Give Thanks

Give thanks in all circumstances. That's who I want to be. I am ashamed of how much I complain.
Give thanks. Give thanks. Give thanks. I can't find the words to express the fullness of my heart this week. I love this holiday. It's the best. It's honest, simple and unable to be penetrated by marketing. Ok, maybe the turkey farmers have successfully exploited this holiday to their advantage, and maybe the cranberry farmers too, but compared to the other holidays, this one feels pure. It's about gathering with family and friends, eating, and giving thanks. My families are not as expressive as I am. I would love to sit around the table and list things that we are thankful for. They, for the most part, feel awkward with such outward expressions of thanks. That's ok. I am thankful for them--so thankful. My life is so full of blessings. And yet, I fail almost daily to worship God in the way he deserves. Thank you Lord. My cup overflows. And when my cup feels empty, draw me out of myself and help me to give thanks. There is so much. So much.

Almost...blood sugar check

I almost checked my blood sugar four times this week. I procrastinated and procrastinated until this weekend, knowing that I had to post. For your info, most people maintain a blood sugar level between 90-110mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter), except for the first hour or so after a meal. Here are the current guidelines for a diabetic according to Mayo, come to think of it, my doctor here has never communicated her target blood sugar levels for me. Apparently, quite a few people check their levels right before bed too...the doctor has never said anything about this either. I probably need a new doctor.
For a diabetic
Fasting/before breakfast between 80 and 120 mg/dL
Two hours after a meal under 160 mg/dL
The standard targets vary from doctor to doctor and from organization to organization.

I decided to nix posting on the side bar. I never checked after lunch this week. Here you go.
For week beginning 11/17
Fasting 126
After breakfast 58
After dinner 145
About 6 months ago they put me on a new medicine that can cause sugar lows, which I have never had. The 58 is quite low and would account for why I often feel nauseous, exhausted and like I might faint about mid-morning. So armed with a bit more knowledge I can experiment this week with consuming more carbs at breakfast or snacking in the morning or both.

Election Day Story

While doing volunteer work in H's classroom the other day, some of the mothers were sharing how their children reacted to the election. One lady taught her son to love Obama by telling him how necessary unions are, that Obama loves unions, and that Obama was the only candidate who wanted to help Michigan. It turned out that at this lady's house, the boy associated Michigan with football, not a geographic location. On election morning, his mother was leaving early to go vote. The still groggy little boy looked at his mother in amazement as she put on her coat, and said, "How come you get to go to the football game? Can't I come?"

What a day

I am sitting on my couch this morning in the Sun, taking deep breaths. Yesterday was a long, long day. My girls couldn't find the groove. Bickering, grabbing, being silly when it was an inappropriate time to be silly were the unfortunate norm. I think I corrected the girls or disciplined them at least 40 times yesterday; it exhausted me. We did get a free pass to the Children's museum and had fun there, but on the way home, the sun was glaring, making it hard to see, the kids were fighting, and I was distracted. I went right through a red light at full speed and almost caused a colossal accident. I barely had time to breath thank God before the cop sped after me. I was disappointed to get a ticket, but mostly grateful that no was hurt or worse, dead. And the cop was friendly and my license, registration and proof of insurance were all in the proper place. Yea for little things.

While preparing dinner, my girls were dressing up as Indians and H got something in her eye. We couldn't see anything but we flushed it with water several times. No good, she was scared and crying and couldn't open her eye for more than a second. She actually had this happen once before, so I knew that with eye troubles, you need to find an eye doctor, not an emergency room. ERs are not equipped to exam eyes. The doctors at Walmart and Pearl both have extended hours, but they were gone. So I called the first eye doctor in the phone book with an address close to my home. Their machine had an emergency number which I called expecting an answering service but no, the doctor picked up right away and agreed to meet us at his office in twenty minutes. H thought he was super nice, he took good are of us, and provided relief for her and me. Something did get in her eye and scratch her cornea, but it is probably already healed. Since I hadn't found an eye doctor yet, I guess I know where I will go. Yea for doctors who give me some confidence in the medical system.

