I've recently started playing Words with Friends, and I think the name of the game should be changed to Friends with Words. It seems to me that my friends have all the words and I just have 26 letters. I know that Mr Webster might remind me of his book of words, all created from 26 letters, but my brain has not retained all of those words apparently.
I have friends who can use various combinations of two letters, and Words with Friends consider those two letter combinations to be a word. Now really, are those words? I know some two letter combinations that are words. Words like at, it, si, no, on, be, or, etc. I try to branch out and use other combinations, and the Words with Friends police will flash a warning at me. "QR is not a word you idiot." To prove that I'm an idiot, I yell at the computer, "IT IS TOO. MY FRIEND JUST USED IT AND GOT 99 POINTS." INVALID says the computer back at me.
I feel like I'm in kindergarten wanting to be in high school. See Jane run. See Jane say hi to Spot. See Jane be dumb. I want to read the chapter books with all the big words, but I can't get through the big books with little words. While I'm fretting over this, my Friends with Words are making up two letter words and getting points of 28, 50, 999. I can't count that high. I'm still in kindergarten.
One of my Friends with Words told me that I should have used the Z on a DW space. DW? Isn't she a character in one of my children's books I used to read? I didn't like her in those books, and I don't like her in Words with Friends. I want to use the DW and the TW, but how can I when the letters I have to use are UUUZZZJ? I tried combinations of those letters in two's. Words with Friends police said they weren't words. Yelling that they are hasn't helped me one iota. Iota is a word, but will it come to me when I'm playing Words with Friends? NO, it will not.
It's just a game of words. That's what I keep telling myself, but I want to WIN, and I want to be a WINNER, and I want to use the DW and the TW in a section with a DL and a TL, and I want to get more than 2 points per word. I also want the Words with Friends police to STOP giving me those warnings about being INVALID. I'm going to get an inferiority complex.
Is INVALID a word that means it doesn't count, and can't be used, or is it a word that means I'm an INVALID who can't play Words with Friends? UGH! Hey, I wonder how many points I could get for using UGH? Probably 3 points, even though the face value of the letters are more than one point each.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Fingerprints On My Heart
Yesterday I picked up the mail, and there was something to me from Sarah Olivia. A beautiful card, and enclosed, the poem about fingerprints and Sarah's little hand print. Circa: kindergarten? You all know the poem, it is true in every household. The mom is always cleaning fingerprints off the windows, the frig, the mirror, the wall, the furniture, and sometimes it gets discouraging. All those little fingerprints have been wiped away, and now Sarah is a woman, living far from home.
Yesterday as I read what she wrote, and knew that finally she was happy, it warmed my heart. A mother always rejoices when her children are happy. Sarah ended with, "I love you, I miss you and I wish you would come see me." As I read those words, I remembered times we had argued...times I misunderstood her, she misunderstood me. So many times I just wanted to throw in the towel, and admit to failure as a mom to Sarah. But there she wrote it in black and white...I love you....I miss you....I wish you would come see me.
All her little fingerprints are wiped from the surfaces. Her "thoughtful" drawings that she did just for me on the rental house wall, all painted over. The van windows wiped clean from her face print, she thought was so hilarious to put there, knowing all along I would yell at her. All wiped clean, gone from memory. The fingerprints on my heart, they remain. Her words, her touch, her smile, those are like fingerprints on my heart....they never go away.
Sarah Olivia, I love you....I miss you....I want to come and see you.
Yesterday as I read what she wrote, and knew that finally she was happy, it warmed my heart. A mother always rejoices when her children are happy. Sarah ended with, "I love you, I miss you and I wish you would come see me." As I read those words, I remembered times we had argued...times I misunderstood her, she misunderstood me. So many times I just wanted to throw in the towel, and admit to failure as a mom to Sarah. But there she wrote it in black and white...I love you....I miss you....I wish you would come see me.
All her little fingerprints are wiped from the surfaces. Her "thoughtful" drawings that she did just for me on the rental house wall, all painted over. The van windows wiped clean from her face print, she thought was so hilarious to put there, knowing all along I would yell at her. All wiped clean, gone from memory. The fingerprints on my heart, they remain. Her words, her touch, her smile, those are like fingerprints on my heart....they never go away.
Sarah Olivia, I love you....I miss you....I want to come and see you.
Saturday, December 24, 2011
T'was The Day Before Christmas
Oh little mousey...residing in my bedroom wall. Come, come eat the feast we left for you this snowy Christmas Eve. It seems you might be hungry ~ as your anxious gnawing woke us early, me and Paul. Come, little mousey, come eat the feast, then sleep, oh sleep little mousey in blessed peace.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Expectations of Perfection
Long before my pea brain was fully developed in it's little pod, I had expectations of perfections. I expected a perfect marriage, which meant a perfect mate. God, in his infinite sense of humor gave me Paul. Have to appreciate a good sense of humor, right? So as I was coping with that less than perfect expectation, I expected perfect children. Once again, God saw the tremendous humor in that expectation and gave me Sarah Olivia, Julia Bernice and Jacob Ross. It's great that God knows what we need, even if it's not the perfect expectations that we think we must have.
