I Love the Internet...

As suggested by the title of my blog, I do tend to want to "figure things out"....whether it be the direction my life will take, how I see the world, or how things work...my curiosity, coupled with an attitude of "if I try and fail, at least I've learned something" and the wonders of the internet have served me well.

Case in point:  I had a clogged toilet in the second bathroom...very clogged...don't know if the "littles" had a field day with diaper wipes or if my system was just overwhelmed with having ten people staying here...so, I purposefully plunged at intervals for a couple of days, with no positive results.  Having seen the inner workings of the system while the toilet was being reseated, I realized that it really wasn't that complicated....and if the plunging didn't work, something else surely would...so off to the internet I went...and found a solution!

I poured about  a half-cup of dishwashing liquid into the bowl, followed by a teapot full of boiling water....let it sit about 10-15 minutes, and plunged again.  All of my troubles swirled away...thank you, Internet!  Sure beats a plumbing bill, and I feel so accomplished! 

Life on the Other Side....

...of graduation!

I can't believe that I seriously considered NOT going through the ceremony....many thanks to all who convinced me to change my mind!  It was a perfect ending to this chapter of my life, and the perfect bridge to the next...

My daughter got to see me realize the first step in my dream...one that we had been talking about since she was a little girl...

...and my granddaughters saw that dreams can come true with willingness and hard work!

Then it was time to let my hair down, so it was off to Disneyland for a few days with my sis and her family...

  ...after they got on the plane, I headed down to San Diego to attend Emma's graduation from Puggles (Awanas)...

...Emma was thrilled that she was graduating, just like Grammy.....of course, we all got silly with the ponytails, too...

Now I'm home in my (now) quiet house, basking in all of the wonderful memories while I clean up from the 10 tornadoes that were here....working on my Credential Program application....working on the bathroom...working on finding a job...working on plans for Italy...life is GOOD!

I Did It!

Anticipation...

The arrivals begin this evening.....by Wednesday night, there will be 10 people staying with me in my little house...some camping in the back yard!   Am I ready?  Heck, no!  The big stuff has been completed....like the tiling of my bathroom floor and the resetting of the toilets in both bathrooms...whew!  Will I ever tile a floor again?  Don't think so...am much better on walls!  Still work to do in the bathroom....baseboards, paint, etc.....but it's finally functional again, and that's what matters....let the celebrations begin!

Tonight is the Honors Convocation at my university....yes, I am graduating Magna Cum Laude (I know I'm bragging, but it has been well-earned)...Wednesday evening is my actual graduation ceremony....and Thursday morning is my nephew's graduation ceremony....he actually graduated in December, but is flying down to "walk"...

I am looking forward to having my house full of those that I love so dearly...sitting around the firepit outside in the evening...the last time so many of us were gathered together around the fire we were planning my Mom's funeral...bittersweet memories, but I know that she will be smiling down upon us all ....and after all of the graduation hoopla, we're all headed to Disneyland for a couple of days!

I'm gonna need a vacation when everyone goes home.....

Heaven on Earth...

