Rain, rain, go away. . . . -POPPY

Parenthood is hard. You get used to hearing this before you've actually experienced it, but it doesn't ever really sink in. Then you HAVE kids. You realize just what everyone was talking about. There's so much stress, fear, guilt, doubt, frustration, worry, responsibility, sadness, anger, and feelings of inadaquacy that come along with the job.

Mix that with pure bliss, awareness, pride, happiness, love, laughter, satisfaction, clarity, wisdom, and peace, and you've got parenthood. How do I discipline my children? Am I doing it right? Are they learning all they need to learn from me? Do they know I love them? Will they grow up to be good, responsible human beings? parents? citizens?

One of my biggest questions at the moment is How can I make their childhood memorable? I have a 2 year old and a 3 1/2 year old. Both boys. Crazy boys. Who love to be active. On top of that, my husband's job requires him to work 24-hour shifts. Therefore, I also work 24-hour shifts. If I'm not on top of my game, it's not a good day. One of the things I've learned is that I need to have activities lined up and ready to go on the spot. I've learned to be creative in order to keep my boys happy. And hopefully we're building family relationships and memories in the process.

(rain gear from Target)

I want my kids to remember a mom who got down on the ground and played with them, who put down what she was doing to listen to them, and who made every situation more enjoyable. I want them to remember the creativity of childhood, the excitement, the innocence, and the joy.

Today I took baby g out to the park. We sat in the warm sun and had snacks, then walked through our little old Downtown streets. I discovered a cute, little antique shop. I drive down that street EVERY OTHER DAY and have never even noticed it. It's amazing what sticks out to you when you slow down and take in your surroundings and those around you, isn't it?