Wednesday's Winning Words: Run for Boston

                                 
Monday during prayers, Justus said "...and please help the people who set off the bombs in Boston and don't let them hurt any more people."  Afterward, I told him that was a very nice thing to pray for and he told me "I don't like that all those people got hurt, mommy."  I know baby, me either.

I'm not even going to go into my thoughts and feelings about this whole thing, in part because I still haven't wrapped my mind around it.  The horrors of the mind that envisions setting of bombs to harm as many people as possible at the end of what is supposed to be an achivement of human perseverence... What I do know is that the innocence of a child's perspective always just hits me in the pit of my stomach.  They have no filter and are not yet jaded.  It's beautiful!

I ran for Boston this morning!  Unfortunately, since I have to run so early, I was alone; but I wore my blue and did it anyway!  I hope you consider being a part of this neat event.  Even if you are not a runner, just go to a local one and show support.   After events like this, people always question, "What's happening to humanity?"  My hope is that we see the humanity in the response, rather than looking at the tragedy as a means to question it.  Don't get me wrong--I am more than fearful about what has become an unfortunately more common occurrence (efforts to do mass damage), but I choose to focus on the goodness of people and how we pull together when something like this happens.  It is really amazing!

https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Run-For-Boston-417/613135315380603?fref=ts

Wednesday's Winning Words: Life as we know it

So, my morning (once I got to work) went a little something like this:

As a follow up to something that happened late yesterday, I call client university president.  He isn't there, but I'm told he will return my call shortly.

Wait patiently in my office so as to not miss important call from said university president, who I know is an incredibly busy person.  If I miss the call, it may not happen again today.  And this call must happen before I leave town this afternoon.

Cell phone rings.  It's the daycare.  My thought:  "Crap, Delaney bit someone again and is about to get kicked out of daycare..."  I answer anyway.  Just as I hear Katy say "Hi, it's Katy," the office phone rings.  "Katy, can I call you right back? I've been waiting for this call that just came in. Mkay, thanks, bye."

Talk to university president about very important university business.  I could tell you but then I'd have to kill you.  And then I'd lose both my job and my freedom, so it's not worth it.  Sorry.  We had a good 10-15 minute talk, and solved all the world's problems (or so I thought).

Called daycare back immediately because I can envision my either ill or troubled child sitting in Ms. Katy's office:  "Ok, Katy, sorry.  Had to get that.  What's up, is everything ok with Delaney?"
Katy:  Yes, Delaney has some good new she wanted to share, so let me put her on speaker..."

Delaney (in a very unlike her soft, whispered voice):  "I tee tee potty, Mommy.."

me: YAY!!!!!  My big girl tee-tee'd in the potty.  I'm so happy..."

The celebratory conversation of the event (with details you don't want to hear) with Delaney and Katy continued for a couple of minutes...

As soon as I hang up, with a huge smile on my face because Delaney FINALLY went on the potty at school, I click that I need to get down the hall to my boss to discuss my previous conversation of the morning.  Not the one about the potty.

This is my life....giving advise to high level administrators and celebrating potty successes all within the matter of five minutes.  And, I wouldn't want it any other way.

I know so many women who engage in this dual life of outside the home work & parenting, and we don't think anything of it because it truly just is life as we know it.  But, every now and then, something like this morning happens that when I step back and look at it, I gain a little more perspective of how fortunate we are to be able to both do what we love and have what we love at the same time.  It is hard.  Every day, it is hard.  But the rewards from both adventures are bountiful, and I am so thankful to God for my many blessings which include both work and a family.  It's easy to get frustrated in the day to day of either (or both) work and/or life, but I aim to focus more on celebrating the good fortune of having both and for being a better person because of both.  Every woman has to do what is right for her when it comes to deciding whether to be a stay at home mother or work, and I don't judge.  We are not all cut from the same cloth, and the world needs us both.  I am a better parent because I work.  I also think I'm better at my job because of my family.  At this point, I could not imagine giving up either.  I am truly blessed and look forward to many more days of this life as I know it!  I just hope that more strike me as being as humorous as today did.

Wednesday's Winning Words: Spoiler alert

  This is a cautionary tale of what happens when someone spoils your child and then leaves you to deal with it.  I'm talking to you, Ms Shanon!

It's been warm lately and Delaney has adjusted to the flip flop/sandals with the thing between the toes (unlike last year when she screamed when I put them on her).  So, she wanted to wear some of her new sandals to school the other day.  I obliged. 

Me:  Delaney, I love your new sandals.  They are so pretty!

D:  Pretty shoes, Mommy?! 

PAUSE as she looks quizzically down at her feet....

D:  My toes not painted, mommy....

sad face

D:  MY TOES NOT PAINTED, MOMMY!

D:  Ms. Shanon paint my toes???

Me:  Delaney,  you are two.  It is acceptable for you to wear sandals without toenail polish.

D:  My toes not painted, mommy....

Still the sad face, as she walks in confusion to another room. 

She wore the shoes anyway, but it was touch and go there for awhile.  Apparently, she continued to make an issue of it for the duration of the day, because her sweet teacher, Ms. Syeda, offered for us to bring the polish to school and she would paint her toes during nap time!  This kid has the whole world wrapped around one of those little pinkies.

Picture time!!

 

We got some pictures back from our favorite photographer and I just had to share them.  We did birthday shoots with everybody's favorite things.  So, for Delaney, it was SHOES of course, and for Justus, we focused on the sport de jour--soccer, and his new found love for LSU.  Meanwhile, I had yet to do an Aggie shoot with the kiddos, so it was a prime opportunity to fit it in too.

 

 

 

 

I think I shared some of the shoe pictures of Delaney already in her birthday post, but I just can't get enough!!  This girl LOVES shoes and I love these little legs and feet.

 

And isn't this one of the cutest little Aggies you have ever seen??? 

 

Brother is a little confused.  He likes the Aggies but is currently leaning more toward LSU for college.  I can't wait to see how many times he changes his mind on this issue.

 

Why does he have to look so grown up?? 

 This one....we are in so much trouble!

My heart in two little bodies.  I could not love them more, and am so thankful to Sarah Giles, Butterfly Chaser Photography, for capturing their smiles, silly faces, and amazing spirits in pictures.  Thanks also to the King Family and Ms. Shanon for prop assistance.