Secret lovahs

Thank you for all your sweet emails & crds! My hand is getting better everydayt but ut is still bandaged so I can't type with iut. So I thought I''d do some cutting and pasting so y'all can see the fun I'm having with my sister'sa boyfriend, He's adorab;e and I'm so excited she finally has a sweet boy whp adores her, the last guy was psycho. Anyway one day I received this message from him and it styarted a fun back anfd forth. I've only edited out last names.


Shannon,
From the first time i met you out @ peppys i knew that we belonged together.
The only things in our way are John and Morgan, and i can have them taken care of if you know wut i mean.
I just wanted you to know that wut ever happens between morgan and i will not effect us
I Love You Shannon R********.

With all my hearts love,
MoE

Oh Moe-
How long I have waited for this day, these words, this note! I am thrilled beyond words that you are ready to take our love to the next level. You will be an excellent husband and father. Ooh can't wait to get a car seat in your truck! Once Morgan gets over her heart ache after losing you maybe she can babysit for us. I will keep our secret when you "take care" of Jon and Morgan. It's time for you to leave the girl & experience a woman. It will be better for all of us this way. I can no longer live the lie.
I love you Moe Insert Last Name!
Your's forever,
Shannon

Shannon,
I know that i seem a little shy, but really im as sensative as a cavity and sweet as a jolly rancher.

the poem that i just made up in this unknown mind of mine will fill you heart with joy and banish John from your mind.

SWEET
HEVENLY
ASTONISHING
NICE
NAUGHTY
ON GOING CREATIVITY
NOW MINE!!!!!!!!

With all my love taken from from Morgan and given to You
and plenty more where that came from,
MoE

P.S.

I stayed up all night reading the dictionary for those words sence you "caint" read redneck!

P.S.S

Meet me in the middle of Fort Mill walking park Sunday morning @ 3:00AM
and we can confess out love to one another

Moe-
So I dug down deep in my heart and wrote this rap song just for you. Your poem really inspired me. Oh, and where were you at 3am???

Oh Moe,
I love you so.
You make my heart go whoa.
You're the only one, dontcha know?
This chance wid you I will not blow.
Cause you're my buck and I'm your doe.
I'll love you like no one's loved you befo.
Our love won't die it will only grow.
Just remember I'm a woman, I ain't no one's ho.
We ain't rich, we may be po
But we be happy, don't you think so?
Go ahead and dump Momo
She'll be fine, she'll find another bro.
Maybe she could date a dude named Joe.
Oh Moe, I love you from your head down to your toe.
If you liked pudding I'd make you pistachio.
You got my heart going turbo.
I'd love you even if you were an albino.
My heart is ready to overflow.
I just wish you didn't smoke tobacco.
For you I fell like a domino.
Your love's a storm like a tornado.
You make me dizzy like I've got vertigo.
If we were Mexican you'd be my amigo.
If you ever leave me I'll be blue, like indigo.
When you're hungry I'll bake you a potato.
When you're thirsty I'll make you hot cocoa.
I'll do anything for you, today or tomorrow.
You've got me as high as a rainbow.
It's true, other men I'll forego.
I've been shot in the heart by Cupid's bow.
Our love we'll never outgrow.
You're so cute from your head to your elbow,
your eyes, your face, your skin, your torso.
We could run away, live in a borough.
We could go to Alaska and you could be my Eskimo.
We could live on a farm and for you I'd grow
onions, carrots, even a tomato.
Cause when I saw you my heart said "HELLO!"
And now I love you with such gusto.
At Christmas I'll kiss you under the mistletoe.
And cook you pasta with pesto.
Until we meet again, no I must go.
But believe me without you I'm hollow.
With you I'm all aglow!
Oh Moe, I love you so.
Yo.
True dat.
xoxo

Friend or famine

I have recently come to realize that I am extremely blessed in the friends department. This hasn't always been the case. I mean, I'm a friendly girl. I've always had friends, never lacked someone to call to hang with, but it hit me recently that I currently have the best set of friends I've ever had. I was tight with this girl we'll call Abby from my senior year in high school til I was about 26. We were roommates for a time, would vacation together and were as close as sisters. But then when we both got engaged we started growing apart. She was still into the whole keg party scene and I was more excited about entering into married life and settling down. We still see each other occasionally and are friendly with each other, and we never had a blow out fight or really broke up, we just gradually started spending less time together.

