As I sit here in the restaurant at the DoubleTree Hotel in sunny Anaheim, California (wide awake as the time difference has my internal clock all confused), I decided to blog for two reasons:
ONE - why not? I mean it's been a while.
TWO - I need to fill time and maybe someone will want to fill their time reading something completely random like this post.
So let's break it down into the many MANY facets of my life as I cruise along the 32nd year of my life. (and i promise - the picture will make more sense at the end BUT it caught your attention I bet).
MY MARRIAGE
Perhaps the most BUSY part of my life. To date, my hubby and I have enjoyed nearly 10 years of marriage. It hasn't all been wine and roses (though they have made many appearances). Marriage is tough. Anybody who IS married, or is planning on getting married, and HASN'T realized this is either in denial or in a coma. It is frustrating, tiring, scary and even annoying at times. I know we have had large ups and gigantic, world-ending downs. But this aside, marriage is also something that I don't think gets enough credit by today's culture. I know my marriage has taught me how to love, survive, laugh and made me the person I am. Marriage is hard, but it is also the easiest thing in the world IF you have a good one. What's easier than coming home to your best friend? What's easier that sitting in a room together watching a movie in happy silence? What's easier than being able to say everything in one smile? Marriage is a life-long lesson that we all hope to get right. Those of us lucky enough to see 10, 20 or 60 years of it have a special gift (cheesy as it sounds) that is not only rare, but AMAZING.
MY SONS
I have two. ONE is 3 going on 30. He is my little man, my mini-me and my daily reminder that the world does have beauty to offer. He can spell his name, both by writing it AND using sign language. He's SUPER smart - so much so it staggers me on a daily basis. Everyone says they have a brilliant child (it's a parental boasting right). But honest to God, I have a brilliant child. I am just amazed that I made this little person who one minute is spelling his name and the next is rockin' out to 80's music. Parenting is hard - at BELIEVE ME - I have wanted to staple him to the carpet on MANY occasions. Parenting is also fun. I didn't want kids for most of my life. Now that I have them, I wonder - WHAT was I thinking? Ok, ok, ok - so I can't just go out and I am beyond broke, but I have little people who love me EVEN if we lived in a box and ate nothing but Mac n Cheese (which I think Noah would prefer anyway).
My other son is deaf. It took a while for me to be comfortable saying this.
DEAF
This little four letter word is feared by hearing parents like me. It's like CANCER or BIRTH DEFECT - things that you learn about on TV but never expect to have in your life. However, I have learned that DEAF is like BRUNETTE or RIGHT HANDED - it's just an aspect of an overall person. Also, we recently learned that he is deaf due to a genetic trait that both my husband and I have to be carriers of in order for our child to BE deaf. The chances of this are only 3%...yeah - FATE isn't quiet when it wants your attention. We were meant to have little Eli. Meant to be together and meant to journey this path.
Cochlear Implant time is also approaching for our little man. I watch him grow in his silence - which in anything BUT silent. He babbles and observes. He is as in-tune to the world as a hawk. His smile could melt the most iron of hearts. I can tell already he is loving and has a stellar personality. The implant will give him another tool to navigate his life. Should he choose to remain in the deaf community, we plan to continue to learn ASL (which Noah is a whiz at). Jake and I are trying to put everything in perspective and keep on track, but doubts do creep in. Only affirmation from friends, new and old, reminds us that we are doing what good parents should - give our child all the advantages and options the world today can offer.
MY JOB
This brings me to why I am at a table in the Trofi restaurant at my hotel. As the "Marketing Communications & Creative Manager" I travel a lot. Currently I am in Anaheim cranking out many projects for 2 of the 4 brands I work with. Travel is ok. I don't mind it BUT it gets lonely and I miss my family a lot. Apparently I am doing well at my job. My sales reps love the help and planning I put into the various trade shows I am in charge of. My department heads are satisfied with my skills and abilities. All in all I don't think I'll be searching for a job anytime soon. I like the variety I have and - as always - am astounded by the faith my coworkers have in my abilities. It makes me feel like I actually know what I am doing.
I just got my masters in Consumer Psychology - so now I have a MOUNTAIN of debt instead of just a hill. Basically it means I can say I have a masters...yeah, that's about it. BUT I am hopeful the skills I have learned will translate to my job and into my future career ultimately leading to a PhD and the purchase of the Jaguar I so desperately want. And I want world peace.
SO that's it folks. That is life to date for Jamie Lea Los. Mother. Professional. Friend. Wife. Daughter. Sister....and all around Wonder Woman (as Noah calls me - as some days he is Batman or Kid Flash or Silver Surfer or Spiderman). I think all women are Wonder Woman. We females should never forget that. Single or married, with or without kids, we are amazing. Men have kept us in the shadows for centuries not because they view us as weak, but because (I believe) they know how amazing we are. SO to all the WONDER WOMEN out there from Anaheim, California I say HAVE AN AMAZING DAY and YOU PRETTY MUCH ROCK.
