They say there is a ‘road of life.’ (Hey, who are they anyway? I’ve always wondered that).
Anyway, if life is a road, I guess we all get to that point where we have the opportunity to drive. Obviously, you can’t start out driving, but it doesn’t take long and then BAM, there you are … on that road. Continue reading
Guess what?! Spring finally arrived this weekend. It felt like as soon as the sun was up Saturday morning, we were out enjoying it. We played soccer and then, after a few errands, some ball practice and a visit to a playground not far down the road.
Connor found one slide that he reeeeaaaly liked. He would grasp the top and repeatedly ask me, “Mom, can you see my shoe?” Sometimes I couldn’t, sometimes I didn’t really want to bend down to look and other times it was in plain sight. “Yes, Connor, I can see your shoe. What is this game again?”
After getting nice and dizzy on the tire swing, he was back in the tube. When I half-expected to crane my neck again to see his shoe, I heard him ask, “Mom, what does a-s-s spell? Does that spell ass?” Yes, yes it does, Connor. And please, don’t use that word.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I love this age where Connor is reading and sounding out everything. I’m not even mad at him for asking me what it was he was trying to piece together.
Nope. I’m mad that someone felt it necessary to etch on the inside of a slide a word that my seven-year-old shouldn’t see at.the.playground. It’s sort of like the time that he went into the restroom at a restaurant and came out asking me what f … (you know what I’m getting at, right?) spelled.
Even then, I wasn’t mad at him for asking. I was upset that someone chose to put that language on a counter in a bathroom. And it wasn’t like they etched it into the surface at a level where an adult might see it. Nope, it was at perfect eye height for an almost six-year-old.
I am all for freedom of speech, expression .. all of that. But, really? Really? I don’t know … maybe it’s healthy and good for Connor to be exposed to things like that so he can ask the question, and thankfully I was there to answer. But, then I also have to think that it might not be all that helpful because 1.) he’s seeing how common and apparently cool it is to destroy someone else’s property and 2.) words are just words that apparently should be read by everyone, especially CHILDREN. On a SLIDE.
I think we all know how I feel about words. They aren’t just that. At all. Sadly, I saw a few other words drawn into the wood and other features of the playground that I’m really happy Connor did not see to ask me about. I wouldn’t have known how to explain some to him.
Point is … I won’t be there all the time to explain it to him and as much as I’d love to keep whining about someone else’s choice to infiltrate his brain with nonsense, I might as well just do my best to make sure he knows that activity, in and of itself, is not okay with this mama and if he ever feels the need to send a message to someone else, I hope it’s a positive one.
showing the slide a little love.
I’ve spent a good amount of time thinking about the very simple act of holding hands this week. It is really quite beautiful. Maybe its beauty lies in its simplicity?
Anyway, I love to hold hands. I always have. When you think about how much you do with your hands on a daily basis, it seems … well … very utilitarian and almost, lonely. We eat. We drive. We work. But, that moment when you reach out and grab on to someone’s hand, you’re connected. Continue reading
So I said to the Lord, “You promised me Lord, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there have only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?” The Lord replied, “The times when you have seen only one set of footprints, is when I carried you.” – Mary Stevenson
Thanks to my dear friend, Lisa, for sending me this very important reminder. Love you, Lis!
It feels like we’ve been waiting for a good winter snowfall for significantly longer than we’re accustomed to here in Michigan. We even had a pretend snow day just a couple weeks back … you know, the day the world was going to end? Continue reading
On the advice of a fellow blogger, I’m going to write down a list of ten things I’m grateful for … because today, I need to. This certainly isn’t exhaustive and I jotted them down quickly as a reminder that there really is so, so much.
Hearing my boy’s sweet voice.
Soul Revival dark roast coffee courtesy of WSCJ
Agreeing, within seconds, on the place we’re going to put our Christmas tree this year. This seriously made my week last week.
Pictures with two great families in one weekend.
Dinner parties with friends and a new game, Apples to Apples.
Trying new foods with Connor … and him actually liking them.
A Celiac diagnosis at age six vs. age fiteen.
A good workout.
This beautiful weather.
Listening to someone like Lee Strobel, a former atheist and author, share his amazing journey to Christianity at a local church.
I find myself frequently conflicted over the desire for these days to pass by so quickly versus the hope that certain moments will last forever. That doesn’t make sense to you either … does it? Continue reading
Because sometimes, it’s exactly what we need.
Connor and I finished up our addition flash cards the other night and I couldn’t help but beam with pride at my boy who’s quite adept at math. I’ve mentioned it before but he just has a way with numbers … adding, subtracting, even some simple multiplication.
It got me thinking. There are things in life that need to be added and those that need to be subtracted. For some, that list is pretty small. They are in balance. For me, the list gets longer. I’m still much, much too hard on myself and I get frustrated when I feel like I know what I need to have more of and alternatively, less of, but I just.can’t.do.it. Continue reading
a brand new ending 