Because I Had Children

...and I am way behind on my daily postings of poems. I was doing them mostly on Facebook but I have gotten a few days behind so I'll post them here for my mom and dad and the two other people who read my blog and/or care about my poetry, ha ha. If you haven't been following me on FB, I have been taking my daily cues on what types of poems to write from my friend Stephanie at www.stephaniesaysso.blogspot.com . She has taken all the work out of it for me when it comes to choosing what to write each day and I'm so grateful for this opportunity to stretch myself as a writer. So as a catchup, I'll start with Day 19 which was free verse. It turned out to be harder than I thought and while both of these are quite amateur, I think there is some potential in them and they will be revisited soon. My Closest Friend Procrastination is my closest friend We often spend time together Saying “tomorrow I’ll have more time” When the reality is that I know I won’t. S...

As we drove to the restaurant to meet our 19 year old daughter for lunch my husband says to me, "Remember the time when she was seizing and I just held her in my arms while we sobbed sitting on the living room floor and you kept saying it would end soon?" The tears wouldn't stop running down my cheeks as I looked back through the first few years of her life and remembered how it all started. I can pinpoint her first seizure at age two or three and I remember the phone call from my sister like it was yesterday. I rushed her to the Dr. office she had perked up by then and was walking and responsive. We sat in the waiting room for only a minute before they took her back to a room. After looking her over for a minute, she asked to use the potty. I walked with her to the restroom and helped her. Just as she climbed off the toilet and had her pants pulled up, she collapsed into my arms and had a full gran mal. I held my composure the best I could while I opened the bathroom...

My younger sister was married this last weekend to a wonderful man. In their guest registry, it asked for a simple message of advice or thoughts on marriage. I know I wrote something but I'm not good "off the cuff" and I've been wondering about what I wrote since then and wondered if it was "enough." Marriage between a man and a woman is the most sacred trust our Father in Heaven has given us. It is this union that brings children to the world and links together generations. I wanted to share what I really wish I would have written when I signed our names to the book 1. Always put God first. A marriage is like a perfect triangle with God at the top point and the couple at the bottom two points, neither one being more important than another but always equal. When I think about the choices I make in my life, I always ask first if it is something my Father in Heaven wants for me, if I think it is, then I consider how my spouse will feel about it before making...

I knew this day would come but I didn't anticipate how hard it would be to actually let you go. I do want to thank you for sticking with us as long as you could because being the two oldest of eight cannot be an easy thing. Knowing I am losing 25% of my kids at one time is hard on my heart so tread lightly. There are so many things I hope I have taught you and maybe I'm a little scared that I didn't. Just in case I didn't cover something, here are a few reminders before you go: 1 - Pay with cash as often as possible. You need a house to live in, a vehicle to drive and an education. You don't need new couches, expensive clothing or dinner out a 12% interest rate. Pay your tithing. Everything we have came from the Lord, all he asks is 10%. Be wise and always pay your debts on time. 2 - Serve others. You are entering a period of your life where you only have to be responsible for one person - YOU. You may have to deal with roommates or co-workers but it will be n...

I'm a wimp. I'm not a fan of natural childbirth. I joke that with baby #8 my epidural didn't work and that's why I'm never having another child again, ha ha. The truth is that the epidural man was my best friend for many years. When I went into labor, he was the first person we called. (Not really, but close.) I'm a huge fan of modern medicine. But, when I have a headache, I try drinking water, I suck on peppermint, I close my eyes for 15 minutes or so, etc. But if that doesn't do the trick, tylenol here I come. When I got nausea during pregnancy, I tried  eating crackers, sipping ginger ale, sucking on ginger, I even bought sea bands to wear on my wrists, etc. When that didn't work, I turned to my trusty Zofran to get through my day. I like to think I have a good balance between "natural" remedies and modern medicine. I'm thankful for both and this is why. When my daughter turned three, we started potty training. It was rough but ...

Circa 1997 My hands were full  "They grow up so fast, in the blink of an eye," they said. I still resent those people who said it would go by so fast and I should cherish them while they are still young. Really? I had six kids under the age of 11 at one point, there was very little about my life that I cherished except maybe date night without the kids. Cherish the stinky diapers, the vomit, the bed wetting, the whining, the dirty laundry that truly never ended, the sticky kitchen floor and towels dropped on the linoleum in the bathroom? Let's not forget the nausea, sciatica and discomfort of being pregnant for so many years and then having a baby stuck to my boob 24/7 for sustenance. What about those comatose days because the baby didn't sleep well during the night but the toddler was up at 6am as usual. Yeah...I don't think so. Circa 2003 Survival Mode Life is now way more fast paced than I could have envisioned and I'm seeing that I missed out on...

Update: As of 10/31/2013, our team goal has been met and exceeded. We are so grateful for all the support that has been given to our team. If you still feel like you want to sponsor a special needs squad, there are Pop Warner leagues all over the country, please follow the link below to our national website and consider searching for a team in your local area. We will always need sponsors so keep us in mind for next year as well. In the last week, I have already heard from three new girls who want to join our squad for next year so our need will be even greater if we are invited to compete at the Regional level again. We want every child with special needs to have the chance to participate. Again, thank you for all your support. _____________________________________________________________ I have belonged to many organizations, specifically those dealing with coaching youth sports. But, the best one I've worked with EVER, is Pop Warner Football and Cheer. My husband and I hav...