Are YOU ready?

  Interesting day today... Interesting summer these past couple months.  Tonight summed up my reaction to summer while I was walking my kiddos through the school halls for Open House and another mom smiled and asked me "Are YOU ready?"  Of course I knew she was asking if I was more than anxious to have the children back in school and I only briefly hesitated before smiling and answered, "Ya know...it's been a GREAT summer!  It went way too fast!"

  The cool thing about that response... I meant it from the bottom of my heart!

   To be sure- we had our moments: 5 ticks removed from the family as a whole, after our annual trip to Cook Forest- one of those bites ensured a trip to the E.R. due to the pink raised rash indicating Lyme's disease... no worries, antibiotics work wonders!  There was 1 swallowed plastic blow-dart tip.  This caused yet another trip to the E.R.- again, all is well- the digestive tract of a six-year old is miraculously resilient.  We averaged an estimated 20 shoes/flip-flops (per month) chewed just beyond the point of usage by our newest member of the family- MILLIE our five-month old chocolate lab.  We heralded in 2 new scrapes of white vinyl fence tattooed on our van by our 16 year-old, permit-carrying, eldest son.  However these minor set-backs were easily outshone by a zillion fireflies which deserved the countless oohs and ahhh's followed by at least 6 mason jars zinging around the yard in attempt to catch nature's teeny flashlights.  Of course we had the expected countless sibling squabbles.  However, those were quickly squashed by my mantra "When you are nicer to your friends than you are to your brothers and sisters you LOSE your friend privileges."  Amazing how the laughter that rings from inside the pool walls seems to echo louder than the arguments already forgotten as a new cry for "WHIRLPOOL" is hurled and the "sibling-only" masses all head in the same circular direction to create an undertow worthy of calling out the Coast Guard as the same crew now fights the "flow" with the new command, "SWITCH!" 

  My secret to sanity in these summer months?  It was a realization I had years ago while I felt the temptation to throw my hands up in surrender.  I envisioned my children in their weakness...with their ability to throw tantrums and drive me crazy- and it hit me- I am their MOTHER.  Who else could see their beautiful talents and gentle spirits DESPITE the kicking and screaming happening in that moment?  Who else could love them through the bad mood they were exhibiting during any particular hour knowing full well that when the stormy hormones had passed they would curl up in my offered hug and offer an apology... probably as confused by their inability to control their emotions as their willingness to atone for it.  It is MY privilege to get to hang-out and witness, first-hand, the growth that each of these young humans are experiencing on a daily basis.  I GET TO influence and encourage the amazing contribution to the whole society that these children are growing into. And in the same way I am their MOTHER...they are MY people... my PEEPS, my crew, the group I choose to call my own.  They have my back in their tiny (though swiftly growing larger) hands.  I love them- the good and bad.  And they accept me- the good and grouchy.

  And it is with this realization that the days of summer pass swiftly as we expect nothing other than to see where the day at hand will take us.  We keep it simple, give each other a chance at forgiveness- and let the squabbles go.  We have learned to see the beauty in our flowers, the shapes in the clouds, and the joy in living with your best friends.

  Am I ready to see them board the school bus again?  I will miss them.  I will welcome the new joys that come with this season that is inevitable...the season of learning.  Yet, I believe at times- it is I that have the most to learn- from THEM...those that are "my Peeps."

 

 

Inspiration Strikes When Memory is Jogged..Now I must Jog...

  Surround yourself with like-minded people...I have heard this phrase way more than once...yet, it now calls to me from the site of another blogger. 

  Last week, while scrolling Facebook, I stumbled upon the writings of a former high school classmate.  I was immediately drawn in by the photos she had posted and the street names she wrote of which jogged my memory and tugged my heartstrings.  The grape vineyards she described let me know she had made her home in the vicinity of my own upbringing--Harborcreek, Pennsylvania.  I can't explain the feelings that surged as I read through the events which comprised her day...and though now a "West-sider," reminded me of my own.

  The surprise came as I viewed her captions and photos describing tough workouts found in reconnecting with nature and the friendships born of meeting others during the journey she had embarked on--the challenge of meeting and surpassing her own limits.  In an odd, distant, whispered way I heard a kindred voice calling my name.  At first it was a novelty as I tried to mesh the memory of my sweet-natured school friend with the physically fit, determined, inspirational young woman encouraging those, such as myself, who wandered into her world through snapshots of her life, to reject our own limited vision of ourselves and strive for strength.  But it has since become a louder invitation, in the voice that remains sweet- yet wizened with experience and well...life.  I have embraced this vision that I just may have some physical strength waiting to be set free from the aging mindset I had handcuffed myself to.  Granted, I have begun on the path to healthy eating several months ago...but to purposely join a group dedicated to sucking the marrow of life from a frigid night's offer to push your limits in 7 degree weather...I concede this thought never occurred to me...yet strangely holds appeal!  I have marinated this type of challenge that appeared heinous and grueling at first then gradually receded into awe before  blossoming into possibility this very morning.  My baby steps in this direction included a jaunt to the local middle school to sled-ride with five of my seven children.  I returned home soaking wet, chilled to the bone..and EXHILARATED with the fact that I DID IT!  It's been a couple years since I went down a hill on a sled for fear of damaging my lower back...not only did I sled ride down the hill...I hiked back up carrying a toddler on my hip!  (Full disclosure-regular doctor check-ups and losing the 25 pounds in the last five months was a huge bonus!).

