Jul. 17, 2007 - Tag... I'm It

Here's my Tag Info..... Below that you'll find the "official rules of tag"

1.  My 4 y.o. son got 2 stiches TODAY on his forehead for falling down in the street on the way to see our neighbor's goat.

2.  I can flare my nose.

3.  My dream is to become a writer or an editor.

4.  My husband is writing a screenplay for Spiderman.  He basically has it done, he's in the finaly stages of typing it out.

5.  I hate folding socks... it was almost a punishment for me growing up, so I still dread it to this day.  Right now I have a large laundry basket full of socks waiting to be folded.

6.  I live about 30 minutes away from the beach but rarely go... Last time I actually walked on the beach it was over a year ago and on my wedding anniversary.

7.  I love sunflowers, they make me happy.

8.  I watch Sesame Street so often with my children that when I hear some songs on the radio I sing the Sesame Street version instead of the original... anybody familiar with Alicia Keyes' "Falling" or better known on Sesame Street as "Danicin"????

______________________________________________

1. If you're tagged you must post the rules

2. You post your 8 random facts

3. At the end of your blog, you tag someone else and they must post thier random facts

4. You leave your chosen people a comment telling them they've been tagged

May. 31, 2007 - Unwritten

I am unwritten, can't read my mind, I'm undefined
I'm just beginning, the pen's in my hand, ending unplanned

Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find

Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your innovations

Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten

I break tradition, sometimes my tries, are outside the lines
We've been conditioned to not make mistakes, but I can't live that way

Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find

Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inner visions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins

Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten

Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find

Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inner visions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins

Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten
The rest is still unwritten
The rest is still unwritten

May. 10, 2007 - Why We Love Cinderella

Apr. 27, 2007 - Still Waters Run Deep

Apr. 27, 2007 - A Woman Jesus Can Teach

Apr. 26, 2007 - I'm Baby Stepping

I met with a counselor today. He was so good. Getting me to talk about certain things, helping me to understand other things. He said something that really hit home-- Paradigms. I grew up in one paradigm and my husband grew up in another paradigm. Since I was basically unaware that my husband's paradigm existed I didn't know how to handle it. Could I trust it. Actually hearing that there could be a family unit that actually did love unconditionally was amazing.

You see, when I grew up I was the type of person that didn't rock the boat. So basically, I didn't know if I could be loved unconditionally, it wasn't proven to me. Based upon the actions of my parents I'm not loved unconditionally, otherwise they would treat me differently. My husband's family DOES love unconditionally and shouts it from the roof tops. They ask about feeling and things like that all the time. Because I'm not used to that background I'm unsure and untrusting of it. My goal know is to try and realize that my husband's family is actually an example of a HEALTHY family, instead of some foreign concept.

If you have ever seen the movie What About Bob? with Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfuss then you understand the phrase "Baby Steps". In the movie the phsychiatrist tells Bill Murray's character to not worry about getting from point A to point B, but rather take each step one at a time.

That's what I have to do right now. Look at where I'm coming from and where I need to get. How I get there might take a little time, but as long as "I'm doing the work" as Bob puts it, I WILL make progress. I CAN do this.

Apr. 19, 2007 - "Me and God" by Josh Turner

Josh Turner – “Me And God Lyrics” (feat. Ralph Stanley and Diamond Rio), from the "Your Man" album

Streaming audio available at http://countrymusic.about.com/od/audiovideo/a/jt_meandgod.htm

Lyrics courtesy of http://www.seeklyrics.com/lyrics/Josh-Turner/Me-And-God.html

 
There ain't nothing that can't be done
By me and God
Ain't nobody come in between me and God
One day we'll live together
Where the angels trod
Me and God

Early in the morning talking it over
Me and God
Late at night talking it over
Me and God
You could say where like two peas in a pod
Me and God

He's my Father
He's my friend
The beginning
And the end
He rules the world
With a staff and rod
We're a team
Me and God

I am weak and he is strong
Me and God
He forgives me when I'm wrong
Me and God
He's the one I lean on
When life gets hard
Me and God

He's my Father
He's my friend
The beginning
And the end
He rules the world
With a staff and rod
We're a team
Me and God

He rules the world
With a staff and rod
We're a team
Me and God

We're a team
Me and God

Apr. 18, 2007 - "Tough" by Craig Morgan

I heard this song on the radio yesterday and just had to share the lyrics.  I wish I was as strong as the woman in this song.

