Wednesday Hodgepodge--7/20/11

1. July 20th marks the anniversary of the first time man stood on the moon. Flash forward 42 years to July 8, 2011 which marked the start of the final Space Shuttle mission. Should we continue to explore space? Should nations devote more or fewer of their resources to exploring space? Would you want to go into space if the opportunity arose?
I personally don't feel that we should continue to explore space.  I just think that it is cost prohibitive, and the benefits to be gained don't make up for the cost of continuing the program.  I wouldn't want to go into space.  I get motion sickness far too easily.

2. What are three things in your freezer?
Breast milk, breast milk, and breast milk.  Or did you mean 3 different things?  In that case, breast milk, ice, and chicken wings.

3. If you could see any band/artist perform live tonite who would it be? It has to be someone living...no Beatles, Elvis, etc.
Journey!!  It won't be tonight, but I am going to go see them next month at the amphitheater--can't wait!!

4. Ice-cubed or crushed? Or are you one of those people who don't like ice?
I'm with Katie--I loooove some Sonic ice!  I used to eat ice all the time when I was younger, but I have cut back a little.  It's not particularly good for your teeth.

5. The owner of a small restaurant outside of Pittsburgh recently announced he was banning children under six, saying they regularly disrupted other customer's meals. You can read the story in more detail here but isn't this a perfect topic to discuss in our Wednesday Hodgepodge? Have at it friends...what are your thoughts?
I actually have quite a bit to say about this.  First of all, I have definitely noticed the change in people's attitudes now that I am a new mom, instead of a pregnant woman.  When I was pregnant, people would move out of my way, hold the door--I even had a guy offer to pump my gas one day.

Now that I am a new mom?  Pssshh.  Half the people want to gush over my Little Cupcake and tell me how beautiful she is...the other half look at me like "That kid better not start crying."  Very seldom does anyone hold the door for me, even when I am lugging around my 10-pound baby in her 20-pound car seat.  I even had a guy basically push me out of the way so he could get past me at Kroger this morning.  I have also noticed that people are very impatient when they are behind me in line because it takes me a little longer to get my stuff together than they would like.  

As a parent (and a human being), I realize there are places I shouldn't take my child.  Black tie restaurant?  Not a place for an infant.  By the looks of things, the restaurant in question is not black tie.  It's located on a golf course, so I suppose I would consider it somewhat "upscale."  I would consider it right on the line between kid-friendly and not.  

I think the bigger issue is not the policy that has been set forth by the restaurant, but the fact that people don't seem to have a sense of what is appropriate behavior for their child(ren) in public.  I take issue with that--particularly since I have my own child now.  I can't count the number of times I have looked at her and said "Macy, you will not be acting like that."  Parents are 100% responsible for the behavior of their kids.  I almost approached a woman at Target because of the way her kids were acting.  This lady had 3 children, who looked to be around the ages of maybe 10, 8 and 4--all old enough to understand the word "no."  This woman's youngest child was screeching at the top of his lungs.  He wasn't upset or throwing a fit, he was just periodically screeching, and then giggling about it.  I could hear him from across the store.  What did she do?  She just kept repeating "Now, honey, you need to be quiet."  You can imagine how effective this was.

So, to answer the question, I think the guy did what he had to do.  It sucks that some decent parents have to suffer because of the short-comings of others, but that's how it happens sometimes.

6. What was your first car? How did it come to be yours?
My first car was a 1998 Ford Escort ZX2.  It became mine after I got a job, and paid for it.  My parents helped out a little for the first year I had it, but I paid for most of it.

7. If I had a nickle for every time I cleaned up a bodily fluid, I'd be rich.


8. I'm really not ready to go back to work on Monday...maybe two and a half months was a little too much time off...

Unexpected Blessings

Today has been quite a day.  I've been plugging away at my childcare search since yesterday.  I actually found several very promising candidates, and I had set up interviews to meet with them.  Then, I got a phone call from work, asking me if I wanted to switch shifts.  I had been working weekends--Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.  They now want me to work weekdays--regular 7-3, Monday-Friday.  That might seem like a better schedule.  For me, it's not.  I like having 3 days off every week, and I was arranging my childcare for my old work schedule.  I said they "asked" me to switch shifts...it wasn't really a request.  Naturally, I panicked.

