Baby Steps to Babying Self

I have long wanted to take better care of myself. To re-begin my yoga practice. To eat healthier. To take the supplements my body (as a 40 year old woman) needs. In short, I want to be all that I can be. Part of my struggle has been time. It takes about an hour for a good yoga workout. Finding recipes and doing the shopping for healthier meals (that my family will still eat) requires a lot of work. And, as for supplements, I have no idea where to start. But this week, all that changed. Dr. Oz was on Oprah and he listed all the vitamins/supplements I need. You can find the list at www.oprah.com. Then, while reading my new issue of Real Simple, I happened upon a great new website, zenhabits. Check them out at www.zenhabits.net. It has everything I've wanted to put to work in my life, mind, body, and spirit all in one place. While exploring there, I discovered iGoogle which provided me with a zillion cooking sites. Now, each morning, I receive a page full of links to recipes. Some are even healthy. Finally, today marked the first Thursday of Millie's extended stay at school. She will be there until 2:00, Thursdays only. I used my new-found time to put in an old yoga tape and stretch, pose and breathe. It was divine!
It is just my first week of taking care of myself. It will surely take some reminders (and a trip to the drug store for the supplements) for me to keep it up but I have faith in myself. I believe improving myself will only make my family better. So it's baby steps, one foot at a time.

Super Tuesday

Super Tuesday is here and it has brought with it nausea, loss of appetite, and hope. No, I'm not in need of an EPT. Just a positive turn out in the vote. I have my idea of what a positive turn out would be. My candidate is offering an unprecedented presidency, change from what we've had for the past 8 years, and hope for the masses. The race is tight and I'm nervous. So, just 12 more hours of this before polls close in California. Who knows how long it will take to figure out the numbers. In the meantime, I guess I'll eat small meals of saltines and drink some ginger ale.

He's Back...

No. Not Arnold, but Joe. After 5 long nights, he has returned. I let the kids stay up until he pulled in which was around 9:30. I even let our (his) one-year old Weimaraner puppy stay up. They were all thrilled to see him. I don't know which of us was more excited. Maisy (the dog) who couldn't stop wagging her tail and licking him, Millie who wanted to talk to him non-stop and do her twirly dance, Porter who wanted to tell him all about his recent air soft escapades, or me who just wanted to watch him with the dog and two kids. (Jonathan spent the night out last night.)
Yes, it had been a hard, long week for both of us. It was so good to have him back and see him return to our little world. This week teaches me one important lesson every year. It is simply this: Although there are times in parenting that I feel I can do a much better job than he can. I cannot, under any circumstances, do it without him. We are meant to do this together, learning from each other and trusting in ourselves.
Welcome Home Joe.

In My Quest To Become Green I'm Approaching Olive Drab

Not everybody's doing it but everybody should be. The state of our planet is in turmoil and we are the only ones around to do anything about it. We cannot take back every plastic bag we've used or every tree we've cut down. We cannot put back the water that we have let run on and on while we were washing our dishes or brushing our teeth. Nor can we replace the fuel we burned unnecessarily or air we tainted with chemicals from our hairspray. But, we can make changes now in how we live that will improve tomorrow. They call it being green.

I'm no different than you. I hear the simple steps that I can take and I want to join the movement. I take my own canvas bags to the grocery store instead of bringing home countless plastic bags that I'd no doubt add to my collection because I'm terrified to throw them away. I use both sides of the paper when I make grocery lists, to do lists and weekly menus for my family. I recycle my wine bottles, beer cans and #1 and #2 plastics from bottles of mixers. So, I'm approaching green but it's not a pretty green. The two cars we drive do not use flex fuel. I've not changed my light bulbs because, frankly, I think the "good" ones are ugly and most of my lamps would have them show. And I don't read labels for environmentally-friendly ingredients. Why? Because I don't know what to look for.

So, I have a lot of work to do before I can feel good about my part in this movement. For now, I am merely two-stepping to Soulja Boy. Which is about as attractive as the color Olive Drab.

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

Today marks three years since I first saw the face of the little girl God and the kind people in China decided would be my daughter. I remember it (the referral day) so vividly. First came "the call." The words, "Congratulations. You have a daughter!" followed by lots of information on her. Weight, height, the province where she was from, her age, etc. etc. All of it blurred and got all mixed up in my head. Luckily I was busy writing it down because I'd remember none of it. At the end of the conversation, a photo was promised. It would come to my computer inbox within minutes. I must have hit the refresh button a hundred times. And finally, there it was. I opened the email and then the attachment. I was sitting on Joe's lap shaking. As the photo opened I just cried. She was so beautiful! I cried out, "Joe, please tell me if she's ugly because I see the most beautiful little girl ever and I don't know if she really is or if I'm just seeing that." He assured me she wasn't ugly and I cried some more.

Today, I still cry when I remember all of the emotion I felt that day. And, I still look at her and see the most beautiful little girl ever.

A Week On My Own - "Groan"

This is the week I dread every year. The week Joe leaves to be a part of the "Big Show." (He works for a golf association and this is their big trade show and learning seminar for the year.) He puts a lot of hard work, blood, sweat and tears into it each year. So, in reality, I'm without him longer than just the week of the show. There is much planning that goes into it which commands much of his time for weeks prior to the event. This year, the show is falling on Millie's birthday. Last year, it was on Porter's birthday. Last year, it worked out though. The show was in Anaheim and the one thing Porter had asked for was to go to California on a plane. He didn't know Joe would be there for his birthday so we surprised him and he and I went with Joe for part of the trip. We did the obvious Disney stuff and a bit more. It was a birthday he won't soon forget. But this year, it's different. Although the show is in Orlando and there would be the obvious Disney connection, the invitation was not extended to Millie or myself this year.
So, Millie had a party this past weekend. Our theme was a Winter Wonderland. Daddy was here but didn't plan any of the party. He did, however, grunt at the few tasks he was given to help pull off the party. (Yes, I'm still a tad bitter.) All in all, though, the party was a success. But, my Snow Princess turns 4 tomorrow and Daddy won't be here to help celebrate. We will have my folks over for an early present and cake thing. Then Jonathan will go to soccer. Not too eventful. Perhaps we can celebrate again once Joe is home.
In the meantime, I'll do my best to single-parent it and take care of our crazy dogs. I hate this week but I need it just the same. It proves to me just how easy I have it all the other weeks of my life. And, most of all, it shows me how much Joe does do when he's here, even if it is through grunts and groans.

Our First Real Snow

The kids had a long weekend. A five day long weekend. So we prepared to pack up and spend the time at the cabin, or the Ridge, as we've begun to call it. Well, Mother Nature decided to welcome us on our second visit as owners of property in the deep woods of Western North Carolina with the promise of snow. So we juggled our plans and left early. Snow was expected around 9 PM on Wednesday. We left home at 4:30 and pulled into the Hendersonville Wal-Mart just before 9. Joe ran in to pick up two sleds. While he was shopping for the best sleds ever, the flakes began to fall. It was magical. Jonathan hadn't seen real snow in about 8 years. Porter had never seen it and Millie doesn't remember seeing it. So hearing the joy in my kids' voices and the smiles on their faces was so special.

As we pulled into the driveway of the cabin, snow was really coming down. Somehow, we managed to get everyone to bed. By the next morning, the fun began. There was sledding, snowball fights, more sledding, snow man building, and yes, more sledding. Three kids have never had more fun. Then, after hours of fun, there were NAPS! It was truly a wonderful visit. One I hope will be duplicated for years to come.