Chicago Moms Blog contributor, Alma, was at Chicago's Grant Park on Tuesday evening, listening to President Elect, Barack Obama give his acceptance speech. Here is her passionate post about this once in a life time experience on such a memorable night. CLICK HERE to view Grant Park 2008, I was THERE!
... cross posted from our sister site, Chicago Moms Blog.
Because my partner/husband/dog walker suffered a devastating episode of Depression some years ago - almost tanking our marriage. I wrote about it, madly, at the time. So it's not too surprising that I get a lot of hits on my blog from search strings like "how does relationship survive?" and "I don't want a divorce."
It breaks my heart, sometimes. I know the economy is driving up depressions and pressures on relationships. I want to crawl through the wires and just hold them tight. Whoever 'them' is, wherever 'them' may be. I'm listening, and I'm pulling for you.
The best I can do is offer the wisdom that worked for us. When one of us was utterly incapacitated in so many ways (him) and the other one of us was doing the work of two people (me), we were lucky enough to have bright, kind, generous people (including a divorce lawyer) who took the time to help us make it.
This is what worked for us. And, still does.
... cross posted from our sister site, Chicago Moms Blog.
Like most people we were astonished to hear tornado sirens (for the first time) Monday. Michelle, our neighbor who watched the house, stopped by to catch up and our mouths dropped when we heard the deep trumpeting sound. Uh, I guess we'll head to the basement now. We agreed to text when we got there with the kids.
As soon as we reached the last step we understood that the sound of rushing water wasn't just outside, it was in the basement! The soaked walls sprung leaks like fountains as Andy and I scooted all the goodies for my yard sale to dry areas. Meanwhile the kids used our emergency flashlights to create a strobe light effect in the dark dungeon. This gives new meaning to Panic at the Disco!
Leave it to my little one to add a little light hearted humor to the situation. As we all tried to avoid the newly forming rivers beneath our feet, Chaz just navigated back and forth with the blue cooler calmly. When Jack asked him what he was doing, he simply replied "I just came back from the harbor." What? The courses of pure laughter settled our nerves and put things into perspective. Despite the flurry of activity, we were all safe and stuff is just stuff, right?
... cross posted from our sister site, Chicago Moms Blog.
I am a girl with expectations. I always have been. Expectations of both myself and of those around me. I expect myself to perform at certain levels. I expect to complete things that I set my mind to. I expect to not let people down and to live up to the things they assume will be true of me. Exhausting at times, but just how I am wired.
Well, here I sit. Three weeks away from my newest son being born. And I am once again full of thoughts and tasks that need addressing. I am nesting, I am reflecting and processing... I am expecting.
Click HERE to continue reading at Chicago Moms Blog.
... cross posted from our sister site, Chicago Moms Blog.
With examples like A-Rod and Christie Brinkley, columns about celebrity divorces are kept full of plenty of dish. Salacious details captivate millions, and speculation is practically a national pastime.
But the reality of divorce is agonizing and personal.
Four years ago, my partner and I were facing a breakup. The reasons aren't important, except to note that neither of us wanted to give up on our relationship - the circumstances just kept throwing us against the rocks until we were battered, bruised, and resigned.
... cross posted from our sister site, Chicago Moms Blog.
Yesterday my good friend and colleague announced her pregnancy at work. There's something about a pregnant woman that draws out every mother's stories of her own experiences. I spent yesterday hearing pregnancy and breastfeeding stories dating from the 1970s to the present.
As for me personally, I was a huge ball of nerves my entire pregnancy. I got the positive pregnancy test on a Friday, and I spent the following weekend sobbing. Even though the pregnancy was completely planned, I just couldn't accept the major changes that were about to happen in my life. I worried how motherhood would affect my marriage, my career, my friendships, and just my life in general.
...cross posted from our sister site, Chicago Moms Blog.
