Happy Father’s Day to my love! Thank you for being such a big part of our kids’ lives: from making Trey’s year by taking him on a camping trip to coaching Karis’ soccer team and giving her such a fun time playing to loving on Avery with all of her fun-loving quirkiness to getting up early and cuddling with Tessa who loves you so much- even if she won’t say it! You make our lives fun, secure, happy and challenging. THANK YOU!!!
We all love you!!
It is so hard to believe 8 years has passed by since the birth of this sweet girl! She is our second born, our first daughter, our second mother, and our sweet Karis.
She has been such a light in our life! Karis is definitely the “firstborn daughter” in many ways. She helps with her younger sisters whenever needed. She is confident and a leader. She loves to please her teachers and follow rules… in school… 
She loves to help out at home with cooking and taking care of things. She is an avid reader and loves to be creative and artistic. She loves her friends to pieces and its fun to see her make good choices of who she wants to spend her time with. If you asked her today what she wants to be when she grows up (and I know this because she was just asked!) she will tell you, “I want to be a cooking teacher because then I get to cook and teach which are all the things I love to do!”
Yeah, I’m pretty proud of this sweet 8 year old!!
The other day I was renewing our cars’ registrations online because, as always, I had waited until the last minute. Seriously, what did people do before online billpay?? If they’re anything like me, they paid a lot of late fees. But anyway.
As I was pulling out the mailing from the DMV, I noticed a new rule/law/something that has gone into effect that actually rewarded me for my procrastination!! It was actually cheaper to renew online than in person at the DMV. They actually charge you MORE to go out of your way, wait forever and then finally get a turn to do something that takes all of 5 minutes to complete. I was ecstatic!
But the funny thing is, within seconds my happiness dissipated. Why? Because when I happily reported my “accomplishment” to Brent, he quickly pointed out the unfortunate truth. While the DMV is trying to save money in their operations by not needing as many employees available (and therefore trying to get people to stay OUT of the DMV), they are actually hurting the most vulnerable of our society. The poor. They are hurting those who don’t have enough money for computer/internet access (not to mention bank accounts and credit cards) by charging them more to appear at their office. I’m guessing I’m not the only person who despises having to go into the DMV. Can you imagine willingly paying extra money for the obligation? But there are people who don’t have a choice. And unfortunately they don’t have the extra money to spare either.
I am sure that whoever came up with the plan to cut costs for the DMV didn’t intentionally try to harm this part of our community. But I wonder how many other ways we unknowingly harm those less fortunate than us simply because we don’t take them into consideration.
I was at the gym working out today when a neighbor (and mother of 2) came up to me and asked, “How do you stay so calm all the time with all those kids?” After I stopped laughing long enough to answer, I said simply, “Why do you think I’m here??” (Uhh… besides the free childcare… it’s honestly a lot easier to be calm when my kids aren’t in my direct line of vision/hearing.)
After telling this neighbor that I am definitely not calm all the time I told her about my husband asking me kindly last night, “You haven’t been to the gym this week, have you?” Now, before you get offended and think it has anything to do with my physical appearance, allow me to get offended and explain that it has to do with my emotional wellbeing. It was his way of saying, “You’re being a real *bleep*- you need to go workout.”
It’s true. Working out has a lot to do with how I feel and act and react. I’m sure a more knowledgeable person could explain the specifics of what gets released in your body to make this happen, but I just know that for me it works. And while I could get all guilty feeling for being selfish and taking the time for myself and letting someone in the gym’s childwatch take care of my children, etc. (trust me, I learned well from my mom… I can feel REALLY guilty about not being a good mom, and its one of many excuses that’s kept me out of the gym some days) I’m choosing to put on my oxygen mask first. You know the drill before every single plane ride when the flight attendant tells you that if the oxygen mask falls from the ceiling, FIRST put on YOUR mask, then assist others in need… or something like that. It’s because if you can’t breathe and pass out, you can’t very well help anyone around you, right?
Isn’t that the opposite of what we do as moms? We worry about those around us. We put them first all the time and take care of them before (if ever) we take of ourselves. Sometimes to the point of passing out… or at the least, being a less than healthy person.
Well, maybe this Mother’s Day we can all take a step together. (Or if you happen to be the Dad reading this, help your wife do this…) First put on your oxygen mask. Do something that helps you relax/ heal/ rejuvenate/ enjoy the day and your family more. Don’t let the guilt creep in, just enjoy. I’m guessing that like my family, in turn they will enjoy you more too!
Like every stay-at-home mom, some days I could be happy running off to work outside the home. But then I would miss conversations like this:
Sitting outside with Avery, 4, enjoying the spring day
Avery: “Mom, can I have some of your apple?”
Me: “Sure”
A: “I’m going to let the ants eat it.”
M: “You are?”
A: “Yeah, cuz I’m an expert. Mackenzie (best friend, also 4) and I are experts. I’m an expert on ants. Ants like to eat apples… and cake… and… all food! They eat all the food all up. Yep. That’s what they do. See? I told you I was an expert on ants.”
I got to be “that” mom today. What joy.
