for you, chris, the story of the two AJs

Take a moment out of your hectic day, and watch this.  It stopped me dead in my tracks the other morning, and made me realize that even though we see the worst of humanity broadcast every day in the media, there is also a lot of good that takes place.  Many stories go untold.  This is one that was discovered and shared by a local news station, ABC 33/40 here in Birmingham, Alabama.  It touched my heart and made me realize that it doesn't take a big effort to make a difference in someone's life.  This story is one example.

I share this for Chris, my nephew, who is a special person in my life.  Chris can't speak, but I am sure if he could, he would say "thanks Aunt Cathy". 

...life is good. ~cath
find me @jonesbabie on Twitter

funny moments

Maddie and Jack age 4

There is enough in life to frustrate and aggravate you on a daily basis when you are an adult.  When I feel like I am about to hit the boiling point, I try to let go and think like a child.  I have four children in my life that help me to keep this perspective.  And the laughter and joy they bring me is what helps me keep a positive attitude, or correct my attitude or mood when I feel as though I am about to take a negative turn.

Steve shared a story about Jack yesterday with me that made us both laugh.  Children are the most guileless people on the planet when they are small.  They can try to put one over on you, but they trip themselves up every single time.  That was what Jack encountered the day he told Gramps he wanted a glass of milk.  Gramps told him that there wasn't any milk, all we had was buttermilk.  That was when the fun began.

Jack: I'll take buttermilk, I like buttermilk.
Gramps: I am not sure you will like it Jack, it tastes different.  It doesn't taste like milk.
Jack: Sure I like it.  I LOVE buttermilk.
Gramps: I don't think you do Jack.
Jack: (Even more insistently now) I LOVE BUTTERMILK.  My Mom gives me BUTTERMILK all the time, and I love it!
Gramps: OK Jack.

Then Gramps poured Jack a big glass of buttermilk.  Jack took a big swig of it, and ran for the sink.  He spewed the buttermilk out of his mouth like a geyser, and into the sink.  Gramps said (with a smirk on his face) "I thought you liked buttermilk Jack?"

Jack said:
I THOUGHT I DID TOO BUT THAT STUFF TASTES CRAPPY!

The whole time Jack was talking, he was scraping his tongue, trying to get every last drop of buttermilk out of his mouth.

Jack has never asked for buttermilk since that day.


...life is good. ~cath
find me @jonesbabie on Twitter

silly stuff

And sometimes it's the stupid stuff that gets you through each day...

Because laughter doesn't have any thing to do with intelligence, but is all about sharing a connection...

Copy and paste this in your browser (it's a safe link even though it looks like junk):

http://www.jibjab.com/view/fr9xTZLhR7uB5LOMoSKIpA?utm_campaign=URL+Copy&utm_content=elf_dance_app_5&utm_medium=Share&utm_source=JibJab&cmpid=jj_url

Or you might try this one (the only thing on my Facebook that I have posted public):

http://www.jibjab.com/view/NN_CU82tS2q4dXX9jgoXiw?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Share&utm_campaign=ElfDance&utm_content=elf_dance_app_5

and if those links didn't work, then you'll have to wonder what I was doing. :)

I call this the grandkid shuffle (I threw the dog in so they would have an extra dancer...it was either that or put Gramps in and he is the brunt of my jokes often enough.  I figured it was time to give Gramps a break and humiliate the dog.  The grandkids?  By the time they are old enough to be embarrassed by this, I'll be dead anyway...soooo.....

Grammy strikes again. :)

...life is good. ~cath
find me @jonesbabie on Twitter

quiet time

The best time of the day for me are those precious minutes after the grand kids have collapsed and before I collapse right behind them.  They are bundles of energy, but when that energy is depleted, they deflate like a cheap spare tire that's had too many miles put on it.  Last week while school was out for the Thanksgiving holiday that is celebrated here in the US, Maddie looked at me and said in her little girl voice:
"Grammy, would you come lay down with me until I go to sleep?"

She is a restless sleeper, and has a bit of apprehension when she lays down at night.  So being the good Grammy I am, I said sure, figuring I would fall asleep too and wake up hours later with my contacts glued to my eyeballs.

But I didn't go to sleep.  I lay beside her on the bottom bunk bed for less than 5 minutes, and listened to her breathing slow down, and become rhythmic and even.  I looked over at her and realized she had drifted off, just that fast.  Then I looked again.  At her smooth skin, her innocent face, and how peaceful she looked.  I took this photo of her, and when I look at it now, I can remember that moment with perfect clarity.

I think of Maddie, and that moment in time when I listened to her breathing, and kissed that soft cheek.

It also brought back sweet memories of my own children, now long grown to adulthood, and the many nights I tucked them in and told them I loved them, before they went to sleep.  Those few minutes each day gave me time to realize that no matter what the day brought, turmoil, happiness, sadness, anger, or laughter, ending the day with peacefulness and quiet time let my babies put their spirits to rest, and prepare for whatever adventure met them the next day.

Quiet time.  My time to be thankful for every baby in my life, young or grown.  The glue that holds me together.

...life is good. ~cath
find me @jonesbabie on Twitter