Saturday, January 5, 2008

A Day In the Life of a Mom

Something funny I wrote down a few years ago - Enjoy!
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Taking my kids to school this morning Drew, my second grader, asked me what sex is. I was completely unprepared for this. I thought I had another year of blissful ignorance but I guess it's true that kids are growing up faster these days.

In spite of growing up so fast, however, I got a call around lunchtime from the school nurse telling me that same kid has a story to tell. When Drew got on the phone he related to me how he had a ball bearing in his pocket he had brought from home. He was playing with it when he wasn't supposed to, got angry because he couldn't figure out his math problem and he accidentally swallowed the metal bearing. I'm not sure how being angry comes into play and I'm certainly puzzled how Drew could swallow an object he swore was not at any time near his mouth. Since the only real danger of choking on the object had apparently passed I told the nurse to send him back to class.

Between the sex question and the ball bearing story I had a flat tire I had to get fixed at a nasty tire shop. One of these days auto shops are going to figure out the brilliant marketing plan of having a clean bathroom. I mean, I would travel 20 extra miles to wait for my car to be rendered drive-able at a place with a clean bathroom. As it were I managed to hover while I relieved my screaming bladder. I guess it's good for my thigh muscles.

As I left the tire store and entered the freeway, my car started vibrating and threatened to come apart at the seams. I exited the freeway, did a u-turn and headed back toward the tire place just in time for my bladder to start complaining to me again.

Now I am home, my car back to normal and I'm writing myself a note so I won't forget to have Paul put Drew to bed tonight and answer any questions he may have. While he's doing that I have an appointment with Calgon and some chocolate. I figure difficult days are a lot like ball bearings - given time, they too will pass.

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Auld Lang Syne

We spent the last day of 2007 among those closest to us. There were fireworks, hot chocolate, song and laughter. I have some of the best friends and family that anyone could ever hope to have. 2007 was a bad year for us financially and after losing two babies I started the year not so happy to be pregnant again but this year brought us the sweet and sassy Tori. Her birth was so scary – I’m thankful we both survived. I couldn’t ever imagine having a little girl, now I can’t imagine our family without her. I made new friends this year that I hope will become lifelong friends (I’m talking about you, Kindra). I am blessed.
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New Year’s Resolutions

My husband and I always joke and say our New Year’s resolution is to make no resolutions. That way we won’t let ourselves down. Regardless of that resolution, the New Year does inspire me to make changes. Losing weight has long been on the list and will continue to be for this year, I’m afraid. The battle of the bulge is one I constantly fight albeit half-heartedly. Staying more in the Word, being a better wife, mother, housekeeper (blah!), friend and neighbor all make the list as well.

What is it about the New Year exactly that inspires us to become better people? After all New Year’s Day is just a day like any other. The notion of an end and a new beginning are just figments of our imagination as time marches on without regard to human measurement of days, weeks, years or centuries. Human nature, though, cannot resist a new beginning real or imagined. We are all bumbling our way through life carrying our luggage full of regrets, lost opportunities, failed ventures and stale dreams. A chance to ditch that baggage and begin again with eagerness and a renewed list of priorities is just too sparkly an opportunity to pass up even though we know it will usually end up as more baggage in the long run. The need to improve oneself is divine, I think. So on that note, here is my list of my resolutions starting with the usual and ending with one I’ve never had before:
• Read the Bible more (reading it once a month would be more for me)
• Improve my prayer life
• Be sexier for my husband (yes, I put that on the internet)
• Be more patient with my children
• Seize the fun moments with my children
• Be less scornful of other people, in my heart and with my tongue
• Lose weight (sigh, at least I’m not pregnant right now like I’ve been the last three New Year’s)
• Get better organized with the housework (slay the laundry dragon a little everyday)
• Start a novel and generally work on my writing skills

Never forget the best new beginning we have; “Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22, 23)

~ H A P P Y 2 0 0 8 ~