Truly Listening

As I was sitting and listening to JackE describe an episode of Tale Spin that he had recently seen, it greatly reminded me of just why I love him so much.  It had nothing to do with the show itself, but in how he described what he recollected of this particular episode, and the details in which he told me.  His mannerisms are out of this world and the words he chooses and his emotional expressions are spectacular!  It just continues to remind me of how much I love my little man, how proud of him I am and how extremely smart he already is at 5 years of age.  I do believe his older 15 year old siblings have quite a bit to do with his 'larger than life' personality and wisdom and I love it!!! 

It is a great reminder to me each time I stop and listen to any of my three children's recollections of their day or a story they just want to share, how truly important those moments are.  Had I not taken the time to stop and listen, I would miss out on so many things and details about their individual personalities.  I would not know my daughter's favorite bands or 'hot' guys she's in to.  I would not know just how much my oldest son likes to keep up with basketball of all sports.  Truly, it is only to watch certain teams lose, but he takes an interest none the less.  I love listening to him crack his smarty pants jokes as well.  He's such a quick witted young adult, already!!!  All the great Youtube videos I've laughed at because of them.  I look at those moments as times we shared laughter in our home together because they wanted to share with me and I wanted to listen. 

It is such a wonderful blessings and reminder to me that I have had the opportunity to share these moments with them because I chose to do so.  I am thankful that I slowed my pace and kept my patience even when JackE got overly excited and kept repeating the beginning of his story before finally getting it all out.  Had I got angry or short tempered with him, I would not have heard something that truly made him happy and in doing so, made me so happy.  I am thankful that I truly paid attention and had the opportunity to be able to even sit down with my children at any given time just to hear what they had for lunch.  A lot of times asking them what they ate for the day will lead to another fun story and I love anything I can get from them.  I am mostly thankful that they still want to even talk with me.  That they find it important at some point in the day to tell me something, anything, but just to talk with me.

I don't blog this to try and toot my horn, I blog this because tonight, while listening to JackE, it just reminded me that there have been times I am sure I did not listen when I should have and I wonder, how much have I missed?  Instead of dwelling on those moments, I wanted to be appreciative of the many times I chose to listen and have a moment with my kids.  It's one of the best feelings in the world to know I have been so blessed with three such amazing individuals.  I thank God each and every day for them and for their well being.  I thank Him for my family as a whole and I guess just in listening to my children, I am reminded that God loves me and He has blessed me more than I could ever imagine.  It reminds me that listening to my kids is so important.  Because I listen, I know 'inside scoop' with my kids and I know that a lot of times JackE loves to talk with his hands.  I know that Skyeler has a certain swallow while he's talking fast and I know that when my daughter may not be super comfortable with something, she starts to blush, but continues to talk anyway and will giggle, like her Mommy.  It's just so wonderful knowing that they still like talking with me and telling me things. 

I may not have gotten my point across at all and if anything, just made myself sound like such a self centered ninny, but I am just so glad that I have the opportunity to listen to my children and truly know them.  They may not tell me everything and maybe I don't need to know everything, but I am reminded to continue trying to keep my promise to always be there for them and to truly listen to them.  :0)

March of Dimes is upon us!!!

As a part of a family tradition, we walk every year for the March of Dimes.  We love being able to hit the street for little feet!  As a Mother of three premies, this is an organization that I hold very dear to my heart.  I would love for you to take the time to explore MoD options for yourself, walk with our team or if you are able, donate to such a wonderful and worthy cause.  This year as we walk, we will also be honoring two very special premies to our list. :0)  Two very good friends of mine, had babies born before their EDD (Estimated Due Dates) this year, but both beautiful babies are now home, happy and on their way to long, healthy lives.

http://www.marchforbabies.org/jackEsmom

Where'd ya go?

I'm very sad that people can be so quick to judge and disown you and you didn't even realize you were doing something so 'horribly wrong'.  Without warning even.  Everything seemed to be just fine, aside from the normal 'tensions', but gee.....when you just visited with that person, spent time with them, no arguments of any kind and when it was time to say goodbyes until next time, both people even exchanged I love yous.....apparently one was way more sincere than the other.  What in the world???

