Linking Things Up...
Well, it has been about a year since my last post, and I don't know why I suddenly feel like posting again, but here I am. My wonderful son, Zack, who gave me this blog for Christmas, 2003, and who, by the way, is spelling his name "XAQ" these days, just had a wonderful little epiphany that warmed my heart so much that I want to share it here.
Ever since he was little, Zack, er, I mean, XAQ, has been seeing a bumper sticker on my car--and hearing me quote it everywhere--that reads "If Mama Ain't Happy, Ain't Nobody Happy." This is far and away my favorite bumper sticker, and has, in fact, now that I think of it, been mentioned in this blog at least a couple of times before! Anyway, more recently--way, a couple of years ago--I pasted on another bumper sticker that reads, "Peace On Earth Begins With Birth." So, just now I was sitting across from Za, um, XAQ, he at my computer, and I at mine, and he was asking me what I was going to name the novel I am writing for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo.org--check it out!!), and I told him I thought I would call it If Mama Ain't Happy, Ain't Nobody Happy. He stared at me blankly for a long moment, and I said, "what, you don't like it?" and he said, slowly, "No...it's not that...I just realized something about your bumper stickers...I just realized that Peace On Earth Begins With Birth and If Mama Ain't Happy, Ain't Nobody Happy actually mean the same thing!" I am so proud of my boy! He went on to elaborate that not only do they mean the same thing on a personal level, and on a global human level, but even in terms of Mother Earth being the Mama in question! Oh, my goddess, does this mean I actually did something right as a Mom? I have a 17-year-old son who actually GETS IT!! Sigh...
Of course, I also have a 15-year-old daughter, a 12-year-old son, and a 10-year-old daughter who still have to survive their adolescences as my children, so the jury is still out. And even the 17-year-old who gets it has yet to prove he can survive on his own, which is, after all, the true test of our success as parents, is it not? This is a very difficult concept for me, since I have been having anticipatory empty-nest syndrome since he was about 3 weeks old. I remember tearing my gaze away from the cherubic nursling at my breast and looking up at my husband with tears in my eyes, and moaning, "he's just going to grow up and leave!"
Which brings me to what is really going on with me tonight, which is that I have a terrible case of homocidal-suicidal PMS. This is my one perimenopausal symptom, but it is a doozy, and there is actually really no excuse for it, because I know for a fact that I can prevent it entirely by taking Evening Primrose Oil, but--Oh, yeah, I do have one other perimenopausal symptom: I forget stuff--I keep forgetting to take it! Anyway, one thing that relieves this terrible feeling is the universal panacea (isn't that redundant?): CHOCOLATE.
Just a few minutes ago, my enabler-husband said, from a safe distance across the room, "why don't I go out and get you a little treat?" "You WANT me to be fat," I whined. "No, I don't," he replied amiably, "but you're about to get your period and I know it makes you feel better." I admitted that I have been craving a Toblerone bar, but haven't been able to find them in any stores nearby lately. This brilliant man then said, "Maybe you could find a Toblerone locator on the internet..." Well, I googled "Toblerone locator" and GUESS WHAT?? Yeah, go to http://www.kraftfoods.com/main.aspx?s=product&m=product/product_locator. It works!! ARGHH! Except he just called from the store located by the locator, and they don't have it!! And now here comes XAQ, and he still hasn't finished his homework. My life is torture! WAH!!!
Okay. I am taking a deep breath. I will go and tuck in my other children, and come back and hound XAQ until he is done. I'll be OK. I will survive. David is bringing After Eight Chocolate Mint Wafers. Everything will be fine. Really.
So, this is me, Mairi Moon, Woman With Wings, hanging on by the skin of my teeth until I start bleeding or my brain explodes, whichever comes first!
Ever since he was little, Zack, er, I mean, XAQ, has been seeing a bumper sticker on my car--and hearing me quote it everywhere--that reads "If Mama Ain't Happy, Ain't Nobody Happy." This is far and away my favorite bumper sticker, and has, in fact, now that I think of it, been mentioned in this blog at least a couple of times before! Anyway, more recently--way, a couple of years ago--I pasted on another bumper sticker that reads, "Peace On Earth Begins With Birth." So, just now I was sitting across from Za, um, XAQ, he at my computer, and I at mine, and he was asking me what I was going to name the novel I am writing for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo.org--check it out!!), and I told him I thought I would call it If Mama Ain't Happy, Ain't Nobody Happy. He stared at me blankly for a long moment, and I said, "what, you don't like it?" and he said, slowly, "No...it's not that...I just realized something about your bumper stickers...I just realized that Peace On Earth Begins With Birth and If Mama Ain't Happy, Ain't Nobody Happy actually mean the same thing!" I am so proud of my boy! He went on to elaborate that not only do they mean the same thing on a personal level, and on a global human level, but even in terms of Mother Earth being the Mama in question! Oh, my goddess, does this mean I actually did something right as a Mom? I have a 17-year-old son who actually GETS IT!! Sigh...
Of course, I also have a 15-year-old daughter, a 12-year-old son, and a 10-year-old daughter who still have to survive their adolescences as my children, so the jury is still out. And even the 17-year-old who gets it has yet to prove he can survive on his own, which is, after all, the true test of our success as parents, is it not? This is a very difficult concept for me, since I have been having anticipatory empty-nest syndrome since he was about 3 weeks old. I remember tearing my gaze away from the cherubic nursling at my breast and looking up at my husband with tears in my eyes, and moaning, "he's just going to grow up and leave!"
Which brings me to what is really going on with me tonight, which is that I have a terrible case of homocidal-suicidal PMS. This is my one perimenopausal symptom, but it is a doozy, and there is actually really no excuse for it, because I know for a fact that I can prevent it entirely by taking Evening Primrose Oil, but--Oh, yeah, I do have one other perimenopausal symptom: I forget stuff--I keep forgetting to take it! Anyway, one thing that relieves this terrible feeling is the universal panacea (isn't that redundant?): CHOCOLATE.
Just a few minutes ago, my enabler-husband said, from a safe distance across the room, "why don't I go out and get you a little treat?" "You WANT me to be fat," I whined. "No, I don't," he replied amiably, "but you're about to get your period and I know it makes you feel better." I admitted that I have been craving a Toblerone bar, but haven't been able to find them in any stores nearby lately. This brilliant man then said, "Maybe you could find a Toblerone locator on the internet..." Well, I googled "Toblerone locator" and GUESS WHAT?? Yeah, go to http://www.kraftfoods.com/main.aspx?s=product&m=product/product_locator. It works!! ARGHH! Except he just called from the store located by the locator, and they don't have it!! And now here comes XAQ, and he still hasn't finished his homework. My life is torture! WAH!!!
Okay. I am taking a deep breath. I will go and tuck in my other children, and come back and hound XAQ until he is done. I'll be OK. I will survive. David is bringing After Eight Chocolate Mint Wafers. Everything will be fine. Really.
So, this is me, Mairi Moon, Woman With Wings, hanging on by the skin of my teeth until I start bleeding or my brain explodes, whichever comes first!
posted by Mairi @ 10/30/2005 06:55:00 PM