And yea that even though T has been out of town at a math conference for the last four days, my mom was here to provide help, adult conversation and some hugs.

Heard around here

For some reason, K gets all the quotes this time--do kids decrease the number of funny things they say as they get older?

Background: We were eating tomato soup for lunch.
Me: K, why are you wiping your mouth on your shirt when you have a napkin?
K: Look mom, it [her red sweater] matches the soup so it won't show!

Background: We were getting out of the car and I glanced in the flower bed.
Me: K, how come there is basket here full of mommy's flowers?
K: They were ripe. We had to pick them.

Background: I walk into the dining room eating a Boomi Bar (walnuts, dates, honey) K: OOHHH, I like those. Can I eat it? Me: Sure. K:(grabbing for my food) What is it?

Background: Tom is telling the girls a story. It is the climatic ending where the princess had rescued her friends from the enemy and is by declaring the great works of God--He created the mountains, the oceans, the animals, etc. ....
K: But God didn't make the buildings, man made those.

Facing the Meter

Accountability is a good thing. That's what I would tell anyone who asks. Finding accountability can be tricky. Most people aren't willing to tell another they aren't following through, aren't living up to a standard, or are just plain doing the wrong thing. I like to think I am the kind of friend who can hold other accountable. But sometimes when I am given that responsibility, I do great at first, then I piddle out until I am so embarrassed about my lack of follow-up that I can hardly talk to the person. If you gasped at my essentially selfish behavior, this post only gets worse, at least for me, the confessor.

Now I am in need of accountability. And I need someone or lots of someones who won't annoy me but who won't piddle out. It occurred to me that maybe I could use my blog. Unfortunately, I think people are more willing to correct, exhort, or encourage others in their faults if they just have to send an email or a quick comment on a blog. It's the face to face conversation that is dying in our culture. But, maybe I can use our culture as it is, to aid me in a struggle.

I am part of the recently named national epidemic. I am diabetic. A bad diabetic who regularly cheats on her diet and who doesn't exercise or check her blood sugar levels very often. I am a type 2 diabetic. A strange and mysterious type 2 who doesn't fit any of the characteristics of type 2 except the key one--my body doesn't process insulin correctly. I am 5' 6'' and quite small, so excess weight is not an issue. Until last year there was no history of diabetes in my family, though my 80+ year-old grandma developed it in the last months of her life. I had gestational diabetes with both girls. Diet and exercise did not control my blood sugars so I had to give my self shots of insulin daily, and had to give myself twice as much insulin with pregnancy number 2. After each pregnancy my diabetes disappeared slowly (it was supposed to disappear instantly). About a year after Kassy's birth, I noticed my blood sugars were creeping ever higher.

By that time I had moved to Montana, away from all the doctors who knew my medical history. I went to the community clinic and asked for an A1c test which is an average blood sugar reading from the last three months. The doctor thought I was crazy since there was no way he would ever think to test me for diabetes. After some explanations and several blood tests--it was confirmed that I was indeed diabetic--still producing insulin so I couldn't be a type 1. I did the usual mourning, for my myself, for the potential issues of the future, for the food I couldn't eat, for the way it felt to no longer enjoy potlucks (because the desert table was the best part). I did the usual anger thing, alternating between ignoring my diabetes and trying super strict diets with food like unsweetened ketchup (blah!) and sprouted grain breads. It didn't seem to matter what I did, my numbers wouldn't move to into the recommended ranges. Eventually I went on medication and my numbers are down, but not where they ideally should be. Because my numbers are not super high, and because I am without weight issues, I have trouble finding a doctor who does much more than adjust medications. I wish someone would help me discover what it is about pregnancy that sent my body into such a tail-spin.

Now, the best thing to do as a diabetic is control your eating and check your blood sugars. Knowledge is power, and if I knew how certain foods affected my blood sugar, I could have more control.

