Five on Friday! {LINK UP!}

Linking up with Christina at Carolina Charm for her Five on Friday for the first time!

ONE:

Catching Fire is finally out on DVD!  Already picked up my copy from Redbox and can't wait to watch it!!!  Normally I would wait until I had a free rental code - but this just couldn't wait.  Any other Hunger Games fanatics out there?!  

TWO:

Why is it that doctor's offices are among the most healing of places coupled with the most frustrating depending on the day/person/moment/mood/ego...?  ARGH.  For those who didn't read about my issue via Facebook - here is a quick summation of what is going on: 

me: "Could you explain why my medical records have not been faxed from your office yet considering I faxed my release form first thing Monday morning?"
"We only fax medical records on Fridays."
me: "Well, it's still Friday!"
"Your doctors nurse isn't in today so she will get to it Monday and they will fax it next Friday. Okay?"
me: "But, it's still Friday. Are my files in the office right now?"
"...yes..."
me: "Are my doctor and her nurse the only two people with access to my files?"
"Umm......... yes."
me: "Really? Because I've been in on other days and seen another doctor and they were able to access my files every time."
"I'm just not sure... but the nurse will be able to explain it all to you Monday."
me: "That's just not good enough for me.  While I was a patient I always got top notch care and excellent service - and now that I am no longer a patient the ball is being dropped for me. Do you see why this is frustrating? Waiting until next week is not acceptable."
"Can you hold just one moment?"
me: "Absolutely."
new person gets on the phone - "Hi! I'm going to get going on these files and fax them over this afternoon... they actually might have already faxed them..."
me: "They haven't. I literally just got off the phone with my new OB office who has faxed my release form twice this week and it's gone through both times with no response. They asked me to contact you to see what the hold-up is."
"Okay..."

This is how our conversation went today when I called around 1pm this afternoon.  I spoke to my former OBGYN's office both Monday and Tuesday in addition to today.  The only difference between the beginning of the week and today?  I refused to be pushed aside.  After the strenuous 10 minute phone call this afternoon, it took approximately 40 minutes for them to pull my files, walk upstairs, fax them, and leave me a voicemail stating it had been done.  As I said before - moral of the story?  Do not EVER give up or settle... especially if it doesn't feel right and ESPECIALLY if it has to do with yourself!!!  The best advice I've ever gotten from Oprah was DON'T BE AFRAID TO BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE!  It never took blowing up, raising my voice, cursing, or losing my temper, either.  It took calm and rational thoughts and speaking.  It took asking questions.  It took courage, patience, and manners.  It also took being firm and not accepting the unacceptable.  This lesson doesn't just go towards healthcare... it's a lesson that applies to so many facets of our daily lives.  Especially as a woman.

THREE:

I'm catching up on Grey's Anatomy... again/finally!  I am SO HAPPY they have seemingly pushed through the awkward start to this season.  I almost gave up on the show after being a fan since day one because it was just THAT bad this year!!!  I'm loving where they have taken so many of the relationships and just cannot imagine the show without Cristina Yang.  I remember feeling this way when Burke left.  When Denny died.  When George died.  When Izzie left.  When Henry died.  When Little Grey died.  When McSteamy died.... ETC!  So I just hope they write her off better than they did Izzie - that was just pathetic and her character certainly deserves more.  Man.  Has it been a crazy ten seasons or what?!  But really, it's gonna be so weird without her on the show.  Oh, and the news of Isaiah Washington coming back for her big send off?  Hmmmm.... what do you think about that?

FOUR:

McAlister's Deli is my favorite place right now.  It's kinda always been, but now it's for much different reasons than before.  I don't know if it's the same where you live, but on Tuesday evenings & all day Saturday kids eat free!  Plus, on all the other days, their kids meals are only $2.49!  That is awesome!  And they serve some really great options - Presley's two favorites are their turkey + cheese or grilled cheese sandwiches.  And for adults they have punch cards for meals (10th one is free) and even tea punch cards (5th one is free).  Just saying.  If you have to go out to eat every once in a while you might as well go somewhere with perks!

