When I'm old, I'll live with my kids

I found this poem years ago and have always thought it was so funny. I hope it brings you as much enjoyment as it does me.

 

When I'm old, I'll live with my kids

When I'm old, I'll live with my kids,
and make them so happy, just as they did.
I want to pay back all the joy they've provided,
returning each deed. Oh, they'll be so excited.
(When I'm old and live with my kids)

I'll write on the wall with reds, whites and blues,
and bounce on the furniture wearing my shoes.
I'll drink from the carton and then leave it out.
I'll stuff all the toilets, and oh, how they'll shout.
(When I'm old and live with my kids)

When they're on the phone and just out of reach,
I'll get into things like sugar and bleach,
Oh, they'll snap their fingers and then shake their head,
and when that is done, I'll hide under the bed
(When I'm old and live with my kids)

When they cook dinner and call me to meals,
I'll not eat my green beans or salads congealed.
I'll gag on my okra, spill milk on the table
and when they get angry, run fast as I'm able.
(When I'm old and live with my kids)

I'll sit close to the TV, thru the channels I'll click,
I'll cross both my eyes to see if they stick.
I'll take off my socks and throw one away,
And play in the mud until the end of the day.
(When I'm old and live with my kids)

And later in bed, I'll lay back and sigh.
Thank God in prayer and then close my eyes.
My kids will look down with a smile slowly creeping,
and say with a groan. "She's so sweet when she's sleeping."
(When I'm old and live with my kids)

© Copyright April 1991
-- Joanne Bailey Baxter, Lorain, OH

 

When I'm old, I'll live with my kids

I found this poem years ago and have always thought it was so funny. I hope it brings you as much enjoyment as it does me.

 

When I'm old, I'll live with my kids

When I'm old, I'll live with my kids,
and make them so happy, just as they did.
I want to pay back all the joy they've provided,
returning each deed. Oh, they'll be so excited.
(When I'm old and live with my kids)

I'll write on the wall with reds, whites and blues,
and bounce on the furniture wearing my shoes.
I'll drink from the carton and then leave it out.
I'll stuff all the toilets, and oh, how they'll shout.
(When I'm old and live with my kids)

When they're on the phone and just out of reach,
I'll get into things like sugar and bleach,
Oh, they'll snap their fingers and then shake their head,
and when that is done, I'll hide under the bed
(When I'm old and live with my kids)

When they cook dinner and call me to meals,
I'll not eat my green beans or salads congealed.
I'll gag on my okra, spill milk on the table
and when they get angry, run fast as I'm able.
(When I'm old and live with my kids)

I'll sit close to the TV, thru the channels I'll click,
I'll cross both my eyes to see if they stick.
I'll take off my socks and throw one away,
And play in the mud until the end of the day.
(When I'm old and live with my kids)

And later in bed, I'll lay back and sigh.
Thank God in prayer and then close my eyes.
My kids will look down with a smile slowly creeping,
and say with a groan. "She's so sweet when she's sleeping."
(When I'm old and live with my kids)

© Copyright April 1991
-- Joanne Bailey Baxter, Lorain, OH

 

Silly G

T, "I was here first."
G, "Well, I was here last."

G to T's girlfriend, "S you are so ugly that your mama had to feed you with a slingshot." ~Fresh Prince quote

G to me, "Mama, your daddy was big boned-ed. He was so fat that when he went to school he sat next to everybody."  ~Fresh Prince Quote

G to DSC, "Bring those beautiful arms over here and give me a hug."

G to me, "Oooo, Mama, you smell good."

"Mama, I have a problem. Ms. C is being unreasonable. She said I couldn't take an afternoon nap. I don't know why she is being so unreasonable. I don't know why she told me that. She is not my teacher, Mrs. H is my teacher, she is just my parapro." He says this to me as I enter the door upon my return from school. He is sitting on the sofa with his angly (angry) arms crossed. He is really concerned about this situation and did not mean to be disrespectful to his parapro. He loves her deeply but was beside himself at how she could tell him not to have an afternoon rest with his Mama.

G has recently begun to ask to put cologne on before he goes to school. He wants to smell good for Mrs. H.

Silly G

T, "I was here first."
G, "Well, I was here last."

G to T's girlfriend, "S you are so ugly that your mama had to feed you with a slingshot." ~Fresh Prince quote

G to me, "Mama, your daddy was big boned-ed. He was so fat that when he went to school he sat next to everybody."  ~Fresh Prince Quote

G to DSC, "Bring those beautiful arms over here and give me a hug."

G to me, "Oooo, Mama, you smell good."

"Mama, I have a problem. Ms. C is being unreasonable. She said I couldn't take an afternoon nap. I don't know why she is being so unreasonable. I don't know why she told me that. She is not my teacher, Mrs. H is my teacher, she is just my parapro." He says this to me as I enter the door upon my return from school. He is sitting on the sofa with his angly (angry) arms crossed. He is really concerned about this situation and did not mean to be disrespectful to his parapro. He loves her deeply but was beside himself at how she could tell him not to have an afternoon rest with his Mama.

G has recently begun to ask to put cologne on before he goes to school. He wants to smell good for Mrs. H.

Opinions Can't Change the Truth

A wise man recently wrote:

Its okay to debate...we all have the right to our opinion. Its okay to disagree...there is no monopoly on being right...perspective does not distinguish truth...just position! name calling is a shallow attempt at articulating frustration... go buy a dictionary! ~ David Callahan

I love this statement. I recently received an anonymous comment to one of my posts. Well, it really wasn't all that anonymous since I could pinpoint the writer to one of two people. This person has a different perspective than I do concerning a situation that involves me and the relationship I had with my father. The interesting thing about this situation is that this person doesn't know me. We have met briefly on a couple of occasions. I wouldn't even say we were acquaintances. The person has no prior knowledge of the relationship my father and I shared other than what they have been told by another person. A person that they them self described to me in a most unflattering and negative light. The person giving them the information also has no prior personal knowledge of my relationship with my father.

