Little... but FIERCE

For the past 6 days, I've been the caregiver of the Little - our 3 and half year old granddaughter - while her Mommy is away on a trip. 95% of the time, she's a JOY with not many challenges at all. The remaining 5% of the time, she is a JOY with TONS OF CHALLENGES - all very typical to that age group though. I love being with her & she definitely keeps me on my toes! I suppose other children her age have a great memory. But, I am constantly amazed at her fantastic memory.

• After having been to our apartment complex only 3 times, the other night as we approached the entrance to the apartments, she announced, "We are home at our apartment!"
• At the Dollar General yesterday, we saw a set of Frozen kids' dishes in teal and purple. We walked out of the store with a full set in teal for less than $5. For dinner last evening, she demanded to have her food on the purple ones we saw in the store but, that I had not purchased.
• A few days ago, I gave her a choice of Cheerios or yogurt for breakfast. She announced that she wanted "product". I had no idea what she meant & began to question her about what this mysterious "product" could be. Thankfully, she caught a glimpse of a box of raisins in the cabinet & requested a bowl of Cheerios with raisins in them.
• This morning when giving her suggestions for breakfast, she exclaimed, "I told you 'last day' (her term for days, weeks, months in the past) that I wanted PRODUCT and that's what I want." After a tantrum fit or two and me walking away a few times, she calmed herself. Since I'm the ADULT & not new to this rodeo, I managed to trick #theLittle into eating some Greek yogurt, raisins & walnuts and drink some cranberry juice for breakfast while I got ready to go out & take her to the grocery store to find PRODUCT. Since she's 3 and a half, she no longer wanted PRODUCT and wanted to keep her jammie's on and watch a "movie" on PBS Kids!

"And though she be little, she is fierce."

~ William Shakespeare

And, so... early in the day, I sit here all dressed up with no place to go. And, I write about being little but fierce. I'm visually reminded of the fierceness of little children as she sits cross-legged on the sofa loudly answering the questions posed on "Super Why" and continuing to tell me that she doesn't want to go shopping and look for PRODUCT. I'm reminded of small things that have been fierce in my life too...

• One or two things someone did to hurt me years & years ago, still prevent me from looking at that person in a fresh new way -- without conditions or prejudices -- and prevent me from extending a hand of friendship to them.
• I grew up feeling insecure and continue to allow a feeling I had as a young child affect my choices and actions as an adult - even when I know better. 
• In the past I allowed the emotional baggage I carried with me to outweigh the heart & head knowledge I'd gained over the years. 
• And, I remember a time when a small white lie turned into years & years of hiding something that wasn't that big in the beginning but, grew immensely with time.

What if... just what if... even when I feel "little" in a situation or when facing a task that feels overwhelming... I can be FIERCE too!

5 Minute Free-For-All #write31days 10-19-16 - Little... but FIERCE

A Mother's Heart

I've written this before... and I say it again today... if we truly LOVE those we claim we LOVE, we must let them own and share their own stories... on their own time and in their own way. It's especially hard when the other person's story, their choices, their actions so greatly affected our lives.

But, I continue to believe that a person's story is their own to share when they feel ready. I still have secrets from the past that I've not written about... some I've not even spoken of. It's sobering to realize that every one - even those resting high up on pedestals towering above us - have parts of their past that they choose to leave in the past.

Heart Strings, Hormones & Honesty

I've said this SO many times to friends... There's just NOT enough hours in the day to do all the great things we want to do.

I love to WRITE. My head and heart seem to be constantly "writing" posts to share with the world. I seldom see a thing or hear a song or ... that I my mind and heart don't want to write about it. As I'm walking, I write in my mind. As I quietly lie awake beside a peacefully sleeping LOML, I write in my mind. When I'm traveling in a car... when I'm waiting for a doctor's appointment... when I'm washing dishes... when I'm pulling weeds... when I'm taking a shower... when I'm watching a play or listening to a concert... I WRITE IN MY MIND!

Parenting is NOT for the Faint of Heart!

In our adult Sunday School class a few years back, one of the couples (parents of 3 children) were beginning the summer after their oldest child's first year in college. She was coming in late, being noisy, not reporting where she was, requesting QUIET in the morning hours, and more! I remember my husband & I "giving them advice". While doing that, I was silently wondering what will we actually "do" if we faced that!!

I guess we learned that when our oldest came home after freshman year of college. When we began experiencing the same things our friends had told us about all those years ago, the LOML and I recounted the "advice" we'd given to our friends. We'd said something like this...