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Sun-Induced

Jun 14th, 2010 by Amy

It has been raining for days weeks months out here in the Northwest. It’s almost been more than this poor African girl can handle. Unmotivated to do anything but sit around the house looking like a “shlumpadinka”, I was beginning to wonder if we would ever see the sun again.  And then, gloriously, vitamin D has been pouring down on us like warm, yellow waves of sunshine for the past two days.  I. am. in. heaven.

Yesterday afternoon, our three wild things were working some of their wiggles out on our patio with sidewalk chalk.  Sydney had the bright idea that we should all go to the pool.  Perhaps it was the euphoria we were feeling from the endless stream of sun rays on our pasty white faces that compelled our tired mouths to say yes to embarking on such an ambitious Sunday afternoon family outing.  Never-the-less, thirty minutes later all five of us were suited up and headed to the pool.

I am relieved to report that our kids represented us well.  There were no displays of ugly behavior, leaving me very optimistic that we might actually be able to do this again sometime.

Until we got home.

They saved all the ugly up- held every whine, every fight, every high pitched expression of displeasure for the last few hours of our day. Jackson, who did not get his regular afternoon nap (not even a thirty minute power nap), was about as contentious as a caged beast.  He knew what he wanted, but he didn’t know what he wanted.  He was delirious with fatigue.  Rather than lay down and give in to sleep, he amped up and ran through the house like a wild animal.  There were so many “Uh oh’s” and bedroom times that I started to lose count.  The mantra repeatedly playing in my head was, “Just get him through dinner, and then you can put him to bed.”

Bedtime finally came (early).  We had completed our regular bedtime rituals and I was heading to my room when I heard a little voice behind me.  It was Jackson.  He was following me saying, “Mommy, I need to tuck you in.”  I could seriously have eaten him up right there, he was so sweet.  I looked up at Joel, whose face was as endeared and touched as mine.  Jackson walked me to my room and helped me get my bed turned down.  It was precious, until I accidentally knocked him in the head with my lethal elbow.  (Yep…I sure know how to kill a moment!)  He let out a yelp, but quickly forgave me (I think he was too tired to have a full blown melt down).

Lots of kisses, hugs, “I love you’s”  and one “bless my heart” from Jackson later, he was successfully in bed.

Whew…day over.

And another one has just begun.

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Posted in From The Mouth Of Babes, Life, Motherhood | 2 Comments »

Friday’s Free Advice – “The Best Summer Ever” Challenge

Jun 11th, 2010 by Amy

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Friday’s Free Advice: “The Best Summer Ever” Challenge.

 

Last month, on Mother’s Day, our church was invited to participate in a “Random Acts of Kindness” challenge.  Square, orange touch cards with “Smile!  You’ve Just Been Tagged! – Do something nice for someone.  Leave this card behind and extend God’s love again!” were handed out, and left in strategic areas of the church for attendees to pick up and take home.  We were encouraged to find subtle ways to reach out to our community by doing random acts of kindness for strangers, and leaving the card behind.

 

I love this for so many reasons, the first being that the color of the card is ORANGE!  I do love me some orange…bright, summery, happy and fun.  How can you resist?

 

I am also a big fan of random acts of kindness.  Not too long ago I posted a challenge of my own.  Doing something for someone just for the sake of doing it, to me, is one of the most powerful statements of unconditional love. 

 

Last night we had a family meeting around the dinner table.  At the top of the agenda (the only thing on the agenda) was brainstorming ways to make this the “best summer ever”.  We’re calling it “The Best Summer Ever” challenge.  The kids threw out all kinds of ideas of what they thought would make their summer super awesome and fun.  The wild and enthusiastic stream of creativity that flowed from three little minds was impressive and enlightening.  Everything from swimming, to beach days, to trips to the zoo, to playing and reading – they were on a roll. 

