This is an email of "Not-So-Deep-Thoughts" that I got a while ago. I came across it again today and re-read it and thought it was hilarious, so I thought I would share. Enjoy.
> • I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.
> • More often than not, when someone is telling me a story all I can think about is that I can’t wait for them to finish so that I can tell my own story that’s not only better, but also more directly involves me.
> • Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.
> • Have you ever been walking down the street and realized that you're going in the complete opposite direction of where you are supposed to be going? But instead of just turning a 180 and walking back in the direction from which you came, you have to first do something like check your watch or phone or make a grand arm gesture and mutter to yourself to ensure that no one in the surrounding area thinks you're crazy by randomly switching directions on the sidewalk.
> • I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.
> • The letters T and G are very close to each other on a keyboard. This recently became all too apparent to me and consequently I will never be ending a work email with the phrase "Regards" again.
> • Do you remember when you were a kid, playing Nintendo and it wouldn't work? You take the cartridge out, blow in it and that would magically fix the problem. Every kid in America did that, but how did we all know how to fix the problem? There was no internet or message boards or FAQ's. We just figured it out. Today's kids are soft.
> • There is a great need for sarcasm font.
> • Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what the *** was going on when I first saw it.
> • I think everyone has a movie that they love so much; it actually becomes stressful to watch it with other people. I'll end up wasting 90 minutes shiftily glancing around to confirm that everyone's laughing at the right parts, then making sure I laugh just a little bit harder (and a millisecond earlier) to prove that I'm still the only one who really, really gets it.
> • How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
> • I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.
> • I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.
> • The only time I look forward to a red light is when I’m trying to finish a text.
> • A recent study has shown that playing beer pong contributes to the spread of mono and the flu. Yeah, if you suck at it.
> • Was learning cursive really necessary?
> • Lol has gone from meaning, "laugh out loud" to "I have nothing else to say".
> • I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.
> • Answering the same letter three times or more in a row on a Scantron test is absolutely petrifying.
> • My brother's Municipal League baseball team is named the Stepdads. Seeing as none of the guys on the team are actual stepdads, I inquired about the name. He explained, "Cuz we beat you, and you hate us." Classy, bro.
> • Whenever someone says "I'm not book smart, but I'm street smart", all I hear is "I'm not real smart, but I'm imaginary smart".
> • How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear what they said?
> • I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars teams up to prevent a *** from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers!
> • While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and instinctively swerved to avoid it...thanks Mario Kart.
> • MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
> • Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
> • I find it hard to believe there are actually people who get in the shower first and THEN turn on the water.
> • Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.
> • I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.
> • Bad decisions make good stories
> • Whenever I'm Facebook stalking someone and I find out that their profile is public I feel like a kid on Christmas morning who just got the Red Ryder BB gun that I always wanted. 546 pictures? Don't mind if I do!
> • Is it just me or do high school girls get sluttier & sluttier every year?
> • If Carmen San Diego and Waldo ever got together, their offspring would probably just be completely invisible.
> • Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly nervous? Like I know my name, I know where I'm from; this shouldn't be a problem....
> • You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you've made up your mind that you just aren’t doing anything productive for the rest of the day.
> • Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don't want to have to restart my collection.
> • There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.
> • I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.
> • "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this ever.
> • I hate being the one with the remote in a room full of people watching TV. There's so much pressure. 'I love this show, but will they judge me if I keep it on? I bet everyone is wishing we weren’t watching this. It's only a matter of time before they all get up and leave the room. Will we still be friends after this?'
> • While watching the Olympics, I find myself cheering equally for China and USA . No, I am not of Chinese descent, but I am fairly certain that when Chinese athletes don’t win, they are executed.
> • I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Darnit!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?
> • I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.
> • When I meet a new girl, I'm terrified of mentioning something she hasn't already told me but that I have learned from some light internet stalking.
> • I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it's on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes.
> • Why is a school zone 20 mph? That seems like the optimal cruising speed for pedophiles...
> • As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate cyclists.
> • Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.
> • It should probably be called Unplanned Parenthood.
> • I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
> • I think that if, years down the road when I’m trying to have a kid, I find out that I’m sterile, most of my disappointment will stem from the fact that I was not aware of my condition in college.
> • Even if I knew your social security number, I wouldn't know what do to with it.
> • Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I’d bet my right cheek everyone can find and push the Snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time every time...
> • My 4-year old son asked me in the car the other day "Dad what would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How the hell do I respond to that?
> • It really pisses me off when I want to read a story on CNN.com and the link takes me to a video instead of text.
> • I wonder if cops ever get pissed off at the fact that everyone they drive behind obeys the speed limit.
> • I think the freezer deserves a light as well.
> • I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lites than Kay.
> • The other night I ordered takeout, and when I looked in the bag, saw they had included four sets of plastic silverware. In other words, someone at the restaurant packed my order, took a second to think about it, and then estimate d that there must be at least four people eating to require such a large amount of food. Too bad I was eating by myself. There’s nothing like being made to feel like a fat chubbo before dinner.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Friday, December 10, 2010
Abbie is PERFECT, and Mom's on a learning curve
Since I started this blog a couple of years ago, I've been lucky to get more than 3 comments on a post...I was pretty sure that those 3 were the only ones who read my blog. So the response to my last post is something that was not expecting and am VERY grateful for (but then again, anything Abbie-related is a lot more interesting than my usual posts).
