We also scooted Avery's booster seat up to the 2nd row in the van. She just kept getting car sick. Yesterday after I picked her up from school she was all-a-chatter. Igotinthesupriseboxit'slikemy100time.I'mtheonlyonewhogottopicksomethingtodayIsatbyKendalandAsia.IlikesittinguphereMomevenifIdohavetolistentoyourradio. Wait. What? Even if you have to listen to my radio?! What is wrong with my radio. And how old are you anyway? Only five? Huh.
I read a comment the other day on Melissa's awesome post by mommyj. (While the link to mommyj takes you to her blog and not the actual comment I couldn't help myself. She is an incredible writer and mother who finds the humor in everyday. Stop by both.) And if it's too much work to go linking I'll give you the gist: Melissa was writing about Katelund and how motherhood doesn't get better (very sweet post) and mommyj wrote that when she was in the grocery store a man commented about how she really enjoyed her children. This is the most roundabout way to get to my point (I think I have one). But that struck my core. Now I enjoy my children, most of the time, but to have someone stop me in the grocery store (of all places) and comment on how much I enjoy my children? It would never happen. What a HUGE compliment!
So I decided that as a mother I needed to refocus. I'm always in a rush when we go out. And when we're at home I'm constantly saying, "just a minute" or "we'll play that game as soon as I ..." Anyway, after reading that comment I realized, again, that I needed to take more time just being Mom. More time for playing, reading, snuggling. The rewards have been tremendous. (The heaping pile of dishes congregating in my sink is also tremendous- that is okay!) I'm still able to accomplish what I "need" to but I'm taking more time for the most important part of my job. I'm listening more earnestly, loving more deeply, and truly enjoying this beautiful calling of motherhood.
In other news, today my baby brother is joining the Army National Guard. I'm still a little sick to my stomach. Only because I'm really concerned about him. And I'm so thankful for the men and women who serve our country and for the sacrifices they make. But I guess I'm also a little selfish and I don't want my brother to be one of those making the sacrifice. He has a beautiful wife and a brand new baby. When I first heard the news I kept praying that he would change his mind. Then I prayed that Heavenly Father just would not let him sign up. We are at war, after all. But I guess that would mean I was praying for Heavenly Father to take away his agency. And that would make me the devil. Finally, I'm able to say I'm really proud of you, Eric. I know you have thought this through (right?!) I love you and your family! And I know you will do what is best for them. On to the last tidbit of the day. This one kind of had me gagging.
For the last few days my car has reeked of cigarette smoke. I could not figure out where the smell was coming from, it was too real to be my imagination. I wondered if we'd been somewhere that there was smoking and we picked it up in our coats. I began sniffing upholstery, and jackets, Brittain's blankets and snuggler, to no avail. Then it happened. One day as we were driving, I really needed a tissue and there were none to be found. None, that is but the "dangerous kleenex", (as Brook would say). You know the kind. Rumpled up, slightly used. So I grabbed it and blew my snoz in the least offensive corner. And it reeked! Like cigarrete smoke. Big time.
Weird. My hyper-paranoid brain seriously, and I'm not proud of this, imagined the neighbors sneaking over at night and lighting up in the minivan to get out of the weather. Then I started imagining that maybe they were stashing "other goods" inside as well. I even went so far as to say to Avery that we'd better start locking the van in the driveway. Then I got home, filled my arms with kids and their paraphernalia and headed inside, forgetting about the stinky napkin.The next day as Ryan helped me load the kids I asked him if he could smell the smoke. He could. He also concluded that we'd better start locking the van at home. Then I remembered the napkin. I made him sniff it. He did. He also noticed something I had not. The butt of a cigarette wrapped all snug in the napkin. Eeeww. Then I remembered something else.
A few days before I had noticed a crumpled napkin sitting in the parking lot next to the van. I didn't remember it falling out but figured it very well could have so I picked up the litter and stuck it in the door pocket. Turns out it was not my trash. Mystery solved! Gross on so many levels. And embarrasing!
There you have it. Good luck trying to figure out something to comment on. My obvious bad taste in music, the fact that I'm a selfish little devil, or that I'm crazy enough to think my neighbors have a conspiracy against me. Lovely.
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8 comments:
HAHAHA, oh please Dest! You are so hardly any of those things! And besides...I'm guilty of all of the above, so don't even go there. ;) lol
I love your everyday stories like this. I guess it makes me feel like I'm not miles away. I also love your profile picture!! (How many times did I say love?)
I'm laughing. Hard. And don't feel bad -- I mean, who really wads up a cigarette butt in a napkin? Like it's okay to litter if it's just a napkin, but you've got to hide your nasty smoking habit.
One day at a time, one chore at a time, one game at a time, one . . . everything at a time. Instead of everything at one time. That's my biggest challenge -- convincing myself that I don't have to have a really super clean house all the time. Which wasn't working anyway (you would know that if you'd seen my house). And that my intense need for order MUST be set aside for the good of my children more often than I'd like to admit.
Right there with you, sister!
Your remark about Avery saying she was just walking fancy made me think of the excuses/explanations kids give. Jaden is my most frequent giver of these. And he always seems to have the same thing to say. Whenever he is doing something wrong or doesn't know something he'll say, "I know. I was just coming to say I love you." I don't know how many times he's walked into the bathroom while I'm in there and said that or I'll ask him to do something and he'll respond with that. I guess it's pretty hard to get mad at someone when they remind you how much they love you :)
Urgh... I just typed outa long comment and it got deleted! I was soOO whitty too, and now this is just not that exciting!
Anyway loved this blog! To funny! I now know what to say when someone comments on my lack of dancing skills, "No, you are mistaken, I wasn't dancing, I was walking fancy!"
I loved this post. And not just because you said something about me. :) Thank you for that... I am constantly trying to remind myself that they are only little once... what I remember most about my Mom from when I was growing up is that she always seemed happy doing what she was doing... I'm sure she had her moments, but I don't remember them.. I guess because there were enough positive moments to overwhelm my senses, I didn't focus on the less than perfect ones. At any rate, she's my role model in that respect... it's so hard though. Hard to not feel overwhelmed, and to put important things aside to do the less tangibly important things... does that make sense? Bills to be paid, verses a game of candyland... for example. I know there are times when I'll tell my kids, "let me finish this first" twelve times and then all of a sudden, the day is gone, and I still haven't done what they originally asked for at 2:30. Sigh. We gotta keep trying though. :) Little by little. And you're right. The rewards are huge.
Okay. My first day back on the blog scene since my move and my temporarily disconnected dsl. I think I'm a bit comment happy. Sorry. :)
And... I'm not sure I could sleep at night wondering WHAT that napkin was used for BEFORE it wrapped around someone's stinky cigarette butt. I'm just sayin... :)
You have such great things to say. I have found myself not doing enough with my kids as well. Today I decided to finally play in the basement with Jack instead of cleaning up the room and putting away the laundry. While we were playing he said, "Mom, I like playing with you." This may be the big problem to the whole sassy thing, well part of it. I really don't want to look back on life and wish that I had spent more time with them when they were little. I did invent a new game called, "Five minutes of fun" where we set the timer for 5 minutes, play some loud music, and everyone runs around cleaning until the timer goes off. It is actually pretty successful and takes a huge load off my shoulders. I think it's time to play again!
Dest, seriously, you're so awesome and I really just wish we lived closer to you. Grossest thing I've ever heard by the way, at least in a very long time.
Hey Dest-
I love to hear your funny stories! I am pretty sure you can finally leave comments on my blog--sorry about all the confusion!
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