letters

Dear FB Followers,

How would you like me to respond to a link or video or even a comment that I do not agree with?  Should I continue to follow my Father’s advice (from childhood) and keep quiet if I have nothing nice to say?  Do you want me to tell you how I really feel?  Most of my followers are friends, people I either talk to regularly or occassionally that have had some sort of impact in my life.  A few I have never met.  Do the rules apply to both groups or should I share my honest opinions with those I personally know and keep quiet with those I don’t?

With topics such as religion, politics, and other issues being posted there are obviously going to be differences in opinions.  When you post such things are you looking for confirmation of your opinions or do you really want to open the topic for discussion?  I’ve stayed away from commenting when I don’t agree and, at least in my little facebook world, others seem to do the same.  All controversial postings seem to have a couple (or a lot depending on topic)” Amens” and “I’m with you’s” but opposing sides are not seen.  What is the goal? 

I know that some with opposing views have discontinued FB friendships so that the postings won’t have to be seen.  I truly believe that this is not the intention of the poster.  It’s cool to have an opinion and FB is a way to share those opinions with others, but sometimes it’s hard not to respond in an opposing fashion (at least for me) and yet I would neverwant to offend you.  We are all entitled to our opinions.  I just want to know what you, my friends, expect.  Please tell me.  Should I respond when I disagree or can I continue to be silent, there by letting you know I disagree?

Your FB Friend

Dear Ms. Suleman,

Congrats on the birth of your octuplets.  Congrats also to their 6 siblings.  I know you must be overwhelmed with all the publicity you are receiving, but did you think you could avoid it?  Was there ever any doubt in your mind that the world would want to understand what you and your doctor were thinking when you were implanted with 6 embryos (according to you) and already had 6 children from previous treatments?  I’m not judging you, your doctor maybe, but I would just like to know what the thought process is here.  Are you trying to keep up with the Duggars?  Envying Jon and Kate?  You do realize Kate has Jon and a slew of other people to help, right?  Or is that your motive?  To have enough babies to solicit help and a possible TV show of your own? 

Personally, I can barely keep up with my own 2 children and do not understand how parents with large families (5 kids or more) have the energy, patience, and sanity to do it all.  I also have to wonder about your current living arrangements.  You previously made this statement:

“I didn’t feel as though, when I was a child, I had much control of my environment. I felt powerless. And that gave me a sense of predictability. Reflecting back on my childhood, I know it wasn’t functional. It was pretty dysfunctional, “

If that statement is true, why are you living and getting help and support from those very people who made you feel this way?  Is that in the best interest of YOUR children?  I further have to question your need to inform the donor of his 14 children.  Is this common practice at the clinic you go to, or is this an isolated instance where you, or your doctor thought he should be informed?  And what would you like him to do now?

Those are just a few of the questions I have right now.  I’m sure as more information becomes available I’ll have more.

Congratulations. Enjoy your babies.  Try to keep your sanity.

Mommy to 2

aka: 2isenough

Dear Friends,

I appreciate your understanding during our recent conversations and regret having to share my stress level with each of you.  It’s a predicament I put myself in a long time ago, but thought that as adults things would be different.  They’re not.

I was originally excited about my upcoming visit, but then some of you totally stressed me out with your decisions not to be around each other.  I have limited time and want to see you all, as well as spend time with my parents, and the fact that some of you would rather NOT be in the same room with others left me feeling like I had to choose who to invite to our dinner party.  I do not want to be in the middle and NOT invite anyone.  I also would not like to explain to each of you that someone else does not want to be around you, or that you don’t want to be around someone (and it’s not even the same person who doesn’t want to be around you).  I’ve spoken with each of you involved and feel better in doing so.  I’ve decided to invite you all, let you know who else is invited, and let YOU make the decision on wether or not you can attend.

I hope everyone will come.  It will be a wonderful time.  Great Food and Wine.  A group of High School Buddies now all MOMS.  Surely we can use this common ground to all get along.

I love you All like Sisters.

Shelly

Dear Santa,

Thank You so much for getting the kids exactly what they asked for this Christmas.  I know times are lean.  They didn’t get as much stuff as in previous years, which is understandable, but they did get exactly what they told you they wanted when they visited you as Bass Pro Shop.

