Short Story Sunday

A woman stands alone in the kitchen, a vacant look on her face. She mentally tallies the things she's done - cooked pancakes for breakfast, loaded the dishwasher in between flips, switched out two loads of laundry. She glances over at one plate still sitting at the table, uneaten mini bites flavored with butter and drizzles of syrup getting cold.

She turns around and a little face looks up at her, reaching out a small book.


"Buh, buh," he instructs.


"You'd like to read the book?"


He nods quickly and she plops down in the middle of the kitchen as if this is where they always read books. The little boy does an about-face and backs himself into her lap, without regard for her protruding tummy.


"Hand, hand, fingers, thumb," she begins. She contains her excitement at realizing that he's sitting still. Really sitting still! And listening!


Soon, a bigger boy joins them, the melodic pattern of his mother's voice getting the best of his curiosity. He sits and leans in, listening to the favorite dum ditty of the millions marching who make their own music. At one point, the littlest boy stands, runs to his plate and stabs a bite. He shoves it in his mouth and runs back to his mother's lap.


As she continues to read, the woman wonders what kind of music the two little boys will make when they march down their own paths. She then smiles to herself as she realizes that they already are.

Is Guilt Built Into Blessings?

Do you ever receive blessings in your life and instantly feel a twinge of guilt? That guilt could be brought on by yourself, or by others. Maybe you don't feel that you deserve what you've been gifted. Maybe others make it clear THEY don't think you deserve what you've been gifted. That guilt is fairly clear-cut. Precise. Sharp.

But there's the other guilt....the one that is paired with "But....". It's like handing you a blessing and following it with a sentence starting with "but...this comes with baggage."

The baggage I'm talking about isn't always direct. It's not always spoken. Sometimes it's simply alluded to....either by facial expressions or in your own mind. It's built into the personality of those around you or even into YOUR personality.

Take kids who are fortunate enough to have parents who paid for their college. That's a wonderful gift, right? And those kids probably thanked their parents numerous times for the generosity. But those of us left to pay for school on our own might hold some resentment. We might even project that onto these kids who were gifted something generous. We might be jealous and they might be fortunate, and now we've unknowingly (or knowingly) shoveled guilt soup down their throat.

My concern with this guilt, either being the shoveler or the shovelee, is that it's oftentimes spoken of with such casual airs. I've been guilty of "teasing" someone who might be complaining about money that they have nothing to complain about...they have no student loans staring at them for 10-15 years, or no car payment, or no daycare. I've done it and I'm not proud.

But I recognize it. And I'm doing my best to try and find joy in the blessings others have that I might not. What good will it do to try and make them feel LESS fortunate? It only hurts me to feel jealous or slighted. And honestly, while they receive blessings in one form, I can honestly call my lack of fortune a blessing as well. The money management and work ethic I gained is as valuable as the lessons they probably learned from parents who could provide a monetary blessing.

Have you ever been on the receiving end of projected guilt? That's just as frustrating. What do you do? Do you go into guilt mode and start apologizing for what you've received? Do you stay silent while people vent their lack of blessing "luck" on the fact that you have some?

I sometimes feel this way with regard to my weight. I sometimes feel this way with regard to having babies. Sometimes I feel this way because I'm married to a mostly decent dude.

I fluctuate constantly about how to respond. I worry that I will sound callous and uncaring if I justify my blessings, but on the flip side do I always have to stay silent to make the projector feel better? When I am the projector, I want to be put in my place. I try and remember to put myself in "the corner" before being cut down to size for sounding like a whiner. Most of all, though, I'm trying to reconcile with myself that we all receive blessings in our lives in many different forms. What one has, another will not...and you know what? That's okay.

In the end, we're all going to die anyway. Except Tupac.

Husbands Just....Grrrrr

Hubs is an excitable person. If he feels that someone shorted him (or us), or treated him (or us) unfairly, he speaks up. Sometimes in a tone that makes me cringe. While I might oftentimes agree that it WAS indeed poor customer service or an intentional slight against us, I won't immediately go into "You wronged us!!" mode.

I evaluate what this particular place of service means to me. Is it worth the fight? Was the slight a personal attack or simply the actions of a complete and utter moron who slights everyone?

Personal attacks are "excitable behavior" worthy, I believe. Did someone judge us, categorize us, and thus treat us based on personal prejudices? Was there no effort to be polite whatsoever? Did you put us in the table back by the bathroom when there are clearly more appealing options available?

