crossrhodes

I re-designed my sister’s art website from the ground up. Please go see it! I worked on it for 12 straight hours while home alone last weekend. Last night, my brother and I were wrapping up lose ends until 2 in the morning (via IM and e-mail) coz my sister will begin showing her portfolio next week. And while you’re there, you should buy something :) Everyone could use fine art in their home!

I said goodbye to a dear friend at work last week. She was like… um, between a daughter and younger sister to me. Always came to me with “How do I…? Should I…? What if I…?” I miss her. She reminded me of my younger self, when I couldn’t sit still in one city and tried to save the world one policy at a time. For a going away gift, we got her a silver ID bracelet engraved with her Japanese name, which in English means The Blessed Child (or was it The Blessed One???) It’s pretty either way. P.S. Mark, she’s the girl I introduced to you by email.

While I was socializing with co-workers over the weekend, Don picked up James from summer camp. Father & Son spent the weekend camping with my in-laws. Here are the Rhodes grandchildren - all boys.

I think I got out of camping this year (I think… although there’s still the month of August). The last time we went “camping” with my in-laws, Don obliged me to a hotel room. (Ahhh, marbled bath and air conditioned, bug-free room!) It’s not total prissyness that I avoid the great outdoors. My sister-in-law can vouch that I have reason to stay indoors. I am a natural bug buffet! Even with a dozen people around, somehow insects prefer to congregate on me!

“I have a right to be happy.” Fortunately, I don’t hear that often in my home. Either we’re all perfectly content or have learned that we have no firm control on our so called “rights” because everything we have is at the mercy of our Creator. (That is, if you believe in creation.)

I was recommended this book by a good friend of mine. I haven’t reached the first chapter yet because I have 3 other books on my nightstand. But I read the introduction last night and laughed at every page! Its the most entertaining self-help book I’ve read.

I don’t know if Dr. Laura’s a Christian but her philosophies sure resemble biblical principles. “This sense of entitlement [to happiness],” she says, “comes from a culture that has elevated feelings over obligation, responsibility, and commitment.” It is what leads to the rationalization that if you’re not happy, it’s okay to replace marriage and family with work, hobbies, alcohol, and even affairs. Obviously, the children suffer. Furthermore, (I LOVE THIS PART!!!): “… they are wrong if they think a new pair of pants will change their lives - because the same skirt will be in the room.”

This book is unmistakably written for women. The author flat out blames the feminist movement of condemning “just about everything male as evil, stupid, and oppressive, and the denigration of female and male roles in families” which led to the same denigration of families “as a result of divorce, day care, dual careers, and the glorification of shacking up and unwed motherwood by choice.” Do I hear an amen?

Being home alone this week has been reeeaaally nice! James is at camp and Don’s working the midnight oil at the emergency center. I can do whatever I want!

• I watched nothing but chick flicks on DVD. I can’t do that when the boys are home. (BTW, Something’s Gotta Give has a great soundtrack!)
• I cooked 2 kinds of fish for dinner last night. The boys are meat and potatoes kinda guys.
• I haven’t done the groceries coz I only have myself to feed.
• I can read quietly in the living room. There’s no background noise from the TV.

BUT ENOUGH ALREADY!!! I wanna be a wife and mom again!!! (This is the downfall of growing up in a big family… it’s soooo boring being alone!)

……I think I’ll go shopping for more junkfood to send to camp :)

I got a surprise call from James today! The camp doesn’t allow long distance calls to home unless its an emergency. But his counselor has a cell phone with unlimited weekend minutes so he’s letting the campers call home during breaks. (Isn’t technology wonderful?) Anyway, he just wanted to chit chat and see how dad and I were doing. He’s having a ball.

I made him some contact cards to give away at camp so he can stay in touch w/ his summer friends throughout the year. I didn’t think he’d actually use them (since he’s not meeting any girls during boys camp) but he called to ask me to send more. He must’ve made a lot of new friends. Of course, when he gets home I’ll have more competition on the internet coz he’ll have all his camp friends on IM.