Time off for Good Behaviour

I went to a Christmas party the other night. Lots of people were enjoying a glass or two of wine. Some got a little rowdy. As a teetotaller, I had the perspective of watching their behaviour.  Okay, I confess: it was our club Chrismas party/ year end celebration, and my mum was there too. She was quite exuberant (this is our normal state), and wound up by being with friends and a the consumption of a glass of wine.  (Sorry for tattling, Mum - one of my faithful readers- but there is a point). [Also: I don't drink because we are a family of lightweights, but never remember til the next morning.]

So at one point our president was addressing the room and Mum came to tell/ ask me something. Mum didn't notice the president talking as she was focused on finding me and telling me the message before she forgot. Unfortunately, she kinda interrupted Madame President. Sooo, I have sometimes noticed this behaviour differential with myself and my children.  Should I be proud, embarrassed, or both, when my children behave better than me?

This is not to say that my kids always behave better than me... just sometimes. When they do, I wonder: If they are better behaved, did they learn it from me? I should therefore know better.  Did they adjust more quickly to a societal change? Should I then be embarrassed for being slow? Or do I just accept that they made the wiser behavioural decision, and learn from it?

God's protection

After reading an fb post about my friend receiving a call from her daughter's cell (mum in UK, daughter in Thailand) from a Thai man [naturally this completely freaked mum out, imagining her daughter had been kidnapped or whatnot- is not the case, daughter is fine],
and then this: Identity of woman's body parts

could you imagine being a parent who did not know precisely where their daughter was?  Terrifying.

If we've raised healthy happy exuberant kids, they have no problem wandering off into potentially dangerous situations - I thank God everyday for His protection of my children.

in the doldrums...

There are a few places in the ocean where, although the Trade Winds blow responsibly up and around the coasts, the water in the middle of the oceans is still... the air is still as well. These spots are called the Doldrums. So when the winds of change and the current of excitement seem to have ceased and left you languishing, you may say you are in the Doldrums.  Now that wedding is over, the proposal at work has been submitted, and we're just waiting for news.. we are in the Doldrums.

Thank God for Mondays! I'm pooped!

That's right - bet you never thought you'd hear it, but there it is. I'm glad to be at work, because I'm exhausted!

We saw all the kids on Friday, I drove one to and from a party (45 min return trip), went to church Saturday morning, managed a 2 hr nap, stayed up late, got up at 7.30 Sunday morning and started cleaning. 4 hrs later we went and got some subs and coffees/teas and drove miles to a park to eat them. Ran the dog by the river, bought frozen treats, drove all the way home with a wet stinky dog, then did gardening for 2 or 3 hours. Made dinner, and FELL into bed. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....