Hey, check over at DietsInReview, where I talk sleep and the lack thereof in my life, and Ten ways to reward your hard work without food. Besides, didn't you really want to know EXACTLY how many calories are in that slab of cheesecake you crave? AND, there's only two entries so far in the great Zwaggle contest for the summer game!
It's no secret that I have had a rough couple of weeks. It's been stressful and cranky, and I've left large portions of happenings out of this blog, so take what knowledge you have and triplicate THAT level, square THAT number and then multiply by PI, and it'd be a ballpark figure. Can't tell you more than that, but, ye GODS, temper tantrumming toddlers were SO.MUCH.EASIER. I should have kept my mouth shut all those years ago. Geesh.
Elaine's been having her own rough time. She's developed a great perspective on it, though. In her words...
Complicated can be beautiful and delicate and perfect, but usually it's messy and hard and hurts. And even when it is beautiful and delicate and perfect, it usually only is for a short amount of time. I wouldn't want to miss those moments. But I'm starting to learn that I cannot expect to live within them all the damn time. And when I settle down and take a deep breath, I can be startled by the beauty, delicacy and perfection in the simple moments I'm too busy to notice. Luckily, simple moments all over the place!
Simple moments like my daughter's absolute joy in bringing home her "toolbox" - that hard pencil case she's used at school all year long with crayons, scissors, pencils and markers. She acted as if she was given the world when I told her, as I took it from her bookbag, that it was hers for home now. Or seeing Emma look at herself in the mirror, nod her head and smile, and hearing her say, "I love the way I look!" Or watching my 8th grade daughter walk down the aisle, wearing a cap and gown and knowing that the two hours of screaming that we had over the hair curling was worth it. (Maybe.)
Share some of your simple and beautiful moments with me. I think we could all use them. I know I've been feeling pretty beat up this week.
Kissing the rough, scratchy, bearded faces of my 14, 16 and 18 year old boys, then kissing the absolutely sweet, smooth, dimpled and fat little cheeks on my 10, 11 and 12 year olds. The contrast is amazing, but I love both so much...
Posted by: Beth | May 29, 2009 at 10:26 PM
The smile from the baby in the infant seat as I pull his stroller out of the van for the 4th time that day. :) He was so excited to be released from "jail" until he realized it was just another jail.
Posted by: Heather | May 29, 2009 at 11:26 PM
hanging out on the couch today with my 4 month old napping in my arms and my 3 year old napping on my lap, her hand resting on her little sister. Makes the times they are both screaming at me dissipate.
Posted by: rebecca | May 29, 2009 at 11:44 PM
Having my 15-year old son ask me what was for dinner, and giving me the thumbs up at my reply (taco soup).
Posted by: Bobbie | May 29, 2009 at 11:47 PM
After a day of fighting (the 2 of us), my 9yo called me back in to his room for a snuggle.
That, my friend, is perfection.
(((hugs))) to you.
Posted by: Headless Mom | May 29, 2009 at 11:55 PM
Being hugged with great enthusiasm by my 12 year old son in front of all his school mates every afternoon when I pick the kids up from school. I gather he's supposed to want to stop doing that at some point but it hasn't happened yet!
Posted by: mimbles | May 30, 2009 at 05:21 AM
The smell of sunscreen on a warm day on my kids skin. Watching my twins run and play with their friends at field day.Watching my friend's 3 yr old look up at my hubster and charm him iwth her big blue eyes and 7 freckles. Being called Mama.
Posted by: amie | May 30, 2009 at 08:25 AM
Getting my first smile form the neighbors nine week old baby boy.
Posted by: Marie | May 30, 2009 at 08:53 AM
Laughing so hard I couldn't breath because my 4yrold repeated something I did that day to his Dad and of course wayyyyy out of context. I'm still grinning about that memory. The smile on my almost 10yrold's face when I tell him, you can go on your own for a bike ride with helmet "this" far and the sparkle in his eyes of the new found freedom.
The glimmer of "evil doings" and "mind in motion" I can see in the small tiny smirk in my 7yrold, before I know that something is going to happen. He'll do it but he's got a "tell" that I have to remind myself not to laugh at, while preparing for the next bit of Busy!
Posted by: kyoot | May 30, 2009 at 11:08 AM
There is nothing like "Mommy, I love you so much"
Posted by: Frances | May 30, 2009 at 11:25 AM
The beauty of rain coming down and the colour of blue and red umbrellas.
I will keep you in my prayers today and will do my best to remember you and family when I light a candle at my church. Remember that you are cared for, even when life is really difficult.
