just 10 things

ok.

Now that my kumbaya, can't we all just get along moment is out.
Let's move on to something a little more fun.

Ten things you didn't know about McGee...
But always wanted to.

10. I want to jump out of a plane. With a parachute, of course.

9. I once tore a ligament in my knee kicking a locker shut to impress a boy who may or may not have even been watching.

8. My dimple is not a dimple. It's a scar. From a drunk driving accident when I was 10. I wasn't drunk. Nor was I driving.

7. I would love to dress up like a drag queen for Halloween.
I'm 5'11".  I think I could pull it off.

6. I was 5'11" by the 6th grade.

5. My celebrity crushes are currently Dr. Drew and Kevin Smith.

4. I've seen the movies Can't Buy Me Love and Pretty Woman so many times, I can quote them in my sleep. And sometimes do.

3. I hate that celebrities are not afforded privacy. Yet I buy People magazine and check out TMZ.com all the time.

2. I once took an adult Hip Hop dance class and performed in front of like 1,000 people. I know there's video of it. I haven't been able to bring myself to watch it but I'm certain I was graceful and brilliant.

1. Next year I will be "mom" to a college student, a high schooler, one in middle school, one in elementary school and a pre-schooler. And I think it would be fun to have a newborn too. I guess that makes me crazy!

Ten things.
Goofy things.
I know you've just been dying to know!

-McGee

mcgee goes to Washington!

So.

Politics and religion.
Don't go there.
I know.
But here's the thing...

I finally took a trip to our nation's amazing capital! I have been wanting to go since my parents decided it was not in our family's core values to send an 8th grader with random kids and chaperones on a school sanctioned trip to Washington D.C. Not a fan at the decision at the time. And by the way mom, I did take a picture of happy eight grade students just to show you that EVERYONE is doing it. I'll email it to ya.

White House?
Eh.
It was cool but it's a house.

Then we got to the mall.
Not the Nordstrom kinda mall.
The National Mall.

Ahhhhhhhhhh...
What a cool experience.
Which leads me to talk about politics.
Sorta.

It doesn't matter which party I affiliate lean towards.
It doesn't matter which way I vote.
It does matter that I'm a human being and I want a better world to live in.

As we were at the Lincoln Memorial I was reading his second inaugural speech engraved into the wall and this jumped right out at me:

"While the inaugeral address was being delivered from this place, devoted altogether to saving the Union without war, insurgent agents were in the city seeking to destroy it without war—seeking to dissole the Union, and divide effects, by negotiation. Both parties deprecated war; but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive; and the other would accept war rather than let it perish. And the war came...

...Neither party expected for the war, the magnitude, or the duration, which it has already attained. Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with, or even before, the conflict itself should cease. Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding. Both read the same Bible, and pray to the same God; and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces; but let us judge not that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered; that of neither has been answered fully. The Almighty has his own purposes."

I sat there for a moment feeling so disappointed. Are we really there again? Are we really willing, as a nation, to remain so divided? Did we not learn anything from the past? What would Abraham Lincoln think if he stood in the halls of Congress today? I can't help but think he would be discouraged.

I see two political parties that both pray to the same God and invoke His aid against the other.  How strange is that?

I fear what the division will mean for me as a citizen.
For my children.
For our nation.

What I do know is that I pray that we will come to the table to be strong together and not just right in our own minds and in our own social circles. I know I will look at issues and how they affect human beings and not party lines. I know that I would never want to be a politician because it's harder than most of us give credit for but because of that I will pray that they open their minds on both sides and find solutions for our people, all of us, no matter what we believe or how we vote.

I generally stay away from politics in a public forum but it was so impactful that I couldn't leave it alone. So thanks for humoring me, hope it moves you to at least stop and think-I would love to hear your thoughts.

Because maybe it's just me.
Maybe I'm wrong.

But I doubt it.

-McGee

And if you would like to read President Lincoln's speech in all it's complete glory you can find it here.

stewart smalley

I’m good enough.
I’m smart enough.
And Gosh Darn it…
People like me!

