Quotable Monday, September 13th, 2010

I know what you're thinking...

"Uh, Sara, girlfriend, we know you love Trishy & all, but *really?!* You're already doing Pink&Green Thursday. & you're doing Wordless instead of Wishful Wednesdays now. So where exactly are your own creativity&originality?"

Well, both of those traits are somewhere underneath the growing mounds of

laundry,

to-do lists,

& unanswered emails.

(& besides, each of the beautiful ladies behind My Style Monday & Wishful Wednesday decided to give those up, at least temporarily, & Lord knows I don't blame them for that! We all have to put our own needs first sometimes!)

In fact, speaking of Miss Trishy...

(Who is divine, by the way, so really, what better place to turn for inspiration when in a bloggy rut of sorts, than to her fabulous treasure trove of posts?)

...I was just saying to her last week that I kind of wanted to make sure I kept my blog on the path of pretty things, & sticking to the script to some degree. You know, as opposed to getting too real & turning off readers that perhaps don't want to hear complaints...because really, who wants to hear complaints? I don't know about y'all, but I feel overwhelmed enough, & hear plenty more complaints than I care for, before I flip open my MacBook to catch up on blogs at the end of the day. Your blogs, & usually my own blog, are my happy place, where I go to escape from life's little stresses & focus on the fabulous.

(Because sometimes even getting lost in a good book, or going for a run, doesn't feel like enough of an escape...& I usually find more inspiration&motivation from all of you *so real & so relatable* blogfriends, than from fictional heroines - & certainly more than those silly Disney Channel kids that have hijacked the US Weekly pages that used to bring me the posh goings-on&stylings of, well, Posh herself, & Katie Holmes, & Reese Witherspoon...but that's another rant for a different day, right?!)

Anyway, so I am going to attempt to create some optimism through imagery&quotes, a la Quotable Monday, while filling y'all in a bit on the current state of the Screen Door. =)

(Also, I generally prefer to shy away from getting too personal here, so don't run off if you aren't interested in the personal details...they are few & far between, promise!)

"My strength has the strength of ten because my heart is pure."

-Lord Alfred Tennyson

As I mentioned before, My Prince's grandfather died last Thursday.

(& I apologize for what I realized in hindsight, after resizing, was not the easiest post to read! I didn't find the time to make adjustments, though, so I am sorry.)

Unfortunately for My Prince, who is the nicest, sweetest man in the world, his parents are rather cold people. Their actions have become less understandable & increasingly more hurtful, as My Prince has grown up & become more of an adult in the last eight years or so.

(I've been in his life for a little more than six years, in case you're wondering.)

To make a rather complicated&long story short, My Prince's parents were very unclear about their advice for My Prince on what to do upon graduating professional school. When My Prince & I first began dating, back in 2004, he expressed a desire to avoid returning home to the small mountain town where we both grew up. Yet a few months after we were married three years later, his parents reacted as though they were shocked when My Prince announced his intent to stay in the town we were living in, several hours away. I think they partly attributed the decision to their perception that My Prince's choice would be more fruitful financially, as well as more suitable to a law career for me. But after several uncharacteristically emotional confrontations, they seemed to withdraw themselves from us even more.

(Fortunately, damage control took care of itself when I chose to stay at home with our daughter, as well as when I supported My Prince's acceptance of a lesser-paying job offer to be in a position that he enjoys more, with hours that allow him to be at home more - so much for career-obsessing or gold-digging theories about *moi!* ;))

Although we hoped there might be some thaw in the ice upon becoming grandparents, they have showed little desire to be involved in our lives unless they are given a great deal of control&involvement. Unbeknownst to us, My Prince's grandfather was in the hospital in the town we live in for three & a half weeks before we received word via email that he had passed away. We've managed to avoid what could have been an embarrassing parade of melodramatic nonsense, mostly by keeping ourselves quiet&scarce, but it hasn't been without an emotional toll.