In the anonymous comment the person, out of a lack to articulate their position, called me names somewhat like that of an elementary school child. They do have a right to their opinion. They should not, however, assume that they know me or anything about my character. I had a loving relationship with my dad for my entire life up until a few years ago. He was the doting father and I the devoted daughter. I loved him. He was my daddy. He did spoil me beyond belief. Not necessarily with monetary blessings (he paid only around $8,000 child support over my entire lifetime) but with time and thoughtfulness. I owe my upbringing to the man who my mother married when I was four years old. He was the one who put a roof over my head, provided a living for our family, paid for the food that I ate, and all the other things necessary for raising a family.

My dad had very limited time with me because of my parents divorce so he made the most of every minute he was given. He took me skating because he thought I needed to learn to skate. He took me to the public pool because he thought it was important for me to learn how to swim. He taught me to do both of these things while standing outside of the arena that they took place in.

I was not the only person who received my father's generosity. He was a good friend to many people. I have had countless people tell me of times when my dad gave them or someone they know money when he thought they were having a hard time. He spent countless hours helping a friend build a house. I cannot tell you the number of times he served as a pawnbroker to a friend who was having a hard time financially.

My dad lived his entire life dependent on the generosity of my grandparents. He lived with them until the time of their deaths, paying no rent and buying little food. They never complained about him living there and allowing me to live there every weekend. Why? Because that is what parents, good parents, do. They provide for their children, they give them gifts of time and money not because the child asks for it but because it brings them joy.

The person who wrote that comment to me obviously did  not have that kind of relationship with their parents as a child. For that I am truly sorry. That, however, is no excuse for calling me names or questioning my relationship with my father. They have been told many untruths without stopping to think and consider that maybe they are wrong. I too could resort to name calling because the very names they called me could very easily be used to describe their behavior. They live off my father's generosity. He told me that himself. One of them has lived rent free in my father's house for over 10 years and now it is my understanding that the other has moved a mobile home onto the property that was paid for by my grandfather over 60 years ago.

My dad was a generous man. A simple man. He was kind and many people took advantage of that fact. His personality changed when he met and married his new wife. They know the man that he became in his last 10 years of life, a man who was very different from the man that I remember from my childhood. I know and remember the man that I spent 32 years being his little girl, his only child, the joy of his life, and the apple of his eye. Sure I frustrated him beyond belief as a teenager, not because I was bad, because I never caused my parents any trouble. I was a good student, a good kid, I was and am a rule follower. Teenagers frustrate their parents--that is just what they do. It is hard to let go and let them grow up and that is one thing that my daddy struggled with. Now that I am facing the things that my father experienced when I was a teenager, I understand. It is difficult to let go. It is heartbreaking when you are no longer the most important person in your child's life. Unfortunately that is life. We are born, grow up, get married, have children, and the cycle continues.

It is unfortunate that this person can't see my point of view. They probably never will. It is outside the realm of their experience and they can't understand something so foreign to them. But that doesn't change the truth. The truth is and will always be exactly what it is and opinions will never alter it.

Opinions Can't Change the Truth

A wise man recently wrote:

Its okay to debate...we all have the right to our opinion. Its okay to disagree...there is no monopoly on being right...perspective does not distinguish truth...just position! name calling is a shallow attempt at articulating frustration... go buy a dictionary! ~ David Callahan

I love this statement. I recently received an anonymous comment to one of my posts. Well, it really wasn't all that anonymous since I could pinpoint the writer to one of two people. This person has a different perspective than I do concerning a situation that involves me and the relationship I had with my father. The interesting thing about this situation is that this person doesn't know me. We have met briefly on a couple of occasions. I wouldn't even say we were acquaintances. The person has no prior knowledge of the relationship my father and I shared other than what they have been told by another person. A person that they them self described to me in a most unflattering and negative light. The person giving them the information also has no prior personal knowledge of my relationship with my father.

In the anonymous comment the person, out of a lack to articulate their position, called me names somewhat like that of an elementary school child. They do have a right to their opinion. They should not, however, assume that they know me or anything about my character. I had a loving relationship with my dad for my entire life up until a few years ago. He was the doting father and I the devoted daughter. I loved him. He was my daddy. He did spoil me beyond belief. Not necessarily with monetary blessings (he paid only around $8,000 child support over my entire lifetime) but with time and thoughtfulness. I owe my upbringing to the man who my mother married when I was four years old. He was the one who put a roof over my head, provided a living for our family, paid for the food that I ate, and all the other things necessary for raising a family.

My dad had very limited time with me because of my parents divorce so he made the most of every minute he was given. He took me skating because he thought I needed to learn to skate. He took me to the public pool because he thought it was important for me to learn how to swim. He taught me to do both of these things while standing outside of the arena that they took place in.

I was not the only person who received my father's generosity. He was a good friend to many people. I have had countless people tell me of times when my dad gave them or someone they know money when he thought they were having a hard time. He spent countless hours helping a friend build a house. I cannot tell you the number of times he served as a pawnbroker to a friend who was having a hard time financially.

My dad lived his entire life dependent on the generosity of my grandparents. He lived with them until the time of their deaths, paying no rent and buying little food. They never complained about him living there and allowing me to live there every weekend. Why? Because that is what parents, good parents, do. They provide for their children, they give them gifts of time and money not because the child asks for it but because it brings them joy.

