Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Funny
Ethan came to me this afternoon and asked, "Hey Mom, is this butter? "Cause it says it's not butter." I turned to look at what he was holding. It was the container of "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" butter. What do you say to that one?
A 7 year-old Teenager
Could it be? Dare I say? Should I put a stop to this NOW?
Sadie came bursting through the front door this afternoon announcing that she had to call her friend, M, because M has something she,"just HAD to tell her." With that declaration, she threw open her monogrammed messenger bag, grabbed a piece of paper contained within and thrust it to me. I couldn't make out what was on the paper and said, "What is this?" Sadie replied, "M's phone number," and bounded away to get the phone.
I just realized, seriously just realized, that she got the phone, turned it on and dialed her friend without any assistance from me. How worried should I be? Well, it is a good thing, right? I mean, if there is some sort of 911 emergency, right?
Before she made her phone call she started to go up the stairs to make her call, "in her room." At least I had the sense to stop her and stated emphatically that she was not old enough to have "private" phone calls. Anything she needed to say, she could say right here, with me, on the sofa.
As I type, listening to this phone call, I am giggling. It is ALL about dogs.
"I was at WalMart and they had the cutest dog stickers."
"Oh, M, they have these scented chew bones."
"She [Dixie, our puppy] is sitting here with me."
"That's nice."
"Did you know what I can hear right now? Theodore(the squirrel)in his cage."
Editor's note: So, not everything is about dogs, but pets in general.
"How does it work? How does that vacuum suck everything up?"
Editor's note: Ok, that one did me in - is my 7 year-old really talking about vacuums???? Funny.
She just hung up the phone and said, "Well, that was a nice phone conversation."
She galloped away to the kitchen for a snack.
Looks like a new room has just been added to the ol' parenting domain. Can someone help this mom with some rules of phone etiquette and management that I might employ with my children? And, is she going to hate me later in life that I have documented this first-time phone call?
Sadie came bursting through the front door this afternoon announcing that she had to call her friend, M, because M has something she,"just HAD to tell her." With that declaration, she threw open her monogrammed messenger bag, grabbed a piece of paper contained within and thrust it to me. I couldn't make out what was on the paper and said, "What is this?" Sadie replied, "M's phone number," and bounded away to get the phone.
I just realized, seriously just realized, that she got the phone, turned it on and dialed her friend without any assistance from me. How worried should I be? Well, it is a good thing, right? I mean, if there is some sort of 911 emergency, right?
Before she made her phone call she started to go up the stairs to make her call, "in her room." At least I had the sense to stop her and stated emphatically that she was not old enough to have "private" phone calls. Anything she needed to say, she could say right here, with me, on the sofa.
As I type, listening to this phone call, I am giggling. It is ALL about dogs.
"I was at WalMart and they had the cutest dog stickers."
"Oh, M, they have these scented chew bones."
"She [Dixie, our puppy] is sitting here with me."
"That's nice."
"Did you know what I can hear right now? Theodore(the squirrel)in his cage."
Editor's note: So, not everything is about dogs, but pets in general.
"How does it work? How does that vacuum suck everything up?"
Editor's note: Ok, that one did me in - is my 7 year-old really talking about vacuums???? Funny.
She just hung up the phone and said, "Well, that was a nice phone conversation."
She galloped away to the kitchen for a snack.
Looks like a new room has just been added to the ol' parenting domain. Can someone help this mom with some rules of phone etiquette and management that I might employ with my children? And, is she going to hate me later in life that I have documented this first-time phone call?
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
The Likelihood of Survival
The following statement was from a man whose tandem parachuting partner died from a heart attack during mid-jump. He was able to remain calm because as he said:
"The likelihood of you surviving, you know, decreases absolutely amazingly by factors exponentially if you panic," he said.
Hmmmm. It took me a few years of my life to realize that I have a higher than normal ability to panic. I have no, nada, zero, zilcho useful skills when it comes to emergency situations. Heck, might as well just put normal, every day situations in that category as well. Though I may appear to have it all together, underneath it all, my mind is just churning with the absence of rational thinking. I make the following argument, though I doubt many who know me really well will wonder why I even make the effort. They already know the truth.
