Posted on Saturday~February 28, 2009 I have to be sure to clear up some things before I share more of my recent thoughts on motherhood. (Read: I’m paranoid sometimes.) I’ll get back to my mysterious dream that I’ve now played up way too much in my next post, but some things have been bothering me. SO I’m selfishly getting them off my chest. First of all, in my last post I was not referring only to stay at home moms. When I talked about accepting motherhood and embracing the selflessness and sacrifice of it, I was simply referring to a state of mind in general and my own personal journey. I happen to be a stay at home mom, but I used to be a working mom so I’m very sensitive to that perspective. I would never want to come across as if I’ve forgotten that there are mothers who work outside the […]
Posted on Thursday~February 26, 2009I’m starting to think there can be more of an ease to my life, coming from a place of contentment. I’ve never been that good at content, but I’m learning there’s an acceptance and perspective that can free my mind of a whole lot of clutter that weighs me down. This is probably something more seasoned Mamas have known a long time. I’m a bit of a slow learner, so bear with me. I’m starting to realize that maybe nothing I once thought I needed has to happen in order for me to be content. I’m letting the truth fall fresh on my ears. You are a mother. It’s enough. It’s huge. It’s everything you think you want and more. I do love being a mother, more than I ever imagined I would. I’ve been thinking I should let myself really fall into it, to allow myself to change […]
Posted on Thursday, February 26, 2009 He’s worn it nearly every day since Halloween. It’s now a two-piece.(also notice the “chick magnet” in the background.) But that doesn’t stop him from being a great protector. For more A Thousand Words Thursday posts, visit Jen at Cheaper than Therapy.(because there are a whole lot of pictures worth a thousand words.) (I had this dream last night with all kinds of crazy parts. I wonder if it applies to some BIG decisions we’re working on making around here? Does it say something about my subconscious hopes, or is there a message in at all? Sometimes dreams are just weird because they’re weird. I don’t know…More on that later. Maybe you could psychologically analyze me…) Thank you for allowing me to pop up in your inbox and for reading my words, silly or serious. I appreciate you. ~Heather
Posted on Wednesday~February 25, 2009It’s no secret that I’m a total scatter-brain. I’m in my own little world quite often. I’ve humiliated myself due to my busy and randomly over-flowing mind more times than I can count. Being this way does make for good stories though. So I’m rolling with my homies and telling one of the stories over at Mama Manifesto today. See you there. (If you want.) (GRANDMA, PUT YOUR CURSOR ARROW THINGY ON THE WORDS MAMA MANIFESTO AND CLICK! MAGICALLY, YOU’LL ARRIVE AT MY POST! LOVE YOU) Thank you for allowing me to pop up in your inbox and for reading my words, silly or serious. I appreciate you. ~Heather
Posted on Tuesday~ February 24, 2009 We were having one of “those” rides home from preschool. The kind where I know very quickly that school has plum worn out my poor, weepy child. I was trying to refrain from blasting the music loud enough to cover the tantrum that was my child, all buckled in snug behind me, screaming with tears running down his cheeks. This doesn’t happen very often, but he was was mad, mad, mad. Because Asher had a sun visor on his window and he did not. I guess he had a good point. I mean, why the sun-in-the-eyes favoritism, I don’t know? Besides the fact that every time you turn, the sun switches sides, blinding whichever child is closest. The sun has no favorites. So I was trying to explain that when we turn onto our street the sun wouldn’t be in his eyes anymore, but Miles was NOT […]
Recently, Carolyn Hax of the Washington Post received a question from someone who called herself Tacoma, WA. Tacoma wrote in to ask for advice on why her best friend, who is a stay at home mom, thinks she’s so busy. She said that when she asks her friend what she’s busy with, the stay at home mom lists daily errands that anyone does, including herself as a childless person. Tacoma was confused as to why her friend would seem so overwhelmed all the time, and questioned Carolyn on whether or not said friend is simply trying to appear busy as a competition. Carolyn Hax’s response is just plain brilliant. Around the same time that this article was being shared all over the internet, one of my favorite bloggers wrote a beautiful post about needing more hands and feet and time. Then she ended the post saying that she’d never want to quit her […]
