A Friday Night Out!!!

I'm suddenly feeling a little bit tired and I think that's reflected in my eyes today (or, should I say, under them!!) but I still feel good. A near and dear friend is watching the baby tonight so N and I can go out together alone. I'm looking forward to enjoying a date with my husband; I have my red cowboy boots on for the occasion!!! I watched "Bowling for Columbine" last night. I'd seen it before but it really got to me this time, particularly when Michael Moore talked about a six year old girl being murdered by a six year old classmate. Our country is so messed up; the statistics for violence are so much lower in Canada than they are here, and the only reason I could come up with for that is that, in general, our values here are so screwed up and it's so difficult to make a good, comfortable living. The norm here in the U.S. seems to be that people live to work rather than working to live. We get so caught up in the rat race that we don't have time to spend with our children and families, with the people who are really valuable to us. Healthcare is something that WAY too many of us can't afford, and those of us who can afford some form of healthcare often can't afford a decent health plan. A woman shouldn't have to work two jobs just to pay her rent and then have no time left to spend raising her son (which was the case with the six year old who killed that little girl). The poverty levels in this country are rising, and with the current system in place we seem to be working toward eradicating the middle class all together. I turn on the news and I'm bombarded with images of car wrecks, homicides, domestic violence, and enough sadness to completely ruin the dinner hour. Surely good, positive things happen during the day??? It's seems that our society is hooked on bad news like we're hooked on junk food. The problem is that, much like junk food, it doesn't sit very well in our bellies once it's gone down. I'm the sort of person who turns my head when I pass a car accident on the highway. I hate seeing people hurt and I abhor violence. I think that what saddens me the most is how powerless I feel over all of the pain that's going on in the world. I can control only my own actions. I can adopt one of the kittens at St. Francis Mission that is badly in need of love and care. I can spend time with my own daughter and tell her every day how much I love her. I can help to create a warm, comfortable home environment for my family, I can pray, I can spread love through my artwork. What I can't do, if I want to make any difference at all in the world, is become too depressed or down about what I can't change.

Aisling Needs.....

Okay, I don't usually do this, but AndyT13 recommended doing this for amusement, so here goes. You are supposed to put " (your name) needs" into Google and then write down the first ten results. Here is what I came up with:

1.) Aisling needs to tell me where the pack of files Paul made is, because I lost that email.

2.) Aisling needs a good slapping at times. (ouch!!)

3.) Aisling needs to have more dignity and not always go running into Drake's arm.

4.) Aisling Needs To Grow Up.

5.) Aisling needs to ______.

6.) Aisling needs a craft.

7.) Aisling needs a sibling!

Very interesting.

Sigh

http://f3.yahoofs.com/blog/43b985a8zb56daa7a/39/__sr_/b201.jpg?mgoD5gEB.WvEUiJK

My heart hurts today. On the one hand, it was a good weekend. My hubby's parents were in town this weekend and we spent a lot of time with them. Little Bug got to hang with her grandparents and she really took to them, and right away. They were so excited to be around her and it was great watching her with them. They even had a chance to spend some time alone with her while we went to a couple of meetings. This morning the baby and I were both baptized, and I felt like I'd returned to my Catholic roots and feel whole again. Conversely, it was a rough weekend. Some business issues have come up and we need to make some serious decisions about people we have working for us. Sometimes people don't want to help themselves and, at that point, they are beyond help until the time comes when they realize they have a problem and surrender to some sort of recovery (and sometimes that time never arrives). A close girl friend of mine went out and drank yesterday, after I'd spent some time with her on the phone and thought I'd been able to help her to a point where she wasn't going to drink. I am very worried about her; I can't reach her by telephone and neither can anyone else, including her daughter. She is the baby's God Mother, and she was absent from the church this morning, but I refused to find someone else. I refuse to give up on her. But I'm really hurting inside over it, sick with the worry that comes when a friend starts ripping and running again. I know that she is feeling despair and sadness, remorse and regret right now and I wish I could make her feel better, I wish I could give her the gift of recovery. All I can do is pray for her and keep on the right path myself. I called her and left another message telling her that I love her and that I'm here for her. And she'll be in my prayers.

What is Customer Service???

Today I am frustrated because I have to go all the way back to Target to get my money back for an overcharge that happened yesterday. I bought a box of wipes there and was charged for two boxes, which is very annoying because each box cost $8.00. The whole reason I buy them there is that they are cheaper than at the supermarket. The day before yesterday I went to Sally Beauty Supply for some stuff and realized that the cashier was so busy trying to sell me something that I didn't want that he didn't ring in some barrettes and hair ties I wanted for my daughter. I suppose the lesson in all of this is that I need to check both my receipts and my bags more carefully before leaving the store. At least the weather is rainy today and it's not a good park day, so going to Target won't interfere with us going someplace else. Still, it's frustrating when a trip needs to be made to someplace that is rather out of the way (I went there yesterday because this particular Target is located next to Whole Foods, where I do much of my grocery shopping). I haven't had time to paint all week and desperately need to get some creative energy flowing. There is some financial yuckiness going on in our lives right now and I find myself constantly battling the anxiety that knocks at my door every day. I feel as though faith (and a whole lotta hard work) will pull us through this situation and help us come out of it both sane and stronger as a couple, but some days it's very difficult to maintain that attitude of serenity!!!