Category: Parenting 101

A Day to Remember, Parenting 101

Shopping Is…

deborahanndykeman

For many, many years, Walmart was my place to shop. I was thrilled that I could go to one place and find everything that I needed for the week. And yes, I went every week. I would generally start in the garden section in the warmer months, browsing the plants and looking for deals. Then would come the shampoo and toothpaste aisles. Of course I would swing through the clothes section, always shopping the clearance racks. Then the last, and most expensive part of the trip would be the groceries. This was my routine and I thoroughly enjoyed it, sometimes dragging several children along with me.

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Last night, my husband and our youngest went to Walmart. Long gone are the days I mentioned above! That store is now my least favorite, and I don’t even know all the reasons why. But of course I’m going to list a few here for your enjoyment! And remember, for the past several years, even getting me into a Walmart is a chore.

  • The prices are not what they once were. Yes, there are some deals still. I usually get my Tide and Downey there. Some things like mini-blinds and curtain rods are still reasonable.
  • Gone are the racks of children’s clothing on clearance with prices marked down to $.50 for a shirt or shorts. I once shopped a full season ahead, praying the clothes would still fit by the time our children could wear them without freezing or roasting. To be fair, prices are higher for everything everywhere. But last night, the clearance rack was not a deal. I know because I had just spent the better part of my day shopping online for children’s clothing. I found better deals there.
  • The atmosphere is not the same as it once was. Maybe I’m coming at it with a different perspective now. My days are fairly quite with a twelve-year old at home. Going shopping isn’t a calming experience. I think that all those hours spent in Walmart were my salvation, my opportunity to connect with the rest of the world and know there was one out there! It was my little treat, and all it cost me was the price of my groceries.
  • People everywhere are over-worked, over-stressed, over-stimulated and just plain depressed about their lives in general. That just kind of oozes out when you are in places like Walmart in my opinion. The clerks usually growl at you, the customers don’t make eye-contact, even if their phone isn’t in front of their face. It just isn’t a fun place to be. And if you are there late as we were last night, the truck is being unloaded…and don’t try to shop then! You have to be one fantastic cart-driver to get around that obstacle course! And don’t even think of browsing a shelf. If you can move the pallet of boxes in front of what you need, you’d better be quick. That Walmart associate has a job to do, and you’re not part of it.

Farmer’s Markets seem to be calling me. When I had several children trailing behind, they didn’t feel like a responsible way to spend my money or time. I wanted to leisurely choose my goods in that environment, maybe sip on a coffee and have a bagel as I chatted with other friendly people and vendors. Plus, to purchase in bulk and get all my shopping done in one place probably wasn’t going to happen at a farmer’s market when all five children were at home.

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This photograph reminds me of a place called the Carrot Barn. It was located in Schoharie County, upstate New York in the Catskills region. The place smelled earthy and fresh. There was local produce, some clothing, some antiques and always a friendly person. They even had delicious baked goods. And there was always music playing. Calming, soothe-your-soul music. Even to this day, our children will hear a song and comment that it sounds like Carrot Barn music.

Those are the memories I want to make now!

This last picture is included because I just think that’s neat! What a way to store shopping carts! Try getting one of those unlocked!

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Shopping should be as it once was. Picture the Waltons, barefoot children trailing into the store greeting Mr. Godsey. They always had something to talk about, he gave them candy. Sometimes he would make a special purchase possible, even when the money wasn’t there right then. Going to the store was a time to visit, to catch up on the town’s happenings. I can even smell the atmosphere…the earthy, fresh aroma of ground coffee beans, leather, spices and the oiled wood floor. And now…

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Marriage, Our Christian Walk, Parenting 101

Confused?

deborahanndykeman

I’m not really a follower. And I would rather not be a leader. But if something needs to be done, and it’s headed to the trash can…then I would rather take charge of it.

I don’t like fads or slang terminology for a certain generation. Although when I was researching my Rubyville series of books, it was extremely interesting and fun to see what slang had been used down through the decades. As far as fashion goes, I love it. I’ve always been interested in what’s in style. But these days there are some pretty weird combinations out there. If it were possible, I would wear feminine, lacy and floral prints most of the time. Do you remember Laura Ashley or Jessica McClintock fashion? I loved it! But to dress in that mode today, all the time, you might as well don the hoop skirts or bustle, you would be viewed as just as strange.

