The Purpose of Motherhood

There is a story about three stonecutters, each chipping away at a large block. A passerby approaches the first stonecutter, “Excuse me, what are you doing?” The stonecutter replies rather gruffly, “Can’t you see? I’m chipping away at this big hunk of stone.” Approaching the second craftsman, our curious person asks the same question. This stonecutter looks up with a mixture of pride and resignation and says, “Why I’m earning a living to take care of my wife and children.” Moving to the third worker, our questioner asks, “And what are you doing?” The third stonecutter looks up, his face shining, and says with reverence, “I’m building a cathedral!”

They all have a purpose to their actions, but some see deeper. They see the final product and what they are doing now to achieve that product. The meaning of our actions come from within us. When we have the purpose of our actions in our mind as we do the mundane things of life, they really don’t seem mundane. Each action we do is a piece to our main goal. We need the small steps to get us there, but have to keep our vision in mind. When we have that vision and purpose, the mundane is then filled with love and purpose as well.

AARGH!!!! Alternately titled: "Things That Grind My Gears, part 7 Billion"

Here’s another list of crap that just hacks me off. Clearly, I don’t get out all that much. And, I probably should just take a Pamprin and call it a day.


(I apologize in advance if any of you loyal readers do this stuff but I suspect, if you do, you do it ironically.)

To pedestrians who take their time walking in front of your car in a parking lot:

Is this your sad little attempt at power? Like even though you know my big metal machine can squash you like a bug, you assume I won’t actually hit the gas and do it. Are you double-dog daring me? Cuz’ you don’t want to do that….

To people with vanity plates:

I heart Salad. (I actually saw this one, I swear.) Really? You “heart” salad? And you think I give a crap that you do? Do you just want me to know you get all the roughage you need in your diet? Why would anyone spend extra money on such an inane license plate? I bet you have a grey ponytail. Don’t trip on your Birkenstocks on your way into your Iyengar yoga class, you tool.

Just as bad as this is the wiener (yes, I said wiener) who gets a vanity plate that makes no friggin' sense to anyone else. I do not need one more thing that confuses me in the world and screw you for making me sit and stare at your inside joke at a stop sign.

To people with the cartoonish family stickers on their minivans:

It’s all I can do to not draw anatomically correct appendages on you and your stickman husband. I understand having family pride and whatnot, but please.  Give it a rest with adding your 42 cats and fish and gopher.
Oh, and as an aside, I don’t give a crap if your kid is an honor student. Either they got someone else’s DNA or they cheated.

To the people who decorate their car for holidays:

What. The. Hell?

To the spammers on blogs (or “Spaggers” as I call them):

I believe there is a Blog Spam Factory in China for this (ironically it’s probably right next to the Apple Factory). But, for Hell's sake, learn English and/or even TRY to know the type of blog you are throwing your crap on. I feel the need to respond to just a few here:

From Peliculas Torrent:

“You recognize therefore significantly relating to this subject, produced me for my part believe it from a lot of numerous angles. It’s one thing to accomplish with Girl gaga! Your personal stuff’s excellent. All the time maintain it up!”

Hello Peliculas! Is Girl gaga our new pet name? So cute! And, believe me, dear friend, I do intend to all the time maintain it up. Thanks for the tip!

XOXOXO

Erin
From Diablo 3 gold grind:

“diablo 3 gold get diablo 3 gold here”

Diablo, really, put the roach down and think it through.

Yours,

Erin
From Pinterest Friending:

“Hello my family member! I want to say that this article is awesome, nice written and include almost all significant infos. I’d like to see more posts like this.”

Mr. Friending, I am on to you….by pretending to be a family member, you are hoping you will partake in the extreme wealth and title that will be doled out upon my demise. Well, my good man, I will demand a DNA test, so be warned!

Litigiously yours,

Mother Mayhem, Esq.

Thank you for allowing me to vent my displeasure. You are all my emotional equivalent of a high colonic.

Not so secret, but seen by all.

