Introducing....Thoughtful Tuesday

I once had the grandiose idea that I would start a blog and post something each day that I was thankful for, or for something I had done to "pay it forward" that day.

365 days is a lot. I admire those people who blog about something each and every day--and I so wish I had been more diligent about writing in my paper journal growing up. But hindsight is 20/20, right? So instead of saying "I wish I should have, or I wish I could have...." I am just doing something. 

Each Tuesday, I'm going to tell you about something I am either: a) thankful for, b) something I witnessed that was an act of kindness, or c) something I did to "pay it forward"


I'd love it if you'd join me. One day a week. One thing. It can take 15 seconds or 4 hours. Don't you feel better when you are able to notice the pretty things in life? Leave a comment here, or share it in your own space, and enjoy being thoughtful...in more ways than one!

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This Tuesday: Thankful.

Thankful that I started blogging. What I thought was a simple decision three years ago, has been such a monumental "thing" in my life. To be able to look back on thoughts, re-read supportive comments, not to mention the ah-ma-zing friendships that have developed because of it. And I love the fact that this blog will always be the "pair" of jeans that will always be the perfect fit.

Photo Friday: The Sweetest Word

I do hate arriving late, so I apologize that I am showing up a wee bit belated to the Photo Friday party.

But I have a good excuse! This weeks photo topic was one that I put off because it ended up being particularly emotional for me.

As I mentioned earlier, the O-man starts a preschool program...this coming week. We got our introduction letter and instructions for school last week, and with it came the standard request to place your child's name on their belongings.

That simple task has been the hardest for me. Not buying school shoes, picking out cute outfits, making sure his bag is packed. I guess since his name means so much to us, it evokes those emotions when I see it written out. And honestly, I havent had a reason to really write it out that much up to this point.

So as I took the Sharpie out and turned his sippy cup upside down, I let myself slip back in the memory of why we chose his name and how much I love the little boy who is growing up so fast!

And just because I was late to the party, don't forget to check out the other photos this week!








Ooooh and dontcha like my blog face lift? More on this soon, but the wonderful ladies at Plaid House Designs made this happen.

Earmarked

Remember in the "old days" when you would go on vacation and come home anxious to check the answering machine for messages from your friends or the stack of mail waiting to be sifted through?

My sister and I couldn't wait to see the red number flashing on the machine...I think when we were both teenagers, the record of messages was around 25. I think my parents wanted to rip out the phone right then and there.

Then there was the mail: I loved going through the huge pile that sat on the hutch by the front door. As I raced to unpack my portion of the car (had to unpack before listening or sifting) I'd imagine what magazines and letters I had waiting for me. I had great pen pals: camp friends, cousins, friends who had moved away. And then the magazines--ooh to see the new one just waiting to have the pages earmarked!

Well, cell phones have taken away the joy of anticipating the answering machine when I come home...and I doubt that in this stage of my life, any of my friends would call to tell me who they saw kissing so-and-so at the local pool...but you never know. :)

So I still cling to the excitement over the pile of mail that is waiting for me. It truly makes me giddy.

Sort of silly, since I can't just toss the bills, credit card applications, AKA: boring stuff, to the side anymore. But ohhhh do I look forward to the occasional letters, notes, cards, postcards, magazines.

I am happy to say that I had a few postcards, a letter, and two magazines. My favorite magazine was one of the two, so I put it to the side to enjoy after O-man went to sleep.

When I got to page 73 and saw a photo of a couple holding the hands of a child, I immediately focused on the title/subtitle:

my one and only

Should we have another child or leave well enough alone? 

A great, sincere article. So many of the author's words brought my emotions to the surface--especially the honest to God truth that family building can be halted by what she called "the nasty, shameful issue of money." Oh how I, along with many, can relate.

The last paragraph is a grouping of words that have me sitting up well past my bedtime:

"Or perhaps in another lifetime I will meet my other child, the one I won't be having.
Or she will come to me in a dream in this life, and we will live together every night,
after I fall asleep.
Yes, I say to myself, yes. It isn't that she doesn't exist.
It is just that she lives on the other side, and I will visit her and love her there." 

This may be a far stretch from the articles I used to earmark (How to Tell if Your Boyfriend Loves You!) but I'm so glad this magazine was in my anticipated mail pile today. It was just what I needed to read. 

Perfect Moment Monday: Disconnected

I took full advantage of the fact that Mook's Crackberry was off all last week during his vacation: we decided to make the whole week technology free. I twitched a few times without access to Twitter or checking blogs, but I survived! Reading a book with my feet dug deep into the sand while dozing off, only to be woken up by a huge wave soaking me and the pages of my book: perfection.

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As I resurface into reality, I have lots of technology to catch up on as well as re-visiting my neurologist today for yet another consultation on what to do with the cyst on my head. Mook is on yet another plane, O-man is teething and showing clear signs of the terrible twos, and I have a nasty cold. I hate being sick in the summer.

Hopefully the cold and the tantrums will subside so the Oman and I can take advantage of the last few days of summer before he starts preschool!