"Tough" sung by Craig Morgan, from the album "Little Bit of Life"

She’s in the kitchen at the crack of dawn
Bacon’s on, coffee’s strong
Kids running wild, taking off their clothes
If she’s a nervous wreck, well it never shows
Takes one to football and one to dance
Hits the Y for aerobics class
Drops by the bank, stops at the store
Has on a smile when I walk through the door
The last to go to bed, she’ll be the first one up
And I thought I was tough

Chorus
She’s strong, pushes on, can’t slow her down
She can take anything life dishes out
There was a time
Back before she was mine
When I thought I was tough

We sat there five years ago
The doctors let us know, the test showed
She’d have to fight to live, I broke down and cried
She held me and said it’s gonna be alright
She wore that wig to church
Pink ribbon pinned there on her shirt
No room for fear, full of faith
Hands held high singing Amazing Grace
Never once complained, refusing to give up
And I thought I was tough

Chorus
She’s strong, pushes on, can’t slow her down
She can take anything life dishes out
There was a time
Back before she was mine
When I thought I was tough

She’s a gentle word, the sweetest kiss
A velvet touch against my skin
I’ve seen her cry, I’ve seen her break
But in my eyes, she’ll always be strong

There was a time
Back before she was mine
When I thought I was tough

lyrics found on http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/morgan-craig/tough-18380.html

Mar. 12, 2007 - Sleep, AT LAST!

My 13 month old is FINALLY sleeping through the night.  Okay, so I guess it had to do with weaning him.  He's figured out he's not going to get "any", so why keep waking up?!

It’s doing wonders for my relationship with my DH too.  We’re actually getting to go to bed at the same time, enjoy being in bed (without being interrupted), and wake up next to each other too!  It’s even improving our time together in the evenings, because it isn’t busy trying to get my youngest to sleep… again.  He just stays asleep now!!

It’s also helping me not be so irritable during the day, and helping me not to have as many migraines.  (Of course I think part of the fewer migraines might have something to do with the fact that we are eating less and lighter.  I’ve dropped about 10 pounds and one pant size.  YIPPIE!)

Mar. 2, 2007 - $1,000

What could you do with $1,000?  Well, I could do plenty of it.  I could buy groceries for about 3 months with it.  I could get a killer wardrobe, and dress up my house with some decor (I still have bare walls and it's killing me.)

But the real question is, what would by husband do with $1,000.  Well, he wants to beautify our front yard.  Right now it is in a really sorry state.  It has horrible patchy grass (and where there isn't actual grass there are nasy, funky weeds, and matted packed down pine needle).  We also have 3 tall pine trees in the yard, and then 6 stumps from where pine trees used to be.  We have 2 sorry azalea bushes (these are relatively new though, they just don't seem to be growing much, but at least they bloom often.) 

So my DH wants to do the following, which will cost approximately $1,000:  have the 3 pine trees cut down professionally (they are too close to the house and we also have some power lines to take into account, so we couldn't do these ourselves), have the yard covered with dirt and graded (this will make the ground not so lumpy, make it drain properly from our the crazy rain we have down south, and it will also cover up the remaining tree stumps), and then law some sod down so we have real grass.  "This $1,000 will probably increase our home value by $5,000" he says.

But what do I care how much it increases our home value?  We just refinanced not that long ago, and our home value has already almost doubled (we bought it as a fixer-upper and got a steal of a price).  We also don't plan on selling it anytime soon, so who really cares about the actual value monetarily.

Do I want a pretty yard, sure, but it's not like we live in an actual neighborhood and everyone looks down on us because of our yucky yard.  Our house in surrounded by wooded area, I can't even see the "neighbors" at all.

