Happy Birthday to You!

Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you! On Friday Steve is 42! Happy Happy Birthday to you, my Superman! Thanks for the help, Dr. Seuss.

Steve's due date was originally Christmas day, just like Serena's! In honor of Dad, the first three letters of Serena's name are her daddy's initials, SER. Incidentally, I am named after my Pops as well....Jami Leann/James Leo.

Birthdays are special and important around here. It's a time to celebrate the wonderful life of our family members, and thank God that they were born and placed right here with us.

My dad shared a special poem with us tonight at the Thanksgiving table...it was written by a blind 16 year old girl way back in 1966 to her father on his 42nd birthday. He wasn't sure where this man and his daughter are now, but has kept this poem for a long time. Here it is:

Forty-Two

Forty Two! Forty Two!

I really don't believe it's true.

No longer a babe, no longer a child.

No longer a teenager cocky and wild.

You're no longer sixteen or twenty-one;

No longer thirty- nine or forty-one.

You're now an ancient forty-two!

I really don't believe it's true.

Cheer up dad; don't look so sad.

Forty-two is not that bad.

The older you are, the wiser you get,

Then why all this worry, why all this fret?

We're proud to have a dad like you,

So what if you are forty-two?

God's been good to you all these years;

He's guided you, strengthened you, calmed your fears.

You're also much older in the Lord;

His grace to you He hath outpoured.

We love you for what you are, dear Dad;

You're the greatest anyone ever had.

May God bless you and keep, and in Him may you grow;

His love and mercy may He upon you bestow.

All our love to you, dear Dad,

Being forty-two is not so bad.

Signed, Your loving daughter in Christ, Sharry

September 26, 1966

Happy Birthday also to Tina Arrowood, who shares her b-day with Steve!

Thankful for Everything...

As we go around the dinner table during the blessing, Serena always says the same thing..."Thank you Jesus for this food, and everything else!" We ask her, "everything? really? even spiders?" She insists that she is just thankful for everything, so we leave it at that.
I am not thankful for spiders or anything creepy, that's for sure!
In a way, I get what she means about this "everything" concept. I'm thankful for "everything" too, because I would have nothing and be nothing without God. Since He provides me with my "everything", then I guess I am thankful for all of it, good and bad. He has made the good good and the bad good too. Oh, that could be a really cool rap lyric, don't you think? The good good,the bad good,dooby dooby doo....word to your mama or whatever.

I am thankful for so many things, but basically I am just grateful to wake up breathing and to find that those I love have done the same. I am grateful that when my feet hit the floor, they know how to walk! I have a warm home, a vehicle, gas in the tank, food in the cupboards, family and friends I love dearly, a fuzzy dog who thinks I am royalty, and the gift of a fairly normal life. I have a husband who provides for our family, takes care of us when we're sick, works hard, loves the Lord, and loves us unconditionally. Oh, yeah. I'm especially thankful for him.

I also know that if any of those situations were to change, I would still be grateful, and I'm thankful for that hope and promise that God has placed in me.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving...may all your waistbands stretch to capacity and may all your post-dinner snoring be blessed. I hope your football team wins, and there is a pie with your name on it. May your in-laws hug you and eat your salad. Long story.....