To really be truthful, I would rather that women dressed as they once did back in the 1800’s. My opinion is that women were feminine and pretty, and I think this lasted until the second World War. I realize that our active lifestyle today would not be possible in the clothing from those eras, but there is a sense of sadness for me in that.

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Somewhere along the line, women gained the vote, their rights, the ability to earn an income just like a man…and lost so much more.

Are you confused as to where this is going?

I’m not really a follower, and don’t like to be a leader in most situations. And I believe I was created that way. That does not make me less than a man, or stupid, or not able to take care of myself. At one time, women basically controlled the world from their own little environment of their home, taking care of their family and raising children. They had much information to impart to a child before they left the home environment. Their job was to teach a child to be self-sufficient in the areas of survival. A child learned skills to manage a home, whether it was outside, or inside. The mother had much to say about a child’s political and religious future. Of course the father contributed to this as well, but with young children especially, the mother was the leader.

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Sadly today, grandparents and daycare oversee most of the rearing of children. Then it’s passed onto the school system. When a child spends most of their time learning from someone other than a parent, what view on the world are they going to take?

I don’t want to stir up trouble. But I do want you to think. Of course there are bad situations and scenarios concerning almost any topic, and that includes parenting. We’ve all seen children that would probably be better off being raised by a grandparent, or another loving and capable person. But that shouldn’t be the norm.

For me, having children was a huge responsibility, and I took it very seriously. After all, I had carried that child for almost 10 months, (I never seemed to want to give that baby up!) I changed their diapers, fed them every few hours, cuddled them, and took care of them when they were sick. That was my job, and I didn’t want anyone else doing it for me. I knew I had a tremendous influence in that little person’s life, and that’s how God designed it to be.

Again, I’m not trying to bash anyone’s parenting skills. But I do want to encourage you to follow your instincts as a mother, or father. Do what you were designed to do. Don’t allow society to dictate what you should be. Mothering is the most important job out there. Yes, the pay is lousy, the hours are long, and I guarantee you will want to quit many times over. But there is absolutely no other job as important, no other job with as much influence as the one of being a mother. Take it seriously, and lead those children to greatness.

As usual, I’ve probably rambled a bit. But I guess the bottom line is, don’t be afraid to be a woman or a man, and do the job God gave you to do. There is nothing wrong with wearing feminine clothing if you’re a woman, and the same is true if you’re a man wearing masculine clothing. Why do we all have to look the same? Why do we follow what society dictates? And now society is saying we should be gender neutral so as not to offend anyone. ( Yes, this is a bit of a rabbit trail, and for another post another time!) Why do we care? If we raise our children to have respect for life, respect and love for others, the outside doesn’t matter. The soul does. And that’s what we should really care about.

Parenting 101

Eyes Wide Open

deborahanndykeman

Discernment. Now there’s a word for you! Here’s the definition copied from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

Definition of discernment

  1. 1:  the quality of being able to grasp and comprehend what is obscure :  skill in discerning

  2. 2:  an act of perceiving or discerning something

That first definition is where it’s at, the heart of the word you might say, and it’s what befuddles us all. It is something we should all have. It’s a character trait that is developed over our years on this earth. We generally have very little discernment when we are young. A very young child cannot discern whether a stove is hot or cold until they touch it. Hence the need for parents and protection. Discernment should mature as we age, as we learn from touching the hot stove,  and our experiences in life.

Our experiences in life come in many different forms. Some from trial and error. “Wow, that stove top was glowing red and when I touched it, I was burned. It hurt!” Wisdom is another trait that comes with age. But a wise person will begin to listen at a young age to others that have experienced life a little bit. You bring in other aspects of trust and obedience to start working on that wisdom, and it’s what is crucial to raising children. They absolutely have to have areas of trial and error to cement something. But in other situations, it would be really lovely if they trusted and obeyed. “Child, the traffic on that highway is moving at 75 mph, don’t cross the road.”

The quality of being able to grasp and comprehend what is obscure. As a writer, I love to observe people. You can learn so much about a person before you ever even talk to them, just by observing their actions. Most people are fairly easy to read in the broad spectrum of things. Most people don’t hide a lot of who they are. I think it’s more about what we choose to see in someone. The one area I can think of where this is so very true is:

Dating.

