On A Healthier Society

I had a thought.

We were at a restaurant and there was a baby at the table next to us. He was sitting there minding his own business and sucking on his little melt-aways. All of the sudden something made him sad, mad, or whatever. He dropped his little head back and wailed.

The thought I had was this: How incredibly freeing would that be.... if when we felt sad, mad, or whatever we could just wail right then and there until we were through it, over it, or at least consoled?

When I picture that kind of society in my head it makes me giggle. I think I'm right though. I know in my lifetime I've spent way more energy in concealing my emotions than I have releasing them. I think we would be a healthier society if we could just be real and immediate with our emotions.

Wierd Science

My Hubby Guy is the type of dad who is forever trying to sell the kids some line of bull. They are forever looking to me for verification of his stories. More often than not I spoil his fun.

Well.... today at Cracker Barrel the oldest had one of their "campfire dinners". It's meat and potatoes wrapped in aluminum foil and cooked over a fire. When she was done she announced that she had eaten almost all of it. Hubby Guy then chimed in and said if she ate the aluminum foil "THEN he would be impressed". She grabbed a piece to start chewing (because she rarely backs down from a challenge). He went on to tell her that she could create an electrical charge in her mouth if she chewed aluminum foil over a filling.  I thought it was a line of bull. I kept asking if he was serious and he maintained that he was. It didn't work for the Oldest because she doesn't have the right kind of "old school" fillings. I did though. I grabbed a piece of foil and bit down on it and lo and behold I got an electrical shock! It was CREEPY! I never knew you could do that.

Truly, The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

SCHOOL TIME!!!!  YAY!!!

I was SUCH a nerd when I was school aged that even now when it's time to go back to school I get excited. Yesterday I registered the oldest. We got her schedule and went and found all her classes. I found myself TOTALLY wishing that it was me going back to school. Fortunately for me the oldest doesn't really care about school supplies. I get to go shopping for those by myself and pretend they're really for me. YES, I'm a DORK! 

The only thing I was disappointed about yesterday was that we couldn't meet her teachers. We changed school systems when we moved. Once thing this system does differently is that the kids don't get to meet their teachers before the first day of school. In my opinion that is WAY bo-bo! But... I will be there with bells on for back to school night so I can shake all their hands and wish them luck with my oldest angel. :)

The thing other than fresh school supplies that I appreciate most about this time of year is returning to the routine. I prefer to do the same things the same way at the same time every day. I AM that person. I'm not OCD but I truly love a set schedule. It makes me happy. For whatever reason, when I have a schedule I'm ultimately more productive. I also appreciate down time more. I guess I'm weird like that.

On Healing

This morning I was reading a friend's blog. She was talking about her newly adopted daughter. She reminded me of the notion that when children are young and their cries are ignored they learn to turn inward. They stop crying because they've learned it's a pointless exercise.

I experienced that with my girls, especially the younger one. For along time if she got hurt she would just drop her hair in front of her face and hunch her little self over and get really quiet until she was over whatever had happened.

If you have met my girls you know that the youngest now is a big card! She is chok-full of personality. A couple weeks ago we were helping out some friends by looking in on their dogs while they were away on a day trip. Their dogs are really fun and spirited. The Youngest was throwing balls for them and they were returning them to her. One of the dogs tried to grab the ball from her hand and inadvertently bit her finger. I was completely taken aback by her response. She dropped her head back and wailed at the top of her lungs. I stood there for a minute watching before I scooped her up to console her because it was amazing.

We've had the girls for 2 1/2 years now and in some ways I feel like we've had them since birth. Our family continues to bond and grow the easy camaraderie that comes from being with people you know extremely well. I don't see as often their tell tale signs of healing. They are still healing but the change just isn't as obvious as it was before.  I hope I don't ever start to miss those signs. They are encouraging.