Full Circle

My girls and I trekked out to the mall the other day with hopes of finding a tutu for our oldest one's Christmas program; we ended up finding a great deal more.
As we were all walking hand in hand (quite a scene for a thirty, five, and one year-old) amidst the sea of shoppers, the familiar ring of loose change dropping on tile floor stopped us in our tracks. We came face to face with a mom and her grown daughter obviously in a rush to finish up their holiday shopping. Always looking for a teachable moment, I asked M to please help the ladies pick up their change. At this they just glanced our way, walked on, and said something to the likes of, "that's alright, we need to go." Well, for our five year-old this was a Dollar Store treat in the making. Asking for my approval first, she went ahead and picked up the spare change, equaling 55 cents.
At bedtime that night M and I were talking about God's blessings for the day and we both remembered we hadn't shared the story with my husband. Calling him in, M told the story again and made D guess how much money she collected. After we finished, he looked at us and said, "That's weird because I noticed someone today at the store had dropped their change and gave it back to them, and M, guess how much it was?" Of course, 55 cents.
There really are no accidents in life. What you give (or in this case, give back) you will always see again, whether it be your love, your time, or even loose change.

Rain Queen

I have made it a habit to try and shop at the most inexpensive grocery stores. Much to my husband's dismay I don't have the time or energy to carouse through weekly fliers or to cut coupons (even if I did cut the coupons with shopping with a one year-old and a five year-old who are we kidding that I have time to study the product to make sure I have the right one to get my 25 cents off, or that that itsy bit of paper is going to make it to the check out in one piece).
Although we do save money on non-name brand products, I have often felt that customer service sometimes leaves something to be desired at these discount chains. Whether it be a store clerk starting to bag the next customer's groceries before I have had a chance to pack all of my bags into our cart to never being offered to have help with my groceries, these are just things I have come to learn go with the territory, that is until a couple of weeks ago.
It was a rainy day in our town and thankfully my mother-in-law was still visiting from the Thanksgiving holiday, so the plan was for me to run into the store for our Tuesday Taco Night essentials while she stayed in the car with the girls. I grabbed my umbrella and made a dash through the puddles. As I came upon the entrance, by all outwardly appearances the store looked the same. Massively big doors, carts lined up for miles, and everyone going about their business. However, what came next was more like something out of a dream as compared to my normal shopping experience. First a worker offered me a plastic rain bag for my umbrella. I think I turned around, assuming there was no way she was talking to me. Next, another worker offered me a dry shopping cart, along with a smile. What did I do to deserve the royal treatment?
In a book I read recently the author emphasized that we should remind ourselves we are children of the most high God, and that we do in fact have royal blood flowing through us (no matter where we shop). If we are to notice it and take pride in this fact ourselves, others can't help but notice too.
Maybe the staff at the grocery chain was just in a good mood, but maybe it was something more, I'm betting on the something more.

Spare Change

The night before Thanksgiving always has included a meal out for my family. There is too much cooking to be done the next day for me to even want to step foot in my kitchen, let alone prepare a meal.
Our choice this year was a local grill with typical American fare and even fish aquariums and a kid's game room (perfect for a family with parents in town and a five and one year-old in tow).
As we were waiting on our meals our oldest spotted the game room (and also one of her friend's from gymnastics class) and looked at me with pleading eyes. I dug in my purse and found only dollar bills, but was faithful that maybe the games would take dollar bills. Fortunately there was a dollar to quarter conversion machine in the game room, unfortunately it kept spitting back out my dollar no matter how many different ways I tried to make it wrinkle free.
Finally, giving up on the hope that the machine would want to work with me, M and I went to the cash register counter and asked if we could possibly have some change for a dollar. The waitresses all looked at me and said there was no way they could do that. Our five year-old heard the conversation and looked at me and shrugged.
Having given up on the idea of the game room we turned to go back to our table when one of the young waitresses who had been at the cash register counter pulled us aside and brought out her personal wallet and told us she had change. This was enough of a kindness moment that made me want to look for her angel wings, but as she refused to take the dollar bill I was trading in so my daughter could play an arcade game I knew in that moment I was witnessing an everyday miracle and could feel a prime example of how He wants us to treat each other.
M didn't win the the stuffed animal she was going for that night, but instead came away with a greater prize of witnessing a real life example of how to love one another.