The person who wrote that comment to me obviously did  not have that kind of relationship with their parents as a child. For that I am truly sorry. That, however, is no excuse for calling me names or questioning my relationship with my father. They have been told many untruths without stopping to think and consider that maybe they are wrong. I too could resort to name calling because the very names they called me could very easily be used to describe their behavior. They live off my father's generosity. He told me that himself. One of them has lived rent free in my father's house for over 10 years and now it is my understanding that the other has moved a mobile home onto the property that was paid for by my grandfather over 60 years ago.

My dad was a generous man. A simple man. He was kind and many people took advantage of that fact. His personality changed when he met and married his new wife. They know the man that he became in his last 10 years of life, a man who was very different from the man that I remember from my childhood. I know and remember the man that I spent 32 years being his little girl, his only child, the joy of his life, and the apple of his eye. Sure I frustrated him beyond belief as a teenager, not because I was bad, because I never caused my parents any trouble. I was a good student, a good kid, I was and am a rule follower. Teenagers frustrate their parents--that is just what they do. It is hard to let go and let them grow up and that is one thing that my daddy struggled with. Now that I am facing the things that my father experienced when I was a teenager, I understand. It is difficult to let go. It is heartbreaking when you are no longer the most important person in your child's life. Unfortunately that is life. We are born, grow up, get married, have children, and the cycle continues.

It is unfortunate that this person can't see my point of view. They probably never will. It is outside the realm of their experience and they can't understand something so foreign to them. But that doesn't change the truth. The truth is and will always be exactly what it is and opinions will never alter it.

First Day of Spring

Today was a great day. I cleaned my porch yesterday in anticipation of spending the entire day outside today. G and I sat on the porch as my Wheat-Free biscuits cooked. We ate our breakfast sitting on the sofa outside. We watched television, I worked on some things for school, and J and I were both able to stand an egg on its end (we have photos to prove it). J managed to get his egg to stand on its small end and it was sitting on the glass top of our coffee table.That was very interesting.

I am still on the porch as I am typing this blog. I have thouroughly enjoyed the first day of spring. My sweetie put up the new mailbox complete with a new post that he bought for me last night. My wonderful son T cleaned up the patio. The birds have sang their songs to me all day and the crickets have taken their place to serenade me into the night. 

I sometimes forget how much God has blessed me, but tonight as I sit here enjoying my last few minutes of my first day of porch sitting for the season I am overwhelmed at God's blessings. He has given me the most wonderful husband to share my life with. He blessed us with two terrific boys.We are all healthy and are incredibly happy together. I have great friends who I know are there for me if I ever need them. I truly do live a sweet life.

First Day of Spring

Today was a great day. I cleaned my porch yesterday in anticipation of spending the entire day outside today. G and I sat on the porch as my Wheat-Free biscuits cooked. We ate our breakfast sitting on the sofa outside. We watched television, I worked on some things for school, and J and I were both able to stand an egg on its end (we have photos to prove it). J managed to get his egg to stand on its small end and it was sitting on the glass top of our coffee table.That was very interesting.

I am still on the porch as I am typing this blog. I have thouroughly enjoyed the first day of spring. My sweetie put up the new mailbox complete with a new post that he bought for me last night. My wonderful son T cleaned up the patio. The birds have sang their songs to me all day and the crickets have taken their place to serenade me into the night. 

I sometimes forget how much God has blessed me, but tonight as I sit here enjoying my last few minutes of my first day of porch sitting for the season I am overwhelmed at God's blessings. He has given me the most wonderful husband to share my life with. He blessed us with two terrific boys.We are all healthy and are incredibly happy together. I have great friends who I know are there for me if I ever need them. I truly do live a sweet life.

I Am

I am a little girl

Ponytails and bare feet in the summertime

Bundled up in a coat with Daddy's socks for gloves,

Shiny red boots in the winter

I am a teenager

Holding hands in the movie theater

Love's first kiss

Whispering I love you for the first time.

I am a young woman

Standing in a wedding gown

Pledging my life to another

Scared out of my mind that forever won't come

I am a new mother

Laying in a bed with my baby by my side

Terrified at the task that is before me

Making bottles and giving baths

Crawling around in the dark searching for a pacifier

Amazed that I can love someone else so much

I am a home school mom

Worried that I won't be able to teach him to read

Thrilled to have the opportunity to share everyday with my son

Frustrated beyond belief at times

Looking for my wooden spoon, again

I am the parent of a special needs child

Confident that no matter what I will love my child

Humbled by the challenge God has given me

Filled with faith that God has a plan for my son

I am a wife, mother, and student

Thankful for the opportunity to learn

Anxiously awaiting graduation

Nervous about the end of another chapter in my life

Excited about what will come next

I am A

Wife of J

Mother of T and G

Sister to Bodeen, Flopsy and Snick

Daughter of W, K, and E

I am A.

I Am

I am a little girl

Ponytails and bare feet in the summertime

Bundled up in a coat with Daddy's socks for gloves,

Shiny red boots in the winter

I am a teenager

Holding hands in the movie theater

Love's first kiss

Whispering I love you for the first time.

I am a young woman

Standing in a wedding gown

Pledging my life to another

Scared out of my mind that forever won't come

I am a new mother

Laying in a bed with my baby by my side

Terrified at the task that is before me

Making bottles and giving baths

Crawling around in the dark searching for a pacifier

Amazed that I can love someone else so much

I am a home school mom

Worried that I won't be able to teach him to read

Thrilled to have the opportunity to share everyday with my son

Frustrated beyond belief at times

Looking for my wooden spoon, again

I am the parent of a special needs child

Confident that no matter what I will love my child

Humbled by the challenge God has given me

Filled with faith that God has a plan for my son

I am a wife, mother, and student

Thankful for the opportunity to learn

Anxiously awaiting graduation

Nervous about the end of another chapter in my life

Excited about what will come next

I am A

Wife of J

Mother of T and G

Sister to Bodeen, Flopsy and Snick

Daughter of W, K, and E

I am A.

