Kids do listen...and obey

This morning went pretty smoothly considering we were dragging when we woke up. It's over 80 degrees so the school encouraged the students to bring a bottle of water, which we have been doing anyway. They also stressed that no juices or sodas are allowed, strictly water.
So I 'fixed' lil man's bottle and on our way to school I let him know that I added ice in his water so it would stay cool longer. His response? "Mom, I don't think we are allowed to have ice in school." My poor child, the school had apparently done a great job of scaring the students into bringing nothing other than water....
"Honey, I don't think the school will mind if you bring ice to school, after all ice is the same thing as water." They just learned about matter so I reminded him.
Lil Man:"Oh yeah, I forgot,then it should be ok".

All's well.

Natasha Bedingfield - These Words with Lyrics

the one who holds me

I found out a friend moved to a different continent for good. She is a great friend. She did not tell me and that hurt a little, but I completely understand-because I have often felt the same way many many times. That I could just wake up one day and put together everything I have and move back home, closer to family and closer to peace. So I'm a tad bit jealous that she had so much courage to do that which I have been wishing BUT even more so INCREDIBLY happy for her!
As for me, every day this month has been an incredible journey to finding myself...yeah 30 and still searching...the great news is that I finally had the courage to face the truth-my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness. He is the beginning and the end. I'm incredibly excited...even though I have been a christian a long time, it's been an journey and I'm learning everyday to trust in the one who made me. My heart is rejoicing-even though there are a bunch of challenges ahead of me. I know that I can be confident that the one one who holds my heart also holds the future. It's incredibly great to know God experience true love and peace.

Hope for today

"TO BE HOPEFUL in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness.
What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places—and there are so many—where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction.
And if we do act, in however small a way, we don’t have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory."
— Howard Zinn

cooking gene?

I made chapati's today. There is no better cure for homesickness than making your all time favorite meal growing up. Many people complain that it is a tedious task but for some reason, I think it's a pretty snappy job, once I figured out how to make the perfect dough that is.
Today I had my superhelper aka lil man. He loves to help with the cooking and I love to have him help me-only that the clean-up takes as much time as it does to cook!! Today was no exception and I figured out you are only a kid once so I let him play with the wheat flour, corn flour, pour water here, stir, blow, and touch everything he shouldn't be. So by the end of it, the two of us and everything around us was looking 'heavenly'.
I was explaining to lil man how it's nice that he gets to help me roll the chapatis because he can learn how to cook-letting him know that my brother is a great cook.
Of course he had a smart reply, " I'm already a good cooker", LOL, ok corrected the 'cooker' part then asked him why he thinks he is already good. He proceeded to explain that he is already good because he inherited 'cooking' from my brother, just like he inherited his drawing skills from grandpa.
Ok, my bad, maybe I didn't explain the whole passing down genes very well but I can see he picked up something. I'm just not sure my brother's culinary skills bothered to criss cross all the way down the lineage to my son but only time will tell.

PS. The Chapatis were great even with all the over-rolling and prodding of dough that lil man does, so he may be onto something here.

It did pass

The studying, the papers, the anxiety, the finals. All over-for now until I start over in August-But for now I can take the time to hopefully get some sun. It's Chicago, when the sun comes around, you better get it. I do feel like a huge burden has been lifted. But in many ways it just made space for other things that did not get any attention-summer plans, pending wedding, hunting for a new job...ugh. The never ending cycle of madness in this land of "milk and honey".
My source of renewed hope and energy is to remember that it's not about me, that there is someone greater than I am who is at work in me. I'm so grateful for the gift of salvation, because when I'm at my worst, I can still feel loved and accepted. Thank you Lord for reminding me to stop relying on myself for all the things that stress me. I'm thankful for the promise that he will always be there and I know this is true from experience.
It's Mother's day tomorrow and I'm so grateful for my mother so beautiful in and out. I'm grateful for the chance to be a mom to lil man and I pray for the wisdom and strength to help him be the best he can be. To many more years of being a mom and superwoman!

homesickness

Life is so unpredictable, one minute you are up and soaring and the next minute you are down, lonely and out. It's 1 am on Sunday morning, studying for my exam on Tuesday. It was a good day. It had both ups and downs, tears and laughter all in one day. I love my friends because I can always count on a good laugh when I'm with them. I'm trying to make changes in my life that are painful and emotionally exhausting, and I've been good about being 'strong' but today, I cried some of that pain away.
I miss home, I miss my family on days like this. I feel like the only thing that could make this moment better is if I was surrounded by my family. My lil man is away this weekend and the house is lonely, too lonely. Did I say I miss home?
I don't even feel like going to church today, sometimes, I just want to be in church that feels exactly how it feels at home...many miles away.