Sunday Seven

Good Sunday to you!  We’re off to church and then a few days of rest and relaxation at the Hyatt Hill Country.  (Not 25 miles from our house…but we got a great deal, provided we sit through the shpiel.  This may be a sacrifice that wasn’t worth making, but we’ll see.)

So today, a Sunday Seven.  Seven things I’m grateful for:

1.  I’m grateful that this difficult transition year is coming to a close and life is getting so much easier.

2.  I’m grateful for summer, and the swimming pool. 

3.  I’m grateful for awesome neighbors that we can hang out with and laugh with and cry with at all times of the day and night. 

4.  I’m grateful for a new church that is just where God wants us to be.  I love actually looking forward to worship, instead of feeling like it’s something I have to do.

5.  I’m grateful that gasoline hasn’t hit $4 here.  Yet.

6.  I’m grateful for pull-and-bake cookies that taste like homemade.  Yummy McYummerPants.  (I’m also grateful for words like Yummy McYummerPants.)

7.  I’m grateful for my precious little family, growing closer each day, through the ups and downs and ins and outs of life.  I see progress.  Baby steps, but progress.  And I’m so grateful. 

Prepare for a Good Belly Laugh

One of my favorite people in the blogosphere is my friend Anymommy.  She’s a very clever mama who writes a wonderful blog about her escapades with three young children.  You DO NOT want to miss yesterday’s hilarious account of her potty training experience this week.  But I must warn you: pee first, and put down the diet coke.  Otherwise there could be accidents.  And believe me, she’s had enough for all of us! 

Enjoy, and have a great weekend!!

How ‘Bout Them Apples

I can only speculate about my blog-readership, since lots of my readers are afraid to comment (WHY??).  I know you’re reading…my stats tell me exactly how many people come here each day.  And yet so few comments…

Where was I?  Oh yes, I was speculating about my readership.  I believe that the majority of my readers are not avid bloggers, but come here because we have a relationship somehow.  And I suspect that some of those only read my blog, and never check out the blogroll.  So today I want to introduce you to a group of writers who are totally great, and will have you crying and laughing in a matter of minutes.  It’s my peeps over at All Mediocre. 

Again, for the uninitiated, there is a website called AllTop that lists all the “best blogs”.  Apparently they decide that based on number of comments.  Well, woop-de-doo.  (And I mean that in love.  Really.)  So this very smart girl decided to start her own website:  All Mediocre:  The Web’s Best Blogs, You Just Don’t Know It.   These blogs are fairly similar to mine in content and style.  And for whatever reason, we don’t have thousands of folks reading and responding every day…so to the blogosphere, we’re just mediocre. 

Now I could go all three snaps in a z-formation about how UN-mediocre we really are, but I’ll just let the blogs speak for themselves.  So go and enjoy yourself, and if you really want to make someone’s day, leave a comment!!

 

English 101- Summer Reading for Kids

Happy Wednesday!  I am writing this from the humidified oasis of Houston, TX, as I am still away from home.  We’re heading back today, and I am awfully excited about sleeping in my own bed.  (There’s just something about sleeping on eight inches of a full-size bed with a 65 pound child draped on top of you that makes you long for the King!)

Anyhoo…I want to make sure that everyone knows about the summer reading program at Half Price Books.  There are limitations, but you keep a log of how many minutes they are reading each week, and turn it in for a $3.00 gift card.  They can get one EVERY WEEK of the summer!! 

There are other great summer reading programs if you keep your eyes open; I’m sure Barnes and Noble and Borders both have “earn a book” deals (although I couldn’t find anything on their websites), and your local library will definitely have a program going.  (Just one more pitch for the local library; FREE BOOKS…and DVDs, and videos…how can you pass that up??)

And here’s a tip from my neighbor:  her kids have to earn their Wii time by reading.  The amount of time they read is the amount of time they get to play on the Wii.  This has SIGNIFICANTLY increased her kids’ interest in summer reading! 

Let me know what your kids are reading this summer.  I’ll post Sweet Pea’s list once we’re back home; she’s got quite a few good ones in the que.