I don't mean to complain, and I suppose that this is all actually a pretty good price, but I guess I'm just a little disappointed because the front yard isn't something that we can actually use.  I mean if we were to fix up the backyard the kids would get so much out of it, but the only way we "use" the front yard it when we walk from the car to the house.  Am I crazy? stupid? unthankful?

Feb. 12, 2007 - Stand- by Rascal Flatts

Last week I heard the new Rascal Flatts song and LOVED IT.  Here are the lyrics for anyone who is interested or needs a little inspiration!

Stand- by Rascal Flatts (from "Me & My Gang")

You feel like a candle in a hurricane
Just like a picture with a broken frame
Alone and helpless like you’ve lost your fight
But you’ll be alright, you’ll be alright

Cause when push comes to shove
You taste what you’re made of
You might bend ‘til you break
Cause it’s all you can take
On your knees you look up
Decide you’ve had enough
You get mad, you get strong
Wipe your hands, shake it off
Then you stand, then you stand

Life’s like a novel with the end ripped out
The edge of canyon with only one way down
Take what you’re given before it’s gone
And start holdin’ on, keep holdin’ on

Cause when push comes to shove
You taste what you’re made of
You might bend ‘til you break
Cause it’s all you can take
On your knees you look up
Decide you’ve had enough
You get mad, you get strong
Wipe your hands, shake it off
Then you stand, then you stand

Every time you get up and get back in the race
One more small piece of you starts to fall into place – yeah

Cause when push comes to shove
You taste what you’re made of
You might bend ‘til you break
Cause it’s all you can take
On your knees you look up
Decide you’ve had enough
You get mad, you get strong
Wipe your hands, shake it off
Then you stand, then you stand

Yeah, then you stand – yeah
Yeah, Baby
WOO HOO, WOO HOO, WOO HOO-
Then you stand – Yeah, Yeah

http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/rascal-flatts/stand-16925.html

Feb. 9, 2007 - My Migraine Update

Thanks so much to you all who encouraged me to see a doctor.  I still haven't done it yet, but I've discussed it with my hubby and we'll probably "break down" and go sometime soon.

Just wanted to let you know that for the last 3 days my migraine situation has been a lot better.  Because of 3 straight days with viurtualy no migraines AND 3 straight days of my 1 y.o. sleeping through the night (this is a record) I'm trying to figure out what is different.  Here are my initial findings... for the last 3 days my baby boy has been taking 2 naps during the day and then he's slept through the night, I'll try to continue this pattern.  So does my migraine free day relate to the quality of sleep I get?  I've also noticed that I haven't been spending as much time in front of the computer screen.  So does that effect my migraines too?

Feb. 6, 2007 - 3 1/2 years with NO SLEEP

3 kids being born within 3 1/2 years= NO SLEEP.... it's a mathematical fact, scientifically proven, in fact.  Okay, maybe not, but it sure seems that way.

My DS was born in May 2003.  DD in July 2004, and my final DS in January 2006.  That means I've been changing diapers for 3 1/2 years straight, making bottles/nursing for almost 3 1/2 years straight, and waking up almost every night (primarily multiple times a night) for 3 1/2 years now.  NO WONDER I HAVE MIGRAINES!!!

Why is it that I can't get a decent night's sleep?  Even when my DS (who just turned 1) sleeps for an entire night without waking up to be nursed, inevitably one of my 2 toddlers will wake up with night terrors, a request for a drink or tissue, or be cold because they have kicked off the blankets.

Am I complaining.... YES.  But I know that taking care of my children at night is a part of being a mom.  And I need to be thankful that they even want me to help take care of them.  But I just so desire to have a break, an uninterrupted night of blissful sleep.  A nice warm, soft bed, that can be enjoyed without interruption.

Not having quality sleep has turned me into a terribly crabby and unhappy person.  I've been suffereing from migraines on a almost daily basis ever since my youngest was born.  I now realize now that I had occasional migraines since High School, but nothing compares to the whammies I've been having on & off for a year.  I tried some prescription that my OB gave me for the headaches (the only insurance I have is for Medicaid for Moms) and it didn't work at all.  I know I should go see a doctor (if mamma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy) but I just haven't done it.  I keep thinking, if only I had some decent rest I would get rid of the headaches.  AHHHHHH!!

