Today I watched my mom retire from her job of 25 years. They held an open house at her place of employment with the traditional cake and punch table, some silly pictures from years past and well wishes for her future days of not setting the alarm clock and fulfilling her bucket list. What I didn't expect was how many people came... many she had not worked with in years, girlfriends that have never worked with her but wanted to support her.
I knew there would be a point when someone would get up and say a few words....for some reason in these situations I get so emotional, even though it is suppose to be a celebration. Both of my mom's bosses spoke of her committment to her job, her helpful way with always trying to improve the work environment and how much she would be missed. Then my mom talked. I don't know why it impressed me so much because of course my mom is totally awesome but it was just a reminder of what a classy person she is. She maintained her compsure and was able to talk eloquently about her journey of 25 years while singling out people who had made a special impression on her.
As I drove home I couldn't help but ponder how she balanced work and home life for so many years. Growing up my mom pretty much worked full time or at least full time during the school year. She also worked full time at home keeping a clean house (laundry, grocery, gardening), being a dedicated wife, participating in activities with my sister and me. She always had endless energy and one of the biggest things I always noticed with my mom that I think separates her from the average employee...she never complained. Of course there were work days that were "busy" but I have never heard my mom say that she was overwhelmed, or bark at my dad for more help around the house, or bitch about people at work not pulling their own weight or make us feel like our needs were stressing her. She just always seemed to enjoy what she was doing and that even if periods were rough she just took it in stride.
Listening to my mom talk and watching all the people wishing her well in retirement I was reminded of how classy my mom is....I can only hope I turn out to be half the woman she is.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Sunday, January 20, 2013
What is really real???
This week the hubby and I watched Oprah interview Lance Armstrong, 7 time winner of the Tour de France, so he could admit to years of lying about doping and using performance enhancing drugs to win races. I probably would not have watched the interview if it weren't for my husband's adoration for Lance over the last decade. I have given him a hard time over the past couple of years for wearing the yellow Livestrong bracelets and continuuing to buy Armstrong products, but despite my teasing he stayed loyal to one of his sporting idols. After watching the interview, I left with two thoughts....Number one that Oprah has an ability unlike any other interviewer to take someone you don't like for whatever number of reasons, in the case of Armstrong being a cheater and a liar, and humanizing them to the point of empathizing with them and in some instances even finding them likable. My second, and more important, thought was......who will my kids grow up idolizing?
This is by no means a slam against my husband for loving Lance, we all have celebrities, athletes, etc. that we follow, secretly want to meet or be like or look like....but it scares me when I look at what is out there for my kids to chose from....I mean what kind of lesson could someone possibly learn from watching The Kardashians yet I have wasted more than an hour's worth of brain cells watching that train wreck of a show just because I wasn't in the mood to watch something more enlightening on the History channel or CNN. It just sucks you in. Every time you turn on the television another politician is admitting he slept with an intern, a prostitue, a goat (obviously I'm making that last one up but at this point would we really be surprised!). And of course let's not forget the fall of Tiger Woods who was cast in the media as having the perfect life: a wife, 2 kids, #1 athlete in the world.....and secretly sleeping with 10 other women.
At this point nothing really seems shocking anymore, I guess that is the scary part. I hope (by some miracle) that by the time my kids are old enough to make their own decisions about who to look up to there will be more of those sweet stories on the evening news about some local farmer and his wife and an act of kindness they are doing for their neighbors whose house just burnt down...you know those stories that run at the end of the news for about 30 seconds to make you feel warm and fuzzy about America. I hope that's all we can find to watch on tv someday, until then I am going to try to save as many brain cells as possible and vow to never watch another episode of The Real Housewives...
This is by no means a slam against my husband for loving Lance, we all have celebrities, athletes, etc. that we follow, secretly want to meet or be like or look like....but it scares me when I look at what is out there for my kids to chose from....I mean what kind of lesson could someone possibly learn from watching The Kardashians yet I have wasted more than an hour's worth of brain cells watching that train wreck of a show just because I wasn't in the mood to watch something more enlightening on the History channel or CNN. It just sucks you in. Every time you turn on the television another politician is admitting he slept with an intern, a prostitue, a goat (obviously I'm making that last one up but at this point would we really be surprised!). And of course let's not forget the fall of Tiger Woods who was cast in the media as having the perfect life: a wife, 2 kids, #1 athlete in the world.....and secretly sleeping with 10 other women.
At this point nothing really seems shocking anymore, I guess that is the scary part. I hope (by some miracle) that by the time my kids are old enough to make their own decisions about who to look up to there will be more of those sweet stories on the evening news about some local farmer and his wife and an act of kindness they are doing for their neighbors whose house just burnt down...you know those stories that run at the end of the news for about 30 seconds to make you feel warm and fuzzy about America. I hope that's all we can find to watch on tv someday, until then I am going to try to save as many brain cells as possible and vow to never watch another episode of The Real Housewives...
Friday, January 11, 2013
Is there a parenting book for this?
I am sure this is the first of many times I will wonder if there is a parenting book some where on some shelf in some book store that would give me the PERFECT thing to say when one of my kids throws me a curve ball. This by no means was a big curve ball, just a cute and innocent conversation my 6 year old daughter, Lorenn, started yesterday when she got home from school.
Me: "So how was school today Lo?"
Lo (with her hip cocked out to the side leaning on the kitchen counter like she's 16 y.o.): "So I just thought you should know mom that I am dating some one!"
Me (trying to remain calm and think of what a "cool" mom would say in response): "What exactly does that mean when you are dating someone?"
Lo: "It pretty much means me and like 60 other girls chased a boy named Charlie on the play ground today trying to kiss him!"
Me: "Lo I think you are a little young to be kissing boys."
Lo (rolling her eyes): "Not on the lips, just like this" and proceeded to rub her cheek on my shoulder.
It was a fun, sweet and innocent conversation that makes me smile each time I play it back in my head....but it only makes me dread the day when she IS 16 and tells me she IS dating a boy and all the REAL questions that may come with that...Only motherhood can give you anxiety over something you aren't going to have to deal with for 10 years! Hopefully by then I will have found that magical parenting book at the store and will know just what to say!
Me: "So how was school today Lo?"
Lo (with her hip cocked out to the side leaning on the kitchen counter like she's 16 y.o.): "So I just thought you should know mom that I am dating some one!"
Me (trying to remain calm and think of what a "cool" mom would say in response): "What exactly does that mean when you are dating someone?"
Lo: "It pretty much means me and like 60 other girls chased a boy named Charlie on the play ground today trying to kiss him!"
Me: "Lo I think you are a little young to be kissing boys."
Lo (rolling her eyes): "Not on the lips, just like this" and proceeded to rub her cheek on my shoulder.
It was a fun, sweet and innocent conversation that makes me smile each time I play it back in my head....but it only makes me dread the day when she IS 16 and tells me she IS dating a boy and all the REAL questions that may come with that...Only motherhood can give you anxiety over something you aren't going to have to deal with for 10 years! Hopefully by then I will have found that magical parenting book at the store and will know just what to say!
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
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