Sorry I've been a no-show this week!  As the clock struck midnight, it officially became our 25th wedding anniversary (yes, the big, silver one) and we're going on a little trip so I've been busy getting ready for that.  You know how you have to work your tail slam off just to get ready to go somewhere?  Well, that's been me, the last couple of days.  I'll talk more about the anniversary in a little bit.

We've also made so much progress on the wedding this week!  Not that you want an update but I'm a list person and it will make me feel so accomplished to list it all out for you, so humor me. 

Minister✅
Hotel✅
Florist✅
Lighting✅
String quartet✅
Music selection✅
Photographer✅
Videographer✅
Hair/makeup people✅
Bridesmaid dresses✅
Wedding dress✅
Second Line Brass✅
Tuxedos✅
Caterer✅
Menu✅
Jazz Band✅
Guest list✅
Cakes✅
Bridesmaid gifts✅
Engagement picture appointment✅
Bridal portrait appointment✅
Mother of the bride dress

Oh, wait.  We seem to be missing a check mark.

So, my friend, Michelle, who is a two-time groom's mother, is going shopping with my friend, Valerie, and me on March 20.  Valerie, a soon-to-be groom's mother, and I are going to glean from Michelle's experience in this area of maternal dress as Valerie and I are just rookies. Michelle was my matron of honor 25 years ago today.  Bless her heart.....she didn't know that was an appointment that carries over to the weddings of future generations.   
So, since I have about a month to prepare my muffin top for this experience, I decided I have to get myself in shape.  There are some things you may not know about me......I have trouble with this thing called discipline.  And my favorite food group is carbohydrates.  The chance of me turning down something floury or potato-y that's in front of me, well, it's almost non-existent.  I try to do the right things.  I see my friends with these huge containers of water that they're always sipping on, but I have to be really thirsty to drink water.  Like if I was in the middle of the Sahara Desert, I'm sure I'd enjoy water a whole lot there.  Any other time, water just tastes like it's missing something to me.  Like tea bags.  And a cup of sugar. 

So, to compensate, I've been hard at work on my Simply Fit Board.  I know you've seen them on TV.  They were on Shark Tank and I thought they looked as if they were minimally miserable.  I like any form of exercise that can be done in front of the television in the air conditioning.  Look how much fun she's having.  You just twist, twist, twist away the pounds.  Well, so far, I've gained a pound, but I'm sure it's because muscle weighs more than fat.  I'm sure that's it.
 

I was determined to write something, tonight, even if it has turned out to be like buckshot.....going off in all different directions and hitting a lot of stuff.  But, I sat down to write and my head was pounding so I got in the shower to let the hot water run over my head.  I got out feeling better and then the Mississippi State and Ole Miss basketball game came on.  Which went into overtime.  At which point, I decided that 90% of basketball is shooting free throws but I couldn't stop watching it even though I'm only mildly interested in the sport.  So, I got a late start writing and from the looks of this post, I should have just written the week off as a loss and let you go on with your lives but, no, here I am babbling.

So, I'm really looking forward to our trip.  I still have a lot to do before we go!  I've been married to Davis more than half my life and I want to write about that when I have the time and mental energy to do it justice.  But, for now, I'll just say there are a lot of things we wish we could go back to in this picture sitting in the back of a limousine with birdseed in our hair.  Like our trim figures.  Our smooth, young skin.  Our whole lives in front of us.  And even more significant at this point......the day when catering was $10 a head. 

Sigh.
         

Happy Anniversary to my sweet Davis!


We'll see y'all next week! 







    

This afternoon, I worked at one of the stores to help with the anticipated Valentine rush.  Every Valentine's Day, there's always that one customer that sticks out in my memory and to celebrate this holiday of love, I'll tell you about this year's winner.

Much of the day, we'd helped men select gifts for their sweethearts.  Most of the guys weren't in the store very long as men usually make up their minds about this type thing very quickly.  Let's just say that there wasn't a whole lot of thought put into most of the selections.   

Well, right about the time school was getting out, a young boy came in the store all by himself.  That's a sight we don't usually see at the pharmacy gift shop.  I guess that he was about 10 or 11.  He came in with his hands in his pockets and looked a little intimidated about walking in alone.  I mean, 10 or 11......that is the time of life when our confidence isn't exactly what you'd call soaring. 

Well, Bonnie and I, being the southern women that we are, spoke warmly and tried to make him feel comfortable.  I mean, if you work at a store, it becomes like your house.  Like your home, you don't ever want anyone to walk in your store and feel ill at ease.  We asked if we could help him with anything.  "Oh, I'm just looking for a Valentine present for my Mom," he said shyly. 

Well, I'll just stop right here because I'm a big ol' sucker for a boy who loves him mama.  A real big sucker.  He reminded me of my Carson and so he plucked at my heartstrings kind of like Jimmy Hendrix.     

So, Bonnie and I pointed out some lower priced items in the store that we thought a mother would like.  We didn't know what his budget was but assumed that a 10 year old boy wouldn't have a lot to work with on Valentine's Day.  After showing him a few options, we backed off and let him look.  He went back and forth across the store studying all the choices.  I got busy with another customer and when I got done with her, I walked over to the counter where Bonnie was ringing up his selections and I asked if I could wrap the gifts for him. "How much does wrapping cost?" he asked.  I assured him it was a complimentary service and he was very happy to hear that.  He had two small candles for his mom and another item for his dad and Bonnie announced his total of $23 and some cents.  He nervously shifted and rifled through his money and admitted that he only had $20 and that he'd put one of the candles back.  I winked at Bonnie and told her I thought $20 was enough and, after a little polite protest from the boy, he finally conceded and I took the gifts away to the wrap room.