Case #1:
Car collision with lake on Willie Bodenheimer Road 1988
The reality is that I was a very inexperienced driver behind the wheel of a 1979 black Ford pick-up truck with no power anything and only an AM radio to keep me company. It was a Goliath of a machine and I had to sit on two pillows in order to maneuver the beast. It was a cold March morning and I had my highly valued term paper on the uni-seat beside me. Willie B. Road was one that I drove on my way to and from school and was not a "paved" road, but a rural road comprised of tar and loose gravel. As I turned onto the road, my time-wasted, yet, coveted paper went flying into the floorboard. Mistake #1 - I reached down into the floor board to retrieve it, thus taking my eyes off the road. As I peered through (not over) the steering wheel I realized that I was off the ride-hand side of the road. I could hear the driver's instructor's voice in my head. "If you run off the side of the road...DO NOT PANIC. Slowly bring it back onto the road." Mistake #2 - The use of the phrase "Don't panic" only increases panic. I did try to bring it back onto the road, but instead of releasing the gas or even better, braking, I pressed the pedal harder in my attempts to "not panic." The truck began to fishtail. And, off to my left I saw it - the pond, complete with geese. I knew at that moment, without a shadow of a doubt, that I was going in it with my truck. So, I just...let...it... happen. The water was about hip deep as I exited the truck. As I made my way (paper in hand, by the way),to the shore, I took one little glance back and saw the pillows floating away. Imagine calling your dad on that one.
Case #2:
Fire in a large convention building in the Netherlands 1994
I was speaking to a group of Dutch girls to recruit them to be au pairs in the U.S. It was an informational meeting and while speaking, a lady came into our room, following by a medium amount of smoke. She calmly said, "There is a fire outside our room, we need to exit the building." On the outside, I remained calm. I didn't say anything. I didn't start screaming or wailing my arms around. We were asked to get our things and follow the fire exit signs. Which I promptly did. Once outside the building, I found that I had a pocketbook, which not my own and...a stapler. Yes, I was the hero that day as I saved the stapler from certain death. Or, did I think could use the stapler to stamp out the fire? Who knows? What I do know is that I did NOT have my complete faculties about me and just needed something in both hands in order to leave that room.
Case #3:
Driving in mountains in Washington State vacation trip 1999
Jay and I took a one year anniversary trip to Seattle to visit friends. While there, we decided to camp one night in some mountain range. Was it Mt. Olympus - I think, but my memory of that is fuzzy. What I do remember, quite clearly is that morning Jay was feeling flu-like and decided to sleep in the backseat during the drive leaving me alone to navigate. I didn't want to miss the opportunity to make this scenic drive and catch a glimpse of Canada (I know, why?) from a towering mountain top. As I drove up the mountain, my heart began to beat faster and faster. Those were really steep drop-offs (even though I was on the inside of the road). There weren't a lot of barriers to prevent one from driving off the side. And I could see myself driving right...off...the...side of the mountain. I started to emit little panicky noises. I checked the speedometer - I had slowed to a snail pace of 10 mph and couldn't muster the strength to increase my speed, despite the enormous amount of traffic behind me. The last curve was a doozy as you couldn't see any road ahead just this curve into nowhere. As I rounded the corner I saw it...the parking lot. I parked, facing another drop-off, and seriously thought the car was continuing to roll even though the emergency brake was on. I exited the car and laid down flat onto the pavement for what seemed like hours until Jay popped his head up and asked me what I was doing. He had missed the entire episode. Needless to say, he drove us down the mountain while I laid down in the back.
Case #4:
Birth of second child 2001
Having been through this already once, you would think that I might have worked out all of the panic possibilities. Alas, I had not. Child #2 was brought into this world by induction. In the delivery room there were two nurses getting me prepped and ready. While I was answering questions to the one nurse (are you allergic to anything, etc.), another nurse was preparing the iv. Now, I have had tons of ivs. Never an issue. But, for some reason this particular morning, I was fixated. I thought she was going to stick me before I had a chance to "prepare." I thought she wouldn't even let me know what she was going to do and just go for the jab. But, for some reason I didn't think to ask the interviewing nurse to pause, so I could make my concerns known. Instead, my body went into a tailspin. I began to get dizzy, my eyesight blurry, my head light. All I could mutter was...I don't feel so good. They took my bp and it was something like 56 over 40! No wonder! My brain was being deprived of oxygen all because I couldn't say, "wait."
Obviously, I do not have a "high likelihood of survival." I rest my case.
"The likelihood of you surviving, you know, decreases absolutely amazingly by factors exponentially if you panic," he said.
Hmmmm. It took me a few years of my life to realize that I have a higher than normal ability to panic. I have no, nada, zero, zilcho useful skills when it comes to emergency situations. Heck, might as well just put normal, every day situations in that category as well. Though I may appear to have it all together, underneath it all, my mind is just churning with the absence of rational thinking. I make the following argument, though I doubt many who know me really well will wonder why I even make the effort. They already know the truth.
