Maimed...since birth????

Why have I never noticed this before?

One of my eyes is smaller than the other. Not the eye ball part. But the eyelid of my left eye isn't as big as my right eyelid. I am not sure that it has always been this way. It could have been. But I haven't noticed it until the other day.

Now I see it All. The. Time.

You see, I sit in front of a picture of myself for 6 hours a day. Not because I want to stare at myself and pick apart all my imperfections. As fun as that sounds, that is not the reason. I am a "Video Relay Interpreter" which means I relay calls from Deaf individuals. I can see them on a TV. They can see me. I then place calls for them and interpret.

Yes. It is quite an amazing thing...

...minus the staring at myself in between calls and on long holds. It was during one of these moments that I noticed my little eye.

I asked Hubs if it has always been this way. He was no help. He hadn't really noticed. He still couldn't tell a big difference. What? It is obvious!! Left small, right big!

I am tempted to call up old flames to see if they remember the lopsidedness of the top half of my face. Is this something I should have checked out. But then who wants to be told by their doctor, "You are a freak of nature. Let's run some tests." or "It's just a birth defect."

Defect? Friends, have you noticed this about me before? Did you have to think twice about being my friend? Does it now scare you? You know, to say you know me?

Love the lady with the crooked lids.

Do you have any of these....er...imperfections?


Linking up with ABC Thursday

So I Married a Deaf Man: Who's knocking at my door?

"Pound! Pound!! Pound!!!"

I roll over and look at the clock. 2:30am. What the...? Who is knocking at my door?

"Pound!! Pound!! Pound!!!"

I look over at my protector. There Hubs lies, fast asleep. Oblivious that someone is trying to kill us in the middle of the night.

I shake him......I shake him again. "Someone is here. Pounding on the door," I sign to him, in the dark. This was before night lights. Well, it was before any of our children needed night lights.

"Sam!! Pound!! Pound!! Pound!! We know you are in there!! Poundpoundpound!!"

Hubs and I walk to the door and peek out the hole. There stand two large strangers. For some reason, they think that Sam lives here.

How do I scare them away? Or at least let them know that there is a man in the house? What if they think it's just me and break in? Yes, I know we have the element of surprise, but somehow, in the moment, that isn't all that comforting.

We make a plan. "You tell them to go away. I'll get the broom, just in case," Hubs says. Stop laughing. We aren't violent people and the threat of having to sweep our floor would send anyone running.

In my bravest voice I say, "No Sam lives here. You have the wrong apartment." Lucky for us, they left.

This situation has happened several times. Once it was a police officer looking for someone. Another time it was a guy who was high and bi-polar who swore that he had come to a party at my house and left his wallet. Then there was the time when security came at 3am to let me know my garage door was open. All pretty scary when it is night. 

I am a tough woman, but I don't sound like a man. Most the time I am thankful for this. But there are times when it would come in handy. Like at 2am.

So we did the only thing that made sense.

We bought a dog.

Appetizers Please!

Droughts stink!

Seriously. I can't seem to keep my bushes in the front green. They would do so much better if they got a little water from heaven.

And the skies are cruel. They tease me.  They are cloudy. They are dark. They are screaming, "Naner naner naner! I am full of water. But I think I will wait to release my showers 5 miles down the road. So phwwwtttt!!"

Whatever!

On a happier note, there was nothing lacking in our appetizer recipe party today. Lots of really amazingly yummy foods.

I made some yummy Cowboy Caviar.

Ingredients
1 (15 oz.) can black beans drained & rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can black eyed peas drained & rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can corn drained & rinsed
Handful of cilantro chopped
1 bunch of green onions chopped
4-5 medium tomatoes diced
3-4 avocados diced
Juice of 1/2 of a lime
8 oz. of your favorite Italian dressing


Squeeze lime juice over avocados to prevent browning. Toss everything
together and serve with tortilla chips. Keep refrigerated.

What about you? Any yummy appetizers to share? Linky on up!

He IS clever!

