For a few brief minutes each day there is a pervading quiet throughout these front rooms,besides the sounds of little girls rummaging through toyboxes or little boys throwing blocks against the wall that is. To me this is gold. Some days I long for it, can hardly move through the planned activities and the craziness until I get here. Funny enough when I do get here, when the tasks are completed and the little people are snug in bed, my hands feel awkward. What in the world do I do with myself, I sometimes wonder. And then I get that queer little ache inside, the one that reminds me someday I will have this quiet, this lack of urgent must do's permanently. But before I let myself get all teary eyed and deflated I snatch at right now and resolve to savor it and by doing so bring hope to the days ahead. Enjoying right now is one of the best lessons I've learned to date.
I don't know if I love anything more than mooches. Good morning mooches, peanut butter faced mooches, mooches from tear streaked faces, I'm sorry mooches, I missed you mooches...In our family, mooches are currency. They can get you pretty far. Want someone to read a book over again? Gimme a mooch. Need just a tad more whipped cream on your pudding? Gimme a mooch. And when you're dying to get some fresh air and crash trucks around in the mud..Gimme a mooch. Simple act. Great rewards. It's a wonder what a difference a little mooch can make.
Most of the time I am mommy. The woman who makes eggs in the mornings, wipes up spilled milk and whisks at stray blueberries with the broom. The girl who chases Daddy for an extra good bye hug or dances in the kitchen in a pink fuzzy bathrobe. Lately I have added a new title to my repertoire. Dog. Natalie and Adam's latest fascination is with dogs. Especially people acting like dogs. So I have thrown all reservations, embarassment, and propriety to the wind and embraced this new persona. I have to admit I think I make a pretty good canine. Lolling tongue, wistful eyes, a gamely scamper. Seems I am up to snuff in their eyes too. They revel in creating big fluffy beds for me, feeding me dishes of water and pretend candy (this dog has a definite sweet tooth). At first I felt a little strange, ungainly, foolish. But then I saw the delight in their eyes and decided it was worth it. So most of the day I'm the one cleaning the bathrooms, running the vacuum or reading the stories, but come twilight mom's on the floor with a bone and an old slipper. Who knew being a dog was so grand?
30 June 2008
27 June 2008
Rows of neat little boxes
Okay so I finally pushed myself to start a blog after much dragging of feet. I have always been a very private person and honestly as I approach 30 I have realized it is something I want to change. I planned to post once a week just to update on the kids of course. But now I find I look forward to the quiet around me and the sound of clicking keys and finally emptying my cluttered mind after a LONG but satisfying day.
Whew! Sometimes I forget what it feels like to have only one central thought on my mind. Usually it's such a myriad that I can hardly focus on one task. Enter the handy whiteboard that I have now installed in my kitchen which offers a daily quote such as; "People do not lack strength, they lack will" (hello crunches I'm all over you), and a row of neat little boxes which I must check after I complete the following tasks. Often this board is the bane of my existence, screaming at me that I have not completed more than one or sometimes none of the list I had so eagerly formulated that morning.
But other days like today I feel on top of the world because just about every box is checked. It's amazing what a difference it makes to feel that you have accomplished even one small something like making an appointment or changing the AC filters. I start with an easy task so I can make a check early in the day and it starts me on a good rhythm.
My next quote will be helpful for the day when none of the boxes are checked. "When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on" (FDR).
Whew! Sometimes I forget what it feels like to have only one central thought on my mind. Usually it's such a myriad that I can hardly focus on one task. Enter the handy whiteboard that I have now installed in my kitchen which offers a daily quote such as; "People do not lack strength, they lack will" (hello crunches I'm all over you), and a row of neat little boxes which I must check after I complete the following tasks. Often this board is the bane of my existence, screaming at me that I have not completed more than one or sometimes none of the list I had so eagerly formulated that morning.
But other days like today I feel on top of the world because just about every box is checked. It's amazing what a difference it makes to feel that you have accomplished even one small something like making an appointment or changing the AC filters. I start with an easy task so I can make a check early in the day and it starts me on a good rhythm.
My next quote will be helpful for the day when none of the boxes are checked. "When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on" (FDR).
25 June 2008
Ride it Out
I know how surprising it is that we finally have a tangible record of our family life. No one can be more shocked than I am.
We are in the throes of teething right now. In spite of his current disgruntled state, Adam is a budding musician and dancer at almost 14 months and we cannot imagine what we would do without him.
Our children fill our lives with so much joy. Natalie forms the lyrics to our life and Adam is the music.
Natalie is almost 3 and enjoys creating her own little world. Imaginative and inventive, she completely blows us away with her stories and ideas. She is never happier than when she is ensconced in a little corner with some odds and ends, string, some rubber balls, cardboard boxes, a milk carton. Definitely a good mix of tomboy and girl, she loves the movie Cinderella but her favorite cartoon is Popeye. Her current fascination is with pirates and her cherished friend is a crocodile aptly named "Pony".
