Today, I have to express gratitude for my "sisters" -- the women who chose my brothers as their husbands (technically or not). Two of them have been family for a very long time and one more recently, but they have all made quite an impact on my life.
The two who have been in the family for a long time blessed us with one of my wonderful nieces and two of my wonderful nephews. The other "sister" brought my third brother much deserved love and happiness.
When I was little, I wanted a sister. As a teenager, I was glad I didn't have a sister because my friends and their sisters all seemed to hate each other and fight all the time. Sure, I fought with my brothers sometimes, but never over clothes or boys. When my brothers got married, I gained sisters. I can't imagine my life without them. And I can't imagine how my brothers would have turned out without their good influence.
Monday, November 4, 2013
Sunday, November 3, 2013
A Month of Gratitude: Day 3
I am grateful for the young people in my life: my nieces and nephews, and my own little guy.
My nieces and nephews are all almost grown now. The youngest of them is nearly 18 years old. They have been a source of joy to me for their entire lives. It's because of them I finally decided I needed to become a mom myself.
I missed out on a lot of day-to-day things in their lives, due to the miles between us. Whenever I get to see them and spend time with them, I experience firsthand what great kids they are. I've been lucky enough to spend extra time with one of my nieces and cherish that time so much.
The way my brothers and sisters-in-law raised these young men and women will be an inspiration for me as I raise my own baby. Even as my nieces and nephews move into their adult lives, they will remain little girls and boyss in my heart. Our relationships will change, but my love for them never will.
My nieces and nephews are all almost grown now. The youngest of them is nearly 18 years old. They have been a source of joy to me for their entire lives. It's because of them I finally decided I needed to become a mom myself.
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| Milo meets his boy cousins, Thanksgiving 2011 |
I missed out on a lot of day-to-day things in their lives, due to the miles between us. Whenever I get to see them and spend time with them, I experience firsthand what great kids they are. I've been lucky enough to spend extra time with one of my nieces and cherish that time so much.
The way my brothers and sisters-in-law raised these young men and women will be an inspiration for me as I raise my own baby. Even as my nieces and nephews move into their adult lives, they will remain little girls and boyss in my heart. Our relationships will change, but my love for them never will.
Saturday, November 2, 2013
A Month of Gratitude: Day 2
I am grateful for so many modern conveniences, including hot and cold running water, electric heat, washing machines, smart phones and the internet. Without those last two it would be so much harder for me to keep in touch (or reconnect) with family and friends spread across the country.
With my smart phone, I'm able to text pictures and send messages to family and friends without having to wait days for a reply. With the internet, I'm able to post to Facebook or my blog and keep everyone up to date on Milo's progress and other things going on in our lives without having to write and send dozens of letters.
Some may argue that smart phones have made us less connected. It's true sometimes we're more likely to bury our faces in our phones instead of talking to those people standing right in front of us. I'm still grateful for mine and others' smart phones. Without them, I might not be able to keep in touch with so many people I love and miss.
With my smart phone, I'm able to text pictures and send messages to family and friends without having to wait days for a reply. With the internet, I'm able to post to Facebook or my blog and keep everyone up to date on Milo's progress and other things going on in our lives without having to write and send dozens of letters.
Some may argue that smart phones have made us less connected. It's true sometimes we're more likely to bury our faces in our phones instead of talking to those people standing right in front of us. I'm still grateful for mine and others' smart phones. Without them, I might not be able to keep in touch with so many people I love and miss.
Friday, November 1, 2013
A Month of Gratitude
Halloween's behind us, and regardless of what the stores and television would have us believe, Christmas is still almost two months away. I won't go on about how commercialized Christmas has become. Charlie Brown bemoaned that fact 48 years ago, so it's not a new thing. And never mind that some retailers are starting "Black Friday" on Thanksgiving ("We're so thankful for all we have, we need to rush out and buy more!").