What really baffles me is that as a Christian, I may not be perfect, but I never claimed to be perfect.  I may not always be right either, but again, I never claimed to always be right.  I am finite, I make mistakes and I do 'dumb'.  Maybe more often than not and more often than others, but that's who I am and that's something that I pray God will help me with through my life.  I get it, I know that there are a lot of people out there that have very opposing views from mine.  I don't hate them.  I don't dislike them.  I love them.  Maybe not their views so much, but because they are open and willing to talk with me and share who they are.  I love that and I love hearing their differing perspectives, right or wrong.  It's not my place to judge them and say that I am better than they are so they are no longer aloud in my life.  If I truly feel they are doing something that is 'wrong' or shouldn't be condoned, that's when I pray more for them during my personal time with God.  Not spit in their face or make them feel bad because I disagree w/them in some way.  That's how I would want to be treated, not put down or hated and disowned all of a sudden because I'm supposedly a really 'sucky' person, for lack of better wording.

I love going to church and listening to what the bible has to say and being interpreted to me through my Pastor's words.  We had a guest speaker last week from Liberia and I have to say, AMEN!  His main points were to have patience, know that the same situation can be seen in so many different perspectives and that although our trials in life may be tough, we most likely don't even know the beginning of what is truly tough.  Especially when you think back to your Parents or your Grandparents and what they had to endure throughout their life.  I hope to never have to go through that and will continue to count my blessings even through my own personal 'storms'.  Something for this person to think about since my actions apparently seem to be on that level of horrible.  Not to say their life didn't have it's ups and downs, they really should see what they do have and be thankful and not so consumed by their anger and hate towards others and their 'sins' or being crappy people.  I really wished this person could open their eyes and see that I really do love them, really am proud of their accomplishments in their life and only want the best for them and would do anything to help them if it were necessary.    

This personal issue is just that, one of my many 'storms' of life I suppose.  This one tends to hit harder than others because the person who has decided to disown me is someone I truly look up to, love so much, am so proud of and would do anything for them and their family.  Why they never saw that or believed in me as a good person in some way, is beyond me and it hurts.  Especially because I do not even know what it was I did to upset them so much that they don't want me to be a part of their life or their families.  Not only did I lose one, but I lost those connected to this person as well.  I would like to say more about this issue, but I don't want to reveal to much and or make this person out to be a monster.  I don't think that at all.  Even though it has been made clear that this person doesn't love me anymore, maybe they never really did???  I will always love them and their family.  I will continue to be there for them if they should need me and I will continue to pray. 

Always remember to let those you love, know you love them.  Love them with all you have even if they don't respond or return that love your way.  Then hug yourself and let YOU know how much you love you and how truly blessed in life you are.  Some advice I gave once comes in pretty handy, every night before you go to sleep, think of at least 5 good things that occurred throughout your day or 5 blessings.  If you can count more, you're on a roll, but if you can at least come up with 5 positives about your day and life, then you are doing good.  Maybe you can only come up with a few, but that's still more than none and I know we all have at least 1 good positive blessing in our daily life. Then you go to sleep and end your day on a positive note and wake up the next morning refreshed and hopefully with those blessings still fresh in your mind. 

Fun Adventure Friday w/Jack

I decided on Friday that I was going to surprise Jack w/an adventure to Deanna Rose Farmstead

We had so much fun exploring the different areas!  Here Jack is 'cooking' dinner at the Indian encampment

Jack called this his 'Peetee'.  I love that silly boy!

Petting the calves at the Dairy Farm area.

Jack had to take a 'time out' for a 'serious' picture pose on the cow bench

Playing house at the playground area

We played Batman and Joker on the playground

Every time we go to the farmstead, we have to take a picture here!

Jack decided it was his turn to be the camera man

The butterfly garden was so neat and pretty!!!

 

 

The time has come when my twins are to old to go on adventures such as these, which makes me grateful that I still have a little guy around to play with.  I will not say that I am entirely sad really because I still get to take 'adventures' with my older two, just not the same kind.  We started out on this path and continue to travel the uncharted territories together and thus every new 'trip' we take is always a good one in some form or another.  As they get older their adventures tend to include being on the school football team or track team.  Watching my daughter in her school plays or listening to her sing in her choir concerts.  Taking them on various school field trips or helping them with school projects.  Just a few weeks back we took a fun weekend trip to Omaha just so they could go to a concert.  We made it so fun!  My sister and her family joined us and we added the Omaha Zoo to our itinerary.  These are adventures with my children that I will cherish forever and always and try my hardest to be part of as they grow.  By having the opportunity to do such things w/my older two, helps guide me in the same direction with my little guy.  Maybe his fun days are more extravagant than those my twins had when they were younger, but hey, I've got experience now. :0)  I truly cherish days like this when I can have that one on one time with my babies and follow them around doing what they love.  It helps me to better understand their perspective, learn the things that interest them and what they like and most of all, it allows us to bond and become closer as Mother and Child.  It teaches me that sometimes it's not just talking, but observing and listening to them as we do something that interests them.  In the end, it's something we all had fun doing together and another adventure we can add to our list of accomplishments, store it away in our memory box and start planning the next trip.  Every moment with my children is priceless, the adventure is just an added bonus! :0)  I hope you all are finding your weekends to be full of happy blessings and wonderful adventures!!! 

