A Little Crazy Never Hurts

Could it be that the world is really going to end? Could it be, that in fact, all good Christians will just disappear from this earth, leaving the rest of the world to fend for themselves in misery for 5 months until Armageddon? There are lots of believers of this. I believe they're full of crap. I didn't freak out with y2k, and I'm not freaking out over this. It's a waste of energy and I've got a boatload of children who don't need to be subjected to such an insane way of living. They're crazy enough!

Speaking of crazy, I seem to have 2 more children in this house that I just can't seem to get close enough to to say "Good Morning" to. Their names, according to my children, are I Don't Know and Not Me. These residents, that are blamed for many a bad action, are spoken of daily. When I ask Katie who the dingbat was who put 2 empty boxes of cereal back in the cupboard she immediately blames I don't know. Now, I've looked for this person - I've tried to figure out whether this is a boy, or a girl. But, somehow, even Katie gets mad when I question this person's whereabouts so that I may teach him or her a lesson in proper etiquette. Cooper often says Not Me is to blame when one of the twins has obviously been hit by an inanimate object. And, when I ask who REALLY did it, he still blames Not Me. Go figure.

A new play structure was recently added to our ever changing back yard, compliments of Grandpa Flip and Grandma Maija. It has swings, a large wavy slide, a two story play house, monkey bars and a double riding thing that the kids absolutely adore. We've been outside playing on that thing every sunny day we've had for hours at a time. On the days that I've got Asa, the little boy I babysit (I know, crazy, huh?), the boys will play outside while I'm cleaning the kitchen. It's so nice to actually get some work done, and still be able to watch them from my kitchen window. :) My kids are rough, there's no question about that, but, this poor little boy I watch manages to be the only one to get slivers in his hands EVERY single day! I still don't know how, or what's he's doing to get such monstrous wood additives under the skin, but he does! Lucky for me, and him, he's pretty patient with me while I dig them out. It could be that he's just so used to it now that he doesn't flinch - But it must hurt!! Maybe some Michael Jackson gloves for playtime should be worn. Then he'd really be playing it safely in style!

So, what's the trick to getting your teenager to act normal? I've been trying to find a way to bring out the "normal" in my little teenager and I am almost ready to give in. She's beautiful, she's smart, she's wonderful. But, she's hiding that somewhere underneath the huffing, the puffing, the yelling, the the stomping, the bawling, the screaming and the deliberate disobedience. Yeah, I know, disobedience isn't really the word to use. MY CHILD WON'T DO WHAT SHE'S TOLD!!! Simple rules to make her day, and our day, go smoothly end up being thrown out the door by 7am as the nice hour and a half she once had to get showered, dressed and ready to go has suddenly turned into a chaotic, loud, crashing and banging mad dash just to make it to the bus on time. How is it, that she can be up, fed and showered by 6:20am? But, at 7:10 her bag's not packed, she is still battling herself about what to wear, her hair isn't right and she's screaming at us that she's late because we stopped her in her tracks in an attempt to curb her sudden enthusiasm for what looks like an improv for a psychotic horse! Even after Corey CALMLY tells her that, "It's okay! I'll just take you to school and give you a few more minutes" she begins the over dramatic bawl fest about how she HAS to ride the bus. Why, you ask? She tells us it's because being on the bus calms her down. BS. She wants to talk to her friends, and she certainly doesn't want to be seen with either one of her parents. In her defense, I kind of understand that. Recently one morning that Corey ended up taking her to school, Katie got out of the car and he rolled the window down and did something along the lines of blasting music, headbanging and shouting out well wishes to her school day. As a girl who's been there, I can say that must have been soooooo embarrassing. As her mother, married to the man who's humor is part of what I love so much, I laugh hysterically at the thought of her face, and her friends, who witnessed this act of tease-love. Oh, boy.

It's a crazy world. We're some crazy folks. But, I suppose a little crazy never hurts.

A MOMentous Occasion

“There is no way to be a perfect mother, and a million ways to be a good one” - Jill Churchill

Every year we celebrate our mothers. We shower them with gifts, sift through every "mom" card in the stationary section at Walmart to find the perfect card, schedule dinners, brunches and, of course, load them up with flowers. As a mother, I look forward to it! Not because of the gifts. Not because of the delicious brunch food that will most likely be prepared. But, for the acknowledgement from my children that they're happy that I get to be their mom - Because I sure am! Being a mother has different meanings for different people. No child sees their mother the same way each year. See below:

Newborn: Need my mommy all the time. Happy first Mommy's day!

Baby: Want my mommy. Mom might finally get to sleep in today. I hope there's enough milk stored for dad to give me while she's out.

