tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46495495534567667822012-01-28T05:51:09.546-06:00Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.comBlogger311100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4649549553456766782.post-14312217093950160842011-03-20T12:55:00.011-05:002011-03-20T13:55:35.343-05:00

My first unit of CPE is almost over. It became a bit overwhelming trying to blog, write verbatims and complete the other various tasks that go along with being a chaplain intern and a full time Mom.CPE has been the most rewarding of experiences. I recommend it to anyone who wants to explore a career in ministry, social work or even in healthcare administration or healthcare marketing. So much

Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4649549553456766782.post-46222072102051832772010-12-08T18:37:00.005-06:002010-12-08T18:58:24.595-06:00

All I know is that we started CPE in October and that I've lost the ability (or the brain cells) to count how many weeks it has been.The nurses and the unit clerks seem to be welcoming me more on their floors. Remembering all of their names is still a challenge. They've been giving me opportunities to show how chaplains can benefit not only a patient's overall hospital experience but assist

Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4649549553456766782.post-80246162546898212692010-10-26T22:39:00.003-05:002010-10-26T22:46:12.683-05:00

You got to love the hospital "scavenger hunts", the giggles from the nursing staff after you visit a patient's unsightly but non-life threatening wounds, what else? I don't know. I'm probably being "tested" at every turn without even knowing it. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.Rack it up as being a part of the feeling out process on the hospital floor. I do empathize with the staff though. They

Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4649549553456766782.post-57704675105117676452010-10-21T10:26:00.002-05:002010-10-21T10:42:39.862-05:00

Technically it's probably been 8 days of CPE thus far. This post is about our second class session. In many of the blogs that I read prior to starting CPE, the writers refer to "self-reflection" A LOT. Self-reflection boils down to answering the questions of "why did you do that?", "what was your motivation in going into that particular room?", "where was God in that encounter?" so on and so

Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4649549553456766782.post-26340420523995428642010-10-15T13:35:00.002-05:002010-10-15T13:56:59.990-05:00

Recently I used the knee jerk response, "you are the company that you keep" and reflected on this overused statement. In starting a new career in hospital chaplaincy I have been struggling with feelings of unworthiness. Who am I to act as a representative of Christ? Then I got to thinking, I am the company that I keep. The company that I keep is good company. These are competent,

Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4649549553456766782.post-52514697927543140752010-10-14T09:47:00.003-05:002010-10-14T10:08:19.616-05:00

Holy cow! Am I tired. How do medical professionals on the hospital floor do this every day? I've always had the utmost respect for doctors, nurses and support staff before but my word. I was assigned to the Adult Intensive Care Unit (ICU) as well as the High Risk Mothers Unit. The first set of rounds were done on my own (felt like an expresso-filled little Chihuahua dog on the inside) and

Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4649549553456766782.post-4287096812132244172010-10-08T19:03:00.003-05:002010-10-08T19:17:40.525-05:00

The first day of CPE wasn't bad. It was a bit overwhelming because we (the interns) have yet to receive our hospital floor assignments. A representative from the Pediatric unit gave us a presentation and from her non-verbal language (i.e., talking/nodding in my direction) I think that she wanted to enlist me for her floor. Perhaps being the only intern under 50 and a mom of a preschooler was/

Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4649549553456766782.post-10053316990990336702010-09-17T17:21:00.003-05:002010-09-17T17:34:20.752-05:00

How many years has this blog been posted? Since 2006? Well today I just figured out that there were additional comments left by readers that I never saw nor acknowledged. Do I feel silly! Apologies for that. Some comments really broadened my point of view. Years ago I would have been extremely defensive if someone criticized me. Now had someone made personal attacks, surely, but there have

Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4649549553456766782.post-85561805004301065882010-09-03T12:00:00.033-05:002010-09-03T12:38:53.918-05:00

I've passed the drug and TB tests, was fitted for a mask, given a security badge and confirmed that all of my vaccinations are up to date. That part is over, check.I made an unannounced introduction to the Director of Pastoral Care (while he was in the midst of JCAHO preparation). What a great way to make a first impression.He mentioned in passing that there are five CPE students enrolled in

Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4649549553456766782.post-22019297659199076362010-07-06T12:18:00.004-05:002010-07-06T12:32:16.795-05:00

November 2009 was the last entry? Really? Things are going to start changing around here soon. Our little guy will be starting preschool in the fall and I was accepted into the Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program at a local hospital. This is (hopefully) the first of many steps towards a career/ministry in hospital chaplaincy. Upon hearing of my acceptance, I felt an overwhelming sense

Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4649549553456766782.post-32149841696189588532009-09-25T09:12:00.018-05:002009-09-25T09:51:29.145-05:00

