One Is Growing Up Fast

So, JoJo is 13 years old now and just this past year we have experienced a growing interest in going to parties and spending more time away from us. As always, we do most things together as a family, so to have one of us gone at times is getting to be more and more common with him growing up so fast.

We have heard about a 13th birthday party for JoJo's friend the past few days. We couldn't really plan much else for this evening. We did drive him to the party about 15 miles to another neighboring city . The party was actually for a friend's daughter, she would act as chaperone, along with several other adults.

It seems so strange to drop him off and to watch his confidence as he exits the car to along his own way. This is much different from the little boy we knew a year or two ago. He was much more attached to mom and dad and much less likely to go any place where he had to be left. It just goes to show the maturity that takes place as time passes and slowly watching our only son grow up right before our eyes.  We don't want to miss one little bit of his growing up, but since he's maturing so fast emotionally and physically, it's getting harder and harder for us to keep up.

We will continue to take the opportunities that we get to spend time as a whole family, while also understanding that "one" is growing up and beginning to venture out and finding his own independence.

LET IT RAIN

The routines associated with our everyday life can sometimes get boring and predictable. There are so many things that you can do as a family to out smart some of those predictable days.

Tonight a very very hard rain overshadowed our usual nightly tv programs. It came up all at once, enough to make all of us stop and say "Wow, listen to the rain". So, Joe and I decided that instead of laying on the bed and watching CNN News for the next 30 minutes, we would instead go outside and play in the rain. We gathered the kids up and went outside to enjoy a few minutes outside. The kids were excited because we were excited about our spontaneous family fun. Did I mention that it was free?

So, we ran in the down pour, up and down the driveway. Standing with our arms spread to the world and allowing the rain to consume us, while we screamed with laughter. Over and over again, until we were tired of running, we laid down and experienced the feel of the rain falling from above. We actually outlasted the rain and when it finally begin to slow, then we gave in to the ending of our spontaneous, free, not so normal family fun.  

We should never allow the everday hustle and bustle of everyday life to consume our lives so much that our family suffers. Remember the kids, remember yourself, because we all can benefit from some fun every now and then, and especially from veering off the path of what is expected and accepted as the "routine". Until the next rain, our minds will continue to ponder new ways to get off the beaten path and try something new, something exciting, something fun!

Children & The Church

Today started out beautiful for us. We went to visit a new church today, after being invited by my Aunt several weeks ago. We have a church that we attend regularly, but have been entertaining the idea of visiting other churches.

We enjoyed the service alot. It was actually a day for Baptism at the church. It turns out that 8 people were baptised today. Several of them children and one who had been an elder in the church for years, but wanted to be sure that he was in fact saved. I had often wondered about children being baptised at an early age and if it were necessary for our little angels who are so innocent.  In my own experience, I changed my thoughts against in any way questioning this when JoJO came to me at the age of eleven to tell me that he had been saved at Wednesday night Bible Study. I was blown away. I asked him right away if he knew what it meant to be saved? He spoke to me about asking Jesus into his heart, and believing that he was raised from the dead. He asked me if he could be baptised. I was so thankful, that JoJo was able to make the decision for himself, so I supported his decision. Joe and I went and spoke to the Pastor and he was baptised.

JoJo is very strong in his spirituality, at the age of 13. He continues to actively participate in the church. He loves to sing in the choir, usher, give the announcements on children's sunday, and even pray. I am thankful that he is finding his own way spiritually and will not hesitate to ask us or the pastor when he does not understand.

The experiences that we have had with JoJo has made us stronger as parents and even made us stronger in our spiritual growth.

"A Little Child Shall Lead Them"

Isaiah 11:1-10

10 Things To Help You Relax

Take the time to find other methods of relaxing, before committing to taking medication to help you relax. Finding time to relax may be under your own control and these relaxation tips are without the side effects that may come with taking certain medications.

Many parents, both moms and dads find that taking care of a family drives the need to have some relaxtion time outside of doing cleaning, cooking, working and taking care of the kids.

Take the time to take care for yourself, get some alone time, and relax! You will appreciate taking the few minutes to focus on yourself and your own well being.

10 Relaxing Things You Can Do!

1. TAKE THE DAY OFF

2. TAKE A WALK

3. GET A MASSAGE

4. TAKE A HOT SHOWER

5. WATCH A MOVIE

6. TAKE A DRIVE

7. TAKE A BUBBLE BATH

8. VISIT A SPA

9. READ A BOOK

10. TAKE A NAP

Work Vs. Home

Those working hours sometimes get the best of me. I'm not home until very close to 10 p.m. every night. I am employed as a Shipping Supervisor for a Pharmaceutical Distribution Center. The demand for medicine continues on until the last box has shipped out the door.

It's a pretty demanding shift right now, but its worth the glory of helping to achieve the goal of our same day shipping to our consumers. It gets even demanding sometimes with the on call weeks of filling Emergency orders.

So, right now its somewhat hectic with the schedule and getting home to finish the days work for the kids. It hasn't been as bad since summer is here and not having to rush the kids off to school.

Joe is ready to hand over the reigns to me once I get home at night. Ziah is growing even more demanding in the last few weeks.

For now, I will continue to what it takes to make sure that our family is well supported. Until then whatever it takes I will maintain the strength I need to successfully balance the two.

Mommy Duty

For all the mother's out there, do you ever wonder what would happen with those small things that you do for your children, if you were gone? I mean, gone, as in passed away from this life.

