A Whiff of Smiff

As far back as I can remember, I can see little Sista playing with baby dolls, pretending to be a Mommy. The only thing I knew for sure I wanted to accomplish in my life was to be a real-life Mom. This big ol boy made that dream come true when I was a month shy of my 23rd birthday. He has been nothing but a joy since that first day. Of my three children, the Manchild is probably the one that feels the most. Mucho heart and soul in this kid. I hear it in the way he plays the guitar, in the way he discusses a plethora of subjects, the way he loves a good comedic delivery…he’s fabulous.

When I woke up Mother’s Day morning, stumbling to make coffee, #2 was sitting on the couch, unusually calm. He presented me with the most fantastic card you could imagine. It was made out of yellow construction paper and in it was a pen with a flower on the top. (”I made that” said #2)
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In Sunday morning church, along with her Aunt, I got to sing backup for the Holy Tara. Yeah sure…we had us about 10 Naomi/Wynonna moments before 9:00, but, that the HT even wants to do stuff like that with me says a ton (she smokes me vocally, believe you me. I”m so Skeeter Davis-ish next to her) The word “proud” doesn’t quite describe how it made me feel to hear her beautiful voice ring through the auditiorium this morning.
Mom wasn’t feeling so great this weekend after her immunotherapy treatment the other day, but, I’m blessed to be able to celebrate her and have her here with me on Mother’s Day…no doubt.

I still say my Mama is the prettiest Mama ever.

I’m a big fan of songwriters and poets. Dottie Rambo was one of the very best, ever…any form of music. To me, her ability to put paper to pen and illustrate a thought was equal to the Gershwins, Bacharachs, Harlan Howards, any prolific composer you can name…Dottie Rambo’s name should be included in any list of great songwriters.

Aside from that, Dottie, along with her ex-husband, Buck and her daughter, Reba made up one of my very favorite trios…ever.  As a matter of fact, just this very day, on the Ipod, I was listening to the Rambos sing about being “sheltered in the arms of God.”  I never get tired of that one or of “He Looked Beyond My Fault”, “If That Isn’t Love”, “When I Lift Up My Head”, “The Holy Hills”, “One More Valley”, “In The Valley He Restoreth My Soul”….I could list a ton more.  Great stuff.  Look ‘em up on Itunes…you will be amazed and dazzled.

I can’t tell you how personally, for me, lyrics like “Let the storms rage high, the dark clouds rise, they won’t worry me, for I’m sheltered safe within the arms of God…He walks with me and none of earth shall harm me…for I’m sheltered safe within the arms of God” have given my weary heart rest and reminder that I’m not doing this thing called Life by myself.

Or lyrics like “Too many sunsets lie behind the mountains, too many rivers my feet have walked through…too many treasures are waiting over yonder…there’s too much to gain to lose” have given me a little extry oomph to keep pluggin…God has been good to use stuff like words mixed together in rhyme to pump me up more than just about anything. Music is a powerful tool.

I find it ironic that Dottie, who had battled a ridiculous amount of trials in her time, especially in the last couple of decades…serious back issues, a divorce from Buck, being near death no telling how many times, that she met her end in a bus wreck, on a way to a gig in Texas…at 74 years old! 

The Gentleman Formerly Known As My Boss, the fabulous David, was good enough to send this pitcher along of he and Miz Dottie.  What a treasure.  Look at Dave….aw…makes me miss the ol’ boy.  Hadn’t seen him in awhile.

Happy Birthday today to one of my most favorite-est people ever.

We was pals from the Git-Go. In fact, his birthday is also our official Friendaversary.  I first met Chris thanks to the Knucksta who linked to Chris on his 40th birthday a coupla years ago.  He’s one of those people I would expect to show up during the darkest hour and when you’d least expect anybody to care. 

He’s a good pal to lotsa people, not just me.  I likes to think I’m spayshul, but, that’s part of what makes Chris who he is…he has that ability to make everybody feel like they are the most important person around.  His being my friend for the last two years has been more important than he probably has any idea of. 

Chris is one of the Good Guys. 

