Unconquered

My company had a mandatory meeting today- in a movie theater. Naturally, a movie followed the meeting. It made for a very long day, and I was less than cheerful to attend, since this meant extra travel and making baby sitting arrangements for my child. Plus, I'm a movie snob and the movie was a secret. I feared the employees would be forced to watch some lame chick flick (no offense, chick flick lovers!).

As it turned out, the meeting was brief, and the movie was an underdog story: "Invictus." The story is that of apartheid-era South Africa and Nelson Mandela's use of the national rugby team to unite a nation. The movie itself was nice enough. But I cried during and after, and probably will again. President Mandela spent 27 years in prison for his political beliefs, then rallied for and forgave the very people who put him in prison. In the movie (don't quote me on real-life), Mandela says the words of a poem are what carried him through his darkest hours of captivity on Robben Island.

Will I Always Feel This Way?

Empty by Ray LaMontagne
This has been on repeat in my head, and now on my iPod. I'm feeling a bit like the title of the song.

A Lesson in Genetics

It's official. I've turned into my parents. I'm not saying this is a bad thing. I've got seriously awesome parents. But it truly caught me off guard.

The other night, I found myself wandering around the house, turning of lights to unoccupied rooms, muttering under my breath about what a waste of electricity. Thanks mom. I've turned into a lights-off freak. And tonight, my kid tried to convince me that she needs a laptop (note: I do not believe that 10 year-olds need laptops. Ask me why in private and we can chat for hours). The discussion went back and forth, always with a kind but firm, "no" from my end. Finally, in an effort to underscore the expense of a laptop I said, "Yeah- lets go buy one tonight. But first we have to go home and pick money off the money tree." Oh. My. Gosh! Thanks dad. I knew that money tree line would come in handy one day...Before you know it, I'm going to be threatening to turn the car around. Yikes.

Come to think of it, my parents are amazing people- they raised 3 nutty kids and we all survived into adulthood with minimal emotional scarring/therapy (Mom- that's a joke- we're OK). If I had to pick 2 people to emulate, my parents are right up there. I guess if I look at this the right way, parenting is bringing out the best in me, genetically speaking, of course.

Card-Carrying Member

So, much to the dread of kids across the state, school in UT starts on August 23rd. Friends & family have helped out with my kid's wardrobe and school supplies. I've got her back on the official school bed time schedule (yes- my kid is one of those who needs a bedtime). And to top off our pre-school year fun: school enrollment night. I've never actually been to one before, so this was a first. Apparently you get to update all of your contact info, make an appointment to meet your kid's teacher and sign a seemingly endless pile of consent papers.

As I was "checking out" at the end of all of this hoopla, I was asked if I wanted to join the PTA, to which I quickly responded, "No thank you." Once the kind, soccer-mom looking woman explained the importance of joining the PTA, even if you couldn't actively participate (my issue, as a single mom), I was hooked. I handed over my $5 to show parental solidarity! It felt reverent, and almost patriotic in a very weird way. Then to my utter surprise and delight, soccer-mom handed me an official PTA membership card.

By the time I got back out to my car, I was practically giddy. I'm a member of the PTA. Hi, I'm a PTA member at my kid's school. Nice to meet you, I belong to my kid's PTA. For some bizarre reason, it was as if joining the Morningside Elementary PTA had transformed me from mere aunt status to officially awesome mom status, with a card to prove it. Go figure. Yeah- I work full time, don't get lunch breaks and will probably never be the mom who gets to herd kids on cool field trips or decorate for assemblies. But for that moment in time, I felt legit. Not an like the impostor mom faking her way through the day (which is how I generally feel).

So yeah...I'm a card-carrying member of the PTA. I'll bake you cupcakes, I just won't be able to take them to class. But I can show you my official membership card...

Dream A Little Dream(s)

The good news is, life is never dull. That bad news is, sometimes hectic life interferes with our souls. Being a single parent is a joy. Truly. Every day is an adventure- sometimes comedic, tragic, ironic...yet every day takes a bit of a toll. Going it on my own makes it a 24/7/365 deal. Luckily for all parties in my life, my little one has been able to travel to NJ to spend a couple of weeks with the Abuelos (Spanish for "grandparents") and catch up with her old friends. I miss my cutie every day, while she has confessed to "missing [me] about 10% of the time." But its been lovely to have some time to myself. This is my first vacation, if you will, since she arrived nearly a year and a half ago. During this time, I have indulged in a number of late nights, eating out, and movies (oh- how I missed you!). But I've noticed life has been a bit more quiet, and has surprised me with a little twist.