About Jen

Jen isn't quite sure when she lost her mind, but it is probably documented here on Meditatio. She blogs because the world needs her snark at all hours of the night... and she probably can't sleep anyway.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: January 17, 2011

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY January 17,2011

Outside my window… sunny and warm. It doesn’t seem real for January, especially as I spent 9 Januaries outside of California in much colder climates.

I am thinking… about all the stuff that needs to get done/arranged in the next few weeks. I function internally and my mind is constantly working.

I am thankful for… the pregnancies of my college and online friends going well. Two are due pretty soon and one is due in 4 months. Also thankful that Daniel’s godparents got good news from the ultrasound of their baby on Friday.

From the kitchen… nothing fancy. I think a TJ’s run might be in order.

I am wearing… jeans, a black polo shirt, and running shoes.

I am creating… a podcast outline.

I am going… nowhere outside my normal 15-mile radius as far as I know.

I am reading… “The Alpine Quilt” by Mary Daheim.

I am hoping… things proceed in an orderly and timely fashion with the BIG thing in my life.

I am hearing… “As the Bridegroom to His Chosen” by John Rutter. (A good YouTube video with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing it is available here.)

Around the house… I’m hoping to get some sweeping/mopping done tonight.

One of my favorite things… Daniel’s smile and laughter when we’re clapping out nursery rhymes.

A few plans for the rest of the week: OT/PT for Daniel

Here is picture for thought I am sharing… A quilt that was made by Jewel Benjamin, a wonderful friend and sister in Christ of mine from Montana. I think of her every time I see the quilt.

A beautiful quilt made for me by a wonderful woman friend in Montana.

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An Interesting Encounter at $tarbux

Background: Due to my presence at $tarbux almost daily, I tend to run into people repeatedly and get into conversations with them. A few weeks ago, I struck up a conversation with a man and his companion about the nature of sin and baptism and all that.

Today: I walked by a man who I thought was the companion and waved. It turned out to not be the companion but an Egyptian professor of economics at UC Irvine and several other Egyptian men, one of whom was quite effusive and kissed my cheek when I was telling him about Daniel. (This is about the time I realized that these were not the men I had spoken to before.) We had a great conversation about Islam and how people have corrupted it with politics and they seemed sorry to have to leave.

The poignant thing about the conversation today was that they all individually felt like they had to assure me that they were not terrorists. I laughed and told them that I knew that they weren’t, but it saddened me that they felt that they had to tell me that. (It possibly might have had something to do with the bombing of the Coptic church in Alexandria.) Do we Americans come off as being so stupid that we see any Muslim as a terrorist?

Still… it was strange to shake hands with them because usually it’s considered taboo for Muslim men to touch Muslim women. They were tickled pink when I told them that if I had known that they were Arabic speakers, I would have greeted them with the word “salaam”.

Still… an interesting encounter and one that definitely made my day.

Learning That I’m Not Alone

When I saw that the Promise Walk had a northern California event, I emailed the organizer and offered to do some social media stuff (i.e. Twitter, Facebook, etc.) for it. Little did I know that I would eventually become one of the organizers.

It’s been humbling to read some of the stories of my fellow organizers who not only got hit with pre-eclampsia as I did early in their third trimester (or even before), are HELLP survivors who ended up in the ICU, or lost their baby because of the pre-eclampsia. A number of walkers are doing the walk as part of their healing process just as I am and it’s comforting to know that I’m not some bizarre anomaly, that other people have dealt with the developmental delays, the feeding issues (preemies who had feeding tubes or ventilators have really underformed oral muscles and texture issues), and that it is completely possible to have a healthy pregnancy after pre-eclampsia. (Not that I’m considering one any time soon…)

Monday morning (after getting up to change Daniel), I had a dream where Sara Sidle of CSI had it and died. (They weren’t sure that the baby was going to make it.) I was in a complete rage at the doctor for letting Sara die (which does unfortunately happen with pre-e, especially if it’s HELLP and the liver ruptures) and I was ripping up books, beating people up, etc. I think it was my subconscious expressing the anger I have that women still die from this (especially in 3rd world countries where pre-natal care can be non-existent).

