My Very First Post

You know it had to happen. I had to repost my very FIRST post. Just between us, I had no idea what it was about and having re-read it, frankly, it cracks me up. It was about being MORE THAN A MOM! Ha! Irony!!!!

In celebration of 500+ posts I am giving away a Starbucks card, it's the life blood of tired, cranky, mom's everywhere. Leave me a comment and I'll randomly draw a name. You'll have to trust me on this!

Once upon a time, I wanted to be a nurse. Then I wanted to be a writer or a lawyer. Somewhere in the foggy past, I saw myself as a conqueror of great obstacles. A woman to be admired and adored. Of course, all of these wildly, passionate thoughts were during my post-children era.

Along came baby number one, a son. A bright, shining boy who would forever change the course of my life and make me a better person simply because God gave Boy to me. Having this child taught me new and amazing truths about myself. Not that I was any less ambitious, but my priorities changed and somewhere between conquering the world and conquering the laundry, I became more MOM and less ME.

After the birth of child number two (a daughter) my life turned into a cycle of sleepless nights and terribly lonely days. I lost the picture of myself as a conqueror and found in it's place a tired, cranky, woman whose only remaining goal was to get at least four hours of sleep per night and not kill the husband (who got to leave the apartment prison every single day and interact with ADULTS at work).

Time, as the saying goes, marches on, and the children are now high schoolers. Brilliant, happy, young adults who give me more pleasure than pain. These two amazing humans call me mom...But sometimes I wonder if they realize that I am more (OH, so much more) than MOM. Please don't misunderstand me, I do NOT want them to call me by my given name. I want them to know that being their mother has been the greatest adventure of my lifetime and I would not trade these last 16 years for all the money in the world.

I want them, especially my dearest, willowy, blond daughter to know that I am more than just a mom. I am a woman of passions and possibilities.

A Day Filled with Wonder - Repost

I'm off to work and to the laundry mat today, thus no time to write. Instead, I'm reposting this little diddy from October 3, 2006. Apparently, I had too much time on my hands.

Okay, maybe not wonder as in awe. It is a day more like “I wonder why...”

For instance, I am wondering why Teen Pact (www.teenpact.com), the comprehensive leadership class (takes place at your state capital, lasts 4 days, looks nice on your college entrance paperwork) costs so much. I have been putting off having Boy attend, because it is a 45-minute drive, and I supposed if I was taking ONE child, then I would wait a few years and they could go together. This year was supposed to be the year. HOWEVER, I either forgot how much it cost or they have raised the prices since the last time I looked. The cost: $209.00 PER STUDENT.

Why?

I am also wondering why M & M’s suddenly melt in your hand, instead of your mouth. This question popped into my mind today as I was washing the dishes (yeah, I am a real deep thinker!). Do you remember that commercial from way back when? Didn’t they say, “Melts in your mouth, not in your hand”? So, if they melt in your hand now...what did they do to M & M’s when I was a kid to make them NOT melt in your hand?

Why?

And why do chickens eat their own eggs? We suddenly are having problems with this. Our chickens are fed pretty well (I have the feed bill to prove it) but suddenly they prefer to eat eggs. Is this what you would call chickibalism and will it lead to mad chicken disease?

Why?

Then there is the toaster. Why is there a setting on the toaster that will blacken a slice of toast to a hard, shrunken, piece of charcoal? Does someone actually eat it that way? If so...

Why?

Have you ever wondered why things that taste wonderful are also the same things that are killing you? Why do things that are supposed to be good for you taste like...well...like yuck? Rice cakes? What sadist thought that one up?

Why?

Why do teenagers eat so much, sleep so much, and act so crabby? I mean really! If I have had plenty of sleep and a nice meal, I am a happy girl (especially if it was something I shouldn’t have eaten! Ha!). They do not have to work so they can buy their food and bed. Teenagers are in that one space of time when they can explore their world and not have to pay for it. So why are they so crabby half the time?

Why?

Maybe I have had too much time on my hands today. Perhaps I should have mopped the floor instead of wondering about these things. But I do wonder. Don’t you?