Last Day...

Motherhood is a series of beautiful little heartbreaks.

Last Day of 5th grade

I have this friend ...

I have this friend. She chooses her battles. She empathizes with her kids. She doesn't sweat the small stuff. She is FULL of love and joy, even when those around her are not. She worries about losing her tweenager to the sea of self doubt and hormones he is swimming in. She fights for him as much as he will let her.  She is one of the funniest people I  have ever encountered. She does SO much for her family, most of it goes unrecognized, but she rarely complains.  She understands. She is always there for me when I really need her. And we have only met ... Once.  She is one of the the very best moms I know. You know who you are.  Just keep swimming. 

Honeyknuckle

It was a perfectly golden morning, just the kind of day you wish could last forever.

"Come on, love, we don't want to be late on your very last day of Pre-K!"

"But Mom, I need to go get some honeyknuckle first!"

"I will take some for my friends." 

I hope she keeps these friends, forever and a day. They are good ones.

Seriously, people?!

I am SO tired of reading people's posts about how much they hate the end of the school year. Too many parties for their kids, end of the year programs, crazy hair days and teacher appreciation.  How DARE they be asked to send in 500 cupcakes for their kid's 5th grade graduation, I mean REALLY! 

Please, bitches, this is mostly your own doing. Most of you have been the alpha moms, taking over every room parent position, fall festival and spring fling you could; "helping" build your kid's science fair project and making sure your exceptionally gifted child is having all of their very special needs met by their TAG teachers. (Whom you apparently find undeserving of appreciation)

Here's an idea - back off. Relax. Let your kids enjoy their last few weeks of school and let their teachers know that they actually matter, instead of hounding them for the A's that you "deserve".  Say "No, I will not send in the three tier cake you asked me for, even though I said I would at the beginning of the year, but here is a box of Oreos for the class to share instead." Or, have your kid bake the damn thing.

Quit bitching about all the papers and events that your make your kids giddy with excitement. Have them do their OWN projects for once and have a margarita and enjoy it while you watch them learn how to solve their own problems.

And STOP COMPLAINING about how long summer is going to be, before it has even started.  Why did you have kids anyway?  

Seriously, people, you have 18 years when they are yours to enjoy, and only about 12 of those where they still listen to you... Appreciate that. Value them. Enjoy the life that you have NOW... while you still have it.

Huffine Vocab Lessons

Focuntrate (v) (fo•kun•trayt) - the act of thinking really hard about something; alternately- focuntrase

Rememberize (v) (re•mem•bur•ize) - intense memorization, the act of helping someone recall something that is just right there on the tip of your tongue...

Constructions (n) (cun•struk•shuns) - the pieces of paper that come with happy meal toys which tell the reader how to assemble and use such toys; they also appear on the back of temporary tattoos and in board games.

Loveher (adj) (luv•er) - frequently used as a synonym for appreciation when honoring teachers on special days, i.e. Teacher Loveher Day.

MarBall (n) (mar•ball) - small, hard orb that you don't really know how to play so instead you disperse randomly throughout the house.

Onamint (n) (ahn•uh•mint) - something you put on a tree for the holidays

Bored-games (n) (boaarrrd•gaaaames) - games children refuse to play when they are bored because they are too boring.

Icing (n) (i•sing) - a cold pack for a boo boo

Goodbye Pre-K, It's been great...

You taught us to count to eight.
Thank you Mom and thank you Dad
For putting up with the good and bad,
Don't you cry, 'cuz aren't you glad
You're baby's growing up.

:(

Flying

Remember when all you needed to fly was someone bigger than you with strong legs and flat feet?

I do.

For me it was my sisters. For my niece and G, and Little guy it was me. For  Little L, it is G. I remember that my sisters used to fly me all the way up until my head touched the floor and then back down again. It was so much fun... an exercise in trust.

Orbiting

Ever since she could walk, when Little L gets tired, and we are out in public, she orbits me like a little moon around her Mother Earth. She usually has her left thumb in her mouth and her right hand up my shirt, skin to skin, to comfort herself as she walks around and around and around.... at the checkout line, at the bank line, at the bus stop. It has gone on for so long now, I scarcely notice my little moon, until some stranger starts eyeing her from afar and smiles.  My little luna girl, I am still the center of her universe.

 

Same Same

Little guy and Little L are two peas in a pod. They play together like two clumsy puppies tumbling about in the spring grass. They have the same laugh, the same sense of humor and the same double cowlicks.  Their foreheads crinkle the same way when they get mad, and they both prefer to sleep in my bed.  If that is not an option, they cuddle up with each other instead, reading each other stories and giggling over silly knock knock jokes.  They are the best of friends, though neither will admit it.  I hope they will always be able to hold tight to this special bond they have... two ships sailing along together in this topsy turvy sea of life.

I am.

So tired. 

We went to college. We graduated with engineering degrees. We got jobs. Paid off debt. Saved up. Bought a house. Had kids. Bought a bigger house. Lost jobs. Got new ones. Did things on the side. Got sick... one at a time. Got better... ish. Got another new job. Moved across the world to get cash to pay mortgage and new debt.  Pursued dreams. Got screwed over. Still employed, income zero.  Still in limbo.  Keep the game face on.  Keep the kids involved. They shouldn't have suffer. They didn't choose this. We didn't know. Was not in the plan. Appreciate the little things. Those little things. So tired of feeling unstable.  So tired of feeling like the only ones. 

Just. So. Tired.