Words to meditate on

My friend Leigh participated in this meme and I decided to play along.  Here’s how it works:   Reply to this post using words, and I’ll give you 5 words that remind me of you.  Then post to your own blog with your meditations on those words, inviting others to ask you for words.  Leigh gave me these words:

Creative, Serene, Generous, Adventurous, Mother

Okay, before I start off I have to say a few things.  When I read Leigh’s post, I thought, “Hey this is neat, I will join in the fun!”  But then I realized it is harder than I thought.  I have to think.  And write about myself.  What’s the big deal, right?  I’m a blogger.  Isn’t a blogger someone who likes to talk and write about themselves?  There are different types of bloggers, though.  Some bare it all and wear their hearts on their sleeves (hello Leigh! BTW, I greatly admire Leigh for this quality).  I tend to be more guarded on my blog and I guess in real life as well (this could be partly why she close “serene” as one of the words to describe me – more on that later).  My blog is mostly about things I’ve done, crafts I’ve made, and funny stories about my kidlets.  Sure, I may share the occasional frustration but I don’t tend to get real deep on here.  That being said, it’s taken me a while to write about these words and how they relate to me.  I am definitely out of my comfort zone!

c r e a t i v e

Okay, this is probably the easiest thing to write about.  Unless you are new here, this one is quite obvious.  I have a creative side.  I like to create.  I like to make crafty things.  It’s something I enjoy that gives me peace and happiness.  Even more so when I can create something to share with someone else.  There’s a sense of pride and accomplishment in making something.  Making anything.  I think I get this creativity from my mom.  Do you remember the Cabbage Patch Kids craze?  It was around 1985.  We went to private Catholic school and all my friends had spankin’ brand new (expensive) Cabbage Patch Kids.  We couldn’t afford them so my mom MADE me some.  MADE ME CABBAGE PATCH KIDS.  Of course, at the time I was really disappointed I didn’t have the “real thing” but they are very special to me now.  It’s a little unfortunate I’m not more creative in the kitchen.  I must have inherited that from my mom as well.  Sorry, mom!

s e r e n e

Not a surprising one.  While I would not describe myself as shy, I do tend to be the quieter one in groups.  I’m not one to jump in, but would rather sit back and absorb.  I also crave and prefer calm in my life.  Which I know is not easy when you have small children.  I do not like “loud”: to yell and argue (again, hard with small children around), and in fact, I used to have this very nasty habit of giving my husband the silent treatment when I was upset about something.  So you could say sometimes I’m serene to the extreme and that’s not really a good thing.

g e n e r o u s

Hmmm, really?  This is a tough one.   I am lucky to have kind and generous family and friends surrounding me so I try to act the same way in return.

a d v e n t u r o u s

I know why Leigh chose this word.  Three and a half years ago we picked up our lives and moved across the country to live on a farm in Georgia.  I guess that is pretty adventurous.  And kind of crazy.  But other than that, I guess I don’t see myself as adventurous.  I think I like living in the safe and comfortable zone for the most part.

m o t h e r

As of about 4 1/2 years ago, this has become a huge part of my identity.  While it is a a huge part of who I am, it is not all that I am.  I am completely devoted to my family but I also think it’s also important to nurture the me in the mom.  I think it makes me a better mom to have some balance in my life.  I like to spend time with my friends, enjoy hobbies, and take a time out when I need one.  I’ve been able to experience being a full time stay-at-home mom, a part-time working mom, and now a full-time working mom.  They are ALL HARD.  I have to say though that stay-at-home mom was the hardest thing. Although the full-time working mom guilt is pretty heavy.  I continue to struggle with this.  Don’t we all have some level of mom guilt?  Sometimes I think I have all the answers and sometimes I feel like I don’t know what the hell I am doing.  I think our kids are pretty amazing (NO BIAS HERE) so maybe I’m doing something right.  At least most of the time.  Being a mom is incredibly hard work but also the most rewarding thing ever.  My kids bring me so much joy and my heart keeps growing and growing in my love for them.

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Well, it is exhausting talking about yourself!  Leave me a comment if you’d like 5 words…

Now, back to your regularly scheduled programming.  I’m crocheting a very cool blanket for T.  Pics soon!