Fair-weather Friend

I've come to learn that even if your kid plays nice that doesn't mean that all kids place nice. Now, don't get me wrong, I have no notion that their is a halo above my kids' heads. But, I am an involved parent who is constantly teaching life lessons based on events of the day. I can't say that is always true for the kids my children "play" with.

My husband and I have had an epiphany this summer. Crazy, since we are only two weeks into summer break. But, when a child spends three days playing at your home and then decides to join in on the bullying of your kid, you start to think, oh, this is a fair-weather friend. Or how about the child that plays nice when their parent is around but takes on the role of a bully when they are out of their parents' sight? Or how about the passive aggressive child that doesn't say two words but pushes your child in the back multiple times as they cross the street? Boy, the weather is fair today!!!

I'M DONE!

I'm done with trying to coach my kids on how to put up with this so that they have someone to play with in our neighborhood. This summer I'm all about amusement parks, swim club and friends outside the neighborhood. As an adult, I don't associate with these kind of people so why should my kids?

With ectasy comes pain

ec·sta·sy (kst-s)

n. pl. ec·sta·sies

1. Intense joy or delight.

2. A state of emotion so intense that one is carried beyond rational thought and self-control: an ecstasy of rage.

3. The trance, frenzy, or rapture associated with mystic or prophetic exaltation.

ag·o·nize (g-nz)

v. ag·o·nized, ag·o·niz·ing, ag·o·niz·es

v.intr.

1. To suffer extreme pain or great anguish.

2. To make a great effort; struggle.

v.tr.

To cause great pain or anguish to

I was listening to MPR radio this morning about combat in Iraq. So much pain... I found myself thinking upon agony. Why God? This hurt, this agony. The story was so overwhelming that to walk into the store became an act of habit. My mind was still in the car listening to the soldiers' pain but my feet were walking to get my errands done. My mind kept thinking why so much pain? But then, I remembered, God gives us joy. Overwhelming, truly powerful joy! Love, mother love, wife love....LOVE! Would I want to be minus love so I could never experience agony? Would being numb be fine if it was without ecstasy? Is that how we would want to live?

Dipping My Toe in the Big Pond

So, I've made a decision. I'm going to pursue my career this Fall. Ever since we began the basement project I have been loving the whole research and implementing part of my degree. I have had such a fun time pulling together ideas by either surfing the web, paging through magazines or exploring the stores. I've become so passionate that I fear I could passionately put us in the poor house if I don't start making some money soon. So, decision made. Now to go about getting it going.

I'm thinking since I've been my best client over the years. I'll use my house as my portfolio. I think I'll even create a site that showcases it so people can go to it as a reference.

Now that it's my thoughts are in print. There's no turning back!