BFF Forever

Marilyn and I have been friends since right out of high school. We went to a group interview for a health club called "Vogue Figure Control" in Modesto, CA. I commented on her necklace, an "M," and we started talking and haven't stopped. I introduced her to her first husband, Gene. He asked me out and I didn't want to go out with him because we worked together. Okay, so the marriage didn't last, but they did have a most amazing son, Ian.

We walked 60 miles together for the Breast Cancer 3-day. We've seen each other through everything. In many ways we're as different as can be, but we manage to stick together.

She's a gorgeous natural blonde. She works in the film industry, as a studio driver, and has the coolest. stories. ever. Right now I'm wearing a pair of scrubs that she got from the Gray's Anatomy set.....whoa.

She drove up from LA today to see me and the kids. They're with their dad tonight, so we went to C.R. Gibbs for dinner, then tried the new beer pub across the street. Snake Bites are awesome. We were immediately greeted/accosted by a very inebriated man named Kevin....great. We were home by 9:30.

I'm so glad to have a friend like Marilyn. No matter what, we always stick together.

Christmas is coming

My son Jake is very materialistic. He loves his toys. He loves other people's toys. He loves the toys he sees in stores and on TV commercials. He can't bear to part with old toys. He's great at sharing them, but he's always lusting for more.

This morning on the way to school, Jake was wondering aloud if his dad was going to get him some Legos he'd promised. I told him that I knew he really wanted those Legos, and he's really, really good at creating some imaginative stuff with them.

All of a sudden, he said, "But mom, I don't really need them. It's okay if I don't get anything for Christmas." Thinking he was joking, I said, "Ah, but what about that DS you've been wanting?"

"Mom, all that's really important is you and daddy and God. The toys are nice, but I don't need them."

This kid blows me away.

They amaze me every day

I wish I would have talked about this election more with my children. Mistakenly, I just didn't, at least as much as I should have. I know when I was 6 or 8, I really had no concept of government. I guess I just thought that my kids were more interested in reading, writing & 'rithmatic. Boy, was I wrong.

Discussion in the car tonight, on the way from school to hockey:

Emme: "Momma, almost my whole class voted for Mr. Senator John McCain (she said it just like that - so impossibly cute)."

"Emme, do you know why so many people wanted to vote for Sen. McCain?"
"Because he's very responsible, and he wants to take care of people, and he wants to make sure that sick people get taken care of."

I'm really glad that she has clarity on this. I wish that I could have gone over the candidates' voting records with her myself. This was a powerful lesson for me.

"So, Jake, did your class hold a vote?" "No, but I would have voted for the other guy." "Obama?" "Yeah, him." "And why is that?"

"Because I think war is awful, and I think that the other guy just wants us to have a war all the time."

Wow. I'm blown away. These kids have very definite ideas - awesome!

We had a talk after hockey, Jake & I. Emme was already sleeping. We talked about some things I thought were important. That the President has a grave responsiblity. That whoever is elected deserves our respect and support. That an African-American is our President-Elect, and a generation ago, African-Americans in the South had to use separate bathrooms and drinking fountains. That President-Elect Obama has a family that loves him, and two young daughters, and that he will make all his decisions knowing their effect on his family as well as ours. That he has an awesome responsiblity, and the fate of all Americans weighs on his shoulders.

We talked about the fact that he won't see another Presidential election until he's 12 years old...an eternity to him.

And then we celebrated with that most delectable of impromptu desserts - rice cakes & Nutella. Oh. My. Land. You really should try it.

Vote for Love

Google has an ad for Prop 8 on my blog today (and everyone that uses Google AdSense). Wow - they must have a LOT of money. I'm not going to remove AdSense for one day, then put it back. But it's not my idea to have it there.

Please know that the opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of its owner. While I might tell you how I'm voting, (which would, I'm sure, bore you to tears, and you wouldn't care anyway) I'm not going to tell anyone else how to vote. Not that you'd listen to my pea-brained reasons, anyway.

Just know that my underlying motives for voting propositions the way I do come back to this:

Is it kind?
Is it just?
Does it best serve the majority of the people, or a select few?
Does it advocate stewardship of the earth, our money, our time?
Does it demonize someone that is created in God's image?

I will tell you to vote, though. Vote your conscience, vote your pocketbook, spin-the-vote, whatever. Just vote, okay? And remember the old adage, if you don't vote, I don't want to hear you complain.

