I'm back, did ya miss me?

So, I've been back from Mexico now for long enough that my brain has had a chance to absorb all the things that I saw there (some good, some not so good) -- don't worry, I've still got more to write on my Mexico Blog  but I have homework and kids and life to deal with first.

Which brings me to my post.  Apparently I was missed.  Poor Mr. Delusional has come to the realization that I do a lot more than he thought I did (I don't even want to know what he thought).  On Saturday, I was blissfully sleeping in and he did a load of laundry *gasp* -- sure, he messed up my routine, but I forgave him.  The kids were making their own lunches all week Adam has started weaning himself from his blanket...I feel like somehow I missed out on a whole lot while I was gone.

Things were back to normal pretty quickly though. Iman and Isaac were squabbling, Adam getting into things he shouldn't and me stuck doing all those chores that I really hate - like grocery shopping.  On Mother's Day.  Woot. Woot.

Not much else happened for me on Mother's Day - I got a home-made card from Isaac, spent some quality time with Iman, and visited with friends.  At bed time, as I snuggled with Adam, he kissed me on the cheek then sat there rubbing it for a bit.  "What are you doing?" I asked.  "Rubbing my love in so that it reaches your heart." he said.

Best. Mother's Day. EVER.

(Oh - a post script to my own mom - There is an entire post developing in my brain - dedicated to you and your awesomeness.  I can never thank you enough for everything you've done.  Love you.)

New Layout!

Eeeek!  I'm so excited guys -- I got me a new blog layout that really reflects my personality!  I LOVE it!  I can't thank Miss Nye enough for the picture that represents me oh-so-well, or Princesstefer for taking the time to do the layout (cause God knows, I don't have anywhere near the patience to bungle with all that stuff!)

There will likely be a few changes as I tweak it to near perfection -- but let me know what you think so far.

For Today...

My friend Magz, does these amazingly deep and thoughtful postings out of nothing.  They are titled "For Today" and they always have some touch of whimsical wisdom that I can never seem to achieve.  So -- I'm doing the "For Today" series, the Delusional Mom way.  Something to keep in mind though - it's Monday, it's been very much a Monday so far. My son woke up, came to snuggle with me, promptly said, "My tummy doesn't feel good." then proceeded to vomit all over me.  Twice. My chosen toddler gave me the play by play the whole time.  It was....nice....

Anyhow -- onto my list:

For today...

Outside my window .... freedom, fresh air, and cold wind.

I am thankful for...the laundry that I did this weekend, it came in useful after being puked on twice in the space of 3 hours.

I am also thankful for...perfume, which I hope is doing a decent job of covering the lingering stench of vomit that I won't be able to wash off until Husband comes home.

I am thinking....why me?

I am creating...a supper miracle out of nothing but noodles, mayonnaise and inspiration.  Pray for me.

I am celebrating....that the last vomit session was in the toilet and not on me.

From the kitchen....come the scents of lunches that have been abandoned in favor of watching my toddler yack.

I am wearing...the third shirt of the day...and a sweater that I'm convinced got puke on it, but I can't find any evidence of.  All other sweaters are dirty.  My trusty jeans haven't let me down (or been puked on yet) and a pair of slippers from a fabulous instructor.

I am reading....nothing I want to.  Working with Families, Family Ties That Bind & Administering for Quality.  Jealous yet?  What I'd like to be reading....ANYTHING ELSE.

I am hoping...that I am able to recall of the necessary information for my exam on Saturday.  First step - to figure out what class it's for...second step - study.

I am hearing...the squeak of my office chair and the snoring of a child with a stuffed up nose.

I am going....crazy.

Around the house and yard...everything's pretty much done - except for the laundry from today's puke fest.

One of my favourite things...my little guy's hugs.  My other two are "too big" for these things now.