Picture Day

I know it seems like I do a lot of blogs about my children, especially my oldest, but please do remember that this is how I fill my days. And although our younger daughter teaches me things daily about parenting, maybe b/c M is more verbal and older, and the struggles I am facing with her I have no experience in like I do with the baby, the mini miracles stick with me a bit more.
Case in point, this last week and a rescheduled picture day for soccer. Our oldest daughter has always been touch and go when it comes to pictures. Sometimes she is great, needs no coaxing, while other times I feel like I am asking her to go and pet the nearest pit bull. I know this is common in some younger children ( take a look at my toddler picture sitting in my parents basement where my lower lip is sticking out a good distance), but it doesn't make it any less frustrating when you are negotiating just to get your child to smile for what you consider a "silly picture."
Last Tuesday happened to be one of those coaxing days. Blame it on the not going to sleep on time the last few nights, the sugar bolting thru her veins from Halloween, whatever the case she didn't want to have her picture taken at soccer practice. As I was reasoning with her and attempting to use positive discipline I was also relying on the power of prayer. I have read you are to expect great things from prayer, don't just ask for the minimum, expect greatness, and I did. As I was verbally trying to have M realize it was one picture, no biggie, I was nonverbally thanking God that he was in control and his hand was upon our oldest daughter. There were moments of doubt as the younger one and I patiently waited in the car while the oldest still tried to say she wasn't coming, but at last we were on our way and as we pulled into the soccer field parking lot she was on board and ready to be a happy little athlete for the camera man.
As we approached the field, our daughter's coach came jogging over to inform us that there would in fact be no picture today. Some may think at this point our oldest was getting the easy way out, it was just lucky, but I knew at that moment I was experiencing a miracle. Our oldest's eyes lit up and she looked at me almost shocked. All I could say was, not how lucky she was, but does she know how much she is loved by God and how blessed she is?
I think it is so important for children to know that they are loved by the most high God and that there really are no accidents and that God puts his children first just as earthly parents do. He knows our limits and recognizes our stresses, all of our stresses, even the stress of a five year-old taking a "silly picture."

Memories

I like to think that I have a pretty good memory and to tell you the truth I love replaying memories in my head, reading old journal entries, even reliving the time that my husband of over seven years and I were just beginning to know each other. I will sometimes lay in bed on a seemingly sleepless night and try to remember each of the houses I lived in growing up, what my childhood room was like, etc., for my sake and to be able to answer questions that always come up from my five year-old concerning when I was her age. However, for how good I think my memory is it doesn't hold a candle to one of my friends. Jack's memory is almost infamous in our circle of friends. She was looking at pictures from my family's vacation and pointed out that I had had one of those beach towels since high school. How does she fit such a minute fact in her brain? Because of her memory she does an excellent job of remembering names of your relatives, friends from college that she has maybe met once, and it always has this incredibly endearing affect on any conversation you are having with her. I love this trait (along with about a million other things) about her and have really tried to follow her lead of attempting to remember and learn more about my friend's friends and their family.

P.S. I think this is my last blog on the topic of relationships for a bit. I had my minister say something to the point that God must be thinking "how many miracles must I perform before you will see and believe?" and this quote has stuck in my head on a daily basis while seeing miracles around me. My blog will now turn in that direction and it can because it is my blog, how wonderful. Here's to hoping through my blog others will start to see the everyday miracles around them.

