Time and Tooth.

It has been 5 years, 8 months and 15 days since I first went into labor for the first time. Although I am grateful that I am not pregnant, don't expect to go into labor ever again, and will not be bringing home an infant soon, I find myself reflecting back to that day.


A lot of things have happened in those 5 years. 

• Scott graduated from College.
• We brought home a puppy.
• A few hundred dollars to the Veterinarian and a try at an obedience class, we found a new home for the puppy.
• We were blessed with Angel Baby.
• We remodeled our kitchen in Duluth.
• Scott got a job in Sebeka, MN.
• We sold our home in Duluth.
• We built a house.
• I became a SAHM. (Stay at home mom)
• I gave birth to a daughter.
• I gave birth to a son.
• We took trips to Grandma and Grandpa's cabin.
• Owen learned how to ride a bike.
• Scott was fortunate to not loose his job, rather get hired directly to do computer software engineering for one of the largest media companies. He is one of a team who are responsible to program the web sites that have more than 20 million unique visitors each month. No pressure there. 
• Our Zip code now begins with a 3 instead of a 5. 
• The kids and I not only survived but thrived on a 1200 mile trip to Tennessee. 
• I have become accustomed to strangers calling me sweetie and honey.
• I still get annoyed at solicitations for SAHM's to work at home. Really? Not in my world. Have you tried it with my kids?
• We laid rest to the 1997 Pontiac Grand Am and bought a new Toyota Yaris commuter for Scott. He still washes it every weekend. I already have bets on this weekend. Don't mind much, except for the water spots he leaves on my Mommy van from spraying the hose at his car and not washing mine.
• Scott and I are members of the PTA.
• Owen started Kindergarten. After 18 years of school, I again have to do homework every evening.
• We are the proud payers of both a rent and a mortgage. Yes, at the same time. Every month. I would like to think of us as stimulator's of the economy, but we aren't. We are just caught in this giant fly trap of people renting other people's houses because they had to move to find a job yet they can't sell the house they own and rented someone else's home. All of us hoping not to become the next foreclosure statistic. All of us pinching pennies and dollars and waiting for some movement in the housing market. We are fortunate someone will be borrowing our house at a reduced rate soon. We didn't get so lucky with a reduced rate here in Knoxville. 
• We are now fans of splash pads and discount theaters. 
• I am proud to report I have not seen a water moccasin or black widow with the exception of our trip to the Zoo.
• Larissa and Miguel are proud parents to a new baby girl.
• We have survived almost 2 months without cable television. I don't think anyone here would want to get it soon. Scott works. Kids play. I miss Vikings Football.
• It is September 30th. The thought of wearing long pants and shirts hasn't crossed my mind.
• My flowers I planted here are thriving, and trees are just barely showing the first signs of color autumn.
• Kelly and Mike are celebrating their first anniversary today.
• I was accused of being from Canada because I talk funny. Maybe I just didn't call them sweetie or honey?
• Owen and I have not missed the school bus. 
• I am thinking I may also need to carry a flashlight to the bus stop, or I just may spill my coffee next time I see our lizard in the driveway. 

As little as those little thoughts may seem, today is kind of a big day for me as a mom. It was 5 years, 8 months and 15 days since I gave birth to my first child. 5 years, 8 months and 15 days later, Owen lost his first baby tooth. 


I have always looked at my children's teeth like badges on a Mama Scout's vest (or would it be apron or sash?). I survived the sleepless nights. I survived the crabby days. I tried tricks like Orajel, frozen bagels, Motrin, and Popsicles, but soon learned hugs and love were the best medicine. I grew as a mother as each tooth emerged. I was proud.


The tooth was wiggled free with so much ease compared to how they came in. I held it in my hand, mostly speechless. However, Owen was a proud boy. He wasn't speechless. He jumped up and down. He called Grandpa. He hugged everyone. He exclaimed how big he was now. He yelled. He rejoiced. He didn't even look at the tooth. 


