A Real Grown-Up Mommy

Today I feel like a real Grown-up Mommy! You know, those mommies who DO cool things, like have friends over and co-coach the team. Young mommies are busy changing diapers and washing baby things, and learning. I have graduated to the next level! My youngest goes into Kindergarten in the fall and my older children are going to be 5th and 3rd graders respectively. Today the youngest is with her dad for part of her summer visitation, the middle is with a friend at the mall, and the oldest is playing video games and eating pizza in his room with his best friend.
Now that the kids are getting older and cementing more long-term friendships I am seeing a new side to my little chicks. I enjoy so much watching them plan their get-togethers with their pals. There has to be just the right outfit and the perfect snacks and activities to enjoy. Does this purse match my shoes? Can we see this movie? Ahhh.... motherhood is sweet! Even with the occasional outburst and the attitude that comes with the age, these are some good times in life my friends, good times!! I just earned my Grown-Up Mommy status... I think I'll have some ice cream!

Slow Death of Small Town Life

My husband and I attended the Bolivar Country Days Rodeo a few weeks ago. It was a warm, humid Missouri night, just right for a rodeo! I always look forward to the event each year. It is a chance to run into old friends, spend some time with the family, and enjoy a little piece of my childhood. As a child I went to rodeos often and I still enjoy watching the cowboys and cowgirls compete for the winning time. The grand entrance commenced and as we watched the parade of horses and riders carrying their banners high as the strains of "America The Beautiful" played over the loud speakers. I settled in to enjoy the show. Things didn't follow the usual schedule of events when the announcer informed the crowd that we would be taking a few moments for an announcement from the arena owner. We were all there together celebrating the 20th anniversary of Bolivar's Rodeo at the Diamond 'S' Arena. Kind of a big deal if you ask me. For 20 years the Stutenkemper family has organized and hosted a family friendly event with the town of Bolivar. Some of the people attending the event that night had been attending since they were younger and now were bringing their children. So you can imagine the surprise when the announcement came that this would be the last time that we would come to this particular place for this event. I felt a moment of sadness when I thought about how an era had ended. I will never get to bring my children again. Someday when I tell a story to my kids or grand kids I will be talking about the "good ol' days" and it will truly be a time and place that no longer exist. I thought for a moment that this happens alot, the death of small town America. The small simple things melt away and all we are left with is bright lights, big sights and sounds, and lots of glitz. This isn't your grandmother's childhood anymore. I guess that is way of things. I really hope that someday the trend turns back the other way. Bigger isn't always better. I'm just sayin.

Parents

I got the chance to spend some time with my parents tonight. I really truly enjoyed it! I love my mom and dad so very much, but these days it seems like I just don't see them as much as I would like. My long hours at work and school are a factor as well as distance. They live 45 minutes away from me so it is hard at times to get together. When I saw them this particular evening, I was given the news that my Dad has been dealing with some health problems recently. It is hard for me at times to accept that my parents are getting older and that someday I will have to be without them. I really don't like facing that reality at all. I was really grateful that I was able to give my parents some advice regarding the issues based on what I have learned through training at my job. I am thankful that my education and training has allowed me to contribute to preserving my fathers health. I know that someday I will be called upon to care for my parents in their later years and I accept that without a problem. I would consider it an honor. I hope that all my training in the healthcare field somehow makes a difference in the quality of life that my parents experience. I have the best mother and father in the world and it is only the very best for them!

Vacation? Why Yes Thank You!

I am ready to take a vacation! I love to travel and I wish that I got to do more. I have big plans to make different trips around the U.S. to see all the beautiful scenery that our country has to offer. Don't get me wrong, I would love to visit exotic locations as well, but I just think that if you want to experience culture, history and natural beauty look no farther than home! I finally got my chance to visit Disneyland in California and next in line is Disneyworld! I want to visit the east coast and see the historical locations I have always heard about in history classes. I also have always been interested in Native American culture so I look forward to traveling to areas of the states that are steeped in legends and traditions.
I also wouldn't mind making a trip to Hawaii as well. I have only seen the ocean a couple of times so that is a sight I would love to experience! White sandy beaches with blue ocean stretching out across the horizon? Oh yes I think so!

When the little ones head to school

The new school year is quickly approaching and so begins a new era for our family! My littlest munchkin goes off to Kindergarten this fall! I can't believe that she has grown so quickly! As I held her today I paid special attention to all the changes. Was she this heavy when she went to her Dad's last week? She definitely looks taller, I do believe. Has she always been so grown up? Ahh... I sigh, my little girl is quickly becoming less little. Maybe if I put a few pretty bows in her hair it will slow down the process? No, No.. it just isn't "cool" mom. Well then I will just take a few seconds longer to let her go from the hugs, and kiss her still plump cheeks a few extra times perhaps. Why do little ones grow so fast??
My other two children haven't made this any easier. My son has grown by leaps and bounds and informs me that this year he will need to be dropped off before we get to the school door, and my oldest daughter is more interested in the 'tween' clothing choices than the more girlie options that I would have picked. Training bras? Oh dear, I think maybe that is more training for Mommies that need a chance to get ready for the puberty that is coming. So many big changes this school year.
It hasn't even started and I already have a list of things to prepare for this school year! But when you are a working, schooling, crazy mom of three... well lists are your life and anything not planned a month in advance is just procrastination! To all you Moms out there.. I am so there!!! Good luck to you all! I know that I am going to need all I can get!

