if it isn't one thing...

You gotta laugh sometime lest you cry. And I admit, it’s not all that bad... and even good. Like yesterday when I got on an overcrowded public bus, and for the 3rd time in my pregnancy bus-riding career, a nice young man got up and offered me his seat. I tried to refuse, as I was getting of at the next stop, but he(nor anyone surrounding him) would have any of it. So, for five minutes I rode in style, sitting down while those around me barely squeezed into every crevice of space in the standing room only bus. Never mind that while getting to this bus, and crossing an entrance to a parking lot that opened on to a major street I was almost hit by a lady not paying any attention to the cross walk (on the sidewalk!) Or even the cars on the highway. Yielding to pedestrians or oncoming traffic just isn’t the way they do things around here.

Another favorite moment was shopping last night with our friends. We shared the same cart, though they had just bought some milk and we had a load of groceries. While we were checking out, 3 older ladies who were buying watermelon pushed my friend aside and added their purchases to our groceries. My friend who was completely cut in front of (and this was one of the nicer grocery stores in town), didn’t seem to flinch, and maybe because she was of this same culture it didn’t seem to bother her. I just stared slightly stunned... did that really just happen??
(At least in the end, we didn’t pay for the watermelon and the ladies were able to run to the escalator belt in front of us only to stop and wait for it to take them downstairs.. Go figure.

I have been so thankful this week for the good news about the pregnancy that coming down with a rather major sinus infection and cold last Sunday has just been something to deal with. And I’m thankful for a loaned sinus irrigation kit a friend lent me to help me breathe, and not have to take any medication (oh, it will be sweet to take cold medicine again someday though!) Seeing what is really important puts things into perspective. And yesterday, while I was subbing in the elementary, a girl in my class was sent home because it was suspected she had hand, foot and mouth disease. Oh Goodie. The nurse came in while I slyly read the rest of the class a story and disinfected every desk and chair and marker the student had been using that day. And of course the kids were all sent immediately to wash their hand with soap and we used up the bottle of hand sanitizer on every hand in the classroom multiple times... Like I said, you have to laugh, there’s no other alternative. (BTW, did research and this virus doesn’t pose threats to pregnancy, it can just be annoying.)

It’s Saturday morning and my body is telling me “REST!” I think I’m still recovering from life in general.. It’s amazing how little bits of stress can wear you down. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been trying to rest this week but unfortunately the apartment directly below us has undergone the complete gutting process with jackhammers and blasting walls and hammering through concrete all through the day. “Resting” at home really hasn’t been an option (and yes, I have used earplugs which don’t feel great with a sinus infection). Dave has the right idea for today and went out for a long run this morning. Thankfully the pounding hasn’t started downstairs yet. I did a hard swim workout yesterday so I don’t feel completely out of shape, but it will be nice when it feels good to get out and break a sweat again! I do have to remember that it’s March, that time of year where winter and spring seem to be tag teaming each other daily for rites to own the weather report. Looks like spring won today. And I’m thankful. Truly, thankfulness has to be a part of my life or it wouldn’t be worth living. So, the sky is blue, there’s no agenda for today except opening our house to youth group this evening, and I think I can actually rest. It’s time to smile for real.