A woman on a television show I was watching last night shared something that I have thought about all day. She was talking about joining a weight loss group and how one of their quotes was, “Whatever you eat secretly in your home is still seen by all”. I thought about how true that is with the habits and examples that are set in the home, and then reflected out in public. We think no one will see, but the things we do become parts of who we are.


I am pretty strict about my kids saying thank you during and after meals. Food around here doesn’t drop down like mannah from Heaven. It takes work to buy it and then more work to prepare it AND then even more work to clean it all up. My family needs to recognize and appreciate the meals that they have been given. They are WONDERFUL about showing this type of gratitude. Even for the meals that they don’t find favorable, they still will say thank you for some aspect of it. AND it’s not just me that gets the praise either, if someone helped make a salad, dessert or even a drink, it is recognized. If we go out to eat, hubby and I are always being praised by all for taking us out. Our family LOVES food and we try to always be grateful for it! Now this is something we do “here in our home”.

YET, it has become a habit for my kids to show gratitude when they are outside of our home. Time and time again I have been told by friends, teachers, and people how mannerly my kids are. My kids probably aren’t even thinking twice about it, they are just in the habit of doing it. A habit that was started in the home and now is seen by others.

The problem herein lies, that bad habits can be picked up at home as well. And heaven only knows we have quite a few of those around here too. The things done in our homes are never really secret. They are pieces of what makes us who we are on the inside AND on the outside.

Goodbye 2012 -- Hello 3013

I'm not big on year end recaps. If you read my blog or know me in real life, you know what I've been up to. You don't really want to read it all over again, do you? However,
since I haven't posted in FOREVER, I've decided to do up this little post.

Favorite Book, Album, TV Show, &; Movie of 2012
It's always hard for me to choose only one of something, but I'm going to do it.

MOVIE

The Dark Knight Rises

Well, duh. Obviously, I love Christopher Nolan and all of his Batman films. This one, the last of three, was by far the best movie of 2012. It's definitely the one I was most anticipating. It didn't let me down. I was on the edge of my seat from the moment it started until the very end. I hope they continue the story in some way in the future. If not, I'll just watch these three over and over again. Long live the Caped Crusader!

BOOK

I've Got Your Number, Sophie Kinsella

This isn't the best book I've ever read. It's not deep or heartfelt. It's not even a compelling page-turner. It's simply a funny, light read that had me in tears from laughing so hard. I actually snorted out loud several times. Sometimes, you just need a good fluff book to brighten your days, and this one did just that. I loved it so much.

ALBUM

"Some Nights"  by F.U.N  

I don't know how anyone can listen to this band and not enjoy them.  I can listen to their songs over and over and over again......and quite often at the top of my lungs.  Just a really great band.

T.V SHOW

This was a bit harder to narrow down, but I think my top 5 favorites (in no particular order) were:

1.  Hawaii Five-0
2.  Modern Family
3.  Flashpoint (so sad it ended this year)
4.  Chicago Fire
5.  Touch

OK, that's last year.  But what about this year??

I'm not a New Year's resolutions kind of girl. I always make a list of goals I'd like to accomplish. I never complete every item on my list, but that's ok. In the end, my goals are a reminder of what I'd like to do not what I have to do.  This year, instead of a long list, I'm choosing to focus on three words.

•Positivity

I've always been a positive person. I tend to see the glass as half full, not half empty. In 2013, I refuse to let the negativity of others bring me down. I am choosing to focus on the good.

"Our attitude toward life determines life's attitude towards us." -- John N. Mitchell


•Spontaneity

No lists. No clocks. No calendars. Run out the door and do something fun.. just for the hell of it.

"It was tragic how life had sucked her down to the bones, all her spontaneity, her laughter and freedom had vanished. I knew then that I didn't ever want to be like that. Whatever happened, life was something too precious to give up on so easily." -- Belinda Jeffrey, One Long Thread


•Determination

There are a lot of things I want out of this life. Sitting here thinking about them won't do me any good. If I want something done, I've got to do it myself, and do it now.