 

Vacation, All I Ever Wanted

So I’m on vacation.  Sort of.  I’m in Houston with Sweet Pea for a little bit of business mixed with pleasure.  We were supposed to head back today but my mom talked me into staying a little longer.  I am missing Hubs and my Magger-pups like crazy, but I want Pea to get a little more grandmother time. 

Soooo, today I will direct you to a new blog.  (It’s really hard to see that the word “blog” is linked up…click it and you’ll get there!)  Our dear friend has just graduated from UT and is making her way in the world (takes everything you’ve got).  She’s been one of my faithful readers for awhile, and now she’s joined the cult.  Go on over and give her some bloggy love!! 

 

Recurring Dreams

I’m proud as punch because this post is a part of the SurgeXperiences Blog Carnival.  Which makes me feel that much closer to the OR.  And you know I love me some OR!  (If you can’t get enough of medicine, surgery, etc., be sure to check out all the other blogs…they’re fascinating!)

I’m in Houston for a little visit, and I went a-visiting this morning to my old workplace.  Most of you know by now that I worked for 11 years in the operating room at Texas Children’s Hospital.  It was a wonderful place to work, and everyone was so sweet today.  They made me feel like they really miss me (and it’s summer and very busy, so they probably do, but not because I’m nice or anything).  I even put on a “bunny suit” (you know, those hideous white coveralls) and went behind the doors into the rooms.  It was great.  Like coming home.  

But it’s not like I haven’t seen the inside of an OR recently.  That’s because of these darn recurring dreams I keep having.  I’ve had them over and over since I started my job years ago.  

Usually I’m scrubbed on a case (meaning I’m passing the instruments) and I look down and notice I’m not wearing gloves.  And I realize I’ve contaminated the field, but I don’t want to tell the surgeon.  (Somehow no one in the OR has noticed.)

And then I’ll rescrub but when I go to gown and glove again I keep contaminating myself.  And it happens again and again.  And again.

Or I’m scrubbed and the surgeon is asking me for something and I’m staring at the instruments and can’t for the life of me remember any of their names.  But I’m afraid to ask. 

Every once in a while I dream that I’ve become the patient and I’m being put to sleep, and once I even had to push my own Propofol (give that a shot and see how it works out for ya!). 

Now thankfully I’ve never had a “naked in the OR” dream, ’cause that might mean I’ve got issues.  And I don’t.  I DON’T!  

Anybody else have recurring dreams?  Let’s hear ‘em!

Sometimes I Just Don’t Get It!!

My friend T (aka The Anesthesioboist) wrote a post recently about how working in medicine has yielded some ridiculous fears when it comes to her own child.  I can relate.  My worst fear has always been choking.  One of the worst cases I ever saw in the OR was a 2 year old who choked on a piece of chicken.   He did not survive.  Many, many times I have rushed a stat airway case into the OR so we could dig out various things from a kiddo’s lungs:  crayons, beans, balloon pieces, and worst of all, peanuts. 

Everyone knows, right, that you don’t give your kids peanuts until they’re AT LEAST 4 years old?  I’m serious.  They don’t have the teeth for it, and the pieces go down too big, and they’re just the right size to completely block the airway.  We even have a specific instrument in the OR called a peanut-grasper…only it rarely works.  If it seems like I’m trying to scare you, you’re right.  I am. 

So yesterday we’re at Sea World, and this sweet mom (read:  suburban yuppie mom) is next to me.  She has two little ones, a 4 year old and a 2 year old.  And it’s snacktime, so she gives the 4 year old a bag of fritos. I’m okay with that; it’s Sea World…live a little.  Then she hands her 2 year old a baggie of peanuts and raisins.  I almost keel over. 

Now I’m not the type of mom to get into other people’s business.  Goodness knows I’ve had enough “good advice” from strangers who don’t know what the HECK they’re talking about try to help me when mine gives me trouble in public.  So I didn’t say a word.  But I had to blog about it, because I assumed that every well-intentioned, well-read mom knew that YOU DON’T GIVE PEANUTS TO A TWO-YEAR OLD!!

