Bouncing Blonde Ponytail

I run with my niece every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon. We often run in charity runs on Saturdays as well. She and I were never close as she was growing up. She was born as I was in my last year of junior high and about to embark on my high school journey. I didn't babysit her much and when I did it consisted of her being in bed asleep when I got there and not waking up when I left. My brother wasn't one to let us hold, kiss, coo, or mush on her much if at all. In fact, she hardly ever was held by any of us and rarely stayed with my mom. So when I say we were never close, we really weren't. In fact, there is only one out of five of us that she is close to and they are so close that it is almost like it compensates for all the rest of us. I have always loved her and cared about what happened to her but I haven't really known her at all. Until now. I watch her run as she is always ahead of me and I see that lean body with that easy stride and that bouncing blonde ponytail. In fact, as I run I strain to make sure that I keep it in sight. Not just for safety but because it makes me smile. That bouncing blonde ponytail. The image of a young girl, carefree, running down the trail. We have been running together for almost a year now AND I have gotten to REALLY know her. Not from what she says so much but from how she says it. I feel close to her. I hope she feels the same about me. I know that for an hour every Tuesday and Thursday the most important sight for me.......the one that encourages me to keep moving...........the one that lifts my heart and brightens my spirit......is NOT all the beauty that we encounter down in the park and along the trail. It is that bouncing blonde ponytail!!!

Ordeal OVER!!

After almost 4 days of crime DRAMA and dealing with police who are NO WAY like they are on CSI, our truck was recovered yesterday!! Tire had to be replaced (it was new) and the front of the vehicle on the hood has some dents and some sort of paint where they ran over mailboxes which also left the license plate hanging off. They stole someone's halloween scarecrow and it is in the back of the vehicle and they left their jacket/shirt in the front. BUT whatever it is back. I had pleaded with my students to have them convince the people who took it (since they knew them) to just have them bring it back or drop it somewhere and call me or call one of them so I could go get it. Well, an "anonymous" caller yesterday (right after the class where I appealed to the students to "do the right thing") called and said where it was. I have learned a lot from this. The law pretty much protects the criminals or at least wants to be 100% sure that their case is winnable or they won't put a lot of work into it. That my students WILL do the right thing if you just help/teach them what it is. And that as violated as I felt........it is just stuff. Once I gave it to the Lord and I mean really just LET IT GO and asked HIM to handle it..........things started happening. I felt HIS hand in it and on me MANY times this week. I am grateful to HIM and to my friends who were horrified, understanding, and happy right along with me through this entire ordeal. Not to mention the ones who did some "sleuthing" of their own through the suspect's neighborhood looking for my vehicle. Friends like that are hard to find. I am truly BLESSED!!!

A MOVING VIOLATION!!!

One of our work trucks was STOLEN Saturday night. We were home, up, with lights on and DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT. We discovered it as we were leaving for church Sunday morning. For the first time in MY LIFE I was speechless when George announced "they have stolen my truck." I kept looking at the empty space where it should be and thinking "no, it is not stolen, there is a logical explanation for this." After George said, for the THIRD time, "Joyce did you hear me?", I realized that we had been robbed. It was such a surreal feeling and made me scared. Not even mad (that would come later) just creeped out. As the day progressed, I developed a pounding headache that I think came from me trying to "figure out" what had actually happened and WHY!! Yesterday I told all of my classes and one of them had several students who had seen it and even knew who might have it and they TOLD ME and were willing to TELL the police. You have to understand that these are kids who don't trust the law. But they stood up FOR ME. Was so huge.........I was and am so proud of them and grateful to them. BUT.......still no truck. Also found out that TELEVISION IS A LIE!!! Things don't get solved in an hour and there is no desperate race to find the bad guy. Granted it is an OLD plumbing truck but it is MY old plumbing truck and it is important to me. But not so much to anyone else. Heard from the detective today that he had questioned the "suspect" who said that he didn't do it even though I have THREE young ladies who saw him driving it. So, according to the police, they are at a dead end. So the next time you are pulled over for something (unless they have proof like radar) just tell them you didn't do it. Seems to work for the bad guys!!! AND if you see an old white plumbing truck with a big utility bed and tool bins on the back with kids driving it having a great time..............DON'T call the police...........call me!!!

