Karma

One thing I have a difficult time with is...driving with the windows down. There are several reasons for this:

1) I like the air conditioner on;
2) I can't hear on the phone when the wind is whipping my hair around my head;
3) Don't like my hair whipping around my head;
4) I'm afraid the dog might jump out the window;
5) My parents always told me to keep my arm in the car when driving in case there was an accident. If my arm was out the window, my arm might get cut off.

So, as you can infer, I have an issue with the window down in the car! Convertibles are even worse...and we have one!

What does this have to do with Karma...well, my boy LOVES to have the windows down. He is constantly playing with the windows and sticking his arm and face out the window. Now that Marisa has a new car, he hops in the front seat and rolls down the window. I'm in the back seat and can't hardly stand it! I get nervous, really nervous! I run through my repertoire of reasons.

So back to Karma! I'm talking with a friend in the parking lot today. We both get into our cars. I forgot to tell her something and so I roll down my car window. Then, I try to roll up the window. It doesn't go up. I panic! What the heck? I can't drive around downtown Denver or on the highway with a rolled down window! Seriously! I am forced to deal with my 'issue' over a rolled down car window...and it's the dang driver's side window!

I called Danny immediately! He is laughing, "oh, the irony!" I'm yelling, "no, you don't understand!" He said he would take a look at it when I get home. I had to drive around all afternoon with a rolled down window. I had to stop and get gas, too! (For those who know me, well, you know my gas station phobia!)

When I got home, Danny looked at my car. He loves 'projects', so this one was no different. In fact, he took care of it in half an hour. Turns out the cord on the pullies went off track. He fixed it at no cost!!!

He took the innards of the door apart to 'diagnose' the problem.

Ahhh, the cord was off track and the pullies were stuck.

And, voila! The window rolls up! All is right with my world!

Was it Karma? Maybe, most likely, but nothing a Garza and a little elbow grease couldn't fix. Thanks, Danny, thank you mucho!

It's A Jeep Thing

My girl's first car is a Jeep.

She loves it!

It's a 2008 Jeep Patriot. Yes, a 4x4.

She couldn't wait to show it off to her friends!

Nice!

Status Change

Call it what you will, a status change, an adjustment, a shift in power, a tipping of the scale. I don't know at this point, but we have a change in our family that needs some getting used to!

Marisa has her driver's license! Full on, no DMV restrictions, brand new driver's license!

It just so happened that when she tested for her license, the Heavens opened up and decided to rain. The temperature dropped at least 10 degrees. And, I scheduled a hair appointment (a highlight no less!) at the same time. Co-incidence? Not for the hair appointment at least!

I'm thinking this means a third car will be sitting in our driveway soon. I'm also thinking about the increase in our car insurance costs! I'm also thinking I need to budget for additional highlights for the increased gray hairs from worry.

With all this being said, the advantages to another driver in the house are abundant as well. She can driver herself to school (and the Tonster). She can drive herself to her own ortho/dentist appointments (and the Tonster). She can run errands for us! She can get a job! She has the opportunity for more 'grown-up responsibilities'.

Send good thoughts and well-wishes our way if you please. In January, Tony starts driver's education.

Food For Thought

As a facebooker, I see some disturbing quotes for folks to 'like' on their wall pages. Some examples are:

"I hate..."
"I am sick of people..."
"...hard to decide which face to slap..."
"I know an asshole..."
"I don't care..."
"I have a low tolerance..."
"I don't need..."

Get the picture, here? Lot's of 'hate' going on. So, I looked up a few different quotes for the 'hate-quote-likers'. Post these instead, if you dare:

--“There is something to that old saying that hate injures the hater, not the hated.” ~Peace Pilgrim Quotes

--“Fear of something is at the root of hate for others, and hate within will eventually destroy the hater.” ~George Washington Carver

--“Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated.” ~Coretta Scott King

--“It demands great spiritual resilience not to hate the hater whose foot is on your neck, and an even greater miracle of perception and charity not to teach your child to hate.” ~James Arthur Baldwin

My Jewelry Hobby

Well, our plans to go to the mountains for the weekend were thwarted, so I decided to play with beads! I put this hobby on the back burner for a long time and now I'm interested in it again. (I started a fan page on facebook. If you are interested in following, I'll send you a link. Just let me know!)

My space is small, but I make it work.

I keep a journal next to my laptop. I'm constantly writing down 'stuff'' that I find interesting on the web or another blog and such. Today, I didn't move it.

Close up...playing with the 'macro' setting on Marisa's camera.

I did alot today!

Very cool!

Task Supervisor

I can now add 'Task Supervisor' to my resume! A Task Supervisor is the on-site supervisor involved in the day-to-day tasks of a graduate level social work student and provides supervison for that student. I have a 'concentration-year' or 2nd year student with me until May 2011.

Another Day Is Done

My symbolic end to the workday

Colorado's way to say 'good night'

McDowell Clan

I love genealogy! This is a picture of the original photo of the 3 McDowell boys. The parents are William Addison McDowell and Mary Ann Scott. Son Will is the one in the middle. He looks like a successful businessman of the times! Son Bedford is on the right in the black hat. Son Scott is on the left. This photo was taken in the 1880s, either in Mississippi or Tennessee.

