dear santa

Dear Santa, I've been a good mom all year. I've fed, cleaned and cuddled my children on demand, visited the doctor's office more than my doctor, sold sixty-two cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground. I was hoping you could spread my list out over several Christmases, since I had to write this letter with my son's red crayon, on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows when I'll find anymore free time in the next 18 years. Here are my Christmas wishes: I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache (in any color, except purple, which I already have) and arms that don't hurt or flap in the breeze; but are strong enough to pull my screaming child out of the candy aisle in the grocery store. I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy. If you're hauling big ticket items this year I'd like fingerprint Resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music; a television that doesn't broadcast any programs containing talking animals; and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone. On the practical side, I could use a talking doll that says, "Yes, Mommy" to boost my parental confidence, along with two kids who don't fight and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools. I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting "Don't eat in the living room" and "Take your hands off your brother," because my voice seems to be just out of my children's hearing range and can only be heard by the dog. If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container. If you don't mind, I could also use a few Christmas miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely. It would be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family. Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is ringing and my son saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think he wants his crayon back. Have a safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the door and come in and dry off so you don't catch cold. Help yourself to cookies on the table but don't eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet. Yours Always, MOM...! P.S. One more thing...you can cancel all my requests if you can keep my children young enough to believe in Santa. Page        By BroadwayBaby Mistletoe

Myspace.com Blogs - The spoon theory...... - ☼KrAzY♥ KaTmA mA♥KeLL ☼ MySpace Blog

