What do you want to be when you grow up?

What do you want to be when you grow up? Children are asked this question throughout childhood. I remember writing a response to that very question in a "school years" book my mother bought for me. The book had a place for a school picture, class picture, list of friends, favorite subjects, and so on. I remember a couple of my desired vocations were hair stylist and teacher. I did eventually become a teacher, but lasted just 3 years in the profession. I have never known what I wanted to be. I'm envious of my husband who always knew he wanted to be an accountant. Handy for me, as budgeting is not my strongest skill.

Anyway, long story short, I've decided my calling is to be a mother. People tell me I'm good at it, and I certainly enjoy most aspects of the job. I'm 6 years into the gig and I have no plans of switching careers.

I've come to realize that I don't need to do big, front-page of the newspaper worthy things to do good in the world. In small ways every day, I'm helping to create grateful, productive little people who will someday leave my nest (sob!) and run this country.

I started teaching Sunday school, and I love learning right along with the children. I teach my children to say please and thank you, and to respect themselves and others. I'm in the process of helping them to understand that our family is very blessed, but there are others in the world, and in our lives, who don't have as many toys, have a smaller house, or sometimes have trouble finding something to eat. I want to foster the growth of a servant's heart in my children. I think that is a trait missing from many of today's youth; performing service for others without the goal of personal gain.

Now, if I could get the youngest child potty trained and the oldest to pick up his toys without being asked, I would move on to world peace. :)

Mile a Minute

I have been meeting with basically the same group of lovely women and their children for a weekly playgroup for about 4 years. Or longer, I just know my oldest was crawling. Or wasn't crawling yet. Or should have been crawling according to some developmental chart and I probably obsessed over it and talked and talked and talked to them about it.

Today I talked a lot. About happy things, troublesome things, funny things. Things maybe I should not have verbalized because it resulted in a bit of a rambling rant about being teased on the school bus in 1988. Our conversations need no segues; we can be discussing kitchen remodeling ideas and transition seamlessly to what kind of underwear someone likes the best (for children and adults) all the while getting snacks for the kids and mediating any preschool-aged scuffles that may arise.

I need this time. I assume all the other women do too, because they keep coming every week despite what dirty laundry one of us may have aired over Pirate's Booty and coffee the previous week, or how many toys were strewn through their homes. Today I belly laughed twice. I can't recall what was said that made me laugh so hard, but I'm thankful it was said. I kept putting off our departure. At one point the topic of conversation had moved to toilets and toilet seats, and who can just up and leave during that debate?

I do a lot of listening too, but today I was particularly loquacious. But that is okay, next week someone else will talk more than I do about something, and we will laugh, give advice, take advice, probably gossip a little (I lie, that is going to happen for sure) and have more Pirate's Booty.

See you next week ladies!