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Time to Listen Up

Personal Responsibility In Our Children

I've been thinking more and more recently about my children being "self-sufficient" & "personally responsible" adults in life. Scary, I know, considering Alyssa is 18 yrs old and I probably should have been thinking about this much earlier than now. But, alas, I haven't!

 



 

A series of events have lead to this post, the most recent being yesterday:

While I was working Alyssa (my oldest daughter) text me from school saying that she was hungry. "OK?" I thought. I respond "I'm working". She then proceeds to whine *yes, I could hear the whine through the text* about how she had been up since 6:00am, forgot her lunch, it was now 4:00pm and she wouldn't be done with practice until 7:30pm and she was *starving*.

 

My first thought was that of frustration. I mean seriously?!?! Is she for real? Did she really go ALL DAY without eating anything and now expects to have the energy to practice {colorguard}.... oh AND expects ME to stop working to bring it to her?

 

{I know the following should have been my first thought, but it wasn't, so sue me!}

My second thought was concern; after all, she IS a diabetic. Going all day without eating isn't good for anyone, but it especially isn't good for a diabetic. The horror of a low blood sugar then comes to mind.

 

But, I think the biggest thought was "Where is your personal responsibility?" and I responded as such! {I am a serious contender for mother of the year right now} "You should have planned ahead and packed your lunch and some snacks. You are 18, Alyssa! What are you going to do when you are on a college campus next year and you don't have mom to run something to you?" Her response you ask? "I dunno!"

 

Agghhhhh!!!!! I HAVE CREATED A LITTLE MONSTER! Now I do have to say, Alyssa is GENERALLY a pretty responsible & mature kid. She is actively involved with school, church, and her community. She maintains good grades, is Captain of the Rifle team for colorguard, coaches cheerleading, works with special needs children, helps me with her siblings, etc., etc. etc. She has been an active participant and day to day giver of her medical care for the past 10 years. But all of the sudden a light bulb went off for me......

 

So much of her "responsibility" is because MOM keeps her on schedule and gives her reminders. *oh, snap* Is she really going to be a self-sufficient adult? Is she going to "survive" without mom there to keep her on track? Well, duh, I KNOW she will... but could I have prepared her better? I still have 7 months before she leaves for college. It's crunch time!!

 

What about you? How have you prepared your children to leave the nest and fly on their own? HELP!

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Make A Joyful Noise

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. ~ Psalms 98:4

Tonight, our family had the honor and joy of watching my youngest daughter participate in our church Christmas program with her GAP (Girls Artistic Performance) group. This group of young ladies, in grades 4th-8th grade, praise The Lord with singing, hand bells, puppets, sign language, and more. 

This years' program was entitled:

Here is Jada-Grace with her group (Photo from my cell phone, but I have also fuzzed out the other girls in the photo to protect their identity)

Here is a quick video I shot with my cell phone during final rehearsal this afternoon: 

Blessings from the South!

Linked To:

New Life on a Homestead, The Modest Mom Blog, TwelveoEight, I Should Be Mopping The Floor, Boogie Board Cottage, Between Naps on the Porch, The Tablescaper, Nifty Thrifty, Twigg Studio, The Chicken Chick, The Heart of Your Home, The Dedicated House,

5 Things My Teenage Daughter Can't Live Without

5 Things My Teenage Daughter

Can't Live Without..... or so she thinks!



 

1. Cell Phone - Her currently model cell phone is an iPhone 4S. Like most other teens her age, it is "her life" in the palm of her hand. HA! Who am I kidding.... its "my life" in the palm of my hand.

 



2. iHome - alarm clock for iPad, iPhone and iPod that lets you charge your iPad, Phone or iPod and lets you wake and sleep to any of these or to a custom playlist. A Time Sync button syncs the clock to your iPhone to set the time quickly all while charging the device. FM radio with 6 station memory presets.

 

 

3. Dell Inspiron R Laptop with Switchable Cover - used for school work & play.

 

 

4. EOS Lipbalm - because no girl should have chapped lips and I have to say I agree. I have an EOS nearly everywhere (bedroom, car, bathroom, work, purse) Her current favorite flavor: Sweet Mint  My current favorite: Lemon Drop

 

 

 

 

5. Elite 3 Rifle - Not many girls would say they couldn't live without a rifle.... but MINE would. Not just any rifle though. It's colorguard. No bullets, all spinning & tossing! She is the Rifle Captain, so she definitely couldn't live withough her rifle. (At least in her mind!)