When we brought Abbie home I started keeping a log of when she ate, for how long, when she slept, and for how long, and diapers. Not long after I made my last post, I was reviewing this log and noticed a couple of patterns (I guess I just hadn't seen them before that point because they weren't the patterns I was looking for or expecting to see). I realized that Little Abbie had a routine of her own and it was one I could work with. Its a funny little routine, and as I've described it to other friends that have kids they seem a little surprised by it.
EX:
Wakes at 4am, eats at 4am & 6:30 am, awake till about 7am then goes down for a nap
Wakes at 10am, eats at 10am, 11:30am, & 12:30pm--usually dozes, or is wide awake between feedings, awake till about 1pm then goes down for a nap
Wakes at 5pm, eats at 5pm, 7pm, & 9:30pm--usually pretty awake in the evening, awake till 10, goes down till about 3am or 4am.
She doesn't really have a schedule--meaning things don't happen at the same time every day, but she does seem to have a routine going--meaning the time between events is pretty consistent. We've had days where things have been completely thrown off, but even that has been good because it gives me a chance to see how she handles her routine at that point. The most consistent aspect of her routine so far has been the 5-6hr stretch Doug and I get at night--last night she went down at 9 and woke up at 2:30 this morning. The number of times she eats per day also seems to be pretty significant for her. She always eats 8 times per day, and more often than not they last between 25 mins-35 mins.
Sometimes she does want to sleep longer, and in that case--because I have a pretty good idea of how it will effect the rest of everyone's day I can make a pretty good call about whether to wake her up or not. And if I do decide to wake her up, I've learned how to recognize the times when she is in a part of her sleep cycle that's lighter, so its much easier to wake her up. The best way to wake her up, though, is lay her down in her bassinet and go get in bed yourself ;)! But we've also started to have a lot of fun with the times that she's awake. Instead of holding her the whole time, we'll lay out a blanket on our bed and let her lay there and kick and look around and "play". As soon as we started that she started making the cutest noises--I feel like she's talking to us, and we have fun talking back.
I'm not usually one to take advice in an "all-or-nothing" sort of way. I would consider myself to be more of a "pick-and-choose" type, but somehow with Babywise I got myself so worried that if I didn't do one aspect of it another aspect wouldn't work, and that if I didn't do it all right away we'd establish a ton of "bad habits". And all of this is so new to me; I don't want to "screw up", and I don't know what causes a "screw-up". But all of the great advice I got in everyone's responses it gave me the courage (lame as that sounds) to try my own thing...and its working pretty well. I'm positive things are not set yet--she could change all of this today! And there is ABSOLUTELY a lot left for me to learn. But at least I've got my head back on about how to work it through. Thank you so much all of you!!!--for your insight, experience, and willingness to share. It helped more than you know.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Babywise...help...
So many good friends of mine have said that Babywise was their life-saver. I finished reading the Babywise book back at the beginning of October. I really liked and agreed with the majority of what the author had to say and totally want to do it with Abbie. My sister-in-law--who has done it with her two little boys--said that she never started it with them until they were 3 weeks old. I thought that sounded like a good idea too. So what I decided I would do was go for the full feeding every time (like the book recommends), and make sure that I was feeding her 8 times/day for the first 3 weeks of her life, and that would be all. I thought that once she was 3 weeks old we'd be half way to the schedule that would save our sanity. But the more I get to know my Little Abbie, the more problems I foresee with implementing Babywise.
For starters, I have to listen to her cry...[In the hospital there a time when the nurses were taking both mine and Abbie's vitals at the same time. Abbie was crying and my blood pressure shot up to 154--Just to put that into perspective, a person's blood pressure is considered "high" at 140 and through my whole pregnancy my blood pressure was somewhere between 116 and 124.] I get so anxious hearing her cry. I just want to hold her and soothe her and make everything better. Clearly that would be a problem for me so, I asked some friends how they handle it when their little ones cry. The best advice I got was to give it 15 mins and see how Abbie is at that point. The other day I thought I would test it just to see if it would work for us the way it had worked for my friend. So I changed her, fed her, burped her, gave her 15 mins of "wake-time" and laid her down awake and in a calm...15 mins later Abbie started screaming, and continued to scream for 25 mins before I couldn't stand it anymore. A couple of days after that I tried it again. I got her all ready and comfortable and put her down...and she screamed for over 30 mins before I turned into a marshmallow and went in and got her. The moment someone picked her up she would stop crying (and usually fall asleep in our arm about 20 mins after being picked up)
Then there is sleeping. Once Abbie is asleep she is asleep. It has taken me over 40 mins to wake her up for her next feeding. So she ends up sleeping longer and not only is the schedule thrown off at this point, but she has now gotten more sleep than planned and isn't tired enough to be put down for the next nap. So she stays awake for the full time between feedings and by the time I feed her again she is sooo tired that she falls asleep in my arms(at least I think that is the problem, or part of it).
So this post is me reaching out...asking for help and advice. How long did it take all of you to get your little ones into a groove? Should I be concerned about this not working so well yet, or is it too early to worry? Any ideas on how to handle what's going on?...help...
