4.13.2011

A Few Things

Yeah, I just can't get my brain together enough to write a post on one topic. It's just not possible right now.  I think deployment brain is to blame...yet again. I even have proof. Well, sort of. You remember way back when when I said that I have an uncanny ability to remember dates? Deployment brain really screwed with me last week. I forgot two birthdays. Not one, but two! Granted, I did send the birthday cards in advance, but I never called/texted them! That is so not like me. Even better, I didn't realize until about two days later. Thanks, deployment brain.


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This morning I realized something. Everyone will find something to complain about. Even the people who have what I like to call "the dream life." You know, the ones unlike milies have. They have their husbands home, their own home (one that they can decorate!) a good career, friends and family close by, but yet they find something wrong with their life. Personally, I have a hard time understanding it. How can they complain when they "have it all?"

Then I thought that the same could be said of me. I definitely don't have "the dream life" but it's not like I don't complain about living in Hawaii. I should be thankful for that. And the fact that I do have a sweet husband...even if he's not here. I can be thankful that God's been keeping him safe, even if he isn't with me. 

Jealousy is a rough one for me, though. And I feel like the longer this deployment goes on, the more jealous I am of...pretty much everyone whose husband is home. One of my friends texted me a couple weeks ago, complaining about her job stuff. After a few texts, she asked if I wanted to switch places with her for a week. My response? "Gladly! Wanna live by yourself while your hubby is deployed?" Hers: "Ummm no." Yeah, that's what I thought. {Side note: she'd be one of the people I claim have "the dream life." I still *heart* her, but it's hard for me.}

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Last Friday, I updated my FB status about the whole government shutdown thing and how the Democrats were holding military paychecks so they could get Planned Parenthood funding. Among the comments, I wrote that PP only does abortions. Out of nowhere, a guy I used to go to church with attacked me. (Not gonna lie, I was shocked.) He corrected me by letting me know that PP does counseling for pregnant teens, people with STDs and other things. I really wanted to ask him why they only picketed about abortion instead of the things he listed, but didn't. 

Well.... Yesterday I got a little curious. So I hopped over to their website. What I found was nothing other than appalling. I shouldn't have been surprised, though. The first thing I spotted that cut me was this:

(From PP's site)

Do you see how it lists the options? Abortion is #1. As if saying that's the best option. This is found under the "info for Teens" link on their site. I think that's not quite as subtle as they want it to be. 

The biggest thing that I found to be a problem was their info for parents talking to children about sex. Basically, they want you to start talking to your child about sexual relationships and orientation at age FIVE. FIVE. What freakin' 5 year old needs to know that?! I'm pretty sure that when I was 5 I was more concerned with my baby dolls, ponies and my little brother breaking my toys. Here's what they list on their site about what you should talk with your 5-7 year old about.

  • that all living things reproduce
  • how plants and animals grow and reproduce, what they need, and how we care for them
  • that all people, including our parents and grandparents, are sexual
  • that we all live through a life cycle that has a beginning and an end and includes sexuality at all ages
  • that people experience sexual pleasure in a number of different ways
  • that everyone has sexual thoughts and fantasies and that having them is normal
  • that families are structured in different ways
  • the roles and responsibilities of different members of their families
  • how to live outside of stereotyped gender roles — for example, that women can be good leaders and men can be good at taking care of children
  • that sexual identity includes sexual orientation
  • that we must all take an active role in protecting our health
  • that health care providers support our health and well-being
  • the basic facts about HIV/AIDS
  • that a friend is someone we enjoy being with, someone who shares, listens, encourages, and helps us think through our problems
  • how to develop, maintain, and end friendships
  • how to recognize and protect themselves from potential sexual abuse and its dangers — for example, sexual predators may seem kind, giving, and loving. They may be friends or family members.


Frankly, I find it disturbing. Is it any wonder that children are being "sexualized" and reaching puberty at such early ages these days? We don't let them be children! We don't let them dream, play, imagine. We worry about their test scores, putting them into every activity known to man, making sure little girls look pretty, little boys act the way they should. Why do children need to know these things so early? Shoot, 100 years ago most women didn't know how "things worked" until their wedding night! Sometimes I think we're a little too educated for our own good. 

