Learning....

After A While

Sydney Peyton

After a while you learn the subtle difference

between holding a hand and sharing a life

and you learn that love doesn't mean possession

and company doesn't mean security

and loneliness is unversal.

And you learn that kisses aren't contracts

and presents aren't promises

and you begin to accept your defeats

with your head up and your eyes open

with the grace of a woman

not the grief of a child

And you learn to build your hope on today

as the future has a way of falling apart in mid-flight

because tomorrow's ground can be too uncertain for plans

yet each step taken in a new direction creates a path

toward the promise of a brighter dawn

And you learn that even sunshine burns if you get too much

so you plant your own garden

and nourish your own soul

instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers

And you learn that love, true love, always has joys and sorrows

seems ever present, yet is never quite the same

becoming more than love and less than love

so difficult to define

And you learn that through it all

you really can endure

that you really are strong

and that you do have value

and you learn and grow

with every goodby

you learn.....

I can't get no satisfaction....

"For me, singing sad songs often has a way of healing a situation. It gets the hurt out in the open into the light, out of the darkness. "
Reba McEntire


Thank you, Reba. Thank you for being an amazing woman. Thank you for singing those powerful, sometimes scandilous (think "Fancy") songs that stir up so much emotion within people, the only logical thing to do is belt it out right along with you. Oh and thanks for being a red head :)

I've branched out a bit from my country - ness and started rocking out to the Galaxy Hit List (pop) on satellite. Its hilarious. I rock out while vaccuming. I just hope my neighbours don't hear. Or see......

New favorite songs :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGtd3rM2u3Q Moves Like Jagger - Maroon 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tg5jU96CC4w Gotta Be Somebody - Nickelback
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRgFeZa_I48 Use Somebody - Kings of Leon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcTlQAFt97g I don't Care - JRDN
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOHtNw9yp_A Baggage Claim - Miranda Lambert ( almost most favorite)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jHvJTlnUO4 Somebody's Chelsea - Reba McEntire ( I LOVE YOU CHELSEA)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCpWYAMjZig The Day She Got Divorced - Reba McEntire


Hope you all enjoy :)

Parenting....

"Each generation has been an education for us in different ways. The first child-with-bloody-nose was rushed to the emergency room. The fifth child-with-bloody-nose was told to go to the yard immediately and stop bleeding on the carpet. "
Art Linketter

It's amazing just how bang-on this quote is. As a mom, and as someone who works in the Emergency Room, I see this kind of thing all the time. The panicked looks painted on the faces of the new parents when their 4 month old coughs, the fear stricken parents of the 2 year old boy with the staple in his finger, and the utter hopelessness in the voice of the mom whos toddler just drank what was left of the bubbles. And then, ooooh and then, the complete opposite end of the spectrum. The parents who roll their eyes and scoff while they explain that their "youngest" fell from the treehouse and what the hell was he doing going up to the treehouse when he knew that it's Tuesday and Tuesday is their middle child's day to play in the tree house. OH! and then they're oldest ... *insert dramatic story here*
It's great. I love it. I revel in it. Mainly because I am already that parent. Don't get me wrong!! I love my children and care about them to the end of the earth and back. However... I have seen some shit! And after that, somehow, the bloody nose that has occurred time and time again because my daughter just WILL NOT keep her finger out of it just doesn't say "ER" to me.
I have been referred to as a "Garden Parent". I don't think I'd want to be anything else than a Garden Parent. My children spent 8+ hours outside everyday in summer and I believe they grew physically, intellectually, and emotionally stronger because of the amount of time they spend outside with friends. When they come in at night, their feet are black because who needs shoes, really. Their hair is matted and there is the occasional blood smear on some limb. I am amazed everytime I bathe them at the colour of the water after, and have discovered that if you put the two of them in the tub together, their splashing and swimming acts as an agitator and they're cleaner than if I bathe them seperately :) Oh the things we learn.

Sunday Reflection

Ahhh Sunday. The day of rest. The day with which God sat back and reflected on what he had accomplished. I get that I'm not God, but why can't I have a day of reflection? Instead, I have to wake up at 6 am to be at work at 7 am. If this isn't unjust I just don't know what is.

Don't get me wrong, I love my job. However, I also love weekends. I wish that every day was a weekend. Wouldn't life be grand?

My weekend started out well. Took the kids to the ferry to do the exchange with Daddy. This went smoothly except for the fact that the ferry was late.... shocker!

Emma and Mommy got a little squirrelly while waiting for the "fewwy Boat" to come in....

And then, Saturday. Another day of work. I spent the time I had trying to clean up this little episode...

Which was caused by this.... (excuse the mouthful of crackers, we're still working on the "dont chew with your mouth open" concept...)

Who normally looks like this...

During the "clean up", I learned that diaper cream is essentially grease, which doesn't lift out of carpet unless you are equipped with a turbo industrial carpet cleaner which utilizes razor blades. Needless to say I don't possess such a tool so yes, the diaper cream will be staying with us until I can hire someone who DOES.

I am now back at work (on break of course... hee hee). Does it end? Im REALLY looking forward to my 3 days off next weekend. :) I shall use that time to reflect on the sure-to-come chaos of this week.

Signing off,

Pooched