Spreading Love

Seems like no matter how much I try, I just can not seem to convey to my children, just how much I love them.  The sad thing is, for my twins' birthday the other day, I made them a book made out of playing cards titled, '52 Reason's Why I Love You' & let me tell you, trying to come up w/104 reasons why you love your children in a short period of time is not so easy.  Not that I don't have 52 reasons for each child, as to why I love them, but to label those reasons into minute 'titles' can be challenging.  Especially since I already have such a difficult time just trying to fully express my unconditional love for them in a way that they would truly see & understand.  I'm a very hands on & affectionate Mama.  In fact, I'm pretty sure my kids are super tired of my always kissing them millions of times throughout the day along w/tons of hugs & even 'cutie buns' pinches....yes, I still pinch my kids on the buns even though they probably think they're too old for that.  They will always be my babies w/the cutie buns & I will pinch, if given the opportunity.  All of which are signs of my Motherly love for my babies. 

My parents always said, 'You'll understand when you have kids of your own, but not until than'.....As much as I would like to say, I knew before having kids just how much my parents loved me because I loved them so much, they're probably right.  You really don't know what it is to truly love someone so much until you actually have a child of your own.  It's just a super powerful, uncontrollable, unexplainable feeling.  Up until I had kids, I could hide my emotions from the outside world, now I proudly wear them on my sleeves for the world to see.  There is not a single thing I would NOT do for my children.  If I could give them the world, I would in a heart beat, but to do so might hurt them & so, in so many ways, it's probably good that I can't.  I only want the best for my children, to keep being wonderful, loving, sincere, intelligent good people.  I've never known such unique kids like mine.  They have the world at their fingertips & it's almost like they know it, but have a huge respect for that.  I love it!  I love that about my children.  I want what every Mother wants I'm sure.  That my kids grow up to be successful & happy in life.  When I say successful & happy, sure I want them to obtain good providing jobs, but more than that, I want them to live their life.  I want to see them take on challenges & succeed, choose to do what they want & to be happy with those choices.  Sure I want to see them go off to a good college & get some awesometastic degree, but just the same, if it turns out that what they want to do in life does not require college, I will be supportive of that too....so long as it does not include surfing from one couch to the next in one home to another.  I want them to make plans & have goals they want to achieve & then to achieve those goals head on, but most of all, I want them to do it in a way that does not hurt others nor does it cheat them.  I want them to always know that through out all of their life's journey, they have God to depend on through out all of it & above everyone that they will ever know in life.  I want to see that they truly are respectful of life whether it's theirs or someone else, that they give when they have more than they need, respect everyone they encounter & show the world what it means to be a good person, not just someone who can earn a large pay check.  Although, I don't know any parents out there yet who wouldn't mind their child making good money & being financially independent. :0)  Everything I say, I'm sure could speak for every other parent out there & how they see & feel for their children.  I guess today, I just felt the need to express such feelings on my blog. :0)  Today I will yet again, make it a point to hug my kids as often as possible & squeeze them as tightly as my arms will allow, kiss em' a minimum of 7 times on their cheeks & maybe sneak in a pinch or two on their other 'cheeks'!  haha!  Hope you all have a blessed & wonderful Sunday & a great beginning to the work week ahead!

Superbowl Sunday

Good afternoon!  So the big football game is today.  Giants VS. Patriots.  Gonna be honest.  Not really a fan of either team. :0)  I am a big time BRONCO'S fan!  Denver native so it's been a love affair since birth.  I suppose the Superbowl makes me kind of sad too regardless of who plays.  It's the last game of the season & after today I'll have to wait until August/September for my football again.  I do have to admit, the best football ever would be watching my oldest son play during his school year.  Go Skyeler!!! 