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After the brainstorm dust settled, I affirmed their ideas.  I acknowledged that those things would most certainly make this the “best summer ever”.  I went on to pose a question: if Mommy and Daddy are taking them to the pool, to the zoo, to the beach…etc., how are they, then, going to make this the best summer ever for us?

 

The first word out of, none other than, my three-year-old wild man’s mouth was, “Kindness!”  Oh…I have taught them well!  My heart flipped!  The girls chimed in, “Be kind!  Be kind!” 

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We chatted about what it means to be kind.  Kindness is: showing love, sharing toys, smiling, playing sweetly, listening to Mommy and Daddy.  Good answers.  We also had to cover what kindness is not:  screaming, scratching, pushing, whining, and leaving a mess on the floor when they are done playing with their toys. 

 

We talked about the fruit of the Spirit (and to be completely honest, by this point in the family meeting Sydney was about the only attentive mind at the table.  Jackson and Brooklyn had checked out somewhere around, “picking up your toys…”  We’re working on it.)

 

Kindness is a big deal in our home, and I think I walked away from our meeting with a sense of accomplishment in one way: my kids know the value of kindness.  Jackson and Brooklyn have witnessed mommy buying coffee anonymously for another person and leaving the bright, happy, orange card behind.  They think it’s awesome.  While I can’t guarantee that we’ll sail smoothly through our summer on the kindness wave, at least I know they are aware of the power of kindness.

 

So, as Joel and I are challenging our kids, and ourselves, to make this the best summer ever by being kind, I am going to do the same for you!   Be random!  Be kind!  Step out, reach out and be sunlight to your world!  Make this ” The Best Summer Ever”!

Posted in From The Mouth Of Babes, Fun Stuff | 4 Comments »

Good Thoughts

Jun 9th, 2010 by Amy

Before the invention of the electric washing machine, it would take a woman six hours to do one load of laundry.  Six hours.  One load.  (Air-dry time, pressing, and folding not included.)

 

This little factoid just reminded me of a load of towels I washed yesterday.  They are still in the machine.  I will have to run them again, and hopefully, remember to transfer them to the dryer this time.  From start to finish, this could take an hour-and-a-half.  And I want to whine about it.  I want to pout and throw up my hands in surrender because there is so much laundry to do.  All of the time.  Piles and piles of it.

 

When I was younger, I was certain that I had been born in the wrong era.  I should have been a prairie girl, or a 1920’s flapper, right out of an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel, or part of the Greatest Generation (for sure).  Now that I am older and maybe just a teeny bit wiser, I am convinced that “Laura Ingles Wilder” I am not.  I love my electric washing machine (I love electricity in general).  I love my cell phone and high-speed internet.  I love going to movies, online banking, blue jeans, and my grind & brew coffee maker (hallelujah for my coffee maker!).  I am so appreciative of the modern conveniences I get to enjoy (and fully embrace) on a daily basis.  God made no mistake when he brought this life into the world in 1973.

 

Sometimes I get restless and critical, worried and depressed when I look at the world I live in.  I can easily get caught up in all the “bad” out there.  Yet, I kind of get the impression that God is still present in all this chaos.  He’s still moving, working, blessing, and redeeming.  He even had the forethought and grace to make sure that the electric washing machine was a standard home appliance for a gal like me.

 

That the sun so graciously decided to poke its head out of the clouds for a brief moment this morning could quite possibly be the inspiration for this random stream of thought.  Or maybe I just needed to pull myself up out of negativity and remind myself that it could always be worse.  I could have been born in a time when bathrooms were outhouses and mornings were spent milking cows, baking bread, and feeding the chickens. 

 

Wherever the inspiration came from…I’m just plain thankful today.  And that’s all I’ve got to say.

