If you can't make it better you can laugh at it. ~Erma Bombeck

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Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Glimpses of true normal

Today was a really great day with My Girl. I picked her up at work at 11:30 and, since we were both starving, headed to get something to eat. As usual, she fell asleep in the car. When we got close to the restaurant I nudged her so she could start waking up. In that moment of half sleep, with her eyes still closed, she said, "I love you, Mommy. Thank you for everything you do for me."

After lunch we went shopping for a while and she was as much concerned with me finding a new pair of shorts as she was about finding some for herself. When she mentioned wanting to look at the shoes (she's a shoe-aholic!) I said that was fine, but we weren't buying any because she doesn't need anymore shoes. She didn't whine, beg, pitch a fit, or even complain!

Tonight, Hubby took us out to our favorite Italian place. She was delightful. She even told her new male interest that she'd have to call him back after we finished eating. I nearly choked on my lasagna!

When we got home I told her I'd really like her to at least attempt to clear an emergency exit path in the room from hell. She not only did that, she cleaned picked up her bathroom and did a load of laundry.

Ok, now I have to admit I'm beginning to get a little worried about what she may have done that she's buttering me up for. But I'm going to revel in the moment and try not to hold my breath waiting for the other shoe to drop. I can't dwell on it. I have to believe that today is a small ray of light shining in what has lately been a pretty dark time.

Days like today keep me hanging on. These small glimpses of true normal make it worth the fight.

Don't laugh at a youth for his affectations; he is only trying on one face after another to find a face of his own. ~Logan Pearsall Smith, "Age and Death," Afterthoughts, 1931

22 comments:

  1. Way to go My Girl!! Maybe it has to do with the "new male interest"?

    Or is it full moon time? I had one child clean his sisters' room yesterday. And this child will go use the bathroom for a half hour to avoid work. lol

    Prayin' she keeps up the great work!

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  2. I'm glad you had a great day! Perhaps My Girl is seeing more of your side since she is working? Her job may be helping her to feel like she is useful. I'll pray that the good days increase greatly in number.

    Good Job, Damama's Girl!

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  3. it's all about cracks of light! Let's hope this one breaks wide open. allison/amomthing

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  4. Fantastic. Woohoo. I hope each day will have a little bit of this sunshine from now on. Margie

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  5. Congrats! Glad you had a great day, let's hope the next several go just as well.


    www.kathy-iamwhoiam.blogspot.com

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  6. Yep, days like these make it all worthwhile. So glad she is doing well today and that you are able to enjoy it. ;)

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  7. Little rewards like that certainly make it all worth it. I know you aren't out of the woods yet, but I'll be praying you have more days like this and less of the other! You are truly one of the strongest women I have ever had the honor of knowing. (Even if it only in cyberspace.)

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  8. I'm so glad! Days like that are beyond all price, and they leave you feeling so good.

    Just keep the memory safe, and bring it out when you need it - it can happen, it has happened, it will happen more and more.

    HUGS.

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  9. I am so glad that today was such a good day! Let's all pray that everyday is atleast half as good as today was.

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  10. Yea for a good day!! Just take the good stuff and worry about the ulterior motive later! (If there is one)

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  11. Yay for your girl...sounds like a young lady in the making. I think we all need to feel like we are USEFUL in this world, and so often, the "school thing" is USELESS! Here's praying that things continue to look up!
    Pax, EJT

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  12. Hooray, hooray! I tell you what. Next time you're having a bad day with her, re-read this post. It will help you remember there's a wonderful young woman about to emerge from the ugly cocoon.

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  13. That small ray of light will turn into a beam, and then a spot light, and then before you know it the dark will be a distant memory and your whole world will be drenched in light!

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  14. Hi
    Just thought I'd drop in and say hello! My bloggin skills have been lacking lately but I'm finally coming around.

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  15. Lisa - I hope it's not just the new male interest. I found out the next day that he is almost 20 (she's not 17 yet) MARRIED (but separated) and has a baby. Ummm.. NOT a good male interest at this point in her life!