I went to the purtiest weddin’ today.   The Groom (in the middle) I’ve been knowing since he was a wee little boy.  He’s all growed up and is somebody’s husband now.  Yikes.  I say growed up but he’s barely a legal adult.  At any rate, it was a lovely event down by Old Hickory Lake.

I do think that this is the first outside Hitchin’ I’ve been to. 

The Bride and Groom have known each other since 5th grade.  They started dating their Junior year in High School.  He was the first guy she ever kissed. (Alls I could think of when Leonard said that was, “Sheesh, good thing I didn’t marry the first feller I kissed. I’d be warshing horse troughs today. Ick. But this ain’t about me, now is it?)

I told the HT she arta get married at Rock Castle. (Look how blue her eyes are, y’all!  That’s not contacts either) She was wondering out loud if she already knows whoever her future husband is.  Whoever that feller is, his future Mother In Law is praying for him.  Heh.  No, really.

And they had chocolate at the reception!

And perhaps one of the finer buffets I’ve ever had priviledge to partake in at a Hitchin’.  Good stuff.

The Fawtha of the Groom seemed pretty pumped to be getting his baby boy married off and out the house.  Nah…I’m just playing. He looked smashing in his new suit.

Even though he looks it, that is no rock star there with your Sista….that’s the famous Leonard, aka “The Crossville Flash.”  Heh.  He used to be my pastor for a lotta years.  I hadn’t seen him in awhile and it was good to see him do the honors of the Hitchin’. 

Outside Hitchin’s are nice.  (More pictures on the Flicka over yonder )

So, yestadee/…I go see Dr. McDreamy, right?  Just a little follow up to the Zapalapadingdong.  I was there in February, which would have been in 2008, yes? 

I go to check in and the girl says “It’s time to update everything!”  Now…I just started going to McDreamy in November.  My insurance has not changed.  Same card and everything.  I already filled out the HIPAA thing and all that last time I was there.  She says I have to do it again.

Ok…fine…but just for that…I stole the really groovy, pharmaceutical company pen I used to fill out Mista Hipaa.  The drug people have the best pens, don’t they?

Bad Sista.

I had the neat priviledge and honor to be able to say that Eddy Arnold was my buddy.  I got to know him when I worked at Huff’s in Brentwood. He and Dad were friends for many years, but, Eddy was my pal separately.  I treasure the chats I had with him.  I treasure a wonderful letter I received from him one time.  I treasure the wedding gift I receieved from he and Sally. I’m a lucky girl to have made his aquaintance.

Eddy Arnold was probably the financially wealthiest person I’ve ever known personally, yet, you wouldn’t have known it.  He had such a kind, generous spirit about him.  When I think of Eddy Arnold, I think of the word “warmth.”  There was no phoniness about him though…I asked him one time if he would ever go do the Opry and he looked at me and said “I don’t care nothing about that.” HA.

Another good pal o’mine, Ronnie Pugh, has written a lovely tribute to the Tennessee Plowboy here.

I can’t get You Tube to load into my page, dangit but go see Eddy do his thing here.  

Love ya, Eddy.

Birthdays galore today for two of my favorite girls…

One…my little niece, Mattie, turned 3 today.

Then, I got to go hang with Da Goils and celebrate Beth’s birthday.

 Dadgum, there was mucho laughter emitting from this place. (Click to embiggen)  Lordy mercy….y’all could probably hear us wherever you are. It’s a wonder they didn’t kick me us out for laughing so loud and obnoxiously at everything Heather said. Heather is on the far left in the pink. Oh gosh…what a riot that girl is!  She got to telling me about moving to Crossville, TN from New Jersey her Senior year in high school.  It cracks me up to hear a person that is originally “non-Southern” try to imitate how Southerners sound.  Oh man….she kilt me, that Heather.

Holly…the cute little girl to my left….we were laughing cause I know everybody.  I swear, I have a common person with just about everybody I run into.  Donna that I work with…everytime we go out to lunch she’ll say “Ok..Sharon…who do you know in here?”  Anyhoo…Holly’s father in law’s former wife? (Got that?)  Is a woman I know and it’s just all so twisted and funny.  I’d put it up here but I bettah not.   Just know it’s something funny…k?