Today I do not mourn my first baby's lost tooth. I am celebrating with Owen. I am celebrating his spirit and adventure. I am celebrating his hard work in school and his positive attitude towards moving to TN. I am celebrating his smile. Even if it is one tooth less.

Shoes

  One can wonder who wore the first pair of what we now call as "shoes". What was his or her name who decided to put something on their feet for protection against natural hazards of weather and the rough ground they walked upon. What did it look like? How did it feel? Not only can shoes provide a practical purpose, they can tell a story about a person. 

  By looking at shoes, we can see the reflection of the personality of the wearer. The shape in which the shoe is in can help tell how the wearer stands or walks.  Shoes also show character in how the individual reacts to fashion by the style, brand name, condition or quality of materials. 

  When my kids were infants, I went by the advice of others and books I had read that shoes weren't the best thing for developing feet. The hard soles could possibly bring trouble to growing muscles and bones. Their tiny toes could feel the floor better to start crawling. I bought Robeez and other similar shoes for day care and times they required shoes. Most of the time in their learning to walk years, they were barefoot at home. As far as I can tell, no one is pigeoned toed, mule legged or walking funny, so I back my decision.

  Now that they are older, there is a different battle. Owen still would rather not take the time to put shoes on the correct feet and make sure he just doesn't stomp around on the heel like they were a clog. Megan puts on shoes, but will quickly escape from their captivity and run around barefoot in the yard. Aidan loves to wear shoes and socks, because he is a a big kid and does pretty much what mama says.

  Last week Scott and I attended our first school conference as parents of a Kindergarten student. I arrived at school, started unloading the children out of the mommy van and then made a panicked phone call to Scott. Where are you? So, you don't have extra time? Okay. I guess we will just deal with this situation. Deep breath. 


  Turns out with the change of routine and anxiety of what a conference was, Owen didn't put on his shoes before he got into the van. Not even half way. Not even on the wrong feet. Just not at all. We were already at school yet had no time to reverse course. I smiled and shouted, "Let's go!" 


  Still nervous, Owen entered the classroom and explained teary eyed his shoe-less self. The teacher smiled and winked at me. After all, she has spent many hours a week with Owen for the past month. She knows how he rolls. We proceeded with our conference, and left full of hope. Not only is Owen improving on behavior, he scored well on the pretest for Kindergarten. 


  We left the parent teacher conference with a mindful of what we need to work on. It is amazing the level of reading he is expected to be at by the end of the school year., even more what is expected by the first grade.  Considering how tired my Kindergarten child returns home, the hours Scott works, and the attention other children need, this may be a great task. Add to the list putting on shoes, correctly. Maybe learning to tie. 

 Recently, we bought tap shoes and ballet shoes for Megan's dance class. Absent of any known preschool programs that don't cost a fortune and not excited about karate, we chose dance. She cherishes her shoes. She has kept them safely in her dance bag away from all potential harm from her brothers. She has never worn them outdoors and is careful to keep track of them at class. I still get teary eyed every time she runs into the studio, puts on her shoes and declares to everyone she is ready to start dancing.

 One of the little things in life....Shoes. Gotta have them, don't need to love them. Some of us do, some don't. My all time favorite shoes were the Converse All Stars of the 80's, my knee high boots with heels, and my red and black Nike Teva-like sandals I just junked. Wow, did those shoes shoes hiked though hundreds of miles on paths through Duluth, never ending lawn mowing and daily wear for a decade. That is when I needed to wear shoes. After giving birth to 3 children and needing a 1/2 size bigger shoe after each child, I prefer the practical, sturdy, or plain. Or just barefoot. It is easier to dance that way.


  We all need to dance in life. There is no better way to live.

What a Zoo!

Today I visited the Knoxville Zoo. See if you can tell the difference between the animals I brought with me and the animals that live at the zoo. Warning: A few of the pictures may be difficult to distinguish.

 The Little Bear Exhibit.

I must admit that Megan wore her mingo shirt because she was hoping to see some of those flamingos that Grandma loves so much. No flamingos were seen on this trip, although we saw some cranes and other pink birds.