My two year old can't say his 'G's. To be expected, right.

Today he came up to me and said, "Mommy. I want some dum."

"You want some gum?" I corrected.
"Yes. Dum."

"G.G.G. Gum," I coaxed.
"D.D.D. Dum."

My 11 year old, thinking he was pretty smart, said, "Briggy. Say, 'I'm a gummy." Are following his train of thought?

To which Brig replied, "You's a dummy."


By the way, tomorrow is going to be the appetizer recipe link up. Make some yummy appetizer. If you are on the ball, add a picture...or not. Blog about it. Then link up. Share your yummy appetizers so the rest of us can gain that last 5 pounds we have been hoping for enjoy them as well. See ya tomorrow!

Never gets old...

There are just some things you never get tired of hearing.

Today, my niece and her two week old baby came over to hang out. Her daughter is just so precious. My kids, all of them, took turns holding her and then asked to hold her again. She was a trooper.

After she left, my son asked, "When can I have a baby that?"

"Well.." I answered, "...when you get older and you get married. Then you can have a baby."

"I don't want to get married," he said.

"Well, you need to get married so that you can be a Daddy. You need to get married first that way you and your wife can have a baby together," I brainwashed explained to him.

He got a little shy...then a huge grin made its way to his face. "But, I want to marry you."

"You want to marry me? Oh, when you get bigger you will find someone that you will want to marry more than me. I promise."

Determined, he responded, "No! I just want to marry you."

He climbed up on my lap, wrapped his arms around my neck and kissed me.

Nope, never gets old.

Sit. Speak. Roll over. Oh, and Lick!

My two year old calls me "Nice Doggy."

Isn't he so sweet??

You see, the other day I decided to play with him. I do that sometimes. Play with my kids.

He was the owner and I was the doggy. I panted. I barked. I whined a little. I got on all fours and chased a stick. I sat and went "night-night". I did not mark any of my own furniture. I thought that may be taking things a little too far.

It was a sweet game. One that only lasted about 20 minutes. But he loved it.

How do I know this? He only asks me to play it 100 times a day.

He will come up to me and say, "Mommy. You good doggy. Otay?" Then he will put his hands on my cheeks and rub them. "You a good doggy. Yes. You a good doggy. Otay."

What else can a good doggy do other than lick the sweet fella on the cheek.

Woof!

Participating in ABC Thursday and Mama Workshop.

So I Married a Deaf Man: Aflac

"Crunch!"

Not "Crunch! I'm taking a bite of an apple." Not "Crunch! These fallen leaves are awesome." Not even, "Crunch! My abs are burning." (Mine are so not burning!)
More like the "Crunch!" of metal on metal. Specifically the bumper of our van on another car. Not the sound that we wanted to hear.

You see, we were in a rush to get to the swimming pool...who wouldn't be in a rush to go swimming after you have sat through swim lessons for two hours every day for two weeks only to come home and have your children beg you to take them back 2 hours later. See why we were rushing? **We were really rushing to see you, Susan.**

Anyway, we loaded and buckled 6 sunblock drenched people into the car (I was the one that didn't get blocked and am still feeling the heat of it from my shoulders thankmeverymuch), made sure all goggles, towels, flip flops and water bottles were present.

Hubs started to back up. At the same time, I asked him he asked me a question. Remember, to "hear" the answer he must take his eyes off the rear view mirror and look at me. If not, that would be just plain rude. So I'm looking at him. He is looking at me. (insert fireworks) Suddenly Kobe says, "Whoa! Whoa!!" and half a second later we hear it.

"Crunch!"

It is in these moments that you think to yourself, "This is not good. This is bad. Very bad." and "How does this happen and why does it have to happen to me?"

I look at Hubs. He's worried. Frustrated. Almost mad.

Hubs looks at me. I bust up laughing.

It was our car that he hit. The very car I had parked across the street so that we could wash the van that morning. The same car that we paid off 3 months ago. Yup. Ours.

"Well, at least we know they have insurance," I said.