I've Been Chased By A Bat!!

Our routine every weekday morning was to eat breakfast, clean the kitchen, and start our homeschool day.  This day was no different than any other.  We had all just sat down at the kitchen table for our history lesson.  Chris looked out the window and said, “Star has something in his mouth!”  Sure enough Star, our short-haired black cat, was walking toward the house with something brown in his mouth.  We went outside to see.  Star had dropped the animal on the ground.  I immediately saw that it was a bat.  I was surprised.  I had expected a bird. 

At the time I recalled that a naturalist at Bennett Springs State Park told us that bats can carry rabies and it is best not to handle them.  Stephanie ran to get me something to put over the top of the bat.  We did this to keep Star from grabbing the bat again. Scooping his cat up into his arms, Chris (and Hannah) ran into the house.  They were observing Stephanie and I outside the big picture window.

I put a plastic egg crate over the bat.  And as I looked at it I noticed that there were three bats all rolled up together; a baby bat, an adolescent bat, and the mother were attached together.  At that moment the mother bat carrying her babies escaped from under the egg crate and flew right at me!  Escaping was my only option.  I ran a short distance and I turned around to see the direction in which the bat would fly.  I was thinking the bat would just fly off somewhere.  But No!  I gasped, the bat was chasing me!  I began running in a circle.  I screamed help when I saw the bat’s teeth imagining them trying to bite me.

I sprinted in a circle several times.  Looking behind me many times and still seeing the bat’s teeth.  I hollered, “Open the back door!”  No one did.  Stephanie was jumping up and down on the back porch, while Chris and Hannah watched out the window.  I thought I am going to have to do this all by myself!  I opened the door and jumped inside and fell on the floor banging my legs up.  Stephanie was still outside jumping up and down in excitement.  However the bat did not chase her.  The bat flew over into a nearby tree and rested hanging upside down!

Later that week we visited with the naturalist at Bennett Springs State Park.  I informed her that bats do chase people.  She insisted no they do not.  She pointed out that the bat was traumatized by being carried in the mouth of a cat.  Okay I can try to empathize.  Even though I rescued the bat from the cat by placing the egg crate over him, the bat felt trapped again.  However, when the bat did gain freedom again, it was just trying to get oriented.  In most instances I believe bats do not chase people.  However, I think this was the exception. 

Christopher, The Cowboy: A Shoot Out In Consumers!!

Our son, Christopher, became quite the little cowboy beginning at age 2 and ending around age 10.  Grandparents, parents, and friends encouraged him in this area of his life.  Several individuals taught him all about cowboys using movies, books, coloring books, and clothing.

Christopher spent a couple of days with his Papa and Meme.  Just like most grandparents they loved spoiling him and giving him everything his little heart desired.  On a particular occasion Chris came home with a pair of cowboy boots purchased by his Papa and Meme, of course.  Chris, being a chunky boy, barely could put his fat little legs in the boots.  He was asleep in the car seat when I picked him up.  As Chris awoke he said, “Got boots!  See?”  He strutted around the house just like a real cowboy in those boots.  

It was at that time he was introduced to old western movies such as John Wayne and Paladin.  Chris decided he needed a cowboy hat and a gun and holster just like cowboys in the movies.  Being adorned with boots, hat, and gun and holster was important to Chris.  Every time we entered the public library, visited friends, shopped for groceries, clothing, etc… the boots, hat, and gun and holster were worn.  He never took them off unless he was getting ready for bed.  And then the gun was thrust under his pillow.  One never knew when a bandit would ride up.  He was going to protect his family!

Chris and I went grocery shopping at Consumers in Lebanon one afternoon.  Lee Frank, the assistant manager, laughed and raised his arms in the air and said, “Don’t shoot!”  Did Chris pay any attention?  Absolutely not!  He took the cowboy stance and drew his gun and fired!”  Lee grabbed his chest and said got me!  We all laughed!!

Steve and I are blessed to have several pictures.  A family picture and a 2 year old baby picture with Chris riding a rocking horse with Chris in his diaper and wearing a light blue bandana, boots, and gun and holster.  It is my favorite baby picture of Chris.

To Spray Or Not To Spray??

As my husband, Steve, and I treated our beautiful daughter, Stephanie, and her boyfriend, Jeff, to a delicious meal at The Olive Garden, we caught up on the events in our lives.  While feasting on Italian salads, bread sticks, fettuccine alfredo, lasagna, and shrimp fettuccine, I asked our daughter, “How is GH?”  Laughing she shared this story.

The background being Jeff rescued a cat from the Joplin Humane Society and this active cat is a resident in Stephanie’s apartment in Springfield.  GH, a beautiful exotic looking cat with ossi spots, a long tail and legs, and a Siamese shaped face, has loved to play with toys and with anyone who would pay attention to him.  The whole family has enjoyed him.  Well, except Jeff!

Stephanie and Jeff have agreed that GH and Jeff do not like each other.  GH would smell of Jeff’s shoes, jump on him, bother his laptop, and so on.  Jeff changed his shirt and somehow it ended up on the floor.  GH spied it and immediately attacked the fairly new shirt, chewing and tearing it all to shreds!  Jeff was very frustrated with this cat now.      

