Showing posts with label NaBloPoMo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NaBloPoMo. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Damn that Pinocchio!

Back when GIRL was almost 4 years old, she suddenly developed a fear of Pinocchio. In her imagination, he could be anywhere. In her room. The hallway. Around the corner...


It all started when she overheard a conversation at her preschool, between a teacher and some older children. The talk of donkey ears, a whale, and a boy turning into a doll, let alone his nose growing longer and longer every time he lied... scared her. Who wouldn't be? It's a gruesome tale.

She worried about him for a few weeks. The fear finally faded away. But, she never forgot.

Remember when I used to be scared of Pinocchio, Mommy?

Yes....

GIRL is basically a court reporter. If something happens, she'll tell you about it in every glorious detail. She's so earnest, it is hard not to smile during the telling.

This morning she called out to me....


GIRL: Mommy, you know what's changed about what I do in the bathroom?

JCK: What, sweetie?

GIRL: Well, I used to plug my ears when I flushed the toilet.

JCK: Because the noise was too loud?

GIRL: No. I thought Pinocchio was coming.


Damn that Pinocchio!



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Thus ends JCK's saga with NaBloPoMo, (30 posts in 30 days), for the month of November. She didn't always do it well, but she did it...


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Monday, November 29, 2010

JCK's pie in the sky illusions...

When all the pie comes to settle in the mid-section, it is to be noted that JCK reached for a bit of Pie in the Sky illusions this month. JCK appears to often set her sights a bit too high. Without the fun of actually being high. The eighties are gone. *sigh* Somehow in her dreamy little mind JCK imagined that this month of NaBloPoMo would accelerate her writing. Indeed...not.


This month has not been about much writing. It's been about throwing something - anything, on the page. However, JCK CAN SAY that it has been about persistence. Of that, she appears to have some mojo. Which has not always been the case. There have been many examples of What Ifs? And..If Onlys leading up to JCK's life of middle years. So, NaBloPoMo has not beaten her yet. But, then...there IS one. more. day.

The last time JCK did NaBloPoMo was in 2007. Three years ago. She recalls one weary night in which she told NaBloPoMo to just...well, BLOW. It wasn't pretty. JCK is not proud of this break-down. It was not very classy or polite. But, JCK was out of juice. Flat out.

NaBloPoMo is a brilliant concept. And introduces wonderful writers to the blogosphere and ...beyond. JCK has realized that NaBloPoMo is best taken on with a theme. She, of course, did not realize this until...now.

JCK has enjoyed reading other bloggers who participated in NaBloPoMo this year. She expecially loved the blogs participating in the 30 Days of Thankfulness for November.

JCK is thankful. Yes, she is. JCK is Thankful that NaBloPoMo is almost over....



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JCK is participating in NaBloPoMo, (30 posts in 30 days), for the month of November.


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Monday, November 22, 2010

Dreaming Big...

The small moments are really the big ones. If you are lucky, you see them... They catch your breath and slow you down, capturing an imprint deep within your heart. It feels as if my children are on the cusp of being much older. Morphing before my very eyes.

GIRL wants to be a Kindergarten teacher. BOY, a Lego Designer. I wish for them to follow their dreams...



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JCK is participating in NaBloPoMo, (30 posts in 30 days), for the month of November.


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Saturday, November 13, 2010

Wordless Weekend- NaBloPoMo


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JCK is participating in NaBloPoMo, (30 posts in 30 days), for the month of November.


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Friday, November 12, 2010

all it takes is a resting period

A friend of mine recently decided to participate in a community delivery of fresh organic produce. Every week you get a box of something in season. A huge box. So big that she offered to share some of it with us each week. She's lovely, my friend. One of the most generous women I know.


Today, I picked up a brown bag stuffed with collards and turnip greens, a sugar pumpkin, and an acorn squash. The greens were wilted, but I put them into a large stew pot full of cold water. A couple of hours later they were bursting up out of the top of the pot. Gorgeous in sheen and color. All they had needed was water.

