love – Page 8 – Writes for all Mommies

There’s Always Time for Snuggles

08/08/2018 WFAM

I’m not one who enjoys change.

Yet, my whole life has changed as we create a new life in a new place. I’ve done pretty good considering I’m change-resistant (please don’t verify this with Mad Dog, let me hold on to this one, tiny little dream). However, if you are reading this Mad Dog, please stop sending workers of various sorts to my house. Even if just for a day.

Is that too much to ask?

I already know the answer. But, for the sake of writing the rest of the post, let me have this other, tiny little dream of a day with no strangers in my home. At least let it live on for a little while.

See? Doesn’t that feel better?

Everything is good. Everything will be fine. I’m just the slowest to adapt to new surroundings compared to everyone else in my house.

I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Even Max, who is my own version of a superhero disguised as a shih-tzu, is adjusting seamlessly. His only complaint is that I am too busy for the amount of daily snuggles he requires. There has been some crying and whining, ok, so it’s mostly my own, but, still, he follows me valiantly. His 15-year-old self has navigated boxes and new-to-him corners with an unrelenting persistence to keep me in sight.

I wish everyone had a Max.

If they did, his kind of devoted love would fix us all.

I don’t know how long Max will call the Lone Star state his home, but I will be grateful for every day that he does.

I better hurry and get my tasks done.

Snuggles wait for no one.

Max lounging in the sun makes him sleepy. So does just about everything in life.

family, motherhood

The Rearview Mirror

01/08/201831/07/2018 WFAM

As you read these words, we are in transit to our new home. We are leaving nearly a decade of life behind us.

While it is sad to see so much of our story in the rearview mirror, time will settle us into the next chapter.

I have lived enough life to understand that home is not a destination.

Home is a feeling.

It is always with us.

It can be found in the hearts that surround us and if we happen to journey alone, it is there for us to uncover within ourselves.

family, humor, kids, motherhood

A Writer’s Life

27/06/201827/06/2018 WFAM

When I started this blog nearly nine years ago, I had some lofty writing aspirations.

These have yet to be attained.

Over time, I have come to accept that though my audience is small, it is mighty. I also appreciate WFAM as a precious container of my little family’s memories. This blog has given me so much more than I have given to it.

With summer break in full swing and the boys needing ways to stay entertained, they have been voraciously reading WFAM from its inception forward. I keep getting these WordPress alerts on my phone that my ‘stats are booming!’, when in fact, it’s just my two boys reading dozens of posts in a day.

Still, it makes me feel cool.

So, my advice to any writer out there, it’s super helpful to give birth to at least two members of your readership. They are invested in what you write more than most and your stats will thank you for it.

Since summertime consists of an abundance of free time, we are constantly negotiating how much screen time is allowed each day. Just now I had told both boys that at 5:00 they could resume video games. At 5:23 T.Puzzle comes up to my writing desk (really, where else would I be?) and says, “It’s 5:23! I’ve been reading so many WFAMs I lost track of time!”

“Wow!” I said. “That’s quite a compliment.” Then, I thought about it for a beat and said, “Is it the writing or the content that you find so compelling?” (who wouldn’t want to read about themselves all day long, right?).

T.Puzzle, ever so hard to impress said, “It’s actually pretty funny.”

I’ll try not to let it go to my head.

family, humor, motherhood

A Father’s Wisdom

20/06/201820/06/2018 WFAM

On the morning of Father’s Day, I magnanimously promised Mad Dog that I would only have 1.5 meltdowns in honor of the holiday. You might say I’ve been slightly emotional this week as the stress of moving continues to stretch my inner resources.

In typical Mad Dog style he lets the seasons of my many moods all roll right off him. He told me that he only remembers what is perfect about me and easily forgets the rest. This, he told the boys, is the key to a happy life:

Forget about what isn’t perfect and remember the rest.

“Is that why sometime you forget about Full Speed?” T.Puzzle said.

Hopefully, Mad Dog has some wisdom on improving interpersonal sibling communication.

children, family, kids, motherhood

Everything Changes

30/05/2018 WFAM

Some journeys are lengthy and take time to unfold. Last year, around mid-February, Mad Dog shared with me that his job could change. This change would mean we would relocate to Texas. Mostly, I handled this possibility with an open mind (mostly). I expressed to Mad Dog that I was absolutely willing to move our family to support him in his career.

Done deal.

Then, some weeks passed, then some months. Months turned into a year and yet, a move did not materialize.

While I was open-minded to moving, I handled the uncertainty surrounding it with much less aplomb.

Eventually, I gave up. I stopped looking at houses, stopped discussing a Texan future and focused on staying put.

I have learned enough to know that home is not a location. Home is about the life, love and adventure you create wherever you are.

Naturally, once I let go of the outcome, this is when we finally found out that Mad Dog was promoted and everything changes.

We both agree it is surreal to finally have closure. After well over a year of not-knowing, not-knowing becomes your comfort zone. Knowing feels strange.

Now we know.

Texas here we come!