The Opening Scene of The Lion King Musical

The Lion King roared into Atlanta last night, and Hubby-Honey and I got a chance to see it.

I first saw it on Broadway almost 5 years ago, but I was pregnant with Big Boy and more concerned with if I could hang on and wait 'til intermission before disturbing folks with my needing to make a run for the restroom. So it was nice to experience it this time around without such distractions.

Both times, I got so choked up at the opening scene. It's just... beautiful.

If you've never seen The Lion King and you get the chance, go. This gives you a sense of what it's like, but really, you have to be sitting in the midst of it to really get the full affect.

Getting a second chance to take in sheer pageantry and artistic brilliance has just been added to The Thanks Ranks.

Lessons from a Four-Dollar Face Lift

I rolled the dice, and got snake-eyes.

Actually, I got one eyebrow that's thinner than the other and an expression that looks half angry and half quizzical.

My lessons are:

1) A $4 eyebrow threading at a salon is NOT a better deal than a $15 eyebrow threading at a spa if you come out looking like the Joker.

2) You get what you pay for.

3) Wearing a paper bag over my head with the eye and mouth holes cut out is not going to work, because it scares my children.

4) It's only hair and it will (hopefully), over time, grow back.

Justifiction for returning the spa for the sake of my pleasant appearance has just been added to The Thanks Ranks.

Hubby-Honey's Home!

After being in New York since Thursday, helping his mom get wired with her new computer and easing her onto the information superhighway with the rest of us, Hubby-Honey has returned home safely.

Commence to Big Boy, Baby Girl and me doing a happy dance. Single moms: my hat's off to you.

Being reunited has just been added to The Thanks Ranks.

Rock Monster

This is courtesy of Big Boy and Baby Girl. Fair warning: it is going to play incessantly in your head after you hear it.

Rockin' out with my kids has just been added to The Thanks Ranks.

The Stone Mountain Ministerial Association

My kind of Easter service. No fancy 'do or duds required--just a warm family huddle. And the kids were occupied by the magnificence of nature ("Bye-bye moon! Hello sun!"). All followed by sweet slumber and a relaxed afternoon.

For a new Easter family tradition, Stone Mountain sunrise service, you've just been added to The Thanks Ranks.

Happy Easter, everyone!

Ms. Rena Belle

Today my friend Theresa buried her 80 year-old mother.

The service was a celebration of life. In the midst of her grieving process, Theresa gave the family's acknowledgements in her own unique, "Big Love" manner.

Though people had attended to show support for her and her family, Theresa, in her typical fashion, ended up giving us all a gift to go home with, and I'll share it with you.

It was her admonishment to make the most of the time you have, right NOW, to:

* let those you love know you love them,
* address grievances and grow past them,
*call, write, visit, thank those you've been meaning to...

so that when the time comes (and you don't know when), and you or they are the "guest of honor" at such a ceremony, you can have the peace that comes in saying goodbye with a conscious that knows all that was left to said and do was said and done--with love.

And hence, you will be able to experience joy in the midst of grief, and celebrate in the midst of mourning, because you made the most of the moments together you had.

Perhaps no easy undertaking, but well worth it in the end, don't you think?

I do, judging by the way Theresa was able to stand at that podium with a smile and share these words with us. There was no denying that although she will miss her mother, she will be able to go forward knowing in her spirit that the time they were blessed with was time well spent. She has the loving memories to prove it.

For the reminder to give folks their flowers while they're still here, Ms. Rena Belle and Theresa, you've just been added to The Thanks Ranks.

First Day of Spring

Next to the first day of summer, to me, it's the most wonderful time of the year, and it's just been added to The Thanks Ranks.

House Spared

My beloved Atlanta was hit pretty hard this weekend with unfathomable tornado activity.

Friday night into Saturday morning made for a scary, stormy time that had even the best of us "brave adults" a little rattled.

Then to have daylight reveal the damage, and to spend a good part of Saturday afternoon playing "dodge the tornado activity in metro Atlanta--Round II" after we'd tried to get out and get on with our day--ducking for cover in the mall, at my folks' house, anywhere with lower level covering--it was all a little much.

But what really, really, did it was for my family to drive around familiar neighborhoods of those we love today and see trees and roots where they didn't belong, and roofs and walls missing from where they ought to be. It broke my heart.

I ache and pray for those who were affected. I am humbled and grateful beyond words that our house was spared. Can't even give a cutesy, "Just been added..." ending this time around, but my gratitude is deep.

Organic Valley Milk on Sale at Publix

Adjusting to our new status with Hubby-Honey not working in the traditional sense to which we were accustomed, I have to be a little more selective with what I purchase on my "Whole Foods runs".

This morning, it was Publix Super Markets proving itself worthy of my purchasing dollars, with Organic Valley milk half-gallons on sale for $3.29. Big Boy and Baby Girl want their "special" and "choco" milk--they don't care where it comes from, so long as it's in the fridge when they're asking for it.