The Spoon TheoryThis was written by the founder of butyoudontlooksick.com:"The Spoon Theory"My best friend and I were in the diner, talking. As usual, it was very late and we were eating French fries with gravy. Like normal girls our age, we spent a lot of time in the diner while in college, and most of the time we spent talking about boys, music or trivial things, that seemed very important at the time. We never got serious about anything in particular and spent most of our time laughing.As I went to take some of my medicine with a snack as I usually did, she watched me with an awkward kind of stare, instead of continuing the conversation. She then asked me out of the blue what it felt like to have Lupus and be sick. I was shocked not only because she asked the random question, but also because I assumed she knew all there was to know about Lupus. She came to doctors with me, she saw me walk with a cane, and throw up in the bathroom. She had seen me cry in pain, what else was there to know?I started to ramble on about pills, and aches and pains, but she kept pursuing, and didn't seem satisfied with my answers. I was a little surprised as being my roommate in college and friend for years; I thought she already knew the medical definition of Lupus. Then she looked at me with a face every sick person knows well, the face of pure curiosity about something no one healthy can truly understand. She asked what it felt like, not physically, but what it felt like to be me, to be sick.As I tried to gain my composure, I glanced around the table for help or guidance, or at least stall for time to think. I was trying to find the right words. How do I answer a question I never was able to answer for myself? How do I explain every detail of every day being effected, and give the emotions a sick person goes through with clarity. I could have given up, cracked a joke like I usually do, and changed the subject, but I remember thinking if I don't try to explain this, how could I ever expect her to understand. If I can't explain this to my best friend, how could I explain my world to anyone else? I had to at least try.At that moment, the spoon theory was born. I quickly grabbed every spoon on the table; hell I grabbed spoons off of the other tables. I looked at her in the eyes and said "Here you go, you have Lupus". She looked at me slightly confused, as anyone would when they are being handed a bouquet of spoons. The cold metal spoons clanked in my hands, as I grouped them together and shoved them into her hands.I explained that the difference in being sick and being healthy is having to make choices or to consciously think about things when the rest of the world doesn't have to. The healthy have the luxury of a life without choices, a gift most people take for granted.Most people start the day with unlimited amount of possibilities, and energy to do whatever they desire, especially young people. For the most part, they do not need to worry about the effects of their actions. So for my explanation, I used spoons to convey this point. I wanted something for her to actually hold, for me to then take away, since most people who get sick feel a "loss" of a life they once knew. If I was in control of taking away the spoons, then she would know what it feels like to have someone or something else, in this case Lupus, being in control.She grabbed the spoons with excitement. She didn't understand what I was doing, but she is always up for a good time, so I guess she thought I was cracking a joke of some kind like I usually do when talking about touchy topics. Little did she know how serious I would become?I asked her to count her spoons. She asked why, and I explained that when you are healthy you expect to have a never-ending supply of "spoons". But when you have to now plan your day, you need to know exactly how many "spoons" you are starting with. It doesn't guarantee that you might not lose some along the way, but at least it helps to know where you are starting. She counted out 12 spoons. She laughed and said she wanted more. I said no, and I knew right away that this little game would work, when she looked disappointed, and we hadn't even started yet. I've wanted more "spoons" for years and haven't found a way yet to get more, why should she? I also told her to always be conscious of how many she had, and not to drop them because she can never forget she has Lupus.I asked her to list off the tasks of her day, including the most simple. As, she rattled off daily chores, or just fun things to do; I explained how each one would cost her a spoon. When she jumped right into getting ready for work as her first task of the morning, I cut her off and took away a spoon. I practically jumped down her throat. I said " No! You don't just get up. You have to crack open your eyes, and then realize you are late. You didn't sleep well the night before. You have to crawl out of bed, and then you have to make your self something to eat before you can do anything else, because if you don't, you can't take your medicine, and if you don't take your medicine you might as well give up all your spoons for today and tomorrow too." I quickly took away a spoon and she realized she hasn't even gotten dressed yet. Showering cost her a spoon, just for washing her hair and shaving her legs. Reaching high and low that early in the morning could actually cost more than one spoon, but I figured I would give her a break; I didn't want to scare her right away. Getting dressed was worth another spoon. I stopped her and broke down every task to show her how every little detail needs to be thought about. You cannot simply just throw clothes on when you are sick. I explained that I have to see what clothes I can physically put on, if my hands hurt that day buttons are out of the question. If I have bruises that day, I need to wear long sleeves, and if I have a fever I need a sweater to stay warm and so on. If my hair is falling out I need to spend more time to look presentable, and then you need to factor in another 5 minutes for feeling badly that it took you 2 hours to do all this.I think she was starting to understand when she theoretically didn't even get to work, and she was left with 6 spoons. I then explained to her that she needed to choose the rest of her day wisely, since when your "spoons" are gone, they are gone. Sometimes you can borrow against tomorrow's "spoons", but just think how hard tomorrow will be with less "spoons". I also needed to explain that a person who is sick always lives with the looming thought that tomorrow may be the day that a cold comes, or an infection, or any number of things that could be very dangerous. So you do not want to run low on "spoons", because you never know when you truly will need them. I didn't want to depress her, but I needed to be realistic, and unfortunately being prepared for the worst is part of a real day for me.We went through the rest of the day, and she slowly learned that skipping lunch would cost her a spoon, as well as standing on a train, or even typing at her computer too long. She was forced to make choices and think about things differently. Hypothetically, she had to choose not to run errands, so that she could eat dinner that night.When we got to the end of her pretend day, she said she was hungry. I summarized that she had to eat dinner but she only had one spoon left. If she cooked, she wouldn't have enough energy to clean the pots. If she went out for dinner, she might be too tired to drive home safely. Then I also explained, that I didn't even bother to add into this game, that she was so nauseous, that cooking was probably out of the question anyway. So she decided to make soup, it was easy. I then said it is only 7pm, you have the rest of the night but maybe end up with one spoon, so you can do something fun, or clean your apartment, or do chores, but you can't do it all.I rarely see her emotional, so when I saw her upset I knew maybe I was getting through to her. I didn't want my friend to be upset, but at the same time I was happy to think finally maybe someone understood me a little bit. She had tears in her eyes and asked quietly "Christine, How do you do it? Do you really do this everyday?" I explained that some days were worse then others; some days I have more spoons then most. But I can never make it go away and I can't forget about it, I always have to think about it. I handed her a spoon I had been holding in reserve. I said simply, "I have learned to live life with an extra spoon in my pocket, in reserve. You need to always be prepared"Its hard, the hardest thing I ever had to learn is to slow down, and not do everything. I fight this to this day. I hate feeling left out, having to choose to stay home, or to not get things done that I want to. I wanted her to feel that frustration. I wanted her to understand, that everything everyone else does comes so easy, but for me it is one hundred little jobs in one. I need to think about the weather, my temperature that day, and the whole day's plans before I can attack any one given thing. When other people can simply do things, I have to attack it and make a plan like I am strategizing a war. It is in that lifestyle, the difference between being sick and healthy. It is the beautiful ability to not think and just do. I miss that freedom. I miss never having to count "spoons".After we were emotional and talked about this for a little while longer, I sensed she was sad. Maybe she finally understood. Maybe she realized that she never could truly and honestly say she understands. But at least now she might not complain so much when I can't go out for dinner some nights, or when I never seem to make it to her house and she always has to drive to mine. I gave her a hug when we walked out of the diner. I had the one spoon in my hand and I said "Don't worry. I see this as a blessing. I have been forced to think about everything I do. Do you know how many spoons people waste everyday? I don't have room for wasted time, or wasted "spoons" and I chose to spend this time with you."Ever since this night, I have used the spoon theory to explain my life to many people. In fact, my family and friends refer to spoons all the time. It has been a code word for what I can and cannot do. Once people understand the spoon theory they seem to understand me better, but I also think they live their life a little differently too. I think it isn't just good for understanding Lupus, but anyone dealing with any disability or illness. Hopefully, they don't take so much for granted or their life in general. I give a piece of myself, in every sense of the word when I do anything. It has become an inside joke. I have become famous for saying to people jokingly that they should feel special when I spend time with them, because they have one of my "spoons".