Jan. 31, 2007 - Become an M&M

http://www.becomeanmm.com/

Visit this site to make your own personalized M&M.  Dress him/her up in hats, design a face and hairstyle, give them accessories.  For a real kick press the "Randomize" button to create wacky characters.  My 3 y.o. and 2 y.o. really loved this!

I saw a commercial for this for the first time today, don't know how long it's been on.  But when I tried to save my character the server was overloaded, so I guess it's pretty new!

Jan. 31, 2007 - End of An Era

For over 2 years now I've been running my own business.  My hubby and I started up an internet bookstore that also sold some home decor stuff.  We had our own website, and then after a while decided just to have an eBay store.

At the end of December we had sold out of nearly all the books we had bought for the bookstore, and then decided to just scrap the rest of the business.  We donated the books to a local charity,and filed paperwork to completely close the business.  Two days ago my hubby paid off the last bill for the business, so now it is completely GONE.

While I sometimes complained about all the work I had to do... checking inventory, updating websites, packaging and sending out deliveries... I actually kinda miss the hub-bub.  I miss the responsibility that it gave me.

Don't get me wrong, there are PLENTY of things for me to do with my 3 children under age 4.  And there are PLENTY of things I could do around the house to fix things up, clean, or generally just make the house look "homie".  I guess I miss the importantness of it.  I miss that I was actually accomplishing something other than being just a mom.

I know it's horrible to say the phrase "just a mom", becuase it is one of the greatest callings someone can take on.  But I realize that I needed to do something for me that was unrelated to my life as a mother and wife.

Jan. 23, 2007 - Getting to Know Me

Getting to Know Me (or rather, an exploration of Me)