Boogie is elated with his Nintendo DS, the fact that it is red with the Mario M makes it all the cooler.  He carries it with him everywhere he goes and it has made car rides rather quiet which is never a bad thing.

Puddin Pop (and her brother) adore the Baby Alive potty training doll and feed it regularly, like 5 times a day.  She is very loved.  She eats and drinks, pees and poops, talks, sings and plays.  What 2 year old could resist that?

One tip, if I may…

When a 2 year old requests a doll that will urinate and poop, often missing the toilet and leaking through her diaper, please make sure that said child and her sibling will take care of the doll.  Make sure she is old enough to change a diaper, clean the potty and do more than feed it and walk away.  This makes Mommy feel like she has 3 kids.  I don’t, for a reason.  You may also want to package the doll with more than one spare diaper as the one she was wearing leaked all over my leg with the first feeding.  Two packets of food were plenty for me, but lasted the older children only minutes as they really had to see the difference between banana poop and pea poop. 

The baby is now sleeping and the children have been warned not to wake her until they are willing to change her diaper and clean out her potty.  I have 3 toilets to clean already and do not need a fourth.  I’m thinking she’ll be sleeping for quite some time.

Thanks again for everything,

Mommyto2

Dear Friend,

When you asked me yesterday to watch your kids, I gladly obliged.  You had a church potluck at 6:3o and wanted me to watch the boys for a “couple” hours.   You said the potluck usually lasted 2 hours.

Today you let me know that you would bring the boys by at 4:30, which seemed a little early to me, until you disclosed that the “party” was at your house.  I’m not mad, but I would have appreciated all the facts up front.  It is 2 days before Christmas, and my kids do usually go to bed at 8:00 (which you know) so I can’t help but feel a little taken advantage of.  In the future, if you need my assistance, please let me know your true intentions up front or…call someone else.

I hope you’re having a good time (It’s now 9:30) and hope you know that it is NOT okay for your kids to spend the night.  See you soon (hopefully).

Your friend,

Shelly

I appreciate the fact that this is your first year as president as I am new to this whole PTA thing myself.  I’m not sure what I thought the whole PTA experience would be like, but I feel slighted.  Our first meeting of the year was you reading the budget, line by line, while in the background, was a nice slide show of the kids first day of school, this was not only distracting, but a visual of the budget might have been a better option for the group to follow along.  Was this an oversight or intentional? 

Tonight we had a Room Mom meeting and the woman in charge of this project was afraid to say anything, even though the info was typed up and right in front of her (in front of all of us actually).  You turned the meeting over to her, and then proceeded to conduct the meeting 1 minute later.  I had to laugh (to myself) when the poor woman said to make sure to call her with any questions.?  What is the process for choosing these individuals and how do I get more involved?  I really think you could use the help.

 Thanks for stopping by.  I’m assuming your EC dropping but hope you like what you read and will come back.  This is my 3rd blog.  While I originally got into the blogging business to see if I could make a little extra cash, this blog is my outlet to voice my opinions and is a little more “me” than the others.  I share more of my true feelings and what I’m about here and take the opportunity to use my wit and sarcasm that I have had to curb since the addition of children.  This is also the blog that my family does NOT know about.  I may/have vented some frustrations and would never want to hurt their feelings.  That being said, please feel free to stop by anytime and tell me what you think.

You know who you are.  We meet up in our (my) dreams and it still gives me that same feeling I had so long ago.   We used to meet up more often (in those dreams) but it seems as time goes on, our “visits” become less and less. 

You have your family and I have mine.  We both swore that we would NEVER get divorced due to the fact that we both came from “broken” families and we wanted better for our children and believed that meant two parents in the same house.  I wonder, 20+ years later, if you still feel the same way.  I would never want my children to grow up without their father and I think this makes me work harder at making my relationship work.

I will always treasure the 5 years we spent together and there will always be a part of me that wonders “what if…”.  We shared so many “firsts” together and you were my best friend before we “took it to the next level”.  I will always love you and only wish the best for you.  I hope you are truly happy, know you are a great father, and wonder if you ever think of me.

Fondly,

Me