Thursday, February 24, 2011
My Little Pouty Face
Sometimes saying no can be a fun thing to do as a parent. For those of you that may not know, we have 5 girls and 1 boy. Our youngest daughter, Hattie, is 15 months old as I write this. She is a pretty smart cookie and like most little people, she has her own bag of tricks to get things she wants. I was trying to work on the computer the other day to get our taxes completed. She had climbed up in my chair and was babbling to me about something that needed my attention right away. I pleaded with her to just sit on Mommy's lap, but she was grabbing at me and banging on the computer. So eventually I sat her directly on the floor. She was protesting in her best toddler ways by holding her feet up and squealing with such anguish as I tried to get her to stand and run off to play. I told her to go find her toy, sippy cup or anyone else so I could finish the taxes. As soon as I sit her down she pulls over the diaper bag, stepps up on it, climbs back on my lap and starts pulling my arm from the paperwork in my hand so she can sit in the middle of my lap. At this point I am aggravated because I am so close to being finished. As I try to concentrate on not getting audited, she starts crying, loudly....very loudly. Now, I try to remember that she is the newest one to the family and is still learning that the more you cry, the less there is a chance that you will ever get what you want in this family when she acts like this. And as I am reminding myself, she pulls out her secret weapon....the little pouty face! Oh Man! She's a sneaky little booger! I did NOT see that coming! In the middle of her screaming, she stops, cocks her head, pouts out her lip and bats her eyes. My aggravation is instantly replaced with a belly laugh that I cannot control. I put down the paperwork and adjust her little stubby body to the middle of my lap looking face to face. She giggles. I giggle. As I start to move a bit, she stops giggling and hits me with it again....the pouty face. I cannot help but laugh. This little goober has realized that her look just might work to get what she wants. Every time I move or say, "Time to get down," she does it again. HILARIOUS! I sure hope I can find a way to counter this weapon of whining or I might be in real trouble! But for now, its making saying no, fun. :)
Friday, February 18, 2011
Roots
I am beyond excited! I just recently was able to get in touch with one of my cousins. Not sure he understands just how important he has always been to me, but I hope to change that. Growing up, family was always around me. Even though some of my family lived far away, we were still connected. After all, we are family.
During our brief conversation we were able to chat about our Grandfather. He was a man that worked hard on the coal fields of Kentucky and in the Steel Mill for many years. He taught his family about love, support and hard work. I have missed that chance of talking about my younger years with someone who experienced it too. It can be the simple memories that spark feelings of familiarity and comfort that only your family can bring to light. I grew up in an area where churches most definitely out numbered anything else and the closest thing to fast food was the pizza place or Dairy Queen. To say it was a quiet place might be an understatement, and I loved it! Talking with my cousin this week about our Grandfather, Pa as we called him, made me think about how much I loved Sundays when I was a kid. Every Sunday we got up and made our way to Russell First Christian Church for Sunday School and Sunday morning worship. As soon as church was out, our first stop was the local grocery store, Pick Pack at one of the major intersections in town marked by a four-way stop sign. Once the shopping was done it was off to Pa's house for a visit. Talking with my cousin took me right back to his house. I could see the walkway up to his blue ranch-style home and even the front screen door. I could see myself walking in and seeing him sitting in his recliner with both his tv's playing. Its amazing how one small conversation could bring back the memories of drinking whole milk and eating ginger snap cookies, which were always laid out on a Bounty paper towel, the smell of his coffee brewing and his fresh coat of aftershave still lingering in the air. And it was a treat when my aunts, uncles and cousins would be there too. It always felt great to be surrounded by such a loving family.
If ya go back to that same quiet town I grew up in, you'd see a lot of changes. My church I loved so much has a new name and different senior minister. That grocery store we frequented so often has seen a move and a few name changes. That four-way stop sign has been replaced by a traffic light. And that blue ranch-style home has different residents and a new back porch. But, my memories are the same for me forever. And even though my family has spread out and moved, I still feel that connection with them. I love them and miss them all dearly! It really makes me realize how much my kids are missing out on that connection with their family. If you are lucky enough to be forging memories of positive family encounters with extended family and your children, then stop to treasure that comfort of being able to do so. As we grow up, it is that time with our family that helps to mold us and influence us throughout life. Family will annoy you, push your buttons, even pick fights with you. BUT, they are a part of you and love and support you and share lifelong memories that no one else but them can re-live with you!