Below is one of my favorite portraits of the McDowell Clan. It was taken around 1906, possibly in Mississippi. They are the boys of Bedford Forrest McDowell (on right above) and Rachel Josephine Roberts (daughter of William Francis Roberts and Amanda M. Hollingsworth). My line is from the oldest sibling, Alfred Franklin McDowell.

B.F. & Rachel's boys: oldest is Alfred Franklin (10/3/1887) center; top left is Barney Clyde (4/22/1891); top right is Edwin Clarence (1/16/1893); bottom right is George Richard (8/12/1899); bottom left is Lonnie Hester (2/27/1902); baby is Carl Leonard (2/6/1905).

Football Season

It's the season for chicken wings, pizza, beer, chips & salsa, dips, and bottomless bowls of nuts!

Why in the world would the eaters of this snack not just finish the bowl off? Or, better yet, just dump the remaining nuggets into the trash so a fresh refill could happen? The season has only just begun...

9-11 Remembered

Blog With Integrity

A Walk With Marisa

Clouds mixed with smoke

Rainbow

The road ahead

The bench

Mass evacuations due to wildfire in Four Mile Canyon

Mass evacuations due to wildfire in Four Mile Canyon: "UPDATE: Newest estimates put the acreage burned in Four Mile Canyon over 7,000 acres. Dozens of homes have been destroyed and investigators are looking into the cause of the fire."

GarzaCrops

I put together a slide show of some of my scrapbook pages of our family and all the fun things we do. Today, I added even more. It was fun revisiting the older pages. The kids were little and so cutesy. As I added 2007 - 2009, I noticed that my babies were growing up! Oh, how the time flies by! Enjoy!

Thank You, Miss Julia

When visiting with patients recently, 'reading' has been a prevalent topic. Since I love reading too, our conversations focused on favorite authors, genre, series, etc. A common series that has popped up a few times are the Miss Julia adventures by Ann B. Ross. Miss Julia is a recently bereaved and newly wealthy widow that finds herself in all kinds of adventures.

My patients revealed that they would share the books with their daughters and/or vise versa. This caught my attention as well because my mom and I used to do the same thing with the Stephanie Plum series.

I know this probably sounds insignificant, but it's the seemingly little things that are held dear to me. A simple exchange of books with my mom each summer is one of the things I miss so greatly about her. It's heartwarming and validating that other mothers/daughters also share in the love of a good page turner! Thank you, Miss Julia!

100

I was inspired by one of my friends to compile a list of 100 accomplishments in my life. No matter how big or small, it all accounts for who I am! So, here goes:

Knows Jesus~Never wrote a hot check~Can drive a stick shift~Conversion to Catholicism~National Latin Honor Society~ Hiked in the Rocky Mtn Natl Forrest~Licensed Social Worker in Colorado~Visited the Isle of Capri~Parenting Marisa~Traveled to Rome~Certified in CPR/First Aid~Hosted parties~Played the flute in the band~Went fishing~Bachelor degree in PreLaw~Volunteer Recognition in Adams 12 Schools~Ate chocolate covered ants~Waterskiied~Married "The Favorite One"~ Savvy Auntie~Served Baskin Robbins ice cream~Have Tanya Tucker's autograph~Took cooking classes at Rocky Mtn Cooking School~FBLA member~Successfully performed the Heimlich to a 4 year old~Taught Jr Kindergarten~Supportive sister~Saw the Badlands~Taught 3rd grade Catachism classes~Out drove a hurricane~Installed a ceiling fan~Worked in a western store~Early Childhood Education Certification~Traveled to the Bahamas~Danced with Miss Persis~Delivered Thanksgiving dinner to the homebound~Academic honor roll in college~Employee of the month~Case Management Certification~Drove a pick up truck~Graduated high school~Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity~ Turned the other cheek~Played on a softball team~Sold Cosmetics~ Licensed Social Worker in Texas~Girl Scout Leader~Jewelry Junction~Rode on a motorcycle~Went to Disney World~Vacationed in Yellowstone~Published family cookbooks~Skinny dipped~Doting daughter~Craft show artist~Scrapbook memories~Can rollerskate~Traveled to Caracas~Won in Las Vegas~Rode ferris wheel at Texas State Fair~Traveled to Jamaica~Owned Spectrum Business Associates~Played the clarinet~Makes dang good chili~Parenting Tony~Traveled to London~Droved a mustang~Makes homemade bread~Played for the Guild 4 times~Had braces~Wrote a play~Masters degree in Social Work~Snowskiied~Slept amongst the sharks~Facilitated pet therapy sessions~Can ride a bike~Rode a horse~Made soap~Sang Karaoke~Took care of Mom at end of life~Made my own clothes~Maid of Honor~Bought homes~Have a blog~homeroom mom~Started writing a book~Painted the house~Research family histories~Flew in a helicopter~Survived a tornado~Got my driver's license~Bought Christmas gifts for the underprivleged~Went snorkeling~Donated care to a children's home~Have lots of BFFs~Child Protective Services Specialists~Held the hands of the dying~On the track team in junior high~Pitched a tent~Drove through Raton Pass in a snow storm

Wow! Can you name your 100?

Angel

(Wordless Wednesday)