One Clear Moment

There are so many times in life when you find yourself questioning if you are doing the right thing, saying the right thing, and living the right way. As a parent I find those moments seem to come more and more often. I find myself saying things that I hated being told when I was a kid, mainly because they are things that need to be said. "stop fighting with your sister or brother, listen when I'm talking to you, be respectful to your teacher, coach, or any other adult we come in contact with..." I know, like many, I say at least once a day "Are you listening to me?" so often thinking that nothing I say is making any difference.

Lately, I've been praying for the right words to encourage and discipline my suddenly emotional, almost 10 year old. Wondering how I can raise him to be a man of integrity in a world that seems to think that is unneeded. Trying to show him how to control his emotions that seem to be on the edge of his sleeve whether he is standing in our kitchen or on a sheet of ice playing the game he has come to love. I've heard his hockey coach say a few times how hockey taught him so much about life, and I find myself wondering if my son is learning a message that will last beyond his hockey playing days.

Before every game and most practices we tend to have a conversation in the car that goes something like this..."remember to focus on what your coaches are saying, skate hard, and do your best. Back check, go to the net, and pass if you can, if you get knocked down get up quick and let the refs make the calls" This weekend I added a new one to the usual conversation. He got a necklace from us for Christmas that as a hockey skate, puck and stick on the front with the words, integrity, strength, and perseverance on the front and on the back says "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". So before every game this weekend I pulled him aside and reminded him that Jesus was in the game with him, that he needed to play like He was watching. It's these life lessons of listen, play fair, and work together that I knew we've tried to drill home to him over the last 3 years that he's played hockey. This weekend, in a hotel room, at 10:30 pm, I realized even more clearly that hockey has been a way for us to teach our son even more about life.

As we laid in beds separated by darkness and the night stand we began to talk about the game that had just taken place earlier that evening. "How did you feel the game went?" I asked, expecting the normal "good, or fine" response. Instead I got to see for One Clear Moment that what we've tried to teach our son has gotten into his heart..

"Mom, I wish I could give someone else credit for my goals tonight"

"Why?"

With a quiver in his voice he said "Because I don't want them, I don't want to have any more points this season, I have too many and I don't want people to think I want all the goals"

"No one is really keeping track of who has how many goals. Daddy keeps track of yours because you've always liked numbers, not because he's going around saying to anyone how many goals you have."

"But he tells people when I get a goal."

"Yes, but he also celebrates if your team mate has the goal."

"I don't want it to be about me, it's about the team."

The lump forms in my throat and I find myself saying "Z people know that, they know that you are not the type of player who thinks 'I'm the only one who can score', they know that you are going to shoot if you can shoot, and pass if you can pass. They know that the other kids on your team are doing the same thing."

"I don't like when they say 'good job' all the time to me, or nice play, or talk about how I got a goal."

"Being humble Zach is wonderful. It's about realizing that the game is not all about you. It's also being willing to accept compliments and point out others successes. When you get a goal and someone starts to tell you about how great it was, what do you usually do? You usually start to tell them how if so and so didn't pass it to you, you wouldn't have been able to get the shot. Or if another player on your team didn't take the shot you couldn't have gotten the rebound. That's being humble and playing a team sport. "

"I just don't want people telling you how I'm doing something good all the time, other kids are too"

I had told him on the way back to the hotel how another parent had told me how they loved what he'd been doing in a game earlier in the weekend.

"The people who say good things about you, don't say them in front of others, they pulled me aside to tell me. Just as they pull other team mates parents aside to tell them good things too"

He got really quiet for a minute and then said he wanted to stop talking and get to sleep because he had a big game tomorrow.

I laid there in the dark thinking...that was one clear moment. One clear moment when I could see the foundation that has been laid in his life for being humble. A quality that shows the character he is developing and life lessons that he is already learning from hockey. Making the trip worth the drive.

The Powers That Be

In September I subbed for a Preschool teacher who was out for a few days. I got to know the aides in the classroom and they seemed to like me, and suggested that I could maybe take over a maternity leave for another Preschool teacher in the fall. I told them that from what I understood about the No Child Left Behind Act, to sub long term you have to be in your exact field. I wasn't sure if that extended down to preschool or not, but I told them my certifications, and that I had a sub license and they passed the info on.
The next week I talked to the teacher, and told her as well what I was qualified for, and that I would love to take it but wasn't sure if The Powers That Be would approve it. She said she'd check. Which she did, and explained she'd like me to teach for her, but could they check if that was possible. So the waiting began....
In December, after not hearing anything I checked with her and we both agreed if they could tell us firmly "no, won't work" that would be better then not knowing, but The Powers That Be couldn't give us an answer. Before Christmas break, she checked one more time and it sounded like it might be a "no" because of my Special Ed certification, but not Early Ed...but still not a definite answer.
Today, I was in the building where she teaches, and we talked again. Still no answer from The Powers That Be, and she is due any day. So...her boss decided to go around the Powers That Be. Mainly, because I have the one certification, have lots of experience in the second certification, I'm willing to do it and quite frankly, she could go into labor tonight and The Powers That Be could be stuck with no one.
I love our district, I think they make some great decisions but this time they really dropped the ball. Sometimes The Powers That Be, need to make a decision with enough time to make arrangements so that everyone is where they need to be in the time they need to be there.
Tomorrow, I start a new job...guess I should be glad that the Boss decided it was time to go around some of those powers!

