If you think of us....

If you happen to think of us at all on Tuesday, please say a prayer. Life-altering stuff could happen on Tuesday. If you're not the praying type, well....what could it hurt to pray just this once?

I'll tell you why later. Not now. SSSssshhhhh!!!

Stupid Girls

I love reading Elizabeth at "Motherhood is Not for Wimps" because she's authentic and grounded yet has high ambitions. She really seems to capture the essence of mothering in all it's gut-wrenching reality. She recently posted a vignette (she calls them vinagrettes) about having "retold" some of the Disney princess stories to her daughtery Mary, without the emphasis on outward beauty. It made me laugh - it made me think.

Lots of people, friends and strangers, remark at how pretty Jadyn is. And I appreciate that. I just don't want that to be all she is. I don't want her so fooled into thinking that is her identity that she becomes completely lost without it. I want her to know herself and all the gorgeous things God built into her that have nothing to do with her external appearance.

I like the song "Stupid Girl" by Pink - not ALL the lyrics since some are a little raunchy - because she talks about not wanting to be like these vapid beauties who seem to be running rampant on our tvs. Here's just a little taste of the lyrics:

Go to Fred Segal, you'll find them there
Laughing loud so all the little people stare
Looking for a daddy to pay for the champagne
(Drop a name)
What happened to the dreams of a girl president
She's dancing in the video next to 50 Cent
They travel in packs of two or three
With their itsy bitsy doggies and their teeny-weeny tees
Where, oh where, have the smart people gone?
Oh where, oh where could they be?

Maybe if I act like that, that guy will call me back
What a paparazzi girl, I don't wanna be a stupid girl
Baby if I act like that, flipping my blonde hair back
Push up my bra like that, I don't wanna be a stupid girl

(Break it down now)
Disease's growing, it's epidemic
I'm scared that there ain't a cure
The world believes it and I'm going crazy
I cannot take any more
I'm so glad that I'll never fit in
That will never be me
Outcasts and girls with ambition
That's what I wanna see
Disasters all around
World despaired
Their only concern
Will they (mess) up my hair

My First* Mother's Day

*I was pregnant this time last year so technically that would be my first Mother's Day, but this was the first one with a baby that was extra-utero.

This was a day that was very long in coming. Many years I would dread going to church on Mother's Day, especially on those "special" years when the church did baby dedication on the same day. It got to the point where I would just walk out because I couldn't stand it. And my "friends", all of whom were fertile as the Nile Valley, never seemed to understand why it was so difficult. They looked at me with this pitiful expression, as if they were thinking how weak I was that I couldn't just "deal with it".

The church we attend now, where I work, decided to deal with Mother's Day differently this year. Based on an idea from one of our members, we had a panel discussion about motherhood. 4 of us moms with different backgrounds and in different stages of life all talked about our experiences and things we've learned. 2 of us, myself included, got to share about our struggles with infertility. It was a creative way to deal with a topic that can be either stale and boring (the classic Honor Your Mother sermon) or frustrating and painful (if your mother has died or if you are having trouble becoming one).

I'm really glad our church leadership was willing to step outside the norm and address this in such a unique and thought-provoking manner. And I was honored to be part of the panel. I was the "newbie" of the group - the first-time mom with the youngest baby. I was awed by the wisdom that came from the other mothers, and hopeful that maybe one little thing I had to say made a difference to someone. I'm mindful of those couples still dealing with the agony of infertility and how heart-wrenching days like today can be. More than anything, I'm so grateful for my sweet daughter Jadyn, and I pray that I can be worthy of being her mother.

More posts at....

Jadyn's Journey. Click now. NOW, I said!

On My Toes

Sometimes I think God likes to keep me on my toes by throwing things into my life - good things and more "challenging" things - that I just didn't expect. It's my guess that one of His motivations for this is to keep me going back to Him for guidance and strength.

Thursday Thirteen!




Thirteen Things aboutYankee Amanda's work history 1. My first job was working in an ice cream shop for a summer. I didn't like it. 2. I worked at a local outlet mall that sold women's lingerie and men's shirts. What a combo. 3. I was a busgirl at a restaurant. That's where I first discovered that I have crowd claustrophobia. I hate being enclosed by people with no easy way out. 4. I was a checker at our local grocery store. It was owned by Mennonites and all women had to wear skirts or dresses. I later worked in the meat department of that same store. Oddly enough, the meat department was owned by someone else, but also Mennonite, so I still had to wear a skirt. 5. During college I worked at a place that did telemarketing research - you know, call strangers up and ask them to do surveys. I hated it. 6. After my first term as a missionary I went to work in a wood shop building cabinet doors. I think this is the job that surprises people most. 7. When I went back to college I worked in another local grocery store in the - yes - meat department. The boss was crass and I didn't like it. 8. I got a job working in the college cafeteria working in the dishwashing area. Ick. That led to doing data entry for the catering department, which led to being a conference liaison for the summer conference program at the college. That was cool. 9. I got paid to design a website for a college program I was involved in - a mock European Union project. 10. I was an intern at the PA House of Representatives. It was during the Monica Lewinsky scandal, so I heard a lot of jokes. 11. The internship led me to my first post-college job, working as an lobbyist aid for the Sierra Club of PA. 12. I worked for the church I attended for over 2 years as a "ministry assistant". That's all I have to say about that. 13. My last job was as a bankruptcy clerk for a collections agency. Very eye-opening. I didn't really like it, but I met some nice people. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. poopydigs 2. geggie 3. guppyman 4. carmen 5. denise 6. carolyn 7. karen 8. present storm 9. moogie 10. undercover angel 11. angie 12. skittles




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Sleepblogging

Why is it that while laying in bed trying to fall asleep I can mentally compose a perfectly brilliant blog post, but when I sit at my computer the next day all I hear in my head is, "Uuhhh.....*cricket chirp*......"????

Great Expectations

Today was Paul's first day at his new job, and the boss took the staff (including 2 other new members) out to lunch. Not only was I invited, but they PAID for my lunch! Let me tell you, this is quite a difference from past experiences. And we had so much fun laughing and talking about movies and slang and all sorts of things. The whole atmosphere was so fresh and welcoming. Paul seems remarkably more at ease and generally happier. I'm looking forward to hearing how the day went for him.

Change is a good thing.