• Your real name:  Diane
• Where in the world are you?  Pensacola, FL
• Are you married, and for how long? married 6/01/02
• How many kids do you have and their ages? 3 children: B 5/23/03, D 7/01/04 and S 1/26/06
• What's one of your favorite movies?  "Ever After", it's a version of Cinderella with Drew Barrymore.  It has the cutest dialogue!
• What's the best book you've read recently? recently... the MOPS book, but my favorite books ever are "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "The Scarlet Letter"
• Do you have a favorite tv show?  Heroes, Friends, Law & Order, The Office, My Name is Earl
• What was your first car, and how old were you?  She was a hand-me down from my parents, a white station wagon, I was only 16.  The first car that I owned was a '92 Dodge Spirit, it was white with grey interior.  I bought it (used) when I was 21 and had it for 4 years until it died...
• If you could be any fictional character, who would you be and why?  I'd be Jo fro "Little Women", she was so gutsy, spoke her mind, and didn't care what others thought of her
• What is your favorite Bible... VERSE: Psalm 84:11 "For the LORD GOD is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly."  (KJV) PERSON: Abraham STORY: Abraham's faith when he was told to sacrafice Isaac
• What would your dream job be?  I'd really love to have a cool little coffee shop that had tons of bookshelves where people could just camp out and read books.  There would be really cool decor, comfy couches, soft music and nice lighting.  It would be the perfect relaxation place, or a place where some college student could come to work on a term paper without all the stress.
• What is something that you do really well?  I plan things really well, and like to get things organized although oddly I don't always follow through on everything I plan, and things don't always stay organized.... HA!
• What have you done that you're most proud of?  In 2002 I  received my masters degree in Elementary Education, right before I got married.  Although I didn't pull the greatest grades, I really learned a lot, and look forward to how it will help me a better teacher to my children (whom at this point I plan on homeschooling.)
• If you could spend the day in someone else's shoes that is currently living, who would it be and why?  Martha Stewart... I'd love to see her beautiful home (at least one of them) and the beautiful garden.  I'd want to see how she has her home organized, how she has her craft room, sewing room, photography room etc set up.  I'd also like to look through her own collection of cookbooks to get some great ideas.
• Tell us about your childhood family:  Growing up my dad was a pastor.  We lived in Selma, CA until I was in 4th grade and then we moved less than an hour away to Clovis, CA (a suburb of Fresno).  At that point my dad wasn't a pastor, but we were very active in our church.  I had a brother that was 2 years younger than me and another that was 9 years younger than me.  When I was in 10th grade my mom's dad (my last living grandparent) moved in with us for a few years, and then eventually moved into a convolescent home.  I went away to Pensacola, FL for college to get an Elementary education degree, but at the end of my sophomore year I switched degrees to just History. 
• Do you have a dream for when your kids are grown and out of the house?  My husband and I got married and almost immediately got pregnant, and then I had a miscarriage, and the got pregnant quickly again.  In fact, I celebrated the one anniversary and the one week birthday of my son on the same day!  So when the kids are gone my hubby and I will have a chance just to sit and relax and be around eachother alone.  We are really into fixing things up, so manybe we'll work on our house, or buy a fixer uper to have something to work on together.
• What is your favorite thing about being married?  I love talking to my husband at night while lying in bed.  Having college roommates (4 girls all in the same room) got me accustomed to talking at night.  And since I was the only girl in my family and never shared a room, I never realized how lonely it was to go to sleep alone.
• What is your least favorite thing about being married?  I hate letting my hubby down, whether in cooking a meal that isn't tasty or forgetting to do something he asked me.  I know he puts a lot of faith and trust in me to do things and get things done, and I don't want to disappoint him.
• What is the best thing about being a mom?  This morning I hugged and kissed my 2 1/2 y.o. daughter for almost 5 minutes.  I love her chubby cheeks and the cute way she says "I love you."  I love it when she puts her hand on my face and says "you're so pretty."  I'm her world and she's mine.  I better take all the cuddles I can get, because I know they won't last!
• What do you dislike the most about being a mom?  I hate how impatient I've become.  Then again maybe I've always been this impatient, and it just took my children to bring it out in me.  I also hate how selfish I seem to my children sometimes....
• Please share your testimony about your relationship with Christ, if that applies to you:  I grew up in a Christian home, and was saved when I was really young.  I was baptized by my father when I was about 7 years old.  I never really doubted my own salvation until I was in High School.  I wondered how I really knew that I had really meant it when I asked Jesus to save me from my sin.  My mom asked me plainly if I had asked Jesus to come into my heart.  When I todl her I had, she asked if there was a reason why Jesus wouldn't do what I asked.  Of course He would, His whole purpose in his earthly life was to seek and to save that which was lost.  Ever since then I haven't doubted my salvation in Christ.  While I have had my highs and lows in my Christian life, I'm not as diligient about studying the Bible as I need to be.  I'm trying to set up more routines in my life to make it easier, but I'm still struggling with an every day dose of Bible reading and prayer. 

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Here is the link to where you can copy & paste only the questions listed above for your own responses:  http://www.mops.org/bb/viewtopic.php?t=42916

Dec. 15, 2006 - 1 CORINTHIANS 13 - A CHRISTMAS VERSION....

1 CORINTHIANS 13 - A CHRISTMAS VERSION....

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows,
strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do
not show love to my family, I'm just another
decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of
Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and
arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime,
but do not show love to my family, I'm just another
cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing
home and give all that I have to charity, but do not
show love to my family, it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and
crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday
parties and sing in the choir's cantata but do not
focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child. Love sets
aside the decorating to kiss the husband. Love is
kind, though harried and tired. Love doesn't envy
another's home that has coordinated Christmas china
and table linens.

Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way,
but is thankful they are there to be in the way.
Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give
in return but rejoices in giving to those who can't.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes
all things, endures all things. Love never fails.
Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be
lost, golf clubs will rust, but giving the gift of
love will endure.

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

While I'd love to take credit for this but I can't...  Found it online at the MOPS website.  I've posted it a cabinet in my kitchen and try to read it every time I glance that way.  It's really helping me to be kinder, more gentle, and understanding to my (currently sick) children.

Dec. 13, 2006 - I am Spock

So over the last few weeks I've discovered something that I think I've always kinda known in the back of my head:  I AM Spock, as in Spock from Star Trek.

