I want to start blogging about my siblings and in-laws. To start this off, I chose to talk about Mindy.
Mindy is my oldest sister. Since there is about a 12 year gap between us, I didn't grow up with her much. I remember visiting her at BYU and her wedding, but other than that, I don't remember her living at home with me. But after she married, she would always come to visit us. I always looked forward to seeing her! I remember when she had her first baby. She sent us pictures of her in little tiny pink 'sunglasses' while she was 'tanning' under the light. She was actually jaundice, but we all laughed at how cute she looked. Mindy would always write funny little comments on the back of her pictures that would make us feel like we were right there next to her.
As I grew older, I developed a closer relationship with her. I had children and would call and talk to her about my struggles. She became a person for me to look up to. Always strong in her beliefs, both religious and personal. Always in a positive mood, at least when we spoke or saw each other.
I have always thought of Mindy as the rock of our family. She used to put together a family newsletter and have us submit articles and pictures and little things that we could share with everybody else. I looked forward to reading them when I received mine and would laugh at all the little funnies she would add. When our mother passed away, she dedicated the next newsletter to her and made sure to send one to our extended family in Utah and elsewhere.
Now that we started blogging, it has been more fun to read all the things she does or thinks or experiences or learns. I never know what to expect when I review her page, but I always leave with a good feeling. And I always learn from her. I wish we lived closer, as I know we would visit often, but I still look forward to the opportunities when I do see her.
This past summer, she came to visit and brought the whole family! It was definitely a treat to see how much her kids had grown, as I hadn't seen them since our family gathering in San Diego many years before. I grasped on to how much she loved her family and how beautiful she had made them become. She cares for them and nurtures them and I can see through them how much they enjoy being a family. Each one has their own personalities and are very different from the other, but in the end, they are a very fun and happy group of siblings.
Mindy dear, you are still my rock and I still look up to your example. Thanks for believing in me.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Top Ten Reasons I LOVE My Phone (and service)
1. Unlimited text, pics, and a large amount of minutes that comes with the package. Sprint mobile-to-mobile minutes and the typical free nights/weekends.
2. Free long distance, no roaming charges (yes, I said NO roaming charges), and lots and lots of apps to keep me occupied.
3. Sprint Navigation. Fantastic! So my husband and I went through Texas earlier this month and discoverd how totally awesome this is! With the built in GPS system, we can locate the nearest location of anything we want. We can find out the prices of local gas stations and movie times. We feel very cool with this feature. VERY cool.
4. The internet is fast and accurate! I can google, check my banking info, and email. I even have it set up so that I get emails directly to my phone, which is great because I used to check my personal email about once a MONTH!
5. Sprint TV. I can watch FULL EPISODES of Ugly Betty and Grey's Anatomy any time I want! Plus it's commercial free! I can watch a bunch of other stuff too, but who cares. These are the only two shows I watch regurlary. Which means that I can watch them from home Thursday night and AGAIN from my phone Friday! Super cool. Don't be hatin'.
6. Texting is super fast. Some of you may be like, "Whatever. Mine can text fast too." But you have to understand my last phone. It had a 5 second delay on it, which STINKS when trying to text. Plus I was texting off a regular number grid, not a full blown keyboard.
7. My camera and video stuff is cool too, cause I didn't have either one on my last phone either. It was like a minature dinosaur! But with this one, I can record the kids and sent it to their dad's email. They love doing this too. They showed off their rooms and told him about all the cool things they like to do. It was neat.
8. It's a red Blackberry Curve. I love red. Red is my all-time favorite color. When I moved into my house, it was awesome because my sister (who owned the house before us) had painted the kitchen red. And with our new appliances now, it is totally rockin'. Really.
9. I can listen to music or watch music videos while I'm downstairs in the warehouse at work. I have to send out literature sometimes, and it gets really boring down there in the room all alone. I even watch tv while I'm down there packing it all up. Super cool feature.
10. The calculator is so easy! It consists of using the qwerty board as a full calculator pad. Maybe it's like that on all qwerty phones, but it's new to me. I love it!
So now anybody can call me on it and it won't break the bank for me! Seriously, I love that! Unlimited text, pics, free long distance, no roaming charges, navigation, humongous minute allowance, internet access, cable tv, satellite radio-all mine. Well, mine and his. Plus we just got our rebate check, so that makes me more in love with it. Hey, money talks for me! Later hater!
2. Free long distance, no roaming charges (yes, I said NO roaming charges), and lots and lots of apps to keep me occupied.
3. Sprint Navigation. Fantastic! So my husband and I went through Texas earlier this month and discoverd how totally awesome this is! With the built in GPS system, we can locate the nearest location of anything we want. We can find out the prices of local gas stations and movie times. We feel very cool with this feature. VERY cool.
