Labor Day Friday Five

Here in the USA we are celebrating the last fling of the good ol' summertime. It is Labor Day weekend, and families are camping, playing in the park, swimming, grilling hotdogs in the backyard, visiting amusement parks and zoos and historical sites and outdoor concerts and whatever else they can find to help them extend summer's sun and play just a little bit longer.

It is supposed to also be a celebration of the working man and woman, the backbone of the American economy, the "salt-of-the-earth neices and nephews of Uncle Sam. With apologies to those in other countries, this is a Friday Five about LABOR. All can play. Put down that hammer, that spoon, that rolling pin, that rake, that pen, that commentary, that lexicon, and let's have some fun.

1. Tell us about the worst job you ever had.
I haven't really had a 'worst' job. As a teen, some of my babysitting jobs felt like they were the worst. And even though I'm not really happy in my current job, it's not that the vocation/job is bad--it's the place I am now, physically and emotionally.

2. Tell us about the best job you ever had.
Being a mommy.

3. Tell us what you would do if you could do absolutely anything (employment related) with no financial or other restrictions.
At the moment, I want to be able to stay home with Baby Girl, taking care of her and the rest of my family. I would also love to write for children, perhaps even curriculum for Sunday School or other Christian Education. I still feel called to ordained ministry, so I don't want to leave it completely, but would love a break from the day to day of parish life.

4. Did you get a break from labor this summer? If so, what was it and if not, what are you gonna do about it?
Well...I got a break from the labor of my paid job, but it was because of the other labor I went through! :) Welcoming Baby Girl and taking maternity leave was one kind of break!

5. What will change regarding your work as summer morphs into fall? Are you anticipating or dreading?
What's changing is increased craziness at church--too many evenings and meetings and too much leaving Baby Girl. I dread much of it, though particularly teaching confirmation. 61 7th and 8th graders in one room is just too many! (Even if they sit with an adult in small groups and spend have the time in breakout sessions with those adult leaders.)

Bonus question: For the gals who are mothers, do you have an interesting story about labor and delivery (LOL)? If you are a guy pal, not a mom, or you choose not to answer the above, is there a song, a book, a play, that says "workplace" to you?
I don't know that my story about labor and delivery is interesting...but it's recent.

Birthday Wish List

I'm rapidly approaching my golden birthday--Sunday in fact. I gave my husband a list of two things I want: a video camera and a ring. I even showed him a picture of the style of ring I want and we've discussed the video camera.

But what I really really want is to be able to stay home with Baby Girl! I've been pretty unhappy in my job for some time now and it's only getting worse. Add that to leaving Baby Girl 3 days a week and way too many evenings and I'm going to crack. (Despite the fact that she is a wonderful home during those days--a mom I handpicked to watch her and that's she with my huband in the evenings...) I was worried about post-partum depression. The only post-partum depression is the leaving her and the life-sucking that's happening at work.

I need to sit down and pay our bills; I'm going to try to figure out what it would take for me to go "on leave from call." I just don't think I can do this much longer.

Friday Five ~ All Dates

Who knew there were so many ways to think about dates??

Songbird writes at Revgals, "Here are five things to ponder about dates. I hope you'll play!"

1) Datebooks--how do you keep track of your appointments? Electronically? On paper? Month at a glance? Week at a glance?
I like month at a glance on paper and use the free book sent to me each year by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. I did use a Palm for a while, when my husband had one too and we could sync calendars to know what was going on with each other. (Though I still liked paper.) I tried to go electronic again recently with a Blackberry Pearl, but I really don't like it at all! I would like to go portable electronic if I found a system I liked--which is difficult because I really like the month at a glance.

2) When was the last time you forgot an important date?
Apparently I REALLY forgot, because I can't remember! :)

3) When was the last time you went OUT on a date?
My husband and I go out to eat way too much, so I guess those are dates. Though now our dates include a third person....Baby Girl! :) So far she's little enough that she sleeps through a lot or else is awake but happy to just be looking around. She doesn't need a lot yet to be easily entertained. Maybe when she gets older we'll have to start "date night."

4) Name one accessory or item of clothing you love even though it is dated.
Um...I'm not too attached to accessories or clothing. I have no sense of style, so I'm probably never current.

5) Dates--the fruit--can't live with 'em? Or can't live without 'em?
Neither? I do enjoy them in my Basic 4 cereal, but can't say I've eaten many dates on their own--if at all!

Bonus ~ "What's your idea of a perfect date? I'd say April 20th because it's not too hot or too cold. All you need is a light sweater." ~ from Miss Congeniality (probably misquoted--but it's how I remember it)

Bonus Two ~ Is there a date each year that is particularly meaningful for you for any reason? For me there are a few ~ May 1 and June 22 and September 25. I haven't posted about September 25 yet--you'll have to come back then!

On Being a Mother and Being a Daughter

A few posts ago I listed the blog posts I had written in my head and this was one of the titles. I realize as I look at that list that this particular post was 'written' in my head as a venting post. This will be less venting than it would have been if I had actually written it, I think...I guess we'll see.

I love my mom very much. We've had our ups and downs in recent years and have moved into a relatively healthy balance (at least for us). However, as grateful as I am for the time she spent with us after the birth of Baby Girl, I was ready for her to be gone.

We did really need her--my husband had a few days of school left along with some other important meetings that took him away. Baby Girl was quite jaundiced; I wanted to breastfeed but my milk wasn't in, so the doctor prescribed a "Supplemental Nursing System." (Baby jaundice gets better the more the baby poops--the baby poops more when they eat more, so getting something is crucial.) This system uses formula but requires at least 2 people and could probably use more. If you've never heard of this, you hang this bottle thing around your neck with a straw-like thing that goes down to the nipple, so when the baby nurses on the breast (to help stimulate milk production)--they get formula from the bottle and eventually breast milk too. But in reality, you can't just hang the bottle around your neck and go--it has to be higher than the breast and there is a second straw thing that has to be a certain way so enough air gets in the bottle in order to push the milk out. I could never have done this when hubby was at work. So Mom was able to help.

But--I realized something very important after about ten days, or at least was able to put words to what I was feeling. Two friends were over for dinner while my mom was here and one asked, "Well, what's it like seeing your daughter be a mom?" My mom's response was, "I haven't really thought about it." That's when I realized what I was feeling--she wasn't letting me be a mom, she was mothering both of us. And with the time since I first thought of this post, I am choosing to believe that it was with the best of intentions. She was mothering me--making sure my body had a chance to heal, that I got enough rest, and took care of myself. And her way of doing this was to take care of Baby Girl too--and not let me take care of her sometimes.

I'll have to have a part 2 to this post--Baby Girl is hungry!