Thursday, August 30, 2007

Africa, Here I Come?


I've just finished filling out an application for a new job and I'm at that extremely nervous stage already where I expect the phone to ring any moment telling that they want to schedule me for an interview, and I check my email 3 times per hour even though they said they won't start calling people in for interviews until after Sept. 19th.

The job is with a non profit organization I've had my eyes on now for quite a while, and finally they posted a job that was right up my alley.
It's goal is to end world hunger by equipping people with the tools neccessary to take care of themselves. Instead of giving the hungry a glass of milk, give the hungry a cow!

In my early childhood years and all the way up in my 30's I thought I would go to Africa and work with the people no one ask for or care for.

I remember being a little girl in my church sitting with eyes wide as saucers, mouth half way open taking in every word the missionary said, every slide in her slide show and I remember thinking I would one day go there too.

I finally got my chance to see Africa first hand in 1994.
Leaving the airport in Dakar for an hour and a half ride in the back of an old pick up truck, with a open sky and millions of stars looking down at me, I remember crying of joy of finally being there. The stay in Africa left an impact on me that will never go away but I never went back.

I find it quite ironic that instead of living in Africa under hardships and misery, I ended up in the richest, wealthiest country in the world. But now maybe that will show it had a purpose as well.

Maybe I get this job and maybe I get a chance to make a difference in that part of the world after all.

I really want to believe that

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Is There Life After School Starts?

first day of school is over, I have to admit I had my doubts and fears about that day but it came and passed and every one came out unharmed on the other side.

My big girl started High School and that I can relate to as a pretty nerve wrecking event. I took her and her best friend to school in the morning, they were loaded with maps over the campus and schedules and a good portion of agony.

Everything went fine, there were some "hotties" in band, most teachers were OK and nothing embarrassing happened. Oh well, they all missed their buses on the way home and I had to run to the rescue to pick them all up and take them home, but that's no big deal.

My son started kindergarten, yes, I know there's a big leap between them two, and that has forced me to be a master of multi-tasking.

His biggest concern was if he's going to make a friend or not. He's kind of different, he doesn't need or want a lot of friends, he's happy with just one or two. The only time that shows off as a little odd is for his birthday parties. he wants to invite two friends or so and that's kind of different when you're that age. But he had not to worry because across from him in the classroom was this little boy, as scared looking as my son with a "CARS" t-shirt on, and that was enough to make the boys start talking. When I came to pick him up from school he had so much to tell, not so much about what the teacher had done or said, but what the little boy across from him had said and done.... Oh what a relief for a worried mama's heart!

On the other hand... Now I feel older than ever, that time just fly by, without me being able to stop it, and I get in a sense of existential doubt.
What ever happens next? Is there life after this? I want to slow down, and enjoy every moment, and not forget anything they say or do, how's that possible when I'm not even done scrap booking my oldest one's first year living and have two more kids to scrapbook for? Will my kids do OK in life? What if I spoil their lives with the way I raise them?

The counselor in Kindergarten that came to talk to all of us torn apart parents, left out in the cold, alone in the hallways after the classroom closed doors abruptly had taken our babies away from us, said this is normal.....

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Is It the 7 year Itch?


My Husband and I have been married for 7 years now and I love him more today than I did when I first met him.
I heard on the radio today about that after about 7 years a lot of married couples tend to get what they call: the "7 year itch".

Now I'm wondering if that's what I had?

On July 4th we went out early early to do something illegal..... picking Chantarells in a state park.... bad, I know but how in the world are you supposed to resist a whole forest full of the yellow beautiful fungus?

Anyway, since I'm the brave and death seeking one in our marriage I was the one out there picking while my husband wandered weary back and forth on the walking path looking out for early hikers or runners.

The view of all the "gold" in the woods made me totally under the influence, and I ran around through the thick brush, not aware of anything but the mushrooms for about 2 hours or until the big backpack I carried on my back was about to tear, and my husband got cold feet and wanted us to get out of there.

Not until much later, after cleaning the mushrooms and getting the 4th of July party started, I finally got a chance to take a shower, but that was too late... my whole body was infested with chiggers, and for 3 weeks I did not do anything but itch.

I'm not sure if this has anything to do with what they were talking about on the radio but it sure sounds suspiciously like it.

Friday, August 10, 2007

Living In Hell?

I've had theory about the south all since I came to live here, and weather like this (105 today!)reminds me again.

Every one knows that the south is very religious and I think the hot, humid summer days are the reason why.
If you live every summer of your earthly life in these hell-like-conditions you know how hell's going to be like and no one in their right mind really want to spend their eternity in conditions any where similar to that.

If this theory is right, I expect all churches in the south, on the mid plains, and all the way up the Mid-West will have a up-swing in their member numbers all August and to mid September when hell hopefully will lose it's grip on us once again and allow heavens cool breezes and high clear skies back in our lives.

Until then... visit a church or two and drink plenty of water