Maybe you need a super quick diabetic primer here. Insulin is made in the pancreas. When you eat food, your body converts any carbohydrates into glucose which goes into the bloodstream. Various cells use insulin from the pancreas to grab the glucose and convert it into energy for all kinds of functions. My cells don't grab the glucose so there is too much sugar in my blood, which means that for some reason, the cells are not receiving the insulin properly. And for lots of reasons, having too much sugar in your blood can, over time, lead to numerous complications involving eyes, kidneys, pancreas, feet, etc.

To check my blood sugar, I need to use a glucometer. I poke my finger, squeeze a little blood until a test strip in the meter and up pops a number. I hate my glucometer. One of my faults is an aversion to failure. For some reason, when a number pops up on that little screen that is too high, I feel I have failed. And when I have been eating well, or worse, if I have just exercised, and the number is still too high, I feel like I failed and that I have no path to success. so I avoid my glucometer. If you have had or were a child who struggled with a subject in school, you are familiar with this cycle of try, fail, give up, avoid. It's vicious. Mentally, I know all the problems with my lack of action, but my emotions are not cooperating.

Here's my idea. I do well with my glucometer if I am going to meet a dietician--someone who will be looking at my numbers. But I can't afford a weekly or even monthly visit to a professional. So, you, my dear readers, will be my appointment. Each Monday I will post on the side of my blog 4 glucometer readings from the previous week. Some day soon I will post an explanation of the numbers, so you know what is good, what is bad. If I fail to post, check on me. I may have thrown my glucometer against the wall.

So that's that. I know--why not ask T to keep me accountable? Two reasons--he has trouble remembering and two I tend to get angry at him if he pushes me to face my fears. This faceless interaction might be better. Let the experiment in accountability begin. And if this sounds silly, I wish you could see the tears in my eyes and feel the rate of my pulse as I imagine facing that dumb little machine. The thing about a blog like this, it's public. There's no turning back once I hit the publish button. The glucometer fits in my pocket, but I feel like I am facing a giant.

With this Ring

A friend sent me a link to this article. I started reading it and thought, oh my gosh, why did he send this sappy love story? As usual, I was passing judgement far too soon. Oh my dear friends, this woman's sensitivty to the Lord and the revolution she experienced in her heart is something I pray for all of us in this crazy material cutlure. And for many women, that wedding ring represents true sacrifice. Could you, would you do what this woman did?
http://www.story.house2house.com/2008/11/04/with-this-ring/

Let the Games Begin

Two posts today--it's been awhile.
About two months ago T glanced out the window and saw that our neighbors were throwing out a foosball table. Knowing it wouldn't last long, he ran out to check the condition, decided he wanted it, and started yelling for me to stand guard while he solicited another neighbor to help him carry it inside our house. While on guard duty, several jealous boys gathered around me begging me to to let them have it. The table has been sitting, rather conspicuously in front of the living room window for weeks. Last weekend, since Cody no longer occupied the basement and T finally had some free time, he began repairing and reconditioning the table. After hours of love and quite a bit of T's finesse (rust removal, man replacement, braces for the legs, etc ), it is up and ready, with enviable spin and impressive sturdiness. Turns out this table was top of its line in its day. As foosball tables go, it is rather attractive. So the last two nights have been full of family game time. We feel blessed to have such a great activity for the kids (and our friends!) in our house. Thanks God!

Capturing H

Capturing H has been harder for me. She is older, and more complex, or so I feel. It's taken me a while. But here's what I've written so far.

H you are 6 1/2. Always moving. Talkative. Emotional. And lovely. You have thin strawberry blond hair that you allowed me to get cut to chin length. You love dresses, skirts, sequins, shiny fabrics, faux fur, embroidered flowers and butterflies on jeans, and sparkly shoes. You will wear other colors happily, especially green and blue, but you still usually pick out pink. You think more about your clothing than I thought any six-year-old daughter of mine could. Picking out an outfit at the store this past weekend took you well over 30 minutes as you struggled with which shirt to buy. You understand modesty and make certain your outfits are modest.