Please click the graphic on my sidebar and donate. I don’t care if it’s as little as $1. This is a cause about which I feel passionate because I survived it only because the doctors knew what they were doing.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: January 10, 2011

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY January 10, 2011

Outside my window… sunshine but a touch of chill.

I am thinking… about the nap I’ll hopefully get later. (Daniel got me up at 4:30 a.m.)

I am thankful for… the quiet of $tarbux right now.

From the kitchen… sandwich stuff mostly.

I am wearing… my blue maternity shirt with a scoop-neck and gather at the waist, jeans, and running shoes.

I am creating… a podcast episode.

I am going… to probably take Daniel out and about this afternoon after his nap.

I am reading… one of Mary Daheim’s Alpine mysteries.

I am hoping… things go well this coming Sunday for Jon.

I am hearing… podcasts through my earphones.

Around the house… I don’t even want to think about cleaning.

One of my favorite things… IZZE sparkling blackberry juice/soda.

A few plans for the rest of the week: PT/OT for Daniel and the rest is up in the air.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing… Part of a series of Daniel with his yogurt snacks.

Daniel being sneaky.

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For the Love of [insert deity]…

Attention mother of screaming and shrieking brat who is kicking the counter and his mother:

TAKE YOUR LITTLE MONSTER OUT AND DISCIPLINE HIM. I DON’T CARE IF YOU SPANK HIM, SPEAK TO HIM FIRMLY, OR DUCT TAPE HIM TO THE BUMPER OF THE NEAREST SEMI. JUST FOR THE LOVE OF [insert deity], REMOVE HIM SO THAT THE REST OF US AREN’T SUBJECTED TO HIS FOUL AND EAR-PIERCING BEHAVIOR!!!!!!! BE A PARENT — YOU CAN COME BACK AND GET YOUR LATTE LATER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Snuggles,
jen

You’ve Got to Be Freaking Kidding Me…

CNN.Com: Medical journal: Study linking autism, vaccines is ‘elaborate fraud’

The doctor who perpetrated the fraud (who has been stripped of his medical license) is actually *DEFENDING* the study. Bimbo actress Jenny McCarthy is perpetrating the lie that all this information is being put out in an attempt to prop up vaccine makers.

OK… how about this: WE DON’T HAVE THE PROBLEMS WITH ALL THESE DISEASES THAT EXIST IN THE THIRD WORLD BECAUSE WE VACCINATE OUR KIDS!!!!! Seriously, all the problems we’ve had with whooping cough outbreaks are because morons don’t vaccinate their kids or themselves.

It reminds me of the House M.D. episode where some simpering woman in the clinic tells House that her baby is getting “mommy protection” (i.e. breastfeeding) instead of vaccines and House replies sarcastically that “mommy protection” is only good for about 6 months.

VACCINATE YOUR KIDS, PEOPLE!!!!

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: January 4, 2011

A day late as I’m fighting a pretty nasty sinus infection and a fibro flare-up.

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY January 4, 2011

Outside my window… sunshine after a pretty nasty rainstorm.

I am thinking… fibromyalgia is highly overrated. (I’m having joint pain.)

I am thankful for… my mother-in-law baby-sitting yesterday and today so that I could go to the doctor (yesterday) and get a whole bunch of errands done (today).

From the kitchen… puff pastries with feta cheese and carmelized onions in the oven and tomato soup in the microwave (thank you Trader Joe’s)

I am wearing… my penguin pajama bottoms and a grey maternity shirt. (They’re big and comfy.)

I am creating… a page for my Promise Walk for Preeclampsia

I am going… nowhere really exciting for a bit.

I am reading… Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen

I am hoping… Daniel goes down without a fight tonight

I am hearing… 3-2-1 Penguins! on TV

Around the house… I swept the living room floor when I got home and I’ll tackle dishes and putting away laundry when Daniel is in bed.

One of my favorite things… snuggling with Cullen (my big orange kitty)

A few plans for the rest of the week: two PT appointments for Daniel

Here is picture for thought I am sharing… Daniel being cute

Daniel being cute

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