What's up G monies?

Here's what's been rattling around in my beaner:

My brother Quinn's new blog quinncarrasco.wordpress.com

This article On how the maternal death rate has almost doubled in the last 20 years in the US as it declines almost everywhere else. You might not guess the reason....

Did any of you know Hugo Boss and Henry Ford were Nazis?

And as always, Pinterest, which I have linked to my blog so you all can see my fabulous taste in action.

pure

I'm a pretty cynical person, and I like the cold hard truth. A little too much, perhaps...but I also love a good quixotic crusade. Mostly, because I'm sure that I'm right about said cause, far before the average population, therefore making myself feel more superior than I already try to elevate myself to. For shame.

Relatedly, (this all ties together in the end) I was reading a good old friend's blog the other day. It was beautifully written, logical, yet rambley (just the way I like it), cynical of all the things I'm prone to rant about, and yet still humble, still searching for truth. I was in love, and a little jealous that my blog seemed a little fluffy next to it.

So I pondered why. You see in "real" life, the most common words out of my mouth are, "so lately I've had a problem with/have been thinking about {fill in rant about religion, constraining social norms, or conspiracy theories}," in fact I started a sentence that way the other night and Brandon actually said, "uh-oh," lucky for him it was a short one. And so you see, I can be rather a "go getter", shall we say, in my everyday life.

And then I thought about the other day when I was talking about a blog that I really like to someone else, and she said something along the lines of this, "anyone can put up some fun pictures and list all the fun things they do, and it all looks so glamourous and perfect," and that's true. We all know those white washers, they make every little thing into rainbows and marshmallows, and it can be kind of annoying . But my minds tells me that there is something to it; it teaches gratitude to oneself. To post only the best from your life helps you to frame your life into that mindset. To let all the great things in your life stick, to ruminate over you, while the rest fades away (at least for a while). I started this blog called beatific (of, possessing, or imparting a state of utmost bliss) ponderances  (gravity, consequence) to share the good in my life, so that hopefully I could see it more. I wanted to put the most pure of my thoughts down (not that I always do, some are pretty silly, but a little salt with the sugar my mama always said*) So if you know me in my day to day life, you'll still see that storm cloud furrow my brow, and you'll sometimes hear my garrulous diatribe; but here you will hopefully smile, ponder, and I pray that you will find a sense of peace that exists not only in my life, but in yours as well. 




*my mama never said that.

magical

Oh sweet Vida, you darling girl who refuses to potty train unless you go commando. I get it you little poopcicle, undies and pullups are just too much like diapers; go big or go home, you say. "Good for you!"I say, I'm pretty partial to going wild and free myself, or at least I was in the good yonder years.

But today sweet Dida (as you so fondly refer to yourself), you had your first poop accident. It's been a long road coming. You also peed, all over the restaurant floor. I know, I know, it was uncle Ryan who gave you so many glasses of water. So, close, yes, so close we were, you'd already peed on the potty once there. But alas, there was some sordid mix-up and the the rest landed in your cute little tights and pink skirt. I cleaned you up the best I could, but made you wear the evidence home, because what kind of mom has extra clothes for their potty training 2 year old? Pshhh, not this rad mom. No Vida, this is not that type of house hold, so you better learn to clench my dear daughter.

Love,

The poop fairy

all that we can do

Last Sunday I decided to take Royce to the walk in clinic in Okotoks. I had had a nasty cold for the last two weeks, Vida had had a cold and cough for a week, and Royce had started coughing on Friday. I thought they would just send us home and tell us there was nothing to do for babies, just to sit tight; but I thought, "better safe than sorry". They told us he had bronchiolitis (the swelling and mucus buildup in the smaller airways in the lungs). They sent us to the Children's hospital where we were admitted. It was rough to see our sweet little baby having trouble breathing, coughing, having his nose suctioned out, and put on oxygen. He was a real trooper though, even early in the morning while the nurses were poking and prodding him, he'd just smile away at them. They said he was the happiest bronchiolitis baby they'd ever seen. He was such a sweet little angle.

The full tests came back and it turned out that Royce had two viruses causing his bronchiolitis: RSV and the common cold. So Royce and I hungout in the hospital until Friday. We spent every minute together, and even though he was sick, I was really able to cherish that special alone time with my little boy. I'm so grateful for him, and that he is on the mend. He just needs a week or two to get finish getting over his cough, and build back up his immune system. I know that the healing blessing Brandon gave him has helped him to recover quickly, to stay in high spirits, and to really help us to grow more attached to this precious little spirit we've been entrusted with.
I feel optimistic now that the worst is hopefully over, but I'll tell you I rang in the New Year crying in my bed holding a sick little baby. There's nothing more heartbreaking thinking something could happen to one of your babies. Later in the week I found this poem by our dear late prophet, and that of how fitting it was, and should remain, in my life.

put your trust in God. 

by president gordon b hinckley

it isn't as bad as you sometimes think it is.

it all works out. don't worry.

i say that to myself every morning. 

it will all work out. 

put your trust in God, 

and move forward with faith and 

confidence in the future. 

the Lord will not forsake us. 

He will not forsake us. 

if we put our trust in Him, 

if we pray to Him, 

if we live worthy of His blessings, 

He will hear our prayers.

from the funeral program for 

marjory pay hinckley, 

april 10, 2004

Hard things happen in life, terrible things happen; but I know that there is a plan for me. I'm so grateful for all that I've been given, and my heart goes out to those who struggle, who suffer, who are desperately in need. I hope that we can all take and extra minute today to count our blessings, kiss our loved ones, and reach out and help someone else.