Chemenn, Jeff & Lincoln’s world

When I called my mom on Mothers’ Day, I told her “Happy Mother’s Day!”, she said “You Too!”…… What? Oh right, I am a mother. It’s not that I forget that I have a child or anything. It’s just that it’s always been my mom’s day. Not mine. But now it is, it’s every woman’s day. Every mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, etc.

So today’s thoughts are to express how grateful I am for my mother. All of the pictures are of my mom and Lincoln, cause those are the ones I think are most precious.

1. I am grateful for my mom’s patience. I did not inherit that. I am more like my dad. I do think I am patient with my son, and I am like that because of how my mother is patient with me.

2. I am grateful that my mom listens. I am far away from my mom, so I call often. Through the ups and downs she is always there for me. She let’s me vent. Which I probably do way too often.

3. I am grateful for my mom’s eyes.  Because my mom has beautiful eyes, my son has beautiful eyes, and I love people telling me how gorgeous his eyes are.

4. I am grateful for my mom’s talents. I still remember my mom playing the piano for us, making cloths, making dolls, crafts, she made EVERYTHING. She has impeccable style and taste and I’d like to think a small percentage rubbed off on me. Just a small one. I can color coordinate, although I still can’t tell the difference between 20 colors of white like she can.

5. I am so grateful for the memories I have of the small things. The way I smile at Lincoln, I think of my mom smiling at me when I was young. The way I get Lincoln ready for bed, I think of mom. When I feed, bathe, snuggle and tickle my son, I know that’s how my mom was with me.

6. Above all, I’m grateful for my mom’s love. Never in my life, no matter how many times I heard “you’ll understand when you have a kid”, did I realize the kind of love you have for your child. Overwhelming enough that you would do anything for him, you would do anything just to see him smile. You would do anything to protect him. When I think of this indescribable love for my son, I understand how my mom felt about me and all my brothers and sisters.

Thanks for being the mom you are that allows me to be the mom I am. Which I don’t think is half bad. I love you with all that I am.

Phew…on a lighter note…. here is a funny picture of my mom on a camel.

Not really……

Hey Mom & Dad, I know I didn’t get a law degree, but I did get my picture on a photo booth in Japan 3 miles from the Imperial Palace. Impressed? nah, just kind of funny.

Jeff’s friend David is in Japan and saw this so he  took a couple of pictures and emailed them over.

UPDATED: Some people have asked how I got my picture in Tokyo, MSN & the Washington Post. About 6 or 7 years ago, I did a photo shoot for stock photography. It’s not really modeling, at least not fashion modeling. I got a whopping 100 bucks for it and different companies can buy a package with 100 different people’s pictures on it and use them for whatever they want. I’m just glad it hasn’t been anything too embarrassing yet.

Congrats to Jeff. 3 years of Law school. 19 years of school? That wasn’t so bad now was it? I’m proud of you honey.

Here we all are at Graduation. Jeff’s parents and sister drove up from El Paso to support him.

(click to enlarge)

 I admit when I saw him at this point, I cried. What an accomplishment. I just can’t say it enough how proud I am.

 Here is Robin walking with Lincoln.

 How do I look? Jeff called it his chef boyardee hat.

 Congrats to Peter as well!!

 After the ceremony we asked Jeff what he wanted to do. He said all he wanted was to have a burger and shake with his family. Easy enough.

Later that night, Jeff’s parents took us to a really nice dinner to celebrate.

Part two of our post-graduation journey brought us to New Orleans - the Big Easy.  While downtown and the French Quarter are back in business, many other parts of town are still feeling the affects of Katrina.  It was a sobering and exciting place. I loooooved the French Quarter. I can see why people would want to live there. Which come to find out a lot of stars do. It’s very European and reminded Jeff of Poland. The streets are very narrow and everything is very close together. I felt like I was on Main Street at Disneyland times 100! Stupid I know, but that’s what happens when you go to Disneyland first.

We stayed in a hotel in the French Quarter and walked around a ton. We ate Po’ Boy sandwhiches, french doughnets (biegnets), and lot’s of Creole food. Everything there is deep fried. We went on a walking history tour and learned a lot about the city’s history. I highly recommend visiting New Orleans.

(Click on pictures to enlarge)

  St. Louis Cathedral.

 Pirates Alley.

  Us at the fountain in Jackson Square.

 Jeff and Lincoln goofing off.  Andrew Jackson in the background.

 Bourbon Street.

  Royal Street.

  Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie House. Brad wasn’t home, I really wanted to ask him what he was thinking when he made the movie Troy.

Other street scenes.