I was reminded of myself. Often, I allow myself to grow so...depleted, that I feel shriveled and wilted. And, sometimes, all it takes is a resting period with plenty of water to infuse myself with fresh energy. I just have to remember to do it...

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JCK is participating in NaBloPoMo, (30 posts in 30 days), for the month of November.


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Thursday, November 4, 2010

My loyal reader...


BOY: Daddy, why are you on Motherscribe?



E: Because I read everything Mommy writes.



BOY: You want to see what she's up to?



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JCK is participating in NaBloPoMo, (30 posts in 30 days), for the month of November.


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Wednesday, November 3, 2010

the stories that enter his brain somewhere left of outer space and beyond

My son is blessed with a vivid imagination. This is both a blessing and a curse. He can create elaborate tales that weave in and out and go on and on AND ON...until you are not sure where the story begins and ends. And, sometimes I'm not sure he does either.

He struggles with writing. At first it was because he couldn't actually do it. Now he just doesn't like it. Someday I hope he decides to write down the stories that enter his brain somewhere left of outer space and beyond.

BOY finds the tales of ordinary school days too pallid for consumption. He likes to pad them a bit.

Yesterday he announced that they did an experiment to see how fast liquid travels down the esophagus.

55 miles an hour, Mom. FIFTY-FIVE MILES AN HOUR DOWN THE ESOPHAGUS!

Really....

Yes, Mom.

That sounds really interesting, BOY. I wonder how they figured out how fast liquid travels down the esophagus.

Well, first Miss C put gauges down our throat. Testers. And, then we drank the liquid and it was FIFTY-FIVE MILES AN HOUR DOWN THE ESOPHAGUS.

Really?



Yes, Mom. I'm serious. Totally serious, mom.



55 miles an hour?



FIFTY-FIVE MILES AN HOUR, Mom.

MMmmmm... I'll have to ask Miss C about this amazing experiment.

Well. Well... That was another class. We didn't have time to do it in my class.

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Apparently Miss C's class is the class to be in. Last year she got up on the roof with all the children in BOY's class, and they swung by ropes from one building to the next, played tag, rappelled down, and on and on and on and on and on....


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JCK is participating in NaBloPoMo, (30 posts in 30 days), for the month of November.


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Tuesday, November 2, 2010

because JCK would like to continue smiling

It's been JCK's personal experience that dentists tend to be a bit nerdy, dare she say...Goofy. As in the Disney character. For a while JCK had a dentist in Beverly Hills. He was very wooden in form, with big white teeth. But, still nerdy and goofy.

In the last year, JCK switched to a new dentist. A middle-aged Russian guy who told bad jokes while he examined her teeth. Nerdy, a bit goofy. The exercise in yawn, yawn... continued.

That was until Dr. D dropped into the practice. Dr. D with his manly manness. Looks like a jock, yet went to BU. Easily a decade younger than JCK, he makes her feel ...like a girl when she is in his chair. Which is good, considering he's been wielding long ass needles, drills, and lasers in JCK's direction.

As JCK drools out of her lips that have been socked silly with Novocaine, Dr. D pats her arm reassuringly, letting her know that she is in good, strong, gentle hands.

Dr. D came up with THE PLAN to get JCK's teeth repaired and "aesthetically pleasing". It is important to him that he perfect her teeth. JCK is not exactly clear why it is vital that the teeth in the very back of her mouth be aesthetically pleasing, but she's going along with THE PLAN. Because JCK would like to continue smiling.

During one of their conversations, before the drooling started, JCK confessed that her fillings were ancient.

Well, you've had a good run, Dr. D said. And, then he moved on.

JCK wishes she could move on as quickly as Dr. D does. She's still trying to wrap her head around words thrown at her like "crowns, and lengthening crowns, and hopefully not a root canal."

This morning, JCK tried to smile at Dr. D's enthusiasm through her bloated lips, which were not unlike Cher's.

Did you have a chance to see your new crown, JCK?

No, Dr. D, I haven't yet.

Well! Come right in here. I'll show you in the BIG mirror.

The mirror is so large, JCK imagines that Dr D might like to do a little Saturday Night Fever dance in front of this mirror during his down time.

