SOL #15 A Slice of Lent

In preparing for my son's first Holy Communion and guiding his classmates as their teacher, I have been more conscious of Lent.  I learned about St Ignatius's examining conscience prayer.  It is similar to the prayers that my boys and I say at night.  We think about the best part of our day and then we thank God for that good part of our day.  

This week's news about airplanes crashing and then yesterday's mass murder in New Zealand hit too close to my heart. My parents came home on Monday from Australia and New Zealand.  I thanked God for my parents to be home safe.  I thanked God that I don't have to worry.  

Part of the prayer is to reflect on my shortcomings.  I didn't pray for the lives lost.  I didn't think of the families broken.  I thought of me and my family.  God, bring me closer to your grace.

SOL #14 The Evil Witch

Once upon a time, in an old craggy house on a cold and windy mountain, there lived an evil, ugly witch named Mommy.  All the children in the land were terrified of her.  "Oh no!" the little children cried. "It is the mean witch Mommy.  She will make us put pajamas on before we can eat our fresh, baked cookies."  The children ran and hid, tears streaming down their cute, adorable, little cheeks. One brave, little tike called over his shoulder. "You are the worst! You make us wear pajamas all the time!"
"Hee Hee Hee Hee" cackled the mean, old witch Mommy. She rubbed her hands together and crowed, "You can run but you can't hide from me, little boy" I will find you and you will put on pajamas!!"
She flew towards the boy and grabbed him by his teeny but stinky toes!!  "There is no use fighting little boy! Soon you will find yourself cloaked in pajamas and eating fresh, baked cookies."
The little boy fought with all his might. He kicked. He wriggled. He screamed. Alas, it was all for naught for soon the boy was in fact robed in fuzzy fleece.  Sniffling, all the boy's dreams were shattered.  The other village children looked at him with mournful eyes.  They did not want to fall into the evil, witch Mommy's clutches.
Every night since, as they gather around their fresh, baked cookies, the village children all tell the story of the boy who lost to the witch.

SOL #13 Refresh.... Click...

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2 likes still 2 likes.  Lets see what else is going on.  Weird puppy meme, another bad singing video, her new haircut.  40 likes? Ten hearts in comments?
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Still 2 likes.
I knew mom shouldn't have posted it.  Nobody cares that my poem got chosen for the magazine. At least I'm not the one posting my stupid haircut.  "OMG!!  YOU LOOK FANTASTIC!!!" 43 likes?!
It looks exactly the same as yesterday.
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oh 3 likes and a new comment.
Oh Jeez.  Grandma! 
"That's my baby girl! I knew my little bookworm would become famous someday!"
Hardly famous, Grandma.  Just 3 likes and Grandmas don't count.
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I guess it was kind of a big deal that my poem was chosen for the high school magazine.  I don't think too many middle schoolers get chosen.
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Oh good. Another kissy emoji for DuckFace's stupid haircut.
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SOL #12 A Moment in the Grey

"Huh? What?"
She got caught again in her own world.  She was happier there.  She felt like a cartoon character caught by the back of her collar and whooshed back into this other grey dimension.
She was in a greener place, splashed with movement and color.
Now she was back in the cold and boring, answering a question that she answered in her head at least twenty minutes ago.  Why should she stay here to wait for the pretty Dum Dums? Sure she could have answered the question and gotten the kind smile from the teacher. But all she got was the pursed lips scolding her for not paying attention.  How did Old Mrs Frog Face get the lipstick inside the wrinkles on her lips?
She crunched up her paper and put her head down.  Why even bother showing that she had gotten the answer forever ago?  Frog Face was only interested in slow brained, pretty girls that followed her every single direction.

SOL #11 On Not Meeting the Challenge

So I did not meet the commenting challenge.
I did comment over 30 posts.
I enjoyed reading some very interesting posts.
I laughed at funny posts.
I saw myself in others.
I admired craft of other writers.
I found topics for future posts.
I discovered formats for future posts.
I uncovered ideas to try with my student writers.
I learned about books that I should read.
I learned about books my students should read.
I recognized the names of writers who commented on my posts.
I became more of a part of this writing community.
I discovered that challenges are not just for meeting.
I appreciated the journey.

SOL #10 Mommy is Coming Home

My Mommy is coming home! My parents have been on a cruise in New Zealand and Australia for two weeks. How wonderful that my parents can celebrate their relationship and the hard work of their youth with these wonderful trips.
I miss my mom being home and a phone call away. I did call her one day as I was leaving work.  It was 4:00 pm Wednesday for me but it was 8:00 am Thursday for her.  It felt like my parents time traveled. I know she misses me and the boys too.  It will be good to have them home.
I wonder if my husband and I will be able to enjoy retirement like my parents. We started a lot later than my parents.  My parents were in their young twenties when they started their family. John was in his forties and I was in my thirties when we got married.  I worry that we will have to work longer to make sure that our young children are stable in their own lives.
This slice is making me too anxious.  I just want my Mommy home.

SOL #9 Follow that Wiener!

 The two of the are completely annoying me and I am that horrible mother that gets those sideway glances.  Im mad at them, mad at myself for getting annoyed and for not finding a way to tame them. "Its Daddy's birthday. I want to tell him how good you two were." Nope. That didn't entice the loud pinballs that I birthed. I grab my two loves by the upper arm and warn them out of the side of my mouth as we head out the door of errand number one and go on to errand number two.
"No."
"Put it down."
"Shh."
"Get off of your brother."
"No."
"Stand still."
"Because."
"Because No."
Breathe
One last errand to go.  Thank goodness. And then, in my rear view mirror, I see the tail of the Oscar Meyer Wiener Mobile.
"Hold on boys!" I say in a u-turn that would have made Bo and Luke Duke proud. I think it stayed on the service road so I petal to the metal on to the expressway!
I get off the next exit and just around the turn the Wiener wags. "I see it!" Sean yells!
"Go Mom! Get it!" whoops Liam.
HONK HONK HONK HONK! I triumphantly pull up along side the Wiener mobile, window down, waving like a lunatic.
Wiener driver dismisses me but the boys are laughing and I am not that mom anymore.