When service is just an oversight, however, there shouldn't always be over-reaction. Hubs, though, reacts to the "what ifs" scenario of oversights gone wrong. Let me explain.

We bought my vehicle in May 2009. Eight months later, yesterday, we (Hubs) took it in for its first tire rotation. It's about 4,000 miles overdue. Don't judge. Anyhow....we ran it up to a local tire store to get it done as I can't be pressed to get to the actual dealership. Their hours aren't as favorable for service.

Long story short, the local shop couldn't remove the tires to rotate them because my vehicle apparently comes with wheel locks instead of lug nuts. Wheel locks require a special "tool key" in order to remove the tire. The tool key was not given to us at the time of purchase.

Hubs called me (I was at home) to ask if I knew about its location and I kindly informed him as any good wife should that I didn't have a clue what a wheel lock was. He called the dealership and proceeded to get very "animated" with them about their oversight on this matter.

He let them know it was poor customer service to send a car out after a 150 point inspection with such a serious oversight. What if his PREGNANT (see: handicapped and unable to use a cell phone, apparently) wife had a flat on the interstate and no one could help her change the tire? What if she had the kids with her? What if, when we took this vehicle to Chicago this past summer, something had happened and we had no access to the dealership to resolve our issue? What if.....what if.......

I love that he feels protective and I love that he'll speak up for us when he feels we've been wronged. But sometimes? What ifs are just that.....No emergency occurred and we caught the error before we had serious issues. Sometimes it's just about solving the issue instead of resolving the wrongdoing.

Ironically, one of my tires had a hole in it that required patching when I took it to the dealership tonight for them to fix this wheel lock error. Maybe Hubs' concern is more valid than I give him credit for......please don't tell him I said that.

Monday Mumbles

Ten random things to start off your week. I'm sure you have some as well. Do you feel the need to mumble? Be sure to let me know and I'll link you up at the bottom.


1. My 2010 goals/performance objectives are due today. I'm typically a bottomless pit of feel-good "make me betters" and words to express how I'll accomplish things I've already been doing. I'm up for the challenge again!

2. Michelle felt the need to state (repeatedly) on Wednesday that she wouldn't be at work Thursday....OR Friday. I sincerely hope she enjoyed her two days off despite her incessant vacation dropping tendencies. That's just how nice I am.

3. Till was invited last minute to go with a neighborhood friend and his mother and siblings to a park Sunday afternoon. I was familiar with the name of it but unsure of the location. When Till returned, Hubs asked him, "How did you get there?" in an attempt to discern the location. Till's response was, "His mom drove us." Duh, Dad.

4. Admittedly I'm a bit of a control freak. Especially when it comes to noise pollution. Our neighborhood is slightly unsocial, but it's always been quiet. Everyone keeps to themselves, making it feel a bit deserted, but at least it's quiet. Until these people moved into a house across the street and down one lot. I think they're renters, but I'm not certain. Either way....they tend to play music, especially on nice days, extremely loud. It's winter, our windows are closed, and yet....their bass is traveling into my living room as if it's part of my TV show.

5. In case you're wondering, I'm also that neighbor who will march across the street and let them know immediately that I don't ENJOY their bass being in my living room, and no...I don't care that it's coming from a tiny stereo. It's FRIGGING loud. Turn that crap down. I didn't get out of a shared-walls apartment environment just so that I could hear your music ACROSS THE STREET.

6. OJ tried to stab TO with his fork at dinner Sunday. He also slapped him on the back of the head when he woke up Sunday morning. But in between? He mimicked his every move all.day.long. There is SOMEthing wrong with this child.

7. *

8. *

9. I have a good friend who roots for the Minnesota Vikings. Professional football for you ladies who don't follow sports. And if you're a man who doesn't know who the Vikings are, well...you should just stop reading now and figure out a way to Man Up. Except you, Mo....you are, after all, not a local. Anyhow....I feel slightly bad for not rooting for the Vikes Sunday. I have no real reason to root for either team, but there's just something about the team they played that pulled me to them....I had to put this out here. She sometimes reads the blog and I needed to be honest.

10. These Mumbles were really long. Sorry about that.

LINKED:
Michelle

Bloggy Brain?

Do you ever go about your day....minding your personal business, doing what you do everyday for YOU....only to catch yourself thinking about your blog friends? Not to be confused with obsessing, mind you. Don't go get an ego or anything like that. But as we spend time reading about lives we would never have crossed otherwise, they become part of our everyday.

