I think I am experiencing Post Mother’s Day Stress Syndrome, the main symptom of which is the knowledge that I am not the mom in the Mother’s Day sermon! Yesterday, our preacher gave a traditional address, full of the things we say about mothers on their day. Some of the adjectives were: selfless, giving, always thinking of others first, providing for the family, tireless, patient… I wish I was that mom. Sometimes I am. But often, sadly, I’m not. I do know that I thank God every day for blessing me with my three boys. And I pray that I will be the mother they need, and also that He will fill in the gaps left by my inadequacies.
Today was a rather dreary, overcast day. Lyndon left at 4:30 this morning, and I couldn’t go to sleep after he left. So, it was an early Monday morning. I enjoy having the house to myself for awhile before the boys wake up. I like having a quiet cup of coffe before things get busy. The drizzly weather made me feel like having a different kind of a day. So, after breakfast, we all curled up on the couch and watched some of our Canadian History dvd. (We are working our way through the CBC series called Canada: A People’s History.) We learned of the sad end of the amazing explorer David Thompson, who travelled Canada from coast to coast and was the first to map the Canadian west, but who died poor and without recognition for his contributions. It was a nice way to spend the morning. We did some Math and English, and worked on our Spanish. Tyson worked on the story he is writing, and Colton and Carter drew pictures. We didn’t even go swimming tonight, but rather stayed home and watched some of the new Cosby Show dvd that we picked up in the city last week.
Tonight, while we were sitting on the couch together, Carter asked me if I had ever had moonshine. Um, no, I said. Then he wanted to know what kinds of alcohol I have tasted. So I said I had tasted wine and beer mainly, and a few other things. Then he wanted to know if I had ever had whiskey. Um, no, I said. So we had the drinking talk again, the one where I say that when they get older they will have to make their own decisions about whether or not to drink, but that I hope they will choose to leave it alone. They know how I feel, and that I think alcohol does so much harm and so little good. But I also know that in time they will each have to deal with the things the world offers them. I pray they will stay close to God as they grow and become independent.
