Tag Archives: Motherhood

August 27, 2008 · 6:00 am

She said it. She really said it.

Nothing like those little girls. Since John Henry has been in big kid school, Anna and I have been getting a lot of alone time together. It’s always an adventure with some precious moments mingled in there. Here is a recent dialogue:

Anna (Unprompted, I must add): “I love you, Mom. You’re so pretty.”

I know, I know. Could it get any sweeter?

Me: “Thank you! Thank you, Anna!”

I’ve apparently come a long way since being called “a monster.” Of course tomorrow morning, I could very well be the antichrist.

She started Pre-K on Monday. I picked out the cutest first day dress. Now, I will only imagine how cute she might have looked, because she had other ideas.

Nothing like a Tinkerbell tee to accent an aqua skirt. If only she could have look excited about her first day.

Her preschool teacher told me that she didn’t know our family had a pink pig that eats cat food. “I’m excited about the stories she will tell”, her teacher said.

Um. Me, too.

Anna also just started gymnastics yesterday. Since she first learned that she would begin training for the 2020 Summer Olympics, she has been begging every day, “Please, take me to gymnastics!” Some things are better left told on the day of the event. One would think I would have already learned this one.

She was all too excited about her fancy schmancy leotard.

“It sparkles!” she proclaimed to everyone who saw her.

She did love gymnastics. She was so confident in her tumbling abilities at one point that she left her group and made herself at home on the uneven bars and later the tumbling mat. I was so very proud – even if she had to be gently guided back to her group.

I love her confidence. It’s my job to help her channel that confidence into who she is in Christ. Then, there is no doubt that she can do anything.

Nor is there any doubt that you and I can do anything.

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

Do you ever forget who you are in Christ? I sure do.

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Filed under Kid Stuff, Motherhood

Tagged as confidence, gymnastics, Motherhood, pre-school

August 14, 2008 · 6:00 am

I start Kindergarten today.

Well. My little boy begins Kindergarten today. I spent last weekend searching every Target store for the 8 count box of Crayola Crayons on John Henry’s supply list. Four boxes requested. None to be found. Only the 64 counts and 2 million counts. I finally went to a Walmart – a store I avoid like the plague. Turns out, it was 8 count Crayola heaven. And, I stocked up on them like it was Y2K.

I was also able to sort out the online uniform order debacle. I ordered shirts that would fit Anna perfectly and pants that would fit me. Okay, so me when I was like 10. It was a stress point, nonetheless, and I worried that I was too late in working out my very poor guesstimate of John Henry’s sizes.

All things were handled just fine. Kind of made the stress of it all seem so petty. But, stress is an entirely different post.

I’m pretty confident in the fact that John Henry is ready. I just don’t know that I am. I mean, sure, I’m ready for the welcomed mommy breaks like all moms who endure summers with school-aged children.

It’s the realization that “toddler” no longer describes him. That his awareness to sometimes unkind children and injustice is about to be awakened. That I’m going to have to sit at a table every afternoon and practice writing letters and telling time. It’s not that we don’t work at the table anyway. But, the pressure just isn’t there.

No more sleeping until whenever. Or, being lazy lima beans until whenever.

School begins at 8:30 A.M. Not 10:00 A.M. This fact alone makes home-schooling that much more appealing. But, we can do it. Yes.We.Can.

Casey, could you please play, “It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday” by Boyz II Men?

Here is where you come in moms and dads.

Do you have any advice for this first-time mother of a Kindergartener? Commenting will be open all year long. For real.

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Tagged as Kindergarten, Motherhood, school supplies

August 6, 2008 · 6:00 am

Make sure you wear clean underwear!

Today is my mom’s thirty-ninth birthday. In honor of her birthday and motherhood, I thought I’d share how parallel our universes run.

You know those things your mom said to you that you swore you’d never say to your children? I pretty much say them all….and I haven’t even hit the teen years yet. Here are just a few:

In or out!

You will get in trouble, but you will get into more trouble if you lie about it. (Kind of like the Driving Miss Daisy shenanigans I tried to pull. Blast.)

You can wipe your own. (Oh wait, is that not so common?)

No snacks. We’re about to have dinner.

Did you flush?

You are not allowed to roll your eyes. (Note: My parents only saw me roll my eyes once. Once.)

When I tell you something, do not respond with “I know.” Just say, “Yes ma’am.”