"Our strength is often composed of the weakness that we're damned if we're going to show."

-Mignon McLaughlin

Being rather awfully anemic, but also one of the most overachieving perfectionists I know, I have a tendency to ignore my own warning signs that I need:

a) food;

b) iron, or maybe B12 this time;

c) sleep;

or

d) all of the above (often the case, sadly)

Of course the last few anxiety-inducing days have been no exception to my rather stupid modus operandi. In fact I have perhaps fueled myself toward my body's inevitable rebellious shutdown by

drinking copious amounts of caffeine in succession,

as I try to cross off every list

& make it to every appointment;

while simultaneously juggling Pretty Little Bare Feet's rather enviable social life

& reminding My Prince to put one foot in front of the other.

So guess who shoved her husband out the door to the doctor at the first sign of an infection, & then made an appointment for her toddler after the third consecutive day of an ever-thickening green snot that Boogie Wipes were no match for...

...but practically kicked&screamed after failing to win over her opponent spouse with a logic-filled rationalization (really a lawyer's artfully-honed skill of b.s.) of choosing not to go to the doctor for a feverish head-to-toe ache?

(That's right, me! =))

So we are a house of meds right now, which I hate, as I am the worst at remembering

if I have taken a dosage,

when my next one is due,

& whether I am supposed to take it on an empty or full stomach.

I really need one of those old lady pill-rationing containers. Know where to find a chic one?

"A mother's arms are more comforting than anyone else's."

-Princess Diana

A rather routine visit to the pediatrician today for Pretty Little Bare Feet's excessively runny nose ended up with an unexpected referral to a pediatric cardiologist. I would be so appreciative if you'd remember to say a little prayer for us as we worry ourselves until next Wednesday.

(& at the risk of sounding rude, please refrain from giving me any tales about your sister's ex-boyfriend's kid who had a heart defect that required a month of hospitalization - even if you have some kind of happy ending to go with it. You know what I mean! ;))

I do have a history of pediatric cardiac health issues, so I am aware of both the possibility that this is a cautionary, "nothing" kind of visit; as well as the possibility that this could be a rather scary ordeal. I am also aware that even potentially scary ordeals often have wonderful outcomes.

So for the moment, I would be most grateful for just a little happy thought for my little one, without any well-intentioned advice...I *promise* I'll let y'all know if&when I need the advice! We're not there yet!

(Katy Perry & Rihanna...I just love them!)

"Friends are relatives you make for yourself."

-Eustache Deschamps

Appropriately enough, I'd like to end on this quote, since we have learned that our lives are no less richer as a result of the unfortunate circumstances I began this post with. This is because My Prince & I are both blessed to have cultivated&nurtured childhood friendships with beautiful individuals that are near enough in proximity to be present for special occasions, & also giving enough to show up at bedtime during these rare sad events when we just need another set of shoulders to cry on. They have become aunts&uncles, brothers&sisters...truly family in a way that makes up for those biological ties that remain inexplicably frayed.

& on the topic of friendship...I was so sad to learn yesterday that one of my newer - yet so close&real! - friendships is going to endure an upcoming hurdle of long-distance. My sweet momfriend Julie let me know that she & her precious family are moving far away from us to Colorado. =( Julie is one of the kindest, most genuine people I've met since moving here, & she hunkered down & endured the great playgroup coup of 2010 with me & our friend Mary.

Julie is a military wife, which is a role that I have the utmost respect for, as I just don't think I could do it well. It takes such a special kind of strength, & I truly believe Julie is that kind of special strong. She & her sweet husband are just such a perfect match, & their gorgeous little offspring are just dolls. We are really going to miss them...Julie's husband is one of the few "dadfriends" My Prince has really connected with, as well.

So lots of things on my mind right now...hope y'all will forgive me if I'm not the best at commenting or visiting this week, although I am going to do my best to post some fun&happy things to keep me motivated - & to keep you reading! ;)