Being an Effective Mom is Hard...

Sometimes I get really stressed out. I LOVE being a mom - there is absolutely nothing else I would rather do with my life than be a mother - really. But it really is truly hard. I always knew it would be hard because that is what everyone said, but you never really quite understand until you actually do it. I love my children so much! And that is probably part of the reason that it’s so stressful, because everything is not always perfect and you want to try and make everything as perfect as possible - but it’s not that easy.

It is so crazy to me. But already at her age I can see how much influence friends have on her. It is scary. We live in a scary world - much scarier than it was even when we were growing up! I feel such a huge responsibility to protect them, but even more to teach them. And I usually feel very overwhelmed and inadequate. And then when you think you have a perfect teen and you find out that they are maybe not quite so perfect and get some extra challenges, like we I’ve had (whom I'm sure I'll talk more about at a different time), it is even that much harder!

Anyway, I guess I have just been feeling quite overwhelmed lately with motherhood. Even though I'm sure I'll feel this way ten times fold as they get older! I can definitely see how Heavenly Father uses this role and the experiences it comes with to mold us and help us become the people He knows that we can become and that we hope to become during this life.

For my Bethy Pooh...LOL

The Soon-To-Be Public School Teacher
In 21st Century USA!!

While being interviewed by the school administration,
the eager teaching prospect said:

"Let me see if I have this right: You want me to go
into that room with all those kids and fill their every
waking moment with love for learning.
And I'm supposed to instill a sense of pride in their
ethnicity, modify their disruptive behavior, observe
them for signs of abuse and even censor their t-shirt
messages and dress habits.

You want me to wage war on drugs and sexually transmitted
diseases, check their back packs for weapons of mass
destruction, and raise their self esteem.

You want me to teach them patriotism, good citizenship,
sportsmanship, play fair, how to register to vote,
how to balance a checkbook, and how to apply for a job.

I am to check their heads for lice,
maintain a safe environment,
recognize signs of anti-social behavior,
offer advice,
write letters of recommendation for students employment
and scholarships, encourage respect for the cultural
diversity of others, and, oh, make sure that I give the
girls in my class fifty percent of my attention.

My contract requires me to work on my own time after
school, evenings and weekends grading papers.
Also, I must spend my summer vacation at my own
expense working toward advance certification and
a Master's degree. Then on my own time you want
me to attend committee and faculty meetings,PTA
meetings, and participate
in staff-development training.

I am to be a paragon of virtue, larger than life,and
such that my very presence will awe my students into
being obedient and respectful of authority.

And I am to pledge allegiance to family values and to
this current school administration. You want me to
incorporate technology into the learning experience,
monitor web sites, and relate personally with each student.
That includes deciding who might be potentially
dangerous and/or who might commit a crime in school.

I am to make sure all students pass the mandatory
State exams, even those who don't come to school regularly
or complete any of their assignments.

Plus, I am to make sure that all the students with
handicaps get an equal education regardless of the
extent of their mental or physical handicap.

I am to communicate regularly with the parents by letter,
telephone, email, newsletter and report card.

All of this I am to do with just a piece of chalk,
a computer, a few books, a bulletin board, a big smile
AND on a starting salary that qualifies my family for
food stamps??!!

You want me to do all this and yet you expect me
"NOT TO PRAY?"

Author Unknown To Me


You will never know how much you mean to me... I think so much of you and I can only Pray that when I grow up I'll be just like you.

LOL... An Military Girlfriend

Seriously…Military and Girlfriend are two of the oddest, scariest, words ever put together to describe me. Not really who I am or ever intended to be. It is hard on me… as everyone knows I am a very needy friend for things like self reassurance. (Always have been). While all I want to do is break down and cry, I feel like I have to be strong and send him positive messages. It’s a little draining. Just knowing that he is my partner, yet I never want to put too much on him. This is just not a great time… we have the rest of our lives to get to all of that. These next few months are his.
I know everyone thinks this will fail (and I hate all of you). A few of you are super supportive and in the mindset of “love will conquer all.” As corny as it is, it helps. I adore him and everyone asks me if I want it “to be forever.” I have no answer for that…all I know is I love him and I want to be with him. It’s enough for me. And it should be enough for the rest of you. So I’m not your standard ditzy fussy hen who is your norm for military SO (although I am pretty ditzy…lovely new bruise on my shin today from walking into…err never mind…).
So since a lot of you suck, I have decided to do some research (it’s what I do in my free-time, what did you expect?) into what to expect now that things are different between the two of us. I found a forum for military girlfriends and decided to join it to just see what they suggested and to get support that I wasn’t getting from a lot of friends. So far it’s interesting and they haven’t given any advice I want. I don’t want to jump the ship because I do have such strong feelings for him even though sometimes I doubt he feels the same way about me. Its silly…I know. (Mainly because I don’t exactly hide the fact that I write here…so I’m sure he’ll question me about that).
So to end this-as usual I am confused. This is the guy I pretty much prayed about. So I am stupidly in love, happy about it and miserable at the same time (only cause he is not here to cuddle and kiss to death). I am probably going to drive him crazy with my little random e-mail messages and all my friends crazy with my whining.