Bring on the Rain by Jodee Messina

A few years back, I went through a very rough emotional time. I also started listening to Jodee Messina then. I can remember the day that this song came on the radio and I almost wrecked my van. I mean it. It was actually raining outside and in my heart the day I heard it. I heard it and thought, " That is MY SONG!". I can't do the song justice by just printing the words, so you need to find it on the internet and listen to it. This song is such an example of how our faith in God can change our attitude from " What am I going to do?" to " Go ahead, I've got God, bring on the rain, I can take it!!!" Julianna and Emily, bless their hearts heard this song over and over and over when they were 5 and 3 and 1/2 and it became ingrained in their minds- it's still one of Julesy's favorites and she can BELT IT OUT. Emily told me recently that I should include this on my blog, so I am. :) I hope someone out there can benefit from the spirit of this song, and enjoy the tune as well. It's AWESOME!!!




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How do they find me???

Well, we've got another cat. He is an uneutered male (soon to be neutered) and young- probably a year or less. My memory card is full or I'd include a picture. He is beautiful in a very unboyish way. He has longer hair with green eyes and a beautiful ruff of fur around his face. Very striking boy he is. He showed up a few days ago and at first just wanted food. Now he could care less about the food, he wants LOVE. He is thin, so I am sure he needs the food, but he will leave the food bowl if you come out into the garage and he will beg to be pet. I told Jon that he was sticking around and Jon said, " Is he sweet, will he let you pet him?" "Yes, he's a sweetie, I said." "Cool", was Jon's reply. I said, "He's not fixed." Jon said, " He will be soon, right?". This is our little "dance" of new animals. It is understood between us that no animal that comes to us will be turned away or put to sleep, unless it is very sick. It is understood that if the animal is healthy and gets along with the others, he will be vetted (yes, we get a discount) and taken in. So, tomorrow I am off to the vet to make sure he's not sick with some awful disease and get his reproductive parts taken care of and then a name for the pretty boy. It's always hard to do that because all of our male cats have female names, so I am sure this one will be no exception. It's the price you pay to become a Trinkle cat- you're gonna have a pretty name. Sigh......................... I don't know how they know to come here, but they do, and they must know somehow that kindness lives at this house.

The pool is open!!!-

Oh what a wonderful day yesterday was! Yesterday was the day that we officially turned on the pool heater for the summer. "What's the big deal about that?", you ask? For me it is a symbol of the time to come and a delightful reminder of the freedom of summer. Here are some of the many reasons that this time of year is a sigh of relief for me.

We can get up when we want and sleep in when we want and stay in our jammies as long as we want.

I don't make breakfast.

I can spend hours of time with my little girls- whether going somewhere fun or just vegging out here.

I CAN READ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (don't ask me why I feel like I can read more during the summer, I just do)

In a pinch, I can jump in the pool, shampoo my hair, jump back in and I am DONE- the quickest clean in the world. (Yes, we do this, don't comment on how "gross" it is- it's just a bit of shampoo, folks).

I hate cold weather. HATE IT. Summer sympbolizes me coming out of the cave, literally and figuratively.

I love going on walks in the cool night air.

The dogs can have baths outside without freezing to death. (When you have 13 dogs, that is a VERY BIG DEAL!)

The birds can stay in their outside cages most of the day, on the pool porch and sing to their hearts' content.

POPSICLES!!!!

PAPER PLATES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

July is the month when we go to the beach for one week and rent a condo- the kids catch fish in the little nets (Em is demonstrating in the picture) and we go hunting for fiddler crabs and eat dinner at Saltwater Cowboys. We spend hours on the beach and in the pool and catch up on sleep and eating and reading. All of these things are memories we savor and traditions my kids treasure each year.

I am so happy and I am so glad I live in Florida- I don't mind the heat- and I love the freedom of the summer.