Toddler: Want mommy sometimes. Daddy's cool, too.

Oooh...pretty flowers. Who are those for?

Preschooler: Mommy is so nice. My teacher is helping me to make something to give her, cause I really love her! See? My card says so!

Kid: I've been working so hard on this project for mom. I hope she likes it!

Teenager: UGH!! I TOTALLY forgot mother's day! Sorry mom.

... what do you want? Maybe I can get dad to get it for you..It might be late, but, better late than never. Right, mom? MOM?!!

Young adult: I thought I'd give you a call and wish you a happy mothers day - Lots of testing going on - I'll be home in a few weeks! At least I can't wreck your car this year! (Corey)

Adult: Happy Mother's day, mom! We're sending you on a cruise to celebrate you, and your retirement!

Elderly child: I'd wish my mother a happy mothers day, but I can't remember who she is, or where I left her!! Well, then again, everyone always told me that I'd become my mother. Maybe I really am her! Then, Happy Mothers day to me!

My nephews will be experiencing their first mother's day without their mom. They don't wear their emotions on their sleeves, and I'm sure they'll be doing what they normally do, just making each day count, doing the best they can to get through. I can't begin to imagine the feelings that they will have this weekend, but one thing's for sure: Those boys will be surrounded by so much love. My sister loved getting those made at school projects that her boys would make for her each year. I still remember seeing her smile ear to ear with even just a small token of appreciation that she was their mother. She loved them so much. And they loved her right back. Hopefully all the things that she couldn't do for them while still here, she can do from heaven. And, for the things she can't, there's a tribe of mothers just waiting to help raise those boys into wonderful young men.

My son gets to share his birthday weekend with Mom's day- Though he hasn't shared any ill feelings about that as of yet, I anticipate a request to have "separate" weekends in the future - One for him, one for me. And, I'm sure I'll accommodate. He brought me home flowers, cards and pictures today from preschool - To feel that "school" love again is refreshing as it's been years since Katie got to make something at school to bring home for mother's or father's day. Just to have all my kids together with me on Sunday will be a blessing. So would a foot rub, a massage, a bubble bath........

My mother recently shared something with me, and I debated sharing it. Not only does it kill what I thought was the true meaning and sentimentality behind my name, it's just plain hilarious.....

I was having a conversation with my mother about my sister, and revealed to her that one of my sister's best childhood friends had just had her first baby, and named her Sydney. My mom piped up "Oh, really? That's what you were supposed to be named." Naturally I questioned the "supposed to be" part of that sentence. She explained to me that HER mother, Cara had wanted to name her Sydney but my grandpa wouldn't allow it. He absolutely hated that name for some reason. So, they named her Debra. When I came along, my mom had promised my grandma that she would give me the name Sydney, since that was the only way my grandma would ever get to enjoy that name, other than a cat, or a dog. But, like my grandpa, my mother hated that name. And when the time came to enter a name on my birth certificate, my mother stood her ground - and instead, named me Cara so that grandma wouldn't be mad that I wasn't named Sydney, but couldn't be mad because I was named after her. For years, I was sure that I was named after my grandma Cara because it's a beautiful name. And it is....but I was Cara because I had to be, and my poor mother felt she had no other choice! I laugh hysterically as I type this, because I know my mother is going to read this and probably give me hell for it for a while to come. And, for the record, I love the name Sydney!

I've always thought that my name is beautiful - And, now, it's funny, too!

So remember your mommy this Sunday. Give her something she'll never forget. Even if it's the rent you finally owe her.......

Happy Mother's Day!!

A Royal Victory

“He who is prudent and lies in wait for an enemy who is not,

will be victorious.” - Author Unknown

The past 5 days have been quite monumental for millions of people, all over the world. Since Hurricane Katrina, just a few natural disasters have occurred, and, in those, only a handful of people had died. This week we mourn hundreds who were lost in the Tornado that hit Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and Mississippi. This Tornado was the worst recorded, and the largest in scale since 1966. The aftermath of this is devastating. Millions of lives are changed. I pray for them all.

The very next day the world momentarily broke their shock and outrage of the tornado, to celebrate, swoon, cheer and envy the wedding of the century - Prince William's marriage to Kate Middleton. Now, if any of you women are like me, you all wished, even in a dream, that Prince William would be down to earth enough to fall in love with you. He'd come to the US to "sow his oats", he'd fall for your humble American ways, and then you'd be a princess someday!! Maybe I've watched Coming to America one too many times. Lucky for me, I found my prince a decade ago and married him a few years later. But, on this day, the world gathered and watched on as Prince William took the hand of a "commoner" as has been said over and over again. It's almost as if those royals want us "commoners" to know that some of us are actually worthy of royalty, despite our past! Well, that was a mission well accomplished. And, I believe it all. I believe the love, the rise to royalty, the story and the humbleness. As many horrible things that are happening in this world, it is so nice to sit back and revel in a good story for a change. I sure hope this lasts - Cause', if it doesn't, Prince William is gonna have to fend off a lot of women who would die to be his future queen.

