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December 21, 2002
Ghostly Visitations
My mother-in-law passed from this life just a few days after the infamous September 11th. Since that time, I have felt and seen her energy in different forms. She is very much a strong presence in my life and, it appears, I'm much more open to her passed energy than even her own family members are. When I have a really great yoga practice, I notice I am way more psychic and open... I have often found or felt the energy of my MIL during Savasana. I'm starting to wonder why... what message does she bring and why is she so strong for me. Am I to pass a message on to her son, her family? Is she protective of my kids -- the grandkids she would have cherished? Does she have life lessons for me because I've struggled so in the last year not only personally but in my relationship with her child? I am determined to be open to her message because my heart believes it is a message of the utmost importance.
Tonight was the winter solstice... our neighbor holiday party as well. Tomorrow we celebrate Yule with our friends (*wave to impman*)... such a busy time of year.... it's hard to be open but I am determined to open to the magic that is the holidays, the spirit and the soul.
Posted by shanti at 10:46 PM
December 18, 2002
What's In A Year
I was thinking last night that I've had this blog nearly a year now. I think I'm in the space of reevaluating what benefits me from writing here. I love the idea of maintaining a journal and I certainly do not get the time or situation within which to keep your old-fashioned paper journal but I'm also away from my computer more and more as I try to transition The Daughter into sleeping in a bed and am working less and less. Ah, well, for now, it is here when I need it.
So, the nickel emerged, a little battered and discolored but back in broad daylight. One emergency room trip averted. The holidays are quickly approaching and we have something going on everyday except Monday until after the 26th! You'd think we have a busy social life but we don't.
You know what, I just can think of nothing to say right now... so I'm signing off until some wit and vigor returns to my brain.
Posted by shanti at 4:13 PM | Comments (1)
December 11, 2002
One of those 24 hours in the life of a mommy...
So, in our constant endeavors to pass on the knowledge of what sleep is to The Daughter we try various things for periods of time. Our current strategy is that everytime The Daughter goes to sleep we bring "Night Night Minnie" along. Night Night Minnie is essentially a life-sized (for The Daughter) stuffed Minnie Mouse. We are now in our bed with Minnie and The Husband sleeping in The Daughter's room. For 2 nights this worked and she slept wonderfully. Last night we were woken to The Son screaming out... unable to get up, I could only listen from my bed as The Husband attended to him. As soon as I was able to disengage myself, I discovered that The Son had thrown up in bed. So we stayed in the house all day which, with my two children, can sometimes be challenging. We decorated our Yule tree, colored, watched TV, read... and then at 4pm I went upstairs to check my work email while The Husband took over for a few minutes... I hear the following as The Husband was changing The Daughter's diaper...
The Daughter, did you swallow that? Um, honey, I think we might have a problem. Come to find out The Daughter had a nickle in her mouth and when The Husband was changing her, she swallowed it. I nurse her. She's breathing and nursing fine. We call the pediatrician to ask what we should do, if anything. They assure us this happens all the time and that since she is nursing and breathing, the object should pass out of her system within 3 days. We ask if there is anything to look for as signs of problems. They tell us to watch for inconsolable high pitched screaming, vomiting or choking signs.
So, for about 30 minutes, I struggle with The Daughter. Nursing her, comforting her but she's crying the entire time and indicating that her belly hurts. It isn't a high pitched crying...just an uncomfortable crying. I finally decide I have to take her somewhere so I put her in the car and go a mile up the road to our other pediatrician. The tell me that there isn't anything they can do, an xray is needed. The Daughter is getting more and more upset.
I drive home upset. Can't get hold of my mother to come watch The Son. Where am I going to leave him? I need The Husband to drive the car so I can sit in the back with The Daughter... we will have to drive through rush hour traffic to get to the hospital. Get home... finally reach my mom and as I'm talking to her, The Daughter pukes. I get a neighbor to come over... my mom on her way and then we notice that The Daughter is now fine. She's her normal self. Playing, happy, jumping, laughing.... Mhmmmmmmm....
So, The Husband's theory is that she has The Son's stomach bug and that it was coincidence that it hit right at the same time as the nickle. Frankly, that's a little too coincidental for me. But she seems fine. My nerves are fried. My stress level is through the roof but... health seems to be in order... at least until the nickle has to come out the other end right? *sigh*
Posted by shanti at 6:02 PM | Comments (5)
December 3, 2002
A HodgePodge
On Friday I made dinner for my entire family. My sister was in town with her family staying with my parents. I loved my menu and had a great time cooking. The Husband thinks this particular dinner was the most successful of my family dinner's ever because we actually stayed around the table and talked. It was my niece's birthday but she looked none too happy :( I think the teenage years are going to be very hard on her. She really feels unheard and disrespected most of the time. I keep praying that I will be able to foster a better relationship with my children so that they never feel this way. I felt this way as a teenager and hated it. I often wonder if it is possible... or do all teenagers need to go through the "hate my parents," rebellious stage?
On Sunday our neighbors invited us over to celebrate the 3rd day of Hanukkah with them. I have to say it was really great. The Son was so exciteda bout Hanukkah and has talked about it for a couple of days. He understands that we celebrate Yule and that our neighbors celebrate Hanukkah and now he wants to have them over for our Yule celebrations to show them how we celebrate. I'm going to try to plan something that we can do.
This year I'm going to be making our sacred cave again so I think we might have a family dinner and exchange our gifts with the exception of one or two... then we'll have our company (our neighbor and another family) and for celebrations I'm thinking of having a large red candle that we all encircle. Each person has a candle in front of them. We turn off all the lights and sit in darkness for a moment then we'll light the main candle. After that each person takes their personal candle and lights it from the main candle with a thankful thought for that year or the year to come. This will be an observance of the sun's birthday. After that, we'll place a light in our sacred cave along with my clay sculpture of the mother birthing the sun and light it up outside.
I think, after that, I want to have a birthday part for the sun! The Son really understood what Yule was when I explained it as the sun's birthday so I think I'm going to try making a birthday cake for the sun --- maybe with a sun picture on it or something...
Genj, I've been really thinking about your yoga comments...still processing :)
Posted by shanti at 5:03 PM | Comments (1)