Halloween 2009 or The Year of the Back-up.

This is the costume Liam was dead set on having this year. Corduroy, the bear dresses up as a ghost in Liam's favorite book, so if you'd have asked him on any given day what he was going as for Halloween, he would say " A Ghost!" Halloween day rolls around...Liam goes out the door as a dragon...from last year. Nothing like the back-up costume.

Anders continues to impress us with how savvy he really is...His back-up costume was a Red Neck. He totally looks the part, does he not? Don't worry...it's root beer. He was planning on being Spider Man for the whole of the month, but didn't like the way the muscles felt. I bought the costume at a garage sale, so I couldn't take it back...Thank goodness for the back-up costume.

Elleory went as Wednesday Adams. Everything but the tights came from her own closet. I hope she isn't cold while she is out Trick or Treating with her friends...WITHOUT her Mom and Dad this year. She is getting so old! No need for a back-up costume!!

Brian went as a Dentist. He actually would meet the kiddos at the door with floss and toothbrushes...very funny to see their faces. Then he'd yell "just JOKING!" and hand them candy. Pretty good TRICK! Brian pulls a costume out of his hat every year. I always worry about him , and I shouldn't!

I have a 15 year span of back-up costumes, and this year...was the year of the store bought costume. Thank goodness for Target...I found a Lady Bug costume. It wasn't that I was been lazy, (but I was), I want to go as Pink, but in the end just couldn't pull it together.

My Lady Bug costume had wings, but I kept knocking things off the counter, so I took them off. It also came with polka dot stockings, but I was cold and need my leggings and boots to keep me warm. I thought it was pretty cute. I might just do store bought every year from now on....probably not.

I will be thinking of my next year's costume in the next couple of weeks, when the Halloween shine has worn off and I'm left with the gloom of Christmas...

Emptying the Pickle Jar

I read a book a few years ago called The Christmas Jar, (don't recall the author) which inspired me to start a Christmas Jar of my own. Here is the concept...for one whole year (mine ended up taking much longer...) I would put in all of my loose change, and at the end of that year I would find some one in need to give the money to. I've been putting money into this pickle jar for almost three years now. Somehow it never really gets more than about three inches full. Currently the jar has about 16 dollars in it. I'm sure it would be a significant boost to someone who has nothing, but in truth, I couldn't even get the homeless woman in Wendy's to take my 5 dollar Target gift card I got for buying two boxes of diapers. So, after (almost) three years of saving...and also funding my weekly trips to the gas station to vacuum out the mini-van, I've decided to empty the pickle jar and put my hard earned savings into my new running shoes. I'm considering the fact that I've...

1. lost the whole message of the book, and,

(That might be it.)

I can't decide if I'm being selfish OR if I'm helping support my running habit without adding any undue stress to our family budget.

I'm going to give it a long thought as I put pennies into rolls...

Needed: a Sponsor

(Pre-post disclaimer...) I have had such a hard time differentiating the concept of NEED and WANT my entire life. As an adult I have to say, it hasn't gotten easier. However, I do exhibit a vast amount of self control. But I still have that problem...

SO that being said, I NEED a sponsor. I actually have a very real need (a neeeeeed) for new running shoes, but not really the fund-age to buy them. I'm going to have to buy the $100 to $150 variety. So what I'm looking for is a sponsorship.

My running hero is sponsored by Nike. She runs 120 miles a week and can finish the Boston Marathon in 2 hours and 20-ish odd minutes. She is true sponsorship material. She probably goes through a new pair of shoes in a month...and that's being really, really generous with a pair of Nike shoes. Probably changes out shoes two times a month. That's at the very least, 24 pairs of shoes a year. And we aren't talking about the cheap shoes they produce for their outlet store. That has to get a little expensive for a shoe company.

Here is my proposal...Sponsor me. (But at the request of my super Orthotic maker lady, it can't be Nike, sorry...has to be another company. Adidas, Asics, Brooks...) I run at most 15 miles a week (and that is being really generous.) Most likely, it's around 9 miles a week. I run a pretty consistent 6 MPH mile, and I enjoy it the whole time. I run with a smile on my face! As long as the sun isn't shining in my eyes...

ANYHOW, I'm putting in my request to be sponsored. I would be an incredible bargain! I need new running shoes probably every three months at most. That's only four pairs a year. AND I represent a large number of the masses. 'Mothers who run, but can't really afford the shoes that would keep us from having to visiting the Physical Therapist, super Orthotic maker lady, Sport Medicine Doctor, every three months when our bodies start hurting because we don't have quite enough money in the 'new shoes' pickle jar'. And that is really, really, the ONLY thing wrong with us. Just need new shoes. (It would also save the insurance companies a little pocket change every three months, when I truck myself to the doctor only to be told...New Shoes. The cost of health insurance would go down thus saving the even greater masses money. Shoe companies could be the big heros!) We are actually a LARGE demographic, (that really doesn't sound right. As we aren't large, just great in size, which sounds even worse...) and we need a sponsor.

I'm totally willing to be sponsored. PICK ME!!! ME, ME, ME!!! (I'm waving my hand over my head, and gasping, holding my breath and crossing my fingers...) Really just need new running shoes.

NOT my Third Wish.

I repeat...This is NOT my third wish. However... I wish that I had the ability to make people who are suffering, better. I understand that, this statement is in direct in contrast to a statement I previous made about learning from trials and such. BUT...there it is just the same.

I wish I could interfere with nature enough to take away the pain of people I love, and still have them gain from the experience.

I have a friend who says "suffering is good" and sometimes it's "suffering is essential"...I really believe this, but in truth suffering is suffering, and I wish it wasn't...sometimes.

I guess all I have in my power is prayer, a useful and under used tool. I really believe that GOD has that power I lack and he will use it as he sees fit. I'll take that for now AND have faith that He will send blessings to those who could use the extra support.

SO, for now I'm thinking good thoughts and praying. I have a fairly long list...I hope he's ready to hear it.