Rambles (I'm not gonna lie). However, I confer with the most brilliant minds of Eastern Iowa on a daily basis - and some of their musings are bound to turn up...
My dad's cousins and family call him Jimmy - rather than Jim. He prefers Jim and will answer to Jimmy - but he'll completely tune you out if he's called James. His middle name is Edward - though it should have been "psycho"ward. Right now - this very moment - he is out in his yard with a shop vac... vacuuming up the fallen acorns.
Madeleine is now an official “kindergartener”. We began our adventure this morning after taking too many pictures - that’s what moms are supposed to do. We went to Bruegger’s for a special breakfast of cinnamon and sugar bagels with strawberry cream cheese. She had chocolate milk, I had lemonade, and only 30 minutes stood between that moment and her first school bell. She was so excited that she couldn’t eat half of her bagel – neither could I (that’s a first!). We showed up at school to find no parking spaces left in the lot. I parked along the street in a “No Parking” zone (with several other parents who simply couldn’t care less about the rules). Madeleine, of course, persisted in telling me that I should have to follow the rules if I was to expect the same from her. I came up with what seemed to be a justified reason to break the rules and she bought it. I walked her into her classroom and took her photo once again with Mrs. Cervantes – so that Uncle Matt could see his niece with his former 2nd grade teacher. Madeleine hung her backpack on the hook below her cubby-hole and attached the nametag to her freshly-pressed pink dress. She goes by “Madeleine” now, rather than “Maddie”. She kissed me good-bye and held her head high as she mightily took her place at a table at the center of the room. As I made my way back toward the car I was rushed with a wave of dozens of 5-year-olds eagerly heading toward their classrooms, parents in tow. I didn’t cry, but the day has yet to end…
Today was kindergarten orientation for Miss Madeleine. Her teacher, Mrs. Cervantes, taught my brother in 2nd grade and will now be working with his niece. Not only that, but Mrs. Cervantes' husband (Mr. Cervantes - of course) was one of my writing teachers in high school and the drama teacher as well. Oh, and their daughter graduated with my brother. I could not ask for more. I am SO in!
By the way - I am now an official card-carrying member of the PTA, Legislative Committee.
My dad took Madeleine to the Iowa State Fair today. She came home with a tattoo of a pig on her right bicep. It's just not... right.
Maddie starts kindergarten Monday. We have an orientation Friday morning and I will meet her teacher - her first "real" teacher. I don't know if I'll cry on Friday morning, but I'm positive I'll lose it Monday morning.
So... do I send Madeleine to school with an apple for her teacher? A card? A gift package for a posh spa? With what do parents bribe teachers these days to ensure a positive impression of their children?
I was a senior in high school when my parents renovated their first-floor bathroom - eliminating the windows so they could use that wall for a huge mahogany cabinet/mirror unit. Then, my dad had the electrician install a motion detector for the bathroom that would only stay on for two minutes (unless repeatedly triggered) so that we wouldn't waste electricity by accidentally leaving the light on (which we had apparently done up to that point).
As a girl, I spend most of my "bathroom" time sitting - which can take more than two minutes at time. For men, sitting also takes more than a couple minutes. I don't know about everyone else, but when I "sit", I'm not moving around a lot. As you may have deduced, a lack of motion would cause the light to turn off. The windows were gone, so the room would become blindingly dark. So... one would be forced to aggressively flail one's limbs in order to trigger the motion sensor. Just imagine the hilarity... I won't go on about that.
My dad installed some pretty little windows above the cabinet unit last night. Now, one can remain seated without the pomp and circumstance of yore. Woo Hoo!
I was listening to the radio this morning and CR radio personality Tim Boyle spoke fondly his recollections of Elvis Presly. Elvis died 27 years ago yesterday - I'm only 26.
For the first time in a few years... I have been reminded that I'm not so old after all!
I have met a man who has introduced me to more good music in the last 24 hours than anyone else has in the past 5 years:
Vast
Gavin Degraw
Ben Jelen
... and more.
I hereby relinquish my throne. Jeremy, my hat's off to you. Can I borrow your BMW?
I think blackmail was involved in some capacity... any opinions?
"TRENTON, N.J. - New Jersey Gov. James E. McGreevey announced his
resignation Thursday afternoon, saying he had had an extramarital affair with
another man that could leave the state government vulnerable to undue outside
influences."
At the risk of alienating friends and family, including a man (Shawn) who I consider to be of utmost importance in my life, I will share a portion of my opinion on this matter.
