My struggle with empathy, Gabbi's emerging independence, and Ellie's fashion sense.

I am so far behind on blogging that I am having to go waaaay back to pics from before Easter!!  Yes! That long ago.  I actually have a ton of pics loaded and ready for me to tell my stories, so now they just need me to sit down and do them!!  Let's start with this random post, shall we? 

Well, Paula kind of makes fun of me for my lack of empathy.  I mean, I love people.  Like, really, really, really love people.  And anyone who knows me well knows that I'd give them the shirt off my back.  And my patients would tell you that I love their kids like their my own kids.  BUT...

I also have a pretty big streak of "put your big girl panties on and deal with it"!  So, when Paula was leaving her firstborn, John, at LSU for what would be the last mother/son something or another with his fraternity, she knew that calling me would probably not get her the sympathy she was looking for. So... she previewed her cries for my attention and pity by sending me this little graphic.  I thought it was epic!

I remember my response being something to the effect of "Ok, well, I am at a tee ball game, followed by a coach pitch softball game, making my time at the ballpark something like 4 hours tonight, and I have potentially 12 more years of it.... thus my being 57 when I am finally finished with all nighters at the ballpark.  Feel better now?"

And her response was , "Yes, actually.  Thank you!"
  Nothing like a big ol dose of reality!

Don't get me wrong, I love being an involved mom.  But, I DID start very late in life!!  I was 38 and 39 when I became a mom to my girls.  So, the math is just that... math.  I will be almost 60 when we are headed to high school graduation.  That's crazy to me!!  (JinJin is 66 now.  And I am 45.  When I am 66, I may just be going to my kids' medical school graduation.  haha)

Since it has been months since I took and uploaded these pics, some of them I actually have no idea what in the world I took them for!  For instance, this one.

Or this one.  (MY teeth look so straight above!)

OH yeah, this one has been a while.  Turn your head to the left when looking at it.  These are called blue-eyed grass and are one of the very first flowers to bloom in the spring here.  And a few dark purple violas mixed in!

I sort of jokingly asked Gabs if she just wanted to walk to school this particular morning.  She said, "REALLY?!!!  YES!!!"

I let her start out, but figured she would see me drive by and get a little worried and think I was just playing and get in.

NOPE!  She never even flenched.  In fact.  Wouldn't even look my way!

When I pulled ahead of her and parked in Paula's driveway, she was none too happy to have to get into my car to take her honey to school. In fact, she refused the pic of the day when we were loading up there.

SO, when I got her to school, I had to park, get out, and MAKE her pose for a pic.  She was still pretty mad at me for not letting her walk the 2 miles or so to school.

She perked up though, and things were ok.
ANd Ellie Sue was just pleased as punch to get to break out the between the toe sandals, since Spring had most certainly sprung.  That girl loves her some fashion!!

Oh yeah.  A random thing... Todd bought me these two engraved rings for Valentine's Day.  Haven't I mentioned before that he is a really thoughtful gift giver?!  Girls, marry well!!  These things matter!  :)

And like that, I am back to blogging!
See y'all tomorrow.  I have months to catch up on!!

MO