*peeks in*

Pssst!  I think I'm moving back over here for my sanity's sake.


Anyone still around?

i've been defeated...

Firewall issues have initiated a long considered change of venue.

http://criminallyeloquent.wordpress.com/ 

Hope to see you there!

My lazy ass finished a project...

Apparently, one of my biggest symptoms this pregnancy is complete lack of knitting motivation...

But since it is tradition for Quinlon to get a pair of knitted longies for Christmas, I had no choice but to kick my ass in gear.  Last year was soooo much easier with only an 8 inch inseam and smaller hips.  This year, his inseam is 11 inches! 

*sigh* my baby is so grown up!

WIPs (Works in Progress) include a pair of socks for a friend and a blanket that is 2/3 done that was SUPPOSED to be a wedding gift back in June.  DOH!

And because I refuse

to let the drama llama eat my day, back to our regularly scheduled program of blogging.

Christmas plans.

Surprisingly, I CAN buy decorations at various stores.  Even more surprising, a freaking 10 inch wide crappy plastic wreath is 50 yuan.  I would pay no  more than $2 at the flea market for this thing.  Out of control.

We're planning dinner.  It's either going to be yumminess at home with our soon to arrive houseguests (they get here the 22nd) or we'll be going out with our American friends for a lamb dinner with all the fixings.

Quinlon has a ton of presents waiting for him to open and then I think we will go have breakfast at the donut place.

I'm excited.  It's going to be an awesome Christmas despite being so far from our families.  I freaking love Christmas at Granny's house... the food, the laughter, the awesome moments with family.  I wish we had been able to come back this year.  HOPEFULLY next year we can... with an almost 3 year old and a 6 month old Panda (OMG).

I haz a sad...

Turns out I was wrong about a certain member of my family.  Thought she was cool, and such... but apparently she is the least tolerant of all my family.

Nice to know.

Please, if anyone else feels I have insulted or "screwed" them over tell me now.  I've never set out to make my blog offensive or closed-minded, anything but, actually.  I have followers/commenters from so many walks of life and always prided myself on the fact that I was loved and respected by such a variety of people.  In turn, I love and respect those people for accepting me as I am with respect and understanding.

I guess it hurts least when you are "disowned" by the notoriously most hot-blooded, unreasonable person in your family.  Yes, I remember the stupid dramatic fights of holidays past...  Funny how the majority of them involved this one person.  I guess this year is no different, but I am the target because it's easy to be mean to someone online when you can rally the troops in my absence.

Correct me if I am wrong, but that behavior seems FAR from what you are waving in my face as "the truth". I'm not ignorant.  I know your "truths" so don't try to use it as a weapon because you are angry.  If you want drama, seek it elsewhere.  I like the peace I have in my life and will gladly write you out of it as you requested because your behavior is far from what I love and adore about MANY Christians who are integral parts of my life.

Merry Christmas to you too.

Happy 2nd trimester to, meeeeeeeee!

Quite a nice milestone in my, oh, so humble opinion.  Sadly, there was no celebration today as I feel sort of off.

Like I've been chasing a toddler and picking shit up all day and my uterus/tummy area is sorta pissed off.  Sore... Not really crampy, just heavy and sore.  Most likely it's the stretching stuff because there are no other signs that it is something bad (no bleeding, cramping, hoo-ha pressure, etc).  So, I've been trying (bahaha, we know how that usually turns out, now don't we?) to stay off my feet. 

Of course, Quinlon decides to be a little needy punk today.  Mostly it's been directed toward Donnie, which, while I find it highly amusing, still makes it stressful for me because he SUCKS at multitasking (yes, even things as simple as holding a child and surfing the internet) and has been desperately trying to study for his upcoming exams.  So I hear little person whine followed often and quickly by the big person's whine or voice of some significant frustration and then mommy-radar starts blaring and I have to go try and peel little person off big person and explain to big person that he really needs to be more patient with the little person who is clingy to him because he missed him so desperately while he was gone for a week.

Good times.

Oh, did I mention my refrigerator is an angry elf?  Yeah... stopped working completely the other night.  Woke up yesterday morning to stench.  It might be fixed now, but we're still trying to figure out if the lingering odd smell is from the moldy noodles that were hidden in the back or if it is a coolant leak.  I just paid 442 yuan for that coolant so it damn well better stay the fuck where it belongs.

In productivity news, I wrote almost 400 words for the book AND swept two rooms AND picked up toys... thrice!  No wonder my stomach/uterus is pissed off.

Life is so strange...

I watch beautiful amazing people take a beating, but blink and other beautiful amazing people are being lifted up.  I know it's all cyclical, it's just so odd to watch the juxtaposition of different cycles at different places in time happening around me.

I don't want those super awesome people to hurt.  I know they don't really want it either, but I DO know, watching from the other side of some of their struggles, that they will perservere and become even more awesome.  Watching that progression of personal growth when someone gets knocked on their ass but gets up, dusts themselves off and start the climb again is inspiring and humbling in that it very vividly recalls the times when I was sitting on my ass in the dirt, blinking and trying to figure out how the fuck I got there. 

And most importantly, it makes me grateful beyond words for the wonderful things I DO have (like a toddler who keeps trying to shove books into my hands while I am typing because he wants me to hold the book while he reads to me).

For those of you waiting for the dust to clear, to get your bearings and find the strength to start again:  You can do it.  You feel hopeless, and beaten, defeated and forgotten, but you are NOT.  You are human and you are beautiful and precious and things can only get better each time you start the climb again.  I believe in you.

And for those of us currently climbing and enjoying the break from the hard knocks, love it, appreciate it, NEVER take it for granted.  It's temporary.  The only things in life that count are what you decide to do with the shit you are handed when you're flat on rock bottom with the breath knocked out of you.  Keep climbing and reach down and lend a hand to someone who needs a little boost.

I love you.  All of you.  And if you need a hand... take mine.