Nose-Nippin' Weather

Oh, I know what you're saying...yuck! Winter already? Well, for me, winter brings out the fun in my kids and even Sophie, our precious dog. On Monday afternoon about 4:30, the snow was coming down in big beautiful flakes. I called the girls up from the basement to see it.
They ran to the biggest window and cheered, jumping up and down. They then ran to put on their outdoor gear, and flew out the door. I quickly grabbed my camera and the closest shoes to the door--my slippers. I followed them out to the deck, where Serena threw herself down and made a snow angel! Natalie did as she always has done. She ran out into the snow, mouth wide open, tongue reading to catch the flakes. Oh, the smiles and the laughter! It was music to my ears! They had their traditional snow fight, which usually ends with both of their glasses covered in snow, hats off, and giggling uncontrollably. Part of the giggling is always me! Someone usually yells "time out", then proceeds to fill the other one's face with snow. No one seems to mind at all. Now where is our 12 year old fluffy dog in all of this? Running and dipping her big black nose into the snow, then flinging her head back up! Her back is covered, her face is covered, and she hops like a rabbit, only stopping to bite the snow again. When she was younger and more energetic, she thought it was fun to grab my gloves right off my hands and run with them. I miss that! I still see a little bit of puppy in her aging body, and I cherish it as we all do.
Natalie always "writes" a big message in the snow outside the kitchen window for me to see. This time it said simply, "Hi Mom!" Serena carried her dad's funnel outside and began making mini igloos with it. While I watched her, I flashed back to when she was 3, and loved to do that very thing. Quiet, contemplative, and determined, she would take her time shaping that snow while her little cheeks turned pink. Her eyes look even bluer in the snow.
See, when your kids start to get older and don't play with "toys" much anymore, you don't get to see them "play" like they used to. When my kids are outside in the snow, they are like little girls again, being silly and free. I get the benefit of knowing they're not too old to play just yet.
So, before you start dissing winter, remember, it is a magical time for kids! Nothing thrills them more than fresh falling snow followed by cookies and cocoa from mom. It's a time when I can bundle them up, watch them waddle like toddlers, then stuff them with goodies when they come back inside.
Our play will advance this year to include skiing, tubing, and skating, and that will be fun too. But it's really just a simple snowfall that I will look forward to the most this season.

Where are the photos, you ask? Well, I'm working on that.... a computer genius I am not.

Weight a Minute!

My doc told me today to lose weight! Duh, I know! She told me that possibly some of the issues I'm dealing with are related to my excess weight. HMMM....ya think? I gave her a good reply. Nope. I don't exercise much. I don't always eat right. However, I AM working on my self-control. Blank look and a scribble on my medical chart-"delusional and mentally unstable.."
No, I'm really just kidding, but I was so relieved to have someone I trust speak truth to me. People who love me lie to me. I get that, but helloooooo, I don't want to die of heart disease and diabetes here. Give it to me straight, I can take it. I laugh when I say that, really, because no one can really influence you if you don't want to be influenced! If someone speaks the truth to you and you're not ready to hear it or you don't acknowledge it, you are in deep doo doo for sure!
I already have the power of self-control within me. I now have to exert it. That can only be done by me and God alone.
So, here's my experiment, and feel free to give it a whirl. I want to know what it feels like to be hungry, really hungry. My body is so used to getting multiple snacks that it doesn't know what hunger feels like. From now on, I will wait for my body to tell me it is hungry, then I will eat. No more taking cues from TV commercials for KFC, ads for donuts, snacks at every church function, or anyone else's influence for that matter.
I will find out for myself what I am made of. This is not willpower at all. This is just healthy, smart thinking. I don't need willpower. I need a true application of self-control.
I am an overweight woman on a mission. This could get ugly. Maybe I'll do it on a weekend.....

Thoughts from Max to make you think!

Here is a great devotion from God Came Near by Max Lucado. Our Wednesday night mentor group is studying the book of John. This was found in our study guides. I know it will make you think! I've read it to my daughters and they want to hear it again and again. It makes Jesus very real to them and to me. I hope it does the same for you....