Big Boy had his "Trike-A-Thon" at school today. "Milk makes me strong and healthy!" he exclaimed at breakfast this morning. The secret to his pedaling success, I guess? Milk in place, meltdown avoided, a triumphant trike-a-thon tale this afternoon.

Organics at a bargain and biking at its best has just been added to The Thanks Ranks.

Human Who?

Human 'being' or human 'doing'?

Given this inspired word, I do believe I've been a human 'doing'. I want to change that, moving into my 'being'ness.

This realization, and the joyful shift it has brought about has just been added to The Thanks Ranks.

More to come in this space. Getting back to basics. It feels good.

Happy Birthday, Little Mai!

Spring Forward!

Daylight Savings Time has just been added to The Thanks Ranks!

Recharged!

I just took a look at my blog for the first time in a long time. Read through some old posts--things I never looked at after writing them. In reading them now, I can't believe how quickly a year plus has flown by, and yet I note just how much has occurred in such a seemingly short time.

I'm a little saddened now by what I could be missing out on this time next year, given all the gaps that have appeared in The Thanks Ranks in recent months. What to do? Start again--today. And then start again--tomorrow. And then start again--the day after that...

It's not so much what I was writing about (one day it was dishware, for crying out loud!), it was the fact that I was writing. It's time to reclaim that again, for myself.

'Recommitment' has just been added to The Thanks Ranks. I don't care if it's not a real word. It works for me and I'll use it. :-)

B-day Credit Where Credit is Due

Ma B,

If it weren't for you, I'd have no Hubby-Honey to celebrate. That was a fine thing you did, birthing him 40 years ago today. I appreciate it. You've just been added to The Thanks Ranks.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HUBBY-HONEY!!

And again, to all of you who recently or way back when decided to join the movement to help put him in pinstripes, I thank you deeply. A round of Thanks Ranks for everyone!!

Just Do It

Those whose historical hard-fought efforts make it possible for me to cast my vote and make my voice heard today have just been added to The Thanks Ranks.

And if you don't know, now you'll know...

Technical Difficulties

"At this time there are no web audio servers available. We will try again shortly."

This is what the blogtalkradio.com pleasant-voiced recorded lady has been repeating to me ever since I first attempted to dial in and start my weekly 3:00 p.m. Thursday podcast show, "Thanks Ranks Radio".

In all my time doing the show--and it soon will be one year--this has never happened. Freezed out from airing? Huh?

It's just a testament to how much blogtalkradio.com has grown. Good for them, though today, too bad for me.

There was a time, maybe two years ago, where I would have been having an anal, it's not perfect, freak-out moment over this. Now, ever more increasingly, I just go with the flow.

The reminder that sometimes, whatever will be, will be, has just been added to The Thanks Ranks.

Potty Mouth

Hey! Happy New Year!

The toilet in our master bath has been running.

Here comes Eric Stromer, right on time, with an online video to tell us how to D-I-Y fix it. Hence, he's just been added to The Thanks Ranks.

2008 - Real and Simple

Got big plans and things you're looking to accomplish in the new year?

I know I do, and while looking for recipes for my new recommended Crock-Pot slow cooker (that's a whole other post, but I'm trying new things in '08) on the Real Simple website, I ended up also finding these handy dandy checklists for getting things done and operating one's life efficiently. Just what I need, and they've just been added to The Thanks Ranks.

Happy last day of 2007!

Keep Moving Forward

Big Boy has a knack for picking DVDs and movies that I have no thought in my mind to see or watch, that end up being delightful, insightful and inspiring to me.

This time, it was with the DVD, Meet The Robinsons. It was the only thing he specifically asked for by name for Christmas this year. He'd wanted to see it when it was in the theaters, but we, a-hem, passed on it. Science experiments? Time travel? Futuristic inventions? Yawwwwn...

Santa heard him, though, and Big Boy was beside himself when he discovered his Christmas wish had come true. Straight to the DVD player he went! The movie did not disappoint--it was all he thought it would be and more (I believe I have a precious little geek on my hands).

I didn't watch Meet The Robinsons yesterday, but I was grateful it kept Big Boy occupied while I prepped Christmas dinner.

Today, though, I obliged him, and at his request we watched the movie together. All I'll say is, I was pleasantly surprised, and hence, I'm going to ask you to please make a point to check this movie out--if you haven't already. I'm sure you'll take away something positive from one of its many themes.

For me, it was the concept of "celebrating failure", which has just possibly changed the course of my children's future for even greater good, since I've now determined that I will incorporate this into my parenting. For that, Meet The Robinsons has just been added to The Thanks Ranks.

Merry

Christmas has just been added to The Thanks Ranks.

Thank you for being a part of my Thanks Ranks family. All the best to you and yours today and during this holiday season.

Random Thought Thanks

Indulge me--I've got, what, two/three weeks of lost time to make up for...? :-)

I recognize it's been out for a minute now, but:

Alicia Keys, for giving me a new anthem to bob my head to, grab Hubby-Honey's hand with, and add to our life soundtrack called "The Mr. & Mrs. Show", you've just been added to The Thanks Ranks.

Go 'head, Girl! Sing it! Oh oh oh oh oh...

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