Tuesday, May 14, 2013

The Best Mother's Day Gift (for me)



Psalm 127:3

I tried and tried to think of gifts for Mother's Day for my mom, grandmothers, and Mother-in-law, and grandmothers-in-law this year. We live 1200 miles away from all of our family, so its not quite as easy to deliver gifts--especially when you are last minute shopper like myself.

I finally decided on having several pictures printed in 4x6 size (all of the ones they can see and share on FB) and put them in a little "brag book" they could carry in their purses and look at all of the time. Of course, they loved them! My husband asked me a million times what I wanted for Mother's Day and, as always, he came up empty handed for ideas because I don't want anything. I finally asked him for a day at the beach with the family and some friends. He doesn't like the whole beach experience as much as me and hasn't been with us in years. He is always the one that carries everything and cleans everything up when we get home. That's a big task...especially when there are 5 of us! 

Anyway, we did go to the beach and it was an awesome day! I woke up that morning to him asking me what I wanted for breakfast and how I liked my coffee. I told him I would make breakfast (because I wanted more protein than a bowl of Frosted Flakes contains...LOL). I honestly didn't mind at all! As I sat and had my coffee, I read on FaceBook where one of my friends was asking for prayers for a friend of hers family. They had lost her just the day before. I also saw other friends saying they had attended a funeral service for a young girl the previous week and that they were still praying for her brother who was still in critical condition. I remembered a friend of ours passing just a few weeks ago, only 10 days after giving birth to her 4th child. 

It all just made me so grateful to have this Mother's Day with my family!

I really try to take the advice of all of those older ladies who smile at them in the store saying, "Enjoy them while they're young, Honey!" I try! I really try! Sure, they exhaust me! Of course, they make me angry sometimes! But I LOVE the memories they are helping me make! I think back to my childhood and know that my mother and grandmothers were enjoying making memories with me too!

I guess what I am trying to say is, those pictures I sent to everyone--they are just helpful reminders of this year's memories that will make the ladies in my life smile each time they look at them. And that beach day I asked for--its just another memory filled day that I can look back on and smile at in the future. 


SO what is the greatest gift you can give a mother for Mother's Day, or any day of the year? SHe doesn't want flowers. She doesn't want perfume. OK maybe she wants a locket to show off pictures of you or a mother's ring so people will ask her about you. But the absolute best gift you can give her is a happy memory!....(and maybe, a picture or two to help her remember it.)

Monday, May 6, 2013

Dancing Girl?






I homeschool my kids. This was our first year. My son was at the end of 4th grade when we brought him home, my daughter, the end of 3rd grade. Being a part of the public school system, my daughter was participating in an after school program with the high school Flag core. Since it was an after school program, she was allowed to continue with it even though she was no longer in the public school system. I was very excited because this meant that, once she was of high school age, she would possibly be interested in joining the dance team or flag core (which she could still do as a homeschooler.) This was her 3rd year to participate in the program, and she loved it! Her coach and the high school flag core members that choreographed her routines were great! All seemed well.....

Then...it happened...

Friday night, she had a recital. It is really a high school spring dance showcase, but the flag core "little girls" prepare a routine and perform at different points in the 3 hour long recital. The group of girls are from 1st-6th grade ...so honestly anywhere from 6-13 years old I would guess.
They get to sit backstage in "the black box" with all of the other performers for the 3 hours waiting their turn to get on stage. For this reason, we all stay through the entire program.

As we sat in the audience, song after song, it seemed as though it got more and more provocative (aside from the smaller girls flag core! Their routines were all simple and cute!). I realized that the hope of my daughter one day becoming a part of this program was rapidly becoming obviously inappropriate! Never mind the costumes, as I am sure you have all seen what little girls typically wear when they are "performing" in a dance recital...the dances were mortifying! I'm no prude, I have shook my behind at many high school dances, but these girls were straddling chairs and lying on their backs while putting their legs in  air then spreading them! Oh yeah, there was A LOT more than hip shaking going on! There was a number called "Prison Break" where the girls wore an orange jump suit that had to bought from one of those sex store magazines (like most everything else they wore that evening).

I felt really weird about watching it! They are 15, 16, 17 years old and should NOT be acting like this at all...much less on a stage in front of 200+ people...THEIR PARENTS! Although I thought I would get over it, I am gradually becoming more sickened by it.

Meanwhile, backstage, I find out the 6th grade girls (who I am assuming were showing out for the high school kids) were calling each other "the B word" and hitting the younger girls on the heads telling them they were annoying. Who knows what else!? I understand acting out and even thinking younger kids are annoying...but keep you dirty mouth and your HANDS to yourself!

SO...

Today was practice. I had all weekend to think about it. This was the first year she had the chance to buy her own flag, and of course we did..... She is so good at it.... I want her to have that memory of being a part of something fun in high school even though I don't want her there everyday...I have no intentions of sheltering my kids at all (well...maybe a little)....she handled herself extremely well according to her version of the story.

So what do I do?

She didn't go to practice. As much as it kills ME(she is indifferent, really), I have to put her best interests first. At the age of 9, I don't think it is in her best interest to be called "an annoying little B word" or (I shudder to think) look up to these girls that were practically having sex on the stage of the high school auditorium and being applauded for it!

I know this sounds like a no-brainer! Of course pull her out of the program! Or does it? I mean there were close to 200 kids that performed that night! Obviously, their parents think it acceptable and fine...and so does the school district! I know I will have friends that say I am being too uptight about it! So, unfortunately, I did have to think about it for a bit...it wasn't a struggle at all, but I did have to think.

You know, I was once a 16 year old cheerleader who liked to dance and shake my booty! I know this dance program encourages the students' artistic freedom. I also know, my high school cheerleading coach would have had me off the team and called my daddy if I would have come to practice and suggested we learn a routine that was anywhere CLOSE to what these girls were doing!!!
It makes me sad that she won't get to participate anymore :(....but I will get over it.


Hey! Maybe I can start my own homeschool flag core! ;)