Anne

This happened.

Listening to her speak for an hour was exactly like reading her book for an hour.  She gives such profound and simple life truths in the most melancholy and endearing way.  She said she hates book tours and Sam Brownback.  And that sometimes people need a story more than they need food.  And that welcome matters.  And that if she comes across warm water, she will swim in it every time no matter what.

While she signed my favorite book I told her she has impacted my life in a huge way and said thank you.  Then I asked if she's tired.  She said she's exhausted.

That's it.

And I am so happy.

especially

Just saying, friends.

especially when your house is trashed.

especially when you sat on the couch watching old Grey's episodes til 2 am.

especially when you have cramps to make your teeth curl.

especially when you're sure you weigh 300 lbs and your chins are disappearing into your boobs.

especially when its minus 2 degrees outside.

especially when Tuesday, this particular Tuesday that is tomorrow, is a very very big day....the day when you finally meet Anne Lamott....

especially!

Listen

The last warm day of Fall came and went. 

 

That girl.  I tell ya.  

I realize when I watch her sweet independence and uninhibited joy that she expresses what my insides won't allow.  You know?  I would love to put on my swimsuit and lay out a blanket and have a snack with my imaginary friends and favorite chickens.  But I'm far too busy with grown-upping.  And besides, you all would text each other about how I've finally gone and lost it for real and draw straws for who gets to run my intervention.  But she gets to do it and I get to watch her and feel threads of the warmth of it all.  One of the many perks of being a mama.  Fact.

But now its freezing cold.  The whole family is heat packing like champs now.  One each for my tummy, back, neck, and feet.  I don't drink tea but I drank five cups yesterday.  But.  I do so love fall, especially because of leg warmers.  Did you know you can cut off sleeves of old tshirts and make them?  Counting my refurb pairs, I've got 5 pairs now.  Woot-woot!

Carole says that this is meant to be my season of Listening. 

It seems like we are hoping for basic answers about things like faith and family and just plain our - my - space on this big spinning ball.  I want to feel alive and excited and inspired, but I'm good with right now not being all that, and instead just settling down and paying attention. 

She says we'll tackle the doing and dancing and getting after it later, and for now I should Listen.

Today there was an earthquake in Kansas.  Facebook is blowing up about it.  But I didn't notice any tremors because at that moment I was very busy screaming - for real screaming - at the eldest for not respecting me when I corrected her during her piano practice.  Something to the tune of "I'm 35 years old and I have a college degree and I know how to count notes in a measure and I will not tolerate your bla bla bla bla bla."  At which point the Buzz began also screaming "You're not 35, you're 29!  Mooommmmm!!  You said you're 29!!!  29!!  Mommmmm!"

So the Listening.  Its sporadic.  But at least the effort is there, right?  Fall is very much here and the quieting I feel is good.  Mmmmm so good.

* The hands pic and the quote are from good old pinterest.  Not my camera.  I wish.

WP

I like to think of myself as a planner.  Like a really great planner with serious planning skills.  I may have even told one or two people that when I grow up sometime in the next 10 years, I want to be a capital-P Planner.  Of very important events and rad parties and huge, magnanimous life celebrations.

Then I get to plan something, and I realize I'm a serious Wannabe Planner.  Capital-W.

For my new fancy job (travel...big office...home computer....cell phone allowance...company credit card....and BUSINESS CARD!), I planned a big youth rally for all the high schoolers in Kansas I could find.  Somewhere there's a manual on what to do when you're new at your job.  And in that manual, the first chapter probably says that you should 1) not volunteer to lead large projects.  And that you should 2) under no circumstances, fly your boss in as keynote speaker for said projects, because then he would be present, in the flesh, to know just how successful - or not - you were at Planning.  But that is one book I did not check out at the library.  Ever.

Here he is...a fuzzy shot my friend took mid-speech....

And the guy behind him is a Mennonite Rockstar I brought from Phoenix.

The whole thing went splendidly.  It was fun, meaningful, faith forming, time well spent.  But it gave me a coronary and brought home that although I feel like the ultimate Shiznit Planner, I am not quite yet.  Yet. 

So that was Saturday. 

But first there was Friday!  Halloween!!

No school, my perfect nephews here from IN, my aunt here from MI, my cousin here from IL, my sister's in-laws here from MO....half the US map coming and going from Weaver Street all in one day.

It was a cluster.  But oh it was fun!
I planned the heck out of that day too....crafts, snacks, signs, menus, costumes, even the wine.

And the trick-or-treating.....also a cluster.  The 80's Hairband Rockstar that on other days is known as the man I live with stole the show.

Rahhh ahhhhhh ahhhhh ahhhh ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. 
I may be a Wannabe Planner, but I.will.get.you.my.pretty!! 
Mark my words!