Posted on Sunday~February 22, 2009 I usually don’t do that thing where you mention giveaways on your blog so that you have a better chance of winning. (Because it’s too much effort for a non-gambler like me. Wait…I guess I do like to throw some nickels in the slots, but that’s the equivalent of leaving a comment to enter a giveaway. I do that. Sure, throw my name in the hat! Clickity Clack. Done! But linking to the giveaway on my blog? That’s like high stakes poker! So much effort and so little chance of winning…But I digress.)This time it’s different. I’m linking to a giveaway because it’s for some friends and their baby. That rocks the giveaway party. Rachel at In His Hands is the sweetest thing. She and her husband Josh are preparing to bring their baby home from Korea very soon. I’ve been following their adoption journey for a few […]
Posted on Saturday~February 21, 2009 Have I mentioned lately how great Miles is? Have I said how crazy I am about him? Or have I just been whining about temper tantrums and stalling at bedtime? Either way, I have to say that the things this child says alone could keep me going for weeks on end. He’s so bright and happy, thoughtful and vibrant. I’m so glad he’s ours. He says it like it is:Miles and Daddy were playing together and suddenly Miles says disgustedly, “EW! Your breath is NOT tasty! It is so STINKY.” He has dreams:“Mommy, are you thinking what I’m thinking?” “I don’t know, honey…whatcha thinkin‘?” “We should start a BAND. In our basement! Isn’t that a great idea???” “Yes it is, I wanna be the drummer.” He knows what he wants and sells me on it:“Mom, maybe you could go get me some chapstick. My lips are SO chapped….and […]
Posted on Friday~February 20, 2009 Do you? If you do, maybe you’ve already heard that Kim of Prairie Mama is one of the finalists in the running to win a FREE RIDE to the BlogHer convention this summer in Chicago. If you hadn’t heard, I’m telling you now because I’d LOVE to see my friend Kim win this trip. Kim’s post about why she blogs moved her into the finals of the Mabel’s Labels BlogHer contest, and now we can help her win the whole deal with a simple vote. So please take just a moment to CLICK HERE and vote for Prairie Mama. If she wins, I’ll give you all FIVE DOLLARS. OK, I lied. I won’t give you five dollars, but if you were in my kitchen (where I am right now) and we found out that Kim won, I’d definitely give you a HIGH five. Or maybe even a hug. […]
Posted on Thursday~February 19, 2009 They stand at my feet. “I want a green one no not yellow I said please Mom!“ “Mama, can I just have an orange one!” He yanks on my legs. “I just want one more and a green one and then three MOM, you’re not listening!” He snaps, he fusses, he stomps. He wants wants wants he’s not doing it right He can’t wait for what he wants.———— “Child, you need to back up! ask in your regular voice not with a whine… just give me some space!” “I was doing something I will get it for you it will be green and then orange stop grabbing stop pulling don’t cry get off your brother’s foot get off my foot I HEARD YOU!” I snap, I fuss, I stomp. I can’t wait for what I want. ———— I see it then, we’re the same. we want. I stop […]
Posted on Wednesday~February 18, 2009When it’s just one of THOSE days, the kind where I can’t focus and I don’t get anything done and I don’t care and then I’m sad? The kind where my funk is making my boys all funky? I round up the grumpy people (myself included)… And I tell them to get ready… I crank up the music… AND WE DANCE IT OUT! Who can stay funky after a dance-out? It works for us. For more Works-For-Me posts, head on over to Rocks in My Dryer Thank you for allowing me to pop up in your inbox and for reading my words, silly or serious. I appreciate you. ~Heather
Posted on Monday~February 16, 2009If weighing the pros and cons about moving out to “the country” were a game of tennis, my neck would surely be sore. My hometown is in “the country.” We love it there. We currently live in “the city.” We love it here. We kick around the idea of moving to the country about once a month. Being closer to my parents would be one of the pros. (And sometimes that’s one of the cons. Ha! Kidding parents, kidding.) If we never move out of the city to the town I grew up in, it’s the fault of the guys with the really long scraggly beards at the movie theater Ryan and I went to when visiting my parents this weekend. Seriously. If you’re totally drunk at 4pm, please don’t go to a matinee in a small town. There aren’t very many people to fill up the theater, so […]