During our brief conversation we were able to chat about our Grandfather. He was a man that worked hard on the coal fields of Kentucky and in the Steel Mill for many years. He taught his family about love, support and hard work. I have missed that chance of talking about my younger years with someone who experienced it too. It can be the simple memories that spark feelings of familiarity and comfort that only your family can bring to light. I grew up in an area where churches most definitely out numbered anything else and the closest thing to fast food was the pizza place or Dairy Queen. To say it was a quiet place might be an understatement, and I loved it! Talking with my cousin this week about our Grandfather, Pa as we called him, made me think about how much I loved Sundays when I was a kid. Every Sunday we got up and made our way to Russell First Christian Church for Sunday School and Sunday morning worship. As soon as church was out, our first stop was the local grocery store, Pick Pack at one of the major intersections in town marked by a four-way stop sign. Once the shopping was done it was off to Pa's house for a visit. Talking with my cousin took me right back to his house. I could see the walkway up to his blue ranch-style home and even the front screen door. I could see myself walking in and seeing him sitting in his recliner with both his tv's playing. Its amazing how one small conversation could bring back the memories of drinking whole milk and eating ginger snap cookies, which were always laid out on a Bounty paper towel, the smell of his coffee brewing and his fresh coat of aftershave still lingering in the air. And it was a treat when my aunts, uncles and cousins would be there too. It always felt great to be surrounded by such a loving family.
If ya go back to that same quiet town I grew up in, you'd see a lot of changes. My church I loved so much has a new name and different senior minister. That grocery store we frequented so often has seen a move and a few name changes. That four-way stop sign has been replaced by a traffic light. And that blue ranch-style home has different residents and a new back porch. But, my memories are the same for me forever. And even though my family has spread out and moved, I still feel that connection with them. I love them and miss them all dearly! It really makes me realize how much my kids are missing out on that connection with their family. If you are lucky enough to be forging memories of positive family encounters with extended family and your children, then stop to treasure that comfort of being able to do so. As we grow up, it is that time with our family that helps to mold us and influence us throughout life. Family will annoy you, push your buttons, even pick fights with you. BUT, they are a part of you and love and support you and share lifelong memories that no one else but them can re-live with you!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Fishy kisses save the day!
Sometimes my attitude stinks. I want to stomp around with a scowl and a grumble, that's just the mood I might have at the time. And when that occurs it can be really hard to pull out of it. I mean, sometimes the people around me have earned my cranky ways! There's a spill on the table, on the chair and finally makes its messy way to my floor, all of which is only discovered by my warm fuzzy socks that I must toss in the GIANT pile of laundry that no one volunteers to wash or put away. And then the whining. UGH! The whining! Of course, the little ones want to find entertainment with the MP3 player and the leftover breakfast cereal still on the table. FYI, MP3 players do not float in milk! Oh, and of course the dog has helped himself to something from the trash bag waiting to be taken out. And by doing so not only is there slimy trash on the kitchen floor the baby is playing in, but two feet away I see what the dog chose to eat out of the trash because he has thrown it back up on the floor. So, I tell myself, "Let it out girl...be cranky! That'll teach 'em!"
Hmmmm, not sure I'm getting the point across that I want them to learn. When I let out my frustrations, I'm sending the message that being hateful and grouchy is the way to treat others when they are being.....who they are. Let's look at this day in another way. Someone left their cup on the kids table in the kitchen (which is not suppose to happen because it can get spilt, but sometimes we all can do things like leaving our cups in places where we aren't suppose to) and as the kids were getting their jackets on quickly because it was almost time for the bus, they bump the table and headed off to school not even knowing that a cup was spilt. A two year old and a one year old are naturally curious. If I'm looking at a bowl with milk and floating cereal I might have the urge to toss something in with it. And with the crazy schedule that we sometimes get tied up with at our house, sometimes the full bag of trash gets forgotten about at bedtime and must be taken out in the morning.
I would LOVE to always be able to stop and evaluate days like the one I described and rationally go through it instead of emotionally going through it. But, hey....that's life and sometimes I just can't do it. We experience it, we feel it and sometimes we get frustrated. So on that day I was cranky and really feeling grouchy. As I slumped down in my comfy couch chair I could hear the little feet racing through the house to find me. "Maaaaaaaama!" I hear Mataya yell. Ugh.....I just need a little break. She turned the corner and ran into the living room with a giant smile on her face and said to her mommy with the bad attitude, "Look! I can do fishy kisses. You need fishy kisses!" She then proceeded to pucker up like a fish, giggling the whole time, laid a big fishy kiss on me, wrapped her arms around my neck and whispered gently in my ear "I love you Mama!" And like a flash she was running off to play downstairs. Talk about an attitude adjustment! All of a sudden, I found my patience and my smile.
