As a Mother of three boys…I am trying to wrap my mind around having eight kids going through puberty at the same time!! Aiyeeeeeeee!!!!

I’m with you, as a parent, I am appalled….listen, I’m not crazy about my oldest son’s wife…but he lives with her, I don’t, and she makes him happy. None of my business. Though I wasn’t doing back flips when he said they were getting married, would I have even entertained the thought of turning my back on him? Dear God, NO! My heart breaks for this young girl…I hope her parents will open their eyes, minds, and hearts before too much time has passed…children are a precious gift.

If any lessons come out of this, I hope it will teach people not to put all of their eggs in one basket…diversify…diversify…though I must admit, I am tempted to empty my bank account and stuff it under my mattress after hearing some of the stories I’ve heard!

What a terrific movie. I watched it twice. She gave a great performance. It is sad to know this is not “rare”…it breaks my heart to think about how many young people are still struggling with attitudes like the one portrayed in the movie, just longing to be accepted and loved without judgement. As long as my sons are happy and healthy, I am happy…their choice of partner/lifestyle is their business. I can’t imagine trying to tell them who they can or cannot love, or rejecting them for the choice they make.

I love me a consignment shop! I’ve also found great things at thrift shops…you just have to “have an eye” and lots of time! As I’ve said before, hitting thrift and consignment shops is one of my favorite ways to spend a rainy day.

I seldom panic…but when I do, deep breaths always help. Just closing my eyes, breathing deep and finding my “center” brings me back from the edge. If I am home when panic hits, curling up in my favorite chair with a glass of red wine works very well.

It is early morning…”the day after”. Yesterday our house was full of family, we had a great buffet lunch and watched “the moment” together. We all cried. I cried again when I watched the Obamas dance to “At Last”…it was the song my husband and I danced to for our first dance at our wedding…perfect. In the wee hours of the morning, my phone rang, and from the other side of the world my son described the mood of his team and the other troops, and reassured his old Mom that he would come home safe. He said “Ma, its a brand new day, a brand new world.” Yes.

This is timely for me…just this past weekend I attended a wedding, a dear friend, divorced, then single for many years…finally found what we who loved her thought was her “soul mate”. The wedding was beautiful, we were so happy for her…then, in a quiet moment during the reception when I was telling her how happy I was for her, she said “Shhhh…he’s a great guy, but I married for security…I’m tired. I just want to be taken care of now, and he’ll do that for me.” I felt like someone had thrown cold water in my face. She is educated, had a great career…but made it clear that she had married just to be “taken care of”. I wonder if her new husband has any idea? Different strokes for different folks…

Though my husband did not lose his job, he did have to “down size” his staff within his company. He had worked with these people for years and I saw the turmoil within as he set about letting them go. He felt he had let them down, so he felt like a failure. Lots of long talks, lots of listening, and being as supportive as I could seemed to help. I also set up an office within his offices to help with references, resume building etc. to help those who had been let go find new jobs. It made my husband feel a lot better when each and every person he down sized found new employment. When a friend suggested he stop treating his employees like family…he said he didn’t know any other way to do business. Its one of the things I admire most about him.

Going to a small gathering at a friend’s house, just a block from home…but we will be snuggled under the covers at home, with champagne, by the time the ball drops. We like to see the New Year in together, just the two of us. Happy New Year Everyone!!

Oh, I am just beside myself…but I would highly recommend they strip him down to his Birthday suit, wait for the next blizzard…and have him “hike” to the prison!

We only use credit cards that have reward points, and they are paid off every month. We never carry a balance, but we don’t go “overboard” either. The card with the highest rewards I use for grocery shopping, gas, etc. and pay it off in full each month.

The election of course, and the hope it gave me. Teaching my silver spoon raised husband that “less is more”…enabling us to move out of his McMansion in the city and back to my smaller home in our home town. Down sizing our lifestyle changed our lives for the better. We are all happier and healthier because of it. Upon moving back home, I returned to the volunteer work that I love, working with at risk children in a part of our town people try to pretend doesn’t exist. I consider it my mission to put this part of our community, and these precious children IN THEIR FACES!! Over the holidays my silver spoon raised stepchildren visited their first food pantry, their first soup kitchen, their first homeless shelter. When our eleven year old said “This is awful, these people need our help! We have so much, we have to give something back!!” I knew I had done my work. They are already talking about what they can do ALL YEAR LONG to help those in need. 2009 is going to be a year of giving for our family. 2008 was a year of lessons learned.

Today is a day of rest. Last night was the last family dinner in a series of four. We each take a turn so my Mother In Law doesn’t have to do it all. I am exhausted. There are twenty of us..!! Today I will be staying home all day, in my jammies…watching football. GO BEARS!!

I have never understood children who believe the wealth their parents have accumulated is “theirs” as well. Of course it could go to up bringing and a sense of entitlement instilled by the parents. I say teach your children to take care of themselves.