Case #1:
Car collision with lake on Willie Bodenheimer Road 1988
The reality is that I was a very inexperienced driver behind the wheel of a 1979 black Ford pick-up truck with no power anything and only an AM radio to keep me company. It was a Goliath of a machine and I had to sit on two pillows in order to maneuver the beast. It was a cold March morning and I had my highly valued term paper on the uni-seat beside me. Willie B. Road was one that I drove on my way to and from school and was not a "paved" road, but a rural road comprised of tar and loose gravel. As I turned onto the road, my time-wasted, yet, coveted paper went flying into the floorboard. Mistake #1 - I reached down into the floor board to retrieve it, thus taking my eyes off the road. As I peered through (not over) the steering wheel I realized that I was off the ride-hand side of the road. I could hear the driver's instructor's voice in my head. "If you run off the side of the road...DO NOT PANIC. Slowly bring it back onto the road." Mistake #2 - The use of the phrase "Don't panic" only increases panic. I did try to bring it back onto the road, but instead of releasing the gas or even better, braking, I pressed the pedal harder in my attempts to "not panic." The truck began to fishtail. And, off to my left I saw it - the pond, complete with geese. I knew at that moment, without a shadow of a doubt, that I was going in it with my truck. So, I just...let...it... happen. The water was about hip deep as I exited the truck. As I made my way (paper in hand, by the way),to the shore, I took one little glance back and saw the pillows floating away. Imagine calling your dad on that one.
Case #2:
Fire in a large convention building in the Netherlands 1994
I was speaking to a group of Dutch girls to recruit them to be au pairs in the U.S. It was an informational meeting and while speaking, a lady came into our room, following by a medium amount of smoke. She calmly said, "There is a fire outside our room, we need to exit the building." On the outside, I remained calm. I didn't say anything. I didn't start screaming or wailing my arms around. We were asked to get our things and follow the fire exit signs. Which I promptly did. Once outside the building, I found that I had a pocketbook, which not my own and...a stapler. Yes, I was the hero that day as I saved the stapler from certain death. Or, did I think could use the stapler to stamp out the fire? Who knows? What I do know is that I did NOT have my complete faculties about me and just needed something in both hands in order to leave that room.
Case #3:
Driving in mountains in Washington State vacation trip 1999
Jay and I took a one year anniversary trip to Seattle to visit friends. While there, we decided to camp one night in some mountain range. Was it Mt. Olympus - I think, but my memory of that is fuzzy. What I do remember, quite clearly is that morning Jay was feeling flu-like and decided to sleep in the backseat during the drive leaving me alone to navigate. I didn't want to miss the opportunity to make this scenic drive and catch a glimpse of Canada (I know, why?) from a towering mountain top. As I drove up the mountain, my heart began to beat faster and faster. Those were really steep drop-offs (even though I was on the inside of the road). There weren't a lot of barriers to prevent one from driving off the side. And I could see myself driving right...off...the...side of the mountain. I started to emit little panicky noises. I checked the speedometer - I had slowed to a snail pace of 10 mph and couldn't muster the strength to increase my speed, despite the enormous amount of traffic behind me. The last curve was a doozy as you couldn't see any road ahead just this curve into nowhere. As I rounded the corner I saw it...the parking lot. I parked, facing another drop-off, and seriously thought the car was continuing to roll even though the emergency brake was on. I exited the car and laid down flat onto the pavement for what seemed like hours until Jay popped his head up and asked me what I was doing. He had missed the entire episode. Needless to say, he drove us down the mountain while I laid down in the back.
Case #4:
Birth of second child 2001
Having been through this already once, you would think that I might have worked out all of the panic possibilities. Alas, I had not. Child #2 was brought into this world by induction. In the delivery room there were two nurses getting me prepped and ready. While I was answering questions to the one nurse (are you allergic to anything, etc.), another nurse was preparing the iv. Now, I have had tons of ivs. Never an issue. But, for some reason this particular morning, I was fixated. I thought she was going to stick me before I had a chance to "prepare." I thought she wouldn't even let me know what she was going to do and just go for the jab. But, for some reason I didn't think to ask the interviewing nurse to pause, so I could make my concerns known. Instead, my body went into a tailspin. I began to get dizzy, my eyesight blurry, my head light. All I could mutter was...I don't feel so good. They took my bp and it was something like 56 over 40! No wonder! My brain was being deprived of oxygen all because I couldn't say, "wait."
Obviously, I do not have a "high likelihood of survival." I rest my case.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Missing
There just seemed to be something missing today. In fact, it has been building steadily for a while now. A void, depression, near despair. And, then, it hit me, like it always does. Out of nowhere and painful. She is missing. A piece of me. Gone.
