Be safe, have fun and hug (and kiss) the ones you love! Best wishes in 2009!
Love,
Jessica
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Happiness Is ...
... sitting on my couch with delicious coffee and my laptop.
... new music and finding myself in the lyrics.
... a clean house.
... a good night's sleep.
... Christmas over and (almost) the best one I could have asked for.
... watching my kids morph into mini-adults, with thoughts and opinions and goals.
... having a job I enjoy, am good at and am appreciated for.
... living in a place with 4 distinct seasons, mountains, electric blue skies and options, options, options.
... my Christmas tree.
... being content in this place. Right here, right now.
... new music and finding myself in the lyrics.
... a clean house.
... a good night's sleep.
... Christmas over and (almost) the best one I could have asked for.
... watching my kids morph into mini-adults, with thoughts and opinions and goals.
... having a job I enjoy, am good at and am appreciated for.
... living in a place with 4 distinct seasons, mountains, electric blue skies and options, options, options.
... my Christmas tree.
... being content in this place. Right here, right now.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
What Christmas Looks Like Here
This is the first year for my children and me to celebrate Christmas our way. In contemplating what traditions I'd like to start, I thought of a lot of things that we could do or that I know other people do. But I finally settled on a couple of things that we really like.
This afternoon we saw The Tale of Despereaux. When we left the theater, we drove around looking at Christmas lights in neighborhoods we've never seen. We got lost. Hey, it was dark and we were in a town I haven't spent much time in.
When we came home, we lit all the Christmas candles we have and sat around the table in our pajamas. We drank hot chocolate and talked about all the great things that have happened this year. We talked about the things we look forward to next year. We talked about last Christmas, which was spent less than a mile from here in a blizzard.
I gave each child the one gift that I knew would make an impact tonight. I know they'll like the rest of their things but these particular gifts were the "really cool" ones. Right now, they are watching The Polar Express and clutching their "really cool" gifts. I have the beginnings of homemade cinnamon rolls on the stove. I will finish wrapping a few family gifts tonight and bake the cinnamon rolls.
In the morning we will unwrap the rest of our gifts and have Eggs Benedict and cinnamon rolls for breakfast. We will be lazy, enjoy our gifts and watch A Christmas Story on television. Then we'll head over to Jennifer and Caleb's for Christmas dinner. It's going to be a great day.
Obviously, not every Christmas will be like this one. But I think we'll definitely go light browsing, watch a Christmas movie or two, talk about the past year and have cinnamon rolls and Eggs Benedict. It sounds good to me!
Merry Christmas, all!
P.S. The kids were not impressed with my Eggs Benedict. I guess we'll have to scratch that one. Bummer.
This afternoon we saw The Tale of Despereaux. When we left the theater, we drove around looking at Christmas lights in neighborhoods we've never seen. We got lost. Hey, it was dark and we were in a town I haven't spent much time in.
When we came home, we lit all the Christmas candles we have and sat around the table in our pajamas. We drank hot chocolate and talked about all the great things that have happened this year. We talked about the things we look forward to next year. We talked about last Christmas, which was spent less than a mile from here in a blizzard.
I gave each child the one gift that I knew would make an impact tonight. I know they'll like the rest of their things but these particular gifts were the "really cool" ones. Right now, they are watching The Polar Express and clutching their "really cool" gifts. I have the beginnings of homemade cinnamon rolls on the stove. I will finish wrapping a few family gifts tonight and bake the cinnamon rolls.
In the morning we will unwrap the rest of our gifts and have Eggs Benedict and cinnamon rolls for breakfast. We will be lazy, enjoy our gifts and watch A Christmas Story on television. Then we'll head over to Jennifer and Caleb's for Christmas dinner. It's going to be a great day.
Obviously, not every Christmas will be like this one. But I think we'll definitely go light browsing, watch a Christmas movie or two, talk about the past year and have cinnamon rolls and Eggs Benedict. It sounds good to me!
Merry Christmas, all!
P.S. The kids were not impressed with my Eggs Benedict. I guess we'll have to scratch that one. Bummer.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
I Spit-Laughed
I've been told by various people that Arrested Development is/was the best television show ever. I finally started watching it on Hulu and I am only sad that I didn't watch it sooner. Jennifer and I watched the first 5 episodes last night and I am embarrassed to admit that I made a fool of myself. Not only did I spill an entire glass of red wine, but I also laughed so hard I spit a mouthful of water on myself, the sofa, the coffee table and the floor.
Don't tell Jim Halpert, but I might have a new favorite television show.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Tomorrow's To Do List
I am, unexpectedly, not working tomorrow morning and possibly not the afternoon, either. This is nice because I have a bunch of stuff that really needs doing and extra free time is so needed. In order to maximize my time (I've been known to waste entire mornings at this laptop with coffee in my hand), I'm making a list. I will cross off everything I do to keep myself accountable.
