Being a mother of a household of boys, I had to learn real fast these basic rules. If it is a rarity that it will happen, they will figure out a way. Never be surprised at what a boy can put in his body..and where. Last but definitely not least...learn to laugh it out. So, I put together this blog, to hopefully spread some laughs from my experience as a momma of some ornery boys. Enjoy...
You might be a mom of boys if...
When you hear a cry, you DON'T automatically look to see who hurt them, instead you look at him and say,"What did you do?"
You might be a mom of boys if...
You learn how to do butterfly stitches just to prevent, yet another trip to the hospital.
You might be a mom of boys if...
You know better than to buy plastic swords, because they can cause "pressure cuts" when whacked against a head.
You might be a mom of boys if...
When furniture shopping, the sales clerk catches you jumping on the furniture to see how it holds up.
You might be a mom of boys if...
You scurry your boys past the bathroom display in the store, because...well, you just KNOW better.
You might be a mom of boys if...
You potty train outside before you do inside.
You might be a mom of boys if...
You walk into your local E.R. and the triage nurse, before registering, calls you by name and says ,"Hey! What do you have for us tonight?"
You might be a mom of boys if...
If you can actually sit on all your shelves hung in your house, and they won't fall.
You might be a mom of boys if...
If Poison Control is actually programmed in your phone.
You might be a mom of boys if...
You take EMT classes, and DO NOT work in the medical field.
You might be a mom of boys if...
Your child has had an x-ray to find the foreign object.
You might be a mom of boys if...
You have ever called Poison Control to see if you have been poisoned, because your son has poured Windex in your tea to "clean" your cup.
You might be a mom of boys if...
An ER doctor gives you his schedule for the week, and says,"Can you call me after and let me know how it turns out...I'm just fascinated by this!"
You might be a mom of boys if...
You find foot prints on the wall in your hallway...up by the ceiling.
You might be a mom of boys if...
You have ever had to explain, why peeing on a tree at the park, IS NOT the same as your yard.
You might be a mom of boys if...
You win the "Random Purse Award" by finding a stethoscope, light-bulb, and matchbox car in your purse at a training seminar for work.
You might be a mom of boys if...
If you receive a care package from your "phone BFF" at Poison Control, and think, "Awww, I miss her!"
and last but not least...
You might be a mom of boys if...
Your heart absolutely melts when you see a baby boy smile, and catch a glimpse of ornery in those eyes, before he can even walk. :)
<3 Cat
Monday, December 22, 2014
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Failing Christmas
The past two years, I have been struggling at Christmas time. Borderline being strangled by the commercialism and the pressure placed on parents to get your kids that "Amazing Gift", well lets be real, those "Amazing Giftssssssss." One is never enough right? Being a Christian I am well aware of what the real meaning of the season is, and trust me that is what this house celebrates. Our primary focus is celebrating the birth of Jesus, and even with that, the pressure is still there. People take out loans, max out credit cards, go in debt, place bills in great delinquency, just to get the right amount of presents for their loved ones. Some, being pressured to be sure they have enough will scout out those deals all year long. just to not be in massive debt from the season. Some even so desperate that they will break into someone else's house to steal their gifts.
When I see all this, and myself fall victim to it, the pressure starts growing on my chest. Exactly, how many presents are right? What is enough? Is this the right "name brand"? Working with youth in every aspect of my life, I find I cannot compliment a youth on their outfit without getting a full itinerary of what awesome "popular" store name they got it from. When is enough, enough??? Are Charlie Brown and I the only ones who gets overwhelmed by all of this? Showing our love, are we only capable to do that with "x" amount of presents? I know a lot of you are saying, "Of course not, the presents are not what matters, it is the family." But really lets think about this, if you told your child that this year for Christmas, we are bringing the "real reason of the season" back, and you told them that they would only get one present and it may even be homemade, will they be disappointed? Feeding into this demand, has told them, "Yes Jesus is the reason for the season, but you and all your friends will make out awesome at Christmas." Television, friends, and the world telling them that they will get a lot. Raising "material expectations". Even, if they are okay with it, Lets move forward... they go to a group function after Christmas and get asked, "What did you get for Christmas?" Right there, (and yes I even do it) Then they say their present..."Oh, that is great! What else did you get?" Right there the "one gift" is shown that it is not enough. With great intentions, your Christmas values that you try to instill in your kids, has just been belittled.