And, the biggest news of all - Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon finally had their babies!!! Oh, well, I suppose that isn't the BIGGEST news, but she finally popped on Sunday.

The biggest news would have to be that Osama Bin Laden was killed in a US attack on his private quarters on Sunday. I watched the news in awe, not sure whether to cheer, or just stay frozen with my mouth wide open until Corey knocked me back to reality. It's surreal - After nearly a decade of searching for the man responsible for the 911 attacks, he's finally caught. And dead. I watched the news, read articles and saw pictures of people celebrating nationally. And then it dawned on me: Osama Bin Laden was the top - But, what about his followers? Without Bin Laden to regulate and coordinate attacks, I fear that our country will now have to live in fear of retaliation attacks by al qaeda. I'm sure all of us level headed people have thought about this before, but, now it's real. Now, Bin Laden is gone and who's to say that there wasn't a "just in case" plan put in to place years ago? I know, I know...Don't poo poo a good thing. I am a very realistic person. I try to think of all aspects, and at least, for your own sake, consider the possibility. I do.

Now that I've babbled on about how much news I've watched over the past few days, I can tell you that, before I watched the news about Bin Laden's capture, I was out gardening for several hours on the most beautiful Sunday I'd seen in months. Leave to me to go out on the first warm, sunny day of the year, in a tank top, with no sun block, for 4 straight hours. Can you say lah lah lah lahbstah? Seriously, how can one be so stupid? I spend months inside, while my skin faded to an ill stricken looking white and then, one fine day, I just decide to strip down and beg to be barbecued! I did this last year, and I suffered immensely for days. I anticipate the same this week. And, if my boobs weren't so big, I would have opted to go bra-less for at least today. That just can't happen anymore.

All of my girls are quite dramatic in one way or another. Katie likes to triply express her anger in a Hannah Montana kind of way. You know, the act of yelling in anger that is so overboard and so obviously an attempt to "act" like she's really angry at us. Instead she just looks ridiculous. To her dismay, Corey and I both laugh when she does this. Not only does she sound ridiculous, she looks ridiculous. For Pete's sake - She's not auditioning for the role of one of the wicked stepsisters. Maybe one day she'll get it.

Rayla likes to say "no." Even when she really wants something, there seems to be something fascinating to her about the word "no." It's used more often, by her, than any other word she knows. "Rayla, do you want me to hold you?" "No." "Rayla, do you want to play with Mackenzie?" "No." Rayla, would you like some juice?" "No" "Rayla, do you want mommy to leave?" " Uh huh." It never fails, the one thing I try to get her to say no to, she changes and says yes. Such a typical girl!!

Mackenzie is my little princess. Really, if you ask her where the princess is, she'll point to herself. She calls herself princess. She dances and prances like one. When she dresses up in a pretty top or a pretty dress she calls it her princess dress. And, she's very protective of her princess dress. Last night after dinner the girls got a popsicle - Kenzie's was red. She was wearing a white eyelet "pretty princess dress" and dropped some of her popsicle on it. She hung her head, and teared up with such sadness that it would break any mother's heart. She slowly lifted her head, and in her sweetest, most loving voice says "Mommy, I messed my princess dress. I so sorry. My pretty dress. My poooooooor princess dress." I reassured her that it was really okay, and that mommy has special magic powers to take out the messes on her dress. It's been soaking for a day, and will be washed this afternoon. I'm a little excited to FINALLY get to share with someone how cool it is that red dye CAN come out of white!!

So, I drifted off into subject oblivion for a while - There was a point, I promise. Of all the drama that fills the world, good and bad, there isn't a soap opera more entertaining, more comedic than my own little life. The drama that happens in my home is honestly as much drama as I ever need. This past weekend Osama died, the Carey-Cannon twins were born, hundreds were lost in a tornado, and the prince married his true love - That's a busy weekend for news stations. My kids were able to play outside, I had a date with my son and husband, I gardened my heart out and laughed until I cried with my whole family. That's not just a busy weekend for me; That's my life. This sweet life that I wouldn't trade for even a tiara or the title of Duchess. Besides, I'm already the queen of my castle......:) Who would want to trade that?