I needed her today. And, she is not here. I cannot hear her or touch her. I am angry about it. More than that. I am full of vile and fury. Life is not what is was supposed to be I want her back. I want her love. I want her humor and her understanding. I want her hands that comforted me. I want her laughter. I want that person that knows me better than anyone else to be here for me. I want my support, my cheerleader. I want my sister.
The tears on my face are hot and stinging. I haven't sobbed and wailed for her with such intensity in a while. Sure, little tears, but not the soul rattling level of this evening. And, I don't think I am finished. The anger has been bubbling on the surface for a while now and I was afraid to unleash it. And, now here it is. Out. Out in all of its rawness and ugliness and darkness. Exposed to the world.
The bitter winds of winter remind me of the time of her death - February. The day just around the corner. After nearly 2 years, I thought I had escaped the inevitable anger stage of grief. Perhaps, I wouldn't have to deal with that. I was hopeful. But here I am, collapsing on the floor like the day she died, unable to figure out how to navigate this world without her.
For two years, I have kept vigil. Searching for what, who, anything to fill her spot. Not a replacement, but just something to soften and lessen the hole. My search has been futile. There is nothing. Nothing but more time.
I needed her today. And, she is not here. I cannot hear her or touch her. I am angry about it. More than that. I am full of vile and fury. Life is not what is was supposed to be I want her back. I want her love. I want her humor and her understanding. I want her hands that comforted me. I want her laughter. I want that person that knows me better than anyone else to be here for me. I want my support, my cheerleader. I want my sister.
The tears on my face are hot and stinging. I haven't sobbed and wailed for her with such intensity in a while. Sure, little tears, but not the soul rattling level of this evening. And, I don't think I am finished. The anger has been bubbling on the surface for a while now and I was afraid to unleash it. And, now here it is. Out. Out in all of its rawness and ugliness and darkness. Exposed to the world.
The bitter winds of winter remind me of the time of her death - February. The day just around the corner. After nearly 2 years, I thought I had escaped the inevitable anger stage of grief. Perhaps, I wouldn't have to deal with that. I was hopeful. But here I am, collapsing on the floor like the day she died, unable to figure out how to navigate this world without her.
For two years, I have kept vigil. Searching for what, who, anything to fill her spot. Not a replacement, but just something to soften and lessen the hole. My search has been futile. There is nothing. Nothing but more time.
How I Roll - Take 2
Well, How funny. Before you read this post, you MUST go read the one right under it, "That's Just How I Roll." Ok, so do it. Yes, right now, or this post can not be fully appreciated. Did you read it? Ok, proceed.
The minute I hit "publish post" on my entry for today which, incidentally, ended up being at 9:30 tonight, Lily came into my room. As she approached the bed she said, "I am scared to go to bed." She proceeded to climb into my bed and snuggled up as close to me as possible. Ethan also scampered into the room and was requesting something ridiculous like to start playing Rock Band or to get a snack way past his bed time. As I turned to looked at him to find out just what planet he thought he live on, Lily began to cough.
You know the one. The one that you know is a little different than something originating from the lungs. And, before you can put your finger on exactly what is happening, the cough turns into a gag and subsequent pukefest.
It was the worst kind. It went on and on and on. The arm used to cradle her was now cradling the pool of stomach contents and bile. I could not, for the life of me, figure out how to get the two of us off the bed without the massive amount of "stuff" being strewn across our bed and sheets, penetrating deeper into our hair, further staining our clothing, littering the floor and ultimately being forced down the shower drain.
Ethan stood there in shock, not moving an inch. Sadie came running in and turned on this freakish little Nurse Nellie routine, shouting, "I'll got get the....," and she trailed away, not really knowing what to actually get for us. Jay, who had already fallen asleep beside me, continued to sleep through the entire ordeal. And, all I could think about was protecting my precious laptop from an encounter with yuck.
I roused Jay from his sleep with a loud, "SAVE THE LAPTOP!" Meanwhile, Ethan remained fixed, occasionally sticking his head out to examine what was covering us. He began to emit his own gagging noises and I banished him from the room. Sadie came running back into the room, throwing paper towels at us along with the family "puke pot." At that point, I figured I should just make a run for the shower holding Lily in my arms, sticking together with the putrid ejection.
Sadie helped Jay, who had finally gotten out of bed, collect the soiled clothes, the bed linens and towels and start the laundry. She even asked him if she needed to unload the dishwasher! Something about that makes me giggle. But, she wanted to do everything she could think of the help. She was ALL about action! Precious.
It reminded me of the time that Lily got into Jay's heart medication when we were trailer camping at the Oak Hollow Campground while we rented our nice, cozy house to market visitors and ended up staying 3 days at Brenner's Children's' Hospital (future potential post). During the initial discovery, Sadie transformed into the "emergency director." She really tapped into this high-level leadership mode. While I was in panic mode, trying to track down Jay, Sadie shouted orders to everyone to get their shoes on and handed me MY purse and said let's get in the car!