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I’m fairly certain that most of us can say we dated at some point in our lives, even if it was only once in more of a courtship-type scenario. We had our eye on someone, they returned that attraction and for a period of time we were known as a couple. It may have worked out and led to marriage, or it fizzled and someone else came along. But during this period of time, we have used discernment to some extent. Maybe not well, or so well that you decided that person was not for you.

Having discernment in our teenage years and early twenties is difficult. Hormones are raging, and we tend to go blind to all the things that other person is showing and even telling us in so many ways. This is when a wise, young adult will seek guidance and listen to others that are older and have more experience in grasping and comprehending what is obscure. 

We have all come across the person that is able to put on a great act. They seem to be the perfect match. They say and do everything just right. The word seem is the one to pay attention to here. No one and no situation is perfect. So step back and observe for awhile. Sometimes this takes a few months, maybe a few years. You are looking for good character traits in a person you are thinking of marrying.

Always observe with both eyes wide open. Listen to what is actually being said, not what you want to hear. Examples of this:

  1. Your boyfriend tells you how beautiful you are, but his eyes are always watching another pretty girl.
  2. He says you can call or visit anytime, but he’s never where he says he’s going to be.
  3. He tells you he’s going to do something, but does something else.
  4. He says he wants to get married, but he doesn’t have a job, a place to  live, a car to drive, etc. He basically can’t take care of himself, but wants to add another person to the chaos.
  5. He says he loves you, but something else is always more important. His friends, partying, etc.

The list could go on and on and I’m sure you all could share some of your own. I’ve stated the above from my female viewpoint, but it can be turned around to fit the guy’s view as well. So many people have made the decision to marry into lots of problems, saying they didn’t know what the person was like. More than likely, that person showed it all, but discernment wasn’t used.

None of us will ever be perfect or find the perfect person. It will not happen on this earth. But we can save ourselves a lot of heartache if we correctly discern a certain situation.

1) Decide what kind of a person you want to spend the rest of your life with.

2) Decide what issues are extremely important to you and stick with them.

3)Don’t lower your standards to just have someone around.

Those three key statements above will take you a long way in making an informed decision about a person. Whether you are looking to be married or even a friendship. They may sound old-fashioned, and maybe they are old ideals. But they worked. Raise your children to be discerning from a very young age. It will hold them well throughout their lives.

 

Parenting 101

Welcome to This Big World!

deborahanndykeman

She has finally arrived! After waiting for nine months, everyone in a family and friends are anxious for the arrival of a new baby. The mother even more so. When the baby sleeps past the due date, it’s difficult to not become anxious.

Our fifth grandchild arrived on January 3rd. She is the fourth girl in the grand baby line-up. Our first grandchild, a boy, will have to be patient and keep praying for another boy to bond with. There may be many opportunities ahead!

Brand new babies are so tiny, special, and adorable. They have a unique smell and they are cuddle experts. They also don’t sleep much, need diaper changes, and want to eat…a lot. New parents have an adjustment period, and it can be very trying. Much patience and prayer is needed to get you through those first couple of weeks.

Then you kind of slide into a daze and survive at least 18 years, more years added with each child.

At the time, when I was struggling with four children under the age of nine, there were many days that I thought it would never end. I would never sleep again, take a shower or eat without interruption. My days for the rest of my life would consist of getting up, getting dressed, making a meal, doing laundry, cleaning up, making a meal, cleaning up, doing laundry, making a meal, cleaning up, doing laundry, getting baths done and then hoping for a few hours of down time. When the flu season hit, I didn’t even dare to hope for that last point!

But it did end, and now I watch my three daughters struggle with the same routine and sense of being buried in the laundry room…alive, with children calling, “Mommy, Mommy!” as they drift away. And those years don’t seem as though they took as long as they did while I was living them.

I absolutely loved being a stay-at-home-mother! I was always extremely thankful that I didn’t go out to a job everyday. We lived very frugally, didn’t have much, but I was with my children. I really enjoyed taking care of our home, fixing meals and washing clothes. It was my life, for a very long time.

But I also don’t want to go back to those days! I think the biggest lesson in life is to enjoy and make the most out of every day you have, and live in that day. Don’t wish for the past, or expect the future. Just settle down into the today. Make the most of each little minute, even when many of those are spent at the kitchen sink, or sitting in a rocking chair nursing a baby…all. day. long.