Dr. D is a proud man. As, he should be. Even JCK was impressed with his mastery.

It looks GREAT! JCK blurted.

Dr. D almost hopped up and down. He was that pleased that JCK was pleased.

JCK admires people who have a passion for their work. She just wishes she could admire from a distance... without it involving the emptying of her piggy bank, or nursing a sore jaw.


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JCK is participating in NaBloPoMo, (30 posts in 30 days), for the month of November.


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Monday, November 1, 2010

JCK kicked the Candy Fairy to the Curb

Halloween was a little different this year. JCK's husband was away, and JCK had to make all the important CANDY DECISIONS. You know the ones. How much candy do you allow your 6 year old children to eat on Halloween? How much after that, and... what do you do with the leftovers? A candy haul that screams of American Excess.

In past years, BOY & GIRL were allowed to eat the same number of candies as their age. Then last year, JCK was introduced to the concept of the Candy Fairy. Basically how it works is that your children eat some candy on Halloween, pick out a few pieces to save, and leave the rest to be picked up that night...while they are asleep, by the Candy Fairy. In exchange for the candy, the fairy leaves a small toy.

Why not? Too much candy, and the Candy Fairy takes it away. Saving young children's teeth and the ripening waists of their parents. All is well!

This year JCK considered her options. And surprisingly, the Candy Fairy didn't sit well with her. JCK started thinking about it, and decided she didn't want to have yet another time when fairies were flying into her home space. And, toys mysteriously turning up for her children who don't really need another toy. Especially not from a fairy who glorifies candy. JCK pondered... just what kind of relationship must this Candy Fairy have with the Tooth Fairy. Surely, they must battle each other to the death. Teeth or candy? CANDY OR TEETH?

Lest you think JCK was over thinking this a bit...well, she was. And, then she made a decision. JCK kicked the Candy Fairy to the Curb.

Instead, JCK decided to talk to her children. Explain that she thought they were old enough to decide how much candy they wanted to eat that night. But, to remember two things. If it looked like they needed help with that decision, JCK would step in. And...too much candy can make you throw up. Always good to throw in a little dramatic visual for good measure.

And, so... BOY & GIRL ate some candy. And some more. GIRL carefully chose each one, savoring every bite, and lining up the next choice. BOY figured that if he was allowed to decide how much candy he was going to eat, he would try everything. And, he did. Like a true candy aficionado, BOY took one bite of each one, and moved on. GIRL stopped on her own after several pieces. BOY needed a couple of prompts to wind down. Total consumption? Not extreme. And, then they were done. Teeth brushed, ready for bed.

Today, they had one piece of candy after dinner. And, have not asked where JCK has hidden the great stash. Fortunately, some of that stash has been devoured by JCK. It goes well with a little whiskey on a November evening...


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JCK is participating in NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month), writing 30 blog posts in 30 days.


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Sunday, November 30, 2008

Casa Fartus de Motherscribe it should be called

The abode where JCK resides might well have become known as The House of Farts had there been any witnesses outside JCK's own tribe. Tremendously fumy farts. Casa Fartus de Motherscribe it should be called. Tis' true. Imagine if you will, 3 flatulence bearers. BOY gets a pass as his odorous phase has now ...well, passed. With 3 other rootin tootin TOOTERS to take his place. The plague has thrown open the door and left, but his black cape tails are trailing behind breaking much wind. My GOD, the aroma. Perhaps best if social engagements are cancelled for another day.


In other news...JCK is happily ensconced in her bed with luscious red lap top atop her. Not to be confused with what is underneath...a his and hers dual control...heated blanket. Such indulgence. Such luxury. Hers for the taking. One might think a heated blanket would be unnecessary in Southern California, but remember it is really a desert and the nights are cool.

So, JCK lies amidst plump pillows that are not her breasts, and much fur that is..thank the Goddess, not belonging to JCK but to her cat...A feline who loves to follow JCK, and has been pawing back through memory lane to the days when JCK actually lay abed and read books. Said feline was not too saddened when JCK writhed and moaned on the bed recently due to foul illness, because...after all, JCK was upon the bed.

