Ok, so here it goes....
With working, packing (still haven't filled a box but have gone through and purged items), coordinating, and all the other logistics in my life, my stress level is though the roof. I brought Marley home from daycare yesterday and we usually play outside but it has been really hot and muggy and I simply was not in the mood.
With a small tantrum we came inside and I brought out all the puzzles. Marley was not interested, it's summer she doesn't care about the heat, she wanted to be outside. Sorry but Mommy is not giving in this time.....so I thought.
I was busy with something and Marley was climbing up the walls, then she started running around the coffee table in her toddler Cro-Magnon way. I stopped what I was doing and joined her, mimicking every move. After two laps we were both on the floor in a fit of hysterical laughter. When the laughter subsided we did it three more times.
It reminds me of a Peanuts cartoon that I read years ago. The punch line was "if you can't beat 'em join 'em"... and so I did.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Please don't come back from the moon: My review, my perspective
As you can see with all the latest blog entries, I am procrastinating on the packing. I truly would love to have my mind on something less mundane .
I finished the book please don't come back from the moon by Dean Bakopoulos last night. It was short and it was good. I can't say that I will be enthusiastically handing it over to someone else tomorrow either. In fact I'm wondering whether or not to donate it so I don't have to pack it!
The story line is about Michael a boy from Maple Rock, Michigan a suburb of Detroit. A depression hit and many Father's simply left their homes, their wives and their children. One Father left a note stating that he "went to the moon". Michael's Father left when he was a teenager, he watched his Father climb into a car, both with an understanding on both their faces and his Father was simply gone, never to be seen again. The book trails Michael's life through the rest of his teenage years and entering his late 20's early 30's always with an emptiness in his heart. At the end he has a wife a stepson and a daughter, lots of questions and yearnings and not a lot of trust in himself. He's content but not happy.
This book, although melancholy, was very well written. I think the line that struck me most was the very last line of the book:
"Like an eye, the moon follows us wherever we go".
When my Grandmother passed away last month I felt that she was watching me. I made sure I didn't say the word "got" unless it was grammatically correct. I cringed when I wore my blue jeans and I went through all the letters she ever sent me kissing each one. She is a beautiful woman and I know she is still out there watching over me quit possibly from the moon.
I finished the book please don't come back from the moon by Dean Bakopoulos last night. It was short and it was good. I can't say that I will be enthusiastically handing it over to someone else tomorrow either. In fact I'm wondering whether or not to donate it so I don't have to pack it!
The story line is about Michael a boy from Maple Rock, Michigan a suburb of Detroit. A depression hit and many Father's simply left their homes, their wives and their children. One Father left a note stating that he "went to the moon". Michael's Father left when he was a teenager, he watched his Father climb into a car, both with an understanding on both their faces and his Father was simply gone, never to be seen again. The book trails Michael's life through the rest of his teenage years and entering his late 20's early 30's always with an emptiness in his heart. At the end he has a wife a stepson and a daughter, lots of questions and yearnings and not a lot of trust in himself. He's content but not happy.
This book, although melancholy, was very well written. I think the line that struck me most was the very last line of the book:
"Like an eye, the moon follows us wherever we go".
When my Grandmother passed away last month I felt that she was watching me. I made sure I didn't say the word "got" unless it was grammatically correct. I cringed when I wore my blue jeans and I went through all the letters she ever sent me kissing each one. She is a beautiful woman and I know she is still out there watching over me quit possibly from the moon.
Marley update
So here I am blogging instead of frantically trying to coordinate and organize this impending move. I truly thought I would have no time to blog but here I am! Actually I am at work, it's slow and I have just about done everything that I can do to make sure the transition goes smoothly. And anyways, what are they gonna do if they find me blogging, fire me, HA!
Marley has become quit the little girl these days. She went through a phase recently where she was OBSESSED with her belly button. That obsession had subsided... until yesterday when one of her teachers caught her offering her belly button a sip of water from her sippy cup. She also likes to share her sippy cups with her stuffed animals too. Belly buttons, stuffed animals they are both adorable and need tending to, right!?