For starters, I have to listen to her cry...[In the hospital there a time when the nurses were taking both mine and Abbie's vitals at the same time. Abbie was crying and my blood pressure shot up to 154--Just to put that into perspective, a person's blood pressure is considered "high" at 140 and through my whole pregnancy my blood pressure was somewhere between 116 and 124.] I get so anxious hearing her cry. I just want to hold her and soothe her and make everything better. Clearly that would be a problem for me so, I asked some friends how they handle it when their little ones cry. The best advice I got was to give it 15 mins and see how Abbie is at that point. The other day I thought I would test it just to see if it would work for us the way it had worked for my friend. So I changed her, fed her, burped her, gave her 15 mins of "wake-time" and laid her down awake and in a calm...15 mins later Abbie started screaming, and continued to scream for 25 mins before I couldn't stand it anymore. A couple of days after that I tried it again. I got her all ready and comfortable and put her down...and she screamed for over 30 mins before I turned into a marshmallow and went in and got her. The moment someone picked her up she would stop crying (and usually fall asleep in our arm about 20 mins after being picked up)
Then there is sleeping. Once Abbie is asleep she is asleep. It has taken me over 40 mins to wake her up for her next feeding. So she ends up sleeping longer and not only is the schedule thrown off at this point, but she has now gotten more sleep than planned and isn't tired enough to be put down for the next nap. So she stays awake for the full time between feedings and by the time I feed her again she is sooo tired that she falls asleep in my arms(at least I think that is the problem, or part of it).
So this post is me reaching out...asking for help and advice. How long did it take all of you to get your little ones into a groove? Should I be concerned about this not working so well yet, or is it too early to worry? Any ideas on how to handle what's going on?...help...
Friday, November 19, 2010
Finally!!!
Little Abbie finally came on Wednesday, November 17th. Since I was a week past my "due-date" the doctors were keeping an extra eye on me. Part of this "extra-eye-ness" included an amniotic fluid index--which I had on Tuesday. My midwife did not like the results of the test and decided to induce my labor. The pitocin drip went in at about 2:45pm Tuesday afternoon and at 4:06am Abigail Elizabeth made her entrance. It was an un-medicated birth(YAY!--I did it!), and we are both doing really well.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Up Date
I think some of you know that I was positive this would be an October baby. I've been comparing myself to my mom (since I really have nothing else to compare this whole experience to) and her first baby was 3 weeks early. Plus I was kind of hoping that by focusing on it and putting a lot of energy into I could somehow will it to be so. Not only did that not happen, but now the actual due date that the doctors gave me has come and gone...and I am still pregnant...Now they're saying that if my body has not gone into labor on its own by Monday I will be going on the induction schedule.
I'm not really liking the way all of this is playing out. I really don't want to have to be induced. Generally speaking, being induced does not just stimulate your body's natural movements, it intensifies them. Which means that the natural birth I've been preparing for will be more difficult and intense than it would have been had my body been allowed to just "do its thing." I'm not planning a natural birth because I have some axe to grind against medication...I don't (in fact I'm a big fan of the pain killers they give me after I go to the dentist). I'm planning a natural birth because I'm terrified at the thought of an epidural. The thought of sticking a giant needle in my back and separating my spinal chord such that I am considered legally paralyzed?!!--are you kidding me???!!! Most women are braver than I am...that's just not something I want to play around with.
So that's where things stand...if you were wondering...
I'm not really liking the way all of this is playing out. I really don't want to have to be induced. Generally speaking, being induced does not just stimulate your body's natural movements, it intensifies them. Which means that the natural birth I've been preparing for will be more difficult and intense than it would have been had my body been allowed to just "do its thing." I'm not planning a natural birth because I have some axe to grind against medication...I don't (in fact I'm a big fan of the pain killers they give me after I go to the dentist). I'm planning a natural birth because I'm terrified at the thought of an epidural. The thought of sticking a giant needle in my back and separating my spinal chord such that I am considered legally paralyzed?!!--are you kidding me???!!! Most women are braver than I am...that's just not something I want to play around with.
So that's where things stand...if you were wondering...
Friday, November 5, 2010
Oh My Flashback
Some of you may not know this, but I'm technically a Utah County Local. I graduated from Springville High in 2004. Tonight Springville hosted Timpview in the quarter finals and it was broadcast on channel 14 as "the high school game of the week"...and Springville WON!!!
First of all, I can't explain how huge that is. When I was at Springville we NEVER beat Timpview. Every time we played them they dominated us in the ugliest way. And tonight the Mighty Red Devils beat them!
Second of all, watching it took me back! I saw the kids in those stands and I totally remember what its like to be where they are. I remember being in those stands. I remember the fact that the only reason I went to football games was because I had a crush on a guy on the team who (I can see this now looking back) was a total [cuss word] who played with my head like mad and did a lot to make high school rough. I remember hanging out in that parking lot with friends before or after school. I remember all the fun that I had my senior year. I remember what its like to not really be able to conceptualize of a world beyond your high school--apart from other high schools. It was such a different world than the one I live in now.
I guess the only real point of this post is "oh the memories"
First of all, I can't explain how huge that is. When I was at Springville we NEVER beat Timpview. Every time we played them they dominated us in the ugliest way. And tonight the Mighty Red Devils beat them!
Second of all, watching it took me back! I saw the kids in those stands and I totally remember what its like to be where they are. I remember being in those stands. I remember the fact that the only reason I went to football games was because I had a crush on a guy on the team who (I can see this now looking back) was a total [cuss word] who played with my head like mad and did a lot to make high school rough. I remember hanging out in that parking lot with friends before or after school. I remember all the fun that I had my senior year. I remember what its like to not really be able to conceptualize of a world beyond your high school--apart from other high schools. It was such a different world than the one I live in now.