Friends are the Family we Choose

So this week is off to a much better start than last week. The car is o.k. (just some corrosion from the battery cables for all of those who were intensely awaiting to hear what was wrong with our car) and we made it to and from our happy place a.k.a. gymnastics with no problems. As I sat and watched our oldest doing her tricks today I had a moment to reflect on last weeks debacles of the car trouble and another incident at gymnastics where the owner of the gym was kind when she didn't have to be and went out of her way to make sure our time at her facility was nothing less than enjoyable even in the midst undesirable events. As I found out today, last week for her was swirling with an irate costumer which almost lead to the cancellation of a much deserved trip for herself this past weekend. I found this all out today and would have never guessed it last week.

The owner of this facility is the kind of owner you want of any operation you or your child is a part of. When my car was broken down, she was literally walking up and down the lanes in the parking lot to see what I needed. As I mentioned in the last blog she invited my oldest into another class while we awaited help. And the list goes on. Two days after the car fiasco, was my mommy/me gymnastics class at the same place with my youngest. My husband couldn't get out of work he had to do, so I ended up toting along my oldest to the baby class. When she was told (by me) it was not her time to do tricks, etc. she was left in tears. I was not prepared and didn't have a back up plan of how to keep her entertained while giving my youngest her deserved attention. Again, the owner, lovingly, patiently, took my oldest aside, and offered her crayons and some activities to do, and, all the while the owner never missed a beat of teaching our mommy/me class. She is just this good.

At this point, I must interject the fact that she really has no reason to go out of her way for me. I am not from this town, and we don't "go way back," by any means. This is by far the best thing about this owner and this gymnastics place; she would have done the same for anyone in a heartbeat.

When I approached her and thanked her again and again for her kindness she simply stated that there wasn't enough kindness going around these days. What an amazing everyday example she is setting for myself and my children.

Pursuit of Happyness

What an afternoon! It was yet another Little Gym afternoon (always a good thing). We got to the car on this hot first day of September to realize not only did my keyless remote not work, but the entire SUV was D-E-A-D (not good). At this point I could have taken one of two paths: stress out, sweat more, or, follow the lead from a great movie I watched again on TV the other evening.
"The Pursuit of Happyness" is honestly more sad than happy and I told my husband this was probably be the last time I would watch it for awhile because of the amount of swelling my eyes do after crying through the duration of the movie. But the lessons on positive thinking and keeping yourself in positive attitude stick with you and can't be missed. There is a scene where the father and son (Will Smith and real-life son) are homeless and in a train station. Will Smith's character convinces his son that an item he is trying to sell is actually a time machine. At this most dire moment, the father puts on a happy face, puts his son's happiness first and makes even the most unbearable of situations not only bearable but fun; amazing.
I pulled upon Will Smith's character traits today for the hour we sat waiting for my husband to show up with the jumper cables and in that hour got the girls a treat of Smoothie King, and our oldest even got to participate in the older kid's advanced gymnastics class (she was grinning from ear to ear as the instructor let her try some of the "big kid tricks.") The day could have ended with a migraine and tears (from myself or the girls), but thanks to this re-run of a great movie on TV my mind was in the right place and my children were a bit happier because of it.
*Side note* The jumper cables still didn't help to revitalize the car, BUT, I'm staying in a positive state of mind and know tomorrow will bring better things :)

Ugh...

Ugh is the best way to describe today. It has definitely been "just one of them days" (as Monica used to sing so well, does anyone else still love that song besides me?).
Ever since we got home from our vacation our oldest daughter has been testing her limits. I have found her to go through cycles much like a roller coaster. She will have really good moments, and then I can see her dipping down to test her limits, almost to make sure I will still set her boundaries.
Take today for example. I caught her in not one, but two fibs. Little fibs, but as a mom total heartbreak hotel (another great song by the way) and equating to "a horrible day at work" (also equating to a massive migraine). Thank God that these two instances happened prior to her gymnastics class.
For our oldest daughter gymnastics is a place for her to "get her jumpies out" and learn good technique on handstands and cartwheels. For me this hour means gripe, therapy, and rejuvenation sessions. Some of the other moms I have met at my oldest's gymnastics class are my lifeline on days like today. They are never ones to say "never my child" (and let me warn all of you moms who say these fateful words, tomorrow your child will be doing whatever it is the other moms are talking about), but have a perfect way of putting things into perspective and help me to laugh about whatever mom adventure one of us is facing any week.
Obviously days as a mommy never come with certainty, but thankfully with the help of MG's gymnastics class I am certain of one thing. Tomorrow will be a better day ~