For example, the boys' daycare is set back from the road with a large expanse of grass/field in front. Probably close to two acres, if I had to guess. This grassy area, during good weather, is home to a gaggle of geese. Aside from shitting all over the driveway up to the building, they appear harmless, almost petlike. But because of Cammie and her incessant hatred of geese, I only picture a mass attack (on some random woman of course...not me or the boys), and to be perfectly honest....I sometimes think they "talk" to one another planning said attack while I watch them.

Need another example? Driving to work today, I saw a sad, little construction cone. It was sad because it was tilted and it was faded. So faded, in fact, that you couldn't see a speck of bright orange, nor could you see any stripe. How in the world does a construction cone equate to blogging, you ask? Iggy. I have NO idea where this started, and maybe he can answer that for us in the comments. But he's got a thing for cones. He even owns one and it is named. He has other blog friends who think of him and send in photos of cones for him. Today, I wished I'd had my camera to capture the sadness of neglected cones.

Let's go further. New Year's Eve. I stayed busy playing games with my family and friends, eating and such. Okay, eating a lot. But when I had a moment to think of something other than a board game, I let myself wonder how Dorkys was fairing with her new beau. I wondered if they were enjoying their "alone" together time in NYC for NYE. In case you're wondering, they did.

Just to continue with the examples.....there are times when I visit family and wonder....what if I ran into Anna, a darling college student? She attends the same university I did, in the same town I visit so frequently. She even wrote an article about this lovely town. I doubt that we'd actually recognize one another if we happened to find ourselves in the same location on the same day, but the chances aren't so "out there" as to call it impossible. The town is small and if I had the boys with me, they're too cute to ignore. She'd surely recognize the naughty that IS OJ, right? I do wonder.

Last example. My sister Anna. When I let days go by without blogging...when I find myself having difficulty coming up with thoughts I deem blog-worthy, I sit in anticipation of her email or her weekend comment about my slackish attitude. What this tells me is that my little sister actually enjoys the mumbles I provide, the updates on the family, the silliness that IS Tooj and the Tooj household. When I periodically check into my blog tracker and see someone reading from the city where my other sister, Leslie, works, I know that she also enjoys the blog.

I like that THEY like it. I like that many of you keep coming back, commenting, corresponding. Comments are the only way for a blogger to truly know that they are being enjoyed, and I'm grateful that so many of you take the time to say something, laugh at me, laugh with me. I don't just like comments, I love the conversation. Thank you, all, for that.

Comment Consideration

I enjoy your comments and I wish I were better at ignoring my children so that I could blog all night, every night, responding to you. Because I feel inclined to feed my children most nights and bath them usually, I run out of time for blogging. So here are some comments on your comments.



1. Dorkys Ramos said...
I don't think you could have given me a better present: reminding me to thank my lucky stars for surviving 2009 without being pregnant! YAY!

I do my part each and every chance I get to offset any population growth I might be producing with my non-child toting friends. Continue reaping the lessons I learned late. You too, Rebecca.

2. Cammie said...
I will out myself. I have very recently coughed myself into a little piddle.

I love women who aren't ashamed. Simply love it. I feel a kinship with you often, lady. Except the geese. I think you're too harsh on them.

3. Jillian Livingston said...
P.S. Pregnant women are exonerated from having to smile if they don't feel like it.

God Bless You, Jillian. Everyone see that??

4.chacha said...
Sounds like you work with a lot of women. Chicks are weird. Speaking as one I know. Are they around your age or older? Younger?

Indeed you are right. ALL women, to be exact, in my department. There are 12 of us total....soon to grow into 19. They're all crazy, too. Seriously quirky women. They range in age from 24 or 25 to 60+. Maybe one day I'll do a serious breakdown of personalities for you.



***I interrupt this post to tell you that I'm chatting with my mother on Facebook and she's informing me that my grandmother and aunt (my aunt lives with my grandparents) are "interested" in Roscoe, our Ewok dog. Long story short, my mother kept him for a visit at Christmas and he hasn't been back since. He's currently hanging out at my sisters' place with their dogs, the weenie pup and yellow lab. They like one another, apparently, and today when I wanted to retrieve Roscoe the Ewok, they suggested he enjoyed their house and should get to stay and enjoy the company of their dogs. NOW....my grandma and aunt expressed to my mother that they like him too, and could give him a home. What the hell, people???? I finally get to shelter a dog and it turns out to be a foster situation???***



Where was I.....