 



 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 



 

The Important Thing About Yelling

I cherish the notes I receive from my children—whether they are scribbled with a Sharpie on a yellow sticky note or written in perfect penmanship on lined paper.

But the Mother’s Day poem I recently received from my 9-year-old daughter was especially meaningful. In fact, the first line of the poem caused my breath to catch as warm tears slid down my face.

“The important thing about my mom is … she’s always there for me, even when I get in trouble.”

You see, it hasn’t always been this way.
In the midst of my highly distracted life, I started a new practice that was quite different from the way I behaved up until that point. I became a yeller. It wasn’t often, but it was extreme—like an overloaded balloon that suddenly pops and makes everyone in earshot startle with fear.

So what was it about my then 3-year-old and 6-year-old children that caused me to lose it? Was it how she insisted on running off to get three more beaded necklaces and her favorite pink sunglasses when we were already late? Was it that she tried to pour her own cereal and dumped the entire box on the kitchen counter? Was it that she dropped and shattered my special glass angel on the hardwood floor after being told not to touch it? Was it that she fought sleep like a prizefighter when I needed peace and quiet the most? Was it that the two of them fought over ridiculous things like who would be first out of the car or who got the biggest dip of ice cream?

Yes, it was those things—normal mishaps and typical kid issues and attitudes that irritated me to the point of losing control.
That is not an easy sentence to write. Nor is this an easy time in my life to relive because truth be told, I hated myself in those moments. What had become of me that I needed to scream at two precious little people who I loved more than life?

Let me tell you what had become of me.

My distractions

Excessive phone use, commitment overload, multiple page to-do lists, and the pursuit of perfection consumed me. And yelling at the people I loved was a direct result of the loss of control I was feeling in my life.

Inevitably, I had to fall apart somewhere. So I fell apart behind closed doors in the company of the people who meant the most to me.

Until one fateful day.

My oldest daughter had gotten on a stool and was reaching for something in the pantry when she accidently dumped an entire bag of rice on the floor. As a million tiny grains pelleted the floor like rain, my child’s eyes welled up with tears. And that’s when I saw it—the fear in her eyes as she braced herself for her mother’s tirade.
She’s scared of me, I thought with the most painful realization imaginable. My six-year-old child is scared of my reaction to her innocent mistake.

With deep sorrow, I realized that was not the mother I wanted my children to grow up with, nor was it how I wanted to live the rest of my life.

Within a few weeks of that episode, I had my Breakdown-Breakthrough—my moment of painful awareness that propelled me on a Hands Free journey to let go of distraction and grasp what really mattered. That was two and a half years ago—two and half years of scaling back slowly on the excess and electronic distraction in my life … two and half years of releasing myself from the unachievable standard of perfection and societal pressure to “do it all.” As I let go of my internal and external distractions, the anger and stress pent up inside me slowly dissipated. With a lighten load, I was able to react to my children’s mistakes and wrongdoings in a more calm, compassionate, and reasonable manner.

I said things like, “It’s just chocolate syrup. You can wipe it up, and the counter will be as good as new.”

(Instead of expelling an exasperated sigh and an eye roll for good measure.)

I offered to hold the broom while she swept up a sea of Cheerios that covered the floor.

(Instead of standing over her with a look of disapproval and utter annoyance.)

I helped her think through where she might have set down her glasses.

(Instead of shaming her for being so irresponsible.)
And in the moments when sheer exhaustion and incessant whining were about to get the best of me, I walked into the bathroom, shut the door, and gave myself a moment to exhale and remind myself they are children, and children make mistakes. Just like me.

And over time, the fear that once flared in my children’s eyes when they were in trouble disappeared. And thank goodness, I became a haven in their times of trouble—instead of the enemy from which to run and hide.

Click on this blog HANDS FREE MAMA to finish the rest of the post

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My Precious Daughters

As parents, we only want what is best for our children.

As parents of daughters, we strive to protect them like fragile pieces of china. We want them to feel loved and cherished. We want to bring them up properly and show them the best ways to live life. Here are two fabulous blogs by one of my favorite sites Club31Women that are written to parents and their daughters.

 

 

 

 

 

24 Ways to Become a Lovely Woman Printable

 

 

 

 

PLEASE JOIN ME & LINKING UP WITH OTHER BLOGGERS

BY CLICKING ON THE "TITUS2sDAYS" BUTTON ABOVE!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Memories to last a lifetime.....