Your Go-To People

Do things just ever happen to you that give you that yick feeling? When they happen to me I can feel my heart drop and usually it is followed by tears or some inappropriate around my five and one year-old words muttered under my breath.
Unfortunately I had one of these moments the other day. I got word of news that wasn't what I expected and delivered not in the way I had envisioned. In these moments some people, after their initial reaction, close in and deal with it on their own. Others, like me, have their go-to people. I find strength, optimism, and a better perspective in others when I can't find it myself. With this particular situation I knew my go-to person would have to be none other than my old college roomate, and one of my best friends, whom my dad so lovingly named (and still calls her to this day), Keebler.
Keebler was just one of those people that I knew God had placed in my life pretty much as soon as I met her. She also happens to be one of those people that others want to surround themselves with because she has this way of seeing the best in people and loving them even with their faults.
Silly example ~ in college Keebler liked ketchup on her eggs. Everytime she would do this a guy that sat at our table in the dining hall would make fun of her and give her terrible, horrid examples of what her eggs looked like. Keebler had a way of not only laughing it off, but somehow showing this guy love to the point that he would come and give her a hug when he saw her. Now, I know she isn't perfect, and I remember what names she called him when we were exiting the dining hall and out of earshot, but Keebler always knew how to forgive and forget, not to stress about the little stuff, and laugh through it all.
Now, some things have changed since college. I wouldn't be caught dead in my "50% Angel/50% Devil" shirt (as we were sporting in the picture above), and I don't get to eat breakfast with Keebler everyday, but her values and viewpoints do pop up inside me in difficult moments, and thankfully if I need a reminder to put things into perspective she is only a phone call away.

Sue Baby

I am known by a lot of different titles. "Coaches Wife," "Sister," "Ms. Lyndi," (is this a southern thing? Anyone younger than me refers to me as this), and even "Church Nursery Coordinator." However, by far my most coveted title is "Maddi and Kayda's Mama." With two beautiful girls I have come to understand in a whole new light the phrase "to whom much is given, much is expected." I really do strive to do right by my children. I want my children to love their family surroundings and hopefully one day have their friends feel comfortable enough to walk through our front door and know they will be loved, safe, and respected. Lucky for me I had excellent examples friends' moms growing up.
One friend, Katrin, had a mom that was in a word: amazing. She ran a home that you always felt welcome in. I knew I could go in their side door at any time, day, night, meal time, and I wouldn't be intruding. Sue baby (as we affectionately called her) was the kind of mother that as Katrin and I would be chatting about something in her room, would walk in with freshly made strawberry shortcake ( I know, it sounds like a movie, but I vividly remember this happening) still warm. She was the kind of mother you hoped to run into in the grocery parking lot because she always had your side and a kind smile to give you. Even Suebaby's look was always put together. I now love wearing chunky bracelets because it reminds me of her and how it would dress up the most casual of outfits on her.
However, even more important than the way she treated her daughter's friends was the example she engrained in me of how to treat your daughter. She had the best way to deal with situations, make light of things, and more than anything else, make her daughter laugh even when she wanted to cry. I'm sure SB wasn't thinking of the tutorial she was giving me 15 years ago on how to raise a daughter or how to treat your daughter's friends, but I wish I would have been taking notes.
I feel her somedays in me when I am disciplining my children SB style (Katrin once told me when she was little and she and her brother would drive by the dumpster Sue Baby would say that was where naughty children went; love it) and pray that her spirit not only lives in me, but because of her ways and what I have learned from her will be in my daughters and be felt in my daughter's friends too. Now if I could only get down how to make strawberry shortcake.

