hair

This past Saturday I got a haircut. I was looking forward to it and planning to get it cut pretty short, which I did, and I'm liking it so far. The first picture is the day of, with the lovely straightening job that my hairdresser can do like magic. The next picture is after washing it and letting it dry back to its naturally curly self. It's a little crazy, but not like some out of control triangle heads I've had before. You can only do so much with curly hair, and this is a fun new option for me.

This last picture is my studly man Jay with his new hair. His workplace just changed their facial hair policy and he can now grow a goatee or beard. I've been wanting him to have a goatee for a while, and I never understood or liked the policy. But hooray! They freed the follicles! He'll have to shave it every month for his Coast Guard drill weekend, but it grows quickly and we can enjoy it the rest of the time.

So happy together

So much to say, So much to say, So much to say

(I can't seem to get the pictures where I want them. Sorry)

So this post is going to be full of random stuff. Brace yourself.

24
First I'd like to express my excitement about the new season of24 . We've been waiting a long time and the season opener last week was worth the wait. Jack is back from his 20 months in a Chinese prison, being tortured but not saying a word. He is strangely vulnerable, but still tough as nails. The big surprise was Curtis dying, after Jack was forced to shoot him. Oh, and the atomic bomb going off in LA. My dad was hoping it took out Hollywood...Anyway...I'm glad that the writers and producers are not afraid to be politically incorrect and portray the big bad enemy as radical Muslims. This is the reality of our day whether or not some people want to admit it and possibly offend someone.

Mac
My precious son is now 9 weeks old. He is a good baby and I'm really enjoying him more and more. He "talks" alot- all the "goos" and "ohs" and "maas" are so much fun. He sometimes gets so talkative and smiley and excited that he spits up all down himself. He's sleeping well at night, usually through the night, but the last couple he's been up around 2. At his 2 month check up (last Tuesday) he weighed 11 lbs and some ounces and was 24 1/2 inches long. This means he's growing well and gaining weight. They gave him four shots, two in each leg, which is horrible for him and for me. But he's a tough guy and he pushed through the pain.

Pinelands Nursery (see pictures at top)
This weekend I was in Milton, FL where my family lives. I took Ruthie to see her Uncle Alan's nursery, and she loved it. She got to pick a kumquat;meet a cat, a turtle and a puppy; stomp in rocks, and look at lots of plants and trees. My brother Alan opened the nursery a couple of years ago and I am so proud of him. He sells any plant you could want, plus some really fun Mexican pottery and ironwork. He has a greenhouse full of tropical plants, tons of rocks and gravel and stone, lily pads and palm trees, and a pet turtle in the office. There is a new cat that has wandered in and is living there, and he ate my brother's roast beef sandwich on Saturday. (This is a travesty. My dad made this heaping sandwich of the best roast beef I've ever tasted, and the cat got it when Alan went out to help a customer.) My family and I love plants, so this is such a wonderful thing for all of us to support and enjoy. It really is the nicest nursery I've ever seen, and several customers have told Alan this as well.

Alan started out working at a wholesale nursery in Navarre, when he was in high school and then while attending college. He stopped going to school in order to start a lawn service business that grew by leaps and bounds. This led to a landscaping and irrigation business, the landscaping part being what he enjoys the most. After several years of hard work and increasing success, he opened the nursery and sold the lawn maintenance business. So now he owns Pinelands Nursery and East Bay Landscaping. Alan turned 30 last year, and I am so impressed by his hard work and success. He is an awesome older brother, even though he did give me the flu for Christmas. He's even turned into a loving father of little Annabelle (19 mos) and Alee (9 weeks). So I salute you, entrepreneurial brother figure, mi hermano con queso!

If any of you friendly readers find yourself in or near Milton, you should stop by and purchase a kumquat bush or two! It is located on Highway 90 just north of I-10 at the FWB Navarre exit (Hwy 87).

Thoughts on Perspective and Space or Walking the Same Old Street in a Different Direction

The other day I went walking in my neighborhood. I walk alot, and I find myself going the same route, mainly because I know how long it will take, and how many miles it will take me. This day I reversed my route and it was so strange to me how different a walk it was. I saw several plants and trees that I had never noticed before. I saw houses from new angles and the way light fell through the trees and brought out new features of the same old street I had walked a million times before. Things hidden were revealed and I enjoyed it immensely. I think there are other streets I need to walk down in a different direction. The same eyes, the same feet tracking down the pavement, but new nuances of light and shadow, of hidden and revealed features, of angles and curves.

