Courageous Grace

Surgery, Baby, Life

2011-05-11T16:17:00.000-07:00

Time for an update (and yes, I plan on posting more often. This is my public diary, isn't it?)!

On May 5th, I went into the hospital for a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Sounds scary, doesn't it? That is a complicated term to say I had my gallbladder removed with minimally invasive surgery. There are a total of four tiny incisions on my stomach (for inserting various instruments and for removing the organ) that hurt very much badly right now, and I am minus one organ.

It started out a couple of weeks after Ellen was born, I went to bed one evening with an ache in my back that felt like nerve pain. It gradually got worse over the next couple of hours until I was writhing in pain unable to get any relief. Then the pain moved into my abdomen, right under my right bottom rib. It went away after a few more hours leaving my stomach tender to the touch. I had four of these attacks over a period of two weeks, each one worse than the previous.

After an unfruitful trip to the ER (where an ultrasound and CT revealed nothing abnormal), and a trip to my PCP, I was finally sent to a surgeon who said if it looked like a duck, walked like a duck, and quacked like a duck, it was most likely my gallbladder. He decided not to do a HIDA scan (which uses a radioactive tracer and is not recommended for breastfeeding moms) but to just get the darned thing out.

So I have been spending the last week recovering from surgery, keeping hopped up on Vicodin, and watching old episodes of House (see a trend here?) while being bored out of my mind. I was able to nurse Ellen after the first day post-op, and she has been my constant companion.

I am so ready to have an adult conversation. Getting a bit tired of this one-sided "Are you poopy? Are you hungry? Good grief your farts STINK!" conversation with this tiny creature who does nothing but sleep, cry, eat, and sometimes poop.

I am so ready to be recovered. So sick of sleeping on the couch, I miss my pillow-top bed. Sigh.

Announcing...

2011-04-12T23:37:00.000-07:00

The birth of one Ellen Rose Sparkman! On March 31, 2011 Sean and I welcomed the newest blessing to our growing family at 4:39am. Ellen weighed a delicate 6lbs, 12oz and measured in at 20" long. She has my blonde hair but her Daddy's face, and we couldn't be happier!

George loves being a big brother, and is super affectionate towards his baby sister.

Oh Dear

2010-09-22T19:40:00.001-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted last, hasn't it? Lots of stuff going on lately. First of all...

George is going to be a big brother! Sean and I are so excited, and the baby is due on April 15th. Yes, Tax Day. I have been sick the entire 11 weeks so far with 24/7 "morning" sickness and have lost 10 lbs due to not being able to eat. Hopefully it will get better soon.

I am still working at George's daycare, not much to say here except that I'm one of the bus drivers, AND I get to (am forced to?) drive the bus with no A/C and a bad transmission. Yes, the pregnant woman (and they know I'm preggers) is driving the stifling hot bus on the longest run. Oh well, what doesn't kill me makes me stronger, right? Right?

I learned of a job opportunity last week through my mother-in-law that inspired me to send in my resume. They apparently liked the resume and asked for a sample of my work. It's been three business days since I sent it to them, and still haven't heard anything back from the recruiter. I pray that if it is God's will for me to have the job, so be it, but that He give me the grace and strength to accept the outcome.

And in other news, a tree fell into the bedroom of my sister's apartment Monday night. She and her family are okay. Red Cross put them up for the night and they moved into another unit the next day. Please keep her and her family in your prayers, that would be a heck of an experience for anyone.

Uh Oh

2010-05-13T09:27:00.000-07:00

Holy cow it's May and I haven't posted on my blog in over a month! My, how time is fun when you're having flies.

Some new developments to update, I have a job for the summer as a school-age teacher for my son's daycare! Now if I can just find a regular teaching job for next year...

Anyway, I must be getting back to my resume. Hope to post something more substantial soon.

My Dog is the Town Slut (and Other Pearls of Wisdom)

2010-03-31T19:52:00.000-07:00

Okay, the title doesn't have much to do with the post except to say that although I was guaranteed she was fixed when we adopted her, she turns out to be quite fertile and in heat.

I was driving home today listening to Shop Vac by JoCo, when I began to remember (for some strange unrelated reason) the show Home Improvement. Last year I began to watch the series on DVR mostly in order, and discovered something that I didn't realize when the episodes were new...it was a good show!

Please bear with me for a moment, I'm not talking about the fandom obsession with Jonathon Taylor Thomas that was all the rage when I was a pre-teen, nor am I necessarily talking about the acting or improbable situations. I was instead struck by how down-to-earth and realistic the family dynamics were. In most "family" comedies today the main male character (sometimes the husband but more often than not a live-in boyfriend, ugh) is portrayed as just plain dumb with no redeeming qualities.

Tim Taylor, however, was more. He was a show-off and pulled stupid stunts, sure. I think that's indicative of many guys. But he was first and foremost a husband and strong father. He was involved in his children's lives, stuck with his wife through thick and thin, and wasn't afraid to do what was right for his family. In addition, he was smart and understood quite often what his sage-like neighbor, Wilson, was advising even if he couldn't paraphrase very well. Something else I always liked was that he was portrayed as a "manly-man", not some wimpy effeminate, androgynous, pussy-whipped wanna-be girlie-man.

Besides the strong main male character, the other thing Home Improvement had going for it was the strong family support. Each member worked to build up the family without going overboard (7th Heaven, anyone?), and everyone had a definitive role that was flexible over time. When faced with an outside problem they often banded together in a united front.

Why can't television today have similar qualities?

Children In Worship

2010-03-23T13:04:00.001-07:00

Below is an excerpt from the website for St. Andrew's Anglican - Grand Prairie:

Why Children in Worship?
John Westerhoff, a leading educator in the Episcopal Church believes that children are necessary in worship.
Westerhoff believes that faith is "caught" not "taught" and what better way for children to know what faith is all about than to be a full part of the community.
When a child is baptized in our midst and made a member of the church of Christ, the adults of the congregation promise to be active in nurturing that child's faith. We need to work together to nurture our children in their faith and to be nurtured by them in return. Children give us the gift of trust and a fresh point of view; adults can share the gift of acceptance, experience and the wisdom of the church through the ages.
May we Suggest:
Relax! God put the wiggle in children … don't feel you have to suppress it in God's house.
Use a gentle touch: an arm around your child's shoulder, your hand in his/hers to give reassurance and appropriate attention.
Explain quietly the parts of the service.
Help your child find the pages in the prayer book. It is okay if they stand on the pew to see and sing.
Do not be distressed if your child does not find the proper page.
Sing the hymns, pray and voice the responses. Children learn good behavior in church by copying yours.
Always remember that the way we welcome children in church directly affects the way they respond to church, God and Christ. Let them know that they are at home in this liturgy of praise and thanksgiving.

Ah, what a relief it is to visit a church like this. Almost all of these guidelines can be applied to toddlers, the exception being helping them find the pages in the prayer book since they can't read yet.

The part that struck me the most was the reminder that we ALL vow to be active in nourishing the candidate's faith during a baptism. This goes along with the last of the guidelines that reminds us that "the way we welcome children in church directly affects the way they respond to church."

Involving George in church is one of my biggest concerns right now with his development. Toddlerhood is the perfect age to introduce a child to the wonders of Christ and His church. This is the age where children begin to learn what is appropriate behavior and make associations. For example, just the other night I was reading George his board-book Bible at bedtime when he pointed to the crucifix hanging on his wall. This being Lent, I thought it was an appropriate time to introduce the basic concepts of the Cross, so I got the crucifix down and let him hold it and examine it. First he pointed out where Jesus' feet and hands were, then began to finger the nails. I explained to him that Jesus had a boo-boo where he was nailed to the cross, and George pointed to a scratch on his own leg and said "boo-boo?"
What a wonderful opportunity to explain that Jesus was hurt, nailed to the Cross....and then opening up his picture book to the Resurrection, I showed him that Jesus rose from the dead! Obviously the concept of the Resurrection is a bit much for a two-year old to handle, but a child that young can still begin to understand what I then explained to George...

When we do something bad, it makes Jesus sad. But He died on the Cross and rose from the dead so that when we tell him we're sorry, he forgives us. Just like when you misbehave, I'm sad. But when you tell me you're sorry, it makes me happy and I give you a kiss.

After this, George took the crucifix and rubbed it on his leg saying "no boo-boo." I had to hold my breath to keep from laughing. Hey, he's starting to understand, right?

*On a bit of a side note, St. Andrew's is carpeted which helps a great deal with the acoustic problem of George's naturally loud voice (a gift he inherited from me, I'm afraid).

**The picture is courtesy Fr. Timothy Matkin

7 Quick Takes Friday

2010-03-11T22:03:00.000-08:00

7 Quick Takes is hosted by Jen @ Conversion Diary.

--1--

I have discovered that I am at peace with my decision to join the Roman Catholic church.

--2--

Corgis are loud. And ferocious. Well, at least that's what they want you to think.

--3--

I finally found a mommy group in this area and am so excited about it.

--4--

My Lenten rule has helped me to lose 7 lbs so far. Praise God!

--5--

Apparently, I have a creepy house. My mother-in-law freaks out every time she stays with us, jumping at every noise. Tonight, our babysitter nearly called the cops because the wind was causing our canopy on the back porch to creak. Of course, I must also admit that the first time I heard the ice maker drop ice in the middle of the night (empty house, tile floor, new fridge, and we were sleeping on air mattresses in the dining room) I thought it was a gunshot.

--6--

Speaking of creepy houses, for some reason as I'm typing this I'm getting all sorts of shivers down my spine. And I keep looking towards the window expecting to see a person standing there...2nd story.

--7--

The best news of all, I'm subbing for GPISD! I'm finding subbing to be somewhat rewarding, and am looking forward even more to being a permanent teacher. Now if I could only find a job.

Tiber Swim Team '10

2010-03-06T16:26:00.001-08:00

Here I come!

As some of you know, I have been in a period of discernment for the last couple of years to figure out if God is calling me to Rome or if I'm just imagining it. I finally got my answer today. Many things have led up to this decision, and it is not a decision I make lightly. I will happily explain more as time goes on, but suffice it to say that I feel I need to make my decision known.

Also, if anyone in the Grand Prairie area (or nearby cities) could recommend a conservative, child-friendly, non-happy clappy Catholic parish, please let me know!

May the blessing of God be upon you.

Suffer Little Children to Come to Me

2010-02-22T21:35:00.000-08:00

Remember back when I was talking about bad experiences with certain people in church and their attitude toward children during Mass? Well, one of those "Church Ladies" is doing it again.

Since it's been a while, let me try to explain what we have been doing in regards to getting George to behave during Mass. First of all, we have been centering our daily routines around God. Every meal we begin with Grace, "God Our Father" sung to the tune of Frère Jacques. Our bedtime routine ends with the Lord's Prayer, a specific family prayer, and Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep. After each prayer he exclaims loudly "NAMEN!" Before prayers we read a children's bible board book and he points to all of the pictures for me to name. Now he knows who Jesus is, and will even say "Jeee-us" when I point to the crucifix that hangs on his wall.

Suffice it to say that I am doing my darndest to get my kid church-oriented. Keep in mind, however, that he is a toddler. He has the attention span of a gnat. We are no longer keeping him in the nursery during the first part of the service, instead I take him to the Children's Liturgy where the parish children go to hear a kid-oriented sermon and are given the ability to participate in discussion. Generally, the liturgy is for 3+, but I feel that if he just stays in the nursery he will begin to think that church is just another place to play.

This last Sunday, I was shocked and amazed. George sat in the small pew with two other preschoolers quietly during most of the Children's Liturgy. After about a month of going, he is starting to get the idea that he is expected to be still and quiet for the most part, although certainly no one will chastise him for wriggling a bit. I thought to myself "Great! My efforts are paying off and George is beginning to understand how important this is!"

Then we went back to the church for the Holy Eucharist. For the most part, he stayed in our pew, playing with a pencil and drawing on a visitor's card. Every time the congregation would respond with "Amen" he would call out "NAMEN!" for the next five seconds or so, much to the obvious delight of the parishioners sitting around us. Who wouldn't enjoy seeing a 2 year old praise God? When our turn came to go up for communion my independent little boy decided he didn't want any "help" and, as he often does, he squealed in protest when I picked him up and carried him to the communion rail. A couple of minor protests that are easily squelched, and a couple of loud "DADDY!"s when he would see Sean (serving as an acolyte).

I was pretty pleased with his behavior because it is a huge step up from how he used to be during church. He follows along to the best of his ability and even sings his heart out during the hymns, not that he's singing what everyone else is singing, but I am constantly seeing grins from others when he does it.

My sweet little boy is praising the Lord, and my heart leaps with joy when he does. I know then that I am doing something right.

Then it happened. I was sitting in the pew waiting for the crowd to clear out after the service and talking with a few friends when the "Church Lady" came by and interrupted us. Quite loudly she "informed" me that she didn't want to hear my kid screaming and hollering during church and that's why there's a 'cry room'. Mind you, the altar candles had not yet been extinguished and there was a throng of people in line behind her, well within earshot. I tried to explain that George is just making a joyful noise for God and singing along with the hymns. She continued to condescendingly berate me for not removing my child from the sanctuary the instant he makes a noise. I was growing visibly upset and feeling quite embarrassed when someone asked me what was wrong. This "Church Lady" turned to them and said "Oh, she's just getting mad because I told her she needs to keep her kid quiet during church."

The whole time, the friends I had been talking to sat there with open mouths completely dumbfounded by her words. I honestly think everyone nearby was too shocked to say anything. I tried every technique I could think of to calm myself and nothing worked. I finally lost it and told her that this was the service that most of the young children of the parish attended and if she didn't like the noise children make then she was more than welcome to attend another service time. Probably not the best response, but I couldn't even think straight and was nearly sick to my stomach I was so upset.

After a while, my hurt and embarrassment turned to anger. What right did this woman have? If I sat in the cry room (which has no working speakers anymore) every time George made a noise, I might as well not come to church. This is the attitude that keeps young people away from the church. I have never seen her act this way to ANY other parents of young children (some of whom are a bit more rambunctious than George). That old bat just hates me and my family!

Then after much more thought, prayer, and an afternoon spent mowing the lawn (yard work is a good time for thinking and talking to God!), I came to the conclusion that this "Church Lady" must have been having a really rough day. I know she has had some bad health problems in the last year, and she probably needs God's grace more than I do right now.

Now I am including her in my (and George's) prayers these next couple of weeks. If you get a chance, please pray for her too. Call her "J" if you need a name.

A Much Needed Update

2010-02-04T07:45:00.000-08:00

Well, it has been a while since my last post, and much has been going on. George is now 2, Sean has a new job, and I have some sad news to report.

