What I Never Thought

What I never thought about several years ago-- telling my son to "just take my car" to basketball practice when the roads are covered in snow.


What I never thought about when babies were sleeping soundly in their bassinet next to my bed-- falling into bedtimes without a goodnight, just a quick "time for bed", hollered up the stairs.

What I never thought about when I was up to my elbows in toys and clothes and packs of diapers-- packing up the last of the baby clothes for good--or at least, for a long season of growing kids up until their kids need them.

What I never thought about when I was thirty, that when I was forty, my heart would hurt at the faint memories of baby curls and squeals of glee and jibber jabber with Disney Junior playing in the background.

What I never thought about...I wish I had--because then maybe, I wouldn't have wanted it to go by so quickly.

And maybe it wouldn't have.

And maybe I'd handle all this growing up a little better.

When Your Kid is Golden: Mama Drama Monday

I learned a lot this weekend. I hate to admit it, but it was in the setting of youth sports. And I hate to admit that because I despise how important that setting has become in our family's lives. Mainly, I despise it because of the emotions, the politics, and the injustices that occur more often than not. It seems like no matter how hard we as a family try to be level-headed and team players, we always find ourselves swept up in the political current of youth sport drama. And it sucks.

You know how Scripture often talks about the refiner's fire, and how you have to take the heat to come out on the other side better--like gold? While I have found myself far from the finished product (actually, this weekend I may have taken a couple steps back into the fire's core), I have this kid who's shining bright.

This kid.

I get so wrapped up in the woes and heartaches of the siblings on either side of him, that I hardly take the time to tap into his heart. But, Someone has been there all along, working and refining and polishing him to this unbelievable shine.

When I see injustice--my son says, "It's just a game, mom." But yet, he gives 110% when he's in the "game".

When I see someone else gaining the favor that he truly deserves--my son only compliments the kid without a sliver of envy.

When I see an opponent get a base hit to first where my son plays, and we grumble--my son gives a fist bump to the opponent and says, "good job".

Geez. I felt like a lump of coal this weekend sitting next my shiny boy in the front seat of the car. Youth sports had gotten the best of me, Mama Bear emerged, and the fair/unfair banter in my head was loud and obnoxious.

Yet my eleven year old took it, tossed out the crap and held onto the gems of the day.  I mean, he's got his flaws...not saying that he doesn't feel the sting of disappointment. Actually, the day started off that way. He came up to me disappointed in the start of the game. Which is probably what triggered my own downward spiral. BUT, what he did with that disappointment revealed all that I learned this weekend.

Now, he's starting his first day of summer camp...what he so excitedly refers to as, "the highlight of his summer". I am so happy for him. That he gets this time to spend with friends, and God, and goodness.

THAT is what his shiny heart truly deserves. Praying he comes back rested and ready to show his mama up, once again. ;)

A Plea for Our Super Hero: Cystic Fibrosis Needs A Cure

Ever known a super hero?

He always has a great attitude.
And wears his vest twice a day at least!

Ours is a little guy, with blonde curls, a bright smile and eyes that sparkle at the mention of his friends, his God, and his family. Also add ice cream and baseball to that list.

My family is close friends with his family. The second grade super hero has battled Cystic Fibrosis since he was days old. Yesterday, our super hero went in for his eighth surgery. 8 surgeries in 8 years? The kid is amazing. He is the life of the party and has enough energy and joy for two boys!

You would never tell that he is sick. That his lungs don't work properly, and that he spends his mornings and nights day strapped to a machine to keep his chances of health high. Nope, this kid is an amazing little guy and a great testimony to living life to the full e.v.e.r.y d.a.y.

My nine year old, T, loves hanging out with him. He recently hooked up our Wii at their house the night before the surgery so our super hero would have something fun to do while he recovered. 

T has come to me twice now in tears that he wants to cure his friend. That he just wants him to grow old and have kids. That the doctors need to work harder, and that he wants to give all his money to the CF foundation.

Dickens and our super hero!

"What if the doctors are missing something? What if it's simple?"

"I want to find a cure."

Maybe God is planting a calling in my child? Maybe he will be that doctor? Maybe he will cure his friend? One thing is for sure, he has a heart bigger than his nine year old body and feels things deeply. Especially for those he cares about deeply.

T and his super hero with lil bro. No touching water,  just pretending.
C.F. kids can't risk the bacteria in lake water. 

One day, God will use that for amazing things.

Maybe T will be C.F.'s worst enemy? Maybe my son will become a super hero with a cure. Only in the shadow of our super hero today.

A future super hero?

Right now though, I hope that everyone who crosses our super hero's path, feels the urgency to make that advancement in medicine, that need for scientific research, that chance for a super hero boy to grow into a super hero grandpa.

Today, the median survival age for a person with C.F. is close to 40. That's not acceptable. In a time as advanced as we are scientifically and medically, we need to fight harder.

Learn more about Cystic Fibrosis HERE 

Check out your area for the Great Strides walk near you. I know lots of people out there enjoy walking and exercise...do it with a purpose! 

This is my plea as a mom of a kid who has a huge heart and love for his friend, and also, as a friend of a family who live with C.F. every moment and make the most of life every day.

Christian Rumor: Mama Drama non-kid-induced

Our kids are being raised in a 'brave, new world'..and brave being used in the most loose way. I mean, seriously, spouting opinions about anything under the sun has become as widespread as inquiring to a new friend, "Where'd you grow up?"

Any delusion I may have had as a young mother assuming my kids would gradually be exposed to the ways of this world is obliterated in my current role as extinguisher-of-all-the-crap-my-nine-year-old-hears.

