This morning, I ate a $12.50 breakfast from McDonald's and I enjoyed every bite....
I frequently stop for breakfast at McDonald's... it's right on the corner on the way to the sitter's and it's easier than trying to get up early enough to fix myself breakfast along with getting myself and my child ready for our day...
Several months ago, I decided to do something nice and I paid for the order of the car behind me as well as my own... it was only a couple dollars and I figured it might really make that person's day... I told the cashier to tell the driver behind me "God bless you and pass it on." I never thought about it again.
This morning my husband was watching the munchkin... I was heading a different direction to work but I hadn't had any breakfast yet... I stopped at a different McDonald's drive-thru... I ordered my usual meal and was told my total was $4.75... I thanked the voice inside the box and pulled through to pay.
When I got to the window to pay, the cashier informed me that the car in front of me had paid for my meal... I was touched... this person, who didn't know me from Adam, blindly bought my breakfast... they had no idea how much it would mean to me or if it would make an impression at all... I was so touched, I told the cashier I wanted to pay for the car behind me... She told me the total was $12.50 and asked if I was sure... I said "yes" and handed her the money...
As I pulled forward, I could see the people in the truck behind me... it appeared to be a middle-aged dad and his 2 teen aged sons... the teens looked perplexed and I saw the dad hand the cashier money and get a receipt... My guess is he paid for the car behind him as well... (What great teaching opportunity for that family... I hope they used it...)
It made me wonder if the same had happened to the car in front of me... How many people paid for a strangers breakfast this morning? How many people before me and after me kept the kindness going? And would the person who started it ever know the cascade of generosity they triggered?
And how sad it would have been if one of those people just said, "cool, thanks!" and didn't pass it on?
I will choose to believe that the chain reaction continued until it got to a car with a parent who really couldn't afford it for whatever reason... and although that parent was prepared to make a personal sacrifice so their child could get McDonald's, they wouldn't have to now, because of the kindness of a stranger who passed it on....
Friday, June 10, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Sibbling Rivalry
OMDrama!
For whatever reason lately, both my girls (human & canine) have been a mess for my attention. And it's always at the same time.
Kayden is still nursing. We have a spot on the couch where we cuddle while we nurse. Bailey used to just come up and lay next to us... now she wants to be on top of us... and neither Kayden nor I are happy about that. She will "pop-off" of me and whine and push Bailey away. If I try to move Bailey from the ON position to the NEXT TO spot, Kayden will still whine and try to push her further away. This is only concerning to me because Kayden used to smile really big (without popping-off) whenever she felt Bailey at her feet or under her shoulders... so what's changed?
It happens the other way around, too... if I am giving Bailey some one-on-one attention, Kayden abandons whatever "project" she was working on and will ask for a cookie or to be picked up and carried around.... WHAT GIVES!?!?!?
They do play well together... at times, they can each be a little rough, but both take correction well... in general, they play really well as a couple and independently. They chase each other around and Kayden will throw the ball for Bailey to chase. They wrestle and lick and roll around on the floor together... it's wonderful to watch!
And when they are occupied with each other or by themselves, I am able to get a few things done, like laundry folded/put away, bathroom cleaned, fire started or stoked, etc.
So why, all of a sudden, does Bailey ALWAYS want her cold, wet nose on my arm (or in my lap) while I'm nursing and why is Kayden so opposed to it? And why does Kayden seem to interrupt whenever I try to play with Bailey & give her the attention SHE needs?
Maybe it's the cabin fever... Spring, where are you!?!?!?
Someone posted the other day that in our area, the average temp in 3 weeks will be 50+ degrees... in 3 short weeks, spring will be upon us!
For now, though, we are on our 3rd day of single digit temps in a row....
For whatever reason lately, both my girls (human & canine) have been a mess for my attention. And it's always at the same time.
Kayden is still nursing. We have a spot on the couch where we cuddle while we nurse. Bailey used to just come up and lay next to us... now she wants to be on top of us... and neither Kayden nor I are happy about that. She will "pop-off" of me and whine and push Bailey away. If I try to move Bailey from the ON position to the NEXT TO spot, Kayden will still whine and try to push her further away. This is only concerning to me because Kayden used to smile really big (without popping-off) whenever she felt Bailey at her feet or under her shoulders... so what's changed?
It happens the other way around, too... if I am giving Bailey some one-on-one attention, Kayden abandons whatever "project" she was working on and will ask for a cookie or to be picked up and carried around.... WHAT GIVES!?!?!?
They do play well together... at times, they can each be a little rough, but both take correction well... in general, they play really well as a couple and independently. They chase each other around and Kayden will throw the ball for Bailey to chase. They wrestle and lick and roll around on the floor together... it's wonderful to watch!
And when they are occupied with each other or by themselves, I am able to get a few things done, like laundry folded/put away, bathroom cleaned, fire started or stoked, etc.
So why, all of a sudden, does Bailey ALWAYS want her cold, wet nose on my arm (or in my lap) while I'm nursing and why is Kayden so opposed to it? And why does Kayden seem to interrupt whenever I try to play with Bailey & give her the attention SHE needs?