Posted in Fun Stuff, Life, Random | 2 Comments »

Emotional Writing

Jun 7th, 2010 by Amy

One of the things I have had to learn in my blogging venture is that it is never wise to write a post in an emotional state.  Whether it be hormones, a bad hair day, or just plain old irritation, writing under such duress is never a good idea.  I would call it “emotional writing”.  For some, pulling out a pint of Ben & Jerry’s or spending money they don’t have might bring a fleeting sense of satisfaction.  For me…it is writing out “how I really feel” that calms my emotions.  Unfortunately, what ends up happening is I look back at what I’ve written and cringe.  Only once have I actually posted one of my emotional writing rants, and ended up pulling it an hour later realizing that, as justified as I may have been in my feelings, sharing them with the world was not a wise choice.

Today, however, I am making an exception to that rule.  Today I am going to let my unedited emotions break loose and share from the depths of my heart what I believe to be God’s desire and calling for women (men, too, to some degree).  And also, what I believe to be God’s calling on my life.

Isaiah 61:1-3

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of despair.  They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.”

(I could have easily highlighted the entire paragraph – it’s so good!)  Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Bible describes this passage as a picture of the coming Messiah, his character and his office.  When I read these words, I am instantly drawn to the message and proclamation of freedom.  Freedom from the past, freedom from the constraints of sin in our lives, freedom from sorrow, despair, and oppression.  Jesus came so that we could have life, and live it to the fullest.  His plan for each one of us is as unique as the person we are.  Not one individual on this planet is like any other.  We are all fearfully and wonderfully made.  Therefore, our futures, God’s plans for us and the way he chooses to work in our lives is going to be tailor made…and absolutely wonderful.

Freedom.  How I love that word.  I love the liberation I feel when I know in my heart that I am right in the center of God’s will…his perfect plan for me.  No one can take that away.  There will be those out there that will try.  They will believe with all their hearts that God has somehow revealed to them some hidden secret to knowing God’s plan for every person, or that somehow there is one specific path that God expects all of us to walk.  (Before I go any further I feel that I should point out that I am not talking about the fundamental truths of salvation.  There is only one way to God, there is only one way to salvation.  Not many will follow because the cross of Christ will be too much to bear.  Yet, doesn’t the Word say, “my yoke is easy and my burden is light”?)

Back to the emotional writing…

Paul says in Galatians 5:1 “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”

So here is what I believe to be God’s desire for women, and the role we play in this life:  First and foremost, love God, seek God, study his word, know him, draw close to him, trust in him and obey.  Give him your life, your cares, your worries, your fears, your failures, your insecurities and your struggles.  When you draw close to God, when you are in his word, you will then know his voice.  As a woman, wife and mother I am of no use if I am off willy nilly doing my own thing, flittering about making choices and decisions without being rooted in the Word of God.  When I know the voice of God, and then obey his directives, then I am at peace and I am a blessing in every role I play.

Second, a friend of mine was sharing with me that she had been praying about a major decision that would effect her family.  It finally came down to choosing between what was good, and what was best.  Funny thing, though, God’s best for her and her family is not God’s best for me and my family.  When it comes down to making decisions (like being a stay-at-home mom, or working outside the home; homeschooling or sending your child to school; family values; husband and wife roles within the home (not referring to headship here); the way in which you choose to raise your children and how) God directs and leads each woman and family in the way that is best for them.  We are all called to be disciples of Christ and spread the good news, but how we do that is not going to be the same.  What God reveals to be his best for you, will not be what is his best for me.  I respect, love and and admire those who simply do what God has called them to do.  It is a beautiful thing to me to see women living out God’s purpose for their lives.  It may looking nothing like mine, or we may have lots of similarities…either way, I find an obedient heart irresistible.

Joel and I made the decision that I would be a stay-at-home mom when we had children.  There was absolutely no twisting my arm on that one (anyone who knows me well would shout out “AMEN” to that).  I love being home with my little ones.  I take pleasure in it, and I am grateful that I am able to do this (not all moms can, and there should NO shame on a woman who, for financial or personal reasons, works outside the home).  At the same time, I am not simply a stay-at-home mom, I have other dreams, hopes and desires – all God-given – that I have yet to see unfold completely.  As my children are getting older, and becoming less and less dependent upon me, I am finding that opportunities to be involved in ministry outside my home have been opening up.  As I prayerfully consider each one, I do so realizing that my first priority is my family.  Not every opportunity is the right opportunity.  Still, I am excited to see how God is going to use my life, my gifts, my abilities and passions as time goes on.