You love your friends, screeching and squealing, upon their arrival. You hug and kiss them when they arrive and when they leave. Sometimes they tell you to stop with the physical signs of affection, usually you go one notch past funny. You especially love your friend Lily, often play with Anna from down the street and a third grader from the other side of the block named Noelle. With friends you usually play some kind of pretend game: kitties, princesses, house.

You love your things. All things are reusable in your mind, even the clear plastic seals around a tub of cottage cheese. You are certain you can use it for something. It doesn't matter if you haven't played with a toy in months, you can't possibly part from it. I think you associate things with memories--Lily gave you a pair or sparkly shoes that look terrible because all the sparkles on the toe have worn off but you still wear them and love them because Lily gave them to you. Your treasure box is filled to overflowing since you can't get rid of things and your bed is hard to move in because you store/hide so many things in it. You get angry with your sister when she gives things away to people and generally, sharing things, especially new things, is very difficult for you unless you can work out an advantageous trade for yourself.

You love to be tickled. You love to have band-aids on any little paper cut. You love to play games: cards or board games, tag or fuse ball. You love to eat sugary things. You are a good eater in general, almost always clearing your plate of everything I put on it. You eat vegetables and fruits happily, though bread and crackers would be your favorite choice, if sweets are off limits.

You wake up to an alarm now, dress yourself, put your pjs away, put your shoes on, brush your teeth, clean out the sink, etc. Last weekend you chopped the potatoes and celery for dinner and worked hard raking and bagging leaves in the backyard. There is still a lot to learn but I am pleased with how hard you work and how, usually, you don't complain much.

You are such a happy little girl: always smiling, laughing, and teasing. You are a little short on patience and often speak in an angry tone of impatience to your sister (I know where you learned this tone from). When someone does something for you or gets you a gift, you express your gratitude so many times it exhausts the gift giver.

You love to do things and to try things and take part in any sort of lessons. You just love people and activity. Reading has come more slowly to you than to your classmates, but you often sit in your bed at night and read to yourself. You have made a lot of progress in reading this year. Your writing, coloring, drawing, and paintings are nice but unless you are being unusually careful, are generally messy and scribbled. You do like to create things: books, 3-D art, real-life things made out of paper( a table, a cat, a paper necklace). You frequently raid the recycling bin for your creations. Right now you love to sing, and sing and sing. You make up long, loud songs and perform them, fishing for compliments on your voice (which to my untrained ear is ....rather average..sorry but average is better than mine!). You are high energy only stopping for a movie or an occasional hurt feeling.

Like most big sisters, you are carefully attuned to fairness. You notice if I compliment K but not you. You demand equal treatment and equal gifts. You can be quick to anger and sometimes forget to remain respectful to your parents. You've mastered the evil eye. We are working on this. You love God as much as you can though many times you say you don't know how to trust him, how to believe in him. I love your honesty--these aren't easy things. Mostly though, you are happy and playful. I love you H. I am so glad I get to be your mom.

Capturing K

K was running down the sidewalk, laughing, because she was running away from me. She had on Crocs and her pink fleece PJs with feet were stuck in her butt crack. It was probably the last warm fall morning as we returned from waiting at the bus stop with H. And K was memorable in her favorite cozy outfit with her little smile and giant brown eyes and I wanted to grab the moment with its smells, sounds, looks, and temp; stick it in my pocket, and store it safely for future viewing. That was Friday. (I'll post Healthy Habits later this week.)

Since the girls were babies I have been writing about them. For me, for them. And today for you too. It is time again to try to capture the girls and the stage they are at. They are still young enough that I am comfortable sharing this intimate look at who they are, but someday these writings will be tucked away for more private reading. I'll start with K. H will be tomorrow.

K you are 4 1/2. Your long hair is thin and fine and still auburn in color (the source of many a compliment). About a month ago you decided you wanted to grow out your bangs, so currently we always have barrettes in your hair--a condition I placed on your decision so I can see your pretty eyes. You still love your pillowcase and take it everywhere except to preschool--though you carefully place it in your car seat for the moment I pick you up. It is getting thin--almost see-through. You sit in the car or in the brown leather chair with the pillowcase to your nose--smelling. According to you, different places on pillowcase have different smells and some are better than others!