After I hyperventilated and paced around my apartment, twiddling my hair for a few minutes, I finally pulled myself together.  The church I visited last Sunday has a day school, and they take infants.  I called to see how long the wait was.  To my complete amazement, they have an opening starting August 1st...WoW!!  People wait months to get their kids into these type of schools.  They are licensed and accredited, and they have a Christian-based curriculum...and they have an opening for my daughter in 2 weeks.

And all I have to say...God is big, and He is good!!  I could go on, but I don't really feel like I need to.  I just want to thank everyone who prayed for me and Macy yesterday.  He has answered those prayers in a big BIG way!  I am confident that my Little Cupcake is going to be well taken care of, and that this is the plan He had all along.  I'm just so amazed at how He makes everything appear to just fall into place.

Thank you, Lord, for reminding us all that you are so much more powerful than any of us can fathom!!

Prayer Monday--7/18/11

I'm trying to get back to my regularly scheduled blogging.  I'm not sure how much success I am going to have, but I'm making an attempt.

I'm feeling really needy and selfish today.  A lot of times, I feel like I only remember to pray when I have some big crisis...and today is one of those days.

I tend to avoid dealing with big problems.  I don't know why.  I know they only get bigger when I ignore them, but I do it anyway.  A prime example would be two years ago when I waited until 5 days before I was supposed to report to my ship to find somewhere to live in Virginia.  That was a long weekend.  This time, I have waited until 5 days before I am supposed to go back to work to find daycare.

In my defense, I actually started thinking about this while I was still pregnant.  Macy has been on a waiting list for childcare through the Navy Childcare Referral Office since January..and they still don't have a spot for her.  My situation is hard to accommodate because I work weekends...and childcare providers apparently don't?  So today, I am going to call back to the Referral Office and hope something opened up.  Then, I am going to make phone calls to some churches in hopes that they know of someone who might be able to watch my kid. I'm also going to attempt to post a job on care.com.  All of this scares the living daylights out of me, because we are talking about finding someone to take care of my Little Cupcake on 5 days notice.

So, today, I'm praying that God will provide.  I know He is so much bigger than this problem.  I know He could send me what I need after just one phone call.  I pray it happens that way.  I also pray that He will give me the wisdom to select someone who is going to take good care of her.  I pray that He will help me to trust that either way, HE will be taking care of her.  I also pray that he will give me the courage to call a bunch of people I don't know and ask them for help...which I'm SO good at.

Church

Yesterday, Macy and I went to church.  I honestly don't remember the last time I went to church.  It has been a long time.  But lately, I've really felt like I needed to go.  I didn't know what type of church I wanted to visit, but I knew I wanted to try a different denomination than the one in which I grew up.  I think part of the reason I haven't gone in so long is the "All-or-Nothing" mentality of that particular denomination.  Part of accepting that life isn't perfect is accepting that I sin, just like everyone else.  I want to find a church where I am accepted, not judged for my life decisions.  I really didn't feel that was possible if I stuck with Denomination X, so I decided I should look elsewhere.

A couple of weeks ago, I happened to notice a Methodist church as I was out and about.  There was nothing really spectacular about the church itself, but it stuck in my mind--enough that I Googled it when I got home.  I also looked for some other local Methodist churches, and did a little bit of research on Methodism.  I liked what I found.  One thing I liked was that they tend to be lest fundamentalist than other denominations.  I have a really hard time with rigid adherence to theology just because one verse in the Bible mentions it.  Of course, I believe the Bible was inspired and ordained by God...but I also believe it was written and translated by men.  I tend to have a looser interpretation than some, which I guess makes me not a fundamentalist.

So we visited a Methodist church yesterday.  The service was good.  We will be going back next week.  I was nervous to go, but I actually felt like I was being welcomed as a guest, instead of made into a spectacle.  I think that is a good sign.

Also, look how cute my little Cupcake was in her church clothes!

SUYL: How did you share your pregnancy news?

If you're visiting from Kelly's Korner, Welcome!

My story doesn't follow the Fairy Tale I would like, but it is still my story and I feel like sharing it.  If I were to use 1 word to describe my life, it would be imperfect.  This story fits perfectly into my imperfect life.

