Thanksgiving vs. Christmas

Is Thanksgiving being sidelined for Christmas?  As the marketing of Christmas continues to grow and grow, is Thanksgiving being reduced to a mere blip on the holiday radar?  As soon as Halloween is over, Christmas hits the stores. I realize that most people are very irritated by this change.  I too find it very upsetting, how much marketing is thrown at us. That if we don't buy this and that, our loved ones will never know how much they mean to us. However, I must admit, Christmas is my favorite time of year.  I can't wait to decorate every square inch of my house, bake and create wonderful holiday sentiments, blast the wonderful music and sing like I have a voice!  I secretly started listening to bits and pieces of Christmas music over a week ago!  Then I realized something.  It started changing my outlook.  You see, in celebrating Christmas, the birth of our Savior, I was given a gift that no other can compare.  A gift, that I am so thankful for, words will never be enough.  Which then made me pause and really think of all the things that I am truly thankful for.  So, as I prepare Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow, I'm sure I will find myself drifting off into my Christmas planning mode. Fear not, I am not merely going through the motions of Thanksgiving, because it is in the way of Christmas.  For without Christmas, my list of things to be thankful for, would be considerably smaller!

Brace yourself!

Ok, so I was waiting, as we moms always do, for my daughter to get out of an ortho appt. Well, this was an appt. like no other, the braces are coming off!!!  After our visit two days ago, to get her retainer impressions and ordered, I started to really think about what today would mean. This past summer I started becoming painfully aware of how fast my kids are growing up.  And how there is not a thing in this world I can do to slow it down.  It is like being on a roller coaster with no brakes...hang on, hold tight and scream!

Back to the whole braces thing.  You see, only 2 1/2 short years ago, a gangling, crooked toothed little girl walked out of the waiting area and into a dental chair to get her braces on.  And when she came back out, she was still a crooked toothed kid, happily sporting a myriad of colored bands on her braces, eager to show her friends.  She was also somewhat apprehensive, a normal response when facing peers for the first time.  And today, after what does NOT feel like 2 1/2 years, a more poised, adolescent walked out into the same waiting area towards me.  After swallowing hard, and closing my awestruck mouth, I was painfully aware that time is flying faster than I had realized.  This was one more milestone passed on "our" journey as she grows up.  Thankfully, as only she can, she snapped me back to the "now."  As I stood there, I told her that I couldn't believe how she looked, and my face showed it. Then I told her that I was tearing up...and out it came, something to the effect of  "Mom, you are such a dork," complete with an eye roll!  So, there it is! Reality...She is still the little girl who thinks I am a dork, and won't miss a chance to tell me either!

I have decided to TRY and embrace these milestone rather than dread them.  They are unavoidable and I can either make myself crazy by seeing them in a horrible negative light or I can embrace them, and help usher her into them...just as long as I am not too big of a dork!!!

Moving mountains!

Being an energetic, go anywhere, do anything...Jill-of-all trades kinda woman, I can easily spend the day plowing through piles of work, chores and projects. Rather enjoying myself as I feed my, self-diagnosed, mild case of OCD. However, I am always shocked at the post-illness recovery. How even the smallest of tasks, can make it feel like you have moved a mountain! 

So, after spending 2 full days in the recliner; suffering from one of many possible "bugs" brought home by my children, I find myself needing to dig my way out of a mountain of housework, laundry and other chores! Something that used to make me crazy...or crazier?

I woke up this morning feeling much better than yesterday and the day before, yippie! So, I started planning my day, item by item, chore by chore. However, as most of you know, your energy level is not normal and your reserve tank has already been drained when you run a fever for a few days.  

I managed to get up, make the bed, pick up countless shoes strewn around the house, and start a load of laundry only to find my way to the couch in need of a rest. 

Next on my docket...shower! Something I definitely needed after the past 24 hours! Feeling like jello after a nice, loooonggg, hot shower I again managed to find my way to the couch once again to rest. 

