why do I open my mouth some days?

Ah, the joy of being a "professional communicator" is realizing that even I mis-communicate sometimes.  Sometimes, despite my best effort, the message is skewed and I fail to achieve my objective.  Rather than enlighten and provide sound guidance, I step on toes and hurt feelings because I didn't include enough encouragement on the front end.  I am found guilty of the very crime I lament in others.  *sigh*

I wonder if Paul or Peter (two men I aspire to emulate before I die) ever struggled with opening their mouth and, despite their best effort, accomplishing little more than making people mad. 

Urgh.

hoping for platinum

So, today is the first day of my annual conference.  I go to one professional development event a year.  While I'm there, I enter a few things into Star Awards.  Last year, we won a Best of Category for our new identity package and several gold and silver stars.  This year, I entered our communication audit for a Platinum Award - the highest award category.  I think we have a good chance - the audit was solidly researched, thoroughly executed and we took the results and DID something with them - lots of somethings, actually. 

I'm so excited!  I hope we win!!!  Boy wouldn't that be nice affirmation of my work.  HA.  Who says PR is the appendix of a school district?  Sorry, I'm digressing....

In addition to Star Awards, I'm looking forward to some of the sessions.  I'm not staying at the hotel this year because it's in Austin.  It seemed silly to budget that other $500 for a hotel when it's so close. 

I'm hungry.  You ever get that feeling suddenly, out of the blue?  I think I'll go scrounge up some vittles. 

Matt is sick so I'm letting him sleep in. 

This post is all over the place! 

Munchkin is at her Nana's house for the long weekend. 

ok, i'm going to eat something now.

gross

I reached a whole new low today.  Or, it could be seen as a triumph because I didn't wreck the car while I was trying not to puke.  *sigh*

Maybe it was left over disgust at the game last night.  Boy, what a disappointment.  The boys just stopped fighting for it.  We should have won that game. 

On a funny note, at half time (score was 0-0 and it had been a thrilling first half), Coach Monsen (athletic director) called me and asked how my blood pressure was holding up.  *laugh*  I'd tell Matt but he's not in a mood to receive it with any sense of humor.  He takes a loss so hard.  I wish there was something I could do to encourage him but this is one of those things he's just got to work through.  It's what makes him such a great coach. 

Well, I'd better get at it.  Several piles on my desk screaming at me this morning.  *sigh*

only tuesday...really?

It's been a full week already and it's only Tuesday!  It feels like I'm trying to compress about three days into each day.  I know that's because I'm trying to get as much done before I go out of town for my conference but gee willakers!!  (yes, I really said that)

Life is good.  Other than feeling like a seasick monkey every morning (ok, I don't know about the monkey part but seasick is definitely right), I'm feeling great and really looking forward to our next doctor's appointment. 

Soccer season is going well.  The boys have won all but one district game. 

Family life is good.  I can't WAIT to get out of our apartment.  When we moved in, they were nice and quiet.  Not so much any more.  And, I'm tired of carpet and climbing stairs and having no storage space and a galley kitchen not fit for somebody who cooks and.... well, you get the picture.

Well, I'm off to another meeting.

somehow she always says it better

http://www.dooce.com/2010/02/04/newsletter-month-seventy-two

If you aren't a reader of dooce, you should be.  Yes, she's irreverant and a little manic and I love her.  Her little girl, Leta, just turned six.  Munchkin is seven.  You can see why I like her.  She writes these monthly newsletters to her little girl that are precious and funny and outrageous and, dang it, I wish I'd said it first. 

Enjoy.

projects

So, I'm working on a project.  A forty-week (give or take) long project.  I'm 10 weeks and 4 days along and so far so good.  Ok, enough subtlety...I'm pregnant! 

Of course, I'm delighted.  I feel great.  SO much different than last time.

When the baby is born, I will drop to part time at work.  I'm delighted.  Really, it's the best of both worlds.  I'll get a little grown-up time (and income) AND I'll be there for the vast majority of Baby's days. 

