My financial planner recommended this book, and I have to tell you, the author is s.m.a.r.t.  I learned some amazing things about the credit game and also finally had "amunition" to prove to my hubby that on occassion, credit is a good thing and that to have good credit, one must use credit regularly and responsibly! (He has long been one of those ( Read more... )

My little 21 month old has suddenly turned into a talking person.  I mean, in the past few weeks, he went from monkey-grunts and signs to full-on sentences--skipped the whole two-word sentence phase.  "How'reyoumother?" was the first one that floored me.  The next was, "Linda (his pet name for me), you me mommy!".  This morning when his dad left ( Read more... )

...until I started taking a melatonin supplement.  Here's the skinny on melatonin:

"Melatonin is a natural hormone present in virtually all animals.  In humans, it is produced by the pineal gland located at the base of the brain.  Melatonin appears to impact the body in three ways: It helps to regulate the body's biological clock; it may have a ( Read more... )

" Your exertions in the cause of freedom, guided by wisdom and animated by zeal and courage, have gained you the love and confidence of your grateful countrymen; as they look to you, who are experienced veterans, and trust that you will still be the gaurdians of America. As I have the honor to be an American, and one among the free millions, who ( Read more... )

The total Gortex mesh implant cost a mere $3700.  Dr. Welgoss, almost $8000.  The hospital, another $15000.  The anestesiologist, nearly $2000.  The meds?  I am not sure, but I can honestly say I have a love/hate relationship with morphine based drugs. Claire, the world's most gifted physical therapist, $2500.    Needless to say, I am so grateful ( Read more... )

My husband (who, due to recent family events, has gone from mere Super Hero status to a near-God in my eyes) was reading lj entries along with me in bed last night and was completely shocked that the whole BFing user-pic thing would even be an issue. "It's probably a bunch of up-tight women who are guilty they didn't BF their babies or men who are ( Read more... )

Maybe it isn't appropriate, nor is it probably the time to say a kyrie for Barbaro, the gorgeous 3 year-old who broke his right hind leg in two places tonight at the Preakness. I am so glad I wasn't feeling well enough to make it to the race today--I don't know if I could have endured watching it happen in person. I would have been one of those ( Read more... )

Bone of our bone, flesh of our flesh,
Fruit of our age-long mother pain,
They have caught your life in the nation’s mesh,
They have bargained you out for their paltry gain
And they build their hope on the shattered breast
Of the child we sang to rest.
On the shattered breast and the wounded cheek-
O God! If the mothers could only speak!-
Blossom of ( Read more... )

I don't think I have ever publically admitted how much I hate adoption. Oh, I know, I know--I am part of the problem myself--two parts of the three party adoption "triad." But I hate it. I hate everything about it with a visceral, white hot hate. I think adoption is as much a symptom of how society has failed to support mothers as abortion is. ( Read more... )

Had I known, I don't think I would have gone through with this testing. I know, I know, I know--I had to have it in preparation for my surgery. I bawled like a 2 year old when I read the consent form...and let me tell you, the information on the internet doesn't even begin to describe what it was really like or prepare a woman for it. One site ( Read more... )