Today is Larissa's 15th birthday. That is insane. It was 15 years ago that I gave birth to one of my many miracles. I can remember it almost like it was yesterday. I remember the long intense hours of labor and the first time I laid eyes on her. I remember thinking how small she was and how fragile she was. Well she is still small and fragile...to an extent. She was 4lb and 7ozs and she was about the size of a cabbage patch doll. So much so that we have her picture of her on Halloween in a cabbage patch doll carrier that one of the nurses had found. Wow...15 years ago. Where does the time go? I remember her first day of day care and her first day of dance. I remember her first day playing soccar and baseball...sports are still not her thing. I remember her first day of kindergarten and then middle school and then high school. I remember the long wait to bring her home from the hospital. The daily trips to the hospital. I also remember the phonecall letting us know that she would be coming home that day. So many memories, so much time and it all seems like it was yesterday.
Today she celebrates her 15th birthday but I celebrate 15 years (and counting) of being blessed with an amazing daughter. A daughter that sometimes blows me away with the way she handles life. Seeing her develop into a young lady has really blown my mind. Don't get me wrong, she is a teenager. She yells, pouts, rolls her eyes and pissed me off daily. She makes mistakes and bad choices just like any other teen too. But her choices in friends, the way that she treats them, her choices in boys and the way that she expects to be treated is just incredible. She just knows things that it takes years for grown woman to learn. Maybe she has learned a few things from her old mother after all. I mean, the only reason I know so much is from learning from my mistakes. I have made many mistakes in my life and the knowledge that comes with getting myself back up and on track is just overwhelming. I try to share all of my learning experiences (that are appropriate) with my daughter but usually just assume that it is going in one ear and out the other. Her actions tell me otherwise though and maybe some of it does sink in though.
So I will enjoy today and know that she is growning and will one day have a life of her own. I worry about the choices she makes about her future, maybe that she isn't taking it seriously enough, maybe that she doesn't understand the responsibility that comes with growing up. Then I look back at me at that age and realize that I had no idea of any of that either. I did grow up though, I did work and get my own place. I learned responsibility. I think that I turned out pretty good if I can say so myself so I will have the same faith in her. A 15 year old beautiful sophomore in high school. I look at her and think that I had to have done a good job raising her. I dread her no longer needing me one day but I know that she will always be my little girl and I will always be her mother.
Thank you God for an amazing daughter.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
To Blog or Not To Blog....
...that is the question. I started this blog to keep everyone informed with what is going on with our lives but I guess it has turned into somewhat of a diary for me. My mission of reaching out to everyone at once really isn't working the way that I had intended. Since it's therapeutic to actually sit here and type though, I will continue.
Let's see what has been going on since I last wrote !
LICE, LICE & More LICE
My poor little guy, CJ went through a torturous week this past week. He came home Monday with head lice from day care and it was a battle all week long to try to get each and every last nit out of his hair. If any of you ever end up with lice, call me and I am sure that I can give you recommendations and tell you what you should do. We used Nix, olive oil, mayo, vinegar and some other store bought thing. We washed sheets, pillows, clothes and blankets. We sprayed mattresses, couches and carpets. We bagged decorative pillows and stuffed animals. I don't know how I am still sane but they are finally gone.
Larissa's Birthday
Things have been falling into place nicely. We have the hall, centerpeices, favors, dresses for the girls. All duties have been handed out. Songs and readings have been picked. Readers have been picked. Dress rehearsal scheduled. My mom is making her dress so I don't have to worry about that. I will be picking up her bible, tiara and bouquet this week. Oh, and invites should be done tonight and mailing tomorrow. (I am really behind on these...so not like me)
My Mom
Obviously you know that my mother is coming back if she is making Larissa's dress. She is coming next Wednesday night. I am really excited about her coming back. I have missed her so much and her making Larissa's dress makes it even more special. I fear that we will end up back at the same place after she has been here a while but I am optomistic that the time and relaxation she has had in Portugal will return her with a clear head. She will be returning to Portugal in January for my aunt's surgery and for her recovery. She plans on staying there for a while and once again will not have an official return date. I personally think that her plan is to stay 6 months here and 6 months in Portgual, allowing her to spend half the year with all her kids and grandkids. But she has not officially said that to me, it was just the way that has been talking about things that have led me to believe this.
Me....