All felines being equal, we are here at the end of the trail...NaBloPoMo: writing 30 posts in 30 days for the month of November. A challenge JCK thought she was up for, but really wasn't. Yet, she did it. Through dramas, illness, and the tedium of forcing words across a page that didn't want to be written. It's JackO'Clock by GOD!!


***JCK acknowledges that not all questions proposed by her readers were addressed. JCK begs indulgence and patience on the part of her readers. The questions will be answered. In time...all in good time.


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Friday, November 28, 2008

Flu bug just won't let Casa de Motherscribe alone

I so wish my ending pieces on NaBloPoMo could be on a high note, but as of this morning I woke up with the flu.

And now E is getting the stomach flu.

GIRL threw up in the car on the way home last night. She has appeared to have bounced back. Aah....youth. And I'm glad as I can barely take care of myself at this point.

Here's to healthier days. The flu bug just won't let Casa de Motherscribe alone...


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Wednesday, November 26, 2008

NaBloPoMo...Driving JCK to write poorly at best because she's such a friggin' goody two shoes...

In which she would love to yell FUCK, but it appears unseemly due to Thanksgiving being tomorrow. Nothing really VALID to yell FUCK about, but it would feel good. Yes. It. Would.

Diarrhea. Not mine. Yet. But, poor little GIRL. Although...you'd never know there was something wrong by the way she's been today - other than taking a 2 hour nap this afternoon.Can we say it again? FUCK. Let's hope that's all there is and it's done by tomorrow. So far, very minor. But, there IS the night to get through.

Today I built a Lego bulldozer with my son, took my daughter to ballet and have been making cornbread stuffing tonight. I've based it on a recipe, but have thrown in my own pizazz. If it's good tomorrow, I'll share the recipe in a post.

For now...I'm off to bed, once again hearing the rain on the roof, but too tired to read.

NaBloPoMo. Driving JCK to write poorly at best because she's such a friggin' goody two shoes...


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Tuesday, November 25, 2008

California dew...indeed




One of my very favorite things is curling up in bed with a good book, snuggled under the covers and listening to the thrum of rain on the roof. It's been too long since I did that.

I've been off the computer for the last two days, except for a quick catch-up on email at the end of the day and my dutiful posting for NaBloPoMo. Next year...remind me not to do this again. It is a great goal, to post every day for 30 days, but man...is it grueling. I miss, most of all, having time to read all the wonderfully talented bloggers who are out there.

I've got posts coming up about my latest foray into becoming Betty Crocker, the wonderful tips I got on managing meals, and yes...I've got a post about raising girls in today's society brewing. So...stay tuned.

For now, I'm off to read a book... the rain is coming down and my bed is calling to me. California dew...indeed.


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Friday, November 7, 2008

And how he took 10 FRIGGIN' days to call!


When we last left our heroine, JCK, she was seen exiting the parking structure of an IBM building.

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JCK was feeling quite giddy. In fact, she had butterflies in her stomach and her loins appeared to be radiating heat. All caused from a delicious flirtation with an intriguing man named E. Titillation at an IBM sound stage. Who knew?

10 days went by... JCK was feeling a bit CONFUSED. Certainly this E fellow had appeared sincere in wanting to see her again. Hadn't he? He seemed so nice and had quite a cute ass. And tiny freckles on his nose. She had seen them. The freckles. She was saying almost all this, and more, on the phone to her friend SD from L.A. SD was patiently listening as JCK appeared to go on and on about this E character.

Suddenly the call waiting beeped in.

Hold on SD, I'll be right back.

Hello?

Is this J?

Yes.

It's E.K. We met on the IBM industrial shoot?

Oh...hello, JCK said throatily with warmth. Can you hold on just a moment, E? I've got someone on the other line.

Click back over to SD on call waiting.

SD!!!! IT'S HIM! IT'S HIM!!

Poor SD had to get off the line. For the personal safety of her ears.

JCK returned to E on the other line. They chitted and chatted. Perhaps for several minutes. A date was set for dinner. E asked what time JCK would like him to pick her up. JCK, being an independent sort of gal, stated that she would prefer to drive herself. It appeared to throw E off a bit, yet he went with it. They agreed to meet at his apartment, and then go together to the restaurant.