    Isn't it weird what the full moon does to kids. Heck to lots of people, for that matter LOL!!
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    Brandi - I think you are right about the job thing. She got her first paycheck today. There almost wasn't enough weight in the world to keep her from floating away on cloud nine!
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    Allison - So true! So far it hasn't shut back up yet, so there's still hope for blue skies!
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    Margie - Thanks, love. Wishin', and hopin', and thinkin', and prayin'= sounds like the makings of a 60s pop song! LOL!
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    Kathy - Thanks! I'll take several more, several more! ;o)
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    Tammy - You know that feeling well, too, don't ya, sweetie. xoxo
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    Debbie - Thank you for saying such a wonderful thing! I'm honored.
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    Dragonstar - good advice. I will try very hard to keep this close if (when)the storm clouds should start gathering again. (I hate feeling like it's a WHEN and not an IF!) Baby steps, right... baby steps.
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    Brandy - We have actually had several good days since. I'm amazed and just a wee bit frightened all at the same time. ;o)
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    UTMom - (I think I'm gonna start calling you the Jazz Gal from now on! LOL!) It is so hard NOT to keep looking for that ulterior motive. It'd be so easy to sabotage the whole thing by being too critical. Thanks for the reminder.
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    Elizabeth - YOu are sooo right, both about feeling useful and about the school thing. It's horrible to think about all the kids that "the system" is failing, literally and figuratively. Thanks for your prayers, my peaceful friend.
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    Angelawd - I started getting angry with her for mouthing off the other day (normal teenage stuff) and stopped for a second, closed my eyes and recaptured the feeling I had in the car. It really did help me pull the anger back and try a different tactic that actually worked! YAY for positive reinforcement. It even works for us harried moms!
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    Heather - I'm praying to be blinded. SOON! Thanks for the beautiful thought.
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    Michelle - Hi sweetie! LONG TIME (since I've been over there, too!). Glad you are coming back around (even though I'm a bad Damama and am so far behind that I didn't realized you'd gone AWOL!). Those bloglags are spirit killers for those of us who need to share. I'll see you soon.
    ****************

    Thank you all for the prayers. The last few days have truly been remarkable. I wish I could say that this time definitely isn't the calm before the next storm. However, similar events in her history are still too recent for me to let my guard down too much. Right now, I'm just taking it an hour at a time. So far, so good.

    Much love to you all.

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  16. Sounds wonderful
    thank god forthe little things
    Smiles!

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  17. So glad to have you back. Glad your girl is doing good too. Congrats to her on getting a job!!!

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  18. WOW! I'm glad she is doing well and that things are going well with your family. That is incredible. I pray it continues for you. You all have been through enough hell for a long time to come!

    Big hugs!

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  19. Yep, I love days like this too!!

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  20. I feel like Elisabeth. The Educational system doesn't suit to every child. Some are not formatted to THE system. Or may I say, THAT system leave behind it some "element". Everybody point a finger on these children because they seem different.
    But has anybody thought to create a second and parallel system to offer new opportunities to these children who don't "enter" in classic cursus studies? No, it is just to their parents to do their best. That's really a challenge. Thanks God you're a strong mother, very intuitive and experienced. Once again I join Debbie's impression. (I will have to glance in her blog - to myself-)

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  21. Angela - If it weren't for the little things I think we'd all be basket cases. Thanks for the smiles.
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    Gracie (I know, it's just Grace - but I like Gracie better.) - I'm glad to be back. Please pray that she is able to actually KEEP the job and doesn't end up getting fired for getting caught smooching a married man in the manager's office. Yep. Good times.
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    AZ - See above comment. And pray the devil doesn't rain down hell again any time soon. I fear it's coming though. Thanks for the prayers!
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    Kristi - I'm torn between loving them and fearing them because of that "other shoe" suspense thing. LOL!
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    Catherine - I, too, wish they would come up with a better way for more all kids to succeed because not all of us are cut out to be homeschool moms either! Thank you for the kind words, sweetie. Please do go visit Debbie's. She's a pretty strong lady herself.

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  22. Okay...... dwell on the good...... dwell on the good.......think positive ..... sendng you thoughts of calm and happness.

    Maybe this is a looong phase she is going through. It's nice to know that she can act wonderful and good. Just keep modelng how you want her to act. It might work.

    Good luck to you. Sending more (((hugs))) to you both.

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