Hell Yeah Skies, What I Know For Sure & #iPPP

Yesterday morning I had sort of a Double Rainbow moment on my front porch.  You remember that viral YouTube video from years ago where the guy is majorly freaking out and repeating "what does it mean!!!!!???????" over and over.   And then cries. (Click here if you need to see it again.)  Because it's too much.  Because he stepped outside and nature, God, the world just blew him the hell away with beauty and awesomeness.

"Moooooom!!!!!," Lucy screamed from the living room.  

"I told you I don't know where your homework is," I replied from the kitchen.  

"No, you have to come here.  You HAVE to see this," she yelled.  "It's purple!"

I most definitely thought I would find that one of Wade's punches had landed just right and given JT a nice purple-y black eye.  
But to my surprise, the boys weren't wrestling (hello miracle) and Lucy was staring out the window.  She was staring at one of the most amazing sunrises I've ever seen. Ever.

I mean what? No filter, no editing...this is the sunrise.
Hell Yeah!

The sky was purple and pink and bright and hopeful.  The sky was all hell yeah and amazing.  I found myself asking "What does it mean?????"  

I took Lucy on the front porch and we took pictures.  

"My God, isn't it beautiful?" I asked.  

"It is!," she agreed.

"I mean it takes your breath away doesn't it?" I continued.  "It's awesome."

"Yeah, I'm cold can I go inside?," she said obviously getting creeped out by my enthusiasm.

I squeezed her hand tightly not wanting to let go of the moment. She pulled away.  This scene would make for a very touching symbolic story of me holding on and her moving forward, but this is not that story.  Nope.  This is the story about my hell yeah sky taking me away for a minute.  Reminding me that there is more to life than lost homework, busy schedules, failed attempts at organization, kids not listening, never-ending laundry, bill after bill after bill, worries about stupid kids being not so nice to one of your kids, driveways that need to be shoveled, emails that need to be sent, dogs that need to be trained...

Speaking of the dog, she must of wanted a little piece of my hell yeah sky.  She wanted to know there's more than her crate, the backyard, people telling her no all the damn time, because she chose that moment to bolt.  She busted through the storm door and ran down the street like she belonged to no one.  And I in my robe and pink slippers with sheep on them (yeah I didn't buy those slippers, but someone gave them to me and I love them) chased after her. Jumping over ice patches and through snow drifts, I ran.  I tried to reason with the dog. Lucy was screaming from the porch.  Wade was crying and wondering why I was running away.  JT was in the shower.

A man stopped his car, put down his window and said, "Do you know there is a dog roaming the street up there?"

Duh.  What did he think I was doing out there at sunrise in my robe and pink slippers with sheep on them running down the street?  "Yes, it's my dog, thank you," I said smiling and then went back to running after her.

She and I eventually made it back to the house.  Both of us winded.  

It wasn't a perfect moment.  It wasn't filled with parenting how-to's.  Nope.  It's just a reminder that if you step out of your trailer, your house, your office, whatever and nature/God/the world blows you away with beauty and awesomeness, soak it up.

Yesterday, I didn't howl at the moon, I didn't cry about a double rainbow, but I sure did hell yeah the sky, I know that for sure.

Here's what else I know for sure (this week), things that made me say hell yeah:

• Winter in Michigan can be so fun.  We are totally digging ice skating.  

• Going to movies alone is awesome.  I went to a movie all by myself for the first time in my almost 40 years of life.  And I looooooved it.  I saw August: Osage County. Which was basically Meryl Streep playing my mother.  I loved the movie.  I laughed and cried and processed.  I will tell you that the movie really is so much of my life it's crazy.  It is a very, very accurate portrayal of a drug addicted mean, crazy southern woman and how her adult children handle her and life.  

• I have mother issues.  I mean because duh, because of my previous "what I know for sure" entry above.  But guess who else does? Eminem.  I've always related to his mother issues and I am a fan of his.  But his newest song brought me to tears the first time I heard it.  Anyone that has had to forgive, let go and love someone troubled from a distance will get this song.  Seriously moving.

• My kids are true believers.  Every damn time they play the Claw!!!!! (said in the Toy Story alien voice) game, they believe they will win something. Every time.  And they never do.  That is some kind of faith.

• My new obsession is Wifey.tv.  It's a web site with videos that I love.  Their tag line is "woman as subject, not object." YES!!!!!  One of the creators is Jill Soloway (author/screenwriter/awesome person).  I have loved Jill since I heard her speak at a NOW convention years ago.  She is amazing.  The videos are from all over the Internet and I watched for hours the other night and plan on watching for many more hours this weekend.  Check them out for real. They play amazing videos like the one below which I love and SO many more.

• I love watching my husband coach my kids.  This past weekend was the first time Tim coached a team that Lucy is on.  Because it's the first time she is on a team.  And it makes my heart feel all kinds of full and happy.

• Anne Lammott is brilliant.  Here's a quote of her's that I used in Sunday School last Sunday. It speaks to me.

• This iPad Air commercial makes me feel proud to be brand loyal to such a kick ass brand. Hell yeah. What's your verse?

• If you are in Detroit (or nearby) and you have a sweet mother story or a story about your mother issues, you should audition for Listen To Your Mother.  Click here for more details.

What do you know for sure (this week)?  C'mon, we're friends, share what you know. What had you saying "hell yeah" this week?

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Please come play with me on Instagram @jumpingwithmyfingerscrossed. 

I'm linking up today with my friends Greta from  Gfunkified.com and Robin from FarewellStranger.com for the #iPPP link up.  They host a link up where they encourage people to share "your funny, your yummy, your heartfelt, your favorite photos of the week" from our phones.