Parent Moments...

When we come home from church we often get comfortable in our pajamas (seeing as how it's about 5pm by the time we get home). After dinner tonight, Marlie wanted to go out on the back porch and play. It was such a beautiful day I couldn't say no. She's running around with Briea and having a good time. I'm inside feeding Aubrie when Marlie comes in to give me an update...

"Mommy! I just said a prayer to Heavenly Father for my baby..." (Ahhh - proud parent moment!)
"... my baby died, so I said a prayer. I just made a baby out of dog poop and rolled it in my hand like this (rolling hands together), and then I made a little baby but my baby died."

Several things are going through my mind as she is talking. First of all, why did her baby "die" - where did that come from; She's touching Aubrie's swing and the door knob of the back door and now there's DOG POOP GERMS ON EVERYTHING! WHAT?!

"HOLD THE BOAT Marlie! You made a baby out of what?! DOG POOP?! Go wash your hands NOW! Gross!!! NO, now!" (Not so proud moment)

"Mom, come see my baby! See it's just mud mom..." A conveniently little rolled piece of "mud" that looks a lot like a little turd. Sigh. You still MUST wash your hands.



Do you ever look around your home at the unwashed dishes and the children pulling on you leg and think "who the heck left me in charge?! Seriously, I'm it?" I do that all the time. Who thought I was capable of running this household? Am I really mature enough to have kids? Some days, most days, I'm really not worthy. But somehow we manage.

I've been pondering something else lately. The evolution of parenthood. (I mean no harm or offense to our parents and all generations of parents before us in the following thoughts) I was talking with some friends of mine, other mothers, about not letting our children watch movies that we watched as kids. Take the movie Goonies for example. I watched that as a kid and we loved it! But watching it now, I don't think I would let Marlie watch it. There's language in there! It seems that parents these days feel a need to be "better" than our parents. Not because our parents were bad mothers and fathers or because we turned out bad. I think after pondering this I'd say it's because our children, the next generation is special. They need the strength that they can only get in a righteous home to fight the battles of the world. I don't believe in spanking. Physical punishment doesn't seem like the right path. I know that this seems to be a growing trend. We have regular family nights. We don't eat soap after bad words (although I'm pretty sure as a child I swore I would never do that to my kids!). Educational movies take precedence over regular cartoons. I am a product of all these things. I think I turned out ok. But our children are different than we were. There is need for evolution. I'm not quite sure where I'm going with this. It's just an observation. Once again, I don't want to step on anyone's toes, I've just noticed that this is what seems best for our home.

On a happier note, it's been 80 degrees, rainy, and allergies are high! It's finally spring time! The trees are blooming! Marlie saw white blossoms blowing in the wind the other day and she said "look mom it's snowing!" We are thrilled for summer!!! In fact, I'd be happy to keep it right where it is - very low humidity, and manageable heat! Fun spring pictures to follow later this week.