Today is Thursday....

eta -I have decided to give up reruns of CSI, Law and Order, and House for Lent. The time I would normally spend vegging in front of the tv watching those will be better spent accomplishing other, more important things. --

I am amazed - this is post 701.

When I woke up this morning this post was to be something totally different. Then I got to work and had this in my inbox from facebook.

Molly wrote on your Wall:"Yeah...So...I should maybe mention the speeding ticket I got on the way to my baptism yesterday... I have to call on Monday. And I really should have an insurance card in my jeep. Cause that guy totally stole the piece of paper with my proof of insurance..."

This child who has not really ever given us one major issue - has suddenly decided that she needs to make up for lost time. I have already called her and informed her that the paycheck from her on campus job will be used to cover this cost. I have also threatened her daddy with taping his genitals to the inside of his thigh with duct tape if he covers this for her. And while have chosen my words carefully over the really big issue - I had no reserves on this one - 75 in a 55 - her day is not going well either.

Go ahead - laugh out loud at this - I did.

She was baptized last night. I wore this.


A necklace made from an old key. I received many compliments on it. Enough that even the Man at my Address agrees that I need to make more of my stuff and try to sell some. I found that a little amazing too.

Jennifer (MMB's mother) made Molly's baptism gown. That is a gesture I appreciate more that she can imagine. Simply beautiful - modest - she will add to it for later events. A proper thank you is required for that gesture of love and caring and support.

Tim (MMB's stepdad) said the nicest thing about the evening. He thanked us but also verbally recognized the difficulty and gave us his appreciation for supporting her.

A different view of the necklace. Yes it is a little unusual - I like it.

I watched Molly interact with people we do not know. She was poised, comfortable, confident. That makes me happy. I could tell that she was pushing the tension into the back of her mind, not allowing it to interfere with "her" evening. That is a skill that will serve her well into the future.

Every one in the ward was very sensitive to the tension and awkwardness of the event. They went out of their way to make us feel welcome. I appreciate this.

Mostly I am thankful for a relationship with my daughter that remains as strong as it was - maybe even stronger - since we have learned to lovingly disagree.

I also wore this.....

A Brighton bracelet. This was a gift a few years ago from a friend. The two hearts are significant as it is a reminder that I could lean on this person for anything. The day I received it, I was facing another round of tests to be sure the breast cancer was not there and I was uneasy about it like so many times before. I went through so much of the breast cancer process alone, feeling like I could not lean because of many reasons. I rarely wear this because the clasp arrangement is a little weak - I actually lost it once and had it returned to me by a random series of events. But when I need reassurance - I find myself putting it on and using it much like a Catholic would use a rosary - the symbolism is strong for me and I have leaned hard on the giver of this a lot in the past week.

So here is a thank you to my friend for weathering yet another storm with me.

God has given me so much strength, grace, comfort and wisdom through this. Blessings to be sure. Many opportunities to share my witness and His love. It has not been easy, but I have been blessed. For this I give thanks.

Now we move on to a more expected form of teenage stress for a parent - anybody want to adopt an 18 year old female with a traffic ticket to pay and at least 5 more years of college. LOL.

Have a beautiful day - We are taking the Softball Princess late Friday night to meet her youth group on the ski trip. 5 hours drive - because she has a basketball game and can't leave when the rest of the crew does. I have been promised that the return trip on Saturday will include the ability to yell STOP when I see a junk, antique, or thrift store that might interest me.