My much beloved cat, Lily, passed away on December 30th, 2009. She was approximately 15 years old and had apparently been suffering from renal failure. I made the heartbreaking decision to have her euthanized to end her obvious painful suffering. She had gotten to the point where she refused to eat or drink anything and had lost over half of her body weight. I could graze my fingers lightly over her fur and feel every bone in her back at that point. She slept most of the time but complained when picked up and suffered from major incontinence. Having dealt with her declining health for a while, I knew something had to be done. After much internal struggle with my easily guilted conscience, we took her to the vet's office and I held her as she drifted peacefully into sleep and then death.

I cannot begin to explain how traumatic it is to put your beloved and faithful friend to sleep and then be with them as they die. It has been over a month since she left us and I still tear up over her death. However, I wouldn't have done it any other way. I felt that I needed to be with her, that the last thing she saw was me soothing and loving her. I think most non-pet people don't understand that a pet owner grieves for a lost pet as much as they would grieve over a deceased family member. But if you think of it in the sense that this creature has been a companion for many years (in most cases), has lived with the person, and enjoyed a functional, loving relationship (the human provides food, shelter, and kindness while the animal provides unconditional love, comfort and warmth in return), then it makes sense to grieve for the loss.

Lily had lived with Sean and me for our entire married life and before, she slept on our bed every night, and would often follow me around the house throughout the day, even in the bathroom which I found a bit disturbing. I counted her as one of my best friends, and it was a comfort to know I could get stressful problems off of my chest without having to worry that she would break my confidence.

Now she is gone, and I am in the final stage of grief, acceptance. Her cremated remains currently grace our living room mantle while awaiting their final burial. When the weather warms up, I will plant a tree in the backyard as a memorial and bury her ashes and collar among its roots. A rather ironic end for a very agoraphobic feline.

After Lily died, I had an urgent need to see healthy, vibrant animals, so Sean took me to the city adoption shelter where I became acquainted with an adorable corgi mutt. After making sure that she got along with George, I ended up adopting her that very day. Menschi (named for the Pomeranian in Excel Saga, "Emergency Food Supply" is the rough translation) is now my new friend. She is a very smart 2 year old bundle of love. She is perfectly healthy, and will even protect George if she senses he's in danger or about to be in danger. Likewise, George will play with and mock her. She loves car rides and running around outside, but isn't a fan of the snow, ice, or rain. Welcome to our home, Menschi!

Current George Words

2009-10-19T17:28:00.000-07:00

d'OW! = "NO!"
choo choo TWEEE! = "choo choo train" or "car" or "anything with wheels"
Da-eeee = "Daddy"
Mamamamamam = "Mommy"
Maow = "Kitty"
Keeee = "Kitty"

Everyone's A Little Bit Racist

2009-09-14T20:31:00.000-07:00

I would love to see Avenue Q live. Besides the infamous "Internet is for P--n" song*, my favorite tune from this great musical is "Everyone's A Little Bit Racist." Why? Because it points out the stupidity of the liberal PC crowd.

Lately I've been hearing a lot about race in the news, on the internet, and in magazines. A Newsweek article suggests that babies are racist at 6 months, Joe Wilson makes a rude but correct comment during President Obama's speech to Congress and is labeled a racist (the topic being healthcare and non-citizens), people who are outspoken against Obama and his "changes" are being labeled racist.

I have a question for you liberals that I ask my toddler when he won't stop whining. Do you need somebody to call the WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAmbulance? It seems there is a large piece of wood that needs to be removed by your proctologist.

I am about as white and pasty as could possibly be.

But...

When I moved to a new town in the 3rd grade the first friend I made at my new school was...drum roll please...black. I try to think back and remember any of my schoolmates as a young child and I only remember fun things we did, not what they looked like. In fact, when I checked through some old school photos the only thing I really noticed was the hair (late 80's, early 90's...wow).

Fast forward to when I moved to Texas. I was a little shocked to discover there were only three black families in my hometown (the town's name might have something to do with it although unintentional). I was intimidated...to be surrounded by white people.

In college I had friends of just about every skin color. A good friend of mine is black, but I don't even notice it most of the time. To me, he's a friend, just like all my others. He's also very funny and an excellent cook.

Why am I telling you all this? Because believe it or not, I am a white conservative Christian and I am NOT racist. Agist (against teenagers) and sexist (against stupid woman drivers), yes. Racist, no. I could ask any one of the conservative people I know about race, listen to their comments, see their actions, and I see absolutely no hint of racism. Disgust of stupidity, but that affects people of any color.

So to you liberal nuts out there, get over yourselves. Please.

/end rant

*This is actually a very humorous song that really makes more of a statement of fact than anything. Some might find it offensive. If you think you might be offended, please don't look it up.

7 Quick Takes Friday

2009-09-11T21:45:00.000-07:00

Ah, here we are again. Yes, I'm squeezing this in under the wire.

7 Quick Takes is hosted by Jen @ Conversion Diary.

--1--

First of all we must never forget what today is the 8th anniversary of. I don't have the words to express how I feel about 9/11 and so just ask you to say a prayer.

--2--

My sister called me yesterday! I haven't talked to her in months because we're both horrible at communicating. It was good to hear her voice and I was amazed by how much we had in common in only an hour's worth of conversation. I say this because Becky and I are like night and day. She is seven years older than I am and has a completely different set of beliefs. For one, she is Unitarian and I am an Anglican currently discerning a call to join the Tiber swim team. She also has much more liberal views than I do although I think we have similar beliefs for the extremely important issues.

--3--

During that conversation talked about how some parents we know (not naming names here or implying anything!) let their toddlers run rampant and get away with just about anything. I am not intending to be snide or snarky here, just that it's something to think about. It is pretty interesting to discover just what kind of impact our parenting style has on our children. Hmmm.

--4--

Lily seems to be getting better. Although I have not posted it here, my facebook friends know what I am talking about. We came home from vacation to find that Lily had tapeworms. A visit to the vet and one application of a topical medication and she's even a bit less lethargic. She's actually been very lovey lately which is unusual for this cranky old lady.

--5--

Speaking of vacation, Mississippi is great. We went up to MSU to visit Alex and spent the rest of the time pretty much relaxing while George chased Grandma's cats around the house.

--6--

Did anyone notice my hint about a possibility of joining the "Tiber Swim Team"? This is something I have been mulling over quite a bit over the last year. More to come on this subject, I promise.

--7--

And last but not least...Most of you probably know Sean was laid off last month (this is what prompted the Mississippi vacation). As of this posting, he is still unemployed. However, he has been getting several calls a day from headhunters, he has gone on several interviews, and he and a friend have even started their own internet image consulting business (more on this later). Please keep him, our family, and his business partner, Charles, in your prayers.

Went to Visit Nana and THIS is What Happens...

2009-08-10T19:58:00.001-07:00

I think Sean is not going to allow me to take George up to my mom's any more, every time we go it seems like he ends up with a cut or a bruise. And Mom feels so bad about it. But accidents happen. George is a boy (and boys will be boys) and Mom's house isn't childproofed at all. I feel like I don't get a moment's rest trying to keep him out of cabinets and drawers.

Owie. This is in the car just after he got treated at Cook Children's Urgent Care Center in Hurst.

George threw a tantrum at Nana's and hurled himself onto the base of my mother's motorized wheelchair. One of the metal supports on the chair has a bit of a sharp edge to it and that's the part his forehead connected with. It bled like crazy (all head wounds do) but ended up only being superficial. At the urgent care center they cleaned him up and put DermaBond over it to seal the cut and help it heal. He sobbed quietly while it was being done but not a peep afterward.

What a brave little guy!

And a special great big THANK YOU to the Cook staff (Dr, nurses, registration, etc.). They are so great with kids and turned a potentially scary situation into one of the best "hospital" visits I've ever had. Thank you, thank you, thank you! And God bless you!

7 Quick Takes Friday

2009-07-31T09:44:00.000-07:00

Trying to get back on the ball, here are my 7 Quick Takes.

--1--

I really don't like storms, and it is rather difficult to get a cranky toddler back to sleep when I yank him out of his bed scared to death of the tornado siren and what it means and then find out that the tornado was several miles south and we're just getting a bit of rain and wind.

--2--

This week has been a half-hearted attempt at cleaning up my office. Stuff is mostly organized, but it still looks like chaos.

--3--

I feel so sorry for my family that lives in western Washington. There has been a nasty record-breaking heat wave up there for the last couple of weeks and I doubt any of them have A/C. Here in Texas A/C is a must, in Washington...not so much.

--4--

Dairy Queen's Tagalong Blizzards are delicious. 'nuff said.

--5--

I am so tired of the drama going on in TEC. In addition I am sick of liberal bitchiness and whining in general, whether it has to do with GLBTQRSWHATEVER, the Obamessiah, environmentalnazis, etc. The list of businesses one should boycott to show disapproval of them spending money on immoral causes is so long now I don't even remember which way is up. Conversely, I'm getting tired of hearing from ultra-conservatives how I'm supposed to live my life. Can I crawl into a cave now?

--6--

Wow, I must be in a funk right now. Maybe it has something to do with George first getting his thumb stuck in a toy and getting the first layer of skin ripped off getting it out and then a few minutes later falling down the stairs. Poor thing has had a rough morning. The picture below is post-thumb first-aid and stair-falling and even shows a glimpse of those evil stairs...

--7--

Speaking of George, I shall end on a super-positive note. He pooped in his potty on Wednesday! I'm sure before I realize it he will be potty trained and off to college. Such a smart kid. :D

Being a Mommy is Rewarding

2009-07-11T22:38:00.001-07:00

You know you're doing something right when the child who has resisted being read to his entire short life so far walks over to the bookshelf, grabs "Kitten's First Full Moon" (borrowed from the library) and tries to climb into your lap so you can read to him. Of course he still wanted to turn the pages before I could finish reading them but he wanted me to read to him! I think I almost started to cry.

Maybe we can get into a routine now of reading a bedtime story together every night?

Another sign of his development that brings joy to my heart is his recognition of body parts. It used to be that he knew where his nose and belly-button were but asked where any other body part was and that little pudgy finger would go right back to the tip of his nose! Now he knows where his mouth and eyes are and is even getting "ears" right about half the time.

On a side note, the cutest thing happened today. We were getting ready to drive to Dairy Queen (Tagalong Blizzard = absolute yum!) when Sean asked George to "go tell Mommy that it's time to go." George walked down the hallway, stopped in the doorway of the playroom where my computer is, and proudly told me "Ah bababoo. Pfffffaba boo." He then turned around and walked back to Sean who stood there slack-jawed in amazement for a moment.

Ain't that something?

Libraries are Great!

2009-07-08T15:29:00.000-07:00

George and I made our first trip to the local library this morning. Since moving in almost a year ago, I finally quit being lazy and went. On Wednesday mornings during the summer, the library offers a "storytime" for children ages 0-5. I have now discovered that this is a great opportunity to get us out of the house and *gasp* interact with other people. As a plus, I also got a library card.

I keep forgetting how rewarding libraries are and as a consequence I don't get out to them very often. However, the nearest branch is super kid-friendly and have the nicest librarians I have ever run across. When we lived in Dallas we would occasionally go to the local branch nearest our apartment and I always felt awkward bringing an infant, even one as quiet as George. It didn't help that we seemed to always get the "evil eye" from the librarian at the front desk.

At the branch nearest our home I felt very welcome. George is a bit noisier now that he's a toddler, and has a tendency to want to run off. I didn't get a single disapproving look! In fact, some of the other patrons, mostly other "storytime" goers, offered sympathetic smiles and even greeted George. What a difference it is to feel welcomed. I am becoming more and more convinced that we made a good choice in buying a home in this area.

Splinters

2009-06-30T11:13:00.000-07:00

I am posting this from my phone, so please forgive me for the brevity.

This post is a question for mommies of toddlers...Do you have tips for removing nearly invisible splinters from your toddler's foot?

Poor George had a shard of glass in the ball of his foot from a minor accident involving a drinking glass and the floor and Sean had to hold him down so I could dig it out. We gave him some baby Tylenol beforehand but he was clearly in a lot of pain and squirmed like crazy.

Tips?

7 Quick Takes Friday

2009-06-26T12:55:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'm jumping on the Quick Takes wagon starting today, thanks to Jen from Conversion Diary.

1. A pizza slicer is great for cutting toddler-sized pieces of sandwiches, especially grilled cheese. This handy tool makes lunch prep a breeze. Just make sure the sandwich has been properly smushed. A sandwich is no good unless smushed.

2. I spent the last two weeks without getting on my computer. Although I have stayed connected via my new 'net-capable phone, I have noticed that life really does exist outside of the interwebs.

3. The time I normally spend online has been spent on a couple of projects. The first is a dollhouse that my mother bought for me as a child and never got around to building.

4. The other project is an entertainment center and mantel for our living room. Progress has been made since this picture was taken and is nearing completion.

5. I want to meet the genius who created Crayola Color Wonder products. George loves the finger paints and markers and I love that there is no mess besides slightly sticky hands after fingerpainting. Plus, all Crayola products are non-toxic!

6. Fresh homemade guacamole is super easy to make and tastes great. After spending a weekend in Comanche, my friend Melisa showed me how to make it and I decided to try it out last night. If only avocados weren't so pricey!

Super Easy Guac:
2 ripe avocados
a couple of squirts of lemon juice
1/2 ripe tomato, diced
1/2 sweet onion, diced
approximately a tablespoon of chives
approximately a tablespoon of dried cilantro
Mush avocados in a bowl with a fork, add other ingredients, mix thoroughly. Serve with chips. The only non-fresh ingredient I used was dried cilantro since I couldn't find fresh at the grocery store.

7. Speaking of our trip to Comanche, we spent the morning of the 13th in Dublin snacking on free Dr. Pepper birthday cake, free milk, and of course...free Dublin Dr. Pepper! Yes, I brought back cake and frosting mix for Dublin Dr. Pepper cake. And a couple of cases of Dublin Dr. Pepper.

Mommyblogging

2009-06-26T12:53:00.000-07:00

Ack, what is a "Mommyblog" without some mommyblogging? I think I need to take this blog in a whole new direction, or at least get it back on track. Lets see if I can get a good thing going here.

For this purpose, I will start with a 7 Quick Takes since today is Friday.

Me 1, Credit Card Company 0

2009-06-02T12:06:00.001-07:00

If all else fails, threaten legal action.

So back in April I paid off one of my credit cards with part of my tax refund and canceled it because of the outrageous finance charges. I got a bill of almost $80 from them this month and called to find out what was going on. After arguing with the customer care rep for about ten minutes straight she finally explained that even though I canceled the card and closed the account they were still billing for finance charges. After the date the card was paid in full and account closed.

So I asked the lady "So what you're telling me is that even though the account is closed and paid in full, your company is still charging me a fee? That doesn't sound very legal." She quickly asked me to hold so she could "see what she could do". Not five minutes later her manager gets on the phone and informs me that my balance is now $0.00 and I should not receive another bill.