Now don't make me into any kind of scrooge, because this is my favorite time of year. I look forward to this season all year long. I love it! I love celebrating the birth of Christ! As my pastor always says, "Without the cradle, we couldn't have the Cross." I love the music, the decorations, teaching my children about His birth, the faces excited waking me up Christmas morning, breakfast and coffee that morning. Which makes my chest even heavier. I don't like having any bad feeling this time of year, this is my FAVORITE time of year! However, the world flashes my "Christmas failure" in my face more and more each year. I just want to scream! This is not what makes this season so special! The urge grows more and more to run away, go to a cabin deep in the woods and bury ourselves into family time, with no outside expectations. Reset Christmas. When is enough, enough?
I smile my Christmas smile on the outside, while inside I'm screaming with frustration at the worldly guilt, that I won't give my children a good "enough" Christmas. Constant worry, if I reset Christmas, and correct how much we have fed into this monster, will my children grow resentment toward this? Which would completely shadow even more the REAL meaning of the season. At every corner, we are told or shown that Christmas should be a certain way. Some may think that this bothers me only because we don't have much money. Well, I can assure you that even when we made more money...enough is never enough.
Some tell me to sign up for places that get you presents, but we can get some, and I don't want to take that from someone who really needs it, especially when I KNOW that is not the whole reason for the season anyways. The other day, I asked around and on Facebook what the average person spends on Christmas. There were many answers, but most popular was between $200-$300 per child, not counting other family members or Christmas parties. I know I have five children to buy for, and at that price, that would be $1,000!! That's not including school parties with food and gifts, Youth parties, food for other parties, employee party with food and gift. Then there is cards..Oh wait..we have the same bills we have had all year long. Then, I am overwhelmed struggling to get this done, rushing to meet deadlines, and just want to stop and AHHHHHHH!! THIS IS NOT WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT!!!! Like I said, I am not a scrooge. I love this time of year, and I love all the stuff we go to, and want to participate, want to get them things. I love that look when they open stuff they have wanted, but where is the balance? I want to cut things down, and truly enjoy family and people we love, and not be made to feel like I am "Failing Christmas." I want my kids to enjoy and be grateful for whatever they get, which I know they would be. However, I want them to do that without being made to feel later, or others feeling that their Christmas wasn't good enough. I want people to see that true BLESSINGS are not always material objects. Sometimes it is the fellowship that goes on between family and friends, or a hug, or a shoulder to cry on. Picking up the phone, and just maybe telling someone that you care. Showing that love of Christ sometimes in the simplest way. Taking a few blankets that if your like me, you probably have too many of anyways, to someone sleeping outside.
So what is the point of this blog? Well, I guess a reminder that we sometimes need to run against the worlds expectations, especially when God places something on your heart. This, God has placed on my heart...RESET Christmas. Make sure your children would be okay with one or forty gifts, and understand the real reason, and the real beauty of family and friends, whether they get something out of it or not. Love others like Christ loved, forgive as He did, and show mercy and compassion to those less fortunate than you.