My husband had recently been on a Star Trek movie binge (and since he controls the NetFlix selections I'm at his "mercy") but I have really gotten into watching the old movies since I'd never seen them all back-to-back.  After watching them all, I can really say that I AM Spock.

I constantly use the phrase "I don't understand the question,"  I HATE guessing (something that Spock said he didn't know how to do), and have a big fetish about things being right or wrong... or rather "logical or illogical". 

I'm actually now thinking about buying Leonard Nimoy's books I am Spock and I am Not Spock just so I can hear his take on the Spock-Syndrome.  Am I not really "human" then, or only HALF human?  Is anyone else Spock-like?

Nov. 29, 2006 - Second Best

While eating a graham cracker yesterday I stumbled upon a profound thought.  Lately I've settled for "second best." 

But how could a graham cracker make me think of that?  Normally I purchase the WalMart brand of graham crackers.  Mainly because my children eat them the most often, and it's only about $1 for the entire box, compared to the named-brand "HoneyMaid" that's between $2-3 a box.  But the other day while shopping at Winn Dixie there was a BOGO sale on the HoneyMaid brand and I also had a good coupon for it.

Earlier in the day I had a bite of some WalMart graham crackers, but when that box was empty I opened up the HoneyMaid kind and was amazed at the difference.  The HoneyMaid graham crackers looked so appetizing, so yummy, and they were!  They practically melted in my mouth!  (Sadly, that little treat was one of the highlights of my day!)  Even my 3 year old noticed a difference.

How many other times do we moms settle for second best in our lives?  I know that this "aha" moment was only about a graham cracker, but we can apply it to so many other aspects in our lives!  What else have we let go of, settled for?  The tidiness of our house, our hairstyle, our bodies, our self-respect, our hopes and dreams? 

Let's make a promise to not settle for second best in just one thing week!

Aug. 8, 2006 - Frustrated in Florida

About 2 weeks ago I made a trip to CA for my brother's wedding.  I'd only seen him 1 time in the last 5 years, because he lives in CA and I live in FL.  To say the least, it was horrible being around my family again.  (I traveled alone to CA with my 6 month old, S.  My hubby and the two other kids couldn't come due to $$ and the fact that my hubby couldn't get the time of of work.)

Here are my gripes about the trip:

1. My parents moved over an hour away from where I grew up, so there weren't any "fuzzy" feelings of being back "home" again. 
2. My mom (who's visited me in FL 3 times in the last 4 years, for the birth of each of my children) treated me poorly.  She seems to have forgotten that I'm an adult now... FOR PETE'S SAKE- I'm nearly 28, have been married over 4 years, and have 3 children!  Did I mention that she second-guessed me caring for my six month old, and my cooking skills?
3. My brother who was getting married barely spoke to me, and even told the wedding photographer that my son wasn't "part of the family" (meaning immediate family) when he tried to get a picture of all the guys in the family.  Whe he said that I nearly left the church!
4. The day I was to go back home to FL my mom gave me my wedding dress back.  It hadn't been cleaned and wasn't even in a zip-up garment bag.  She then casually asked if I was going to sell my dress on eBay!  eBay?  eBay!!!!!  (My paren't don't like my hubby much and basically think that he treats me horribly- WHAT A CROCK!)  I haven't looked at the dress at all, because I think I'll cry to see how dirty it is now.  Is it even salvageable at all?
   

At least my "little brother"- a soph. at college, was nice to me on the last day I was there.  Honestly the best time I had there was meeting up with an old friend (an ex-girlfriend of my bro getting married, who was also my maid of honor) and having lunch with her for a few hours.

What a waist of $650 dollars!

Normally I'm the one making phone calls to my parents to try to keep in touch with them.  My dad called me (1 week after I got home) and chatted for under 15 minutes, just making sure I got home okay.  I e-mailed my mom today with a cold update of the grandkids, but I don't plan on calling them anytime soon.  I'm kinda now regretting that I contacted her via e-mail at all.

Sadly, I don't even think they know how hurt I am.  Should I say anything?  Am I overeacting?