Posted on Saturday~February 14, 2009 My Mom and Dad~ 40 years ago Mom Dad Mom and Dad~40 years laterMy parent’s actual anniversary was in December, around the time of Asher’s surgery. So we’re having a belated party tomorrow in their honor. As I made a DVD filled with pictures through all the years, I got to thinking about what an amazing thing it is to spend 40 years with someone, sharing so many memories and holding the same experiences in your heart. I’m so thankful for the years my sister and I have had with our Mom and Dad. We’ve hit our inevitable bumps in the road, but my parents have always been there on the other side of everything life brings, in their beautiful house in the country, the door always open. Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!(late.) Mom, please forgive me. How could I not share this one?(hee hee hee)HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY! […]
Posted on Friday~February 13, 2009 May I have a moment to totally freak out? Okay, thanks… Some days no matter how hard I try, I can’t be the Mom that’s in my head and heart. Every which way I turn there are things stealing her from me. I don’t like the lady that’s left behind. Impatient, short-tempered and tired. There’s too much to do in too little time. That stresses me out. I won’t bore you with the details, but let’s just say that I can’t figure out how to get any of it done. The errands take two hours longer than planned because I’m constantly stopping to tie shoes and wipe noses and have “discussions” with the new boy that took over my sweet Miles’ body. This new boy is not so nice. I can’t wait for the old Miles to come back. I love them both, but the new one leaves […]
Posted on Thursday~February 12th, 2009 I’ve had the same person cutting my hair for about five years now. She does a really good job normally. Not so much on a particular day a couple of weeks ago, but oh well, it’s just hair. I look much like a mushroom, but I’m not that concerned. I’ve never been all that concerned with how I look. Sure, in high school and college I compared myself to the stylish girls and made half-hearted attempts at keeping up, but I never really cared. It was easier to get away with not caring when I was younger. I’m not sure how it happened, but I’ve started to feel a bit ashamed of how I look. Not in a way that concerns what other people think, just in my own eyes. While I was getting my hair cut that day a couple of weeks ago, my stylist started laughing […]
Tuesday~February 10, 2009If you’ve been reading my blog long, I’m sure you’re thinking that this post is about Tuesday Whitt. In a way this post is about that Tuesday, but mostly it’s a tribute to a couple of other people. Every Tuesday over at Halftime Lessons and Dirty Socks and Pizza (for over a year now) it’s time to link up for Tuesday’s Tribute. A day to write about someone other than yourself, a tribute to the person (or place or thing) of your choice. Jay of Halftime Lessons is the guy pictured in my sidebar on the left. On March 21st he’s shaving his head once again for St. Baldrick’s, an organization raising money for cancer research. That rocks the party. Go ahead and give that picture a clickety click and read more about Jay and his family, and how they’re doing their part to fight cancer. Scroll through the site and […]
Posted on Monday~February 9, 2009 Our dog’s name is Tia Maria. I don’t bring her up very often here on the blog. That’s mostly because I’m too busy rambling on about other things.Tia is Ryan’s best friend. And she’s weird. In a lovely kind of gentle and easy-going way.But still weird… Tia has spent HOURS pushing her big red ball around the yard, combining her slobber with dirt to make mud. And then she wants to come in the house. Maybe that’s the real reason I don’t feel like talking about her much. Anyway, the ball is a strong plastic. It had a little hole in it that Tia has always stuck her teeth in to grab a hold of it. The hole in the ball has slowly gotten bigger over time. Now it’s just the right size for this to happen: Yes, our dog’s face was stuck inside her ball. I can’t […]
At the exact same time that Tuesday’s loved ones gathered and joined in a “wagie ride” parade in Parker Colorado to celebrate her life, we walked our streets. I felt that if I turned to my left or right I would bump right into those of you all over the country sharing in one big “wagie ride” parade in honor of Tuesday’s life. Thank you Lee and Em, for having the idea for a parade. It’s beautiful. We walked to an intersection with a mailbox. Where Miles had the honor of mailing the money that was raised for Tuesday in this post.He called that envelope “the special mail.” I was so moved by that, I nearly dropped him. Because so many of you spread the word about our little fundraiser across the blogosphere, we were able to send a check to the Tuesday Fiona Whitt Memorial Fund at the same time that we […]
