Saving My Pearls

Aside from getting a good high-five and a "you are such a punk" from my husband, I don't know what I expected from my fighting-for-the-rights-of-greatfulness post but I sure got something stirred up. I am happy to report for the sake of human decency that overwhelmingly the response was supportive -- and believe that Kathryn and I loved reading all of the feedback the next day at school. I appreciate Ridge and Wendy offering to meet me at the aforementioned flagpole if needed (especially kind since we've never even met face to face and I could really turn out to be a total wimp that wouldn't be able to pull my weight if that ungrateful little girl did decide to throw down).

I am sad to report that despite my (what I thought) clearly outlined argument for thankfulness which I generously provided in a numbered fashion, the girl at the root of this topic replied that she did not appreciate my comments and that she thought I was being unkind. Clearly this girl is beyond any help that I can offer her. Which brings me to the lesson I learned out of all of this: not everybody is out to be a quality person.

Some people have been taught that they are the one who is right and anyone who tells them that they are wrong is just trying to hold them down. You see this even as early as Kindergarten. Some kids get in trouble and instead of getting them in trouble, the parents look for why it was not their fault. As soon as I read her reply, I could imagine her in Kindergarten with her mom scooting her fanny-pack to the back so that she could really have a go at the teacher who complained that her daughter cut other children's hair -- when clearly, the children's hair was too long.

So, to wrap up this lesson, I just want to say that I learned a lesson in being open to what people say about you -- but I learned a bigger lesson about pearls and swine. I know what I had to say was braziliant -- next time I'll save my genius for someone who can appreciate it. I mean, what did I expect: a choir to bust out "Just As I Am" and ungrateful idiot girl to have a revival? I guess a girl can dream!

This Could Get Good

Those of you who know me know that I am by nature not a confrontational sort. I'm actually a pretty big wuss unless I've had it -- then maybe I'm still a wuss but one who at least acts mad. For a while now, I've been regaling my husband with IDIOT posts from the "What to Expect When You're Expecting" site. The stupid posts range from "I don't like when my boyfriend who was an alcholic when I met him goes drinking with his friends and passes out on their couch" to "My mother-in-law sucks and the only person I can ever trust is my mother". We giggle about how it just proves anyone can get pregnant and then we move on. Tonight I didn't just move on. Witness the amazingly real post that was on the board tonight:

Terrible Baby shower **vent**

From:
eratchley (693845)
5:08 pm
To:
ALL
(1 of 18)

11153.1
Ok so call me selfish. I didn't get much at all for my baby shower. Ok i guess i should be grateful that I got anything at all, but I am mad. Ok so my husband's family is not wealthy and this shower was from them. We got a lot of hand me down clothes and a few bibs and burping clothes. Oh and 2 diaper genies so I can take one back and get what I wanted. Ok my mom and dad got us a crib that is costing like $500 and his parents are getting the car seat and stroller. But we went to a shower a couple weekends ago and they load up on everything. My mother's family is basically non existent and my dad's family is dead and he doesn't know the other half. The only thing I can look forward to is my work and my husbands work are having showers for us, and hopefully, Cross my fingers, we will get something more than hand me down clothes.

OH NO SHE DI-ENT!!!

I quickly looked at her profile picture and decided that I could take her if the need should arise so I furiously typed this response (following all of the simpering "poor you replies from other readers):

From:
lamonitadevelasquez (13079287)
9:04 pm
To:
eratchley (693845) unread
(18 of 19)

11153.18 in reply to 11153.1
I am still trying to pick my jaw up off of the floor. Ever tried gratefulness? Yikes! These people didn't even have to come to your shower. And comparing what your parents are financially able to do for you to what your in-laws are able to do is hurtful -- if it was a contest, it would have been only fair for you to let them in on the rules! I hope your husband hasn't heard you griping about this because if he has, I guarentee it made him feel about 1 inch tall -- no matter how much he tries to laugh along with you.
Reality check: 1. You are not entitled to presents. Most of us are buying a lot of our own things anyway b/c it is no one else's responsibility to supply our baby with essentials. 2. You are not entitled to people celebrating your great news. With this kind of attitude you are lucky anyone bothered to bring anything -- I'm sure if they read your comments they would wish they had not bothered. 3. What people buy you does not determine how much they love or care about you.
People do what they can and a little thankfulness would go a long way in making your memories of this day one hundred times better.

I'm dying of anticipation to see if she'll man-up and reply (something along the lines of 3:00 and the flagpole would seriously rock!), but I'm guessing she'll probably not -- what with my logic being so tight and all. I'll certainly post any replies I get... bad or good. It's not like I was hoping for Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzah cards from these sweet ladies!

Just a dash of abstract in the midst of concrete

Today in Science while talking about senses, we were focusing on things we could feel. Kids said blahblah stuff like "I feel my backpack" or "I feel my shoes" then one student (we'll call her Tessa) suggested that she could feel God.

I skeptically tried to guide to back toward the concrete answers that the lesson was looking for by saying, "but can you touch him with your hand and know what he feels like?". Without being shy or concerned about being wrong, she said "no, I feel him in my heart".

Oh -- and yes, I did call her Mom to let her know what happened so that they could celebrate life lessons sinking in.

Heartburn and Ritz Crackers (unrelated but connected)

First an anecdote:
Yesterday I had heartburn and when Ethan (who needs lots of maintence) in my class saw me
taking Tums for it asked me what I needed medicine for. I told him that I had heartburn and that the medicine would make it go away. He then asked me "will the heartburn take all of the love from your heart?". gulp.

Now and observation:
Remember when "cheese and crackers" was the snack of children everywhere? Well, there still danged good and I think that I should eat them more often. The wonderful taste of Ritz with sharp cheddar is magnificent -- pregnant or not.