Why I left...

(photo credit PiccApp/Getty Images)

It seemed so harmless. Everyone was/is doing it. It would be fun. Ooooooo! And then I got the application for my phone. Facebook mobile! That's just what everyone needs! And so my journey into complete time wasting began. I started out just to catch up with people I'd not seen in forever. It was fun to see how people had changed and to see how their children had grown. But then I started "farming". And I couldn't possibly let my fake crops on my fake farm die and wither. What about all that fake money I'd lose? I actually only left Facebook three days ago. Just three. But so far...I love it. I was addicted and it was in control. Now, I am taking back control. Truth be told Facebook is a big reason I stopped blogging so much. Not only that but I also stopped interacting with my family. Cause when I was on Facebook, it was pretty much just me and the computer. Along with all this, these are other issues I've seen and struggled with:

*It's not secure. I know of several people whose accounts were hacked. The past 3 weeks Norton Antivirus has stopped 3 hacker/intruders to my computer system and every single time it did I was on Facebook. Coincidence? I don't know.

*It can be extremely petty. Do I really care what color you have painted your fingernails? Is this what I want to waste my time reading? Unfortunately, it was what I was spending my time reading.

*It can hurt people. Suppose you are having an outing with a friend and you post something in regards to that. What if another friend reads that and wonders why they were not invited? I know people should have thicker skin, but I'm just sayin'. I have purposely not posted things I've done with friends because I knew that someone else could/would get their feelings hurt. I'm serious.

Now, I'm absolutely not bashing everyone on Facebook. And at some point, I will maybe go back. What brought me to finally leaving (as I've struggled with it for weeks) is a whole post in itself which I will post later. These are just things that I was convicted about. I don't expect everyone to have the same convictions. Really, I don't. I did not want something controlling me. I did not like the example set for my children. And I did not like it for the above reasons I gave. If you are on Facebook, and you are in control of your time, and pleased with it, that is awesome. And I do know that there are some good ways to use Facebook. My pastor uses it as a ministry and outreach tool. And there are other good things or good reasons to be on Facebook, too. But for me, it became a bad thing, so I left. I once had to leave blogging, too. And when I could control it, I came back. So, eventually I will probably return to Facebook. Just not now.

Hello. I am Mrs.The Bob Doe...

(photo credit: PicApp Images/Internet/Getty Images)

One of my very favorite shows ever is I Love Lucy. I can watch it over and over. It really doesn't matter that I've seen each episode 500 times. Besides that Lucy and Ethel are one of the funniest duos to ever hit the screen, I love the 1950's. I think I really could have lived back then. I love how they dressed. I love the view of the wife, mother, and homemaker from that era. I love the simplicity and slow pace.

The other day Fep and I had on I Love Lucy, and Lucy and Ethel were introducing themselves to some other ladies. And they introduced themselves as "Mrs. Ricky Ricardo" and "Mrs. Fred Mertz". Fep asked why they said their names that way. She's never heard it before and it was really foreign to her. To be honest, I don't think I have ever introduced myself as "Mrs. The Bob Doe". I don't think I've ever written it out that way for any reason either. Just my name Kat Doe.

I'm thankful that I have a husband to which I can attach my identity. I'm thankful he's honest and moral. A man of integrity. And I found an opportunity to tell him about my conversation with Fep and that I was thankful I can happily be identified as Mrs. The Bob Doe. Part of me is sad for those ladies that don't have that kind of husband. The husband that's not a man of integrity. However, I guess in this day and age it doesn't really matter. Feminism has taken over so that no one introduces themselves or writes their name that way anyway. While I may not say it or write it, I really am Mrs. The Bob Doe. It's so much a part of who I am.

Blogiversary...

Yesterday was my blogiversary and I missed it. And I only found out today by bit of a fluke. So, as of yesterday, this blog has officially been here a year. Yea me.

My first post. The story of the blog. The story of the name (not that "Reflections" is anything new or special).



Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Once Upon a Time...