FIVE:

This weather is crazy.  What kind of crazy is it where you live?  Right now in Memphis it is 60 degrees after being in the 20-30's all week with a weekend outlook reaching into the 70s!  The rollercoaster part is what gets me.  Also, what's your favorite weather app??  I love Haze for iPhone.  (I believe it normally costs money to download it, though.  I got a free download through Starbucks a while back.)  But Haze is limited on the information it offers so of course I'd always be open to a new weather app!


And that's all folks!  What's your Five for Friday look like?  Link up through Christina's blog!

The Parent I Want to Be.

Have you ever felt so empowered by the positivity passed on from someone else that you could cry?  Okay, maybe this is coming from a place filled with pregnancy hormones... but really, have you ever felt like that, pregnancy or no pregnancy?  You guessed it, I totally feel like that right now.  Every week I go to prenatal and parenting classes at a local place called "Pregnancy Resources."  They offer pregnant women a chance to learn more about what they embarking on as well as giving free diapers for the classes you attend with chances to earn things like a free crib, car seat, as well as free maternity and baby clothes.  At the class today we discussed ways to be an affirming, attentive, and connected parent as mapped out in the Parrott's book "The Parent You Want to Be" and it filled me full of great ideas.  And for the first time in a LONG time, I am starting to feel at peace with becoming a parent;  knowledge really is power.  I'm starting to feel like I am one of those people who really was made for this, not just something I am accidentally stumbling into because I am biologically able to have children.  Instead, I am feeling capable of loving a little person and making them feel like they belong to someone in this world.  Ahh, I love it.

So, more about feeling empowered....

Tonight in class the instructor asked everyone some of their fears in parenting, specifically, what are you afraid will influence your child in a negative way?  People said things like the media, peers, etc. and for one reason or another illness popped into my head.  Like many first time parents, I am terrified at the possibilities of mental and physical ailments burdening my baby, especially illnesses that run in the family (mood disorders, diabetes, etc).  Not to mention, I am also afraid of the possibility of other mental and physical illnesses that would deeply change our lives.  I'm thankful our instructor addressed each and every fear addressed because her observation is the reason I feel so at peace tonight.  She suggested that instead of asking God for a perfect, healthy child, we should instead be asking for the capability to love our child, no matter what may come.  And in that instant, the part of my brain filled with those worries released them and turned into a place of understanding and love.  In addition, my prayers are going to change drastically as well.  Like I said, this has already brought me so much peace.  I realized that asking God for what I want to be done is really doing me injustice... I've been asking God for a healthy child to love -- as if I couldn't or wouldn't be able to love one who isn't.  (Of course, that is not what I feel inside or what I was asking for, but essentially that is where my fears obviously lie.) 

And afterall, isn't that what we promise to do for our spouses when we say our vows when we dedicate that we will love them no matter what may come...

"I take you for my lawful wife/husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death do us part."  

Why should that be any shock or any different for someone else we are bringing into this world?  It shouldn't be and really, it isn't shocking -- it just surprises me that I was looking at these things from a different angle than what I am seeing now.  It is a great feeling.

Anyways, if you think you'd be even the least bit interested, you should give that book I linked above a look or two.  It is full of practical ways to be an affirming, attentive, connected, patient, authentic, insightful parent everyday and is written by a pair of married doctors with two little boys of their own.  It doesn't just follow their philosophies, but the philosophies of many parents they talked to and surveyed.  I will definitely be ordering myself a copy after tonight's wonderful class!



Peacefully,

God, I ask you to give us the ability to be loving parents to whomever we are greeted with in February.  This child has already been such a blessing to each of us personally, to our marriage and our extended families as well.  I ask that You continue to soothe my worries with the peace You've given me today;  there is a definite amount of peace in switching from my will filled with selfish ways to Your will that is full of selflessness and humility.  I pray I never forget that I am called to be Your servant in every way.   
Thank you for today.

"But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul."

                               Deuteronomy 4:29