the scream

The benefits of a good scream are often over looked and under rated.

This morning I was trying to put in a chocolate order, schedule a play date, do laundry, feed a baby, plan out decorations for a school fund raiser, and get my presentation for my meeting tomorrow night about the race. This seemed an insurmountable amount to accomplish.

I actually can check off most of it. However, the four midgets were causing as much chaos as possible. I think every time I was on the phone someone was crying. At the very moment that you are close to finishing something , someone needed a drink, food , or a change. It would than take ten minutes to get your bearings back and start to once agian make progress when another child would step up with another need. Or worse yet the same child and the same need.

I finally got finished with a few things and opted to take the children outside, despite the cold damp weather. Amid all the snowpants, boots, mittens, scarves, and jackets I exploded. That's right, not unlike a tea kettle whose water has finally boiled. I let out a nice loud shriek. The children all looked at me and everything was quiet. This was a first all morning. I felt so much better. And the children, a little shocked, listened better. The morning was much more pleasant after that.

So moms go ahead and let out a little steam. When you are stretched thin and there is more that needs to be done take a screaming break. No it won't get your work done, but it is sure to make you feel better and maybe even laugh a little.

Anniversary of Roe Vs. Wade

January 22, is a day that should not pass lightly. This day the Supreme court made murder legal in our country and it continues today. It was Friday, so I was teaching art class this morning and to start the day we try to get to school in time for Holy Mass. We made it with a few minutes to spare, which I am happy to report is becoming a habit. Mass went as usual. I spent most of the time wrangling the four little children. Max is all over the place and always growling at whoever will listen. Natalie wants to push and shove her way into everyone else's spot. Lily is too helpful at times and Nicholas is just a baby, he does what babies do.

Most days I spend my time going from the corner in the back to our seats. I very rarely hear much of the sermon, and to day was no different. I will digress for a minute for all you moms who say, "Why do it then?" . It is simple, to set an example. They will never learn if I don't teach them. They will never experience Mass if I don't take them. And my discomfort just may lead to their holiness some day.

I don't see that often. The children are still young, but I do see it. When the four year old says she wants to go to heaven. When the three year old sings Holy, Holy, Holy at the top of her lungs and off key. When my two year old falls on his knees in the adoration chapel and says, "I love you Jesus." Today as I struggled through Mass this is what I kept in mind. This and how many children loose their lives at the hands of abortions evils.

The 7th and 8th graders took turns updating numbers under the clock to track how many babies were aborted today. Before Mass even started the number was 9.

Some days it is not about being Supermom. I can only be thankful for the opportunity to be a mom. The honor that is . God trusts me to raise these solders for the duty of bringing him glory. Today , I pray that Supermom can humbly encourage these little ones to grow up and fight for those who have no one to fight for them. To bring about an end to the horrors that Roe Vs. Wade encourages and allows.

Almost there

I used to love salad! I am sorry to say that thanks to this detox diet I am not feeling the love. I have had seven salads in the last three and a half days. Not to poo poo this diet. I feel good. I am not hungry. I have lost two pounds and my skin is defiantly clearer. I am sleeping better. The detox works and thank God and all the angels that it is only a four day diet and today is day four!

Supermom is tired of making two meals all the time. The children certainly don't want to eat our salad or cabbage soup. I am happy to report that Mitch was pleasantly surprised that he liked the soup. And Lily did insist upon finishing my salad. I knew I liked that girl.

On another note, I am happy to report that Max is dashing off a lot less. Perhaps we have started to out grow that phase. We were at a play area with only one opening to get out and He used to dart out every chance he got. Today he dashed only twice and that was as we were getting ready to leave. Perhaps I won't need a cape so I can fly after him after all.

Finally, I will mention that the dare is going well. I can tell that some things are starting to change. I laugh more and stress less. I am more aware of how I talk to my husband and the tone I use when I do. I try to find little ways to show I care more often. I also think that he is doing some of the same. Today I am to pray for three specific points for him. My list:

• that my husband is successful in trying to get in better shape
• that my husband is strengthened in his work
• that my husband takes time for the little things in our relationship

There are a great many things that I could pray for, but I think that these are the most pressing and that if these are accomplished many other fruits will follow. I dare you to join me on this journey! Good Luck.

Detox

Okay, so it is a new year and we are trying new things. This includes a Detox diet. Now this is not some herbal supplement (that you have to choke down some disgusting tasting drink or pill) , this is not the juice detox(where evidently people drink nothing but juice for 15 days.), it is not a starvation to allow the body to empty out, we choose a 4-day detox diet by Dr. Ian Smith. By we I mean I did and a dragged my husband along. After all, it is only 4 days.

This detox allows you to eat food, real food. We are restricted to the types and amounts. We get lots of green leafy vegetables, fruit , all the water we can drink, beans and lentils, brown rice and an occasional yogurt. We are on day three and I don't feel hungry. I am eating less and I am tired of salads! I feel good. We are over half way done, but I am ready to be done. I love certain foods. Pasta and good bread and chocolate; are among the best loved.

Mitch is doing a lot better than I had anticipated. I am hoping that some of the things from te detox will carry on to further weight loss for him. I am simply doing it to clean out my system and to reap the benefits of a pure diet(increased energy, clear glowing skin).

I will digress to mention shortly that the Love Dare continues. Some days are great and others not so much. Last night the dare was to give up something that I normally do to do something with him he really wants to do. So after dinner I suggested that we play a game. He choose to my horror Monopoly. I think this a tedious and pointless game that never ends. I agreed with a half hour time limit. It wasn't that bad if you could ignore that Max and Lily found it more fun to rearrange the pieces, money and cards into all kinds of geometrical configurations. My husband could not ignore it and thus found the game more stressful than relaxing and enjoyable.