Happy Birthday Ruthie!

The day of the party was perfect- sunny, breezy and warm (74 degrees!). We were excited to have a January party outside in the park. Here is Ruth with her cousin Jackson and her friends Becca and Bailey. They had alot of fun!
Here is Ruthie on her actual birthday. She wanted to wear her party hat again when we ate the leftover cake. 

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone! I put a picture of my brother on here because he got me sick. And a picture of Ruthie enjoying her second Christmas, while Mac enjoyed his first.

Today Auburn won the Cotton Bowl (sorry all you Nebraskans) so here is Ruth wearing her daddy's Auburn hat.

And Ruthie found her Halloween costume from last year, which she decided still fits and now she wants to wear it around the house.

What Child is this?

The Incarnation has always been a story of wonder, mystery, amazement to me. I've tried to imagine what it must have been like for all the people involved. The shepherds, Joseph, Mary's family, even Elizabeth. This year I find myself thinking more about Mary and wondering about all the details between the lines of the story in Luke that is so familiar and precious to me. And I find myself looking into the sleeping face of my newborn son and crying as I think of the Creator of the universe coming as a tiny, blood-covered infant, so suddenly dependent on his human parents for survival. His head lopsided from his journey through the birth canal. Every sense shocked at this entrance into air and humanity. His fists clenched, his lungs screaming as they learn to breathe. The King of Kings, wrapped in cloths, suckling at the breast of a young woman, sustained by her body as the milk flows into his stomach. He sighs and is full. She places him in the feeding trough, swaddled tightly, arms and legs bound. The Son of God, unable to hold up his head, his only means of communication a newborn's wailing. What a plunge, what a degradation. What foolishness! What a way to redeem a wayward, whoring people to Himself. My heart yearns to understand this God more. So I hold my baby so close, and I whisper to him of a King who came wrapped in flesh. I kiss my soft-skinned boy and think of another boy who came screaming into the world and was held in trembling hands, and was kissed by a woman as fumbling and frail as me. He chose our frailty. He stooped and took on the mantle of humanity. Bloody, gasping, time-locked humanity. The Word made flesh. God with us.

"Haste, haste, to bring him laud
The babe, the son of Mary."

Happy Birthday Jessie!!!!!

Let it be known this 13th day of December, year of our Lord 2006, that the Hodges have high speed internet and it is like a balm to my soul. Farewell dial-up! Rest in peace you destroyer of my time and patience! I feel like dancing.

Let it be known also (and more importantly) that this day marks the nativity of my dear friend forever, Jessie. She is a wonderful person who is now 28 years old. This upside down picture which is hilarious to me, is of us in Austin where we were frolicking in the Greenbelt (am I crazy or is that what it's called?). We have had so many adventures together, and most of my pictures for about 7 years of my life starting in 10th grade are of me and Jess doing something crazy, fun, or serious, like entering chickens at the fair. Borrowed chickens. In any case, I love you Jess, and I hope you have a wonderful day!

Here are some of Jessie's best qualities:
1. wisdom
2. common sense/practicality
3. fun loving/sense of humor
4. soft hair
5. honesty
6. reliability
7. ability to stay up late talking when 9 months pregnant
8. ability to operate large blue motor vehicles
9. loving heart (this is why she's so honest)
10. organization/planning


This may sound like just a list but I can sit here and think of multiple ways these have exhibited themselves over the years, and I am smiling. The list is definitely not comprehensive.

In closing, I'd like to quote a song or two that I find appropriate for the occasion

"Jessie is a friend
She's always been a good friend of mine..."
(I took some license and changed the actual spelling of the name Jesse)

-Rick Springfield


Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday dear Jessie
Happy Birthday to you
and many more
-(traditional)


"Jessie paint your picture
Bout how it's gonna be
By now I should know better
Your dreams are never free
But tell me all about our little trailer by the sea
Cause Jessie, you can always
Sell any dream to me"
-can't remember artist

Big Sis

Ruthie loves her little brother. She is having some major adjustments as far as she and I are concerned, but she doesn't seem to hold it against Mac. She kisses him and touches his nose and covers him and bounces his bouncy seat and is an attentive sister. The hard part so far is when I'm nursing Mac and I can't attend to her every need. If anyone out there has advice for this transition from one to two feel free to pass it on! Especially these early days.

