As I sit here on this Sunday evening, all wrapped up in a quilt and my faithful dawg…watching the news and weather report, I hear the words…Polar Vortex out of Al Rokers mouth (NBC). What in the world is THAT! and oh my goodness….WEATHER THESE DAYS…geeez!
Al Roker at the 81st Academy Awards (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Zip back about a zillion years ago and when I was a little girl there would be a foot of snow from time to time and this is the south….I have never heard this phrase…..This cannot be good. What is the deal?
It seems like the weather has caused a standstill in the world as we know it. Here in the south, we usually have fairly good weather. It is not Florida but as a rule not so bad. TENNESSEE IS A GREAT STATE TO LIVE IN. We are monkey in the middle of the cold, snowy north and the warm tropical lower south.
C. S. Lewis’ house (The Kilns) (Photo credit: MikeBlyth)
This is a superb yet diverse state and I have lived it my entire life….she says somewhat grimly.….living abroad for a bit would be fun, Paris…..London or Cambridge ( living near the world of C. S. LEWIS. Yes please), heck even NY,NY is on my list…..(a brownstone on the upper east side, a tree lined street in walking distance to all the cool places!)
Back to my point……Since when did our lives become so surrounded by the threat of weather? In case anyone wonders…that’s why we live in Tennessee……usually not so weathery here. We had a bit of snow in the winter, rainy springs, hot, not horribly hot summer’s and beautiful falls but these days the world is topsy turvy! We had a flood that was called a 100 yr flood, tornados and an abundance of other activity and not just here in our little state in the middle but all over.
The whole country is weather crazy and our school system lives in fear, do we or don’t we call off school? So they do as to not compromise the kids(good decision). I love it because I remember how great it was as a kid, but I also do not work a “real job” and have to get day care. Is this a new fear that has gripped our nation, are we fraidy cats, have we gone soft as people…YES!
I being the softest can not really whine ( though I do!) May I repeat….sitting here wrapped up in a blanket and my dawg..I am FREEZING! The words Polar Vortex makes me colder just saying them. Maybe this is the way the world ends someday….we get freezed out, I assure that If it were up to me, I would turn states evidence……Immediately! What do I need to do, what secrets need to be told……. I give, I need warmer weather….
The logo of the United States National Weather Service. The source page states that is not an “official” version but it looks very close to the version used on NWS’s website. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Polar Vortex is a fancy word for big fat swoosh of a cold cold wind all circling around FREEZING the tar out of us… keep your unprecedented article blast Al Roker….. brrrrrrrr!
Unbelievably it has been 7years since I first wrote this post! Two of our sons have a birthday on September 21, 2020 and so much has changed, the boys have grown up, Sam is 33 & NJ is 24, which is unreal to my brain. How did this happen? There was No traditional UT vs Florida football as usual today….as there was on both the Saturdays they were born…..thanks COVID! and our world is now upside down. But, the sentiment is still the same, our last two babies are now grown men in whom we are so proud of, making their way in the world and still loving us all even more. I will always be thankful for these two last baby’s. —–Rose
2013—
This is one of the most special days of my life! Yes….the UT VOLS playFlorida and always have for as long as I can remember….or at least on this Saturday in September, but that is not the real reason. And anyone who knows me knows that I could really do not care that much about football to remember the day they usually play Florida…even though we DO NOT LIKE FLORIDA MUCH UP HERE IN VOL COUNTRY...just making that clear!
The real reason is that on this day…while UTplayed FLorida for that all time rival…TWICE (not once but 2 times!) I was piled
up at UT Hospital in Knoxville, TN giving birth to my last two children. In case anyone wondered…..yes, my doctor was sure to have them here before the game started! Not only for my VOL FAN husband but for himself of course! It worked out well, they were born and (by C-Section-ugh—-hence the double ouchie!) and I was enjoying the yummy morphine pump…..AHHHHH! SO, the husband had the whole tv remote all to himself!
I will say…he wasn’t ignoring me…I was more ignoring him…I had done my job and now I was resting my laurels! Funny of course because I was now the mother of 4–FOUR KIDS! WOW! Still after all this time getting that strait in my head! Considering the love for UTwe have it was only fitting that it happen this way I guess.
