BiG BuLLY

The other day, I was sitting at subway with Alyssa and her friend Priscilla. They had just got out of seminary and I asked them how it was. They said it was a good lesson and both continued to talk about class. They mentioned how their seminary teacher brought up Bullying. They went on to talk about how he said that 99% of parents pray each day that their child doesn't get bullied at school. 

How true this statement is! 

They asked me if I did the same. "Of course!", was my reply. 

I remember even when Alyssa was younger praying that she would grow to be accepted by her peers. Not thinking that she'd ever really have a problem, but based on even my own experiences I just never wanted or want her to. Lys has always been such a doll and so polite even from the age of two. But from a young age with her I feel as though I have tried over and over getting it into her head how important the golden rule is, "Treat others how you would like to be treated". I do the same to my boys but I will admit the older they are getting and how rambunctious they are, I haven't been as good as I need to be about preaching that over and over again. Boys, I think, struggle even more with this for some reason. 

I just watched Cyber Bully. Terribly sad movie. I cried. Mainly because as my daughter is getting older and almost a sophomore in High School,  the fear is so much stronger! There is a scene when the Mom of the daughter getting bullied approaches the father of the girl at school who was doing the online "social web sight" bullying. He defended his daughter claiming that whatever she was saying was her opinion and could be expressed freely under the 1st amendment. I cannot express the anger I experienced just watching this! Putting myself in this Mothers place. 

How many parents out there are the worst examples to their kids of this!? How many parents are pushing their kids to be "perfect"? And not accepting others imperfections. Whether its in sports, dance, academics... whom are not expressing the issue of the fact we are all so different! We all have different needs, different things we are good at.  If my child is off the charts smart.. why is he "weird"? 

Nothing upsets me more when perfection is pushed. When someone puts down another.  When someone makes you feel as if you aren't nor can be just as good as another person. 

ALL STEM FROM AN INSECURE HOUSEHOLD

(again in my opinion)

I grew up going to school trying to come across hard, like I didn't care what anyone thought. Are you kidding me?! I was so insecure about soo many things about myself that I put out attitude to just cover it all up. I remember days going to school HATING the fact if I saw "so and so" he'd probably make some rude comment to me about something I had wrong with me that day. Which is funny to me now, because when I notice myself becoming that "hard" person I have to take a step back and think about what on earth Im getting worked up over that really has no meaning, nor importance on my life enough to change ME or my security with myself. Especially when its coming from someone who is probably so insecure with themselves enough to take the time out to put it on me!

I was average!

I was not an overweight child struggling with eating.. I didn't have a handicap. And I remember feeling so terrible for some kids who did have these issues, who were picked on so much. The damage it did to me was enough, these poor kids who took the abuse. I cannot imagine. Or bear the thought of what their poor parents even went through with worry for their child.

The sad thing is that there are still grown adults bullying. Doing this damage.

My plea would be to stop it not only with yourself, if you are having even the mildest problem with this.. but instilling in your children how wrong this is.  

Speak well of others in front of your kids. Now, I am not perfect. I know this. I can find myself so frustrated with someone that I am venting about them while my kids are around.

We are all so different. Some of us can take it without a flinch, some of us are over sensitive.. and you never know what that person you might be "joking" with or thinking it doesn't matter with is feeling. 

One of the many things I have absolutely adored about my parents is their example of love for everyone. I have never heard my Father and Mother mutter a foul thing about a soul. Even when they have had the right. My Father only points out the good in anyone he meets. It amazes me. And on the daily, my desire is to acquire that attribute.

If nothing else, I am hoping I, myself, can remember to do these things.... 

ALWAYS. 

BE KIND. SPEAK KIND. BELIEVE KIND

-stop the bullying-

:)XoXo:)

Power of a little Prayer.

Mondays. Aren't they usually fun?? Seems like out of all seven days of the week if something is to go wrong the chances are higher on a Monday. Why is this? Our brains aren't quite functuning from our weekend yet?? Yesterday was Monday. However, ultimately for a monday it just wasn't so bad.

