vastly different

I was going to put up a gratuitous "look how cute my kids are" post, but I'm too impatient to upload pictures tonight. Soon. You've been warned.

I read a few articles today that gave me big reactions, in vastly different ways. Earlier today I read Phyllis Tickle's post for today, which always is a treat. I could just sit at her feet all day, really, if I had the chance. This afternoon, I had a few minutes to read the newspaper and read this article on the front page of the Star Tribune. Honestly, reading it made my head and my stomach spin. A lot.

where are my lazy days of summer?

In case you're wondering ...

Last week's root canal was a success. It didn't hurt that the dentist was rather, uh, easy on the eyes. I still think that anyone who is going to shove anything in my mouth needs to offer me dinner and drinks beforehand and a cigarette afterwards.

I received my first birthday gift yesterday: 2 new tires for my van, thanks to the massive tire blow out on the way home from the lake Sunday evening. They're my best color (black) and they fit perfectly.

Beyond that, life is a blur of working, getting after my kids (one in particular, it seems), carting kids to and fro, robbing Peter to pay Paul (where do you think that phrase originated?), reading the Outlander series (oh my), doing grammar w the twins and math w my middle girl and trying to get my ducks lined up for starting school myself this fall ... ALL while trying to maintain my witty sense of humor. Or at least not stoop to a new level of bitchiness.

oh, baby, I am STUCK

... stuck in root canal hell. The Twilight Zone of root canal hell.

To make a short story long ...

I cracked a tooth much too long ago. Nursed it along. Went to a local dentist, was frightened by the "costs more thousands of dollars to repair than I can afford, even though I'm appreciative of you sending me out the door with BANK LOAN INFORMATION." Nursed it along much much much longer. Went to dentist across the town finally this past winter. (note: we have health care through MN Care. Great coverage for some things. But dental? Eh. No.) Had an appointment with a very fatalist group of people. Scared me witless. Scheduled my root canal.

Went for said root canal in February. When I left the office later that day ... it was with a half done root canal, tooth patched up, and a prescription for ... vicodin, was it? I was not in great pain, but yeah, I took those puppies. I think going to the dentist has got to be the most God-awful, violating experience a person can have. Really. Fingers and tools stuck in my mouth. {shudder} I would absolutely postively rather go to any other medical professional for any other medical procedure than have things stuck. in. my. mouth.

So I was referred to an endodentist in order to get the root canal completed. Couldn't find one, so went to the good people of Delta Dental to find me the endo. They called me ... last week ... with a new dentist. Not an endo. But I went again, today, to be majorly violated once again. And have yet another root canal attempt scheduled for next week. And if THEY cannot do it they will find me an endo.

HOLY HELL people. Please. Let this end already.

have i mentioned vbs?

Those of you who know me very well have listened to me piss and moan about VBS for several years now. Last year was the first of many where my only participation was dropping my middle child off and picking her up. This year I stuck my toe back in again -- in the kitchen this time.

I was in charge of providing food for the VBS staff, and was over-the-moon thrilled that every single food item was donated, and not bought, except for 2 things that were leftovers from last week's VBS at the other campus.

By last weekend, I had been a little concerned that, despite emailing the Bible study class, the Sunday School class and the entire campus about providing food for the volunteers, only 3 people had contacted me. I had planned to operate under the assumption that if people didn't think it was a valuable enough thing to do, that food just would not be provided. (Do not even get me started on the "we don't want to do it so we'll have the church pay for it" mentality. I think throwing money at things that people should all be chipping in and doing is more than a little ridiculous.) Well, wouldn't you know that food trickled in all week and we had plenty, with enough left over for the next staff meeting. Cool, huh?

dobson on obama

article here.

And that, my friends, is why I will be voting for Obama this November. I simply do not want to be associated with Dobson's brand of Christianity.

a little obsessed

I've been a little obsessed with journaling and vision boards lately. I recently made a list of attributes that I desire to see in myself. When I came to the end of my list, I re-read it, then guiltily added "Jesus following" to the list.


It's not that I don't desire to be Godly .... I say that I do ...I wonder if we put more focus on the proper jargon of Christianity and not enough on the actually attributes of what it means to follow Jesus. I hope that's what it is ... and not that I really, at the core of my being, do not care as much as I profess to.

My other obsession is prayer flags. Or rather, images of prayer flags. In the book Leaving Microsoft to Change the World, John Wood explains that, "The Buddhists believe that prayers can be answered if they are written on flags that are hung outdoors. As the wind passes over the flags, the prayers are lifted up to the heaven." I can't think of a more beautiful picture. And it makes me wonder how "beautiful" my meager, self serving attempts at prayer are. Are they beautiful like the prayer flags, or like a fragrant incense, as described in the Bible, or are they something else entirely?

push me pull you

Our pastor recently handed in his resignation. He and his wife are on my "favorite people" list. He might be surprised at that ... ;-) His wife is one of those people (and it's funny, I don't think of her as "pastor's wife." It's more like "our pastor is my friend's husband.") who's just a little farther down the path than I am, and she is just one of those women whose feet I just want to sit at as often as possible. And I'm just really sad that we won't be seeing each other. Really sad.

This afternoon one of my dearest friends called and told me that they're moving out of state ... soon. I knew it was a possibility. But oh. Man. This hurts.

The irony, maybe, is that I've spent a lot of energy this week - both mental and physical - trying to carve out a little space for myself in this little house that is home to 7 people. A little space for me; a little space for me and Rob to park ourselves away from the kids at the end of the day with a glass of wine and a little conversation. Or just some peace and quiet.

I need some space in this house that can't be desecrated by little people. I need some peace and quiet. And I am not even close to being ready to say goodbye to my girls. Not one little bit.