Alright. It's bedtime and I'm already one step ahead of tomorrow. I hope to keep it that way.
organize my desk, file old bills and school projects- fold two loads of laundry
sweep and mop all hard surface floorsmake a Target runpick up the Holiday Shop gifts Samuel left at schoolsend candy grams to the kids at schoolfinish making _________ for some Christmas gifts- dust the furniture
unload the dishwasher
Alright. It's bedtime and I'm already one step ahead of tomorrow. I hope to keep it that way.
Family
I consider myself a very fortunate person when it comes to family. I really enjoy my family. Really, though most of my family is biological and choice in the matter is limited; not a bad thing at all, I'm just sayin'. Obviously, we all make the choice to spend time together but it's an easy choice. I got lucky.
One of my family members is a family member by choice, though. He became part of our family when he married my sister. He's extremely intelligent, funny and just plain fun to be around. I see those qualities a lot. He's also generous and he demonstrated that exceptionally this week.
As I mentioned on Sunday, my parking brake froze on Saturday night. My brother-in-law made it his mission on Sunday to get my vehicle drivable again. It was cold, the weather was nasty and I'm pretty sure he'd have preferred to watch football. Then, when my car again didn't run on Monday morning, he came over to pick up the kids and me. He dropped us off at school and work, making himself late for work. Finally, he came over yesterday evening when it was dark and 0 F to work on my car again. He fought with it all the way down a very busy street to drop it off at a brake shop.
Caleb. Thank you, thank you, thank you. A million times, thank you.
And while I'm at it, let me brag on my sister, too. She doesn't think so, but she possesses enormous patience and self-control. She never hesitates to open her home and volunteer herself for watching my children when I have to work. She goes out of her way to do fun things with all the kids. She's constantly feeding us and doing various other things that make my life easier. While my vehicle was out of commission she drove across town 6 separate times to pick us up or drop us off. She's like another mother to my children. And she's my best friend.
I am so very fortunate to have these two people in my life. They're wonderful individuals and a great team. I can't think of two people better suited to each other. (Unless you count my parents, or maybe my grandparents. I told you I was fortunate.) They are raising two cool little boys and I know one day those boys will realize how fortunate they are to have these parents.
I love you guys.
I know it sounds awfully convenient to be saying all of this after the couple of days I've had. But you know, when things like this happen it makes me so grateful for the family I have.
One of my family members is a family member by choice, though. He became part of our family when he married my sister. He's extremely intelligent, funny and just plain fun to be around. I see those qualities a lot. He's also generous and he demonstrated that exceptionally this week.
As I mentioned on Sunday, my parking brake froze on Saturday night. My brother-in-law made it his mission on Sunday to get my vehicle drivable again. It was cold, the weather was nasty and I'm pretty sure he'd have preferred to watch football. Then, when my car again didn't run on Monday morning, he came over to pick up the kids and me. He dropped us off at school and work, making himself late for work. Finally, he came over yesterday evening when it was dark and 0 F to work on my car again. He fought with it all the way down a very busy street to drop it off at a brake shop.
Caleb. Thank you, thank you, thank you. A million times, thank you.
And while I'm at it, let me brag on my sister, too. She doesn't think so, but she possesses enormous patience and self-control. She never hesitates to open her home and volunteer herself for watching my children when I have to work. She goes out of her way to do fun things with all the kids. She's constantly feeding us and doing various other things that make my life easier. While my vehicle was out of commission she drove across town 6 separate times to pick us up or drop us off. She's like another mother to my children. And she's my best friend.
I am so very fortunate to have these two people in my life. They're wonderful individuals and a great team. I can't think of two people better suited to each other. (Unless you count my parents, or maybe my grandparents. I told you I was fortunate.) They are raising two cool little boys and I know one day those boys will realize how fortunate they are to have these parents.
I love you guys.
I know it sounds awfully convenient to be saying all of this after the couple of days I've had. But you know, when things like this happen it makes me so grateful for the family I have.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Loss of Innocence
Poor Solomon. A friend lied to him today. He said it's the first time anyone has ever lied to him and his feelings are really hurt.
I've been told that it only gets harder to be a parent as your children grow older. This is one of the reasons that is true.
I've been told that it only gets harder to be a parent as your children grow older. This is one of the reasons that is true.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
The Mom Song
I think this woman has been a fly on the wall in my home. I'm tired just listening to her.
Today Didn't Go As Planned
)
When this happens, do not leave your emergency brake set. If you do, you might spend 3 hours of your day trying to buy snow chains, contemplating new tires and finally discovering that the emergency brake was simply frozen. In conclusion, do not leave your emergency brake set all night. Lesson learned.
