January 31st (ok 29th but soon to be 31st) Happy New Year

I wish all of you a wonderful and peaceful 2006.

Peace on earth

Peace and calm within our hearts

Peace amongst the chaos

Happy New Year :)

December 23rd ~ Blind faith and Tidings of comfort and joy

This was a reply I made to Inger earlier this month, but I feel like sharing my favorite Christmas tradition with all of you.

Ever since I was a little girl (perhaps since birth) my family would go to my blind Aunt Edie's and deaf Uncle Johnny's house on Christmas Eve. (Aunt Edie is now 87...Uncle Johnny passed away about 10 years ago ~ but we are still doing this.)
Aunt Edie plays the organ and we all sit in a circle in her tiny living room, eating salami and cheese and crackers, drinking "tiddlies" (burbon and 7up) (the kids just drink the 7up lol) and singing Christmas carols.

We have specific songs that we read off of very old song sheets. We start with something merry like Deck the Halls...in the middle we get more serious with Silent Night...and our last song is ALWAYS The 12 Days of Christmas...with each of us taking a different part. I love listening to Aunt Edie sing. She is usually the only one on key....and her voice is so sweet. It makes me think of the stories she has told over the years of singing and harmonizing on the beach in Santa Cruz with her sisters. Very Annette Funicello. :)

After an hour or so of singing and snacking, we pile into multiple cars. Someone stops and picks up vats of take out Chinese food from a litle hole-in-the-wall Chinese food restaurant. The rest of us drive around looking at Christmas lights and sucking on Candy Canes with Aunt Edie....who squeals excitedly over their beauty even though she can't see. We then proceed to my Mom and Dad's home for the take out Chinese feast.

The kids all eat in the family room....and the adults all sit together in the kitchen laughing, and raving over this year's usually spectacular tasting Chinese food menu items. When none of us can eat another bite...at the adult table we pass around the fortune cookies...and read them outloud to each other, ending each fortune with the words "In Bed" which cracks everyone up.

There are three generations of family gathered at the adult table. The 4th generation has just as much fun with each other in the "kid room" eating and watching movies and enjoying each other.

It's my favorite tradiotion of all.

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays and Peace on Earth to everyone. :)

December 19th ~ Uh...could someone pass me the manual?

Parenting is not an easy job.

There is no way to really prepare for it, because the personalities involved differ drastically and change a lot.

So far, I feel like we've been doing a good job. Our three are happy, wonderful, people. I'm proud of them....and proud of us.

With each we have had to overcome unexpected, stressful, medical issues, but nothing compared to what other families have had to cope with.

Our oldest is about to turn 13.

He is a really great kid, cares a lot about other people, is sensitive, observant of all things going on around him, and he is self-inflicted perfectionist. When he was in kindergarden, his teacher recognized that trait, and encouraged us to be cognizant of the pressure he places on himself...and to celebrate his work that isn't perfect and to not OVER-celebrate ever "A" grade. She explained that he is already putting enough pressure on himself, and that we should work to help him find success and happiness in a job well done...regardless of the grade. Her words were right on. She pegged him perfectly.

"A" is now entering his teen years. We still struggle with helping him relax, helping him express stress. And it is intensifying.

I feel unprepared. Like I'm not sure how to parent him. I'm not sure how to help him manage his stress levels. I'm not sure of how to keep an open dialog going when he shuts me off. I'm not sure if I need to push him to open up, or allow him to "suppress it" (as he calls it). Last night he told me that he can't tell me how he is feeling when he's angry because that always makes it worse. I'm a "talk it out" kind of person. My husband tells me I'm difficult to argue with, because the angrier I get, the more facts I have to make my point with. And he doesn't generally have "points" in his mind at the ready to argue back with. I suspect that is the same with "A". But when your teenager doesn't listen, and ignores you, and you have to repeat yourself 12 times to get a response.....who wouldn't get irked? And his response to that is what I'm not used to dealing with. The sullen, closed off silence...or tearful "I'm so stresssed..leave me alone" responses fluctuate. And I KNOW he IS stressed. And I spend a lot of time trying to help him cope with it....finding ways for him to relax......or helping him with homework....or simply trying to help him manage his time so that he doesn't drown in school work by getting behind.

Where is the manual??

December 15th ~ Dear Santa

I hope he comes down my chimney.

December 12th ~ Merry Mazel tov Mubarak

Those of you who have peeked into my blog lately have probably seen the cartoon from my last post.

I have been feeling frustrated by the "You can't say Christmas" messages for years....but this year it's really getting to me.

This is the United States of America, for Godssakes. Opppps I said "god"....I meant for Christssakes. Shoot...that's worse. Uh.....for Oxygenssakes!! That should be safe.

We are supposed to be a melting pot. We are supposed to celebrate individual beliefs. We are supposed to be open to all. What the heck is wrong with being Christian?

I heard someone of the "Christmas isn't PC" ilk recently say that Christmas decorations looked too much like a "carnival."

Uh.
Ok.
So what?
It's a celebration! Does that same person stomp past carnivals complaining about the lights?

I don't want to "push Christmas" on anyone. It's simply a numbers thing. The ratio of Christians in this country is simply larger than the other religions. Who cares?

I'm not some Jerry Farwell following bible thumping far right wing conservative Republican. I'm a middle of the road registered Democrat who believes in freedom of religious expression.

A Menorah isn't just a bunch of candles.

The Muslim Hajj is not just a long walk.

Why can't we celebrate our differences....instead of pointing at them as though those differences are evil? I love learning about the beliefs of other people. I love understanding their ceremonies and celebrations. And I am always struck by the similarities in both Eastern and Western religions.

And you have the right to not believe any of it.

I feel so fortunate to live in a very diverse community...religiously....culturally. I wish everyone had the opportunity to get to know so many different groups of people.

I wish my Jewish friends "L'shana tova" at Rosh Hashanah.

I wish my Muslim friends "Eid Mubarak" at the end of Romandan.

And I wish all the citizens of this earth Peace....ongoing....and on all levels...always.

And, frankly, I think that the percentage of people who are offended by religious expression is pretty small.

But please do not tell me I can't have cake at my birthday party because you don't like frosting. Feel free to have whatever you want at your party...and I'd love an invitation to attend. I promise to be there to celebrate with you.

Merry Christmas

December 6th ~ The "C" word

December 1st ~ ::mushy sigh::

I love my husband..... (sigh) :)