More quotes

Reblog: Life Is Good And J.M. Smucker Company Team To Make Great Coffee

I try not to reblog other writer’s posts, but this one is definitely worth  sharing with all of my coffee brewing readers. I have not tried this coffee, but I can promise that the next time I see some in the store, I will buy it.

Life Is Good And J.M. Smucker Company Team To Make Great Coffee.

“You’ll Never Be Able to Stop Feeling Responsible For Your Child.”

“What did I do?” Siri is asking. “Where did I go wrong? How did I make him turn out this way?“

Karena rolls her eyes, she hates these questions so much. “Nothing, Ma,” she says, exhaling an exasperated cloud of smoke. “You know that. Dr. H said it. Everyone says it, all the books. It’s a chemical thing, remember? It’s like — having a recipe not turn out right or something when you’ve made it a hundred times.”

…”You’re sweet,” she says. “Thank you for trying to make me feel better. And I know you’re right, logically. But in here” — she thumps her chest and sips her Diet Pepsi — “you just feel so guilty,” she says, “when you’re the mother. You’ll never be able to stop feeling responsible for your child. You’ll see.”

~The Stormchasers, Jenna Blum (pg 179)

This quote is so powerful that I began to tear up when I read it.  As a parent, especially a mother, when there is something wrong with your child, you question yourself. You go through all the things you may have done wrong, even if you know logically that there is nothing that you could have done to change the way things are. You feel helpless. In this particular case Siri has Karena and Charles, twins. There has always been something off with Charles and then the family got a diagnosis, Charles suffers from Bipolar disorder.

This goes to the heart of many problems that I have seen in my own little world. Too many parents feel so responsible for their children and worry about how their children’s actions reflect on them that they enable their child to make themselves feel better. They justify their child’s actions, even after the child has become an adult. The parents fear that if they admit that their child has a problem, they have to admit that they have somehow failed. This just isn’t true. Admitting there is a problem is the first step in helping your child, or other loved one. The only thing you are doing to fail that person is pretending that there is no problem at all.

A word or two for my love

A quote or two

Even when I’m grumpy about our time apart, I believe this.

At least I hope so.

This was so me today.

Well, more or less. I’m gonna be ok. It’ll be good for me.

And the last one at night, in case your were wondering.

I do appreciate you Alex. I know I can be difficult and grumpy, but I appreciate that you listen to me.

All Over the Map

Trying to go back to posting almost every day. I don’t know what to type though. This is the fourth post that I have started in the last fifteen minutes. The first one was a journal prompt “Five ways to Win my Heart.” Then, there was a Shakespeare quote about expectation. Then a post about the upcoming week. I could not get one of them actually going without sounding ridiculous, whiny, or crabby. Not that I think this one is off to a great start either, but at least it is honest. I guess I could combine them all.

Five Ways to Win my Heart

1. Listen to me. I don’t always need advice. Sometimes I just need you to listen to me. I do need you to give me an ear. Celebrate with me. Remember what I have told you, but be patient if I repeat myself.

2. Surprise me. Dinner, date night, flowers, a note, a phone call, a visit, or whatever. I like surprises.

3. Have faith in me. I have a hard time accepting that I can do things on my own. I have a hard time knowing what I am capable of. Sometimes, I just need a little encouragement.

4. Accept me as I am. I get mad for no reason. I hurt easily. I cry for no reason. I love romantic movies. I have four…unique…children who have a…difficult…father. I get jealous. I have trust issues. I like my hooded sweatshirts. I change my hair when I feel like I am losing control. I like to dress up once in a while, but I am not a girly girl. I make mistakes, a lot. I can be selfish. I hate exercise, but I love to eat, especially my junk food.

5. Be yourself from the beginning. Share your goals with me. Share your dreams with me. Share your life with me.

 

“Expectation is the root of all heartache.” William Shakespeare

Isn’t that the truth! Typically people only upset us when we expect something. Either because of past actions, words they have said, past experiences in our lives, books we have read, movies we have watched, stories we have heard, or whatever. I don’t want to say that we shouldn’t expect things, but when someone or something upsets us, we need to step back and look at our own expectations.

 

The Upcoming Week

Tomorrow is the dawn of a new week. I get to go to work. The kids head to KD’s. I have my first coparenting counseling session. We have parent-teacher conferences. I get three nights with Alex, one of which will be with the girls. I may get a girls’ night this weekend. That’s about it.