I love relaxing on the deck with a good book. Maybe it's due to the fabulous summer weather. Especially when the ideal day, without the horrid humidity (which seems to worsen every year of my life) or the typical Wisconsin blizzard (which we are currently out of season for) presents itself.
It never seems to fail, however, that relaxing is a non-entity in our home. I'm easily distracted with kids, animals, the media, phone, etc... and nature?
Yep nature. No, I'm not usually squeamish with insects. (Just 2 weeks ago I mustered up the herculean strength it took to pull out the deer tick, of which was imbedded into my hip with NO permission what so ever! (the nerve))
But as I was finishing up my latest read: The Girl with No Shadow, by JoAnne Harris, I felt as though I was being watched. Not normally paranoid, I decided to ignore the obvious company. Soon, however, I found the occupant. He was large and very animated. A new neighbor who had decided to perch him/herself onto my shoulder. Needless to say my book needed to wait so I could take the shot of his/her new home.
Needless to say, I did a little housekeeping before I continued.
So this Sunday 8/24 Obama is planning a stop in Eau Claire as he swings through the Midwest. http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/wihome This after he prolongs the announcement of his VP pick today. It's said that the announcement could come at any time.
It reminds me of waiting for the delivery of an unfit mother's child. Will it be a girl? Will it be a boy? Do they actually want this baby? Will the baby be accepted by the rest of the family? Who will the baby take after?
Yeah, yeah, yeah... lot's of speculations. But I found it somewhat funny is how plans on sharing the good news.
PR announcement? nope Radio ad? nope TV press report? nope phone call? newspaper? telegram? NOPE
For his sake, I hope he's not driving while he texts that message here in Wisconsin. Doesn't he know that WI was the first state to ban texting while driving?
... "Today, every American shares in this legacy of liberty, and we are grateful for the courage, conviction, and sacrifice of all those who have helped preserve and uphold the principles of a free society. As we remember the enduring importance of the Constitution, we also recognize our responsibility as citizens to respect and defend the values of our founding and participate in the unfolding story of freedom. " ...
With parents giving up on their kids (see yesterday's post It's 11pm. Do you know where your mom is? ) now one of Waukesha's pillars of success for our youth giving up his legal rights.
Haven't we heard? .. don't we subscribe? .. IT TAKES A (yes, I would have said village, but I hate overusing someone else's quote) You get the point.
Michael Haas... what were you thinking? The result of being lead around by the contents of your Levis will really hurt our kids.
What does this mean for Enlight? And will this experience enlight(en) our community to step up our efforts a notch or will we sit back with our cups of coffee and wonder what will happen tomorrow?
Occasionally we hear or experience something that just baffles all accounts of common sense. This week the message hit twice as hard. Okay, I'll admit that I have made my parenting mishaps. I've messed up schedules, forgotten plans, not double checked homework, AND have submitted to weekly frozen pizza nights... justifying all food groups represented in just one convenient slice... I admit it. I'm also laden with the guilt that goes along with it all and try again to encourage my family to actually USE the calendar, sign the homework notebook and plan healthy, non-guilt filled meals.
I've submitted to the fact that as parents we generally do the best we can to raise our kids in a healthy safe environment. We want to offer them the world of options while still maintaining some degree of personal sanity ourselves. We've all heard it from the day we brought the baby home. It's a balancing act.
Yesterday, however, I found our balance is off. Several, none of my business, conversations were taking place with some mothers whose children, 16 & 17 year olds, had found some trouble. One commented that her 'kid is old enough to know better and that it's not her problem anymore.' Another said that she gave up long ago. The third child's parents never showed up.
I did a check of my equilibrium as I budded into the conversation, questioning their parental accountability.
Hey, I get it. It's tough sometimes. But does that mean we just quit when our children begin walking down paths we don't like? That is exactly the time our kids need us the most. We need to lead by example and show our children that even though our world sometimes presents itself to be tough, we need to make some tough, healthy choices. If we need help, it's a sign of strength, not weakness, to ask for it. If we can't provide the help our kids need, we help them find it. There are some great resources out there with our schools, government, doctors, churches, and neighborhoods.
So as I'm contemplating at which point it would take a parent to 'give up' on their child, thinking it must be after that parent has really experienced some difficult things with that child, I find this:
"Pregnant woman accused of smoking crack - Pregnant woman was released from rehab 4 days earlier. A 19-year-old Village of Pewaukee woman, six months pregnant and already facing a charge for possession of heroin, was charged Monday in Waukesha County Circuit Court with reckless endangerment while allegedly driving down I-94 smoking crack cocaine."http://www.livinglakecountry.com/LakeCountryReporter/story.aspx?storyId=785589Posted: August 21, 2008
Where is our community, our society going when we have given up. Not only of our children but ourselves. It's time for us, ALL of us to engage. Hats off to our fellow community member for making the call that helped the police find this woman.. this mom. I salute you!
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