But I do think we sometimes forget Thanksgiving comes first, and it's kind of a big deal of a holiday. I firmly believe we should count our blessings daily. Sometimes we forget though, and a holiday all about being thankful for what we have is a good reminder.
In that spirit, I plan to fill my blog with a month of gratitude.
Today, I am expressing my thanks for the people in my life that make me feel needed and useful. They keep me grounded. I know I am loved.
But I do think we sometimes forget Thanksgiving comes first, and it's kind of a big deal of a holiday. I firmly believe we should count our blessings daily. Sometimes we forget though, and a holiday all about being thankful for what we have is a good reminder.
In that spirit, I plan to fill my blog with a month of gratitude.
Today, I am expressing my thanks for the people in my life that make me feel needed and useful. They keep me grounded. I know I am loved.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Happy Halloween
My boy is getting to be really independent. This is probably the last Halloween I'll be able to dress him in a costume of my choosing. I suspect next year he'll want to dress up as a superhero or Thomas the train or something worse. And it won't be long before he won't want Mom and Dad dressing up with him.
Until then, I will enjoy how cute he looks for his first three Halloweens.
Have a spooky but safe Halloween, everybody!
Until then, I will enjoy how cute he looks for his first three Halloweens.
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| First Halloween: Baby Spock |
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| Second Halloween: Raccoon (or My Neighbor Totoro) |
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| This Halloween: Robot |
Have a spooky but safe Halloween, everybody!
Monday, October 28, 2013
5 Scary Things
With Halloween just around the corner, thoughts often turn to the spooky an the scary. I'm not afraid of ghosts or goblins or even zombies (OK. Maybe a little, cuz they want to eat my brains!) I'm more afraid of real things (and sometimes just reality in general). Some are silly, some not.
That said, here are the top 5 things that scare the bejeebers out of me:
1. Spiders -- Not all spiders, but brown recluse, black widows and others that can do real damage with their bites. And the harmless, but aggressive ones who will coming running right at you. It's just not right for something to think it can take on a human thousands of times its size.
2. Miller moths -- This is a totally irrational fear, again of something many, many, many times smaller than I am.
3. Small spaces -- As I've gotten older, I've become more and more claustrophobic. I can barely read an account of someone being trapped in a small space without feeling a tiny bit panicked. Maybe I'm turning into Edgar Allan Poe.
4. Road ragers -- And there are so many of them on the road. Where is everyone going in such a hurry that they're risking their lives to get there? I'm usually driving with my son. Which takes us to ...
5. Something terrible happening to my son -- This is the scariest of them all, and probably the most realistic. Terrible things happen all the time. The best I can do is protect him when I can and try not to dwell too much on it.
That said, here are the top 5 things that scare the bejeebers out of me:
1. Spiders -- Not all spiders, but brown recluse, black widows and others that can do real damage with their bites. And the harmless, but aggressive ones who will coming running right at you. It's just not right for something to think it can take on a human thousands of times its size.
2. Miller moths -- This is a totally irrational fear, again of something many, many, many times smaller than I am.
3. Small spaces -- As I've gotten older, I've become more and more claustrophobic. I can barely read an account of someone being trapped in a small space without feeling a tiny bit panicked. Maybe I'm turning into Edgar Allan Poe.
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| It's scary how much I love this little guy. |
4. Road ragers -- And there are so many of them on the road. Where is everyone going in such a hurry that they're risking their lives to get there? I'm usually driving with my son. Which takes us to ...
5. Something terrible happening to my son -- This is the scariest of them all, and probably the most realistic. Terrible things happen all the time. The best I can do is protect him when I can and try not to dwell too much on it.
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
4 Things I Say ...
too much, if how often Milo says them is any indication.
1. That was crazy!2. I don't think so. (As in, no way, mister, not going to happen.)
3. If you say so.
4. Shut up (not to Milo but I need to stop saying it nonetheless).
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| I could never say, "I love you" to this kid too much. |
By the way, let's all just pretend it hasn't been three months since I last posted here and just move on.
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