"Imagine Me..."

Doesn't he look like a little missionary? Love this kid!

Mommy Moments

There are times when I feel like I really stink as a mom.

I'm not patient enough.

I sometimes lose my temper and yell at my kids.

I huff at them. A lot.

I've even resorted to rolling my eyeballs at times.

Yes, it's true. Sometimes I'm a downright terrible mom. But you know what? Kids are the best thing in the world and it's no wonder the Lord wants all of us to be just like them. In my new favorite book, "Spiritual Lightening" M. Catherine Thomas pointed out the fact that children are given a special ability to forget bad things really quickly, to forgive easily and to bounce back. I realized how true that was a couple of times recently. I was less than patient and far from gentle and loving with Melody one morning before school and I hated myself when she climbed the steps to the bus after having such a terrible morning with me. I prayed the whole day worried that somehow I was going to crush her spirit with my perfectionistic ways. Then, she came home, happy as could be. The morning was forgotten (by her, not by me. I still felt terrible!) About a half an hour after she got home she came to me, hugged me, and said, "This is for you, Mommy."

My heart melted. I was so grateful for the gift of repentance and forgiveness, even between a terrible mother and her strong-willed daughter.

Last night Roman was digging in the trash, pulling out stuff I had thrown away. This is a pet peave of mine and I have gotten in trouble many a time for throwing away Happy Meal toys and other such 'treasures.' Anyways, I huffed and grumbled at him for digging through the trash as he scurried away with an armful of Melody's graded assignments from school. A little while later he proudly presented this picture to me. He explained it was me giving him a hug. [I tried not to care that he drew me so GINORMOUSLY compared to himself, but whatever! :) ]

These are the Mommy moments that give THIS real-life Mom hope that maybe, just maybe, I'm not totally screwing up afterall. Every mom has them. What are some of yours?

Formula W

I was reading in the Church News an article about President Monson's address to young college-aged adults. I loved this clip:

"Formula W is interesting:

'Work will win

when wishy-washy

wishing won't.'

...The happy life is not ushered in at any age to the sound of drums and trumpets. It grows upon us year by year, little by little, until at last we realize that we have it. It is achieved by a body of work done so well that we can lift our heads with assurance and look the world in the eye." (Churh News week ending January 17, 2009)

The Backpack

I went to pick the girls up from the bus stop yesterday and I see Leah lugging off this big brown backpack. "What in the world?" I'm thinking. So she drags it over to the van, gets in and I ask her whose bag that is and why does she have it?

"Mr. Martinez (her teacher at school) said our family could have it. It's full of food!"

I feel the heat come to my face. "Leah Noelle, what did you say to him that made him give you this back pack?"

She looks at me knowing full well that she is in big trouble. "Well, you didn't give us snack after school yesterday and I told Mr. Martinez and asked him if he had any food."

ARE YOU KIDDING ME????? Of course I rush home, look all over the house for his phone number, call him up and explain to him that there is in fact PLENTY of food in the Fine household and thank you anyways, but we really don't need this bag full of non-perishable food items and it should go to another family who needs it. Of course he doesn't believe me and insists that we keep the food.

Leah was happy as could be that we had a backpack full of snacks. I made chocolate chip cookies for after-school-snack today. I will never let this girl miss another snack again!

A neighborly surprise

So my neighbor called this morning and told me to meet her at the fence (she's a 70-something-year-old lady who lives next door). Well, I go to the fence and she comes out of her house with her hands behind her back and a funny look on her face. "Don't get mad," she says, "but Roman brought me a present yesterday." She then brings her hand forward and opens it up revealing five of my tampons! All I can do is stare at them and laugh as I feel my face turning red. She goes on, "He had them in his pocket and came over yesterday telling me had a surprise for me. He pulled them out one by one and told me they were for me. Don't be mad at him. He doesn't know what they are." I laughed and laughed which she seemed to think was a strange reaction. But at that point, what else could I do? Oh boy oh boy oh boy....I just LOVE my son!

Lucky...Hunter...Felix...BANDIT!

Jimmy brought home a surprise last night for Melody. Meet Bandit, the new family addition. He's gone through several names, but it seems like Bandit has stuck. He's a cutie but I can't wait until it's warmer outside so he doesn't have to stay in the house anymore. You know me...it's a hair thing.

Spa Day!

I've been promising the girls a 'spa day' for several weeks and finally made good on it today. They invited a cousin and friend over so there was five in all. We created four stations...a warm foot jacuzzi followed by a massage by Mom, a hand bath and fingernail painting, cucumbers and a facial mask, then fruit smoothies. The girls had a good time gIgGlInG and feeling pampered. They didn't quite get the hand of the 'relax and be quiet' part, but I loved watching them interact with eachother. My only question when it was all over...When is it Mom's turn?