On one hand I'm relieved but on the other I wonder just how many people this company is trying to screw over?

The Presence of Children During Worship

2009-05-11T12:00:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I took George with me on a trip to Comanche to help my best friend, Melisa, and her family get settled into their new home. Melisa's husband, Fr. Tim, is the new vicar of the parishes in Comanche and Dublin. We were both a bit nervous about the reaction to having an infant and a toddler would be to these tiny parishes that have no young children.

I think Melisa was as pleasantly shocked as I was when we received numerous compliments on our children. The most common phrase I heard was "It's so nice to have babies here again, when are you coming back?" Maybe shocked isn't a strong enough word. I was floored. When George started fussing, I got a few sympathetic smiles before he calmed down.

What a difference to my home parish! I found it rather ironic that although St. Alban's has many children, the attitude towards children in church is nearly the opposite. During most of the service the older kids are in Children's Chapel, a separate room where they learn watered-down versions of the day's Gospel. The younger children, toddlers and preschoolers, are in the nursery during most if not all of the service.

For a while, I had tried to keep George in the sanctuary during the whole service so that he would begin to understand the importance of Mass at the earliest age possible. Unfortunately, that was not what he had in mind. He's a toddler, and acted like any normal toddler would when someone tries to get them to sit still for a long period of time. He wouldn't throw a screaming tantrum, but would fuss loudly for a few seconds at a time.

I don't want to sound uncharitable towards my fellow parishioners so I will not go into details of the reactions towards my son in the past couple of months. Suffice it to say that I have felt most unwelcome in the last few weeks for being the mother of a normal toddler.

I think some parishes have gotten so used to children that the tolerance level for normal baby noises is extremely low, while parishes that don't have many children around are so grateful for the presence of babies that they welcome the noise.

If you have thoughts or opinions about this, please share them.

They grow up so fast...

2009-04-29T10:25:00.001-07:00

Last week we converted George's crib to a toddler bed because he had been very good about falling asleep when we laid him down drowsy. After a couple of spills onto the hardwood floor, Sean laid down a couple of pillows.

This morning I had George in his room and upstairs hallway playing while I worked on the newsletter. Around noon I realized that I wasn't hearing any noise, so I snuck into his room and what did I see? George was sitting on the floor with his head laying on the bed with a pool of drool under his face. He looked up at me drowsily and I gently swung his legs onto the mattress. After tucking his quilt around him the result is the above picture.

I'm still a little amazed that he put himself down for a nap and even tried to get into bed. Must have been too tired to climb all the way.

A Blessed Easter to You!

2009-04-12T16:06:00.001-07:00

What a joyful time of the year. This Easter, amid all of the stress, has helped me to count my blessings. George and Sean, our safe home, food in our mouths, and extended family that love us unceasingly. And our friends. My heart is breaking because two of my best friends are moving away in a few months, but I am reminded to enjoy the time we have left.

Have a Blessed Easter, Y'all!

And We're...Walking...

2009-04-08T21:16:00.000-07:00

It finally happened, George started to walk last night. Now he does not want to be still at all, but on his feet exploring the world. This morning we went to Calloway's to get ideas for the front yard, and he was delighted to see all the pretty flowers on his level. This afternoon we played out in the front yard where he got to explore the grass. Of course he takes a few spills but a kiss from Mama makes everything better. Yup.

You Know You're Anglican When...

2009-03-04T13:15:00.000-08:00

...dressing your child, you get him to raise his arms for his shirt by saying "raise them up" and then fight the urge to continue..."if they fall, and in their hearts keep thy peace which passes all understanding..."

...someone quotes from either Star Wars or Spaceballs with "May the Force/Schwartz be with you" and you reply with "and also with you" or "and with thy spirit"...

...you coordinate the color of your Sunday clothes with the Church calendar...

yes. I have.

Lent

2009-03-03T20:10:00.000-08:00

May you have a blessed and holy Lent. George sends his love.

edit: Yes, shame on me for taking pictures with my phone during the Ash Wednesday service....but if I hadn't, you wouldn't get to see this adorable face all ashed up. He had pretty much wiped most of it off by the time we left.

Just Because

2009-02-19T23:33:00.000-08:00

Oh no! She caught me...

Mom, I can do it myself!

See?

Yawn...time for a nap.

and because Mom couldn't resist....the "look"

What a Birthday

2009-02-17T15:35:00.000-08:00

This has been. I've spent most of it on the couch, curled under a blanket, heat patch on my back, desperately trying to find a position that does NOT cause excruciating pain to shoot through my back and legs, and playing Fallout3. A few trips upstairs to tend to George (who, unfortunately, has been playing or sleeping in his crib ALL day), and that's it.

It hurts to walk, it hurts to breathe, it hurts to sit, it hurts to stand up, it hurts to bend over. It hurts even more to walk up the stairs or pick up George. The Dr. at CareNow (that I spent 3 hours at on Valentine's Day, so romantic, huh?) said I don't have kidney stones. That's the good news.

Bad news? She thinks it's just a strained muscle.

I have had strained muscles before. It didn't hurt like this.

The painkiller, Tramadol, she gave me (along with the muscle relaxer) knocks me out for a good 5 hours. However, Sean went into work today so I am home alone with George. I would rather put up with the pain than be unconscious if he happened to get hurt or hungry. Driving is also a no-no. If I were to have one of those muscle spasms while I was driving (especially since now it's starting to creep down my right leg), I could possible get into a wreck. So here I sit, too tired to go back downstairs, trying to decide whether or not to get dressed (yes, at almost 6pm), again trying to find a sitting position that doesn't induce a spasm.

When I blow out my candles, I'mma wish for a new back.

Rock-A-Bye Baby

2009-02-09T21:53:00.000-08:00

There is not much that tops rocking George to sleep. The books say that rocking your baby to sleep every night is a bad habit and they become accustomed to it. If you know me, you know I am not a big fan of the books.

No matter how hectic the day or how frustrating his temper tantrums were, when I hear the not so little snores coming from the creature in my arms I am at peace. His closed eyes and pursed lips are so kissable that I must restrain myself for fear of waking him up. Then I kiss his forehead anyway.

A soft grunt and he snuggles against me, still snoring.

Patience is a Virtue

2009-02-06T12:21:00.000-08:00

I was all set to write an inflammatory post about my frustrating experience at the post office today, but I had to give George his bottle and rock him to sleep first. By the time I laid him down I remembered the conversation in prayer that I had with God last night.

After participating in all sorts of interweb activities that ended around 12:30, I went to bed frustrated and agitated about all sorts of things. Finances, expensive and time-consuming home improvement, worries about George being sick all weighed heavily on my mind while I coughed like crazy from the cold that has been bugging me all week. I realized that I had been lax in my prayers lately and had begun to rely on myself more than God.

Without going into the specifics of my worries (this blog isn't exactly a confessional booth), I began pouring my heart out in prayer. I whispered to God of the sins I had committed, of the opportunities for prayer I had passed up in the last few weeks, and then I thought one last time of all the bills and paperwork that needed tending. In that moment, I realized that none of it was important enough for me to stress out about.

"Lord," I said, "I don't have the strength to worry about these things. I am too weak to be burdened by this stress, and with You, I know I don't have to be burdened so. Here You go. Take my stress, take my worries, take it away from me, I give it to You. I will no longer worry about such trivial matters. I will wake up tomorrow morning refreshed by Your grace and I will deal with what needs to be dealt with but I will not worry over it."

My days have been centered around me (or George) lately, and it has gotten me nowhere. It dawned on me during that prayerful conversation that I needed to center my days around God. If I make Him the center, things will fall into place. All of a sudden my entire body relaxed and I was barely able to eke out an "Amen" and sign of the cross before drifting off to sleep.

I woke up this morning before Sean's alarm went off and was a little shocked to realize I wasn't coughing, and I had slept through the night. The next thing I noticed was that there was no coughing coming from George's room as there had been the last few mornings. So far today I have taken out the trash, run errands, paid bills, straightened out some bills that needed straightening, and I'm about to put a loaf of pear-raisin bread in the oven all on top of taking care of George. We still have a bit of our coughs lingering but neither of us are congested any more and I haven't been hacking up green and brown phlegm.

What a blessing the Lord has given me, a fresh chance to do things right. Some might argue that George and I were going to be getting better anyway since the sickness had run its course. If you want to believe that, go ahead. But I know that the peace I felt last night and throughout today (except for the short time this afternoon when I began to give in to the temptation of anger) comes from the Lord.

Besides, I made bread today, that has to be a miracle, right?

May the peace of the Lord be always with you.

He can STAND!

2009-02-03T12:12:00.001-08:00

My sweet little Georgie stood yesterday, all by himself. The look on his face was priceless, it was complete shock and surprise. I wish I had a camera on hand to capture the complete WTF? moment. I am certain that within a week George will be walking. And then I'll never catch up with him. At least he can't crawl out of his crib yet, whew. Poor thing is sick, too. He has this phlegmy cough that breaks my heart to hear.

In other news, the kitchen is half done, the track lighting is up and the walls are orange. Yes, orange. It looks much better than the barf-green that was there before. Now my kitchen walls look like a pumpkin.

Dodge Charger

2009-01-18T20:24:00.000-08:00

*note: this is not the actual car, but a public domain image of a similar one

Since Sean's car is in the shop getting repaired because some moron neighbor hit it and didn't have the guts to leave a note, GEICO in all its wonderful insurance goodiness has graciously (yes, it's part of our policy. shhhhh, I want to think I'm special) given us a rental to use for the weekend. Sean had his choice between a Chevy Impala that was available immediately or the Dodge Charger that would take an extra ten minutes to get ready. Of course he chose the muscle car. Who wouldn't?

Before any of you get all uppity about me being excited about a Dodge, remember that this is just a rental. We didn't buy it, and we wouldn't buy one for ourselves if we had a choice. I actually detest Dodge vehicles (that includes Plymouth and Chrysler) because although they are cool and have nifty features, they quickly fall apart because they're made with very cheap parts that wear out quickly.

But since this is a rental, I can get all excited. This baby is HELLA fun to drive! It has guts. It roars. It purrs. It looks awesome. But it's going back Wednesday. Bah.

Comments

2009-01-17T22:09:00.000-08:00

I deleted an essay-like comment today that appeared as a result of something I posted on StandFirm (see link on sidebar). This comment was entirely political, rather whiny, and posted to an entry about George's latest accomplishment. I deleted it because it was entirely inappropriate for the subject matter of my post about George.

If someone has something they want to say (even if I don't agree with it), I'm not likely to moderate comments as long as they are: posted to an appropriate topic (for future reference, any post about my son is NOT an appropriate place to whine about church politics), not spam, not containing foul language, and generally not downright hateful or vulgar.

If you feel that it is extremely important to contact me, a little bit of searching will come up with one of my email addresses. I am on Facebook. I am the newsletter editor for St. Alban's (a very easy to find email address). I am not some mysterious anonymous person on the interwebs who you can only contact by leaving an essay on a post about my son.

I do not want to have to remove the option for anonymous commentors, nor do I want to turn on comment moderation (I don't get enough traffic to worry about spam, and I get notifications via email for comments left here). If I have to though, I will. Now play nice.

Dallas March for Life

2009-01-17T22:04:00.000-08:00

I am exhausted, but it was well worth it. George and I participated in the Dallas March for Life today. There were some tears from the moving speeches at the rally and friendships struck among the marchers. I have no idea how many people were there, but it was really great to see all the young faces.

Go Go Speed Racer

2009-01-09T15:12:00.000-08:00

George and I just got back from getting the mail. Yes, we both walked down to the mailbox. The mailbox that is five houses down from us. George pushed his Sit 'n Stand walker all the way down to the mailbox and back. He was sooooo excited! My baby's gettin' so big. :D

...Forgive Those Who Trespass Against Us...

2009-01-09T13:29:00.001-08:00

I read a very sad story in one of my CafeMom groups today about a woman pregnant with twins who was killed in a tragic car accident along with her unborn babies on Christmas Eve. The mom who posted this story was full of anger towards the woman who caused the accident, and the resulting conversation between us got me thinking about praying for those who have wronged us.

Most of us pray for those we love. We pray for family members who are ill, we praise God when something good happens. We pray for our friends, and we even pray for people we don't know who are suffering. But how often do we pray for those who cause the suffering?

It is very easy to say "I hate that person for what they have done" whether it be a terroristic world leader, our own president (former, current, or -elect), a criminal, or even someone close to us who has grievously wronged us. But how easy is it to forgive them? How easy is it to pray for them?

Forgiveness is not an automatic "Pass Go - Collect $200." It does not mean that we should automatically be BFF with the person. It means that we have acknowledged that a wrong has been committed, accept that it can't be taken back, and move forward. Whether moving forward involves reconcilement or estrangement is up to the situation and people involved.

But forgiveness is only a part of the command to "love our enemies." We should also pray for them. It can be as simple as "Please Lord, let that driver who just cut me off realize what he has done and repent" or "Please Lord, don't let that reckless and dangerous driver cause a fatal accident." I am learning how to pray for someone who has wronged me, my family, and my extended family. I don't ever want to see this person again, and especially don't want him near my son, but I ask that he come to know the error of his ways--that he will see how he is hurting those around him.

When I pray these prayers, I begin to feel a bit better about the situation. I put the problem in God's hands and it ends up being one more burden that I no longer have to carry.

"Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do."

Renters? Ugh

2009-01-07T20:34:00.000-08:00

I have good news and bad news.

Good news: Our neighbors are moving. These are the people who have three generations plus extended family living in a 3 bedroom house and approximately 6 cars. One of these cars used to be parked in front of our house when we moved in (and the owner seemed very upset when I told him he couldn't keep parking it there because I'd like my own guests to be able to park in front of my house), and another was hit by our moving truck (the driver ended up getting arrested for oustanding warrants, long story. I know I was supposed to post about it but didn't get around to it. Sorry). This makes me happy because all those cars will finally be gone. Yay.

Bad news: There's a big "For Lease" sign in front of their house. This means they're not selling it, but renting it. Oh goody.

I don't want to paint all renters in a bad light, Sean and I had rented from the time we were married until we bought this house. However, we were of the rare breed of good renters. We took care of our homes, were polite to our neighbors, and always left our apartments in better condition than we found it (I even repaired nail holes in the walls left by previous renters). Not so with most renters. If our apartment neighbors were any indication, renters tend to not care about the building they live in. They tend to throw loud obnoxious parties because they can just rent somewhere else if they get kicked out. They have no investment in where they live.

I'm not worried about the property value, we bought this house for way less than what it is worth, have put in new floors, new appliances, done cosmetic repairs, and could sell it for more than the purchase price even if our neighbors were running a crack house. Well, maybe. No matter, I don't plan on selling it anyway.

What I'm worried about is what kind of people this is going to attract? Are there going to be even MORE cars parked out front? Will they have loud obnoxious parties? Are they going to be neglectful and burn the place down?

