Freaky Random Day and Linkage

Hold on to your chair. I've got all sorts of crap to share.

FIRST, I was able to run away yesterday. Spent the whole day in Austin, alone, per my husband's instructions.

Dear husband ... I love you. Don't ever change.

Started my day with all the Stoners in Austin. Finally got to hear the Aaron Ivey band in person (I know, I know ... I'm behind). Laura and Jimmie came here to camp not too long ago. It was great seeing them again. And, of course, I was able to FINALLY meet Jamie IRL.

It was very sunny. We were very squinty.



Of course, the BEST part was meeting little Miss Story, and listening to her snore next to me all the way through church.

Yes, I was able to get a pic of her smiling. I like to believe it's because I'm magical.



So, then it was .... hmmmmm ... IKEA or South Congress? I mean, I was already RIGHT THERE. Big shock, I know. I spent the next several hours digging around in stores like this.



Then it was Pei Wei, and bookstores and a MOVIE. I saw "Precious." One of the most painful movies I have ever seen in my life. It would not have been nearly as gut-wrenching before parenting Rocky and Mar. Yet, if forced me to remember how a child's brain works when they are being traumatized. They leave the present ... the reality. They must, to survive. So, see it. It will cut you in half, but see it anyway.

I never did make it to IKEA. I know I have to come back in the near future to order boring, random, lost parts (due to the move). So, it wasn't too big of a deal.

My amazing husband also sat the kids down and worked them, therapeutically, through how they would handle me being gone, and returning. I'm still talking them down off their respective cliffs this morning, but thus far things are not horrible.

So, it was a great day.

NOW, let me link you to some things I have been meaning to share:

A college student in Texas declined a new car from his parents (his other car was still just fine), and asked, instead, if he could donate the money as a matching grant to Heartline. Yeah. Amazing, huh? So, get over there and see how you can help out.

Have an old college friend, whose child is a part of a photography contest thingy. She is #6, and is just about the cutest thing to land on the planet. I can't put my finger on it, but this kid owns me. I could just eat her up. So, check it out, and don't vote stupidly. ;)

My new online friend, Sara, is doing a month of giveaways. Her family plans to come and stay here for a bit in the spring. I am so excited, I could spit. I mean, I will get lots of time with Sara (whose idea of a great cocktail is a green smoothie) and her two delicious girls. I think there may be a husband in the mix, too. Check out her stuff. Check out her blog. You won't be disappointed.

And finally, I have been chosen as a "MomSpotter" for BlogHer. Basically, the MomSpotters just tweet about our days, and what it is like to parent in a digital age. Sprint is sponsoring us, and giving us all our own little devices from which to tweet (twit?). Still waiting for my 4G wireless thing-a-mah-jig to get here. Will be amazing. Can't wait. And, check out this cool map thing of all of us at the Family Connections group. We're like floating heads in a battleship game.