Yeah, that title is a little over the top, I know. And I am a little over the top today. After a week of two — count em, TWO — new births in our families, I think I’m a little justified in that, don’t you? 🙂


1. An Angel and a Cherub
Because I just can’t resist sharing it — again! — my two new nephews are just perfect. One has an angel’s name, an angel who is near and dear to my heart. The other is a flawless cherub, and is just as much an answer to prayer. One of these boys shares a name with another boy, a boy whose small white casket changed my life. The other boy is the first first-born boy in a family of tears, a family who hears about birth with joy, though fear seems to hover nearby until we see the baby in person.

When I reflect on these births, I am overwhelmed by God’s goodness, and I can’t help but turn my face heavenward in thanksgiving. On Tuesday, I started a novena. Today, I continue that novena and marvel at myself and at God’s abundance. My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior (Luke 1:46).

2. Fire Deparment Takes Walk-ins (Who knew?)
I had a severe case of Negligent Mom Syndrome yesterday. My youngest, 18 months old, had a fall that no one saw, was found and was screaming and acting injured. After she calmed down, I noticed that she wouldn’t put weight on her left leg. I didn’t quite panic. I made a doctor’s appointment for this morning and didn’t worry too much; she was playing fine as long as she was seated.

And then, horror: a fellow mom freaked out on me. She insisted, loudly, that I must take her in, get her checked out, and on and on. OK, maybe she didn’t freak out. OK, maybe she wasn’t that dramatic. She probably wasn’t. Except…except that when you have doubt (and as a mom, I have plenty of doubt), things get a little distorted in times like these.

She then said, “Well, if you don’t want to go to the ER, go to the fire department.” I couldn’t even reply. I didn’t have any idea what she was talking about.

Turns out that the local fire deparments, at least in our area, will take walk-ins. It was there, at the local fire department, while Meredith sat happily on my lap, with no evidence of pain, and Babby talked the chief’s ear off, to an audience of seven (yes, SEVEN!) EMT-firefighters, that I heard the reassurance I needed.

“I wouldn’t take her in,” the Official Grown-up Who Knew What He Was Talking About told me. “In a couple of hours, she’ll be good as new.”

It was naptime, so we went home. After naptime, sure enough, she was good as new.

3. Comforting Quote of the Week
As I was telling my story at the fire deparment, fumbling more and more as I confirmed, out loud, my own incompetence and negligence in caring for my toddler, one of the young EMT-firefighters gave me such a kind look (they all looked kindly, now that I think about it), and said, “It’s OK. It happens.”

Coming as it did from a young man who was maybe 25, who did not have kids of his own but who saw this sort of thing all the time, somehow gave me such a relief.

It is OK. It does happen.

Thanks, Mr. EMT-Firefighter.

4. Cooking Lessons
As I struggle with cooking lately, I’ve realized a few things.
a. That time I spent in shop class and FFA? Good. But…home ec? Yeah. Not such a waste after all.
b. Books on how to cook? Um…I have one on my to-read shelf, actually. I think it will be next, review pile and library pile notwithstanding.
c. Recipes and cookbooks don’t tell you everything you need to know. I find this more maddening than I can fully express. How am I supposed to know that the dish gets covered unless you tell me in the recipe?!?!
c. Recipes and cookbooks are written for people who know what they’re doing in a kitchen.
d. Menu planning is a lifesaver. Period. Check out Jen’s word document (which is what got me started).

5. An Apology to Facebook
I’ve avoided Facebook quite a bit. I’ve even dissed it here and there. But this week, discovering someone and reconnecting with them (we will actually talk — on the phone — today, I think) was a joy and a blessing. So I apologize. (But I’m still not getting sucked in to the timesink trap!)

6. In Which I Marvel at My iPod (but not my Macbook)
Last week (in #2 of this post), I asked — and received — advice on how to take care of a little hurdle I was experiencing with making playlists out of podcasts. And then, that day, it just…started working. Without me doing anything. Hmmph.

7. The Solution to Everything?
Said a wise man in my life, as I rambled on about a problem I have been trying to solve for some time (a problem that does not involve numbers, I might add), suggested that I make a spreadsheet out of it. Ahhhh, an excuse to make a spreadsheet. He knows me well! 🙂 And I suspect the problem is about to be solved… 🙂

Jen is the hostess with the mostest (hey, if I’m over the top today, I might as well stick it through to the end), so be sure to go on over to Conversion Diary and check out the complete round-up of 7 Quick Takes.