Mac is a good little boy, usually only crying when he's hungry or during his designated fussy time of the day. He loves looking around at black and white objects, or faces, and he responds to music and lights really well. ( I should take him to Vegas.) He wakes up about every three hours at night, and sleeps from feeding to feeding, which is wonderful to me. It is so sweet to hold my newborn son and think of what he will grow to be. 

Little Mac is here!

Mac
November 14, 2006
2:02 pm
7 lbs. 6 oz.
22.5 inches
He is precious!

 

Pied Beauty

GLORY be to God for dappled things—

For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow;

For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim;

Fresh-firecoal chestnut-falls; finches’ wings;

Landscape plotted and pieced—fold, fallow, and plough;
5
And áll trádes, their gear and tackle and trim.


All things counter, original, spare, strange;

Whatever is fickle, freckled (who knows how?)

With swift, slow; sweet, sour; adazzle, dim;

He fathers-forth whose beauty is past change:
10
Praise him.


Gerard Manley Hopkins

My Grandmother's pound cake

My grandmother was a good cook. She came from German stock and had some wonderful recipes that have become legendary in my family. She also lived near Philly, which produces some amazing recipes as well. Some of our favorites are her cheesecake, macaroni-and-cheese-and-tomatoes (made with extra-sharp white cheddar), sloppy joes, coffee cake, and the best pound cake in the world. Yesterday, in the midst of a pre-partem nesting baking urge, I pulled out the recipe, written in her handwriting, and fired up the hand-mixer. (I dreamed of a Kitchen-Aid mixer, lime green, but, hey, that is extravagant and my arm got a work out instead.) It was a cathartic experience as I measured and mixed and got flour everywhere. I baked my cake and even though I didn't cook it quite long enough, it is delicious. The top crust is what me and my dad always fight over. He tries to pick pieces off and I must protect it at all costs. Jay was the crust picker last night. So I made a semi-successful pound cake and tapped into my cooking heritage at the same time.

I miss my grandmother for many reasons, especially the more I've grown up and now that I have children and am more domesticated. We were never close, but the things I've learned about her since her death made me wish that I could now build a relationship with her. That I could have helped her heal and find a Savior. Not that it would be easy...in fact I think it would have been one of the hardest things I could ever try to do, but I wish I could at least try. Anyway, I think she'd be proud that I'm continuing with her recipes, and we could start from there.

This past Saturday my Community Group, some great friends. and my family got together to welcome our baby boy. There was great food, cake, and a gargantuan balloon that my daughter adopted as her very own. I am so thankful for the community to be found through my church, and I can't believe their generosity and how encouraging they are through all the things Jay and I have dealt with over the past couple years.

I wanted to post these pictures from the party. Here is Ruthie giving the sign for "more." She wanted another piece of candy and was being especially emphatic by using the sign I taught her before she could speak, and also using the word itself. She is too cute in her pig tails. I love them.

 

The Belly

My friend Jen posted a picture of me and my baby Mac belly on her blog. I can't remember how to do links so I'll just give you the site address. It's www.entj-entj.blogpot.com.

Phone rage

Today I spent a good chunk of my day on hold with two different companies, trying to get through to a customer service representative. I know much has been written on these automated systems and the enraging way they give you the run around. I overreact when I'm pregnant, so that could explain why I ended up crying after the first round with a company I'll call Hellsouth in order to try to protect them, or maybe protect myself. They are a telecommunications coumpany here in the South, as you might have guessed. We recently switched our phone service to them, and now I think we might get rid of our home phone entirely. We have cell phones, so why bother with an extra number? Maybe this attitude is my nesting instinct kicking in. As the baby's due date approaches, I find myself going crazy, wanting to throw things out, and clean things in final preparations for this child's landing. What makes it worse is that we are just now close to having the actual nursery ready ( I'll be 37 weeks tomorrow, which is considered full term). I wish I could show you before and after pics of the room, but my camera is still on vacation in New Jersey...

Which brings me to my second instance of phone rage today. I called the company I will call Damsung, which produces all sorts of technology, including digital cameras. I sent my camera for repair sometime in August ( I think) and I was calling to check on the little guy since, yes, I am anxious to have a camera with which to photograph my baby boy. Plus, I'm missing photo opportunities with my daughter all the time. So I called Damsung and they play me some lovely recordings and transfer me around the world in 80 seconds, and I end up telling the only human I can reach that the customer service department left me with an answering machine telling me that they will call me back during normal business hours. Hold on. The recording I listened to 40 times while on hold said clearly that normal business hours are Mon-Fri, 9-5, Eastern time. According to my calculations I called at approximately 3:20 central time, which would be 4:20 Eastern. Sooo...New Jersery operator lady informed me that normal business hours are 9-4:30. I found that to be unacceptable. But I was forced to accept this, and I could do nothing except leave a message encouraging them to change their recording. This time I didn't cry. I have become hardened. Pregnant lady won't cry again.