As far as my children are concerned, I am raising all three (two girls and a boy) to first and foremost know God, love God and know his voice.  That is top priority.  Their salvation is more important to me than knowing how to bake muffins or having the top grade in their class.  What they choose to do with their lives is between them and God.  If Sydney wants to run for president, well, I’ll campaign for her!  If both girls want to be homemakers, then I’ll stand by their sides and mentor and love and encourage that.  If my son chooses to be a teacher, lawyer, missionary, pastor, doctor…whatever…I will support him.  Only God can reveal his perfect plan for their lives.  My job is to teach, train, discipline and guide them to become responsible, well-adjusted, independent adults who will love God with all their hearts, minds, souls and strength.

This is a long one, and I could keep writing on this topic.  Above all else, is it not the fruit of the Spirit that should be evident in each one of us?  You can do everything “right” in the eyes of man, or according to a Christian standard, but if the fruit of the Spirit is void in your life, then what’s the point?  If you have felt that there is a standard that you haven’t been able to reach or attain, is it possible you have been reaching for something God never intended for you to have?  If you have been bogged down in shame because your life hasn’t turned out the way it was “supposed to”, is it possible that you’ve been looking at someone else’s “best” not realizing that God has a “best” just for you?  Too often I see women weighted down with so much guilt because they are trying to be something or someone God never intended for them to be.  Can I just say that God sent his son, Jesus, so you could be free to be you?  He didn’t create you with all your idiosyncrasies and quirks, gifts and abilities, so that you would fulfill someone else’s call.  He came to set the captives free (not just the sinners, but those bound up with insecurities, fear and condemnation).  Jesus came to set you free.  If you are struggling then he invites you to come and sit with him, talk to him and allow him to reveal his “best” for you.  When you know the truth, you will be set free.  Free to be you.

Galatians 5:22-23

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.”

Posted in Faith, Grace, Life, Ministry | 4 Comments »

Hello, Rubber…Meet Road

Jun 4th, 2010 by Amy

The journey to find grace doesn’t add up to anything if there aren’t a few real life circumstances to move it from head to heart.  The challenge is not so much letting go and embracing freedom (which can be extremely difficult if you’ve been accustomed to seeing God as a great dictator up on his throne), but rather when the rubber meets the road – when all that God has revealed collides with the demands, stress, expectations and shame that the world out there starts throwing our way.  The safe and warm cocoon where healing took place is exchanged for a wounded world that does not extend grace and mercy the way God intended. 

 

And so, this is where I find myself today. 

 

When the rubber meets the road is when God’s word lights our path.  Each time the enemy brings condemnation, we overcome by embracing truth.  Truth sets us free, but the only way we can know the truth is if we are seeking it out.  We may not understand our circumstances, and we may be up against a battle we are too weary to fight, but God promises to fight for us.  He promises us that he will never leave us.  God is looking at our hearts.  His demands are simple: trust and obey.  His yoke is easy, his burden light.  His expectations are not beyond our reach. 

 

Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”  None.  Not even a speck.  When we fully embrace him, we fully embrace the life of freedom he died to give us.  We are not dead in Christ, but we are alive.  

 

I needed to remember that today.  

 

When the rubber meets the road, the Word of God becomes the lamp to my feet, and the light for my path (Psalm 119:105).

Posted in Faith, Grace | 2 Comments »

Memorial Day

May 31st, 2010 by Amy

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Last night Joel and I stayed up, as late as I could keep my eyes from going criss-cross from sleepiness, to watch the History channel’s “America: The Story of Us”.  I fell asleep with one thing on my mind, that being the power of the American spirit.

