I started my day in a heart pounding panic.  I was lying in bed and could feel the sun streaming through the window, before I opened my eyes, I briefly thought how nice it felt to wake up to the bright warmth but just as that thought occured, I questioned how it could be light out… I opened one eye, scanning over to the clock and saw 7:40am!!  HOLY CRAP- I flew out of my warm bed, raced to the doorway of my bathroom, back to the side of the bed, scurried in a full circle all while trying to figure out where I was supposed to be.   In less than a minute a thousand thoughts fired rapidly through my brain.  “Where am I supposed to be? OH GEEZ, OH GEEZ, OH GEEZ”, I raced down the hall to the kitchen and right back “What day is it? DANG IT!!!”, “ How could we over sleep?”,  “Should I jump in the shower or wake the kids first?”  “If we get dressed right now we can make it (mind you I have no idea where “it” is at the moment)….I better call work, no I can’t call work, I don’t want them to know I overslept!“ , “Please be Saturday!!!!”  As the seconds ticked by my brain started to organize a productive course of action – I will look at the alarms set on my cell phone.  I set a minimum of 7 alarms a day starting with 5:30am.  The result produced instant relief to the personal mayhem going on.  My alarm was set for 8:00am TAKE CAR INTO SHOP.  Oh good heavens, thank YOU – It’s Tuesday, Veteran’s Day!!!  I crawled back into bed and waited for my breathing to find a calm rhythm while my heart rate slowed to a resting beat.  I admit I didn’t have any grand plans to honor the Veterans though I am grateful to all those that have fought for our freedom and I am very proud of the many friends that I know who have or still are serving.   Even today, you saved me!!

Seriously, thank you to all our courageous men and women that serve our country for our freedom!   Happy Veterans day  – you are never forgotten.

I confess, last Sunday I missed church.  I also didn’t vote and I am sure I used the “F” bomb in several of my sentences throughout the week.  Those are just the unsavory things I remember at the moment.  I imagine there were a few other confessions I still owe penance for.  Some will think missing church was the worst offense, others will be disgusted I purposely didn’t vote and for that I pledge not to complain about the voting outcomes at any point.  Religion and politics are always hot buttons for people to condemn. The foul mouth is the least of my indiscretions and only really makes me look bad, little harm on anyone else.  Overall I was nowhere near my best me.  Gratefully, I am starting fresh with a positive attitude and strong focus. I am letting go of all the forces that I allowed in to my head, I chose to be driven by frustrations but I am also choosing to do better now.  It started with church today.  There was nothing note worthy said in the homily, basic stewardship expectations and being a living example of our Christianity were the themes.  Both are concepts I grew up with and encourage within myself though it never hurts to hear it again.  The words will stay with me as I reach for opportunities to make a difference in someone else’s day.

I am continually inspired by my faith.  I realize Catholicism isn’t for everyone.   There are parishioners that don’t represent our religion favorably and there are parishioners that outshine all of us.  Most of the parishioners fall somewhere in between which is a good balance to have.  All the dynamics make up the strength and quality of our church.  My hope is that regardless of your affiliation or your commitment to any religion that we can lean towards respecting each other without judgment.  You don’t have to understand the doctrines, the structure or decisions of our faith and I don’t have to understand the teachings of yours or even if you have no faith at all.  We can enjoy the person just as they are.  Appreciate the differences, celebrate the similarities of our lives and work together with a mutual respect.   There is so much to achieve here, the journey is beautiful when shared with others but we miss the gifts that are directly in front of us when we allow judgments to come first.  “Just because you think it doesn’t mean you’re right”

Can I get an AMEN!?

My second son Corbin was born a working man through and through.   At 11 months old he would zip through the house so fast I swear his feet scarcely touched the ground and his mind was just as quick.  There was no down time for this mama!!  Corbin always had a mission and he was eager to help….even when we didn’t need his help.  He often carried a clip board with a whistle hanging around his neck.    Anything with an engine or wheels drew his full attention.   Kids like him are an incredible force of great enthusiasm that has to be carefully directed.  Their spirit is wired for sure success but can just as easily be broken even though no one realizes from the intense exterior how fragile their heart is.  It has been a 17 year balance of guiding him just enough to keep him safe as well as my house intact while encouraging all the talents and energy he has to offer this world.  Sports were an easy solution for the intensity.  He plays hockey and rugby, both very well.   Next was setting strong expectations with clear consequences.   Enforcing the consequences has not been the best part of my job but necessary – the payoff is this amazing, wonderful, hard working young man.

Some of his plans are still a little rough in execution though the end result is generally impressive especially if we get to it without stitches, a fire or missing fingers (all have happened).   Last night was one of those nights where I stood near waiting to see what was going to come of his daily big idea.  It began months ago when I skimmed a bus with the passenger side mirror on my car driving the kids to school.  My “mom fix” was to use clear packing tape where the mirror was damaged so it wouldn’t break further.  I felt good about my solution and it served as a reminder for me to be careful and take my time.  Corbin wanted to jump in and fix it properly however funds wouldn’t allow it and I believe I deserved to drive with a broken mirror as sort of a punishment for my driving blunder.  Finally Corbin could not stand the “Scarlett Letter” approach any longer and purchased the mirror himself on line.

Wednesday’s are one of our busiest evenings since he gets home from his afterschool job with just enough time to eat before heading off to hockey practice. I run Casey to diving practice, there is homework to get to along with all kinds of other odds and ends, therefore when the package arrived earlier in the day, I set it aside so he could wait to get into this project over the weekend.    I should have locked it down since reality is no box goes unopened if Corbin knows it’s there!  I was in my room folding laundry when I heard him coming in and out of the garage, tools in motion and other concerning sounds.  Sure enough he had taken apart the mirror before I could object and was whittling away at his project.  Most would think I would be more grateful for his initiative, which I would have if it wasn’t being done on my dining room table over my grandma’s white tablecloth with shards of glass flying every which way.   I made my fair attempt to stop him but you can’t stop a man in the middle of a mission.  This was going to be done!  It did come with the usual draw backs of mild injury and excessive clean up by me.  Truthfully I insisted on cleaning just after Casey got a piece of glass stuck in his foot that was soon followed by the blood on Corbin’s face and hands which he didn’t even notice happening (safety googles were within reach and gloves were available too, why they aren’t on him is another discussion).  I know better than to trust the cleaning integrity of a 17 year old particularly since glass is not forgiving.  Minor facial scratches that Corbin will wear with honor and grandma’s table cloth now stained in blood tossed in the garbage with all the broken pieces from the project yet I have a beautiful shiny mirror on my car full courtesy of Corbin.  It’s not a perfect story but it’s another happy ending!