Too Big for My Skin

I love you skin! Thanks for everything!

On Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup with Redmond Salt and Fresh Cracked Pepper... You Know, Things That Really Matter!

If My Gran made one pot, she made a thousand, all with soft plump homemade noodles, chicken broth simmered to perfection, carrots, celery, garlic and onions thrown in straight from the garden no doubt.

But it all would have meant nothing, absolutely NOTHING...

If she hadn't made it with love.

It's corny! Very much so... but, it's also true. And today as I set down with a bowl I can feel it. And I feel other things too!

Some things that surprise even me...

Like... I want to be home.

I want to have someone of the male persuasion stand to my side and with arms wide open, express that he wants me... ME to care for the things that he cares for, Him being one. ME to take care of the little ones. ME he wants to share with. ME he wants to hear. ME!

Like... Being 31 and living with my mom and step-dad is so European, so Asian so UNAmerican and so NOT the "Independent way" and I so enjoy it! Really, really (for the most part) can feel the gift of sharing generations of love with my little ones.

Like... Having my car break down and set in the shope for a few weeks is well... beautiful and I wish each morning as I step out to start up our loaner, that I could actually be stepping back and instead hooking up the horses to the cart.

Like... Fall makes me want to eat pumpkin and spice. And dance naked under a cool full moon surrounded with beautiful fall leaves.

All this in a bowl of soup... made with love.

Want one?

I've got some of these super cool capes! They are Batman/Superman reversible... two for the price of one.

I have a friend in Vietnam who brings something over every summer to make a bit of cash to give her local orphanage. Buy's them formula, diapers, food, necessities for a time. She sold a few to friends and family, sold a few at her local 4th of July festivities, but still had around 50 left over. So she left them to me.

I was sure I could find a few boys who might like some.

If your a momma, a grandma, an auntie, a sister, a father, a brother whatever... and know someone who might want to have some cape fun, drop me a comment. I'd love to share! And the children in Vietnam would love to eat! :)

All of the specifics can be arranged via email.

HUGS!

Today I...

Did a ton of things, (some weighed heavy on my heart) but none so fun as meeting

c jane

in person.

People, she is a lot of things, all summed up by one word,

REAL!

Real cute, Real nice to talk with, a Real live person, who writes a Real blog full of Real thought 'provo'king ideas and feelings.

It was an honor!

(Not to mention, she must be Real cool, she lives next to a great family friend.)

And in case your wondering just WHO to VOTE for this coming Provo Mayoral election on TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3rd... take a look at

STEVE CLARK.

He's lifelong Provoian whom I feel can still see the forest through the trees.

Ummm....

Don't kids just make you laugh? You really have to just enjoy them, right? Cause if not... what in the world can you enjoy?

Today, May and I are setting at the kitchen table, finishing off a math page for school. She's concentrating on the page when she says,"Did you know you can have a toot in your vagina?"

Let me tell you, I was dying!!!! I asked her how she knew that? And she said, "Just me!"

Oh so funny! Really!!!

Welcome...

To my nightmares! Ok, well not mine exactly. More accurately stated...

Remi's

 __________________________

This very night I hear crying. I pick myself up off the couch where I am reading a junior thriller novel via lamp light. 

1. Because I don't want the light to wake the beans.

2. Because although it reads "junior" in the title, it still give me goose-bumps.

3. Because light is good. And reading in the dark is well, bad for your eyes. (cough, cough)

I walk into the bedroom and by night light see Remi setting up in bed with both his arms at ninety-two degree angles. Hands in lobster claw formation, thumb meets pointer... Slightly moving hands at wrists, back and forth.

I set on the bed and gather him up in my arms, lay back on my side and hold him close. All the while he is still clinched, lobster claw... slightly moving hands, back and forth.

He cry's and looks at me with big horrified eyes. I begin the deep breathing... "in and out" I say.

He looks at me again, still lobsteresk and asks, "Which shginejrnusnsfd?" I keep reminding him of the deep breaths and begin rubbing his back. All the while lobster-hand boy is crying and periodically looking at me with horrified eyes. 

Finally, "Is this the good one?" 

Me somewhat slower replies. "Yes, honey it's a good one!" Relieved, he begins to relax. 

I on the other hand am thinking, "good one?" 

When he is calm he says, "I couldn't remember which was my good one!" 

DING: Lobster claw hands, lightly shaking at wrist, back and forth. Insert pencil... write. 

I asked him, "Were you having a bad dream about which hand you write with?" 

He shakes his head and I offer him a place on my stomach so I can rub his back.

The great school debate!

To go... to public school?

Or.

To not?

(When it becomes the stuff nightmares are made up of, 

I may just have to reply...

 NOT!)

Send Prayers To...

I have this friend, she's a girl, a sister, a daughter, a wife, an AMAZING MOM and really good friend. The kind you want to know you have on your side.

When my husband left... she

 (with 3 boys, count them... T.H.R.E.E. (A singleton and twins. She has since had another sweet little boy. All au natural, I might add!

I know... Amazing right?!!!)

CAME!

Oh did they ever come. She'd drive her big lawn mower over and make sort work of a large burden of a yard! She'd call! She'd arrange ice cream nights! She'd back cookies (really good ones too!)She'd just be there! 

THAT, is a friend! 

She deserves prayers, good thoughts, positive manifestations, all things lovely, sent her way! After pain in her abdomen 

and worries of having to possibly remove a gall bladder

other masses were found.

As up in the air things can be. They are. And will remain until the results are in.

I know that prayer heals... this momma deserves healing. In both heart, mind and body!

Do something... what ever works for you. For me... For you... 

For her!

Reducing Infant Mortality

Reducing Infant Mortality from Debby Takikawa on Vimeo.

Yes I know!

I say one thing and do another... but really in all honesty I just haven't put in the time. Time to set my blog to private. Time to add all my friends e-mail addresses... TIME. 

What is that anyway? It doesn't really even exist. It's just something humans made up, you know, to make things "easier". It's a funny thing we've created here!

Wether I do it or do it not, I've still got things to say. And while my journal serves, sometimes there are waves, waves I desire to create. And so why not right?(Yep, even 2's can make waves)

The MEAT:

Yesterday my mama was out in the garage, feeding an addiction. (Yes, we've all got them to some degree. Admit it or not!) When the neighbors, college boys of "The Y" and their girl "friends" came walking up the sidewalk to enter their house. Fully aware that she can hear and in no way lowering their voices.

She hears this, Male: "Well, we could go set in our pool, (in our bikini's I might add!)but we'd have to smell all the smoke." 

Female: "Oh yea that's right, you've got those kind of neighbors."

----------------------------------

When the story is retold, a plethora of things come to my mind.(The mind, a seriously human experience!)

* This is "THE VALLEY OF PERPETUAL HAPPINESS" 

* All here are perfect

*Later Day Saints, means WHAT? exactly?

* Where do they get that "Holier Than Thou" sign?

Oh Lace,

* LOVE THY NEIGHBOR!

--------------------------------------

Yes, it's amazing to me! It's quite a disease... this judging stuff.

And I've got it too! Congratulations ME!

And yet... I still wonder. I don't claim to be perfect. And I appreciate not being such... Maybe it's been the living. All the living I've done in such a sort amount of time. But, do they really think? Really?

Really?

That speaking this way in front of someone creates, change, love, empowerment. I get they are LDS. I get they don't smoke, do drugs, drink, have sex, breath! But well...

"They" are not perfect either.

And then see...

There. 

I. 

Go.

Again.

Here Come Da Judge!