Fairy Tales Don't Always Have Happy Endings

Once upon a time in a land not so far away there lived a daddy and his little girl. The two of them adored each other and had many wonderful times together. The little girl had only to ask and her daddy would give her whatever she wished. There was nothing this man would deny his daughter except for one thing. When the girl was just a wee little thing she would often ask, "Daddy, why don't you give me a step-mother?" The dad would look her in the eye and say, "You don't really want a step-mother. Step-mothers are mean." This conversation occurred many times over the years until the little girl became a young lady.

When the little girl became a young lady the desire for a stepmother faded away. The young lady was content to have her daddy all to herself. Sometimes the man didn't know how to be a daddy to a young lady. He had been the perfect daddy for the little girl but when she began to grow up the daddy didn't always know what to do. The young lady would burst into the irrational tears of an adolescent girl for no reason. She would want to be little one minute and grown up the next. These things perplexed the daddy but in time the waves that their relationship had experienced calmed and it was once again smooth sailing.

The young lady soon became a woman and met a handsome prince who wanted to marry her and take her to a distant land. This time the daddy handled the changing relationship well and welcomed the prince into his family. After a while, the young prince and his wife decided they wanted a child of their own. Soon the woman gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. The woman's daddy was there that day just like he had been for every important event throughout her whole life.

The man transformed from a daddy into a grandfather in the blink of an eye. It was if the man was created to be a grandfather. He loved the little boy and spent even more time with him than he had his own little girl. There was nothing he would deny the little boy, except for one thing. The little boy wanted his grandfather to find a woman to be his grandmother. Just as the man had warned his daughter. he gave a similar warning to the little boy. "You don't want me to get married, for if I do I won't have time to spend with you."

All was well in the kingdom for many years until one day the man disappeared. The grandson didn't understand why his grandfather was suddenly missing. The woman and her son called for the man and searched for him but he was no where to be found. They would sit and wait for him to come riding back into the kingdom. The day finally arrived when the man returned to his daughter and grandson. He came bearing news that troubled their hearts greatly. The man had met a woman and was soon to be married. It was as if the man had forgotten his own warnings to his daughter and his grandson. Suddenly things were very different between the man and his family. He no longer came to their home everyday and didn't return the little boy's daily messages. The little boy was devastated and the daughter was hurt and confused at her father's sudden change of character.

The man did indeed get married; and just as he had warned his daughter and grandson, things never were the same. He never had any time to spend with them. He was suddenly gone from their lives. He was always busy and never took time to be with them anymore. The woman and her son tried to ride out the rolling waves of the storm but one day it became clear that the relationship was sinking. The woman navigated out of the storm to safety, in order that she might save the little boy. The man, however, stayed in the midst of the storm and they didn't see him again for many years until someone delivered a message to the woman that her daddy was very ill and had asked to see her again.

The woman, her Prince Charming, and her handsome son went immediately to the man's bedside. Things between them were as they once were and they began to make plans for things they would do when he recovered from his sickness. The man wanted to ride beautiful horses with his daughter and her son. He longed to take a trip in a beautiful riverboat with sparkling chandeliers. As the weeks passed the woman began to see that her daddy would never ride the horses with his family or sleep in the riverboat as he had dreamed.

Everyday the man grew sicker. Finally the daughter and her prince of a husband were called to the man's bedside for the last time. They stayed with the man all morning telling stories that the woman recalled from her childhood adventures with her daddy. There was the time he made her an Indian maiden dress, the time he rescued her from a majestic oak tree that had been planted by her grandfather, and the stories of all the miles the man had traveled through icy roads to deliver little red snow boots to his daughter. After a short time the man took his last breath, his heart rate slowed to a stop, and he stepped out of this world and into the Kingdom of God.

I wonder why the man refused to heed his own warnings? Why could he not have a wife, daughter and grandson all at the same time? Why did he feel he had to choose? I wonder if he ever saw the poison he was being fed by the stepmother? Why did the man allow someone to deceive him and keep him from his daughter and grandson? The only comfort in this story comes from the fact that God gave the daughter the gift of spending her dad's last days on earth with him and allowed her and her husband the privilege of being there when God called her daddy home. In the end the wicked stepmother may have succeeded in taking the daughter and grandson out of the man's life but she failed miserably at taking them out of his heart.

Fairy Tales Don't Always Have Happy Endings

Once upon a time in a land not so far away there lived a daddy and his little girl. The two of them adored each other and had many wonderful times together. The little girl had only to ask and her daddy would give her whatever she wished. There was nothing this man would deny his daughter except for one thing. When the girl was just a wee little thing she would often ask, "Daddy, why don't you give me a step-mother?" The dad would look her in the eye and say, "You don't really want a step-mother. Step-mothers are mean." This conversation occurred many times over the years until the little girl became a young lady.

When the little girl became a young lady the desire for a stepmother faded away. The young lady was content to have her daddy all to herself. Sometimes the man didn't know how to be a daddy to a young lady. He had been the perfect daddy for the little girl but when she began to grow up the daddy didn't always know what to do. The young lady would burst into the irrational tears of an adolescent girl for no reason. She would want to be little one minute and grown up the next. These things perplexed the daddy but in time the waves that their relationship had experienced calmed and it was once again smooth sailing.

The young lady soon became a woman and met a handsome prince who wanted to marry her and take her to a distant land. This time the daddy handled the changing relationship well and welcomed the prince into his family. After a while, the young prince and his wife decided they wanted a child of their own. Soon the woman gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. The woman's daddy was there that day just like he had been for every important event throughout her whole life.

The man transformed from a daddy into a grandfather in the blink of an eye. It was if the man was created to be a grandfather. He loved the little boy and spent even more time with him than he had his own little girl. There was nothing he would deny the little boy, except for one thing. The little boy wanted his grandfather to find a woman to be his grandmother. Just as the man had warned his daughter. he gave a similar warning to the little boy. "You don't want me to get married, for if I do I won't have time to spend with you."