5. Intense Guy said...
I just had to grin like a silly old fool at that first picture of OJ.

Admit it, you like sticking your tongue out like OJ was doing....don't you? Sit on a park bench and stick your tongue out at people after you snap photos of them? :)



6. Tracy said...
Belly shots? (as in yours, not alcohol)

Damn, and I really thought you were propositioning me. I was getting all excited for our Sunday date (that never happened for me).

7. Michelle said...
Your children are so cute...I swear I am starting to wonder if you don't exaggerate just a bit about Owen. :)

You see, that's EXACTLY what happened to me with OJ's dad!!!! He was cute and really funny....and I got sucked into thinking it was a good idea. Don't let OJ do the same to you....

8. Mrs Montoya said...
So damn funny and I have no idea why you know what that smells like. I just love that you said it anyway.

Oh, Mrs.....I don't *really* know what that smells like, it was just pregnancy brain talking. :) I think it must have been leftovers from my conversation with Michelle about circumcision (don't ask) and having too many penises (plural: penii??) in the house. Either way....the thought just came to me, I assumed it HAD to be smelly, and so you all get the "visual aroma". Glad you laughed!

Monday Mumbles

Ten random things for this gloomy appearing Monday. What's with this fog hanging over us? What kind of sign could this possibly be?


1. I have the day off. The kids are still going to school. :)

2. It's probably a good thing I left all my Girl Scout Thin Mints at the office. Otherwise, I just might be tempted to eat an entire box today....while blogging and watching TV.

3. TO had a rough week getting started back at school after two weeks off. He apparently didn't finish his assignments in a timely fashion and he had to bring home his writing assignment because he wrote one sentence in one hour. I recall his older brother having difficulty coming up with writing topics, so I guess I need to step up the creativity factor around here.

4. OJ is THE kid that insists on being stupid. Seriously. He still puts nearly everything in his mouth with the exception of coins and detergent, I swear. He wiggles into crevices and gets stuck. He tries to climb anything that appears taller than him, including doors? He might be my football candidate, the child with no concern for his well being. And he's hit his head enough times the concussions should feel like a massage.

5. I've determined that "maturing" into facial creams was the wrong move. As a child, teen, and college kid, all I ever used was bar soap to clean my face. Guess what? I never had acne. Ever. When I "matured" and thought I should get the fancier facial cleansers, I start breaking out. WTF? I'm switching back....have been, actually, and my face feels a bit better already. Go figure.

6. OJ's hair is getting too long. My brother keeps calling him Don King.

7. Remember that post where I showed you we have zero wall space in OJ's room? Well, now I have to try and figure out where this baby's stuff is going to go. The bed is in, so that's complete...but clothes? Bibs? Burp cloths? Blankets? Why do all things BABY start with B, anyhow?

8. Help me, this homework gig will be the end of me. It doesn't help that TO and I forgot he even had homework to complete until this morning. Now I'm forced to do my Mumbles AND yell at him at the same time. What's with this parenting thing, anyhow? Oh, and OJ! NO! Stop putting that in your MOUTH!!!

9. Shoot me.

10. Wait. Hold up. Do that after I have lunch with my siblings today. I love the restaurant we're going to.


LINKED:
Michelle

Weekend Update

Where to begin.

Today. Sunday. I had plans that I was really looking forward to keeping. Three girlfriends and I get together periodically, make lunch/bring the necessities together, and chat for a few hours. Sometimes with kids, sometimes without for me.

Today, I was in the process of getting ready while Hubs and I decided if he'd watch both TO and OJ or if I'd take OJ with me. TO would be hanging with Hubs for certain, maybe at the house, maybe outside of it. About 15 minutes before I headed out the door, my dad called to say he was on his way up to hang with his grandsons. I'm not sure if Dad forgot our conversation we had just yesterday regarding my plans with my friends and that our Sunday was uncertain, but he was already en route to our home. That's an hour's drive. I couldn't tell him no, especially knowing the boys would love the visit. I think he took for granted my comment Saturday that "we were just hanging" most of the weekend as "we'll be home all weekend."

I couldn't very well suggest to Hubs that he HAD to stay home to receive my family guests (my brother was coming with my dad) in case he wanted to leave the house to do "whatever" with TO, so I opted to cancel my plans and greet my family. I was disappointed I couldn't see and chat with my friends, but I did enjoy my time at home watching all the men play.

-------------------------------------

Saturday. We really did just hang at home. Hubs worked some overtime (all day overtime, essentially) while I spent a day with TO and OJ. I cleaned, scrapbooked, and watched a LOT of basketball and football. It was very relaxing. Oh, and I didn't shower until 8pm.