A little while ago, when Brittney Spear’s new album came out, parents all over were furious. It seems that their little kiddos were singing the lyrics to one of her songs and they weren’t happy about it. Now, I have to admit… the thought I had at the time was, “Well, you are letting your kids listen to Britney Spears…” I don’t know about you, but the woman (hard to believe, but yes… she’s a woman now) is an adult, a mom herself. She can sing whatever she wants. I believe that it’s my job as a mom to not let my kids listen to inappropriate stuff. And I don’t think it takes a ton of common sense to not consider Ms. Spears a suitable role model. So, I can’t really say it upset me that she had this particular song out.
Well, today as my children’s entire elementary school and most of their parents were outside at field day, a particular song came over the loud speakers. I froze. I seriously couldn’t believe that they were playing this song. I started asking my friends around me if they knew the song and no one knew. Well… I explained it to them. And then I realized with the look of shock on their faces that I had to go be “that” mom. I had to go tell the dude running the sound system that I didn’t think it was appropriate for elementary age.
So what’s so bad? The song is “If You Seek Amy.” Seems innocent enough, right? Well, here’s the chorus… might take you a minute if you haven’t heard it, but *hint* say the title fast at the end… you’ll get it.
“love me, hate me, say what you want about me, but all the boys and all the girls are begging to If You Seek Amy.”
Needless to say, “sound system dude” was a bit embarrassed after I had to explain it to him. Appears Ms. Spears is still not so innocent. Not that I ever expected her to be. But now I have a new “fun” reputation at my kids’ school.
We got away!! Brent and I spent the weekend in Birmingham, Alabama… without the kids! Brent officiated the wedding for some sweet friends, Stephen and Ashley. The joke of the weekend (well, one of them) was how many years of “he/she is just a friend” that they went through before they realized that maybe they were more than that.
The whole weekend had that theme though. As we were reunited with some amazing friends from our past years in Williamsburg, we realized that they are all much more than friends in our life, they are our family. The years and the miles don’t change how deeply we care for each of them.
The best part of the weekend (for us anyway… I’m guessing the bride and groom might have other ideas…) was spending time with all of these friends that we love so much. Stephen’s family has been such a big part of our lives over the years. They have been extended family to us as we started our little family (at the time!) away from our own families . We had our first two kids in Williamsburg and Kim, Theresa and Lindsay would babysit them while Katie and Stephen would go to youth group with us. They included us in meals, pool time and life. When we had our fourth child, we all talked about how we had 1 boy, 3 girls like the Spencers and casually said how we hoped they grew up like them.
Then there were Brent’s small group boys who were the groomsmen and a few of my small group girls who came to celebrate with Stephen and Ashley. They were all so much fun as teenagers, getting into (mostly) good trouble and challenging us on life and God. We couldn’t wait to see who they turned out to be too as they grew.
Well, now they are all grown up and this weekend reaffirmed that hope. The times I cried the most this weekend were the times when Brent and I realized just how much we love each of the people we were reunited with and just how much we really do hope our children are blessed with the family and friend relationships that they all have. We are blessed to know these people, even more now as they have grown up into amazing adults.
While Brent and I are away for a wedding in Alabama for and with some very dear friends of ours, our youngest has been busy getting “published” in the blogging world.
Tessa went to one of our favorite local coffee shops today with both sets of grandparents and was photographed and blogged about here.
Here is a really fun/helpful/creative/entertaining/make you feel better or worse as a mama blog! I have read it several times before from my other friends’ blogs, but just added it to my blogroll finally in hopes of remembering to read it more. Guess I should just add it to my Google Reader. Anyway, I wanted to share it with those of you who don’t know about it yet!
Mama Manifesto is written my several women in various stages of being a mom. They discuss just about everything from giving tips on parenting, sharing recipes, giving ideas for living in healthy and creative ways, evalutating different products and sharing the goings on in their own homes and how they are dealing with them… or in some cases asking for advice on how to deal with them. I enjoy the humorous, honest way they look at their lives and they way they take the serious things seriously, while laughing off the things that we sometimes forget to laugh off.
I hope you like it too!
This week marks the anniversary of the Virginia Tech shooting in which one of my friends, Alicia, lost her brother. While this is a remarkably hard time for her and others, it’s a time for the rest of us to show our love and support. One way to do this is by joining in a golf tournament that has been set up in her brother’s honor.
Here are the details:
Castle Rock Golf and Recreation of Pembroke, VA will host a golf tournament in honor of Jarrett Lane, one of the 32 students killed at VA Tech on April 16th, 2007. All proceeds will benefit the Jarrett Lane Memorial Fund and its mission to better the future of deserving youth in Giles Country.
The tournament will be held on Saturday May 9th, with a tee time of 9:00am. Teams of four will play on one of the area’s most beautiful and challenging golf courses. The registration fee is $300 per team, and teams can register by calling the golf course before May 8th at (540) 626-7276.
Just to let you know, the Jarrett Lane Memorial Fund is used to provide college scholarships to Narrows High Grad. We have a vision of expanding this to provide financial assistance to deserving youth in Giles County who wish to participate in various academic, athletic and leadership development programs.
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