Norman Rockwell

“It’s not having what you want, its wanting what you’ve got.” ~ My sister-in-law, Nancy ( Who also gets credit for today’s title.)

At this time of year…

when we observe a day about giving thanks…

for our many blessings…

know that I am both thankful and grateful for:

My family.

(Both immediate and extended.)

The fact that I had a “no regrets relationship” with my brother, Tim.

My country.

The opportunities and freedoms afforded here still surpass every other nation on earth.

Friends.

Without them, life would be a whole lot less diverse and colorful!

Long standing ones that understand, anticipate what you will say, and stand by you “no matter what” are priceless.

Eyes to see, ears to hear…

and a mind…

that has the ability to learn, store and recall millions of facts.

So very many people are limited in one of these senses and abilities.

I know I take far too much for granted.

You…

an incredibly diverse, rich, and just-plain-fun readership.

Although TommyMom didn’t win in its nominated category…

know that I personally win…

each and every time we meet here.

I am blessed.

This list has the potential to be never ending.

It should be.

Listing our blessings…

helps us to reinforce the desire…

to want what we’ve got.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Friday…

we begin a holiday series.

See you then!

Today…

as we celebrate…

the Independence…

of our Nation…

may we also…

pause and reflect…

upon the courage…

bravery…

and fortitude…

that real people…

exhibited…

when they put pen…

to paper…

and signed…

a declaration.

They knew…

that the stakes were high…

the possibilities…

perilous.

Yet…

they did it anyway…

so that countless millions…

could experience freedom.

We owe them…

a tremendous debt…

of gratitude on this day.

Image from Cox and Forkum

“The liberties of our country, the freedom of our civil constitution, are worth defending at all hazards; and it is our duty to defend them against all attacks.  We have received them as a fair inheritance from our worthy ancestors: they purchased them for us with toil and danger and expense of treasure and blood, and transmitted them to us with care and diligence.  It will bring an everlasting mark of infamy on the present generation, enlightened as it is, if we should suffer them to be wrested from us by violence without a struggle, or be cheated out of them by the artifices of false and designing men.” ~ Samuel Adams, Article in the Boston Gazette, October 14, 1771

I sincerely hope that your Mother’s Day is truly the best ever!  You rock for all that you do to make home a haven, education personalized, and life in a tumultuous world a lot more tolerable.  XO, TommyMom

WHY GOD MADE MOMS
Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?
1.  She’s the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2.  Mostly to clean the house.
3.  To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?
1.  He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2.  Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3.  God made my mom just the same like he made me.  He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of?
1.  God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2.  They had to get their start from men’s bones.  Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1.  We’re related.
2.  God knew she likes me a lot more than other people’s mom like me.

What kind of a little girl was your mom?
1.  My mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2.  I don’t know because I wasn’t there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3.  They say she used to be nice.

What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1.  His last name.
2.  She had to know his background.  Like is he a crook?  Does he get drunk on beer?
3.  Does he make at least $800 a year?  Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your mom marry your dad?
1.  My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world.  And my mom eats a lot.
2.  She got too old to do anything else with him.
3.  My grandma says that mom didn’t have her thinking cap on.

Who’s the boss at your house?
1.  Mom doesn’t want to be boss, but she has to because dad’s such a goof ball.
2.  Mom.  You can tell by room inspection.  She sees the stuff under the bed.
3.  I guess mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What’s the difference between moms and dads?
1.  Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.
2.  Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3.  Dads are taller and stronger, but moms have all the real power ’cause that’s who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friends.
4.  Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine..

What does your mom do in her spare time?
1.  Mothers don’t do spare time.
2.  To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your mom perfect?
1.  On the inside she’s already perfect.  Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2.  Diet.  You know, her hair.  I’d diet, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?
1.  She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean.  I’d get rid of that.
2.  I’d make my mom smarter.  Then she would know it was my sister who did it not me.
3.  I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.

And if that wasn’t enough…
We had this great cat named Jack who just recently died.

Jack was a great cat and the kids would carry him around and sit on him and nothing ever bothered him.

He used to hang out and nap all day long on the mat in our bathroom.

We have 3 kids, and at the time of this story they were 4 years old, 3 years old and 1 year old.

The middle one is Eli.

Eli really loved chap stick.

LOVED it.

He kept asking to use my chap stick and then losing it.

Finally one day I showed him where in the bathroom that I kept my chap stick…

and explained he could use it whenever he wanted to…

but he needed to put it right back in the drawer after he finished…

because I used it sometimes several times a day.

That year, on Mother’s Day…

we were having the typical rush around…

to try to get ready for church with everyone crying and carrying on.

My two boys are fighting over the toy in the cereal box.

I am trying to nurse my little one at the same time I am putting on my make-up.

Everything is a mess and everyone has long forgotten…

that this is a wonderful day to honor me and the amazing job that is motherhood.

We finally have the older one and the baby loaded in the car, and I am looking for Eli.

I have searched everywhere and I finally go into the bathroom.

There was Eli.

He was applying my chap stick very carefully to Jack’s rear end.

Eli looked right into my eyes and said “Chapped.”

Now if you have a cat, you know that he is right…

their little bottoms do look pretty chapped!

And, frankly, Jack didn’t seem to mind!

And the only question to ask at that point…

was whether it was the FIRST time…

Eli had done that to the cat’s behind or the hundredth!?!

And THAT is my favorite Mother’s Day moment ever…

because it reminds us that no matter how hard we try to civilize these glorious little creatures…

there will always be that day when you realize…

they’ve been using your chap stick on the cat’s butt!

“Easter says you can put truth in a grave, but it won’t stay there.”  ~Clarence W. Hall

“The resurrection gives my life meaning and direction and the opportunity to start over no matter what my circumstances.” ~Robert Flatt

“Passover has a message for the conscience and the heart of all mankind. For what does it commemorate?

It commemorates the deliverance of a people from degrading slavery, from most foul and cruel tyranny.

And so, it is Israel’s – nay, God’s protest against unrighteousness, whether individual or national.” - Morris Joseph

“The willingness to sacrifice is the prelude to freedom.” – Unknown

It is my hope and prayer for each of you…

that your Holy Week…

has been memorable…

significant…

and filled with meaningful memories…

celebrated and shared…

with family and friends.

XO,

In honor of President’s Day…

which has turned into…

a 5-day-holiday weekend…

in Southern California…

I thought it would be fun…

to run a contest…

to see how many…

of these former…

U.S. Presidents…

you could…

accurately identify!

These are…

all photos…

taken in childhood.

So look closely!

And…

to answer…

the age old question…

“What’s in it for me?”….

The answer is…

(drum roll please)

a copy…

of the soon-to-be-released…

“The Student Whisperer”…

by Oliver DeMille and Tiffany Rhoades Earl!

I raved about this book…

over here...

and have talked about it…

other places as well.

Remember?

Yes…

I love you.

And yes…

I have confidence…

in the fact…

that you really are…

this clever…

and smart!

Good Luck!

In the case  of a tie…

the winner…

will be chosen…

from a hat.

It may possibly…

be one…

that resembles Lincoln’s!

I love a good theme!