Bug and Sister

As soon as I mentioned that I was the last single parent that I knew, of course another single parent would come into my life. It's like mentioning that it hasn't rained recently, only to have it start instantly storming.

I mentioned MG in my last post, but didn't elaborate on him, mostly because it was so new and I wasn't sure if we were actually dating or not. Over the weekend, he made one of his first trips out of the house as a completely single parent and I had the luxury of meeting his two girls, bug and sister. Bug and sister, MG's nicknames for his girls, are 4 and 2. Zac was at his Nana and Papa's house when the three of us went out shopping on Sunday, which was good for a first meeting. He met the girls the next day when I went over to MG's house for the first time.

I realized that it's almost impossible for me to be around children and not want to parent them. It's become part of who I am, being a Mom, and I can't change it. I can't even control it. If I'm walking across the street with anyone under the age of 7, I have to actively stop myself from putting out my hand out to hold their hand. It's even worse with younger kids. With infants and toddlers, my body instinctively responds to their needs. I'm lucky if I can get away from the encounter without lactating, let alone wiping their mouths or checking to see if they need a clean diaper.

Imagine how hard it was for me then, to be around MG's youngest, who started calling me Mama. My body would respond to her even before my mind comprehended that I wasn't actually that child's Mama. The tone she used triggered some automatic response in me. I wanted to tend to her needs, even if it was to just look at her from the front seat of the car or offer her another piece of cookie.

Zac was over the moon when he got to meet them, in particular bug, MG's oldest. The two of them played like they were long-lost friends. It was heart-warming to see. This is the first time that Zac has ever met the kids of anyone I've been dating. I'm in unknown territory with this one. I probably should feel slightly alarmed, but I don't. Something feels right. It's a little scary, of course, but I have a good feeling. It's really nice to be around another single parent, especially one with kids as cute as MG's. It's also a nice bonus that I don't actually have to change any diapers.

Weddings

Pretty much everyone that knows me knows that I have a love/hate relationship with weddings. To me, there is nothing more beautiful than watching two people confess their undying love for each other in front of a crowd of friends and family. Even if the marriage only lasts eighteen months, the wedding itself, that singular moment right before two people lean in to seal their vows to each other with a kiss, is awe-inspiring.

I hate weddings because watching two people have that moment while sitting in a pew or garden chair alone can be heart wrenching. I'm always the single person at the wedding, either sitting by myself or trying to wrangle Zac into the seat next to me.

At my sister's wedding, I cried like an idiot for the entire time. A steady film stream of clips from our childhood flashed through my mind. I couldn't grasp that the woman she was standing up there was the same girl that used to steal all the bubbles from our bubble baths. I didn't learn until I was about six or so that the person sitting closest to the faucet gets a higher density of bubbles. The day I learned that was the day that I learned anything was possible. On the day that my sister got married, I was 19 years-old and in college. So much had changed between the two of us, yet I was crying over what used to be, even though our relationship now, as adults, is more complex and fulfilling than I could have seen at the time.

For as much as people talk about weddings as a new beginning, they are also a form of closure. While they open up a new life for the people involved, they almost necessarily close a chapter of a person's single life. As much as the two people try and deny it, you think twice before calling a married friend at 2am because you just got your heart broken, again. "They don't really understand anymore," you rationalize and brace for the words that you know are coming, "It will be ok," they mumble in sleep-induced haze, "You'll find someone else" they tell you.

And you know all these feelings and emotions are going through your head while you are sitting in the ceremony, crying for what was and what will be. I cry because I have no significant other, not even one that I can invite to Tulane's "Significant Other" weekend. I'm not sure it would be socially acceptable to show up with my cat. MG offered to go with me, but he said it with such hesitance in his voice that I could tell that he didn't really want to go. I told him that he didn't have to and dropped the subject.

I'm in that phase of life where everyone I seem to know is getting married. In a little over a month I'm going to AEP's wedding. She and I have known each other over ten years. Prior to her visit to Houston for a conference in October, it had been four years since we had seen each other. She hadn't met my son yet. It seems like lately I see my friends primarily at weddings, either their own or the weddings of mutual friends and now AEP is getting married.

So I'm going to this wedding as the last completely single parent that I know personally. When I moved to Texas, I met three other completely single Moms and one single Dad with young children. Over the span of three years, all of them have gotten married or engaged. I just went to Tracy's wedding reception a month or so ago. Our sons are three weeks apart in age and celebrated their second birthday together. She was so radiant at the reception and I was so happy for her that it worked out, but that didn't make being one of the only single Moms there any easier.

