What message I choose to find...

I've seen lots of hullabaloo over frozen as of late. Lots of off the wall analysis of what it all means. The hidden agendas, the devils that Disney is imprinting into our children etc. I decided I wanted to get my peace out "on paper".

 So I've discussed this with my spousal unit, and we decided we adore the movie. The music is phenomenal, the story line is amazing and well done. We love the characters and most certainly LOVE the empowerment that Disney provides our children, daughter and sons alike.


Elsa is not the first princess who is hidden away, remember a certain blonde named Cinderella? How about that cute little black haired chick, what's her name? Ah, yes! Snow White. So this whole coming out of the closet agenda is crap.

Elsa is born with her gift.. the little troll asks born with it or cursed? We see right off she is born with a gift that no one quite knows how to deal with. She and her parents are counseled to not let fear get in the way. She is told that fear will be her biggest downfall. I don't know about you, but for me raising my children can be extremely crazy scary at times.  I have children who are gifted. I have children who are gifted WITH learning disabilities and emotional behavioral disorders. I can choose to teach them to embrace their gifts and stare their challenges in the face, OR I can hide them away, teach them to conceal their shortcomings, hide their gifts and talents so no one ever knows there is anything amazing about them. By embracing their gifts and facing challenges life throws at them, I am teaching them to know how to love themselves. I am teaching them how to be accepted and loved for who they are. ALL OF WHO THEY ARE.  Fear made the King and Queen hide Elsa away, they were afraid that people wouldn't accept her for who she was. She learned to fear, conceal her gifts and talents, and cower away in a room where no one could get close enough to really know who she is.  It is only until her secret is out that she feels freed from having to hide away. She finally embraces the take me or leave me attitude that I think all children should be taught. I want my children to be who they are, to not let anyone's thoughts change who God made them. I want them to love who they are, be confident that they are fabulous people and embrace that if someone chooses not to see that or doesn't like it; they can take it or leave it but they aren't going to conform to what others want them to be.

Next we come to dearest Anna. She is so cute and naive. She is starved for love and affection. She craves companionship, to the point of fantasizing about finding her true love in one night. Disney has often done this, the princess meets the prince, they fall in love and ta-da! Happily ever after. This time though, it's different. Disney is FINALLY helping our little girls realize that not all fairy tales need to end in meeting that boy and marriage after one date. I love that consistently throughout the movie Anna keeps getting told she can't marry someone she just met. Her sister, who Anna desperately seeks affection and approval from is the first. You can see she is hurt and that Elsa is just being mean. Then you see Kristoff tell her the same thing! Then he proceeds to point out why, asking questions and pointing out disgusting habits that guys might have etc. Never before have we seen our princesses having to think about what happens when we meet someone and get married without really knowing them.

Anna is filled with love, this is clear. She is confident she can help her sister because she loves her. She is positive she won't hurt her because Anna loves Elsa. Anna seeks out her sister, gives her all trying to save her. Elsa doesn't want to be saved, she doesn't want to go back to the isolation she'd felt for the past decade or so. I know that having family is love, loving when you get burned, loving when no one else would. Loving with the thought that surely they wouldn't hurt you. Sometimes though, through disappointment, anger, words said that aren't thought through, the hurt comes. However unintentional it might be, it can come. Most of the time we never see it on the horizon, but it strikes us to the core. We have to find it in ourselves to let the hurt go. That hurt can ruin us. That hurt can breed hate and coldness in our hearts. Anna we see struggles, she thinks she can find the resolution in someone else only to find that they burn her as well. She never asks for an apology, expects Elsa or anyone else after that to give her something to make things right. She finds that forgiveness, extends it and the true love that saves her is her own.

Kristoff, he's a new sort of character. He is a great supporting role. He teaches my boys that it's OK to work along side a strong female and be important, without being walked over.  He is witty, kind, loving, and has a great sense of duty and chivalry. He keeps his word, even when that ends up loosing his sled that he put so much work into.  Sometimes keeping our word is so much more important then what we may have to give up in order to do so. Kristoff also teaches my boys that again, fairy tales don't have to end in a wedding and happily ever after once the princess is saved. That it's ok to get to know who you are interested in before you jump head first into marriage.

I am not touching the Oakin claim beyond this; I believe he was acknowledging the family that was partaking in his sauna special. I do not think he was acknowledging HIS family. If he was, so what? Do we breed hatred for others? Do we teach our children that how someone feels and chooses to express themselves, no matter how much we may disagree with it, is deserving of hate and unkindness? I teach my children that our Heavenly Father teaches us to love all mankind, that it's not our place to pass judgement lest they may be judged severely.

I choose to see this movie as a brilliant lesson. I think the music is amazing, the storyline very appropriate, and the characters all endearing and lovely. I see empowering young ladies, strong young men, stupid wicked cute snow men, reindeer, and rock trolls.  I am happy to let my children watch this movie, listen to the soundtrack, and openly quote it.

Surgery imminent.

I can remember from a very young age times I have sat in bed with fevers so high I would hallucinate, the room would spin, and the floor would fall out from under me. I remember reactions from antibiotics that I was allergic to, swim and dive meets that I had to miss, and many play dates spent in bed with a throat so raw and tonsils so swollen I couldn't swallow.

I had the opportunity when I was 7 to have my tonsils removed, my mom passed. For that I thank her every day. The doctor wanted to remove them in office under local anesthetic via the cold steel method. Gratefully she said no. But, because of that I spent a good portion of the rest of my childhood sick with strep throat or some other form of throat infection and suffered from sleep apnea.

I remember my 8th grade school year. I was anxious to start yet another new school. I was so excited to be in a different place, I actually really wanted to be there. I woke that morning for school with tonsils so swollen they gagged me, I could hardly swallow, and talking was essentially out of the question. I got myself ready for school and hopped on the bus. I spent the whole day at school completely miserable. I am sure I infected a good few of my classmates with strep, but I didn't want to miss yet another thing because I was sick.

So here I am, nearly 33 years old, embarking on an operation that should have been ventured more then 20 years ago! I am apprehensive of the pain that will be involved. I am for sure NOT looking forward to the recovery time. I am looking forward to the weight loss benefits. I am 100% looking forward to the relief of throat infections and room in my throat to breathe.

It took some doing and lots of visits to the ENT to get this ball rolling and surgery scheduled. He drug his feet, ordered a slew of tests, and finally scheduled surgery. On 2/27, Thursday morning I'll be rid of these infection harboring lumps of uselessness in my throat. I will also be enduring a turbinate reduction at the same time. These two procedures should allow for better airways and a significant reduction of symptoms and a road to easier breathing, less need for antibiotics, and a better quality of life for me.

I will see if I feel so grateful for the surgery on Friday or Saturday =o)