"It all happened in a moment, a most remarkable moment. As moments go, that one appeared no different than any other. If you could somehow pick it up off the timeline and examine it, it would look exactly like the ones that have passed while you have read these words. It came and it went. It was preceded and succeeded by others just like it. It was one of the countless moments that have marked time since eternity became measurable.
But in reality, that particular moment was like none other. For through that segment of time a spectacular thing occurred. God became a man. While the creatures of the earth walked unaware, Divinity arrived. Heaven opened herself and placed her most precious one in a human womb.
The omnipotent, in one instant, made himself breakable. He who had been spirit became piercable. He who was larger than the universe became an embryo. And he who sustains the world with a word chose to be dependent upon the nourishment of a young girl.
God as a fetus. Holiness sleeping in a womb. The creator of life being created.
God was given eyebrows, elbows, two kidneys and a spleen. He stretched against the walls and floated in the amniotic fluid of his mother.
God had come near.
He came, not as a flash of light or as an unapproachable conqueror, but as one whose first cries were heard by a peasant girl and a sleepy carpenter. The hands that first held him were unmanicured, calloused, and dirty.
No silk. No ivory. No hype. No party. No hoopla.
Were it not for the shepherds, there would have been no reception. And were it not for a group of star-gazers, there would have been no gifts.
Angels watched as Mary changed God's diaper. The universe watched with wonder as The Almighty learned to walk. Children played in the street with him. And had the synagogue leader in Nazareth known who was listening to his sermons...
For thirty-three years he would feel everything you and I have ever felt. He felt weak. He grew weary. He was afraid of failure. He was susceptible to wooing women. He got colds, burped, and had body odor. His feelings got hurt. His feet got tired. And his head ached.
To think of Jesus in such a light is - well, it seems almost irreverent, doesn't it? It's not something we like to do; it's uncomfortable. It is much easier to keep the humanity out of the incarnation. Clean the manure from around the manger. Wipe the sweat out of his eyes. Pretend he never snored or blew his nose or hit his thumb with a hammer.
He's easier to stomach that way. There is something about keeping him divine that keeps him distant, packaged, predictable.
But don't do it. For heaven's sake, don't. Let him be as human as he intended to be. Let him into the mire and muck of our world. For only if we let him in can he pull us out."

Courtesy of Max Lucado- God Came Near

I'm back now......
I don't know about you, but as I read that, I had an incredible feeling of joy and comfort. I was moved to read it to my girls and I watched their eyes as I read. They had pie eyes in a couple spots. Jesus burping? Wow! It made Jesus so real for them. As my girls are growing, they are questioning many things in a new way. This devotion made it easy for me to explain how God truly understands how they feel!

Be blessed~!

Future Posts

Hey, I finally started using my Nikon D60 and I love it! However, downloading pics is a little more confusing, so here's a tease until I figure it out.......

Future blog topics:

Our October anniversary trip to Grand Mountain Lodge and Spa!

Autumn Splendor at the Rogers' resort

Steve and Natalie with "their" 6 point buck on opening day!

Coming soon....don't miss it!

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday, Dear Mom-o
Happy Birthday to you!

And many more...........

Helping Others

Okay, Mary, here are some of my ideas...we've done some of these in the past.

Pack a big basket of goodies and leave it on a needy family's doorstep. Don't let them know it was you!

Pay for a stranger's lunch...especially someone with kids!

Work in a soup kitchen....my mom has thoroughly enjoyed that

Adopt a family and provide gifts....you can do this as a family or in a big group of friends.

Send them gift cards anonymously, so they don't feel indebted to you

Go caroling to their doorstep and leave them a special family gift...a wreath, an ornament, cookies...

Do the coats for kids and coats for adults too

I love buying gifts from the share trees....so fun to pick a child who just wants boots. Sad too.

Offer to drive them to dr. appointments then put some gas in their car while they're inside

give them the gift of a hot meal every Tuesday (or whatever day) for a year!

I once stood behind a lady I knew from town at the grocery store. She was buying things for her kids to come over. She ran out of money, so left some of her items behind. As she left, I told the clerk to ring them up on mine. I then delivered the items anonymously to her doorstep. I am not telling you that to brag myself up, but it is something God laid on me to do. Had I not been paying attention, we would have missed an opportunity to love someone else in that way. Don't miss out!!


