Entering the Next Chapter

Dear Summer, While I enjoyed the time, I am so glad that you are over. The faster you left the sooner we can get back to my favorite weather, anything not hot.  Thank you for going quickly. Dear Jenaye and David, I had so much fun watching you guys this summer. You are both so well behaved. I feel like I have adopted another daughter and son. I hope that we get to spend more time together. I am so proud of you both and know that you will do great in school this year. Dear House, I told you I would work on you. Don't you feel so much better now that you are nice and clean? I know that I will have to keep up the cleaning but I am up for the task. Dear Abbie, I am so excited about starting homeschool on Monday. I know that you can focus and work and will learn so much. I am excited about all the time we get to spend together. I love you. Dear Eb, How was your first week as a one year old? I hope you enjoy your party tomorrow. As for these little fits, you can stop the...

Dear Hubby,  Congratulations on your interview. I hope that God opens the doors that will lead you to your future career.   Dear Friend,  Thank you for meeting with me to catch up and to talk about homeschooling. I have really missed our conversations.  Dear Children, Please help me by being peaceful today. I have been so blessed to spend time with you all and am excited about our day tomorrow.  Dear A/C,  You still suck. That's not all, this time. What really sucks is you pretending to work then changing your mind.  Dear My Future Self,  Whatever is going on when you read this... God is good. God is always good. His grace is sufficient.  Dear House,  Please don't be mad when you are still a mess tomorrow afternoon... it takes a little time to get in the habit of organizing.  Dear devil,  FU** YOU!!! Dear God,  Please protect the hearts and spirits of my family. The devil is scheming and  I can s...

I was just at a dear friends house for BBQ. I noticed that my friend was trying to let Eb walk on her own but was scared that she might fall. Just a week ago I was feeling that way.  I loved this picture. Even though it is so simple, it says so so much. You can see the anxiousness in my friend hands trying to safe guard Eb. You can also see how oblivious Eb is to my friend.  I think one of the toughest things a parent does it finding the balance protecting their child and enabling their child to be independent. I don't think this can be learned once. I notice that I face this particular struggle often. It begins as they are infants. You want to let them walk on their own, but you don't want them to fall. I remember following Abbie around and holding her up as she walked. When a friend told me that it is not only ok to let Abbie fall, but it is actually beneficial. She needed to learn how to take a tumble and how to hold her balance. As they grow they learn new skills a...

Describe your relationship with your parents: Oh how the tides have changed. When I was a little girl I had a bizarre relationship with my parents. I saw my dad as my prince charming and my mom was the evil witch that was trying to steal him from me.  Every week my daddy would take me on a date, the majority of times it was to see Beauty and the Beast. He would teach me how to be a princess and what to expect of my future prince. We were in a Daddy-and-Me club called Indian Princesses. When my dad started working more hours, we didn't have much time to go on our little dates. I thought it was a plot from my mom to keep me from spending time with him. When they would go on a date I would get angry. My mom once asked me how she looked and I told her that she needed to cover up. At one point I even told her, "If daddy met me first he would have married me." I had so much anger and jealousy towards her. Looking back it seems so strange and I completely see her side.  My...

As my husband sets down the phone my anxieties rise. I know what he is about to say and I know that there is not much time, or is there? My heart starts pounding and I start to contemplate all that needs to be done. Then he says it, "My dad is coming over and will be here in 30 mins to and hour." Ugh, the In-laws.  Let me explain myself. My husbands parents are divorced and have been since he was a little boy. His father was remarried and now has five more children. His mother has three boys with his father and one after the divorce. I love my In-laws very much and enjoy spending time with them, the only part I don't like is the In-law part. I feel this enormous pressure to please and impress my In-laws. The pressure isn't assisted any by my husbands distance from them. He isn't as close with his parents as I am with mine or as I would like him to be. I so want them to feel welcome and at home with me and in my home. My husband really doesn't understand this...