Myspace.com Blogs - The spoon theory...... - ☼KrAzY♥ KaTmA mA♥KeLL ☼ MySpace Blog

Myspace.com Blogs - Putting Things Into Perspective... - ♥Lilia Yvonne♥ MySpace Blog

One day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live.They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, 'How was the trip?''It was great, Dad.''Did you see how poor people live?' the father asked.'Oh yeah,' said the son.'So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?' asked the father.The son answered:'I saw that we have one dog and they had four.We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end.We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night.Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.We have servants who serve us, but they serve others.We buy our food, but they grow theirs.We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them.'The boy's father was speechless.Then his son added, 'Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are.'Isn't perspective a wonderful thing? Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don't have.Appreciate every single thing you have, especially your friends!Pass this on to family, friends and acquaintances and help them refresh their perspective and appreciation.'Life is too short and friends are too few.'

Billies' help page for pain understanding

WORRY Is there a magic cutoff period when Offspring become accountable for their own Actions? Is there a wonderful moment when Parents can become detached spectators in The lives of their children and shrug, 'It's Their life,' and feel nothing?When I was in my twenties, I stood in a hospital Corridor waiting for doctors to put a few Stitches in my daughter's head. I asked, 'When do You stop worrying?' The nurse said, 'When they get out of the accident stage.' My Dad just smiled faintly and said nothing. When I was in my thirties, I sat on a little Chair in a classroom and heard how one of my Children talked incessantly, disrupted the class, And was headed for a career making License plates. As if to read my mind, a teacher Said, 'Don't worry, they all go through This stage and then you can sit back, relax and Enjoy them.' My dad just smiled Faintly and said nothing. When I was in my forties, I spent a lifetime Waiting for the phone to ring, the cars to come Home, the front door to open. A friend said, 'They're trying to find themselves. Don't worry, In a few years, you can stop worrying. They'll be Adults.' My dad just smiled faintly And said nothing. By the time I was 50, I was sick & tired of being Vulnerable. I was still worrying over my Children, but there was a new wrinkle. There Was nothing I could do about it. My Dad just smiled faintly and said nothing. I Continued to anguish over their failures, be Tormented by their frustrations and absorbed in Their disappointments. My friends said that when my kids got married I Could stop worrying and lead my own Life. I wanted to believe that, but I was Haunted by my dad's warm smile and his Occasional, 'You look pale. Are you all right? Call me the minute you get home. Are You depressed about something?'Can it be that parents are sentenced to a Lifetime of worry? Is concern for one another Handed down like a torch to blaze the trail of Human frailties and the fears of the Unknown? Is concern a curse or is it a virtue That elevates us to the highest form of life?One of my children became quite irritable Recently, saying to me, 'Where were you? I've been Calling for 3 days, and no one answered I was worried.' I smiled a warm smile. The torch has been passed. PASS IT ON TO OTHER WONDERFUL PARENTS(And also to your children. That's the fun part)