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Promotion recap:
Without giving too much detail...oh wait, I have none. A "higher up" was promoted a few weeks ago and it's sent our division into a bit of a shift. We knew the shift would cause some changes for our manager, but weren't entirely certain it would directly affect us. Turns out one of the teams our manager is taking over has one supervisor and they've decided to split that into two supervisors. I get to be sup #2 and will, effective immediately, have 4 direct reports.

Previously I've been in a "limbo" position, a "specialist", an individual contributor. I have been patiently waiting the last few years for an opportunity to come along to move up the ladder instead of across it and this one was essentially thrown in my lap. Without even "would you like to consider...". The whirlwind that has been this week and this announcement has left me with many questions, few answers. I plan on tackling many of these in my one-on-one meeting Tuesday.

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Coming up on Circling the Square Table:
Monday Mumbles
Comment Consideration
Why OJ is still a caveman

*Breaking News*

I've been a bit busy and absent from blogging due to......

my

p

r

o

m

o

t

i

o

n

announcement yesterday.

:)

More to come tonight.

Tuesday Trifles (w/ photos)

I've gotten a bit lazy posting our life in photos. Possibly because our life in words isn't thrilling so photos aren't much better. BUT....these were promised...soooo......here's a glimpse into what keeps Tooj (and fam) entertained.

My sister Leslie was extremely proud of her block castle. I felt it only fair to post a picture of it. She did construct an additional "wing" but I think this looked better. The original always does, doesn't it?? (ask me if I believe this after my boobs nurse kid #3)

I didn't post Christmas pictures from OUR house. Here's TO with his stack.

And here's OJ with his pile. I purposely spread the pile all around so he'd have difficulty getting up and down and walking around. Sneaky, maybe. Productive? Definitely.

I just couldn't resist this silly picture. He's in his pajamas....and his shoes. He climbed on this chair while we were setting up the tree and stood on it as if he were helping. And he still doesn't understand how to smile...that IS his "cheese". Don't hate.

Here you go. Both of these photos are showing me at 17 weeks and days....the headless shot is 17 weeks, 2 days. It's headless because my husband doesn't count when he takes photos and I am REALLY bad at smiling consistently or keeping my face from being screwed up silly. Never mind the fact that the black pants crotch hangs so low. This is something I would have adjusted had Hubs had a WEE BIT of patience.

Just for the record, I had to choose the picks carefully because some made me look not at all pregnant, and then there are these that make me look bigger than I sometimes look. Baby is finally starting to move around enough for me to feel consistently and it's nice.

These are my new pajamas. Fleece. Striped. Love them. If Hubs were a good camera guy, he'd have realized my shirt was wrinkled and told me to fix it so it fit the belly better. But alas....he's a work in progress. Just like his baby.

Monday Mumbles

I am late. Sue me. No really. Try. The whole blood out of a turnip thing? That's me.


1. Had the "find out the sex" sonogram today. Of course, we didn't find out the sex. It was much easier saying no because Hubs couldn't make it. Not that they'd say anyhow...but he'd surely try and pretend he saw a penis on the screen just to feel better.

2. I asked him on the phone after he "berated" me for not finding out (he already knew I wasn't finding out, he was just whining), "What would you do differently between now and June if you knew?" His answer? "If it's a girl, not talk to you." An idea seriously worth considering had I known the stakes beforehand.

3. Before any of you ask, YES, he knows he's the guilty party regarding the sex. However, he's already got his "blame game" set on ready, aim, fire if it's a girl. He's got a friend whose wife is having a baby the same time we are (roughly within a week) and they found out they're having a girl. His friend is being blamed for having a baby so closely timed to us.

4. OJ has been wonderful at school lately, not crying at drop-off at all. I'm LOVING it.

5. I have belly shots. I plan on getting them up tonight...well, for a post dated tomorrow. As long as they turned out decently once uploaded.

6. I went wedding dress shopping with my best gal pal and her mother on Saturday. I am her only bridesmaid, and we ended up getting EVERYTHING we needed in essentially two hours time. We found her dress, my dress, her mother's dress, and the two flower girl dresses. ROCK ON efficiency.

7. Never mind the fact that we were joking about "which fruit does Tooj want to be" all day long. I will be 7 months pregnant come April and going through the rainbow of color choices only brought images of round fruits standing next to my friend. We settled on a plum/grape shape for me. Pics to come, probably after the wedding. Not sure she wants anything spoiled ahead of time.

