Good Advertising

I was teaching my Bradley class the other night, when Gabe, age 30 now, quietly passed through the room. When he was gone, one of my students asked me who he was. I said, “Oh, that is one of my grown-up Bradley babies, our fourth son.” And she said, “Wow!! What a HANDSOME, healthy-lookin’ guy!” I often stress in class that moms need to eat very conscientiously in order to grow a “blue ribbon baby”, and I check every week to make sure they are eating an optimal diet. I could just see the wheels turning in this mom’s head, saying to herself, “I want to grow one like that!” My sons definitely are good advertising.
Another time, years ago, when Ben was a teenager, he was also passing through the room during one of my classes. One of the dad’s-to-be said, “Hold on there! This is a moment of truth. We want to know if your mom feeds you guys as good as she makes us eat.” Ben stopped, looking slightly amused. “So, do you ever eat Ding-Dongs?” Wanting to answer truthfully, Ben asked, “What exactly IS a Ding-Dong?” The room erupted in laughter! And the guy said, “Well, I guess that answers my question!” I could have hugged Ben!

STILL Smiling

Saw our President interviewed on the Daily Show last night. John Stewert is a sarcastic, over-the-top leftist comedian who typically makes brutal fun of his interviewees for the sake of a laugh. (My family really enjoys him, but I usually pass.) (Ben once told me when asked why he liked the show, “When I want to cry about politics, I watch this show for some comic relief.”)
Our President handled himself with grace and dignity and good-humor as he answered the hard questions that were intended to fluster and embarrass him. Well done, Mr. President.
Every day I continue to tune out the fearmongers and the hate speeches on the news and wait for my chance to hear what’s really going on from the president. Then I smile. A sane voice rising from the din of hysteria.

The Best of Company

Another year, another “Apple Day at Darlene’s”. I love those little kids and their exceptional mamas. It is a pleasure to spend time with children who know they are well-loved and are clearly getting their needs met. They stand out. It is a privilege to spend time with women who know the value of being a mother and give it all they’ve got. They stand out, too. I feel like I’m in the best of company when I’m with them.
Showing us the stars in their apples!

Watching me make “apple spirals”

Next event: Martinmas.

Smokey ‘n’ Me

Steve almost caught us asleep. Not quite. It’s hard to surprise a cat.

One Year Anniversary

I’m celebrating (belatedly) the one year anniversary of adopting our little cat, Smokey. He has turned out to be the hands-down best cat I’ve ever owned. I liked him then, and I love him now. He has bonded especially strongly and affectionately with me. I think it might be because every morning I come into my computer room, which is the place he sleeps at night, and greet him and cuddle with him to his heart’s content. He loves that so much! He snuggles up to me, purring loudly, and rubs his face on my face, and rolls over on his back “begging” me to scratch his belly. If I go into another room, he is not far behind. He is still very “kittenish”, even though he is supposedly a year and a half old now, and he entertains me with his antics every day. I am so grateful to have this cat to enjoy daily. It’s almost as good as a baby…. well, not really….. but reminicent. I definitely have a motherly instinct toward him. And he often acts like my baby. I guess it’s been too long since I’ve had a real baby around on a daily basis. Like 20+ years. But, Smokey will do for now.

Reflections on Nausea

Two days ago, I suffered a hellish bout of the 24 hour flu. And as I was retching in the bathroom for the “hundredth time”, I remember thinking to myself, “This is SO familiar…oh yeah… I did this every time I was newly pregnant. For months.” And it got me to wondering, as I was laying as still as possible in bed, (so I wouldn’t trigger another wave of nausea) why in the world so many women (up to 90%, apparently) experience nausea in early pregnancy? Why? There are scientific explanations having to do with hormonal changes, but there has to be a convincing philosophical reason for me to feel satisfied. Here’s what I came up with: Morning sickness (which is a misnomer, because it’s more like “all day sickness” for most women) changes us. It is an ordeal, kind of like boot camp, that toughens us up. It has the effect of breaking or tearing down the old self and giving birth to a new self that is stronger. Getting through it in one piece gives us the feeling that, “If I can get through this, I can do anything.” (Like getting through a long, hard labor!) And let’s face it, being a mom is not for wimps! It is tough, demanding, challenging, relentless, and has to be done even if we are sick, tired or bored. It is simply the hardest job any of us ever do. So, I think it’s appropriate to call morning sickness “boot camp”, and accept it as preparation for the challenges to come. But, in some ways, it also may help us more deeply appreciate the utter joy, the never-before-experienced pleasure, and the intense love and loyalty that comes along with the job. After experiencing that tough training period, the relief of finally having the baby in ones arms may make motherhood all the sweeter.

Trouble with Picture?

Sorry, I’m having some technical difficulties with my pictures. If you can not see the entire picture of the band on my previous post, just click on it and it will take you to Flicker and the whole picture.

What We Were Doin’ This Weekend

Gar Robertson, Bobby Furgo, Steve Lester, me, Johnny Ray Martin, Damian Lester

Shadow Mountain Band was the opening band on Sunday for the Joshua Tree Roots Music Festival. We played to a receptive audience, and we got lots and lots of positive feedback after the show. Very satisfying. I spent the rest of the day listening to the other bands and, mostly, visiting with friends. Almost every local friend I have was there. Talk about a fun party!