Discovering the Library

I've just discovered the library!

In the day and age of all that is internet, I have avoided the library. It just seemed easier to buy books online and have them delivered to my door. No back and forth, no missed due dates, no fuss. Yes, it costs more money, but I figured that as a single mom, life was just one step easier this way. My pocketbook has recently started speaking differently.

Tonight, my son asked for another book in the series he is reading. I've bought 6 so far at $12 bucks a piece. I know there are 6 more to go, and I frankly was not looking forward to the added expense. Just as I was explaining why I couldn't buy another one just yet (while driving home after work tonight), I looked up and saw right there in front of me, the Library.

I have NEVER taken my children to the library. Today was our first time, and it was a random unplanned visit, just to save $12 and get my child off my back for a few more days.

Can I just say that I am IN LOVE with the Library?

The books cost nothing (yes I knew that), and the Library is 5 minutes from my home (I didn't know that). My kids can keep books for 3 weeks (I thought it would be one week) and the Library card costs nothing to setup (I didn't know that either).

I'm not trying to show everyone how ignorant I am, or how little I know, but wow. I grew up going to the Library (Immigrant parents don't like spending money unnecessarily on books they can read for free). I need to learn more from my immigrant parents. They were onto something!

So I am $12 richer today. And I am officially a Library lover.

Hooray for free reading!

Happy Eid 2009

So Ramadan has come and gone and Eid came and went on the weekend. I find it amazing how fast time flies.

During the course of Ramadan, I learned a few things:

1. I learned how difficult a fast becomes when you tag just a few more hours of daylight into the day (the Islamic calendar is shorter than our calendar, so Ramadan moves by almost 2 weeks every year. As it inches closer and closer to the peak of summer, the fasts are becoming increasingly harder).
2. I learned that we, as humans tend to be ungrateful. I learned this from my experience complaining about being a single mom, only to learn that others have it much harder than I do. I blogged about this experience in my last post.
3. I learned that we as humans make many mistakes in life (even the best of us), and that at some point, we have to make our wrongs right again. As long as we know when we are wrong, we are still headed in the right direction. Life is a long learning process, and the journey is not an easy one.
4. I learned that I have the best of friends. Friends that will stay by your side, even when you make mistakes.
5. I learned that a bout of bronchitis can throw off an entire week.
6. I learned that when you self medicate and try to treat everything as allergies, it doesn't work. Tip of the month- Claritin will not make you feel better if you have bronchitis. Antibiotics, on the other hand, are your best friend in this scenario.
7. I learned that when you pray really hard for something, sometimes it does come true.
8. I learned that fears can be paralyzing.
9. I learned that when you eat a cheeseburger after 14 hours of fasting, you will feel sick.
10. I learned that the thoughts in my head sometimes don't make any sense at all when I start typing.

But thanks for listening anyways. You all fall under item #4...

Kids in the Front Seat of the Car

Never debate with a child.

About 2 months ago, my son and I had a little disagreement. He claimed that his friends are allowed to sit in the front seat of the car. I told him that it was impossible, because according to the law, you had to be 13. (I know I heard this somewhere). He insisted that many of his friends did it, so they can't all be wrong. I told him the law was the law, and that I was not willing to break it.

Then he came up with a genius idea. "Why don't we drive to the police station and ask them?" This worked for me. After all, what better solution than having an officer tell him that this is indeed the law?

So, we get to the police station, I ask the officer the question, and he responds (to my son's complete joy) that there is no such law, that it is the discretion of the parent, and that in fact there have been no cases in Canada of children dying in accidents as a result of being in the front seat.

I was horrified. I even jokingly commented "You had to say that in front of the kid, didn't you?"... He gave me a sympathetic smile, and I was on my way.

The parenting rule that I learned from this is that you should not open a debate or let it go further than you are willing to go. In the event that you lose, you cannot back out and say "Because I said so". "Because I said so" only works up front. Not AFTER you go to the police station.

My son has been joyfully sitting in the front seat for the past two months. I have lost control of my radio, my ability to have some quiet me time, and most of all, I have a slightly bruised ego.

I guess mothers aren't always right....

Gratitude

God has a funny way of showing you things when you least expect it.

I got an email from my girlfriend. She wrote to me requesting some help for a family that she recently learned about. She was asking me if I might be able to help as I have a son, and maybe therefore some hand me downs that I can share with another single mom.

The single mom is blind, and has a 2 and a half year old son. Her husband left her after coming to the country and getting his Canadian Immigration. All they need is clothes for her 2.5 yr old little boy. The "ask" was for even a couple of old outfits of my son's that I can donate to this family.

I find this amazing. Just this morning, I was talking to a friend about how difficult my situation is being a working single mom with two kids, and the same day, I get shown a situation where somebody is blind, a single mom, with no money, no chance at a job, and no future. My situation would be like heaven to her. It's amazing how God shows us things when we least expect it.

Anyhow, I just thought I'd share my thought of the day. What a learning. Wow. I feel like I need to be more grateful. And I feel ashamed for even complaining for one second.

I really do have a lot to be thankful for.