Endless Pursuit for Mom of the Year

A teacher's purpose is not to create students in his own image, but to develop students who can create their own image. ~ Author Unknown -------------------------- What a powerful influence teachers are to young minds!  We have been blessed to have fantastic teachers as daughter of the year #1 progresses through school.  One of them just stands out among the others.   I normally don't use names in my blog, but there could be a million Ms. Green's out there, so we'll go with it.  Daughter of the year #1 and I both know, to us, there's really only ONE Ms. Green. It's no secret that #1 has struggled with her confidence over the years and after a terrifying 1st grade bullying incident, I just wanted to throw in the towel!  FIRST GRADE people!  Second grade got better, in spite of those "bathtub conversations."  But, I might not ever forget the day I took #1 to school to see who her 3rd grade teacher would be.  I'm still not sure...

You are only young once, but you can stay immature indefinitely.  ~ Ogden Nash ----------------------------------- Whew!  Today was a big day.  BIG day!  I turned 40.  How in the hell did that happen?  It honestly seems I was just turning 30 not that long ago.  As I begin that trip "over the hill" let me relive my day for you.  This, my friends, truly IS 40! I felt this way.  Really I did.  But today I felt too damn old to deal with a 4 year old fit on my bathroom floor against the bathtub.  All this over the pants I put on her today.   The fit ended just long enough to give me a taste of my favorite musical treat:  the recorder!  This time, #1 played the piano while #2 blew with the force of a very mighty wind through her sister's recorder.  After all, it's never too early to start the day with Tylenol.      I'm 40 now, so I went all Seinfeld today and ...

Music is what feelings sound like.  ~ Author Unknown ---------------------------- I knew this day would come.  In fact, I hoped it would.  But never, ever, did I think it would try my patience like it has. Growing up, music was like air to me.  I needed it daily and as my relationship with it grew, it became something very important to me. I nearly made it a career until I grew unsure how I would actually accomplish that.  My mom will tell you all about the scholarship I turned down as a result, just ask her. In the end, it was a love but, for me, it was never a career.   Daughter of the year #1 has been taking piano lessons for 3 years.  There were times it tested me but that mainly came from frustrated bangs on the keys and hearing Jolly Old Saint Nicholas clear into the month of March.  Who knew my ultimate test of patience would come with a 12 inch piece of plastic with holes.   Ah, the blessed rec...

The first sign of maturity is the discovery that the volume knob also turns to the left.  ~ Jerry M. Wright -------------------------------------- I awoke this morning with the realization I have less than 30 days in my 30's.  I won't lead you to believe it was a profound experience.  No, I wasn't sobbing in my bed over my lost youth.  I did, however, spend a little time pondering where (ahem, in my youth) I thought I would be at this point in life.  After making a list of items for a co-worker to accomplish before her "big" birthday, I decided to do the same.  So, here goes, 15 things I will attempt to accomplish or do more of in the last few days in my 30's.   1.  Wear a suit.  I am not sure why, but I always thought I would have a job where I wore a suit to work every day.  I am so glad I don't have that type of job, but I do own a suit.  I should break that out soon.   2.  Make a difference i...

Anyone who believes the competitive spirit in America is dead has never been in a supermarket when the cashier opens another checkout line. ~Ann Landers -------------------------------- First, I would be remiss if I did not at least mention my very long hiatus.  Last June, I decided to take a writer's workshop that then led me to believe I could finally write that book I have always dreamt about.  So, I committed.  I wrote an outline.  I carved out time.  I set deadlines.  I even told myself I would keep up with the blogging in the meantime.  After all, it would be inspiration.  Some real, I am woman hear me roar shit.   So, here I sit, 3-and-a-half months after setting all those deadlines, with very few of them met.  I went through a spurt of beating myself up, but in the end, it's MY book and I'll finish it when I finish it!  Instead of saying I have failed, I'm just going to tell everyone I have really been...

An apology is the superglue of life.  It can repair just about anything.   ~ Lynn Johnston ----------------------------------------- It all happened over a Starbucks strawberries and creme frappuccino.  The moment I realized, I am a  distracted parent.  I never, ever intended to be.  But, I clearly am.  Always leaving my smart gadget within reach.  Reading emails at all hours of the day.  Responding even while on vacation.  Always work-work-working.  I wasn't always this way and I'm not sure I even know when it started.  What I do know is that it is part of my work ethic.  Try as I may, I've never been able to curb it.  That is until the reality of what this is doing to my kids set in.   Daughter of the year #2 really wanted her sister to go with us to take her to daycare.  So we all piled into my car to accommodate her request.   As we pulled up to daycare, a work issue came to...

Newlyweds become oldyweds and oldyweds are the reason that families work. ~Author Unknown -------------------------------------------- Today, we celebrate two wonderful things, my parents 50th wedding anniversary and my niece, G-money's, 16th birthday.  I'm pondering if I should have waited to compose this message, because there will be many memories from this weekend, but decided to go ahead.  Where do I start? It all began with nutmeg.  I've heard the story many times.  My great-aunt sent my mother to the store for nutmeg, knowing it was hard to find and that hopefully my mother would ask the cute boy who worked there where to find it.  I can't quite remember but I think there were several trips for nutmeg that summer and the rest was history.  Unbelievably, my mother returned home to South Dakota.  They continued to correspond through letters.  Sorry, the thought of my father sending letters, well, he must have been in love! ...