It Takes A Village!

It's the end of another school year. And for me, it's pretty much always emotional. I've cried every year since I left Kindergarten, and since I have 7 younger siblings, every year seems to be a "milestone" year. This year was no different. My "baby" brother graduated High School this weekend, and the water works were turned on full force.

The end of a school year is always  a reminder to me of the dedication of teacher's. I love teacher's. I wanted to be one for a long time. And before I had Kidd-O, I pretended to be one everyday for 5 years, as a substitute teacher....in a middle school (crazy, huh?). I am forever grateful to the people who are dedicated teachers, especially the ones that are just born to be one.There are a lot of teachers by profession, but I'm talking about the people who pour their hearts and souls into, not just the education of students, but the raising of people's babies...those teachers who make personal, worthwhile investments. Those teachers who love those kids almost as much as their momma's or daddy's do. It takes a village, and those teachers are every bit of that village.

At sister's graduation a few years ago!

And while teachers are stressed about content or test scores during the school year, it's the personal, relational investment that is made that has a life-long impact.

  I don't remember what I learned about math or writing in 5th grade, but I do remember my teacher who made sure that our room was a place we wanted to be, complete with the only reading loft in the school and flowers that were painted on the bathroom windows so no one could see in. And how she smiled. At everyone. And how she invited her entire class of 5th graders to her wedding....God bless her for that. And 11 years later, she attended mine.

Or my high school communications teacher, whose classroom was a haven from the stresses and chaos of being a 17 year old. She taught me the importance of written word and the impact of spoken word. She taught me how to weave words together to tell great stories, because she told great stories. She taught me compassion. She respected, loved and inspired all of her babies. She left them better than when she got them.

My 2003 graduation

And that's what it's all about, right? It's about those teachers who hand out there cell numbers so a kid can ask a math question any time, or those teacher's who save notes from old students because it meant the world to them. It's about that PE teacher who saw potential. And those teacher's who take them time to tell a student that they can do better, and be better and meant that with all their heart.

  It's about those teachers who are proud of their old students when they graduate from high school and tell them so. They should be proud. They helped get them there.  The calling to be a teacher is high and I am forever grateful to all of the teachers that have loved me and my siblings, and for the teachers who take the time to make an imprint on their lives that last beyond graduation day.

 Yes, it takes a village.

Momma Always Told Me...

...And other lessons from my mom.

1. Life's Not Fair. Mother always says we aren't allowed to say that life isn't fair and in a house with 8 kids you learn nothing is "mine" or "yours" pretty quickly and we're not going to whine about what's fair and what's not. Period. As I grow older I understand this more everyday. The mere gospel of Christ isn't even fair. How fair is it that a sinless Jesus had to die for my sins so I wouldn't have to experience eternal separation from Him? It's not. And now I know that Life is all about Grace and Mercy, and NOT about fairness. Mercy is not receiving what I do deserve (death/hell) and Grace is receiving what I don't deserve (life in Christ). Oh how I'm thankful that Life isn't fair. 

2. Believe half of what you hear and all of what you see...  Especially when it comes to teenagers. Oh really, they said they did their homework? Why is their report card showing otherwise? Momma didn't raise no fool!

3. How to snap, whistle and blow bubble gum bubbles before all the other kids. This was one of the perks of being the firstborn...complete focus on me. Along with special trips to Chuck-E-Cheese, tickets to every Sesame Street Live or Disney on Ice show, and amazing birthday parties. Ask the 7th born about this, a conversation about #1 will likely ensue.

4. How to play Scrabble. When I was in middle school and was too old for spankings my mom made me play Scrabble with her as my punishment for poor grades or back talking. Yes, it's unconventional, but I HATED Scrabble, and then one day I began to enjoy it and now it's one of my most favorite games! Now, instead of Scrabble she makes the kids run laps.

5. Distraction is one of the greatest techniques when out in public with a misbehaving child. I'm living this lesson first-hand these days!

6.  How to make icing smooth and chocolate smoother. My mom is pretty much a culinary genius (yes, mother, it's true!) and everyone raves about her sweet treats. Her icing is perfection and her chocolate-covered-anything always looks like silk. She always has little secrets for how to do things and while I don't know all of the secrets, I know a couple. Which reminds me--Mother, you said if I grew-up to be a Stay-at-home-mom you would give me your secret recipes... well, guess what I happen to be these days...and I have barely any recipes!

7. Being a mom is hard work no matter if you have 1 kid or 10, so lend a hand. Rarely is there a time that I meet my mom at Costco for lunch and she doesn't help a stressed out momma cut up her kids pizza, or help her carry hot dogs to her antsy kids, or help her to her car because that mom has a screaming baby, a hungry toddler, and a pouty preschooler that she's trying to juggle along with her industrial size box of cereal, 5 gallons of milk and 10lbs of goldfish crackers. My mom knows all to well just how hard it is to be a mother. Yes, it's a blessing, but it's hard work too, so help a girl out when she needs it.

8. How to make cutting a kid's fingernails fun for them. I can't explain how, but it works. My 21-month old begs to have his nails cut daily.

9. Someone is always watching! Whether it's a younger sibling watching how an older sibling is doing something, a parents friend who sees how your acting at the pool with friends when you're 15 and then tells your mom, or if it's a 27 year old daughter watching how her mom helps another momma out at Costco. Someone is always watching.

10. How to make some awesome memories! When I asked my mom what a good Mother's Day gift is in general, she said: Something that would make a great experience. And that's how she rolls. Whether it's dancing in the rain at a Paul McCartney concert, or loading folks in a 15 passenger van to run the Peachtree Road race, and let's not forget all those trips to Disney World! It's all about the memories.

Happy Mother's Day, Mommy Dearest!

What lessons have you learn from you momma?

It's a Small World After All....

Well, another trip to The Happiest Place in the books and more good deposits were made in the "Memory Bank". While we were blessed with a trip in January, we were blessed again with another trip last week. 

I wish I could say it was all magical, but with a certain almost-2-year-old, we did hit a few rough patches that made this trip a tad more difficult than the ones in the past. These rough patches came between the hours of 3am and 7am, and with the discovery of learning to climb out of the pack-n-play. 

But even with rough nights for a certain momma, and the others in the small room, the days delivered lots of good things! And aside from a few sleepy meltdowns in the middle of Main Street USA and surrounding parking lots, it was all good.

 

 My boy saw Disney in a whole new light this trip and it was the delight of my heart. His week was filled with his 2 favorite people: his aunt "GiGi" and Mickey Mouse. Throw in a few trains, buses, and pirates and you've got a hog in heaven!

We saw cousins I haven't seen in ages, 

 we watched my sister and her dance class perform, 

 we swam, 

 and we ate a lot of yummy things. 

It was a good trip.

As we were leaving, I told my momma "every trip I feel such an urgency to make the most of it-- I want to cram in everything I possibly can, because I always have the feeling that I may never be back!" She said to me "Good. Never take a trip like this for granted, you never know when it might be your last" And she's right, I never know! But I am oh-so-thankful that I have been able to go and take my boy. 

Thanks Mom, for all the good deposits to our memory banks!