Welcome to my 100th post party!! If you’re male…read the title to this post and type “ESPN” into the browser. Really. There’s nothing for you here. Stevie, you can stay. For all you women left, I’m so excited and have some fun surprises for you. First of all, I dressed up for the party. I washed, blow-dried and curled my hair. I put on cute boots and my favorite MAC eye shadow. Oh and a cute outfit too. (Okay I lied, I took these pictures after church yesterday) but since I’m normally sporting yoga pants and a pony tail….I thought I’d surprise you!
If I can just figure out how country girl gets those self-portraits to turn out so good.Let’s see if I hold the camera like this and then….oh, wait I forgot to look up……
oh, just forget it…..on to my 100th post. Which is all about blogging. And how blogging has become my ‘well’. I take this analogy from a post I read here, and thought it summed up my feelings about blogging. This writer was an athiest and has now converted to catholicism. And a career woman now converted SAHM to three little ones. I am (was) a family practice doctor and am no longer working……so that I can stay at home with my children….and homeschool the two youngest. This transition for me has been the hardest one of my life. At least up to this point. I went from seeing and helping lots of people everyday…..to seeing and helping 6 people everyday. The same 6 people….who don’t always want or value my help. Let me first say that I LOVE what I’m doing now and am more than thankful to my husband that I am able to do it. That said, I have felt tremendous isolation and loneliness. Is there anybody else out there? who knows what it’s like to pray that you see a familiar face at the grocery store. At 5am? I’ve even made friends with the butcher. Great guy. Also named Steve. He saves me the ground sirloin that’s on sale. Am I crazy to be somewhat relieved when my faucet is leaking because at least the plumber will stop by? Okay maybe I was never that lonely…..but close. Then there you came. I was introduced to blogworld by my friend Denise. A thousand thank-yous Denise because I’ve met so many great friends. In the above mentioned article, Jennifer talks about how women have always socialized with each other….. and in ancient times, it was around the town well….to draw water to take care of their families. We need it. Each other, that is. Okay and water too. We were not designed by our Creator for isolation. So, what does a busy mom do who is homeschooling and preparing meals and taking care of her house and doing laundry, and feeling a little ‘thirsty’ on the inside? Does she sit with her loneliness and yearn for adult conversation? No. She blogs my friend. She goes to the well, for fellowship, for companionship, for the fresh cool psychological and spiritual water she is thirsty for. For me it looks something like this. I get up at 4:30 or five and after a little quiet time, I write my post for the day….or at least think about what I would write.
I then visit some of my favorite blogs. I laugh (Country Girl), I cry (NieNieDialogues), I learn (Restoring the Years), I think (Conversion Diary), I envy (The Nester), I wish I was a writer (Mabel’s House) or a great amatuer photographer (Confessions of a Pioneer Woman) and sometimes if I have something to say or some encouragement to offer….I comment. I’ve been amazed at the power of mom blogs. Just check out Confessions of a Pioneer Woman or Soulemama. Blogging is a powerful venue for the expression of ideas….and I’m happy to contribute my little two cents to the dialogue. I start my laundry and dishes and homeschooling and then around 10a at our first break, I check a comment from a sweet reader who wishes me well and loves my brownie recipe. At lunch, I do the same thing and maybe visit a few more sites I like. Just little 2 or 3 minute snippets at a time and soon, I feel connected. Part of a larger community of christian mom bloggers who may or may not work/homeschool. Sometimes I read serious blogs that challenge my thinking and make me do some research. A lot of times, I get fabulous decorating ideas and can’t wait to try them. But always…..always…..I feel thankful. That I’m not alone. That Jessica, Ang, Keli, Kelly, Brooke, Gina,Denise, JamieKnoxville, Cindy, Liz, Sandy, Carrie….and you and you and you are there.
Archives for November 10, 2008
Mexican food and septic tank troubles…..go figure!
So, today is Marcus’ birthday. He’s 22! We celebrated yesterday after church with one of his favorite meals……beef and chicken enchiladas with homeade queso and homeade salsa. And then of course, cookie cake. I would include some recipes but I don’t want my food in that close proximity to the Roto Rooter truck below. I’m picky like that. We had a great day and having the grandparents here made it that much more special.Why is it that everytime I’ve had to call this guy in the past few years, it’s been at a major holiday or when I’ve had company or on a Sunday or all three? Septic tank problems are not what you hope for when company’s coming. Or already present. My neighbor even called and said, “So, you had to call Roto Rooter AGAIN”. Yeah, I know I know, they just came a couple months ago. I guess we’re just crappy like that. But having septic problems is kinda funny. Bad smells bring out laughter.
At the dinner table this is what I heard: