Speaking of learning the hard way...

Last night I watched the movie of the Natalee Holloway case on Lifetime Movie Network. I found it very disturbing, not just because of the tragedy their family endured, but also because of kids traveling abroad without their parents. When Mommy and Daddy aren't there, you do feel a sense of freedom, you can get away with a lot more, the same rules you have at home don't apply here. I was reminded of when I took a student trip to Russia after my junior year. Beth Holloway now goes to different schools and talks to kids about how you need to have a plan to get home, and don't change your plans, always stay with your group and have a plan to get back home. Thank you "N" for making sure I got in the same cab as you when we were leaving that restaurant where I drank entirely too much vodka in a foreign country where I didn't know how to speak the language that well. I haven't done the 12 steps, but I know that if I did, when I got to step 8, I would definitely appologize to you because I put you in that position of responsibility when we were in Russia.

Learned the hard way

Many of life's lessons I have learned the hard way. The lesson I learned yesterday, was no exception. I have been warned, in fact by a fellow blogger I'm a Mom?!, to not take my kids to school in my pajamas. I still told her, that I would because it's not like I would have to get out of the car, and she still warned me that maybe I haven't *yet*. Well, yesterday was the exception.

I left the house with plenty of time to get dressed, but I thought better of it, I can just take Big Girl Princess to school, drop her off then take a shower and get dressed, go to Pilates class, and get on with my day. I just put a sweatshirt on over my pajamas, and wore some flip flops and was out the door. Well, on our way there, I was thinking that my car was making weird noises, but I just went on ahead, I'll fix it later, whatever it is. I got on the street that her school is on and my car starts shaking, and I'm sure something is terribly wrong. I was able to make it to the drive that goes into her school parking lot, turn my hazard lights on and pull over. I stepped out of the car, and walked around to the other side to see that the right front tire was flat, and we're talking FLAT! Well, now I'm shaking, trying to call the husband, to tell him, and find out how I get that road side assistance that comes with our car insurance, but he didn't answer his phone so I left him a voice mail. I then realized that I still needed to take Big Girl Princess to her school safely. She couldn't just walk across the parking lot by herself, so I walked with her, and with Baby Princess, who was also in her pajamas, to the sidewalk in front of the school building and sent her on her way. I walked with Baby Princess back to the car, where I got her back in her seat with the seat belt on, and proceeded to go ahead and change the tire, since husband still hadn't called back, and I was still unable to reach him by phone. Another mother drove up and asked if I wanted some help, kidding that we need to find a man to help us. I told her that I was just going to change it, and she was telling me that I didn't have to do that, but I asked her if she ever had to learn how in her drivers ed class, to which she said she did. I continued to get the jack under the car, to change the tire and there she is right next to me wanting to help. I felt like this was so nice of her, and then another mom showed up to help out. This is one thing I love about where I live and where my daughter goes to school, I have met some very, very nice people there. Another mom even stopped to see if I was okay, I actually know her, so I thanked her and sent her on, since we (me and these other two stranger moms) seemed to have it all covered. We were successful in changing the tire, all three of us, so I then got home and dressed and went off to get my tires looked at and had to replace both front tires, but they wouldn't be ready for another few hours. This gave me and Baby Princess some time to meet some friends for lunch.

I think this is why we have friends, to make us smile even when we have a day as tragic as this one was. Yankee Belle and I met up and let the kids play while we ate lunch and I was able to tell her about what happened, which as it turns out is a pretty funny story. I'm safe, my kids are safe, my car still runs, we're all good. I was talking to YB about my blog, and my latest post being about Evolution vs. Creationism, and we realized that I pissed off God, and he was showing me who was boss by flattening my tire! I'm just joking - I don't think God works like that.

a touchy subject...

I didn't want to go here, but I have been thinking a lot about it. I heard a story on NPR about it and husband told me today about a debate he has been having with some friends about it. Evolution vs. Creationism.

I believe in God, and I'm comfortable with my belief, it's something I've always had, and it makes me feel good. I do believe though that there is more fact in science. The way I see it may be a little too tidy but I like it. I believe that billions of years ago God created the world we live in, it looked much different that it does now, because of evolution. He made the world before dinosaurs and everything. I believe that human beings are the most intelligent life form now through evolution. Human beings are capable of having (maybe creating) a god, or a higher power and having/writing a Bible to get the story of creationism. I think that what the Bible holds are stories. If we really all came from just two people in a garden somewhere we would all be related, it is not possible with our DNA for us to be intelligent people capable of learning, communicating, believing in a higher power, and writing a book called "THE BIBLE" if we were all cross-bred. I like this belief. That's just what it is though, it's my belief, I can see where both would work.

I do not think that creationism should be taught next to science unless it was a parochial school. I went to a Catholic school, and learned both, but I think that in public school, students should be taught science. Not everyone believes in God, and that's okay. Our first amendment right, in our American Constitution gives us a freedom of religion. Not everyone is Christian, so I don't think we need to worry about teaching any kind of religious point of view to public school students.

thought it was funny, thought I'd pass on...

10 Reasons Why Gay Marriage is "Wrong"

1) Being gay is not natural. Real Americans always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, and air conditioning.

2) Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.

3) Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.

4) Straight marriage has been around a long time and hasn't changed at all; women are still property, blacks still can't marry whites, and divorce is still illegal.

5) Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Brittany Spears' 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed.

6) Straight marriages are valid because they produce children. Gay couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn't be allowed to marry because our orphanages aren't full yet, and the world needs more children.

7) Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.

8) Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That's why we have only one religion in America.

9) Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That's why we as a society expressly forbid single parents to raise children.

10) Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven't adapted to cars, the service-sector economy, or longer life spans

Wicked

****SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't seen "Wicked" and would like to, and you don't know the story, don't read anymore, unless you don't really want to be surprised, then please continue on.

The play opens with the Wicked Witch of the West being dead, and we are reminded of one of the last scenes in "The Wizard of Oz" where Dorothy has killed the witch with water. Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, is discussing how she was not actually friends with Elphaba (the wicked witch of the west), they just knew each other from when they went to witch school and they happened to be room mates way back when. We soon discover that they are actually friends, but only behind closed doors, because Ga-linda (with a "Ga") doesn't want people to know that she is actual friends with this freakish green being. Let me break in here, how many people have you known to be like that? "Good" for show? Ga-linda continues to sing and dance and be "good", and I am thinking that she is just like Elle Woods (you know, from Legally Blonde?) trying to show Elphaba how to be "popular".

They now have a project ahead of them, get to see the Wizard of Oz, to find something for a teacher they share. We then discover that Elphaba can read this spell book written in some secret language, therefore she was used by her teacher and the Wizard and she is able to make things right for her sister (who was in a wheelchair) making her able to walk again. Meanwhile, they (Wizard, Glinda and the teacher) all figure out a way to set up Elphaba and Glinda says, "she'll come back for her sister!" By this point of the play, I'm pretty irritated, this beautiful "Good Witch" is just plain bitchy and not good at all! Elphaba is the good one, made to be evil because she is green, I'm guessing, and since differences can't be good let's alienate her some more. They do claim to be friends throughout the play, but not ever in front of others, that part I thought to be kind of sad.

There were some love stories in there that I didn't quite grasp, but it's a good play. You should see it, even if I ruined it for you. :)