Adam adores quiet moments slurping mud in the backyard or giving his constant pal Mickey Mouse a swirly in the water closet. He can't keep his hands off Natalie's wild curly hair and has a penchant for biting a good meaty arm once in awhile. He can be found dancing, his two original moves are the UpDown and the Sway (I'm sure you can figure them both out without help).
We are a crazy,ragtag little band of characters trudging through this life together. After a rough transition period we have settled contentedly into military life. Definitely some turbulence here and there but our Pilot has a steady hand.
Tim is an Army Chaplain, known more familiarly as the "Parachuting Padre". He thrives on adventure but gives 110% in counseling and reaching out to wayward men and women here. His days are filled with a myriad of counseling, briefings, seminars and paperwork but he is never too busy for a round of "Row Row Your Boat",several readings of "Goodnight Moon", or a much needed hello kiss (thanks babe). I have learned not to freak out when he is on his latest adventure, we exchange a Via con Dios and off he goes.
I am the Refreshments and Recreation Coordinator on this big ship and I couldn't love anything more. Someone once said "It's a happy talent to know how to play" and I have found to my surprise and delight that I have loads of talent in that department. I fill my days digging for worms and beetles, shaking down the little people here for mouthfuls of rocks and insects in the pockets, reading and singing and lots and lots of dancing. When I'm not at work I enjoy a good floor mopping or if I'm really needing some release I wash all the windows. What a life I lead...
My newest motto is "Ride it Out". When I am attempting to submit an article and someone is close to bludgeoning someone else with a plastic golf club, "Ride it Out", when the dining room floor is covered in sticky orange juice and Natalie announces they're having a skating party, "Ride it Out", when both little pocket rockets are wailing at the top of their lungs through the commissary and I can barely hold them both and push the ridiculously heavy cart, "Ride it Out", when I wonder how I will ever make it through a pile of bills and a load of laundry, "Ride it Out, when I begin to seriously question my sanity as I find magazines and toilet paper in the fridge, "Ride it Out". Nothing lasts forever. Peaceful times are coming if I can just stay on the board and Ride it Out...
We are in the throes of teething right now. In spite of his current disgruntled state, Adam is a budding musician and dancer at almost 14 months and we cannot imagine what we would do without him.
Our children fill our lives with so much joy. Natalie forms the lyrics to our life and Adam is the music.
Natalie is almost 3 and enjoys creating her own little world. Imaginative and inventive, she completely blows us away with her stories and ideas. She is never happier than when she is ensconced in a little corner with some odds and ends, string, some rubber balls, cardboard boxes, a milk carton. Definitely a good mix of tomboy and girl, she loves the movie Cinderella but her favorite cartoon is Popeye. Her current fascination is with pirates and her cherished friend is a crocodile aptly named "Pony".
Adam adores quiet moments slurping mud in the backyard or giving his constant pal Mickey Mouse a swirly in the water closet. He can't keep his hands off Natalie's wild curly hair and has a penchant for biting a good meaty arm once in awhile. He can be found dancing, his two original moves are the UpDown and the Sway (I'm sure you can figure them both out without help).
We are a crazy,ragtag little band of characters trudging through this life together. After a rough transition period we have settled contentedly into military life. Definitely some turbulence here and there but our Pilot has a steady hand.
Tim is an Army Chaplain, known more familiarly as the "Parachuting Padre". He thrives on adventure but gives 110% in counseling and reaching out to wayward men and women here. His days are filled with a myriad of counseling, briefings, seminars and paperwork but he is never too busy for a round of "Row Row Your Boat",several readings of "Goodnight Moon", or a much needed hello kiss (thanks babe). I have learned not to freak out when he is on his latest adventure, we exchange a Via con Dios and off he goes.
I am the Refreshments and Recreation Coordinator on this big ship and I couldn't love anything more. Someone once said "It's a happy talent to know how to play" and I have found to my surprise and delight that I have loads of talent in that department. I fill my days digging for worms and beetles, shaking down the little people here for mouthfuls of rocks and insects in the pockets, reading and singing and lots and lots of dancing. When I'm not at work I enjoy a good floor mopping or if I'm really needing some release I wash all the windows. What a life I lead...
My newest motto is "Ride it Out". When I am attempting to submit an article and someone is close to bludgeoning someone else with a plastic golf club, "Ride it Out", when the dining room floor is covered in sticky orange juice and Natalie announces they're having a skating party, "Ride it Out", when both little pocket rockets are wailing at the top of their lungs through the commissary and I can barely hold them both and push the ridiculously heavy cart, "Ride it Out", when I wonder how I will ever make it through a pile of bills and a load of laundry, "Ride it Out, when I begin to seriously question my sanity as I find magazines and toilet paper in the fridge, "Ride it Out". Nothing lasts forever. Peaceful times are coming if I can just stay on the board and Ride it Out...
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