I guess the only real point of this post is "oh the memories"
Friday, October 29, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
...Just for the Record...
I just wanted to say that when I made yesterday's post I made it to illustrate how lucky I am and how blessed I feel. Maybe I put my emphasis a little too heavily on the bad that can happen...but I wasn't trying make a "poor me/us" post. This last little while has taught me that there is so much that can happen in a moment that can and usually does change everything forever. And hopefully, when that moment comes to me (because I think those moments will come to all of us), I'll be able to look back and see that I made the very most of every other moment leading up to it. That I didn't waste my moments worrying about myself, always expecting the worst-case scenario to become my reality, or being scared by the situations in which I saw other people. That I showed deep and genuine love to everyone.
...And then...In that moment, that I respond with the faith that I have seen in others over the last little while, and not fear.
I'm so grateful for the health and safety of my little family. I feel blessed beyond anything I can express--which is why my little paragraph about us was so short. I don't think the words exist to express how I feel...
...And then...In that moment, that I respond with the faith that I have seen in others over the last little while, and not fear.
I'm so grateful for the health and safety of my little family. I feel blessed beyond anything I can express--which is why my little paragraph about us was so short. I don't think the words exist to express how I feel...
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
So Grateful
As I sit here and look back at the last month or so I feel so blessed. This is the first time that I have experienced death or the possibility of death.
About a month ago one of my cousins (who is 2 weeks older than me) had a heart attack and we almost lost him. I didn't find out about it until he was in surgery and out of danger for the most part...but it was so strange to see how easily he could have been gone.
A few weeks ago my grandpa passed away. Its been expected for quite some time, and quite frankly we were surprised that he hung on as long as he did...but in spite of the fact that we knew it was close...it didn't stop the shock from setting in.
Not long after the funeral I found out that we were on the verge of losing another one of my cousins (on the other side of my family). She is 22 and expecting their first little one. As the baby has been growing her bowels became twisted and circulation to them was cut off. A few months ago when she started experiencing pain it was dismissed by her doctors as natural pregnancy pains and the situation got out of control. It has only been in the last few days (following multiple surgeries, a chemically induced coma, and plenty of unforeseen post-op complications) that we can say with some confidence that she and their little girl will both make it.
And then there is me... healthy and full-term in a pregnancy that has had no complications--not even a cold, expecting one of the most active and (from all that we can tell) healthy little girls, with a husband who is healthy and safe (not to mention as close to perfect as they come). How did I get so lucky?
About a month ago one of my cousins (who is 2 weeks older than me) had a heart attack and we almost lost him. I didn't find out about it until he was in surgery and out of danger for the most part...but it was so strange to see how easily he could have been gone.
A few weeks ago my grandpa passed away. Its been expected for quite some time, and quite frankly we were surprised that he hung on as long as he did...but in spite of the fact that we knew it was close...it didn't stop the shock from setting in.
Not long after the funeral I found out that we were on the verge of losing another one of my cousins (on the other side of my family). She is 22 and expecting their first little one. As the baby has been growing her bowels became twisted and circulation to them was cut off. A few months ago when she started experiencing pain it was dismissed by her doctors as natural pregnancy pains and the situation got out of control. It has only been in the last few days (following multiple surgeries, a chemically induced coma, and plenty of unforeseen post-op complications) that we can say with some confidence that she and their little girl will both make it.
And then there is me... healthy and full-term in a pregnancy that has had no complications--not even a cold, expecting one of the most active and (from all that we can tell) healthy little girls, with a husband who is healthy and safe (not to mention as close to perfect as they come). How did I get so lucky?
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Safety
Its a realization I've had before, but as we've been making some decisions lately, it came back to me and I feel like I realized it all over again. I have so much more freedom because of the commandments I obey.
I will never have to worry about STD's, raising a child by myself because the father doesn't want to be involved, etc. because I obey the law of chastity.
I will never wake up hung over and not remembering what happened the night before because I obey the word of wisdom.
Because of the way I choose to live my life I am much more protected from, and less likely to associate with people who want to take advantage of my family or me or both.
I understand that there are other reasons that any or all of these things could happen to someone...but I am so much more protected from these ugly aspects of life because of the choices I make. I've been teased for the way I live, but to see the situation in these terms leaves me saying "I'd much rather live the way I do and have the reassurances that I have, than live the way others do and expose myself to so much danger and ugliness.
Don't get me wrong. I don't have any judgment for people who live differently than I do. They're doing what they think is right for them--and its important to feel that you have that freedom. I CHOOSE to live the way that I do because of things that I know and experiences I have had. I certainly don't expect others to make the same choices that I do in the absence of what I know and have experienced...but I am very grateful to be me, living the way that I do. It makes so much more sense to me.
I will never have to worry about STD's, raising a child by myself because the father doesn't want to be involved, etc. because I obey the law of chastity.
I will never wake up hung over and not remembering what happened the night before because I obey the word of wisdom.
Because of the way I choose to live my life I am much more protected from, and less likely to associate with people who want to take advantage of my family or me or both.
I understand that there are other reasons that any or all of these things could happen to someone...but I am so much more protected from these ugly aspects of life because of the choices I make. I've been teased for the way I live, but to see the situation in these terms leaves me saying "I'd much rather live the way I do and have the reassurances that I have, than live the way others do and expose myself to so much danger and ugliness.
