A Few Clarifications

I'm going to clarify a few things and answer a few questions....

**   Referring to the "being invisible" post I wrote last week, I must clarify my view of the excerpt. I never feel invisible as a mother on a day to day basis. Unfortunately (fortunately sometimes--depends on how you look at it), the second I enter a room everyone is usually scrambling for my attention. I can barely even shower or use the bathroom with no interruptions, let alone feel as though I was invisible in my own home. I'm not. What I gleaned from the article and what touched me the most, was the long-term efforts of a mother being invisible. As much as we help our children be aware of all we do for them on a regular basis, and help them understand the whys behind our discipline and teaching, there is so much of what we do that is "invisible." The cathedral analogy is what spoke to me. You know? All the behind the scenes part that no one really sees or knows about unless they were part of the building process. Slowly, methodically, and often painfully building a cathedral one 2 x 4, one molding, one stroke of paint at a time, hoping and praying that the end result really will be something of value and something to behold. 

I don't for one minute feel invisible as a mother, although I wish at times I were. And I still admit my secret  superpower wish would be to be invisible to hear your conversations. I know, a little creepy. But that's me. Not creepy though, just nosy.

**   As for our truck falling in a hole, I'm sorry I never clarified the damage to the truck. Really it was fairly minimal. We were able to drive it away, even though we had to turn the steering wheel 30 degrees to the left to go straight, and hold it straight to turn a corner. There was also a crooked bumper, and an un-openable tailgate, but nothing that can't be fixed. Oh--and for the record. Mike and I were laughing at the situation within minutes of it happening. It wasn't one of those things that "we'll have to wait and laugh about it one day." We could laugh pretty quickly. I mean, how could you not when you've had to call someone to say, "Can you help us out? We've fallen in a hole."

**  Oh, and the age old dilemma of "working mothers" and "stay at home mothers". I took offense recently when somebody said of me "Tiffany stays home all day. She has all the time in the world to do xyz." Perhaps it was my still-repairing-feelings that found this quote so appropriate.

Mother's are mothers. I'm tired of the "working" versus "stay at home" references that try to outdo each other as to who is busier, more important, better balanced, gets more breaks, or more worn out. It all comes down to choices with our time and choices with our money. That's all I'm going to say about that. As Mike says, "Don't you have other ways to spend your energy?" (Meaning instead of being fired up about stuff.)

And with "all my time in the world" staying home, I obviously don't have the time or take the time to teach my son good manners. But then again, obviously neither do my brother or sister-in-law.

(Drew and Cousin Annie)

Oh well! Surely there's more to life than good manners...

PS-Actually I wasn't home during this eating and photography session. So I take no responsibility for bad manners, and undressed children. Remember, I told you I had irresponsibly left Megan home with 6 children when Mike and I happened into a hole? Obviously I'm not excelling in teaching Megan everything.