Dishes, dishes, and more dishes!!! Oh the horror!

So, our brand new dishwasher broke. Yes, after 2 whole weeks of working, it just stopped. And so did life. Because how are we supposed to have clean dishes without it? It took a couple of days to realize that the dishes were going to have to be washed - - by hand. After my 5th "load" of dirty dishes, I suddenly had a flashback to my childhood, when all dishes had to be washed this way. All the time. My cousin once asked, "Where's your dishwasher?" and my dad, looking at my older sister and me, answered, "you're looking at them" He laughed, we trembled. It was traumatizing. So much so, that I've pushed the memory into the deepest, darkest recesses of my brain. I feel all those old feelings gnawing at me every dish I wash.
How could my parents have forced me to do this every single day? How did I survive such a horrific childhood??!!
My kids have gone to bed hungry at night, because the thought of washing the dishes they eat on is too horrifying. So I give them a cookie and them on their way.
How is my life supposed to continue like this? How can I possibly make it until this weekend? Life with no dishwasher is no life at all.
I think of my poor mother who had to hand wash every singled dish back in the day. Why did she even bother cooking? This is no way to live! Why didn't every single mother just feed their family sandwiches on napkins before dishwashers? Was there a before dishwashers?! The thought of not knowing the joys of a machine washing your dishes is too much for me. It's painful, really.
Friday our new dishwasher comes. I will kiss it. I will love it. I will care for it like it's my child. What other disaster could possibly come next? No tv? No internet? Bread that hasn't yet been sliced?
I think I need to lie down!

Wait, am I really this old now?!

As if hearing that Bryan Adam's "Everything I do (I do it for you)" was released in 1991 didn't already make me feel old (not to mention the whole being a mom and wife and having 2 cars and house, blah blah blah), today, I scheduled my first mammogram. Yes, I did. Now, technically, I'm not really old enough to be starting those just yet. I have about 5 more years to embrace before really becoming a woman. But due to my specialness (and family history), I was told go do it IMMEDIATELY! So, I did. And felt very, very, well, womanly. But not in a sexy, "I am woman, hear me roar" kind of way. No, in a, "time to schedule maintenance appointments" kind of way.
I know this is very important, and needs to be done. I work with SO many women who are being diagnosed with breast cancer, and who've recently been through treatment, it's ridiculous. It feels like every day there's a new female coworker who has been diagnosed. It's very scary. And especially since my mom is a survivor. I've always known that early intervention would be very important. But now that it's here, really, it feels unreal. Can I truly be old enough to have to deal with this and start thinking about it?
They asked me how old I was today when I called to make the appointment, and even though they said I was too young, when I said "30," it felt extremely old. It's much different than telling the bartender, "yeah, I'm 30" and having him say, "no way! you dont' look a that old!" Sure, the first person was telling me I was too young, and the second person was saying they couldn't believe I am that old, yet, that drink in your hand at the bar makes you feel younger than scheduling a mammogram.
But it has now begun. I have taken my first step at early intervention. I have no desire to be the next person to walk in to work, informing everyone when my surgery is. So, I guess I'll just have to deal with being "that age" now and do what needs to be done.

And speaking of doctor's and doctor's appointments, am I the only who who feels ridiculously stupid putting on the stupid gown thing they give you? I never know if I put it on the right way, and always, ALWAYS seem to rip a nice big whole in the paper they give you to cover up with. If nothing else, that will always have me feeling young and childish!! :-)