I love my life

No, that is not sarcasm.  That is genuine.  I love my life.  I love my family.  I love my community.  Are there a few knuckleheads that stick their nose where it doesn't belong and try to stir the pot?  Of course.  But, you get that anywhere you go.  However, in small communities, they make themselves known pretty easily. 

As for my life and day to day stuff, we spent the day yesterday in Springfield seeing a specialist only to be told Charlie has flat feet.  There are no extra bone.  There are no bones fusing together.  The growth plates are all normal.  He just has flat feet.  That is why he is destroying shoes and appear to be walking on the insides of his feet.  The specialist said to buy him good, sturdy, high top shoes or boots with a solid high arch.  Then he looked down, saw Charlie's shoes, picked one up, stuck his hand inside, and said "This is perfect."  So, once again, we spend the day at the doctor over an issue that we have already taken proper corrective measure on, and are sent on our way with no need to go back.  On the one hand, it is annoying to have a day disappear because of sitting in a waiting room or driving 100 miles one way to see someone.  On the other hand, it is nice having that reassurance from a specialist in the field telling us "This is what is going on.  This is what you need to do.  Keep doing it."  I was also reassured that there is a good chance he will outgrow this since he is still growing. 

Today was supposed to be illicit drug training, but it had been rescheduled.  So, we spent the day setting up the paintball target range sponsored by TAVFD for "Oldies in the Ozarks."  As I watched my children help with set up and watched the firefighters work around them and include them in the work, I was once again amazed and thankful to be living in this community.  These aren't just people doing a job.  No one gets paid.  These are people doing this because they care about the fire department and they care about the community and they care about people.  All people.  My children are not getting pushed away just because they are children.  They aren't "in the way" (although I know a few times they were.)  They are welcome, they are put to work, and they are made to feel valuable.  Even if their only job was holding strands of rope to tie down the tarp, that was an important job.  They were included in teasing and jokes and they teased back.  They go up and will slip their small hand into a large, calloused hand of some gruff guy.  They trust.  They have never been given a reason to not trust.  Knowing only safety, security, and love, that is what they expect from everyone.  They have never known any different.  I pray they never learn any different.

I was dropping a key to the Soul Haven office off at a volunteer's house and we got to talking.  I have three meetings on the 23rd.  I have a Soul Haven staff meeting followed by a La Leche League meeting and that evening is Ozark Neighbor Exchange.  Yes, it will be a busy day, but each of these things are important. 

The staff meeting is a monthly meeting (although this month it got pushed back a couple of weeks) and it keeps everyone in touch with what is going on, cases, and how each one is doing along with any other issues that may arise.

La Leche League is also important.  Moms need these meetings.  It helps them connect with other moms and gives them a chance to talk, ask questions, and learn not just about breastfeeding, but about themselves as mothers and as women. 

ONE is also important.  It is fairly new and it is basically people in this community striving for this area to be self sustaining.  Buy the wheat from the local farmer.  Don't have it shipped in from Montana.  The cattle that is raised here?  Butcher it here and sell it here.  Don't ship it off to some far off slaughter house and have it sold across the country while the beef we buy here comes from California.  ONE also does barter and skill trades.  There are some sessions I am going to sit on that I know a bit about and can share (such as seed saving) and there are other sessions I am going to sit in on because I want to know more about it (such as seed saving.)  Yes, I repeated myself.  I am not heading up any workshops to the surprise of some people.

I actually had someone ask not if but "Which ones are you heading up?"  I told her I wasn't and not because I wasn't asked, but because I don't have time.  She was kind of stunned.  I said no to something.  That's not supposed to happen.  I am supposed to go in and head up and lead and take charge.  That's my personality.  Well, I am trying to reign that in.  Besides, I have three other things that require me at a moment's notice to drop everything and run.

Fire/First Responder
Crisis Call for Rape or Domestic Violence
Breastfeeding Help

While I am getting better at delegating, I still need to watch that I don't try to do it all.  Even something as simple as going to the thrift store for towels and bedding and stuff, I have a hard time delegating.  "I can do this."  It feels strange to say "Since you are going to Gainesville before me, could you stop at the thrift store and____."

Anyway, I am really starting to ramble here and probably not making sense.  So, to sum things up, Charlie has flat feet, the fire department is setting up a shooting range for children and adults alike to shoot, and I have three meetings in one day on the 23rd and hope I remember them all.