Memories Rewind: Dust gets rid of Girlfriend’s Daughters

My dad's old girlfriend was visiting one day with the kids. It was kind of like a get to know you day. We had just finished lunch, so my brother and I headed outside to play. B's oldest daughter wanted to help me fix my hair. Girls try to look their best you know.

My brother and I got on the golf cart while L took the four wheeler. We had two driveways, so it made the perfect circle for a race track. Lap one L was in the lead. Not to be outdone, my brother and I inched our way up to the front. I saw a chance to pass so I did. My brother looked back and saw L coming too close for comfort. "Make the dust get in her eyes!" my brother yelled. "Yes!" I thought. Our plan worked. L couldn't see where she was going. I floored the gas...a little too soon.

Our victory of success was short lived because I had forgotten that the other driveway curved around the rosebush. I saw it when it was too late: I was headed straight for the side of the house! Oh no. What am I going to do? I practically shouted in my head. Yelling to myself about my stupid mistake was futile. I wasn't going to be taken out by a fender bender or a little spin out. I had a date with the house in about 2 seconds. The steering wheel rattled underneath my hand. I was gripping and turning it with all of the strength of a 9 year old. Nothing happened. The golf cart didn't appreciate the primping I did before the race huh?

"BAM!" As the golf cart came to an abrupt halt, my stomach hit the steering wheel. I slowly peeled myself from the steering wheel to assess my physical injuries. Aside from soreness and a little redness, I was no worse for the wear. Trying to be a supportive girlfriend, B came over to make sure I was OK. "Yeah" was my feeble reply.

I got off the golf cart, vowing to never ride it again. If it didn't recognize a cute little girl then I had no use for it. Humph. That'll teach it to mess with a girl.

Anxious to know who won the race, I hobbled over. No one said a word. To my amazement, L was still wiping dust underneath her glasses. From that day on, L never uttered a word about racing us again. I guess she didn't want to face the dust busters again because one helping of that was enough.

Reminder: Don't forget to vote in the poll on my left sidebar! I want your opinions (yes, lurkers too).

Where oh Where has my Title Gone?

I've never had the titles of my posts show up on people's sidebars or G0ogle Readers. I always wondered why because it bugged me that I couldn't fix it. I've always put the title in the post and bolded it so it would stand out. Clever, huh?

I've finally figured out the problem (thanks to some searching on the Blogger help forum): The title wasn't enabled to show up. I have no clue how it got changed because I have another blog for a class that has always had a space for the title. Since I was frustrated, I wanted to make sure that none of you ever go through that. If you do, you can always bookmark this post in case you forget what to do.

To make the titles of your posts show up, click on Settings, Formatting, and then scroll down until you see Show Title Field. Make sure Yes is selected.

P.S Since my title now shows, I have the option of changing the size of it to smaller or larger. I want to get your opinion on which one you like best since you are the ones reading it. Vote in the poll on my left sidebar for the one you want!

Moving On

I haven't updated on my health because I haven't thought it was necessary. I also don't want this blog to be all about pain.

I just had another visit to the pain clinic on Tuesday. They have done all that they know to do basically. I'm also reaching the age that I need to be at an adult pain clinic. I'm not sad about this at all because everyone involved agrees that we need at fresh perspective on my situation. It's also good to take an active role in your recovery and not be passive.

Things have been at a standstill for awhile, but everything has a way of working out. These new doctors could know just the thing to help me, so change can be good. I've been having trouble with my IT (also known as iliotibial) band, but I'm still going to school. My goal is to add another class to my schedule for this spring. If I'm not able to, it won't be the end of the world. Mama keeps reminding me that it's ok if it takes me five years to finish school. I keep telling myself that it just matters that I finish, not when I finish.

Memories Rewind: Bowling Rebel

When you have a disability, you find new ways of doing normal everyday things. I was in a leadership program at my church and we had all reached our goal, so we celebrated.

We went bowling. While most people are contemplating what food they're going to order, I was thinking about how I was going to be able to bowl with everyone else and not make a fool of myself. Davey bowled...Shenea bowled...then it was my turn. I put my fingers into the black ball and got into position. That ball was heavy! Miss K showed me where to put my feet for balance.

1, 2, and 3. I let go of the ball hoping for the best. It landed straight in the gutter. All of my friends said it was OK. I shrugged off the incident and sat down to wait my turn. One of my teachers was up next. I can't remember what she bowled but anything more than 10 was good in my book. At least she had something up on the board.

It was my turn again. Wanting to help me, Miss K was trying to think of a way that I could bowl with everyone else so that I wouldn't be left out. "Have you ever heard of the Granny Bowl?" she asked.

"No, what's that?" I replied with curiosity. "Sit down on the floor and spread your legs out, M" Miss K said. Hmm, my plan of not making a fool of myself was thrown out of the window now. I warmed up by moving my arm back and forth a few times to get some momentum. Then, I let 'er rip with as much force as I could muster.