8. My #1 ranked basketball Jayhawks lost yesterday. Oh well. Moving on.

9. Not sure I mentioned it, but baby is measuring a week early, so doc went ahead and moved the due date up to June 8th. Countdown on.

10. It's warmed up to 28 or 29 degrees F outside today and it feels like a heatwave. That's just sad.


LINKED:
Michelle

To Whom It May Concern

Dear Old Man Winter,

You can suck it.
Suck it. Suck it. Suck it.
Suck.
It.

Sincerely,
Woman taking solace with a Caramello

----------------------------------------------------------

Dear Sunrise,

Thank you for being so, so pretty these past couple of mornings. It has really helped perk up my ride into work since Old Man Winter smells like a penis wrinkle.

Sincerely,
Woman who gets the winter blues

Christmas in Photos

As I have previously stated, I left the camera at home during the holidays. No, it wasn't on purpose, I was just being a bad mom. My little brother Jim had his, however, and was kind enough to put all his pics on a disc for me. Here are some that I enjoyed and cropped/edited to my liking.

The older he gets, the funnier he is....and those big brown eyes get me every time. OJ is a turd, for sure, but a cute turd.
My poser, my player, my photo-op taker. :)

TO loves to hug OJ, and OJ in turn loves to tackle TO. Too bad I'm holding him down.

OJ is kneeling (breakdancing???) on his aunt's present. Oops. At least he's cute in his new Toy Story pajamas.

Pre-teen Till shows TO the ropes on a new computer game.

TO can't resist a silly face, but then again what 5 year old boy can? OJ, in the meantime, just wants some love.

As OJ figures out what gloves are, TO throws up the traditional Peace sign that has been his staple signature photo op move since before he was two. Thanks, Uncle Jimmy.

And OJ gets in on the silly face making as well. Boys WILL BE boys.

Monday Mumbles

Ten random things for this hideously snowy and freezing Monday.

1. It's not getting above the 30 degrees F all week. And we might get more snow in the next couple of days. None of the snow that has fallen on us in the past week and a half has left yet due to the extreme cold. Winter can bite me. Big time.

2. This weather is really affecting TO. I can't decide if he's coughing due to a cold, and it's just a cough...or if he's coughing because he's having asthma issues. Either way, I'm just worrying about it. Constantly.

3. The 3 day Christmas weekend wasn't relaxing. At all. The 3 day New Year's weekend was MUCH better. I felt the three days, and I enjoyed it. So much so that I actually COOKED a lasagna yesterday.

4. TO had some lingering "homework" from when he was sick the week before Christmas week, and we procrastinated finishing it. Last night we were finishing it up, but he was NOT enjoying it or being cooperative. I had to raise my voice several times, reprimand, and regroup him. After being mean mommy, he still said to me after I got him a glass of milk, "Thank you mommy. You're the best mama EVER." Seriously. This kid is perfect.

5. After all that work we did on his homework, they cancelled his elementary school today. The smile on his face this morning was worth it. Now he just gets to play all day.

6. Speaking of good little boys, OJ was a big-time mama's boy this weekend. When Hubs reached for him once, (typically he always goes to "dada" when offered the chance) he said no and stayed in MY arms. Ha!

7. I started scrapbooking again this weekend. I need to finish TO's fifth birthday party (yes, that was in August). OJ's second birthday will be in 3 months. WOW. Time is flying.

8. I am going to get serious about finding night work or home-based work. I could do great administrative work from home if I could find the right executive/company that allows for that. I don't mind where I am on the totem pole anymore so long as I bring in income and can care for my kids when they need it. Like today, with TO's cough/asthma.

9. Thank you notes and new year's well wishes cards will be getting done this week. I wanted to type "tonight" but that's too ambitious. We'll give myself some time.

10. Over-the-wall lady update: When I made my announcement last week, she was on the phone. That's typical, however. I couldn't wait all day for her to get off to see her reaction. There was no need to wait. After I announced and was chatting with another gal, she got off the phone and smiled and said, "I missed it. Was that just the baby announcement?" The "JUST" she put in that sentence confirmed that she did indeed understand my email letting her in on the "secret". It also confirmed that she's very bizarre. We had been alone in the office several times where she'd have an opportunity to at least acknowledge my email, and she never did. It remains a mystery, her silence. There was no follow-up congratulations, and in fact there were very few "congrats" from the other 11 females that I work with. I believe I got 4 or 5. The others just stared at me. It was very bizarre. But so goes the office environment.