I have been on a decorating kick. Slowly I have been getting things for my family room and this past Saturday woke up with tons of energy. I finally moved all of the toys out of the family room and into the play room where they belong. I was able to put up the end tables that I got from another mommy for $10. I was going to spray them black but got tired and decided that I would just put them up the way that they are (silver). Turns out that they look pretty good so I think that I might leave them that way...at least until I get bored with them again. I also put up the table lamps that Ana found for me at yard sales. I like the way that the two different styles look and balance each other. I might still search for a matching set but for now they look really nice. I also painted an area rug. Yes, you heard me right. I am weird, what can I say. I got the idea from a DIY magazine and went for it. I started by painting a 5" border around the edge. I had planned on doing more to it but I just let it dry and decided that I really liked it simple like that. So that too will stay that way until I get bored with it. The simple black has a classic look and it will go with the color changes in the room that I will inevitably go through. I have a coffee table that was another find too. I have it upstairs in my room but don't like it there so it will probably end up coming down to the family room, which is where it was originally intended for. I have black stain that I bought a while back for something else so I think that will be the treatment of choice for that table. It will be a great table to have family game night because the sides fold up for more room. I just need to make sure that CJ doesn't pinch his fingers on it. That is my biggest fear.
So other than that, I am trying to get into couponing. Not very good at it yet. I don't have much patience for it but that is because I don't really understand it quite yet. I am sure that time will fix that. Haven't done much scrapbooking but tons of ideas in my head. Trying to think ahead to Christmas already and that is about it. So I have to go back to my lists for Larissa's party and see what else needs to be done that hasn't been done already. Talk to you guys soon.
Let's see what has been going on since I last wrote !
LICE, LICE & More LICE
My poor little guy, CJ went through a torturous week this past week. He came home Monday with head lice from day care and it was a battle all week long to try to get each and every last nit out of his hair. If any of you ever end up with lice, call me and I am sure that I can give you recommendations and tell you what you should do. We used Nix, olive oil, mayo, vinegar and some other store bought thing. We washed sheets, pillows, clothes and blankets. We sprayed mattresses, couches and carpets. We bagged decorative pillows and stuffed animals. I don't know how I am still sane but they are finally gone.
Larissa's Birthday
Things have been falling into place nicely. We have the hall, centerpeices, favors, dresses for the girls. All duties have been handed out. Songs and readings have been picked. Readers have been picked. Dress rehearsal scheduled. My mom is making her dress so I don't have to worry about that. I will be picking up her bible, tiara and bouquet this week. Oh, and invites should be done tonight and mailing tomorrow. (I am really behind on these...so not like me)
My Mom
Obviously you know that my mother is coming back if she is making Larissa's dress. She is coming next Wednesday night. I am really excited about her coming back. I have missed her so much and her making Larissa's dress makes it even more special. I fear that we will end up back at the same place after she has been here a while but I am optomistic that the time and relaxation she has had in Portugal will return her with a clear head. She will be returning to Portugal in January for my aunt's surgery and for her recovery. She plans on staying there for a while and once again will not have an official return date. I personally think that her plan is to stay 6 months here and 6 months in Portgual, allowing her to spend half the year with all her kids and grandkids. But she has not officially said that to me, it was just the way that has been talking about things that have led me to believe this.
Me....
I have been on a decorating kick. Slowly I have been getting things for my family room and this past Saturday woke up with tons of energy. I finally moved all of the toys out of the family room and into the play room where they belong. I was able to put up the end tables that I got from another mommy for $10. I was going to spray them black but got tired and decided that I would just put them up the way that they are (silver). Turns out that they look pretty good so I think that I might leave them that way...at least until I get bored with them again. I also put up the table lamps that Ana found for me at yard sales. I like the way that the two different styles look and balance each other. I might still search for a matching set but for now they look really nice. I also painted an area rug. Yes, you heard me right. I am weird, what can I say. I got the idea from a DIY magazine and went for it. I started by painting a 5" border around the edge. I had planned on doing more to it but I just let it dry and decided that I really liked it simple like that. So that too will stay that way until I get bored with it. The simple black has a classic look and it will go with the color changes in the room that I will inevitably go through. I have a coffee table that was another find too. I have it upstairs in my room but don't like it there so it will probably end up coming down to the family room, which is where it was originally intended for. I have black stain that I bought a while back for something else so I think that will be the treatment of choice for that table. It will be a great table to have family game night because the sides fold up for more room. I just need to make sure that CJ doesn't pinch his fingers on it. That is my biggest fear.
So other than that, I am trying to get into couponing. Not very good at it yet. I don't have much patience for it but that is because I don't really understand it quite yet. I am sure that time will fix that. Haven't done much scrapbooking but tons of ideas in my head. Trying to think ahead to Christmas already and that is about it. So I have to go back to my lists for Larissa's party and see what else needs to be done that hasn't been done already. Talk to you guys soon.
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