You are shy and quiet in all new situations and sometimes in old ones, unless your sister is with you. You are trying to be brave enough to answer people's questions when they ask a simple question. You like routine and the familiar. You naturally walk around public places with one hand on some part of me at all times--my pocket, my purse, my hand--an ideal shopping companion. H remains your favorite friend, though you like to play with our neighbor Britta, and with a few girls in your preschool class (Morgan, Kyra). And yet, you are more likely than your sister to play with matches when I am not looking, to get into my make-up, or to pick up a piece of broken glass just to see if it really will cut you. And then, if you think I am not looking, you will lie about it.

You can sit still and listen for an incredibly long time. You have good fine motor skills and can draw a rabbit with a a face and whiskers. You are still on your special diet and do a remarkable job of accepting that your treats are always different and that sometimes you can't have the snack that people bring. Thankfully, you are still my snuggle bug.

At preschool you have tried to help a little girl who is always crying and nervous. You follow her around, showing her toys and helping her on the computer when she gets stuck (sometimes too much). You are sweet and giving--regularly giving your sister new things you have been given or giving away your toys to friends who come to visit. You can write your name now, in all caps. You make your S in two strokes, first the top, then the bottom curve.

This fall you played soccer for the first time. You were doing well, starting to score goals each game, but then you got hit in the face with the ball. We spend the rest of the season trying to keep you from bursting into tears every time you played defense. Ballet lessons are your real love. You run into that studio and never look back. This isn't true of anything else.

You are still a whiner. Oh how you can whine. It drives me crazy. At least three times a day, you come to me crying because you got hurt somehow. You are lazy too, generally using distraction and manipulation to get out of chores like cleaning up. Before a punishment you always scream, "Mom I have to tell you something." Generally this is followed by a long pause as you try to think of something to tell me. I try to be consistent in disciplining, but it can be tough. You tend to use ignorance or lying to cover up your mistakes and are physically aggressive when Hadley pushes too many buttons.

You love books, movies, playing on the computer, dressing up, and Barbies (we don't have many--mostly you play with them at Grandma's). You still generally wear skirts and dresses, though today at the store you picked out purple corduroys with a glitter belt and a fuzzy purple sweater. Your favorite snack is toast (gluten and dairy free of course) with sun butter or rice chips or cashews. You will eat most vegetables, always avoiding onions and celery. Fruit you tolerate grudgingly. You love riding the trail-a-bike with dad or with me (we even ride to preschool sometimes). You like to help in the garden or with laundry, especially with clippers or a squirt bottle.

I love being your mom K. I love you.

This week takes a different kind of energy. K doesn't have preschool all week. H was off all day Tuesday and has half-days Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Such a schedule means I volunteered to help several friends with child care this week. I love giving the girls a chance to play with friends in a place I can supervise. While I will invite kids over next time we have a weird half-day schedule, having extra kids in your house day after day is tiring. Though all the visiting children have been girls who are kind and obedient, I feel drained. Planning crafts, lunches for five, occasionally refereeing. Conferences are today and tomorrow. I met my new tutee for the literacy council this week. I had gotten used to having quiet time four afternoons a week to recharge. Most people do not get such a luxury-- I am thankful. New events and people do not energize me. I am creature of habit who feels most content and relaxed in the familiar. Change is healthy, stretching my tendency to marinate in the same old, exposing my brain new situations for contemplation.

To add to my energy drain, is the weather. This delightful problem means I have been outside in the yard whenever possible--planting bulbs (over 100 of them thanks to Aldi and the Mejier 75% bulb sale), cleaning up the garden, repotting plants, raking leaves. The garden is still producing---romaine, carrots and broccoli. Everything else has been cleaned out. Yesterday I cut bunches of rosemary and parsley to hang in my kitchen and dry. The smell hovering over the kitchen sink makes dishes a pleasure to wash. H took a snack of fresh garden carrots to school yesterday and bragged to all her friends about them. Such connections to the earth, to an ancient, simpler way of life delight me. I can't explain why growing my own food is so intoxicating. To survive the winter months, I will imagine the debris of the garden, freshly turned under the surface, nourishing the soil (not dirt!) for spring and oh joy...I will begin planning for next year. Only four or five months until I can start planting seeds indoors.