Yep, I got to experience a little of this over the past couple of days...headed down to San Diego to celebrate a belated Mothers Day with my daughter and her family...I arrived at the house before they had returned from doing an errand, and Emma and I did a "happy dance" on the front lawn when we greeted each other...then littly Ashlyn joined the fun...Elizabeth had created an incredible t-shirt top for me....pictures to follow when I get them off the camera....talented doesn't even begin to describe her creative gifts...I also received a gorgeous orchid plant that I will try to keep alive...Emma insisted that we "make my bed" (a pull-out sleeper couch) so that she could be sure that I would be staying and not going home...I sleep with Ashlyn in her room, and she woke me with leaning out of her crib as far as she could and saying "hi" to me over and over...of course, I couldn't resist, and brought her into bed with me to cuddle as we snoozed...as I awoke again, I was surrounded by TWO little ones, crawling all over  me, patting my face, and being called upon to "Grammy wake up"  What a perfect way to start the day...and it only got better from there!  Did errands in the morning and put the girls down for naps while Elizabeth and I tackled prepping her kitchen for paint....Ashlyn wasn't having anything to do with napping, so I sprung her from her crib and we played with the baby dolls, danced, and hung out while Elizabeth painted...Emma woke up just as Ashlyn was giving up the ghost....so i got to have one on one time with her too...she's decided that Mommy and Daddy need to go on a trip so that Grammy can come and stay and take care of her and Ashlyn...and you know I just hate hearing things like this!  I just feel so BLESSED to have them all in my life...and the fact that we don't have to go out and do special "stuff", but can just stay within the rhythm of a normal day and have the time of our lives!  Elizabeth and I have a wonderful rhythm when we're together....I respect her attitudes and priorities in the raising of her girls, and have no problem in being consistent with the rules that she has for them.  In return, she trusts me with her girls, and we just naturally do what needs to be done to care for them and get other stuff done at the same time...we're a great team!  The joy of seeing what wonderful parents my grandchildren have, what awesome children they are, and the fact that I am welcomed into being a part of all of this is truly a piece of heaven on earth for me!

Tomatoes.....

While I was watering my tomatoes this morning (there's nothing like a still-warm-from-the sun ripe tomato), I started thinking about my Mom.  I started growing them each year because of her.  She just LOVED fresh tomatoes, and I LOVED the fact that I could bring some sunshine into her life by doing this!  Each year, after they were planted, she would ask for daily updates about how they were doing, eagerly anticipating the beginning of the harvest....


Last spring, I was still feeling raw from the loss of Mom...I debated whether or not to plant tomatoes...and decided that I would...caring for the plants, I spent time thinking about her and feeling not only the loss, but, over time, the memories of the good times that we had shared....as the first wave of tomatoes ripened, my daughter and family came to visit....two-year old Emma was fascinated by the tomatoes....and wanted to taste them...we picked and washed, and she sat down to feast...her eyes lit up with her first taste of a tomato off the vine, much as my Mom's used to...it was food for my soul, and brought joy to my heart...


So, this year, as I am watering the tomatoes, I not only think of my Mom and the joy that they brought to her, but the joy that they will bring to my now three-year old Emma....she even called me yesterday to see how they were growing!  

Senioritis....

Last big test down, just one last final on Saturday to study for....having a hard time focusing....math, of course!  Picked up my cap and gown yesterday....Honors ceremony next week, and graduation the following week!  Need to work on on getting my little shoebox of a house ready for the onslaught of family and friends coming to celebrate with me..some are even going to camp in my back yard so that we can all be together....am looking forward to sitting around the fire pit in the evenings with my nearest and dearest...have to tile my bathroom floor and reset the toilet so that I have two working bathrooms....the list just grows and grows!  But, I need to put my efforts into studying for this statistics/geometry final...this class has really stretched me...enough excuses, off to study!

The Best of All Worlds....

Today was a great day....I had to study for a BIG math exam in statistics and geometry....and I did it OUTSIDE...lying on a chaise...feeling the sun's rays on my back and shoulders...yes, I did put on sunscreen, but lying in the sun just feels so good to me...the soft breeze cooling me off...focusing on formulas and proofs....and then I realized that I was at almost eye-level with my grass lawn....WOW!  There is a whole other world going on down there....have you ever taken the time to look?  It was amazing....my journey began with noticing a ladybug perched on a blade of grass...my eyes traveled downward along the blade....and found a world that I had never realized existed....the ladybug was a GIANT compared to the other lawn inhabitants that I observed...some were as small as pencil dots...all scurrying along with their own agenda...the sunlight caught the glimmer of a tiny spider web strung along individual leaves of grass...some insects were black, and others almost translucent...I'm going to have to buy a magnifying glass...it was hard to turn my attention form the world beneath me to the required studying....but I did...and once the exam is over, I'm planning to go back to inspect the world beneath my feet...JUST AWESOME!