Welcome, baby Ashlynn! We are so thrilled to have you as part of our family. We are excited to get to know your unique little you and all the plans God has for you as you grow into the woman that God has designed you to be. We pray for the new parents, and God’s direction in the way little Ashlynn should go. We pray for patience, long-suffering, and sleep. You have been given a wonderful, precious gift. Cherish it.

welcome-ashlynn

Parenting 101

“Natural” Childbirth: Anniversary Edition 

deborahanndykeman

Granddaughter number four was due on the 23rd of December…and she has not arrived! I know I should be patient. I know I shouldn’t be anxious. But when your children go through something difficult, it’s a lot different than when you go through it. 

I have shared a couple other times from this blog. She is fun to read, she is married, she is a mother of multiple children, she’s a Believer and most importantly…she’s funny. So, in light of our daughter being a bit overdue with our granddaughter, I just wanted to share this. Having babies today is very different than when I had mine almost thirty years ago for the first time. And yes, I attended ‘prepared childbirth’ classes. I didn’t have a clue when I went into labor for the first time and it took me three days to deliver our firstborn, just a couple days before Christmas. So this gave me a chuckle and I had to share. Now, back to being patient! 😉

I am old. This is what the new batch of our babies have to look forward to. They have an old mom. And she’s way behind the times. They will to go school with kids that were birthed into swimming po…

Source: “Natural” Childbirth: Anniversary Edition 

Parenting 101

New Kitten On the Block

deborahanndykeman

Babies of all kinds are special in my opinion. Kittens are adorable, and very difficult to turn your back on. This is why we are currently foster parents to a kitten. Is our elderly cat excited about this? Not really. Cassie has seemed to forget her days as the baby on the block.

About a week ago, our fourth child heard the plaintiff cries of a kitten outside the apartment she and her husband live in. Of course it was one of the days it was very cold outside. Our second child agreed to take the little orphan to the shelter. No animals allowed at the apartment.

Well, as you know, kittens are adorable. Second child decided to bring the baby home but after some discussion, the cute little guy ended up here. He is not to make this his home forever, more of a stopping place until the second or fourth child has the ability to shelter a cat.

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He comes with a hip set of dishes and this cool kitten carrier. The currently youngest grandchild really loves the little guy! 15368983_10154833407218804_1284910142_o

After much discussion, the name of Pip was decided upon. It compliments him very well. He has a wonderful personality and he’s done a fantastic job of cleaning out all the little areas around the house that I can’t reach. He also loves to sit on my shoulder while I’m trying to write. My lap doesn’t seem to be as comfortable, and if you’re under the desk, you can’t watch the cursor jump around! So now, for serious writing, (which I really need to get back to), the office door is closed, with Pip mewling from the other side.

There’s been a few failed attempts to locate the litter box, but now that Pip can jump off our youngest’s high bed, that doesn’t seem to be happening. Huge sigh there! So, Pip is a great new, temporary addition to our family. Unless you talk with our older cat, Cassie!

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Yes, I have featured her before. She has seemed to forgotten that at one time, she was the new baby coming into our home. She also arrived around Christmas time, at just about the same age. And now it’s been 10 years! She earned the respect and finally the love of our cat, Daisy at the time. Daisy wasn’t around for very long after Cassie arrived, maybe a year or so. Daisy was also a stray, found outside our house one cold evening when we returned home from AWANA. Kittens are cute, they are hard to ignore and now you know the scenario!

Cats are much like people. They have to establish the boss and their territory. And Cassie is putting Pip through  his paces right now, just as Daisy did to Cassie all those years ago. Daisy and Cassie became great friends, almost inseparable. When one was sleeping, the other was there. When Daisy had to leave, Cassie was devastated and lonely. She cried for days. And I don’t think she has ever adjusted to being alone.

The dance has begun. The games that we all play in this life. It amazes me each time I watch the elder and the younger, and the resemblance to my five children and their interactions at times.  This is my space, my food, my family! I’ll tease and I’ll play, but you’ll have to beg me first. If you walk past, be aware because I will swat you and make you earn the right to be here…every, single, time.

Cassie and Pip now touch noses, and just yesterday they were eating side by side. Soon, I expect to see them cuddled together, purring with  contentment. And now, maybe Cassie can spend her later years with a friend that understands what it means to be a…cat.

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Just some other cute kitties for your enjoyment!