So, I have really gotten away from blogging over the past year. Maybe it's because I am so busy "doing life" that I don't have time to write about it. Why is that though? Why am I so busy? What happen to the "simple life" I thought I wanted to live?.......

 

Oh, I still want it I think; there is just always something getting in the way of it. But, is it really "getting in the way" or are we busy making memories? :) There is life to be lived and memories to be made so I will continue on. There have been many things happening in my life since I did a "real" blog post and I think its silly to go back and "catch up", so I am just going to move forward. I will throw some things in along the way to catch things up though.

 

This past Friday night was the last game of our high school regular football season. We played our rival team (Hammond High Magnet) and beat the pants off of them. We expected to do it all along, but the fact that we are heading to the play-offs wasn't what made the night so special. No, it was Senior Night; that's what was special. Our "baby girl" Alyssa is a Senior and she, along with many of her friends, were honored on the field prior to the start of the game. Being the Colorguard Rifle Captain, it was also the last time she would perform for a regular season football game. Bittersweet night indeed. Earlier in the day there was a big pep-rally at the school; again, the last she will participate in. Here are a few pictures from the day.

Senior Colorguard Members

Evelyn, Alyssa & De'Ja

Performing her last HS pep rally

Senior Night Presentation

 

LAST HALF-TIME PERFORMANCE

(Regular Season Football - We Still Have Play-Offs) 

 

 

 

 

 

Type 1 Diabetes Defined

I am a pretty passionate person! When I am into something, I'm not just into it... I'm IN TO IT. One of the things I am most passionate about is an ACCURATE portrayal of Type 1 Diabetes (T1D).

Our oldest daughter, Alyssa, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the tender age of 7. Talk about a hard blow that was! There I was, 7 months pregnant with our fourth child, and WHAM!... my "baby girl" was diagnosed with the horrific disease.

I think we have "come to terms" with the diagnosis now. I mean, its been part of our lives for **gasp** almost 10 years. Its not any easier to deal with now, but we certainly are more knowledgeable and don't panic as quickly these days. We still have moments of tears, screaming fits, and bitterness about the diagnosis. Yes, not just Alyssa but me too! The pain a mother feels for not being able to fix her child's "issue" is one that can only be truly understood if you walk in the mother's shoes.

Over the years, we have "heard it all" from friends, family and, yes, even strangers about T1D. Some are just un-informed, some are mis-informed, and some are just..... well, for lack of better words: heartless idiots!!!

Here are MY TOP 10  FACTS I would like to share with you about TYPE 1 DIABETES:

1. Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease in which a person's pancreas stops producing insulin. Insulin is a hormone that enables people to get energy from food. T1D occurs when the body's immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. The body attacks itself!

2.  It has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle. Its causes are not yet entirely understood & scientists believe that both genetic factors and environmental triggers are involved. Let me repeat, It has NOTHING to do with DIET or LIFESTYLE. A T1D can eat the same thing a non-T1D can eat - that doesn't make it a healthy choice (for either) but there are technically no food restrictions!

3. There is nothing you can do to prevent T1D, and as of right now, nothing you can do to get rid of it.

4. Insulin is REQUIRED, its not an alternative. No insulin taken = Death. Its THAT simple! Some people are insulin resistant on top of being insulin dependant! They don't make the insulin needed, then when they take the insulin (via shot or pump), the body refuses to use it correctly. These people need a pill on top of the insulin.... but they still require the insulin.

5. Insulin is NOT a CURE! Refer to #3. Those with T1D need a pancreas that works properly.

6. Warning signs of T1D include:

• Extreme thirst
• Frequent urination
• Drowsiness or lethargy
• Increased appetite
• Sudden weight loss
• Sudden vision changes
• Sugar in the urine
• Fruity odor on the breath
• Heavy or labored breathing
• Stupor or unconsciousness

7. Every year, more than 15,000 children are diagnosed with T1D. It affects both children and adults, but is commonly referred to as "juvenile diabetes".

8. Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are TWO DIFFERENT THINGS! In type 2 diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the body's cells ignore the insulin. This is commonly referred to as "insulin resistant" diabetes. Type 1 = the body doesn't make insulin at all, Type 2 = the body doesn't use insulin correctly or has a reduced amount produced.

