Ladies I love

So it turns out that afternoon preschool is rocking my world.  We fart the morning away however we like and JUST at the time Alex starts getting crabby/bored/tired/pissed off at me for not feeding him a diet of 100% Trader Joe's pop tarts, it's time for school!  The new school is close by and the entire round trip drop off/pick up takes 12 minutes.  I'm usually back home at five past one, at which point I immediately put Genoa down for a nap and get about two hours to myself.  Lately I've been using that time to catch up on my own sleep, but in theory, once Genoa is more consistently sleeping through the night, I should be able to get a lot more done with this schedule than I ever could before.

On Wednesday, I dropped off Alex and then took a sleeping Genoa to Kate's house (to help her work on her blog, woot!).  I always forget how much easier it is handling only one kid.  It's a phenomenon you rarely get to appreciate because you don't feel that way the first time through.  It isn't until you get used to the insanity of two that you realize the sweet merciful bliss of an afternoon spent not breaking up fights. 

On Thursday we made lunch for Annagrace and her girls.  It's not like I'm looking for more reasons to love the Internet because obviously I have more than enough, but meeting Annagrace has only served to fan the flames of the love affair.  AG is so present in her life that it's hard not to watch her with awe.  That and I can think of very few people who could keep up with the two of us in a conversation.  Never a minute of silence between us!  (Which is also a sign we need hang out more often!)

On Friday afternoon I hosted playgroup (with cocktails, naturally).  We ate chocolate chip cookies and filled some water balloons and in no time at all, we solved the nature vs. nurture debate simply by watching the boys chase each other around in a water balloon death match while the girls pleasantly dropped the balloons on the grass and made sure not to splash each other. 

I've been HORRIBLE about taking pictures lately, which I'm starting to think correlates positively with my mental health.  The more pictures I take, the better I'm doing.  It could also be the iPhone and that since buying it, I pretty much always already HAVE something in my hands, so why bust out the big camera? Anyway, at one point on Friday, I handed off the big camera to Alejandra and she snapped this great shot of Tonya and I (which I've edited using Picnik and love):

I am doing better, by the way.  My anxiety has been gone for over a week, which has given me some much needed perspective.  In hindsight?  I can tell you that my anxiety was 10% my actual life and 90% the fact that it's an election year.  At the time I couldn't figure out why I was so upset, but now I have this vivid memory of vacuuming my entire house while FUMING about the very sexist response women had to Sarah Palin's nomination for vice president.  I don't want to start a political discussion again, but let's just say that I had been HOPING she'd get nominated for a couple weeks before it happened and to then sit here and watch everyone (meaning other bloggers/writers) whom I respect and admire and LIKE literally rip her to shreds, well, it BOTHERED me.  It felt like a personal attack on everything that matters to me, my values, and looking back, it's no wonder I couldn't breathe.  The fact that I didn't want to blog about it only served to make it a million times worse.

Comments

[Ali]

Adam and I were just talking about that one child, sense of calm phenomenon on Friday evening. He commented on how quiet it was because Lauren was spending the night at my parents. I told him it's something you don't get to appreciate until it's too late to know better!

[Emily]

I really really just LOVE your hair. I know we've all said it before, but it is just adorable. It suits you so well.

[Kim]

I know what you mean about Sarah Palin. I too was hoping she would be picked. I just find it incredible how women are tearing her down because of her choices. I thought feminism was all about women have the "choice" to live their life anyway that made them happy. I don't undertsand how womankind's greatest advancement is the ability to abort a baby. I probably shouldn't post this comment since you did say you didn't want to have a political discussion.

[elizabeth]

I just want to reiterate all three comments so far! 1. quiet time is never over-rated
2. your hair is SO very cute and I hope my curls look like that when I get my hair that long!
3. Sarah Palin is feminine, but not a "feminist" in the liberal sense of the word. That's why I think there are so many people that say they don't like her.

[Lisa]

Just because Sarah Palin is a woman doesn't mean all women will automatically want to vote for her. Just like you wouldn't have voted for Hillary just because she is a woman.

Sarah Palin is about choices - as long as you agree with her viewpoints. Personally I think abortion, teaching sex ed and creationism is a personal decision that everyone should have the right to make. That's one of the reasons I would not vote for a ticket that Sarah Palin is on.

Politics is emotional. My hubby has had trouble sleeping worrying about 4 more years of Republicans running the country. You are stressed out thinking maybe they won't.

Why don't you write about it and block comments? If people want to read it, they can. If they don't like it they can go somewhere else.

I don't agree with you politically, but have read your site for a couple years. I respect you and enjoy following your life and seeing the fantastic kids you have grow up. Say whatever you want, vote however you want, I'll still be a fan!

[MelissaLBC]

Lisa,
I agree with you 100%. Everyone has a right to express their political views without feeling attacked. And we are all different, that's what makes our country a democracy! While I might not agree with a friend or blogger politically, it doesn't mean I can no longer like them as a person. Amanda, I hope you feel free to express yourself in whatever way you need to.

[Rhi]

Um, hello, your hair is awesome.

[Janie]

That's pretty funny, because I've been walking around with my gut in a twist because I am terrified that a small town political hack with far right wing views, a flimsy education, a record of putting her high school pals in high paying state jobs they're not qualified for, a record of accepting mountains of pork from Washington that she now hypocritically derides, and no demonstrated interest or experience in anything in the world beyond Alaska will be a heartbeat away from the Presidency. And to beat all I have to listen to people claim that anything said against her is somehow sexist! It's not sexist to say someone is woefully underqualified for the job of VP. It's not sexist to say John McCain threw out every scruple he ever had and put politics over principle when he put Palin on the ticket in a pathetic grab for right-wing support. Every woman I know thinks Palin is a horror show and is reeling in disbelief at what may become of our country. The world has gone completely nuts and my stomach hurts. Now THAT, my dear, is anxiety.

[Kate]

Glad to hear your anxiety has calmed down! I (dare I say it?) loathe politics and avoid political conversations all I can. But I totally understand the anxiety factor. All week I've been wandering around in a state of shallow breathing and palpitating heart over the latest financial news. Will/how/can scared investors share their much needed funds with DH's company now? Suffice it to say that I thank the good Lord every day for my anti-anxiety medication!

[Annagrace]

Aaaaand here's my better-late-than-never thank-you. I always have SUCH a good time with you--thank goodness Pea and Genoa get along so well because I'd want to hang out regardless. Come over soon and we'll make YOU lunch for a change!

Totally understand the politics/anxiety thing as a blogger--I HATE getting political on my blog for fear of distancing anyone anywhere and yet how do you just say, "this is me--I can only speak for me" enough times that people will actually get it?