I totally had a Stewart Smalley moment tonight.

You see…I am a nice person.
I really am.
So when people are horrifically out of line or mean to me
I just don’t get it.

We used to tease my littlest sister about this very thing. Every teacher, child, adult she came across literally until like the age of 12 ADORED her. Every. Last. One. Then she got to this one class and was frustrated with the teacher. When my mom asked her what the deal was she responded that the teacher just didn’t like her and she didn’t get it because everyone else liked her! Oh. To live a life where everyone loves you.

I totally get that there are people on this planet that don’t like me. It’s ok. I can take it. We don’t all have to be friends. But there is a level of adult respect that I assume I can expect from the people I interact with. Because I’m the nice girl.

In the past two years of my life I have come across a small handful of the most hurtful, vicious, crazy adults that have chosen to be mean spirited and just down right out of line, to me, the nice girl.

Pause for a moment of gasp.
I know right?
How dare they!
Back to the story now…

All of them have been “friends” until I realized they REALLY weren’t. The first three I lashed out at and fought back spending time and energy thinking I would make them see how wrong they were and I would make them miserable too. Not really sure it worked and I was tired and emotionally depleted.  I think they were miserable but I KNOW I was.

And then the recent two…I’m quite proud of. Not because I enjoy being taken advantage of or having someone go crazy SWF on me but because of how I handled my part. In both situations I gave myself a time out-time enough to breath so I didn’t say something I would regret-and then I said my peace clearly and I walked away cleanly.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is progress!

But back to Stewart Smalley.  I’ve been really hurt and frustrated and trying not to be consumed by someone else’s ugly behavior. Tonight I got a call from a dear friend, a Facebook post from someone I think is rad and one of my little sisters friend popped up on Facebook to say hi and he can’t wait until we come visit this weekend in D.C.

And then I was thinking.

Hey, wait a minute.
Plenty of people like me.
Not because they have to.
But because they want to.

I think it’s so easy to get caught in the hate, the drama and the people that want to drag us down but you know what? It’s such a more peaceful existence when I bask in the people who love me and let the crazy biatches go on with their bad selves somewhere else without my energy or attention.

So boys and girls…
Be nice.
Or as I heard on RuPaul’s Drag Race tonight…
“Nobody likes a hateful ho. Girl you need to be sweet.”

Stewart Smalley had it right.
Because I’m good enough,
I’m smart enough.
And Gosh Darn it…people like me!

-McGee

next right thing.

It’s really weird.
I used to have all the answers.
And a grand master plan.

I wonder what happened?

Oh. That’s right. I got real.

I used to think I knew how my life would go-I had steps in mind to get me where I was going and a plan that everyone around me needed to subscribe to. Because it was my plan which meant it was good. And right.

And then, like it does, life kinda jumped out from around the corner the way my kids do to scare me when I’m walking down the hall. I’ve heard that the way to make God laugh is to make plans. So I made Him laugh-so what?

But there is hope! The older I get, the more I’ve made peace with a truth that just may save my life yet.
Are you ready for this?
Are you sitting down?

I don’t know everything.

There.
I said it.

I have found myself at a familiar crossroad. I’ve been here before and I’ll be here again. It has to do with not being sure about the future but being sure there’s more out there in store for me, for us, for our family. I know where I want to go, I know the kind of human beings I want to raise, I know the life I want to live and the man I want to live it with but when it comes to eating an elephant I also know I need to attack it one bite at a time.

There’s a manageability to the concept of doing the next right thing. And by that I mean the next correct thing, not the next best thing. It’s overwhelming when I look at the path I want to take and feel unsure about the whole journey. When I look at what I CAN do next and just do THAT I feel empowered and hopeful. I’ve tried eating the whole elephant in one bite but it never works and I always end up with a belly ache and a mess!

So I’ll do what I did last time I was here.
I’ll do the next right thing.
I’ll take the next step I see to take.
I won’t worry so much about the entire road,
Just the next turn.