Finished the Book- Book Review

Finished the Vampire Diaries books I've been reading this weekend. I had previously read The Awakening, and The Struggle. The book I just read through contained The Fury and Dark Reunion. What I did enjoy about the books were that they didn't quite end the way you would expect. I am usually pretty good about figuring out what is happening and who is doing what. A few times with all of these stories I was surprised.
I also felt more like I was reading a Murder Mystery then another Vampire story. There was still the element of fantasy and Vampires but there was more too it then that. If you are looking for something quick, and light to read that will capture your attention I would suggest these books. If you want to read more about real life, well...Vampires won't do that for you! I just checked on Amazon and apparently there is another book that came out this fall call Return:Nightfall, guess it's time to order that from the library.

Got to Try It!!!

Wow am I wiped out! Danced on the Wii this afternoon for 30 minutes to some great 80's hits. Okay, not necessarily my all time favorite hits, but just the same some fun tunes. All four of us could grab a remote and dance together which made it even more fun. Just Dance is a hit, I'm glad I bought it. I even would go so far as to say it can be added to my exercise rotation. I get so bored if I do the same thing everyday.
My goal this year is 15 or more minutes a day so, think Just Dance will fit in great! Can't wait to get back to Eye of the Tiger!!

Why is it??

Why is it that putting Christmas Decorations away is so depressing? Could it be beacause...when you put them up your so excited about the season, the Christmas music is playing everyone is helping out. Then comes the time when you decide it's January and time to put them away. No one is around, the music isn't playing and you realize that for a month you haven't dusted the dresser where the tree has been or around the nativity on top of the piano, so now on top of putting away the decorations you need to clean!

I've been working on it since 9:45 this morning. First had to dig the boxes out of the attic as I forgot to ask Phil to do that last night, then finish gathering it all up. This year I decided to weed some stuff out as I was putting it away, so now the one side of my laundry sink tub is filled with stuff to get rid of. (add that to the list) Finally, I got started. Finished my room, but realized I needed to rearrange a few things on the dresser and also that the room really needs dusted. Decided to let that go so I can get the rest of the decorations away. It is now 1:20, need to be ready to get dinner together in an hour, and head up to school for the Brownie meeting today. So the real question is, with one hour left can I take down 2 trees, get out of the grubby clothes, put dinner together and get up to school.

Why is it that sometimes being a Mom takes super hero strength??? If I had one super power I think I'd want it to be the ability to freeze time!

Time to Get Organized...AGAIN!

People who know me would say that I am one of the most organized people they know. I keep things neat in the house (or at least the parts of the house they can see), and I'm always jotting down a note or writing things in my calendar but...

If truth be told, I don't think I'm very organized. So, here I go again as it is 2010 and start to reclaim my spaces. Today's project the dreaded linen cabinet, and 1 of my daughters dresser drawers. More then one of her drawers and I'd have to be committed to a mental institution. Also, going to tackle the holiday decoration drawers in the attic. Off to a good start so far. Went through the towels this morning, and realized that nothing in our bathroom decor matches forest green anymore so bye bye towels. They will find a good home with the next group that calls me offering to pick up household items. This afternoon it's on to the sheets. Guess my almost 10 year old is probably past using the little truck sheets that are still in the cabinet. Will have to ask him about those after school.

The other goal when it comes to dealing with this mess is to clean up one before starting the next. I tend to start something and that reminds me I needed to do something else. This year it's one thing at a time, guess I better go move the towels to the dryer, oh I mean pick up this Christmas decoration and put it in the pile to go away, or check my email, wait the bathroom needs cleaned...oh yeah I was headed for the dryer. Don't laugh, it happens to you to I bet!

Time to Read- Book Review

Trying to keep my brain fresh this year so I've decided that I'd like to read 1 novel a month, or more if possible. At my sisters urging last summer I read the Twilight series and I have to say I was surprised, but I did really enjoy it. I'm not a vampire junkie now, but once again was discussing with my sister that I needed something to read and she suggested the Vampire Diaries.

The Vampire Diaries were written by L.J. Smith and although I didn't check it out for myself, my sister told me they were written prior to the Twilight series. So far I've read 2 of the books, The Awakening, and The Struggle (already plus 2 on novels and it's only the 3rd! Although I did start the first one on the 29th) The book is about a high school girl who falls for a Vampire boy. Where did I read that before? The fact that this was written first is kind of weird because my mind kept comparing it to Twilight not the other way around. Anyway, the first 2 books were quick reads and pretty good. It was more of a mystery type book as there is of course murder and the characters in the book need to figure out who did it. There is a lot more super powers, and superstitious type things in these books. The action comes more to life then the characters. The first and second book both seem to end abruptly, but that is probably because the author knew they were writing more books. I would recommend them as a casual, quick read that you don't want to think much about. If you have to pick between the 2 series Vampire Diaries or Twilight I, at this point would pick the latter. I've still got to more books in the Vampire Diaries to go, and will probably read them, but overall I think the Twilight books were better.

Starting off 2010

2010 has arrived and with it a desire to reclaim my life. Reclaim the organization of things, reclaim the clutter, reclaim healthier habits. Will that be easier this year? Will those resolutions that I've made in my mind at least be fulfilled by the end of the year?

It's hard to say. At this point I feel good about moving forward. So far today, I've read my bible, exercised, drank more water, read a few chapters in a novel, worked on photos, spent time with my kids and cleaned out the upstairs medicine cabinet, my bathroom drawer and the fridge! Off to a good start I would say. Tomorrow is another day, another challenge to see what I can accomplish. The main resolution for this year is this...let nothing go to tomorrow that could be done today, but in doing that stop stressing about what needs to be done and take it one step at a time. Live life, enjoy life, and capture it one photo at a time of course! Stay a list maker and don't get distracted by the form of adult attention deficit disorder that Moms in general are so prone to get distracted by. Finish one job, find time to relax and move forward. Don't regret the past, learn from it and be better today because of it.

Happy 2010! Look out, it's another year, and another chance to make it real!