Starting the story

  I sit quietly in a room that seems to close in further as the minutes tick by waiting for my father to die. And so do they. Though their anticipation is more glib than my own, even if I hadn't yet pieced it all together. They had something to gain from the loss. I was unaware and had never had a reason to suspect her or her children's intentions with my father. But, oh how I should have. There is no good step mom, not in my world.
  This last one had played quite the role; a dingy divorcee who was harmless save for a gambling habit that he too suffered. A woman who seemed to like his kids and grandkids and didn't mind showing up for birthday parties or the like, even if those kids and grandkids didn't really rank all that high. A woman who doted on him and never talked back and simply loved everyone except for the most recent wife, the one just before her, whom she was determined to prove she was nothing like. Though in the end, the only difference is one had the nerve to be who she was while he was alive.
  We'd all watched him decline for less than a week and I knew he'd never come home. I prayed for just one more Christmas, one more birthday party for him to come to, one more phone call, but somehow I knew those particular prayers wouldn't be granted. I was hurting. He had never been what I needed in a father, but we had made the best amends we could and I loved him no less.
    So I sat and waited, thinking of the few short years that I'd had him to myself, the years before the stepmothers. There was no doubt I was loved in those days. But my concentration wouldn't keep. The recent memory of the shrill, intrusive voice of my stepsister of a mere two years, "I've called a lawyer, a friend of mine....", clouded my memories and filled me with anger. In my naïveté, I wouldn't have guessed anyone, anywhere on earth, would still think it's ok to have a dying man sign a will. "To make sure we get everything." Then again, I'd never been impressed by her and he had warned me on occasion: "That one pushes when she shouldn't push." But THIS? The quintessential low life act of a dying person's family: have them sign a deathbed will. Yet here we were with a stepfamily of only two years having a friend/attorney draft a will for a dying man he had never met nor spoken to, particularly about his last wishes. "It's my job to protect my mom."
   In some way I'm grateful. Because of two women my children will never suffer a stepmother.

Things I Don't Love Thursday...LINKY

  Hosted by Melissa
Two hour meetings to teach me how to document. Seriously? Now I can't get my actual work done!   

 
Not winning giveaways. I know, I know! I'm such a baby about it. But DUDE! It's been like 6 or 8 weeks

Gun Control. All these proposed laws that do nothing to prevent mass murder, yet serve to render me defenseless.

Liebster Award! YAY

I really can't believe I was nominated for a blogging award especially since I've felt like I haven't put my best effort into it lately. I was nominated by BreAnne at The Pinspired Mom! Check her out!

The Liebster Award is an award given to Bloggers by other Bloggers! That makes it even more special!

Here are the Rules:

1. Each blogger should post 11 random facts about themselves.

2. Answer the questions the tagger has set for you, then create 11 new questions for the bloggers you pass the award to.

3. Choose 11 new bloggers (with less than 200 followers) to pass the award to and link them in your post.

4. Go back to their page and tell them about the award.

5. No tag backs.

My 11 random facts:

1. Like my nominator, I have three children and they're all girlie poos!

2.  I believe in the Holy Trinity

3. I love sweets, especially chocolate. 

4. My husband is loud, crazy, super cute, and a bit, ahem, annoying:)

5. I like cats more than dogs.

6. My hobbies are reading, drawing, and painting.

7. I'm shamefully impatient.

8. I'm 5'2"

9.I'm the proud aunt of the cutest boy, Odin

10. My favorite movie so far this year is Lawless

11. I think video games are weird.

My answers to BreAnne:

 1. I live in Lousiana

2. I am married

3. I have had three surgeries (two c-sections).

4. I don't have any actual phobias, but any bug will make me shriek. I just can't figure out why God put them here.

5. My favorite flavor cupcake is the Heath Bar cupcake made by a girl in my hometown.

6. My least favorite household chore is washing dishes(esp the ones that don't fit in the dishwasher.) I think it's because they seem never ending.

7. I have a yorkie named Fideaux, a stray cat named Sebastian aka the Boobie, and another little kitten named Mumford.

8. I would change my name to Dallas.

9. I own my home.

                                                              10. My biggest pet peeve is the sound of people chewing.

11. I am a Leo.

My questions to my nominees:

1. What do you do for a living?

2. What is your favorite book?

3. What is the biggest difference between your life as an adult in comparison to the adults with whom you grew up?

4. What is your favorite recipe (either to eat or prepare)?

5. How many kids do you have?

6. What are you most anticipating this year?

7. Why did you start blogging?

8. Who is your hero?

9. Do you have any hobbies and if so, what are they?

10. Who is your least favorite celebrity?

11. Name your favorite band of either the 70's or 80's?

Now for my 11 nominees:

http://mommysbreak.blogspot.com/

http://misenplacejf.blogspot.com/

http://www.theactivemum.com/

http://www.dailymesses.com/

http://homeofabooklover.blogspot.com/

 http://catchingcodyk.blogspot.com/

http://cuppacoffeeconfessions.blogspot.com/ 

http://www.chicagobungalov.com/

http://savingcentbycent.blogspot.com/ 

http://oksoitsjenn.blogspot.com/

http://happymedley.blogspot.com/

Henson Ong on Gun Control. Just Five Minutes.

If this offends you, you are part of the problem.

We need more people willing to stand up and speak the truth. Not from a political standpoint and not even for yourself as an individual. We need to stop allowing media to tell us what we think, use facts and our moral fiber to draw conclusions. Imagine a world with more Henson Ongs and Benjamin Carsons. Oh, what a wonderful world that would be.

Tunes on Tuesday.....The Drowned

This song will always be one of my favorites. The Hazards of Love Part 4 (The Drowned) by The Decemberists.

Some others I'm loving this week:

Lay Me Down by Dirty Heads and Rome

Won't Back Down by Matt Kearney

Hold On by Alabama Shakes

Sheets by Damien Jurado

Bird on a Wire by Adam Cohen

Waiting for My Real Life to Begin by Colin Hay

This should give you some soul soothing listening for the day.

Peace

Dr Benjamin Carson at prayer breakfast. Please watch and be amazed.

Things I Don't Love link up

    Thanks again to Melissa over at LuLu and Sweet Pea for hosting the oh so fun "Things I Don't Love Thursday".   I do not love Natural Peanut Butter. Just gross. That's the first time I tried. It's like grimy water. I'll stick with the processed kind that contains salt and sugar.   Pandora commercials. But I don't use it enough to give them any money. Sorry.   Tadpoles. Why did my husband bring home a tadpole in a fish bowl? Gross.   Life could be worse, right?!