My New Profile Photo
See that? It's pure awesomeness. No explanation necessary. Let us take a moment to bask in the glow of the awesomeness that is The Office. Amen.
I bought myself the complete Fourth Season of The Office for Christmas. I got it from a friend of an online friend, in unopened packaging, for about half of what it costs at Best Buy or Target. Paypal, message boards and the internets all coming together to bring me a gift I love. It's such a beautiful thing. It even comes with the script to one of the best episodes of that season. :geeks out:
The only problem is that my touch of OCD and procrastinating perfectionism is keeping me from watching any of it yet. My house is quickly nearing that previously alluded to state of chaos which means that I will spend the better part of today decluttering, organizing, sweeping, mopping and dusting until I am able to flop on my sofa and do nothing -- nothing but fully and truly appreciate all that Season Four has to offer.
So let it be written, so let it be done.
I bought myself the complete Fourth Season of The Office for Christmas. I got it from a friend of an online friend, in unopened packaging, for about half of what it costs at Best Buy or Target. Paypal, message boards and the internets all coming together to bring me a gift I love. It's such a beautiful thing. It even comes with the script to one of the best episodes of that season. :geeks out:
The only problem is that my touch of OCD and procrastinating perfectionism is keeping me from watching any of it yet. My house is quickly nearing that previously alluded to state of chaos which means that I will spend the better part of today decluttering, organizing, sweeping, mopping and dusting until I am able to flop on my sofa and do nothing -- nothing but fully and truly appreciate all that Season Four has to offer.
So let it be written, so let it be done.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
We Have Been Inoculated
I debated getting flu shots for the kids this year. I usually get one, being a nurse and being exposed to all manner of microorganisms. But the kids have never gotten them. They're not in a high risk category. And I sometimes wonder if we're over-inoculating ourselves these days. I'm a tad nervous of super germs being the demise of the human race.
But we got the flu last season and that was what finally tipped the scales for me. It was hell -- two weeks of hell. Apparently last year's flu prediction was off and people who got flu shots, myself included, only had about 25% protection. Ironically, I was the sickest in the family. Miriam was very close behind me. Samuel recovered pretty quickly. Solomon escaped altogether; one good thing about him spending 5 months in Albuquerque.
So, off we went to the office yesterday afternoon for flu vaccines. I bribed the kids with McDonald's Happy Meals. They reluctantly agreed. I wanted to tell them that there was a chance they could have nasal spray instead of a shot. I resisted, though because I knew the office might be out and it would be wrong to get their hopes up about it.
When we got there, I asked my co-worker if there was any FluMist left. When I left work on Thursday afternoon there were a few doses left but everyone wants FluMist so I wasn't sure they would still be there. Luckily, there were some doses remaining so each of my children could get one. I cannot tell you how relieved they were.
Solomon went first. Ever the one for drama, he made some outrageous faces and then shouted that it was all stuck in his throat. After a few sips of water he was fine. Miriam went next and we almost didn't get the second half into her. She wasn't very happy with the first half and I had to hold her still. Then I had to coach her not to blow it into a tissue. Samuel was a real trooper and handled it better than the other two. And everyone was thrilled that there were no needles!
I, however, prefer to have a needle plunged into my deltoid. I cannot tolerate things in or around my nose. And there is no way I will voluntarily suck a liquid into my nostrils. No way, no how. Give me a shot. And my friend did. And I'm a little sore today.
I am relieved that we are doing all we can to avoid the flu. I was more worried about contracting the flu again than I realized. Let's hope the protection works this year. Supposedly, the FluMist contains more strains of the flu virus and therefore offers better protection than the injectable FluZone. This is good, considering that the kids come into contact with tons of stuff at school all day, every day. I push hand washing every chance I get but who knows what actually happens at school, right?
When we were finished I wondered aloud (jokingly) to the kids if they should still get Happy Meals since they didn't actually have to get a shot. They looked a little perplexed before they realized I was only kidding.
P.S. Another good thing about the FluMist -- because all of my children are younger than 9 years and because this is their first year for flu vaccine, if they had been injected, they'd have to return in 4 weeks for yet another injection. So we're avoiding 2 injections for each and getting better protection. :crosses fingers:
But we got the flu last season and that was what finally tipped the scales for me. It was hell -- two weeks of hell. Apparently last year's flu prediction was off and people who got flu shots, myself included, only had about 25% protection. Ironically, I was the sickest in the family. Miriam was very close behind me. Samuel recovered pretty quickly. Solomon escaped altogether; one good thing about him spending 5 months in Albuquerque.
