Life has seasons ... we've all been through them or going through them.   Right now, my life feels like its entering a season of changes. 

There are things moving around at work that could lead to a change in position and honestly, I'm not sure its the right move for me right now.  It would be a good move for my career ... an excellent move in fact.  But, it requires up to 50% travel some weeks and that's not a good thing for my family.  In fact, that's not even a possibility for my family.  Justin simply doesn't have the availability in the evenings to be home if I'm gone 3 nights or more a week.  So, how do I manage my career in a way that, if the travel question can't be resolved, I don't damage my long-term viability?  No matter what people give lip service to, there's a difference between asking a mom to travel for work and asking a dad to do the same.  Men simply have it easier on that front.  So, there's change in the air at work and I'm not sure how I feel about it.

It feels like there's change getting ready to happen in my personal life as well.  You know that little voice you get in the back of your mind (I call him God ... )?  Its been whispering lately that He's getting ready to shake some things up in my life, that I've gotten complacent in a few areas and that's not acceptable.  I'm already thinking of finding a new church home (thank you God for sitting me next to some of The Village pastors on my flight home from Minneapolis Wednesday!).  But that's not the end of it I don't think.  Its time to get healthy physically and spiritually and that's going to require a lot of change.  I have habits, or a lack of habits, that need to be dropped or picked up. 

And I have become complacent, I can admit that.  I'm comfortable with where my life is and if there's one things I've learned so far, God doesn't leave me in a place of comfort very long.  I've been here a while, just curled up in my easy chair of life, doing what I do best and praising God for a time of peace.  But just like Nature changes her seasons, I think this season will be coming to a close.  I equate it to the stirrings that Nature must feel when the coziness of winter and hibernation come to an end and roots awaken to the emergence of Spring.  There will probably be a few showers, maybe even a good thunderstorm or two, but ultimately, growth.  Growth is the antithesis of complacency.  And so I say, change is in the air.

Read this article today ... heart breaking. 

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/012210dnmethanging.a15c906e.html

What could possibly have prompted a 9 year old to take his own life?  My heart just breaks for this child, his family and friends and all who knew him.  Suicide shouldn't even be in the minds of our children, but unfortunately, we live in a world that forces our children to grow up far more quickly than they have the ability to deal with.

My thoughts and prayers are with this family today ...

Little Bit will be getting a few extra hugs and kisses tonight, and an extra dose of prayer said over her.

It occured to me this week, as I was attending my company's National Business Meeting, that there are some things that seem to cross the minds of many other mom's but that never cross mine.

For example, I was talking to a group of mothers that started asking if they'd each called their children's school to check on whether dad was getting them there on time and in "good condition".  Several responded that of course they had, they wouldn't think of not calling every day to check.  I mentioned that I hadn't even thought of doing that and was told that, in time, I'd learn to always "follow up" on dad when I'm away.  Something about this attitude bothered me.

That got me thinking ...

Why did these women seem so obsessed with checking up on their husbands, behind their backs?   Perhaps they had good reason to but to me, it seemed they just weren't comfortable with the idea of their husbands caring for their kids.  They were concerned about whether they were wearing the right clothes, getting to the right activities on time and, in general, concerned that the world at home was falling down without them there to hold it up.

Which also got me thinking ...

Was I comfortable with Little Bit being home with her daddy? 

I'm very happy to say that yes, I was.  Everything may not have been done that way that I do it when I'm home, but honestly, that doesn't really matter.  In fact, some things, like the after bath time dance of drying hair, putting on lotion and getting in to pj's, I'd venture to say daddy does better than me.  He may have fed her carne asada, something I never would've considered, but she ate it, loved it and was all the better for having tried it. 

In a world where, as women, we ask for all things to be equal at home and at work, why do we still talk about our husbands like they are neaderthals, incapable of holding down the fort when we're away?  My personal belief is that what we expect to get is what we actually get. 

If we expect our husbands to be equal partners in raising the kids, managing the house and contributing to the checkbook, perhaps we should treat them as equals?

If there is one thing I'm getting tired of in regards to nursing, its the following question:

How much longer are you going to breastfeed?

Do non-nursing mom's get asked how much longer they are going to feed their babies formula?  I'm serious here, not rhetorical.  I've never heard someone ask this of a non-nursing mother but I'm merely a sample of one & could be completely off base.  I've been asked this question by moms and non-moms alike but its always from those that chose not to nurse their own children.  So I wonder, because they didn't do it themselves, is that the reason they ask how much longer I'm going to feed my child?  I'm not upset by it, I'm just a bit frustrated by the lack of forethought behind the question and the implication that I'm somehow not fitting in to the idea of a "normal mother" that sometimes accompanies it.  Plus, I've been asked this several times, by different people, within the last 3-4 days so its had time to sit and stew in my mind.

Next time you think of asking a nursing mom how much longer she's going to breastfeed, think for a split second if you'd be asking that question were she not a nursing mom.  The answer might surprise you ... and if it does, congratulate her on sticking with a choice that, even on the best day, is not the easy way out.

Last week, I had a definate Not Me! moment.  Cue up the scene in my kitchen...

Teething Little Bit finally quiet in her high chair, and detached from me for what felt like the first time all day, after a yummy dinner of some kind of creamed chicken apple compote that looked anything but yummy to me.  Cheerios happily in place on her tray to keep her amused. Mama at the stove, whipping up some spaghetti for my own dinner and our enthusiastic boxer, asleep in his chair in the living room. 

Until the sound of a Cheerio hitting the floor ...

The Not Me! part?  I did NOT keep my back turned to ensure that Little Bit did NOT not feed all her Cheerios to the boxer.  I did NOT, in fact, know ahead of time that this was likely to happen.  I did not NOT care whatsoever if this happened as long as the two of them left me alone long enough to fix some spaghetti so I could finally eat my own dinner.  I'm pretty sure Little Bit attempted to give a few Cheerios to our dog and then changed her mind and ate them herself but as long as I didn't see it happen, I'm going to pretend that it actually didn't.  However, her hands and mouth did get a little extra attention at bath time that night...
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Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

As an FYI, it seems that blogger is having issues with some of the blogrolls not updating their feeds correctly so, if anyone happens to be including Office Suite to Baby Sweet on your blogroll, don't be surprised if it looks out of date for awhile.  I read this is being worked on so we'll see if and when it gets up and going again.

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

I so did NOT simply grab the camera when I saw Little Bit headed for my new pair of snazzy purple ankle booties this weekend.  And I definately did NOT wait to see what she would do with camera in hand so I could snap this adorable picture of her checking out said snazzy booties!  Her grandmother would severely scold me if she knew that I did NOT just let her sit there and play with them for several minutes while I snapped away!  Ahh, feels good to confess ... this Not Me! Monday may become a bit addictive!