This is why I am married to this man, right here

This conversation occurred a few days ago.

Husband: Hey babe, how's it going? What do you think of the new clinic? Are you seeing patients yet?

Wife: The clinic is really nice, they just built this new section. It's too bad, but my real office will be in [another city] in the basement. blah, I will have to get one of those lights. It's weird though. I mean, it is so clean.

Husband: Not the ghetto huh?

Wife: Yeah, and people drive there. And they ask for my help. I don't know, I feel kind of weird. I mean, this job is much different. I feel like I am losing my street cred. I mean, when I was going into people's homes, moving the garbage aside, taking their blood pressure, cleaning wounds, listening to lungs, I mean, no matter what I did, I knew I was doing good. Even if they had no use or tolerance for me, the 'white nurse', I knew I was helping people.

Today, I talked to a patient for a half an hour and adjusted his sleep meds. I mean, the conversation was really easy. I was wearing a dress. I don't know, I feel like I am not . . .

Husband: Wait, what are you questioning? That you're not helping people enough? You helped that patient right? If you think about it, if he can't sleep everything is effected, his job, his wife, his kids and you are helping him sleep. Don't question yourself here babe, you are doing all kinds of good. You're awesome.


That is why I am married to this man.

Introducing Jeff, I mean Mr. Hall

Wait, wait, that's Mario Lopez, silly me!!

Jeff is found below.

At this house, my parent's house, they have

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cable channels.

This is like crack to me. Crack in HD no less.

There is this show, called John and Kate plus eight. And, turns out, it is a really good show. It is a mom and dad plus eight kids. The Dad on the show wears ear plugs when he drives the kids.

Jeff, I mean Mr. Hall, is a fan of ear plugs.

Here he is with Pancake at age 5 months.

It is six am in this photo.

He is the best Dad in the whole wide world.

I miss you sweetheart.

See you tomorrow.

Goodbye Mrs. Palin, take care

Guess who?

Mommy vacation (?)

Settling in quite nicely with my clinic. I am doing exceedingly well.

But I feel something missing.

Oh yeah, the kids aren't here.

I took this week to really settle in, hence the kids staying at home until Friday. Oh wait, this is home.

I will see them this weekend. But man, it feels weird. I am acutely aware of my movements. For instance, after I use my make up, I put it away so little hands can't dig in the powder and brushes. When I cook, I am careful to cook on the back burner and listen for curious little feet. When I shower, I leave the door open and am short about it. I usually shower when they have gone to bed, I leave the door open to hear and tend to them quickly. These Mommy habits, they are so ingrained they are reflexes.

The extent of it is taking me by surprise. :)

I stretched my limbs tonight, feeling my temporary freedom. Tonight I lingered while running errands. I lingered at the grocery store, lingered at Walgreens. Heck, I almost lingered while voting (if they would have let me). I took my sweet, sweet time reading the shampoo bottles comparing colors of lipstick, sniffing different lotions. It was the lotions that got me though.

I realized something. After a while I am not lingering because I have this freedom, this Mommy vacation. Truthfully, I don't want to go home because they are not there.

But, they will be soon. Mac comes this weekend, Pancake after that. Then I will have my needy monkeys all clamoring for my attention. All clingy and jumping on my head.

Till then, I think I will have a real glass of wine. Out of a wine glass, not a plastic cup.

My spank hand, it is strong*

All of you at home can play along with this mental exercise.

Aaaannnnddd begin ....

For those of you just tuning in, a change is happening in the House of Hall. Namely, we are moving four hours away from our house. The first step began today, with moving Mrs. Hall (that's me). In the following weeks my tribe, including daughter Pancake (age five), Mac (age 2) and Mr. Hall (age 40) will follow.

There are a number of ways I can process this and present it here, in this blog. The easiest is the most crabbiest. I can lament and wail for hours. I can go into some detail about what this means and how it makes me feel.

But, I wouldn't want to read that, and neither should you.

Hence, I will look to the positive. I will fill my lungs with good clean air and be energized. I will talk about this in terms that lift me up and hopefully you too. After all, no one likes a whiner.

SO! Hear me now, o negative, self pity thoughts in Mrs. Hall's head! Hear this now!

My spank hand, it is strong. And when you gather in the fog, my spank hand will get twitchy and surely a smack will be delivered with the utmost speed. Oh yes, my spank hand, it is strong.

Wait, wait . . . .

Perhaps that is a bit strong. After all, don't all my feelings and thoughts deserve to be? After all, if we deny what we feel, it just pushes it down. And then it grows into a Zombie and really, it gets all sorts of stinky. Not that I don't like Zombies, in fact I loooove Zombies. I just don't want to be one.

