Friday, December 22, 2006

Goodbye Chanukah, Hello Christmas!

Well things are finally getting back to some type of normal here, and I have had a chance to read my email. I checked out a note I received from MomsRising.org. It is an article the Joan Blades wrote about at the Huffington post regarding the need for social change in how we look at motherhood in the US. The post is called: Should Society Support Mothers Raising Children? and it elicited 147 responses. Many of them so negative they could only be considered anti-mother. I was shocked to see how many people out there are angry about motherhood. I haven't had a chance to really check out her follow up called Indiscriminate Breeders!?! This has already received 84 responses. I am sure it is equally heated.

As a working mom and full-time at that, I know that I was very angry after going back to work when my first child was born. I was angry that we have a president who is all about "family values" but who I believe doesn't support family values in the way I think is important. I mean, really I love working, belonging to a community and I enjoy being with my children. There has to be a better balance. Childcare needs to be more affordable. Work environment needs to be more "mom friendly". Life needs to be more fun and less stressful. I think Moms Rising is all about that and should be something we all check out. I mean where would we be without Mom? love her or hate her we wouldn't be here without her!


That being said, I also finally posted a new poem. I really would like to work on my poetry and creative writing more. Maybe I will post a list of goals? I hate those new year things, but it would be nice to do and check out in a year here. I mean I can't lose the paper if it is on a blog.

Tonight is the last night of Chanukah, and we will put up the Christmas lights and tree today. I enjoy celebrating both, and I am glad we didn't go crazy on the gifts this year. My husband and I went around the house and gathered up all the toys the kids are done with and sent them (the toys not the kids) to the Salvation Army. I also packed up the last of my maternity clothing and the baby clothing and sent that off to the clothing drop. We donated toys and money to toys for tots, I purchased bracelets from Invisible Children. To help support the children of Uganda and to give my nephew and nieces something that I think is important a gift that symbolizes helping others around the world. I also donated money to the local food bank. All this on my unemployment credit card. Thankfully that has been quite helpful this holiday season. I think if I didn't get the benefits we wouldn't be having this type of holiday.

Okay enough said, back to housecleaning, and maybe finally putting my photo album for the baby together, I mean he is only 15 months old. Don't you think it is about time???

Happy Holidays!

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