This picture made me think a lot today. I kind of forgot we still had troops in Afghanistan. Its so easy to be worried about money, pregnancy, labor, baby, moving, work, Matthews work, friends, family, fall line up, seeing harry potter when it comes out a week after my due date, etc etc that I sort of put things like this aside until I have room to worry about them too. In my current emotional state stuff like this can make me tear up immediately or stare into space for hours on end. I look forward to the end of pregnancy hormones but unfortunately I am a huge worrier and know it is just the beginning.
Yesterday’s Pictures of the Day at the WSJ were particularly fine, including a US soldier in Afghanistan who didn’t have time to put on his uniform and gets caught by the camera taking up a defensive position in pink I [heart] NY boxers and flip flops.
Ok, you can maybe say that I am slightly hormonal these days. Between the crazy wack pregnancy stuff and the stress and insanity from moving I am emotionally on edge.
Just today I teared up at the following:
A random episode of a baby story (natch)
A passage in the book I’m reading – Birthing from Within. Its VERY touching.
This Flickr Feed - Click through all the pics in the series and you’ll quickly see why! (via sk’s twitter)
Why yes, I do have more to post but I’m too busy looking for another box of tissues…
This photostream of the Obamas on Election Night made me tear up with its awesomeness (Just like every single other thing I read about election, I’m a bit of a mess). Imagine even 4 years ago being able to look this closely into the life of the candidates.
(from Gael)
Here is another example. Get out your tissues.
(from Melissa via Twitter)
I don’t know, maybe its just me. I have been fighting off a raging sinus infection for weeks and the antibiotics are finally slooooowly working even though I still have a killer headache. All. The. Time. Its put a bit of a damper on things. Plus the weather has been nothing but crap all week. Its grey, grey, grey, sometimes wet and a little too humid for November. That always puts me in a shit mood.
Luckily there are things like this around to make me laugh. Thanks internets!
Read a book this week. Preferably one below in honor of banned book week. I chose the particular list because as I was skimming it I realized that I read a handful as assigned reading in high school during the time they were most frequently banned. Support your local library!
The 100 Most Frequently
Challenged Books of
1990–1999
Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz
Daddy’s Roommate by Michael Willhoite
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Forever by Judy Blume
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
The Giver by Lois Lowry
My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
It’s Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris
Alice (Series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine
A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Sex by Madonna
Earth’s Children (Series) by Jean M. Auel
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
The Witches by Roald Dahl
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
The New Joy of Gay Sex by Charles Silverstein
Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
The Goats by Brock Cole
The Stupids (Series) by Harry Allard
Anastasia Krupnik (Series) by Lois Lowry
Final Exit by Derek Humphry
Blubber by Judy Blume
Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Daughters by Lynda Madaras
Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
The Pigman by Paul Zindel
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
Deenie by Judy Blume
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden
Beloved by Toni Morrison
The Boy Who Lost His Face by Louis Sachar
Cross Your Fingers, Spit in Your Hat by Alvin Schwartz
Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
Cujo by Stephen King
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
Ordinary People by Judith Guest
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice)
Bumps in the Night by Harry Allard
Asking About Sex and Growing Up by Joanna Cole
What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Boys: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Sons by Lynda Madaras
The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell
Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
Boys and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
Crazy Lady by Jane Conly
Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher
Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan
Fade by Robert Cormier
Guess What? by Mem Fox
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Native Son by Richard Wright
Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women’s Fantasies by Nancy Friday
Curses, Hexes and Spells by Daniel Cohen
On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende
Jack by A.M. Homes
Arizona Kid by Ron Koertge
Family Secrets by Norma Klein
Mommy Laid An Egg by Babette Cole
Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya
Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle
The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney
Carrie by Stephen King
The Dead Zone by Stephen King
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
Always Running by Luis Rodriguez
Private Parts by Howard Stern
Where’s Waldo? by Martin Hanford
Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Running Loose by Chris Crutcher
Sex Education by Jenny Davis
Jumper by Steven Gould
Christine by Stephen King
The Drowning of Stephen Jones by Bette Greene
That Was Then, This is Now by S.E. Hinton
Girls and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
The Wish Giver by Bill Brittain
Jump Ship to Freedom by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
I’m not really political but I can’t get this out of my head:
“We have been blessed with five wonderful children who we love with all our heart and mean everything to us. Our beautiful daughter Bristol came to us with news that as parents we knew would make her grow up faster than we had ever planned. We’re proud of Bristol’s decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents. As Bristol faces the responsibilities of adulthood, she knows she has our unconditional love and support.” Sarah Palin
Merriam-Webster’s definition of decision:
Main Entry:
1de·ci·sion
Pronunciation:
\di-?si-zh?n\
Function:
noun
Etymology:
Middle English decisioun, from Middle French, from Latin decision-, decisio, from decidere to decide
Date:
15th century
1 a: the act or process of decidingb: a determination arrived at after consideration :conclusion<make a decision>
I believe that’s all we are asking for, a right to CHOOSE, to make a DECISION about our lives and our bodies. How nice for Bristol Palin that she lives in a country where it is still up to her and not the government. Let’s keep it that way.
My sister-in-law Jen always puts tons of pics of her kids on her blog and it makes me miss them soooo much! It also makes me sad because they are growing up so fast and I don’t even know the next time we will see them since we aren’t heading to Vancouver for Christmas this year (We only go every other Christmas and its a NYC holiday for us this time).
Whenever I get all sad about it I look through the thousands of pics that I have on my computer or scroll through old posts on Jen’s blog in the middle of the night.
Here are some faves from our summer trip out west this year.
Xavier
Klausine
Lunden
Georgia
Calleigh
*Update on my dad: He is still in the hospital but improving slightly each day. He still does not feel very well so continue to keep him in your thoughts and prayers please!
My dad is in the hospital. He had a test yesterday and there seem to be complications so they admitted him. Not entirely sure what is going on but I’m feeling a bit concerned, probably because I’m so far away. Feel better soon Daddy!
*please notice my mom making her photo face behind her huge sunglasses. This is proof that she has been bringing that to cherished family memories for over 30 years.