Plans for the rest of the week...Survive.

a gift

Inspired by friendship and motivated by my grilled cheese debacle - my friend Anniryn of Andirun Designs made this pic for me.  I love it and cannot thank her enough -- I want to print it on a huge canvas and hang it on my kitchen wall...or maybe the entrance way -- to warn people as soon as they come in not to mess with me...

p.s. -- it is really freaky how much this looks like me!

The Faith Club

     So, one of my fabulous followers saw that I wanted to start a book club with the book called "The Faith Club" and ya know what this wonder-woman did??  She SENT me the book!!!

     Folks, I tell ya, there is nothing better in the world than opening up your mailbox to books (well, if you're a book geek like me, that is!).  Even when I order them myself, or when they're textbooks for school, I get all giddy and excited.  I just love books!!

      Anyhow -- I have some pretty major assignments that I have procrastinated on...haven't gotten to yet...uh...I mean that are due soon...and then a Final Exam on the 29th...so that gives you all plenty of time to order this book if you'd like to join in.  I'm thinking 1 chapter a week or so...starting on the first week of July.  What do you all think??  Sound good??  The link to the left is for you American readers....and the one down here on the right is for my fellow Canucks.

     Once again, I've heard very mixed reviews on this one.  I've heard people are upset with the very lax faith of the Muslim and Jewish women in the book.  Personally, I think it will make for interesting reading anyhow -- and what a great way to start a dialogue!

Happy Reading!!

The Gray Debate

So, I have been noticing that I've been getting more and more gray hairs -- Not that you all would notice as I wear a hijab (headscarf) but I've got them, I know they're there and I love them.

I've discovered that there are not many like me...not many women out there who are excitedly greeting each silver strand that sneaks its way into our tresses.  On the contrary, friends and family run out to the salon to dye them out, or opt for the cheaper version of doing it at home.  Some have said "aren't you going to do something about that?" as if gray hair is some sort of infectious disease.

No.  No ,I'm not.  I like my grays.  I'm looking forward to having a full head of them, thank you very much.

So, last night I spent my time googling gray hair.  It appears that "embracing the gray" is the new, hot trend....for people over 50.

Uh...I'm only 33.

I spent my time going from one site to another and each of them aimed at women old enough to be my mother - most of them telling them how to best cover them, or pushing some sort of treatment that supposedly prevents them (sure).  There are books like Amazing Grays: A Woman's Guide to Making the Next 50 the Best 50 or Going Gray, Looking Great!: The Modern Woman's Guide to Unfading Glory which seems to state that while graying hair may be in vogue, lines, wrinkles and rolls are not.

It makes me wonder -- am I a "crunchy mommy?"  Am I really that odd that I embrace my grays as much as I embraced my stretchmarks (which I looked on as a sign of passage)...sure, my daughter told me it looked like pork skin (thanks...) but still -- I earned those, just as I'm earning my grays.

Why does society place such a value on youth?  It wasn't so long ago that all cultures respected the elderly of society.  They were given honour, well-deserved and much justified. They were the ones we came to for advice, listened to to discover our past, or learned from to carry on our traditions. Why have we strayed so far??  Today, we plump and fill and inject and lift.  When we can't do that, we hide, whether that be through a bottle of dye for ourselves, or a move to the "assisted living facility" for the family.  The old adage of "out of sight, out of mind" rings very loudly here.

I'll be the first to admit that I have taken on a new lifestyle -- eating and doing healthy -- but it is in no way a desperate attempt to cling to my fading youth *cough, cough* -- I use that term very lightly, as to say that I am old is outrageous at best.  Getting older, yes...but what is old?  Certainly not what I used to think it was!

I'm curious though -- what does everyone else think about growing old gracefully; recognizing the inevitable results of our waning youth and embracing the changes we see -- surely I can't be the only one.

A quick note from my dad

An email response that I got from my dad...this could come in handy in SO many ways. I think I may take it to word to the wall and have them make it for me.