Maybe we'll get lucky and they're doing a "lease-to-own". Better that than letting it sit vacant for a year.

Update on George

2009-01-05T13:37:00.000-08:00

It turns out George is just fine. I, on the other hand, am not. Apparently his cough is a lingering remnant of his cold. Mine has turned into an ear infection. Bah.

Good news, though, I finally got my new computer (with Vista) set up and have started transferring files from my laptop. I think next I get to install Office 2007.

It is freezing outside. Literally. Yuck.

And oh yeah! I have my Etsy store up!

Poor Baby

2009-01-03T06:58:00.000-08:00

Is sick. My sweet little Georgie has had a cough for a week, and last night it got so bad that when I was rocking him to sleep he'd wake up every couple of minutes coughing. I could hear the phlegm in his throat. Today I have a sore throat and if I feel this crappy I can only assume how awful he feels. I think we've all been passing around a cold for the last week or so.

I'm going to call the pediatrician as soon as her office opens today and make an appointment to bring him in. Updates on his condition will be posted.

Music

2008-12-30T10:06:00.000-08:00

It is with great sadness that I inform my friends and family that I will no longer be singing in the choir at St. Alban's. I will not share all of my reasons for doing so, however I will say that it has become difficult to have an almost toddler in church while trying to concentrate on singing.

I will miss it greatly, don't get me wrong. I will miss it probably more than I miss singing with the Concert Choir at Baylor. Music has been a part of my life for so long that I find it hard to remember a time without it. Performing is in my blood. However, therein lies part of the problem.

I am a performer, however I firmly believe that Mass is not the place to perform, but to worship God and to take part in the sacraments. It is not a place to show off my mad music skillz. I do not want to perform at church. I do not want people to tell me how much they enjoy my singing, or that they wish I were singing a solo instead of another person (this has happened and it breaks my heart to hear). I do not want people to clap for me. I don't even want someone to tell me that my singing brought them closer to God. I am happy that people can find peace with God through music, but to tell me so only strokes my pride.

I do not tell you this to have you feel sorry for me, I do not need pity. I tell you this because I feel you have the right to know. I tell you this so you will not ask me to sing or ask me why I'm not singing. I will continue to sing lullabyes for George, join with the congregation to sing hymns and responsories, and listen to my voice echo in my bathroom while I take a shower. I may even go karaoking with friends, but I can not perform in church. To do so I believe removes humility and fills me with sinful pride.

May God bless and keep you during this Christmas season.

Christmas, Baby, and other interesting stuffs

2008-12-28T21:58:00.000-08:00

Bat-mittens. Oh yeah.

I apologize for the lack of blogging. These last couple of months have been busy, and I've just recently gotten my office area somewhat usable. Thanksgiving was great (my turkey was EXCELLENT!), and Mom and Oma got to see our new house. My mother-in-law and brother-in-law came to visit for Christmas and are still here.

Ah, Christmas. The lights are up, the tree is up, presents were opened, I lit a wreath on fire with a candle (oops), and George had a blast.

But now George is sick. For the first time. It just breaks my heart to see him sick, babbling with a sore throat (I assume) and coughing. I can hear the phlegm in his throat when he coughs. And he had a fever, too! This afternoon he just wanted to cuddle and fell asleep on my lap. Every time I'd try to lay him down somewhere besides my lap (because he's like an oven!) he'd wake up. My poor sweet baby!

I promise to try to post more often, especially since I have lots of news to share.

The Weather Reflects My Mood

2008-11-05T08:39:00.000-08:00

In fact it reflects it very well. Today in DFW it is overcast, windy, and kind of depressing. Yet every once in a while the sun forces its way through the clouds for a few moments. It was a perfect day to get some yard work done.

Very similar to my views on this year's election. First let me start off by saying I voted for McCain and stand by that decision. I feel that Obama's (I am finding it difficult to not call him names) election was not a good choice for this country. I am saddened at the way race has played such a big role in the campaigns. I am even more saddened at the prospect of yet more unborn (and born) babies being killed due to his advocacy for abortion and infanticide. I am wary of his foreign policies and the effect they will have on us. I fear that more of my rights will be stripped away due to his policies of "Change."

Yet the sun is peeking through. After reading several blogs and articles this morning, I am reminded that God is still here. I must continue to have faith in Him and never stop praying. That sun (Son?) peeking through the clouds is God's way of assuring us that He will never leave us. We will make it through this administration by continuing to have faith in Christ.

And perhaps this is the incentive we needed to get out and do a little change ourselves. Just like the weather inspired me to finish trimming the hedges and clearing out dead brush in the front yard so that it looks like we care about our home, perhaps this election will inspire us to work harder to bring about the GOOD kind of change that we really need. Not necessarily what our new president-elect advocates, but what is truly good and right. May this election inspire you to pray more and pay more attention to the issues that are important to your life and the lives of others.

And yes, the yard is really starting to look better. We can even see out our dining room window now! Well, we would if we didn't have boxes stacked in front of it...

I haven't dropped off of the face of the earth

2008-10-28T17:33:00.000-07:00

yet. We have been working hard on the house this last month (we closed on September 30th) and this last week I was without internet due to moving. We're still trying to get what's left at the apartment out here, I have until Friday. I will post when I get more time, but right now I have work to do. Pictures of the house will be forthcoming along with some interesting stories of the move itself. For now, the newsletter calls.

Sometimes...

2008-09-19T12:14:00.000-07:00

...I wish I could crawl into a cave with all the necessary supplies I would need to survive and not have to hear about all the horrible things people say and do in the world today.

It just seems like it's one thing after another. From the "deposition" of Bishop Duncan of Pennsylvania and all the crap that's going on in TEC to the election and the outright hatred that is being spewed towards Sarah Palin. I have often heard my mother say that Satan tries his hardest to tear down what is good, destroy people, and destroy the church, and it seems he is trying especially hard right now.

Kyrie Eleison
Christe Eleison
Kyrie Eleison

Best. Vent. Convo. EVAR!!!

2008-09-13T22:51:00.000-07:00

Caution: language, NSFW

I am still crying from laughing so hard, fifteen minutes after watching this video. And the best part about it is how well the guys take it. Most people who get an annoying vent spammer get all upset and start cussing up a storm. These "good ol' boys" are awesome!

sniff

2008-09-11T21:34:00.000-07:00

Someone needs to remind me to not read mommyblogs at night after George has gone to bed. Especially on a day like today.

I have cried so much hearing some really heartbreaking stories, and some really touching ones, and George would be very upset if I woke him up to hug him. He likes his sleep and is cranky like crazy if woken by anything other than his internal clock (or stomach).

On another note, Sean asked me today "who died?" He then mentioned all the flags he saw at half mast. I asked him what the date was. He looked very embarrassed.

May the souls of all departed, especially those lost seven years ago today, rest in peace.

CDO (like OCD but in alphabetical order)

2008-09-09T21:32:00.001-07:00

Who woulda thunk that my obsessive compulsion to memorize floorplans and building layouts would actually help someone?

About ten minutes ago, there was a frantic knocking at our door and the doorbell rung. I heard a shout that sounded something like a muffled "Police!" My heart started racing as I ran downstairs to find out what on earth was going on (a vision of a certain crazed "He who shall not be named" ran through my mind), and I peeked through the paint splattered peephole. I did not see anyone outside but heard voices. I cracked the door open and peeked out. Two Dallas police officers were standing outside.

One of them asked if I knew which apartment one of the garages in our building went to. Once I figured out which garage they meant, it was fairly easy for me to remember which apartment it went to. After I told them they thanked me and went on their way to complete whatever duty they were out here for (maybe I'll find out tomorrow?).

It would be nearly impossible for anyone who does not live in this apartment complex (or work here) to know the building layouts. I bet it is fairly difficult even for people who DO live here to remember. However, if you point out a specific window, I can tell you what room of the apartment it is, and draw a rough sketch of how the unit is laid out. I can do this with all of the apartment complexes I've lived in. I could also do this with all of the houses we've looked at in our house search (still haven't closed yet. Long story, still waiting).

If I drive through a neighborhood once (sometimes it takes me twice) I can draw you a rough map of it. I have a clear picture of the floorplan of our new house in my head. I could draw you a fairly detailed picture of it. I could do the same with every house I've lived in, every dorm building I've lived in, even the houses of friends.

I can't remember to water my plants, but I can't stop myself from remembering floorplans. Heck, I even used to use up tons of graph paper designing floorplans for imaginary houses. Am I nuts? Or can I possibly put this to good use? Hmm.....the world may never know.

Sunday Drivers (caution: Language)

2008-09-08T21:50:00.000-07:00

Warning: This post contains strong language. Parental discretion advised. Rated PG-13

Can someone please explain to me why people drive at their absolute WORST on Sundays? I understand there are the little old white haired ladies and little old men with hats on that only drive on Sundays, but the majority of rude, dangerous, and just plain stupid drivers that I see on Sundays are not elderly.

The worst one from yesterday: I saw a sedan in front of me in my lane swerve violently. A second after the car was under control, I saw a white furry head pop out of the driver's window, tongue hanging out. I sped up and passed this dangerous driver and looked over as I was passing her. She had a large dog (about the size of a lab) on her lap. While traveling at 60 mph. While driving. DRIVING!

I'm going to say this next bit with big letters.

You are not an animal lover if you allow your pet to ride in your lap while you are driving. This is animal abuse and I will call the cops if I see you driving like this because you are a danger to other drivers.

If you really love your pet, you will make sure it is safely restrained in an appropriate carrier (wouldn't you put your child in a car seat?). I don't care HOW docile your precious mutt is, a horn honking, sirens whizzing by, or any other number of factors can startle it and cause it to interfere with your driving. You are in control of a large hunk of metal and flammable fuel hurtling down the road at a high speed. You do NOT need the distraction of an animal getting in your way. If you choose to drive with an animal on your lap, you are a f'ing IDIOT.

A couple of times I have driven with my cat on the passenger seat of my car because she is less freaked out than in her carrier. She curls up on the seat and doesn't move. Then one day I was taking her to a friend's house to stay for a week while we were on vacation. On a busy highway during rush hour I ended up having to slam on my brakes (I was not paying attention to the cat, I just got cut off). Next thing I knew, the cat had flown forward and hit the floorboard hard enough to knock the wind out of her. That's when I realized that any unrestrained animal can get hurt, even if interfering with my driving wasn't an issue. Lily was not hurt, thankfully, but I learned my lesson. From now on she gets put in her carrier (I'd rather put up with the pitiful whining) which is then strapped in with a seat belt. Same principal applies to pickup truck owners with their dogs. Dogs should NEVER ride in the back of a pickup unless confined in a well anchored cage. If you really care about your pet, make sure it is restrained. Please.

I'm not a PETA freak (the People for the Eating of Tasty Animals would probably hate me, I lovingly harass my cat all the time) but I do care about animals and believe that all of God's creatures should be treated humanely.

I Must Be Doing Something Wrong...

2008-09-02T13:48:00.000-07:00

...because this blog is not blocked by the Great Firewall of China. Perhaps I should discuss religion and politics more often.

Just Wanted To Share

2008-08-29T11:11:00.000-07:00

A pic of my Georgie:

Prayers Requested

2008-08-26T09:26:00.001-07:00

Update: James Bennett Duncan was born August 26th! Mom and son are doing great!

Please keep our curate, Fr. Duncan, and his wife Elizabeth in your prayers. Her water broke this morning and they are currently at the hospital having their first baby, a boy. She was due September 25th, so this little one has decided to come a month early! I will update when I find out more.

A Short Illustrated History of the Nerd

2008-08-21T10:16:00.001-07:00

So true.

A Sad Ending

2008-08-19T11:05:00.000-07:00

It seems the baby girl whose story appears in the previous post has died. Please continue to keep her family in your prayers as they grieve.

Praise God for Miracles

2008-08-18T14:20:00.001-07:00

I first heard this story on KRLD and needed to share with you all. The mother was suffering intrauterine bleeding and there was no detectable pulse of the baby, so at 24 weeks labor was induced and the baby was pronounced dead (stillborn). The baby was placed in cryo storage (like a morgue) and funeral arrangements were made. Five hours later the father asked to see his baby girl, and she was brought out of the cryo. It was then that doctors noticed she was breathing on her own and moving.

Please please PLEASE keep this precious baby girl in your prayers. Her doctors are trying their hardest to keep her alive.

Chores....

2008-08-13T11:17:00.000-07:00

Do you ever have tasks to do which you absolutely dread doing? You think about doing them, and your brain says "Nuh-uh. No way. Be lazy. It's not important. It's so much work!"

When you finally complete the task, you then realize it wasn't so bad after all. In fact, you feel better now that you have completed it. Ever do that?

Laundry, dishes, brushing my teeth, cleaning of any sort, these all are tasks I dread. I get myself all worked up over not wanting to do them, then when I finally have clean clothes put away, clean dishes put away, fresh breath, etc., I realize I feel a lot better than I did before.

Weird.

Of course, there are tasks I don't mind so much such as feeding and diapering the baby. Yes, you heard me right. I can't manage to drag myself to sort clothes but I don't mind a stinky diaper. Yup, my priorities are straight. Am I alone in this? Anyone?

Rain and Memories

2008-08-11T16:36:00.000-07:00

As I stood in my kitchen this evening and fixed myself dinner, I happened to look up at the window and noticed the raindrops gathering on the glass. I heard the patter of droplets and a vague memory of my childhood hit me like a semi-truck.

I grew up in Puyallup, WA, home of much rain. Few storms but boy does it rain. Many a time I sat inside and stared wistfully out the rain spattered window wishing I could play outside. We used to camp out at Oma's undeveloped lakefront property. I would awaken in the camper or tent to the sound of raindrops softly tapping on the roof. The rest of the day would usually be damp and accompanied by some bit of grumbling, but now I look fondly on those times and realize life will never be that simple again.

Here in Texas if it's raining it's usually storming and I know I'd better get inside. Even now I can hear distant thunder. But oh the days of my childhood! On several of these rainy camping trips my sister and I would jump in the lake and feel the rain on our shoulders and heads. What fun! There would usually be no one out in a boat and the only sound was the sound of water dropping through the trees.

Ah to experience those days again....I only hope that George will have such wonderful memories.

Mommy's Playground

2008-08-08T19:22:00.000-07:00

I am exhausted, but ever so happy. I have found my "Mommy Playground" aka IKEA. This is an awesome store and I'm slightly bummed that the closest one is in Frisco which, although close to our current apartment, is a bit of a drive from our new house (whenever that will be. That's a rant for another post which I will probably not make. Suffice it to say that people who put a house on the market should make sure the title is clear BEFORE putting it on the market, not wait until a week before closing before they "discover" a lien).