Fall Haiku

the same heat-
now when I'm ready to crunch
in some leaves

Baby Hodges 2

Here is the latest ultrasound picture of our little boy. You can see his face looking at you, his nose squished, and a little bit of his hand by his chin. My husband says these ultrasound pictures are like those magic eye pictures that you have to look at from a distance, squint, and hope you can see the hidden dinosaur or whatever. Maybe it's just a mother's gift, but I can always see just what the picture is. This one was taken on September 11, and I think he is a handsome little guy. During the ultrasound he opened his eyes, then he sucked in fluid through his mouth and blew it out of his nose. It looked like he was coughing, but the doctor said he was just breathing the fluid. It was really fun to watch. He is a very active little boy. He's kicking as I write this. I can't wait to meet him and find out just what he's like. It is so amazing to think of the life that is growing inside me. My belly looks like a basketball, and it is sort of lopsided, veering off to the right. I feel very large, like I felt when it was time to deliver my daughter, but I still have about 6 weeks left. I'll post a picture of the belly when I can. 

Do I look like I need a dog?

Funny- when I was typing the title of this post I went dyslexic and it said " Do I look like I need a god?" That is what lots of people ask, I think. The truth is we all have a god, whether or not it's the True One. We all worship at some shrine.

So I think my neighborhood has enrolled me in the adopt-a-dog program. Some sort of scrubby dog has joined me on every walk I've taken lately. One brown mutty dog actually decided to stay all night and I will call it The-Let-me--get-a-license-to-carry-and-learn-how- to-shoot-night (sorry PETA). I am not normally violent towards poor stray animals. In fact there was an article in the paper this Sunday about a county near my own that is euthanizing a record number of strays due to a lack of adequate boarding, and I was upset at the numbers. I was also upset at the idiots who don't spay and neuter their pets, and the ones who don't take care of their animals or abandon them. But this Night as the dog took upon himself the duty of barking at every sound or movement in my carport, I decided that euthanasia has it's place. I am a pregnant, light sleeper, so it was a tough night. And my husband was out of town, else he could have unleashed the BB gun on poor Rover. (I didn't necessarily want to hurt him, I just wanted him to leave.) My other delirious minded idea was to put Benadryl in a chunk of meat and throw it to him. That would probably have worked, but again, I didn't want to risk killing him. Rover left the next morning and I haven't seen him since. I did have the fleeting idea that God sent the dog to protect me from some unknown harm that could have come to me that night, alone in my house with my 20 month old. Who can know his ways? I sure don't claim to. It was a happy idea. Just not at 3:30 in the morning.

Last week a dog with a white coat and two big brown spots followed me home. He slept in my flower bed until his owner came to get him that afternoon. She said he always runs away to my neighborhood. It must be every dog's dream. Today a black pit-bull looking dog followed me for part of my walk. I was able to shake him off. I'm learning to not greet the doggies in any way, and to occasionally say gruffly, "Go home, dog." My daughter does enjoy the doggies following us. It is good entertainment for her, as she often gets really squirmy by the time we make it home.

I love dogs, but I cringe at the thought of more responsibility. Dogs are wonderful and fun, but I will enjoy my friends' dogs and my parent's dogs and eat lots of hot-dogs, but no puppy for us for a while.

I have decided that one reason I haven't blogged for awhile is that I really rely on photos for my posts, and my camera is away getting fixed, so I feel thwarted. Plus my creativity has been somewhat absent. Here are some things that have been going on.