Marley's vocabulary is growing. She has quite a list going these days. She says "bubble", "turtle", "all done", "more", "nana" (which interchanges with my Mother and a banana), "Mama and Papa" for Grandma and Grandpa, and last but not least there is "apple sauce". Not surprising that it's her favorite word but also her favorite food! If she sees something she doesn't know what it is, she simply calls it "apple sauce", it too is interchangeable.
Then there are her animals. Marley's favorite are two stuffed animal beagles and the real ones too! She also has a little Lamb which she calls "BA" (yes that loudly) and recently another stuffed dog that follows commands. Marley is constantly telling the new dog "DOWN" (yes that loudly). As far as calling the animals by their given identities she'd rather not. She's working on saying "dog" but would much rather bark and she'd much rather meow for a kitten, moo for a cow and so on. Just don't ask her what the dragon says, it's quite frightening when she lets out a big "RAH" and bares her teeth and claws.
Motherhood is better than I would have ever imagined. Watching her grow and discover the world and her capabilities simply astounds me. Her daycare had their first "water day" a couple of weeks ago, I was so excited for Marley knowing how much she loves the water. When I picked her up her teachers told me that out of all the kids Marley had the most fun, I wasn't surprised. So now when people ask me how Marley is doing, I tell them that she knows how to have the most fun!
.... Even with a pile of dirt that she played pretend shampoo. This dirt stuck to the scalp and after four real shampoo's still did not get it all out...but I won't go there because she had the most fun putting it there!
Marley has become quit the little girl these days. She went through a phase recently where she was OBSESSED with her belly button. That obsession had subsided... until yesterday when one of her teachers caught her offering her belly button a sip of water from her sippy cup. She also likes to share her sippy cups with her stuffed animals too. Belly buttons, stuffed animals they are both adorable and need tending to, right!?
Marley's vocabulary is growing. She has quite a list going these days. She says "bubble", "turtle", "all done", "more", "nana" (which interchanges with my Mother and a banana), "Mama and Papa" for Grandma and Grandpa, and last but not least there is "apple sauce". Not surprising that it's her favorite word but also her favorite food! If she sees something she doesn't know what it is, she simply calls it "apple sauce", it too is interchangeable.
Then there are her animals. Marley's favorite are two stuffed animal beagles and the real ones too! She also has a little Lamb which she calls "BA" (yes that loudly) and recently another stuffed dog that follows commands. Marley is constantly telling the new dog "DOWN" (yes that loudly). As far as calling the animals by their given identities she'd rather not. She's working on saying "dog" but would much rather bark and she'd much rather meow for a kitten, moo for a cow and so on. Just don't ask her what the dragon says, it's quite frightening when she lets out a big "RAH" and bares her teeth and claws.
Motherhood is better than I would have ever imagined. Watching her grow and discover the world and her capabilities simply astounds me. Her daycare had their first "water day" a couple of weeks ago, I was so excited for Marley knowing how much she loves the water. When I picked her up her teachers told me that out of all the kids Marley had the most fun, I wasn't surprised. So now when people ask me how Marley is doing, I tell them that she knows how to have the most fun!
.... Even with a pile of dirt that she played pretend shampoo. This dirt stuck to the scalp and after four real shampoo's still did not get it all out...but I won't go there because she had the most fun putting it there!
My first Meme
I stole this from my good friend Viking Zen.
