Communication

Sometimes we communicate with looks. Sometimes with code words. Sometimes between interruptions (mainly from our inquisitive almost 11 year old or our toddler—is she up on the kitchen table? Is that cat food she is eating?*).

Today I was looking at my messages on my cell phone. Another way we communicate. We text each other—sometimes through our computers on IM, sometimes via our phones.

When I was still unemployed and he was starting a new job—I sent him cell phone pictures of me and kids doing different activities. He took a picture of himself in his new office.

When he took the kids to Chuck E. Cheeses while I was working one of those floating “Holidays” recently, he took video of Willow playing with a playhouse steering wheel. I just looked at that video again and felt the love of my husband not only for my daughter, but for me.

While I sometimes feel that I don’t have enough “just us” time, I never feel like we are not in communication.

*Last night she put a pea up her nose. She sneezed it out. [Husband panic'd (he started going for the turkey baster), I was annoyed (couldn't find the nose splunger thingee), son was helpful--"she imitates us, why don't we all pretend to blow our noses"]

Show & Tell #53

One of my favorite times of year is Autumn. I love the colored leaves, the crinkling of them beneath my feet. Tradition dictates that we go and walk in the leaves, enjoy them.

And that's what we did a few weeks ago...and I my cell phone camera caught these brief glimpses...




Kids running away from leaves...


Michael walking on the stones, Willow pushing her stroller around...


Ahhh, here we go...the kids finally discovered the leaves!!




This was the same walk where this Perfect Moment Happened...




Click to see who else is Showing and Telling.

Perfect Moments Monday

Nervously I went. To an unknown woman’s house, to meet unknown women. I am not a social person, I tend to be more of a one on one type person. But. I wanted to go, I felt a need to go. The unknown women were physiological sisters, echo cousins of my internet sisters. Women who were unknown only in name and face, but whose struggles are familiar to me. These women, who I did not know, and who I would not have known, but for the experiences shared in the battlefield of fertility. Women who were braver than I, who are struggling even now, while I am battle worn, but finished. A rush of warmth and comrade flows through me and I enjoy their company and sympathize with their struggles. I am humbled by their bravery.*

* This was the first meeting of the Ruby Feathers Social Club (click to learn more).


More Perfect Moments Here.

Parts of a Whole

I am scarred, but you would not know it to look at me.

Scars from childhood, scars from now and then.

The little scars on my fingers where I childishly broke a door window during my first "real" babysitting job (I got locked out of the house with the two little girls inside sleeping--I was 11). They are small scars, but they are there.

Scars on my forehead from when I had chicken pox twice (!). Hidden by my hair, but there they are.

Scars from my C-Sections, hidden yet the most rewarding scars I could have.

And then there are the real hidden scars. Scars from years of want and heartbreak. Scars that heal with time but yet are there. Scars that are hard to explain unless you have been down the path I have.

The scars that people do not see. That I cannot tell them because the wounds are old, and I feel that I am lucky and should be thankful and should put those things into the past. But yet, even as I heal from those scars...I can be touched by those feelings of old. And like a scab being removed...those wounds open up yet again.

The scars that people do not know.

Show & Tell #52

"As the party approaches the cluster of small fishing boats at first they are met with stunned silence. As the fishermen piece together what their eyes are telling them namely Dwarves wearing the mark of their former allies and trading partners, the tail of the dreaded Manticore which has ruined their way of life and killed many men, women, and children they begin to cheer and raise their arms in salute. Sensing the moment the Fighter raises the spiked tail whipping the fishermen into a fenzy. Shouts of "The Dwarves from the island have returned!" and "What treasure!" are heard. Several of them jump out of their boats and swim to the party's boat. After some confusion and the near swamping of the boat the leader restores some sense of order and begins talking to the group. The Fighter with support from the party relates the first of many tellings of the battle with the Manticore explaining that he and the Cleric are distant relatives of the island clan of Dwarves known to the villagers and that one of their cousins had been turned to stone. The imp now in crow form makes several loud guffaws as the Dwarves spin their tale but he is largely ignored and the party enjoys a hero's welcome as they are setup with three rooms at the inn one for the Dwarves, Wizard, and the Lady. The treasure is melted down into bars free of charge and given the different sizes of the coins yields a weight of 5000gp. After getting cleaned up and suppplied with fresh clothing a banquet is to be held that night. Lastly two ships are dispatched to get the remaining treasure and sailors from the island.

In talking to the town elders it is discovered that the village has been hit by hard times. The village church was abandoned several years ago as a giant monster had come up from the Dwarven tunnel near the graveyard. Also, several villagers had turned into Half-Fishmen and left by that tunnel. Trade with Freeport has been sporatic due to the Goblin pirates and the fact that the towns whaling ship is in drydock because of them and the Manticore. Lastly a strange symbol (Elder sign) is explained to have power over the Fishmen and responsible for saving the town and stopping the curse that had been changing villagers into them. This symbol was given to the town by wandering Elves but without any further explanation. The Druid recognizes this symbol as possibly being of Druidic origin."

I'm the Druid. What do you do on your friday nights?*




*Lately, my husband and a few friends have been playing D&D every other Friday night. My husband is a wicked mage, I am a tree hugging hippie druid, one of our friends is a dwarf fighter (who obviously likes to BRAG), and the other friend is a dwarf cleric. Another friend is the DM (Dungeon Master) and he wrote the above scenerio after last week's adventure...




Click to see who else is Showing and Telling.

Perfect Moments Monday

Perfect Moment #1: Just getting up this morning. I see a child in green or is it blue? Is that my daughter at the hall window, looking out? She has not learned how to get out of her crib yet, but...is that her? Blurriness leaves me and I realize that no--that is my son, kneeling down at the window in the hall. Looking out at the sun. And then I notice, yes, he is wearing his blue pj top. And his new green iguana (just acquired yesterday) on his shoulder. He is showing Pepi II his new world.

Perfect Moment #2: She made me cry. (Click to see what she did)

More Perfect Moments Here.

And then she kissed me...

Just minutes ago:

Hugging her, telling her it is time to go to bed. I told her "I love you." and she said "I love you too." (I thought maybe I mis-heard her). I hugged her again, kissed her and said "I love you" again. And again she said "I love you."

She is repeating words and phrases--but she is not just repeating...she KNOWS what they mean and when they are appropriate. And she loves me.