And just so I can make a point here, PP only dedicates four paragraphs on their website about breast cancer screening, self breast exams, mammograms, and cervical cancer. Their are many pages on their site dedicated to abortion and educating children on sex. And as JG has posted before, Planned Parenthood is not what it seems to be from the outside looking it. Not only do they knowingly help sex traffickers, but they also have spent millions of dollars helping electing your "family friendly" Democrats. (Yes, I really did read that but for the life of me I can't find the site right now!!!)

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I have been a really bad girl lately. On the dieting/weight loss side, that is. Remember when I got sick a few weeks ago? Well, the whole asthma situation keeps me from being able to work out. Not being able to breath = no workouts. And we all know what happens when we're sick. Junk Food City. I know that I always use the "Well, I'm sick so I deserve it" excuse. Don't you? Of course you do. So, about a week and a half of that, followed by continued use of inhaled steroids... I wasn't doing much good. I suppose that I was at least keeping the calories low. Lean Cuisines are pretty much staples in my house these days and when I'm sick I especially despise cooking. And soup isn't worth very many calories either. 

Still, though, I wasn't working out. I realized sometime within the last week that I haven't exactly reached my weight loss goal in this deployment. Sure I have a few months left, but that's not very much in the grand scheme of things. Plus you have to add in the one week trip home in May for my BIL's wedding. That's definitely going to include a few trips to Chick Fil A and maybe a trip or two to Olive Garden...and who knows what else. The things you miss.... What does that mean for me?

I gotta get my butt in gear!!! This morning I did 20 minutes of my Zumba game (which is an entire beginner's class) and oh. my. word. I'm sure you want to know this, but I was extremely sweaty and completely exhausted. Score one for Zumba! I really need to get back to Pilates too. But I feel like I burn more calories by doing Zumba...which is probably very true. Anyway, I really need to do both: core strengthening and cardio are very important. Now...to actually put it in action...

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In other news, I'm loving the new additions to my wardrobe. =) As if I wouldn't, right?! 


I love blue. And I'm really loving the rosettes. Yeah, I could probably do them and add them to my own shirts, but who really wants to dedicate that kind of time and effort? Not me. Maybe one day. ;-)

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Last, but not least, I got to Skype with this handsome soldier yesterday!!!


Not an especially great picture of either of us, but oh well! =P It had been around 2ish weeks since the last time we got to Skype. It was really nice...but it didn't last too long. His connection got all wonky and we had to just stop trying to reconnect after a few minutes. But I'm glad I got to see him and hear his voice. It had been far too long!!! I was hoping we'd get to Skype again later that week but someone cut the lines to his router!!! I really, really hate people sometimes. Who would do that?! Grrr. So now, there's no telling how long it will take to get fixed. Which means I have no idea when we'll get to chat, let alone Skype. Sad face. 

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I hope y'all are having a good week so far!

4 comments:

  1. What you say about PP is true, but also give healthcare to women. I personally used them from 2005 until I got married in 2010 because I was a college graduate, yet, had no health insurance. Because I have had abnormal paps in the past it's reccommended I get them every 6 months, but at the very least on the dot at 1 year. Even using PP I could only afford 1 a year, but it was better than not being able to afford one at all.

    They do abortions yes, but they also help women who can't afford healthcare take care of themselves. I just wanted to point that out. I am a Christian woman and a military wife, but they helped me get through thsoe 5 years of no healthcare.

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  2. Oohhhhhhhh....so much I could say. :) But mostly, I just don't get the whole new "introduce sex to kids as early as possible." Some people say it protects them from abuse, but I'm not sure that's true. Teaching kids boundaries helps protect them from abuse. There's a line in that book I sent you ;) where he talks about wishing his parents had worked harder to keep him "sheltered". Once you lose your innocence, in any way, you can never get it back.

    It's so weird that Joe's lines keep getting cut. I hope they figure out who's doing that.

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  3. What I found most disconcerting about the whole PP debate is the fact that Thanks to the Hyde Amendment (1976) NO Federal Funds are used to fund abortions. Sadly, I've know people (yes more than one) who've made that choice for themselves and I don't know anyone who's ever had one for free. Seems like the debate was all for nothing.

    What a sad waste of time.

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  4. Blue looks so good on you! I am a sucker for blue :)

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