Date night arrived. The weather cooperated. No sleet, snow or rain. JCK wore something feminine. Fishnets were not involved. After all, this was a first date, not an affair.

JCK arrived Chez E. He lived in a quaint two story apartment building. JCK had barely grazed her knuckles across the door, when it was thrust open. E had been waiting. Not really, but this was 15 years ago and JCK's brain is a bit spotty after having children barely 10 months apart and all that.

What JCK does remember is this...

JCK was quite nervous. Imagine her delight when E welcomed her into his apartment, took her coat, and asked her if she'd like a glass of wine. Beautiful music was playing...and not just in her own mind. While he was pouring, JCK noticed that he had prepared a spread... just for her. On the table was a bountiful plate of brie, crackers and red grapes. JCK began to imagine what it would be like to feed E grapes, when she came back to earth and realized he had asked her a question.

Would you like the nickel tour?

Sure. JCK seemed to say that a lot. She was a bit tongue tied around E, but the wine was helping.

E showed her the small kitchen in front and then his bedroom in back. The first thing that JCK noticed, other than the shelves full of books and albums, was the fireplace.

My GOD, he had a bachelor LAIR!

That was where JCK's mind went. E, being the gentleman raised in the south as he was, led her right back out to the wine and cheese area. They nibbled a bit, finished their glass of wine, and left for the restaurant.

E took JCK to a lovely little bistro in an area of Atlanta called Virginia-Highlands. They drank wine, ate some food, and talked. And talked. About many things...politics, JCK's previous life in L.A. and NYC, E's life as an actor in Atlanta, his college years at Carnegie-Mellon, his six months spent living the gypsy actor's life in Europe, and JCK's childhood years in Africa and Beirut, Lebanon. There was a lot to talk about. It flowed quite easily and it wasn't just the wine.

Later, they walked a bit. Talked some more. And decided to get ice cream cones on the corner. All the adult chairs were taken, so E and JCK decided to sit in the small toddler chairs. Luckily for them, their buttocks were youthful and fit quite nicely. They continued to wax eloquently on ...and suddenly... it was quite late. Hours had gone by.

E drove JCK back to his house and walked her to her car. He told her he had had a lovely evening. She did the same. They said goodnight. JCK drove home. There was no carnal knowledge at this time.

That night, JCK had a strange thought. But, it kept pushing its way to the surface and calling to her...

I am going to marry this man.

And on a gloriously beautiful October day in 1995, they did marry.

JCK still likes to tell the story of how they met. And how he took 10 FRIGGIN' days to call!

E likes to tell the story of how he drove off from the IBM parking garage kicking himself because he had gotten the O.K. from JCK to call, yet did not have her telephone number. A minor detail. E did take the matter into his own hands and called her agent, whom he had known for quite some years, and talked him into divulging the much coveted telephone number of JCK.

As to why he took 10 FRIGGIN' days to call? E thought it had only been a few days. As any woman who has been married for several years will tell you ...men have a different sense of time.

This concludes the story of how JCK met E.

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This post is for Jason from The Jason Show who wanted more posts containing the words: Carnal Knowledge ...

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Note: It's NaBloPoMo, what would you like me to write about?


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Wednesday, November 5, 2008

The American people have spoken and they have spoken clearly

Looking at the jubilant crowd in Chicago last night was truly awe inspiring. The number of young people participating was incredible. Never in my lifetime have I seen something like this, and I have never been prouder to be an American.

Today dawned a new day. A day in which we look ahead to the inauguration of our first African American President of the United States of America. The American people have spoken and they have spoken clearly.

Barack Obama is the future and I hope he’ll be a great President. He’s got an incredibly challenging job to do, but his willingness to seek advice and his openness to hear others will serve him well.

Our children have been born into an historic time. A time of change in a world that appeared stagnant. A time of hope when we had become hopeless.

Barack Obama.

A man born to an African father and an American mother. A man who is both black and white. A man who inspires hope and infuses us with the belief that we are capable of greatness.