NaBloPoMo

Do I have your attention now?

It's National Blog Posting Month. Every day. Something to read, right here. No promises of quality, just quantity.

Pastor Dan made me think today. So did Los (Ragamuffin Soul). And Pastor Ryan. Thanks, guys.

When I vote Tuesday, I'll remember this: I'll not demonize those whom God has created in his image. And if I vote for someone, or something, I'll continue to pray for them - and for those on the "other side."

And I'll be thankful for my health, and the health of my children. And I'll pray for (in no particular order):

Susan (Fatty's wife, fighting cancer, quite possibly in the home stretch now)
Heide (My good friend, mom to Hanna Mae & Badaboo, and fighting cancer and painful back surgeries)
Randy (Lorra's brother-in-law, just diagnosed with cancer)
Jeffery (Dawn's husband - she just fought uterine cancer, and now is awaiting test results for her husband - he is very ill)
Kelsey (Kirsten's daughter, only 14 years old. Survivor of a congenital heart defect, now fighting an unknown connective tissue disease with a brave heart and a smiling face)

I was feeling so unbelievably confused. Why am I surrounded right now with people who need so much more help than I can possibly give? What can I possibly do to help?

But I know.

I can cook.
I can pray.
I can share what money I have.
I can praise God.

Pray Backwards

Sometimes it's just too much

An old pic, but a goodie
My kids had a good week. A really good week. Not a single note, or phone call from school. Don't get me wrong, they're not bad kids. But they have their issues. Don't get me started if you believe wholeheartedly that all ADHD can be "cured" with diet....sometimes the brain is just wired differently. We've tried every dietary restriction out there, and they are very healthy because of that, but who they are doesn't change - and my kids ARE the ones who will be discovering something new, or inventing something we've never seen before, or taking off to climb the world's highest mountain - because their brains are working 50 times faster than anyone else's. There's a reason, and those of you who know me well already know what it is. Look back through my archives, and you'll see I've alluded to this, but I'm just not going to do it right now. Who knows exactly why special needs kids are the way they are, anyway? And does it really matter?

My kids had a really good week. They had a great time at church today - Emme found a friend she hadn't seen since changing schools in kindergarten. Jake finally saved up enough "bucks" to buy a marshmallow shooter....

My kids had a really good week. They both asked to go to Burger King for lunch after church. They actually agreed, and worked together to convince me. I think it's the last fast food restaurant in town with an indoor play area.

As I waited for our food, I sent them in to play. I noticed three women come in to order right after us. One well-dressed, and a bit older than the other two. The younger two had beautiful smiles. They were very short, and one obviously had Down's Syndrome, while the other seemed to have another genetic difference I was unfamiliar with. I gave a quick prayer of thanksgiving for families and love, and resiliency, and my children's good health. The shorter one paused at the soda machine, choosing her drink carefully. I told her I liked her t-shirt, and she gave me a smile.

A few minutes later, I turned to bring our food into the play area room. I saw this young woman on the floor, cradled by her older friend and a man who'd been having lunch with his kids. She was having a seizure. I asked what I could do to help - they had already called 911, so I went out and told the staff of Burger King that an ambulance was on its way, and grabbed some napkins....the young women had been ill, and I wiped her face clean while we tried to determine if there was still food in her mouth. We were afraid she would choke.

I comforted the girl with Down's Syndrome, then my own kids. I got everyone settled down and returned to the sick girl's side. As I was saying a short prayer, I heard my son call out, "They're here!" He held the door open for the firemen.

A gurney was brought in, an IV started, and she was on her way to the emergency room in no time. It turned out her friend was her Special Olympics coach. She followed the ambulance to the hospital.

During this time - probably only 10 minutes, though it seemed longer, not one other person tried to help. Not one employee of the restaurant came to see if the young woman needed anything, nor did they come out to clean up the mess. We were there another half-hour after the ambulance left, and the mess remained on the floor and tables. I went out to remind them, and a young man told me that he had been too busy.

At first I was angry. Then I realized they were all young teens, probably scared, probably overwhelmed...probably not wanting to clean up the mess because they were afraid. An older couple had stood and stared the entire time - I had to ask them to move so I could get some napkins. Honestly, I'd never seen anyone suffering a grand mal seizure before, either, but I just saw a young girl who needed help. How can anyone not help?

My kids had a really good week. Thanks be to God.