All was well in the kingdom for many years until one day the man disappeared. The grandson didn't understand why his grandfather was suddenly missing. The woman and her son called for the man and searched for him but he was no where to be found. They would sit and wait for him to come riding back into the kingdom. The day finally arrived when the man returned to his daughter and grandson. He came bearing news that troubled their hearts greatly. The man had met a woman and was soon to be married. It was as if the man had forgotten his own warnings to his daughter and his grandson. Suddenly things were very different between the man and his family. He no longer came to their home everyday and didn't return the little boy's daily messages. The little boy was devastated and the daughter was hurt and confused at her father's sudden change of character.

The man did indeed get married; and just as he had warned his daughter and grandson, things never were the same. He never had any time to spend with them. He was suddenly gone from their lives. He was always busy and never took time to be with them anymore. The woman and her son tried to ride out the rolling waves of the storm but one day it became clear that the relationship was sinking. The woman navigated out of the storm to safety, in order that she might save the little boy. The man, however, stayed in the midst of the storm and they didn't see him again for many years until someone delivered a message to the woman that her daddy was very ill and had asked to see her again.

The woman, her Prince Charming, and her handsome son went immediately to the man's bedside. Things between them were as they once were and they began to make plans for things they would do when he recovered from his sickness. The man wanted to ride beautiful horses with his daughter and her son. He longed to take a trip in a beautiful riverboat with sparkling chandeliers. As the weeks passed the woman began to see that her daddy would never ride the horses with his family or sleep in the riverboat as he had dreamed.

Everyday the man grew sicker. Finally the daughter and her prince of a husband were called to the man's bedside for the last time. They stayed with the man all morning telling stories that the woman recalled from her childhood adventures with her daddy. There was the time he made her an Indian maiden dress, the time he rescued her from a majestic oak tree that had been planted by her grandfather, and the stories of all the miles the man had traveled through icy roads to deliver little red snow boots to his daughter. After a short time the man took his last breath, his heart rate slowed to a stop, and he stepped out of this world and into the Kingdom of God.

I wonder why the man refused to heed his own warnings? Why could he not have a wife, daughter and grandson all at the same time? Why did he feel he had to choose? I wonder if he ever saw the poison he was being fed by the stepmother? Why did the man allow someone to deceive him and keep him from his daughter and grandson? The only comfort in this story comes from the fact that God gave the daughter the gift of spending her dad's last days on earth with him and allowed her and her husband the privilege of being there when God called her daddy home. In the end the wicked stepmother may have succeeded in taking the daughter and grandson out of the man's life but she failed miserably at taking them out of his heart.

scaredy cat

My mother recently had a hip replacement. In fact, it was so recent that she is still recovering in the hospital. There were things at my parent's house that needed to be done before she comes home so my younger sister and I met at our childhood home to do some work together. It is funny but being there cleaning brought back so many memories. My precious J was working right along side us, of course. Even though there were four of us in the house it was quiet for the most part. We just happened to be working in a bedroom that my sister and I had each used as a bedroom at some point while growing up in that house. We changed sheets, rearranged furniture, took down wallpaper, and cleaned paneling. We tried to imagine how many times we cleaned those same walls growing up.

While in the kitchen cleaning I walked to the back door and looked out into the backyard where we spent so many days playing in the sun. The pine thicket where we played and built pine straw houses is now gone--the victim of one too many wind storms. The backyard that at one time seemed huge now looks small and sad. It was once filled with a clothesline full of freshly washed clothes, a swingset, and the laughter and arguings of three little girls and one agrivating big brother. Those things have long been gone from the yard and it sits now as if it is grieving the loss of those wonderful days.

I couldn't hold back the tears that flooded my eyes as I looked out at my old friend. I mourned the loss of the days that passed by much too fast, the days of butterflies, honeysuckle, and lightning bugs. I pulled myself away from the clutches of the memories that held me to the view of the emptiness and death of what was once a beautiful place of dreams and wishes. I walked across the kitchen and peered out the window, the place where my mother stood so many times and cried a mother's tears--the crying window. I, too, shed a few tears at that window growing up. It is the only window in the house that faces the crossroads just one house down from ours. To me those crossroads symbolize the paths life had to offer my mother's children. There were four of us and each of us had a different path that lead us away. So much looked the same as I looked out that window yet so much has changed.

I tried to get my sister to spend the night with me in our parent's house that night, just the two of us. After looking at me like I was crazy and asking if I was serious she said, "Do you remember how scary this house is after dark? I'm not staying here all night." The truth is I do remember how scary that house is when the sun goes down. So, I laid down on my mother's bed, looked up at the old familiar light fixture from my childhood, soaked in one more moment, and for the briefest second I was a little girl again.

scaredy cat

My mother recently had a hip replacement. In fact, it was so recent that she is still recovering in the hospital. There were things at my parent's house that needed to be done before she comes home so my younger sister and I met at our childhood home to do some work together. It is funny but being there cleaning brought back so many memories. My precious J was working right along side us, of course. Even though there were four of us in the house it was quiet for the most part. We just happened to be working in a bedroom that my sister and I had each used as a bedroom at some point while growing up in that house. We changed sheets, rearranged furniture, took down wallpaper, and cleaned paneling. We tried to imagine how many times we cleaned those same walls growing up.

While in the kitchen cleaning I walked to the back door and looked out into the backyard where we spent so many days playing in the sun. The pine thicket where we played and built pine straw houses is now gone--the victim of one too many wind storms. The backyard that at one time seemed huge now looks small and sad. It was once filled with a clothesline full of freshly washed clothes, a swingset, and the laughter and arguings of three little girls and one agrivating big brother. Those things have long been gone from the yard and it sits now as if it is grieving the loss of those wonderful days.

