We're a team

Every now and then, some lesson you've tried to impress upon your child sinks in and makes itself known in the most random, beautiful moments.

In our quest to be good parents who don't yell, but instill consequences, Steve and I often emphasize why we must cooperate with each other. Mind you, we don't always succeed. We've both yelled, only to be told by Ryan, "Margie said we don't yell!" Oy vay, my words right back in my face :)  I've told Ryan repeatedly that we help each other. We listen to each other. We're a family. We're a team.

She's getting it; she's realizing that when I say, "If you don't help me, I won't help you" I mean it and since she often wants my help, she gets it that she needs to help me, too.

So let me tell you how I know something has sunk in. Today started off a bit...weird. We are out of our schedule. Firmly out of our schedule. Routine's all discombobulated. Wait, what routine?! I have asked Steve several times today if it's Friday. It indeed is Friday, but neither of us can seem to wrap our minds around that!

I can't say today's been a hard day, or a rough day; in fact, this week has been really good. Even though we've been super busy, and Ryan is sporting a 102 degree fever, we've thoroughly enjoyed our vacation time. I'm so grateful for this time. These past few weeks have been full of contradictions. Without rehashing it all, because I know we all watch the news, there has been a lot of sadness. But then on the polar opposite, we have much to be thankful for. Maybe I'm more sensitive to all my blessings because I'm so aware of the recent tragedies, but this holiday has seemed very poignant for me. So I won't complain about what happened today, as it could be so much worse and it led to one of the sweetest conversations I've ever had with my child.

Steve and I decided to take Ryan to Red Robin for lunch. (I know, I know -- I'm a horrible mother for taking my sick child out of the house! But she's been trapped in this house for two days now and she's been begging to go. Even though this kid is sick, you'd never know it! She's not complaining and she's happy and energetic... at least this time :)

Anyway, back on point, we took two cars. Steve was going to run errands and we were coming back home so the little lady could take a nap. Steve went first. He warned me that he had pulled my car in the garage kind of crooked and I had better pay attention to the left mirror. So I did. So much so that I completely ignored the garbage can and recycling bin at the end of the driveway. Until I hit them. And dragged the recycling bin way under my rear tires. Stuck. The bin. And the truck.

Seriously? WTF?!

I tried to pull forward, to no avail. My husband, the brilliant man he is, had already noticed my predicament, because he suspected I was going to hit them. He had driven slowly and when he saw me stop, he turned around and came back. Good thing, too. He had to pull out everything he could from underneath the carriage of the truck. Still stuck. Then he got a big board, I'm gonna guess it was a 2x6, and he wedged it under the tire. Spinning tires. Smoking tires. Still stuck.

I tried to go forward, I tried to go backward, Steve pushed, and I cautioned him the entire time so I didn't run him over. Yes, I was worried about that. That would suck.

Finally, between moving the board and trying again and again, I became unstuck. Yay!!! We were on our way. There wasn't even any swearing. We even laughed :) I love being on vacation; there's no stress, so small things like that seem funny instead of catastrophic.

Ryan said, "Mom, why did Daddy come back to help us?"
Me: "Of course Daddy came back to help us! That's what we do -- we help each other."
Ryan: "Because we're a team!"
Me: (with shocked awe) "Yes! We are!"
Ryan: "I told Cuvin that I'm on a team with my Mommy and Daddy." (Cuvin goes to Kango with Ryan.)
Me: "That's right! We're a team!"
Ryan: "Because we're a family."
Me: "That's right, baby. We're a team and a family. Always."

Later, as I put her down for her nap:
Ryan: (Stroking her baby uni pillow pet) "I love you. Don't be scared. I'm right here for you. I will always protect you. We're a team."

Que the weepy eyes and full heart. Lesson learned. Good Mom award earned. Finally. Perhaps she does listen to me...

Merry Christmas!

I haven't posted anything since November 4th. Life has just gotten in the way. I have a million ideas in my head that I want to write about. Some are home related, work related, world related... just the ramblings of my brain, and boy,  does my brain ramble! Scary, actually...

But today, I just want to give thanks. Thanks that I have a perfect little family. Not because I am perfect, or Ryan is, or Steve is, but because together, when we're all home safe and sound, our little family is perfect.

I marvel at how we are healthy, happy, alive, and together, and how God put all three of us in this same little space together. How lucky - how blessed I am. Sometimes it hits me and I just want to weep with gratitude.

As I watched Ryan take over two hours to open her gifts (she opened each and every one with rapt attention, played with it, then moved on, truly enjoying the process :)), I tried to imagine what it would be like to be in the shoes of someone in Newtown or Webster or anyone else in the world full of pain and suffering. I can't do it. I can't imagine the depths of grief they must be sinking in. My heart breaks for them and I pray they will find the peace they need.

I don't know why I am so lucky, but I will take it, and I promise I will cherish it.

In 2013, I will focus more on the good. I will celebrate more the happy. I will remember more all that we have to be thankful for. It won't always be easy and sometimes I will fail, but life is too short to do anything else. Hold your heads up high, breathe deeply, ask for peace in your soul and smile. God loves you and I do, too! Merry Christmas my fb friends!