I drive a lot on Mondays with work. My schedule varies, but some Mondays I dont always have a sitter for my kids if the need to take Gage is there. I enjoy when I don't have a sitter because I tend to have more time with him, alone. Even if its very distracted alone time, it's alone time none the less.  Not that I wouldnt want it with West or Lys. I just dont have that opportunity since they are both in school. So yesterday was one of these days I took Gage around with me. I have to hurry as fast as I can because West gets out of school at Noon. So in most cases I come back to get him then finish up my work afterwards.

Gage is hilarious. You never know what you are going to get with him, or what is going to come out of his mouth. Weston is unbelievably smart! You never know what you are going to hear from him on what he knows and understands! Lys.. ohh Lys is Lys! Amazing. Always has been the sweetest Angel there is. She blows me away with her understanding and LoViNG self. Im so proud of that girl!  All more reasons I needed to start blogging again. Is it my sworn motherly duty to keep better track of these things for my kids sake? For my own? One day I imagine I will be sitting there while my kids are older and grown reading these little things and loving it. I hope so anyway. My guilt is having me believe so. And will time and time again bring me to it, I guess. :/

Back to Monday. Gage and I made our way around the valley.. He's always communicating the need to make sure we hurry back to his little best friend, West. They dont like to be apart for very long. Its the sweetest yet most trying thing, Ever! On our way to pick West up Gage mentioned that he wanted to have a picnic. I said, "You want to go to the park and have a picnic??" He says, "No! Outside our house I want to have a picnic!".  "Okay! Lets do it!" Way faster and easier for me to do that with the work I still needed to do.  We arrived home and I hurried to make peanut butter and honey sandwiches and cut up some strawberries. I saw Gage walk out the back sliding door, which goes out to a balcony. He checked on the weather for me to make sure it was still weather for a picnic. And he was ready. I grabbed the food, and a blanket and headed out. Weston had gone out to get on his bike. We sat out on the lawn for a few minutes.. I had been on the line with a friend. I went to go back inside.. I dont even remember what for..?? But the garage door was locked. I had to get off the phone and figure something out. My car keys were inside with the house key attached. I couldnt think of a window that would be unlocked. Then remembered... Gage had gone out the sliding door! It was unlocked! I ran to the back trying to get on a chair to climb up. It was no use. I had given up. Theres no way I'd get up there without the help of Alyssa. I'd have to wait. The boys were in front for a few minutes while I was contemplating how to get in. Weston comes to the back yard, very positive and happy trying to help me out. "Mom.. I could climb up there!". I didnt think it could happen. He's so little (or skinny)! I can only lift him so far then he'd have to pull himself up. "You think you can do it, bud?" "Yah! I can do it..!". So I had him grab onto the post to hold while I lifted him up onto my hands as high as I could get him. He grabbed the railing and lifted himself up. As he was climbing over the railing he yells with such Excitement....

"Mom! Mom! We are going to be able to get in because I said a Prayer that we needed help and would get in the house!!".... continues to the door, and it was, in fact, open. "See!!!"

PROUD MOM MOMENT

I am not the most religious person. Nor do I claim to be perfect. But I do have beliefs and I try my hardest to instill those beliefs into my kids. One of which is the power of prayer. Weston made my Monday. And what I thought was going to be a complete inconvenience turned out to be such a fun thing to see. I believe little annoyances sometimes are just meant to happen to teach us a thing or two... or to save us from BIGGER annoyances.

Dont forget to Pray!

XoXo

From scratch!

I havent blogged in over a year. It just hasnt been a priority. Facebook; My outlet and photo journal. However it doesnt do justice for my children or myself. I keep wanting to post little stories of my cute little ones or funny things that happen. But do I really need my 1500 friends to see each personal posting..?? Naw.  Whether anyone cares or does not.. doesn't matter. I do need to be better about sharing my thoughts, feelings.. or just random meaningless things that I LoVE! Sooo here we start again, a more intimate glimpse into our completely unperfect yet BEAUTIFUL lives!