Back to my night...Ethan poked his head in every once in a while to check for more contents, discuss the nastiness of it all and crack a couple of jokes - what is it about an 8 year old and vomit? In the shower, Lily cried little tears and declared it was the hot dog that Daddy made her eat.
Once clean, laundry begun, sheets changed, Jay promptly went back to sleep, Lily too. I sit wedged with her and the "vomit bucket" as I type. Sadie and Ethan decided to sleep in the living room on the "new rug." Again, I am at a loss as to why anyone would want to sleep on the floor rather than a bed, but whatever. For some reason the new rug is a draw. I just tucked them and Dixie in and gave them a kiss. As I bent down to Ethan, he thought he would be cute and pretend-gag right in my face. Nice. Sadie wanted to read about dogs and Dixie nipped at my heel.
I sit here, still smelling some tiny bit of wretchedness lingering somewhere, missed. I think about what I wrote in "That's Just How I Roll". Had my plans for this evening remained unchanged, I could have missed out being the target of projectile regurgitation. And, I would have missed these little snippets into my children's personalities, a chance to comfort my littlest one and remember that my purpose is right here, rolling with them.
The minute I hit "publish post" on my entry for today which, incidentally, ended up being at 9:30 tonight, Lily came into my room. As she approached the bed she said, "I am scared to go to bed." She proceeded to climb into my bed and snuggled up as close to me as possible. Ethan also scampered into the room and was requesting something ridiculous like to start playing Rock Band or to get a snack way past his bed time. As I turned to looked at him to find out just what planet he thought he live on, Lily began to cough.
You know the one. The one that you know is a little different than something originating from the lungs. And, before you can put your finger on exactly what is happening, the cough turns into a gag and subsequent pukefest.
It was the worst kind. It went on and on and on. The arm used to cradle her was now cradling the pool of stomach contents and bile. I could not, for the life of me, figure out how to get the two of us off the bed without the massive amount of "stuff" being strewn across our bed and sheets, penetrating deeper into our hair, further staining our clothing, littering the floor and ultimately being forced down the shower drain.
Ethan stood there in shock, not moving an inch. Sadie came running in and turned on this freakish little Nurse Nellie routine, shouting, "I'll got get the....," and she trailed away, not really knowing what to actually get for us. Jay, who had already fallen asleep beside me, continued to sleep through the entire ordeal. And, all I could think about was protecting my precious laptop from an encounter with yuck.
I roused Jay from his sleep with a loud, "SAVE THE LAPTOP!" Meanwhile, Ethan remained fixed, occasionally sticking his head out to examine what was covering us. He began to emit his own gagging noises and I banished him from the room. Sadie came running back into the room, throwing paper towels at us along with the family "puke pot." At that point, I figured I should just make a run for the shower holding Lily in my arms, sticking together with the putrid ejection.
Sadie helped Jay, who had finally gotten out of bed, collect the soiled clothes, the bed linens and towels and start the laundry. She even asked him if she needed to unload the dishwasher! Something about that makes me giggle. But, she wanted to do everything she could think of the help. She was ALL about action! Precious.
It reminded me of the time that Lily got into Jay's heart medication when we were trailer camping at the Oak Hollow Campground while we rented our nice, cozy house to market visitors and ended up staying 3 days at Brenner's Children's' Hospital (future potential post). During the initial discovery, Sadie transformed into the "emergency director." She really tapped into this high-level leadership mode. While I was in panic mode, trying to track down Jay, Sadie shouted orders to everyone to get their shoes on and handed me MY purse and said let's get in the car!
Back to my night...Ethan poked his head in every once in a while to check for more contents, discuss the nastiness of it all and crack a couple of jokes - what is it about an 8 year old and vomit? In the shower, Lily cried little tears and declared it was the hot dog that Daddy made her eat.
Once clean, laundry begun, sheets changed, Jay promptly went back to sleep, Lily too. I sit wedged with her and the "vomit bucket" as I type. Sadie and Ethan decided to sleep in the living room on the "new rug." Again, I am at a loss as to why anyone would want to sleep on the floor rather than a bed, but whatever. For some reason the new rug is a draw. I just tucked them and Dixie in and gave them a kiss. As I bent down to Ethan, he thought he would be cute and pretend-gag right in my face. Nice. Sadie wanted to read about dogs and Dixie nipped at my heel.
I sit here, still smelling some tiny bit of wretchedness lingering somewhere, missed. I think about what I wrote in "That's Just How I Roll". Had my plans for this evening remained unchanged, I could have missed out being the target of projectile regurgitation. And, I would have missed these little snippets into my children's personalities, a chance to comfort my littlest one and remember that my purpose is right here, rolling with them.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
That's Just How I Roll...