Stuck In Junior High

As things change the more they remain the same. The Bible says there is nothing new under the sun and truer words were never written. Whatever the circumstances with my friends, in whatever setting, we still have those with that junior high mentality. From people in charge all the way down......it is just drama drama drama. It doesn't help that the people I am working for and most of whom I am working with are 30 or UNDER!!! Are you freaking kidding me? And they CANNOT understand why there is backstabbing, gossip, rumor and innuendo. Well...duh. Welcome to junior high. They are constantly taking sides, pouting, getting their feelings hurt and doing absolutely NOTHING based on professionalism because they are too young to know what that is. They "knee-jerk" react to EVERYTHING and then if they realize that was a bad move they resort to the teen-age response of well "it's not my fault." AARRGGHH!! I have a young lady that I really care about and considered a friend who is no longer speaking to me because SHE supposedly used me and another colleagues name in something and she was questioned about it. No one was mad. Just saying "hey did you do this?" Which by the way I was giving her the benefit of the doubt the ENTIRE TIME!!! So when confronted........she gets mad and not at the person who said this about her but at ME!!! She has not spoken to me since. And that doesn't seem normal behavior for someone who is INNOCENT??? I even tried several times to contact her and assure her that all was well........and guess what? No response.........NONE, ZILCH, NADA!!! She is not speaking to me because??????? And then of course my boss who is about as infantile an individual as I have EVER had the misfortune to be around........words fail me. He did a BAD thing and I reacted accordingly and as of today he has not spoken a word to me for SEVEN weeks. Not that I mind. I do not have time for people that I truly believe are not nice but he IS the boss!! Isn't he supposed to talk to me? And NO, I don't mean as a friend but just in general? I know this........junior high is WAY behind me..........in fact, I can barely remember it!! But for some reason I am being forced to revisit it. EVERY DAY!!!! And of course.........being surrounded by "pre-teens" my sarcasm is so lost on them!!! Wish in junior high I had been as sharp and witty as I am now. But then, alas, they wouldn't have gotten it then either. The drama continues........I know the Lord has me in this specific place at this specific time in my life for a reason. I know nothing happens by accident. But YIKES!! I don't have a reputation for being all nice and sweet and stuff. SHOCKING!! But when I TRY TO it just makes things worse. Whatever.........if I am going to be forever stuck in junior high then I want that body back!!! Because if you think I am hot now.................well..........never mind!!!

What the heck?

I am just posting this to figure out why my last post didn't allow for comments and left so much blank space? Disregard and read about OUR FAMILY WEEKEND!!!

Family Weekend

We got to see Katie for the first time in SIX WEEKS!! We went up for the day to see her and go to the game. Her dad was so sweet. He went to Academy on Friday and bought a button down Texas Tech shirt to wear just for the day. He has Tech t-shirts but wanted to "look nice." Now I remember why I married him. He is a softie underneath that "caveman" exterior. She was thrilled to see us and we did all the touristy stuff and then on to the game where it proceeded to RAIN and we were all three UNDER dressed. It only got up to 58 and we took our hoodies and George's jacke off for these pictures. And of course NO UMBRELLAS!! I left mine in the car because I actually BELIEVED the weather man. WHAT?? Thank goodness for those hoodies and George's zip-in hood in his jacket. But it couldn't dampen our spirits. That would come later, AFTER the game. Anyway, they won!!! After going back to her room for her to change and us to "dry" a little, Katie took us back to our car and we were going to stop and grab a quick bite before we came home and of course the Shelton Family curse kicked in. That is just poetic license for saying "the new wore off", "or we weren't quite so glad to see each other anymore" or "what the heck?" She got frustrated because of the road construction, I tried to help (BIG MISTAKE) so she got sassy with me, I got motherly right back and George began to yell at both of us. NICE!! Just like at home!!! By the time we got to where we were going to eat, NO ONE WAS SPEAKING TO EACH OTHER!!! Sigh... just another day in the life of... Seriously it all worked out and we ended on a high note and got on the road home. Except for that little 30-45 minute interval it was GREAT!!! We are just so REAL people (see previous blog). The "television family" were there and I am sure they were dressed appropriately and had rain gear. (not bitter, just saying) Anyway, it was neat to see her in her new environment and how well she is handling everything. It was a good day and I am so proud of her!!