When I see all this, and myself fall victim to it, the pressure starts growing on my chest. Exactly, how many presents are right? What is enough? Is this the right "name brand"? Working with youth in every aspect of my life, I find I cannot compliment a youth on their outfit without getting a full itinerary of what awesome "popular" store name they got it from. When is enough, enough??? Are Charlie Brown and I the only ones who gets overwhelmed by all of this? Showing our love, are we only capable to do that with "x" amount of presents? I know a lot of you are saying, "Of course not, the presents are not what matters, it is the family." But really lets think about this, if you told your child that this year for Christmas, we are bringing the "real reason of the season" back, and you told them that they would only get one present and it may even be homemade, will they be disappointed? Feeding into this demand, has told them, "Yes Jesus is the reason for the season, but you and all your friends will make out awesome at Christmas." Television, friends, and the world telling them that they will get a lot. Raising "material expectations". Even, if they are okay with it, Lets move forward... they go to a group function after Christmas and get asked, "What did you get for Christmas?" Right there, (and yes I even do it) Then they say their present..."Oh, that is great! What else did you get?" Right there the "one gift" is shown that it is not enough. With great intentions, your Christmas values that you try to instill in your kids, has just been belittled.
Now don't make me into any kind of scrooge, because this is my favorite time of year. I look forward to this season all year long. I love it! I love celebrating the birth of Christ! As my pastor always says, "Without the cradle, we couldn't have the Cross." I love the music, the decorations, teaching my children about His birth, the faces excited waking me up Christmas morning, breakfast and coffee that morning. Which makes my chest even heavier. I don't like having any bad feeling this time of year, this is my FAVORITE time of year! However, the world flashes my "Christmas failure" in my face more and more each year. I just want to scream! This is not what makes this season so special! The urge grows more and more to run away, go to a cabin deep in the woods and bury ourselves into family time, with no outside expectations. Reset Christmas. When is enough, enough?
I smile my Christmas smile on the outside, while inside I'm screaming with frustration at the worldly guilt, that I won't give my children a good "enough" Christmas. Constant worry, if I reset Christmas, and correct how much we have fed into this monster, will my children grow resentment toward this? Which would completely shadow even more the REAL meaning of the season. At every corner, we are told or shown that Christmas should be a certain way. Some may think that this bothers me only because we don't have much money. Well, I can assure you that even when we made more money...enough is never enough.
Some tell me to sign up for places that get you presents, but we can get some, and I don't want to take that from someone who really needs it, especially when I KNOW that is not the whole reason for the season anyways. The other day, I asked around and on Facebook what the average person spends on Christmas. There were many answers, but most popular was between $200-$300 per child, not counting other family members or Christmas parties. I know I have five children to buy for, and at that price, that would be $1,000!! That's not including school parties with food and gifts, Youth parties, food for other parties, employee party with food and gift. Then there is cards..Oh wait..we have the same bills we have had all year long. Then, I am overwhelmed struggling to get this done, rushing to meet deadlines, and just want to stop and AHHHHHHH!! THIS IS NOT WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT!!!! Like I said, I am not a scrooge. I love this time of year, and I love all the stuff we go to, and want to participate, want to get them things. I love that look when they open stuff they have wanted, but where is the balance? I want to cut things down, and truly enjoy family and people we love, and not be made to feel like I am "Failing Christmas." I want my kids to enjoy and be grateful for whatever they get, which I know they would be. However, I want them to do that without being made to feel later, or others feeling that their Christmas wasn't good enough. I want people to see that true BLESSINGS are not always material objects. Sometimes it is the fellowship that goes on between family and friends, or a hug, or a shoulder to cry on. Picking up the phone, and just maybe telling someone that you care. Showing that love of Christ sometimes in the simplest way. Taking a few blankets that if your like me, you probably have too many of anyways, to someone sleeping outside.
So what is the point of this blog? Well, I guess a reminder that we sometimes need to run against the worlds expectations, especially when God places something on your heart. This, God has placed on my heart...RESET Christmas. Make sure your children would be okay with one or forty gifts, and understand the real reason, and the real beauty of family and friends, whether they get something out of it or not. Love others like Christ loved, forgive as He did, and show mercy and compassion to those less fortunate than you.
And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Luke 2:10-14
I Hope you truly have a blessed Christmas!
With love from my Family to Yours,
<3 Cat
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