So, off we went to the office yesterday afternoon for flu vaccines. I bribed the kids with McDonald's Happy Meals. They reluctantly agreed. I wanted to tell them that there was a chance they could have nasal spray instead of a shot. I resisted, though because I knew the office might be out and it would be wrong to get their hopes up about it.
When we got there, I asked my co-worker if there was any FluMist left. When I left work on Thursday afternoon there were a few doses left but everyone wants FluMist so I wasn't sure they would still be there. Luckily, there were some doses remaining so each of my children could get one. I cannot tell you how relieved they were.
Solomon went first. Ever the one for drama, he made some outrageous faces and then shouted that it was all stuck in his throat. After a few sips of water he was fine. Miriam went next and we almost didn't get the second half into her. She wasn't very happy with the first half and I had to hold her still. Then I had to coach her not to blow it into a tissue. Samuel was a real trooper and handled it better than the other two. And everyone was thrilled that there were no needles!
I, however, prefer to have a needle plunged into my deltoid. I cannot tolerate things in or around my nose. And there is no way I will voluntarily suck a liquid into my nostrils. No way, no how. Give me a shot. And my friend did. And I'm a little sore today.
I am relieved that we are doing all we can to avoid the flu. I was more worried about contracting the flu again than I realized. Let's hope the protection works this year. Supposedly, the FluMist contains more strains of the flu virus and therefore offers better protection than the injectable FluZone. This is good, considering that the kids come into contact with tons of stuff at school all day, every day. I push hand washing every chance I get but who knows what actually happens at school, right?
When we were finished I wondered aloud (jokingly) to the kids if they should still get Happy Meals since they didn't actually have to get a shot. They looked a little perplexed before they realized I was only kidding.
P.S. Another good thing about the FluMist -- because all of my children are younger than 9 years and because this is their first year for flu vaccine, if they had been injected, they'd have to return in 4 weeks for yet another injection. So we're avoiding 2 injections for each and getting better protection. :crosses fingers:
Friday, December 12, 2008
Repetitive Redundancies
- ATM machine
- PIN number
- VIN number
- hot water heater
- vaccine shot record
- GPS system
Friday, December 5, 2008
Sigh
Trying to catch my breath here -- and catch up on my writing. I thought I might do that tonight. I am babysitting for Jennifer and Caleb and just vegging on the couch with my laptop. But I'm too tired.
I will be back. I have a lot to say; just not a lot of time or energy these days. Thanks for checking in, though.
I will be back. I have a lot to say; just not a lot of time or energy these days. Thanks for checking in, though.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Another Political Post
Maybe I've been too caught up in politics lately or maybe it's because this was such an emotional election or maybe I'm just hormonal, but some of these photos are so poignant I tear up when looking at them.
From 52 to 48, with love
From 52 to 48, with love
Friday, November 14, 2008
Parent-Teacher Conferences
We'll start with Samuel since I met with his teacher on Tuesday morning. She showed me more examples of his work. As at the first meeting with her, his work runs the gamut from a page with faint scribbles to a page with near-perfect writing. Again, I'm not worried about his cognitive abilities because he obviously gets it. So we are still focusing on occupational therapy, sensory issues and now adding speech therapy for stuttering.
Samuel started stuttering around the beginning of this year (calendar year, not school year) and I ignored it. Solomon and Miriam both stuttered for a couple of months at the same age but it passed and they've had no problems since. But Samuel's stuttering has continued and it's getting worse, not better. For the last part of my conference with Samuel's teacher, the speech pathologist joined us and outlined what she'll be doing with Samuel twice a week. She said he doesn't show signs of having a physiological problem and since there isn't a family history of stuttering, she's encouraged that he'll move past this eventually.
Samuel went to speech for the first time yesterday. He loved it and he was so proud of himself. When I picked him up yesterday evening, he showed off his sticker and said, "I went to speech today and I did awesome!" I'm sad that Samuel is struggling with things like this, but I am so grateful that there are qualified people to help him. These plans are really encouraging.
I met with Solomon's teacher on Wednesday evening. I expected to hear good things about him since he was selected for the High Flyer Award last month; I was not disappointed. Solomon is advanced in math. He's a logical thinker and his teacher said he's one of the few in her class that can explain why he does math problems the way he does.
Solomon is still behind in reading and spelling but he's improving, thanks to ELA services every day for 20 minutes. Because he is behind in reading, there is an individualized plan for him to focus on the areas where he needs the most help. The goal is to get him to grade level by February when he takes the Colorado standardized test. Also, since he is below grade level, his teacher has had it approved for him to take the tests for shorter time periods and to give him more time overall to complete sections of the test. She has noticed that he gets anxious during tests when he can't get things finished on time so this should remove that stress.
