Most women who have any sort of issues getting pregnant have heard this statement before:

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Overheard the other day on the S94 bus coming home from the ferry:

Child: Mama, what makes soap?

Mother: Soap is made from something soapy. That makes suds. (Pause). That's the best answer I have.

Child: What?

Mother (with more confidence this time): Soap is made from something soapy, that makes suds. (Another pause.) That's the best answer I have for that.

Some Conversant  readers  may be old enough to remember  former President Bill Clinton’s slogan during his first election campaign, in 1992,  “It’s the economy, Stupid!”  I remember  the  era  fairly well, and was surprised at that time by the huge  popularity  of what I considered to be  a rather  insulting message,  aimed at the Republican administration.    When there is a distressing  national problem, it seems natural to want to find the origin of that problem as the first step towards solving it.  But finding where the problem started is just the beginning of the process of changing things for the better.  The same thing is true in close  relationships.  Finding the origins of problems is basic to what we do in psychotherapy.   But there is so much more.  

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In a previous post, I revealed the first of two events (that took place on the same weekend) that help illuminate why I find my husband Mark so darn lovable. I promised to follow up with a depiction of the second incident, but then got distracted by other things. (My districtability is, I hope, one of the things my husband finds lovable about me. Or at least tolerable.)

Anyway, I'm sure you've been holding your breath waiting for Reason Number Two, so here, at long last, it is:

Sunday afternoon, after church, Mark decided we should go for a family bike ride. Now, Mark has been an avid mountain biker for about 15 years. Traditionally, he meets up with several other men of exceptional skill and questionable wisdom, and they measure the success of their ride in mud and blood. I have resolutely avoided riding with him because (a) I enjoy my skin and bones in their present, intact condition and (b) I don't have a hope of keeping up with him, nor do I particularly want to. However, he promised this would be a leisurely family ride, no first aid kit required.

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Do you remember the Mad magazine character with the silly grin, perhaps vacant, perhaps knowing, and the tag line “What – Me Worry?”.  Mad magazine, and that silly grin on the cover, gave me many a happy break from the worries of adolescence.  No matter what was happening to myself, my friends and family, or in the world of current events, that silly grin was a constant.  On Saturday, my long-time friend Laura and I were discussing the current economic problems and their possible repurcussions, when the subject of worry came up.  Laura has noticed that many people of faith are worried about what the future holds for themselves and their loved ones, should there be major economic hardships in the future.   She has also noticed that people of faith are  wondering whether the current economic and political climate heralds the return of Christ, accompanied by possible tribulations for people around the globe.  

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I was chatting with my friend, Bonnie, last night.  We were talking about motherhood and blogging and other random subjects. Bonnie shared something that totally resonated with me. She was talking about how she had popped in on a friend to return something (background info = Bonnie is in the pre-mom stage, and the friend she popped in on is a mom). This friend was lying on the couch when Bonnie arrived, and quickly said, "Don't think I am a bad mom. I am just tired." 

Jafta is starting preschool on Monday. Over the years, I've been witness to many a preschool conversations by my friends with older kids. I've always listened and glibly thought, come on, it's just preschool. Ah, sweet pre-parent naivete.

So now that it's my turn, I've been agonizing over where to send Jafta to preschool since April. I kind of had a list of criteria that I was looking for in a preschool:

1. it's realy, really close to my house
2. he can eat lunch there so I can run more errands
3. it doesnt' start before 9am so I can sleep a bit later

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I started running about a month ago. It's something I did when I was younger, and I have always wanted to start again. I want to be an "active mom", so I've gotten into the habit of running a few miles every day. It makes me feel great, and I know it's good for me.