The child really is a sponge. And there are a lot of over-saturated sponges walking around his school telling him things about this big bad world. It's been a tough go of it, especially since he fears that a certain candidate will win and ruin the country (at his age, I was worried that the girl across the street would find a new best friend. Geez).

*BTW I strongly see his point on this* HOWEVER, something I came across today really put this phenomena of worldly topics reaching my kids ears (and hearts) in a whole new camp, and a dangerous one at that.

When a rumor is told, fiercely spread nationally, and a whole group is motivated to fan the flame, I am on a major defense and have to do my best to dig out the seed already planted in their little brains. And what makes me ferociously mad, is when the rumor-spreader is part of a Christian agenda.

Do you realize, Mr./Mrs. Christian Movement Maker, that you are crushing your witness to the world? You might be gaining steam politically or socially, but you are hurting the next generation in the most devastating way.

You are teaching my kids to judge (think there's a Bible verse on that) and alienate themselves from places where they might just make a difference.

You are running the risk of my children to not trust God's people. And that God's people are not trustworthy. And when that happens, they believe lies about God's people and God himself.

No Christian, no matter how well-intentioned, how desperate, or how popular, should associate with a rumor. If anything, Christians should be the first to stand up against the lies, the hate, the deceit. More and more, especially in election year, I see the mass quantity of falsities being spread indiscriminately. We have to sift through lies to even catch a glimpse at truth. And what's most scary, is how I see many people not being bothered to doing that, so they are constructing a false world around them, a flawed opinion that's gaining ground in taking over the young minds after us.

It's ugly and it must be stopped.

Stop believing rumors, Church. Start standing for truth, even if it doesn't puff up your agenda and it brings innocence to a non-believer. As my grandmother used to say,

The Truth's the Truth.

Let our kids grow up knowing that, first and foremost.

Putting the Smack Down on Video Game Addiction: Mama Drama

You know, it's hard to parent these days. I know. We have technology like no other generation, and
our kids have grown a sweet tooth for virtual candy.

I have always struggled with what the limit should be...first with T.V. , now with MineCraft, Disney Infinity, Lego Dimensions, iPhone Apps, IPad play...yeah it goes on and on.

Honestly, I've done it to us. I am the one who handed my kids the video game platter. I bought the stupid plastic.

But, I am at my limit. After a long winter of gaming, I have decided to pull the plug (sorry for the cliche...but I literally just went around the house and did that to the computer and the xbox.)

Here are my top reasons:

7. When my baseball loving kid would rather sit on the couch and play virtual basketball instead of going to practice

6. When my swimmer throws a fit before swim practice because he'd rather "relax and play the xbox with his brother"--yes, and he uses the "brother unity" card to get mama's heart soft. Brotherly love? Eh...

5. When the kids just can't get a long after a long bout of gaming because they "kill" each other, sabotage each other's MineCraft creations, run upstairs in tears because they hate their brother for all the turmoil he's caused their world.

4. When video game time is up and World War III explodes because of the emotional weaning from game world to real world.

3. When I teach Sunday School, and other zombie children fill prayer request time with MineCraft talk. No way? Yes, way.

2. When Sunday night is mental breakdown and stress drama because they forgot about the homework Mama kept asking about ALL weekend...but they got plenty of time to defeat that world and try a gazillion other games.

1. When real life is seen as breaks from video game time. No, reading a book for 30 minutes does not mean it is a good break from gaming. 

You break from life with entertainment, not the other way around.

So, my boys will walk into the house today, with a big notice at their feet, and I will hang it up on the wall for a reminder. We've got to work on real life character, attitude, responsibility around here. Yes, there will be kicking, screaming, and gnashing of teeth, but caving to my reluctance for more Mama Drama is not going to benefit my kids at all. It's time to put the smack down on gaming. Lord Help Me!

Kid-"Friendly" Charging Station

I have loved the idea of a charging station for all our devices. It helps me keep track of not only my phone, but my kids' phones/ipods. The only thing is, it makes such a mess on our counter top with all the cords everywhere. So, Pinterest to the rescue! I took some ideas from boards, and created my own charging station inside a cabinet in the kitchen.
I also reminded the kids to ASK! The rule around here is, you have to ask to remove any device from the station.:)

Old Shoes and Broken Toys

His toddler shoes next to his big boy shoes.

Isn't it weird how material items can bring forth such deep emotional stirring? As I filter through the stuffed closets and the overflowing dresser drawers in preparation to sell the house, I come across old memories in the form of tiny shoes and broken toys. And they're not specific memories, but memories of a little toddler whom I loved with all my heart, the little boy who blessed me first as a mother. And then to think that was just the beginning, and these material items which I sadly let go of eight years later, were part of each of my sons' lives, adding color to the faint visuals that creep forth into my mind.

His fourth birthday

His ninth birthda

Cherish, I must. Cherish each inch that keeps them below my chin, because soon, I will be looking up into their maturing faces wondering where the time has gone. Yet, I already do this-- wonder where the time has gone-- and I am still looking down, nurturing and rearing.

Thank you, Lord, for the constant reminders in old shoes and broken toys. For reminding me that these moments are precious, and my hearts will one day walk away to the great wide world. One day, I'll "de-clutter" a lifetime of giggles, bruised knees, wrestling matches, snuggle wuggles, and I pray that my heart can handle the flood.

As I type this, my nine year old complains to me that he has no socks left...and I quickly respond, "go get some of mine, they fit."...they grow so fast!