Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Top Ten

After being a mother of 2, I've had some time to think and evaluate my job as a mom. So...I've developed my own Top 10 list of how you know that you are a mom....

10.) When your child looks like they might puke, you do not run away...instead, you form your hands into a cup, and shove them under your kids chin.

9.) You use your pinky finger to pick your childs' nose.

8.) You stop double checking your hair and makeup in the mirror before leaving the house, and instead, double check your back...to make sure there is no spit up running down.

7.) You wake up in the middle of the night, sleeping curled in a ball on the bottom of the bed, with no pillow...because your child is sleeping sideways on your pillow, and the bottom of the bed is the safest place NOT to get kicked.

6.) You switch purses, not to match your outfit, but instead to accomodate multiple diapers, juice boxes and toys.

5.) You have over 5 layers of nail polish on, because the only way your child would sit on the potty long enough to go #2, was to allow her to paint your nails...over and over and over.

4.) You've read more pages of "Good Night Moon", "Olivia", and "Go Dog Go" than you've read of any grown up magazines or books in the past year. (Hello...I have "The Lost Symbol", and "The Book Thief" sitting unread on the end tables).

3.) Instead of contemplating politics, world issues, or the meaning of life...instead you find yourself thinking..."why doesn't Little Bear wear pants?", or "Why is Dora's map so dang snotty?"..."Where the heck are Max and Ruby's parents?"

2.) You realize at 5pm that the only thing you've eaten all day was a spoonful of leftover mac and cheese and a half eaten apple slice with hair on it.....yet you still gain weight.

1.) You drive home alone in the car, only to realize that you were listening to your kid's CD the whole freaking way...AND singing along to 5 Little Monkeys...ARGHHH!

What would you add?


I love being a Mom. The End.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

National Coming Out Day

As some of you know, today is National Coming Out Day, and I am feeling compelled to come out in my own way. I want to come out as a full fledged, Ally and Advocate for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered individuals.

While I may not be gay, I believe that it is just as much my job to fight for equal rights for individuals and the individuals themselves. Some of the people closest to me are LGBT, and I love them, and I beleive that the overall world would be a better place if we were not only accepting, but celebratory about about all people. I feel that LGBT individuals not only have a place in our world, but make the world a better place by existing in it and being open and happy with themselves...so, here I am being happy with them.

Please know that while I use the term "coming out" as an Ally, I do not want to diminish the real meaning of "coming out", or make light of the importance of this day.

I bet that my audience of readers is split in regards to what they are thinking right now....

1/2 of you are probably thinking...well...duh Michele, we knew it all along, this is nothing new. You've seen me wear my "There are two types of women, Lesbians and those who wish they were" or "Gay...fine by me" shirts, or seen the Rainbow "Ally" Button, or "Safe Harbor" Sticker in my office. Anyways..to those that already know me in this capacity...welcome back...you can stop reading now!

For the other half of my friends, we may have never talked about this before. You may have never seen my shirts, stickers or buttons. We may not have talked since high school (when honestly...my views were quite different than what they are now).

So, why do I feel the need to "come out" as an Ally? Well, I think it's important for people to know where I stand. I think that as a straight person, I have lots of rights and priviledges that my lesbian and gay friends do not. The number one priviledge that I have is to sit quietly by, and choose to either care or not care about equal rights. My LGBT friends do not have that choice. Rights are removed from them everyday...from walking safely down the street ...to the right to marry. It's sad to me that people work so diligently to shut others' out...and remove their right to live the same way as others.

I hope that I live my life in a way that opens doors for others as opposed to closing doors. I pray that Chris and I are able to raise Avery and Lillian to be a caring, loving, open individuals. I want this next generation of children to be able to erase hate from the world, and fill it with child-like innocence and love. I know that if one or both of my girls come to me someday and tells me that she is lesbian, gay, bi, trans, or questioning...that I will open my arms to her, love her even more for her strength and continue to work to make the world a better place for her and everyone else.

Well, with that said...

Happy National Coming Out Day everyone!

MLDB