Within the last few months it seems that everybody that I know has had or is in the midst of personally tragic circumstances.At present our family has experienced forced early retirement coinciding with a loss of health insurance during a life-threatening scare, a suicide of an immediate family member, a suicide of a former boss, good neighbors having to move out of their homes and the list goes

Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4649549553456766782.post-691752305772930662009-08-14T11:40:00.005-05:002009-08-14T11:50:37.307-05:00

Our son, Jack, my husband and I gathered around the family table to play a game of Candyland last week.Our baby boy is now old enough to interact with us in a social manner. I thought that this was a rather significant milestone in his life and in ours as parents.As I was taking this all in Jack and his Daddy discovered that when the cover of the box is placed over the bottom box it makes the

Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4649549553456766782.post-43634537824889400202009-08-03T12:29:00.005-05:002009-08-03T12:40:13.605-05:00

It is already August! How did this happen?We've been to a Major League game, a Minor League game, the local festival, the kiddie park and pool, camped out in the backyard, playdates, etc. Yet it doesn't seem like we've done much of anything.Meanwhile the boy has shot up like a weed and he's discovered that he can make his own fun - you Mommies of boys know what I mean.Isn't summertime supposed to

Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4649549553456766782.post-6856189282266649512009-06-01T12:16:00.002-05:002009-06-01T12:29:13.919-05:00

We're facing the decision that the majority of Mommies have to face. When to return to work. I have an ideal opportunity to re-enter the workforce. It's a great job. The pay is fair. There seems to be some flexibility with the hours. It's a position in which I feel more than competent doing. The decision - who then raises my child? We are fortunate enough to be in a position where I do not

Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4649549553456766782.post-74473616217740349202009-04-01T06:31:00.004-05:002009-04-01T06:39:24.232-05:00

April Fool's Day around here is a mix between Groundhog's Day and Valentine's Day.A few years back I gifted the Dwight Schrute (The Office) bobblehead doll to my husband.Now we have the daily tradition of hiding it on each other - in the coffee maker, in the shower, in the CD case of the car, etc. Well a couple of weeks back while Dwight was taking a road trip to Chicago he was beheaded. That

Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4649549553456766782.post-18081615092920374202009-03-11T10:48:00.002-05:002009-03-11T10:50:00.539-05:00

No my 2 year old did not just diss me!We’re going through separation anxieties again. The leg clinging. The tears.Now after the usual theatrics when I mention that I may be leaving soon, Jack just stares ahead blankly, refusing to respond to any requests, ignoring me.A two year old exhibiting teenage strategies to block out Mom.Lovely.

Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4649549553456766782.post-75726923122580801342009-02-14T15:22:00.000-06:002009-02-14T15:23:49.506-06:00

Zero decorations, zero heart-shaped baked goods, nothin’.This morning I presented my son and husband with their Valentine’s Day gifts.Here’s your box of antacid candy hearts and a card kid. Now scram.For my husband. Here are some tickets to the Billy Joel show “Movin’ Out”. Don’t get any ideas!Bah Humbug Hallmark!

Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4649549553456766782.post-44007928551322385362009-02-02T15:45:00.000-06:002009-02-02T15:46:30.100-06:00

Goodbye to the symbol of my singlehood, professional persona and crazy times (some good, some NOT so good).Mommy Schmommy bought her Accord brand new in 2000.It has seen the landscape of Texas and has vacationed in New Orleans several times over. It has been a workhorse in the cities of Milwaukee and Chicago. It brought my husband and I home from the hospital with our newborn son in 2006.After

Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4649549553456766782.post-51615341647791771702009-01-19T11:58:00.002-06:002009-01-19T12:03:32.202-06:00

Over the weekend Mommy Schmommy caught herself telling her toddler in a sweet sing-song voice, "If you eat all of your pizza you'll get a cookie"! Great eating habits to live by, right?That got Mommy Schmommy in gear to get something green into the refrigerator. When you can't recall the last time that your family ate a vegetable other than cheesy potatoes, it's time to stock up on produce.

Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4649549553456766782.post-65022324540012928952009-01-18T11:38:00.003-06:002009-01-18T11:46:18.121-06:00

There is a noticeable gap in posts between July '08 and January '09.Mommy Schmommy's family, like most families, went through a period of the sickness and passing of a loved one as well as a period of recovery. With the new year things are looking up and we're looking forward to a fresh start.In case any of you Mommies are seeking freedom from any hurts, hang-ups or habits, Mommy Schmommy highly

Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4649549553456766782.post-37549428883407938992009-01-14T13:02:00.000-06:002009-01-14T13:06:04.849-06:00

Well it's the new year, my little guy is 2+ years old and I'm itching to work in a non-mommyschmommy capacity.Given the cost of daycare and the job market as a whole, it's difficult to justify the cost/benefit.Ideally it would be nice to be able to work from my home office.Sadly, legitimate work from home opportunities are few. Sites such as HireMyMom.com promise work from home jobs and projects

Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4649549553456766782.post-54720329372256045492008-07-28T11:57:00.003-05:002008-07-28T12:06:19.653-05:00

The boy and I are bonding. We're exchanging germs.Our little darling was feeling yucky earlier so he needed to get a big hug from his Mommy.Later in the day my hair was sticking to my cheek. Completely clueless as to what was keeping the hair sticking it then dawned on me that the substance was indeed organic.In CSI-like manner, no laboratory needed, I found the matching substance sticking his

Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4649549553456766782.post-22836057899160130672008-07-23T14:47:00.003-05:002008-07-23T14:56:36.436-05:00

I am happy to report that Jack, our neighbor's daughter and I all survived our first non-family member babysitting experience! My expectations were rather low - no bloodshed, keep the cats in the house and no housefires. Pretty reasonable expectations right?The perfectly lovely neighbor girl probably had a completely different outlook on the experience. She could have very easily told her mother

Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4649549553456766782.post-77773373171417087852008-01-03T11:16:00.000-06:002008-01-03T11:23:20.622-06:00

When I was a teenager and into my adulthood I thought that children (specifically infants and toddlers) were a nuisance at best. My friends with children would just beam with pride as they would comment on how cute their kids were. "Come see the BAY-BEEE"! Again, indifference. I don't know what happened but once I became a mom, suddenly all babies and little ones were adorable! All of my

Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4649549553456766782.post-26256533839954372282007-12-16T16:05:00.000-06:002007-12-16T16:28:30.263-06:00

Lately I have found myself altering my behavior to avoid offending the politically correct police. Refusing to use the words, "Happy Holidays" to greet neighbors or Salvation Army bell ringers, I've caught myself saying, "Merry Christmas" in a down low whisper-like tone. People typically have been responding with an even lower more apologetic "Merry Christmas" whisper.There seems to be a

Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4649549553456766782.post-295823261761249832007-11-12T12:06:00.001-06:002007-11-12T12:26:40.726-06:00

Our son, Jack, was in the ER and Pediatric Unit last week.My husband and I were overwhelmed with the amount of love and support from our family, friends and neighbors. We are truly grateful to God and our loved ones for standing by us and for the superb medical care that Jack received during this stressful past week.That got me thinking.In times of medical emergencies don't most of us look to our

Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4649549553456766782.post-66122594516369583012007-09-18T09:58:00.000-05:002007-09-18T10:11:28.143-05:00

With all of the sports media's non-stop coverage of the misdeeds of O.J., Barry Bonds, Michael Vick and Bill Belichick, I wanted to point out that there are some good guys left in professional sports. Jim Thome of the Chicago White Sox, former Cleveland Indian and Philadelphia Phillie, hit his 500th home run on Sunday - to my knowledge, without performance enhancing drugs. Outside of the Chicago

Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4649549553456766782.post-78750013229128750012007-09-05T21:33:00.000-05:002007-09-05T21:47:51.038-05:00

Jackie Jo turns 1 this month and that got me thinking about this time last year.I prefer to refer to it as the 24 hours I'd rather erase from my memory. That may sound cold considering that most mommies recall the birth of their first child as being beautiful and rapturous. I just recall things differently.Every time I look into those angelic blue eyes and recollect the day he was born all I can

Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4649549553456766782.post-55753911984616811752007-07-12T07:54:00.000-05:002007-07-12T08:26:10.570-05:00

As a child my brain didn't conceptualize a worldview, politics and the like. My worldview was my homelife and neighborhood.I can recall however the first time being confronted with a worldview conundrum. It was junior high school earth science class and we were taught the big bang theory.Like most children (or as I had assumed) my parents taught us that the universe was created by an omnipotent

Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4649549553456766782.post-29687437213855184162007-06-15T10:55:00.002-05:002007-06-15T11:26:53.105-05:00

My husband was raised Catholic. I was raised Baptist. Since there's a bit of disparity between the two faiths, we're looking for a compromise. How about Environmentalism?Much like the Catholic Church and Baptists, Environmentalists believe in the concept of sin. For instance, if you drive an SUV as opposed to a hybrid that's a huge sin.Let's use an example of environmental sin as it pertains to

Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4649549553456766782.post-24064619699077187022007-06-13T17:33:00.000-05:002007-06-15T11:30:20.822-05:00

It's not as though Gloria Steinem or Barbara Ehrenereich lectured at my high school or college campi but somehow I got it in my head that all men were despotic creeps and that I had to transcend their oppression by wearing pantsuits and working sixty hour work weeks.I was just as shocked as any to realize that I preferred meeting the deadlines given by my newborn as opposed to those given by my

Mommy Schmommyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16325778420468547277noreply@blogger.com0