I thought about some of those things today when I was doing laundry for the kids, washing and folding their clothes in their own personal stack. Sure, that's also something that many men do for their children, but it's when mom is around to do those things that makes part of the comfort of being protected and cared for in a way that only a mom can explain. It may seem so unimportant to some, but as a mother, I can't begin to explain the importance I place on what seems so small. Just to think that if my children were around anyone who could do those motherly things, would they wash and fold my children's clothes, just as I do? And place them neatly in a personal stack to put away.

I can only imagine the joy I would probably feel to look down and see someone taking on that task, if only just for a sleepover, it'd be such a comfort. Think of those children who have lost a mother. Should they come over, if only for a short period of time, what are those motherly things that you could do to help fill the void of their loss. Even those things that may seem so small, may mean the world to a child who has lost their mother. When we become a mother, the feelings, the love, the comfort, and most of all those motherly instincts to care are automatically given to us to provide, not just for our own, but maybe comfort to another.

Sour Days

Some days it seems that we wake up with the weight of the world on our shoulders. Strange how fast the mind and emotions can overtake your entire perspective on any particular day. Just a day like any other it seems, until your mind begins to wander and pick up bits and pieces of what it sees as obstacles, issues, strains, and barriers in your life.

What's funny is there's nothing really that you can do to prevent the mind from wandering into such arenas. It's a part of life and a part of what we will all experience during this lifetime. We have to work stronger than the mind to not allow these deceiving wanders to drive us into a state of unrest.  Sometimes the mind will speak to you, you get a thought "oh, its ok, everything will be alright". That's the part of you that is now in conflict with the mind who tells you, "oh how bad things are for you". This part of the mind drags you into a state of sadness, depression, and feelings of despair. You have to be strong enough to fight, strong enough to allow the other part of your mind to speak to you and allow you to make a sound judgement to know that what you are feeling and thinking will only be for a short time, for tomorrow the mind may win the fight with conflict, and all is well.

Sour Days May Come Today and Brigher Days May Come Tomorrow. Which Will Win The Conflict Is The Question For The Day?

30 Minute Satisfaction

What a whirlwind of a day work was today. It was end of month dollars, dollars, and more dollars. Meeting the monthly/quarterly budget, means kicking it in overdrive. I was exhausted the moment I walked in the door and got a glimpse of the chaos.

Joe and the kids showed up at lunch time, with a family lunch for all of us. I enjoy being able to spend at least a few minutes of my work day sitting down with my family. We discussed the day and what updates on the day or other issues that I may like to know. The kids enjoy it alot to get to come to my job and sit down for a little while. Ziah of course has her own mind and would rather be exploring the place to see what she can find. This was my 30 minute satisfaction for the day. What a delight! I enjoyed every minute of it. It actually helped me to complete the other 4 hours of my day!

"MONDAY FEVER"

And here comes "Monday Fever" again. Most people who work outside the home begin thinking, on Sunday, about returning to work on Monday. The weekends generally include "our" time. Time to clean, walk, laugh, play, dance, sing, and cook, if we like. Some choose just to sit around and savor the free time. It never seems like the weekend is enough time to get in everything that we would like to do, it would sure be nice to get another weekend day off. 

Monday's here, and I dread Monday's so much that I always, always get "Monday Fever". Actually feeling drained before the work week has even begun. Dreading to go into work and face the back log of worked that was left on my desk the week before. Oh, and the Leadership training courses, not so thrilling on Mondays at all! It is so hard to comprehend that my weekend is over, I always sleep longer than usual, attempting to get one more day of  "sleeping in", if I chose to do so. Getting up to dress for work is even a challenge, one that takes me all the way up to the minute of running out of the house to ensure I make it to work on time to prepare for my startup meeting. Maybe it has alot to do with the routine.

Even though I make it through my Monday, it never stops my allday feeling of "Monday Fever". Tomorrow is always better. But, if I had a cure or motivational tactic to outsmart that "Monday Fever", I will have invented the cure for, "just not wanting to work on anybody's Monday"!

4TH OF JULY

Holidays are a great time to get together with family and go over the events that have happened since the "last" time. The 4th of July is always an enjoyable day. This year was soo....HOT and HUMID. That's our Tennessee weather, almost unbearable, but the party goes on.

The annual 4th of July cookout, always at moma's the past 15 years or more and at least half the neighborhood shows up to join in the celebration too. We already have a huge family but to look around and see all the family additions that we made in a single day, unbelievable.  Momma's house has always been the gathering place for fun and laughter. .

We always start with a massive amount of Bar B Q. This is just the beginning. As hot as it is, somehow we manage to eat under the big shade trees at momma's and gradually watch the host of children, who are part our own and then part the neighborhood's, anticipate the sun going down to shoot the best part of their fireworks. Until then, explosions continue to pop here and there, even if they can't be seen much in the daylight. The kid's love this day as much as we do.

When night arrives, it seems to turn into total chaos with fireworks going off on every corner of the neighborhood, children and adult children running rampant in an effort to create the best display. Yes, the adults are as much a part of the firework competition as the kids. It lasts for hours, at least up until 1 or 2 a.m. and even then, most have to be coached by the police to stop shooting the fireworks, as cutoff is always 11:00 p.m. It's a yearly thing, no big deal. After, the police riding around the neighborhood quite a few times, most finally get the picture and decide that another 4th of July has come to an end.