I have all kinds of cute things I'd like to write about today -- how 4-year-old Nutmeg stayed in her own bed ALL NIGHT and credits the help of her (now!) three bedmates, Genevieve the Friendly Ghost, Alphabadouble-u the Cat, and Pumpkin the Cornsnake. How Nutmeg now fearlessly jumps into the pool at swimming lessons and bobs right back up again, and, oh yes, 15-month-old Pebbles' ascent to the ponderous weight of 17.5 pounds. And how dyeing my hair blue was fun and easy and actually led to me getting carded when buying beer at Dominick's yesterday. Yes, you, the lady with the kid in the plastic truck on the front of your cart, struggling with the toddler over your coupons. Let's see some ID, because no one mature enough to buy beer would have pigtails tinted After Curfew Blue.
(Note to checker: Thank you, thank you for mistaking my midlife crisis for bona fide youth!)
....cross posted from our sister site, Chicago Moms Blog.
I was watching Oprah yesterday when Barbara Walters, of all people (I can't stand her), says something that just struck me to my core. She was talking about her special needs sister and how hard it is for parents of children with autism and that, although they love their children and would do anything for them, sometimes they think "it's just too much."
It's just too much.
I tear up as I even type that right now because really, what is so difficult about saying, "it's just too much" ? Why do I feel like I can't say it out loud when that's really how I feel? And so I did. I said it out loud. And it felt good. I am not the parent of a child with autism. I have been through my share of rough times. But it's just life in general right now that is overwhelming me. Whether it be as a Mother, wife, friend, or plain ol' human being. And I feel like I should pull up my big girl panties and just get over it. Toughen up. Get through the day. But I'm wiped out. I'm exhausted. I'm barely making it through the day and I have to say that this is no way to live, just barely getting by. I've had enough.
Click Here to continue reading this post on Chicago Moms Blog....
....cross posted from our sister site, Chicago Moms Blog.
I've been watching the case of the children removed from the Texas compound Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints with a heavy heart and conflicting opinions. As much as I abhor the practices of the FLDS community, my heart breaks for those mothers and children being separated. At least, I told myself, they're letting the smallest children stay with their mommies.
Today, they took the mothers away from the babies ages 12 months and up.
I don't like this group, a radical sect disavowed by the Mormon church that embraces polygamy and under-aged marriage and motherhood. I don't think we should just live and let live when it comes to communities where teenage girls are abused in this way.
I read Jon Krakauer's "Under the Banner of Heaven" and I have seen FLDS escapee Carolyn Jessop speak about her experiences. What she describes is child abuse, not just a cultural difference.
Yet I cannot understand how separating toddlers -- some still nursing -- from their mothers is going to help them. I cannot imagine what kind of experience hundreds of children had in that coliseum without their parents.
Click Here to continue reading this post on Chicago Moms Blog.....
Cross posted from our sister site, Chicago Moms Blog.....
Okay. I have serious beef with this bun in the oven (applause for triple-pun use). I was on a business trip, in a bar when I saw the news clip: "First pregnant Man." Whaaaat? I swiveled my chair, tuned out the salesman and paid attention. I have always wanted this (when I was puking every 30 minutes and had to take Zofran for 5 months, I kept warning my husband this day would come, and I would throw him into the vast test trials.) I find it fascinating and frightening what the medical arena is churning out. (stem cells from teeth...c'mon,who thunk that up?)And..surprise, surprise. It's a big-media spin. Sigh.
Look, I get it. I understand the need for generating interest, perhaps even sensationalizing things to compete with 24 hour news channels, but can we get serious here? This is a WOMAN who had her boobs removed, took testosterone to be a he, but kept her uterus. More power to him. They want a family, and they have that right, as they should. But not only is describing it to you a pronoun nightmare, it is a waste of my time. Don't get me wrong. I am annoyed for reasons you probably aren't imagining. Would it be difficult to explain to my child? Sure, but that shouldn't effect what someone else wants to do with their.....
Click Here to continue reading this post on Chicago Moms Blog....
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