Maybe it's the cabin fever... Spring, where are you!?!?!?
Someone posted the other day that in our area, the average temp in 3 weeks will be 50+ degrees... in 3 short weeks, spring will be upon us!
For now, though, we are on our 3rd day of single digit temps in a row....
Friday, January 28, 2011
The Job Part 2
So since around Thanksgiving 2010, I have been working for an ENT office...
It's busy and the hearing aid part of it is a bit challenging since I've been out of the business for several years, but I'm enjoying it...
I see patients of all ages and the days go by pretty fast. The only thing I don't like is the days when I am not in clinic with the doctors, I am pretty bored... my hearing aid clientele has not built up enough yet to keep me busy on those days... and with all the snow lately, we've had some pretty slow clinic days....
But winter will be over soon and folks will have Christmas paid off and will be more likely to purchase aids again.... and I have a feeling all the 6-month aid checks are going to roll in once the weather gets a bit warmer...
I'm looking forward to warmer days.... I miss the sunshine....
It's busy and the hearing aid part of it is a bit challenging since I've been out of the business for several years, but I'm enjoying it...
I see patients of all ages and the days go by pretty fast. The only thing I don't like is the days when I am not in clinic with the doctors, I am pretty bored... my hearing aid clientele has not built up enough yet to keep me busy on those days... and with all the snow lately, we've had some pretty slow clinic days....
But winter will be over soon and folks will have Christmas paid off and will be more likely to purchase aids again.... and I have a feeling all the 6-month aid checks are going to roll in once the weather gets a bit warmer...
I'm looking forward to warmer days.... I miss the sunshine....
Thursday, January 27, 2011
The Job
In November 2010, I was offered a job that was drastically different than the one I had been doing at the hospital.... But before I get into that, here's a little back story:
You see, when I first was hired to run the newborn hearing screen program for the health system in the late summer of 2005, it was my dream job. I had a big, quiet office, I could come and go as I pleased, and the only person I really reported to was the state health office. I had every intention of staying in the position until I retired.
Then the department underwent some shuffling in the summer of 2007 and we were absorbed by another department in another building. I lost my big, private office and was forced to share much smaller spaces at 2 different locations. I had a more involved supervisor (which wasn't a bad thing, just different) and I was moving around a lot more than I would have liked. Still, I liked the job and the people I worked with so I never had any intention of ever leaving...
When the hospital contracted out the entire hearing screen program in the spring of 2008 and I essentially lost my job... however, the company they contracted to hired me to continue doing pretty much the same thing I had been doing... but when they hired me, they literally said, "you are no longer an audiologist... you are a hearing screen coordinator.... you need a high school diploma for your job... you may not do anything outside that scope of practice..."
My internal responses:
1) I will always be an audiologist... you can't tell me that unless you want to pay off my $100k in student loans and even then you can't take away my education...
2) I will remain licenced and will keep up my certification so I can do whatever the hell I want in the audiology scope of practice...
3) Crap, I need this job and can't afford to tell them like it is...
4) At least my supervisors are many states away and I don't have to put up with them breathing down my neck and trying to tell me how to do a job I had already been doing well for 3 years...
My external response:
Yes, I understand, thank you.... (and so began the corporate grind)
Then, after 2 1/2 years of their BS, I was offered a position with an ear, nose, & throat practice (ENT). No more babies, but no more corporate politics, no more early morning and weekend texts or phone calls, and no more administrative headaches... I could go to work, do my job, then go home without worrying about weekend troubleshooting, CPR/TB expirations, and holiday coverage... I'll take it!
More to come, so stay tuned.... ;-)
You see, when I first was hired to run the newborn hearing screen program for the health system in the late summer of 2005, it was my dream job. I had a big, quiet office, I could come and go as I pleased, and the only person I really reported to was the state health office. I had every intention of staying in the position until I retired.
Then the department underwent some shuffling in the summer of 2007 and we were absorbed by another department in another building. I lost my big, private office and was forced to share much smaller spaces at 2 different locations. I had a more involved supervisor (which wasn't a bad thing, just different) and I was moving around a lot more than I would have liked. Still, I liked the job and the people I worked with so I never had any intention of ever leaving...
When the hospital contracted out the entire hearing screen program in the spring of 2008 and I essentially lost my job... however, the company they contracted to hired me to continue doing pretty much the same thing I had been doing... but when they hired me, they literally said, "you are no longer an audiologist... you are a hearing screen coordinator.... you need a high school diploma for your job... you may not do anything outside that scope of practice..."
My internal responses:
1) I will always be an audiologist... you can't tell me that unless you want to pay off my $100k in student loans and even then you can't take away my education...
2) I will remain licenced and will keep up my certification so I can do whatever the hell I want in the audiology scope of practice...
3) Crap, I need this job and can't afford to tell them like it is...
4) At least my supervisors are many states away and I don't have to put up with them breathing down my neck and trying to tell me how to do a job I had already been doing well for 3 years...