It is so easy to get engulfed in the craziness of the "when it rains it pours" kind of days, but its not an excuse to always lose our cool. Its important for us as parents to be able to check our attitudes when we start to get snappy. And a kiss can certainly help do that! Sometimes not any kiss can fix a bad day. Sometimes only a fishy kiss will do! So if you're having a bad day, give away a fishy kiss....its impossible to do without a smile! Here's a fishy one for you!
Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children.
-- Charles R. Swindol
Hmmmm, not sure I'm getting the point across that I want them to learn. When I let out my frustrations, I'm sending the message that being hateful and grouchy is the way to treat others when they are being.....who they are. Let's look at this day in another way. Someone left their cup on the kids table in the kitchen (which is not suppose to happen because it can get spilt, but sometimes we all can do things like leaving our cups in places where we aren't suppose to) and as the kids were getting their jackets on quickly because it was almost time for the bus, they bump the table and headed off to school not even knowing that a cup was spilt. A two year old and a one year old are naturally curious. If I'm looking at a bowl with milk and floating cereal I might have the urge to toss something in with it. And with the crazy schedule that we sometimes get tied up with at our house, sometimes the full bag of trash gets forgotten about at bedtime and must be taken out in the morning.
I would LOVE to always be able to stop and evaluate days like the one I described and rationally go through it instead of emotionally going through it. But, hey....that's life and sometimes I just can't do it. We experience it, we feel it and sometimes we get frustrated. So on that day I was cranky and really feeling grouchy. As I slumped down in my comfy couch chair I could hear the little feet racing through the house to find me. "Maaaaaaaama!" I hear Mataya yell. Ugh.....I just need a little break. She turned the corner and ran into the living room with a giant smile on her face and said to her mommy with the bad attitude, "Look! I can do fishy kisses. You need fishy kisses!" She then proceeded to pucker up like a fish, giggling the whole time, laid a big fishy kiss on me, wrapped her arms around my neck and whispered gently in my ear "I love you Mama!" And like a flash she was running off to play downstairs. Talk about an attitude adjustment! All of a sudden, I found my patience and my smile.
It is so easy to get engulfed in the craziness of the "when it rains it pours" kind of days, but its not an excuse to always lose our cool. Its important for us as parents to be able to check our attitudes when we start to get snappy. And a kiss can certainly help do that! Sometimes not any kiss can fix a bad day. Sometimes only a fishy kiss will do! So if you're having a bad day, give away a fishy kiss....its impossible to do without a smile! Here's a fishy one for you!
Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children.
-- Charles R. Swindol
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Why is my blog named Sandpaper and Velvet? :)
I once read a devotion that I am certain was written specifically for me! I had never had a devotion hit my heart so hard. It spoke directly to a need I had felt for many years and gave me an avenue to reach out to other women. Often we miss the opportunity to be thankful for times in our lives when we weren't quite able to be jumping for joy. Even today I am working on the idea of feeling entitled to be happy instead of accepting all the people and situations that God places in my life. It was the devotion about two very different types of friends that enabled me to be thankful for sandpaper and velvet.
Let me begin by saying that I have a truly AWESOME husband. He is the best friend a girl could ask for and loves me passionately and unconditionally. He encourages me and keeps me grounded. We laugh together and we annoy each other at times, but I know that's ok cause it won't change how he loves me. I also have 6 children who truly fill me up and provide me with unexplainable joy. Sounds pretty good, right? Well, it is! But, many years ago, despite my husband and my kids (a few less than we have now lol), I was feeling pretty bad for myself. I was missing something that can be so important to women, friends. I had experienced years of searching and praying for a strong friendship and looked around every nook and cranny, but could not find her!
At one point I settled for sandpaper friends, the kind of friends that often take and hurt you more than support and love you for you. I accepted that I was only good enough for such friendships and not a desirable true friend. I felt like an island in every group of women I was around. Looking back now I can see that I nurtured those thoughts and feelings and dismissed opportunities that God placed in my life for better because of the fear of being hurt even more. Crazy, huh? I was praying on a daily basis for that connection with another true friend, but not once was I prepared to put myself out there in a vulnerable way to accept that blessing. And so it went, until I changed my way of thinking. I finally decided that when people invited me to do something, I was going to accept. I had for so long believed that if women asked me to join in on anything it was because they were being polite. I was sure that it wasn't that I was truly welcomed. It was me that was surrounding myself with sandpaper, and loneliness. And lonely I truly was!