9. Some people, including my daughter, where a device called an insulin pump. This is an external device used to administer insulin into the body.

10. Having Type 1 diabetes does not stop you from leading a FULL & NORMAL LIFE! In the past 9 1/2 years since Alyssa has been diagnosed she has danced, been on the school cheerleading squad, gone to youth camps, has a boyfriend, maintains over a 3.0 GPA in high school, goes to football games, rides horses, runs track for high school, actively involved in FFA, coaches two little conference cheerleading squads, leads Vacation Bible School crafts, drives a car, goes to dances, eats pizza, ice cream and candy, stays up all night and sleeps all day..... just like EVERY OTHER "NORMAL" TEENAGER!

Please go to www.jdrf.org for more information about Type 1 Diabetes and to support research to find a CURE!

I "CAN" Knit (Kinda)

I have long wanted to learn to knit. I can do a few basic things with crocheting (nothing to brag about, mind you), but the whole two needle thing with knitting has defeated me repeatedly. Of course, I am not the most patient person in the world so I am not a good learner of this beautiful craft.

Now....

It is MY understanding that needlework is supposed to be relaxing. Well I am here to tell you that me & two knitting needles was far from relaxing! Until I found the Knitting Board! While aimlessly wondering around our local Hobby Lobby I stumbled upon it. Hmmmm, could this be my way to knit?

Knitting boards are the neatest little contraption that really do make a novice like myself appear to be a pro. My first purchase was a 10"small gauge board. It wasn't too small, but wasn't so big that it was scary.

www.knittingboard.com

With my new board and yarn in hand, I made my purchase and headed home excited to try it out. It came with a video tutorial as well as written instructions. I popped the DVD into the player and sat back on the sofa eager to learn. Can we say EASY? Seriously folks.... this is one of the simplest things I have ever done in my life!

This is what it looks like when you are wrapping the yarn on the board

All you are basically doing is wrapping the yarn around the pegs twice, back and forth, then you take the yarn from underneath and loop it over. Again, the video and written instructions are very easy to follow.

This is showing a section of the unfinished project where I changed colors

I have no idea why, but I cant get this photo to post in landscape. Anyway, this is the finished scarf I made.
(I apologize for the horrible picture. It was taken with a cell phone & laying on lime green sheets in my daugther's room)

My first attempt at knitting was a success! In less than 24 hours I had knitted a lovely hunter green and white (my daugther's high school colors) scarf that was SIX FEET LONG! Yes you heard me.... less than 24 hours and 6 feet long! Whoot Whoot!

Really want to know how easy it is to use a knitting board?....... Our family now owns 1- 10" board, 1- 38" board (for sweaters & afghans), and 2- 6" Tadpole boards. My 16 yr old daughter & 10 year old son are both working on knitting projects of their own!

I have also purchased round knitting hoops, but I haven't tried those yet. I will let you know how I do with those once I finish the scarf I am currently working on.

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Have a Blessed Day!

2010-2011 SCHOOL YEAR

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

Alyssa is a FRESHMAN at PHS

Ryan, Maison & Jada-Grace are at

Champ Cooper again this year!!

Ryan is in 4th Grade

Maison is in 3rd Grade

Jada-Grace is in 1st Grade

I pray that all of my children

have a fabulous year!

Where did the time go?

I just recently spent some time with my beautiful Godchild Kristin and she reminded me that I was "slacking" on my blogging! Kristin, who is the QUEEN of blogging IMO, posts something nearly everyday. She is dedicated to her blogging.... I however am not! :) I promise I will try to do a better job Kristin! Is once a week better for you? LOL

So lets update the past two months, shall we?:

JUNE 2010

Me & my long time buddy Jodi Dorsa (Whooten now) reconnected on FB and got to spend time together. She has a daughter, Destini, that is a little older than Alyssa and a son, Karl, that is Maison's age. It has amazed us both how fast our children have become best of friends just like she and I had always been. I am so happy she is back in my life! :))

Maison & Karl

Also, in June.... Alyssa's many 8th Grade Graduation Parties to Attend:

JULY 2010

July brought even more fun to our household!

I decided on the 4th of July, I needed to be a RED HEAD!

My Kids got to enjoy a week of VBS at church with their little brother Rhody.

And the little princess in the family turned 7. We got to celebrate her birthday at Yogi Bear with a great cake, swimming and lots of fun, family & friends thanks to Nanny Missy & Uncle Gene!