Man, oh man. Am I glad to be back! This is my attempt at blogging for the second time around. Lets sum it up in a story to see where I've been and to see where I'm going:

Once upon a time, Kat had a blog. Kat loved her blog very, very much. She tried to keep up with other bloggers. She tried to impress other bloggers. She tried to entice other bloggers leaving comments here and there knowing it would help build her own blog. One day the Lord convicted Kat that her blog was an (gasp) idol. She spent far too much time thinking about it, far too much time looking at it, and far too much time working on it. Kat decided with tears (literal tears) that the blog must go. And so it did. It took a long time to get that blog out of her system. She would often ask The Bob for another blog. Those conversations usually didn't go very well to say the least. For The Bob knew what the blog idol had once been in Kat's life. The Bob, he's wise. So eventually over time, Kat began to release all of her bloggy feelings. For the most part. But one thing that Kat kept thinking about was the one good thing that came out of blogging. When she blogged, she was very reflective. She noticed things more. She noticed her children more. She noticed simple pleasures more. Her blog was in a sense a little scrapbook, a little online journal. That's what Kat never quit missing. So months went by, and Kat conjured up the nerve to ask The Bob again, and without hesitation, without anything but a smile, he said yes. And so now the story of this blog will begin. Reflections. That's all it will be. The joys of life from my view. No self promoting. No comment leaving to get traffic. Just my little online journal. If people show up, fantastic. If not, that's fantastic too.

Man, oh man. It's good to be back :)
Posted by Kat at 7:17 AM
Labels: blogging

The Little Things....

I'm not sure when it happened? I'm not sure when I stopped doing the little things? You know the little things...the things that don't cost money, but make memories...the things your children will talk about when they get older. And that's true you know. The things I talk about from my childhood and growing up usually never involves what we did that cost money. Being that I grew up on the poor end of the scale and the fact that we didn't have money anyway is no never mind. If I talk about my childhood from a poverty perspective, it's usually that I'm grateful. My memories are that my Mom fixed the best ham ever on Christmas and Easter. And I fix that ham today at Christmas, and my mother-in-law tells me it's the best ham ever. My memories that my Dad fixed the best pancakes ever. And they weren't really pancakes, but flapjacks. There's a difference.

So, I used to do these things that made memories. The Bob did, too. Like when he would fix Green Eggs and Ham. Like when I used to set the table nicely for occasions or events.

On any given day, this is what our dinner table looks like...

It doesn't look like this every day, but any given day. Can you see the laundry hanging over the doorway and over the chairs? Fep's bird puzzle she's been working on here and there for weeks. Lovely, isn't it?

So, Saturday was Valentine's Day Eve. The meal plan was Pioneer Woman's Lasagna (which she says is the best ever. While it is absolutely the best recipe I've ever had to make at home, I find the best ever lasagna belongs to Avellino's Pizza in Mississippi...just in case you're ever in the area and want some Italian ;) ) Creamed Spinach, Garlic Bread, and Turtle Cookie Bars with Ice Cream for dessert. Yum. It was to be our Valentine's Dinner as Sunday yielded itself too busy with Church and stuff to think about creating such a meal. I walked into the dinning room, and the above scene just wouldn't do. I have not set the table nicely in forever. Years maybe? So, I started digging through the China Hutch to see what I could use. And this is what I came up with. Simple. Very simple. But so much nicer than the above, don't you think?

And it looked even nicer with the candles lit. Cause candles make everything look better.

Fep walked through after I was finished and said, "The table looks so nice!" Moose walked through and said, "WHY IS THE TABLE ALL DINNERY?" (and please say that loud and with a heavy Southern accent). Moose is a grammar lesson waiting to happen. And when The Bob got home for dinner he was quite pleased. Quite. I have not taken the time to do this in forever. And my time and my thought was all they needed this Valentine's Day. It's the little things.

I was so pleased with myself, too. So pleased that I gave myself a thumbs up and took a very cheesy picture....

Cheese. I'm full of it :)

The little things are worth unwrapping

In which I get my life back....

I quit work. Okay. Not really, because we're self employed. But, the working while home schooling thing DID NOT WORK AS PLANNED. Not. At. All. We tried for about 6-7 weeks, and The Bob decided that the sanity of our home life and the education of our children was being sacrificed more than we thought would happen or intended. Plus my stress level was making everyone miserable. Sooooooo, we took another salary adjustment to our salary, hired back layed off secretary, and life is gooooooooood. I learned how much I took what I had for granted. I love being at home. Love. It. I'd rather give up things and comforts and be at home than anything. Than any THING at all :)

I've actually had my life back for about 3 weeks now. And I've thought about this blog and my absence from it. I have so much to be thankful for, so hopefully I can regroup, refocus, and start reflecting again.

January 6, 1995

I tried to scan some old pictures from my wedding, and our scanner wouldn't work. Bummer. Cause I know you wanted to see me in all my 90's hairdo glory ;)

Our 15th wedding anniversary was Wednesday. It seems like "marker" years are supposed to be big (5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 a biggie....and so on) On my 10th anniversary, we had my rings reset and the gold changed from yellow gold to white gold. That may not sound like a big deal, but it ended up being about $500 just to do that. So, that was a "marker year" and a big deal gift. One of my best friends took a cruise with her husband on their 15th anniversary. We didn't do that. And because of where we're at, we just couldn't do anything "big" anyway. So, I was feeling a little sorry for myself. Just a little self pity goin' on...but just a little.

