Just Another Random Monday

I'm not really planning on doing this every Monday, but once again it is the beginning of the week and I'm needing a brain-dump. So, here goes...

• We went to IKEA today. Me, my four children, my friends Sara and Tiffany and everyone else and their dog. I guess everyone else needed a $40 dresser, too.
• Scud takes things very literally. He really doesn't get idioms sometimes. So, when we pulled into the IKEA parking lot behind about 20 other cars and I said, "Wow! Everyone and their dog is at IKEA today!" He said, "There are dogs at IKEA? People bring their dogs to IKEA?!?"
• Speaking of daughter's rooms... Kaitybean's room is almost finished. Her walls are painted a lovely shade of green. Her bed frame and nightstand and dresser are up. Things left to do: put shelves and a bar in the closet, buy a box spring, decorate and VERY judiciously allow her to bring SELECTED things back into her room. The local thrift store should be getting a sizable donation from Kaitybean this week. I'm so excited for her. It's going to be lovely.
  
• Valentine's day was busy. Good, but busy. We made rolls, frosted sugar cookies, played with grandma and grandpa, went to a crepe fete and went to a dance together. The dance was, by far, my favorite part. I wish we'd gone early in the night and caught more of it. I love dancing, especially with my sweetheart.
• I was about 30 minutes late picking my children up from smaland at IKEA today and found out that if you're 45 minutes late they have to involve the authorities, because it is considered child abandonment. Eeek! I was SO embarassed. I thought that they buzzed your pager right when it was time to pick up kiddos, so as soon as they buzzed me I meandered back over there. I thought I was 5 minutes late, at the most. Turns out they only buzz you if you're really late. Like I said, embarassed, wanted the floor to swallow me right there (but then I would have been REALLLY late and they really would have called the cops and charged me with child abandonment). Gotta love those dumb mommy moments. Next time I'll remember to bring my phone in (I left mine in the car.) and set my own alarm.
• I went visiting teaching today. All in all it was good. Except at one place we got talking about birth and politics. Which was not so good. I never seem to agree with anyone completely (I'm too good at seeing both sides.) and I never seem to be able to get away from those conversations without feeling disingenous, inadequate and frustrated. I can't seem to be true to myself or to make it clear how sincerely I trust and respect and support others' choices and beliefs.
• Which brings me to another thing. Sometimes it gets lonely in the center. I get so sick of the polarization I see all around me. I need to write a whole blog post just about this.
• JDub is sleeping in the living room right now.
• We saw some of our favorite people this weekend, some we have not seen for a very long time. It was good. One of them was JDub's best friend from high school.
  
• During this pregnancy I have been craving beans. Black beans, refried beans, pinto beans, kidney beans. Yum! And yogurt. And kefir (though isn't that basically the same as yogurt?). And apples with cheese. I think I'm hungry right now.
  
• I have poetry group this week. And no poetry to share. At least nothing new.
• I wish there were still new episodes of the classic muppet show airing on TV. We borrowed a disc from the library and have just loved it.
• Beetlejuice is a weird movie.
• I am lucky to have my body, my family, my home, my problems, my life. This has been brought home to me so many times in the last little while.
  
• Also, I've been reminded that happiness and joy come entirely from within. They can coexist with ANY given situation and have nothing to do with what is happening outside of me. That doesn't mean it's not okay to be sad, angry, hurt or upset. Those emotions have their place and are always worth feeling fully and learning from. But joy is always there, just underneath. If I allow it to be.
  
• JDub took a 12% pay cut this week. I am grateful he still has a job.
  
• Mashuga just woke up and started sleep walking.
• It's midnight and 6 am is gonna come early tomorrow. Time to wrap up and say good night.

Good night!