A Southern Rehabilitation

I had a "teacher friend" come to me this morning before school actually started and she told me she had been praying for me all weekend. Praying for my husband too, and was going to keep praying for me/for us. She didn't find out about this separation/divorce until Thursday of last week. I just don't talk about it at school. I just don't, but she was in our grade level meeting and I gave a little "this is how I'm feeling" share moment for about 45 seconds.  After telling me she will be praying for me, she said something like, "it seems like something can be done what with so many years of marriage and the kids and all that you've shared"... She also asked me if I was still going to >>>> church? (b/c we go to same church) I said, "no." Then she asks if I am going anywhere? I replied, "no, again."  Her reply was, "Then right there is the problem." As soon as those words were out of her mouth, I...

As defined by Webster, a generalization is "an idea or conclusion having general application." In other words, taking an idea, situation, instance, and making it very "general", not specific to any one person, place or thing... defining "as a whole", would be more like it.  So let's generalize this relationship between a man and a woman, shall we? Women think with their hearts, with their emotions... our relationships are entwined with the way we feel. Our relationships with men or women are emotional. We talk with our emotions. We love with our emotions. We have sex with our emotions. Friendships are emotional. It's the way it's been since time began. Men, however, are completely black and white. They don't really give of themselves in a relationship. Oh, they would say they do and fight me on this statement, but truth is truth. They seem to have very little vested in it (I've seen it time and again) and IF by some miracle they do ca...

I was in Asheville visiting my aunt 3 Sundays ago. I had not planned on going to Asheville that day, but when I called my uncle to check on how my aunt was doing, he said, "Not good, Dawn."  I made a quick decision and told him I would be there in two hours. I had to go home first, change clothes, leave notes for the family and then get on my way. I arrived at her house about 3:30pm. You see, I'm the only immediate family my aunt has left. I'm it. I'm her health care power of attorney. I look out for her best interests, take care of her finances when she can't. I definitely make a lot of trips on Interstate 40 West. When I walked in, she was standing in the kitchen and seemed genuinely excited to see me. She gave me a big hug and told me she loved me. From there, things went downhill. I tried to talk to her about how she was feeling, what was going on with her recovery, generally just ask her questions so she would talk to me, but she couldn't carry on a...

One of my very good friends texted me this morning and said, "You haven't blogged in a week. Keep telling that story."  I responded with, "I think I have writer's block," of which she replied, "It's time to unblock."  I guess it is, but truth be told, I haven't felt like writing lately. I'm not exactly sure why, but I feel certain it has something to do with my current life state. It's starting to get to me. Perhaps it's this change in weather... gray a lot more than sunny, cooler temps, leaves falling off the trees and knowing that after Fall comes Winter. I am by nature, very much a "gotta have sunshine in my days" kinda girl. My husband has always told me I have what they call "SLAD"... Seasonal Light Affective Disorder. There's no doubt I do. Anyway, I've just been in a "blah sort of state" the last couple of weeks. I do need to keep telling the story, so here I am. I'm giving it my ...

A couple of weeks ago I shared that I would be meeting my brother (one of 3) for the first time EVER! His name is John and he is #2 in the line up of us four children. I met my other two brothers 10 years ago, but for whatever reason, I was not able to connect with John. Well, the long awaited and anticipated day was yesterday in Lexington, Kentucky. It was not full of fan fare or hoopla or anything spectacular. We met in the hotel lobby. The hotel where friends and family of the bride and groom are staying this weekend. I arrived at the hotel about 10 minutes before my two brothers. I was standing near the registration desk when the two of them walked in. It was one of those moments that will be forever etched in my memory. The way the two of them looked; the way "new" brother just kind of sauntered in with his cool sunglasses on and white hair defining his looks.  I gave Ray a hug and turned to the other one, kind of wondering what to do... do I just hug him or what? I de...

Here comes one of the posts where I brag on one of my kids... My Girl, now 24 years old, works at a local YMCA. She is the Associate Aquatics Director and she does an awesome job at her job. :) Little background information first, because, well, I haven't really introduced my 4 Loves to you yet. My Girl is the second child and the only girl of four. She loves the fact that she is the "only girl." She is an April baby and she was always "my girl" from the moment she was born. We are very much alike in personality, looks, interests, the way we speak, the way we write, who we like and don't like, the music we listen to...Country! Even our humor and sarcasm is very much the same... she is my fun girl. We have had fall on the floor, side splitting belly shaking can't breathe laughter fits many many times. We truly have a good time together. Now don't get me wrong, b/c we are so much alike, we have our spats as well, and our heads have butted on more...