Visit to the optometrist....thoughts on children

Life in a Nutshell
Bear with me on this one......... :)

I had to get my vision checked since it hadn't been done in almost two years. Not bad for most people, but I think I may be legally blind without my contacts, and I really need to make sure my prescription is up to date, since my eyesight keeps deteriorating. It's a slow process, and my lack of sight seems to be plateau-ing out....thank goodness.

Anyhoo. I went to the local 'froofy-trendy' optometrist place up the street, not in the mood to deal with the inanities of an over-done moviestar receptionist filing her nails and staring me down with her bored puppydog eyes.... oh, wait a minute that's my dentist office. Nonetheless, I was expecting pretty much the same treatment.

I was in for a pleasant surprise. Eveyone was genuinely friendly, and went out of their way to explain extra charges for extra tests, (no, thank you) and allowing me to 'beat out' the insurance company by ordering the contacts now (get the insurance to pay for part) but picking them up after the New Year (using the money from our flexible spending account).

And it was funny, how unoffended I was when the nurse asked where I work, and I said 'at home'. And the doctor, trying to make small talk, asked if I went to work today or if I'm on vacation, and I said I work everyday at home...I have five children! He was properly astonished and said he guesses I don't get much time off. Funny, I found out later from DH (who read the dr's profile) that this guy is "married and has two large dogs".

And that's how we come to my thoughts on children. Whenever I leave the cocoon of my own home, or the comfort of my own friends, I am amazed at how anti-child this society is. My DH runs into this more often at work. And he has decided to tell the next 'childless' person (one who has decided not to have children....people will tell him outright!) that as wierd as they think he is, he thinks they are just as wierd for making such a decision!

I'm trying to envision Christmas in these childless homes. Give the dogs big bones wrapped in ribbon and then take off for Aspen? I know that if DH and I were childless, we'd be headed home to family! I couldn't imagine the two of us sitting around staring at each other all day. Family is the most important thing on this earth. To deliberately choose not to have a family is one of the biggest tragedies.

Now, (big disclaimer) I know a lot of women who are heartbroken over their infertility, and so I am obviously not including them in my diatribe over childless Christmases.

"Chirstmas is about the children" my Grandmother says to me as she pops in the mail our means to make Christmas absolutely magical for our children. And she's right. Sure, I love getting things, but I love the anticipation of the giving even more. I love searching for gifts that will bring joy and excitement, and hours of fun. I love the busy-ness of the year...the shopping, the baking, the parties. Even though my week is planned out to the minute, I love every minute of it. And I love imparting the mystery of the Holy Babe to my own little ones. It's the most beautiful, love-filled story ever told.

And there would be none of this without the children. I read a great article today in Catholic Exchange about how fast children grow up. Mrs. Belinski posits that it all goes by way too quickly. I've been thinking about that a lot lately. I'm going to miss the babble and the noise, the pudgy fingers and the lisps, the sweet curly hair and the innocent play. I know there are many more exciting milestones to come, but I have a feeling that we will look at our gangly teenagers, as they assert their independence and individuality, and only see them as the chubby-cheeked two-year-olds they were just yesterday.



Christmas is for the children, because it's about a Child.