My New Nephew

Kwame (pronounced KWAH-may) Frederick Matingou. Isn't he a cutie? He looks a little worried in this picture, but I think it's because he's not sure when we'll ever get to see him. If he wasn't so far away, I might actually get to hold him before he's driving a car! Anyway, congrats to the new mom and dad!

Rain??

This morning I was helping my son put his chain back on his bike so he could ride to school, and we both thought we felt a drop of water. I looked up at the clear sunny sky---perhaps a cloud here and there---and figured that we must surely have imagined it. About 20 minutes later I was running an errand, and as I was driving back home, a goodly little rain came down! I couldn't believe it. It was sunny, almost 70 degrees--people were out walking and jogging in shorts and tank tops.....and rain! It even lasted long enough that I finally had to use my windshield wipers. So I guess that perhaps the weather might be thinking of changing. And I feel a bit excited somehow---Fall is my favorite season, and while I get tired of cold and rain, at first the change is invigorating and enjoyable. For sure, this little precursor is a great motivator to get the final boxes out of the garage! At least on the one side where I'll want to park the van. It would be quite silly to have a nice garage to get to park in out of the rain and not be able to use it because I never got around to finishing the unpacking. For shame.

Perspective Again

So in my last post I mentioned that some things happen to keep things in perspective. Like today, for instance, when we attended the funeral (another one, yes) of one of our friends. She was 24 and lost her 3 year battle to cancer. Like was mentioned today, hers was a life taken but also a life given. She was so positive and so giving and so caring, even up to the end. I can't imagine being her parents right now. How do you bury your child? It isn't supposed to work that way. So: perspective. I'm lucky that I just have to be bummed about replacing a processor and what that might involve.

And I'm lucky to be alive, and I don't want to waste a minute.

Hear Today....But Not Tomorrow

Well, not exactly no hearing but diminished hearing, I guess you could say. It happened like this:

we left our house, ready to go to my inlaws' house about an hour and a half away. We drove the five minutes or so to the highway, turned onto the highway and picked up speed. After about three minutes of acceleration, something went flying off the windshield/hood. It seemed to have come from around the area of the windshield wiper. As soon as I saw it fly off into the wind, I had a sick sick feeling that I knew what it was. Sure enough:

"Um, is it possible that you don't have one of your processors on?" I asked my youngest son. Right before we left, he had been on his scooter, waiting for us to get in the car. In order to wear his helmet, he has to remove one of his speech processors. The rule is that they can never never never put a processor anywhere but in the house on a table, in the car in a safe place, etc. A place to NEVER put a processor, for instance, is on the hood of the car or sitting on the windshield or something like that.

The answer to my pointless question was, "No, I don't have my left one on." We stopped on the shoulder, backed up about 200 yards, and my husband and I got out and combed the side of the highway. We found about twelve pieces of it. Twelve pieces don't a processor make. It was amazing how completely stripped that puppy was. It's too complicated to go into, but suffice it to say that its days of usefulness are over.

I think these things happen so that everything can be kept in perspective. We thought it was a bummer that we'd left a little later than we'd wanted, but soon we realized that it would be lovely to only be bummed about that.

Plastic Surgery Anyone??

If you have further morbid fascination with Cat Woman (like I did), you can go here.

In Which I Punch Them In The Face

Wow! Kind of violent coming from a peace-loving girl like myself, don't you think? But it was about my boy, you see---he was riding his bike in the park and maybe it was because his helmet was on or maybe it was because the other boys were a little too far away. But when they tried to strike up a conversation or asked a question or whatever it was, my boy couldn't hear them. And so after several times of asking "what?" and likely desperately trying to make out what was being said or even attempting to guess and maybe fill in an answer, they laughed at him. Maybe it was just a chuckle amongst themselves, a murmured laugh and a shared look. Whatever it was, it broke his heart. And he came home, relaying the story, thinking he could just tell it. But then he cried, from the depths of his heart, he cried for maybe three minutes and said, "I wish I wasn't this way." Deaf, he meant. Different. Not part of the crowd. His anguish spilled out, and then he pulled himself together. But it's there. Still there, and how do I convince him that he's worth 100 of them, that he's luckier than most people on this earth because he's kind and compassionate and empathic and caring? How do I convince him that really there are so many people out there who battle worse disabilities than his, who live broken lives with no hope, and he's fortunate? I don't want to diminish or minimize his very real struggle. But I want him to have a perspective of hope and possibility. It's a hard age. It's a hard time to be different. It's a hard time to parent a child who maybe stands out a little because he's not exactly like all the other kids---but mostly he stands out because he's a stellar human being. Unlike those boys. Whom I want to...well, you know.