Billies' help page for pain understanding

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Life's lessons

Some of life's most profound lessons can be learned in the most unexpected places if we only take the time to look around us and see with our hearts as well as our eyes.One day while commuting to and from work between San Antonio and Bandera,Texas, I witnessed one of the most spectacular sunrises of my lifetime. One of the advantages of my daily drive was the rare opportunity to see the sun both rise and set in the splendor of the Texas Hill Country. On this particular morning I took time to stop on a hilltop and watch the colors change as that large orb peeped over the horizon and then bloomed in all its glory, making it impossible to look directly into its blinding rays. The memory of that sunrise followed me throughout the day.As I started home that evening, I was particularly looking forward to the sunset. I was not disappointed! I not only saw that sunset, I experienced it. I had a panoramic view by using the rearview and side mirrors, as well as my northwestward home-bound view. What a breathtakingly beautiful sight! I again stopped the car to take full advantage of that spectacular sunset. As I sat there watching the ever-changing colors, I realized that tears of pure delight were running down my cheeks. However, the best was yet to come in the form of the afterglow. As the brilliant, vibrant colors of the sunset began to fade into the most beautiful pastels, mingling and blending into every imaginable color, I realized that God had given me one of the greatest gifts of my entire life--a view of life from beginning to ending~ and beyond.Life begins as a sunrise. Life lived out, no matter how many years on this earth, is a mere blink of the eye compared to eternity. During the course of that lifetime many changes take place. Sometimes the sun is completely obscured by the storm clouds of life; however, no matter how hard the storms may rage, or how dark the world may become around us, the sun is still shining. It is only temporarily hidden from our view. How wonderful! It always shines again!To me, the real beauty of life is in the fact that we're not poured into some specific mold with a predetermined, unalterable life pattern. We were created as unique individuals with a free will to make the choices that shape our lives. We then, hopefully, find the courage to live with the consequences of those choices. While some choices come easy, circumstances make some choices more difficult. However, the fact remains that we can, at any time in our lives, change our destiny by the choices we make.During my life God has entrusted me with many challenges. I have learned that facing these challenges developed moral, spiritual, and mental muscle to prepare me for the next gathering storm clouds. I can't think of anything less rewarding than a life lived without benefit of trials and hardships to prepare one for the crises that are bound to come. Without the building of some kind of inner strength, we are as helpless to withstand a sudden personal crisis as is an athlete who enters a sports arena without having developed physical muscles needed to compete in his chosen contest. The contest was lost before it started!As I viewed the fading sunset, followed by the afterglow, I realized that it is in our daily living, through the lives that we touch, that we are creating the afterglow that we will leave behind us. As long as there is one life on this earth in whom we have made a positive difference, our afterglow will remain. It was at that moment that the full impact of the day's events became clear to me. When my life's sun sets and I see my Lord face-to-face, I will view, for the first time, that sunrise in glory. At the same time, the loved ones that I leave behind will be viewing my afterglow. It is my desire that when this time comes for me it will be a time of celebration of my life that will never end! No sad songs--only songs of victory!~Marjorie Baker~

Billies' help page for pain understanding

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MY oldest daughter is moving...

my oldest daughter,her hubby and the 2 grandbabies moved this last weds to Nebraska. WE live in california. BOY am I going to miss them. My grandbabies are only 2 and 3 months old. They are at such a cute age. Its an exciting age where they are constantly learning new things and doing new things. The youngest one is already cooing and trying to talk. He already giggles outloud too. Both of them are such happy kids. One part of me wants them to like Nebraska and get suttled in meet lots of good friends and part of me wants them to hate it and be back in california, close to me, within the next 6 months.LOL. I guess that typical. I miss them already.

people will hear something or read something about the newest miracle drug or the newest herb that will help you to feel better and they will run right out to GNC or target and buy it.People spend millions every year on all these vitamins, minerals and herbs, but if someone tells them about a product that has worked for them if they happen to be selling it they won't buy it because they think these people just want their money. What do you think all the drug companies that advertise all these minerals and herbs want? Do you really think I am going to get rich off of a few $60-$100 orders? No, I am telling you about these products and selling them because they worked for me and I want to help others, and I believe in the products. I have seen many get results.

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