In The Mind of A Thirtysomething Mom

Thursday Thoughts

Dear B,

Eleven years ago today, you entered this world at 9lbs, 15ozs.  You were induced 2 days after your due date b/c the doctors thought you were about 11lbs (due to an Ultrasound).  Thank GOD they were wrong!  I don't think I could have handled that!  You were born on a pretty cold day, right in the middle of Jeopardy.  I vividly remember answering questions in between pushes.  Yes, your mom is a little nuts!  I also remember getting rather upset because they turned the T.V. off before Final Jeopardy started.  Stinking Dr's.!

We moved to IL two months after your birth.  Daddy got sent to a new job at a new base, so of course we went with him.  Your first year was pretty calm until you started having seizures at 10 months. We spent your first Thanksgiving at St. Louis Children's Hospital.  You were released a couple days after Thanksgiving and have been perfectly fine ever since.  (Well except for having bad eyesight, but we knew that would be a problem.)  We never did find out why you were having seizures, and we probably never will.

We spent 5 years in IL before we moved.  In IL was where you had ALL your firsts; walking, talking, "girlfriend", hospitalization, broken arm, became a big brother for the first time and most importantly, your first taste of sports!  I don't know if it comes from having your birthday fall on Super Bowl Sunday one year, attending a Cardinals home game and seeing Mark McGuire hit a home run, or what, but you are so enamored with sports it's crazy.  You've played football , baseball and soccer .  Baseball is by far still your favorite to play.  Even after having a solo home run called back this past year, you still love that game.  Sometimes you drive me crazy throwing a ball around all the time, but I know it's because you're dying for the season to start again.

You not only are a sports fanatic, you're also quite smart.  You LOVE to read, sometimes spending 20+ minutes in the bathroom doing so.  (We've got to talk about that boy.)  Even though you don't think so, you're quite good in both Math (my worst subject, Dad's best) and English (my best subject, Dad's worst).  I hope you never lose your fire for learning and that you always strive to do your best in school.

Finally, you are the most empathetic child I know.  You have the gift of empathy from God (just like Dad) and you need to learn to develop it to serve Him.   

I love you very much, and hope that your birthday today (and every birthday in your future) lends itself to exactly what you wish for.

Keep reaching for the stars, and you'll become one!

Love,

Mom

And Just Like That, It Was Over

Thank you to those who clicked on K's picture for Top Momma. Unfortunately, we didn't get enough clicks and our picture is no longer on the site. I submitted another pic, so hopefully they'll choose it and we can try again then.

See that? That's my sticker!  I'm happy I got it.  I know, how 1st grade of me.  But see, a lot of hard work went into getting that sticker.

Today I had M's homeschool meeting with the county official.  When you homeschool in our state, you have to have a twice yearly meeting with a county official to review your child's portfolio.  I have been dreading it since we decided to homeschool.  I didn't know what to expect, what to bring, what to say.  I was NOT looking forward to it at all.

Since I was so worried, I did the only suitable thing and just brought everything for him to look at.  I brought every book she works in, every paper we had saved, every art project, EVERYTHING!  Even though I was technically over prepared, I impressed him.  He asked for math work; plop, right in front of him.  He asked for curriculum; plop, right in front of him.  Reading; plop.  Art, Music, P.E.; plop, plop, plop.  I showed him my lesson plan book and he was like "Wow, you write alot."  I told him my degree was in Elementary Education and he was all "I kind of figured."  "Most parents aren't this detailed or organized."

*See that?  That's my pride swelling up!*

A couple more words of encourgement, and just like that it was over.  He had no recommendations on areas to improve, thank God.  He stuck my sticker on my form, wrote a comment for M, and said "See you in May."  Gotta love that!

If I had known it was going to be that easy, I would have been homeschooling all this time.  Okay, maybe not.  I'd probably be in a mental institution by now if I had done that.

Come back tomorrow for "a very special installment" of Thursday Thoughts.  (Doesn't that sound like that announcer voice from the old Afterschool specials?  "And now, a very special ..."  Yeah, I'm a dork.)

As Luck Would Have It...

The day I decide to pop off at the mouth, I get chosen for Top Momma. 

Nice.

Well, if you still love me, please make your way over to Top Momma and click on my picture.  It's this one of K being oh so cute. 

I'd love to excel at something in life, other than speaking at the wrong time.

Help a sista out!

