A Collection

I thought I would just write down the thoughts and things in my head right now.  Watch out.  This could be scary...

...I found a new blog I'm loving.  I think I love it for three reasons.  1.) The author is a sister in infertility and she's REAL (meaning, down-to-earth, no-holds-barred kind of real).  2.) I LOVE the title of the blog, "Busted Plumbing: When Mother Nature Kicks You Right in the Ovaries."  Isn't that hilarious?  My friend Paige says she's going to get me a t-shirt made with that on it.  and 3.) The author...she's HI-LARIOUS!!!  I'm talking ROFL, or at the very least LOL, funny. 

...We were in Dallas this weekend with my BFF, Sally and her beau, Matt.  My aunt and uncle were kind enough to let us stay at their ranch house.  It is amazing.  Go here to see pics.  We had the best time doing pretty much nothing.  We talked and relaxed, the boys watched football, the girls went grocery shopping and cooked.  We played games, had a great dinner Saturday night and sipped a bit of vino.  It was just a fantastic time with good friends and a couple of new friends, too.

...While we were in Dallas, my mom was at Mo Ranch in Kerrville, Texas.  She was taking a group of youth to Mid-Winter conference.  I have to admit, I was jealous.  I have such fond memories of Mo-Ranch.  I was a counselor there my junior and senior years in high school and church camp, including Mo-Ranch, had a large part in forming who I am today.  I just wish I could go back to those days and be totally confident at the camp dances.  Remember those?  True love at church camp.  It's a rite of passage, don't you think? 

...On our way home yesterday, after the Vikings/Saints game was over of course, we found a station that played Golden Country.  It was fabulous!  We sang the whole way home (well, as far as the station lasted, at least, and then we found another one).  I have a very eclectic taste in music.  I pretty much listen to it all, but country music is my roots.  When I was little, it was all I listened to, and because my family is musically inclined and it was always on, country music is at my core.  McH and I did our best rendition of Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers' famous, "Islands in the Stream."  I think I might have heard the dogs howling at one point.  ;)

...Before we left town, we went to the movies (something we try to do every time we're in the city where there is a theater).  We saw The Book of Eli, mainly because it was either that or Alvin and The Chipmunks 2 and if I'm going to pay $9.50/person for a movie, it will NOT have animated rodents in it.  I'm just sayin'.  Anyway, The Book of Eli was interesting and strange.  I can't really describe it.  I would say definitely a renter more than a theater movie.  It has an apocalyptic edge to it.  Again, though provoking, but weird. 

...EMOTIONAL STORY ALERT...stop now if you know what's good for you...

...We also stopped at Pei Wei after the movie and had dinner.  This is one of our favorite spots and McH always gets the same thing!  A few minutes after we sat down, I noticed the table behind us.  It was a small family; mother, father (look to be in their mid to late 30's), and three small children, probably 6, 3, and a newborn.  The newborn was strapped into the Baby Bjorn so mom could hold him right up next to her chest.  I looked at her, and noticed she couldn't take her eyes off her baby.  It was a look only a mother could give a child.  They got up to leave, and she was so gentle and tender with him.  He never woke up and was happy as a lark, as they say.  They were just so happy and seemed to be so complete.  As I watched them and that thought hit me, it made me a little sad.  I was sitting with McH at one of our favorite spots, after having gone to a movie and had a nice weekend together with the dogs and friends.  But pretty much, we just took care of ourselves.  And as I watched that mother so full of love and tenderness and protective instincts, I longed for a baby more than I ever have.  I know all of the parents reading this would be so grateful for the opportunity to be out and about sans baby every once in a while.  But at that moment, as I looked at McH across the tiny table, only meant to seat two people, I felt very incomplete.  I felt like I was that person that I would see when I was a teen or a young adult and think, "Hmm, I wonder why she/they doesn't have kids?  Maybe they don't want them?"  But last night, I wanted nothing more than to be a mother and make McH a father...to feel complete.