Don't get me wrong. I don't have any judgment for people who live differently than I do. They're doing what they think is right for them--and its important to feel that you have that freedom. I CHOOSE to live the way that I do because of things that I know and experiences I have had. I certainly don't expect others to make the same choices that I do in the absence of what I know and have experienced...but I am very grateful to be me, living the way that I do. It makes so much more sense to me.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Heart Broken
Doug and I had an experience today that I don't think I will ever forget. We were leaving Smith's when a little old Mexican lady approached him and asked if we spoke Spanish--thank Heaven Doug does. She asked--in Spanish--if we could give her a ride to a place a few blocks away. We did and over the next 5 mins, while she was in the car with us Doug asked a lot of questions and carried on a conversation with her which relayed it to me after she got out. This is what he learned about her in that brief ride:
Her husband is laying in a hospital bed somewhere in Mexico with a brain tumor. They don't have the money to pay for the surgery that it will take to save his life so she came here to earn money to send home. She just lost her housekeeping job, but she said that she's grateful to be here because, with all the cartels, its safer here than at home. One of her favorite temples is the Mt. Timpanogus. Doug took all the cash he had out of his wallet (only $7...I wish so badly that it had been more or that I had thought to give her some of the food we had bought).
I've been thinking about it ever since...and quite frankly I can't imagine she was here legally--there wouldn't be time for all of the necessary paperwork to go through. That paperwork takes years! I've always been very vocal about the fact that I have nothing against illegal immigrants coming here to work, and as a result I have had multiple conversations regarding the issue. The points that I frequently hear from those around me is A) The insistence that these people are breaking a law and consequently deserve to be punished, B) They bring crime with them. In response to these points I have a question to pose and 3 points to make.
QUESTION: Where is the consideration of humanity in these conversations? I have yet to hear it. There are innocent families who are stuck in the middle of drug wars and illegally cross the boarder in order to get their children away from it. Or this woman that we met today...If I were in this woman's position I would be DESPERATE and FRANTIC to find a way to save Doug. In either case the last thing I would be thinking about is a law to keep me out--a law that no one has worried about enforcing for the last decade. How can any of us pretend that we wouldn't do the same thing for our families? The majority of these immigrant are simply people who are trying to make their lives better. I can see why this law seems so unimportant to Mexican immigrants, legal or illegal. Which leads me to point #1.
#1: Lets not forget the fact that employers used to cross the boarder in order to recruit day-laborers. Mexicans have seen us down there begging them to come work for us. Why are we surprised or angry now when they are still coming? We started it!!! No one bothered seriously enforcing the law for over a decade--during which we were enjoying an economic boom. We've only really started worrying about Mexican immigration since our economy started to head South. Speaking as someone who has lost their job twice due to this recession, I in no way begrudge her being here and trying to do whatever she can for her family. That's exactly what I'm trying to do. Why do I deserve those things than anyone else? How can I possibly believe that I have more of a right to the inalienable rights of man than anyone else? She is not hurting anyone. Just let her try to save her husband...perfect lead-in to point #2.
#2: Do some of these immigrants bring crime with them? Yes. All immigrants in American history have. But I absolutely do not believe that the majority of them do. How could they? The majority of them are day-laborers who either end up in a field or on a construction site of some kind--either way it ends up being a 14+ hour day. There is no time or energy left after that kind of work for crime. The majority of these people are like this woman that I met today; kind, honest, religious, and hardworking. Those are exactly the type of people I want to help!!!
#3: I would much rather be accused of being too compassionate than too punitive. I can't pretend to know difficult things are for these people. I have never lived the way that they have, but I know that their lives have been difficult. And I believe that because I have so much I get to help others that don't have as much as I do.
#4: I've looked at this so many different ways, and I can't see this being anything other than a race issue--despite all claims to the contrary. But if this were about immigration as a whole and not a race issue, then we'd be hearing about more than just illegal Mexican immigration. For example, there are currently about 50,000 illegal Irish immigrants living in Boston alone (they did a story about it on CNN). They come here with a valid visa and simply over-stay the visa. But I haven't heard a major, national out-cry about shipping them back to Ireland. The same thing happens with people of multiple different nationalities and races, but for some reason the only ones that people want to round up and ship out are Mexicans. I say let them all stay...but for those of you who feel that we need to get rid of one I have to ask you why one and not the other?
This woman put a face on it for me. And I'm in tears at the thought that there are people who would send her back with out a moment's hesitation. There are so many other points that I could address--these are simply the ones that I feel like I hear the most frequently. I lived half of my life in a small California town that was not too far from Watsonville (a major, agricultural area where most of the field-laborers are Mexican), and I'm fairly sure that the majority of my elementary school was comprised of the children of illegal immigrants. I've lived in one of "those" communities! I know what its like. These are not bad people, and I feel like they deserve everything I do. Listening to people talk about these immigrants as if they're less-than-human (like calling them "aliens") has left me heart-broken. There has to be a better way to handle this. I understand that there are communities in our country that are truly suffering because of the drug cartels, and they have a different kind of exposure to it than I do. And yet I feel that we as a country have lost perspective. There is a balance to this and we haven't found it yet.
...I'm sure I'm gonna get yelled at for this post...
Her husband is laying in a hospital bed somewhere in Mexico with a brain tumor. They don't have the money to pay for the surgery that it will take to save his life so she came here to earn money to send home. She just lost her housekeeping job, but she said that she's grateful to be here because, with all the cartels, its safer here than at home. One of her favorite temples is the Mt. Timpanogus. Doug took all the cash he had out of his wallet (only $7...I wish so badly that it had been more or that I had thought to give her some of the food we had bought).