But enough of my grousing. I am in HAPPY mood! My feet ache, I twisted my ankle at church, and we're all hot and sweaty, but none of that is ruining my good mood. I had no idea IKEA was affordable. Very affordable. And not exactly Walmart cheap either. Ahh, I can sleep well tonight, for I have found my happy place :D

And here's what I got:

So cute! We also got the feeding tray that goes with it.

Happy Anniversary

2008-08-07T07:37:00.000-07:00

The above picture was taken at our wedding (of course!). My flower girl was my lovely niece, Katie, and our ring bearer was Sean's little brother, Alex, who will be starting college this fall.

It's been four years today since Sean and I took vows before God to uphold each other in the bonds of holy matrimony. It's interesting to look back on our relationship and see where we were and where it seems we are going.

I wouldn't say we are madly in love like is so often portrayed in movies and books, and I'm kind of glad. I'm not saying being madly in love is a bad thing, but it's just like any kind of high...it tends to not be such a rush after a while. What is more important to me is the kind of love that emerges when the high wears off.

Sean and I are truly partners in this marriage. We look to each other for guidance and support, we agree on the things that matter (such as children), and we offer a comforting shoulder to cry on when the other is heartbroken. We are role-models for our son, and I hope we continue to be throughout his life. I want him to know what a good marriage is like. Neither Sean nor I had good role-models for a good working marriage from our own parents and I don't want to set that example for George.

When we're old and gray (God willing we live healthily that long), I want us to be one of those couples who walk through the park slowly hand in hand and sit quietly across from each other in a restaurant not needing to say a word but knowing how much we are loved.

Of course we have our differences, but that is one of the things that makes our relationship interesting. Knowing how to work with those differences and still manage to put up with each other is what makes our relationshop strong.

Dear Sean,

Thank you for putting up with my crazy antics. Thank you for being a great father. Thank you for loving me the way I am, and thank you for encouraging me to grow. This has been the best four years of my life, and I look forward to the next forty (and more). I love the way you read my mind, knowing what I'm about to say before I say it. God has truly blessed me through you and I appreciate you more than you could know.

I love you lots,

Anna

6 Months Old!

2008-07-25T14:58:00.000-07:00

Technically his 6 month birthday was two days ago....but he went in for his 3rd round of shots yesterday. He's growing like a weed....er.....a fast growing cute weed? No.....um.... He's growing like a healthy baby boy. Yeah, that's it!

So I will be nice today and leave you all with a picture:

No, the picture is not upside down. George is. It's his new favorite position. I predict he will want to go bungee jumping by the time he starts kinder. Such a thrill seeker. Little bugger likes to be swung around, too.

Clarification

2008-07-12T22:05:00.000-07:00

I feel I need to make a public clarification on my earlier post.

I never once said (on a comment here or on anyone else's page) that I WAS going to include the GAFCON article in the Legate. I don't use subtlety. If you know me, you know that I am usually too blunt and speak my mind. And I say what I mean. And I mean what I say. That would be why I often say my big mouth gets me into trouble. A lot.

Anyway, I stated at a (the? I can't remember) parish meeting a while back that when the Legate becomes a political battleground, I quit. And I mean it. If you must know why I asked permission to include an article I may or may not include, it is because if it were requested (not just suggested) by my "boss" that I include it, I like to avoid legal copyright repercussions.

Just thought I'd throw that out there. Also...I only direct my web wrath at people I really don't like....such as "he who shall not be named"...and I still try to be charitable toward him. Remember what I said at the bottom of my last frustration post (the one to which this is a clarification)...I love my St. Alban's family. Even the ones I don't agree with.

And I apologize for being harsh in that post. I'm not going to change it (people could look it up using Google cache anyway) but will leave it as a reminder to myself to be a bit nicer.

House!

2008-07-11T18:36:00.000-07:00

If you happened to be stopped at a red light in Plano last night next to a dark blue SUV with some crazy blonde woman screaming and bouncing while holding a phone to her ear, you witnessed my reaction to the news that our offer contract has been executed. No, I wasn't driving and talking, I was checking my voice mail while stuck at a really long light.

Today Sean and I went to Grand Prairie to meet with the home inspector we hired and go over any problems with the house. Best news: NO MAJOR PROBLEMS!

News we didn't expect but are willing to deal with and it's not that expensive to fix:

The roof has some nail pops under the shingles and the furnace stack isn't sealed properly so there has been minor leakage. Around 300 to fix.
The A/C needs to be serviced (but it's working and fairly well. Just needs some basic maintenance).
The rubber washer inside the thingy that switches the shower on in the guest bath needs to be replaced.

News we expected:
Major cosmetic work needs to be done to the walls and floors.
Kitchen needs new faucet and sink or refinish the sink.
Dishwasher is kaput (but the inspector recommended a store that sells scratch and dent appliances).
Locks need to be rekeyed.
Weatherstripping around exterior doors and sweeper on front door.
Replace faceplates for electric outlets/tighten outlets inside of boxes.

Something I noticed that I hadn't before: The master bath has pretty faucets. Not super fancy or expensive, just chrome with brass highlights, but they look fairly new and are shiny.

Oh my goodness this is going to be a lot of work. Even so, I am SOOOOOO excited!

I will post pictures later. Unfortunately all the house pics are on Sean's computer or his Picasaweb album and he's having a well deserved "boy's night out" to see the 2nd Hellboy movie.

TOOFERS

2008-07-03T20:51:00.000-07:00

Little bitty ones, all white and shiny. Bottom front. Two of them, perfectly even. Please oh please let him take after me when it comes to tooth quality.

They're so cute, those little toofers. Must have hurt like crazy when they popped up.

Ouch, please don't bite my finger!

Oh the drool...and more....and more..... need a cup?

Oh sweet child, too bad you won't hold still for a picture, I'd love to show them toofers off.

Love you, George.

Aaargh.

2008-07-03T20:07:00.000-07:00

I have always found it rude when someone gossips "behind someone's back." Whether it be a friend or enemy. I consider myself to be a fairly decent person, and I would hope that others see me the same way. I've learned to stay out of church politics for the most part although those who know me well know where I stand. My big mouth has gotten me into trouble before and I don't want to repeat mistakes.

When I took the position of newsletter editor for St. Alban's, my only thought was "Awesome! I get to practice my mad design skillz and play with InDesign!" Had I known my position would be part of the battle between liberal and conservative, I might have thought twice before accepting.

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love this job. It gives me something to do besides being a mommy, I practice my design skills (however un-mad they may be), and I get to be one of the first to know of church events which is really nice because I'm one of those people who is usually the last person to find things out.

That being said, if you are a parishioner of St. Alban's (conservative or liberal, I don't care) please understand a few things:

1. I have a name, I am not "our newsletter editor." My name is Anna. If you're going to make a complaint on an egroup about me or the work I do, please use my name. If you're going to send me regular submissions, please use my name. Trust me, I'm a lot friendlier when someone takes the time to show they respect me by using my name.

2. The newsletter is not your personal political battleground. It will NOT become one...or I quit. I have made that statement before and I'll make it again.

3. The purpose of the Legate is to inform parishioners of parish news. The Diocesan newsletter's purpose is to inform of diocesan news. TEC's many news outlets exist to inform of national church news. I do not make a habit of putting in worldwide news articles because I have faith that parishioners are intelligent enough to seek out information using the appropriate outlets.

4. I have read a complaint that the recent issue is a bit lacking in church events and only has the "same old announcements." Guess what, people...it's SUMMER! People are on vacation. Vacation Bible School is over. There are no Christian Education events going on in the summer because there's hardly anyone here for a couple of months. Listen to the prayers for those traveling...the list goes on for a while. Trust me, when school starts up again in the fall, people start returning to work, and parishioners come home from vacation, the Legate will be so much bursting with news that I will be hard pressed to fit it all in. When I took over last September, it didn't occur to me that I could expand the size to accommodate all the info. I tried to cram it all in a 16 page size with itsy bitsy print when I should have expanded it to 24 pages. I learned my lesson.

I don't know how many people view this blog, but if you are a parishioner at St. Alban's, please know that I love you all. I am grateful to be the newsletter editor and very much enjoy working on it and with everyone who sends in submissions. Please just remember that I'm a human being like you. Yes, there is someone real sitting at her desk with her feet propped up typing on the wireless keyboard in her lap like the lazy bum she is and wondering if she can con a certain husband of hers into getting her something to munch on....all the while hoping the baby doesn't wake up again tonight.

God bless.

The House Hunt Continues

2008-06-16T10:59:00.001-07:00

We have made an offer on a 4 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath house in Grand Prairie. The offer was made on Friday morning so we hope to hear back today or tomorrow. This house is huge but is going to need a lot of cosmetic work. It looks like it has a good structure (we will have an inspection) but the carpet is going to have to be replaced throughout the entire house (we're going to put in laminate flooring). It is also going to have to be painted throughout. Please keep us in your prayers as we go through the process of buying our first home!

If our offer is accepted, expect pictures to be posted!

Strange Dreams - Bad Piskies!

2008-06-16T10:30:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had a dream where you could swear it was real...until you wake up? Last night was one of those...

I was at St. Alban's for the Sunday Eucharist. Fr. M was celebrating and Fr. K assisting. Everything was going fine, I sang in the choir while Sean sat in the congregation with George. Then comes Communion and that's when everything went horribly wrong. First let me explain that George's godmother Allison was next to me at the rail but instead of the black cassock and white surplice of the choir she was wearing a white alb, bright purple chasuble and biretta. It so happened that this particular Sunday was a feast day for something special although I don't remember hearing what exactly it was. Instead of the normal consecrated wafer, each communicant was given a spoonful of pistachio ice cream. After the blessed ice cream, I was about to be offered the wine (can you imagine the taste combination?) when all of a sudden the communicants at the rail were asked to seat themselves in the front pew for a few minutes.

Warning bells were going off in my mind as I took my seat and wondered why Communion was being interrupted. Fr. K mumbled something about an apology that the following skit wasn't done before the sermon because he forgot but it's being done now.

The church darkens and stage lights (we have stage lights?) come on as Allison and three other young ladies come out all wearing different types of vestments in garish colors. They performed a skit that parodied the Sex and the City movie trailer, then the regular lights came back on and Communion resumed. Confused, I sipped the wine from the chalice before I heard a rather annoying alarm.

I opened my eyes, put on my glasses, and watched as Sean got up and turned the alarm clock off at 6am. Now I have a craving for pistachio ice cream.

To clarify, neither Fr. K or Fr. M would EVER let something like that happen in real life. Nor is there any feast day that tradition requires pistachio ice cream be served. And I can't imagine Allison taking part in something so....ugh.

Magic Baby Go Sleepy-Bye

2008-05-05T07:02:00.000-07:00

And because of this, I get a chance to post! BWA HA HA!!!

So far, our house hunt is going well. We found a great 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2 story home in Grand Prairie within our price range and made an offer. Because it is a foreclosure, it might be a few weeks before the bank makes a decision on whether to accept our offer. That said, for now we are playing a waiting game.

I have started the Region 10 Teacher Preparation and Certification Program, and am loving every bit of it. The program involves a lot of intense studying but is loads of fun. My favorite part is the classes where a lot of group activity is involved.

Well, I'm off to clean the bathroom....

The House Hunt (and other things)

2008-04-21T11:17:00.001-07:00

I've been neglecting my posting duties as of late, but at least I have a good reason....it's all George's fault! He's been keeping me busy.

Sean and I have decided it is in both our and George's best interests to buy a house. With the housing market the way it is, now is a good time to buy (if one can afford it, that is). The selection of houses for sale right now is enormous, and sellers keep dropping their prices. With that in mind, we went house hunting Saturday. We found one that we both particularly like and though we're still going to look at other houses with our realtor, we both think we'll seriously consider making an offer on it.

George is laughing now, he's full of smiles. We think he's going to be a roller-coaster loving, daredevil, risk-taker. He gets really excited when we 'airplane' him, thinks it's just the bees knees. On the not-so-great side of things, he's been waking up in the middle of the night the past couple nights. I wonder why?

Sean's and my allergies are going nuts right now, we're going through Kleenex like there's no tomorrow. Crazy.

Happy Easter! Baptism Ahoy!

2008-03-24T21:27:00.000-07:00

Alleluia! Christ is Risen!
The Lord is Risen, indeed! Alleluia!

I love Easter, it's my favorite holy day of the church year. This year, Easter holds an even more special place in my heart as George was baptized on Easter Vigil.

My sweet, adorable baby boy is a new Christian.* Praise be to God!

Fr. Matkin is his godfather, Allison (last name omitted for privacy) is his godmother.

*I must explain--a parishioner came up to me on Sunday and said "Oh, George is a new Episcopalian, isn't he!" I was too exhausted from the activities of the weekend to do more than grunt in response, but feel I must clarify here....my son's baptism marks him as a CHRISTIAN. There is NOTHING in the baptismal vows that pledges him to TEC. Big. Difference.

Winnie the Poo....without an H

2008-03-12T20:53:00.000-07:00

I have found it necessary to make a nice, embarrassing post about George that he might read in the future. And of all things, it concerns poop.

He seems to be greatly amused by letting loose as SOON as I get his diaper off. I am running out of dirty clothes to wash the changing pad cover with. After he commits this foul deed, he looks up at me and has the audacity to GIGGLE. Which of course makes me giggle....and then he knows his involuntary action has elicited a positive response.

Why is it that the things they do (doo-doo?) that is unacceptable behavior as they grow older is just so darn cute or funny when they're so little? A sleep-deprived, half insane mother is of COURSE going to find it hilarious when the little squirt (pun intended) gets a goofy grin because he 'got Mommy'.

I can see it going through his head...

Okay, she's undoing the velcro tabs....okay, she's exposed my rear to the air..but the old diaper is still under me. Not yet....there, she's slipped it out! Ah, nekkid butt to the wind....here she comes with the wipe....ready.....aim....FIRE!!!! Haha! There's the look of disgust on her face....now for me to be cute....*grin*....wait for it...wait for it....HAH! I made her laugh too!

And the cycle continues.....

What's Been Going On

2008-03-11T15:03:00.000-07:00

While there hasn't been a lot of news to relate, I do have a couple of items to share.

First, I am in the application process for Region 10 Teacher Preperation Certification. While it is going smoothly for the most part, I have gotten....stuck, shall we say...on a couple of items. The first of which is that the application process requires three professional references, which I seem to be having a bit of trouble fulfilling as I have not had a lot of work experience and am not sure if my former boss is even still working for the company. I also need my ACT scores and am having trouble accessing them (to request them online I need to know the month and year I took the darned test. Do you remember when you took your college entrance exam?). Please keep me in your prayers that I may be able to obtain these items and complete the application and certification process.

Also, I just need to get off my chest that if I don't get out of this apartment and get some real adult conversation soon, I'mma go nuts. As much as I love my sweet baby George, he doesn't really respond by much other than cooing and giggles. It's cute, but I am going stir crazy.