By the way I won by about $50. Score one for Supermom!

the Lists

The love dare had me making lists. One that lists what I love and admire about my husband. The other the things that I hate. I was a little worried that my hate list may rival my love list. So I sat down and I am proud to say that the Love list was at least twice as long as the hate list.

Some of the hate things I don't think had the same value as the love things. For example, I wrote that I hate when he leaves his laundry on the floor next to the hamper. On the love list I wrote how is a great father to our children. To me they are not equal and I would gladly deal with misplaced laundry if it meant that my children had a loving and supportive father. Which they do.
There was another part to the dare yesterday. I had to chose one positive attribute from the love list and thank him for it. I found this to be harder than most of the dare thus far. I think it was very humbling. I chose to thank him for how supportive he is about the things I want to do; my running, my chocolate business, my art class, and the Run for the Unborn. His response was priceless.

"what do you want? You aren't usually this nice to me. Unless you want something."

I had to spend the rest of the night convincing him that all I wanted to do was tell him how much I appreciated him. Atleast he is noticing that things are different.

A New Day

So this weekend's dares were to call to ask how he was doing (Sat.) and to have him tell me three things that irritate him about me(Sun.) This was not too bad. I have gotten a lot better at taking criticism. This was his list:

• Asking where he is going or doing when he gets up. This is when we are sitting around at home and he could be just going to use the restroom.
  
• Asking him questions like, "What are three things that irritate you about me?". He said that questions that make him think. I know that I like to know what is going on in there and how I am doing. Call it quality control.
• When he is trying to discipline the children and I am giggling at how cute or funny what they did was. I know that I am not the only parent in the world who struggles with discipline when your child does something inappropriate albeit, but cute.

My husband wanted to know why I was asking. I told him I was just curious. I didn't want to tell him I was doing the dare. I thought it might compromise the validity of what I was doing. I really have no idea if that is true. Overall it was a very nice weekend with only a few negative comments had. I need to keep working on that.

Joys of Mothherhood

We all can agree that while some of the worst duties of being a mother are exhausting, and trying they also can be the most rewarding and defining.

Last night on the way home from my sister's (half hour drive in good weather, last night an hour) Lily got sick. First thoughts are, " oh no." Followed by, " I need to clean it up", and "will she do it agian?" I pulled off the road and climbed in back. I keep a bucket in the car for such said events and it would figure that it was not with in her reach when she needed it. I cleaned up the little bit that was on the actual carseat and left the rest for when we got home. Most of the mess was on Lily and her booster seat. All in all not too bad.

We as parents don't seem to mind getting up multiple times in the middle of the night when we are truly needed. Nothing feels better than to have our children ask for us. We also love to cuddle. When they are babies it is all they want. They grow out of that fast and when they don't feel very well they ask for it agian. "Can you snuggle me Mom?". We have to soak this up. Let the dishes sit and leave the laundry. Sit and enjoy. All too quickly they will be pushing us away and too busy to talk.

On a unrelated note : the Love Dare today was to do something unexpected. I baked for my husband some fake out toffee bars he loves! I also did not complain about Lily being sick. This in and of itself is a miracle. I simply asked him to bring home some soda for her. I am rather proud of two days with no negative comments made to him.

Love Dare

Have you seen the movie Fireproof? Have you heard of the Love Dare? The dare challenges married couples to learn to love deeper and stronger by presenting a new dare each day.

I gave myself the book for the feast of the Epiphany I am going to do the dare on my husband so that the final day is St. Valentine's Day. While I don't think that my marriage is a bad one I do feel that it could be so much more. I know that I will blog about it from time to time over the next forty days.

Yesterday was the first day. The challenge, to say nothing negative to my husband. This sounds so simply and yet had you been at my house the evening before last it would not have been. Call it exhaustion and disappointment, but there were a lot of negative things said. Last nigh was different. Perhaps I had a better attitude. I think it had more to do with I had resolved to do this. I spent the entire evening thinking over everything I said and evaluating it for a positive vibe. It really didn't seem hard. I think that I did all right.

New Year

Christmas has come and gone. What a blessed holiday it was. There were lot's of family and friends and time to enjoy them all. There was the ever present traditions and the unexpected surprises, including my sister-in-law form Denver. It was a wonderful two weeks of celebration.

Abigail was off from school and we started a new New Years eve tradition. Abigail planned the menu for the evening and then helped me shop and prepare it. We invited my parents and my husband's parents over for the evening. Abigail made menus and served each guest at our New Year's Eve Resteraunt. She was too exhausted form all her work to stay up until midnight. As it was Mitch and I rang in the New Year an hour early with Mexico City and turned in.

As for what the new year will bring. Perhaps a recap of what 2009 blessed me with that I never would have guessed

• starting to sell chocolate with Dove.
• my sister adding a new nephew to the Nanny duties
• running three half-marathons and one full with no injuries.
• The Run For the Unborn planning is underway
• My husband and I traveled with out the children on company expense and even out of the country
• I feel busier than ever and yet I feel calmer
• We survived the "economy" with out loss, It pays to start of poor.
• I am blogging. Okay not as regularly as some, but I can get few posts a month.

I know that the winds of change are brewing. I feel that this year will bring even bigger change. I am praying about what that might be. I feel that the first thing I have to tackle is the Run for the Unborn. I feel called to that very specifically and I want to have the permit and insurance settled by the end of the month so I can start preregistering. For now I will leave you with this. What would you all do this year if you were not afraid? Why not do it?