These are small but very significant ways that you can help others. I promise you will feel more blessed than they do. It doesn't always take money. Most of the time it's just TIME. However, if you feel a pull to just give someone money, do it. It may be God's way of helping you fill someone else's need. In fact, I know it is!

Have a thankful and Blessed Thanksgiving and Christmas. Don't forget to wish every clerk in the store a Merry Christmas. I may even wear a button that says,
"IT'S OKAY TO WISH ME A MERRY CHRISTMAS!" Gotta love that one!
Thanks, Mary for continuing to plant the seeds of giving in your blogs. It is so important to remember that every day of the year.

Friends in All Places

"There is a definite process by which one makes people into friends, and it involves talking to them and listening to them for hours at a time". - Rebecca West, Writer

"People should have more than one best friend."- Jami Rogers, aspiring writer

I have more than one best friend. I know, that kind of kills the meaning of the word "best", but that would mean I am elevating someone above another. The truth is, no two of my friends are alike! I have one who is extremely caring and thoughtful, one who makes me laugh uncontrollably every time we talk, one I've had since grade school who totally knows me, and one I've known a short time and it feels like we've known each other forever. I have more, but you get the idea. I get something different but just as valuable from each one.
For me to say to you, "hey, friend, meet my best friend so and so", what does that tell you? Well, if you're someone trying to make a close connection with me, it could put you off a little. Maybe make you feel like you can't get your foot in the door at all. Maybe you're looking for a best friend and I just scared you off. I don't know. I just don't want someone to think they are second best, so I will not use that term anymore. To be honest, it is a high schoolish term in a way and I feel silly saying it, even about my oldest friend, Patty.

Maybe a better term is "close friend", and perhaps you feel you'd have a chance at being that-no competition at all! It's okay to have a "Patty". Someone you've been friends with since childhood and will grow into old ladies together, but I realize Patty has other best friends too and that's cool with me. In fact, I don't think she even refers to me or anyone else as her "best" friend. We have that in common too, I guess. I want to be open to new friendships, but they have to be real. To be real, it takes time talking and listening, and frankly, there isn't a lot of time for that sometimes.

I don't collect friends like bottle caps. I may like a person and share with them, but maybe being true friends just isn't going to happen for one reason or another. Maybe we will be acquaintances instead. That's okay. I believe friendships are built on time, trust, and a true interest in getting to know that person. Time, time, time. Love=time.

I believe the saying that you don't need a ton of friends....you only need one or two really close ones. It's not quantity, it's quality.
May your life be blessed with REAL friends!!

Veteran's Day

I could say a lot about our armed forces, but all I can tell you is that when I see soldiers (former and current) marching in parades, on TV, in the newspaper.....when I see yellow flags or the American flag, I am speechless and I just cry......

THANK YOU VETERANS, THANK YOU ARMED FORCES...

AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!

A Hunting they will go.....

Steve loves to hunt, fish, and do all that "guy" stuff most guys like....he'll be all scruffy, smelly, and encased in flame orange this weekend, obsessed with getting the "big one".
This is a time of freedom for all men....no showers, no shaving, napping whenever they want, ignoring their women unless they're talking 'deer', and passing gas like a sailor. Don't forget all the munchies and extra money spent on "equipment".
I think Tim Allen's "man" grunt will be heard 'round the world this Saturday on opening day of rifle season. My husband's will be among the loudest.
I'm not a hunter, but I have female friends who hunt. I have absolutely no desire! I have a sweet, soft-spoken friend who hunts bear! You go, girl! I guess maybe it has something to do with my aversion to wild game. Sorry all you venison fans, I never developed a taste for it! I will eat the sausage, but that's about it. Any extra meat we get is given to friends and family so it won't go to waste.
I wish you hunters all a safe and prosperous hunting season. I will be inside drinking hot cocoa and watching movies!!