Our day started with a "Happy Anniversary" said by both, and then we talked about the plan of the day. Work. Work. And then some work. This has actually been a busy week for us because it's freeeeeeeeeezing right now in Mississippi (as in right now this very second that I'm typing the temperature is 12 degrees), and we have lots of frozen pipe calls (we own a plumbing business). In addition to The Bob being really busy, I was really busy. I home schooled that morning, went to work at lunch, worked until 5:00 PM then braved the grocery store to get groceries on the slight chance we got snowed in, as snow was expected late that evening. By the time I got home and got our frozen pizza on the table, it was 8:00 PM. And that's what everyone wants to eat for their anniversary, right? Frozen pizza. More self pity heaped on here. The Bob was not even home at this point. He was helping a customer with a flooded basement. Yet another dose of self pity. I was completely exhausted and brain dead, so the kids and I put in the movie "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs". What doesn't say 15th anniversary about that?! I'll have some more self pity, please. Around 9:30 PM, the Bob walks in and he has these....




Now, they are just grocery store flowers, and I had to vase them and water them, etc. Nothing fancy, but still pretty. Very pretty. And the way to melt away every bit of self pity I had allowed to creep in my heart. Not just because they were pretty flowers, but because he took the time. The time he really did not have that day. He worked 14 hours that day (literally), but he still took the time. He was cold, tired, and hungry. That right there is enough to make me grumpy. But not him. He came in with a smile, with his love, gave me my card and flowers, and happily ate his left on the counter frozen pizza.

So, I've learned it may not be in all the glitz and glamor of the gift, but in the thought and time put in to it. That's what we really want from our mate anyway is their time and attention :)

Hope...

“For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity.”

~Jeremiah 29:11-14

December 2009....

This has been a busy month. And it's held more activity than just my return to work...

Christmas card photos...

Local missions Christmas Party....eyes blackened for protection of the children...the children at the party were neglected and abused and they just don't need any other trouble....but I can tell you that little fella' was the cutest little shepherd I've ever seen!


Made and ate more Christmas treats and goodies than my waistline can handle...and this may not look good, but trust me. It IS veeeeeeeeeeery good. Golden Graham cereal, pretzels, pecans covered in melted white chocolate bark. Mmmmmmmm. Yummy. I may have to loosen my belt just thinking about it....

Fep was in a wedding....


Christmas weddings are just sooooo pretty. Don't you think?

Christmas was spent with some of our favorite friends...

Love, the love of Christ, family, friends, and food. What more could you ask for?

In Which I Return to Work....

So, our little family business which we've had for 17 years continues it's struggles. In part the economy and in part other factors. This month I returned to work for our company in an effort to cut back and reduce. And there's another pay cut for us on our horizon already scheduled for the new year.

I've always worked about 8 hours a week doing payroll and other things. But now I'm looking at working about 25 - 30 hours a week....at least it's still part-time. The only snafu would be that I home school and I just really hope I can pull it all together. The Bob has had a rough two years (you just wouldn't even believe), and he desperately needs my support and help right now. And he's concerned about me, too. He's going to try and work it so I can do as much from home as possible. My cousin told me yesterday, "That's why y'all have a good marriage. You are concerned about each other and not just about yourself." True. I am blessed.

I've wondered what to do with this blog. I have so few readers. But this blog wasn't started to gather readers, it was started to be my little online journal. So, I will continue, I suppose. I post rarely lately, because for the most part I just don't have it in me. But do know that I still do smile. I have found in this crazy holiday season and in my increased work hours (that right now are at the office and not home) I notice things a little more. Things that I might pass by with barely a smirk or grin...like Moose's arms waving madly and wildly to tell me hello when I get home...that makes me smile. And there are other things, so small I can't remember them all, but in that moment of that day, they make me smile. Smiles are there to find if I'll look...and this blog has always made me smile in my heart. So, while I may not post as much and any readers I had gone, it's okay. I still need a place to park my thoughts...and my smiles :)

Moose's Amazing Photography...

My children love to get my camera. Sometimes I don't love it so much. The other morning Moose brought me these pictures to see, and he was quite pleased with himself...

I actually found them very pretty because they were so colorful.

So, do you know? Do you know what it is that makes such a fury of colors?

It's just the Christmas tree lights. That's how they look when you shake the camera back and forth as fast as you can while clicking the picture ;)