V-I-C-T-O-R-Y

Motherhood is most definitely a delayed gratification job. Most other occupations you find some sort of instant gratification. All of your students getting A's on a quiz, showing they do in fact get what you are teaching about; a coach watching his/her athlete perform beyond their expectations; a business showing a profit. Motherhood does not produce such instant shows of success. You go day to day, praying that you are doing the right thing, reading the right advice columns, taking notes from role models, and some more praying at the end of the day. Sometimes though, you get little glimpses that maybe you are on the right track, and that you are somehow training competent, loving to-be adults who will survive and thrive in the world beyond their playrooms. One of these moments happened on our latest vacation to Orlando.
On our first day of visiting the pool Maddi instantly took to a couple of children (visiting from Germany). It was the first time on vacation that I wasn't entirely in charge of playing with her. By the second day she had met an nine year-old boy whom she became fast friends with. During one pool session I had sent my husband to the pool with M while I stayed in the hotel room while our little one napped. The baby and I came to the pool after her nap and my husband said that Mads hadn't needed him! She was off running a pool game with her new found friends. On our last day there, her nine year-old friend gave her his parent's email as their way to stay in touch. Honestly, at this moment I couldn't have felt any better had I gotten all 10's on an evaluation.
M was actually VERY shy really up until this year. We encouraged her to open up to others the way she did when she was in the safety of our home. You never really know if you are teaching them the way you should and just hope for the best. Watching her make some new friends and be social in a completely new setting was such a little thing, but such a big victory in my parenting.

Relationships

I have just gotten back from a week long trip up north to see family. When I'm with my parents I feel (for the most part) the same as I did ten or even fifteen years ago. Since having my own children the feeling of being someone else's child has become a bit more distant, but I still seek my parent's approval on things and my mom is still quick to tell me to take out my contacts at the end of the day because they are probably dried out :)
While we were visiting my parent's lake house my oldest daughter wanted to see old home movies of me when I was younger. Honestly, I was shocked to see how we all looked. It is the same kind of effect of when you see a child everyday you don't realize how much they have grown or changed over time. As I was laughing about my way too frizzy hair, retainer, and my sister's use of hair products a familiar face came across the television. None other than Burnscat, someone I have written about, went across the screen in her majorette outfit with her warm smile doing her routine perfectly. Oh my how we have changed, I guess 15 years will do that to your appearance (only getting better with time of course ;) I started to wonder what we might have been discussing when my mom was taping us. Friends, makeup, and gossip, among other things were probably at the top of our list.
I tried to call Burns today and I had a list of things at the top of my head that I'm sure we would have gone over: her mom, upcoming events, and the opposite sex. This is the great thing about relationships. They aren't dependent upon looks, hairstyles, and good ones don't change when your high school majorette jacket is no longer cool to wear.

Talking me down from the ledge

Our summers are always full of travel. My husband and I don't like our older daughter to miss out on preschool, soccer games, gymnastic routines, etc., all which get going at full steam come September. So, we jam pack in family vacation, "just the girls" vacation, and traveling with Daddy's work all into three crazy months.
Once we get to our destination it is nice to have a break from routine, to see the kid's faces light up at new sights and sounds, and, obviously, to not have to cook every meal.
Another mom once told me that family vacations were never really vacations at all. This really troubled me and I have pushed that thought to the very darkest corner of my mind even when I am in the depths of planning lists, confirming flights, and occasionally digging out my children from half packed suitcases (exhibit A to your left) at home in the days prior to our great getaways.
This is where my husband comes in at the perfect time, hugs me, reassures me, and says something to put it all back into perspective. I could write everyday about my husband, and I optimistically think that all other wives could too, about how he really is my magic, my better half, and my best friend, but one thing he does really well in our relationship is to talk me back from a frantic ledge of kids, commotion, and craziness, not just in relation to traveling, but snippets that cloud otherwise sunny days. Some mornings I just crave to hear that garage door opening to know that some sanity and understanding is about to walk through our kitchen door.
Even tonight. My husband was working and the girls and I went to go visit him. My day had turned almost sour around dinner time with trying to make dinner on my own while my younger one thought it would be fun to pour her sippy cup of milk onto her head, you get me, one of those days. We walk into his workplace (94 degree heat, a few hundred other people, loud, we'll go into his occupation some other time) and I was as happy as if I had just walked in to have a spa treatment. There is something about that man that calms my soul.
So tomorrow I start to pack for our "just girls" trip and there are a few things I can be sure of: lists will be flowing, I will be scooping out at least one overly excited little girl from a suitcase, and thankfully I know that my sanity is only a hug away.