4. The internet is fast and accurate! I can google, check my banking info, and email. I even have it set up so that I get emails directly to my phone, which is great because I used to check my personal email about once a MONTH!
5. Sprint TV. I can watch FULL EPISODES of Ugly Betty and Grey's Anatomy any time I want! Plus it's commercial free! I can watch a bunch of other stuff too, but who cares. These are the only two shows I watch regurlary. Which means that I can watch them from home Thursday night and AGAIN from my phone Friday! Super cool. Don't be hatin'.
6. Texting is super fast. Some of you may be like, "Whatever. Mine can text fast too." But you have to understand my last phone. It had a 5 second delay on it, which STINKS when trying to text. Plus I was texting off a regular number grid, not a full blown keyboard.
7. My camera and video stuff is cool too, cause I didn't have either one on my last phone either. It was like a minature dinosaur! But with this one, I can record the kids and sent it to their dad's email. They love doing this too. They showed off their rooms and told him about all the cool things they like to do. It was neat.
8. It's a red Blackberry Curve. I love red. Red is my all-time favorite color. When I moved into my house, it was awesome because my sister (who owned the house before us) had painted the kitchen red. And with our new appliances now, it is totally rockin'. Really.
9. I can listen to music or watch music videos while I'm downstairs in the warehouse at work. I have to send out literature sometimes, and it gets really boring down there in the room all alone. I even watch tv while I'm down there packing it all up. Super cool feature.
10. The calculator is so easy! It consists of using the qwerty board as a full calculator pad. Maybe it's like that on all qwerty phones, but it's new to me. I love it!
So now anybody can call me on it and it won't break the bank for me! Seriously, I love that! Unlimited text, pics, free long distance, no roaming charges, navigation, humongous minute allowance, internet access, cable tv, satellite radio-all mine. Well, mine and his. Plus we just got our rebate check, so that makes me more in love with it. Hey, money talks for me! Later hater!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
From the Mouth of Bebito
"Why is your shirt so dirty? Did you play in the dirt?"
"No, I wiped my boogers on it."
In reference to my loose hair strand: "Mom, look! You have a hair snake!"
When I told Bebito who Whinnie the Pooh was, he asked, "Oh, well can I call him Sham Pooh (shampoo)?"
"Mom, my hair is coming off."
"What? Why?"
"Because last morning you gave me a haircut."
"No, I wiped my boogers on it."
In reference to my loose hair strand: "Mom, look! You have a hair snake!"
When I told Bebito who Whinnie the Pooh was, he asked, "Oh, well can I call him Sham Pooh (shampoo)?"
"Mom, my hair is coming off."
"What? Why?"
"Because last morning you gave me a haircut."
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Something I Read...
We are sitting at lunch one day when my daughter casually mentions that she and her husband are thinking of "starting a family."
"We're taking a survey," she says half-joking. "Do you think I should have a baby?"
"It will change your life," I say, carefully keeping my tone neutral.
"I know," she says, "no more sleeping in on weekends, no more spontaneous vacations."
But that is not what I meant at all. I look at my daughter, trying to decide what to tell her. I want her to know what she will never learn in childbirth classes.
I want to tell her that the physical wounds of child bearing will heal, but becoming a mother will leave her with an emotional wound so raw that she will forever be vulnerable.
I consider warning her that she will never again read a newspaper without asking, "What if that had been MY child?"
That every plane crash, every house fire will haunt her. That when she sees pictures of starving children, she will wonder if anything could be worse than watching your child die.
I look at her carefully manicured nails and stylish suit and think that no matter how sophisticated she is, becoming a mother will reduce her to the primitive level of a bear protecting her cub. That an urgent call of "Mom!" will cause her to drop a soufflé or her best crystal without a moments hesitation.
I feel that I should warn her that no matter how many years she has invested in her career, she will be professionally derailed by motherhood. She might arrange for childcare, but one day she will be going into an important business meeting and she will think of her baby's sweet smell. She will have to use every ounce of discipline to keep from running home, just to make sure her baby is all right.
I want my daughter to know that every day decisions will no longer be routine. That a five year old boy's desire to go to the men's room rather than the women's at McDonald's will become a major dilemma. That right there, in the midst of clattering trays and screaming children, issues of independence and gender identity will be weighed against the prospect that a child molester may be lurking in that restroom.
However decisive she may be at the office, she will second-guess herself constantly as a mother.
Looking at my attractive daughter, I want to assure her that eventually she will shed the pounds of pregnancy, but she will never feel the same about herself.
That her life, now so important, will be of less value to her once she has a child. That she would give herself up in a moment to save her offspring, but will also begin to hope for more years, not to accomplish her own dreams, but to watch her child accomplish theirs. I want her to know that a cesarean scar or shiny
stretch marks will become badges of honor. My daughter's relationship with her husband will change, but not in the way she thinks.