I recall Jay telling me a funny exchange he had with Ethan. Ethan must have been doing some odd-ball behavior in the car. Nothing wrong, just silly. Jay asked him why he was doing that. Ethan responded, "That's just how I roll, Dad. Just... how... I roll."
I have no idea why that conversation that occurred many months ago wound up in my head on the drive home from yet another Pump It Up birthday party, but it did. And, as usual, I started thinking about that quirky little catch phrase of 2008. So just how am I rolling?
Well, today, not very well. I don't handle disappointment. Period. I easily let others' actions dictate my emotions. Ouch and shame on me. And, when I set my heart on a particular course, well, it doesn't change direction easily. Though circumstances are always out of my control, I cling to some earthly notion that I have some sort of clout. I wonder at what point in life, someone with my disposition can refrain from any outward hissy fit throwing, control the inner sadness and disappointment and just let it roll off my back.
I know the answer to that question. It is a peace in knowing that God is in control. Knowing that what comes my way is not only purposed, but perfect. His timing, His plan, His will. Oh, but to put it into practice.
My rolling is not His rolling and I need to come to grips with that. Again.
I have no idea why that conversation that occurred many months ago wound up in my head on the drive home from yet another Pump It Up birthday party, but it did. And, as usual, I started thinking about that quirky little catch phrase of 2008. So just how am I rolling?
Well, today, not very well. I don't handle disappointment. Period. I easily let others' actions dictate my emotions. Ouch and shame on me. And, when I set my heart on a particular course, well, it doesn't change direction easily. Though circumstances are always out of my control, I cling to some earthly notion that I have some sort of clout. I wonder at what point in life, someone with my disposition can refrain from any outward hissy fit throwing, control the inner sadness and disappointment and just let it roll off my back.
I know the answer to that question. It is a peace in knowing that God is in control. Knowing that what comes my way is not only purposed, but perfect. His timing, His plan, His will. Oh, but to put it into practice.
My rolling is not His rolling and I need to come to grips with that. Again.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Randomness on the 30th
I am about to complete my self-imposed challenge of writing every day in January. I think I missed three days which is not too bad. I can't say I will be able to swing it in February, so my modest goal will be half the days - what is that 14? , so maybe I will aim for 20. I am fairly content with the breadth of topics covered. I have a few entries that I started, yet never posted. They aren't where I want them to be and figure they will emerge when they are ready.
I had originally planned to post a picture today of my main accomplishment yesterday - three ridiculously heaping baskets of laundry. I just wanted my kids to see, visualize, the ridiculousness of their laundry amounts one day when they read my blog. Obviously, they don't yet appreciate it now. My top priority now is to work on recycling clothing rather than dumping it in the hamper after donning it for 5 minutes. Ethan can do this. Lily can do this. Sadie, well, she is still quite the mess maker with her clothes, so maybe it will be a bit more challenging. But, for some reason, the card from the camera wasn't registering with my laptop and so, no pic for now.
Brings me to another point. We got a new camera and I am STOKED! It is the new Cannon Rebel which is a little bit smaller in size than our previous one, but is an astounding 12.2 megapixels. We moved the old Rebel to work as the office needed a better camera for product shots (a pathetic justification for the purchase). I can't fathom all that this camera offers and have much reading to do. It is a fast taking digital and should take my marginal-at-best photography to a whole new level. Well, I can hope.
Ethan is still home. Time to head to the doctor to make sure this is nothing serious. Post entry - it is strep. Boo hoo!
A bit of a crazy weekend for me. I am taking Sadie to the American Heritage Girls' sleepover at church tonight. Should be somewhere around 70 girls from K - 5th grade. We are going to earn our "dance" badge and watch "Kit Kitteridge". I can't quite imagine the amount of screaming and squealing that might occur. I am hoping for some interesting blog fodder to result.
To counter balance this time in young girl land, I have decided to go to a rock show Saturday night to do my own bit of screaming. I think it has been 10 years or so since I last went to something like this. Maybe I should take earplugs. I am old, what can I say.
I have started reading "Sacred Marriage" by Gary Thomas. As I read compelling thoughts and challenging ideas, I will post them here. The tag line of the book reads, "What if God Designed Marriage to Make Us Holy More Than to Make Us Happy?" Should be a good, but more likely, convincingly painful read.
