Darn comfort zone

It's amazing really. I want nothing more in life but to travel to different high schools, colleges, churches and tell my story. Stand in front of a bunch of strangers and basically bare my soul. Sure, I'd be nervous. Who wouldn't be? But knowing that it would help just 1 person would make it totally worth while for me.

Yet, I've signed up to be part of a mom's group... right now we're reading & discussing 'Boundaries with Kids'. What's the big deal about sitting around chatting with fellow moms about this book? EVERYTHING. Every week I have to talk myself INTO going. The thought of being in a room with a group of women that I just don't know scares the bejeesus out of me. Seriously to the point of almost having an anxiety attack the one week.


These are fellow moms. Moms who are there for the same purpose I am - learn more about how to get a handle on this Mom thing.

Tonight..... yeah. I got there late. I was about 2 minutes from NOT going. I mean, my son had a baseball game. What kind of mother would miss her son's baseball game (as if there aren't 8 others to go)? Heck, I couldn't even remember the name of the street I needed to get to. Wasn't even sure if I remembered the directions and, of course, our computer wasn't working so I couldn't MapQuest for directions.

As I drove, I prayed. God, please help me to calm down. Help me to open up to this group and allow myself to enjoy this experience. Help me to be open to making new friends. No one can replace Kristin (my best friend who moved), but I can allow other people into my life. Help me to stick with this. An immediate sense of peace washed over me. As I drove, I remembered where I was & found the house without ANY problems.

Sure I was a few minutes late, but I am SO glad I went. I enjoyed the 2 chapters we were discussing and could really use some insight into how to apply them to my life. One of the hard parts for me right now is that I am one of the only moms in my group with children over the age of 5. I'm struggling with the 'tween' years while all of the other moms are dealing with younger ones.

They were all so kind and allowed me to share, assuring me that they needed to hear what I was saying because one day they too will be where I am.

This is going to be a slow process, but I am going to stick this out. This will be good for me, emotionally & spiritually. I need this.... not a b*tch session about my kids or hubby, but a REAL opportunity to talk to other moms about raising children.

I'm stepping out of my comfort zone. On the surface, I may look calm & collected but underneath I am like a duck in a pond - paddling like mad.

Many blessings,
Allison

Caution: I need to rant

For those of you who actually read my blogs (does anyone?), I am usually a live & let live kind of person. My beliefs, morals, values do not have to be everyone elses. I don't think I have ever forced them on another person.

Why is it that so many (not all) homeschooling parents feel compelled to criticize those of us who choose NOT to homeschool? Is that part of the curriculm? Intolerance of others.

My husband & I have chosen not to homeschool for a variety of reasons, reasons that are personal to us. Yet, there are people who have actually attacked our decision, stating that we are bad Christian parents; that we obviously do not care for the well-being of our children.

That is the furthest thing from the truth. We love our children with all of our heart & would do ANYTHING to keep them safe.

I'm not against homeschooling. To each their own (isn't that the saying?). If you choose to homeschool, then go for it. That is your choice - your right. But all I ask is that you do not bash MY decision for my children.

Sorry - I just had to get this out.

Many blessings,
Allison

Hookers & Halloween

I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would EVER title anything that I wrote like this. However, if you're a Mom and your children dress up for Halloween, you know EXACTLY what I'm talking about.

We have very few rules when it comes to Halloween costumes for our kids. They cannot be scary/evil and they cannot be inappropriate. Sounds simple, right? HARDLY!!!

If you have stepped foot into a costume store recently, you know that costumes have gotten out of hand. Not just for adults either. The children's costumes are pathetic. Sickening really.

My daughter is 10 years old and she's still into Princesses, Dorothy & Tinkerbelle. Yet getting a Halloween costume for her has proven to be a difficult task. Everything in her size is highly inappropriate. We were even temporarily considering a purple witch because it wasn't hoochie.

Society/designers have managed to slut-ify even the most innocent of characters (see Dorothy below). Costumes for Chelsea were either too short, too tight or too revealing. They came up to upper-thigh and featured thigh high stockings. Seriously - THIGH HIGH STOCKINGS!!!!

Now I know that this costume is on an adult, but as I said earlier, Chelsea is a taller/larger 10 year old. She regularly wears a small in women's clothing. Yet a costume company expects us to let her dress like Dorothy on a stripper pole. Or how about Dorothy working a street corner. And do you see those shoes???

This is nothing compared to what else was out there.. Some of the more 'sexier' costumes were even worse.

What is wrong with our society? Why does Halloween need to exude sex? What happened to innocent children cutting holes in Mom's white sheet & going trick-or-treating as a ghost? When I was 10, I dressed like Laura Ingalls from Little House on the Prairie.

We're trying to teach our children about modesty yet it's getting harder & harder each year. How do you compete with the garbage that's out there?


Many blessings,
Allison