I did manage to bring 3 exhausted and happy animals back home with me. I think they were the correct ones, however I did hear some roaring, screeching and yelping at bedtime....

Boys vs girls.

We drove, and drove and drove. It took us twice as long as Scott did, but I figured it would. It might be hard enough when you have your own needs to consider, but I had 3 other beings that needed almost constant attention. Switch the DVD! Get your Seat belt on Megan or I have to pull over! I am hungry! I need to go to the bathroom. Then there was diaper changes and blanket requests. It did not matter if these requests we an hour after we were driving for an hour or 5 minutes after we left that last stop. They had to be addressed.

I am forever thankful to Phillips for the most amazing 9 inch dual screen monitors that are loud enough, easy enough to strap in and are just plan wonderful. I know we couldn't have made the trek without you. Stopping near Metropolis, IL, was sure a treat for Owen and we played Superman on the Phillips the next leg our our journey.

We added an extra night to our trip and spent the night in Nashville. It was wonderful. We arrived early and found a nice place to stay, the Drury Inn. I recommend it to anyone traveling in the south. Getting there at the right time, we were able to check in and eat their complimentary finger food dinner. What a perfect match for my troop of youngsters. Chicken fingers, hot dogs, meatballs, veggies, fruit, were a warm welcome to hungry kids and a mom who didn't really want to drive to find a place to eat. The previous evening in St. Louis we had an awful experience with the hotel restaurant, and I didn't want to repeat that. Did I mention that they had complimentary cocktails with the finger food. Following dinner we checked into our room and went swimming outdoors. Everyone relaxed and was at ease in Nashville.

I am glad that we spent that extra night. Scott was beyond anxious at this point and kept calling us  for updates on where we were and when we would get there. The drive from Nashville to Knoxville was gorgeous. I think they call that part of the Appalachians the Cumberland Plateau. I may be completely wrong. Forgive me, I have a steep learning curve. I am glad we drove the during the day and I am glad we arrived to Knoxville early in the day.

We let Scott know when we arrived. He had shopped all weekend anticipating our arrival. Among the purchases was a new 4 person tent the kids could play and sleep in. His thinking was that the kids could sleep in it, as our beds wouldn't arrive for a few nights. He spent the weekend we were traveling shopping, cleaning and calling us.

When we arrived at our rental house, Scott surprised us all and came home. Eager to see us all again, he was ready to go. Excited. Happy. With plans. Lots of plans. He took us out to Puleo's Grille. We coined the term KEF for Kids Eat Free. Then he took us on a driving tour to downtown Knoxville. The last thing in the world the four of us wanted was a driving tour. I mean really. Wasn't 1,200 miles enough the past 3 days enough?

Not only did we go to Puleo's Grille, we also went to World's Fair Park and the top of the Sun Sphere. Kids had a blast, because they finally weren't strapped into their 5 point harness seats. They could run. They could play. They could hug.

But that is the difference between the girls and the boys. The girls, well were were worried about silly details. Megan was wondering if this was her new house, why wasn't her princess bed here. I was wondering when bedtime was and how I could make it work. Megan asked where the pool was at the hotel tonight (aka new house). I knew Scott was going to be disappointed that the three kids didn't waltz into the tent he had purchased and fall asleep within moments  I was growing anxious that we were out past bedtime...again.

The boys seemed to have no trouble. They played. Hard. Aidan sure held restraint and did not just run right into that fountain in the park, but mom intervened and there was tears. Owen ran and climbed. Aidan ran and climbed. Scott ran and climbed. They seemed oblivious to the world around them. The fact that we still had to drive the 20 or so miles home, it was past bed time and we still didn't have sleeping arrangements ironed out left no impression on their mood. Megan asked again where here princess bed was.

That is one of the many differences between the boys and girls in our family. No one is right. No one is wrong. Just differences. Boys vs girls. The girls could have relaxed more and not worried about what was next. The boys could have planned ahead, made plans for a smother bedtime routine, realized we didn't want to drive in the van anymore. After all, I added a day to our trip and had a evening in Knoxville so we could arrive at a respectable time.