It was determined that your Sista was the Senior member of this here group.  I was the oldest.  Beth is a child of 27….Wendy is a year younger than me…Natalie a couple years younger than that….and so on.  I remember the days when I was always the youngest person in any given group of people I was with. 

Beth even got a spayshul birfday hat. 

Oh and it’s not his birthday, but, I actually got a picture of the Manchild today.  He is really turning into a man, y’all.  Look at my baby boy…so he wasn’t too happy with me taking his pitcher…just look at him!

This is my good friend Lisa and her good friend, who is now my new friend, Susan.  Susan reminds me SOOOO much of Megan Mulally.  She looks like her…she’s little bitty, like Megan is…talks like her kinda, too.  Skeery. She’s a trip, that Susan.  Lisa is one of the kindest, sweetest people I know.  I think I’ve told y’all about her before.

Now, if you notice closely, both Lisa and Susan have little studs in their noses.  Ever since I first met Lisa, I found myself digging her nose ring.  I never thought I would ever consider something like that, but, you know what…I’ve been thinking about doing that, maybe when I turn 40 next February. 

I thought about a tattoo for about 2 seconds.  nixed that idea because I had a major skin graft to remove something from my person in 1993 and I realized that to purposely put something on my person (this is for me, mind you) would be wrong. So, a tattoo is out.  I’m not scared of needles or nothing.  My pain threshold is quite high. 

So, who out there has had this done?  Yay or nay?  Do it Sista or don’t do it Sista?  I’m gonna do what I’m gonna do…just curious.

I dig the little stud in the nose.  I think I’m gonna pray about it.  Wonder if I can put that on the prayer list at church?  I can see it now…”Prayer Requests…please remember Sista Smiff as she makes a major decision about whether or not to get the stud pierced into her nose.”  HAHAHAHAHAHA

One thing I am seriously considering doing to mark my turning 40 in 2009 is train for and do the Country Music Marathon…the Half. 

I’m so living on the edge, it ain’t even funny.  Nose piercings…half marathons…..we’ll see if I follow through on either.

I had the extreme good fortune to share lunchtime Friday with the cutest guy!

Yep.  I got to hang with Boo Boo.  And he brought his darlin’ mammy along with him…

Now…for those of you out there who can run and bike like batshit crazy and stuff (:cough CLC :cough) these numbers will probably make you laugh.  But, for me, this is a record.   I know I would come in at the back of the line in a 5K but I’ve never had time like that before. I got tired by the end, but, I was pretty tickled for getting that first mile in in 11 minutes, thankyavurymuch.

I ran with my buddy Lance tonight.   Ol’ Lance is a good running coach.  He might arta look into taking up athletics on a more full-time basis.  I so dig his running mix.  It has really good music on it.  I had downloaded another treadmill training running thing and the music was the kind of stuff the Manchild listens to….screaming banging guitars or that techno-pop stuff that my stomach just can’t handle.   Lance’s thing has what they describe as “Alternative”.  I dug it. 

I’ve been going to Spinning classes the last coupla weeks and hello????  I love it!  I didn’t think I would but I love that Spinning. 

This right ‘chere is so cute, it may make a believer outta Saracastro.  Hee.

For real…I am so sad to hear that Jim Hager has died of a heart attack. 

How bizarre and sad. 

I am not quiet about my love of all things Hager.  ‘Specially when they’d get to jammin’ to Lodi and what-not, with one of them shaking that tambourine. (Which one was it?)

Really…this sucks to hear.

I’m convinced that as a mother of babies, toddlers and elementary-aged children, I was the bomb. 

From the time I gave birth to the Manchild, I was as confident about my abilities to take care of him and truly felt I had found my calling.  I was not a nervous new mother.  I felt like if mama dogs and cats knew how to take care of their babies, surely I could take care of that little feller.  And I did. 

Of course, the MC was perhaps, the most amazing baby/little boy ever.  Good natured as all git out.  He was why I wanted more babies cause he was a dream of a little guy. 