So, who do I want to win today???  Well, I could say Giants because I like Eli, but they're NFC.  I could say Patriots because they're AFC, but they beat my team in the playoffs.  Eh, it really doesn't matter I suppose.  Both teams are obviously great teams w/some great players who played hard to get to the top of this season.  What I'm really looking forward to is the food!!!  I LOVE FOOD & pairing it with a fun game just says 'awesome day'!  So whether your team wins or loses today, whether you have people over or go somewhere to watch it, just remember it's a good day either way! :0)  Happy Sunday!!!

6 Words to Describe My Life

I was reading a friend's blog the other day.  If you get a chance, you definitely should check out Xiomara's page! On one of her recent blogs she had posted a gadget type of deal at the bottom of it asking to describe your life in six words.  I had commented to her that I would have to put some thought into this one & get back to her.  As oppose to hopping back on her page & filling it up w/my jibber-jabber, I have decided that this would make for a good blog.  I had been stuck in a slump this past week due to some unfortunate news I received & being that my blog page says 'Every Day HAPPY w/Siouxxsie' I guess I felt like I couldn't really blog a sad thought.  I think however, I have been able to find a way I can turn my negative/sadness around into something hopefully positive, uplifting & motivational instead.  Having said that, I will now share w/you, 2 six word sentences I came up with that to me feel very fitting in describing my life.

1. I consider my life extremely blessed ~ I think this one is pretty self explanatory, blessed is blessed, is it not? :0)  I can not even begin to add up or recall all the numerous times I have sat back & thought, "I am so blessed to have the family that I do"

"I am so blessed to have all these wonderful friend's in my life". 
"I am so blessed to be where I am in life".
"I am so blessed to have all that I have"!  But most of all,
"I am so blessed to know God & have Him in my life"!
I understand that perhaps religion isn't your thing, organized or lack there of, but for me God is everything.

Through the past couple of years, I had been learning more & more of this through various discussions I would have w/a very dear friend of mine.  We had gone to HS together, but never really kept in touch until a few years back through the wonderful world of computers.  Always so full of such insight & knowledge.  I absolutely adore him & am so amazed & inspired by his faith & just who he became as a person in general.  That was what brought me so down last week.  I had learned through friends of mine that he had passed away suddenly.  This obviously flooded my mind with so many different thoughts, feelings, emotions, you name it!  I was so crushed by the sad news & shocked by the suddenness.  I just wished him a happy birthday literally a few weeks ago.  As I sat & grieved, pouted & felt crummy, it began to dawn on me, "I am so blessed to have had him in my life, if even for a bit period of time".

"I am so blessed to continue to have him in my heart forever".
"I am so blessed that I had the opportunity to be considered a friend by him".
"I am so blessed to be one of the many people in his life that he inspired & motivated".
"I am so blessed to be able to share the things he shared with me".
"I am so blessed to know that some day, we will see each other again".

It took me a few days to come to terms with this & realize that, but I did & I am now happy again & in a better place emotionally.  I continue to pray for his beautiful family that I have also come to love & cherish.  I thank his Mom for bringing up such a beautiful person & for sharing her son with all of us.

Which brings me to my 2nd six word phrase that to me describes my life.

#2. I have been given a choice ~  YUP!  I have, it's true.  Although God, being the Omnipotent One that He is & knowing already what I will choose, still allows me to make that choice!  For a few days there, I chose to be unhappy & sad & grieve the loss of my dear friend, but then I also chose to turn it around & to be accepting, understanding & positive about it all.  I think sometimes we need to be brought to certain levels to obtain other ones.  It's like having to go without something in order to fully appreciate & be thankful when we have it, you know?  I think it's very okay to grieve, it's a part of the healing process.  I think if we try not to grieve, it only holds us back from being able to accept our loss & fully move on in our life.

I completely understand that not every day is a party full of celebrating & cheer, but regardless of how difficult the day may become, it is all in how we choose to look at it & what we choose to learn from it.  I have gained quite a bit of insight out of my life thus far & I'm always finding ways to continue enjoying this journey I am on.  Life is ours to learn, love & enjoy.  As stinky as the bad days are, I always try to find the good in them too.  It's my choice. :0)  So I suppose in conclusion, It's my choice and I choose blessed!  Happy day to you all!!!  Know that I consider myself very blessed to have you in my life.