Funny

Funny how when the table turns, you can suddenly relate to things you couldn't before. When Bush beat Gore just barely in 2000, I remember the dejected faces of most of my teaching colleagues. They were very uncomfortable, anxious about the future. The table has been turned on me. I expected Obama to win and there are many things about this policies that I like. I wasn't informed enough about the Congressional races to realize what a huge majority the democrats could and did gain in Congress. Now I feel anxious, uncomfortable, like some of my values are threatened. When I went to bed last night the Michigan proposal on stem cell research was locked at 50/50. I support much of the stem cell research that happens. It stands to bring hope to my mother who has had Parkinson's for almost 15 years and isn't even 60 yet. But the proposal here in Michigan amended our constitution and put zero restrictions on the research and it passed. I feel anxious, like my peers each time Bush was elected. I feel angry that the millage to increase health care services for those without insurance was defeated. This morning my study presented a timely verse,"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."--Psalm 46:10. We've been studying 1 Kings in my Bible study and I've been struck multiple times by the terrible leadership of Israel and how God can use this leadership to accomplish his purposes. Please don't think I am comparing the new Congress and President to the evil leadership of Israel in 1 Kings, that would be unfair, especially before they have even begun. But the lesson pertains to my heart on this day. The election didn't turn out as I hoped, but I will be still and know that He is God.

In case your heart is heavy or even if it is cheering, here's a funny story unrelated to anything important. T was out Saturday night playing a game called Kremlin with some guys. His day had been busy: ultimate Frisbee, helping a friend move for five hours, baking cookies, and interacting with us. It was after midnight when he returned home. He didn't notice, until he walked in the back door and felt wet socks, that he had left, without his shoes! Keep in mind it is November and this is Michigan!

Sweet Fellowship

Some of my activities I do because I like them. Some I do because I think I should do them. If scripture doesn't discourage or forbid an activity, if it doesn't take away from something I need to do, and if it seems beneficial, I generally do it --like my Bible Study or tutoring for the literacy council. If scripture recommends an activity I try to do that to --like praying or serving others. Less often than I would like though, I get involved in something where I have a real sense of God's pleasure. My book club is such a place. It's not the Christian books that we read, though we've read some great ones. It's not the place we meet--a local coffeeshop. It's certainly not that scripture commands us to be in a book club. There are only five of us and no one stands out as a unusually insightful or exceptionally exciting (sorry ladies). Our ages span almost 30 years and we certainly don't all agree on different issues within the Christian faith. But we all love Jesus. We all love our families and desire for our kids (ranging from 6 months to 20-something) to learn about Jesus and grow in their faith. I love gleaning from the words and stories of the women who lived through my current life stage. Mostly though I go because, regardless of what we read ( and I go even if I haven't read the book), I leave encouraged, challenged, and reenergized to follow the Lord. Best of all I have a sense that God has brought us together for such a time as this. And it feels sweet. May you all be blessed with such fellowship.

Healthy Habits: Drinking Tea, part 1

My last months of living in Des Moines included a morning off as mommy once a week. I haunted the back corner of a tea house near the capitol building for some peace, enjoyment, time to read and pray. The whole atmosphere was serene and relaxing and I love being someplace where the workers were informative experts--it's a treat in this day of untrained customer service workers. Those men knew tea. There wasn't a coffee pot in sight and no tea bags either. The owners traveled the Eastern world purchasing high quality tea. They served tea in the traditional way of the country from which they purchased the tea. And somehow they landed in Des Moines, opening a tea house they call Gong Fu Tea. From those two guys, I learned to love good tea. I learned how to serve it too for best flavor and someday I hope one of my visits to Des Moines corresponds with one of their tea tasting evening.