Semester Overload!

I am so ready for a break! I don't even care if it is only a couple of weeks. I am so burned out! There is just too much going on in life right now and although I hate to complain, well, it is really really hard to get it all done and stay sane at the same time!!! I am trying so hard to keep my head on straight but I am pretty sure I will have to make it stop spinning first!
I just can't wait to finish finals and breathe a sigh of relief! I just have to get there. I wish I could say that I am one of those students that runs down the homestretch, but alas, I am not. I usually drag myself wheezing and coughing across the finish line. So, with this semester drawing to a close I must say that it couldn't come too soon!!!!

Ahh... Lazy weekend?

I spent this weekend being lazy. Well, not really lazy by most people's standards but not nearly as bad as the weekend usually is for me, so yeah.. lazy. Don't you just love sleeping in? I can't usually sleep in too late, but hey if it goes past 5:30 then it is more sleep than I usually get the chance to get!!! Every moment spent doing what I want to do and not what I have to do is a true blessing in my book! I am truly grateful for my life at this point. I have a wonderful job that allows me to go to school, I am partaking of the chance to get an education, and I have the most wonderful family in all the wide world! My beautiful children are all healthy and whole, and I have a home to go to and food to eat. I took my little dog out for a walk in the sunshine today, worked on some homework that I have struggled over for a while but today my mind was clearer and it went much better. I love life! I love my family and my friends! I am so thankful to my Father in Heaven for this life he has given me! Lazy weekends? Yes, I'll take them!

Life sucks, but the benefits are good

I am having a day today. I am betting that there are many divorced moms out there that are. I absolutely hate dealing with my ex-husband. He has to make each and every thing that involves our daughter a nightmarish ordeal. I have been driving all the way to his house practically for over a year and recently I asked for the meeting place to be moved a little closer to halfway between our homes here in town.. a mere 5 blocks away from his home. No can do.. evidently our divorce papers from when we lived in Bolivar say that if we can't agree on a meeting spot that it defaults to Bolivar. Can you believe that? So of course because I asked him and heaven forbid that he actually cooperate with anything that I ask for, he refused to meet me at the new spot. He demanded that since I didn't want to drive where he wanted that I would have to meet him in Bolivar. He even tried to call the Sheriff's Department and have action taken against me because I wasn't doing things his way. I am so mad right now!!! All the while, my little girl who I had cleaned and dressed pretty and ready to go was asking why he didn't want to come pick her up. How can I tell my baby girl that the reason is because he would rather jack with her mom than get her for his visitation? After driving 45 minutes to meet his unreasonable demands and having to bite my tongue at his self righteous smirking and jabs at my expense, I spent much of the night crying and emotionally spent from the whole mess. I considered several possibilities some of which considered hiring a hit man, I decided that I was just going to have to figure out how to raise money for a good lawyer. I just can't let him walk all over me for the rest of my life. I need to take a stand and show my daughter that I am not a doormat. I want to set a good example of compassion and love, but this is just too much! Plus she shouldn't have to see him treat me the way he does. So it is time, it is just time.

The Summer Crazies!!!

Summer... a time to relax, unwind.. and go crazy? Well Summer isn't exactly a slow lazy easy time for me anymore.. I have way too much swirling around in my fishbowl for that. I have a recurring nightmare that I will one day make the mistake of showing up at the wrong place on the wrong day. Show up to my afternoon class at 8 am instead of work, perhaps forget to pick the little one up from pre-school until you get home and realize that she isn't with you... Yeah, it is like that! I just need to get it all together. It hasn't been easy. In fact for the first time I am having to deal with heartburn!! Weird huh? I am so grateful for the chance to go to school. I am not however grateful for the chance to figure out how to make it until the fall semester loan disbursements are done. There was a glitch in the system with my summer student loan and I am not showing up in the system, so that means NO MONEY. What to do? More Tums please! Thank goodness it didn't happen with my loans for the Fall/Spring semester, what a mess that would have been. But even so.. kind of stressful for the family. Hopefully we can keep things going strong with out taking too much of a hit! Wish me luck ... and pass the Mylanta!!

Writers Block

ARRRGGGHHHH!!!!!! I am supposed to be writing, blogging, editing essays, and I have nothing good to say!!!! So frustrating!!! I just needed to vent that! So, I am going to switch gears and do some Algebra homework and maybe, just maybe inspiration will come!

Pancakes for Dinner

Hello all! I am just having one of those days where there is never enough time in the day! To top it all off, my body is not cooperating with me and I am feeling pretty yucky. When I got home from the grind today I was faced with alot of homework, alot of housework, and a looming question... what is for dinner?? I looked in my cupboard and even though I had several choices there didn't seem to be much that wouldn't take a bit of effort. I finally resorted to the old standby that my mom used to use when she was feeling tired and needed a quick fix for meals, no I don't mean McDonalds, the answer was breakfast for dinner!
Now, my kids think that breakfast for dinner is a great idea! So, when I voiced that pancakes were on the menu for tonight I got no complaints. What a relief! So, yummy pancakes with a hint of cinnamon, happy kids munching away, and a tired but happy mom because I have accomplished one thing today!!