I Fell in Love With A Girl

About 16 years ago I found out I was pregnant. I had a son and my husband had been told that he couldn't have children. We decided that we would buy a house and we'd tackle the baby thing later. The day before my husband was scheduled for surgery, we found out that he didn't need it.


During my pregnancy I was petrified I would have a daughter. I was okay with a boy, but girls are, well, moody and emotional. I was raised to believe that you couldn't be moody or emotional. My mother was a tough cookie. She tolerated no whining, crying, or feelings typical of girls.


I found out I was going to have a girl and was petrified. Would she and I battle like my mother and I ? Would she resent me? Could I be a positive role model for her? Would she hate me?


We've had a rocky road, my daughter and I. We're really really different people. I lack the patience I think some little girls need. But, we keep working on it. We're getting much better. A relationship is evolving that really is beautiful.



Yes, we argue. She's 15, I'm her mother, it's inevitable. But, we're becoming friends. She is realizing that I was once a girl, 15 years old. Not so long ago I went to the same school that she now goes.

Homecoming was this past Saturday. She went with a group of girls, but no dates. Her and her girlfriends are confident enough to realize that they can enjoy a school dance without needing a boy to escort them. They make their own fun.



She and I shopped and shopped for just the right dress and shoes (hers are the middle pair). It was a painful but wonderful experience. We tried on clothes and laughed. We looked at clothes and argued. We went from store to store, mall to mall. It was exhausting. But we found it, the perfect Homecoming Dress.


I'm trying to teach her to choose clothes that flatter HER body, not what looks good on a hanger. I'm teaching her to take the time to do things right but not to over-do it. She's learning to coordinate an outfit that allows her beauty to shine. She's learning to be self-confident. She learned that her mom can be fun when we spontaneously pierced our cartilages together while shopping at the mall.

My daughter, that little girl that I was petrified to have is amazing in her own right. She makes me proud. To me, she's beautiful. Her smile lights up my world. To me, she was the belle of the ball.

She's mature, she's confident, she's beautiful. She makes me proud to be her mother. She carries herself like a lady and chooses friends that make her a better person. I think she makes them better people as well.

My daughter. I fell in love with a girl and now she's a young woman.

The Letter Q

Now here is a question, a question for you.

Remember the answer begins with a Q.

Just think of a duck, be it white brown or black.

What sound does it make?

Why a duckie goes...

In stores you will find milk in containers of sorts.

But what do you them?

You call these things...

Remember a King in a story you've seen.

To whom was he married?

He's wed to a...

This is one of my favorite all time sesame street segments, so I had to throw it in here.

Some other "Q"'s for you...

Queen The Band

Queen Latifah

Quarter

Quadratic Formula

The Letter Q

Quotes

Quiz

The Post YOU made.

1. what is your favorite color...I know this can change, so what is it now? Currently, my favorite color is white. I know that sounds strange, but it's true. My heart goes pitter pat when I see things that are white. I can't help it.

2. how did you meet your hubby? Originally I met my husband in 7th grade. He was "dating" my dear friend Deanne and I had a mammoth crush on him. His cousin Bobby and I have been best friends for forever, so when Bobby came by in 1991 to show me pictures of his house he just purchased it was no big deal, except there was my husband at my front door. We were married almost 5 months to the day after that.

3. what do you want to be when you grow up? I either wanted to be a journalist or a teacher. I grew up to be neither.

4.if you could go anywhere and money wasn't an issue where would you go and with whom? If I could go anywhere, I would want to travel the United States on the back of a Harley Davidson. No schedule, no plan, just free. I would love to say that I would love to go with my husband, but I don't think it would be something he would enjoy. So, I guess I don't know who would be the perfect travel partner.

5. You said you are your own boss. What kind of work are you in? Is it a home business? Is that too nosy? :) Not too nosy. I said ask me anything. Currently we own a printing company. I do the operations end of things while my husband handles the manufacturing portion. I would love to get out of this business and we've even talked about it. We're talking about moving to another state and starting over. But, with kids it's not quite that easy. We'll see, perhaps we still will.

6. Have you ever laughed so hard that you thought you may actually fall down with the effort and if so why and when?

This is a GREAT question. LOL. For me it is. I am a crazy laugher. (is that a word) If I am in a mood and something sets me off I have laughed beyond physical control. I do it all the time. Sometimes even a thought in my mind can set me off. My husband doesn't laugh very often and he doesn't get this about me at all. So yes, I have laughed till I cried, I have laughed till I fell down, I've even laughed till I peed my pants. LOL

7. What's the best purchase under $100 you've ever made? Goodness this is probably the most difficult question I have gotten. I am not even sure what to say. When I look back over my life and the memories and things that have made a difference in who I am today, I cannot say that anything I purchased stands out in my mind. Except for one. 10 years ago I purchased the nicotine patch and quit smoking for good. Probably the smartest thing I've ever done for my health.

8. What is your favorite vacation place? Don't laugh, but I've never been one to vacation. We didn't really do much when I was a child and I haven't vacationed as an adult either. I've been to Las Vegas, but that's my biggest travel. If I could plan the vacation of my dreams...I would vacation in Nantucket ride bikes, go for long walks, stay in a cottage, be on a beach.

