No Update-Update

That's what I like to call a point of communication when I really have nothing to say now, but want to let you know that I will have something to say later. Look forward to posts on:

• Catherine's 7th birthday
• Max and his very own bedroom
• Is fish considered meat? heh, heh, heh...

On Haiti

Like many of you, I am glued to the TV and internet taking in what I can bear to take in regarding the complete devastation in Haiti.

And I ponder: What can just one person do?

I made a donation to Doctors Without Borders. Why that particular cause? Consider it viral social media marketing at its best--my sister-in-law posted in her Facebook status that she made a donation to DWB and included the link. I clicked on it.

I asked my parish leaders to solicit the congregation to donate through our tithing program.

I continue to watch the coverage.
I cry.
I pray.

I pray for the lost, the maimed, the vulnerable. I cry for the now motherless children. One image is sticking in my head. A child about 4 years of age. He's sitting in the street, naked looking desperately around. His eyes pleading, "Is that you, Mother? Do you know where my mother is?"

So I pray some more that help will get there in time and that God will be with them.

Quiet brings ramblings in the rambler

It's getting late. I can't recall the last time Kyle went to bed before me. He only goes before me when he is sick, as is the case this evening.


The kids are both sick too.

I took Cate back to Urgent Care this afternoon--her second trip in five days. Her fever would never go away. Finally, an ear infection was detected today. Poor girl. She was out three days of school last week and missed her first school Valentine's Day party, a school Sock Hop, her basketball game, her date with Kyle to see a play at the Children's Theater and she is now 0-for-2 on attending friend birthday parties. For the most part, she has been a real trooper. And of course, every time she so much as coughs to clear her throat, I get paranoid about her potential of having an asthmatic reaction.


Oh, Urgent Care clinic and Pediatrics office...just retain my bankcard number on file, okay?

But the quiet is nice. I'm not a morning person. No, I also believe if I tried to wake up a few minutes early to seek some solitude, it would not happen. Surely, I would hear the sound of tired little feet tripping my way, climbing up onto the couch and curling into the bend of my legs. It would be nice, but it would not be the quiet that is my companion at the moment.

It seems odd to think the hum from the lightbulb and the click-click-clicking of the handheld keyboard can be so comforting; an even more odd notion of comfort is the never-ending dull roll of the airplanes above arriving to and departing from the airport nearby.

This quiet gives me time to think. I can choose to freak out about everything I should be doing and fret about what I can't control or I can turn it around; let it go and be the best I can be each day, by being good not only to others but also to myself.

I think I am seeing progress here...

Tomorrow is coming, whether I like it or not. I choose to like it.

100 Ramblings on the 100th Post

This is post #100. I started my blog back in January. I wondered if I would even get past February. Inspired by a random blogger I happened across one day, I think I'll take the exercise in jotting down 100 random thoughts. It's something different and who knows, you might learn something interesting about me...

1. My middle name is Ellen
2. I married at age 22
3. I have 2 kids
4. I would like to have another one (or two)
5. But we aren't going to have any more
6. Sometimes that bothers me
7. Sometimes it doesn't
8. Max's new haircut makes him look like a big boy
9. Cate is an incredible little girl
10. I expect a lot from her
11. Sometimes I wonder if I'm too strict
12. I had a massage today
13. I can't wait to have another one
14. My birthday is October 28
15. I LOVE my birthday
16. I almost didn't date Kyle b/c I thought he had a big nose
17. I was 17 at the time
18. I really admire his self-confidence
19. He's an excellent father
20. He makes me want to be an excellent mother
21. I really like my walks to/from school with Cate
22. I love watching golf on TV
23. I wish I would make more time to play golf
24. I should use a babysitter more often
25. I married Kyle because I knew he would be an excellent husband
26. I didn't want to have any children
27. I am not currently motivated to get back to my goal weight
28. I still see myself as I looked over 40 pounds ago
29. I really want a motorcycle
30. I don't think I can wait until my mid-life crisis to get one
31. I hope my dad will sell me his motorcycle someday
32. It bothers me that Kyle doesn't want me to have a motorcycle
33. I hope I didn't bite off more than I can chew with church activities
34. I kind of want to run another 5K
35. I actually read two books this year
36. I do not enjoy reading
37. I am a horrible housekeeper
38. I wish I could hire someone to clean my house
39. It's a rambler
40. I invite people over just to force myself to clean my house
41. I wouldn't answer the door if someone just dropped by
42. I enjoy cooking
43. I follow the recipes to a tee
44. I will never make up something on my own
45. I admire people who can cook like that
46. My favorite color is green
47. Sometimes I wear head-to-toe black just to tease Cate
48. And because I feel skinnier in black
49. I love my naps
50. I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up
51. I worry whether I will ever be able to retire
52. Yet I still spend money
53. And don't save nearly enough
54. I suck at finances
55. Which makes me laugh given my six years of business analyst work
56. I sometimes think about getting my MBA
57. But I don't think I would get anywhere with it
58. I would never be a stay at home mom
59. I think that is the hardest job ever
60. I have no idea how women do it
61. I wish Kyle would stay home with the kids
62. I wonder when my parents will be unable to watch the kids
63. I worry about my Aunt Lola
64. I wonder if she'll be here this time next year
65. I worry that Obama will not win the election for the wrong reasons
66. I am a fair-weather Vikings fan
67. I love watching NFL football
68. I wish I had cable TV
69. But then I would watch way too much TV
70. I would like to sell my elliptical machine
71. I would like to get a gym membership
72. My dream vacation is a Scandinavian cruise
73. I have no idea when I'll take that vacation
74. I was president of my class in 5th grade
75. I went to state in speech
76. I sucked at tennis
77. I would like to take lessons
78. I stayed in track my freshman year so I wouldn't have to pay my brother for the $100 shoes
79. I had crushes on lots of boys
80. I know that Cate will be the same way
81. I can't wait for my kids to become adults
82. I love my adult relationship with my parents
83. I have no idea what I will do if/when my mom dies
84. I always think: "what would Mom think of this?"
85. I enjoy scrapbooking
86. I started Cate's scrapbook when she was born in February, 2003
87. I'm only as far as October, 2003
88. I'm going digital for Max
89. I don't like to cry in public
90. Sometimes at church, I cry
91. I still believe in the sacrament of reconciliation
92. I'm 5' 8-1/4"
93. My mom was 5' 8-1/4"
94. I'm not looking forward to shrinking
95. I love to wear knee length skirts and high heels
96. I don't wear make-up often
97. I think I should wear it more often
98. In grade school I used to put my glasses on the pew during Mass and pray that God would heal my vision and my glasses would disappear
99. People don't believe me when I tell them I'm an introvert
100. I really enjoy looking at the visitor count on my blog.