It's You I Like...Just the Way You Are

I should have known my last name would be "Rogers" one day. My favorite show as a kid was "Mr Rogers' Neighborhood". I loved Mr. Rogers- that sweater-wearing, shoe-changing, fish-feeding, soft-talking gentleman. When he sang "It's You I Like", I felt he was singing it right to me, a little girl who needed to hear that all the time.
People like to make fun of Mr. Rogers, especially Eddie Murphy, who parodied him all the time on SNL. I was particularly protective of him, like you would be a favorite uncle, Grandpa, or father. Even into adulthood, watching with my girls, I was mesmerized by his unique way of speaking to children and relating to them. Many adults back then just didn't know how to do that, so it really stood out to me. He was a minister and a great family man. His character was real, unlike many of the characters on TV today. He was a father figure to children growing up without dads, a pretty big role to fill.
I loved Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, and now I have my own Mr. Rogers to love. He doesn't wear cardigans and he never feeds the fish, but he likes me. Just the way I am.

Batman Wears Pink

Here's another Adams Street house story I won't soon forget. Sorry about this, Steve. Here ya go, Misty.....

I was upstairs in bed, reading, and Steve was taking a shower downstairs. The girls were probably 4 and 6 at the time, and were tucked in for the night. So there I am enjoying my quiet reading time, and something flew out of nowhere and dipped right over my head! No warning, of course. I immediately threw the covers up over my head and started yelling for Steve. "STEEEEEEEVE!! THERE'S A BAT UP HERE IN THE BEDROOM!! HEEEEELLLLLPPP!!" I'm not brave when it comes to bats and I don't care what you think of that.
Well, I could hear him yelling back "WHAT??" or at least that's what I thought I was hearing. I kept on yelling, "BAT...UP HERE...HELP ME!" He kept on yelling "WHAT?" or that's what I thought anyway. That, and a few other choice thoughts too.
So I finally ran out of air and had to peek out to see where the bat went and noticed it was gone. Of course, I didn't go check on my kids, who were probably being eaten alive and going rabid at that time. I just shut the door and waited. And waited. And waited. Finally, I heard major banging noises from downstairs and I gathered that the bat had just said hello to Steve.

Finally, he came upstairs, opened the door and there he stood. Batman. (Music swells)
Yes, my brave husband stood there, outside the bedroom door. Tennis racquet in one hand, other hand holding up his bath towel, a little pink and white striped number that was too small. I wanted to laugh at first, but thought maybe I'd better ask what happened downstairs first.
I said, "Didn't you hear me yelling?"
With a little condescending tone, he says, "Uh, yeah..I was in the shower!"
"Didn't you hear me yelling "bat"?"
"Yes, I heard you many times and I kept saying, "I know!" and you just kept yelling "bat"!!

Oops, I guess he wasn't saying "what?" after all. He then explained how hard it is to be Batman while wearing your wife's bath towel. He was just a swingin' that racquet, running from room to room, opening doors to the outside, all while trying to hold that pink towel on.
My Batman is so brave, dontcha think??

P.S

I saw a great marquee at the Methodist church in Midland today....



NEW PRESIDENT..............SAME GOD


Thought it was very cool and wanted to share that with you.

A Party in the Works!