Truly Gifts from God

In the trenches of stay home mommy land I sometimes forget that my two little angels are truly Gifts from God. I have thought recently about how I handle other gifts. I have a special box to keep one in, make sure another doesn't get water marks on it, and always handle others with care. Although it is a good thing I don't keep my children in special boxes I can't say that I always treat my children as I would fine china. AND, being honest, I think this may have gotten worse with having the second child.
Case in point... a few months ago my youngest had gotten up from her nap and I went into her room to get her (don't get me wrong, moments of getting your child up from their nap when they are warm and snuzzly are still like Christmas everyday)and I pick her up and feel something jutting out of her onesie. A quick peak in revealed a baby brush underneath her onesie that I had somehow missed before I had put her down for her nap. Yikes!
I think most moms at certain points feel rushed, may look at their children and think, "their hair is fine for today," or, "their nails can wait one more day before I trim them," etc. When I think like this a visual usually comes into my mind. My sister, a pretty blanket rolled out, several products laid about and my sister's daughter (Miss Thing) getting her royal after bath treatment.
This visual is from the first time I had actually met Miss Thing (who happens to be only 13 days older than my youngest). During this time frame I was adjusting as best I knew how to life with two children and how to manage it all. So, after bathtime for me was more of a relay exchange between my two children, making sure my older daughter had washed all of her 2,000 body parts, and getting in another feeding before bedtime for the youngest. I watched my sister and Miss Thing, mesmorized for a moment, remembering that these children are so much more than the 3 meals a day, making sure they are learning and experiencing (and leaving a mess along the way) little creatures. They are Gifts.
I am sure my sister has moments like every other mom does, but she is such an inspiration to me because 9 times out of 10 when I look at her being a mother she is doing things so right, and so articulate, and I think God must be smiling down at her and is so pleased that his special gift to her is being treated the way it was meant to be.
I can't promise that my children won't ever have watermarks left on them like fine china, but because of the example my sister has set I do make sure to take extra time with my girls and occasionally give them the royal treatment :)

S-P-R-A

When I was in my third year of teaching (actually my last full year of teaching before I became I stay at home mommy) I was teaching an accelerated fourth grade math class. I had approached our Head Teacher about not using the fourth grade textbook, but rather pulling from other resources that was better suited for the kids I was teaching. The Head Teacher fully agreed and I was on my way.
About three weeks later a representative from the textbook publication was visiting our school and happened to stop in on my math class and questioned why I wasn't using the textbook. Ironically the Head Teacher was showing her around and looked at me and sputtered, "Mrs. G I had no idea you weren't using the textbook." I was floored. I couldn't believe adults lied, were conniving, and manipulative. I just wasn't used to it, not after my place of employment, a small community private pool, from the ages of 13-21. I have come to learn what a rarity my first job was and miss the seemingly innocent nature of it.
Don't be fooled, we worked hard. We cleaned up other people's unmentionables, had garbage juice running down our leg at the end of the day from doing trash runs to the dumpster, and smelled of stale popcorn from the endless batches we would make for patrons, but we respected each other, and I really think had an unconditional love for the pool, our bosses, our patrons, and our fellow staff members. I feel really fortunate that my first boss I have ever worked for could always put you at ease with his smile, respected you, so you in turn respected him, and you knew at the end of the day had told you things straight forward and would have your back in any given situation.
I have tried now in my adult mind to go back and wonder if the success of this work dynamic was because we grew up with these people and some were our best friends. Both points are true, but I worked with a kid who wanted horns instead of a trendy haircut and I loved him just the same as my best friends that I had the privilege of guarding and coaching with too. There was just a perfect recipe there that I haven't found to be duplicated in any of my workplaces or my husband's.
Unfortunately the "textbook incident" wasn't the last time I have felt so let down by adults in workplaces and think what I wouldn't give just to be in that pool environment again, even if I did have a little garbage juice running down my leg.

