Just When I Think My Life May Be Boring, Then a Tornado Comes into My Life

Over the last several years I have thought that I lived a rather ho hum life. I work at home and get out of the house to do the basic everyday errands with a few little surprises thrown in for good measure. Although over the past almost six years I have made many a trip to hospitals, doctor appointments and other such trips with my mother-in-law these trips are usually pretty routine.

With the recent tornado activities all over the Midwest it makes you think a little bit more; what will I do and how will I react if when comes close? The Joplin tornado was such a horrendous one, words can not describe the pictures and stories that those poor people have been through. With the St. Johns Hospital taking a direct hit it would have been a usual first place to probably take cover for people.

I have to admit I usually take tornado warnings with a grain of salt. My first thought usually is: What would the chances be that an actual tornado would touch down in my area?

Wednesday, March 25 at 12:25 p.m. I got my answer. Although I didn't have any direct damage. I know several people who were hit extremely hard. An F2 can still do alot of damage.

My west coast friends took for granted that everyone has a basement. As I told one friend, I don't have one and where I was the basement wasn't the best place to be. Actually we had just returned to my mother-in-laws from the hospital and were home only ten minutes when we had our first warning. We actually had to drive half way across town to another family members basement something I probably wouldn't have done if I were by myself but since I had three elderly people to worry about, safer was getting them someplace else. I was amazed at my 5 '2 body could maneuver two men and a woman from a car, in the driving rain and wind to the safety of a dry basement. But I did!

This was my second close call in the 15 years I have lived here. My one friend who has lived here all her life has been through 3 tornadoes all of which she has had significant damage either to houses and/or businesses. This one hit extremely hard for her at a time when she was contemplating retirement in the near future. I know she will make the best choice for her. Personally, my choice would be to find a place to live where there is no tornadoes, no earthquakes, no hurricanes, no adverse weather of any kind but as I have been told time and time again--there is no such place. For now I guess I will make do where I am and consider myself lucky again and also consider my life not as boring as I thought, there is an adventure around the corner every day.

We Are What We Wear-Or Are We?

On a recent program feature about the type of clothes you wear and how they effect your life there was one statement that made me stop and think. We learn from an early age about the clothes we like and how they make us feel comfortable or how we want to be perceived. I do agree a little about this but it also made me think how times have changed drastically on clothing in general.

As a child most of my clothes were home-made. Both my mother and grandmother knew how to sew, so all of my clothes were not bought in a store. Sewing is a lost art in today's busy world. It also takes a lot of patience. Frankly, I have sewn very few items because my patience level is extremely low. At the time I disliked having clothes that were not bought in a store, because most of my friends didn't have home made clothes. Wow how many times have we not heard that saying today!

I also remember how excited I was to make my first purchase at age 12 of store bought pants. Dittos were the "in thing" in pants at a time. I had one pink and one blue pair. I remember being so excited going to school and feeling like I was just like everyone else. Times have not changed much in that respect that we want to fit in.

We usually are told to look for clothes that we like and sometimes that isn't always what we should be wearing. Years ago a co-worker and I were going shopping for a jumpsuit that I wanted to find for a very special date I was going on. I still remember her picking out a black stripped suit that at first I thought just looking at it wasn't for me, but once I put it on it was completely different on me than on the hanger. I still hear her voice in my ear sometimes when I pick out clothes. Unfortunately, now I am older but usually still gravitate to a younger look.

Climate and geography also has a big influence on what we wear. I used to wear light, clothing and only had a light jacket. Where I currently live it is sometimes very hard to find clothes that are fashionable. I also have several large, heavy coats due to the cold weather, My area is geared more to rural living and practicality more than fashion. If it's not jeans, boots and a tee shirt you probably won't find it at a local store. Driving one to two hours to a mall has become routine. Is it unfortunate to drive miles and sometimes states away just so you can have something different in your wardrobe.

Women are usually more fashion savvy than men. When I first met my husband his wardrobe was brown corduroy pants, brown boots and a brown shirt. He really had no color wheel when it came to clothing. Over the years, since I buy his clothes he has come to enjoy a new color and comment that he looks really good in that outfit. I like to say he cleans up well since he usually wears jeans and a polo shirt for his work dress.

I find that it becomes more and more difficult to find clothes that I enjoy. As I get older I want more comfort but still want something that makes me feel good, no matter my age. Not that I want to be that hot older lady, but I am sure I won't be too conservative either.

I like to think I enjoy fashion, I like color, variety and comfort like the next person but I also like to make a little of a fashion statement within reason.

As Mother's Day Approaches

Time certainly does fly. It doesn't seem possible that it is already May. I also have to admit that this is probably the first year in a very long time that Mother's Day has quickly approached for me without a second thought. Then the advertising and commercials for flowers, and other items comes on the radio or television and it makes me go back what seems like a lifetime ago.

It doesn't seem at all possible that 18 years has gone by since I found my birth mother and family. Although the process of searching has become more simplified with technology, now information can be but keystrokes away. Seven years of leads, letters, more research, false hopes and then a simple blind letter to an address changed my life forever. I'm not sure I was fully prepared for what was yet to come at the time, but everything since then has changed my perspective on a lot of issues on so many levels.

I have a binder marked Adoption that has every piece of information leading to a life that took me to many different places. Some pleasant, some not so pleasant. My search went from a bittersweet meeting to just being content knowing where I came from but that binder holds the keys to where I came from. A little bizarre when you really think that a binder can hold the key to a life.

I am asked frequently whether it was worth it all. In a word, Yes it was. I would rather live in truth then to live my life with lies and half truths. To coin a saying that my husbands absolutely hates, "It is what it is". Sometimes the truth hurts, I have found that out a lot too. I always love the part in "A Few Good Men". "The truth, you can't handle the truth". Many people can't handle what they perceive to be true. I will admit I haven't always handled all the information well but it is a part of my history and somethings you just can't change.

Sometimes I hate to admit that I am more like my family members than I care too. This is probably why our communications with each other is almost non-existent. Everybody handles there "truth" different. I also have to say because I was raised by another family I also picked up a lot of those family traits which sometimes helped me get through my process.

Today adoption is such an different and can be a more open process, much more than it was long ago. Probably for good reasons. Now the process usually takes more consideration of what the child may need in the present and later in their future.

I am a part of a time when adoption was a hush-hush, sweep under the rug event. Secrets don't always stay hidden and I don't believe it does anyone involved justice to be secretive. I found that be protective most of my early life probably did more harm than good.

I have never asked or wanted the pity some want to give me for having been adopted. I do admit I am lucky to have been born. I'm not sure I agree with some people who are adopted considering themselves special in being picked by their parents. It probably is true for some but sometimes I am not sure that all parents truly know what they are taking on adopting a child. Having a child and giving away or keeping to raise yourself always has its pitfalls. It's never easy, no book can tell you everything and all you can do is hope your decisions will be right for them.

Even in the 1960's women could decide to have a back room abortion. I am thankful my mother chose not too. Although debated, I am also glad today women have a choice, not always politically or morally correct, until you walk in a women's shoes and know what the situations are no woman should be told what they are to do. It's a personal decision.

Thank you Mom for having the strength to put me up for adoption, thank you to my Mom and Dad for raising me the best way they knew how, thank you to all my grandmother's for being special ladies in my life. Thank you to all Mom's everywhere. Mother's Day is not just one day a year, it is 365 days a year.