No, it's not the democratic or republican party, and aren't we glad about that? I am blogging between party planning this week. On Saturday, I am hosting my parents' 40th anniversary party! Most of us kids and grandkids will be here and we are looking forward to it. It's a lot of planning! I've been looking all over for pretty cake napkins and plates and I can't find just the right ones. I'm a little fussy... Anyway, I discovered, quite by accident, that 40th anniversaries are represented by the color "ruby" or red, for you guys out there.
This is after I had already planned the color scheme and ordered the cake from Robaire's. Don't worry, I've called them back and red will be on the cake. So many details....
Now for a trip to the flower shop, another run to the grocery store, and a mega-cleaning session and we'll be good to go.
The menu, you ask? This is where it's a little non-traditional....mom and dad love homemade pizza and that's what they requested. No fuss, no bother, no formalities, just our family hanging out cooking and eating pizza, playing games and being ourselves. I think I can dig that.
This is a second marriage for both of my parents, who were both married young and divorced. Technically, I am the only child of their marriage. My siblings and I are "halves", although the word was never allowed in our home growing up. I'm pretty sure they used it on me most of the time. I was stinky and spoiled and had no right to live, of course! Somewhat true today as well, if you ask some of them!
My parents overcame many obstacles, coming from different backgrounds with lots of baggage, trying to raise each other's kids...I can't even imagine. There wasn't Dr. Phil or ministers to talk to about these things back then, you just did what you thought was best and that was that. They've been through some doozies through the years, that's for sure.
The fact that they have stayed together for this many years tells me what love can cover. When you really hunker down and stick together, for better or for worse, you get the blessing of a strong marriage. Not a perfect, trouble-free marriage, but a marriage that can take a lot of pressure and still not crack. A good lesson for anyone who wants to stay married.
Forty years is a long time with one person. It seems we should be celebrating with the finest cuts of whatever is finest, but instead, we'll be slobbering over pizza and toasting our parents with grape juice in plastic champage cups. That's just who they are.
And who I am is proud to be their daughter....Happy Anniversary mom and dad...I love you! May God continue His work in your lives and in your marriage!

Decisions '08

The election is finally over and it's about time. Ya'll know me and my anti-political discussion stance, so you know I am looking forward to hearing folks talking about the weather again. Yes, I care about issues, and I am pretty informed! I will be watching with the rest of you to see what happens to our nation from now on with a new president.
Instead of complaining and moaning about this and that though, we really need to step up and be proactive where we are passionate. We can waste a lot of time and energy feeling frustrated and speaking negatively, and sometimes it feels good to be all fired up. However, if you don't do anything past that, it really becomes just a bunch of hot air! I'm sorry, but I can't stand that. I wish I could tell you why, but that's another story for another day. Maybe.
If I'm angry about abortion issues, it does no good to complain unless I'm pairing it with support of pro-life organizations. Yes, I'm pro-life, but that's all you're getting out of me today!
Whether we like who is in command now or not, we have to come together as a nation and be what America stands for. We are united. No matter what, no matter who, we are united.
My mom used to tell my brother, who was a total rebel, that it didn't matter if he liked his teacher or not, she held the grade book and that was that. I often think of her saying that. She was encouraging us to respect authority, whether we think they're right or wrong. Life isn't fair. Good lesson.

Living in America

I like living here in America. I'm not going to get all "land of the free, home of the brave" on you, but I do appreciate my freedom and I love my country.
With Steve's job at a global company, he has many opportunities to work in other countries, such as India, China, Switzerland, and Germany. Out of those 4, there are only 2 I would even remotely consider if the choice was mine. It is usually a 2 year commitment, so it's really not that long. Right now, it's not in Steve's career path to do that, but most people who are above Steve have worked in other countries, so who knows what the future holds.
As much as I love America, I think I would love it more after living somewhere else!
On this election day, we think of America and its freedoms and we are grateful. EVERY day should be so patriotic if you ask me!

Giving 101

In chapter 6 of Matthew, Jesus tells us how to give to the needy....

"Be careful not to do your acts of righteousness before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your father in Heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you they truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

Amen to that. I enjoy giving, but I feel even more blessed when I do it anonymously!! Give and give again, but don't take the credit. Really, all that we give belonged to God first anyway. We're just giving through Him what was already His to begin with, right??

Enjoy this season of giving, but do it all year long too. It really does come back to you, only I can't tell you why I know that or I'd be giving up my secrets!

Panty Raid on Adams Street

Oh, you're just wondering what this one's about, aren't you? Well, this one's a classic. Here's a story from when we lived on Adams Street in our old house. It was a charming old house, built in 1886, and had little gaps and cracks which sometimes allowed for unwanted "guests" to check in. Here's what happened....