I wish she could understand how much more you can love a man who is careful to powder the baby or who never hesitates to play with his child. I think she should know that she will fall in love with him again for reasons she would now find very unromantic.
I wish my daughter could sense the bond she will feel with women throughout history who have tried to stop war, prejudice and drunk driving.
I want to describe to my daughter the exhilaration of seeing your child learn to ride a bike. I want to capture for her the belly laugh of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog or cat for the first time. I want her to taste the joy that is so
real it actually hurts.
My daughter's quizzical look makes me realize that tears have formed in my eyes. "You 'll never regret it," I finally say. Then I reached across the table, squeezed my daughter's hand and offered a silent prayer for her, and for me, and for all the mere mortal women who stumble their way into this most wonderful of callings.
"We're taking a survey," she says half-joking. "Do you think I should have a baby?"
"It will change your life," I say, carefully keeping my tone neutral.
"I know," she says, "no more sleeping in on weekends, no more spontaneous vacations."
But that is not what I meant at all. I look at my daughter, trying to decide what to tell her. I want her to know what she will never learn in childbirth classes.
I want to tell her that the physical wounds of child bearing will heal, but becoming a mother will leave her with an emotional wound so raw that she will forever be vulnerable.
I consider warning her that she will never again read a newspaper without asking, "What if that had been MY child?"
That every plane crash, every house fire will haunt her. That when she sees pictures of starving children, she will wonder if anything could be worse than watching your child die.
I look at her carefully manicured nails and stylish suit and think that no matter how sophisticated she is, becoming a mother will reduce her to the primitive level of a bear protecting her cub. That an urgent call of "Mom!" will cause her to drop a soufflé or her best crystal without a moments hesitation.
I feel that I should warn her that no matter how many years she has invested in her career, she will be professionally derailed by motherhood. She might arrange for childcare, but one day she will be going into an important business meeting and she will think of her baby's sweet smell. She will have to use every ounce of discipline to keep from running home, just to make sure her baby is all right.
I want my daughter to know that every day decisions will no longer be routine. That a five year old boy's desire to go to the men's room rather than the women's at McDonald's will become a major dilemma. That right there, in the midst of clattering trays and screaming children, issues of independence and gender identity will be weighed against the prospect that a child molester may be lurking in that restroom.
However decisive she may be at the office, she will second-guess herself constantly as a mother.
Looking at my attractive daughter, I want to assure her that eventually she will shed the pounds of pregnancy, but she will never feel the same about herself.
That her life, now so important, will be of less value to her once she has a child. That she would give herself up in a moment to save her offspring, but will also begin to hope for more years, not to accomplish her own dreams, but to watch her child accomplish theirs. I want her to know that a cesarean scar or shiny
stretch marks will become badges of honor. My daughter's relationship with her husband will change, but not in the way she thinks.
I wish she could understand how much more you can love a man who is careful to powder the baby or who never hesitates to play with his child. I think she should know that she will fall in love with him again for reasons she would now find very unromantic.
I wish my daughter could sense the bond she will feel with women throughout history who have tried to stop war, prejudice and drunk driving.
I want to describe to my daughter the exhilaration of seeing your child learn to ride a bike. I want to capture for her the belly laugh of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog or cat for the first time. I want her to taste the joy that is so
real it actually hurts.
My daughter's quizzical look makes me realize that tears have formed in my eyes. "You 'll never regret it," I finally say. Then I reached across the table, squeezed my daughter's hand and offered a silent prayer for her, and for me, and for all the mere mortal women who stumble their way into this most wonderful of callings.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Yes, Today IS the Day!
Yes, I stood in line first thing this morning and did it! I got the kids up early, dropped them off at the daycare about 15 minutes earlier than normal, and proceeded to my polling place. When I got there at 7:10, the line was already out the door and wrapped around the parking lot. 10 minutes after it opened! I sent a text to my sister to tell her where I was and how long the line was and that I was leaving so I wouldn't be late for work. So silly me, I got out of line, hopped into my car, called my boss back to tell him I was NOT voting yet and was on my way. Ugh. Then my sister texts back that I have 2 hours, by Oklahoma law, to be able to vote. Hmm...U-turn...back in line. Only in the brief time it took to knock some sense into me, about 25 other people got in line. Oh well. So for another hour, I stood in line with half-frozen fingertips and waited. Once it got to my turn, my name was NOT on the registry log. But don't panic. You see, I had just voted in the primary elections, so I already knew what to do...as I had the same problem then, but with a much, much shorter wait. My name was still registered as my previous name and I was still voting at my old polling post. So yes, I did get to vote and it was fantastic! I love voting! It was a refreshing feeling when I left that place, proudly showing off my new sticker! So hey, if you're reading this and haven't cast your vote yet, get up and do it!!!
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