My Rocks

My Rocks.  Of course, since I am a geologist, I love my rocks.  I have collected many over the years from different field trips, and I keep my favorites around the house on display.  The particular rocks I want to talk about today are my support rocks.  My husband, and my Maria's.  The anniversary of my mom's death is fast approaching, and without these guys in my life, Iguarantee that I wouldn't have fared so well in the aftermath.

The morning of May 30th, I received a phone call from my Dad, saying that my mom was in the hospital, and to say my prayers.  I had the responsibility of calling my brothers, and letthing them know.  I sat with my husband until he calmed me down enough to make the phone calls, and then I went to look at flights online.  I wanted to be there to see her when she recovered.  20 minutes later, I received another phone call.  Dad.  Mom had passed away.  I immediately ran upstairs and broke down on the floor of the game room, where Adam held me.  I knew I wasn't going to be able to walk myself onto a flight and make it to NC, so we decided to drive the 24 hours to the coast.  Adam drove the entire way, through the night, less the final 3 hours where he slept and I drove.  He was my rock, for getting me there, and he continues to support me whenever I have a bad day.

The morning of May 30th, I called my Maria V.  She was in a movie, and called me back immediately when I texted her that I needed her to give me a call.  I told her what happened through tears.  She immediately was there to support me, and would do anything for me.  I let her know that Adam was taking me to NC, and that I would see her in Vienna when we drove back from there in a few days.  As soon as I got back from NC, Maria was there at my house, to see me and my family.  I have grown up with Maria, and I felt like seeing her there I would immediately cry.  We both managed to hold it together until we got into her car and started driving.  I forget where we were going, but we started crying and she pulled over and gave me a big hug.  When I got back to Texas, I had an edible arrangement from Maria, and cards galore from her.  When she visited me in Texas last summer, we cried together again, and also had a lot of fun as we always do.  Maria is my rock, for continually being my support and thinking of me always.

The morning of May 31st, I texted my Maria G.  I couldn't get on the phone again, after not being able to speak when I talked to Maria V.  I told her what happened, in no uncertain terms, because I didn't know how else to say it.  I asked her to be the one to tell all of our mutual friends, because I knew that I wasn't going to be able to do that.  She immediately said she would do that for me, and the texts and messages on Facebook started pouring in as she told people.  She was so supportive, and ready to be there in a second if I had asked her to meet me back in Vienna.  When I got back to Texas, I had a gorgeous purple orchid waiting for me and a card, which I immediately put on display where I would see it every day.  I still look at the plant and think of my mom and Maria and her family.  Maria was my rock in college when we were roommates (We met on the first day, and graduated together on our lasst day), and she continues to be my rock whenever I need to vent or talk about things, whatever they might be. 

Thank you, you guys rock. 

Geology Field Trip to PA

This week I went on a field trip to Pennsylvania, to look at some of the structures in the rocks there.  It was a nice break from the weather here, it was great to see some topography again with the mountains, and the company was great.  We took the company jet up to PA, which was a treat.  I hadn't taken a trip in the plane before, and it was great.  It makes me want to never fly commercial again. 

Once we were in Pennsylvania, we landed and immediately went out into the field.  We saw some great rocks that were steeply dipping beds, from the Appalachian thrusting when the proto-continents converged together.  Here is an example:

I always like to get my picture taken with the rocks I've been studying.  Once I get some time, I will post photos from the other places I have been, and my husband as well.  It's great to have a job where I can go on all kinds of field trips to learn and be outdoors. 

We had a great time overall, and riding the company jet was a plus! 

Mother's Day. sigh

So the month of May is upon us, and with it brings Mother's Day and another anniversary.  I sigh, because this is my first Mother's Day without my mom.  I often wondered how I was going to cope once this day finally arrived today, and I like to think I handled things okay.  I spent the day doing things my mom enjoyed: shopping, grilling out with friends, and napping.  I did have my tears, of course, and my husband was there to comfort me. 

One of the things I think is the hardest is the age I was when my mom died.  I was old enough to have many, many memories, but young enough to be angry that she would miss out on so many things she would have loved.  I feel that if a parent dies when you are very young, you are too young to comprehend the loss, and you don't realize how much they will miss out on.  If you are older, and have children of your own, then your parent was given the opportunity to be a grandparent and share the memories of being a Mom with you. 

I was married, 26, and childless when my mom died.  I am thankful every day that she saw me get married, and that she loved my husband as one of her own sons.  Every day I also think about her, wish she could see my children one day, and miss her terribly.  I break down at work, I fear someone saying something that will make me cry, and then sometimes I am okay and can remember things and smile. 

This Mother's Day, I decided to honor my mom by putting up a photo of us along with a white carnation, which symbolizes a person whose mother has passed away on this holiday.

The credit for the carnation photo is from here

Coaster Gifts

I needed to give a friend a birthday present, but I didn't want it to be something boring, like a gift card or a frame with a photo in it (everyone gives those).  I saw some inspiration here and decided to make my own version.  I created some for two friends who had birthdays around the same time of year.  One I did in color, the other in black and white.  My version is simpler than the tissue paper version, since you have less to do, and the photo still stays put and looks fantastic.

I started with plain tiles from a warehouse store, and printed out photos of my friends on plain white paper.  Then, I cut the photos to size for the tiles, and used Mod Podge to wet the back and over the front of the photo.  Once that dried, I used clear acrylic sealer (several coats) to make the coaster waterproof, and added some felt rounds to the back for a buffer.  Then, voila.  I had a beautiful, homemade gift that was unique and special to the recipient.

My friend loved it, and she couldn't wait to show her boyfriend and parents who came into town for her birthday.  So unique!

Vegetable Gardening

Each year, we grow a variety of veggies and herbs in a potted garden. We do pots, since the sun can be intense in this Texas heat, and I can move the plants around if they're scorching.  Last year, our garden did very well, although keeping plants in pots means watering more frequently.  The trade-off in increased maintenance is worth it to me, for the fresh veggie taste. 

Tips for planting in pots - water often!!!  Use the Moisture Control Miracle Gro soil to help keep plants moist.  Use mulch if needed to keep mousture in. 

These photos are from last year.

Here is one of the pepper plants

A cucumber plant

And our tomato plants

We had so many tomatoes we couldn't eat them all.  This year, we have tomatoes, cucumbers, and basil.  No peppers, since I still haven't used the ones I dried last year.  Here's hoping our garden does just as well!