptance of self comes with the same compassion we so freely offer to others.

For your entertainment, a picture of the forever adorable Marley pup.  Check out the under bite.  It makes me smile whenever I look at her.  To me it is a cuteness factor.  See, I just looked at the picture and broke out in a chuckle.

The now famous apron!