No matter what emotions wedding evoke in me, it is almost a guarantee that I'll be the one quietly crying in the corner while the two participants exchange vows. I even cried at a stranger's wedding in Seattle and will frequently bawl at the end of wedding shows on the Discovery Channel. I just want to lean over to someone during the ceremony and have them tell me, with such warmth and confidence, that it's all going to turn out just fine and exactly as it was supposed to, regardless of the state of matrimony I'm in.

The Writing Spot

I should have added my other blog to my blogroll when I updated the links, but I forgot.

Nevertheless, there is a new post over at The Writing Spot. If you'd like to read it, just shoot me an e-mail at onbeingandliving@yahoo.com.

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms out there!

Pestilence

I've been spending so much time on my ass that it's breaking out in a rash. I'm sure that is exactly the kind of information that you were dying to know, but it's true. I spent 12 hours this weekend sitting in front of a computer at a review course at Tulane and then another 1 1/2 sitting and listening to a lecture last night about the strengths and challenges facing Houston in the 21st century. I think I might have enjoyed the lecture a little bit more if I could have stood up and walked around half-way through. As it is at work, I have to remember to stand up from my computer every two hours or so.

Right now, I'd trade butt rash for the ability to be fully awake. I mean, really, really awake and on top of my game. Everything feels foggy in my brain right now and I hate it. I'm not even sure what to do to clear out the cobwebs, when it feels like I could fall asleep at any moment. This is the kind of fatigue that makes it hard for me to work and even harder to take care of everything that I need to do at home.

Speaking of home, though, Zac has been sick (and no, it's not the swine flu). He started throwing up at preschool on Wednesday and I was required to get a doctor's note that he didn't have anything contagious and could return to school. He was out on Thursday and Friday with a stomach bug. On Sunday, he was complaining that his ear hurt, but the day before he also told me that his hair hurt, so I'm never completely sure what to believe. Sunday night reminded me so much of the time when I was breast feeding that it was a little scary. Zac woke up at 10pm saying that he couldn't fall back asleep (at least that's what I think he said. I know he said something about sleep. I'm going to hypothesize here). He crawled into my bed and I rubbed his back until about 10:40pm. He woke up crying every hour between then and 3pm. He couldn't tell me why he was crying or what he wanted, so I just held him close (I think. I was 90% asleep. I know I did something). I finally broke down and gave him some infant tylenol at 3:30am, which allowed him to sleep for another three hours.

It's Tuesday and I'm not fully recovered. Add to this my insurance recently denying a medication that had been helping me and I'm only left with creative ideas how to get out of this fatigue. Zac is on antibiotics for his ear infection. The poor guy has been really been hit hard the past week.

At least I'm not sick, even if I do have an impressive rash.

Good

I'm one of those people that hesitate before I answer, "How are you doing?" I feel like if I answer anything above "fine" that I'm tempting Fate to give me a raging case of strep throat and two flat tires on my car. Lately, though, things have been changing. I've been learning how to let go of that fear and live in the world of Good.

In the world of Good, I can wake up on-time and get into work by 8:30am most days. This mythical land allows me to consider giving up large quantities of caffeine and high fructose corn syrup, even if I haven't actually been successful giving up Diet Coke yet. In Good, I am content and I can listen to the radio without grimacing. I can give Zac more hugs than reprimands and enjoy the time that he and I spend cuddling on the couch watching "Dora the Explorer".

Next step will be working on being Great. After that, the sky's the limit.

Children's Festival Time

While I was working a shift at my second job, Zac and his Nana and Poppa went to the Children's Festival again this year.

You can almost see what he's going to look like as an adult in the photos. He looks so big riding the rides all by himself.

He had some help on the last one, but my Dad is crouching down in the photo. Zac got some help later on in the day from Poppa when he got too tired to walk.

1 Down

That was a lot of freaking out about potentially not getting into any grad schools. At least it was for a short amount of time. I interviewed with a grad school on Monday, after I had completed my application. I was accepted into the program today. I'm waiting to get the official offer and acceptance letter.

At least I can stop hyperventilating now and maybe finally put away the GMAT books. I am waiting to hear from one other school before I make any final decisions.

P.S. - There is a new post up over at the Writing Spot. I'm considering thinking about switching over there to write. Let me know if you have any thoughts about that.

P.P.S. - You can send me an e-mail an onbeingandliving@yahoo.com if you would like permission to read posts over at my other blog or you can leave your e-mail in the comments.