It is a sad day for our Community

[karlamo]

I'm sure all of you have been following the Orlando tragedy. It is beyond heartbreaking. I hope all of your loved ones are safe. Months ago I joined a group called Moms Demand Action.  It's a group trying to make changes for common sense gun control.  Here's the link if you're interested in joining.  momsdemandaction.org/

This is a powerful group and one that I believe in.  If a group of moms founded MADD and were able to change the laws regarding drunk driving then surely we can make changes for gun control.

***stepping off my soapbox***

[kh826]

A very sad day.

I wrote this earlier, to post to FB, but never posted it...

"I like to take my time when it comes to articulating heavy thoughts. I like to try to get it right – to not be misunderstood or misconstrued. I like to speak powerfully, when I can. I can’t seem to get it right in my own mind this time. I don’t want to live in fear. I don’t want to raise my children in fear. I want to be an idealist who preaches to just spread understanding, openness, peacefulness and truth… and eventually the world will reflect those ideals, right? Wrong. I feel disempowered. I feel overwhelmed. I feel helpless. I want to pretend like this didn’t happen. To protect myself and protect my children. The truth is that this world is a scary place, and sometimes there is just no reason at all for the violence and tragedy. Sometimes it is painfully random and meaningless. But sometimes, sometimes there are reasons… I don’t like feeling like a target. And I don’t know what to do with these feelings. So I will put them here, and ask my friends and family to take this one for me. Because I have no other words this time."

I might still... but I am not sure.
I am struggling to process this one.

[karlamo]

Maybe you moms with older LO's can chime in. I'm struggling with this new territory that R, and L on some level are hearing anti-gay rhetoric. I'm not talking about them watching the news but they are around when we adults are having conversations including when my wife and I talk about this. There will come a day when I will need to explain anti-gay people to them.

[JustJudy]

I'm just speechless about this shooting. We have friends that were supposed to be there that night, but decided last minute not to go. Watching the mother early Sunday on cnn who was missing her son absolutely broke me.

[2brides]

Jun 13, 2016 13:14:57 GMT -5 karlamo said:

Maybe you moms with older LO's can chime in. I'm struggling with this new territory that R, and L on some level are hearing anti-gay rhetoric. I'm not talking about them watching the news but they are around when we adults are having conversations including when my wife and I talk about this. There will come a day when I will need to explain anti-gay people to them.

I don't think my kids know. We haven't shielded them from it, but I don't think our tv has been on during their waking hours since Sunday (for no reason other than we have been crazy busy and not home too much) and we tend to listen to satellite radio in the car.  L and I have discussed it briefly, but I don't think they were around (again, not to shield them, just by happenstance.)

I don't know if the boys have any real comprehension on anti-gay rhetoric. Last year, a kid told one of the boys that it was "weird" to have 2 moms - but I don't think they saw it as anti-gay, but more as just being different. Heck, the kids just realized we were lesbians last month. (I did tell you that conversation, right?!) We haven't seen to Pride in years - since they were 5y or so - and I don't think they ever saw anyone protesting. We didn't stop going due to potential violence, but they were starting to notice things: men in see through white speedos, men in a$$less chaps, people leading each other around on leashes...and now, we are just busy with kid activities.

We've had general conversations about terrorism, gun, etc - but nothing overtly specific.

[karlamo]

2brides, you haven't shared that story. **pulls up a chair**, oh, do tell!

[2brides]

We are in the process of reading a book about changing bodies, $ex, etc to the boys. G is SO into it and begs to read it every night. C is cringing under his blanket moaning. LOL. We had this conversation last month:

L (reading): Some kids live with a mom and a dad. (who do you know who has a mom and a dad?) Some kids live with one parent (who do you know who lives with one parent?) Some kids have parents who are gay or le$bian. (who do you know who have parents who are gay or le$bian)?
*crickets*
Me: What does it mean to be gay or le$bian?
Gray: You love someone who is the same gender.
L: Yes. So, who do you know?
*crickets*
C: Um...no one?
L: You guys? You have parents who are le$bian.
G: YOU ARE LE$BIANS!?!?!?!?!?

[karlamo]

2brides, I love them. Never change boys, never change.

[JustJudy]

2brides that is the best story ever!

[wittyandwaiting]

LOL 2brides!

DS brought this up at breakfast this morning, I actually had a cry after he left for school. We were chatting about it and about gun culture in the United States and he said "it's so weird that we live in a world where there is probably someone who might want to kill you Mom." To be honest, that thought had never really occurred to me until he said it. I don't know if weird is the right word but it gave me all kinds of feels.