 Turns out it doesn't matter much, because that first evening was perfect. We didn't have to wake up the next morning and drive all day. We had played hard, laughed loud and ate wonderful food. We had finally arrived to our new home.

From the Lakes of Minnesota to the Hills of Tennessee

I look back 2 months ago. I was spending my days packing up a house we built in Menahga just three years ago. Waking up and packing. Falling asleep with packing tape residue on my fingers. Everything I touched needed to be valued as something to be kept or to sell or to donate to keep our cost of moving down. Everything I touched brought back memories. Ahhh, that is Dharma's collar. I miss my dog. Scott will tell you the story of how I asked for her while awaiting my epidural at the birth of my first son.  I still can argue today that she was the only one who would understand the pain and not bring in stinky burritos into the room. Look, there is a wedding gift we haven't used yet. Remember that hot September day in Duluth when we got married? Who knew it could be so hot in Duluth the month of September? I don't think I noticed. Then there was the endless family photos, highs school memorabilia and, well, junk. The flood of memories that once was and now...

Quickly, the days to leaving Minnesota approached. With Scott already in Tennessee for the summer, I was the leader. The only leader. I had to keep a level head and be the cheerleader for the kids that leaving their home was a good thing. Not only a good thing, but a great thing. That was a tough job. No, it sucked. Packing up their most prized possessions while convincing them that it would be alright. Leaving friends, teachers, church, grandparents, aunties and uncles. Forgetting about routines, known roads and city playgrounds. Wondering where dad was. I held back tears most days. Some days it just wasn't possible to control. Those were the days the kids and I shared tears.

We had our tearful goodbyes as I was trying to not puke and hold back tears. Really, I wanted to cry. Sometimes I did. We had our last overnight visit at Hiawatha Beach. We had breakfast with friends. We played at parks and went to parades. Grandpa helped pack so many nights and grandma brought dinner. Friends brought boxes. I just could not find the right words to say because I was afraid I would cry.

On the morning we were to leave on our journey from the lakes of Minnesota to the hills of Tennessee, I awoke before the children. Tears streaming from my tired eyes and without a coffee pot, I went to the deck to not awaken anyone. The most beautiful rainbow was forming in a place I had never seen a rainbow before. Within minutes it turned into a double rainbow. Bright and vibrant I stood motionless in awe. I took pictures, but it doesn't even begin to show the beauty or hope that it brought to me.

We took off from Minnesota and was fortunate to see many special people on our trip. Weather didn't cooperate the greatest on our first day. Correction, it was afwul. Scott drove through and around violent storms on his way through Minnesota. We hit a huge storm somewhere (now in 2011, I am sure it was a tornado) and then the sirens went off after a visit with Autnie Kris. But what could be worse than hanging out with Auntie Kris in the toy section of Target for a endless amount of time. Priceless. Not to mention the treats they hand out during tornado warnings when they lock the place down. We finally made our way to our hotel after the all clear was sounded. I mean all clear. Not a cloud in the sky. For miles. Maybe even states. The kids were so excited to stay in a hotel the first night, they forgot about any other amenities (i.e. pool and pop machines) and just jumped into bed.

We made the whole 1,200 miles from our home in Minnesota to our new home in Tennessee. Remarkably, it didn't suck. I admit it was fun. I would do it again. In fact, I hope our home in Minnesota sells soon so we can start planning a trip back there next summer. After all the kids need more memories like this...

Driving the 1,200 miles made me think. A lot. 
It is about the little things in life. 

The little things add up to the big huge gigantic picture. 
I don't know what lies ahead.

What I do know is that I love my children. 

I love my husband. 

I love my family. 

I love my friends.

I love the little things in life that add up to one big huge thing.

 I would rather be wiser than richer, and I want to be inspired everyday 

to love better, learn more and live bigger.  

I am not perfect...nor do I wish to be.