Gratuitous Baby in Bath Shot

2008-02-29T23:37:00.000-08:00

Because I just can't help myself.

First bath:

Most recent bath (in the new tub that his Grandma and Oma bought him):

He seems to think it's amusing to arch his back in the new tub and wiggle his butt around. Squirming wet babies are SLIPPERY!

Dreams

2008-02-29T23:09:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday, we went to go visit Mom and Oma. Both of them got to hold George and marvel at the adorableness of a little baby, and the first boy born in his generation (on another note, found out my cousin who is pregnant with twins is expecting a boy and a girl). As he lay sleeping in my mother's arms, she wondered aloud what babies dream of.

They haven't had much experience in the outside world, so it's not like they dream of the same things we adults do. Perhaps they dream of the comfort of Mommy and Daddy's arms, or of the womb? Maybe they dream of a life before conception, fleeting memories of life in their Creator's arms?

And do they have nightmares? More than once, George has woken up from a sound sleep screaming as if he's in pain. Sean or I rush to his bassinet and pick him up and are immediately greeted by a smile and soft gurgling when we touch his back. It's as if he is frightened but immediately calmed by the touch of his loving parents.

So what do babies dream of?

This last picture is a response to Mom's request to see one of him smiling. Darn, those smiles are hard to come by with the camera. They disappear so quickly! It's as if he knows...

So Tired, Baby Ate My Brain

2008-02-24T22:15:00.000-08:00

As anyone who has had the joy of caring for a newborn baby knows, sleep is a luxury I just can't have. George is a bit colicky (although I hear he's not as bad as some) and won't allow anyone to set him down for a couple of hours in the evening.

Here's how my weekend went:

We get into the garage Saturday morning and notice the smell of slightly rotting meat. Apparently on Tuesday when we went grocery shopping, someone (not me) forgot a single bag of groceries in the car. The bag with 2 lbs of ground beef and 4 pork chops. On Wednesday when I went in for my 4 week postpartum checkup, I took the stroller out of the back of the car to take the baby with me into the dr.'s office and didn't notice the Walmart bag of meat. I never saw it.

So our morning begins with Sean making a mad dash for the dumpster with a Walmart bag of foul-smelling meat (at least we were blessed with very cool weather last week and the car is in the garage which stays cool). Then I send him upstairs for a bottle of Febreze which I then spray over almost every fabric surface of the car (except where we sat). We stop at a gas station and I run in to purchase two cherry scented hanging things and a bottle of Smoke-Out.

So begins our drive to visit Mom and Oma. We arrive and my mother gets to meet her grandson for the first time. All is well. We go home then leave the car overnight in the locked garage with the windows down. Phew.

This morning, I get up, feed the baby, burp the baby, then attempt a diaper change. George is having none of this and decides to pee once I get the diaper off. Good thing I laid a wet wipe over the fountain source. Then he spits up...and not just a spit up, but the curdled kind that drips into his ear and pools under his head. And it smells foul. Ahh, my weekend of rotting meat and sour milk. We're late for church. I manage to clean up most of the spit-up. He pees again, this time into the half installed new diaper.

Eventually we get out the door and I realize my housekeys are missing. Too late, I'll find them later...off to church!

Church is fairly uneventful (although when the priest blesses George at the communion rail he chose that moment to stick out his tongue. I almost fell over laughing but managed to hold it in.) and we make it home.

Then begins the search for the keys. I called Mom to find out if I lost them there. I visit the apartment office hoping some kind soul found them in the parking lot and turned them in. I begin a cleaning spree of the apartment (in between feedings that is) hoping they'll turn up. I stress myself out so bad that Sean orders me to take a relaxing bath (it helped...to relax me, not to find my keys!).

Then I have a hunch as evening approaches. I check the pockets of a coat I swear I haven't worn in a couple of weeks (the last time I remembered using the keys was Thursday afternoon). There they are. I grudgingly admitted my brain lapse to Sean hoping he won't laugh. Too late.

I had planned on vacuuming and washing the car today...oh well. Maybe next weekend?

Georgie Porgie

2008-02-16T21:29:00.000-08:00

Yay! I finally got the USB cable from Sean so I could upload baby pictures from the camera to show the world.

George

Here is my little precious :D

Lent (some rambling thoughts)

2008-02-07T10:00:00.000-08:00

Didn't get a chance to return our palms to St. Alban's to be burnt for Ash Wednesday due to the pregnancy...neither did we get a chance to go to an Ash Wednesday service at either St. Alban's or the REC parish we've been attending during the pregnancy because George is still a bit too young to be exposed to crowds since it's cold and flu season.

I'm a bit disappointed that Lent has begun like this for our family, but know that I need to accept that things have changed with the arrival of the adorable little pooper currently sitting in his swing and dozing off.

At least I've been able to make a Lenten rule for myself. I actually gave this one a lot of thought compared to previous years. First of all, I can't exactly fast since I'm nursing. Must have plenty of nutrition for us both, so there's no way I can cut out a meal. So I began thinking of what I gave up during my pregnancy...alcohol? Well, I can't drink a whole lot while nursing anyway and I haven't had a drop to drink in over 9 months so it's not like giving it up would be a hardship. I already gave up caffeine during the pregnancy...wait.

I have limited my caffeine intake greatly (and have weaned myself from the caffeine addiction in the process) in the last few months...but I'm still guzzling Diet Dr. Peppers like there's no tomorrow. What if I cut out sodas during Lent? It's healthier for me and the baby, and because the price of corn is going up (which shouldn't affect diet drinks but does anyway :P ) we save money on not buying a 12 pack of Diet Dr. Pepper a week. That's about $3 a week saved.

That's money that can be added to the collection plate on Sunday every week.

Now I don't feel quite so bad about the rocky start to Lent this year...

Having a Baby Changes Everything

2008-02-04T21:32:00.000-08:00

And I don't mean what you think I mean. Obviously there's the change in sleep schedule for Sean and me, and being completely responsible for a tiny creature completely dependent on me, but what I want to describe here is something more.

My heart now does something funny when I hear my son make any noise. I am delighted when he makes eye contact with me. I never quite realized how this precious little human being could completely change me, and I doubt I can put it into words, but I'll try.

George has strengthened my relationship with Sean. I'm not sure exactly how, but he has brought us closer together. Perhaps it is the knowledge that this little guy is the loving result of marital unity. In addition to this facet of our relationship we have discovered, we have also found out some interesting things about each other not previously known, such as....Sean is an excellent cook!

I like to bake (my chocolate chip cookies are the bestest, according to my toughest critics ^_^ ), but I'm not the world's best cook. Sure, I can throw together a pre-made frozen dinner or whip up a meatloaf, but it's just not enjoyable for me. Not only has Sean discovered he likes to cook, but he's very good at it! We've been eating real meals for the first time in years thanks to his mad cooking skillz.

I've discovered that I'm not so bad at this mothering thing. I have never been very confidant in my child-care abilities around other people's children, and have a tendency to pass the kid off to someone else after a few moments. Sean has always handled children much better than I have, so I was surprised to discover I hate putting my son down. I feel slightly guilty when I'm not holding him 24/7. I may not like it when he cries during diaper changes, but I have an overwhelming love for this beautiful baby boy. I can't fathom how some parents can intentionally hurt their children, especially now when I have one of my own.

I have also discovered that I have less anger (although I do get a bit frustrated with those screaming diaper changes...but am discovering ways to lessen the angst...such as a binkie and VERY soft wipes) now that I'm someone's mommy. Aside from the "Baby Blues" I've been dealing with, I'm finding myself with more patience. I'm also learning to release control of certain aspects of my life and have found it oddly relaxing. Other people have been cleaning my kitchen and folding my laundry and doing it a bit differently than me...but I am amazed that I don't mind any more. Guess I am getting my priorities straightened out now....

Yes, having a baby really changes everything.

Daddy

2008-01-28T17:44:00.001-08:00

I think the picture speaks for itself...

George Preston Alexander Sparkman

2008-01-27T06:51:00.000-08:00

He's finally arrived! My little George is here, currently laying on his Grandma's tummy while I catch a few minutes for myself. I don't have pictures available yet, can't get to my computer, but please visit Sean's blog (Sanctus Dialogus, linked on the right) to view pics he took at the hospital.

George weighed 8 lbs, 6 oz at birth (although he's lost a little bit of birth weight, he should gain it back soon), and was 20 inches long. He's got a full head of golden blond hair, and so far his eyes are a dark blue. He has the most beautiful cry I've ever heard...he doesn't scream like other babies, it's a much sweeter sound....or perhaps that's just me who thinks so.

The cat is not too sure still about this new addition, I think she's a bit jealous.

Breastfeeding is going GREAT! I never knew it could be such a wonderful experience, and the nurses at the hospital and the pediatrician are amazed at how well George latches on. My milk came in yesterday so he's been getting his fill. I'm starting to think this child has a bottomless well for a stomach....

Okay, I'm off to take a much needed shower while I still can.

I'm Shocked (Should I Be?)

2008-01-21T09:19:00.001-08:00

I was reading a post on another blog about a Planned Parenthood employee who allegedly failed to report the possible statutory rape of a 12 year old girl (I use "allegedly" and "possible" because it is not really clear what exactly happened, or at least to me). Being the curious little snot I am, I decided to read the comment section for the post. This blogger has one particular person who comments on just about every post she makes and for anonymity I'll use a different letter than the one she signs with...how about "R".

R is very vocal about her support of abortion rights. She has expressed many times in the past that she would abort her child if she became pregnant again. In the comments to the post mentioned above, R explains over and over again that her responsibilities as a parent end when it comes to her children having sex. Another commenter made a remark about how becoming a parent is the best cure for narcissism. R replied that she agreed, parenting is not about YOU (meaning self).

Wait...back up a second. Abortion is a selfish, narcissistic act. This woman has proclaimed before that she would have an abortion in a heartbeat because she didn't want another kid...and then in the same breath she agrees that parenting isn't about her self? I'm still confused. Shocked. Or maybe I shouldn't be.

This kind of attitude reminds me of the many liberal-minded people who want to abolish the death penalty because life is precious...but are all too willing to advocate the murder of 40,000,000 unborn children. Wait, where is this "tolerance" they speak of? What about the love and hugs and peace that's so often spouted from their lips?

Which brings me to another thought...it occurred to me today that my baby boy is due to be born on the 35th anniversary of the annual March for Life (held on the anniversary of the historic Roe vs. Wade decision). What a coincidence! Of course, I very much doubt he is going to make his appearance to the world tomorrow, I'm not really showing signs of going into labor (for which Sean is relieved as today is his birthday!) for a few more days at least...I'm more likely to be induced later this week. But still, I find it a wonderful chance timing that my due date is on such a momentous day.

Please, keep the marchers in your prayers today and tomorrow, and pray for all of the innocents who have never had a chance for life and who never will. I'm certain God has a special place in heaven for those beautiful children. Please also pray for the mothers who are making the "choice" to kill their unborn children as well as the mothers who in parts of the world are forced to do so (such as occurs in China).

I Cried Too

2008-01-18T09:45:00.001-08:00

Perhaps I shouldn't read heart-touching stories like this post at Wheelie Catholic while pregnant, I just about started bawling.

"Stay safe," I said, seeing the snow falling beyond the door he held open.

He turned and looked at me. "I will. Don't worry about me." Then he paused. "Why are you so nice to me?"

This completely floored me. I suppose I am nice to him even though I think of him as the Angry Young Guy. I shrugged. "Because you remind me of me at your age," I replied.

I believe God gives us many chances to be examples of His love to others, and I believe Ruth took that chance and flew with it. You never know how your words and actions will affect another person. A simple wish for someone else's well-being could turn into a great friendship or bring someone closer to Christ. It seems the "Angry Young Guy" did take something away from the encounter Ruth described, and I pray that he uses the experience to center his outlook on hope rather than despair.

Thanks, Ruth.

Unfortunately, Ruth has had to disable comments on her blog due to spam.

Prayer Request

2008-01-17T10:37:00.000-08:00

I just found out that the elderly mother of our parish secretary suffered a series of serious heart attacks yesterday morning, a defibrillator was necessary to start her heart beating twice. She's currently in the hospital as far as I know and is in need of prayer.

Please keep this family in your prayers, this is a very difficult situation. Also keep the parish office staff in your prayers as well, our secretary's absence is causing all sorts of havoc during this very busy time of year (the annual parish meeting is in a week and a half, for example).

Kyrie Eleison
Christe Eleison
Kyrie Eleison

No Baby Yet

2008-01-16T13:44:00.000-08:00

Le sigh. Apparently everything is fine, got plenty of fluid surrounding that thar baby, and he's just happy right where he is. He's making me out to be a liar...after four days of diminished movement, he has spent most of today doing all he can to bruise my insides. Joy. I mean, I'm happy he's doing just fine, I just want my baby....now.

So I'll be going in next week for my weekly checkup and if the baby hasn't made his entrance by then, Dr. H will induce that week. Apparently they don't let women go much more than a week past their due dates any more.

But I have an estimated weight and a surprise! Baby George is at this point 6 lbs and 13 oz based on the measurements from the ultrasound. Bwa ha ha...I'm going to have a normal sized baby...eat that Sparkman curse!

The surprise? Should I tell you? Should I?

He's got hair. The ultrasound showed a white ring around the outside of his head and the ultrasound tech said that's hair. Now I just wonder what color it is...

Rawr

2008-01-16T10:30:00.001-08:00

Okay, one rant for today (I've been pretty good about not ranting too much lately, haven't I?).

When a telemarketer calls, and I politely say "I'm not interested, can you please take my phone number off of your calling list?", it is RUDE to hang up on me before I finish my statement. How on earth do these people think anyone is going to buy their product/spam/con game when they are so rude? I told one woman (months ago) that I wasn't interested in what she was selling, she kept pushing. Then I interrupted her and said with a sickly sweet Texas accent "What part of 'I'm not interested' do you not understand?" to which she replied with "My, we're getting a bit testy today, aren't we?" and CONTINUED to try to sell me her product. I won't post what I said in response to that as it was very un-Christian and I am ashamed of having given in to the temptation of anger, but suffice it to say I hung up on HER after giving her a piece of my mind. What I'd like to know is how she thought I'd buy her product after she became downright nasty to me?

I would like to take a moment and say that I had never done that before, and I don't ever intend on doing it again. Two wrongs don't make a right and I had no reason to scream into the phone at her like I did. I will admit I was going through one of those random pregnancy-induced mood swings at the time, but that's still not a good excuse for my actions. If I ever talked to the woman again (I doubt that would happen), I would apologize for my behavior.

Lately though, I've been getting calls about some "vacation package" that my phone number has "won". And the caller id shows "out of area". Lovely.

Looks like I've got to visit the "do not call" registry for BOTH of my phone numbers. Again.

Baby Update!