We Remember

It's hard to believe that it was already seven years ago that the awfulness of September 11 occurred. I didn't know anyone personally who was there, who suffered, who even was really affected. But it changed our world in so many ways; and I was realizing today in thinking about it, that for so many many people, it changed their entire lives. It reminded us all that we're not completely invulnerable, that evil does exist. It also reminded us that heroes are all around us.

There's a tendency in all of us, I suppose, to lump everyone into a category. It would be a huge mistake, on this anniversary of sadness and evil, to assume that everyone associated---by religion, by race---with those who perpetuated the happenings of Sept. 11, can be lumped into the same box. This article, so excellently and eloquently written, should be read by everyone. Unfortunately the people who likely most need to read it and consider this perspective and have a alternative viewpoint to consider, possibly won't get past the first or second paragraph. But I challenge you to do so. It's long, it takes a little time and thought, but there might be something in it that will make you think, "Huh. I never thought about it that way." I'm not saying that we should accept things that are contrary to our very beliefs and convictions. Of course we shouldn't. But a message of peace--a life dedicated to peace--should resound with anyone's beliefs.

At any rate, for any of you who were directly or even indirectly affected by the events of September 11, I hope you find a meaningful way to honor the memory of a loved one, a hero, a family member, a friend.

Motherhood And Politics

These are dangerous waters that I rarely get into for several reasons: I'm not very political. I'm not heated about my views. I don't have all the information. I absolutely hate angry and emotional and irrational debates about politics--especially among people who know each other. It's not worth it and many times, it's not an appropriate subject if it's causing angst. That's just my personal opinion.

THAT SAID....(and this isn't an invitation TO a political debate. I've no desire for that. Just making an observation): this line in an article--this question asked--caught my eye. Speaking about vice-presidential candidate, Sarah Palin: "Does the fact that she's a woman and mother affect her abilities as a politician." I would think it couldn't NOT affect one's abilities, but that to me wasn't as big an issue as the fact that her being a politician, without a doubt, affects her abilities as a mother. She has young children and even more, a special needs baby, and there is NO way being a politician allows her the time needed to be there for her children. Period. I'm not saying every mom MUST STAY HOME ALL DAY WITH THE CHILDREN. Let's not get into that debate. It's a complicated issue in many ways. I have my personal feelings about it, but I know that nothing is ever black and white. But I do know that children require time and effort and attention. Being a politician requires time and effort and attention. Just as much. There are only so many hours in a day. I'm not saying I couldn't be convinced otherwise about this; it's just that the math doesn't add up for me.

Beyond the young children, my thoughts were especially on the child with special needs. My two youngest boys are deaf and while they're doing excellently today at 10 and 12, I can tell you that those early years, those first four years or so, required exhaustive care and attention and time and more time and even more time. The thought of being a leader of a state, let alone a country, while being a parent of small children and the parent of a special needs child, makes me want to laugh hysterically. Sure, she could run circles---mega circles---around me. Of that, I have no doubt. But there are still only 24 hours in a day. In my world. In her world. Perhaps the children are minding the children and maybe that works. Maybe it's a stellar plan for them. I find it doubtful and unlikely myself.

SO. I'll probably regret bringing this up, but that's what I wanted to say about that.

I Followed Me Here

The weeks have passed and we've settled in some. So many boxes still unpacked (they just won't put themselves away!), so many things yet to do to be "done". But it's good. Things are good. The newness has worn off a bit, things have settled down---partly due to time passing, partly because of summer being over and school starting. It's good.

But I've discovered that I've followed myself here. I'm not magically a more productive person, a high-energy, get-stuff-done person suddenly. How disappointing. I'm not more organized and more efficient and less a time-waster and less a procrastinator. How disappointing. I'm not a new svelte me, I'm not suddenly a healthy eater and hyper exerciser. Darn. I'm not better, thinner, nicer, kinder, not even happier. I followed me here.

But it's okay. It's fine. And all is well. And life is good.....

Even with me here.