These babies were slathered in sunscreen, wearing life-vests, and drinking water from personalized water bottles.  Clearly this mom was trying to do everything right.  And then in one swift move she handed her little one a baggie of DEATH. 

Can you tell I’m a bit passionate on this subject?  It’s only because I’ve seen the worst.  So please, PROMISE me that you won’t give your children peanuts.  Or crunchy peanut butter.  No, really, raise your right hand up from the mouse and say it with me:  “I solemnly swear to withhold peanuts from (insert name) until he(she) is at least 4 years old.”

Thanks for letting me get that off my chest. 

UPDATE:  You can go to the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) website to get more information on choking prevention. 

English 101 – Let’s Talk

Today I have a simple question for you.  And I would love to actually hear your answers, so by all means, if you’re reading this, leave a comment!!  (It’ll make my day.  Promise.)

If you start a book, do you finish it, regardless of whether you’re enjoying it or not?  Or do you stop midway if it’s just not floating your boat? 

I’ll answer amongst the comments somewhere, but for now I want to hear your thoughts.  GO!!

Is This a Sign??

I opened my mailbox the other day and had six, yes SIX, postcards from this company:

They were addressed to all different variations of my name, plus one girl’s whose mail has followed me for almost 15 years. 

 

Do you think God is trying to tell me something??

 

UPDATE:  This is a joke.  I’m quite clear on the correct permanent birth control option for me, I just need to do it.  That’s why I think God is telling me something.  Not necessarily the method, but the plan. 

 

I Love a Parade!

I love parades.  No, really.  I LOVE them.  Ever since the Disney trip of ‘84 when I sat starstruck at the singers and dancers in Donald’s 50th Birthday Parade, I’ve been obsessed.  One of my dreams is to dance in a Disney parade, or better yet, the Macy’s.  Oh my heavenly stars!! 

Well, this weekend my Sweet Pea got to be in her first parade.  It wasn’t quite Disney; heck, it wasn’t even close to the Baylor Homecoming Parade, but it was a parade nonetheless.  And this mama was Puh-Roud!!

There’s a small town just outside of San Antonio called Boerne (that’s pronounced Bur-ney, btw) and it’s very quaint and German and wonderful.  They have a Village Band that wear lederhosen.  (Old men in lederhosen?  That’s good times.)  They also have Berges Fest – an annual celebration of something or other that equals three days of small-town goodness.  Funnel Cake, Sausage on a Stick, a dunking booth in the town square, dachsund races…does it get any better than that?  And on Saturday morning – you guessed it – a parade.  Here’s a little glimpse of the awesomeness that is the Berges Fest Parade:

Shriners, of course.

Civil War Reenacters…and since this is Texas you know they stopped and shot their guns about every 100 yards.

All kinds of Texas pageantry…I counted at least 30 queens/princesses/duchesses/little miss(es) in this parade.  But this peach gown with a feathered bodice won my prize.  That’s Miss Helotes, y’all. 

And then there was this FANTASTIC float.  Who’s that little one in the blue leotard?  Why, that’s Sweet Pea of course!  She cartwheeled and round-offed her way down Main Street representing Circus Camp at our gym.  This was great for a whole lot of reasons, and you know I’m gonna lay it out.  First, this gym has very high-level gymnasts that they could have used.  Certainly those girls can do more than cartwheel.  But for whatever reason, the director wanted these kids to do it.  I love that.  Second, Sweet Pea has really only just gotten to the place where she could do something like this.  I mean, it takes a lot of self control to stay on task for that long and not get sidetracked by all the candy being thrown.  Or to just decide that she was tired and hot and wasn’t going to do any more cartwheels.  But she did it!!  And we weren’t even with her.  We watched from the sidewalk, like regular parents.  It was surreal. 

She was hot (it was probably 95 degrees) and so tired she laid down in the car on the way home, but I could tell that she felt a great sense of accomplishment.  And so did we. 

Forget Macy’s.  Forget Disney.  This parade was the best I’ve ever seen.