One Word Meme
1. Where is your mobile phone? Purse.
2. Relationship? Enriching.
3. Your hair? Brown.
4. Work? Tedious.
5. Your sister(s)? Awesome!
6. Your favorite thing? Coffee mug.
7. Your dream last night? Frustrating.
8. Your favorite drink? Coffee.
9. Your dream car? Elephant.
10. The room you're in? Office.
11. Your shoes? Sandals.
12. Your fears? Abandonment.
13. What do you want to be in 10 years? Happy.
14. Who did you hang out with this weekend? Marley.
15. What are you not good at? Anorexia.
16. Muffin? Banana Nut.
17. Wish list item? Vacation.
18. Where you grow up? Earth.
19. The last thing you did? Breakfast.
20. What are you wearing? Shorts.
21. What are you not wearing? Sombrero.
22. Your pet? Double.
23. Your computer? On.
24. Your life? Hectic.
25. Your mood? Optomistic.
26. Missing? Earring.
27. What are you thinking about? Moving.
28. Your car? Jeep.
29. Your kitchen? Functional.
30. Your summer? Splendid.
31. Your favorite color? Red.
32. Last time you laughed? Today.
33. Last time you cried? Weeks.
34. School? Pending.
35. Love? Fabulous.
One Word Meme
1. Where is your mobile phone? Purse.
2. Relationship? Enriching.
3. Your hair? Brown.
4. Work? Tedious.
5. Your sister(s)? Awesome!
6. Your favorite thing? Coffee mug.
7. Your dream last night? Frustrating.
8. Your favorite drink? Coffee.
9. Your dream car? Elephant.
10. The room you're in? Office.
11. Your shoes? Sandals.
12. Your fears? Abandonment.
13. What do you want to be in 10 years? Happy.
14. Who did you hang out with this weekend? Marley.
15. What are you not good at? Anorexia.
16. Muffin? Banana Nut.
17. Wish list item? Vacation.
18. Where you grow up? Earth.
19. The last thing you did? Breakfast.
20. What are you wearing? Shorts.
21. What are you not wearing? Sombrero.
22. Your pet? Double.
23. Your computer? On.
24. Your life? Hectic.
25. Your mood? Optomistic.
26. Missing? Earring.
27. What are you thinking about? Moving.
28. Your car? Jeep.
29. Your kitchen? Functional.
30. Your summer? Splendid.
31. Your favorite color? Red.
32. Last time you laughed? Today.
33. Last time you cried? Weeks.
34. School? Pending.
35. Love? Fabulous.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
I'm still here
Moving is not fun and I haven't even packed a box yet. That process will begin this weekend. The good news is I have a place to live, a job and I have secured a daycare for Marley.
Marley and I saw several daycares last Friday and it does pay off to walk into these places. I had 6 places to see on my list but only made it to 3 because I kept getting lost. I know, I know, I should never seek a career as a Captain of a ship. I feel with all the research I have done I chose well. The first place we saw was great and is in fact the place that I have chosen for Marley. The director and the teachers were fabulous, they truly care about the children. The second place I saw was horrible. It was huge and it felt like a factory for kids. The director didn't let me ask any questions. We did see the class where Marley would be placed and the kids were screaming, a few were crying and the teachers were chatting in the corner. I ran not walked out of that place. The third place would be great except it's in a bad area of town and Marley would be the only white kid. Color doesn't bother me what so ever but it would be awkward. Even though it's the 21st Century this still is the south.
Although I would love to clone Marley's current daycare, I feel I have made an excellent decision for her. I really don't want to uproot her and put her in another daycare again. Although I will if she's not happy.
I am going to give my notice at work today. I always hate resigning from a job. It feels like I am breaking up with someone which is never a good feeling. I am also telling Marley's daycare today too........sigh................
It's all a little bitter sweet. I am excited about the new town, the new people I will meet but I will miss the house and the life I have built here. Being a diplomats kid you'd think I would be used to saying goodbye but it's never been easy.
That's my life in a nutshell for the time being. I will try and blog as much as I can but realistically it won't be as much as I would like to.
Happy Wednesday!
Marley and I saw several daycares last Friday and it does pay off to walk into these places. I had 6 places to see on my list but only made it to 3 because I kept getting lost. I know, I know, I should never seek a career as a Captain of a ship. I feel with all the research I have done I chose well. The first place we saw was great and is in fact the place that I have chosen for Marley. The director and the teachers were fabulous, they truly care about the children. The second place I saw was horrible. It was huge and it felt like a factory for kids. The director didn't let me ask any questions. We did see the class where Marley would be placed and the kids were screaming, a few were crying and the teachers were chatting in the corner. I ran not walked out of that place. The third place would be great except it's in a bad area of town and Marley would be the only white kid. Color doesn't bother me what so ever but it would be awkward. Even though it's the 21st Century this still is the south.
