LU'S SWEET ICE TEA

WELL, FOLKS, IT WONT BE LONG NOW. ITS ONLY FOUR DAYS TIL WE SET SAIL FOR THE WESTERN CARIBBEAN. I HAVE WAITED SINCE LAST YEAR FOR THIS TRIP. IT IS NOW RIGHT ON TOP OF ME AND I FEEL LIKE MY NERVES ARE PULLING ME EVERY WHICH WAY BUT LOOSE. THANK THE LORD FOR THE GOOD MEDS..LOL I STARTED PACKING DAYS AGO AND STILL HAVENT GOT EVERYTHING STRAIGHT. I PROBABLY NEVER WILL. THERE WILL BE SOMETHING THAT I WILL FORGET. GUESS WHAT ...THERE ARE WALLY WORLDS ALL UP AND DOWN INTERSTATE 95..WHEW.. I LOVE TO CRUISE. THE FIRST TIME I WENT I WAS SO NERVOUS. I WAS KINDA AFRAID OF THE "OCEAN". I DONT SWIM IN THE OCEAN. NEVER HAVE. NEVER WILL. SO WHY GO ON A BIG BOAT IN THE MIDDLE OF ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IM AFRAID OF. WELL, I DONT KNOW WHY I DID BUT I AM SO GLAD I DID. I LOVE IT. MY THOUGHTS NOW. IF YOU GO ON VACATION. YOU GET A ROOM, AND GO OUT TO EAT, THEN HAVE TO DRIVE AROUND FOR ENTERTAINMENT. ON A BOAT ITS ALL THERE. YOU JUST GET THE LUXURY OF GOING TO PLACES YOU'VE NEVER BE

I REALLY HAVE ENJOYED THE FACT THAT THE GIRLS ARE LEARNING HOW TO SPEND MONEY. THE MONEY THEY GOT FOR THIER BIRTHDAY, AS I SAID IN AN EARLIER POST, WAS ABOUT TO BURN HOLES IN THEIR POCKETS. WELL, NOW THAT THE PURCHASES HAVE BEEN MADE SOME REGRETS ARE COMING. EMILY IS STILL VERY PLEASED WITH HER AMERICAN GIRL DOLL. SHE TOTES HER AROUND AND TREATS HER WELL. I GUESS WHEN ITS YOUR OWN MONEY YOU TEND TO TAKE BETTER CARE OF THINGS. NOW ON THE OTHER HAND ERICA IS REGRETTING GETTING A CAMERA. SHE LOVES HER CAMERA BUT JUST CANT STAND THE FACT THAT EMILY HAS AN AMERICAN GIRL DOLL. AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE AND AFTER ALL THE SUBTRACTING ERICA STILL HAD MONEY. SHE HAS HELD ONTO THAT. SHE ALSO HAS BEEN SAYING SHE WANTS AN AMERICAN GIRL DOLL. ME, AS THE MOM, SAYS TO HER, "WORK HARD AND EACH WEEK ADD YOUR MONEY TO WHAT YOU HAVE AND SOON YOU CAN BUY ONE". FOLKS LET ME TELL YOU HOW SNEAKY THIS KID IS. SHE HAS LISTENED TO THINGS SO WELL IN LIFE THAT SHE CALLED HER DADDY AND LEFT HIM