Jeff and I decided we needed to take a break after finals. Jeff obviously needed it more than I did. We headed down to Gulf Shores, Alabama to stay a couple of nights. It was still off season so we got a killer deal on a condo rental. (I highly recommend staying at a condo rather than a motel/hotel) This was the first time for all of us to visit the Gulf of Mexico.  We had a blast and of course had so much fun with little man on the beach.

We stumbled upon a yacht dealership while walking around and tried to see if anyone would actually think we were looking to buy one. Not so much. But we talked one of the deck hands into taking a picture of us on one of the “smaller” boats.

(Click to Enlarge)

  At a rest stop in Alabama.

  This is a picture from the balcony of the condo we stayed at - right above the pool.

  One of my favorite shots of Lincoln on the beach.

 Walking on the beach.

 Future Hallmark card.

These were taken on the beach and around the condo area:

These were taken around the place where we found the yacht dealership:

I’m just getting back from a long drive from our trip (pictures coming soon) so my brain is a bit sloshy.

History. History has always been one of my best subjects, at least one of my favorites. Thank goodness for recorded books and pictures. European history is, of course, much older- but there is so much to know and learn in our own country. We went to New Orleans this week and it was more fascinating then I ever imagined it would be. When Jeff and I visit places and learn about the history, I always ask him, “don’t you wish we could just go back in time?” Usually he just shruggs and says “I guess”. 

Historians. How amazing that somebody makes this a full time job so that I can learn what I learn.

Armadillos. I had never seen one before. But driving through Alabama I saw 10! Of course they were on thier backs on the side of the road. But I have now seen one. Jeff told me for a split second he thought of getting one and having it stuffed. What the? Probably shouldn’t have said that, Dad will never let that one go. Anyways, they are interesting and I couldn’t help but think what God was thinking when he came up with that one.

Today i’m doing my Thursday thoughts because yesterday our internet was being goofy. Honest. So by the time it was too late to do my “Thursday thoughts” on Thursday, it was Friday and I was pretty torked at the internet.

Jeff is done with Law school!! woohoo.  He finished his last final yesterday afternoon. 3 years sounded like a long time when we started, but for me I guess it kind of went fast. Maybe not for Jeff.  [Jeff's Comment:  it was the longest three years of my life].  So for the next few weeks before he has to start studying for the bar he is all MINE!

Neil Diamond. Neil Diamond makes me happy. I grew up listening to him, doing parachute dances in elementary school to his songs. I’ve had a good week with him being on American Idol and on the Today Show this morning. Back in college a friend brought me along with his family to see Neil Diamond in concert. He coundn’t get over how I knew every song and cried along with all the middle aged woman swooing over him. Love it.

Twix. I looooooove Twix, and my friend Becca gave me a big pack of them yesterday for my b-day. Which was back in February. Truth is, she loves me more than I thought because they sat in her house for 2 months without being eaten. True friendship right there.

Here is little man walking. Enjoy!

Today has been a good day. It was beautiful weather and Nashville is getting greener by the second. I talked to my friend Kristie in Cleveland who I miss like mad. Lincoln is walking now and it’s the coolest thing ever. I never thought seeing my son walk would affect me the way it does. I’m just so proud! On with my 3 things that make I’m happy/grateful about!

1. The Internet. What was the world like without it again? My parents are visiting Petra. For those who don’t know, it’s that awesome temple in “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”. Which i’m sickly jealous about. The internet allows me to talk to my dad back and forth quoting dumb Indiana Jones lines.  Plus while Lincoln is napping this is where I spend my time. On the computer. For some reason I feel less guilty doing this than sitting on the couch watching t.v. At least my fingers are getting exercise.

2. I’m so grateful for parks. Nashville has the most amazing parks. There is seriously one at every corner, and each one is so unique and different. Kids are usually always happy. Parents can usually sit back and relax. Notice I said “Usually”.  Parks make me happy. It doesn’t make me quite as mad to know tax money is going to something so wonderful.

3. LOST. Because it’s finally on again tonight.

While Jeff is doing finals, I usually rent lots of movies. After I put Lincoln down for bed, I usually get pretty bored without Jeff. This is of course when I decide to rent the classics, cause generally Jeff doesn’t like them as much. I decided to rent A Streetcar Named Desire. Mmmmmmmmm. It was a good movie. Interesting. I couldn’t help but be distracted by the thought of what people back in the fifties thought when they saw this movie. I mean….it disturbed me to a point, I wonder how my Grandma reacted. Anyways…I am a huge Vivien Leigh fan so I always wanted to see it. Marlon Brando is a great actor as well. So good in fact, that most of what I have seen him in makes me hate his character. He is that good. You can go HERE if you want to learn more about it, I won’t give away the story too much. It did surprise me, it wasn’t what I thought it would be. Needless to say, I now understand this Seinfeld episode a whole lot more now.

I realize that a lot of you are probably way ahead of me on this.