Ode to the Mix Tape

It has just been over a week ago, although now it seems like a lifetime ago (when you are keeping up with two little ones a day can seem like a lifetime somtimes) that I went to go see my sister who happens to live a short seven hour drive from my house. During those seven hours you have some time to think, reflect, and of course, listen to some good music. I was anticipating this longer road trip because I hadn't gotten a real chance to thoroughly enjoy four mix cd's that my four nearest and dearest friends (the Fab Four I like to call them) had sent me from literally across the world. Yes, I had dabbled, but really hadn't had a chance to marinade in these songs as I wanted to.
I don't pretend to have a deep appreciation for music. When I sit with my husband and watch some flashback show about 80's or 90's music I will often hear myself saying "I didn't know that song was from 1987???!! I only heard it for the first time in college."
This doesn't mean that music doesn't touch my heart deeply, it definitely does. Upon hearing "Shameless" I'm taken back to my first dance with my now husband at a college formal, "I Will Survive" and I'm dancing with my college roomates to a routine we made up for the song, and "Stuck in the Middle with You" and I'm in my first car driving home from swim practice with the backseat full of other swimmers. Music just does that to me, and I'm sure I'm not the only one, hence why mix cd's (or back in the day, tapes) have been forever popular. I am proud to say I still have a mix tape from my senior year of high school that my friend made for me and that I have now played for my five and one year-old.
Fast forward to the road trip. I was a little pessimistic about loving these mix cd's that my friends had sent me because they had no memories attached to them, so how was I going to relate or fall in love with these songs the way my friends had? I couldn't have been more wrong.
Suddenly the car got a little fuller as I listened to each of their cd's. As I played the first cd I knew instantly whose cd it was without even looking at the pretty decorated label. I envisioned my friend sitting beside me in the front seat (instead of my diaper bag and a half eaten bag of animal crackers) telling me about listening to this song while sitting in her purple painted living room enjoying a glass of wine. Onto the next cd I could see another member of the Fab Four's hair swaying as she grooved along to a song. And so it went with each cd I listened to...Amazing!
Through the power of music I got a stronger connection of my friends' worlds, maybe even more so than from one of our daily emails. All from a few songs!
My seven hour trip certainly did go by a lot faster and it was nice to not only have my two children along for the ride, but also the Fab Four :)

Oh what a friend we have in Him

"No, Mommy, I'll do it!"
" I'll take her diaper, Mommy!"
" I'll feed her, Mommy."
" I'll choose her outfit for today, Mommy." (This one can be particularly dangerous).
These are all quotes I hear from my oldest nearly everyday. She loves doing things herself, especially when it comes to her role of big sister (a role that she takes very seriously).
It was no different when we would take almost daily walks with the youngest in the stroller before she was a walker. I would insist on holding onto the stroller handles too, but the brunt force of my oldest was sometimes hard to control, so, off we would veer from the smooth concrete sidewalk to the bumpy, sometimes red anthill ridden grass.
On a particular day while trying to be a big girl and do everything herself, my oldest ended up tripping and falling onto the grass (thank goodness not into an anthill) causing tears and a scraped knee. Without hesitation I picked her up and while pushing the stroller headed back on course and back home.
This event has stuck in my mind and I often go back to it when I find myself fighting the here and nows. Why do we live so far from most of our family and friends? Why did that event happen? Why did my husband have such a bad day at work? Why aren't our prayers being answered?
I often think of struggling with my oldest to keep her on the main path of our walks and have realized that my daughter isn't the only one who wants to do everything herself. I often think I have the right answer when it comes to prayers; where we should be right now, and who the people should be surrounding us.
I am sure the Man upstairs sees me much as I see my child, trying with sometimes all my might to do things my way and thinking I know what I'm doing and where the path leads. If only I would give a looser grip and let Him take control of the handles (he has the better view after all) it would be a whole lot easier to stay on course and avoid the anthills of life.
Easier said than done. The good news is though that even when I (or you) trip and fall He doesn't think twice (just like any parent wouldn't) of picking us up and continuing on our walk.

