Friday, June 12, 2009

staycation

Primo is out of school and Scott is off from work next week. This got me thinking about the concept of a staycation. Staycation got a lot of buzz last summer when gas prices were through the roof (as opposed to this summer's mere "grazing the ceiling" gas prices). All of a sudden poeple were like, "Took the week off, going to hang with the kids. You know, staycation."

Honestly, I wonder what the big deal is. We sued to do this stuff all the time when we were kids. Dad would take a week off from work and we'd hang out at home. Maybe we would go to Grandmom's house on Sunday and go swimming in her pool, but we hardly went anywhere. we played and dad would work on the house and we were so stone bored by the end of August we were sort of looking forward to school.

Well, that's not entirely accurate. We did, for several years in a row, take a week down the shore with my dad's brother, sister, and their families. Usually the first week in August. But even then we weren't going to the boardwalk and eating out every night. We cooked at home and one night we'd go to Wildwood for the boardwalk. And there were 11 of us in the house.

And we still were sort of looking forward to school starting up again.

When did average people like me start thinking that they have to take the kids on some really great trip every summer and long weekend during school? I didn't go to Disney world until I was 20. That was the first time I was ever on a plane, too. It never occurred to me that people went away for Columbus Day or Presidents' Day weekend. Then I tried scheduling classes for CCD on Columbus day. Holy crap, was THAT a disaster!!!! everyone went away that weekend. President's day weekend I tried scheduling something (I think for Confirmation). Who knew everyone was going on a ski trip that weekend? The only trouble I see with this is that these trips become routine, something to be taken for granted.

I know a wonderful woman who told me one time, "Oh, we always take the kids to Vermont on Columbus Day weekend and we drive around and look at the leaves change." This one actually sounds good to me. Four hours each way in the car and more driving around in the car when you get there, taking it easy and talking to one another.

So, next week, we will be staycationing. Scott will do work on the yard and his masters' classes and I will try and get some wash done. And we'll go to Bubba's Kindergarten "celebration" (not graduation-?-) and go to the last baseball game of the season for the boys.

And they'll go to the baseball camp that Pop-pop runs and they'll hang out and get bored and sort of start looking forward to school starting again.

The way it should be.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

"...But they are dead; those two are dead!
Their spirits are in heaven!"
'Twas throwing words away; for still
The little maid would have her will
And said... "Nay, we are seven!"

From "We are Seven" by William Wordsworth


My friend and her husband lost their baby over the weekend. The little girl was stillborn. Today was the funeral.

The image of the infant girl's daddy carrying her tiny white casket down the center aisle of the church, weeping, his grieving wife at his side, is something that I will never forget.

It is a completely unnatural situation, that a father should bury his infant child.

I cannot pretend to know why the Lord permits the death of a child. I cannot pretend to know the depths of this family's grief. To carry a child to term and to deliver her stillborn....

I know that when the rawness fades for my friend and her family, when they can look at little girls who were born at the same time as their little girl and not weep, the knowledge of their daughter's place at her heavenly Father's side will comfort them. They will begin to call on her and ask her prayers before the Lord.

And you, I ask your prayers for the R. family and for the repose of the soul of their infant, B. Comments closed. Just offer a prayer right now.

Monday, June 08, 2009

Totally unexpected.




Amy Giglio's Dewey Decimal Section:

227 Epistles

Amy Giglio = 135797295 = 135+797+295 = 1227


Class:
200 Religion


Contains:
The Bible and other religious texts, books about the general philosophy and theory of religion.



What it says about you:
You don't mind thinking about the unknown or other very big ideas. You will never feel like your work is finished. The 200-series is dominated by Christian topics, so you may feel like you're constantly surrounded by Christians.

Find your Dewey Decimal Section at Spacefem.com



HT: Kate

Thursday, June 04, 2009

Husband appreciation weekend

Hot on the heels of the last two posts, I am declaring June 5, 6, and 7 Husband Appreciation Weekend. This weekend, we will, through acts of love, through verbal thanks, and *ahem* whatever else you may think of, show our husbands that we love them; that we are grateful that they decided to marry us and put up with all of our crap until death do us part.

This weekend we will not nag. This weekend, we will be grateful that he folded the wash (even if it was not folded "the right way"). We will pray for him, that the Lord keeps him strong. At least one night this weekend, we will make him what he wants for dinner. We will let him rest in the hammock and keep the kids from jumping on him for at least 15 minutes. We will put aside the honey-do list (or at least thank him for getting to it). We will show him that we think he's the best guy in the world. We will cheerefully say yes when he initiates love. We will show our husbands that we are grateful for him being a man, MY MAN. We will show our husbands that we are grateful for him being here, for showing up.

