A Goddess in a Cave in the Woods

I am a scrapbooker.

I love each step involved – taking photos, sorting photos (well, okay, maybe that’s not my favorite step), working with supplies, designing the layout and journaling the memories or thoughts – just the whole creative process.

Did I mention buying scrapbooking supplies? I used to enjoy that, but I’m now on a 12-step program.

Scrapbooking is my centering activity, and my stress relief. It makes me blissfully happy and serenely calm. Somehow, looking at photos of my beautiful, funny children and my loving, intelligent husband let me appreciate them anew. Even when they’ve been beastly and I’m full of anger and resentment (more often than any mother wants to admit), scrapbooking allows my heart to open, and return to place of adoration, patience and above all, gratitude.

This is a big scrapbooking month for me. Let the bliss begin.

I got to do something wonderful today. I got to schedule an OB/GYN appointment. Yay.

Anyway, I called to make the appointment, and they scheduled me with Dr. Fu. Dr. Fu and I go way back, and when I initially saw him, several years ago, I wasn’t impressed by his bedside manner. So, when the dear husband got home, I shared this little tidbit of news with him. The conversation then progressed like this:

Dear Husband: “Well, he did a fantastic job of giving birth to our daughter.”

Jenny: “What?!”

Formerly Dear Husband: “I said he did a great job of giving birth to Emma.”

Jenny: (long pause, during which “the look” is administered)

Husband: (nervously) “Didn’t he?”

Jenny: “I kind of thought I had given birth to our daughter.”

Man who lives with Jenny: “…Oh…, right, I meant… he delivered her.”

Jenny: “Your wife did all of the giving birth and delivering. I would say that he caught her.”

Man: “Well, he did more than that….”

(Violent look from Jenny, Man wisely decides not to press the point.)

*****
Disclaimer: I had excellent care from Dr. Fu and all of my doctors at Partners in Women’s Healthcare, especially during my extended labor with Emma. Dr. Fu was really wonderful with her birth, and his bedside manner is worlds better than it was when I initially saw him. And, yes, he did more than “catch”, but during the above-referenced conversation, no way was I admitting that.