To my surprise, the ball didn't go into the gutter. It stayed in the middle and knocked down three pins. Woo hoo! I'm finally on the board! I thought. Mr. P and Miss K came and congratulated me. "Way to go, M!" Davey said. They didn't care that I had to sit on the floor to bowl. We laughed and ate pizza never giving it another thought. What good are friends that you can't be yourself around anyway?

At the end of the night, I found a way to do things my way and still had fun.

Fall Favorites

It's official. Fall is in the air. I decided it would be fun to put together a collection of some fabulous fall finds that I would love to own. Not that I need anything, I just love to put together outfits in my mind.

Cardigans. They go with everything and can add a fun pop of color to any outfit while keeping you warm. I might do a video post of my favorite fall items that I already own. I'll show you how you can mix and match things for a completely different look.



No longer available. (It comes in red too).


Like this one (no longer available). It's a little more dressy, but I liked it because it had a unique detail on the front and an interesting color. It's ok to change it up for fall. You'll be able to wear this again and again.

Jewelry. I like to have a few fun pieces mixed with things that can be worn with other things.

This multi colored bracelet from Target fits the bill perfectly.




This bracelet set is classic enough that it can be worn with anything but also unique.
Trouser jean. I love this type of jean because they can be dressed up very easily. I have a few different washes-medium and very dark. I wouldn't care if they were "in" or not because I like them. Enough said.
What are some things in your wardrobe that you find yourself reaching for again and again in when it gets chilly outside? How do you inject a dose of personality into it?

Memories Rewind: Don’t Have Friends? Make ‘Em Up

I've already written about my oldest cousin's and my love of the Backstreet Boys from years gone by. This carried over into other areas of our lives as well.

When we were bored, we would go into my Memaw's guest bedroom and play. The door was shut not only to give us some privacy, but also to let our imaginations run wild without fearing anyone else had seen (or heard) our stupidity.

"Today we are going to call the Backstreet Boys," I said.

"Ooh, how about Nick" my cousin said. "Yes, definitely Nick, I screamed, unable to contain my excitement at the mere thought of him. He's the cutest." As you can tell we had our priorities straight. Cuteness first. Everyone else later.

My grandmother knew we played this game quite often so she was kind enough to let us use her dusty blue phone just for this purpose. It was one of those phones that you put your finger in the whole of the number you wanted to dial and turn it completely around, then dial the next number until you were finished dialing. At our age we just knew it made a cool sound as we dialed the numbers. I now know it's a rotary phone, but if you would have told me that then, I would've rolled my eyes at you. We had boys to call.

Ring, ring. We waited with baited breath for our "boyfriends" to pick up on the other end. A phone call has to have two people to participate, so one of us had to be the boy. My cousin always played the boy role. "Hey Nick! Whatcha been up to?" I squeaked.

"Nothing much. What about you?" he bellowed. At this point, I had a hard time controlling my laughter on the other end. Imagine a 6 year old girl trying to imitate a boy. I dare you not to laugh. :)

"Have you been doing a lot of concerts lately?" I asked hoping to hear some cool stories.

"A few" was the curt reply. Well then.

"How's AJ? I coyly replied, smiling into the phone because of my quick wit. "That'll teach him to be rude," I thought. A girl has to keep her options open, so I figured it couldn't hurt to ask. What did I know about dating? All of my "expertise" came from watching Saved by the Bell and none of them had a great track record.

"He's fine," Nick said snappily. He wanted to be the center of attention and wasn't about to be dethroned by AJ. Since I was silent on the other end, he knew it was best to end this conversation that was more like survival of the hottest before it got ugly. "Talk to ya later," he sighed. He was beginning to realize this relationship stuff was hard work.

"Ok, love ya bye!" I hung up feeling like the luckiest girl in the world even though I didn't talk to him at all.

My cousin came into the room to get her turn, and I picked up the other phone. This could keep us entertained for hours. And the saga of famous boyfriends continued late into the afternoon.

What is Real?

DISCLAIMER: This post is in no way degrading people who love to wear makeup. I just don't like how society dictates what they think looks good or bad in terms of appearances. These statements are based on my observations and opinions.

As my mom was dropping me off at college last week, she saw a black girl with shorts on. "Is she wearing pantyhose?" she said in disbelief.

"I don't think so Mama," I sighed. When we parked the car, Mama was able to get a better look at her. No, she wasn't wearing pantyhose. She said, "It's hard to know what's real and what's not in today's society." I nodded my head in agreement. Everyone is looking for something real amidst women with fake boobs and fake tans.

I have a friend in one of my classes that used to wear tons of makeup. She looked pretty, but she looked like she was entering a beauty pageant. She would get up at 6:30 AM each morning so that she had plenty of time to do her hair and makeup. * Note: I'm still friends with this person. I choose to see the beauty inside of her whether she's wearing makeup or not* Her personality, quirkiness, and her love of family are just some of the things that make her beautiful. One day she realized that too-- every piece of hair didn't have to be perfectly coiffed; she was already beautiful. Just thinking about how her perception of herself changed makes me smile.