2008-01-16T09:40:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was my weekly OB appointment. So far everything is going well, but Dr. H wants me to have an ultrasound this afternoon for a couple of reasons.

Although the baby's not due until next Tuesday, Dr. H is concerned that baby is ready to come now but I'm not progressing as fast as he would like. He wants to check the volume of amniotic fluid to decide if he should induce labor. Part of his reasoning is that the baby's movement has decreased as though he is letting us know he's ready to meet us, but my body is not responding in kind.

Dr. H also wants to verify the size, weight, and positioning of the baby. He's assuming George will be about 7 lbs or so (not nearly as big as the 9+ lbs the Sparkman family is known for) and an average size, but he wants to verify this as much as possible with the ultrasound.

I don't think I'll mind being induced. If the baby's ready to come out, then why do I need to (I dislike using this word but it seems to apply here) suffer past my due date? At least Dr. H doesn't think I'm going to need a C-section unless the baby's not getting into the right position, but based on what we've both observed, he's in place. His little foot keeps poking in my rib, sometimes I can see the outline of it, and his little knees poke out next to my belly button. Or maybe that's his little butt. So I'm pretty sure his head is down where it needs to be.

Little Georgie...your mommy and daddy want to see you... We've got your nursery set up, I've been playing with your toys (to make sure they work...really, I swear!), and your grandparents have been begging for you to make your entrance! Please bless us with your presence soon, I don't know how much more anticipation we can take. We love you, hurry up ;)

Updates

2008-01-13T16:57:00.000-08:00

I've updated my link lists over on the right, hopefully making it a bit easier for readers to view some of the websites that inspire me or make for what I consider interesting reading. I don't just add links to the list willy-nilly, but prefer instead to put serious thought into it. There are a few other sites I visit daily (such as my daily comic addictions) that are not included in this list, but I have my reasons for not linking to them.

On a sadder note, Cowboys lost today...no ~~Supe~~ um...no "big end of season game that usually has the coolest commercials" for my favorite team.. I was about to cry at the end of the game...so sad.

Masseuse

2008-01-11T14:28:00.000-08:00

It turns out I don't need to go to a spa to get a good massage...I have my own personal masseuse right here and her name is Lily. She felt it was necessary to stand (all 14 lbs of her) on my thigh and kneed the muscle. Oddly enough, it felt kinda nice. She does it to my arm and hip, too. Sometimes my calf.

This is great, I can't think of any spa where it's okay to cuddle one's masseuse.

WFMW: Lotion

2008-01-09T10:24:00.000-08:00

I like the idea of posting "Works For Me Wednesday" products/ideas, so here's my first attempt.

Of course, my bottle is a couple of years old and doesn't look like this, but Suave's Skin Therapy lotion with "aloe & botanicals" has become my new best friend. I have gotten horrible stretch marks with this pregnancy, so much that Sean remarked one day it looked like flames going up my belly and over my belly button. I don't really care that much about how it looks, I don't think I ever plan on wearing a two-piece bathing suit again. My problem is that my belly itches like CRAZY!

My belly skin is getting very dried out, especially after a shower (go figure). I tried the Palmer's stuff, I tried the one with the pregnant bee on the label, I've tried my yummy smelling Bath and Body Works stuff....but the only lotion that relieves the itching, pain, and is completely soothing and relaxing is this stuff. It's also the least expensive lotion I've ever bought and it smells good. It's not greasy either.

YAY for something that makes me feel better at this point in the pregnancy!

Things I Appreciate About My Husband

2008-01-08T11:56:00.000-08:00

Oh, I am in such a "I love my hubby" mood right now. I felt a need to tell the world about the wonderful, supportive husband I have. During the first few months of my pregnancy, I don't think he quite realized how hard being pregnant is for me. Part of it might have stemmed from the lack of projectile vomiting (morning sickness is almost exactly like the nausea I get from migraines, so I'm used to dealing with it), or that for the first trimester I didn't "look" pregnant. Part of it might even be that it hadn't really hit him that he's going to be a father.

He has completely changed in the last couple of months, so without further ado:

1. He hates to watch me ~~walk~~ waddle because he says it looks so painful. I don't know why this strikes me as sweet, but it does. Perhaps because he doesn't want me to be in pain?

2. He has finally figured out that it's much easier to push me up to get into my car then pull me out of his.

3. He has started to learn how to gently rub his hand over my back to comfort me and bring me relief. Add to that he finally figured out that sticking his thumbs into my spine hurts like hell.

4. He has started to help putting together the baby furniture and was actually excited to go to Target to spend gift cards on baby stuff.

5. He's started to stand up for me when it comes to certain Pregnancy Police.

6. He actually went to the grocery store by himself with me only asking him ONCE and didn't try to fight it.

7. He got me self-massaging slippers for Christmas since he's not very good at giving foot rubs.

8. He's stopped complaining about "Fred", my giant body pillow, taking up space in the bed.

9. He's started doing more household chores such as cleaning up dishes and picking up around the apartment without expecting me to pull my weight, especially since said weight is hard to pull around right now.

10. He's so excited to be a daddy, I mention "baby" and his eyes just light up. He's always talking to my belly and petting it. Sometimes I wonder if he is more anxious to see the baby than I am.

I have been trying to make an effort to let him know how much I appreciate him and what he does, and I know that makes him feel good. It has finally occurred to me that husbands need encouragement, too. For some couples, having a baby puts a strain on their marriage, for others it can help strengthen the marriage. I think Sean and I are in the latter group, but I must say it sure does seem like a lot of work. I hope I can stop having to remind myself to be nice and appreciative of him and it will become a natural habit someday. Pregnancy is not an excuse for not showing my husband how much I love him, it is an incentive to remember to show him my appreciation.

Sean,
I love you. You do so much for me and all I do sometimes is grumble. Thank you for caring for me when I'm sick or just feeling icky. Thank you for helping me take a bath. Thank you for making me take a break once in a while. I don't even mind the "beached whale" or "fat pregnant woman" jokes since I know you make them out of love. I know you're as eager as I am to see your son, and I know you'll make a great daddy. Here's to many happy memories to be made, cheers!

Love,
Anna

Driving

2008-01-08T11:42:00.000-08:00

In contrast to one of my recent posts ranting about people who think I shouldn't drive while pregnant...I've made the decision to stop driving by myself until after the baby's born, when my Dr. says it's okay to drive again (driving for the first couple of weeks after delivery is generally not recommended because of the stress put on the body of needing to move one's body and react while driving as opposed to riding as a passenger). If I absolutely have to drive somewhere, I'd prefer to have a passenger (like Sean), but I'm content now to stop driving even with passengers. I don't want to go to the store during the next couple of weeks and find myself stranded going into labor or a similar situation.

This decision has absolutely NOTHING to do with the Pregnancy Police who think I shouldn't be "allowed" to drive while preggers. It has most everything to do with me feeling very uncomfortable in the car right now. I don't even want to really go anywhere as a passenger either, because it is getting so hard to get in and out of a vehicle, even my own SUV. Add to that the horrible back pain I've been having does not make for a comfortable ride.

The great thing that has come out of this, though, is that Sean has finally stopped acting like I'm just being a whiny hypochondriac. He will take me to the grocery store (last time we went together, I just stayed in the car while he picked up a few groceries) and carry groceries in without complaining. He's even gotten a bit upset when I try to do too much. He'll ask me over instant messenger what I've gotten done for the day, and I'll say "Well, I emptied and loaded the dishwasher, but my back hurts now" to which he responds "rest then, take a break!" More on him later.

And the Reply

2008-01-03T17:33:00.000-08:00

Well, this is not the reply to the original complaint I made. Their first reply was a typical "We're sorry for your inconvenience but you should have done [blah]" form letter. I wrote a rather testy reply back to them...not rude, just expressing my dissatisfaction with lots of words and exclamation points and several capitalizations one does not find in a well-written thesis paper. I made it clear that I didn't appreciate the implication that I was at fault for their incompetence and received the following:

Thank you for contacting FedEx. We apologize for the problems you experienced with us.

Our primary goal is to handle each package in a professional and business-like manner. We assure you that your experience with this shipment was not typical, nor does it reflect the high standard of service we want to provide.

We greatly appreciate that you have taken the time to write and share your concerns. This allows us a valuable opportunity to examine and correct possible deficiencies that cause customer dissatisfaction.

We deeply regret that the service you received has failed to meet your expectations of excellence. FedEx is genuinely concerned with providing the highest quality service possible.

We hope you will continue to allow us the opportunity to handle your global shipping needs. We look forward to serving you more satisfactorily.

So while this reply also sounds like a form letter, it at least is more specific to my problem. I appreciate the quick response and acceptance of responsibility implied in this email. Now this is the type of reply that makes me want to be a customer. This is customer service. GO CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!!

FedEx

2008-01-03T14:45:00.000-08:00

Here is a letter of complaint I made to FedEx customer support today:

I am thoroughly disgusted with the performance of the driver who delivered this package today. I received a phone call this afternoon from my husband (who has been tracking this package since it was shipped) who informed me that when he checked the website, the package had been delivered to our apartment office this afternoon.

I have been in my living room ALL day (I am 9 months pregnant, trust me when I say I'm not going anywhere) and there was absolutely NO attempt made to deliver the package to my door. I can easily hear people coming up the stairs outside and would have heard someone coming to the door. There was no knock on the door, nor did the doorbell ring. Therefore I can only assume your driver was too lazy to bother delivering the package properly.

I did notice a FedEx doorhanging style note laying on the mat of my downstairs neighbor and it is possible the driver was too lazy to bother reading the apartment number on the door to make a delivery to the correct address (which is completely unacceptable) or an attempt was made to deliver a package addressed to my neighbor (which is perfectly acceptable and would mean I'm just being paranoid).

No matter the situation, I had to make a completely unnecessary trip to our apartment office in my very very VERY pregnant condition, which I would not have had to make if your driver had been doing his job.

Had I not been home and an attempt was actually made to deliver the package to my door, I would not mind having to go to the apartment office to pick up my package but that is not the situation I have experienced.

I expect that appropriate action will be taken concerning this driver that this situation will NOT occur again. I have long expressed the opinion that FedEx is superior to UPS based on past experiences and have preferred the customer service, services and affordable prices of FedEx over any other shipping company. I sincerely hope this was an isolated incident and will not be repeated. Based on your company's response to this situation, I hope to continue to use your services for my shipping needs in the future.

I will appreciate a response letting me know if this situation is being remedied.

Think I'll get a response?

Lets Clear Out the Gene Pool

2008-01-03T11:34:00.001-08:00

People amaze me. I don't know why I'm still shocked when I read stuff like this, but people amaze me. So lately I've been reading customer reviews for various baby products, mostly furniture or gear. One particular item is the bassinet we received as a shower gift. Now keep in mind that I really like this bassinet so far because of its style and features although the baby still hasn't come yet.

So I decided to check out the reviews for it and was amazed at the amount of "new parents" who reviewed that the mattress felt too thin to them so they added a "nice thick blanket" so their precious child would be "comfortable". Okay, so as an adult I don't think I could stand to sleep on such a thin mattress, that's why I have a nice pillow-top on mine. But then I am also old enough that I don't accidentally suffocate myself by pressing my face against the sheet. An infant (especially a newborn that cannot hold its head up) has not developed the reflexes necessary to keep themselves from suffocating when wrestling with a large thick blanket. Not to mention children have grown up perfectly fine for generations without having super padding under their precious bottoms.

Oy. I think these are the same people that warning labels are intended for. I don't mean warning labels that display un-obvious dangers, but the ones that anybody with a shred of sense would understand. Such as "Poptarts are hot when removed from the toaster" or "do not immerse hairdryer in water". No, really? "Do not spray bleach in eyes".

Then there's the people who either can't or refuse to read assembly instructions. I was visiting a couple of friends recently who had a baby not too long ago. In their living room was a Graco Pack n Play. I have since discovered that these are the coolest contraptions for new parents. It is basically one piece and pretty much snaps into position but can easily be broken down and put in a travel case to, say....visit grandparents. I have a feeling the one we got the other day will see quite a bit of use. Sean and I made sure we followed all of the instructions when putting it together (Sean apparently didn't think he needed to follow the instructions, and was trying to figure out why it wasn't going together correctly, but then he's an engineer. They never think they need to read the instructions.), and are quite happy with how it works.

Then I realized the one that these friends we visited had assembled theirs incorrectly (when the sides snap into place, THEN you have to push down on the middle of the bottom until it's flat and snaps into place), they hadn't pushed the bottom all the way down. This could cause the entire structure to collapse and seriously injure their baby. Either they didn't bother reading the assembly instructions or were too lazy to put it together correctly (or both). These people are also the type who think they know absolutely everything there is to know about pregnancy and parenting and insist that we should do what they do.

I don't think so. I'll stick with reading manufacturer instructions for assembling my baby's furniture and checking with my OB and pediatrician for pregnancy and baby health advice.

Personally I think warning labels should be done away with. That way, the ignorant will die out and we can clear out the gene pool. No, I'm not seriously wishing the death of anyone to occur, it would occur naturally. Rawr. ;)

There Is One Person...

2008-01-03T08:41:00.000-08:00

That I don't mind asking me to lock the door when he leaves, I realized today. And that would be Sean. But then if I had a problem with him telling me to lock the door, our marriage would be headed for trouble in my opinion. Why is it that other people telling us to lock our door irritates me and Sean telling me to lock the door when he leaves doesn't? Well, when he leaves for work and his arms are full or he's so bundled up (it is currently 32 F here...brrrr) he can't get to his house keys and wants to get to his car as quickly as possible, he's not going to be able to easily lock the door.

So as opposed to a need to control (as I've come to the conclusion is the reason certain other people "remind" us to lock the door), Sean is actually concerned about my safety and is unable to lock the door himself. Of course, when he asks me to lock the door, he actually says "Honey, can you lock the door after me please?" rather than certain other people who say "Lock the door, okay?" Usually Sean doesn't ask me to lock the door when he leaves for work because he does it himself (often because I'm still asleep), so for him to ask me once in a while because he can't do it himself is not a big deal.

Part of it might also have to do with the fact that I have a lot more respect for Sean than I do the people who think it's their duty to tell us to lock the door. Oh well.

Joys of OB appointments (and a rant)

2008-01-02T15:00:00.001-08:00

So I went in today for my 38 week checkup, and since I didn't go in last week due to the Christmas holiday (Holy Day), I had my...um....lemme look it up...GBS culture done and my first cervical exam. Everything is looking well, he said my cervix is soft but neither dilated nor effaced yet so I don't really have to worry about the baby popping out this week, got another appointment next Tuesday. So other than feeling a bit violated from being poked and prodded, I'm doing great!

Now for my rant.

I am sick and tired of people telling me I shouldn't drive because I'm pregnant, or worse, asking Sean (while he's sitting next to me) why he allows me to drive while I'm pregnant...as if I'm not there. When I'm in my car. My car.