Solomon's teacher said he is well-liked by his peers and she really enjoys having him in her class. I can't tell you how happy I was to hear this because I've been certain before that Solomon's teachers haven't always enjoyed having him in their classes. No one has been ungracious about it, but he has definitely been The Challenge more often than not.
I met with Miriam's teacher on Thursday night. She said that Miriam is doing very well. She was slightly below grade level in math at the beginning of the year and is now at grade level. She was at grade level in reading and reading comprehension when school started and now she's off the reading grading scale. This is so awesome and it's even better because Miriam actually loves to read.
The teacher showed me a couple of narratives that Miriam wrote. They are so great. She wrote and illustrated one about us finding a dead snake in the parking lot while we walked to the park. She's so funny and gross.
I love these kids.
Samuel started stuttering around the beginning of this year (calendar year, not school year) and I ignored it. Solomon and Miriam both stuttered for a couple of months at the same age but it passed and they've had no problems since. But Samuel's stuttering has continued and it's getting worse, not better. For the last part of my conference with Samuel's teacher, the speech pathologist joined us and outlined what she'll be doing with Samuel twice a week. She said he doesn't show signs of having a physiological problem and since there isn't a family history of stuttering, she's encouraged that he'll move past this eventually.
Samuel went to speech for the first time yesterday. He loved it and he was so proud of himself. When I picked him up yesterday evening, he showed off his sticker and said, "I went to speech today and I did awesome!" I'm sad that Samuel is struggling with things like this, but I am so grateful that there are qualified people to help him. These plans are really encouraging.
I met with Solomon's teacher on Wednesday evening. I expected to hear good things about him since he was selected for the High Flyer Award last month; I was not disappointed. Solomon is advanced in math. He's a logical thinker and his teacher said he's one of the few in her class that can explain why he does math problems the way he does.
Solomon is still behind in reading and spelling but he's improving, thanks to ELA services every day for 20 minutes. Because he is behind in reading, there is an individualized plan for him to focus on the areas where he needs the most help. The goal is to get him to grade level by February when he takes the Colorado standardized test. Also, since he is below grade level, his teacher has had it approved for him to take the tests for shorter time periods and to give him more time overall to complete sections of the test. She has noticed that he gets anxious during tests when he can't get things finished on time so this should remove that stress.
Solomon's teacher said he is well-liked by his peers and she really enjoys having him in her class. I can't tell you how happy I was to hear this because I've been certain before that Solomon's teachers haven't always enjoyed having him in their classes. No one has been ungracious about it, but he has definitely been The Challenge more often than not.
I met with Miriam's teacher on Thursday night. She said that Miriam is doing very well. She was slightly below grade level in math at the beginning of the year and is now at grade level. She was at grade level in reading and reading comprehension when school started and now she's off the reading grading scale. This is so awesome and it's even better because Miriam actually loves to read.
The teacher showed me a couple of narratives that Miriam wrote. They are so great. She wrote and illustrated one about us finding a dead snake in the parking lot while we walked to the park. She's so funny and gross.
I love these kids.
Things Are Good
And by things, I mean the things that make up my life at the moment: children, home, work and friends. I don't mean Things, as in extra stuff. I'm not a stuff person; stuff gets in the way, clutters my space and gets on my nerves. So, not that kind of Things.
The election is over and I'm obviously happy with the turn out. We're back on Standard Time, which I prefer. Winter is coming and there is snow on the ground (Yay!). Thanksgiving with its delicious food and great family time is a mere 12 days away. And I have someone to cover my spot the Monday after Thanksgiving so we can take our time driving back. After that comes Christmas and our very first family tree.
We had parent-teacher conferences this week. I got great reports on all 3 kids (more about that later). We attended the book fair and got some new books for everyone. We have a 3-day weekend and slept in this morning. There is a birthday party to attend tomorrow and then the kids will spend the night with their cousins and uncle. Jennifer and I are going downtown for a girls' night out with friends. Next weekend is family movie night at the school and we'll go in our pajamas to watch Wall-E. I'm getting involved with the school, volunteering for the kids' teachers and helping the school nurse on my day off.
I've managed to stay on top of the dishes and laundry for 2 straight weeks. Actually, if you count the 2 weeks the kids were gone, I've managed this for 4 weeks -- a month! I'm making myself unload the dishwasher when it finishes running so I can re-load it after each meal instead of piling dishes in the sink. I'm making myself hang up clothes straight from the dryer instead of piling them in the armchair in the living room. And I'm folding the things in the basket when it gets full instead of letting it overflow until it threatens to bury me in an avalanche of clothing.
The office is moving its location as I write this and that means my daily round-trip commute will be chopped from 50 minutes to 14 minutes, beginning Monday. I get to unpack and organize a beautiful office space on Sunday. Parking will be excellent, our office is on the first floor instead of the third. Our windows have a 180 degree view of the Rockies instead of a dismal parking lot and a congested interstate. We have plenty of storage for supplies, bigger exam rooms and uncluttered desk space.