 

Marriage, Parenting 101

Another Anniversary

deborahanndykeman

When I was young, a wedding was a happy celebration for me. It was a day to dress up in a beautiful gown, have flowers overflowing every surface, and you walked down the aisle to your handsome husband-to-be. It was the most tremendous of happenings in a young girl’s life. And I looked forward to my wedding day with great expectation.

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When our first daughter was married almost eight years ago, it wasn’t a happy day for me. Yes, I know that is a rather blunt way to put it, and it seems a bit selfish, but that was the way I felt. I was losing my oldest daughter, and all the attributes she brought to our family circle…and I was depressed. That tiny baby I held at birth, and cherished, was no longer mine, she belonged to someone else.

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As I look at my husband in this picture, I see sadness on his face. And I know he was feeling many of the same emotions I was.

Fast forward a few years to our second daughter’s wedding. No, I wasn’t any more happy about it. I was sad and depressed. Again, a part of our family was once again changing, and it would never be the same. She was leaving us by choice, and that hurt.img_0539

I think the most difficult part of each wedding ceremony for me was watching my husband walk our daughters down the aisle, and then kiss her goodbye. It really symbolizes the ending of one way of life and the beginning of another.

Our third daughter is celebrating her first wedding anniversary today. Her wedding, one year ago was just as hard on the emotions. Even more poignant was the fact that she wore my wedding dress and veil. It was an honor, but flooded my mind with so many memories of my own wedding day. All those years shuffled away under the load of babies, jobs, bills, and responsibilities. Where had they all gone is such a hurry?

October 20, 1984
September 19, 2015

When I was young, I never thought of weddings as being a sad day. I pretty much thought people were shedding tears of happiness. I didn’t understand all that was behind those tears…just as our daughters do not understand right now. And that’s how it should be.

Our three daughters, (we have one more to go), have all married wonderful young men. They have lives of their own now. Yes, it’s been very difficult to let go of each one, and I know I’m not successful at it most of the time. Those girls were MY babies not many years ago. I fed them, rocked them, and sang them to sleep at night. I dressed them up in matching clothes, and fixed their hair every morning. I was frustrated with them as teenagers, hoping they would leave home very quickly on many days over the years. But now they are no longer mine as they once were, and in reality, they never were really mine.

I was allowed a very short number of years in their life in my role as their mother. Yes, I’m still ‘Mom’ but not in the same way. It’s hard to let go, and it’s sad. I think I cry each time one of them celebrates another anniversary. But I am happy for them, proud of them, and thankful that they still choose to include me in their lives, sometimes almost on a daily basis. And someday they will understand. I pray that by the time that day arrives, I will have matured enough to hold them, and give comfort. That I will be able to tell them there is happiness in watching their children grow as men and women, husbands and wives, and fathers and mothers.

And that’s just as it should be.

Happy First Anniversary, Mitchel and Alyssa Lynn! You are loved!

Parenting 101

That time I was banned from God tube…

deborahanndykeman

This site is always an enjoyable read for me. She’s a Christian mother of multiple children…and that’s all that needs to be said about that. You get it! Enjoy!

I pray that I might boldly profess, that no matter how badly I mess up the message, checking the wrong box, too long of a tweet, or fatigue induced grammatical errors, all will know my heart belon…

Source: That time I was banned from God tube…

Parenting 101

“Mommy!”

deborahanndykeman

Being a mother is a joy! And then there are days when these words make you shrivel up inside and you want to run to the high country.

“Mommy, I don’t feel good. My tummy hurts.”

I’m going to decode this for you. Make sure the vomit bucket is close by, (preferably hung around their neck), the bathroom is clean because someone will be sleeping on it, and the washing machine is available because every piece of linen in your house will be washed within the next 48 hours…if you have one child. If you have more than one…it may take a week and several loads!

“I think I did.” 

No thinking involved here on any level!

“I’m all done cleaning my room.”

This statement, usually proclaimed with a big smile is the same for a three-year old and an eighteen-year old. Stuff is stashed under the bed, piled in the corners and the dirty laundry hamper is overflowing.

“I didn’t get into the cake, (fill in your own food item here). Promise!”

Said with chocolate or your choice of food item smeared over face.

“Mommy, mommy, I did it all by myself!”

If a child under about ten says this to you in any situation…run for cover. Don’t enter the bathroom they just exited, or the kitchen area. It will probably ruin your day.

“Mommy, mommy, Susie, (again fill in the blank here) is bleeding!”