The latter is my recent struggle with my 5 ½ year old who remarkably already knows how to golf, play guitar, and do calculus.

Things my mother didn’t say – but an idea of what goes on in our sweet home:

Do not pee on the dog.

Do not pee in John Henry’s suitcase.

If you take off your clothes, leave on your underwear.

Anna, please stop telling strangers you have a surprise for them and following up by removing your shoe and saying “Stinky shoe!!!!”

Your turn. What did your mother say to you that you say to your little darlings? Or, what things have you said to your children you thought you’d never have to say?

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Tagged as children, common sayings, Motherhood

August 5, 2008 · 6:00 am

Motherhood just got easier.

I was looking back through some old writings and found this one. I recorded this a year ago today. It was a good reminder to chill out – and more importantly, remember to be grateful.

As written August 5, 2007:

I won’t argue that being a mother is one of the toughest jobs in the world. My days are filled with settling disputes between brother and sister, kissing boo-boos, reading books (and making sure I’m in character when doing so), and meeting my children’s basic daily needs. All the while, it is my responsibility to make sure they learn the importance of kindness, acceptance of others, and why God should be at the very core of who they are as human beings. Tough at times? Yes. Time-consuming? Of course. Nonetheless, such responsibilities could be greater.

On a usual play day at our neighborhood mall playground, I saw another mom who looked a lot like me….not in a physical sense, but just your usual run of the mill thirty-something mom. While I watched my children climb to the top of the big baseball and jump off like super-hero wannabes, this mom participated in the play with her special needs daughter. I’m not certain of the exact challenges that this little girl faces daily, but I do know that she could not talk or walk on her on. So, I watched as this mother would pick up her little girl and hold her while she went down the slide that my children can climb up on their own (and usually the wrong way). She continued to bounce her daughter into the air so she could experience the laws of nature that my children can experience all by themselves. This mother made sure that her daughter had the best day she could possibly have. The toughest part of my day was chasing after my two-year old who ran out of the Subway in the food court while I was paying for our food.

One day my children will grow up and be on their own. They will come and visit me and call me on Mother’s Day. I will enjoy the luxuries of travel and whatever it is you do when your children leave home. This mother will be caring for her daughter for the rest of her days on earth. These are the mothers who deserve the standing o’s and hand claps. So, the next time I’m wiping up the milk that my little girl intentionally poured on the floor, I will remember, “This is easy.”

Let me leave you with this excerpt from “If I Had My Child To Raise All Over Again” by Diane Loomans:

If I had my child to raise all over again,

I’d build self-esteem first, and the house later.

I’d finger-paint more, and point the finger less.

I would do less correcting and more connecting.

I’d take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.

I’d take more hikes and fly more kites.

I’d stop playing serious, and seriously play.

I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.

I’d do more hugging and less tugging.

I hope I will remember that’s the easy stuff.

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Tagged as children, Motherhood, nurture

July 3, 2008 · 6:00 am

Lord Almighty, I feel my temperature rising.

By the time the clock strikes 6:00 in the evening, the daily grind with children is nearing its end. The day is all downhill from there, right? Not as long as those pretty little blonde haired wonders are still awake.

At 6:00 PM EST on Wednesday, July 2, 2008, Anna opened the backyard gate only to let Brew (our four-legged pal) explore the wild blue yonder. I looked like a not so secret agent in search of a star witness in a high profile case. Oh, I exaggerate. I just ran up and down the street yellin’ like a true Southerner, “Brew! Herrreee Breewwwww!” My children traveled ten feet behind me wiping tears from their eyes. Because, being the good mama that I am, I told them, “Well, we’ve lost Brew now. That’s why you don’t open the gate.”

Or the window, as was the case the last time Brew hoped for a newfound freedom.

So, we recovered Brew and I consoled the children. As soon as I caught my breath, I commenced to making dinner. Little did I know that John Henry would use this time to brush up on his “Dial 911” skills. My phone rings and the lady on the other end from 911 dispatch, or whatever they’re called, informs me that there was a hang up from my number. Hmmmm. I told her it must have been one of my children.

“We still have to send someone out to make sure it’s okay,” she explains.

Sure enough an officer shows up at my door, and John Henry runs up the stairs.

After handing over my license for…..for what? A record check? To log me into the system as a potential criminal mama? The officer realized the only threat to society was us taking up the time of our city’s finest.