So, yeah. Things are good. I'm going to savor this because history tells me it won't last forever and I'll need this good feeling to get me through the next low point.
The election is over and I'm obviously happy with the turn out. We're back on Standard Time, which I prefer. Winter is coming and there is snow on the ground (Yay!). Thanksgiving with its delicious food and great family time is a mere 12 days away. And I have someone to cover my spot the Monday after Thanksgiving so we can take our time driving back. After that comes Christmas and our very first family tree.
We had parent-teacher conferences this week. I got great reports on all 3 kids (more about that later). We attended the book fair and got some new books for everyone. We have a 3-day weekend and slept in this morning. There is a birthday party to attend tomorrow and then the kids will spend the night with their cousins and uncle. Jennifer and I are going downtown for a girls' night out with friends. Next weekend is family movie night at the school and we'll go in our pajamas to watch Wall-E. I'm getting involved with the school, volunteering for the kids' teachers and helping the school nurse on my day off.
I've managed to stay on top of the dishes and laundry for 2 straight weeks. Actually, if you count the 2 weeks the kids were gone, I've managed this for 4 weeks -- a month! I'm making myself unload the dishwasher when it finishes running so I can re-load it after each meal instead of piling dishes in the sink. I'm making myself hang up clothes straight from the dryer instead of piling them in the armchair in the living room. And I'm folding the things in the basket when it gets full instead of letting it overflow until it threatens to bury me in an avalanche of clothing.
The office is moving its location as I write this and that means my daily round-trip commute will be chopped from 50 minutes to 14 minutes, beginning Monday. I get to unpack and organize a beautiful office space on Sunday. Parking will be excellent, our office is on the first floor instead of the third. Our windows have a 180 degree view of the Rockies instead of a dismal parking lot and a congested interstate. We have plenty of storage for supplies, bigger exam rooms and uncluttered desk space.
So, yeah. Things are good. I'm going to savor this because history tells me it won't last forever and I'll need this good feeling to get me through the next low point.
A Pomegranate and Giggles
I had a nice moment with my daughter this week. The boys were off somewhere in the house doing boy stuff while Miriam and I sat at the table peeling a pomegranate. It was her first time to try pomegranate seeds and I wasn't sure she'd like them. It's an awful lot of work for a tiny bit of sweetness. But she loved them.
So we sat and talked and peeled and ate. We talked about school, family, our trip to Arkansas in a couple of weeks. We talked about her friends and my work. We talked about the pending arrival of her half-sibling and how she hopes it's a girl because she really wants a sister. I told her how much I love her and how happy I am that she's my daughter. We told each other jokes and giggled ourselves silly.
It's hard to come by these moments. So often the minutiae of life get in the way and I forget that life is made of these moments, not paying the bills or maneuvering traffic or buying groceries. I'm going to make a point of letting these moments happen more frequently.
So we sat and talked and peeled and ate. We talked about school, family, our trip to Arkansas in a couple of weeks. We talked about her friends and my work. We talked about the pending arrival of her half-sibling and how she hopes it's a girl because she really wants a sister. I told her how much I love her and how happy I am that she's my daughter. We told each other jokes and giggled ourselves silly.
It's hard to come by these moments. So often the minutiae of life get in the way and I forget that life is made of these moments, not paying the bills or maneuvering traffic or buying groceries. I'm going to make a point of letting these moments happen more frequently.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
The Bigger Picture
I'm still at something of a loss. My words cannot adequately express what this election has meant, and will mean, to me. In the moments after the election was called I posted the entry 2 below this one. I said that it was over. But really, it's just beginning.
President-Elect Obama has a very long, difficult road ahead of him. Our economy is swirling the drain, a long war has looked even longer until now and we're facing an energy crisis of epic proportions. Presidential expectations have never been higher. Add to that the high level of divisiveness that was involved in this campaign and the threats against his life and the result is an extremely unenviable position.
I have every confidence in Barack Obama as a leader. His acceptance speech struck the right balance of hope for the future and humility in the moment. This man had the opportunity to make this election about himself, on a night that was truly momentous; he chose instead to focus on the people of this country. He spoke directly to us, not mincing words about the obstacles that lay ahead. He extended his support to those that opposed him and humbly asked for their support in return. This is a man worthy of our respect, regardless of party affiliation.
No one knows exactly what will happen in the next 4 years. It will be slow going, but progress will be made. Our new leader possesses a self-assurance and a coolness that will make him level-headed when the tough decisions need to be made. We can count on him to make rational decisions, as opposed to emotional decisions. This country desperately needs a large dose of rationality. I am so grateful that we will get it now.