IT IS NOW 11 DAYS FROM THE DATE THAT MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS ARE LEAVING TO GO ON A CRUISE. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT NO MATTER WHAT PLANS SOMEONE MAKES THERE ARE GONNA BE TREES ACROSS THE ROAD. WELL AT THIS POINT ITS A LIMB BUT MOMMA CUT THAT LIMB QUICK LIKE IN A HURRY. YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT SO ...MY FAMILY HAS BEEN SUFFERING FROM STUFFY NOSES. ALONG WITH THE NOSES RUNNING, THERE ARE THE COUGHS AND THE YUCKS. I DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND GO TO DR. A. (MIND YOU I HAVE KNOWN THIS DR. FOR 10YEARS AND HE IS MORE OF MY FRIEND THAN DR.). WELL, HE SAYS ALL SOUNDS GOOD BUT WE NEEDED AN ANTIHISTAMINE. HE WROTE A RX FOR US AND SAID HE WAS GONNA BE THERE THIS FRIDAY AND NEXT MONDAY JUST IN CASE. I FELT KINDA BAD FOR GOING SO SOON BUT I REALLY NEEDED TO TRY TO GET THIS TAKEN CARE OF. SO HERE WE GO. HOPEFULLY THE DR. WILL NOT HAVE TO SEE ME AGAIN. WELL AT LEAST FOR THIS. I WILL CONTINUE TO PACK AND DO AS USUAL BUT I GAVE HIM FAIR WARNING TODAY. IF I GET SICK ON THIS CRUISE I WILL

AS I WAS GROWING UP I HAD CHORES. DID I HATE THEM...WELL YES ...BUT I DID THEM. I KNEW THAT IF I DID I MIGHT AND I STRESS MIGHT GET A LITTLE REWARD AT THE END OF THE WEEK. IT MIGHT BE IN THE FORM OF DOLLAR BILLS OR A NEW RECORD TO LISTEN TO. MIND YOU IT HAD TO BE APPROVED BY MY MOM FOR ME TO GET IT. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO KNEW HER..WELL MOST OF THE RECORDS WERE NOT SUITABLE FOR ME. WELL, I AM TRYING MY BEST TO INSTILL IN MY GIRLS THAT YOU WORK..YOU EARN. THEY COMPLAIN AS I DID BUT ARE DOING TUMBLES AT THE END OF THE WEEK. THE GIRLS KNOW EVERY FRIDAY IS "PAY DAY". THE PAST NUMBER OF MONTHS THEY SAVE UP FOR WEBKINS. I DONT SAY A WORD. THEY EARNED IT. WELL LADIES AND GENTS...THE BIRTHDAY MONEY. I THINK IT COME OUT THE CARD FLAMING. THE HOLES IN THE POCKETS WERE SO BIG THAT A BOULDER COULD FALL THROUGH. EMILY..HAD HER MIND SET. SHE WANTED AN AMERICAN GIRL DOLL. I EXPLAINED THAT THAT WAS ALOT OF MONEY FOR A DOLL. SHE KNEW IT WAS. SHE IS BUYING THIS DOLL BECAUSE I HAD

EVERY CHANCE MY DAUGHTER (ERICA) GETS SHE TELLS ME HOW MUCH SHE LOVES ME. (EMILY TELLS ME TOO BUT ITS LIKE SHE IS DRAGGING A DEAD HORSE AROUND FOR HER TO "HAVE" TO TELL ME...) SHE IS MOMAS GIRL. ALWAYS HAS BEEN. EACH NIGHT ON MY WAY TO BED I ALWAYS; EVEN AFTER ALL THE GOODNIGHT KISSES AND HUGS HAVE BEEN GIVIN, GO BY THE GIRLS ROOM FOR SOME SPECIAL HUGS AND KISSES. EVERY NIGHT I GET MY " I LOVE YOU'S" UNTIL THE EYELIDS ARE SO HEAVY THAT NO OTHER WORDS CAN BE EXPRESSED. WELL, LAST NIGHT, AS USUAL, I GO TO THE GIRLS BEDROOM AND A NEW LITTLE PHRASE CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD.."MOMA, I LOVE YOU SO BAD" IT STRUCK ME AS SO LOVING THAT I HUGGED AGAIN JUST TO HEAR IT. WELL THATS MY THOUGHT FOR TODAY....THAT NO MATTER HOW YOUR KIDS TELL YOU THEY LOVE YOU...ITS HOW THEY EXPRESS IT SOMETIMES THAT JUST MAKES OUR HEARTS JUST STAND STILL. P.S. DICUSSION HAVE BEEN HAD AND PROMISES MADE. IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE NUMBERS TODAY. I HAVE KNOWN FOR AWHILE WHO I WAS VOTING