Babies, Brownies and Blessings

On our way home from soccer practice, I caught a glimpse of my past that gave me pause. Driving through town we pass our old house. It's right on the main drag and we can't get home without driving by. For the first year after selling, I looked at that house every single time passed it. It was the home that provided the backdrop for the first 12 years of marriage. We celebrated new jobs, college graduation (mine), brought home 3 babies to that sweet little 900 square foot slice of heaven. From the arched doorways to the crowned ceiling, plaster walls and phone cutouts, old hardwood floors tucked beneath nasty carpeting...not a bit of that place was untouched by our family. Tears, sweat, baby puke, big kid puke and TONS of slimy fingers. The current homeowner was in the bay window, washing it as the evening sun shone in. I was transported back in time to the many many times I had washed that window as the western sun shown fiercely, highlighting every finger print, mou...

I had a weird experience yesterday. As I as walking with my neighbor and her baby, a car came around a corner rather fast requiring us to take evasive action. Our road has lots of blind corners and whenever walking it we are on the defensive, watching for cars in front and behind. In a reactive moment, I held my hand up to the car (hand, not finger!) as a gesture to slow down a bit. We continued walking and were commenting that the car seemed to be going rather fast and yikes! In short order, that car returned and a guy in his 20s slowed down to talk to us. Assuming he was lost, I walked over to his window and greeted him. He promptly stated "don't ever hold your hand up to me, I was going the speed limit." Oh. Ok. What followed was a ridiculously disrespectful and just crazy conversation. I responded that we were walking with a baby and it felt like he came around the corner fast. My goal was just to express concern but that's it! He came back wit...

You know how it goes. Sometime in the middle of the week (or towards the end?) your husband says something like "so, what do you want for Mother's Day?" The moment of truth. Should you say something noble like- a day with you and the kids is all I want! Or perhaps something closer to the truth- an uninterrupted shower, meals planned and prepared for me, and maybe a quiet afternoon of solitude? Is one of the answers right and one wrong? Ah the guilt! I opted for honesty and said shower, meals and solitude sound perfect! And if you must, go ahead and get the obligatory hanging basket of flowers. What I didn't really think of was the little ears that were tuned into the conversation until my oldest piped in and suggested paintball tag as an option for the day (sounds like JUST the thing on Mother's Day, kiddo) So did he hear all that I was saying in that exhausted voice of mine? My demeanor definitely suggested some sort of eagerness for a break. Break f...