The point I'm trying to make is that it's sad that girls think they have to look perfect to go to school or anywhere out in public. No one was perfect except Jesus. The media and magazines have set an unrealistic expectation of "beauty" in today's society. No celebrity's face is airbrushed when they wake up in the morning. They have wrinkles and the occasional pimple just like everyone else. I believe that makeup should enhance a person's beauty. I also feel like young women shouldn't be looked down upon if they don't want to wear makeup everyday.

It's empowering to be able to be yourself and not worry about what others think. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder anyway.



What about you? Do you wear makeup everyday or just occasionally?

The Gift

{Click to enlarge}

This was my gift to my grandparents for their 50th wedding anniversary. My aunt had asked me would I do it a year in advance (I guess she wanted to make sure my social calender wasn't packed :) ), and I was more than happy to oblige. They were both speechless after I read it. That's saying something because those who know my Papa and Granny know they are never speechless. Granny was finally able to tell me how much it meant to them today. I think they were so shocked they didn't have time to process everything. She said it was something they would treasure for the rest of their lives. I'm so glad. All a writer can ever hope for is that their work will be appreciated by others.

I said I would share it so here it is. I'm also posting it so my family will be able to look back on this time with fond memories even if their memory fails them.

Memories Rewind: My Hero in Wranglers and Cowboy Boots

The day was hot with a hint of breeze blowing through the trees, making it the perfect day for boating. I was there dressed in a sleeveless shirt and shirt my butterfly AFOs with a light blue background. The boat ramp was slightly covered in water making it impossible for me to walk over it with just my braces on.

My brother scooped me up and I wound my arms tightly around his neck. Clomp. Clomp was the sound of his cowboy boots hitting the shiny silver metal. My mom was a little ahead of us, so she warned my brother to watch his step because of the water there. Ever the stubborn boy, my brother never slowed down, thinking nothing of that puddle of water. After all, what was the worst that could happen?

My brother did reach that puddle of water, but it wasn't smooth sailing. Before I knew it, his boot slipped and down we went. I thought for sure that he would buckle under the weight of holding me, but to my amazement, he never dropped me. With almost cat like reflexes, he popped back to a standing position before anyone else even knew what had happened. "Are you ok?" he asked.

"Yep." I replied. Determined to finish what he started, he took me back to the car just like he said he would.

What he didn't tell anyone until after I was safe in the car was that he had hurt his leg.

Memaw said, "Eli, what on earth happened to your leg?"

"Aww, it was nothing" he nonchalantly replied. There was a gaping hole in his jeans where blue jean material should have been. It most certainly wasn't nothing.

He grabbed a band-aid from a compartment in the boat and went off to enjoy a day on the lake.

When I see those blue jeans or that scar on his knee, I'm reminded of how brave he was because it could have been much worse for both of us.

Weekend Recap

This weekend was busy filled with studying editing my paper, and attending my other grandparent's 50th wedding anniversary. No, that's not a typo. Both sets of grandparents have anniversaries within two weeks of each other.

This island was filled with pictures of all of our family.

This was the gift table and guest book sign in. Part of my family's (my mom and my brother) gift to them was a poem that I wrote for them. I might do a separate post if you want to read it. I don't want to have information overload in this post. :)

They renewed their vows. They never had a real wedding, so this day was very special to them.

I have lots of pictures to share from that special event, but I'm not in these specific ones. There will be pictures of the whole family together but they have to be developed first.

P.S. I have a couple new things to tell you about. There's a box on my right sidebar for the people that want to subscribe to my posts through email. I also thought this would be great for people who read my blog but don't have a blog themselves--all you need is an email! I've also added a search box. I do label my posts, but this will enable you to find just what you're looking for without scanning through several posts. I'm all about variety here at Making my Mark.

Memories Rewind: Nail Polish Isn’t just for Nails…It’s for Skin Too

As I got older, I discovered what nail polish is. Not quite sure if that's a good thing or not. I asked anyone who would listen to paint my nails, usually Mama or Granny. I wanted pink or, sometimes even with glitter. When they were dry, I would hold my hand out to admire my pretty nails.

I got brave one day and went to Granny asking, "Can I paint your nails?"

She replied with a hesitant,"Yes."

A girl has to have a good workspace, so we headed out to the porch. I dipped my brush in the red paint and went to town painting her nails. Granny was enjoying the breeze, oblivious to what was going on. I painted the nails, but not knowing it should get on the skin.

"Give me your other hand, Granny." Soon, I was finished. "Okay, look at your nails!" I said with excitement. Granny looked down, unsure of whether she should laugh or cry. The polish covered half of each finger. What can I say? I'm a full service salon! I don't do anything half way. In this case, I went a little overboard. I just wanted to make her look pretty.

Let's just say she never asked me to paint her nails again.