Raising Children

I was out in the garden earlier today and thinking about my little darlings and being a mom.  I'm so not one to come up with analogy's but this is what I've come up with.  When we planted our garden (and I am definitely NO expert) we tilled the ground, sewed the seeds and watered.  Everyday I go out to see what's happening.  To make sure that they are protected - that nothing has disturbed my precious plants.  We water and weed constantly hoping that our hard work will pay off with beautiful fruit and vegetables.  We don't know what the outcome will be - we may be successful and get produce or we may not get anything but we still work at it.  We get little hints of our success by seeing the blossoms develop or the vines grow larger or even see little tiny 1" cucumbers pop up.  Well, as I was tending the garden today I realized that it's just like raising my children.  I try hard to protect them, to keep the "weeds" away, to nurture them but don't really know what will come of it until they are grown.  But I am lucky to see some of the fruits of my labor every now and then.  With all that said, I have 2 little stories that make me see some of those fruits. 

1.  Olivia has always been our child that we have to try and keep motivated while doing chores around the house.  She really dislikes it and will hide in her room to try and get out of it.  Or she will take as long as possible to do the job all the while trying my patience.  A while back she had to clean her room (it was a Saturday so that meant she had to dust and vaccuum also) and GOOD clean the bathroom along with a few other chores.  She came bouncing down the stairs after doing those 2 chores (in a timely manner, I might add) and said,  "I worked really hard to get my jobs done, and I tried to do a really good job and I don't know why, but I just feel so good."

I loved hearing that.  I told her she was feeling pride in her work for a job well done.  I was so glad she could experience that and after all those hours, weeks, years of getting her to do her chores, she finally got out of it what I wanted her to.  Now, It's not like that EVERY time but I'm sure it will happen again. 

2.  We try to make sure and eat healthy meals around here.  We always have whole grain everything - pasta, bread, bagels, muffins, pancakes, rice.  If it can be whole grain, that's how we eat it.  We don't eat processed foods and Tim, of course, thinks it's a sin to buy sauce or anything like that bottled - it's got to be from scratch.  (Healthy eating does go out the window usually when there's company, then it's pretty much whatever tastes the best that Tim wants to make.)  So, all this background to tell you this little funny.  The other day, I went to my favorite grocery store, Aldi.  They always seem to have a screaming deal on just about anything.  A few weeks ago when I went shopping they had white bread for 25 cents a loaf.  I couldn't believe my eyes.  I battled with myself whether I should buy it or not.   "It's not healthy, but it's only 25 cents."  What to do, what to do.  So, I decided I would by a few loaves (10 to be exact) and put them in the freezer.  The girls could occasionally open a loaf or have them for french toast or something.  So  that night at dinner I told the girls I bought a little surprise for them.  They were pretty anxious to find out so I had to tell them it wasn't that big of a deal - I told them the good news.  Alexa and Olivia immediately started showing their enthusiasm.  Then after a minute or so, Maya pipes up and says, "What's white bread?"  After we picked ourselves up off the floor from laughing so hard I realized that she probably hasn't had white bread in YEARS and made me feel good that we have been trying to eat healthy for a long time now. 

It sure is fun being a mom with little experiences like this.