And, finally, to complete the title appropriately, I am including in this post my 25 Random Things About Me from facebook. I have a feeling this blog may last longer than my foray into facebook and want to have it documented. I have lived a very blessed life. Here it is:
1. I love my friends. I have some of the best and most supportive people in my life and feel very undeserving of them.
2. I like fall, Ocracoke Island, dark chocolate, Dutch cheese, Belgian beer, coffee, singing loudly in my car, Sudoku, and my Miss Piggy t-shirt.
3. I dislike seafood (all of it), snakes, squirrels, winter (I randomly gag when really cold), tequila, baked beans, lake water with slimy bottoms and being scared (scary movies, haunted houses – especially the chainsaw – ack!)
4. I like relationships that are real. We all have issues, trials, no one is perfect. Why try to be something you are not? Why try to hide who you really are?
5. I was on the debate team in high school and LOVED it. Even went to debate camp in the summers. Just call me a geek.
6. I have a freakish fear of steep inclines – and falling down them.
7. Because of #6, I can’t deal with driving up or down in the mountains. I had a near anxiety attack driving the Cascades in WA and felt like I was going to drive off the unbarricaded side at any moment when going only 10 mph.
8. With the exception of about 8 years, I have lived in High Point my entire life. Where else do you live when your dad is a furniture designer?
9. I married a first generation immigrant from the Netherlands who came to the US as a high school exchange student.
10. I worked as an au pair, a.k.a. nanny, with four children in Groningen, The Netherlands right after graduating from UNC with a degree in American Studies (see the irony?)
11. My husband and I didn’t meet during either of those years. Instead, we met many years later through a church in Asheboro, NC.
12. By the age of 22, I had worked at SubCity (yes, by the adult bookstore on S. Main), Noble’s restaurant (most expensive in HP), a teller at Old Stone Bank during every summer and holiday breaks during college , retail clothing (various), the Sears Call Center as a repair appointment operator, and nanny (see #10). Oh, and I donated plasma…once.
13. I love to write. I find it very therapeutic for my over-analyzing self. To make money doing it would be icing on the cake.
14. I have a tattoo of part of a Matisse, which unfortunately, has morphed a bit due to 3 large pregnancies. Ugh!
15. I lost 45 pounds about 5 years ago and have kept it off.
16. I can not handle being yelled at or criticized unfairly. It tears at my soul. Likewise, I hate to make any feel uncomfortable about who they are.
17. I traveled with my three small children, alone, from Europe which included 3 countries, 3 flights, 3x 8 shoe removals, 3 bus transfers, 2 lost bags, 1 stolen PSP and 1 3-hour tarmac delay. I have no real memories of the trip, only random flashbacks.
18. I have my dream scrapbook/craft room, but don’t enjoy working in it alone, therefore don’t use it nearly as often as I would like.
19. I lost my best friend and sister, Ansley, to breast cancer at age 37 which is my current age. Life has not been the same since. I miss her terribly, still. I had a “very concerning” breast cancer scare in August which resulted in 2 biopsies. It was benign! But, I have a 25% chance of having bc in my lifetime which I try to view as my way of getting an “upgrade.”
20. When I was young, my pretend play was as a talk show or informational show host.
21. Sometimes I talk so much that I am embarrassed afterward. I do this A LOT. I know I have a problem.
22. I am a “scanner” which means I want to know about everything, yet, can’t commit to anything, nor am I deeply knowledgeable about anything. I am a dabbler of sorts.
23. I hitchhiked and backpacked my way through southern Africa – including Zimbabwe, S. Africa, Botswana and Zambia.
24. In high school, I drove my 1979 black Ford pick-up with no power steering, no power brakes, no power anything for that matter, and only an AM radio into a lake. I am not kidding.
25. I am a Jesus Freak.
What is random for you today? Let me know.
I had originally planned to post a picture today of my main accomplishment yesterday - three ridiculously heaping baskets of laundry. I just wanted my kids to see, visualize, the ridiculousness of their laundry amounts one day when they read my blog. Obviously, they don't yet appreciate it now. My top priority now is to work on recycling clothing rather than dumping it in the hamper after donning it for 5 minutes. Ethan can do this. Lily can do this. Sadie, well, she is still quite the mess maker with her clothes, so maybe it will be a bit more challenging. But, for some reason, the card from the camera wasn't registering with my laptop and so, no pic for now.
Brings me to another point. We got a new camera and I am STOKED! It is the new Cannon Rebel which is a little bit smaller in size than our previous one, but is an astounding 12.2 megapixels. We moved the old Rebel to work as the office needed a better camera for product shots (a pathetic justification for the purchase). I can't fathom all that this camera offers and have much reading to do. It is a fast taking digital and should take my marginal-at-best photography to a whole new level. Well, I can hope.
Ethan is still home. Time to head to the doctor to make sure this is nothing serious. Post entry - it is strep. Boo hoo!