But then I said for one year I would accept every invite as long as my schedule allowed it. I figured once ladies saw that I would say yes that they would stop asking me, but that wasn't the case. Immediately (no exaggeration), God surrounded me with velvet women....they were EVERYWHERE! lol I'm sure you know what I mean when I refer to velvet friends. Think about what velvet means to you. Right away I think soft, warm, comforting, aspects that make a great friend! My velvet friends are such true friends! I treasure each of them and their differences. I love that I am afforded to opportunity to know and love them. I am constantly learning from all the women in my life and continue to try to be the kind of woman that can encourage them and be a velvet friend for them. I know that despite my many faults (embarrassingly too many! lol) I have something to give to others and have only learned this because of all the velvet ladies in my life!
I am so thankful that God sent me on this path of sandpaper and velvet. He allowed me to grow as a wife, mother, friend and His child. It truly transformed me. Don't get me wrong, I continue to strive to be a better friend. I believe that we can all treat others better, be stronger in our commitment to helping those when we see a need and simply work on putting ourselves out there to connect with others. But without this path that God has allowed me to experience, I would not have the strong relationships I have today, nor would I have the confidence to reach out to others. I am no longer lonely, no longer an island among my peers. I am me and that's ok. My prayer now is that I am able to be soft, warm, comforting and vulnerable to the women that I come in contact with on a daily basis. So tell me, are you sandpaper, hard, abrasive, hurtful if there is too much contact or are you warm, comforting, gentle? We can all be both at some point, but which will you be remembered for? Embrace your sandpaper and velvet friends, we can certainly learn from both. And remember, the more velvet we each are to one another the greater the chance we could soften some sandpaper!
Hebrews 3:13 "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called 'Today,' so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness!" ~~~~Bran :)
Let me begin by saying that I have a truly AWESOME husband. He is the best friend a girl could ask for and loves me passionately and unconditionally. He encourages me and keeps me grounded. We laugh together and we annoy each other at times, but I know that's ok cause it won't change how he loves me. I also have 6 children who truly fill me up and provide me with unexplainable joy. Sounds pretty good, right? Well, it is! But, many years ago, despite my husband and my kids (a few less than we have now lol), I was feeling pretty bad for myself. I was missing something that can be so important to women, friends. I had experienced years of searching and praying for a strong friendship and looked around every nook and cranny, but could not find her!
At one point I settled for sandpaper friends, the kind of friends that often take and hurt you more than support and love you for you. I accepted that I was only good enough for such friendships and not a desirable true friend. I felt like an island in every group of women I was around. Looking back now I can see that I nurtured those thoughts and feelings and dismissed opportunities that God placed in my life for better because of the fear of being hurt even more. Crazy, huh? I was praying on a daily basis for that connection with another true friend, but not once was I prepared to put myself out there in a vulnerable way to accept that blessing. And so it went, until I changed my way of thinking. I finally decided that when people invited me to do something, I was going to accept. I had for so long believed that if women asked me to join in on anything it was because they were being polite. I was sure that it wasn't that I was truly welcomed. It was me that was surrounding myself with sandpaper, and loneliness. And lonely I truly was!
But then I said for one year I would accept every invite as long as my schedule allowed it. I figured once ladies saw that I would say yes that they would stop asking me, but that wasn't the case. Immediately (no exaggeration), God surrounded me with velvet women....they were EVERYWHERE! lol I'm sure you know what I mean when I refer to velvet friends. Think about what velvet means to you. Right away I think soft, warm, comforting, aspects that make a great friend! My velvet friends are such true friends! I treasure each of them and their differences. I love that I am afforded to opportunity to know and love them. I am constantly learning from all the women in my life and continue to try to be the kind of woman that can encourage them and be a velvet friend for them. I know that despite my many faults (embarrassingly too many! lol) I have something to give to others and have only learned this because of all the velvet ladies in my life!
I am so thankful that God sent me on this path of sandpaper and velvet. He allowed me to grow as a wife, mother, friend and His child. It truly transformed me. Don't get me wrong, I continue to strive to be a better friend. I believe that we can all treat others better, be stronger in our commitment to helping those when we see a need and simply work on putting ourselves out there to connect with others. But without this path that God has allowed me to experience, I would not have the strong relationships I have today, nor would I have the confidence to reach out to others. I am no longer lonely, no longer an island among my peers. I am me and that's ok. My prayer now is that I am able to be soft, warm, comforting and vulnerable to the women that I come in contact with on a daily basis. So tell me, are you sandpaper, hard, abrasive, hurtful if there is too much contact or are you warm, comforting, gentle? We can all be both at some point, but which will you be remembered for? Embrace your sandpaper and velvet friends, we can certainly learn from both. And remember, the more velvet we each are to one another the greater the chance we could soften some sandpaper!
Hebrews 3:13 "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called 'Today,' so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness!" ~~~~Bran :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)