But Will She Remember?

Not your normal ‘Mommy Blog’.

Savvygirl and I, 1998
My Girl

I have a beautiful munchkin nicknamed Savvy. She is almost 24 years old. My ‘mommy blog’ is written with the gift of perspective. I can see now what a beautiful, strong, independent young woman she has become.

Daily walking the dog, about 1 1/2 yrs.

When she was a baby, I would look at her and think “what will she be like and look like at two or 8, 12, 16, and 21?”

Just under 2 yrs old with her favorite babies.

I am so grateful for having raised her in a time, not so long ago, where not everything was shared. No posting what we ate for dinner last night. If we wanted answers we would go to the library. Need advice? Call a friend or relative. There wasn’t Google and internet was a very new concept.

Today, ‘mommy blogs’ are everywhere. No one’s life is private. Write about how you are working from home making $300,000 while being a stay at home mom? Have 2.5 kids and a dog on a corner lot in suburbia? Publish it. What will these kids remember most? That their childhood was broadcast for the world to see with every trip to the grocery store documented? I’m not saying its wrong, just that I choose differently and pray my daughter will remember the good times we shared.

The Little Things
Wet, bright leaves of maple lie on the grass.

Will she remember the hours spent reading instead of watch TV? The learning and laughter? The time we were dancing in the late autumn afternoon, when it began to lightly rain and the leaves were falling all around us and we laughed as we searched for the prettiest leaf? When we would stay up all night laying on the driveway watching for meteor showers?

Meteor shower

Will she remember we would make everyday moments into parties? Hold a movie party, a game night party, reading party or drawing party complete with invitations and decorations. We would have ‘theme’ dinners like carnaval food night with homemade corn dogs and funnel cakes.

Hometown tourist
Look at that face! 2003. Photo tip: always have the subject close to the camera, in the foreground, not the in the background.

We would play hometown tourist and go the St. Louis Arch and museum and then dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory. Crown Candy soda fountain or Forest Park and mini trips to explore and expand our world and mind. The horse and carriage rides and dinner in a TeePee? Will she remember learning in everyday moments? Lessons only life can teach. Making sandwiches to bring to the homeless shelter when they asked the community for help.

Life lessons
Portrait helper

Will she remember making volcanoes in the backyard, near the treeless tree house she helped me build? Playing explorer in the wood that was our backyard as we looked and often found fossil rocks. Sitting for and being my helper on my photo sessions. Or will she remember the struggles of a single mom?

Evening Falls

Will she remember the nightly rituals of reading her favorite books with character voices, like The Monster in the Cave, or The Giving Tree? When she would let me pick the book only to then say she wants me to read to her The Bookshop Dog again.

A favorite by Nicholas Heller

Will she remember that each night before kissing her goodnight, I would tell her she can do anything! That she was smart, kind, caring, funny, beautiful and I believe in you.

The Fiery Redhead
Getting drivers license, age 16.
SLU Grad 2018

Savvy is now a smart, funny, caring, compassionate, beautiful, independent young woman in charge of her own future. That future is limited only by her imagination. Will she remember how proud I am of who she has become? She has taught me to be more open and giving.

a love letter to my munchkin
2019, Still very similar; we both like photography, politics, history, Fleetwood Mac and pokey sticks!

But will she remember the pride I felt everyday, the love I have for her and that I would do it all over again. Because being a mother, her mother, is the best job in the world! Like in the words to one of my favorite Martina McBride songs, “In My Daughter’s Eyes, the truth is plain to see, this miracle God gave to me, she was sent to rescue me, I see who I want to be, in my daughter’s eyes. For when I’m gone, I hope she’ll see how happy she made me, for I’ll be there, in my daughter’s eyes”. No matter where I am, that is your home!

Leave a comment and tell me a memory you want your children to remember!

It’s just a number. Turning 50!

Why is turning 50 such a big deal?

50 is just a number. Bigger is better! Wouldn’t you rather have 50 dollars then $25?

Look at the list of people whose success in life, love and business happened later in life. Sometimes much later.

Mel Robbins became a TV talk show host, Julia Child became a chef and Jack Cover created Taser, inc all when they were 50. Joy Behar gained prominence at 55 when she became a cohost on the View.

Mel Robbins, talk show host

Dixie Carter, Viola Davis, Susan Boyle, Henry Ford and Bea Arthur all rose to fame in their 40’s. As did designer Vera Wang and Martha Stewart and Bert Lahr the Lion in The Wizard of Oz. One of my favorite historical leaders, Susan B. Anthony helps start one of the greatest movements in the country in her forties. It’s just a number!

Women’s Suffragette, Susan B. Anthony

Experience

Ask yourself this question, Is this what I thought it would look like? There isn’t a rule that says you must start and be a great, known success as early in life as possible or you will not be successful. If you believe in your self and your ability, you can do anything! For some, it takes longer. Laura Ingalls Wilder had a lifetime of stories to write when she was first published at 65. Sarah from the New testament, didn’t have a child until she was 90 years old!

First book by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Getting Older

Getting older doesn’t mean your life is over or you can’t contribute any longer. Why turning 50 is a good thing: Older does in some cases mean wiser, a new start, a new career. You get more time to learn and grow, and it sure beats the alternative! You don’t have to wait until the kids are older. Having just turned 50 myself and moved to a different state and starting completely over, the future is Unlimited! There are great things to come! It’s never too late to dream!!

The future is unlimited! Had to add Oz in there somewhere.

When we decide to continue living a life we love long after the kids move out of the house, or the divorce, age doesn’t matter. You are not too young or too old to begin a new direction.

What’s it all about?

The world in general or just this little offbeat corner of it?

Not being normal!

What’s it all about? Well, the world in general is as good or bad as you make it. This personal development site, is about the witty and off~beat, not normal things in life. Why strive to be ‘normal’? Life is too short to worry what other people think, and really, most people are far to busy with their own stuff to worry about yours!

Make your world wonderful! Set out to think you will have a great day and smile at everyone you come in contact with. Nine times out of ten, you will get a smile back and make someone’s day, and that should make yours! If you think you will have a great day, you will! If you think you will have a crappy day, you will!

Be sure to check back to read blogs on all things not normal, make you think or put a smile on your face!

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Why be ordinary, mediocre, standard or normal? Be unique!