"Mom?" "What?"

Ever notice that when you are either on the phone or talking to your spouse that your kids think this is the perfect time to tell you something that is SO IMPORTANT that it can't wait?

They all start the same way, "Mom?" "What?" They also usually hit me up with a "MOM?" when I'm driving and they are behind me.

This is just a few of the things that I had to be told, so as to avoid massive world ending catastrophes.

My Oldest:

"I learned how to braid!"

"The Air Conditioner in my class is broken!"

"When I was in the shower my butt itched, so I scratched it.  When I was scratching it I discovered HAIR, on my BUTT!"

My Youngest:

"Can we go to the park?"

"Do we have any money?"

"I love you!"

"I'm thirsty!"

"I'm HUNGRY!!!"

My Middle Child, Robert:

NOTHING!  He never tells me any little silly thing when were going down the road.  I rarely remember him interrupting me at any other time either.  It is really bothering me, so I started asking him, "Robert, did something happen today that you need to talk about?"  Almost every time, the answer is "I got a 4!" or whatever number he got that day at school for "B" points.  He thinks showing up and behaving is the most important thing, while his siblings are all worried about money and hair on butts.

I want him to notice the silly things, and I want them to be so important to him that he has to interrupt me from whatever I'm doing to tell me.  I want him to look at me, and not the floor when he's talking to me.  I want him to interact with his classmates and participate in classroom activities.  He is doing none of these things.

I want to hear, "Mom?" and be able to say, "Yes, Robert?"

I want October 11th, the day we see the Neurologist/Psychologist, to hurry up!

Pay it Forward Fridays: The Joy Jar

Every Friday, provided I'm not swamped with something kid related, I'm going to try and post a little snippet about how my family is paying it forward.

This isn't about us, and it isn't to brag.  It is a way to spark a conversation about making the world a better place.  PLEASE comment below on how you and your family are paying it forward.  Better yet, put it up on your blog and do your own Pay it Forward Friday!

The Joy Jar

I did not come up with this idea, but I am so grateful someone did.

Here's how it works:

1) Get a plastic cookie jar with a twist on lid, it should hold about 1/2 a gallon.

2) Decorate it with inspirational quotes, Bible verses, etc.

3) Pray that God will help you fill it up

4) Pray about who to bless with your Joy Jar!

5) Put your spare change in the Joy Jar without exception.

6) Bless a family in need with it, anonymously if you can.

We started in July, and ours is about 3/4 of the way full.  The kids are already trying to come up with families and charities to bless.  God will let us know when the time is right!

Now, go make your own...spread some JOY!

The Song Remembers...

We all have a song that takes us back.  Some take us back to good times, our first love, our baby's birth, our wedding.  I had one take me back to a really dark place today.

I got in the van and my usual station, the wonderfully uplifting K-Love was off the air for some reason.  I flipped to the country station and it was a "this day in history" moment and the song they played was from 20 years ago.

Twenty years ago, I had just turned 16.  I was a miserable wreck.  I thrived on drama and I hurt a lot of people. I didn't really mean to hurt people, I was just so used to chaos in my home life that I tended to create it outside of my home.  I let people use me and take advantage of me and if someone came to me with absolutely no agenda, I used them.  I would gossip and spread lies any time I thought someone I knew was happy.  I hated happiness, at least it felt like I did.  I hated love, at least I thought I did.  I hated those who loved me, and desperately sought love from those who couldn't provide it.

Of course, when I was 16 I didn't realize any of this.  That took years of therapy!  Years to realize that chaos had become a comfortable blanket, years to realize that I was being abused at home, years to realize that I didn't really hate happiness and love; I just craved it and was insanely jealous of anyone who had either.

God healed that girl, and I see very little of her when I look in the mirror.  Today though, the images of all of the people I hurt flashed before me like a motion picture.  I started writing letters to every one of them in my head, but how would I ever do that?

Can I just say:

"I'm sorry for the turmoil I tried to create!"

"I was hurting and abused and never learned how to relate to people."

"Forgive me, for trying to cause you pain."

"I'm so sorry I used you, when you really cared about me."

I guess I kind of just did!

Portion Distortion? In 1st Grade, SERIOUSLY???

Every once in a while, I get infuriated.  When that happens, I find a soap box.  Raising Little Heislers, is a great soap box, mostly because it's MINE and there is no one here to disagree with me!

My kids brought home a Portion Distortion handout from school last week.

One side, was acceptable.  It gave simple, easy ways for kids parents to figure out what is a portion.  It explained how many calories a kid (and adult) should consume in a day.  It also showed; chips, popcorn, soda, pizza, chocolate chip cookies, etc.  Most of which my kids don't eat very often (if ever) but I understand that not all parents teach their kids healthy eating habits, I also understand that not all parents have healthy eating habits themselves.

Here was has me incensed, it's the OTHER SIDE OF THE HANDOUT!!!!

There's the "What you are served?" vs. "What's one serving?" picture of a meal of a hamburger, fries and ketchup. "What you are served," is a HALF POUND HAMBURGER, a LARGE ORDER OF FRIES, and 3/4 CUP KETCHUP!  "What's one serving," is HALF of a HALF pound hamburger (a quarter pounder), a small order of fries, and 2 tablespoons of ketchup as a proper portion.

What kid is going to read the print?  Are they going to look at the pictures and think they should eat half of every meal they're given?

Raise your hand if you most think people are buying their kids half pound hamburgers!  Also, raise your hand if you buy your kid a HAPPY MEAL, which has an 1/8th of a pound patty!  How many weight conscious 3rd grade girls are going to refuse to eat the other half of the hamburger?

I buy neither, but that is besides the point!  I feed my kids normal serving sizes, but that is besides the point!  I teach my kids to make healthy choices, BUT THAT IS BESIDE THE POINT!

The point?  My health conscious, vegetarian 9 year old starts asking for half a Veggie Burger, and those of you in other states will hear a VERY LOUD and VERY ANGRY mother yelling from Central Arkansas!

The day after...

The whole world remembers 9/11/2001, and we all should.  It's a reminder of a lot of things for a lot of people, but this post is not about that.  This post is about what happened to me the day after.

On 9/12/2001:

I read a newspaper for the first time in at least 10 years.

I prayed as soon as my feet hit the floor, for the first time since I was 12.

I started paying attention to politics, both in the US and abroad.

I went to church, not because someone else wanted me to but because I needed to for probably the first time ever.

There were so many other things that slowly began to change in my life as a result of the events of 9/11/2001.  For those changes, I am a better person.  I now know what is going on, both in the world and in the US Capitol Building.  I now am involved, in political campaigns and in making the world a better place.

Because one thing happened for sure!

On 9/12/2001, I (finally) began to grow up.

Big News...

I leave for Haiti in 41 days!

I am nervous...

              ...but also excited!

                                 Vaccinations are making me sick...

                                                                                       ...that is all!