I couldn't hold back the tears that flooded my eyes as I looked out at my old friend. I mourned the loss of the days that passed by much too fast, the days of butterflies, honeysuckle, and lightning bugs. I pulled myself away from the clutches of the memories that held me to the view of the emptiness and death of what was once a beautiful place of dreams and wishes. I walked across the kitchen and peered out the window, the place where my mother stood so many times and cried a mother's tears--the crying window. I, too, shed a few tears at that window growing up. It is the only window in the house that faces the crossroads just one house down from ours. To me those crossroads symbolize the paths life had to offer my mother's children. There were four of us and each of us had a different path that lead us away. So much looked the same as I looked out that window yet so much has changed.

I tried to get my sister to spend the night with me in our parent's house that night, just the two of us. After looking at me like I was crazy and asking if I was serious she said, "Do you remember how scary this house is after dark? I'm not staying here all night." The truth is I do remember how scary that house is when the sun goes down. So, I laid down on my mother's bed, looked up at the old familiar light fixture from my childhood, soaked in one more moment, and for the briefest second I was a little girl again.

G and His Pal George

A couple of weeks ago when J went in to wake G this is what he found. Isn't this the most precious sight? G will soon turn 7 years old. This birthday for some reason is going to be hard for me. He has changed so much in the past year, and I am thankful for all the progress he has made. He is no longer my baby, he is my little boy. Since there is such a big difference in my sons ages I know exactly how fast they grow up. G's disability has allowed us to see him as a baby for far longer than we would have if he had been a typical child. I know it may sound strange, and even maybe selfish to some people, but in many ways I view his disability as a gift. While other children have been busy running away and growing independent at much younger ages, he has been content to sit and snuggle in his parent's company. I have been his very best friend. His MommyWife. He loves me with a love that is deep and pure and I feel it everytime I look into his sweet face.

Have I missed him being typical? Yes. I would be lying if I said I didn't. Every parent wants the best for their children. I am no different. Have I been angry? Yes. I have gone through brief moments through the years when I have been angry because my child has and will face many difficulties for his entire life. Did I grieve? Yes, every time I see a baby taking its first steps I rejoice for that child and I also mourn the fact that my child has never taken a step without some sort of aid. It breaks my heart when he says, "I wish I could ski but I don't have any skis," or "when I grow up I am going to be a dancer." But, through every day of the past 7 years God has provided me the GRACE for that moment. He gave me a gift I did not deserve, a challenge I sometimes feel incapable of conquring and joy that I cannot explain with words.

G and His Pal George

A couple of weeks ago when J went in to wake G this is what he found. Isn't this the most precious sight? G will soon turn 7 years old. This birthday for some reason is going to be hard for me. He has changed so much in the past year, and I am thankful for all the progress he has made. He is no longer my baby, he is my little boy. Since there is such a big difference in my sons ages I know exactly how fast they grow up. G's disability has allowed us to see him as a baby for far longer than we would have if he had been a typical child. I know it may sound strange, and even maybe selfish to some people, but in many ways I view his disability as a gift. While other children have been busy running away and growing independent at much younger ages, he has been content to sit and snuggle in his parent's company. I have been his very best friend. His MommyWife. He loves me with a love that is deep and pure and I feel it everytime I look into his sweet face.

Have I missed him being typical? Yes. I would be lying if I said I didn't. Every parent wants the best for their children. I am no different. Have I been angry? Yes. I have gone through brief moments through the years when I have been angry because my child has and will face many difficulties for his entire life. Did I grieve? Yes, every time I see a baby taking its first steps I rejoice for that child and I also mourn the fact that my child has never taken a step without some sort of aid. It breaks my heart when he says, "I wish I could ski but I don't have any skis," or "when I grow up I am going to be a dancer." But, through every day of the past 7 years God has provided me the GRACE for that moment. He gave me a gift I did not deserve, a challenge I sometimes feel incapable of conquring and joy that I cannot explain with words.

You Get What You Get and You Don't Pitch a Fit

Today I witnessed adults doing what I wanted to do 11 years ago--stomp where God put them. The thing I found interesting about the situation is that lots of elementary school teachers have a favorite saying, "You get what you get and you don't pitch a fit." I am not saying that all situations God allows us to go through are pleasant, actually some are very unpleasant and others are just plain painful. The adults that I witnessed today were upset, rightfully so. It was expected. The thing that struck me as I sat listening to them vent was that they were actually pitching a fit because they are being required to do something that they don't understand or agree with. Being upset is understandable; pitching a fit is unacceptable.

 
 

During the course of the conversation one of them actually told one of their children, "Suck it up. You are pitching a fit because you are not getting what you want and I don't want to hear it." I almost fell over when I heard that come out of this person's mouth. Really, come on. It made me realize the need to examine the way I handle the situations that God allows to come into my life. I have some questions that I am asking myself from now on when I find myself in painful situations.

1. Am I holding others to a higher standard than I am holding myself?
   
2. Do I expect more respect than I am willing to give?
   
3. How do others see me in this situation?
   
4. Are there others around me who are having more serious problems than me and are my actions an offense to them?
   

Maybe you might want to ask those same questions of yourself when you find yourself feeling misunderstood, mistreated, and disrespected. Most of the time our attitude is what makes a difficult situation difficult.

 

You Get What You Get and You Don't Pitch a Fit

Today I witnessed adults doing what I wanted to do 11 years ago--stomp where God put them. The thing I found interesting about the situation is that lots of elementary school teachers have a favorite saying, "You get what you get and you don't pitch a fit." I am not saying that all situations God allows us to go through are pleasant, actually some are very unpleasant and others are just plain painful. The adults that I witnessed today were upset, rightfully so. It was expected. The thing that struck me as I sat listening to them vent was that they were actually pitching a fit because they are being required to do something that they don't understand or agree with. Being upset is understandable; pitching a fit is unacceptable.