There is no doubt that by now, I am on the C.I.A.’s radar. From the T.S.A. personnel at the airport finding these items in John Henry’s pockets….

To Anna setting off the house alarm while I was taking a shower causing ADT to leave messages on my landline, my cell phone, and my husband’s cell phone. ‘Cause I was in the shower!

To the events of yesterday evening. I’m on the radar. I’m sure of it.

It’s times like these that I see a new series airing called “Baby Borrowers”, and I think, where do I sign up? I’m just funnin’. No really, I am. You know after talking about sweet family time with the children in yesterday’s post….Jesus loves you high and low talk, that I would never consider letting anyone borrow my children. Now, I might be open to one of you opening your home to my beautiful blessings. So, if interested, please comment.

Ain’t got but one scripture to tie into this one – “This, too, shall pass.” 1 Corinthians 10:12

Hallelujah, Amen & Selah.

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Tagged as children, Motherhood, stress

June 11, 2008 · 7:00 am

The rewards of a college education.

My friend to Anna: “Where is your daddy?”

Anna: “He is flying er-planes. He makes the money.”

Me: “And, what do I do?”

Anna: “Nuffing.”

Nice.

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Tagged as children, jobs, Motherhood

May 28, 2008 · 7:00 am

Calling all mommas of little girls.

Anna is only 3 ½. Isn’t it amazing that even at such a young age, she knows what she likes and what she doesn’t? When watching those girly commercials with everything from “My Little Pony” to “Barbie Mariposa”, she will usually shout, “I want one does”. We oblige some wants and not others. Take for example, the “Bratz dolls”. Aside from these dolls having the oddest little features, they look like little hussies. Sorry. I’m just not comfortable with Anna dressing these dolls in their little skimpy outfits. I realize this may make me totally unpopular with some moms and possibly get me kicked out of a Mom’s Club or two, but it’s a choice that I make for my daughter right now.

I want her to grow up to be a woman of virtue. (Please note: I do believe your little girls can play with Bratz dolls and still be virtuous.) I recognize that I have a very long road ahead of me and, a lot of unforeseen battles. This, I know. We used to talk a lot about purity – about how true love really waits. When I was a teenager, I bought into this. I want Anna to buy into it, too. One of the best ways, I think, to make virtue important to Anna….and to John Henry, too…..is to expose them daily to the One who came that “I might have life and have it more abundantly.” And, for both of them to see Kris and I bringing glory to Him. Oh, we’re gonna have days, and we do, where we fail miserably. But, I hope that they forgive us when we do, and are inspired when we get it right.

Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised. Proverbs 31:30

What do you think is okay or not okay for your little girl?

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Tagged as girls, Motherhood, Virtue

May 9, 2008 · 7:00 am

I am my mother’s daughter.

This is one of my favorite pictures of my mother taken over twenty years ago. I just the love the way it captures her beautiful profile. She has always been this beautiful. And her beauty goes deeper than anyone I have ever known.

I really can’t imagine life without my mother. I share Abe Lincoln’s sentiments when he said “Everything I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” While I am certain she made mistakes as a mother, I can honestly say, I cannot recall one. Perhaps, that’s because she invested much more good than she withdrew bad. I have been blessed beyond measure because of her.

My love for the written word is largely due to her exposing me to books at a very young age. I can still remember as a little girl heading to the Flint River Library to join other children in book readings. I can also recall the excitement I felt each week as I brought home my borrowed books. She introduced me to books, and I was able to enter into a world where I knew anything was possible. It was this love that ignited my love to write.

She endured through my stubborn resolve to not wear socks where the lace overlapped. (And, as noted yesterday with my little Anna, I know exactly what she must have felt.) When I wrote my first song about a falling star, she assured me it was top 40 material, regardless of the fact that it included a line about killing a bumble bee. She let me write and mail a letter to Brett Butler of the Atlanta Braves and convinced me that he read it. She loved me still after I screamed “I hate you.” She made my sixteenth birthday truly sweet. If she told me once, she told me a thousand times how proud she was of me when I graduated from college. She squeezed me tight the day before I married. She held me close the day I got divorced. And she rubbed my head the day I gave birth to my son. And, then, she held him, too.

Then, one day she watched us hop aboard an airplane with the last of our belongings and venture off into new adventures. While she hurt inside, she smiled and still said, “I am so happy for you.”

She is a wonderful Nan.