Saturday, December 4, 2010

Dear Diary,

The day dawns and I am of much better fortune than ten years ago today. Ten years ago today I was in labor, not to give birth for about 29 more hours.

At present, though, I have very little pain, except for the prickling of the blood moving back into my arms after reading A Tale of Two Cities in bed in an awkward position, rendering both my forearms soundly asleep.

Yes, it's the last day of Joseph being nine years old. Unbelievable if it were not for the feeling of the decade of time between now and that gruesome labor. Is gruesome too strong a word? I think not. Worthwhile, yes. Gruesome, not less so.

This morning two things weigh heavily on my mind:
1) I must attend a company Christmas party. This has its joys and annoyances. I think everyone feels awkward at this sort of thing, and it doesn't need to be that way! We could can the small talk and right off the bat it would be more fun (for me). Anyway... Kevin works with great people, and he IS working, which is huge right now in our economy, so I'm going to make the best of it and enjoy my sea bass. Besides, I don't have to do dishes!

2) My vain idealism is suffering over the fact that my first Christmas card received in 2010 is from our exterminator! I looked closely at the picture on the front of the card and was relieved to find only a wintry train scene, and no hint of the Truly Nolen trademark.

Apart from the goings-on in my brain, there is grocery shopping to be done. Kevin is about to hang the outside Christmas lights. We have fun lunch plans with old friends. In-laws are scheduled to arrive this afternoon. Life is full and good and I am enormously thankful for all of life. I'm knock-down, drag-out, dance-in-the-streets happy that I'm not in labor right now.

Signing off on this December 4th morning, with my 7 year-old singing a made-up song about "having a dream" downstairs.

Yours Truly.

P.S. Enjoy this photo taken shortly before Joseph was born. Dig the Birkenstocks. And the belly. And Kevin's "Wetlands Clean-Up" t-shirt. This was in the front yard of the house where Joseph was to be born. And I think that's a borrowed Riddiough car in the background? Ah, the memories.

3 comments:

Katie and Mark said...

Ouch! Remind me, the next time we see each other, to ask you about that labor story. Glad your enjoying this time of year, this year.

littlecbsmom said...

Oh my...I laughed out loud! My first Christmas card was from our accountant! Pretty sad, huh? Happy Birthday to Joe!

Blah Blah Layla said...

Wow, I can't believe it's been 10 years! Oh, the memories... LOVE the photo and indeed, happy birthday eve (or is it eve-eve?) to you Joseph! Hope the Christmas party is surprisingly fun~