Here's the latest site I found and love~ http://simplemom.net/. Simple Mom is a blog about living intentionally. If we want to get things done and and savor the little things in life, we have to keep things simple. I believe that when Mom (Dad, too) is doing well, the whole family thrives.
Her site brought me to this site...http://agoodmeasure.net/ by Sarah Dunning Park. Her poems truly spoke right to my heart. Pretty much every.single.one. But, if I had to just share a couple, here's two that I'm especially fond of:
Book Learning
It unfolded so fast,
past the hour of the nap
they never take:
one kid goaded the other,
who naturally sank her teeth
in the arm of her foe.
past the hour of the nap
they never take:
one kid goaded the other,
who naturally sank her teeth
in the arm of her foe.
All I could think
was that justice
must be meted out,
and I’m supposed to do it.
But I stood still,
paralyzed—
was that justice
must be meted out,
and I’m supposed to do it.
But I stood still,
paralyzed—
not by the shrill howl
or the shaky hiccups,
but by the conflicting
voices of well-intentioned
parenting books
or the shaky hiccups,
but by the conflicting
voices of well-intentioned
parenting books
(with their absolute
confidence, catchy titles
and celebrity review blurbs),
each forbidding
a different course
of action:
confidence, catchy titles
and celebrity review blurbs),
each forbidding
a different course
of action:
Don’t let it slide;
she’ll become
a holy terror!
Don’t spank her;
she’ll choose violence
to solve her troubles!
Don’t pay her extra attention;
she’ll learn to act out
to get more!
Don’t banish her to her room;
she’ll multiply her feelings
of isolation!
she’ll become
a holy terror!
Don’t spank her;
she’ll choose violence
to solve her troubles!
Don’t pay her extra attention;
she’ll learn to act out
to get more!
Don’t banish her to her room;
she’ll multiply her feelings
of isolation!
So to quiet all the voices,
I yelled at my holy terror,
then wrapped my arms
around her, and
together
we bawled.
I yelled at my holy terror,
then wrapped my arms
around her, and
together
we bawled.
© 2011 Sarah Dunning Park
Already But Not Yet
I have already
run the dishwasher,
put away every
squeaky-clean plate
and sparkling glass;
run the dishwasher,
put away every
squeaky-clean plate
and sparkling glass;
but I have not yet
tackled the leaning
tower of soggy cereal
bowls, or that pan,
thick with bacon fat.
tackled the leaning
tower of soggy cereal
bowls, or that pan,
thick with bacon fat.
I have already
pulled warm, snapping
towels out of the dryer
and into my arms, folded
them in neat stacks;
pulled warm, snapping
towels out of the dryer
and into my arms, folded
them in neat stacks;
but I have not yet
sorted the piles of soiled
clothes, or washed them
of their stains and
ripe smells.
sorted the piles of soiled
clothes, or washed them
of their stains and
ripe smells.
I have already
pulled my children near,
tucked hair behind their
ears, told them how
much I love them;
pulled my children near,
tucked hair behind their
ears, told them how
much I love them;
but I have not yet
made it through a day
loving perfectly, free of
discontent, guilt,
or fear.
made it through a day
loving perfectly, free of
discontent, guilt,
or fear.
No matter—it’s time again
to get up, scramble eggs,
help little legs into clean
underwear, and love them
with fear and trembling.
to get up, scramble eggs,
help little legs into clean
underwear, and love them
with fear and trembling.
I agree - blogs are important. I thoroughly enjoy reading your blog and am amazed at how you are managing to be a great mom, maintaining your well organized household and still have time to write about interesting and relevant blog topics. I too have enjoyed sharing ideas and found inspiration and am quite entertained by blogs - for free! Most recently I fround the following perspective on the blog called Enjoying the Small Things: where I read: "I hate when my kids are sick, but I'll tell you what--there's something about the vulnerability of kids not feeling well that demands the most beautiful moments of motherhood. I take it as an opportunity for a brilliant performance, as tired as I may be. Because there is no other option. They need me, simple as that. I am the only one who can fix it. And so I'm on--aware, awake and ready to deliver the kind of care that will sear memories of precious maternal moments for my girls.
ReplyDeletePatting myself on the back? Yeah, I am. And I guess, for all the times in this parenthood thing we don't feel like we really know what we're doing, there are these glorious moments like last night when you just feel like you were born to do this. Like your love for your kids gives you some sort of special powers, and you know you feel it--the super human strength of a mother's love. For the record, when those moments come, it's totally okay to brag about them."
I like that blogs have created a different level of communication than texts and emails and snail mail. To send thoughts written for yourself and in one response have the reward of a new and immediate connection is really quite unusual. To be able to write is a gift and your gift Kate is appreciated.