My external response:
Yes, I understand, thank you.... (and so began the corporate grind)
Then, after 2 1/2 years of their BS, I was offered a position with an ear, nose, & throat practice (ENT). No more babies, but no more corporate politics, no more early morning and weekend texts or phone calls, and no more administrative headaches... I could go to work, do my job, then go home without worrying about weekend troubleshooting, CPR/TB expirations, and holiday coverage... I'll take it!
More to come, so stay tuned.... ;-)
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
I'm Baaaaack!
In the last several months, my world has been a crazy busy typical life of a working mama....
Then there has been some recent upheaval....
But before I get into that, here is a recent pic of my little sunshine:
Kayden Kaetana is 16 months old, 27 inches tall, and 25 lbs....
Then there has been some recent upheaval....
But before I get into that, here is a recent pic of my little sunshine:
Kayden Kaetana is 16 months old, 27 inches tall, and 25 lbs....
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Where I Rant...
I hate when people make assumptions about a group of people or a way of life because they "heard" that's what they do or what they believe.... and they just believe it... they don't even bother to educate themselves and find out the truth and/or form their own opinions.
For example, I heard that La Leche League (LLL) was a bunch of "breastfeeding Nazi's" from a girlfriend who attended a meeting, was turned off by it, but still nursed her daughter for almost 12 months... She is a fairly good friend and while I value her opinion, I still chose to attend a meeting when Kayden was born and form my own opinion... And now I am not only a member, but I am a Leader Applicant working on becoming a LLL Leader.
It's sad that there are people out there who choose to think of LLL (or any other group) that way because someone told them their opinion... and then they don't even take the chance to check it out and form their own opinion...
So if someone says something like that, I ask them if they have ever been to a meeting or if they have ever participated in an activity with that group... if they haven't, I ask them "Then how do you know?" and tell them "Don't knock it til you try it" (not necessarily those word but that's the gist...)
There are so many things about me that changed once Kayden arrived... I was "never" going to co-sleep, I would "let her cry it out and learn to effectively self-sooth" and I would not "spoil her" by carrying her around all the time...
Now I am proud to say that I am a co-sleeping, baby-wearing, rocking-to-sleep FOOL!!!! :-)
It's a parent's job to educate themselves about all the options and make an informed decision about what's right for their family and individual child... it's sad that not all parents actually do their job....
For example, I heard that La Leche League (LLL) was a bunch of "breastfeeding Nazi's" from a girlfriend who attended a meeting, was turned off by it, but still nursed her daughter for almost 12 months... She is a fairly good friend and while I value her opinion, I still chose to attend a meeting when Kayden was born and form my own opinion... And now I am not only a member, but I am a Leader Applicant working on becoming a LLL Leader.
It's sad that there are people out there who choose to think of LLL (or any other group) that way because someone told them their opinion... and then they don't even take the chance to check it out and form their own opinion...
So if someone says something like that, I ask them if they have ever been to a meeting or if they have ever participated in an activity with that group... if they haven't, I ask them "Then how do you know?" and tell them "Don't knock it til you try it" (not necessarily those word but that's the gist...)
There are so many things about me that changed once Kayden arrived... I was "never" going to co-sleep, I would "let her cry it out and learn to effectively self-sooth" and I would not "spoil her" by carrying her around all the time...
Now I am proud to say that I am a co-sleeping, baby-wearing, rocking-to-sleep FOOL!!!! :-)
It's a parent's job to educate themselves about all the options and make an informed decision about what's right for their family and individual child... it's sad that not all parents actually do their job....
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Updates...
So it's only been 2 months... life and work are unbelievably busy... but as Kayden grows, I'll be able to do more on here, I promise...
As for now, Kayden is 10 1/2 months old. She weighs about 23 lbs and is crawling all over the place... she started "cruising" on the furniture this week and, out of the blue, last weekend, started waving bye-bye...
She verbally says "da-da" & "ma-ma" and signs "milk" but seems to use the sign for all food and drink... she sometimes claps for "more".
She's growing so fast... plans are in the works for her 1st birthday party....
Bailey is doing well... despite lots of attention, she always seems to be under foot or in our faces... she steals food out of Kayden's hand when she's in the highchair but Kayden seems to think it's the funniest thing ever when she does... They are good friends and Bailey is very tolerant of the little pats and tugs Kayden dishes out...
We are one big happy, yet busy, family!
Looking forward to cooler weather so we can all visit the dog park again...
As for now, Kayden is 10 1/2 months old. She weighs about 23 lbs and is crawling all over the place... she started "cruising" on the furniture this week and, out of the blue, last weekend, started waving bye-bye...
She verbally says "da-da" & "ma-ma" and signs "milk" but seems to use the sign for all food and drink... she sometimes claps for "more".
She's growing so fast... plans are in the works for her 1st birthday party....
Bailey is doing well... despite lots of attention, she always seems to be under foot or in our faces... she steals food out of Kayden's hand when she's in the highchair but Kayden seems to think it's the funniest thing ever when she does... They are good friends and Bailey is very tolerant of the little pats and tugs Kayden dishes out...
We are one big happy, yet busy, family!
Looking forward to cooler weather so we can all visit the dog park again...
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