The first person to ask why I was driving while pregnant was worried that the airbag would hit my belly in case of an accident. To this person I pointed out that for the airbag to hit my belly I would either have to be sitting on a stack of phonebooks or the airbag would have to be completely defective to be aimed that low. Having been in a wreck in my previous SUV, I now know exactly where the airbag is aimed. Like any vehicle that follows automobile manufacturing standards, the airbags in a Mitsubishi Montero Sport are aimed at the face and chest, designed to lessen impact and keep the passenger/driver from being thrown through the windshield or into the dash.

The latest person (who asked Sean when I put the car in gear and was about to drive away) insisted that the steering wheel might hit my belly if I were in an accident. Yes, this person was my father-in-law, who apparently has no earthly idea how cars are designed. So in case you who are reading this are thinking the same thing, let me clear a few things up.

First of all, there is the airbag. The airbag is designed to inflate in the instance of a head-on collision where my car is travelling at 25 mph and hitting a stationary object. The minimum speed for airbag inflation is decreased if my car hits an object moving toward it, thereby increasing the force of impact. So it is more likely than not, if I were involved in a head-on collision, the airbag would inflate. If I were hit from behind, the physics would be a bit different and my body would be thrown back against the headrest, thereby negating the need for an airbag.

Second of all, I wear my seatbelt religiously. The airbag is designed to work in conjunction with the seat belt and in my honest opinion, anyone who doesn't wear a seatbelt is a complete idiot. Yes, I will even apply this to beloved relatives who shall remain nameless but have on occasion failed to remember to buckle their damned seat belt. The seatbelt is designed to restrain a passenger in a moving vehicle in the event of a collision. People DIE because they are thrown from a vehicle when not wearing a seatbelt. It has been ingrained deep in my brain since childhood that if I am in a car, I am wearing my seatbelt. I often even forget to unbuckle it when parked at Sonic so deep is the habit. I will not, I repeat NOT drive anywhere without being buckled in, even if driving around the apartment complex to the mailbox.

Here lies a common misconception about seatbelts: The lap part of a belt is designed to go across your HIPS, not your belly. In the event of a collision, if the lap belt is extended across the belly, it is not doing you one damned bit of good and will likely cause internal bleeding. In the case of a pregnant woman (whether driver OR passenger), it is even more important that the belt be properly placed across the hips to avoid causing unnecessary strain or possible injury to the unborn baby. The shoulder part of the belt is designed to lay diagonally across the chest (if mine fits snugly between my breasts I know it's fitting properly) and across the shoulder. Not the neck or underarm, but the shoulder. It is in this manner that the seatbelt will provide adequate support in the event of a collision. If the seatbelt does not fit correctly, it should be adjusted to do so, or a booster seat used if the passenger is not tall enough to be supported by the seatbelt correctly.

Back to my rant. Point #3. When driving a motor vehicle, especially one with an airbag, the driver should sit as far back from the steering wheel as possible while still being able to reach the wheel and pedals. In Sean's car, the pedals can be moved forward or back to accommodate his long legs or my short ones so I can actually sit further back in his car than mine. In my SUV, I don't have the luxury of movable pedals so I stick with just sitting as far back as possible while still being able to reach the gas and brake. At least my car lets me raise the seat manually so I can see over the steering wheel. So when I am sitting in the driver's seat and everything is adjusted properly (including aiming the steering wheel up for my chest/face), my belly at 38 weeks is still about 6 inches from the bottom of the steering wheel.

So if I were in a head-on collision driving my car, not only am I seated at a safe distance back from the steering wheel, but I have a seatbelt which is properly fitted to keep me from moving forward and an airbag which will hit my face and chest long before I come anywhere close to the steering wheel. If I were in an accident that were so bad it pushed the steering wheel into my belly, I'd have a lot more to worry about than just the baby and I would probably be dead. Newer vehicles (my sweet baby included) are designed so that in the event of a front-end collision the engine along with the front end crumples instead of ending up in the front seat. Having been in an accident with the exact same make and model of SUV before, I can definitely say the design works.

Now, I'm obviously not planning on driving while I'm in labor, that would be incredibly stupid of me. Sean will be driving me to the hospital except in the event of ice on the road in which case we'd be more likely to call an ambulance. If at some point in the next few weeks it gets too uncomfortable to drive, I will stop. Also, under Dr's advice I will not be driving for the first few weeks after giving birth but I doubt I'd be going anywhere anyway!

I'm getting sick and tired of the damned "Pregnancy Police" and would be more than happy to give them a quick kick in the nuts (the worst offenders are men...go figure) except that I know it wouldn't work. I'm told it doesn't get any better, either....Pregnancy Police become Parenting Police after the baby's born. At least by then I'd be more likely to be able to chase them down...

I appreciate advice if well thought out and given constructively (I love how my mom gives it: "well, some women experience X so you might keep that in mind"), but if you insist that I do things your way or that I'm going to experience EXACTLY what you went through, please feel free to step in front of my car as I'm driving 60mph down the tollway while pregnant.

And Now for Something Completely Different...

2008-01-02T12:28:00.000-08:00

I think the cat knows something is up. She's been acting very strange the last few days. She won't leave my side and keeps giving me this "look". Perhaps she knows something I don't. Or perhaps she's trying to get as much loving in as possible before a screaming helpless infant takes over my life and I ignore her. Whatever it is, I've got an extremely lovey cat who won't leave me alone. At least she stays out of the baby furniture....for now......

Thoughts on the Domestic Engineer

2008-01-02T12:02:00.000-08:00

I love that title, Mom mentioned it as something to put on a resume so it doesn't look like I've done "nothing" for the past couple of years. After all, just because one doesn't get monetary payment for a job doesn't mean it's not a job. Seriously, what other job requires one to be a chauffeur, laundromat, chef, teacher, therapist, and maid all in one? True I haven't had all of these responsibilities yet but they are in my future.

So in my last therapy session before the baby comes, I discovered something that I felt needed to be shared. It is part of my duty as a wife to take care of myself physically. It's also part of my duty to God to take care of my body as it is His temple, but there is also an obligation to my husband. I'm not talking about make-up and super stylish clothing necessarily, but rather to eat healthy and lose enough weight and fat (after the baby's born, of course!) to get down to a healthy size (preferably down to where I was when we got married). It is in his interest to see me healthy and know that I care enough about myself to take the time and energy to be healthy. Now back to the make-up and clothing...while I've never been the type of woman to pour on layers of "stuff" on my face or have the latest style clothing and hair, I do see the benefit of putting on a touch of lip gloss and a bit of foundation to cover up random acne and smooth out my features. Maybe even a touch of mascara (unless I know I'm going to cry for some reason or another :D), and not just for going out. Even getting out of my pj's goes to show that I care enough about my husband to do SOMETHING to show him.

Of course, at this point of the pregnancy, I'm lucky if I manage to make it out of bed before noon each day let alone get dressed up but this is only temporary. Not being able to fit into ANY of my clothes at the moment severely limits my wardrobe choices.

Anyway, I also learned that making myself look presentable and even a bit more feminine to my husband not only helps the marriage, but will provide an excellent example to my child(ren) as to how a relationship works. If I devote all my time to my kid and not any to my husband, that gives the child a warped idea of how a marriage works. My first duty must be to God, my second to my husband, and my third to children (this I don't think includes absolute necessities of say...feeding and diapering an infant. That's definitely a priority for the first few months). Not only will this give my child an understanding of how a good relationship works (not to mention his religious upbringing), but will also be a tool in teaching him not to be selfish. If my world doesn't revolve completely around my kid, my kid won't get the idea that the world MUST revolve around him (a problem I think is inherent with many of the liberal mindset today, the "me me me" generation).

Of course, I could be wrong, but I think I might be on to something here...anyway the main answer that I came away with today was that I have an obligation to be a good wife in more ways than one and that I must work on ALL the aspects of my role. Who doesn't want their husband to be happy?

More BELLY!!!

2007-12-30T15:39:00.001-08:00

Now that I feel I've successfully vented my frustrations and fears, it's time for a more refreshing and nicer post. I have belly pics! These were originally intended to show my cousin (who is expecting twins) how big my belly is so she knows what to expect size-wise, but I figured I should also post them here since it's been a while since my last belly post. That and since I'm so close to my due date it's probably my last belly post. So without further ado:

Okay, so the last one's not really a "belly" pic but I thought I looked really happy in it (even if I do look a little more rotund than I prefer). Pic #2 depicts me holding something odd looking under my belly so I feel I should explain. Since my laptop's built in camera is easy to use and upload pics from, I felt like being super lazy and just using it instead of hauling out the digital camera. So to take pictures with the laptop's webcam, I have to click the mouse on the "take picture" button. Therefore the odd looking object I'm holding under my belly is my nemesis, the evil Bluetooth mouse that hates my guts. I am not getting another Bluetooth keyboard/mouse set if I can help it ever again. Bluetooth is evil! But baby is good! And I apologize for the mess in the background. We're trying to get things cleaned up, honest!

Yargh

2007-12-30T14:34:00.000-08:00

No, it's not talk like a pirate day...that was a couple of months ago, I think. This is "Anna feels frustrated and needs to vent" day. Perhaps I'm just really moody from the pregnancy and that's why people seem more irritating than usual. Or perhaps certain people are just extremely annoying and I am justified in feeling an urge to kick them down the staircase. Now, I'm not out to deface any particular person on the internet, hence his name and how I know him are not going to be posted. Neither am I going to go into detail about what exactly it is he does/has done that is bothering me as it is possible (however unlikely) that either he or someone who would recognize him might read this. My intent is not to cause offense or to harm anyone in any way, I just need to let out some hot air before I take my anger out on someone I'd really regret hurting, namely Sean.

I guess I'm not really angry so much as frustrated with the way things are going. I've got a lot on my mind lately and feel very stressed out. I've been nauseous the last few days and have been having wilder mood swings than normal. There's still a lot of stuff I need to get done before the baby gets here and I barely have the energy to think about doing it except for when I get a sudden burst of energy and start doing something weird like baking. I keep trying to remind myself I need to make a few casseroles and freeze them so Sean won't have to do a lot of work cooking while I recover, and I still need to sew the vinyl cover for the crib mattress.

That being said, I hope anyone who has had a baby before understands that I'm ready to rip my hair out right now even though I've been greatly blessed to not have any complications. I am also feeling very guilty that so many other women have such horrible problems and complications with their pregnancy and here I am whining about people that stress me out. I have a cousin who's expecting twins after a miscarriage and various other problems, I have a friend who is expecting a boy and she suffers from a kidney condition that makes her pregnancy extremely high risk. And here I am whining that I don't like certain people.

I know that it's normal for any pregnant woman to experience a variety of emotional changes, especially as she gets close to her due date, so perhaps that's why I'm being so weird...I don't know. But I do know that however insignificant my frustrations are in the wider picture, they're obviously real otherwise I wouldn't really be frustrated, would I?

So this person who I am particularly frustrated at is someone who irritates me all the time anyway so it's not like this is anything new. He has shown in his past actions and words that he does not really respect me and as he is an elder to me (as opposed to my peer) I often find it hard to stand up to him. Unfortunately, I can't completely cut this person out of my life, either. I think part of my frustration is that I am afraid this person is going to insist on being a major figure in my son's life starting from birth (he has "jokingly" stated that he's ready to see "his" baby and that I should have given birth already), and is planning on being present at the hospital. At least I can give instructions to the nurse at the hospital that I don't want certain visitors and can avoid a confrontation that way but I am dreading coming home afterwards.

I will very much appreciate help (especially from other women) after the baby's born, but I am not looking forward to a tiny apartment full of guests which is what I'm afraid is going to happen. Maybe I'm suffering from overprotective mother bear syndrome or it's just my introverted nature. I can just picture people wanting to come over and hold the baby (I can especially picture the irritating person doing this) and not giving me time to spend with him and me finally going insane and threatening people with sword in hand to leave me and my baby alone. I know part of this might stem from my control issues but still...I'm allowed to want to protect my little one when he's so vulnerable, right?

I also don't want anyone to spend the night here (not even my much beloved mother-in-law who I'd love to have come help out with the baby). As much as I can understand the good intentions of someone to stay the night to take care of George and give me rest, we just don't have room. Yes, our new sectional has a pull-out bed but there's already going to be a new person living with us and I don't like the idea of our living room being turned into a guest room. Besides, where is our baby-phobic cat going to go those first few nights until she gets used to him?

I hope this doesn't come across as selfish or extremely self-centered, and I hope I was vague enough about the irritating person so that Sean and I are really the only people who know who it is. Again, this post is not out to deface anyone, I only am trying to safely vent my emotions. Besides, I'm sure everyone knows someone who irritates them to the point of near insanity....

Courageous Grace

Surgery, Baby, Life

Announcing...

Oh Dear

Uh Oh

My Dog is the Town Slut (and Other Pearls of Wisdom)

Children In Worship

7 Quick Takes Friday

Tiber Swim Team '10

Suffer Little Children to Come to Me

A Much Needed Update

Current George Words

Everyone's A Little Bit Racist

7 Quick Takes Friday

Went to Visit Nana and THIS is What Happens...

7 Quick Takes Friday

Being a Mommy is Rewarding

Libraries are Great!

Splinters

7 Quick Takes Friday

Mommyblogging

Me 1, Credit Card Company 0

The Presence of Children During Worship

They grow up so fast...

A Blessed Easter to You!

And We're...Walking...

You Know You're Anglican When...

Lent

Just Because

What a Birthday

Rock-A-Bye Baby

Patience is a Virtue

He can STAND!

Dodge Charger

Comments

Dallas March for Life

Go Go Speed Racer

...Forgive Those Who Trespass Against Us...

Renters? Ugh

Update on George

Poor Baby

Music

Christmas, Baby, and other interesting stuffs

The Weather Reflects My Mood

I haven't dropped off of the face of the earth

Sometimes...

Best. Vent. Convo. EVAR!!!

*sniff*

CDO (like OCD but in alphabetical order)

Sunday Drivers (caution: Language)

I Must Be Doing Something Wrong...

Just Wanted To Share

Prayers Requested

A Short Illustrated History of the Nerd

A Sad Ending

Praise God for Miracles

Blogroll updated!

Chores....

Rain and Memories

Mommy's Playground

Happy Anniversary

6 Months Old!

Clarification

House!

TOOFERS

Aaargh.

The House Hunt Continues

Strange Dreams - Bad Piskies!

Magic Baby Go Sleepy-Bye

The House Hunt (and other things)

Happy Easter! Baptism Ahoy!

Winnie the Poo....without an H

What's Been Going On

Gratuitous Baby in Bath Shot

Dreams

So Tired, Baby Ate My Brain

Georgie Porgie

Lent (some rambling thoughts)

Having a Baby Changes Everything

Daddy

sniff