I guess this is why you have two parents...

We took the kiddos up to Water Country on Monday. We made our usual loop around the park before arriving at everyone's favorite destination, Hubba Hubba Highway (long lazy river with lots of fun water spraying "obstacles"). I had Charlotte while Matt played tag and chase with the boys. I was careful to shield her from the water sprayers, weaving from side to side to avoid anything that seemed like it might upset her or be dangerous. We had fun and each time we would come around the loop, she would say, "Sprayers" and duck her head into my chest. I was so proud of her and so happy she'd learned to avoid the water.

About halfway through, Matt and I traded places and I moved up to be with the boys. We continued to play and mostly, I tried to keep up. After a few minutes, I decided to make my way back a few steps and wait for Matt and Char. Eventually, I saw them coming. Actually, I heard them coming. Matt had picked C up and was holding her up so that she could "high five" the sprayers. And, she was loving every minute of it. They also made their way through the "dangerous" row of dumping coconuts by laughing at the splashes they made in the water.

And as I stood there, in the middle of Water Country with hundreds of people passing by me, I felt my breath catch. I was teaching Charlotte how to be safe, how to stay alive in dangerous situations. But, Matt, well, Matt was teaching her how to live.

You take the good, you take the bad....I hope you're now singing The Facts of Life.

I love to lay next to Charlotte as she's falling asleep at night. I love to watch her as the day slips away and peace overtakes her beautiful face. I am always overcome. She is my daughter. My family. And her brothers. They are the legacy I ached for, the healing balm on my wounds of years past. But, here's the thing. They are mine when they're beautiful and they're mine when they're slightly less so. If they're mine when they're peaceful, they must be mine when they're mouthing off and when they're running through the Dollar Tree pretending to ride a parrot balloon. We belong to each other. The good, the bad and the ugly. 

Maybe that's what I want my children to know, most of all. That it's easy to claim someone when times are good. But, when all the chips are down. (Like, literally, when they've pulled all the chips down off of the shelves at Target) that's when you must be able to say, Yes, she is mine. I'm here for her.  

Family shows up. 

More to the story...

The world is a scary place. 

Add in the heart of a mother and it's downright terrifying. 

I battle with anxiety. Sometimes I take meds for it. Sometimes I grit my teeth and cry. But, no matter what the solution, it is always a struggle. 

I also suffer from panic attacks. They are like anxiety's BFF that you never really liked, but can't seem to ditch. And, they always pay a visit at the worst time possible. 

Like, when you're standing in the checkout line at Walmart. And, oh, perhaps your daughter has wandered about ten feet away and you're trying to put stuff up on the conveyor belt and keep an eye on her and make sure to catch the cashier so that he can price match an item before it's too late. Yep, that was me yesterday. 

It was all too much. I started to sweat. I could feel the voices start up in my head...

"She's too far away. Someone could just come by and grab her and be gone. You'd never be able to catch them. You can barely even jog. And, then some stranger would have your baby and it would all be your fault."

But, Char really wasn't too far away. She was really only testing her wings. And, I want her to have fun. I don't want to put my crazy on to her. I don't want her to live in fear. So, I told the voices to pipe down. But, they never do...

"That's fine. But, any minute now, someone could walk right up and then she's gone forever. And, God only knows what they would do to her..."

I was almost in tears. But, then a friendly looking couple with an older son walked up behind me. A stranger between us was enough to send Charlotte scampering back to my side. We struck up a conversation. Mostly about babies with no hair and the Princess's pants. Ruffles are always a good conversation starter. And, I began to relax. 

Then, just as we were leaving, the lady spoke up, "Wait, you forgot her nightlight."

Oh no, I replied. She was just playing with that to keep her occupied. 

"Could I buy it for her? I'd love to but something girly and something for such a cute little lady."

There are no words to describe how greatly my heart was moved. Here I am, imagining the monsters of the world and God sends me an angel. 

Take that, voices. 

Thirty minutes of wonderful...

This past week, I was sick. The kind of sick where you moan to friends and family about how you might die and think that possibly no one in the history of anyone has ever felt so sick. But, then, I got better. I did not die. I was not, in fact, as sick as anyone has ever been. 

That always makes me think of my mother. 

Who did die. 

Who was as sick as anyone should ever be. 

 

My mom got sick when I was seven. But, truthfully, she had never been a very healthy person. She struggled with asthma and was just a very sickly child. She didn't marry my dad until she was 29 years old and according to him, she started angling for a baby that very day. She wanted to be a mother more than anything. In some ways, her prayers were answered. I was born on their first wedding anniversary. 

But, it was not uncomplicated. Her doctors told her that she came very close to not being around at all anymore. He mentioned that her pregnancy, my very existence, had taken about ten years off her life. He suggested she not try it again. And, so, she didn't. My dad had a vasectomy and she embraced the life she had with me, her only child. 

My mother was never well. She did not have the kind of disease that you get well from. She had the kind of disease you die from. That is sobering to me. Especially when I've had a few days to experience what it feels like to lay in bed, unable to care for your family. The days after I started to feel better, I just moved and moved and moved. I stayed up late, I got up early. I felt alive. And, with that feeling comes pain. Because I GET to GET well. And my mother didn't. 

But, if it's true. If I did cost her ten years. If my being here made her time here that much shorter. I hope she knows, I am completely determined to make sure that her thirty minutes of wonderful didn't lead to a lifetime of nothing special. I will breathe in and out. I will hug my children. I will bring honor to her name. I will be certain her thirty minutes count. 

