Farewell

This is a letter I plan to send to myspace:

Dear Tom,

I have decided to delete my myspace account, even though I have had one for 4 years. At one time I greatly enjoyed your services. That all changed the day I discovered that, even though you have a policy against it, you allow pornography to be posted on your site. I discovered this because someone on my friends list did just that. I was disgusted and could not believe that you allowed this to be posted.

I did delete that person's profile from my friends list. Even though I can no longer access that site, I'm sure that the pictures are still up there. I cannot run the risk of having more images like this posted again. I feel that if you have a rule in place you should make sure action is taken and that consequences follow. With the millions of dollars this site generates, I would only assume that you would have enough staff to patrol this properly.

I struggle with the fact that there are young kids on your site and could potentially see these images, especially since they are so readily available. I personally know a number of young teens that have accounts with your site. I worry for them and the fact that pornography is so widely accepted in society today. It ruins families, jobs and lives. Any chance I get to tell others what I have discovered on your site, I plan to. Especially parents who come to me and ask me my thoughts on myspace.

This same individual tried to post pictures on Facebook. However, on Facebook they were immediately deleted. I'm going to stick with a site that stays true to their values and rules.

Thank you.

Nicole Sparrow

I should really do this more!

I have completely deprived any adoring fans I may have out there by being silent for 2 months. It's not intentional. These past few months have definitely been crazy. I'm hope and plan is to spend time weekly to write down thoughts about life.

I went to a funeral today. I usually can't go to a lot of church members funerals because they are during the week and I cannot get off work. This funeral was quite eye opening on the fragility of life. Although this woman was in her 60's, he was so vibrant and very active in our community and church for many years. However, 10 weeks ago her life changed. You see, she found out 10 weeks ago that she had stage 4 pancreatic cancer that had metastasized to her liver. She tried chemo but it ended up making her sick and it just wasn't worth it. Although she would rally at times, they would be followed up by worse times. Thadd and I figured out today that we last saw her in December at the Bob Evans.

I've only seen more people in our church on Christmas Eve or Easter. I was blown away by how many people were there today to pay their respects. Thadd had to take care of the funeral. It was not the plan but due to a sudden health situation of our senior minister (and a phone call at 6 am) Thadd was called in as a pitch hitter. Fortunately, everything was in place and Thadd could step in seamlessly.

I'm trying to live life with no regrets. I don't want to miss out on anything in life. I've learned with Eli (or Mr. Cheeks) that I cannot take anything for granted. I try to enjoy every second that I spend with him. Life is too short not too.

One Year Ago...

This weekend was a great Christmas time weekend. I baked cookies, we put up the Christmas Tree, and I felt that I channeled my mother while baking.

However, these past few days I have taken a look back at the past year. It was one year ago tomorrow I found out the actual date that I was losing my job. I was given a little more than a month's notice. So I was bummed. I was wondering how God was going to work and what we would do financially after my salary was cut out completely.

When I got home from work my crummy day just kind of continued. It was a rough night. Thadd and I had started to try for a baby a few months before and well, there were signs that we may, in fact, be pregnant.

I took a test in the midst of chaos and found out I was pregnant. It was a time of rejoicing as well as a time of fear and worry. How would we provide for our child? What would happen financially? Would I be a good Mom? I had always wanted to be a stay at home mom, would I be able to?

It's amazing how much your perspective changes once you find out you are pregnant. You see things in a whole new light. I'm more aware of the weather, people with colds, crazies...etc. This past year has been a whirlwind. It's been good, and I'm so blessed with my son, his health and the ability to work only part time. God has truly blessed our year. I'm thankful for that.

Why do we want to watch other people's live their life?

Thadd has posed this question to me many times. Probably because I'm the one who is into watching reality tv. I don't watch them all the time but I do watch them. I've thought about this question all week. I'm still struggling with an answer. However, on that same note, I do read other people's blogs. I guess that would be along the same lines. Why do people care about what others are doing?

I read a blog the other night that made me laugh. It was a guy that I went to high school with. He's someone I was friends with and like everyone else from high school, I lost contact with until social networking came into play. I'm friends with him on Myspace. Through his myspace I found his blog and I read it occasionally. Mostly to look at his pictures because I think that he is a great photographer. I went to his blog the other day and he made a post about how he doesn't like to accept friends on facebook who he hasn't talked to in years. The irony of this is that he has this very public blog, that is connected with other blogs in the Springfield area, but he doesn't want people to see his facebook?! I laughed. I wondered if he thought of the irony of it all.