Be sure to visit Lori and see other Perfect Moments!

The Mint Man

Earlier this week, O-man and I met my sister for lunch at a place where my parents used to take me when I was itty-bitty.

This place is truly a place. Not just another restaurant to me-it's where I can recall one of my earliest memories. How cool is that?

My memory is holding a shiny green square (ok, of course I didnt know that it was green and square at the time--I was two) but the fact that my brain can pull that out of the filing cabinet of memories is pretty cool to me.

Another cool thing is that we moved to another state not long after that memory was formed, but now that I have moved back to this area in my adult life, I'm only 20 minutes away.

So let me get back to the shiny green square.

After every meal, the bill was paid and the man from behind the counter would come around and hand me one of these mints. Little did he know, he had given a little blond headed girl a special gift. It may be just another choice in the many varieties of chocolate to everyone else, but to me it always represents a memory. And that makes the calories seem worth it.

Better yet? That same man is still there.

And that same man came from behind the counter, smiled at me and then bent down to hand my son a shiny green square.

Black With Grey Polka Dots

I've been in a funk...a pretty ugly one too.

Whenever I tell Mook I have a headache, he immediately says, "What color is it?" Ever heard of doing that? I say the first color that comes to mind--sometimes its purple with red stripes, yellow with blue swirls, or just plain pink. For some reason, it helps me identify the pain, and the headache goes away faster. Who knows why this works...the brain is a powerful, mysterious machine.

So although my funk is not a headache, it all originates in my brain and the color of this funk is: black with grey polka dots.

To battle this funk, I need to clear my brain of thoughts that I might otherwise just keep to myself or feel silly sharing. I was inspired by my friend spokeit and her honesty. Seems like perfect timing for me to do the same.


1. I take it really personally when a friendship dissolves or seems uncertain. Especially when I'm not sure why. It's happened with blog and IRL relationships recently, and it just stinks.

2. I have such a love-hate relationship with Facebook. It makes me feel great when I reconnect with an old friend, but I hate that most times I log-out feeling like it's one big high school lunch room.

3. I have a new obsession. Chocolate covered marshmallows. These caught my eye in the grocery store the other week, and I convinced myself I needed to try them. I'm embarrassed to tell you I have gone through at least 8 bags.

4. O-man is starting a pre-school program in 3 weeks. I have so many emotions about this. I feel like I'm sending him off to college.

5. I over analyze a lot. A lot. 

6. I have let out many heavy sighs over some of my favorite blogs closing, or just not seeing posts anymore. It's like reaching the last few pages of a great book, and you don't want to turn the page because you want to treasure those last words.

7. Speaking of blogs, I am more aware that my blog purpose is changing. Since we are in limbo land as far as what our family plans are, I am now a "Parenting after IF" and general goofy stuff blog. And I'm finally OK with that.

8. I worry about money all the time.

9. I need to put on my iPod and sing like I'm in the American Idol finale, at least once a week. It clears my head and lets good juju in.

10. I find it easier to talk myself into doing something I don't want to do, by doing that thing for someone else. Confused? My lab needs to loose some weight--she's been eating too many of O-man's leftovers. But really, I'm the one that needs the exercise. But I get to say she's the one on the Dog Diet when we go walking. Wink, wink.

Whew, I feel better already. The fog is lifting....please feel free to release your funky stuff too. Let it go here, and leave it with my funky stuff.

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I enjoyed the time Mook was able to be at home last week--and since I didn't have my surgery, we've been able to cross multiple items off the Honey-Do-House-List. We've made time for some fun things, too: Children's Museum, watching the O-man eat his first Freeze Pop, cooking out and spending time in those chairs I mentioned!

Gotta sign off--Oman likes for EVERYTHING to be closed these days. No doors are safe, and apparently neither is my lap top....

Its pronounced...canceled.

 *updated*

Surgery was canceled.
Still unresolved as to what happens next.
I'm frustrated and still in pain.

But I get to spend time with Mook and O-man.

And eat lots of chocolate thanks to some special people.

Thanks for all your warm fuzzies. 

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English is my first language, and I still have issues with it.

I've been doing some freelance work for a photographer in my area, and English is not her first language--so a lot of my job is helping her translate things to read correctly in our language so we can write/design marketing pieces for her business.

We had our weekly meeting on Monday, and I told her that I wouldn't be able to check e-mails on Wednesday because I was "going under the knife" Well, the look I got told me she was not familiar with this slang phrase we silly English speaking people have come up with.

So I literally spelled it out to explain the phrase to her. I think she sort of understood--but then the focus shifted to the word: Knife. We both expressed our frustration on why so many of our words are not pronounced like they are spelled.

I've decided that instead of going under the KNIFE, I am going under the CAHNIF today instead. The cyst I mentioned a while back--it has to be removed. The thing has a pulse, and is making the left side of my head hurt constantly. A Cahnif sounds much less menacing. Maybe I won't freak out as much thinking of my head being cut into with something that doesn't actually exist?

I'll let you know....