9. What is your favorite childhood memory? Okay, this is tough for me. But, the best memory I have that effects my life today is when my mother forced me to walk 3 doors down to the house of the family that just moved in, toting my ants in the pants game where I asked Lorinda to play with me. She and I were 6 years old and we're still friends today.

10. What inspired your blog name? I did post about this, but I'll sum it up. I love cottages. I love the small, intimate setting and the history and love that I feel from them. I love olive, the color as well as what the olive represents. In my heart, The Olive Cottage means The Hope House. This is truly what I would love to give myself and my family.

11. most embarrassing moment. Goodness - I have so many that I can't imagine which I should choose. The one I'll give you is the one that I get made fun of the most for. Forever ago we were getting our first computer from Gateway delivered via UPS. I was so excited and so anxious that I had been waiting for days on end. So one day I heard the UPS truck coming round the corner and I decided to hurry up to see if he was bringing me my computer. I rounded the corner, hit the first step, and flew down 14 stairs and slammed into the front door. The UPS Man was standing there patiently waiting was quite mortified to see me through the glass panes in the door, but he had my computer. LOL. I sprained my ankle but did manage to reach up and open the door for him. From that day forward he would beep the horn as he rounded the corner so I never felt the need to "rush" to greet him again. My family reminds me of this day very often.

12. what is polyester made of? I haven't got a clue.

The Post that is Yours

Okay, so I'm not secretive (really).

But, I've noticed that it's fun to learn about other people.

People seem to like learning about me too.

So, here's what I am giving ya.

Give me a question. Ask me anything.

I will answer all the questions in one post.

So, go ahead, ask me anything.

5 - Words

Betty did a very cool post with 5 words.

She gave me 5 words.

1. Halloween...I'm not a fan of Halloween. I love the decorations, but I have issues with it. I am not a fan of dressing up in costumes that are scary. I don't like things that involved satan in anyway. Now, I know that I'm reaching and it doesn't have to, but it's just the struggles in my heart and head that I'm talking about. We do Halloween. We don't do scary. I'm more of a fun gal. I adore white pumpkins, candles, candy corn, corn mazes, autumn colors, and I do enjoy a scary movie here and there. I don't like trick or treating, but I do it. Confused? Me too. LOL.

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2. Health...I am struggling with my health. I have issues. I'm working on those issues. Trying to decide what is and is not going to change the reality of my situations is where I am currently struggling. I want to be medication free. For the first time in 9 years I am, except for the heart meds I now have to take. The one thing I regret is not putting a higher priority on my health. But, I hope to change this and make me a priority. Healthcare? I could go there, but I won't. Too many strings attached. But, know this. I don't know or understand all the ins and outs, but being self-employed means that finding healthcare is difficult to impossible. I pay out of pocket for each visit and expense. I cannot afford to be very sick. Okay, 'nuf said.

3. Boss. Well, that's me - I am the boss. It's an icky j0b. But, I guess I would not like my boss if I had to report to one of those either. Being the owner of a business is difficult, messy, frustrating, and there is a reward factor too. Given this economy I'm not sure whether it's better to be the boss or the employee. But, for today, I'm the boss and on certain days I'm sure I get pounded into the ground by my employees.

Added - 09.23.09

I own printing company, my partner is my husband. We print forms and letters, letterheads, business cards (you get the picture). This is not the job i would choose for myself, nor did I ever want to be involved in this industry. Unfortunately the choices were made for me and here I am. My heart and spirit and mind are much more creaitve than this job. Someday I hope
to be the "silent" partner.

4. Decorating...My love for decorating is endless. I love so many styles and colors that I could scream. I love to learn, to do, to look at decor too. HGTV is one of my very favorite channels in the world. I actually prefer to look at decorating magazines over style magazines. Never thought I would or could say that, but it's true.

5. Music...I am a music junkie. I love music all day everyday. I have the biggest capacity i-pod available and I'm always adding new songs and making new playlists. I am horrible as I love so many genres of music. I can't say that I have a favorite genre or artist though. Music fills my soul each day, and my soul's requirements are never the same. Some songs always make you want to dance, some songs make you want to sing along, some songs make your hair stand on end, some make you cry and some make you smile. I honestly have been thinking about giving up television completely and only having music. I'm not quite ready to take that plunge and hubby might take me down if I try. But, music is passion. Music gives us something that no other entertainment industry has the ability to. I love it, I need it, I can't get enough of it.

So, if you'd like 5 words, just mention it in my comments and I'll send them off to ya.

P is for...

a Pantry door

Porky the Pig

Petunia the Pig

Pansies

More Pansies

Panda Bears

the book of Proverbs

a Promise

You can be and love the Princess

dance and sing like PRINCE

my most favorite store in the world...Potterybarn

You should always be POSITIVE

There's the planet Pluto

And of course, the Puppy Pluto

A Platypus

Pistachios

Pirates

Pink, the color

Pickles

Pennywise the Clown

Piles of Pennies

Penguins

Peaches

Peace

Patrick Swayze in Ghost

Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing

Patience, difficult but rewarding.

Parachutes - beautiful and graceful

Paddleboats

There is ms. Pac-Man

And of course, original Pac-Man