Where in the World is My Husband?
Jay is now an officer in the U.S. Coast Guard. He is in the reserves, which means he serves a weekend a month and two weeks a year, unless his unit is deployed. His duty station is the Port security unit in Gulfport, MS, and he just spent his first weekend there this past weekend. He returned from three weeks of Reserve Officer Candidate Indoctrination in Connecticut about a week ago. I'm very proud of him, and I'm so glad he is able to serve his country like he's wanted to for so long. I got to go to his graduation in Connecticut, and it was so different to see him with his head shaved and his uniform on, marching and saluting. Of course I've always loved men in uniform, so it is definitely a positive thing for me. The down side has been Jay's absence. My daughter has been very sad, asking where DaDa is throughout the day. I kept telling her he flew to Connecticut on an airplane, which she thought was exciting, but she still missed him alot. I kept thinking about those military wives, my mom beeing one of them, who didn't have their husbands for 6 months to a year at a time, and I cannot imagine how hard that would be.

Marine Corps 5-K, Downtown Pensacola, FL, September 16
It was interesting to walk a 5K, 32 weeks pregnant pushing a baby stroller beside a 34 week pregnant sister-in-law, also pushing a baby stroller. It was especially funny when the entire Marine Corps passed us, chanting and singing, carrying flags, run-marching in their PT gear. My sister-in-law and I finished in about 50 minutes, which isn't bad for two pregos.

The Weather Update
I'm a bit of a weather-fanatic. I like following the fronts and trends and watching the radar, and I love storms. It has been smokin' hot down here until this week. A front pushed through early this morning, and our first twinges of fall have arrived. We had a lovely storm to usher it in, and I enjoyed it snuggled up with a pregnant sleeper's best friend- her body pillow. I am getting ancy for fall, and I want to start planting mums and stuff, but I know I must wait. Fall is fickle for us down in the Southlands. It flirts and teases.

Sweet Child Of Mine
My baby girl is really a little girl now. She loves playing like she's my baby. She'll bring her silky blankie and I wrap her in it and hold her like a tiny baby and pretend to burp her and rock her. She giggles and thinks it is so much fun. Babies are one of of her favorite things these days. She zeros in on them in public places and tries to take care of them in their carriers. I think this must be a good thing as we look forward to the arrival of her baby brother in November. She lifts up my shirt and pats my belly, giving baby brother little kisses and sometimes just laying her head on him. Very sweet.

She is using lots of words and interested in everything that's going on. She is in to looking for the moon at night ( which reminds me that I think I need to write a children's book on the Lunar cycle to explain why the moon is not always out at night, and sometimes out during the day.) She also loves choo-choo trains, and wants to go outside to try to find the one that we hear in the distance alot of days.

Today we played with play-doh for the first time. I'm not sure if this is the time to start that or if this will be a mistake, but I think supervised play-doh play within boundaries will work. She really liked the texture of it and would pick it to pieces, talking to herself the whole time. It was one of those precious heart-grabber moments that you want to freeze-frame and remember forever. These are especially poignant as she reaches these tough toddler days. She is starting to really exert her will and test mine.

One funny thing is that she says "Da" for yes, which we all know is the Russian word for yes. One wonderful thing she knows is the question "Who made you?" which she answers, "God." (This is the first question in the Shorter Catechism.) It is a precious and fearful thing for me to teach my child about God. I know how much I look like I need a God, and I can see how much she needs one too.

Finally
So, I hope to post some pictures soon- of my daughter, my Coastie husband, my trip to Connecticut, my huge basketball belly, etc.

I'd also like to give a shout out to the Rotisserie chicken that I am feasting on this week. Thanks, pal.

Jen, it was good to eat lunch with you today. Three cheers for moms who can still maintain a certain degree of spontaneity in life! And for friends who like cheese dip!

I really like Condoleeza Rice. She has impressed me every time I see her interviewed or speaking publicly. She is tactful, intelligent and well-spoken.

The mossy oaks crowd around the beautiful admin building on the campus of the College of Charleston in sultry Charleston, South Carolina. My friend Lauren is back there this week, and I wanted to share this picture that I took when I visited her last spring. I'm wishing her a wonderful, challenging semester back in the halls of academia.  

A dry and thirsty land where there is no water

It has been over a month since I wrote, which is sad, but true. It seems I have become super busy and super tired and therefore during my child's naptime I am either working or sleeping. Plus, we in Mobile have started returning to our normal summertime schedule of thunderstorms in the afternoon, which makes me want to take a nap or more specifically, not be on the the computer during the storm. Here are some things that have been going on lately at the Hodges house:

-Drought. We have been experiencing a severe drought, which means my lawn is dying and I have to water my flowers every day or every other day in order for them to survive. When I water, my 18 month old "helps" me, but ends up squishing the flowers with her little watering can, or sticking her hand in the flow from my hose, and getting soaking wet as the water drips down her arm.