Run with trepidation to the scene of the accident. This could mean a pinprick of blood to copious amounts emerging from a sibling or friend.

And the classic…“But that’s not fair!”

This is not voiced when a contemporary is given a chore…generally, unless that chore has not been tried yet. But it is used for everything else you could possibly think of!

Yes, I do love my five children, and our current four grandchildren. But there were days when they were still living in our home when I seriously wanted to pull my hair out or hide under the house! I didn’t think they were ever going to grow up…and when they did, they would have serious mental handicaps because of the way their thinking seemed to wander around their brain.

No, I was not the nicey-nice mom! I spent the day in my work clothes and ran a tight-ship. Drill instructor was mentioned a few times…okay, more than I would like to remember! But…all my children survived, and yes, they have pretty good mental capacities…most of the time.

That’s why I got such a kick out of this picture. If I had seen it twenty years ago, I would have pasted it on my refrigerator…and laughed. I really did want to be like the first mom…promise!

For post on WP

 

 

 

Parenting 101

You are Gifted!

deborahanndykeman

I’ve always had a bent toward the artistic, creative side of things. I am extremely thankful for this gift and I have enjoyed it immensely over my years here on this earth. But only now do I feel as though I am starting to really feel some of the potential. It’s exciting and overwhelming at the same time. Exciting because there is so much more to explore and learn…over whelming for those same reasons.

When I was a little girl, I loved to draw. I was always sketching something, coloring. Of course art was my most favorite ‘class’ of the week and I longed to have it everyday…all day. I took summer classes to learn pottery, macrame and anything else that was offered. I also wrote poems and songs. I dreamed of being a singer and the bed post finials of my canopy bed made terrific microphones!

Then the teen years came. My maternal grandfather was a very talented man. If he had a desire to do something, he did it. He made it happen. He built stone terraces, laid brick, and worked wonders in a yard. He made plantation-style shutters for my parents bedroom windows, from scratch. When he needed a new tool, he made it and if my grandmother needed a new cookie sheet, he made one. He’s the one that taught me to do a job right…the first time. To this day, I know how to fold fitted sheets because of him. Because I admired him so, I wanted to learn all that I could from him, and I did. He is greatly missed in my life, not only because of his talents, but his Biblical influence in my life as well. I only wish I had absorbed more of his patience!

In my late teens, I wrote my first story. I typed it on a Royal typewriter I had purchased for $5.00 at a thrift store. I had some strong fingers and broken nails by the time I had pounded that one out! But I felt I had accomplished great things. The story wasn’t long…and probably more of a ‘Harlequin Romance’ genre. I named my lead character the name I gave our oldest daughter. It was to be my name, but my father did not like it, even though it was an old family name. I was very disappointed with that, because I grew up with Debbie. There were always about four of us in a class, and my opinion was that any girl with that name, probably wasn’t the brightest bulb in the package. I tried in school to have people call be by my given name, but to no avail. I think the Debbie was just easier for them, or I really didn’t seem like the brightest bulb in the package! I think my future husband was the first one to tell me he didn’t think I seemed like a Debbie and he wanted to call me Deborah. There’s marriage material right there!

My early years of marriage gave me many opportunities, much to my husband’s distress, to practice all those trades I had learned from my grandfather. I built rock walls and landscaped where ever we lived. And we rented! Yes, I know you agree with my husband on this one. I painted, sewed curtains, and really loved putting all my interests into our homes. When we finally purchases a run-down house, I ripped out walls…and my husband put them back together. I’d say we made a great team, but he wasn’t into all that as much as I was! He thought the kitchen was just fine where the kitchen was, and why did we need to move it to the opposite end of the house? I’ll never understand that. Sigh!

I’m very thankful for all the opportunities I’ve had to express myself in so many ways. I’ve learned to sew, and decorate cakes. I am able to play the piano, if needed and I would love to learn the mandolin and guitar. But I have benefited greatly from two of our children learning these instruments. Now that I’m older, the writing is wonderful. As I said in my bio on here, I can sit in my climate-controlled office and there are no hurting muscles, strained back and rashes to deal with. In my life, I’ve had so many chances to try different things, so many ways to express my interests. And as I observe our five children, they have been given some of the same talents and abilities…and they have gone even further. And that is what makes life fun.

Have a great day, and explore some of your talents. You probably have more than you think. You are gifted!