Last time I did it I ended up right where I needed to be.
I think it’s time to do it again!

-McGee

rolling with the punches.

First texts of the day today…

Sarah: How was your birthday dinner and weekend?
McGee: There’s a good story behind it as usual but it was super fun!
Sarah: Blog about it?

LOVE that when I have a crazy story my friends are all about reading it in my blog!  (P.S. my friend Sarah writes an awesome blog-click HERE and check her out-she's rad!)

One of the things I am most grateful for in my relationship with the beloved Mr. Man is that we are, generally speaking, able to roll with the punches and make the best out of our sometimes misfortune! This weekend is a good case in point…

Saturday:
Great hike with awesome new friends.
Housekeepers cleaning.
Coached a softball game and came home with a big win.
Dinner was to be at The Melting Pot-my fav-for my birthday!

So we get all dressed up for the evening, I’m wearing a new shirt, feeling terribly cute and spunky and for the first time in public I’m wearing my moxy shoes-the coolest red shoes with attitude ever. I’m ready for a great night! Mr. Man is looking awfully fine as well. I get a little ornery when he doesn’t really mention my outfit. And we poke a little at each other on our way to the restaurant. With a little bit of tension in the air we find the glass door marked Melting Pot and I go to open it but it’s clearly not opening. Mr. Man see’s the door next to it that looks like it shares a lobby and while he walks in he’s got a little pep in his step. A little attitude like-Hey McGee, what are you thinking? You should have gone this way.” And as he walks strongly so I would follow he hits this force field of glass-floor to ceiling glass-the cleanest, clearest glass I’ve ever seen that separates the two lobbies. It made a crash that was shocking as he bounced right off that glass! It was as though God reached down and knocked the cocky out of him right there.

I couldn’t help it.
I laughed so hard I couldn’t breathe.
And to his credit…so did he.

Until he realized he was about to be gushing blood.

See-he cut his nose on his glasses pretty good AND he hit hard enough that he also had a bloody nose coming on. So after trying hard to stop laughing we head back to the car to see if we can wait it out and try to still do dinner.

Not so much.
So we called it a night.
And the moxy shoes sadly went back in the box.

Sunday:
Mr. Man found last minute Laker tickets on eBay!
And I’ve never been to The Pantry.
So brunch at the famous Pantry and an afternoon with Kobe.

But the Pantry has a line like no other.
Alternate plan.
Riordins Tavern serves breakfast next door!

Off to Staples Center.
Run into not one but TWO celebs!
Makes MY day!
Wait in line until…
“Sorry sir-your tickets have already been used.
These are just duplicates.”

WHAT?!?!?
Spend the next hour getting our money back.
Wander around LA Live.
What the heck-we’ll see a movie instead!
Clash of the Titans it is.

And then on the way home, dear sweet Mr. Man with the swollen nose asks if I’m hungry. And what do you know-we end up at The Melting Pot. Delicious! And just for the record…we opted for the front entrance but you can still see the smudges from Mr. Man’s face in that uber clean glass wall out the back door.

So at the end of the weekend, as we’re laughing at ourselves and our misfortunes while counting our blessings and discussing where life is headed we realize…life is less about making plans that work out and more about enjoying the way life unfolds.

I used to be a planner.
I used to need things to work out just the way I planned.
And if something didn’t work out-the day was ruined.

This rolling with the punches?
It’s still newer to me.
But I love the way it feels!

-McGee

birthday gratitude.

Sometimes I get bogged down.
And the list of agitations and obligations weighs on me-
Gives me a skewed perspective of what my life really is.

And then other times I think I don’t want to brag.
Why share my blessings if it makes someone else think I have it all?
(I mean really. Have you READ my blog? You KNOW it’s not all roses!)
So I’ll downplay the good things.

Either way?
I’m stuck in my own head!

So for my birthday today, I decided to just live my day with gratitude and this is what I’ve come up with. Not a complete list mind you, but one that made me smile and helped me find my perspective again and maybe even my mojo, my moxy, my mcgee-ness!