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“Freedom is not free.”

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Carved into the granite wall of the Korean War Memorial, these profound words remind us that it is not only the American spirit that has brought us this far, but it is the sacrifice, service and undaunted courage of our armed forces that have won and secured our freedom.

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Thank you…THANK YOU…to those who have served, to those who are serving, and to those who gave their lives…so we can continue on – The United States of America: the land of the free.

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Posted in Current Events | No Comments »

Summer Give-Away Winner…& Going From Hero To Human

May 28th, 2010 by Amy

First…Congratulations to Tristan…winner of the Summer Reading Give-Away!

Thank you to everyone who participated and shared your favorite must-reads.  I’m adding them to my list for sure!

*Sigh*

Let’s just put it this way, when the day starts out with, “Mommy!  The tooth fairy forgot to put money under Sydney’s pillow last night!” you know you are kicking the day off in a deficit.  Especially when the previous day was filled with super human moments of error.  Yesterday was Sydney’s birthday, and things did not go as planned.  Here’s a little rundown on the past 24 hours…

  • I promised Sydney a scrumptious dinner and birthday cake as she danced her way to the car heading to school yesterday morning.  Two minutes later  Joel reminded me he had a wedding rehearsal in the evening.  He wouldn’t be home.  (I knew this.  It’s been in my day planner for weeks.  It totally slipped my mind.  Not a great moment in mommy history, knowing that when Sydney got home from school I would have to break the news to her that we were going to postpone her birthday dinner.)
  • When Sydney received the news of my broken promise she proceeded to fall apart as though the world was coming to an end.  I took a deep breath and let her cry it out.  After an hour of listening to a very wounded child (she tends to live her life in a perpetual state of drama), I tried to console her.  Even though she had lost a tooth at school and got to wear a paper crown all day, the very fact that I broke my promise was enough to flush her whole day down the toilet.
  • Since Joel was gone I suggested Burger King for dinner (I’m not a fan of fast food, but I needed to find a way to redeem the day).
  • As we entered the garage to load up the car I heard a huge gasp behind me.  I turned to see Sydney spying a poster (that I had made for her Kindergarten graduation filled with pictures and artwork and cherished memories that was being stored in the garage because it was a treasure) wedged underneath my front tire.  It had slipped off the work table and I drove over it…completely oblivious, I swear to you.  The pain in her face was confirmed when she cried out, “How could you!  How could you!  You don’t care about me, or my birthday, or my special poster!  This is the worst day ever!”
  • I stood speechless.
  • Before bed I apologized again.  I wanted to say, “Hey kiddo…I’m only human…get used to being disappointed with me.”  But instead, I wrapped my arms around her and told her how blessed I am to have her as my girl.  How grateful I am that God gave her to me.  And how amazing my life is because she is a part of it.  I told her about the day she was born, how the sun shined and how I loved looking at her 6 pound, 12 ounce, 18 inch body.  How soft her skin was and tiny her toes were.  I could almost smell her fresh-from-the-womb downy hair and wrinkly skin.  Sydney was a beautiful baby, and I love watching her grow into a beautiful little girl.
  • After this treasured moment with my birthday girl, she slipped her tooth under her pillow and smiled up at me.  Tomorrow would be a better day.

And so, today began with, “Mommy!  The tooth fairy forgot to put money under Sydney’s pillow last night!”

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Thankfully, Sydney knows that I am the tooth fairy, and after yesterday I believe her expectations of a super hero mommy have been lowered tremendously.  At seven years of age, my daughter is keenly aware of my humanity, and somehow she still loves and adores me.

So, this evening we will be enjoying a scrumptious dinner, cake and presents in honor of Sydney…our birthday girl.  And tomorrow…she gets her ears pierced.  This birthday is shaping up to be unforgettable…kind of like Sydney herself.  She is truly unforgettable.