My little Cupcake was conceived last September.  I left on September 20th for 10 days at sea on board the USS George H. W. Bush, came home for a 4-day weekend, and then left again for 25 days at sea.  By the time I made it home on October 29th, I was 3 weeks late and sick as a dog.  I had no idea how to tell her father.  By the time I got home, I was shaking--my nerves were nearly shot.  I had already stopped at Walgreens to pick up a pregnancy test.  The two of us had our typical conversation about what we planned to do for the weekend.  He wanted to drink beer.  I asked if his feelings would be hurt if I didn't drink any beer with him.  I could see the fear as I said "Because I might not be able to drink anything for about the next 9 months."  It was not a happy moment.  The events that followed are kind of a blur.  I took the test--which was digital, just so there was no question--and smoked one last cigarette.  Neither of us were thrilled.  I think we were both kind of in shock.

It took me a little while to come to terms with my pregnancy.  I wasn't married.  I was going to have to transfer to a different job because I couldn't stay on the ship.  It just wasn't what I had always imagined it would be.  I really wanted to down a 6-pack and chain smoke, which was my normal way of dealing with stress.  It was a hard time.  I finally told my family about a month later.

As much as I wish I had a wonderful story with smiles and hugs and jumping up and down, I don't.  It's OK though, because I have this instead.

...and I wouldn't trade her for the world.  She is helping me every day to accept that life is never perfect, but it can still be pretty great.  She has filled a hole in my heart that I never knew I had.  If I had known on October 29, 2010 that she was going to be this amazing, there would have been rainbows and unicorns and all manner of festivities in celebration of expecting her.  When I look at her, I can't believe that I ever felt the way I did on that day.
*****
Now a plug for my friend while I have you all here!!

My dear friend, Julia, and her husband, Chris, are in the process of adopting a little girl from Eastern Europe.  The process it quite expensive, so she is hosting a fundraiser over at her blog.  If you have a second, please check it out!  She is giving away some very nice prizes--Coach purses, Juicy Couture watch, Brighton bracelets, and much more.  It only takes a $25 donation to enter to win!!  Please consider helping them bring their little girl home!!

Macy's Birth Announcement

Perfectly Paisley Birth Announcement

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Bragging

Ii has been difficult to find time to blog over the last 5 weeks.  It has been difficult to find time to do lots of things--laundry, sleep, shave my legs, relax, eat.  I spend most of my day trying to keep my 5-week-old awake, lest she stay up until midnight every night.  It's been frustrating.  And lonely.  VERY lonely.

I can't believe it has already been 5 weeks since Macy was born.  She's such a good baby.  She rarely cries, and she lets me sleep in until 9:00 most mornings.  She isn't sleeping through the night yet, but she is finally adjusting to being on a schedule.  She is such a happy baby.  I look at her, and I can't believe how beautiful she is, or how much I love her.  I also can't believe I made her.  She is amazing.

Other than entertaining an infant all day, I have also been working on this:

Yes, friends, that is all breast milk.  This picture doesn't do justice to the amount of breast milk I have in my freezer right now.  This is where I really start bragging.  Please bear in mind that I spend a lot of time on the verge of tears because of my current life situation.  Being a single parent to a newborn is hard.  I'm the breadwinner, and the house wife, but there is no husband to come home from work at the end of the day.  Thus, I have to find happiness somewhere.  So, as you all read this and become irritated, pissed off, or jealous, please keep in mind what I have gone through in order to achieve this lifetime goal:  I can eat whatever I want and still lose 2 pounds a week.  I'm not even kidding.  Macy is 5 weeks old, and I have already lost 30 pounds since she was born.  I'm serious about this being a lifetime goal.  At one time, I was that girl who eats whatever she wants and stays thin...but it was when I was 12.  I've struggled with weight most of my adult life.  My new metabolism makes all of this shit seem a little bit more worth it.  Obviously, Macy makes it worth it too, but you know what I mean.

Oh, I am also currently wearing a size 40D bra...some would think I should be excited, but I could really do without these gigantic jugs.  Even after I drop the last 10 pounds of baby weight, I won't be able to wear my regular shirts again--my hooters are too big.

Am I the only one who appreciates the irony that my gigantic jugs are both helping me lose weight AND preventing me from wearing smaller clothes?