Now I am a tea snob. I dislike most bag teas and prefer the subtle nuances of green and white teas. But most people, including the workers at coffeehouses know little to nothing about tea. They think: add hot water, wait, drink.

But first thing first: a little information. Most research suggests that green and white tea are nutritionally superior to the traditional black teas served in the West (Constant Comment, Earl Grey, English Breakfast, etc. ). Black tea is higher in caffeine and lower in antioxidants. In flavor, properly prepared green and white teas are lighter, more subtle than the stronger black teas. Green and white tea do not go through any fermentation. White tea is oxidized only slightly during a short drying time. Green tea is oxidized slightly more and roasted in a pan. Research and common sense indicate that the less processed white tea has the highest concentration of antioxidants*. Both white tea and green tea have been linked (not conclusively)with lowering cholesterol, lowering blood pressure, strengthening bones, and killing viruses and bacteria, including those that cause tooth decay.

But you say, the green tea I have tried was bitter and unpleasant. Here's probably why. Most green and white tea have a precise method of preparation that manufacturers fail to share and that servers never know. First, heat your water to boiling and then let it cool to around 185-195. Pour it over the tea leaves or bag. Second, don't leave that bag in for a long soak, remove the tea leaves in about three minutes (and most of the time you can get a second and third use out of them), remove white tea leaves after two minutes. Hotter water will increase caffeine content and bitterness.

Now, make a cup of your favorite tea. Sit down and relax. I know it will make you feel better.

* For those who love to get technical: Antioxidant is a word that is thrown around the health community as if we all remember chemistry well. I don't remember my chemistry so I briefly researched this morning. First, remember that a molecule is most stable if all the electrons have a partner. An antioxidant is a molecule that can prevent the oxidation of other cells. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that can cause electron transfer, sometimes resulting in free radicals. Free radicals are molecules with an unpaired electron and as such can cause chain reactions within our cells that result in damage to other cells. Antioxidants stabilize free radicals and sometimes repair damaged cells. Oxidation is naturally occurring process in our body so we need a healthy amount of antioxidants to maintain health. It seems, though not conclusively, that as we age our ability to stabilize oxidation decreases, resulting in more health problems. Research indicates that antioxidants may be the key to postponing or stopping health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's, macular degeneration, and even cancer. The best source of antioxidants is to eat a colorful array of fruits and vegetables daily.

Tidbits

So this post is mostly for the grandparents. I know they have been waiting. H was a Siamese cat for Halloween, K a bunny. The picture of Kassy and the pumpkin is significant because this is the first year K would touch the slimey insides of a pumpkin. The top pumpkin on the steps is the one H did all alone, opened, cleaned, drew and carved thanks to those handy pumpkin carving kit. Doing the whole thing made her feel very old. The top picture of T and me at the MOPS Halloween party last weekend. I didn't get any full body poses so you can't see the knee length black leather blacks with heels--only the second time I have ever worn heels in my entire life! And the first was not my wedding.

I love trick or treating in this neighborhood. It is a big party. We had over 400 trick or treaters. The weather was so beautiful that many of us sat in our front yards on lawn chairs to pass out the candy. There isn't enough of a break between groups of trick or treaters to make going inside worth the effort. We ran out of candy at 7:30. Then the girls went next door and helped the neighbor finish passing out her candy, except they will only give candy to the cute costumes; they hide from the scary ones. Some neighbors get annoyed at the strangers who come to our neighborhood for this holiday. There are many teenage parents with young kids who come with a bag for their 1-year-old and a bag for themselves. There are teens who come with just a pillowcase and no costume. There are kids who are obviously lying who have two bags, one for themselves and one for their sick brother who is in the car. There are kids who go around the block multiple times and think we don't notice. And of course there are a ton of kids in great costumes. Everyone is friendly and it is one of the only events I've attended in this city were the racial tensions don't permeate the atmosphere. Getting free candy is such an innocent thing to do--I don't mind how old you are, but if you are little and cute, you might get two pieces of candy.