The Next Time You Hear from Me...

...I will be in hot and sunny FLORIDA!  After eight months of waiting and one LONG month of being "homeless" we are FINALLY going to be in Orlando.  I am sooo excited.  So excited to get settled, to learn my way around, to find a church, to start work.  Excited for it all.  We have almost a month before we actually start working so we should feel nice and "at home" before work starts.  That's a good thing!  AND...right before we start work I head to Chicago for CHA.  I am really excited about that...fun time to just hang out with some scrapping friends and time to drool over all the yummy scrappy goodness!

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So, yesterday I had a nice little day out by myself.  I headed up to Lansing to finish taking some photos of childhood places -- my schools, my homes, etc.  Then I met up with a family friend and together we went to go see my hairdresser's daughter who is also a hairdresser but she also does makeup (she did my wedding).  She now sells Arbonne supplies and so I just went over to see what it was all about.  I have really, really AWFUL skin -- acne (much better than when I was a teen but still not great), eczema (all over my body), red splotchiness.  Over the years I have tried EVERYTHING.  Seriously. EVERYTHING.  I met up with this friend who I have known all my life (a good friend of my parents) and I trust her. So, I got loaded up with all sorts of stuff to try.  We'll see and I'll be sure to give you a report!  Then I stopped by the mall to grab something to eat and to stop at a few stores.  Picked up a few new things for myself (yea) and got some yummy Korean food to bring home for Jason  ~ kim chee, spicy noodles, seaweed, his favorite Korean gum :)

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Anyway, today is a BIG day.  LOTS to do...laundry, bills, packing, etc.  Jason and his dad leave tomorrow morning so I want to have everything in the car tonight.  I don't like it when early morning departures are stressful!    I am also really excited to have the kids to myself for the day (Jason and his parents are going to a funeral).  Since we have been so busy this past month and because I have been working, I feel like I haven't gotten to spend much time with them.  I MISS them!  They are all just growing so fast and I want to soak in every minute!

Alaina is fortunately feeling better -- she still has a really red sore throat but her spirits are back up and her fever is down.  Soooo thankful for that.  Caleb was feeling a bit warm tonight so I HOPE he isn't getting sick!  I feel the sickies coming on myself so I grabbed some AirBorne tablets today hoping to stay one step ahead. As I told Jason's mom, I do NOT have time to be sick!  (Is there EVER a good time to be sick when you have little ones???)

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One LO for you before I go...this is for this weeks DIGI DARE.  The dare this week was:

I'm sure each one of us has some kind of secret language with our family or friends. Like, a nickname that we've always been called that we wouldn't dare tell our friends; a word that your child says that only you understand; or maybe it's a foreign word that you use in your home on an every day basis. Let's explore the "secret" words we say and the language we use!

Dare Flair:
Use only one photo
Your title must be the "secret" word or phrase
Focus on your journaling and introduce us to your "secret" word

Now our word isn't really "secret"...it is just a word that has come to mean so much more than it started out as.  A word I really want to remember!

Journaling: It started out as just a word, a command. As much as we trust our children to be safe, we never let them walk in a parking lot without holding a “big person’s” hand. Whenever we get close to a street or parkling lot, we all just say “HANDS!” and everyone grabs on. I love it. What started out as a way of keeping our kids safe has turned into a picture of who we are. We hold hands. We protect each other. We all have a place in this family and each on of us is important. We make choices based on what is best for everyone. We value each person immeasureably. We stick together even when other families make different choices. “You are a Phillips” we tell Alaina. It means we are a FAMILY and we are united as one. I will always strive to keep my children safe -- physically, emotionally, educationally, and spiritually. The way may look safe but you never know...so until my children are old enough to venture out on their own, our word will always be “hands.”

Credits: Background paper and stitching by Michelle Coleman, flowers by Kate Hadfield, Teacher's Pet alpha by Lauren Reid, text path by Jen Caputo

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That's it.  Next time this 'lil bloggie will be live from Orlando.  But I will warn you, it will probably be Tuesday :)

Have a WONDERFUL weekend and a GREAT beginning of the summer season (or winter for my Kiwi and Aussie readers!)

Comments

[PaulineLucille]

Have a safe trip, Janet! I sooooooo hope you and Caleb aren't getting sick!! I can't believe that yuckiness is going around now--in the summer! Bleah!!! I hope that airborne stuff helps if those germies are around! Orlando--here you come! YAY!!!
--Hollie

[MandaKay]

I love how you look so deeply into things - so inspiring. Your hands LO is awesome - so profound for something that most of us do with our kids - I am such a surface thinker that I think deep down I know and feel that way about why I do these things - but you get it out so good in words!

I will be praying for safe travels for EVERYONE in their different travel ways, and also for health!!!

[Joy Gross]

Wonderful word!! and layout... have a wonderful adventure.