My very first! Plank Pulling Thursday

This is my first Plank Pulling Thursday that Bohemian Bowmans has been hosting for quite a while now.

She says " . . . The one day a week that we strongly resolve to ignore the multitude of specks and sawdust around us and pull one bona fide plank from our own eye. Matthew 7:3-5, style."



So bear with me -

Recently, I've had two great friends celebrate their birthdays.  One, her hubby set up an elaborate surprise getaway to a Bed & Breakfast followed on their return to a surprise pot luck party with friends.  The other had her friends *our* friends throw a surprise black and white party. I just love both these ladies and every one of 'em that set all this up.  And I *love* to celebrate birthdays!

Here's the plank.

I've got childish envie up the wazoo.  Yes.  Grown woman, mother of three, former Army National Guard, field missionary since 1997, I. have. jumped. out. of. planes!  For crying out loud!  Picture me, on the floor, kicking my heals, pounding my fists.  IWAANNAABIRTHDAYPARTY!  I WANT SOMEBODY TO REMEMBER ME!

*sigh* (give me a minute to gather myself)

And my plank is big enough that I want someone else to remember my birthday.  I don't want to tell them - because it just. isn't. the. same.

My birthday is in May and very often gets rolled into Mother's day and so it's kinda "shared" *if* it's remembered at all.  Other years my birthday was remembered by my beloved, with a weak "Happy Birthday honey, but it's the end of the month . . maybe we'll do something when we get some money."

I sound ridiculous to myself.

Yet - ther' be a plank there, no doubt.

It's more like a pool for me.  A self pity pool that draws my interest and just makes me want to dive in and swim around in it.

So - now to pull this sucker.

I will chose NOT to swim in that self-pity pool.  And if I get my toes wet, I will pull them out quick.  I will give thanks for what I have.

I know that I have friends that love me.  I know my husband loves me. I know this.  And if I want a birthday party - next year - I'm going to let people know.  Oh - and I'm going to set aside a sum for my sweet hubby to go get something, and I'll provide him a list to chose from!  And I'll give God the thanks for another year.

So be warned friends and family . . . May 29th. It will be a true "memorial weekend" if I can help it!

Jessie J - Price tag - Sign Language

What a fun video!

Two thumbs up! Parenting Wild Things

Listen up friends!

I am a researcher by nature.  For each stage of my life, I've got a book books for.  When dating I had the dating books, when engaged, when first married, when pregnant . . etc.  Hence I've got my favorites.

Allow me to share with you one of my favs now.

Parenting Wild Things
Embracing the Rumpus

(- got any 'wild things' yourself?)

It's an e-book . . that was new to me.  First e-book I read; but that is neither here nor there . . .

First off,  I love this author's style of writing.  It's a quick and easy read.  She is authentic, witty and sincere.
She says:

"So I know quite a bit about imperfection. My parenting has been riddled with it."

Ever since I found her blog I've read her posts nodding my head and feeling very comadre with her.  The book is the same way.

The first thing she tackles is a mommy's tendency to compare herself to other mothers by sharing her own experience:

"I stare at the computer screen, reading the blog of another mom and stew, yet again, in a pile of self-pity and loathing. “I’m nowhere near as patient as her”, I bemoan. If my Three Year Old destroyed something of mine, I’d be furious. I would react, I would yell, I would sigh, I would damage the heart of the little soul that has been entrusted to me. I read the accounts of these super moms and grow surer every day that I am a terrible mother and that I’ll never be anything different." 

I loved her idea of kids being like aliens:

"I’m sad to say that I have spent too much of the last 10 years treating my children like they are criminals with ill intentions; like they purposely make that mess, or break that thing, or blurt out that inappropriate comment, just to upset me. 

But the truth is, my children aren’t criminals and neither are yours (well, at least not yet).

They’re aliens."

This actually was my favorite chapter.  And then at the end of the chapters she throws in these "challenges" . . . a little goal you can aim for to put some of the ideas into practice.

To be honest, I didn't agree with everything, but I don't think that's necessary to be able to reap some real gems from her experience, from her book.

I think Jennifer Bowman is a gem, this book is a gem and to sum it up in one word: Enjoyable


You can get a copy for yourself here.


Do

Parenting Wild Things

Love Love Love!

The good (out of the bad and ugly) in Mexico

So, about 10 days ago I think I broke my foot.

But *WHO* wants to go to the doctor and pay for the visit and x-rays and more if all they are going to do is tell you to take ibuprofen and stay off it.

That I can tell myself.

Like I just did.

Anyway.  My mom is now with me, and my foot is still hurting, and she is -lovingly-persistantly- telling me I need to get it looked at.

I'm gonna let her sway me, and I'll tell you why - Mexico.

Mexico doesn't have the doctor, pharmacy, radiology, labs and so on all rolled up into one package - you visit a doctor then you go and visit a lab clinic and then you go to some pharmacy nearby . . .all separate from the other.  And on a bad day, I hate this.

But today it sounds just peachy because it means that I can just hobble myself down to the radiology clinic and get x-rays for myself (for about 35 dollars) and if my foot is badly broken *THEN* I'll take the x-rays to the doctor and see what he has to say about it.

Otherwise, I'm just taking myself home and downing some ibuprofen.  Thankyouverymuch.

UPDATE: went and got the x-rays, and yes, it's official, it's broken.  And I'm back to *less than in love* with Mexico because the doctor put a cast on my foot but I'd have to go somewhere else to find a boot for it.