My first last child is Samueland today he is a mere 26 years old. I say mere because from my vantage point he is still so young….to him he is nearly half dead! Samuel was on the heels of our Bethany, only 13 months after her birth and it was brought to my attention early on that...”how dare we have a baby…again…so soon!”People are so stupid…let’s just get that clear on the front end…bless their hearts (…..she says because it is the southern way!) ButGodhad a better idea….he gave me this beautiful boy to keep me kindhearted. I dont know that I am really that kindhearted, but if I am it is solely because of this little puppy of mine. He was the best baby I had….not one peep out of him, he slept from the git-go for 10 hours in a stretch…( he gets that honest!- I can still sack out for days!…given the chance) He has these big blue/green eyes, looks more like me than any of the others and was always tender hearted. I rarely had to raise my voice to him, and if I did (not that I ever yelled at my kids…pishposh!) he would be the most compliant of all. He also had an older brother and sister who kept him up to date on the does and don’ts. Samuel was the best cuddler of all also….he was the sweet heart of my heart and he remains a special person, still caring and loving to me, but …..he has found his own voice (darn it!) and he has a sorta liberal yet compassionate view of life( I am kinda secretly proud of him!), quick to oppose my convictions with his own equally strong opinions, he can argue a point nearly as well as his Dad and is clearly strong in his own notions. He is no push over but his kindness keeps him sweet even when tested. He keeps me kind because his kindness is worthy of respecting, he isn’t a yeller….he is slow to anger but look out when he does. I honor this son of mine, he has always been a joy to have as a son and even more as a friend. I covet his hugs and hang out time he gives me….at this age those are the best gifts!Happy Birthday Son, no mother had a better one.
The for real last, last child or “caboose” as we like to call him is our one and only NJ Nathanael Joseph actually and I tagged him with the short version when he was just a baby. Today is his 17th birthday and he is about the most precious of all. I had NJ when I was almost 37 years old…OLD by some standards at least back then. It wasn’t the style yet to wait so long….as usual, I was ahead of the curve….but he was nine years after the first bunch and when this occurs it is almost as if he is an only child. (see birth order books!) Starting all over again, so to speak but with much more experience and confidence. He was somewhat like a new pet for all of us. Okay ….don’t beat me me up for the analogy, but really he was a family project. Will was 12 and excited but attempted to hide it…he’s cool ya know! But Bethany (10) was over the moon!!! A real live doll baby all her own to Mother….and Sam (9) was not going to be the “baby” anymore so he was elated! NJ was the Blessing of my life that I will always know was a direct response from GOD. He was what I needed at that time and everyday for the past 17 years I had a reason to show up. Not that I didn’t have three other reasons and a husband and tons of other reasons but this kid was the driving force for me at that time. HE came on the scene when I needed him most, and he has always been a blessing. Funny does not even describe him…he is animated….and joyous and never meets a stranger, his personality is the perfect blend of me and his Dad…outgoing and personable, not awkward ever and in our family that is very odd. We invented awkward! He is strong minded and sure of himself and rarely ever finds himself worried or fearful. Where did this youngin’ come from…he is the weird one? He has been my sidekick in my old age and kept me off the ledges. The only time I ever see frailty is catch him when he is tired and DO NOT CROSS HIM! He can have a meltdown better than most people….its best to just let him alone because you will never win that fight. He will go to his death defending his cause. Most days he is the best friend you could ever want, most loyal and forgiving person, a friend that loves at all times. He is my JOY and my HOPE for a world of HAPPY. HE spreads Happy all around and our family is blessed to have him love us.
Happy Birthday my two sons…you are our legacy and our loves and our prayer is you find your own place in this world and live always faithful to the will of God for your lives. He gave us you for a short time and I know He is pleased.❤️❤️
If one was a mathematician…one could figure out the number 8,409,600 minutes. Since I am NO mathematician (obviously) I had to GOOGLE the answer. In actuality I GOOGLED how many minutes are in sixteen years…because this is how many minutes of my life have been blessed because of the birth of my youngest child, a son and the only one I like on most days! Just kidding…well mostly…..maybe not kidding….hmmmmm!
The time has come to honor a great young man, one that has kept my life alive and sane (well, nearly!) during the past sixteen years. On September 21, 1996, right before UT played Florida in Knoxville for which they beat US…… 35-29 at University of Tennessee hospital (where all the kids were born…..the sign that we are all VOL) this precious LAST CHILD was born to the cheers of all his family.
NO child was more loved by so many. His older two brothers(one of which had to spend his birthday–yes….. two kids born on same day 9 yrs. apart!- at the hospital) and one sister were all there to love him and be the first to hold him. This was a day of great joy and love and this little caboose (I finally figured out the cause of all these babies!) was the highlight of all our lives.
Since then, his life has been one of high achievements as well as laughter and love. He has been the glue that has held us all together many times and he has brought me joy that could never be compared. He was the reason my feet hit the floor everyday and the reason I kept on keeping on. He has been the baby of promise and his love and affection I will always be thankful for. With GOD its all in the timing and I was blessed when this little kid hit the world.
HappySWEET SIXTEENNATHANAEL, I am honored to be your Mom and I pray your life be as exciting from this day more than you could ever dream. Dream big sweet one, you deserve the best! This has been an awesome 8,409,600 minutes for me and I hope the rest of the minutes/years of your life are just as awesome. God loves you even more than me!
preacherswifeintheknow 