 
 

During the course of the conversation one of them actually told one of their children, "Suck it up. You are pitching a fit because you are not getting what you want and I don't want to hear it." I almost fell over when I heard that come out of this person's mouth. Really, come on. It made me realize the need to examine the way I handle the situations that God allows to come into my life. I have some questions that I am asking myself from now on when I find myself in painful situations.

1. Am I holding others to a higher standard than I am holding myself?
   
2. Do I expect more respect than I am willing to give?
   
3. How do others see me in this situation?
   
4. Are there others around me who are having more serious problems than me and are my actions an offense to them?
   

Maybe you might want to ask those same questions of yourself when you find yourself feeling misunderstood, mistreated, and disrespected. Most of the time our attitude is what makes a difficult situation difficult.

 

To Stomp or Not to Stomp

Today as I talked with a friend about our nation's current economic problems and their effect on education I was reminded of the things in life that God has brought me through. Were they what I would have chosen if I were in control—no. Did I enjoy the pain of the journey—not at all. The first big trial in my life was about 11 years ago. My dad, had been divorced and single for 32 years, the entirety of my working memory. He had dated very little during those years that I ever knew of. When I was a child he devoted every weekend to me and me alone. He took me to movies, out to eat, skating every Saturday afternoon, and swimming in the summertime. He taught me to skate and swim from the sidelines. He was always there right on time to pick me up and returned me to my mother every Sunday around 6:00. He took me to every rodeo, fair, and circus that came to town. He was mine and I was his—alone.

He walked into my home one Saturday morning and laid a wedding chapel brochure on the kitchen counter where I stood cooking gravy for breakfast. He had met a woman only a month before and I was devastated to say the least. Our relationship changed and this time it also affected my son. He was heartbroken when his Papa Cook walked out of our lives. I remember standing in the parking lot of my church talking to a friend. I asked her, "What does God want from me?" Her answer was, "He wants you to stand right where He put you." My reply was, "I do want to stand, I just want to stomp while I stand here." When I look back at those days I don't remember the pain of the situation. I remember the sweet fellowship that I had with my Lord. It was during the year that followed that I learned what it meant to trust in God.

God has brought me through infertility, the loss of two dear friends through death and many more friends during the aftermath of that tragic situation. My life has taken many twisting turns and God brought me through each and every trial stronger than I was when I went into the storm. So, I have learned to enjoy every moment that God puts me in. The future isn't something we can control. I am so thankful that God has taught me how to stand in the midst of a storm without stomping.

To Stomp or Not to Stomp

Today as I talked with a friend about our nation's current economic problems and their effect on education I was reminded of the things in life that God has brought me through. Were they what I would have chosen if I were in control—no. Did I enjoy the pain of the journey—not at all. The first big trial in my life was about 11 years ago. My dad, had been divorced and single for 32 years, the entirety of my working memory. He had dated very little during those years that I ever knew of. When I was a child he devoted every weekend to me and me alone. He took me to movies, out to eat, skating every Saturday afternoon, and swimming in the summertime. He taught me to skate and swim from the sidelines. He was always there right on time to pick me up and returned me to my mother every Sunday around 6:00. He took me to every rodeo, fair, and circus that came to town. He was mine and I was his—alone.

He walked into my home one Saturday morning and laid a wedding chapel brochure on the kitchen counter where I stood cooking gravy for breakfast. He had met a woman only a month before and I was devastated to say the least. Our relationship changed and this time it also affected my son. He was heartbroken when his Papa Cook walked out of our lives. I remember standing in the parking lot of my church talking to a friend. I asked her, "What does God want from me?" Her answer was, "He wants you to stand right where He put you." My reply was, "I do want to stand, I just want to stomp while I stand here." When I look back at those days I don't remember the pain of the situation. I remember the sweet fellowship that I had with my Lord. It was during the year that followed that I learned what it meant to trust in God.

God has brought me through infertility, the loss of two dear friends through death and many more friends during the aftermath of that tragic situation. My life has taken many twisting turns and God brought me through each and every trial stronger than I was when I went into the storm. So, I have learned to enjoy every moment that God puts me in. The future isn't something we can control. I am so thankful that God has taught me how to stand in the midst of a storm without stomping.

Funny Things From the Mouth of G

1. Tonight as we were preparing to go to bed he told J that he was upset. He said, "Look Daddy, I have tears in my eyes."
   
2. As we were attempting to get him to pray tonight he said, "Daddy I am so upset with you. You washed my hair and now I don't have who hair anymore." I asked him if they told him he had who hair at school and he said, "Yes." I asked if he wanted me to cut his hair and he said, "No, Mama. I don't want Ms. Casey to be upset. She loves my Who hair." (Today was Dr. Seuss' birthday—that is where the idea of Who hair must have come from.)
   
3. Last week we were standing in line at Wal-Mart when he looked up at me with the most adorable look and sweetly said, "Mama, you are so hot I could plant you and grow a whole field of y'all. (~Fresh Prince of Bel Air)
   
4. His newest pick-up line he is using is, "Girl are your feet tired; because you been running through my mind all day long. You know what I'm saying?"
   
5. Yesterday he was attempting to con someone into sleeping with him. He said, "Mama let me think about it. I am trying to decide who will GET to sleep with me tonight. I can't decide who I am going to pick." I said, "G I am not sleeping with you tonight. I will sleep with you on Friday." He quickly responded, "I think I will pick Trey. I will let Trey sleep with me tonight."
   

