Rebellion Happens in the Mind: Grandparent

Showing posts with label Grandparent. Show all posts

September 15, 2013

Nannying and Marriage

Ugh, I've had to miss so much work lately. I hate it! I am excited to see my monkey boys again tomorrow though.
I had to spend two nights and most of two days away from my husband this week and I missed him terribly. Perhaps that sounds pathetic, but I really don't care. Even worse, one of the guys at my uncle's wedding was dressed very similarly to how my husband often dresses, and he even had the same color hair and skin tone and a similar haircut! I kept seeing him out of the corner of my eye and getting excited and then remembering that my husband was roughly three and a half hours away. I was so happy to see him Friday evening and he was so helpful in getting the bonfire started for my family. (We were at my grandparents' cabin.)

Perhaps the first audio format logo, the LP symbol appeared on countless records (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Wednesday night I got to stay with my Mom and we had a really great conversation about anything and everything on our way to her house. I really miss those. We talked about my friends and her friends, about her dog and my cat (her grandcat), house-hunting, and a million other things. The next evening we spent at a hotel. She timed me on my run and didn't even fuss at me when it started raining and I kept running!
Of course, while I was out of town, my friend LP had her baby. She had a little girl! My husband got to go to the hospital and hold her when she was only four hours old. I am so jealous. He also gave the proud new papa some peace of mind by going to their house and letting their dogs out while they stayed at the hospital for a few days, due to my friend having a c-section. However, I got to see the baby today! My husband said I was a natural and her mommy said she liked me! We were only able to stay for an hour but I will get to see them twice more this week. The little girl was a little fussy at first because she was hungry, but she soon snuggled into me and took a nice little nap once I walked her around a bit.

June 13, 2013

Reading and Attention

US Navy 100302-N-0718S-095 Cryptologic Technician (Interpretive) 1st Class David G. Burrell reads a Dr. Seuss book to students at George C. Marshall Elementary School during National Read Across America Day (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When I was little, about elementary school age, I read tons of books at a time. I remember spreading them out on the table at the deli where my Mom worked. How did I keep track of them all? I don't know. At some point, I decided that I would only read one book at a time, in order to better focus on it. I kept that up pretty well. Until lately, that is.

Technically, I am reading six books right now. I started reading The Summer of the Spanish Woman a few months ago. It's part of a Reader's Digest Volume of Condensed Books from the '70s. I'm pretty sure I found it in my Great Grandmother's cabin over a decade ago. It is about Charlotte, a teenager who is forced to leave her home in Ireland due to someone else inheriting the property. It takes place mostly in late nineteenth century Spain. I'll be honest, I mostly rolled my eyes at the short description I read before actually starting the story. However, Charlotte is no Scarlett O'Hara, and I am finding it to be an interesting look at how women could gain and/or maintain any measure of independence or self-sufficiency in a culture that often tried to make them victims of their circumstances.

English: book cover of German Reader's Digest collection book, 1988. simple shape cover design Deutsch: Buchdeckel Reader's Digest Auswahlbücher, 1988, Bild 2 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

English: Chicago-Read Mental Health Center sign (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Another book I'm reading is Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cure. I honestly don't remember how I came across this book. I added it to my Amazon wishlist, so it was probably referenced in a blog post or something. ...I really want to like this book. But so far I don't. In fact, I have to make myself read it. It was written by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, a Welsh minister. I don't know much about him, but his tone in this book reminds me of other arrogant, presumptuous ministers whom I've read or heard before. I won't name names. This time. The subtitle is a pretty accurate summary, at least of what I've read so far. I guess I was looking for something different, perhaps a look at actual clinical depression and how it impacts people spiritually or vice-versa. I suppose I should have known better. Perhaps an in-depth look at Scriptures that would be helpful to people suffering from depression, a survey of Biblical figures who were sometimes depressed, or something. Not this. To be fair, it was written in 1964, a time that I imagine the state of mental health was even more abysmal than it is now.

I'm also reading Sheet Music: Uncovering the Secrets...I won't go into great detail about that book for obvious reasons. This book was written by Kevin Leman, who calls himself a psychologist. It's supposed to be a practical guide to sex. I guess it could be, for some people. It just depends on your experience. I was blessed to have a Mom who was very frank and honest with me about sex, so I didn't feel like I really needed most of the advice in the book or that I couldn't just as easily get it from somewhere else, without some older guy making awkward references the entire time. It was kind of creepy, honestly. However, I can see how it might be helpful to someone who came from an extremely sheltered home. At the same time, I think it might create as many complexes as it might solve. It certainly made me feel stressed and insecure. I started reading it on the advice of my pastor, who did my husband and I's pre-marital counseling. That was over a year ago, and I just recently finished it. (I am still reading the 'extra' questions at the end of the book, which is why I haven't marked it as finished on Goodreads.) T still hasn't read it, but I'd be very interested to hear his take on it. Thankfully, he is way more patient and understanding than any man portrayed in that book. To be fair to my pastor, he usually gives great advice, and everyone drops the ball sometimes. I think this was one of those times.

So those are three of the six books I'm currently reading. Madness, right?

June 27, 2012

Hassled by the Real World

English: My Grandfather (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

My Mom talked to my Grandfather about a week ago. He will hereafter be referred to as Mr. M. He told her that he loved her and he wanted her to be happy and have a good life, but that he no longer wanted a relationship with her. He told her that she was not there for him after my uncle died.

T has been truly amazing the past couple of days. He has cheered me on in my new job and not pressured me about money at all. He has made me laugh and folded clothes and complimented my cooking. He has forced me to run when I didn't want to and helped pack boxes. I am a very blessed woman to have such a husband.

As mentioned above, I have recently started a new job at a Special Needs Ministry. The clients range in age from 18-55. It is a non-profit (of course, do I work at any other type of place?). I would like to organize some field trips for them or maybe find some good guest speakers but I am not sure what they would be interested in. I am still kind of trying to get a feel for the place.

My car is broken. I am really sad about this and it is seriously the last thing we needed as our money was already stretched super thin this month. We have had to borrow from my parents and I cannot possibly express how much I hate doing that. It makes me nervous to owe anyone money and I hate depending on my parents when I know things have been rough for them lately too. I am in my mid-20s, I should be independent! Aaargh!

We had too much fun tonight. We went to a friend's house for game night. While it was fun and the company was great, I feel like we really shouldn't have gone. I feel like I am trying to do too much and I am packing my schedule too full right now. I jump at every invitation without really considering if it is best for me or will help my get closer to my goals. I need to remind myself of my priorities.

I have been thinking a lot about my previous career lately, if you can even call it a career. I used to work at a residential treatment program. The majority of my coworkers were awful people. However, I enjoyed my work. But I was highly disappointed in the place where I worked. Now I am wondering if all programs in this field are like that. The hours were also terrible. No wonder people in this field burn out so quickly. Combine the high stress of the job with little sleep and it is a recipe for disaster! I truly think this can be prevented.

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