So I ask the question, why. Why do we have this whole social networking fad to see what is happening in other peoples lives. I admit, I have had problems adding some people because I never talked to them in college or high school. Simply because I wonder why they care. I was amazed at how many people wanted to be my friend on myspace or facebook after Elijah was born. Maybe they are just using me to look at my cute kid?

So many things, so little time..

I have spent the past few weeks pondering a lot. The decision was made that I would go back to work part time. It's a good thing, but I definitely miss Elijah. So I have spent the past few weeks thinking of going back to work, Elijah at the babysitters and how that will affect him, the election, lia sophia, it just never ends.

I've noticed that since Elijah is getting older, people we know, and don't know for that matter, have become more brass about things with him. We had some random woman come up to him at a resturant the other night and shove his pacifier in his mouth. The funny thing was he was sitting there, content, not making a peep while chewing on his fist. However, this random woman felt that he wanted his pacifier. He, like a great child should, spit it right back out.

I've also noticed that since he is a little older, people at our church is treating him like the church's child. He's not anyone elses child by Thadd and I's. Therefore, please don't take the liberty of taking him out of the nursery. Please don't tell people things that aren't true about his habits, and please, don't touch him without permission. This pertains to all people at the church, not just one or two. Oh and, don't get mad when we don't let you hold him...your old and he weighs a lot. And, I'm done.

The election...oooohhhh such a touchy subject. I'm choosing not to tell people who I voted for. I have found that if you tell people, all they do is bash you for your beliefs or agree with you and bash the other canidate. It's not worth my time. However, regardless of how I voted, I had already made the decision that I would pray and support the president elect regardless. There are things that over the past few days I have heard that have made me laugh though.

NBC actually called Barak Obama a rockstar. I am however a little sad about not seeing Tina Fey on Saturday night live anymore. That was a highlight of the week. I laughed when with like 30% of the votes counted the said that Barak Obama was president. Apparently they all forgot already about the election debackle in 2000. Retards. I guess that John McCain can now retire in one of his 7 houses and act his age. I mean seriously, how hard could all of that travel been on that old body. He might just need another 4 years to recoup that one.

Eh, I should be done. There is so much more. Maybe I will get on here more and post more often.

Goin' Home...

It's always nice to say, "I'm going home". I have found that over the years I have multiple "homes". I have my Springfield home. I have my Morris home (even though I have never lived there) and now I have my Owosso home. I'm sure that when I say that I'm going home people probably have no clue which one I'm talking about.

Eli and I are leaving today to go to Illinois for the week. I have two lia sophia shows and some family to see. I'm quite excited. However, I have to be a single parent this week. Thadd is unable to take off work to come so it is just me a E coming home.

The last time I came, I went to surprise my nephew by picking him up at school. A girl walked up to me (I didn't know her) and started asking me questions. The one big question that she asked was if being a parent was hard. She was like 16 years old and I just wanted to tell her of all the reasons she should wait to become a parent (or have sex for that matter). However, I only said this one thing, "I could never be a single mom." Immediately this girl understood me. I told her that it was hard and that my husband was amazing and helped out tons.

I now have looked at my own mother in a new light. She was a single mom raising two kids. I now understand what she sacrificed for us. I think about my nephews mom and other women that I know who are/were single parents. I can't imagine not having someone there to hand E off to when I just need a break. I've tried with the dogs but they always say that they can't because they don't have thumbs.

Pray for our travel...and my sanity. :-)

It's going fast.

I realize that all parents say that it goes by fast, but I never understood what it meant until now. It's hard to believe that Elijah is over 6 weeks old now. It's amazing to watch him grow and reach different milestones. He is holding his head up now and using his legs all the time. When you put him on his stomach he is constantly trying to get his legs underneath him. It's cute to watch.

We went home over this past week. It was good to see tons of people and for him to meet lots of people. He has officially met all but one set of Aunt and Uncles. The other is in Arizona. He has met a lot of his Great Aunts and Uncles. He has now met all grandparents and great grandparents. There were also numerous friends that came to showers and were excited to see him.

Elijah did really well in the car. I was impressed that with putting a 5 week old in a car for over 6 hours he slept basically the whole time with only crying when he was hungry. However, the time change and all that sleep in the car threw off his schedule. So sleeping was a bit of a comedy while we were home.

Being a parent is amazing. Everyday is a new thing and we definitely look forward to sleeping all the way through the night. It will happen....someday.