I've been thinking about it ever since...and quite frankly I can't imagine she was here legally--there wouldn't be time for all of the necessary paperwork to go through. That paperwork takes years! I've always been very vocal about the fact that I have nothing against illegal immigrants coming here to work, and as a result I have had multiple conversations regarding the issue. The points that I frequently hear from those around me is A) The insistence that these people are breaking a law and consequently deserve to be punished, B) They bring crime with them. In response to these points I have a question to pose and 3 points to make.
QUESTION: Where is the consideration of humanity in these conversations? I have yet to hear it. There are innocent families who are stuck in the middle of drug wars and illegally cross the boarder in order to get their children away from it. Or this woman that we met today...If I were in this woman's position I would be DESPERATE and FRANTIC to find a way to save Doug. In either case the last thing I would be thinking about is a law to keep me out--a law that no one has worried about enforcing for the last decade. How can any of us pretend that we wouldn't do the same thing for our families? The majority of these immigrant are simply people who are trying to make their lives better. I can see why this law seems so unimportant to Mexican immigrants, legal or illegal. Which leads me to point #1.
#1: Lets not forget the fact that employers used to cross the boarder in order to recruit day-laborers. Mexicans have seen us down there begging them to come work for us. Why are we surprised or angry now when they are still coming? We started it!!! No one bothered seriously enforcing the law for over a decade--during which we were enjoying an economic boom. We've only really started worrying about Mexican immigration since our economy started to head South. Speaking as someone who has lost their job twice due to this recession, I in no way begrudge her being here and trying to do whatever she can for her family. That's exactly what I'm trying to do. Why do I deserve those things than anyone else? How can I possibly believe that I have more of a right to the inalienable rights of man than anyone else? She is not hurting anyone. Just let her try to save her husband...perfect lead-in to point #2.
#2: Do some of these immigrants bring crime with them? Yes. All immigrants in American history have. But I absolutely do not believe that the majority of them do. How could they? The majority of them are day-laborers who either end up in a field or on a construction site of some kind--either way it ends up being a 14+ hour day. There is no time or energy left after that kind of work for crime. The majority of these people are like this woman that I met today; kind, honest, religious, and hardworking. Those are exactly the type of people I want to help!!!
#3: I would much rather be accused of being too compassionate than too punitive. I can't pretend to know difficult things are for these people. I have never lived the way that they have, but I know that their lives have been difficult. And I believe that because I have so much I get to help others that don't have as much as I do.
#4: I've looked at this so many different ways, and I can't see this being anything other than a race issue--despite all claims to the contrary. But if this were about immigration as a whole and not a race issue, then we'd be hearing about more than just illegal Mexican immigration. For example, there are currently about 50,000 illegal Irish immigrants living in Boston alone (they did a story about it on CNN). They come here with a valid visa and simply over-stay the visa. But I haven't heard a major, national out-cry about shipping them back to Ireland. The same thing happens with people of multiple different nationalities and races, but for some reason the only ones that people want to round up and ship out are Mexicans. I say let them all stay...but for those of you who feel that we need to get rid of one I have to ask you why one and not the other?
This woman put a face on it for me. And I'm in tears at the thought that there are people who would send her back with out a moment's hesitation. There are so many other points that I could address--these are simply the ones that I feel like I hear the most frequently. I lived half of my life in a small California town that was not too far from Watsonville (a major, agricultural area where most of the field-laborers are Mexican), and I'm fairly sure that the majority of my elementary school was comprised of the children of illegal immigrants. I've lived in one of "those" communities! I know what its like. These are not bad people, and I feel like they deserve everything I do. Listening to people talk about these immigrants as if they're less-than-human (like calling them "aliens") has left me heart-broken. There has to be a better way to handle this. I understand that there are communities in our country that are truly suffering because of the drug cartels, and they have a different kind of exposure to it than I do. And yet I feel that we as a country have lost perspective. There is a balance to this and we haven't found it yet.
...I'm sure I'm gonna get yelled at for this post...
Sunday, July 11, 2010
The Funniest Game of Tag Ever
In the last month I've been able to feel our little girl start moving. And in the last couple of weeks she has been getting so strong that Doug can finally feel her...sometimes. More often than not it ends up that Doug spends about a half hour moving his hand to the place where she's been kicking for the last few minutes, and as soon as his hand gets there she starts kicking somewhere else. We've decided that she knows where his hand is and is playing tag with Dad. So far she is winning!!! Doug says she is almost as frustrating as me and this is how we know she's my daughter. I say its adorable and maybe Daddy should just learn to play along.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Oh My...
Back in January--when I was still looking for a job--I had a lot of time on my hands. The TV was on a lot and I discovered that the Lifetime network shows 3 episodes of Grey's Anatomy every night...and I got sucked in. Up to that point I had been completely apathetic towards the show. But somehow I got sucked in. I have since watched the entire series about three and half times (except for the most recent season--that season isn't being played on lifetime yet. But I've seen all of those episodes once.) Now I love the show for so many reasons. My love of the show is what entitles me to say the following.
Most of the characters have no self-respect. PERFECT (but definitely not the only) EXAMPLE: Derrick calls Meredith a whore and then she sleeps with him 4 episodes later. This is the same Derrick who originally started a relationship with Meredith and neglected to mention that he was separated from his wife, but then left Meredith and went back to his wife. Are you kidding me? If someone treated me that way, that would be it…there would be no talking going on between us (after I had verbally ripped him a new one)–let alone anything else!