I picked out the fanciest wrapping paper and scattered handfuls of "complimentary" chocolates around the candles before closing the box. I would've given him the whole store if I thought I could've gotten it all in there.  I finished the wrapping and passed the gifts off to Bonnie to give to him.  I looked out from the back room because the boy had stolen my heart at that point.  He kept looking down at the two gifts but especially the one for his mom.....the box wrapped in silver leopard print paper with a hot pink bow.  You could tell that he was just beside himself with excitement.   His face was beaming like he was holding the most valuable treasure in his hands and my heart melted right out onto the floor and there I stood in a puddle of heart juices. 

They say love doesn't come from a store but, today, it did. 

The boy didn't spend as much as most of the men who shopped with us today. The gift wasn't nearly as large or impressive as some of the others we sold.  But, a son's sweet, innocent love for his mama embellished with silver leopard print paper and tied with a pink bow......well, it was the most beautiful gift we've wrapped in a long, long time.       
 

Hope you witnessed a lot of love today, too.     
               

Motherhood and Muffin Tops has turned 3!  Three years ago, I nervously typed out my first little blog post.  I'd never been so apprehensive about anything as I was the first few times I clicked "Publish".  I have to say, though, that the last three years have been a joy.  Sure, there are days when I have ample time to write and days when my wagon is just downright overloaded. Sometimes, I have a mind full of topic ideas and, sometimes, I feel like I've already written about every subject under the sun and anything from this point on will just be redundant.  Sometimes, I get so frustrated....like I'm in a rut.  Other times, I'm energized and feel like I have a purpose.  It's one of the most challenging and rewarding things I've ever done.               

I thought, on this birthday, I'd give you some useless and unimportant facts about the blog. Yes, everything you never wanted to know about Motherhood and Muffin Tops and more. 

1)  The most read posts to date are:
          1) There's this Lady I Know
          2) Dear Family Feud Contestant
          3) A Time to Mourn
          4) Somewhere Along the Way
          5) Recollections of Letting Go
          6) Call Your Mother, Kids
It was interesting to me that half of the all time top six posts were about death.  Maybe that's just because it's something we all experience.  We've all had people we loved to leave us.  I'm not sure you ever get over missing them.  Maybe we just need to know that there are other people who have the same feelings that we have.  Maybe we just need to hear that it's ok to be sad.      

2)  The top 6 countries from which the blog is read are:
           1)  United States
           2)  Russia
           3) Canada
           4) UK
           5) Ukraine
           6) France
I don't even know what to say about that except "Hello" to our friends across the pond.  All I can imagine is that I must have relatives in those places and my mother called them and told them about the blog.    

3)  To date, Motherhood and Muffin Tops has published 311 posts.  A few worth reading and the rest......just a whole lot of nonsense. 

4) This is the view from where I write.....unless it's Christmas time and the tree goes where my chair sits and so the change of location and scenery really throws me off during the holidays.  I write from my chair with my feet propped up on my ottoman and usually don't start until, at least, 10:00 pm.  I stay up until 12:30 or 1:00 or even 1:30 as I am a creature of the night with only the sound of a couple of ticking clocks and a snoring dog as my background noise.  I can't write with the TV on or music.....unless it's instrumental.  I've tried writing during the day but it's just not my productive time.  There's just something about the dark for us, nocturnals. 
5)  I find it easier to write about serious topics.  I guess because it just takes more effort to write something humorous but it is my favorite.  I've enjoyed making attempts at funny writing since my friends and I made high school note passing a lettered sport.  I also really enjoy telling a story......like the time when the cat got in my car.  Stories are the easiest to write.       

6)  I love feedback from readers whether it's by comments, or text messages, or in person.  I feel like I've made friends here.  Some of you comment regularly and I feel like I know you.  It's so encouraging to me to know that I'm not talking to myself because, well, that would be kind of embarrassing.  It humbles me when someone tells me they read the blog.  That is such a gift to me....that you would give me a sliver of your day. And, on the flip side, I'd be lying if I told you it didn't hurt my feelings when some unknown person in internet land unfollows me....usually after a patriotic or "overly" Christian post.  

7) My biggest fear about blogging is that I'll run out of things to write about.  After three times around the ol' calendar, I've found myself saying, "Oh, I've written about that a few times already."  It's challenging to think of some different things to explore.  I've really been struggling with that but hope to jump the hurdle soon.

8)  The top 4 ways the blog is read are.....
      1) Windows
      2) iPad
      3) iPhone
      4) Macintosh 
I know this one was super interesting but I'm trying to get to 10, people.

9)  You may not know but I am easily distracted and the least little thing can get me off track.  I'll shut the laptop and call it a night if a good episode of Everybody Loves Raymond or Frasier comes on or I'd even say if a moth is flying around a lamp.  Oh, look......   

10)  My goals for the blog from this day forward:
         -  Provide a place of lighthearted and uplifting posts in this world full of bad news which seems to weigh so heavy on us.
         -  Provide a place where we can laugh without using profanity or vulgarity.  Just good clean humor.  It is possible.  My mother has corrected me for using the term, birth canal, on the internet but that's about as raunchy as we're going to get here on Motherhood and Muffin Tops, my friends. 
         -   Write about subjects that we all struggle with and, sometimes, just need to know we're not the only one. 
         -   Honor God and give glory to Jesus, my Savior, and point others to Him with my words. 


In Him, there is purpose, worth, and pure joy. 

And who doesn't need more of that? 



Thank y'all for three years! 










          

So, my friend, Michelle, who I talked about in my last post, was in town on Tuesday.  I enjoyed lunch with her, her son, and "her Carolyn".  We were seated at our table and she told me she had something for me as she reached down in her purse and came out with this.  So precious!  She said I could share with you all.....