Seven Quick Takes (Vol.2)

And we're back to Seven Quick Takes on Friday. Here's the blog that started all this quick takes fun: http://conversiondiary.com. You can go there and link to bunches of quick takes from different bloggers. I've been a bit foggy, but my brain feels back on track today. (Could it be because my thirteen month old has, for the first time in her life, slept all night long with no random crying? For three nights in a row!) So here we go:


1. I now feel like a real blogger. Three people that I don't know in real life have read and commented on my blog. Why this gives me great joy, I'm not sure. And one of those people was Jen of Conversion Diary, which is a blog I love. I think I was more excited about her actually reading and commenting that I would have been to meet (insert celebrity here). I think it's because she's someone whom I respect and who writes well. Let's face it, you may have a fabulous message, but if I don't enjoy your writing style or can't get past your grammar, I'm just not going to be able to be a fan.


2. Do you ever read people's blogs and wish you were their friend in real life and then realize that you probably wouldn't be their friend in real life because they just don't walk up to total strangers and recite blog posts? For example, if I met you in the grocery store, I would not launch into a diatribe about my baby's poop. That would be just weird.


3. My kids have been a joy to be around today. I may have to mark it on the calendar. The pleasant self that they usually save for the general public has been bestowed on me today. I'm not sure why, but I am going to bask in it.


4. My husband and I took our real honeymoon about 4 months after we got married. I think that all newlyweds should do the same. We went to Yellowstone National Park, which entailed huge amounts of driving and encounters with wildlife while driving. After being startled by a mule deer that decided to cross the road at an inopportune moment, my husband decided the best way to continue was in the middle of road. For the rest of the trip. Had this been a few days after the wedding, my reaction probably would have been, in my head at least, "Whatever he thinks is best, after all God chose me for him and him for me. God is in control and I am going to be a good submissive wife." However, after living together for 4 months, the gloves were beginning to come off and my reaction was more like, "What are you DOING? Now we have to worry about both oncoming traffic AND suicidal deer! We're going to die! Get over get over get over!!!!" Not that God was any less in control. I had just had time to realize that my husband was all too human and deathly afraid of mule deer jumping out in front of the car. My point is, the honeymoon can be much more of an opportunity for growth in the relationship if the butterflies and googly eyes have had a chance to settle down. We really did learn a lot about each other on that trip and got better at working things out.

5. Do you think teaching babies sign language is weird? I didn't teach either of my girls any signs, but they both taught me a few. Beyond "poop face" and "Granny scares me", I mean. My oldest made up her own sign for "no". She would make a motion like the "safe" motion in baseball, but only using one arm. My second child pats her leg for "all done" or "all gone". Her Nanny once patted her leg twice as she told this child that someone who had been outside was "all gone". Now she uses it in the high chair when she wants down. Inspired by their use of signs, I tried with each to teach them some real signs, which they both totally ignored.

6. Have you signed a petition again the Freedom of Choice Act yet? I signed one online this week. While I have always been pro-life, I haven't been very active in defending the rights of the unborn. With the recent changes in government, those of us who have only thought about the victims of abortion are going to have to stand up and fight for these babies. It's not enough now to just vote pro-life.

7. I love cheese. I once heard Rachel Ray say she'd never met a cheese she didn't like. I couldn't agree more.