Hi Sweetie,
I read your email and thought I' d send you this quote I have posted in my office downstairs:

If you think you're beaten, you are.
If you think you dare not, you don't.
If you'd like to win, but think you can't, it's almost certain you wont.
Life's battles don't always go to the strongest or the fastest, but sooner or later, the one who wins, is the one who thinks they can.

Love always,
Dad

I love you too, Dad, and thanks for the Karmic Kick!

Failure...

Another one that Tina had sent through -- again, very close to what I was feeling this morning -- a big failure...love the last part of the sentence; it's so very, very true.

This Week's Gratitudes

Once again, another gratitude post...I'm just going to list a whole bunch.

I am grateful for:

• a clean home (looks so nice, but never lasts long!)


• healthy kids


• warmer weather


• my stubbornness that won't allow me to give up, even when I'm in pain from exercising!


• A new, healthy lifestyle


• visits with old daycare families


• cuddles and purrs


• Ligita at Spasation in Londonderry Mall


• finishing a tough assignment


• enough humor to get me through said assignment without killing myself in frustration


• of course - my Sony eReader


• fantastic friends


• fantastic opportunities for said friends


• an upcoming, much deserved Spa Party


• good school and teachers for my kids


• donations to grateful families


• online dictionary/thesaurus


• children that have inherited my same wit/sarcasm


• a wicked vacuum that sucks and didn't cost me $1000 (sorry Carolyn!)


• ambition


• night time snuggles with Adam even if he should be in his own bed


• the smell of fresh brewed coffee

This week's Gratitudes

So - I've decided that I'm going to attempt to do a weekly reflection. I know that many of you will think it's dumb, but I tend to follow "The Secret" and it works for me. In keeping with this, I want to begin to write down what it is that I'm thankful for, and in turn, the "Universe" (ie, God) will give me more of that in return.



I am still unbelievably thankful for the gift of that Sony Reader. It's amazing...to receive such a gift, I can't put my gratitude into words.

I am thankful for my wonderful children, even when they make me angry. The brutal truth is, they could be gone tomorrow.

I am thankful for my job - I get to grow brains, play with lego and roll around on the floor. I couldn't ask for more!

I am thankful for a wonderful husband who has finally accepted my wit and sarcasm (and has started giving it back to me!!)

I am thankful for a wonderful life, surrounded by caring friends and family.

Gratitudes

Okay -- I'm totally stealing from my friend Meaghan - but really, I'd like to start posts like this.

Yesterday was an absolutely unbelievable day. One of my daycare moms did something amazing for me. Though I call her a "daycare mom" she is most certainly someone that I call a friend too (although we never really talk outside of the drop off/pick up times). I am so grateful to have someone so special in my life.

She comes in the morning, bringing me my chosen son for the day. In her hand is a box. We had just finished having a conversation on my dayhome fanpage about Eric Carle books, and I also noted her facebook status regarding shopping at Indigo. So...I assume that it's a little gift of Eric Carle board books. She says to me "Open in, but not until I leave."

I take my chosen son down to my chosen daughters and son and say "O's mom brought us a gift! Let's all open it!" Everyone takes turns ripping off a piece of paper -- what do I find?? Most certainly NOT Eric Carle Board Books --- nope, it's a Sony Reader.

It's not often that someone hears (or reads) something that you say, remembers it and then goes out of their way to get that thing for you. I had mentioned on Facebook sometime last week that I wanted to buy a Kindle (same thing as a sony reader, except it only takes Amazon E-books)...She went and called her husband and the two of them conspired to buy me something amazing.

I am so grateful and am still having a little bit of trouble accepting this. I am not one who regularly shows my emotions. I don't like to cry in front of others, but I cried when I called her to thank her, and I'm beginning to get that lump in my throat again just writing about this.

Thank you again...

Now -- just a list of some of the other things that I'm grateful for:

- 2 assignments handed in to that hard*** teacher...both got an A!

- kind words from good friends

- my thoughtful husband

- my wonderful children