Learn to Swim

Check and mark!
Way to go, Ava!

Backyardigans

Can you guess what we've been doing lately?

Well, okay, mainly my dad and my husband, but we all in the Smith family are excited to see the results. I'll give a few hints. (1) This is our backyard. (2) "We" just finished the tearing-down stage. (3) A professional (aka my "Uncle" Scott) will soon be on the job.

Eventually, I'll share before and after shots, but I have a feeling this is going to be a long process. But a fun one! And, believe me, it's much overdue. And don't worry; I'll keep everyone posted as we make progress. ;)

P.S. A very special THANK YOU to my dad, who has put in many hours of hard labor, contributed vital ideas, and put up with my constant indecision over all those necessary choices. Love you, Dad!

Friday Favorites with Fun Facts

Ava:
Favorite Color: blue
Favorite Food: candy
Favorite Show/Movie: Despicable Me
Favorite Toy: Barbies/American Girl dolls
Favorite Summer Activity: swimming
Favorite Song: Barbie songs

Hudson:
Favorite Color: orange
Favorite Food: popsicles
Favorite Show/Movie: Bubble Guppies
Favorite Toys: Anything with numbers
Favorite Summer Activity: sidewalk chalk
Favorite Song: Purple Rain by Prince

A Coke, a Keyboard, and a Kaboom

I like writing. I like photography. I like blogging. Okay, Facebook and email and the Internet in general. So you can imagine I really, really, really like my laptop, as it houses all of the above. Much of my data is stored online, in case of an emergency, but there are many stories, photos, and other materials just hanging out in my laptop.

My laptop? Lives on my desk, which is admittingly one place in the house I let get pretty messy. Stacks of bills. A bowl of crayons. All my True Blood DVDs. A box of Wheat Thin Stix that I never put away. As you can imagine, I spend a lot of time there.

Which brings me to my story. Sometimes I worry that I spend too much time on my laptop. I started a new novel this summer, and I'm sixteen chapters into it. I frequently edit photographs I've taken. Generally, I go online once a day to check email, scan Facebook, read a few blogs. You get the idea.

But is it too much?

A few days ago, I got my answer. Not only do I like writing, photography, blogging, all of that stuff. But I also like Coke. I often drink it when I'm working on all the aforementioned items. Or I did until very, very recently.

It was a random normal day. Which means that at some point I was working on something on the laptop. And my kids were trying to get my attention. (Side note: my kids hate my laptop, as it removes me from their control! Ha!)

There was a nearly empty Coke at my elbow. Just a few swigs left. Hudson was tugging on me, desperate for attention. I was, I'm sorry to say, ignoring him as I quickly wrapped up whatever I was doing.

That's when it happened.

He picked up my Coke. He tipped it upside down. In slow motion, the remaining sips of cola rained down onto my keyboard. Looking back, it was like a sweet brown tidal wave slipping between my keys and fizzing up the invaluable insides of my laptop. I think my heart stopped for a moment. Just a moment. And my Coke was gone, my laptop soaked.

Hudson looked up at me sweetly. “Oops?”

Somehow, I stayed calm. I picked him up and carried him to the kitchen sink, where I grabbed a towel, even though there was very little to actually sop up. Most of it had disappeared into the mysterious innards of my precious technological device. Trying to breathe, I called for Erik and explained the situation.

Erik: Is it still working?

Lori: Yes, so far, but that can't be good!

Hudson: I pour Coke on Mama's laptop.

Ava: What's going on?

Fast forward to bath time about fifteen minutes later. Both kids are playing in the soapy water, Erik and I are singing silly songs with them, and I'm thinking I managed to avoid a disaster. Nothing has happened yet.

Then a siren goes off. Literally. It's high-pitched, electronic, and really quite scary. We all panic, until we realize those horrible noises are coming from my laptop. Everyone else is relieved, but I am in tears. That Coke! My laptop! Kaboom!

After that, things are murky. We got the kids out of the bath. Erik somehow got those noises to stop. I had to avert my eyes from the crazy kaleidescope of colors, images, and words flashing across my screen. All I could think about were the six chapters of my book I hadn't backed up yet. How many photos of the kids? What else had I lost?

Me: (tears)

Ava: I'm praying for your laptop, Mom.

Hudson: I pour Coke on Mama's laptop. Sorry, Mama.

Erik: I'll shut it down and see what I can do. Maybe it just needs to reset or something.

So that's what we did. It still didn't want to work, but Erik would not give up. We put the kids to bed, I cried some more, and somehow he worked out a few glitches. At least enough that most functions returned. Then we let it sit overnight and hoped for the best.

Verdict? All systems are running again, with only minor issues. The space bar sticks, which is frustrating, because it's so often used. But I'm not complaining! When you type the letter G, a / automatically appears with it. Not so bad, considering that's rare and easily deleted afterwards. It's a bit slower overall, but that's a minor price to pay considering that I thought I'd lost everything.

I still worry the laptop may be on borrowed time, but if there's a lesson to be learned here, then I'm willing to accept it. Perhaps I do spend a tad too much time on the 'ol laptop. I mean, my summer is pretty much all about my kids, and I know I deserve some time for myself, but nevertheless I will be finding other things to do beyond the laptop. This Coke incident terrified me, brought me to tears, and also made me think. Laptops are well and good, but not the most important thing at all.