The characters act like they are in high school…their communication style is a perfect example! Character A makes a statement that is generally somewhat ambiguous or doesn't tell the whole story but is technically accurate. Character B assumes that they know the full meaning of the statement made by character A. The interchange usually ends with Character B making some ridiculous statement--a statement that I think the writers intend to be "stinging" or "scathing"--before they stomp off in such a way that is vaguely reminiscent of a 13 year old girl who didn't get her way. Why don’t any of them ever ask questions or press the matter further in an attempt to understand what is really being communicated?
The plots are the most out-landish, unbelievable, back-and-forth I have ever seen! I'm just waiting for the episode where aliens abduct someone! And not only is the dialogue juvenile and predictable…its just plain bad most of the time!
…and this is the show that I am addicted to! This is the show that I HAVE to watch everyday! The only show that I like more than this is Will & Grace...
And while we're on the subject, let's just clear up a pet-peeve of mine really quick. Will & Grace is NOT about gay people. It's about people, specifically 4 friends, 2 of whom happen to be gay. I have literally had people say to me "You watch a show about gay people?" (which is kind of a sad perspective anyway if you ask me). I am no more educated about gay culture now that I own 6 of the 8 seasons than I was before I fell in love with the show--apart from the stereotypes. They have a lot of fun with the stereotypes.
Most of the characters have no self-respect. PERFECT (but definitely not the only) EXAMPLE: Derrick calls Meredith a whore and then she sleeps with him 4 episodes later. This is the same Derrick who originally started a relationship with Meredith and neglected to mention that he was separated from his wife, but then left Meredith and went back to his wife. Are you kidding me? If someone treated me that way, that would be it…there would be no talking going on between us (after I had verbally ripped him a new one)–let alone anything else!
The characters act like they are in high school…their communication style is a perfect example! Character A makes a statement that is generally somewhat ambiguous or doesn't tell the whole story but is technically accurate. Character B assumes that they know the full meaning of the statement made by character A. The interchange usually ends with Character B making some ridiculous statement--a statement that I think the writers intend to be "stinging" or "scathing"--before they stomp off in such a way that is vaguely reminiscent of a 13 year old girl who didn't get her way. Why don’t any of them ever ask questions or press the matter further in an attempt to understand what is really being communicated?
The plots are the most out-landish, unbelievable, back-and-forth I have ever seen! I'm just waiting for the episode where aliens abduct someone! And not only is the dialogue juvenile and predictable…its just plain bad most of the time!
…and this is the show that I am addicted to! This is the show that I HAVE to watch everyday! The only show that I like more than this is Will & Grace...
And while we're on the subject, let's just clear up a pet-peeve of mine really quick. Will & Grace is NOT about gay people. It's about people, specifically 4 friends, 2 of whom happen to be gay. I have literally had people say to me "You watch a show about gay people?" (which is kind of a sad perspective anyway if you ask me). I am no more educated about gay culture now that I own 6 of the 8 seasons than I was before I fell in love with the show--apart from the stereotypes. They have a lot of fun with the stereotypes.
Friday, June 4, 2010
IT'S A GIRL!!!
We just found out that we are having GIRL!!! Usually I wouldn't know for another few weeks, but my mom was a little anxious to find out so that she could start shopping for the baby, so we went to the place at the mall. The "ultrasound tech" was really great. It seems odd to call him an "ultrasound tech" because he used to be an OBGYN back his home country of Lithuania--I'd say he's well qualified for what he's doing now! He told us he was 200% positive! When we came in she was upside down and by the time we left she was right side up--so he saw it from every possible angle. We couldn't be more excited!--if we were we might explode.
Now, I have been told that the only time that you can know the sex for sure is if it's a boy, but in conversations with others--who I consider a little more experienced (like my doctor and ultrasound tech)--they have told me that that is absolutely untrue. They told me that the only thing that really determines the accuracy is the skill of the person interpreting the ultrasound. Its generally considered easier to see a boy than it is to see a girl, but if that ultrasound tech is sick, or distracted, or tired, or just plain inexperienced they could just as easily mistake a boy for a girl as they could a girl for a boy. Which makes so much more sense to me. In fact, as I've been talking to people I have heard and equal number of both stories (1 where they thought it was a girl and it ended up being a boy, and 1 where they thought it was a boy and it ended up being a girl)--clearly its not something that happens that often. In the end I suppose it really comes down to "Do you trust your doctors?" and I am so glad that I do.
Now, I have been told that the only time that you can know the sex for sure is if it's a boy, but in conversations with others--who I consider a little more experienced (like my doctor and ultrasound tech)--they have told me that that is absolutely untrue. They told me that the only thing that really determines the accuracy is the skill of the person interpreting the ultrasound. Its generally considered easier to see a boy than it is to see a girl, but if that ultrasound tech is sick, or distracted, or tired, or just plain inexperienced they could just as easily mistake a boy for a girl as they could a girl for a boy. Which makes so much more sense to me. In fact, as I've been talking to people I have heard and equal number of both stories (1 where they thought it was a girl and it ended up being a boy, and 1 where they thought it was a boy and it ended up being a girl)--clearly its not something that happens that often. In the end I suppose it really comes down to "Do you trust your doctors?" and I am so glad that I do.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
...It was soooo funny...
I know I posted something earlier today, and I generally post about once a week--at the very best--but this was just too funny and I had to tell you too.