Although I would love to clone Marley's current daycare, I feel I have made an excellent decision for her. I really don't want to uproot her and put her in another daycare again. Although I will if she's not happy.
I am going to give my notice at work today. I always hate resigning from a job. It feels like I am breaking up with someone which is never a good feeling. I am also telling Marley's daycare today too........sigh................
It's all a little bitter sweet. I am excited about the new town, the new people I will meet but I will miss the house and the life I have built here. Being a diplomats kid you'd think I would be used to saying goodbye but it's never been easy.
That's my life in a nutshell for the time being. I will try and blog as much as I can but realistically it won't be as much as I would like to.
Happy Wednesday!
Sunday, June 03, 2007
The Book Club
I joined a book club last summer mainly to recondition my "Mommy Brain" back to a state of thoughts that did not involve routines, diaper changes and the trials and triumphs of breast feeding. Sadly I have not been able to attend that many, there has always been a conflict, despite the fact I truly am a homebody. The meetings I have attended have been fabulous, the book club has a great group of smart ladies. Some of the books on the other hand have been down right awful.
The two I do not recommend are "Marley and Me" by John Grogan. It's a cute story but in our book club session we couldn't find anything to talk about, as far as the book goes. It was given a unanimous two thumbs down by the whole group. Another book was "Best Friends" by Martha Moody. Another two thumbs down and very little discussion about the book during the meeting.
My favorite book so far was "Sunflower and the Secret Fan" by Lisa See. What a fantastic book, I could not stop thinking about it for weeks after I finished. Lily and Snow Flower are best friends and you see their friendship and lives develop and change during 19th century China. This book does not leave out any details about female bonds, foot binding and how stifling it was for Chinese women during that time. Needless to say it was given a two thumbs up from everyone in the book club. The meeting lasted a lot longer than normal and the only discussion was about the book.
We are now on the last book of the list which is "Please Don't Come Back From the Moon" by Dean Bakopoulos. One member of the book club has read it and has already given it a thumbs down. I haven't even opened it yet, so we shall see.
We voted on the next list and here it is:
1. The Road - Cormac Macarthy
2. The Thirteenth Tale - Diane Settterfield
3. Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert
4. A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini
5. Stolen Lives - Malika Oufkir
6. The Raw Shark Texts - Steven Hall
I am proud to say that my suggestion is number 5! I am very intrigued with number 4. He is also the author of "The Kite Runner" a book that I have read and heard wonderful things. We will see about the others.
Sadly, I will have to leave my book club due to the imminent move but I have the list, friends from the book club and hopefully will find another that is just as fabulous.
The two I do not recommend are "Marley and Me" by John Grogan. It's a cute story but in our book club session we couldn't find anything to talk about, as far as the book goes. It was given a unanimous two thumbs down by the whole group. Another book was "Best Friends" by Martha Moody. Another two thumbs down and very little discussion about the book during the meeting.
My favorite book so far was "Sunflower and the Secret Fan" by Lisa See. What a fantastic book, I could not stop thinking about it for weeks after I finished. Lily and Snow Flower are best friends and you see their friendship and lives develop and change during 19th century China. This book does not leave out any details about female bonds, foot binding and how stifling it was for Chinese women during that time. Needless to say it was given a two thumbs up from everyone in the book club. The meeting lasted a lot longer than normal and the only discussion was about the book.
We are now on the last book of the list which is "Please Don't Come Back From the Moon" by Dean Bakopoulos. One member of the book club has read it and has already given it a thumbs down. I haven't even opened it yet, so we shall see.
We voted on the next list and here it is:
1. The Road - Cormac Macarthy
2. The Thirteenth Tale - Diane Settterfield
3. Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert
4. A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini
5. Stolen Lives - Malika Oufkir
6. The Raw Shark Texts - Steven Hall
I am proud to say that my suggestion is number 5! I am very intrigued with number 4. He is also the author of "The Kite Runner" a book that I have read and heard wonderful things. We will see about the others.
Sadly, I will have to leave my book club due to the imminent move but I have the list, friends from the book club and hopefully will find another that is just as fabulous.
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