It is either feast or famine on the Gulf Coast. Last year we had record rainfall due to multiple tropical storms and hurricanes hitting us directly or to the east or west of us. Now we're praying for a nice tropical depression to give us some relief!

-Broken bones. My little Ruthie fractured her arm two weeks ago while we were visiting my in-laws. She was riding a very unthreatening little rocking horse, and fell off into a pile of pillows. This seemed to be an ok thing- the pillows cushioned her fall. But she cried and cried so we thought she must have landed wrong and maybe sprained her wrist. When I took her to the doctor on Monday morning, the doctor felt her arm and said, yes, it is broken. The ulna and the radius. I was really shocked. You just never know- she's fallen from greater heights and on hardwood floors and bounced right back. So little Ruth has a hot pink cast from her knuckles to just above her elbow. It is very pitiful.

She plays well in spite of the cast, but gets frustrated sometimes and pats it derisively. We tell her it is going to help her arm get better, and, isn't it so pretty? She is sort of convinced and returns to her play. We go Monday to get a smaller cast, we hope. My camera is broken, but I will try to post a picture of the cast soon.

-I am now 24 weeks pregnant, and doing well. I'm not too huge, and I've had a pretty good energy level. Little Boy Hodges is sitting lower than Ruthie did, so I haven't had as much indigestion as with that pregnancy. I've eaten a lot of pickles this time too. I love pickles in general, especially Claussen's kosher dills, but I desire them greatly of late.

Awww, junk

Today I took inventory of my junk drawer. It is always a good thing to do every once in a while for organizational reasons. You discover some things that don't deserve to be in the “junk” category, plus things you have been looking for and couldn't locate. Like my husband's wisdom tooth. Man, I've been wondering where that was. Now I know. You can also locate things which can be sold on ebay, like pieces of toast resembling the virgin Mary, or my husband's wisdom tooth, which may be a world record winner in the ginormous category. Anyway, this is a very long list. But I know at least one friend who likes lists (you know who you are Ms. Tiny-notepad-friend-whose-first-name-rhymes with-Mennifer). Really this was a very interesting project. I find some of these contents to be hilarious. I will try to give explanation when needed...Here goes:

Junk Drawer Inventory, Year of our Lord 2006
State of Alabama, 2nd Drawer to Left of Sink