**Photo courtesy of The Huffington Post.


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Monday, November 3, 2008

Forget eye candy, this is whole body candy.

I was so exhilarated, but then... I looked over and he was gone. And I was left with this memory... Him. Emerging from the sea, shirtless. Water dripping down his long torso, hair flung back, azure blue eyes crinkling up from the sun. And that smile...or was it a smirk? I still don't know. I will have to wait 6 long months before seeing him again. A bloody difficult thing to do when you're a stay-at-home mom, and don't get out much. Halloween comes once a year, but that kind of candy...well, it was weekly and it was good. 13 weeks of candy for this Mamacita. 13 weeks of Lost. Of. Delish. Worth waiting for. He was.









Until 4 weeks ago...

When Candy for the Mamacita became Candy for Big Girls. Ahhh HonUH.. You got it! Candy for Big Girls. A new man is in town and I will never be the same. His name is Sam.... *SIGH*









SAM, I AM!!!
He looks good in leather.

And he's Irish...in real life. He shows up late, after the kids have gone to bed. He's not particular about what I'm wearing, just that I am there. And I am...baby, oh yeah. If this is Life on Mars...where's the launch pad?



Forget eye candy, this is whole body candy.
















And this is why, fickle woman that I am, I have thrown Sawyer under the bus. Well, at least until "early next year." It's good to have a variety of delights, no?


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Thanks to Happy Geek who wanted me to write a post completing the sentence: I was so exhilarated, but then...

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Note: It's NaBloPoMo, what would you like me to write about?



*** Eye candy photos courtesy of Google Images & ABC Television.


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Sunday, November 2, 2008

Painting was a way that I could express the pain over my infertility

I come from a long line of artists. Painters, on my mother's side. My grandfather was an artist, as was his mother, and two of his daughters - my aunts. (My cousin, Charles Reid, drew the header for my blog above. Pen & ink first, and then he added color and digitized it.) Although my mother is not an artist, she has a gift of perceiving skin tones and seeing the nuances and variances in color. There is no blue, green, red or orange. She sees magenta and crimson...scarlet lake and blue geranium. My sister has inherited the family gift. Her eldest son appears to have the gift as well, which brings it to 5 generations. That I know of.


At a young age I realized I didn't have the family gift. Not only did I not have the family gift, but it appeared that I was much less gifted than the average student in art class. There was something about looking at an object and drawing it that I couldn't manage. Here is a bowl of fruit, here is a vase, here is... Art was intimidating. Daunting. The family gift was not dropped off at my door. Although my mom always embraced whatever I did. She was a supportive mom.

Nine years ago, after being married to my husband E for a few years, we appeared to be infertile. Thus began a cycle of hormone shots, inseminations, and then moving on to IVF (in vitro fertilization.) It was a gut wrenching process and every month my cycle continued to come with a vengeance.

One day, out of the blue, I felt driven to go into an art supply store. I chose a handful of acrylics, some paint thinner, brushes, and a large pad of canvas paper. At the time, we were living in a tiny guest house on the west side of Los Angeles. I set up a make shift easel with a piece of plywood, and I used clothes pins to hold the paper in place. When my brush first splashed color across the paper it felt right. I found myself wanting to paint often. And when I did paint, I lost myself... Coming back to earth 2 or 3 hours later.

Painting became a way that I could express the pain over my infertility. And, where I could escape from it all...

Soon a theme emerged. Having never been able to paint or draw anything that was recognizable, it appeared that I could do it! I could paint... vaginas. Quite ironic, really.

This shows the utter emptiness of the interior... Unending. Forever barren.


In this painting, there is so much pain that the edges of the torso and legs have burst into flames. The blood reflects the loss of hope. The amount of blood symbolizing the many cycles that have gone before.


Below is a painting in which my chaotic thoughts poured forth... You have an image of an angel in the bottom left, symbolizing hope. Then above the angel, an embryo in a pure womb. Lots of blood. Breasts showing the feminine form, with the black hand prints of darkness making their mark.