So after saying a quick prayer of thanks—and backing up my most important files—I turned off the laptop. Thanked Ava for her own prayers and for the picture she'd made to cheer me up. I hugged Hudson and told him not to sweat it. And I thanked Erik for keeping me calm and working his magic.

Obviously, I have a pretty good laptop. I've seen the acid in Coke eat away rust on a nail. Yet this laptop bounced back almost overnight. Whew!

Without a doubt, I have an amazing family. They rallied around poor old Mom when she nearly had a nervous breakdown, even though they're not fans of the laptop.

From now on, I won't forget my priorities. Even for a moment. But I am still glad I'm able to blog about it from my laptop! ;)

Friday Favorites (A Day Late)

Here are two more snapshots still in contention for those canvases above my couch. Both were taken last fall. I'm a bit late with them, but I have a very good excuse which I intend to blog about in my next post. Let's just say two of my favorite things clashed in a way that did not go well. Until I explain, enjoy these sweet faces. :)

Gettin' Our Sillies Out

Right now, the kiddos are napping from a long day at Holiday World with me and Mamaw and Papaw, so I have a moment to rest. And what's on my mind is how wonderfully silly my children are! This summer, not only have they both matured and grown in so many ways, but their sweet senses of humor have truly blossomed. That, of course, makes life so much more interesting.

Happy Thursday! Hope everyone has a chance to get their sillies out! ;)

Grace

Confession: I tend to see life in black and white, a fact I have always been aware of yet not particularly proud of in myself. Furthermore, that tendency comes paired with a strong sense of right and wrong, and a desire to see appropriate consequences for one's actions.

I guess I'm Type A. As in ALWAYS.

While I know I am not perfect, I would be the first one to acknowledge my own wrongdoings and accept appropriate punishment for them. As a child, I handled discipline understandingly (at least I think I did! Right, Mom?). As an adult, I've tried to follow laws, morals, and—whenever possible—my loved ones' wishes. If I fail? I'm willing to face the consequences.

Indeed, even if others were willing to forgive and forget, I would demand my own set of consequences.

Of course, everyone knows that life isn't really like that. Bad things can happen to good people who do nearly everything right. Others wreak havoc around them, wallow in terrible decisions, and yet they seem to manage just fine. Some people simply accept the adage that “Life isn't fair,” and while I know this sentiment to be true, I admit to struggling with understanding why it must be so.

Case in point: the Casey Anthony verdict. Yesterday, after hearing that she had been found not guilty on nearly all charges, I was livid. Why? I don't know this woman, nor did I follow her case particularly closely. Unfortunately, there are thousands of other cases just like hers that occur across our country, and I've never bothered myself about those. Plus, from an evidential perspective, there simply wasn't enough solid proof of her guilt.

Still, this one bothered me. While I might've caught some coverage in high definition color TV, I only saw black and white. Was she a murderer? That may never be known for certain. Was she guilty of poor judgment as a mother? There was no doubt. At the very least, I expected her to be charged with child neglect.

And yet. Why did I care so much?

As a mother, it sickened me. As an American citizen, it frustrated me. As an average person, though, why did I bother?

Then, I stumbled upon this blog post by Ashley Sisk, and suddenly my emotional response made sense. There are Judah's, as she explains, in all walks of life, and while it can be so easy to judge them, that is not our purpose nor our right. This, perhaps more than anything, is an aspect of life that I struggle with myself.

If I follow the laws and strive to do good, why can't everyone else?

Because they can't. Because not everyone has it as easy as me. Because then life would be black and white, and we would miss out on all those interesting colors in between.

*Sigh*

If anything, I am trying to embrace this experience as an opportunity for growth. Yes, I am frustrated, and I feel like a little girl lost out on justice, but that is beyond my control. Instead, I need to focus on things—people, experiences, moments—on which I can make a difference. If I can become a better person, then I can help others to do so as well. And then I won't feel quite so helpless when I'm faced with equally frustrating information on the news front (as I did years ago with a similar headlining case).

Ashley, thank you for reminding me that we all need to be “washed by grace,” no matter the circumstances.

Happy Independence Day!

Today, we've been eating well, swimming fast, and enjoying our time with family. Of course, we haven't forgotten why we celebrate this holiday, and our hearts are with everyone who ever served our great country. Tonight, as we sit spellbound by fireworks, we'll remember and honor.

Happy Fourth, everyone!

P.S. My brother snapped this shot of me and Erik while we were goofing off in the grass. Thought it was cute, so I shared. (Thanks, Chris!) Next time, I may stage this one to get our faces from an overview shot. Anyway......;)

Friday Favorite 2

Continuing to highlight my favorite family snapshots every Friday, I hope to narrow down my search for four canvases above my couch. This is, hands down, my favorite shot of Hudson. Ever. Of course, as you can see, it's over a year old. Do I use this one, although it's already out of date, or do I settle for a more recent one?

One of these days I'll be able to make a decision! Gah!

Until then, enjoy the sweet one-year-old adorableness that was Hudson last year, swinging in the backyard.