Munchkin is thrilled. 

We had our new OB two weeks ago and the baby was wiggling on the screen - what a joy!  Everything looks really good, says the doc, so we are very optimistic that we'll get to meet our new little boy or girl in September. 

*laugh* 

Yes, I said September.  Does this sound familiar?  Munchkin's birthday is the 6th and my due date is the 3rd.  Gotta love summer pregnancies.  (well, at least I know what to expect!)

In other family news, we're going to Disney World when school is out, before Munchkin leaves for her dad's house.  I am so excited, I hardly know how to act.  LOL  I've got my travel books and munchkin and I poured over maps today when I went to her school for lunch.  I can't wait!

--

It's raining.  I need a nap.  I'm jealous of the cats who, undoubtedly, are curled up on my soft bed or on my soft couches, sleeping.  Lazy fluffballs, those two. 

Have a lovely Monday afternoon, y'all.

when a pink butterfly is actually a wake-up call.

Tonight, in the mall, we passed by a man, dressed as a clown, selling balloon animals and flowers.  We were on our way to Santa so I told Munchkin we'd come back on the way out.  WE went to see Santa, secured our annual cute (but overpriced) pictures with the jolly Elf and headed back.  Wanting to be true to my word, we stopped at the balloon man and Munchkin began to look at the different choices. 

Initially, she chose a little black mouse.  I second-guessed her and asked if she wouldn't rather pick a different color so he could draw on it too.  She ended up choosing a pink butterfly; something totally different from her original choice.  The man with the balloons looked me dead in the eye and said, "in my experience, when they are able to make a sound decision, it is best to back away and let them.  After all, one of these days she'll bring home a boy you don't like." 

I was a little put off by a man, dressed as a clown, handing out unsolicited parenting advice. 

She took her pink butterfly and we moved on in the mall.  I think she held it about 10 seconds before handing it to us to hold.  Just like that, this little thing she'd been so excited about before was relegated to a forgotten thing in a bag.  I think it's still in the car. 

So, here I am, at 3:30am feeling convicted about what the man said and wondering at what point decisions like picking the "right" balloon animal became so important as to merit input from her mother. 

Looking at this event, while minor and probably gone from Munchkin's consciousness, it echoes other events and times when my "help" may have been more of a hindrance than good.  It may be a bit of a parents' prerogative to be heavy-handed from time to time but tonight smacked of that type of helicopter parenting I despise. 

Did I hurt Munchkin tonight with my meddling?  No, of course not.  It was a two dollar balloon butterfly.  But, could my meddling hurt Munchkin in the long run if I do not establish more consistent boundaries for my guidance - quite possibly.  We certainly see the spoiled, helpless, nearing-adult children at the high school who are direct results of heavy-handed "mommy knows best" parenting. 

Lord, forgive me for straying too close to a type of parent I don't want to be.  Forgive me for butting in on a decision that should have been Munchkin's alone.  Help me set consistent expectations for Munchkin, give her the right tools and God-centered guidance and then back away so she can make her own decisions.  Help me have discernment to know when she needs my input and when she can make choices on her own.  Thank you for people bold enough to admonish a total stranger.  Amen.

So, what are my expectations for Munchkin? 

1. Be safe at all times. (thanks Mom)


2. Do your very best at school.


3. Be respectful of adults.


4. Be kind to others.

How will I help her meet those expectations?

1. Keep up my commitment to previewing what she watches on TV to make sure it's giving her messages that are consistent with our expectations for her behavior.  While the Disney channel shows she has begun watching are entertaining and G-rated, I don't know if they reinforce the messages we are trying to send.  I will talk to Munchkin and those shows will be off the playlist for a while.


2. Renew my commitment to spending quality time with Munchkin every day; reading, playing, and just spending time with the coolest kid in the world.


3. Create an environment where it is safe to make bad decisions, learn from them and make good decisions the next time.


4. Let myself off the hook because I'm still learning too and am bound to make mistakes.