After pulling out 3 different things from the freezer, only to find them way beyond their life span, I settled for a pork roast and veggies. Throwing them in the Crock-Pot, I now have dinner done! Time to sit and think of my next thing (really time to rest).

Next, Halloween decor. I did manage to do some type of decorating, not my usual festive style but it will do this year! We will make a family outing soon to get some pumpkins, which will complete the porch decor. Hmmm, what next? I had better sit down and think about it! 

Oh, I really need to sweep, gag...my floor!!! But first, a request from the sick child home from school today;  "Can we watch, Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs?"  PERFECT! Time to sit together and....yes, rest! Argh, the floor! Look at the floor...it is still dirty. Well, duh! Did the magic floor fairy come and sweep it during the movie? I don't think so!!! Which means, time to get up and sweep!!!

On a normal day, this would be a good start to the day! But today... I think I am done! You getting the theme here? Moving mountains could have been on my list of things to do today, since I feel as if that is what I am doing after each task. However, after many years of  stressing about "undone" chores...I found great delight in watching a movie with my daughter rather than sweeping up dust bunnies and hair balls and comfort in knowing that if I sat and waited 30 mins. before switching loads, the outcome would be the same...dry clothes! Perhaps the biggest mountain I moved, was the one I moved a while ago, the one in the way of actually being able to let things go, even if only for a short time! It definitely makes things easier and less stressful! I have learned that there are times when things can slow down, go undone and worked on  later. Something I learned the hard way! For this, I am thankful! After all, all the things I have to do, will still be there tomorrow. And tomorrow, I will feel even better, more energetic and my daughter will be back at school then too; not here, TODAY, with me...wanting to watch a movie together!

Live With Kids, Act 1, Scene 2

If today were the scene from a movie the script would read:

 Act 1, Scene 2  (clapping sound as director starts scene)


(Child enters front door, stage center...Mom is hustling around set completing last minute things before chaos of after school running starts, older sister is finishing snack sitting on couch getting backpack out, house is a cool 75 degrees with 90% humidity)

Mom:  "Hi, how was your day?" (moves towards older daughter (child 1) on couch asking child2)
Child 2:  "Good, hot." (child moves to kitchen for snack, showing signs of starvation)
Mom:  "Good..." (now sitting on couch with older child discussing homework and clicking tv channel)
Child 2:  "What are they talking about?"  (motioning to tv where Dr. Phil is playing)
Mom:  "Children who are out of control, doing bad things like sassing, disrespecting, drugs, etc...."
Child 2:  "Wow, that is B-A-D." (moving to couch)
Mom:  "I know, the parents need help and are making it hard" (now watching show with daughters on each    couch) "Do you have homework?"
Child 2:  "Yes."
Mom:  "Ok, get it out and get moving."
Child 2:  "Mom, can I have Mario back?" (child 2 lost game due to improper behavior day before)
Mom:  "Sure."
Child 2:  "Mom, I am gonna play one game."
Mom:  "No, not now, after your homework."
Child 2: "Please...."  (pausing for yes/no from parent.....)
Mom:  (walks off set, ignoring second plea from child...subconsciously assuming she understands first "no" will also carry over to second plea for video game time) (Returns on set, seeing child playing game...not immediately registering situation)
Mom:  "Could you please do your math." (Actor walks off set to complete another task)
Child 2:  "Ok" (while playing video game, actor continues playing immediately forgetting cue)
Mom:  (after returning to set)(realizing child is playing game) " I said no game, please do your math." (walks off set again)
Child 2:  (looks up from game) "Sorry Mom, I am." (moves as to appear to understand cue, once parent is off set, pauses in motion until cue)
Mom:   (returning on set again) "(tension in voice) Would you please, for the love of Pete, do your math!" (this time waiting for eye contact and puts down game, leaving set after confirmation made)
Child 2: (puts down game and moves toward math papers)
Mom: (again, returning to set) "What are you doing (great confusion and frustration in voice, some facial distortion to match) you are supposed to be doing your homework!"
Child 2:  "SORRY, I forgot!" (actor is getting up from floor) "I was saying hi to the puppy(dog is laying on floor with restful look on face)
Mom:  "I NEED YOU TO TRY AND FOCUS, SERIOUSLY!!! YOU HAVE ONE TINY THING TO DO, PLEASE....DO IT!" (facial distortion to show frustration) "I shouldn't have to tell you 10 times in the span of 10 minutes to do your homework!"
Child 2:  "I keep forgetting Mom!" (child rises from floor, pausing in center of room to "pop" joints)
Mom:  "What are you doing?!?"
Child 2:  "I have to pop my shoulders" (slowly making exaggerated shoulder rotations)
Mom:  "WHAT!!!!, get your homework."
Child 2:  "Ok, I am."
Mom:  (now sighing, closing eyes, had a bewildered look on face)
Child 2: "I don't understand it!"
Mom:  "What part?"
Child 2:  "All of it."
Mom:  "Ok, show me."
Child 2:  "Well, not that one, but the rest...not that one either...but the rest...ok, all of it."
Child 1:  "I'll help you sis." (older sister motions to come sit with her)
Child 2:  "Ok" (moves to sit with older sister) "No, I want Mom" (moving again to other couch by parent)
Mom:  "Ok, lets do this problem...."
Child 2:  "I think I'll work with sister" (moves to other couch again)
Mom:  (leaves room exit stage center momentarily...then returns) "Time for dance, lets go"
Child 2:  "Ok, hang on......"
Child 1:  "My clothes are not dry yet and she (pointing to younger sibling) has my tights on still..."