The key, I think, is balance. And to admit that I am very, very scared. Also, I must reach out to Mr. Hall, to my friends, to Yoga and dog walking. I must ask for help when I am overwhelmed. These things up there, in this paragraph, these are not strong skills of mine. I am a 98 lb weakling in this respect.

So, this will change, right now. I will give myself credit for being cooler and smarter than I actually realize. I will think of myself as capable of anything. I will not numb up and shut off. I will not fall into the traps of anxiety and wanting to control everything around me. I will let go and let God.

I will realize all that I breathe and feel tunnels directly into my children and for that, I will be their superhero through all of this. I will be who they think I am. SPOON!!

Aaaaaannnnnddddd breathe . . . . .

This right here, is a moment. This is not the entire journey, but just a moment.

There, this feels better eh?

I know I do.

Take care everyone

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*I can say with the utmost authority no actual physical spanking occurs in the House of Hall. No spanks for Mrs. Hall or Mr. Hall. No spanks for Pancake or Mac. Really people, it is just a metaphor. Trust me.

Potter's Ground

Welcome back to Potter's Ground.

For rules and such, click here.

This month's theme: Revolutionaries

This week's task: Connect this painting with a currently popular song. And by all means, tell us what you think about it all.

Artist: Frida Kahlo

Getting my attention, and keeping it

It takes a special blog to gain my loyalty. Not because I am all that and a side of slaw, but because I am chronically exhausted. This is what happens to everyone who has small kids.

But, the blogs I go to have a common thread. They are nothing like me. The exception being Cam. "What Cam Says" But, who knew there was a long lost twin out there for Mrs. Hall?

Yeah see, I value different. I enjoy hearing about other types of jobs and hearing people's stories. Big shock considering what I do for a living eh?

But, again, tired. So, a blog has to be really, really interesting to both catch my attention and keep it. They must work for my loyalty.

Even though they are different from each other, there are some trends in the demographics. They are mostly older guys in their 40-50's. Two of them "Slydes Blog" and "Bug-Eyed Earl" are friends and trade barbs in their comment sections. In that guy way of ribbing each other. Slyde is a Daddy, I enjoy reading about this. He also tells excellent penis jokes. These blogs are highly recommended because they are 100% guy. Very wonderful blogs indeed.

Another blogs featuring a new Daddy, is "Geology Joe". He is a veterinarian. No, I kid! He is a geologist and often publishes the unexpected. Highly recommended this one.

Then there is my other blog which I co-author with several other bloggers. This is called "Bonez". It was started by a man named Tony who has unique appreciation for all things. Again, highly recommended.

There is a new health care section of sorts. That would be "Mr. Poopie " (a licensed massage therapist) and "Antler" whom works in the care of those that have passed. Mr. Poopie is especially funny and poignant. Antler is a touch more heady and gives me a peek into another life. Awesome blogs indeed.

Another heady blog, but in an extremely efficient way, is called "Hypocrisy". This blog is by Bruce aka Lotus07. He is also a proficient photographer that produces evocative images. I plan on using them more often. I honestly am unsure if he understands what he has in his images, they are amazing. It is pretty amazing what hidden talents people have.

For a blend of the heady and the arts, please see "Incurable Insomniac".

There is an art section. This would be "Not Keith." I think he will be my only art blog because he is just that good.

His good friend and talented writer, "Bete de Jour", is a blogger of somewhat cult following. If you go, pack a picnic basket. You're going to be there a while.

In the funny section is "An Englishman in Osaka". He's English, he's a man, and he's in Osaka, Japan. Funny people, funny!

My favorite funny? Why, that would be "Photo-Cliches". This will serve all your juvenile humor needs. Please, if you go nowhere else, please go to the "Statue Groping page." There is nothing more pleasing. Trust me.

AND NOW, LADIES AND GENTS, THE NEWEST ADDITION TO MY LOYALTY ROLL........

Clublife

I won't be explaining why.

Just click HERE.

Highly recommended is the post entitled "Old school"

Which contains this quote that solidified my decision to become loyal to his blog.

"I’ve told people they were “as entertaining as bone cancer.” I’ve made references to trailer parks and compared people to the size of my bowel movements. I’ve expressed these and many other constructive thoughts in the name of making a living wage.

This job has failed in its attempt to make me a better person."

That is good writing my friends.

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But THAT'S IT!! I will not be finding or reading any more new blogs. I'm tired of finding all this great interesting writing and stuff. I'm done for now.

unless you know of another awesome blog.

but only if it is truly awesome!