Stephanie took GH to the vet for a check up and inquired about GH’s behavior.  The vet suggested that Stephanie purchase a hormone spray!  I ask, “For the cat?”  Stephanie replies, “No for Jeff!”  Laughing, Stephanie continued to say the liquid could be sprayed on Jeff when he comes for a visit and would make Jeff smell like a cat!  Steve and I looked at Jeff and said, “Great idea!! When are you going to use it?”  Jeff expressed firmly that he was NOT going to be sprayed! Stephanie, Steve, and I just laughed and laughed at the expression of Jeff’s face.  Steve said, “Well, perhaps you could just spray your toes?”  Jeff shook his head no!!!

We decided that GH is probably just jealous of Jeff and is probably just protecting Stephanie!!  We suggested that Stephanie and Jeff give more positive attention to GH while Jeff visits at her apartment.  The moral of this story could be, “Be ye kind one to another…” , as it says in Ephesians 4:32.

Dream Today!

Recently I spent the day at Silver Dollar City.  While the kids were riding all the thrill rides, I was browsing the shops and enjoying my favorite meal, spaghetti, at the Spring House Restaurant.  While sitting at a table, I read a sign.  It said, “We create our tomorrows by what we dream today.”  How many of us actually are pursuing a dream today?

As I graduated high school and college, the speakers at the graduations encouraged us to dream.  Throughout my life I pursued different goals and dreams such as becoming a good teacher, supporting my husband through pharmacy school, owning our home, and being the best wife and mother I could be.  As my children grew I just thought I would return to the work force.  It was not a dream; it was just something I knew I needed to do to help the family.  Something was happening.  I was falling into survival mode! 

One of my favorite fictional stories is “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer.”  In a particular scene Rudolph and friends were headed to the Island of Misfit Toys.  There was a very pretty doll and other toys warming themselves by the campfire.  It was getting so late that they thought Santa was not coming for them.  Someone said, “Well we might as well go to bed and start dreaming about next year!”  Suzy the doll says, “I haven’t any dreams left to dream!”  How many of us are at this point in this life?  This is what I call survival mode; we are just going through the drudgery of life or just getting by!   

I recall when my oldest daughter graduated high school, a Focus on the Family guest speaker, Todd Wilson, came to encourage the graduates.  Little did he know that he inspired me, a homeschool mom!  In his message he spoke these words of wisdom, “Do not let anyone steal your dream!”  My heart smiled as he admonished the graduates to persevere through any obstacle or hardship along their journey.  Let me ask you this.  How many individuals throughout the years have allowed the dream stealers to get them to the point of having nothing left to dream?  How many allow a failure to stop them?  How many are afraid of what people might think and allow this to stop them?  How many have developed such a closed mind set, that they fail to see opportunities God has placed before their eyes?

It says in scripture that God gives us an abundant life!  In John 10:10 it says, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy; I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”  I believe this scripture and know it is true.  We live in such a negative world that it is a challenge to remember just how much God does care.  He is helping us everyday.  I just continue to hold to God’s unchanging hand.

About two years ago an opportunity presented itself to Steve and I.  I am so very grateful to God for all He has done for my family.  We are now business owners for the first time in our lives!  Our awesome business encourages me to strive for my dreams.  I began dreaming again.  Through the personal growth, I am becoming a stronger person and a better Christian.  I am becoming a person who has undaunted courage and who has the strength of character to help other people build their dreams.  My business has encouraged me to write my memoirs for my family and is helping me to give my husband time freedom to work a pharmacy job because he wants to and not because he has to. It is allowing me to leave a legacy for our children; and that is only the beginning!  You see, I am creating my tomorrows by what I am dreaming today!!

A Great Birthday

This past Monday, July 4^th, I celebrated my 54^th birthday!  Yes, over the years I have shared the same birthday as our GREAT United States of America!  And I have loved it! 

I received cards in the mail, email cards, email letters, text messages, facebook gifts, and facebook Happy Birthday Wishes!  These wishes were from high school classmates, college classmates, former students from when I taught high school, homeschool friends and children, friends from places I worked, church family, cousins, parents, my children, and my husband!  It was almost overwhelming to me when I realized just how many people remembered me on my birthday!  I felt so special!  God has certainly blessed me with many great friends and relatives!!!

I thank God for the family I grew up in and for Steve’s family, and for giving me a wonderful husband and three wonderful children.  I was showered with such gifts as money, a shirt, a necklace, a nativity scene Christmas Ornament from Peru, and a keychain that says “Number 1 Mom”!  I could not find the words to express how much I love and appreciate each family member and friend.     

I loved the fireworks on my birthday!  The blasting, whistling, popping, beautiful colors, parachutes, fountains, sparklers, and many other firework paraphernalia excited me!  At 9 years old my brother and I shot off fireworks works by ourselves for the first time! Wow!  Several years later during the summers I worked for Mid-America Fireworks in the Springfield, MO area selling fireworks.  I loved talking to the customers about each firework.  I had fun! 

Over the years we have celebrated the birth of our nation with family; we have barbequed, made homemade ice cream, ate watermelon, and shot off fireworks.  And at the same time we celebrated the birthday of my brother in law and me!  One year I nearly convinced my three young children that everyone celebrated my birthday by shooting off fire works!  They were awed for a short time, but they are smart kids and did not buy into that idea for long.  I taught them to cherish the USA, respect our American Flag, and appreciate that they live in the greatest country in the world.  And it was my goal to set an example for them in thanking our soldiers for serving our country.  They have sacrificed family time, personal time, and their lives.  The soldiers cared enough to keep America free!  God Bless the USA.