.((God, I hope you've seen Steel Magnolias))

Plan A

Lately, I've been seeing lots of commercials for the birth control option called Plan B. I'm sure you've heard of it. Sometimes it's known as it's less friendly sounding nickname, The Morning After Pill. Yep, it's a pill that can be purchased from any drug store without a prescription that may or may not stop a pregnancy from taking hold after there is a failure in your normal birth control method. Now, maybe that's a condom that broke, a pill that was forgotten, an IUD that fell out, or just a lapse in judgement that resulted in no prevention at all. But, there you have it, Plan B. 

Now, for me, this is a very personal subject, as, our oldest child is the result of one failed incident with birth control. One. That's it. That's all it takes. How many times have we heard that said? But, when you're the one living it, it feels very different. 

You see, we knew our predicament. We knew about the failure and we decided to do nothing but wait and see. I was aware of our options and still, we did nothing. I was terrified, but I truly believe we serve a God that has plans far greater than my own. 

All that said, I don't think less of others who have used Plan B. I'm not sure I have ever felt as scared as I did in those few weeks as we waited and wondered. The idea of having a way out sounded pretty darn good, actually. But, somehow, deep down, I just knew it wasn't the right decision and luckily, I was in love with a man who felt the same. I don't even think of it as a case of dealing with the consequences of your action. Ack, consequences. How can anyone call a blessed little baby a consequence? No, I think for me, it was simply a matter of letting the cards fall where they may. And, fall they did...

One "failure" resulted in one great success. He is smart and wickedly funny. He is kind and his compassion takes my breath away. He is athletic and strong. He is exactly what I needed to grow up. He is a reason greater than myself. He is the best of his father and the best of me all put together into one rockstar of a kid. He is 12 years old and man, oh man, let me tell you, our son is living proof that sometimes, Plan A is just what you need in life. Sometimes, Plan A is exactly right. 

It's for you.

If someone held a gun to your head and said, "Today you make a choice. Your kids or your phone? What's it gonna be?" The answer is obvious, right? Your kids, of course. That's a no brainer. Exactly. So, if the answer comes to us so quickly, then why does it always seem like I am choosing my phone over my kids? 

"Mom, can you come here for a second?"

Hang on, I'm reading something.

"Mama, look at my tower"

That's awesome, Buddy. (Though, apparently not awesome enough for me to actually look at it). 

Even the baby isn't spared. I got frustrated the other night because the light from my phone was keeping her awake. Seriously? I have this awesome example of God's handiwork laying here right beside me and I'm bummed that I can't finish reading this recipe? 

That was a real wake up call for me. I honestly felt like I heard God's voice. Do you choose your phone or do you choose your kids? Your kids will never be this small again. You will never get this day again to love them, to learn about them, to watch them grow. One day he won't need to call you with homework questions. One day, he will give up those Lego towers. One day, she will not need the sound of your heartbeat to fall asleep. But, guess what, the World Wide Web will still be there. 

Most of your Facebook friends will probably not be willing to care for you in your old age. Pinterest will probably never call you and excitedly share the details of their latest adventure. Instagram will probably never send you flowers on your birthday. But, your kids just might. Stop and think, my friends, where are we investing our time? 

If someone held a gun to your head and said, Today, you make a choice...

A charge to Teachers...

Here we are, the last day of Summer vacation. Tomorrow looms ahead, filled with visions of notebooks, freshly sharpened pencils and Mickey Mouse lunch boxes. They will never again be quite as ready as they are on that first day. They will never again be quite as anxious. A lot will be spoken over the weeks to come about what is expected of them as students, and what is expected of us, as parents. But, allow me for just a moment to share with you what I expect of you, as teachers.

I expect you to be kind. You are dealing with my most-prized possessions. They will have an enormous amount of respect for you, just for the role you fill in their small lives. Please, remember that, and know that you are shaping their very person. Be slow to shout and quick to hug. (P.S. I could probably use a little of this advice, myself. Duly noted).

I expect you to be excited. Fire is contagious. If you possess the knowledge that learning can be fun, why not pass it along? Children weren't made to sit behind a desk for seven hours a day. They were made to jump and play and run. If we, as adults can't even sit through seven innings of a baseball game without needing a "stretch", why do we expect so much of our children? Find a way to teach them what they need to know and allow them the creativity to learn it on their terms. Come into the classroom every day with a smile on your face. You may be the only smile they get. That is powerful information.

I expect you to love your job. (At least a little). Sure, I know there will be good days and bad, but hopefully you are able to remember the reason you decided to become a teacher in the first place, lord knows it wasn't for the money. You have the power to shape lives. That is huge! And, to be honest, you will see my children for more hours a day than their own parents. Make use of that time. Help them discover what you and I already know, that they are fabulous little people just waiting to learn!

Finally, I expect you to be grateful. I am giving you a huge gift. The gift of my trust and the gift of my children. If I could I would keep them at home forever, but in my thirty-five years of life, I've learned something. These magical little people that I call my children, actually aren't mine at all. And, they aren't yours. These children belong to God, and they belong to themselves. So, never take for granted the place you hold in their lives and the place you hold in the heart of their mama. Thank you for all that to do as teachers. I promise you, I'll do my best to exceed your expectations, if you would do yours to exceed mine.

Get some sleep. I have a feeling we're both gonna need it.