From the mouths of babes ...

Today I was driving home with my 8 yr old Aliya, and she allowed me some insight into why I think she will grow up to be not only a smart mom, but a caring, attentive mom.

Talk radio was on in the background (it usually is), I think it was Hannity, something was being said about Obama taking a holiday and his decision regarding the troops in Afghanistan was being delayed, yet again. There was silence for a few seconds then she quietly spoke saying "I think Obama needs to think about the soldiers families instead of going on holiday with his one. In fact, I don't think I want to live in a country where the President leads by thinking of himself and not the people he's supposed to look out for,"

It brought tears to my eyes that my child had more sense of 'what's right', than older, more experienced men do, who are in charge of running a country.

That started a discussion about how to lead, what traits he should be showing, and the consequences that will stem from his decisions. When I was 8, the last thing I was worrying about was how my country was being run! Kids seem to get old so fast these days ...

Today I also had the pleasure of going over to see an old friend I hadn't seen for a few months (and before that it had been years) They had moved back from NC, where they had moved too a few years back, brought a home, and fixed it up and are doing wonderfully for themselves. So naturally I was jealous. There's so much I want to do to my house RIGHT NOW, instead of WHEN IT'S FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE. 

And I live in an area where super moms are a whole separate species. I mean, they're amazing! I will find a cute craft, follow the directions to the letter, and my finished product turns into a 'what not to do' version of what I started out making. (I also have mismatched furniture, but that's another story. I call it my 'shabby-chic' look, because 'bits n pieces' doesn't have the same ring)

So lately I've started following a thing I dubbed 'The Blogger Mommies'. It's alot of fun, bordering on obsession, but I've actually won a few things from them. (If you're not sure how to do it, email me, I'll give you the low down) There is no bigger thrill than getting something for nothing. I was like a kid on Christmas morning when I won my first giveaway, went around telling everyone and their dog, I claimed my full bragging rights. I managed to convince my friend Katie to try them out and she is now hooked. With dial up no less. (Higher broadband is not available in her area.) 

The only downside is you start to check your email every 30 seconds, hoping another new post will come through, or you'll see those magic words "You won!" It's a physical smack in the stomach when you check and the giveaway is finished, and you came out emptyhanded.

But I have to hand it to the blogger moms, they have to spend an enormous amount of time concentrating on their blogs and keeping track of who won what, send this to them, review this and that. I don't know if I could do it. Although I AM almost tempted to give it a shot, who knows?

So, my 14 year old son has a girlfriend now. And I don't know what to think. He got his first kiss, but now it leaves me wondering, where is there to go but down ..? (No pun intended!) And then I think back to "those days", the excitement at seeing your puppy love. Interpreting every hand guesture, look or smile. Waiting for a note or present. Stolen moments together. Then I remember the heartbreak. The jealousies, the friends-of-theirs that turn on you because your no longer an item. The rumors, the anger and the pain. I don't want that for any of my kids, and I sure don't want to deal with any of it now. It was only yesterday he was learning how to say "Mum" and "ba-ba". Now he's kissing girls and asking for girl advice? And it's awful to say, but when the breakup does inevitably come, I know I will dislike this girl vehemently for being the (first) girl who broke my little boys heart. The only thing I really know how to do is to make sure there's lots of ice cream ready. 

(Does it work that way with boys??)

Well, I'll wrap up my first post, to anyone who bothered to read it (I'm flattered) and "Mum, I'll talk to you soon".

Arohanui, Joe.

Here's a picture of my adorable kids on Halloween. The tall
gangsta is the one who fell in love.