My Thunder Buddy and the Event....

Thunder Buddy (for LIFE) had a rough night tonight- and naturally shared with us. We didn't go to bed until late, just after midnight the three of us crawled into bed. Around 12:30 Auggie jumped off the bed for some water and curled up on his own bed. I really don't know what time the storm started probably because we sleep very well during storms but Auggie freaked out and managed to squeeze himself in between the wall and bed and get under the bed. Now- my bed has drawers under it so there's not room to just slide under there.  Every clap of thunder, every flash of lightening brought a bark or two. So up I got with him around 2:30 and tried to get him to come out to the living room with me so he didn't wake Jim as well but he couldn't figure out how  to get back out since technically- there's really not room. It wasn't until about 40 minutes later that Jim woke up enough to help me move the bed to get him out. He was so scared that he actually went out INTO the storm to relieve himself. Shortly thereafter- the boys both went back to sleep- Jim back to bed and Auggie curled up in the chair in my office and I have been cleaning out the DVR and sucking down copious amounts of coffee for the last 3 hours.  Gotta love being a light sleeper who can't get back to bed after being woken.  It worked well when Josh was a baby and needed to be cared for in the middle of the night.  Now that I am getting older- not so much.  

I hope you all got some sleep- and have a lovely Sunday

How Do You Want To Be Remembered?

     This weekend I was reading snippets of Forever, Erma.  Erma Bombeck was a beloved humorist who passed away too soon.  I loved, loved the wit she brought to marriage, parenting, and life in general.  The book is a collection of 200 of her columns.  At the end of this book, the final chapter, is a multitude of tributes from friends, family, fans, colleagues and people whose lives she touched.  It's a lovely, lovely end to the book.  It got me thinking though.  How do I want to be remembered when I pass?

First-let it be known far and wide- I do not want a traditional funeral.  Don't mourn my passing- celebrate my life.  Don't put me on display- take my ashes and scatter them on Granny's (now Kevin's) back 40.  If you want to memorialize me- plant a tree, or two, and place a bench in what will be underneath it/them and then use it as a place to go when you want peace and quiet.  Now that we have the particulars out of the way.....

Overall, I hope that I am remembered as kind, as strong, as stubborn (because we HAVE to be honest) as honest, as loyal and as hardworking.

 I hope my family (blood and chosen) remembers me as loving and as the one who was always there for them when they needed me.

To take it a branch out  further- here's what I hope the many, many kids (most of whom are now grown up) that have worked with me and become part of my extended family remember me simply as the one who always believed in them, even when they didn't and who always has their back- even now.  

That's it.  I think that's how I want to be remembered.  Not for my illness, not for my age, but for how I (hopefully) touched people's lives.

How about you?