   
    

   
   

 

 

Funny Things From the Mouth of G

1. Tonight as we were preparing to go to bed he told J that he was upset. He said, "Look Daddy, I have tears in my eyes."
   
2. As we were attempting to get him to pray tonight he said, "Daddy I am so upset with you. You washed my hair and now I don't have who hair anymore." I asked him if they told him he had who hair at school and he said, "Yes." I asked if he wanted me to cut his hair and he said, "No, Mama. I don't want Ms. Casey to be upset. She loves my Who hair." (Today was Dr. Seuss' birthday—that is where the idea of Who hair must have come from.)
   
3. Last week we were standing in line at Wal-Mart when he looked up at me with the most adorable look and sweetly said, "Mama, you are so hot I could plant you and grow a whole field of y'all. (~Fresh Prince of Bel Air)
   
4. His newest pick-up line he is using is, "Girl are your feet tired; because you been running through my mind all day long. You know what I'm saying?"
   
5. Yesterday he was attempting to con someone into sleeping with him. He said, "Mama let me think about it. I am trying to decide who will GET to sleep with me tonight. I can't decide who I am going to pick." I said, "G I am not sleeping with you tonight. I will sleep with you on Friday." He quickly responded, "I think I will pick Trey. I will let Trey sleep with me tonight."
   

   
    

   
   

 

 

Snow Angel

Today as I stood in the hallway at school something from outside caught my attention. I turned to see what it was and became immediately mesmerized by the sight of snowflakes the size of quarters filling the air. My students looked at me with pleading eyes and I willingly told them to gather in front of the glass doors leading to the playground. Some got down on their knees while others stood quietly behind them. There were lots of whispered oooo's, and ahh's as we all stood there watching the frozen miracles float to the ground. It was truly a magical moment. How many people get to share such a sweet moment with 16 little darlings all at one time? Well, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar but even they don't share it with sixteen 5 and 6 year olds.

That is one thing being placed in Kindergarten has shown me. I have learned to look for magic in everything. Their innocence is so amazing and precious. Children grow up way too soon these days. I am sure that not all of the children in my class live fairy tale lives by any means. I am sure they have their obstacles and difficulties like everyone else who lives in this world. The difference is that at 5 years old you are able to put the cares of life aside and see the beauty of the miracles unfolding around you.

My dad had the excitement of a child when it came to snow. I have never met anyone who loved snow more than him. When I was younger I thought that he loved it because he wanted me to be able to experience the magic of playing in the snow. He always arrived at my house (he and my mom were divorced) when it snowed. He always had a pair of red rubber boots with him when he knocked on the door. I never wondered if he would come. I only wondered when he would get there. We would sometimes play for a short time in the snow together before he left and sometimes he would simply deliver my boots and leave. I always felt special wearing my nice new rubber boots; a special gift from my dad.

Today on my drive home from school I started thinking about my dad. He passed away this past summer. While he was in the hospital he talked about how he hoped it would snow this winter. He was always ready for a good snow. He often wore a shirt that said "Let it Snow". As I began to think about Daddy and the miracle of today's snow I couldn't help but think how much he would have loved to see and experience the snow that we were blessed with today. It was then that it hit me. I saw a clear picture of my dad standing in front of Jesus. He was saying, "Could you let it snow today?" I realized that my dad has not missed all the snow we have had this year. He has experienced it in a way that is beyond my understanding. I can't help thinking how ironic it is that the winter after his passing we have had more snow days than we have had in many years. So with tears on my cheeks and a heart full of love I find myself wondering just how much snow we will see before this winter is over. After all, I now have my very own snow angel.

 

Snow Angel

Today as I stood in the hallway at school something from outside caught my attention. I turned to see what it was and became immediately mesmerized by the sight of snowflakes the size of quarters filling the air. My students looked at me with pleading eyes and I willingly told them to gather in front of the glass doors leading to the playground. Some got down on their knees while others stood quietly behind them. There were lots of whispered oooo's, and ahh's as we all stood there watching the frozen miracles float to the ground. It was truly a magical moment. How many people get to share such a sweet moment with 16 little darlings all at one time? Well, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar but even they don't share it with sixteen 5 and 6 year olds.

That is one thing being placed in Kindergarten has shown me. I have learned to look for magic in everything. Their innocence is so amazing and precious. Children grow up way too soon these days. I am sure that not all of the children in my class live fairy tale lives by any means. I am sure they have their obstacles and difficulties like everyone else who lives in this world. The difference is that at 5 years old you are able to put the cares of life aside and see the beauty of the miracles unfolding around you.

My dad had the excitement of a child when it came to snow. I have never met anyone who loved snow more than him. When I was younger I thought that he loved it because he wanted me to be able to experience the magic of playing in the snow. He always arrived at my house (he and my mom were divorced) when it snowed. He always had a pair of red rubber boots with him when he knocked on the door. I never wondered if he would come. I only wondered when he would get there. We would sometimes play for a short time in the snow together before he left and sometimes he would simply deliver my boots and leave. I always felt special wearing my nice new rubber boots; a special gift from my dad.

Today on my drive home from school I started thinking about my dad. He passed away this past summer. While he was in the hospital he talked about how he hoped it would snow this winter. He was always ready for a good snow. He often wore a shirt that said "Let it Snow". As I began to think about Daddy and the miracle of today's snow I couldn't help but think how much he would have loved to see and experience the snow that we were blessed with today. It was then that it hit me. I saw a clear picture of my dad standing in front of Jesus. He was saying, "Could you let it snow today?" I realized that my dad has not missed all the snow we have had this year. He has experienced it in a way that is beyond my understanding. I can't help thinking how ironic it is that the winter after his passing we have had more snow days than we have had in many years. So with tears on my cheeks and a heart full of love I find myself wondering just how much snow we will see before this winter is over. After all, I now have my very own snow angel.