What if I had had the perfect marriage, the perfect mate, the perfect kids? I would have missed out on so much imperfection, and all that imperfection has enriched my life is such a perfect way. And really, who am I that I think I should have perfection? Perfection is boring, I'm sure of it. I have not had a boring life, and I'm thankful for my imperfect mate, imperfect marriage, my imperfect kids, my imperfect life. Plus, imperfection builds character. Just look at me, I'm full of character.
PS, I do, however, have the PERFECT grandchild.
What if I had had the perfect marriage, the perfect mate, the perfect kids? I would have missed out on so much imperfection, and all that imperfection has enriched my life is such a perfect way. And really, who am I that I think I should have perfection? Perfection is boring, I'm sure of it. I have not had a boring life, and I'm thankful for my imperfect mate, imperfect marriage, my imperfect kids, my imperfect life. Plus, imperfection builds character. Just look at me, I'm full of character.
PS, I do, however, have the PERFECT grandchild.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
For the Love of Typos
Is there anyone among us who has not made a typo? No, there is not. We are all guilty of typos, some are just more proficient at them than others. I have a very dear friend who has made some of the best typos that I have ever read. I really wish that I had kept a list of all of them, but I have not. However, there is one that is very dear to my heart. No one has ever before complimented my backside in such fine way. The typo was hilarious, and was quickly blamed on the keyboard of the iphone. Whatever.
I immediately received a text message telling me to get online NOW and delete that comment. Well, I got online, but I could not delete the comment. It was priceless. She meant to say: AWWWW so nice. That's that not what she said however. Granted the S key is just right there under the W key, and the iphone can take the blame....WHATEVER. Along came the explanation: OMG DELETE THAT OMG NOW THAT IS THE WORST TYPO EVER IT WAS SUPPOSE TO BE AWWWW
This friend has now become the queen of typos. Every typo she makes must be commented on. I love how she tells me to shut up before I even have a chance to comment. If I let one slide by, she becomes paranoid that I might not have noticed, and she is waiting for the slam.
So often a typo is so good that it becomes the new word, or expression. The same queen of typos, you just gotta love her and her typos, created the a new one for us. She wanted to make a heart using the < key and the 3 key, which is supposed to make a heart <3. I think she temporarily forgot the procedure and therefore shared a comment with 3333. I'm glad she did this, because now I don't have to consciously think how to make the <3, I can just hit the 333333 key, and she knows that I heart her the most.
While chatting on Facebook with another friend, I told her that I was so grustrated about something. Now the two of us seldom are frustrated about anything, but sure do get grustrated about everything. Another easy typo, and I wish that I wasn't so proficient at this one. I will often type now in the place of know, or know in the place of now. Of course, I don't see that until I have shared the comment. In all of my writings, it doesn't matter how many times I read or re-read something I have written, I will always find a typo, or two, or three, after I have posted what I have written. What was so difficult to spot in the readings before posting is now a flashing beacon in red. And it is always followed by, IDIOT, IDIOT, IDIOT!
So...for the love of typos....just laugh when you see one, and now the person who wrote it didn't really mean to make the typo. Know, not now. See what I mean?
I immediately received a text message telling me to get online NOW and delete that comment. Well, I got online, but I could not delete the comment. It was priceless. She meant to say: AWWWW so nice. That's that not what she said however. Granted the S key is just right there under the W key, and the iphone can take the blame....WHATEVER. Along came the explanation: OMG DELETE THAT OMG NOW THAT IS THE WORST TYPO EVER IT WAS SUPPOSE TO BE AWWWW
This friend has now become the queen of typos. Every typo she makes must be commented on. I love how she tells me to shut up before I even have a chance to comment. If I let one slide by, she becomes paranoid that I might not have noticed, and she is waiting for the slam.
So often a typo is so good that it becomes the new word, or expression. The same queen of typos, you just gotta love her and her typos, created the a new one for us. She wanted to make a heart using the < key and the 3 key, which is supposed to make a heart <3. I think she temporarily forgot the procedure and therefore shared a comment with 3333. I'm glad she did this, because now I don't have to consciously think how to make the <3, I can just hit the 333333 key, and she knows that I heart her the most.
While chatting on Facebook with another friend, I told her that I was so grustrated about something. Now the two of us seldom are frustrated about anything, but sure do get grustrated about everything. Another easy typo, and I wish that I wasn't so proficient at this one. I will often type now in the place of know, or know in the place of now. Of course, I don't see that until I have shared the comment. In all of my writings, it doesn't matter how many times I read or re-read something I have written, I will always find a typo, or two, or three, after I have posted what I have written. What was so difficult to spot in the readings before posting is now a flashing beacon in red. And it is always followed by, IDIOT, IDIOT, IDIOT!
So...for the love of typos....just laugh when you see one, and now the person who wrote it didn't really mean to make the typo. Know, not now. See what I mean?