"Let us not be content to wait and see what will happen, but give us the determination to make the right things happen." -- Horace Mann

Cute as a button? Really??

Why do people say “cute as a button”? I’ve literally never seen a button and thought “HOW CUTE”. If anything it’s barely functional. It’s like saying that you’re “adorable as velcro”.  Or "sweet as a zipper."  "Fascinating as a safety pin". Although, I guess it’s better than “cuter than a bug’s ear”.

I mean, come on.  It’s hard not to be cuter than an insect appendage.

I just looked it up. It says “cute as a button” is short for “a button quail”.  What’s a button quail, you ask?  Well apparently, it's terrifying looking.....like a poultry demon.  Go ahead and google it if you don't believe me.

It’s like if Satan…was a bird. Except, now that I think about it, Satan is supposed to be super hot and tempting to make you fall for his lies and pretty words, so maybe in a round-about way it all makes sense.

”Your baby is as cute as Satan.”

I want that on a greeting card.

I Believe

I believe in God

I believe that music, not love, is the universal language.

I believe in boys opening doors for girls.

I believe in keeping your shoes on in public places.

I believe in listening to music and dancing while cleaning.


I believe fall is the best season.

I believe in spontaneity and surprises.

I believe car chases make any movie better.

I believe in eating lots and lots of licorice.

I believe young books make the world a happier place.


I believe a hug cures everything.

I believe in watching sports with the boys.

I believe you can never take too many pictures.

I believe in t-shirts and blue jeans.

I believe that pj pants are the most comfortable  in the world.


I believe in soul mates.

I believe in high heels and lip gloss.

I believe in the healing power of a good cry

I believe in rolling my eyes when the situation calls for it.

I believe in correctly spelled words and proper grammar.


I believe some things are better left unsaid.

I believe in always keeping people guessing.

I believe that a camera and a good book are a way better gift than diamonds.

I believe a Dr. Pepper a day keeps the madness away.

I believe Elvis has the greatest voice known to man.


What do you believe?

I'm a bad mom and so are you. Get over it!

Have you ever noticed there are a lot of parents that would rather spend their time talking smack about other parents rather than focusing on their own kids? Or maybe they focus on their kids a little TOO much? There is a not so fine line between being proud and being really damn obnoxious.


Seriously what is with all this BS parenting pressure that we have to tiptoe around topics and exude perfection? Who decided that? I bet it was someone who doesn’t have kids.

Oh you know the type! Those non-breeders that give you the disapproving look when your kid is losing his/her mind in Walmart.

Or better yet that new parent who is watching you freak out over your older child doing something you SWORE they would never do and you feel that judgment being passed. They look at their sweet little newborn and think, “That will never happen to me.” Well buddy, your time will come too because I said the same darn thing! We all did.

Anywho…

It is a tough job no matter if you work, stay at home, married, single, got five baby daddy's, have a special needs child or have it all seemingly together. I think everyone could benefit from just accepting that parenting is hard and we all lose our mind. It is okay to not be a perfect parent!

I don’t care if your kid is smarter, in a better class, wears better clothes, is healthier, has a busier schedule, eats better or comes from a “good” family because my kids rock anyway. My kids will mess up. They are going to make mistakes. They are going to say the wrong thing. They sure as Hell will embarrass me. They will fail at things. They are going to do things behind my back. But when it comes down to it I will be there for them no matter what. I will accept them on bad days as well as good. I will help them through those stumbles, falls and breaks and we will all learn from it together. I’ll be the rock, the softie, the hug, the acceptance, the boundaries, the unconditional love as well as the frustrated parent.

My children will never be perfect. I will never be a perfect Mom. Life would be boring if we pretended to be anything other than exactly who we are… and that is a perfectly flawed family full of love, laughter, screw ups and a hint of sarcasm.

Oh and my secret ingredient is Dr. Pepper, chocolate and the occassional snuck in bubble bath. So raise your glass ladies and gentlemen. Cheers to sucking as a parent!