Thanks!

P.S.  If you came here via Top Momma, thanks for visiting!  Check out this post, this post and this post for some serious giggles.  I hope you'll be back again!

If I Want Your Opinion, I'll Give It To You...

I posted a post last night, had a comment on it even, and then I deleted it  (So no Lunanik, you're not imagining things...).

You see, I'm afraid.

When I started this blog, I did it as an extension of our family's personal website.  Very few people had the web address, and this blog originally was just a page of my thoughts in raising my children.  Since it was mainly family and personal friends reading, I didn't worry about letting myself come through the writing.  They all know me and how I am.  They know I'm opinionated and vocal yet compassionate.  They know I worry too much about what other people think.  I'll say something and then go back a little later trying to make sure they took what I said the way I meant it.  They know I'll happily listen to your opinion, but I'll give mine too.  They know what I mean when I write.

Shortly after starting the website, I discovered blogging.  I had heard of blogs before (um, does Dooce sound familiar?), but thought they were a waste of time.  The site that hosts our web page had a blog option, so I moved my journal to their blog.  I thought it would be easier, but it was a boring page that didn't let me do anything personal.  About that time, this site became an overnight sensation due to an Ebay auction.  I discovered Blogger and moved my journal there.  I was still getting family and friends as visitors, so I still didn't worry.

Then I signed up for BlogHer.

I quickly met other bloggers and made "friends"; Kate and Sasha to name a couple.  I started visiting links off their blogs and found a whole "nother" world!  I committed the "cardinal sin of blogging" (wink, wink, nudge, nudge-Luna and Huckdoll should totally understand that one) and emailed people asking to swap links.  Suddenly, I had people other than family reading my words.

People who didn't know me.

People who don't know me.

My blog evolved into more than just my family.  I started sharing things that reached out to me; things that I found funny or poignant, things that saddened me, and most importantly, my opinions on things.  This is where things started to change. 

I started a weekly posting called Thursday Thoughts.   I wanted to be able to post my opinions about "issues".  Things that I had in my mind I wanted to share.  I wrote a post that garnered me some negative feedback.  I immediately felt bad.  It wasn't my intention to offend anyone with my opinions.  It's my blog and I wanted to share my thoughts.  I know that not everyone shares my opinions, but I wasn't expecting the backlash I received.  Now don't get me wrong, I like hearing opinions that differ from mine.  I just wasn't expecting to be told I was being harsh for sharing my opinion on my own blog.

I cried.

Not because of the feedback per say, but more that I had offended people I didn't even know without meaning to. 

I started censoring myself.  I'd want to post something, but I wouldn't.  I'd see something, hear something, think something but I wouldn't share.  I didn't want to cause someone to get upset with me because of my words.  I didn't want to lose readers because my opinion vastly differs from theirs.  I wanted to make all the readers happy, all the time.  I've tried to keep my posts light and fun.  I've tried to keep my Thursday Thoughts column controversy free.  I'm losing myself in the process.

I deleted my post from last night because I didn't want to offend anyone.  I didn't want someone to think I was posting things against a certain race or ethnic group.  And see, that's where not knowing me personally makes it hard.  If you knew me personally, you'd know I taught in inner city St. Louis schools for 3 years.  You'd know I worked in a predominantly African American school here in MD for 3 years.  You'd know we lived in a neighborhood in the ghetto until we moved to our new house in October.  You'd know that some of my good friends are of a different skin color than I am.  You'd know that to me, race isn't anything but what someone runs in (why I don't know-running is crazy).  We're all one race, HUMAN.

But you don't know me personally, so I censor my words so I don't offend you.

I'm done with that.

I'm growing a tougher skin.  It's my blog and I'll post whatever my lily white arse feels like posting.  Feel free to offer your differing opinion, but don't you dare say I'm being harsh when I post mine.  After all, you're a guest in MY HOUSE.  Show some respect.

Peace out!

P.S.  Kate, this isn't about your comment.  At all. We're good girl.  Don't forget it!

 

Weekly Winners 1/27/08

1/20/08-1/26/08

A close-up of my jeans.

God's Promise

The other side of God's promise

After the rain

Sunset

The moon

Nightime traffic in D.C.

Waiting for the Metro

Looking up at the ceiling of the Metro station

I see you!

Weekly Winners is the brainchild of Sarcastic Mom.

Thanks for visiting and enjoy!