I'm not sure when, in my cathartic painting phase, I did this painting or the one at the top in pinks and golds, but I like them. Their colors speak to me, still.


I painted for about six months. Suddenly, my need to paint just...stopped. I've never shared these paintings with my family.

It was to be four more years before I became a mother.

Looking at these paintings, touching them, feeling the layers of paint beneath my fingers, I miss it. Perhaps I'll paint again. Thank you Memarie Lane for your curiosity about my painting.


****Note: It's NaBloPoMo, what would you like me to write about?


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Saturday, November 1, 2008

It's NaBloPoMo 2008, what would you like me to write about?

Today is the first day of NaBloPoMo 2008. NaBloPoMo stands for National Blog Posting Month. The goal is to blog every day for the month of November. 2007 was my first year participating in NaBloPoMo. It is a wonderful way to find out about other bloggers, introduce them to your blog, and challenge yourself to complete the goal of 30 blog posts in 30 days. Today is the last day to participate, so go on over and sign up!

For those of you who are new to Motherscribe, last year I told the story of how my husband E and I became parents. After years of infertility, we were blessed to adopt our son, BOY, and several weeks later I found out that I was pregnant at 42. Enter GIRL... They are 10 months apart in age, if you round it up... At the present time, they are both 4 years old. I am a stay-at-home mom.

One of my favorite bloggers, whom I met through NaBloPoMo 2007, is the delightfully witty ...Mrs. G of Derfwad Manor. Once you read a post of Mrs. G's, you will be hooked for life. There is no substitute for your fix of Mrs. G. A few months ago, she had the creative idea of giving her readers an opportunity to leave questions in the comments section of her blog. This month, I would like to borrow her idea, plus add a dash of something else.

If you have any questions for Motherscribe, please leave them in the comments. I will write a post answering your question.

I want to challenge myself to write about things that I don't necessarily write about, so if you have any topics that you'd like me to try, please don't hesitate to put it in the comments.

You can also leave a sentence trailing off... and I will finish it with a post around that.

There are no rules other than that I will honor the privacy of my children and husband.

So, please, leave me your thoughts, ideas, questions and...whatever else you like, and I will attempt to write about it.

If you have a blog, I will link you in the post. If you don't have a blog, please still feel free to participate!

We've got 29 days left in the month. It's NaBloPoMo 2008, what would you like me to write about?


Note: Please let me know if you are participating in NaBloPoMo this year and I will come by and support you as well!


***Above image created on ImageChef.


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Friday, November 30, 2007

NaBloPoMo - Day 30- the unexpected gifts in life are the best of all...

GIRL made her appearance on a September evening in 2004. She was 10 days late. I pushed her out in 12 1/2 minutes. It was the day after my 43rd birthday. I missed having two children at 42 years old by 1 day. Our children are 9 months and 27 days apart. We like to round it up to 10 months so that it seems a little saner.

I was always scared of having a GIRL. Yet this GIRL has toppled me over. I adore her and struggle with her. She is her mother's daughter with a good mix of daddy's genes thrown in. Most of all, she is her own little person. She and BOY are everything to me. I am so very blessed.

We like to say that BOY brought GIRL to us. He wanted a little sister and he got one. We have been through quite a journey to become the family that we are today. I don't regret a moment of it. Well, maybe the Clomid! But, not really. I know in my soul that we were meant to traverse this path. That our GIRL would never have been born if not for BOY. And if our infertility treatments hadn't failed, we would never have had BOY & GIRL. And that is unimaginable. They are our life. Our greatest blessing and our biggest challenge.

BOY started walking when GIRL came home from the hospital! It was a bit nutty. Imagine trying to breastfeed and your other child is ricocheting off the furniture. You put the baby GIRL down and race over to rescue your little BOY, who needs you. He is not yet one year old. Then GIRL shrieks because of course she needs you. She is a newborn. You pick up BOY and race back to pick up GIRL. You wonder at your ability to cope. GOD must think you are a Wonder Woman. He must have gotten confused with that singing telegram costume you used to wear - the one with the leopard print and the whip. That wasn't Wonder Woman. That was ...something else. And so the race began...the first 2 years somewhat of a blur, yet we paused often for noting our great gifts. Our children.

