Mama Thoughts

Today a woman who taught me much about being a woman passed away.  This poem was a favorite of mine in high school and college, and unfortunately my little girl won't have the opportunity to hear her live.  But here's a little piece of Maya for my Lilah to take in someday. Phenomenal Woman BY  MAYA ANGELOU Pretty women wonder where my secret lies. I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size    But when I start to tell them, They think I’m telling lies. I say, It’s in the reach of my arms, The span of my hips,    The stride of my step,    The curl of my lips.    I’m a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman,    That’s me. I walk into a room Just as cool as you please,    And to a man, The fellows stand or Fall down on their knees.    Then they swarm around me, A hive of honey bees.    I say, It’s ...

This past week has been insane at work... and it's not over.  I have to go in today (Sunday) and put in another 3-4 hours for the Accolades ceremony.  I've been running around at 60mph and haven't really had a chance to reflect on the fact that I'm leaving this home of mine in four weeks.  Eleven years I've spent in this place... and that really does leave quite a huge amount of emotional baggage.  It all caught up to me yesterday. Dance Marathon has been a part of my life since college.  I helped start it at Bradley University as a morale exec and when I came to Niles West and saw that they had one I got involved as soon as I could.  I put in nine years.  Nine charities, with a new exec group of incredible teenagers each year, and a new incredible cause.  We have raised over $541,000 for amazing home grown charities and have transformed their future possibilities.  We helped kids with autism, youth in Africa, kids with cancer, refugees, a...

This week was May 9th... the really big holiday in Russia that celebrates victory of the Soviets over the Germans in WWII.  The Soviets lost more than any other group during WWII, including the jews... with a total of around 20 million.  It's a big deal.  When my grandfather was alive (who fought in WWII) we would always visit him with flowers and he would wear all of his medals and we would congratulate him on surviving the greatest war and stopping the Nazis so that we (as jewish folk) could continue living and be here prospering. Thank everything that is holy that I will never have to live through a World War or stand on the front lines of battle.  But at the same time I think now more of my grandmother... who had my father while my grandfather was still away cleaning up the mess that WWII left behind in Europe and how she spent all of her first years as a mother on her own without a partner.  I also think about how she was a generally happy and warm woman...

I end up complaining a lot on this blog.  I know this.  It's a way for me to let things go as I write them.  However I do have to say that I'm a very very lucky girl.  The past few weeks have been pretty tough on little kids within my immediate circle.  Two little babies have been diagnosed with cancer.  I cannot imagine such a thing happening to my little girl.  Knock on wood, tfoo tfoo tfoo.  So here is my version of "Dayenu" mama-style.   My pregnancy was incredible.  My labor was without incident.  My child was born completely healthy.  She has continued to be healthy with the exception of a runny nose.  She sleeps well at night in between feedings.  She laughs and has a great personality.  Lilah has amazing hair and gorgeous eyes.  She has thigh folds galore which are completely delicious.  She loves to swim.   Knock on wood.  I love that little lady of mine.