We were watching a movie, and in the very last scene of the movie--after everything else has happened--we (as the audience) learn that the hero and his heroine are expecting a baby. We learn this when the heroine stands up to show off her belly, and she looks like she is about burst!!!
When I saw this I burst into tears. Not because it was cute or sweet...but because I don't want to get that big! And as I was sitting there on the couch with tears streaming down my face I realized how dumb it was that I was crying over that and I started laughing. But then I looked up at the TV again and she was just soooooo big that I started crying harder, and then I started laughing harder at the fact that I was crying harder. This cycle went on for about 10 mins. The whole time Doug was just sitting there laughing at me saying "You are so pregnant" and all I could say was "I don't want to get that fat!" He said that the sound I was making hardly changed at all. The only real change were the corners of my mouth which would go from being turned up while I was laughing, to being turned down while I was crying.
It was hilarious!
We were watching a movie, and in the very last scene of the movie--after everything else has happened--we (as the audience) learn that the hero and his heroine are expecting a baby. We learn this when the heroine stands up to show off her belly, and she looks like she is about burst!!!
When I saw this I burst into tears. Not because it was cute or sweet...but because I don't want to get that big! And as I was sitting there on the couch with tears streaming down my face I realized how dumb it was that I was crying over that and I started laughing. But then I looked up at the TV again and she was just soooooo big that I started crying harder, and then I started laughing harder at the fact that I was crying harder. This cycle went on for about 10 mins. The whole time Doug was just sitting there laughing at me saying "You are so pregnant" and all I could say was "I don't want to get that fat!" He said that the sound I was making hardly changed at all. The only real change were the corners of my mouth which would go from being turned up while I was laughing, to being turned down while I was crying.
It was hilarious!
My Apology to the World
When I look back on things that I've done or said in my short life there are things that I'm proud of, there are things that I'm indifferent towards, and there are things that make me cringe. So many things make me sit back and ask "Really? That was me? I did that?...Why? What was I thinking?!!!" I'm not really talking about dumb, embarrassing moments (like the time I was sophomore in high school and I was laughing so hard that I snorted and a whole bunch of snot came out my nose)--most of those are more funny than anything when I think about them now. No...sigh...I'm talking about the times that I thought I was being funny, or clever, or intelligent, or "spiritual", or more adult-like or times when I was trying to show off, but look like I was trying to be humble... At those moments I always made some comment that I thought was perfect...only to realize it was ridiculous (no, no examples...I don't want to repeat them, and--trust me--you don't want to hear them). Remembering the looks that I got on those occasions still makes me want to crawl under the nearest piece of furniture. When I think about things like this it makes me so glad that Doug and I didn't know each other in high school...because if he had known that version of me I don't think he would have wanted to marry me.
And so I want to apologize to everyone who was on the other end of these ridiculous moments--mostly family members and roommates...I can think of a couple of seminary teachers who fit here too. You were all so kind about how silly I was. (Am I the only one that feels this way?) And who knows?--Maybe in another 23 yrs I'll feel the need to write another one of these...but I'm not sure why I feel the need to write this now. Maybe I'm hoping that it will have a cleansing effect and make the cringing go away.
And so I want to apologize to everyone who was on the other end of these ridiculous moments--mostly family members and roommates...I can think of a couple of seminary teachers who fit here too. You were all so kind about how silly I was. (Am I the only one that feels this way?) And who knows?--Maybe in another 23 yrs I'll feel the need to write another one of these...but I'm not sure why I feel the need to write this now. Maybe I'm hoping that it will have a cleansing effect and make the cringing go away.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
This Isn't Funny Anymore
I'm about 15 weeks along now--3 weeks out of the first trimester...but I still feel just as gross as I felt at week 9. I thought this was supposed to be gone by now. Everyone told me that my energy would come back and I would feel better when I made it into the second trimester...so far ya'll are 0 for 2. I just want to be me again. Maybe I'll get there in another week--cross your fingers for me.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
GUESS WHAT!!!!
I finally/just barely made it through the first trimester...and now I am sooooooooooo excited to tell all 4 or 5 of you that we are going to have a baby in November!!! It was a huge surprise, but we are soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo excited!!! It was a rough first trimester--especially the last few weeks--but I've had 3 good days all in a row, so we're hoping that means that the sick part is over. We'll find out if its a boy or girl in about 5 weeks. YAY!!!
I have to say that looking at my friend's blogs with their pics of their adorable children is making me giddy and impatient to have our little one here too!
For some reason I'm really intimidated at the thought of announcing this to a lot of people (like in Relief Society for example)...so I'm trying to work myself up to it by making the announcement on a smaller scale--like this.
I have to say that looking at my friend's blogs with their pics of their adorable children is making me giddy and impatient to have our little one here too!
For some reason I'm really intimidated at the thought of announcing this to a lot of people (like in Relief Society for example)...so I'm trying to work myself up to it by making the announcement on a smaller scale--like this.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Thank Heaven
I found a job...I started on Monday. It seems like it will be really good. I start out part time, but should be able to work it into full time within a few months. I'm a little hesitant to say anything about how nice the people are, or how much I think I'm gonna like my boss...because...well frankly, I said all of that about the last job and they all turned out to be pretty much the opposite of what I thought they were. So I'm not feeling too anxious voice any opinion about that sort of stuff yet. Suffice it to say that it is a job that will pay the bills better than my last one did and so far I'm enjoying it.
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