Things I’m grateful for:
(by the way-I hate spelling grateful...
did you know it’s not spelled GREATful? Lame.)

I get to wake up next to my best friend. Not a dog, not Amy Ellen-although she is the bomb diggity, but mr. man himself!

I have a 12 year old daughter that made me pancakes with love at 7am and a 14 year old daughter that ended my day with homemade applesauce muffins.

Great thanks to my mom for pushing me into a coffee date with this chick Jen who she swore was to be my new friend for eternity. Who knew that Jen would be so rad AND introduce me to a new group of women AND share a church with me that is just what my little family needed?

Little Man. Have you READ the little mannerism sections?
Need I say more?

A new love for green veggies. (Thanks mr. man for that one!)

Living by the ocean.

For 12 and 14 year old daughters who know how to cook meals, clean up and do their own laundry and a 5 year old who’s dying to know how to do those things too!

My J-O-B. It’s just a job but it pays the bills and I’m blessed to have one.

Incredible, nurturing, loving friends who blew up my phone, my texts and my Facebook all to say happy birthday in their own ways.

An extended family made up of sisters, brother types, aunts, uncles, cousins, and my mom-priceless and precious.

Kids who loved me to pieces all day showering me with love and gifts.

And then there’s mr. man…who rocked the birthday kasbah with amazing dinner, balloons and streamers, pampering me all night, helping the kids spoil me and making them feel a part of it all, who knows just what will make me smile and gives it all freely. And who knows I NEED to see Chelsea Handler AND U2!

So.
You know.
Life has it’s bumps.
Mean people suck.
And I do not love the IRS.

But.

I am blessed.
And for that I am greatly full!

I highly recommend living a day in gratitude on purpose.
What a day!

-McGee

little MANerisms

Walking out of church on Easter Sunday I ask Little Man what he learned about in his class.

"Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.  Mom.  It's ALWAYS just Jesus."

Well. 
I guess he better get used to it!

-McGee

control. or lack thereof.

Recipe for disaster:

1 control freak.
1 best friend in medical crisis.
1 fiance in custody fight court chaos.
Just a pinch of a good meeting in a work day.

Mix together all in one 12 hour space of time.
Stand back and watch the chemical reaction.

The universe did not pull through for me today.
Or maybe it did.
Maybe there’s a lesson here that I haven’t put together yet.
I’m sure there is.

I woke up excited for the prospects of the day. My dearest friend (who lives far away) was in labor about to have her first baby. Mr. Man was about to finish the long haul of his custody fight in court. I had a planned a busy work day to keep my mind off both and get some of my work mojo back!

Short version:
Labor was particularly difficult, scary and laborious.
Court was short and unproductive.
Work was a joke.

And there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about any of them.

So I tried to reboot.
I tried to look for good news.
I took a deep breath. Or ten.
I dropped some tears.

And then I remembered that sometimes I have to just do what I can do and then trust that God, the universe, or my higher power-whatever that may be-will take care of what needs to happen and provide a way for me to deal with whatever comes next.

And in the end mom and baby are alive and well.
Legalities are technicalities that will be worked out soon.
Work starts fresh for a new month starting now.

I know hate is a strong word and I shouldn’t use it all the time. But
I hate that feeling of helpless when a loved one is compromised.
I hate feeling out of control.

However…

I love the feeling of good friends circling around.
I love coming home to what’s inside our four walls.
I love that today is just a day.

And I love that I know if I do what I can and trust the universe to take care of the rest, it usually does and life is what it’s supposed to be.

Sadly…I think the universe was just reminding me that I have to keep letting go. I can’t do everything. I’m not supposed to!

The only thing I can control is my reaction to the world around me.

So I ate some strawberry shortcake on purpose.

I choose to snuggle up with my man and watch Survivor.
(GO RUSSELL!)

And I’m choosing to go to bed and wake up ready to go again!

-McGee