Here are my thoughts on Mama M’s 5 Question Friday. Check out her blog hop for more fun!
1. What is the most physically painful thing that has ever happened to you?
I, like Mama M, choose to birth all natural, so that hurts, like wow. But it is an empowering pain. Really. So, I would say that is my most painful thing, but it is too rewarding to be considered truly painful. So, I’ll chose pancreatitis as my really painful thing. As some of you may know, last year I had an outpatient procedure that went all wrong. Some of the dye got in to my pancreas and caused pancreatitis. 9 days I was in the hospital. It was horrible. Morphine and some more powerful drug took the edge off it, but it was bad. And it made eating or drinking food painful for a long time!
2. How much sleep do you get at night?
Well little Miss Patrice is 3 months old. My sleep comes in chunks, but I think if I add it together I get about 6 hours, but that is while I am still off work. Once I go back, that number will likely be lower…uggghhh.
3. How long did you believe in Santa Claus? How did you find out that he does not exist?
I don’t remember. Santa Claus used to come to my great grandma’s house on Christmas morning while all the family was there. We all talked to him and sat on his lap. Little did I know it was MY dad dressed up in there!!! He would drop my mom and I off and then say he had to go back home to put wood in the furnace (at that time my whole family heated our homes with wood, so it was not unreasonable someone was often running home to put wood in a stove), change into his suit, get white make up in his beard and mustache and head back to delight us kids. My mom did not tell me for several years it was my dad, and my dad was mad when she did. How cool is that though?
Even after Santa Claus was out of the picture, my mom waited until I went to bed to put out my gifts. One year I decided I wanted to be Santa. So I set my alarm, that was incredibly loud, to go off at 1 in the morning. I did not hear it. It rang and rang. Finally my mom came and woke me up so I could go put the gifts I had for my mom and dad under the tree!
Another year, money was really, really tight. There wasn’t going to be much for Christmas. My mom was great at finding lots of little things so my sisters and I had gifts to open. We got toothpaste and toothbrushes, undies, one year pencils with our names on them and lots of yard sale treasures. And normally a doll or something. But this year was going to be smaller than any before. But someone decided to be “Santa” that year. My Little Ponies were popular and someone gave me a My Little Pony barn and ponies. It was so cool. No one has ever fessed up, so that year, I KNOW “Santa” came to my house.
4. What was the last movie you saw in a theater?
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. It is my absolute favorite children’s book. They did a good job with the movie!
5. What do you wear to bed?
Nursing pjs, of course!
Thanks, Mama M for bringing up some great family memories with your questions!
The above question about Santa started a conversation between a friend and I facebook. We both have young children. I asked how her family handles Santa Claus and focussing on Jesus at Christmas. I really appreciate her input as we navigate this same issue with out kids. I wish my kids could be oblivious to Santa, but we live in this world and even this morning they asked to watch a cartoon that includes Santa. We tell them Santa is a fun part of Christmas but what we celebrate is Jesus. Toward this end, I found a great book, Santa are you for Real? that gives a very simple, fun explanation of the history of Santa while talking about the importance of Jesus. You can use the following link to find it and other great resources.
Santa, Are You For Real? Board Book
By Harold Myra / Thomas Nelson In this book children will discover that there really was a Saint Nicholas. Through colorful illustrations and a heartwarming story, children and parents will learn who the real Saint Nick was, when he lived, and why he gave gifts. Most importantly, you’ll see how the original Saint Nick set an example for us today by keeping Christ at the heart of Christmas. Written by Harold Myra, President of Christianity Today, Inc., this trustworthy story is accompanied with fun, whimsical illustrations. For ages 2-5 |
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