What I learned today...

There's a big difference between green chiles and jalapeno peppers. Let's just say Sean's in for a wicked surprise tonight for dinner....mwhahahahahaha

I need it!

Does anyone else feel a fervent desire to run out and buy 95 bags of rice even though they only go through a box every 2 weeks? Me too. Meet you at Costco.

IKEA don't

So I live ten minutes away from IKEA and today was my first trip. Something inside my head was whispering for me not to go. I should've listened. I spent three hours hauling my large, pregnant behind around the show room. After that we went to pick up our purchases. I suppose the entire time we were walking around the showroom we were supposed to be taking notes about aisles and bin numbers. They had posters that told us we should be doing this. That is all well and good I say, but what about those of us who can't read? That's right. We get hosed. Anyway, after hours of more wandering we found what we were looking for only to discover it wouldn't fit in our car. I think at that point I gave up and fell asleep in the gigantic aisle while Sean lifted me onto a large cart and pushed me out to our car. I'll have to figure something else out.

Losing a Limb

On my walks I pass a house. This particular house has a brown wood fence that comes about to my mid-arm. I can see everything in the backyard and everything can see me. This backyard is home to two large black dogs. These dogs love to run and pounce on the fence, their paws dangle over the fence as they bark in arrogant protection of their house. The entire thing is rather startling. I usually cross the street.

Sometimes, however, I forget to cross the street. This time only one black dog came bounding toward me. I instinctively searched for the second. He stood back a little, in the middle of the lawn, not moving, just looking. One of his back legs was totally gone.

I drew in my breath, I did not expect to see this. Ignoring the protest from the other dog to leave his bit of sidewalk, I simply looked at the dog. As I did, I felt my heart hurt for this dog. What had happened? What had gone so wrong? Then I looked into his eyes. That's when I saw it: the soul of the dog. I know it sounds corny, but in his eyes I saw pain, humility, and a gentle kindness. He was no longer the dog that ran to the fence, playful, full of spirit with a bark meant to intimidate. He'd grown past it, he knew better.

I fought the urge to cry as I walked away. It seems such a shame that everyone has to lose a limb sometime or another, whether it be a physical malady or a deep emotional wound before the eyes begin to glisten with wisdom instead of false arrogance, when love shines through instead of competition, when our eyes reflect previously unknown strength,when faith breaks the clouds of darkness because now we know that we survived and we are better.