Saturday, October 15, 2011
The Unexpected Blessing
One year ago on October 9th, we found out that we were going to be grandparents. We weren't expecting that, but what a blessing Greyson has been. As the months of Julia's pregnancy progressed, we planned for, and anticipated, and hoped for the baby that was due to arrive. We talked about loving him, holding him, laughing with him, watching him grow, and the joy of experiencing each milestone. We had no idea the joy this little guy would bring into our lives.
From the moment we saw him, held him in our arms, we felt a joy that was unexplainable. What a gift Julie and Dom had brought into our world. From his tiny little hands, to his tiny little toes, there wasn't an inch of him that we didn't love. It's amazing to me to see the work of love a little baby can perform, and also the power of transformation in those who love the baby. It has been so much fun to watch "grandpa" turn to mush. Never thought we would see the day.
A baby helps us to communicate and interact in our community. If you don't believe that, just pay attention the next time you are in a store and see a young family with a baby. The population gravitates to a baby. People who never would've stopped to talk before are suddenly the most friendly people in the world. The baby, in all it's innocence, and seemingly unknowing way, understands it's power in the moment, the baby will smile, and hearts will melt, and the joy is spread. The parents feel like they have the cutest and the smartest baby in the world after the encounter, and the strangers load is lightened because of a babys smile. All is well at that moment.
I love to hold Greyson while he is sleeping. It's my time to marvel at his incredible little being. His chubby little cheeks, his roly poly belly, and his chubba hands and feet, those fat little thighs that just need to be kissed. I love his snuggly habits, and singing him his special song. I love to watch him wake up and stretch, and then when he finally opens his eyes and focuses, ahhhh....the smile on his face, and the twinkle in his eye.
We weren't expecting the blessing, and we never would have known what we were missing. Now we know, and we love him without measure.
From the moment we saw him, held him in our arms, we felt a joy that was unexplainable. What a gift Julie and Dom had brought into our world. From his tiny little hands, to his tiny little toes, there wasn't an inch of him that we didn't love. It's amazing to me to see the work of love a little baby can perform, and also the power of transformation in those who love the baby. It has been so much fun to watch "grandpa" turn to mush. Never thought we would see the day.
A baby helps us to communicate and interact in our community. If you don't believe that, just pay attention the next time you are in a store and see a young family with a baby. The population gravitates to a baby. People who never would've stopped to talk before are suddenly the most friendly people in the world. The baby, in all it's innocence, and seemingly unknowing way, understands it's power in the moment, the baby will smile, and hearts will melt, and the joy is spread. The parents feel like they have the cutest and the smartest baby in the world after the encounter, and the strangers load is lightened because of a babys smile. All is well at that moment.
I love to hold Greyson while he is sleeping. It's my time to marvel at his incredible little being. His chubby little cheeks, his roly poly belly, and his chubba hands and feet, those fat little thighs that just need to be kissed. I love his snuggly habits, and singing him his special song. I love to watch him wake up and stretch, and then when he finally opens his eyes and focuses, ahhhh....the smile on his face, and the twinkle in his eye.
We weren't expecting the blessing, and we never would have known what we were missing. Now we know, and we love him without measure.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Exit Scene
I admire people who can make an exit scene that is both graceful and memorable at the same time. You know the ones. Those who make a solid statement by quietly closing the door. No need to slam it to make your point. Everyone expects the slamming door to seal the argument, but a quietly closed door just has more umph.
Well I made an exit scene today that was memorable, but it wasn't graceful. It was even down right confusing for a minute. As I was leaving Julie's place of employment this morning, I was chatting with Heidi. I opened the door to head out, and....where did all these supplies come from? I didn't see them when I came in. Am I in a hallway? I stood there for what seemed like five minutes trying to process what I was seeing, but I know it was just a matter of seconds. Oh, well yes, this is the supply closet. That would certainly explain the supplies gathered there on the shelves.
Then I had to turn around and face all those who saw my less than graceful exit..Well it wasn't really an exit, it was just a slight detour into the supply closet. It was very memorable I'm sure. I won't forget it, I know that! Yes...well....I will just close the closet door....Nice closet by the way. Lot's of handy dandy supplies in there....I will be on my way now... Bye.
Well I made an exit scene today that was memorable, but it wasn't graceful. It was even down right confusing for a minute. As I was leaving Julie's place of employment this morning, I was chatting with Heidi. I opened the door to head out, and....where did all these supplies come from? I didn't see them when I came in. Am I in a hallway? I stood there for what seemed like five minutes trying to process what I was seeing, but I know it was just a matter of seconds. Oh, well yes, this is the supply closet. That would certainly explain the supplies gathered there on the shelves.
Then I had to turn around and face all those who saw my less than graceful exit..Well it wasn't really an exit, it was just a slight detour into the supply closet. It was very memorable I'm sure. I won't forget it, I know that! Yes...well....I will just close the closet door....Nice closet by the way. Lot's of handy dandy supplies in there....I will be on my way now... Bye.
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