President-Elect Obama has a very long, difficult road ahead of him. Our economy is swirling the drain, a long war has looked even longer until now and we're facing an energy crisis of epic proportions. Presidential expectations have never been higher. Add to that the high level of divisiveness that was involved in this campaign and the threats against his life and the result is an extremely unenviable position.
I have every confidence in Barack Obama as a leader. His acceptance speech struck the right balance of hope for the future and humility in the moment. This man had the opportunity to make this election about himself, on a night that was truly momentous; he chose instead to focus on the people of this country. He spoke directly to us, not mincing words about the obstacles that lay ahead. He extended his support to those that opposed him and humbly asked for their support in return. This is a man worthy of our respect, regardless of party affiliation.
No one knows exactly what will happen in the next 4 years. It will be slow going, but progress will be made. Our new leader possesses a self-assurance and a coolness that will make him level-headed when the tough decisions need to be made. We can count on him to make rational decisions, as opposed to emotional decisions. This country desperately needs a large dose of rationality. I am so grateful that we will get it now.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
The Nuts & Bolts of My Election Day
I have put off writing about this because I don't know what to say. In the moment, the enormity paralyzed my words. I'm still at a loss but if I don't start writing soon, I'll begin to forget and that is the last thing I want to do. So I will start with the beginning.
I refused to sign up for a mail in ballot and didn't really want to go to early voting, either. I like the ceremony of waiting in line, showing my ID, signing on the dotted line and curtaining myself in a booth. It's both solemn and exhilarating for me. I knew that to avoid waiting in line for hours I'd have to be in line before my polling place opened.
The kids and I left home at 6:30 AM to go to their school, which is my polling place. I took my place in line and there were about 20 people ahead of me already. By the time the required hour of 7:00 AM arrived, the line was beginning to snake around the school building. The kids played on the playground until the line moved inside. Solomon went to choir and the other two went with me to vote.
I knew the ballot would be extensive due the large number of proposed amendments this year. I had prepared a cheat sheet of sorts for myself from the voter's guide so I didn't have to read through all the amendments in the booth. Still, when I stepped into the booth, my stomach flipped at the sight of a page about 2 1/2 feet by 2 feet. I didn't know where to start. I finally recognized an amendment number in the middle of the page and pressed the appropriate button. I breezed through the rest of the amendments and then realized I hadn't voted for a single person yet. So I went back to the top of the page and pressed the buttons for the offices of President, Senate, House of Representatives and a couple of local races. Then I triple-checked all of my lit buttons and finally pressed the submission button.
We left the gym and I dropped off Samuel and Miriam in the cafeteria to eat (another) breakfast. Then I remembered that I hadn't gotten an "I Voted!" sticker. Yes, I'm a voting dork, I like the booth and I want that sticker. So I went back for my sticker.
On my way out of the school I called Jennifer to celebrate voting and got all choked up on the phone. I ran into a guy from the campaign office and he asked me if I was going to help out. I really wanted to be helping at the polls but I had to work. He asked me who I voted for and we both burst out laughing.
I stopped at Starbucks for my free coffee. I told the barista that I had just voted and showed my sticker. She yelled out, "Hey! She just voted!" and everyone cheered. The girl passing out samples of the Peppermint Mocha with a Twist complimented the back of my car. She said that she really liked the stickers, even though "I'm 'technically' neutral. But I really, really like your bumper stickers."
When I got to work another nurse was hooking up a tiny portable television so we could keep up with the news during the day. That turned out not to work so well since we could only tune in to The Price is Right. We ended up leaving the back computer on MSNBC all day to listen to the live feed, which wasn't very interesting.
During the day, it was pretty easy to forget what a monumental day it was. I was too busy to be nervous. But once it got to be 5:00 and polls closed on the East Coast, I started to feel funny. I rushed to pick up the kids and we ate a quick dinner in the car on the way to Ben & Jerry's. I got a free scoop for voting and the kiddos each picked a flavor, too. We sat in the food court and watched the returns on a massive television hanging over our heads.
I tried to explain to the kids what all the figures and calculations meant. Somehow the electoral process with its popular vote versus electoral vote escaped them. All they cared about was that Obama was definitely in the lead. Really, that's all I cared about, too.
When we got home the kids finished their homework and started getting ready for bed. I was pretty useless as a supervisory figure since all I could do was sit on the couch and watch the returns. I did manage to tuck in Miriam and Samuel and get Solomon into the shower. When I made it back to the living room, there was a picture of Barack Obama on the screen and a headline reading, "Barack Obama Elected 44th President of the United States."
