4th folder 4th picture Tag

I was tagged by dear KimboSue for a Photo Treasure Hunt tag where you
1. Go to the 4th picture folder on your computer.
2. Post the 4th picture in that folder.
3. Explain the picture.
4. Tag 4 more people.

This is a picture of my oldest son taken a couple summers ago in our neighborhood pool. Yes, there is a child underneath that hair.

I would like to tag

AntiBloggedy
Rambler
Are You Kidding Me?
Dairy of Wicked Step Mom

Four is a sacred number in many cultures and religions including the Zia tribe of New Mexico, The Four cups of wine drunk during Jewish Passover, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism. We have many examples in biology and nature. The four chambers of the human heart, a four leaf clover, hmm, it's wonderful to meditate on this and I thank Kimbosue for helping remind me with this fun Tag treasure hunt.

Perfect Moment Monday - Kvell

Hello, and I am back in the saddle again for the Perfect Moment Monday Round Up led by dear Lori of Weebles Wobblog. (Such an adorable blog name).

This perfect moment occurred several weeks ago and it is the kind of moment that makes a parent "kvell". (Yiddish word meaning to beam with pride and pleasure.) I know my husband sure was when he came home from a Los Angeles Clippers basketball game with the boys. My husband, K. and our two sons, along with about two dozen Cub Scouts and grown ups attended a game at the Staples Center as part of a Cub Scout outing. A fellow Scout dad works for the basketball team and arranged to have eight boys act as color guard, i.e. carry the flag for the opening ceremony and National Anthem. Very cool. The Scout Leader drew eight names out of hat and our son, S. was chosen. One of the younger boys who wasn't chosen really wanted to participate and apparently had a major meltdown over it while still on the charter bus. S. volunteered to let this little boy take his place. The little boy's grandmother told S., "No, Thank you, he needs to learn that he doesn't always get his way." (Wow, way to go, Grandma!)

When my husband came home and related this story, I joined him in walking on air. Our son was matter of fact about offering his place. His compassion and kindness created a perfect moment or Mitzvah for his parents. (Mitzvah is another Yiddish word meaning good and honorable deed. Gee, I didn't know this was also going to be a language lesson today.)

Our son, as the oldest boy in the color guard, held the flag during the ceremony and was high fived and fist bumped by quite a few of the players. I venture to say, that was a perfect moment for him.

Thank you for allowing me to share this perfect moment, that is part of the joy.

New Year's Resolutions - NOT!

I don't believe in New Year's resolutions, for me, it isn't a powerful agent for change. The closest I got to a New Year's resolution was last year after the retail excess that is Christmas motivated me to quit using plastic shopping bags. It was easier than I thought and it felt good to cut down my bag consumption from 350 bags a year to about 50 bags. I like the idea of creating change to be other-directed, in this case, for our landfills.
So in the spirit of my non resolution, I am going to continue to work on being kinder and more forgiving of myself because I am learning it all begins with me. I anticipate and will work to create this for myself and those in my life. I think the key to this is to foster an attitude of appreciation which is something I have sorely lacked this holiday season. I have acted like this holiday was something to be endured instead of enjoying it. So after gaining this insight, I "caught myself" feeling appreciative for:

My dear Brother in law and sister in law who visited us last night and said that next year they want to share the holidays with us which we haven't done for many years.
My mother who can be challenging to be around was very concerned and calls daily while I recover.
My husband who has been working his butt off taking care of me, the house, and the family forgives me when I am a grumpy bi+ch.
Feeling better and more human everyday after going 4 rounds with the oral surgeon. (Note to those anticipating oral surgery, it hasn't been that bad, Really!)

"Patience is the gift you give others, Tolerance is the gift you give yourself."

Glass Jaw

I thank you all so much for your well wishes and empathy.
I think wisdom teeth extraction is alot like mining only with smaller tools and I was probably nuts to do it without being put to sleep. After working in surgery for seven years, anesthesia is much more frightening than the procedure. So as I recover, I certainly have developed a new appreciation for solid food. I never thought eating chocolate pudding would be BORING! I am craving anything with a crust which is strictly verboten. I have developed a keen understanding of the term, "glass jaw". I don't recognize the inside of my mouth anymore, it's a whole new world. I wish I could blame this silly post on painkillers, but they make me sick and sleepy so I am doing just fine with Vitamin "I" aka Ibuprofen.
I just wanted to thank you all so much for your support and I hope you enjoy something chewy, scrumptious, and solid, like a crisp apple or juicy steak, or lobster, or OMG, I am torturing myself. Back to the ice bags and insanely stupid TV.

Whew, Glad that's over

Whew, I am glad my wisdom teeth are Out and I do NOT Recommend this unless you absolutely have to have it done. Oh, and please if you need your wisdom teeth out, it is better to do it when you are younger as my oral surgeon repeatedly told me during our preop consultation. I finally turned to him and said, "Doc, do you have a time machine in the back? Because I can't change the fact my childhood dentist told me I had enough room for these suckers."

Thank goodness for Nitrous Oxide aka Laughing gas. It made me laugh and I also had a crying jag. Fun, Fun. I realize I much prefer being the caregiver instead of the patient, but I reached a point as the doctor was wiggling my teeth from their firmly ensconced home, that you just have to give into the process. I am now recovering with my ice packs, soup, and pain killers. My family is very attentive and so not used to seeing me down and out. (Well, maybe not so down and out, I made it to my computer, right?)

I would like to thank Muse Swings for this Christmas Spirit Award and would like to extend this award to all my bloggy buddies who share their spirit through good times and bad with grace and wit. Mazel Tov!


Happy New Year to you and your loves. I wish you all the best for a Wonderful 2009.

One Sentence Post - Liquid Diet and Drug Fueled New Year's Eve

In order to ensure a liquid diet and drug fueled New Year's Eve, please consider having all 4 of your wisdom teeth extracted at the age of 47 y/o the day before.

The Gifts of Change

Thank you all so much for your support, smiles, and sound insight re. my extraordinarily self indulgent post about this year's ChristMess. Sometimes, or very often actually, you really have to hit the wall to make some changes and I think this year did the trick for our family. I remember going to a Tony Robbins seminar twenty years ago and learning that people are motivated to change either to seek pleasure or escape pain. As you can see, I'm still learning. And I am delighted to say after several heartfelt discussions with my husband, Changes Are Afoot for any and all celebrations. So thank you again.

I am not an ungrateful boob and I do enjoy the company of our friends and neighbors, but I am owning the fact that if I can't give of something freely and for the sole pleasure of Giving, (which I frequently am lucky enough to experience), then I Ain't Doing It. Whew, that's feels good. Okay, therapy session over.

I would like to share of the abundance I was privileged to receive:

Our oldest son turning to me on December 23rd as we are trying to finish decorating the tree and saying, "Mom, we have enough ornaments on the tree, it looks great."

At work, a new patient expressing appreciation for my clinical support.

Reminding my husband who was fussing about me and the boys petsitting over Christmas for a friend and widow that this is what Christmas is about.

Our family having a lovely afternoon at the Aquarium of The Pacific in Long Beach and a great dinner at the Mandarin Chateau in Chinatown.

Enjoying the support, sharing, and wisdom of my blogging buddies.