No one took Abby's place. I didn't have a new best girl friend. Sure there were girls from work and church that I hung out with, but no one major confidante. For years this went on. When you're an adult working full time it's hard to meet new people. But I did have my blog. And my bloggy friends. And a few years one of my bloggy friends introduced me to Lisa and our friendship started to grow. And then we decided to adopt and that brought a whole new audience to my blog. And because of that change I met Shannon, Susan, & Deb- the Tiara girls. All along there have been a core group of bloggy friends with whom I've chatted, coresponded, and kept in touch- some for years and years now- without ever meeting in person. But that doesn't make our friendships any less important. I'll be out and about and see or hear something and I'll think of you as if we grew up together. Years ago it was weird to meet people online. But it always kind of made sense to me to meet people based on common interests, not just geography. And now I can't imagine my life without any of them, without any of you.
xoxo

Visit recap

Well, Lisa is safely back in Baltimore. I'm so glad she came. We had a great time!
Thursday night I picked her up from the airport and we came home with dinner and sobbed through Grey's while Jon snickered.
Friday we got some breakfast, went grocery shopping for Saturday night's dinner ingredients, then took my little sister Morgan to the cardiologist (she's having heart palpitations and had to wear a heart monitor for 24 hours. We should have the results in a few days). Lisa was amazed at the grocery store where I shop. They have little hand held scanners that you scan your groceries with while you shop. Then all you have to do at the front of the store is pay. It saves so much time. She couldn't believe you could shop on the honor system. Anyway, after the doctor we went to a late lunch, dropped Morgan off at home, then raced home to freshen up. We had a Circle that night. It was a lot of fun and we collected a huge amount of donations for Summit House.
Saturday Lisa & I hung out at the house preparing for a dinner party that night. We made 2 ginormous lasagnes and I put together a little salad bar. My next door neighbors C & D & their kids came over, as well as Sara, my nephews, Papa, Gigi, Morgan & her bfriend Moe. Including the baby there were 15 of us. C made brownies and cake for dessert and we all had a good time over dinner.
Sunday Lisa & I went to lunch at a diner where they had a new twist on the "suicide" (where you mix a whole bunch of sodas in one glass)- they add dill pickles to it! I've heard of peanuts in Coke, but dill pickles?? Then we made a Target stop where we discovered a Jamba Juice!!! I was so excited! I've heard of Jamba on LJC's blog for years, but had no idea we had one in the next town over! Lisa & I each enjoyed a smoothie on the way home then settled in to watch the Oscars. It was so much more enjoyable to watch the Oscars with a dvr. We could fast forward right through acceptance speeches and awards of categories &/or people we weren't interested in. Cut that 3+ hour show down to just about 2.
Monday we chilled out and put off packing her up for as long as we could. Then we hit Bojangles again so she could take some biscuits home to Pete and I dropped her off at the airport. I missed her as soon as I got home.

House guest!

Lisa is here!! So excited! She's staying until Monday night. I picked her up from the airport, we went through a drive through then watched Grey's when we got home. We sobbed and cried while Jon laughed at us and acted like he was going to give away the ending. I'm so excited to have the guest room all set up for this visit. The last time she came we had just moved in and she had to sleep surrounded by boxes. Big busy day tomorrow so it's off to bed for us.

Cheffin'

This morning I attended a Pampered Chef party at my next door neighbor's house. That's her daughter E above modeling the PC kid's apron and hat. She took her job seriously. I really like my neighbor C so I knew it would be a fun time, but it was even more fun because my sister and nephews came and so did Susan and Olivia. All the kids played in C's ginormous playroom upstairs while the party went on. The kids got along famously. Joey has started calling me Gigi instead of Shanny lately. Gigi is my mom. Jacob did the same thing when he was Joey's age. I think it's because both my mom and I have blonde hair. Anyway, halfway through the party Joey comes and stands on the stairs and yells GIGI! and got no response. Well, would you turn if someone yelled Barbara and your name is Jennifer? So he let out a super loud GIGIIIIIIII! and that's when I remembered oh! that's me! We got some weird looks from the party goers since I'd just introduced myself as Shannon, but what can you do?! I took plenty of pictures of the kids and you can see them here.