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Happy birthday, my sweet girl!  You are more than I could have ever dreamed or hoped for…and I am so blessed to have you.  Your birthday reminds me of the precious gift your life has given to me.  I love you!

Posted in Grace, Motherhood | 6 Comments »

LOST

May 24th, 2010 by Amy

A true sign that you have crossed the line from avid fan to obsessed fan is when you wake up at 5:45am thinking about the show you watched the night before.  So it was with me this morning.  I tossed and turned throughout the short night with thoughts of the LOST series finale running through my mind.  Questions still remain unanswered.  Theories are still percolating among the die hards.  The first word out of my mouth as the ending credits rolled, “What?”  Nothing much has changed since the first episode of the series.  So, as I sit here this morning, veering away from my typical post style, I feel compelled to share my final thoughts on the finale of LOST.  Sit back, scrutinize, and then feel free to add your own comment at the end.

The Losties (as we have come to know them) were a group of lost souls.  Flying together on Oceanic 815, there was not a free soul among them.  Each led a broken life…inhabiting a body of flesh and bones, but lost deep inside.  The one thing they sought out from this life was the one thing that seemed to elude them: redemption.

And then the crash.

What seemed to be the worst thing in the world that could have happened to them was the one thing that brought healing to their lives.  An answer to their unspoken prayers.  Alone in the real world, drawn together, bound together, strong together in the Lost world.  As the island spoke to each one individually, and specifically, we observed inner transformation.  Slow, painful, and sometimes deadly, the work of the island was not so much to discover what it was, but to discover who they were.

In the end, throughout their alternate lives, as they reawakened so to speak, we saw freedom and joy, not terror and fear.  On the island, there was a great deal of horror, yet the memories they reflect upon are the joys of what they island gave to them.

Sun and Jin – redemption in their relationship…and a baby.

Sawyer – freedom from the past and freedom to love.

Hurley – anointed to lead.

Sayid – atonement for his past, a chance to start anew.

Charlie and Claire – souls destined to be together.

Desmond – the constant that drew them all together both on the island and off the island.

Ben – forgiveness…but still incomplete (he has so much to reckon with).

Locke – freedom from the constraints that bound him.  I love what he said to Jack post-surgery and after his reawakening: “I hope someone does for you what you have done for me.”  Redemption.

Kate – the burden of a life set against her, lifted as she learned to love sacrificially and selflessly.

Jack – redemption.  His entire life was spent saving everyone around him, longing to be set free from himself.  And so it was, in the very last scene, that he could let go.  He found what he spent his whole life looking for…freedom and redemption.

A part of me wishes that more of my questions could be answered.  What happened to Richard Alpert?  What was the Dharma Initiative all about?  What about Ellie and Miles and Daniel and Charlotte and Walt and the polar bears and Room 23???  Perhaps these issues were not addressed because they were only peripheral characters and symbols set around the more significant part of the story-  that being the characters themselves.  Their hope for freedom from the distorted lives they were living, and their search for redemption.

They were lost before they crashed on the island.  The island found them…and they finally found themselves.

Not to over-spiritualize LOST, but isn’t it the hard, painful, and almost deadly seasons of our lives that bring us full circle into the grace and redemption of God?  The Losties had to strive for over half the duration of the series to get off the island, but it was the island that actually healed them.  We fight our island circumstances because they are painful, dark, and overwhelming.  But it is through them that God sets us free, redeems us, and allows us to let go.

Hmmm…just a few thoughts.  What do you think?

Posted in Fun Stuff, Random | 2 Comments »

Friday’s Free Advice & A Summer Reading Give-Away!

May 21st, 2010 by Amy

As summer is quickly approaching, I am compiling a stack of books to keep me company at the pool, park, beach, Starbucks, airplane, etc.  I love to read, but find myself shelving much anticipated reading projects as motherhood, wifehood and ministry pull at me like tug-of-war.  I’m not complaining (hear me out).  I love (almost) every dimension of this busy life, however, I miss sitting down, uninterrupted, to read anything I want.