Posted by: Elizabeth | May 30, 2009 at 01:02 PM
Turning a serious whine fest into a tickle fight with my 2 1/2 year old while the baby laughs himself silly at us. It releases all the tension and stress of trying to raise a toddler to be a decent, caring person.
Posted by: Emily C | May 30, 2009 at 05:11 PM
Hearing my 32yr old former prodigal daughter (who homeschools my 12 yr old grandson) on the answering machine, "Mom, are you there? We have a question about grammar. We need to know where to put the apostrophe."
Watching my 24 yr old daughter sitting on the back porch petting the kittens and knowing that of all the places she COULD be, she chose to be at home with her folks.
Be encouraged my dear young friends. It won't always be like this. One day it will be very, very quiet.
Posted by: Pearl | May 30, 2009 at 05:22 PM
Picking up a very excited almost 1st grader from field day! Watching my two pre-schoolers pick/cut Sunfowers to give to their teachers on the last day of school...from a garden they helped to plant! Hearing my baby say his 1st sentence. Being able to say YES to my kids when they wanted to play in the mud. Honoring the graduating sr's in our youth group last night as they all graduate and head all if many different directions! Listening to my kids laugh HARD while watching Tom and Jerry for the 100th time!
Hope you feel better soon!!! xo lyns
Posted by: lyns | May 30, 2009 at 07:12 PM
I'm way behind at reading blogs but so glad I caught this. Thank you for the list... it was JUST what I needed.
Kisses!
Posted by: Elaine | May 30, 2009 at 08:03 PM
A while back, everything felt rough, all over. But I'll never forget knead dough, listening to a favorite song and my boys playing in the other room and feeling peace. And knowing that those little "pockets of peace" could sustain me through everything else.
I hope you have a pocket of peace soon.
Posted by: Gina | May 30, 2009 at 08:10 PM
Having 10 year old foster son tell me that he had one of the best days of his life (made that way by sitting around the fire pit and roasting marshmallows with friends!)
Posted by: Patty M. | May 30, 2009 at 10:23 PM
Going away overnight for a scout training and walking in the door to a mob of girls (and hubby) so happy to see me.
Posted by: girlsmama | May 30, 2009 at 10:29 PM
Watching my 4 year old and her cousins playing in our backyard with the water hose and hearing their squeals of delight.
Watching my daughter and her 21 month old cousin walk hand in hand together.
Posted by: Kate's Mama | May 31, 2009 at 03:14 AM
I got to watch my second daughter graduate from high school last Sunday. Like her sister she got a full ride scholarship. She is going to live at home though and go to community college. I am so proud of both of them! How many what did you say fights have we had? Lots. Tons of bf drama with the oldest, the second had a cutting problem for awhile. Sigh. It DOES get better. It really does.
I wasnt sad to see them graduate and move on b/c this is what they worked for and they are so excited you can't help but be excited for them.
So far with my oldest three 14 has been the year. The year I would sell them if I could.
The year even Grandma was busy.
In exciting to an 8 year old news; my second youngest is out of a booster car seat and so stinkin excited about it! lol
Posted by: mary | May 31, 2009 at 10:19 AM
Yeah. I feel you. Having teenagers is really so much more emotionally exhausting. My example for this week is having my 17 year old son scream at me for being too involved in his life, and then when I went to his school later that same day to donate blood for the blood drive that he was helping organize, he came over to me, took me gently by the arm and kissed me tenderly on the top of my head in a huge gym full of 100s of people, most of them his friends, and carefully walked with me, his arms around me so I wouldn't "faint". Sigh. They are so confusing. When you figure it out, please let me know.
Posted by: amy | May 31, 2009 at 02:30 PM
Today, while saying goodbye to my aunt, my 3 year old said to her, "I'll see you in a couple of weeks ago, Sherry!" I love the simplicity of a toddler's misspoken statement. They know what they mean. And they trust that we do too. Easy as that.
Hope you have peaceful, easy feelings soon.
Posted by: Sarah @ This Heavenly Life | May 31, 2009 at 03:13 PM
My oldest, six years old, told me last night that she loves me the most. More than anyone.
She's not one for words or hugs, and our relationship is often full of tension. It was quite a moment.
Simple joys- my husband installed an 8-in deep sink to replace my 6-in one, which has just completely made my month. Also, I have a new (more powerful!) disposal that won't run water out the bottom.
Posted by: Anna | June 01, 2009 at 11:15 AM
watching my 15 yo dd sit with her 6 yo brother in the tractor (blade up no mowing involved!) while he practices steering the tractor. The grin on that toothless face ear to ear made my stomach flip he was so giddy.
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