Steve got up early one Saturday morning, with the intention of letting me sleep in while he cared for the girls, who were still little at the time. I knew he'd be down cooking up a great breakfast as he always did on Saturdays, so I snuggled back down to sleep. That lasted about 10 minutes, when I heard a clinking sound coming from my vanity area. I heard it a few times, so I looked over toward where my glass angel sat on the vanity, and it moved! I was sure I saw something brown and fuzzy sitting there, but because I hadn't put my glasses on yet, eveything looked brown and fuzzy. By the time I got my glasses on and looked, it was gone and so was the noise. Of course, I couldn't go back to sleep, so I headed down to the kitchen to tell my husband there was something brown and fuzzy running around our bedroom, knocking over angels. Yeah, I wasn't too confident about that one. Okay, deep breath. "Hey, Honey, I heard a weird noise in our room, so when I looked over, I saw my angel figurine move and I think maybe a chipmunk or something might be up there." Weak smile from me, typical smirk from him. "Uh, okay. Were you fully awake when this chipmunk or something was running around our room?" I couldn't blame him. I had told him many times of weird noises, shadows, maniacs with chainsaws, but something told me this one was for real.
I told him to humor me, and just go check up there. I must have looked pretty pitiful, because he just went up there, no argument at all. Now, I'm sure he laughed all the way up the stairs while rolling his eyes, wondering how I came to be such a bonehead, and why he married me.
A few minutes later, he assured me that his extensive bedroom search yielded nothing. "I checked the closet, under the bed, the windows...there is nothing up there. I promise you." Now, I trust this man with my life, but I still would not go up in the bedroom for the rest of the day. I imagined he walked in there, jumped on the bed a few times, did a little dance, slammed a couple doors, then came back down to eat the bacon.
Now that night, we were watching TV in bed and I didn't hear anything coming from the vanity. I had to admit that maybe I was imagining things and let Steve laugh at me a bit. It was when I turned off the lamp that the action began, and I don't mean that kind of action. We immediately started hearing a clunking noise, which sounded like something pounding from inside a drawer. That was it for me. "I told you!! There's something in here!" Then I flew out of there, shut the door behind me and ran downstairs, leaving him to deal with whatever it was. Serves him right, he should have actually looked when he went up there!
So, I sat there on the couch, listening to some gruesome banging noises coming from our room, and I suddenly had a terrifying thought. What if it was some venomous, vicious critter and it was attacking Steve? No, I didn't go check. He's a big boy and he has life insurance.
It seemed like a long time, but I finally heard him coming down the stairs. There he was, in his underoos, carrying one of my vanity drawers with a board on top of it. I panicked slightly, then asked, "Is there something in there? What is it?" He said, "well, I followed the noises to the drawers and opened each one. When I opened this one, all I saw was a little pink snout, so I hurried up and shut it. I covered it with this board and I'm just going to take it outside."
"A snout?? What on earth has a snout?" I was beyond freaked out. Something with a snout was in my drawer. While I slept in there! Steve had me open the front door, and we both walked out to the front yard, where he dumped the contents of what turned out to be my underwear drawer on the front lawn. Thank God for darkness is all I could think at that point. So, out runs our little unwanted guest, a baby possum, which tore out of the drawer, through my pile of delicates and up the tree in the front yard. We both looked at each other, completely stunned. Did we see what we think we just saw? Are you really out here in your underwear? Is my underwear really all over the front yard? Can anyone see us??
Needless to say, we were in shock over this little panty raider. We laughed like crazy when we told the story to anyone, and it's still fun to tell to this day. We have a theory for how it got in our house. I think I may have actually carried it in in a laundry basket that was outside and full of clean clothes from the clothesline.
I know possums are nasty. One of the ugliest critters around, in fact. However, babies aren't too bad, especially when they're covered in undies!

Stay tuned for "Batman wears pink"......