  I am sure I will visit her blog often, find joys as she shares them and perhaps rekindle a friendship over time.  I admit I am looking toward my own future with a breath of fresh air as I reminisce the robust rural scenes my friend had photographed through her viewfinder utilizing her unique interpretation of life.  I have been blessed to see that although I feel at odds with the world due to my life circumstances of a large family, a house under construction, and children that are thoroughly loved yet not always fully understood, I am not alone in this journey of life.  We all have our own preconceived ideas of what life will be like- it takes a brave soul to write about the reality of the life that is lived out day in and day out.  No two journeys will ever be a mirror image of each other- but in the differences- beauty and wonder can be discovered and shared- experience gained through the eyes of another.  Thank you dear, brave, blogging soul for offering a candid snapshot of your life.  In a way, I felt as though I had come home as I wandered into your post.  Thanks for lighting your Lamp and extending the welcome!  I wish you well as you continue on your journey and hope we can one day soon lift a toast to all we have lived through and our futures yet to come!



 

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Prepare the Way (by guest blogger Diane Gallagher)

A girlfriend recently texted me to ask for ideas for family prayer as she felt her routine with her kids had become stale and humdrum.  My reply was “what family prayer?”  As we giggled about my response the next time I saw her, I admitted that I was not kidding.  We pray before meals, when we hear an ambulance (thanks to my 3 year old’s reminders) and before bed with the little ones as we tuck them in, but we have lost our commitment to designated family prayer time beyond these moments.  Oh, the aspirations and ideas I used to have! I could have compiled a book with all of my creative concoctions for celebrating the saints or acknowledging important feast days in the Church.  Unfortunately, I put very few into action.  Life gets so busy.  The evenings are chock full of homework, lessons, practices, dinner, baths, and packing lunches.  Prayers are muttered here and there, but often are sadly not prioritized.  There are two times of the year that we actually do a decent job of special family prayer:  Advent and Lent.  We just bought a beautiful new Advent wreath (50% off at Michael’s!) that I was excited to set up in the center of our kitchen table last weekend.  One of our favorite Advent traditions (thanks, Steph!) is to put an empty manger in the middle of our wreath.  Every night after we light our candles and sing “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” each child shares a good deed they performed that day and puts a piece of yarn or cotton into the crib to make it more comfortable for Jesus after He is born.  I have toyed with the idea of removing a piece for every bad deed they do but decided that Advent is a good time to stay positive.  Sometimes my kids are excited to highlight a plethora of good deeds that they have done that day -- or even better, that they witnessed their siblings doing.  Other times, they struggle to even identify one.  “Did you help anyone today?” “No.” Have a good attitude?” “No.” “Share with anyone?” “No.” “Ok, did you have a nice thought about someone?”  Once in a while, they simply do not get to add to the “mattress pad” for Jesus.  I felt badly on Sunday when one of my children would not contribute a good deed because he did not feel he had done anything worthy of it.  I also was glad to see that he had a conscience and took it seriously.  Fortunately, they all usually have something to add or this exercise would get a little depressing.  Needless to say, it has become a helpful daily reminder for all of us. In fact, it is really something we should be doing all year.  It might even be beneficial if we only identified good deeds done with a positive attitude.  I admit, I don’t usually have a shortage of good deeds.  That is what most of my day consists of – doing acts of service for my family.  But I often don’t perform them with a cheerful heart.  This year, as we await the celebration of the birth of Emmanuel, hopefully we can fill our manger with an abundance of comfy cotton.  Even better?  That as the Christmas season fades into Ordinary Time, we keep that Advent Spirit alive – good deeds, focused prayer time and all.  

It's a Marvelous night for a Moondance...

  I just got back from a mad-dash to the video store.  I may be the only person on the face of the earth still kowtowing to the almighty late-fee.  I was dreading this particular run because it was dark...and cold.  When it came time to face the dastardly time-crunch trek I ended up crouched over in the drivers-seat peering through a 1"x3" portal view of the road.  Of course tonight  would be frost's perfectly timed first appearance on my windshield this season. 

  It only took 3/4 of the trip there for the defroster to work it's magic and I was sitting tall again.  The cool temperature mixed with the elated surge of success I experienced as I launched the DVD through the return slot with one full minute to go sent me on my merry way wishing good will to all men.  As a matter of fact, I suddenly was not ready to rush right home.  I by-passed my Avenue and headed to the nearest convenience store for a late-night half cappuccino mixed with house blend coffee.  I don't know what I was thinking- except that the dread of the cold-night air had dissipated and left a holiday flare of anticipation.  I sipped my coffee while waiting for the red-light to change when low and behold the time-honored "Frosty the Snowman" began to play on my radio. Now I had the defroster, the coffee and visions of my kids building snowmen and sipping hot chocolate to warm me as I headed for home.

  This had been the perfect ten-minute fresh-aired adventure.  It gave me a whole new perspective from the haze I was in as I tucked my kids in then flew the coop to return the rented video.  Not bad return on an errand run.  I think I would have missed out on more than the $3.59 late fee had I skipped this dash from the ordinary into the chilled-wonder that seeps into our world the week before Thanksgiving.  As I prepare to head into the week making sure I have two pumpkin pies made for dessert at brother Stephen's house and two desserts ready for our feast at Bushia's (hubby's side) house...it's nice to know there is STILL so much to be thankful for in the seemingly ordinary--if I just take the time to breathe in and acknowledge my surroundings. +