Who's with me?

Monday, June 01, 2009

Pet peeve

You know what I just can't stand?

Man bashing.

Every time I hear some woman talking trash about her husband, I want to smack her upside her head.

Every time I hear some woman say, "Men and babies, same thing," I want to wring her neck.

Every time I have to endure a guy like Al Bundy on TV, I want to throw a brick through my TV.
Since when does a woman need to beat up on a man to feel good? Why in HELL would you say things like this in front of your children about their father?
Most husbands are good men, who sacrifice mightily for their wives and children. If your man is acting like an idiot, maybe you need to examine how you treat him. Do you act like you love him? Do you talk to him in ways that are emasculating? Do you treat him like a child? Do you thank him for what he does? Do you do kind things for him?
Yes, maybe you (like me) have to remind your husband about appointments. Maybe you have to take out the garbage sometimes (even though you agreed when you got married that it was his job). Do you never forget things? Do you remember that he told you he was working late?
Give him a break, hon.
Or don't sit next to me.

Just the ten of us...

I know that probably most of you are so done with Jon and Kate and their eight. I wish I could say that I am. The truth is that I have watched them for a while and I really enjoy the show.

Over Memorial Day weekend, TLC had a marathon of the show and I watched some of it. While I was ironing, I paid close attention to the Season 4 finale, where Jon is pretty clear that he is not happy with TLC filming their lives and that he needs a break from the cameras. Kate dismisses Jon's comments saying that of course they'll be back for season 5.

For all of the nonsense that they have been through in the last couple of months, I am sorry. Jon's behavior that was captured by the "press" is not excusable. Neither is the disdain Kate displays for her husband on national TV.

But to watch the two of them together last week was really painful for me. I see them spending time apart when they should be together. I found myself wishing repeatedly that they would send the cameras back to the network and work on being a normal family again; work on being a married woman and man again.

I'm not in their marriage. I know what they have let us all see of their marriage. And I don't know what we haven't seen. What I do see is a woman who is very happy to be on TV and is clearly enjoying the perks that come with celebrity and having money (such as trips to San Diego on the spur of the moment- that was tonight's episode). I see a woman who wants to give her children the chance for different experiences (Kate's words from the Season 4 finale). I see a man whose wife won't listen to him.

I understand wanting to give your children more than you had growing up. That is what all parents want to do for their kids. But at what cost? Your marriage, your children's strong foundation, breaking apart? In the season premiere, both Kate and Jon said that they don't know what the future holds, but that they love their kids. I just wanted them to say that they love each other. I want Jon and Kate to say "No matter what, I'll be there for my family. I'll be there for my spouse."

As much as I like their show, I want Kate to give her permission to darken the show until such a time that Jon wants it to continue. Kate said something like (I think in the season 4 finale) that she feels she owes it to America to watch her kids grow up.

Kate, you don't owe me or the rest of America sh*t. Tell them to turn off the cameras and take a good look at your husband, the man with whom you renewed your vows a year or so ago. Yes, he is not perfect. Yes, his judgment is poor. Maybe he betrayed you. Look at him. He wants to stop. Just stop. Listen to St. Paul:
Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives should
be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is
head of his wife just as Christ is head of the church, he himself the savior of
the body. As the church is subordinate to Christ, so wives should be
subordinate to their husbands in everything.
(Ephesians
5:21-24)

Jon, man up. Stop fooling round on the ski slopes and in bars and get back to the business of being a Christian husband and father. Move back into your house (it seems like he has moved out) and work on your marriage. St. Paul has some words for you, too:
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and handed
himself over for her to sanctify her, cleansing her by the bath of water
with the word, that he might present to himself the church in splendor,
without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without
blemish. So (also) husbands should love their wives as their own
bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one hates his own
flesh but rather nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ does the
church, because we are members of his body. "For this reason a man
shall leave (his) father and (his) mother and be joined to his wife, and the two
shall become one flesh." (Ephesians 5:22-31)

And to the both of you: In any case, each one of you should love his wife as himself, and the
wife should respect her husband. (Ephesians 5:33)

It is my sincere hope that the network is heightening the drama to keep us watching and that Kate and Jon will be together again and working on it by the end of this season. It is my greater hope that they will just darken the show. Either way, I am praying for them and for their kids.

FAIL

Bubba: "What!!! No Wii today? That's Fail, Mom!"