We attended a Greek festival over the weekend and the Greek fisherman's hat was Wil's souvenir of choice.  I think it suits him.  After purchasing the hat, Wil was rather anxious to get home.  I assumed it was the usual scenario of 'got what I want let's go home'.  Later it became evident that there was a bit more to Wil's desire to rush home.

Once we were home friends began ringing the doorbell and asking if the boys could come out and play.  Lee and Mac went outside.  A moment later Lee ran into the house, up to Wil's room and quickly back down.

"Whoa!" I said.  "What was that all about?"

"I had to deliver a message to Wil," Lee panted, never slowing down.

As I turned from that whirlwind I faced another.  Wil came charging through the kitchen with his usual elephant-like grace chanting "Out of my way, out of my way, coming through.  I should NOT keep Janelle waiting." (emphasis his)

Oh yeah, Wil has a girlfriend.  She's a cute little six year old sporting pink cowgirl boots, a killer smile, unlimited spunk and, apparently, the ability to lead my youngest son around by the nose.

I'm certain there's a kiddie soap opera in this...stay tuned.

The Wrapped Emotions project last week was a prompt to "feel the world"...textures...and bring a bit of it home in crayon rubbings and share the experience.  Like many WE participants, I did several rubbings away from home, but those done at home were the ones I chose to share.

I gently tossed down an assortment of things the boys, including my now 26 year old, have made for me over the years...beaded bracelet, beaded heart token, paper clip bracelet with charms, charms from two other bracelets and a plastic art craft heart made of little plastic circles.  I also included an angel wing from one of the pairs the boys and I found on the beach.  Angels wings are shells from the beach found in  matching pairs and are shaped like angel wings.  When the boys and I walk the beach during summer vacations, we always find a pair.  Never when I walk alone, only when I walk with them.

I stared at the rubbing.  I looked through my little chest of precious jewels and trinkets that my sons have made for me since preschool age...every single item contained a heart-shaped bead, trinket or had a heart drawn on it.  If there was no heart in the actual design of their creation, it was signed with the drawing of a lopsided little heart and then their name. 