No matter how many homosexuals I know, or how much I love them, I don't think I will ever be convinced that they should have the right to "marry" (though I wholeheartedly believe all Americans should be given equal rights, meaning benefits). I do not believe "marriage" should be prone to Constitutionality - where the concept of marriage can be extracted from its source and perverted for the sake of "equal rights". Marriage is a Biblical concept - a union of one man and one woman as outlined in Genesis 2:18-24:
"The Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a
helper suitable for him...
"...Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib He
had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
"The man said,
""This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called
'woman', for she was taken out of man.""
"For this reason, the man will leave
his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one
flesh."
Perhaps I'm guilty of over-quoting, but I think my friend Josh makes another valid point:
"Here’s the article… In response to "Gay Marriages" July 20, 2004 by Ken
Garcia."Give to Caesar What is Caesar's" "The
marriage institution should be a godly one." Amen, Ken. But, I would
like to challenge you Mr. Garcia in one respect. When Christ stood before
the Pharisees confronted by a different civic issue, taxation, he gave a
well-coined response, "Give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, and unto God what is
God's." I have grown tired of late by various hijackings of Biblical
morality, especially as it concerns political and social matters.
Somewhere between the Declaration of Independence and the Christian
Coalition the defense of traditional values and Biblical values in particular,
has become annexed by various political platforms bellowing an historically
Christian ethic...but, the traditions of this historical Judeo-Christian ethos
seem, well, lost. Christ's own words are lost amidst the campaigning.
Gay marriage is a great starting place.
"Marriage is the union of a man and a woman" is an oft heard phrase now
adays, and for good reason. I tend to believe it’s true. But, in
agreement with you, Mr. Garcia, I tend also to believe that marriage is
specifically a godly institution, i.e., God ordains it. The State is not
and, much more importantly, must not be an authorizing force on issues of a
religious nature. Caesar does not ordain marriages, and hence he cannot
proclaim what is and is not considered a valid one. If society (and more
importantly, secular government) wants to implement an institution inherited
from religion, let it do so with all enthusiasm.
Hopefully, society will look at the institution of Christian
Marriage and not see divorce, spousal and child abuse, endemic unfaithfulness,
and hence be swayed by the content of the institution's character and godly
example. In the absence of such an example, however, and an overwhelming
desire to emulate, it might be a more "historical" and “traditional” virtue for
the Christian to look toward statements of repentance and grace for those not
swayed by the "traditional" offer. That is, grace rather than throw the
stones we disguise as quotation marks which identify the “spouses” we do not
think "godly" or "legitimate". Is the State concerned with godly
institutions, or with tax codes and medical benefits? All that being said,
the moment secular government begins to claim the authority to define words they
in fact borrowed from religion in the first place, my fear factor has to
increase, if only slightly. The early Christians
went willingly to their deaths over a steadfast commitment not to bow to the
powers and gods of Rome. Today, we have new powers and gods, most
prominent among them is the belief that secular society can save itself.
Not only is this categorically "ungodly", it is a form of idolatry and
blasphemy, to be at the very least resisted by Christians. I do not need
secular government (nor does God for that matter) to tell me that marriage is
the union between a man and a woman. I do not need secular government to
support my beliefs and convictions in what I take to be divinely revealed.
These foundational commitments already have the support of God...He made
them. Rather, I would give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and refrain from
giving over to Caesar (as if he even had a say in it in the first place) what is
and forever will be God's. The Constitution will
not save social morality, nor will our elected officials and their presumed
notions of justice and equity. That is the role of the Church, the role of
families, the role of individuals as examples. Let us not falsely elevate
to the level of the Constitution, what was from the beginning on an eminently
higher plane. The Taliban proscribes religion, the US Constitution freely
allows and offers it. By all means, let’s discuss the State and social
ethics. By all means, let’s discuss the family and personal morality.
But give to Caesar what is his, and do not abdicate to him what is your
gift to share in love."
I am a single mother who finds outstanding joy in ordinary circumstances. I love my daughter more than anything else of this world... and she loves the Beatles. I like to play the devil's advocate - it's a characteristic I inherited from my dad. I don't have any cavities (or fillings) and I only visit the dentist once every 5 years. I have the largest extended family of anyone I know and the coolest grandparents any kid could want. I was adopted and know ALL my parents. I own very little because I know it can all be taken away at any time. I take great solace in washing dishes by hand. I am blessed!