Lady GaGa

Long before the singer came out with "Poker Face" we had a Lady Gaga all our own. My mother is referred to in our family as GaGa, G, or Lady Gaga by her grand girls all stemming from her oldest granddaughter not being able to say Grandma, hence the name stuck. Lady GaGa is clearly the matriarch of our family and lessons learned by her actions tend to just stick with you.
Case in point ~ A couple of weeks ago now my girls and I jetted off to the beach along with my husband who had to travel there for work. Unfortunately hubbie had to go straight to his place of business leaving the girls and I to fend for ourselves with checking into the hotel and carting up all of our luggage (not an overestimation when you have two little ones) up to our room. After three trips to the car and me sweating (literally) from carrying a one year-old while doing this task (and I wonder where the back problems come from) we were all pretty much spent.
The girls looked at me with that "what's next entertainer" kind of look. One key point I have forgotten to mention is that my older one at this point had a bright red arm cast from her hand the WHOLE way up to her shoulder, not very condusive for a beach trip, but we all had our heart's set on going, so here we were.
I quickly went into "what would Lady GaGa do" mode. My mother is a bonafide hostess. My husband's father jokingly calls me "Lady GaGa" when I ask him several times if I can please get him something to drink, or, would he be more comfortable with one more pillow, etc.
In Lady GaGa mode I opened the curtains to the room ("blowing the stink off" as one of my favorite movies says) and marched the girls down the hall to the vending and ice machine. My older one loved being in charge of the ice bucket and pressing the button for our root beer.
Back in the room I spread our beach blanket on the hotel floor and we quickly set up a happy hour (another Lady GaGa must) of cool drinks and snacks. Suddenly the broken arm and tired muscles took a backseat to our picnic and happy hour.
"Can I get you something more to drink, Mama,"said my older one.
Our Lady GaGa may not ever have world fame, but to all of her girls she is nothing less than a superstar.

Burnscat

So everyone (it seems) has a blog these days. Amazing blogs! Blogs about publishing a book, cooking in your first year of marriage, even dealing with the death of your mother. More amazing is these are just a few of my friend's blogs. My friends are a pretty big deal. I have had a big chunk of them since the days when perms and tight rolling jeans (come on you know you did it) were cool. My other chunk of friends I have met via college, teaching, and through my kid's activities. So when I finally got the bug to start my own blog I had thoughts of travel, my children, or my current town being my topic. But each of these topics have the common thread of my friends. Friends that have impacted my opinions, shared my first loves, and know the core me.
So why not start at the very beginning? One of my oldest and dearest friends is affectionately known Buns, Burnscat, or Burnz. I have know this woman (and now wife, professional, and soon to be matron of honor in her sister's wedding) since sharing a locker room with her after swim practice at the age of eight. And since that time (22 years ago) she has taught me immeasurable life lessons. Putting in contact lessons does tack on ten extra minutes of your getting ready time. All things can be put in top ten lists. Knowing where you are at in relation to prisons is important. Be organized. This last one has stuck with me.
In high school Buns would swat my hand away if I would start to draw on her notebook. Her handwriting is perfection and on certain days I try and mimic it in hopes of getting the roundness of her letters in my own writing.
Unfortunately I don't get to see Burnz daily, but when I make a grocery list I categorize by different sections of the store, and when I started to read my magazine in the quiet hours of this morning I carefully folded the page to get a better look at it.
Being organized doesn't come natural to me, but as a stay home mother of two for me it is essential. Thank God that Burnscat came into my life 22 short years ago to teach me the perfect way to make a list, write with ease, and give me a little direction.