 

Yesterday afternoon I got a jump-start on my summer reading.  A few weeks ago a friend of mine gave me the book, “You Can Still Wear Cute Shoes”, written by Lisa McKay.  I added it to my pile of summer “must-reads”, and turned my focus back to this crazy life I’ve been living.   I have to confess, seeing the book leaning against another lonely book on my shelf, curiosity got the best of me.  I took it down, opened it up and couldn’t pull my eyes away until I heard Joel walk in the door at 6pm.  (Jackson and Brooklyn played quietly and peacefully the entire afternoon…I know…it was nothing short of a miracle, and, what I can only believe to be confirmation that I was supposed to read this book.)

 

In any case, with only a few chapters left, I have successfully knocked out one book on my summer reading list.  At this pace, I fear I may have nothing left to read by the time June 18th rolls around! 

 

With summer reading on my mind, I thought I would share with you my list (you may find some inspiration and add a few to your own).  Here we go…starting summer off with a splash… 

 

Amy’s Summer Reads (thus far…)

 

As you can see…it’s a little weak.  That’s where you come in!  Instead of me dishing out free advice today, it is your turn to advise me!  Send me your book recommendations (fiction and non-fiction alike).  I could really use some inspiration.  And since we’re on the subject of good reads, I thought, in turn, I would help jump start one of your own reading lists.  By leaving a comment, you will enter yourself in the “All I Need Is Jesus, And A Good Pair of Jeans“, by Susanna Foth Aughtmon, give-away.  This was on my summer reading list last year, and I polished it off in one day.  (You may recall a recent review I wrote  on her second book, “My Bangs Look Good And Other Lies I Tell Myself”.)   Instructions for this give-away are as follows:

 

  • Leave a comment with a good book recommendation.
  • Winner will be randomly chosen and announced in next week’s Friday’s Free Advice (only those living in the continental U.S. eligible to win).

 

It’s as simple as that, my friends!   Let’s go summer!

Posted in Books, Fun Stuff | 5 Comments »

Super-Hero Mom

May 19th, 2010 by Amy

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I’ll bet you didn’t know that I’m a super hero.  Are you gasping from surprise?  This is new to me, too, as I was just informed by Jackson today- right after I killed a spider and flushed it down the toilet- that I am a super hero.  I can wield a mean wad of toilet paper, people.  There are no insects that can out wit this super-hero mom.

 

After relishing for a few minutes in my new found super-ness, I started thinking about how awesome motherhood is.  Too often, I focus on all the mistakes I make and completely overlook all the things I do that keep my home safe and sound.  So, I came up with a list of super hero qualities that I believe every mom shares.  This one’s for all you supermoms out there who don your sweats, clean up spills, carpool, change diapers, and still have time to brush your teeth…all in a single bound:

 

Super-Hero Moms…

  • Thwart bugs with shoes, tissue, and sometimes (when desperate times call for desperate measures) bare-handed.
  • Can get spaghetti sauce stains out of pretty much anything.
  • Have mastered the art of boo-boo kissing and tear-wiping.
  • Make silly faces and perform Irish Riverdance for their children (leaving no trace of evidence behind).
  • Turn Rascal Flatt’s “Life is a Highway” into a bedtime lullaby for a very eager little boy.
  • Make mac-n-cheese look like fine-dining.
  • Turn vacuuming into a fun game of chase.
  • Recite at least one Disney movie word-for-word.
  • Nurse a baby while using the toilet, and talk on the phone all at the same time.
  • Listen to the “why?” behind the “what?”.
  • Love unconditionally
  • And toot her family’s praises louder than a train horn.

 

If you said, “I do” to anything on this list then you, too, are a super hero.

 

It’s snack time…and time for this supermom to get to work…until next time…

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Posted in From The Mouth Of Babes, Motherhood | 1 Comment »

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