A bit of a crazy weekend for me. I am taking Sadie to the American Heritage Girls' sleepover at church tonight. Should be somewhere around 70 girls from K - 5th grade. We are going to earn our "dance" badge and watch "Kit Kitteridge". I can't quite imagine the amount of screaming and squealing that might occur. I am hoping for some interesting blog fodder to result.
To counter balance this time in young girl land, I have decided to go to a rock show Saturday night to do my own bit of screaming. I think it has been 10 years or so since I last went to something like this. Maybe I should take earplugs. I am old, what can I say.
I have started reading "Sacred Marriage" by Gary Thomas. As I read compelling thoughts and challenging ideas, I will post them here. The tag line of the book reads, "What if God Designed Marriage to Make Us Holy More Than to Make Us Happy?" Should be a good, but more likely, convincingly painful read.
And, finally, to complete the title appropriately, I am including in this post my 25 Random Things About Me from facebook. I have a feeling this blog may last longer than my foray into facebook and want to have it documented. I have lived a very blessed life. Here it is:
1. I love my friends. I have some of the best and most supportive people in my life and feel very undeserving of them.
2. I like fall, Ocracoke Island, dark chocolate, Dutch cheese, Belgian beer, coffee, singing loudly in my car, Sudoku, and my Miss Piggy t-shirt.
3. I dislike seafood (all of it), snakes, squirrels, winter (I randomly gag when really cold), tequila, baked beans, lake water with slimy bottoms and being scared (scary movies, haunted houses – especially the chainsaw – ack!)
4. I like relationships that are real. We all have issues, trials, no one is perfect. Why try to be something you are not? Why try to hide who you really are?
5. I was on the debate team in high school and LOVED it. Even went to debate camp in the summers. Just call me a geek.
6. I have a freakish fear of steep inclines – and falling down them.
7. Because of #6, I can’t deal with driving up or down in the mountains. I had a near anxiety attack driving the Cascades in WA and felt like I was going to drive off the unbarricaded side at any moment when going only 10 mph.
8. With the exception of about 8 years, I have lived in High Point my entire life. Where else do you live when your dad is a furniture designer?
9. I married a first generation immigrant from the Netherlands who came to the US as a high school exchange student.
10. I worked as an au pair, a.k.a. nanny, with four children in Groningen, The Netherlands right after graduating from UNC with a degree in American Studies (see the irony?)
11. My husband and I didn’t meet during either of those years. Instead, we met many years later through a church in Asheboro, NC.
12. By the age of 22, I had worked at SubCity (yes, by the adult bookstore on S. Main), Noble’s restaurant (most expensive in HP), a teller at Old Stone Bank during every summer and holiday breaks during college , retail clothing (various), the Sears Call Center as a repair appointment operator, and nanny (see #10). Oh, and I donated plasma…once.
13. I love to write. I find it very therapeutic for my over-analyzing self. To make money doing it would be icing on the cake.
14. I have a tattoo of part of a Matisse, which unfortunately, has morphed a bit due to 3 large pregnancies. Ugh!
15. I lost 45 pounds about 5 years ago and have kept it off.
16. I can not handle being yelled at or criticized unfairly. It tears at my soul. Likewise, I hate to make any feel uncomfortable about who they are.
17. I traveled with my three small children, alone, from Europe which included 3 countries, 3 flights, 3x 8 shoe removals, 3 bus transfers, 2 lost bags, 1 stolen PSP and 1 3-hour tarmac delay. I have no real memories of the trip, only random flashbacks.
18. I have my dream scrapbook/craft room, but don’t enjoy working in it alone, therefore don’t use it nearly as often as I would like.
19. I lost my best friend and sister, Ansley, to breast cancer at age 37 which is my current age. Life has not been the same since. I miss her terribly, still. I had a “very concerning” breast cancer scare in August which resulted in 2 biopsies. It was benign! But, I have a 25% chance of having bc in my lifetime which I try to view as my way of getting an “upgrade.”
20. When I was young, my pretend play was as a talk show or informational show host.
21. Sometimes I talk so much that I am embarrassed afterward. I do this A LOT. I know I have a problem.
22. I am a “scanner” which means I want to know about everything, yet, can’t commit to anything, nor am I deeply knowledgeable about anything. I am a dabbler of sorts.
23. I hitchhiked and backpacked my way through southern Africa – including Zimbabwe, S. Africa, Botswana and Zambia.
24. In high school, I drove my 1979 black Ford pick-up with no power steering, no power brakes, no power anything for that matter, and only an AM radio into a lake. I am not kidding.
25. I am a Jesus Freak.
What is random for you today? Let me know.
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