WE PASSED!!!

Without being an insufferable know-it-all,let me say that school was always easy for me. Good grades came without much work; often with no real work outside the classroom. Any grade less than a "B" was bad and I honestly didn't think I "got" the few classes that earned me "C" or lower. Today I'm happy because "we" got two c's and two d's. Things don't come as easily to my son as they did to me, and I'm the designated homework helper, so I figure those grades are as much mine as his. It was a tough semster and I'm glad it is over. I question how much of those courses he'll retain (or really got in the first place) but I'm glad to put a check mark next to them as completed. Hopefully this semester's classes will be easier; they seem to be so far. Its funny how perspective on grades can change.

C-Sections Cause Problems

http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/01/09/c.section.reut/index.html is an article indicating that babies born via planned c-section are more likely to be transferred to NICU than those born vaginally.

I for one believe the skyrocketing c-section rate is a matter of responsibility/control. We as a society have made OB's responsible for the outcome of a birth. If the baby is "damaged" our courts hold the OB financially responsible. I don't know about you, but when I am made responsible for something, I want control over it. If it is my job to make sure xyz reports are correct, then those who prepare them (if it isn't me) better have them on my desk in plenty of time for me the check them before they are turned in. If my name is going on the bottem of the letter, I want to read it before it goes out. It is my job to keep my kids safe, therefore I make the rules. Doctors have little control over natural vaginal deliveries. They happen when they happen at the rate of speed that Mother Nature decides on. When problems happpen they can happen very fast; sometimes too fast to deal with--and it isn't unusual for a problem to be unexpected. In short, in a vaginal delivery, doctors have little control and lots of responsibility. OTOH, when it comes to c-sections, the doctors, for right or wrong, can say "I know how to do a section, I'm not going to make a mistake". They still have the responsibility, but now they have some control too. I think it is the same way with breastfeeding and pediatricians. We have made pediatricians responsible for our children's health. With breastfeeding, they have little control. They don't know how much the baby is eating or the exact composition of the milk calorie/fat/protien/drug wise. When a problem comes up, since they are responsible, they look to gain control and a bottle of formula (even if they admit that ideally breastmilk would be better) gives them control--they know what the baby is eating and in what amounts.

A GREAT DAY

The day started at a Weight Watchers meeting, where I saw a friend, a neighbor and two friends of friends. The best part was that I lost 3.8 pounds. I know that won't continue but it was nice to hear.

Of course the good news this evening is that the Saints won! We are going to the NFC Divisional Championship game!!!!!

It has been a great great great day.

My husband just asked me if I knew what year this was for the Saints. I heard it on TV earlier and said "40". Forty years in the desert, and we are just outside the Promised Land!!!!!!

Is Purgatory Like a Diet?

I've heard it said that the purpose of purgatory isn't to punish you for what you did here on earth, but rather to cleanse you of attachment to sin. Saturday I signed up for Weight Watchers. Those of you familiar with the program know that they talk a lot about lifestyle changes, about learning a new way of eating, and about how to be successful at not only taking the weight off but keeping it off, you need to not think of it as a diet that you go on and then off, but rather a new way of looking at food. I've said before that if I preferred salad and exercise to dessert and web surfing, I wouldn't have a weight problem. Maybe purgatory is something like that. Here on earth we work to conquer certain sins--but some of them we'd really rather keep. Through grace, motivation, will, or some other force, we may manage to avoid them for a while, because we know we should--but we are still attached to that sin, we wish we could do it, even if we choose not to. In the long run though, we need to lose our attachment to that sin, just as I need to lose my attachment to bad eating habits--and that's a hard thing to do.

New Year's Resolutions

Yes, I made some New Year's resolutions. Yes, they were the usual, eat less, exercise more, pray more. I joined Weight Watchers Saturday. I was a member years ago --twice, once after each baby. Both times I was quite sick of it when I quit, and both times the weight crept back on. I dread the idea of spending a year at those meetings (and math tells me that's what I'm looking at) but the accountability of going there, weighing in and paying for the privilege keeps me on track. There isn't anything magical about their system--it is a basic low fat, low calorie diet accompanied by moderate exercise. There is nothing there I couldn't do on my own--but experience has shown that I don't. I bought a portable exercise bike from Sharper Image. I had hoped to put in under the computer desk, but that doesn't really work. I guess I'll need to start watching TV or reading again. I signed up for an hour of adoration a week. That has been a great help to my prayer life--and does make me want more. Now I just have to do it.

Back to Reality

Reality returns soon. The kids have been out of school since before Christmas. They have had no homework, no projects and they haven't had to be hauled to school or the bus stop in the morning. This has meant that I have gotten to sleep later and to enjoy my evenings. Alas, all good things must come to an end, and school starts Monday for my daughter and Tuesday for my son. My son also starts a new schedule. They are shortening the lunch break and letting them out of school ten minutes earlier M, T, T, and F and on Wednesday they are getting out 25 minutes earlier. I just hope this doesn't mess up his chess club. First semester they met during lunch--the kids would get thier lunches and take them to the club sponser's classroom and play chess four days a week. Now the lunch period is shorter, and instead of one lunch period they have two. The Wednesday schedule is to allow for faculty meetings, and probably to give you a day on which to schedule appointments w/out pulling the kids from school.

Go Saints

This is the bye week--that means that because the Saints were so terrific in the regular season, they get the week off while next week's opponent has to play. The Saints, the perpetually awful football team, are doing wonderfully this year. Maybe my mom got an audience with the Guy Upstairs and let Him know things needed to change. Go Saints!!!