Ethan the Empathizer

I bought the Sunday paper yesterday because I am going to start couponing--maybe. Anyway, the paper was lying where Ethan could get it and he pulled out the comics section. His eyes landed on The Peanuts. In the comic Lucy hands Snoopy and balloon and tells him not to lose it, and of course, he does in the comic strip. Ethan starts yelling,

"OH NO! OH NO! The doggy! Balloon! Sad! Balloon! I sad! I sad!" Repeat like 5 times. He is near tears and I had to reassure him that it was ok, that the doggy could get another balloon at the store several times.

Oh, and another funny about Ethan. I often say to him, "Just a minute, Ethan." When he is calling me to come to him from another room. Yesterday he climbed into the bathtub and started making a lot of noise with his bath toys and Noah was sleeping in the next room so I asked him to please get out of the bathroom and come into the playroom, and he said, "Just a minute, Momma!" Same tone, and voice inflection of my own. I guess he told me!

Survey on Happiness

I have had this blog circulating in my head for a month. Lack of time to myself, and not quite sure I know what I am talking about has kept me from writing. So, I ask you for your opinions.

In my conversations with people in the three life stages of:

1. Single, no children

2. Married, no children

3. Married, have children

I noticed a trend on happiness and life satisfaction level. Now, it could be that my pool of informants were too narrow, I know this, so that is why I am asking if you have an opinion to please post it.

The single people I have talked to seemed...sad.

Lonely.

Discontent with life.

The married people (no children) I talked to seemed happier.

More content

But tense about the inevitable frustrations that come from living on planet earth. Such as, financial setbacks from car repairs and medical bills, school loans, and irritating coworkers.

The married people (with children) seemed...tired. Oh, so very tired. But... happiest. Most content. Joyful. Peaceful. Accepting of things like no money, and job frustrations. Perhaps because they have decided those things don't matter so much and they are finding joy in their little ones, and they have the family unit and do not feel lonely. Or they are just too tired to give all the other stuff the energy required to be frustrated and mad and don't have the time to contemplate things that might make them sad.

So, what do you think? What is your life stage? Are you happy? Are you content? Do you want more out of your life?

Just wondering.

Me, Personally?

I am tired. Beyond Exhausted most of the time. For my birthday in a few weeks, I want the one thing money can't buy. I want to sleep through the night!!! Oh, and to lose the weight I have gained, which now may be possible since I was diagnosed with hyperthyroid the other day and I am now medicated so I might be able to. YAY! Other than that, I have every thing I want. I love my husband. He is the perfect man for me. I couldn't ask or dream of anyone better. I love my babies. Ethan is smart, and funny, and loving, and sweet and he looks so much like his dad. Noah is happy, focused, active, adorable in every way, and in my opinion, drop dead gorgeous for a boy. They both bring me more joy than I ever thought was possible to experience outside of heaven. While we aren't rich, and we daily have concerns over how we are going to pay for big expenses like replacing our a/c, and leaky roof, we aren't starving and we can buy what we need (and needs include a few items from Gymboree when they have their summer sale, ok?) I am happy. Very happy. Slightly insane on any given day from lack of sleep and not knowing how to parent a toddler and not speaking to adults on a regular basis, but I am very very very happy.