The Holy Tara showed up on the scene when the Manchild was 20 months old.  I was 24 years old and had two little babies but oh man…how I loved having those little people around me.  I never minded Barney even (this was when Barney was BIG) and I was not uptight about schedules, germs, or nothing like that.  I was a Stay-At-Home Mom then.  I had plenty of time for them.

  Those two were just the cutest little things.  They played together so perfectly.  We went to the park a lot…to the mall…just hung out.  I dont remember getting totally exasperated with them much back in those days.  I’m sure I had my moments, but, really, they were just the most fun and I loved being their mother.

I still love being their mother.  When I look at my handsome, strapping, 6′2 inch, 16 year old son, who is the spitting of image of his Grandpa Biff, hear him play this complex material on his guitar, when he discusses music theory and other things that are so over my head….that he makes pretty good grades and can talk knowledgably about most any subject…I’m so full of pride and find it hard to believe that’s the same little feller who carried his “Gee” around (what he called juice) and cried to watch “Dubbadee” all the time (he was obsessed with CMT as a toddler.  Loved those videos.  Go figya)  Now he likes sweet tea and practically has a 5 o’clock shadow. 

The Holy Tara came into the world with two quick pushes, eyes wide open, ready to see what was going on.  She sang herself to sleep as an infant and talked in complete sentences at 14 months.  When she’d try to pull herself up when she was about 8 months old….would fall flat on her face….would not cry but would do a disgusted grunt and get right back up and do it again.  She has more resolve and determination in her than just about anybody I know.  (She reminds me that way of her Grandma Hazel and her Aunt Gastrica)  She has the voice of an angel and its been fun of late watching her find that voice and work it. 

I’m so proud of these two teens of mine (y’all know how I am about #2.  He’s not a teen yet though).  I’m not saying this cause I want a bunch of comments lauding my mothering…nope.  I feel like I suck as a mother to teens.  I really do.  I have no patience for DRAM-uh.  Not much of that with the Manchild but with the HT, it’s constant.  I have no patience for it.  None.  I feel like I let them down constantly in more ways than I can even tell here.  I feel like I’m growing up so much my own self, that I’m not as attentive or take their stuff as seriously as I should. 

I always thought I’d really rock as a mom to teens cause I’m younger than a lot of their friends’ parents.  I don’t think this is so.   The thing is, they’re close to being grown.  Two years from now, the MC will be a legal adult.  The HT is not far behind him. 

It’s not my style to be one of those moms thats in their face, volunteering for everything at the school and every activity.  It’s not cause I’m not interested.  It’s more that I want them to be free to be themselves in their world, without any self consciousness that Mom is looking or what I might say.  I sorta felt like that when I was a kid.  Scared to be who I was.  Afraid I would look stupid or something.  So, I try to give them some space. 

I’m not a rigid rules person, however, I feel like I’m the Parent, they are the Child.  My job is not to be their friend, yet, I want them to feel like they can bring stuff to me…which they do. 

I don’t know the point of all this babbling….maybe I’m just realizing time is marching forward and they are becoming their own people….I don’t know. 

I do love my kids.  I hope they realize that when the chips are down, their Mama’s got their back.

Can somebody just make time stop or at the least…slow down a little?? 

This is my very favorite 6 year old.  My niece, Hannah, is having a birthday today!  6 going on 16 fo sho.

Hannah is a trip.  She told her kindergarten teacher not long ago, when they were going on a field trip that her mother could come with them because she “Doesn’t do nothing all day except eat popcorn.” 

She cracks her Auntie up.

Annoying, Loud, Shrill Co-Worker Next-To-Your-Sista….is at it again.

I couldn’t have made this up if I’da wanted to. 

There has been another car accident.  Yes.  Not only that, she just bought a brand new car, but, fortunately, she got rear-ended in her old car.  So…all morning, I have heard her on the phone with the insurance company.

I swear, when I got rear-ended back in November, I think I made maybe 2 or 3 phone calls all total. 

If this drags out til Christmas, I’m gonna be pissed.