Scene 3, the dinner scene, redemption!...to be continued!

Really...part 2

So this morning as I am running around getting the kids ready for school and such I didn't pay attention Gods little miracles until I was able to get back home, sit down and reflect. The ones we don't give much thought to...a work schedule change, rain stopping for the walk to school, the traffic flowing smoothly to make it on time to another school, remembering to stop for groceries after drop-off rather than getting home and have to back track, etc. Then, as I am feeding the dogs (before my sit down time), I chuckled at their behavior...their desire to please me by sitting or laying and waiting patiently for their food (even posting that on fb). So when I finally sit down and open my devotional to find it starts out talking about a dogs devotion and love for its owner/master...and ends with us loving and being devoted to our Master...I pause and think, "Really?!"  I love the way God can work even in the smallest and most invisible ways! When He lets us know that He is still here...kinda like when we put a note in our kids' lunch pail or even just a piece of paper with a smiley face on it, to let them know we are thinking of them throughout the day! I needed that today...a reminder that He loves us and we are to love Him throughout the day too!

Really?!?

Ok, so is this something I really need to do? Create a blog? Well, apparently I thought so!  I work very part time subbing in our schools as an educational assistant, but for the most part I am a homemaker, wife & mom. I love my family and the job of running it...some days more than others, but that goes with all jobs! There are days when I fly through the day completing task after task, taking my job to the "Masters Degree or PhD" level. Other days, I feel like I am new on the job and stumble through the day, one mishap after another. I have given myself the title of MOTY, which stands for Mother Of The Year! Partly because, like all moms, there are days when I am on the "Gold Medal" podium of parenting.  Standing there holding up my gold medal proving how great I am, hearing my "Mom anthem" being played loud & proud. Then there are the days when I don't make the podium at all. You know, the days when you trip walking up to clean the podium for somebody else to stand on...  The title is for those days, when I fall miserably short of taking the gold!  It is easy to be proud of the times we excel at parenting, bragging about our amazing accomplishments (as if growing a human is not enough). However, it is not so easy to fess up and admit when we bomb in the parenting department! That being said, I completely love my MOTY title and take pride in owning it. Well, the laundry piled on the floors, crumbs on the counters, dishes in the sink and dirty floors are calling... Time to address some demands of the day before the real crazy comes with after school running!