Posted on Saturday~February 7, 2009I sat on the floor next to the open dresser drawer, trying to match socks to no avail. “I think I’m actually really totally and completely losing my mind,” I said. Ryan calmly responded from the next room, “What’s going on? Are you losing your mind over socks?” “No. I don’t mind the socks today….But our life is so busy and hectic and it’s been so stressful, all this medical stuff with Asher, and how we have no time for each other, and you travel for work… and even though I know all of that…I still want to have another baby.” (He bursts out laughing.) (I do too.) I still can’t find any matches for the socks, so I just sit there and look at the drawer full of small things, and I talk about how having kids just keeps getting better. I fall more and more in love […]
Posted on Friday~February 6, 2009 1. Miles recently gave us some good advice you may want to give a try: “When you mix mustard and ketchup together, it makes good happen.”(and who doesn’t want good to happen?) 2. The other night I went on a random trip to the corner store BY MYSELF to get some potatoes. Just potatoes. That’s what I wanted. A potato. I find that when I finally get a moment or two to myself, I think about Tuesday. And then I’m glad to have the quiet because I want to remember to pray for the Whitt family. Even while searching for a potato. 3. Ryan got me a touch screen phone about two months ago. It does all kinds of fancy things. I still don’t know how to do any of the fancy things. 4. I’m on Twitter, you know? And everyone is talking about packing for BlissDom, and […]
Posted on Thursday~February 5, 2009 BECAUSE I MISS SUMMER CHILD LABOR HATS THAT BLOCK THE SUN SPLASH FACE PANT I CAN’T WAIT… For more pictures worth a thousand words, visit Cheaper Than Therapy Thank you for allowing me to pop up in your inbox and for reading my words, silly or serious. I appreciate you. ~Heather
Posted on Wednesday~February 4, 2009Some lovely blog friends of mine have given me some accolades recently here on the world wide inter-web (as my dear Ryan likes to call it). That sentence was extremely uncomfortable for me to type. Because it sounds showy and a bit brag-ful (another hyphenated and made up word I enjoy). The words of these accolades and the sincerity behind them are a beautiful thing. So thank you to those of you that warmed my heart (you know who you are). You said the things that you’ve noticed about me that you like. Which makes me think you’re the ones that deserve the accolades. Because we all want to be heard. We all want to be seen. We all want validation. We want someone to simply notice. And you noticed and then you said so, and that makes me think you’re pretty selfless yourselves. Hopefully we don’t want to […]
Posted on Tuesday~ February 3, 2009 I was all proud of myself this morning. Because I took a shower. Miles was at school and I gave Asher a snack and turned on Clifford, thinking “I can do this, I’ll just take a super fast only sort of get clean kind of shower” (the kind that leaves my hair less greasy but doesn’t really mean the bottoms of my feet were scrubbed. That kind.). I got out of the shower and rushed to get clothes, thinking about how quietly Asher was watching the Big Red Dog. I’m an idiot, so I was pleased by his silence. I was in the shower for approximately three minutes and dressing for about thirty seconds. I kid you not. And just yesterday my friend and I were talking about how much we love Curious George, even if he does get into all that trouble. We blamed the Man […]
Posted on Monday~February 2nd, 2009Baroness Black (the one with the cutest accent ever) tagged me for the 8 Random Things meme. This is great practice because I’ll be spending hours and hours coming up with my 25 random things for the facebook tag. Ahhh, social networking at it’s finest… 1. I despise tomatoes. 2. But I love pizza, spaghetti, and chili like crazy. I know, I know. Tomato based. 3. Jodi Picoult is coming to a Borders near me in March and I’m going to see her (and maybe find it somewhere in my brave-ish soul to contribute to the discussion). 4. I don’t worry too much about crazy internet people who might stalk me because we have a pit bull. Sort of. 5. We have an American Staffordshire Terrier. And she would totally kick your patootie, so don’t stalk me. 6. I sometimes have real and actual premonitions. I’ve known that a […]
Posted on Sunday~February 1, 2009 From the archives of If Life is a Highway; originally posted 5/13/08:Grief is a bit like being sucked into a vacuum. The brush has pulled you under and in, and by no doing of your own, you are swept away. You’ve entered a whole new space in time. Everyone on the outside is going about business as usual. You wonder why they don’t seem to notice that you’re covered in dust. I suppose this hateful grief is good. It pulls you through. Grief’s impact forces you to take a look at how you feel. It pushes you through the sadness that would overtake you if you were left in the midst of your profound loss. The loss of a person, or a place, or a way of being that felt like home. There is an utterly unthinkable void, sucking you into a period of grieving. Grief will not […]