We still maintain regular contact with BOY's birthmother. We've only seen her a few times since BOY has been born, but she has given us so much. And is our biggest cheerleader. She has taught us grace and courage. And we thank every day that she chose us to be BOY's parents- Forever. Sometimes E and I both forget that I didn't give birth to him. It is not any reflection on her, but just what happens when you love your children beyond what you could ever imagine. And the journey continues...

And so, my friends, that is the story of how we became a family. Thank you so much for sticking with me and reading along. I have so enjoyed your comments along the way. Our GIRL turned 3 in September and BOY turned 4 last week. They are the best of friends and have so much fun together, being so close in age. Every day is different, other than the continuum of feeling just a little insane. But, I look forward to the adventures ahead and know that there will be many. The unexpected gifts in life are the best of all...


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Thursday, November 29, 2007

NaBloPoMo - Day 29- You are FRIGGIN' kidding me!!!

Late January 2004
BOY is doing great! It's been a couple of weeks since his cleft lip surgery. He sailed through it. The hardest part was handing him to the nurse and watching her walk away ...down the hall, holding our BOY and hearing him screaming for us. The surgery took several hours. When it was done, the nurse came and got us and we were in the recovery room just as he was waking up. He was thrashing around, confused with all the wires and tubes attached to him. I had a bottle handy and he guzzled it per his usual style. The surgeon told us that they used to do tube feeding and not let the babies use their bottles or nurse right away, but they found that the stress on the baby and the crying was far worse on the healing process. The first night was hard. He was really hurting. And the pain medication seemed to bother him. But, after that it has been fine. The surgeon saw him last week and may want to do another surgery as the lip is pulling up a bit. We think he looks perfect. But, then we did before the surgery. He is our little treasure. Our long awaited child. Our miracle.

I am so...exhausted. I'm up with BOY every 2-3 hours, joyfully for the most part, but I feel tired much of the day. I'm sure it is the combination of having a newborn and also the stress of his having to go through surgery at 7 weeks old. Our birthmother, T, signed the final papers yesterday! The birthfather signed his papers a couple of weeks ago. We only await the court finalization in 6 months, but it is done. We are the legal parents of this amazing, adorable and lovable baby. But, most importantly, he became a child of our heart the night he was born and placed in our arms. We are his forever family.


A few days later
O.K., this seems totally insane, but I think I missed my period in December and this month, too. I've been so focused on taking care of BOY that I've been oblivious to my own body. And my boobs are KILLING me. This is ridiculous. I am not EVEN thinking that I might be pregnant. That would just be ...well, besides impossible, it would be just...well, impossible. ....

I am NOT going to go to the drug store and spend $15 on one of those pregnancy tests! Dammit. I've spent enough on those stupid tests over the years. This is just me being overtired, taking care of a newborn...

My period has never been this late. Oh, for the love of GOD, I guess I have to go get one of those tests. This is laughable. I have a 9 week old infant and I'm going to the drugstore to get a pregnancy test.

So, I have the pregnancy test. I feel like an idiot. An overtired, vividly imaginative and ...did I say overtired and sleep deprived? insane woman.

I guess I should take the test. E's on the computer in the office. BOY's asleep. Now is as good a time as any. It is certainly not going to turn pink. There is NO way that I'm pregnant. Well, we did have that spectacular night...mmmm, well, I guess it is possible. For another woman. In another life.

I peed on the stick. I'll check on it in 5 minutes. HOLY SH*T! It is turning F*cking PINK!!! Forget 5 minutes!!! You are FRIGGIN' kidding me!!! Sweet mother of GOD! Bollocks! Crap! F*CK! I've got to go show this to E. Maybe it isn't pink? Maybe I'm just so tired that my eyes are deceiving me.

I walk into our office.

E, can you look at this, please? Is this PINK?? I hand him the pregnancy test. It is friggin' screaming PINK.
Yes, it is pink, he says. It is pink.

He looks at me like a deer caught in the headlights...

To be continued...


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