I felt a tingle pass through my body...the realization that with everything they have made for me, my sons have given me hearts...their hearts.  My heart danced and smiled.

~~~~

I am late posting my creation this week.  The deadline is midnight EST each Sunday, but since Wrapped Emotions is my blog I took special privilege and posted anyway.

Each week's project is posted on Tuesday mornings.  This week the first guest blogger at Wrapped Emotions has a project for us, and it holds promise of releasing quite a bit of emotion.  I hope you'll find a moment to drop by and perhaps join us.

Today is Blog Action Day.

The best way to participate is to post on your blog something that relates to the environment. Your post can be about anything to do with the environment. So you could write a post which is offtopic for your blog OR relate the environment back to your topic in some way.

I had planned a post listing all of the little ways our family was moving toward becoming more green.  Then I spent the weekend away from my computer...away from blogging...away from any electronic screens...and I fell in love with the world around me all over again.  I connected with people, with objects.  I touched so many things...trees, dirt, dogs, stained glass windows, the breeze against my skin, my children's heads.

My tip for helping to improve our planet's environment is to begin by reconnecting yourself with the earth from which you are made...the people who share your world.  I encourage you to get away from your computer and experience the amazing gift of life all around you...there's no better inspiration for going green.

You've all been very patient with me and my contest, and I appreciate your fun participation.

When I posted the contest on Tuesday, the answer was not definite.  I had done a home pregnancy test on Sunday, October 7, and the result was not pregnant.  But I called my doctor Monday morning and told her the situation, described my symptoms and told her the test was negative.  She suggested that because she had just seen me in July and I have had no signs of onset of menopause, pregnancy was a strong possibility  She said to wait until the weekend and test again.  (Thus the week in waiting to give my answer here.) 

The doctor said if the second test was negative, I should schedule an exam to make sure everything was fine.  Tuesday while I was in a state of wondering am I or am I not pregnant, I decided to ask readers to ponder the thought with me.  Aha! a contest.

So we have waited.

Well Saturday morning, October 13, I peed on another stick.  Below is the result.

The final answer, not pregnant.  I truly feel sad in disappointing so many of you that genuinely wanted me to be pregnant.  Really, someone wished twins for me, most wished a girl for me and each of you sent your prayers and best wishes whatever the outcome.  A couple of you cracked me up over your congratulations that, whether pregnant or not, I was "getting some". A few even kissed up by commenting I did not look old and that they had never thought of me as anything but youthful...wish I had a million bucks for you.

The truth is I truly thought I was pregnant, and I truly did not want to be.  I am on medications that would prove harmful to an unborn child.  From the first moment the possibility of my pregnancy entered my mind, my prayer was "God, please, no.  Give a child to a woman who has been waiting and longing, but please not to me."  I am so happy God and I were on the same page with this one!  Making me happier still is the thought that maybe it's menopause, and I'm one of the lucky ones who just woke up one day and it had happened.  Woo hoo!  Menopause at age 30. ;)

Back to business.  Of 90 comments (2 comments were mine) only 29 guessed correctly - not pregnant.  I printed out the comments; highlighted the comments guessing no; numbered them in the order they were received one through twenty-nine; and using random.org, chose one winning number.  The eleventh "no" comment, Avery of Avery Gray, is the winner of the $10 Target gift card.  Avery, email me with your mailing address, and this fun little card will be on its way to you.

Thanks again for hanging with me this week.  By the way, should we decide to adopt another child, you'll be the first to know.

Sunday is my day of sharing a little beauty.  Beauty is found in that which is created from the heart...

The photography here is definitely from the heart.  Take  few moments and browse the gallery of Latchiko.  I love that not only are the processed images shown, but the original photos as well.

I've been tagged.

The beautiful Piper of Love has tagged me for the 8 Random Things About Me Meme.  The wild and lovable Carrie of Chocolate The Other White Meat has tagged me with the 7 Random Things About Me Meme.  The organized and inspiring Aurelia of Real Life Solutions has tagged me with the 7 Things You May Not Know About Me Meme.

Sit back.  You have to read a list of *counts and recounts on her fingers and toes* twenty-two...22...things about me.  Unless, of course, you sensibly click away.  Let me think of stuff you should know...

1.  While in college C and I (we were already married) were party animals.  Often I was the only female at the party.  The guys were, however, incredible gentlemen and made certain my drink was always fresh while I won all of their money playing poker. 

2.  I'm still an awesome poker player.  I have a poker face you cannot read.

3.  I single-handedly took on my State in a legal battle acting as my own attorney and won against their high-priced attorneys.  (Poker face came in handy.)  It was on behalf of one of my sons...don't mess with my boys.

4.  I have to pee really bad...be right back.

5.  I was a high school cheerleader.  I can still do cartwheels, human pyramids and splits.  And that's a big deal cuz I am now old.

6.  I can eat a pound of chocolate in under two minutes...I've been timed...and I wasn't in any particular rush.

7.  I dislike the process of waking up, therefore, I prolong going to sleep at night. 

8.  I collect white pottery.  I love the cold feel of each piece.  When I find a new piece I relish running my fingers along the edges, the lines, the curves. 

9.  White is my favorite (non)color.  I embrace all that white represents...purity, honesty, cleanliness, a blank canvas, a chameleon quality of coordinating with any other color.  I describe my personality as "white".

10. I do not have a college degree.  I opted to withdraw to give birth.  No regrets.

11. I really, really dislike fishing.  I love the outdoors.  I love to get dirty outside.  I'll do anything in the beautiful outdoors...except fish.

12. I do not eat red meat or pork.  Only chicken and fish.  I think I want to go vegan...thank goodness for soy ice cream.

13. I am eating chocolate animal crackers as I type this list.  Probably nixes going vegan.

14. I may be pregnant at a ripe old age.  See contest here.

15. I am as sincere as I appear.  I could never bear the thought of my Grandmother looking down from heaven and seeing otherwise. 

16. Wearing shoes stifles me.

17. I  love spinach...raw, cooked...I love spinach.

18. I cry when watching the TV show "Extreme Makeover Home Edition"...every time.

19. For reasons unexplained, I find Ty Pennington attractive.

20. I've had s*x on the beach (with my husband).  We were caught.  Figures.

21. I just plunged a toilet.

22. I can't think to tag people and apologize for breaking the spirit of the memes.  I promise to return to "tag" another day.

It's Friday and my thoughts are