February 11, 2010 - Dreams

“Dream as though you’ll live forever.  Live as though you’ll die today.”  - James Dean

Thoughts for today… a day late…   reach for the stars!  Why not?

~K

February 10, 2010 – Give a Little Love

“When you’ve done all you can do and when all else fails, … give love a try.”  ~K

The day is coming to an end as I sit in the quiet house and type.  It was a surprisingly wonderful day compared to the upsets of yesterday.  Why the difference?  I don’t know… the moon, the moods, the scheduling, the activities?  I’d like to think the conscious effort towards not only positivity but also and perhaps more importantly, the conscious refusal to get upset plays a huge part.  Either way, it has been a beautiful day all in all…. until bedtime.

My two year old has been out of bed multiple times.  He’s crying, having a hard time staying in his bed.   This has been going on for about 30 minutes and we’ve tried it all.  My husband has left and it’s just the little man and I.  And while I adore the little man, he and I have spent many, many hours together today.  I love this child with all my heart but would love even more to have him  sleeping at the end of the day.  

This last time I found him in the hallway, looking all pathetic in his sagging diaper and pjs, red eyes, crying for me, I tried a different approach.  I picked him up, held him and began to rub his back in the darkness of his room.  I didn’t remind him that he would lose this or that if he got up again, there was no talk of time out or spankings,… I just held him and rubbed his back.   It wasn’t long before he mumbled in his baby voice, ‘this’  and then pointed to his back.  I heard him, rolled my own eyes a bit at his demanding an extended back rub and continued.  Again, he pointed to his back and said ‘this’ but this time it was followed by ‘outz mama’.  

His back hurt.  He was pointing to his back and saying ‘ouch, mama’.   I looked further to find his skin was terribly dry.  I laid his little body down and proceeded to talk softly to him as I lathered him in the most gentle, greasy lotion I could find.  I then laid him on his tummy and moved myself next to him, stroking his fine baby hair until he fell asleep.

When all else fails, and it seemed to have failed… just a little love was the crystal clear answer.   I wonder how applicable this approach can be to many other facets of our lives…. so simple, yet so often overlooked.

~K

February 9, 2010 – Listen closely

This morning as the day was just beginning, I was in my room dressing to take my daughter to school.   It was quiet in the house… probably the only time today that it would be quiet.   It was then that I heard another promise of spring.  I heard birds singing.
I stopped and practiced what I’ve been saying for months now… I took a lesson from myself and listened to the beautiful sounds, the morning songs being played for me by these beautiful birds outside my window, another promise of spring around the corner.
And then the day began.   I was stopped by a police officer on the way to take my daughter to school.  I had to take both kids to the grocery.  In the rain.  With no help loading or unloading any of it.   When putting it all away, my daughter dumped a container of pre-cut vegetables onto my floors.  While she was doing that, my son squirted the mustard container onto my floors.   I tried to download a song to my i pod for the gym tonight and instead accidentally deleted all 657 of my songs on my i pod.  I didn’t make it to the gym, but instead got into an argument with my husband.  Our plans for family dinner night were spoiled and my son ate paint.   The kids got in bed late, we were doing school projects beyond a reasonable time and it was cold and rainy…. all. day. long.   It was an overall miserable day.
And though this is exactly the opposite of the setting where these complaints should rest, it brought me back, at the end of the day to the sweet sing songs of my morning.   It was a moment to relish… a sweet, peaceful moment, a fantastic start to a day.  Perhaps if I’d have taken some time throughout the day to stop and remember this peace I could have altered the course of some of the events with my own positivity.  I’m sure it could’ve happened.   Regardless, I am going to think of it now… bottle that moment of peaceful songs into my memory and save it for the next crazy moments, which I’m sure, like spring, promise to be right around the corner.
~K

February 8, 2010 – Written in Stone

This is what my driveway looks like this afternoon.

To say I’m so very blessed would be an understatement.   This certainly made my daily gratitude so very easy.   I think I’ll frame this and put it by my bedside.   Every night, my daily worries will quickly melt away when I can glance over and remember the cool February afternoon when my sweet baby girl wrote me this beautiful love note in sidewalk chalk on the cement for no reason at all.

~K

February 7, 2010 – You Are So Beautiful

"What you do, the way you think, makes you beautiful." – Scott Westerfeld

I saw this quote, by author Scott Westerfeld and thought how powerful this could be if we taught our children this, forced them to believe this… especially young girls. 

It’s the absolute truth and one that often takes us quite some time to figure out.   Whether we are old or young, male or female, … appearance may be the first thing people see, but it doesn’t last too long.  Who we are, what we do, how we think… how true.  This is what truly defines beauty.

~K

February 6, 2010 – Strength Amidst Adversity

There’s a little someone I’ve had my eye on lately.  I’ve been watching carefully and I know that it’s almost time.

This little hydrangea is beginning to re-bud.  It’s been a while, but sure enough, here she goes, out in the elements, despite frosty mornings and in the face of windy afternoons.  This little lady is stronger than ever…  showcasing her resilience and unveiling new beginnings.  Each day, she unfolds a little more, - the promise of spring around the corner.

 

~K

 

February 5, 2010- After the fact

After the fact.  I am writing this after the fact.   Friday, the 5th of February, I had my computer turned off.  All day.   All weekend for that matter.

I was spending time with my husband and our children.  And  their Pop, my father.  

Believe me, I was grateful.  For good times, safe travels and for family time together.

And for that… I thought it would be fine to postpone my weekend gratitude until Monday.

~K