1. Pet nurser (we found a passel of kittens in our attic a couple of times)
2. Syringe (4) these are the non drug user types used for administering medication to babies or animals
3. Tube of Amazing Goop(TM or whatever) this has not been used successfully yet
4. Gerber daisy seeds
5. Scotch tape- it says it's magic
6. Instructions for meat thermometer
7. Pink training chopsticks for babies-these are so neato. They were sent from my friend (Hi Friend with rhyming name!) who lives in S.Korea. They have little plastic loops so the child can learn where to place their fingers. And they're joined at the top. Very cute.
8. Dirt from the Field of Dreams- I kid you not. My lifelong friend Meri brought this back for me many many years ago from the actual Field of Dreams in Kansas. At least I think it's in Kansas. But this dirt is in a little plastic capsule, and it is from left field. The label also says “The Ameskamps” who I assume are the owners of the farm whose field became a place where dreams came true. I have always felt proud to have this dirt. Even though I don't like Kevin Costner. I do like James Earl Jones. He is in two of my favorite baseball movies (FoD and Sandlot). I also like The Natural.
9. My husband's wisdom tooth. It is contained in a tiny yellow box with the words “smile power” on it. I think a box made for containing your teeth that have been extracted should not say “smile power” on it. Aren't you losing your smile power with every tooth that comes home in a box? In any case, this tooth is creepy and astounding to me. When Jay first brought it home I was appalled and amazed. This monstrosity came out of my dear husband's mouth. It is a classic tooth with all four roots, like the ones you see with faces on little yellow “ smile power” boxes. This tooth mysteriously became a Christmas ornament one year. It was tied on with a little piece of twine.
10. Knob to junk drawer
11. Extra keys
12. Scripture memory cards-(5)-these should clearly not be in this drawer. It does symbolize my past efforts at Scripture memorization, but these were the ones I actually succeeded in memorizing.
13. Broken mini rainbow slinky
14. Batteries
15. Utility knife
16.Extra buttons- various
17. Cuff link
18. Alphabetic magnets- I bought these for my daughter a while ago, and was ticked off when I got them home and it said what almost every toy says: Not intended for children under three years of age, small parts, choking hazard. I guess when kids turn three they can't choke anymore.
19. Shot gun shells (4)- 12 gauge
20. Terracotta bird. I was sad when he fell off my little bird bath. Then I was sad when his tail broke off. One day I might use No. 3 on this little guy.
21. Millions of twisty ties
22.Cell phone car charger- for undetermined cell phone
23.Packaging tape, clear
24. Screw drivers (2)-Phillips head
25.Needle nosed pliers
26. Tiny metal beads, various shapes
27. Men's silver ring (FOR SALE) This was a gift rejected by my dear husband. He said it is huge. Maybe we'll use it for a baby bracelet.
28. Sewing kit
29.Bendy straws in wrappers (5)-these are sanitary
30. Alabaster swan- this was brought back by Jay from Egypt as a gift for my friend Jessie, it just hasn't made it to her yet (4 years or something and counting). I won't keep it, Jess, because I have one too. You might like it, I think it's nice.
31. Glittery red cat-eye sunglasses- purchased in CA, sort of crusty looking now. Does anyone know how to de-glitter something?
32.Mini mag lite- doesn't work. My dear husband just confessed that he tried to pull a Macgyver and fix it with tin foil, but it didn't work.
33. Car visor sunglasses holder
34. Wendy's spoon (good condition, still in wrapper FOR SALE)
35.Baby advice cards- this is one of those, ooh they have cute borders, I might cut them and use them one day. Right.
36. Rubber bands
37. Water proof safety matches
38. Campmor (TM) zipper pulls
39. Hardware for daughter's pink car
40.Travel toothpick case- this is very nice. It dispenses these pretty toothpicks that are sort of carved in the middle. I want to give this to my dad who is never without a toothpick.
41.Extra automatic car unlocker thing
42. Fan button for 1984 Mercedes 300 Turbo Diesel. This was my car, Big Rig Jr. He is now retired to my parent's estate in Milton, Florida. Ahhh...sun, a swimming pool, a garage, and a new drive train! This button, by the way, is the one that would fly off when you hit the button beside it. Very fun. I have a very soft spot in my heart for this car. There are two similar Mercedes diesels in my neighborhood and when I hear them lumbering my way from a block or two away I sigh, and place my hand over the soft spot in my heart. I always thought this car would be great for the show "Pimp my Ride." Not just great, it would be awesome!
43.Our insurance agent's business card. No offense to him that his card found its way to this drawer- he is a great agent.
44. Knobs for unknown items
45.Hardware for unknown items
46. Chap Stick brand chapstick (2 tubes) one is SPF 30. I've been looking for that one. Chap Stick is my preferred brand. What a creative name for this product!
47. Trivets (for hot pots) these have been relocated as part of the Junk Drawer Relocation program. They've been released back into their natural habitat.
48. Repair patch for inflatable baby pool
49. Lovely pewter ice scoop. Also relocated per JDRP.
50. Christmas fridge poetry magnets
51. Briggs and Stratton fuel stabilizer tube. Appears to be some sort of liquid Kryptonite.
52. Mercedes Benz wrench. Also needs to be reunited with Big Rig Jr.
53. Cookie Duster stencil -only Martha Stewart would send me such a thing.
54. Phone line splitter-makes your one phone jack able to hold two phone cords! 55.Meat tenderizer-Relocated per JDRP.
56. Straw and top for undetermined water bottle.
57.Chip Clip
58.Allen Wrench- I always liked these because my brother's name is Alan.
59. Putty knife- I always liked these because my sister's name is Putty. (not really)
60.Foam earplugs
61.Bottle opener key chain from Alamo Rent a Car. I think this dates back to those fun "free stuff" fairs in college.
62. Battery compartment cover for undetermined battery compartment.
63. 16 cents-one dime, one nickel and one penny
64. Adhesive magnet strip
65. Chandelier candle cover. These make it look like your fake candle is real.
66.Cable ties. My husband loves these. He organizes our extraneous cords with these so they don't run amuck near the outlets. It is one of his many talents.
67. Old Navy credit card- I guess a junk drawer is a good place for a credit card. My husband would like me to say to you that he refuses to carry this card and that I signed up for it one day to get a discount.
68. Extra thread for blue shirt
69. Outlet protector
70. Nails
71. Fire extinguisher clip. I hope it will work without this.
72. Super glue, almost gone
And that is all, folks. Wow. I've worked up an appetite.