Where the Swedes kick my Southern ass all the way home

Driving to Atlanta, shopping at IKEA, eating at Lisa's, fighting over smokers, more shopping, driving home, and unloading is a crippling experience. But I can't resist the call of the affordable Swedish homewares. As soon as you walk through the doors something happens to you. Me, my brain slides out of my ears and lies in a quivering mass on the floor. I can never go to IKEA and get my order right. EVER. What did I screw up this time? I bought 2 sconces that must be hardwired instead of the ones that plug in, 3 shades for the screened porch that are 9 inches too short (and I was armed with measurements from home), 3 toliet brush holders instead of toilet tissue holders, and 1 giant cracked mirror. I am a shopping dumbass.
Our drive down was fun and liesurely AND we witnessed an up close and personal Fast and Furious Atlanta style as 5 or 6 souped up Hondas stopped- stopped!!- on the highway then took off like rockets with tires smoking. They crossed 5 lanes of traffic before hitting the exit ramp. We stayed in a fabulous hotel with a modern flare and enjoyed the giant plasma tv, ginger smelling shampoo and soap, and the free breakfast. We did not, however, enjoy the person who insisted on smoking in the room adjacent to ours. Since they were adjoining rooms the smoke came right under the door and flew right down my CPAP machine tube into my lungs. The entire hotel is non-smoking so this was an issue. Susan called down to the desk and told them about it so we wouldn't get charged the $200 smoking fee and so they'd make the smoker stop. We went back to sleep, but the drama didn't end there.
Saturday we shopped at IKEA about all day- 366,000 square feet is a lot of ground to cover, especially when every Atlanta resident is there with you. Man was it crowded! We loaded up our purchases and quickly got lost on the many highways that crisscross the metro Atlanta area. We pulled into a McDon@lds and asked the drive through girl what town we were in while Lisa looked up directions. We finally made it to their house and enjoyed a fabulous dinner and even better company. We laughed and talked til late and headed back to the hotel. Our room smelled clean again so we were hopeful. We were so tired and sore and went right to sleep. Only to be woken up at 2am with a room full of smoke again. This time Susan brought the front desk guy up to our room and do you know what he said? That we just smelled carpet cleaner or incense!!! My ass! We were so tired it just wasn't worth it to switch rooms so we endured another fitful night's sleep. By this time our clothes smelled even! We made sure to talk to the manager when we checked out and secured coupons for a free future visit. We went back to IKEA to return the 7 foot long curtain rods I bought the day before for our 3 foot wide windows. Duh. We couldn't help ourselves and went back through the store one more time before hitting the road.
We stopped for lunch on the way home and had the strangest waitress. Each time she'd refill our drinks or bring us something and we'd say thank you she'd say "thank YOU". It was so weird.
We finally got home with all our goodies and deemed it a fantastic weekend. I was so glad Susan liked IKEA too. And of course, I can't wait to go back!

L-L-Lisa's in the hizzouse!

Highlights from Lisa's visit:
Saturday I picked her up at the airport and we had lunch, got our nails done, then headed over to my mom's house to hang out. My nephews were spending the weekend there so we were able to see them as well. And Lisa got to be a part of an exciting event- my little sister Morgan receiving her 1st car! We went on a test drive to the grocery store and had a great dinner.
Sunday we met up with Susan, Will, & little Miss O for dinner.We had a great time visiting with them and cooing over O. I don't wanna brag, but my little niecelet can say my name. The kid is a genius.
Monday we met up with my mom and went down to my Grandmommy's house (the one with Alzheimer's). My mom gave Gmommy a haircut and we took her to lunch. We had fun with Gmommy and on the way home we decided to stop and see my aunt and uncle. We'll call them Nina and Larry. We haven't been to their house for about 10 years, since the Thanksgiving when Uncle Larry set himself on fire- a story for another time. They weren't home and a quick call on the cell later and we were meeting them at the local watering hole. At 4pm on a Monday. OK. We walked into the bar, which was less of a bar and more of a cinder block outhouse that served alcohol, and Aunt Nina greeted us in her Marge's sister voice and asked if we'd like something to drink "...but all they got is beer." I ordered a Sprite and after some quick catching up with my aunt and uncle, Lisa and I went to the less smokey part of the bar to play bar video games while my Mom and Aunt Nina discussed my Gmommy's current state of health and living arrangements. It was all so bizarre. We stayed for a while and then laughed all the way home over the strangeness of my family.
Lisa had to go home Tuesday. I was sad to see her go and can't wait for her to come visit again!

Rock it and Cross em

Just a quick post to let y'all know that:
a) we're having a fabulous time and laughing so much.
b) be sure to get out and vote tomorrow.
c) please cross your fingers for us. My FIL is up for re-election tomorrow. He's a cheif justice and if he doesn't win they may have to move as it would be difficult for him to practice law in the county he presided over for so many years. We're all on edge!

Our first house guest

At the new house will be Lisa! She's on the plane right now on her way down for a few days. We're going to have a ball!