I got chills and didn't know whether to laugh or cry. So I did both. I sat on the couch, in shock. Dad sent me a congratulatory text message and Jennifer called 5 seconds later. Solomon came out of the bathroom and asked me what was wrong. I told him that nothing was wrong, that Obama will be our next president. He whooped and ran to their bedroom to tell his siblings. They were already half-asleep and didn't care.
Solomon sat with me on the couch. He said he wanted to stay up and see Obama's victory speech. I wasn't going to tell him no during such an historic moment. So we snuggled together and he fell asleep in my lap half way through the speech.
I finally went to bed, relieved and also half afraid that I'd wake up in the morning to hear that there was a mess of hanging chads and voter disenfranchisment somewhere in the country. It was a great day and I hope I never forget it.
I refused to sign up for a mail in ballot and didn't really want to go to early voting, either. I like the ceremony of waiting in line, showing my ID, signing on the dotted line and curtaining myself in a booth. It's both solemn and exhilarating for me. I knew that to avoid waiting in line for hours I'd have to be in line before my polling place opened.
The kids and I left home at 6:30 AM to go to their school, which is my polling place. I took my place in line and there were about 20 people ahead of me already. By the time the required hour of 7:00 AM arrived, the line was beginning to snake around the school building. The kids played on the playground until the line moved inside. Solomon went to choir and the other two went with me to vote.
I knew the ballot would be extensive due the large number of proposed amendments this year. I had prepared a cheat sheet of sorts for myself from the voter's guide so I didn't have to read through all the amendments in the booth. Still, when I stepped into the booth, my stomach flipped at the sight of a page about 2 1/2 feet by 2 feet. I didn't know where to start. I finally recognized an amendment number in the middle of the page and pressed the appropriate button. I breezed through the rest of the amendments and then realized I hadn't voted for a single person yet. So I went back to the top of the page and pressed the buttons for the offices of President, Senate, House of Representatives and a couple of local races. Then I triple-checked all of my lit buttons and finally pressed the submission button.
We left the gym and I dropped off Samuel and Miriam in the cafeteria to eat (another) breakfast. Then I remembered that I hadn't gotten an "I Voted!" sticker. Yes, I'm a voting dork, I like the booth and I want that sticker. So I went back for my sticker.
On my way out of the school I called Jennifer to celebrate voting and got all choked up on the phone. I ran into a guy from the campaign office and he asked me if I was going to help out. I really wanted to be helping at the polls but I had to work. He asked me who I voted for and we both burst out laughing.
I stopped at Starbucks for my free coffee. I told the barista that I had just voted and showed my sticker. She yelled out, "Hey! She just voted!" and everyone cheered. The girl passing out samples of the Peppermint Mocha with a Twist complimented the back of my car. She said that she really liked the stickers, even though "I'm 'technically' neutral. But I really, really like your bumper stickers."
When I got to work another nurse was hooking up a tiny portable television so we could keep up with the news during the day. That turned out not to work so well since we could only tune in to The Price is Right. We ended up leaving the back computer on MSNBC all day to listen to the live feed, which wasn't very interesting.
During the day, it was pretty easy to forget what a monumental day it was. I was too busy to be nervous. But once it got to be 5:00 and polls closed on the East Coast, I started to feel funny. I rushed to pick up the kids and we ate a quick dinner in the car on the way to Ben & Jerry's. I got a free scoop for voting and the kiddos each picked a flavor, too. We sat in the food court and watched the returns on a massive television hanging over our heads.
I tried to explain to the kids what all the figures and calculations meant. Somehow the electoral process with its popular vote versus electoral vote escaped them. All they cared about was that Obama was definitely in the lead. Really, that's all I cared about, too.
When we got home the kids finished their homework and started getting ready for bed. I was pretty useless as a supervisory figure since all I could do was sit on the couch and watch the returns. I did manage to tuck in Miriam and Samuel and get Solomon into the shower. When I made it back to the living room, there was a picture of Barack Obama on the screen and a headline reading, "Barack Obama Elected 44th President of the United States."
I got chills and didn't know whether to laugh or cry. So I did both. I sat on the couch, in shock. Dad sent me a congratulatory text message and Jennifer called 5 seconds later. Solomon came out of the bathroom and asked me what was wrong. I told him that nothing was wrong, that Obama will be our next president. He whooped and ran to their bedroom to tell his siblings. They were already half-asleep and didn't care.
Solomon sat with me on the couch. He said he wanted to stay up and see Obama's victory speech. I wasn't going to tell him no during such an historic moment. So we snuggled together and he fell asleep in my lap half way through the speech.
I finally went to bed, relieved and also half afraid that I'd wake up in the morning to hear that there was a mess of hanging chads and voter disenfranchisment somewhere in the country. It was a great day and I hope I never forget it.
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