The odyssey that is my life...

You know that question people always ask when they first meet you..."where are you from?" I really dread that question because it turns into a long rambling that leads me to believe I should just start saying America. I have moved so many times that my mother has several pages in her address book filled with me. I tell her to use pencil but so far she hasn't listened. So, once again a move could be on the horizon for us, but before I tell you about that....here is the answer to that question... "where are you from?"
I was born in upstate NY, so far north in fact that I have been titled "honorary half-Canadian." I was raised sans electricity, running water, or indoor plumbing by some very wonderful hippy parents. I loved it, every day I was able to explore and run and play with nature. My mother didn't have to fear that someone would drive by and swoop me up with a candy bribe. There were no roads for 1/4 a mile and even that road was dirt and rarely traveled.
We spent a couple winters in Florida but those were brief and made me fear alligators.
After that I moved on to Indiana to be closer to my sick grandmother. That is where the rest of my family became glued down. I left the second high school was over and have been moving ever since.
First it was just a bit north to college and then I met the most wonderful man in the universe and moved to Austin, TX to be closer to him. Plus I loved Austin! The weather was terribly hot but live music and fun things were everywhere. We were married a couple years later and more packing of boxes happened.
After a quick stop in Dallas (yuck) for Ted's graduate school we packed our bags for the only city I said I did not want to move to, Los Angeles. It turned out to be kinda fun but I was in about 3 fender benders, my daughter got a chronic smog filled cough, and we were only there for 18 months!
Since we have been married (5 years yippy!) We lived in 6 homes, 4 cities, and 2 states. We just moved to our current home (San Fran area) in January. Two weeks ago my husband's company announced that his team was being laid off. We are looking in the area but even the companies "nearby" are an hour away so it looks like perhaps I unpacked those boxes a little too soon.
It's funny just how many times I am asked if my husband is in the military (he isn't.) He is in Oregon today interviewing and so my odyssey continues...

Focus

I've been thinking about the theme a lot this week. Trying to figure out what my focus is right now and realizing that focusing is not my strong point. I am very random hopping from one thing to the next. Often found looking all over the house for an item that I forgot I was already holding in my hand. Tasks are left undone as I drop them for the sound of "MOMMY" coming from a troubled child. I could blame my kids completely for this lack of focus but the truth is that I've always been this way. I guess this is something I need to focus on fixing... but we all know how my focus is so..hmmmmm

Mama Haiku

I was only going to write one...but Liam was napping, Zionna was playing and I was having fun with it so here are a few.

Loving you fiercely,
remaining calm as I can,
watching you emerge

milk super power,
flying to gymnastics class,
when do I get sleep?

stepped on a toy, OW!
nothing but bills in the mail,
mama needs a hug.

Who is this Polly?
Why must we buy her today?
What happened to books?

Maybe play outside?
Commercialism got you
and I want you back!

want even more... see other mama haiku's at mamasaysom

My Child

Vessel of imagination, reminds me how to play.
Keeping me in constant wonder.
A flow of song throughout my day.
Watchful eyes study my rhythm.
Her independence bringing frustration and joy.
Producing works of art her passion
watching her is mine

random shopping boycott attempt...

FAILED!
I did become more aware of my impulse buys and I am positive that I am purchasing way less junk than I was before. I think I cracked around Easter when I went to load up the baskets. This purchase lead to my demise of other things that I didn't need. However, I now own a very nifty pair of rainbow stripe rain boots (for me, not my daughter.) That kinda impulse by you just have to celebrate!!!! Now if only it would rain... hmmm

Silence

We are plugged in, surrounded by constant background noise. Silence just does not exist in our American world. I see five year olds walking around with ipods plugged into there little heads. To escape from our noisy life we go get a massage and even then we want sound. Sure, it may be a "nature" cd but it's still noise. How often when we are alone in silence do we turn on the TV or the radio. I'm not even counting the noises from our children (for those who have them.) I'm talking about when the children are away or sleeping doesn't something in us just crave noise!? By turning on that background noise what glorious things am I missing?

‘God wasn’t in the wind... He wasn’t in the fire... He wasn’t in the earthquake... but in the gentle whisper.’
From Kings 19:9-12

It has been said that God is like a whisper, like breathing. If we have our ipod on how will we ever hear him?

I love music, and cranking up some songs can make you feel wonderful but sometimes even if it makes us squirm inside we need to just embrace the silence.

Other thoughts on Silence

Surfacing

At what point in our lives do we become whoever/whatever it is that we are going to become. It's a constant change, each day we wake surfacing into something else. Re-surfacing ourselves to fit our environment, our mood, other's expectations. I looked up the definition for surfacing and came up with the following:

1.	the action or process of giving a finished surface to something.

2.	the material with which something is surfaced.

3.	the act or an instance of rising to the surface of a body of water.

Thinking about that makes me wonder just how many times I put a surface on myself that may have been cosmetically pleasing but not solid wood beneath. (and I'm not talking about makeup)

I challenge us to surface as our true self every day.

See what other's had to say about SURFACING