Everyday Life: Mirror Mirror

As penned by my sister, Jill ...

Dear E,

As I was looking through my baby pictures, I noticed that we are identical. You look so much like me when I was a baby and it made me really excited! (I'm on the left, E is on the right.)

 Then, I started looking through more pictures. Oh no. I got to age 7 and, well, let's just say. I'm so sorry. If you take after me, you're going to have a really long awkward stage. It's going to last from ages 7-16. Again, I'm sorry. However, there are some things you can do that will make you look less awkward and I will help.

At age 7 I will not take you to a hairdresser who cuts hair out of her garage, next to a motorcycle, while wearing leather. She will give you a mullet, and well, I will make sure that it won't happen.

At age 8 please don't forget to remind me that it's picture day. I won't let you walk out of the house in a vintage Micky Mouse T-shirt, that you're great-great uncle wore a long time ago. I will also not pack kool-aid in your lunch box so it gives you that red mustache.

At age 10, I will make sure to help style your hair after you insisted on growing your bangs out. I will try to help you pick out a hairstyle that doesn't include huge dragonfly barrets. I will try to convince you not to put them on the sides of your head.

When you're 12, and want to be in a play about falling in love with a prince, and you have to wear a hideous costume, I know you're going to be excited because you got to be the princess, but I just want to let you know that when you look back at that picture, you're going to be really embarrassed. Don't worry, I won't show your future boyfriends.

When you're 14 and are just discovering make-up and how to do your hair creatively, I will smile and say that it looks nice because I know you're learning and trying really hard. And when you roll your eyes at me because I suggest a different way to put on your make-up, you'll roll your eyes at me. Just remember when you're older and looking at pictures of yourself, I told you so.

When you turn 17, I promise, things get better. You'll grow into your looks.

You'll learn how to wear make-up the right way, and you'll always wonder if your hair looks OK. But most importantly, E, you're going to know how beautiful you are. No matter if you wear a stained t-shirt on picture day, how you wear your hair or how hideous your first play costume is, I want you to know that you are beautiful inside and out even in the most awkward stages of your life.

I can't promise you that I will save you from every awkward moment you might have, but I can promise you one thing: I will never let someone give you a mullet.

While I'm on a writing hiatus this week, my sister Jill is sharing stories here in this space; hope you enjoy her as much as I do!

Like a Hand-Written Letter: Week Eight

Based on the posts than implanted themselves in my mind this week, it seems as thought I've been thinking about a few things quite seriously:
writing, mommying and hoping in the midst of hurting.

For the Writer/Blogger:

Alita Jewel's Treasures: My Written Rules on Blogging

Sorta Crunchy:Give: Space

A Life in Need of Change: To the Aspiring Writer

For the Hurting:
Wee Little Miracles: Oh, Death, Where is Thy Sting?

Four Sons: A Letter to a Military Wife

For the Mother:
A Holy Experience: For the Mother's of Teenagers {and littles, too}

Adventures in Babywearing: Leaving Las Vegas {For Good}

Also, can I just say? These are some of my favorite reads weekly, penned by wonderfully talented writers.

Like a Hand-Written Letter: Week Seven

The blogosphere wasn't kidding around this week.

A brilliant mix of critical world events coupled with this upcoming holiday weekend that's named for us in celebration of our motherhood journeys had my reader blazing with emotional, thought-proviking, rivetting pieces.

So much so that my right-hand stream of stories is brimming with goodness -- goodness that I plan to leave unedited in its fullness today and tomorrow in case you've got some extra reading time in the form of a Mother's Day present.

And here are just a few that really blessed me as I entered into Mother's Day weekend.

Lucy the Valiant: It's Not about how You Look

Wee Little Miracles: Safe Keeping

Peanut Butter in my Hair: Probably not what Newton was Talking About

And a few that have made me think and have forced me to processs and sort of out emotions concerning the death of the Sept. 11 mastermind.

This Heavenly Life: Kumbaya

Sorta Crunchy: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Body

Domestic Diva and Milkmaid Mama: This is About Brokenness and Unity

ACC Leadership: General VS. Specific {On Calling and the body of Christ}

What have you read this week that you would recommend? Link it in the comments?

Like a Hand-Written Letter: Week Six

I haven't really shared, but these last two weeks have been sort of difficult.

We've had two major close-family-member illnesses coupled with the anniversary of my father's death, and it's thrown the extremely delicate balance that is our lives a little bit off kilter.

All that to say, I have been rearranging priorities during the past two weeks to do some accommodating while we visit ailing relatives or cover hours at the club. Needless to say, I haven't been out and about much in the virtual world, but I do have a few gems to share:

This Heavenly Life: Worry and Light

Delighting in the Days: Becoming a Better Mother: Encouragement

Peanut Butter in My Hair: Her, At Four

Adventures in Babywearing: To Disappear

And something straight from my heart, probably the most honest, intense prose I've ever penned: There are no Coincidences.

Have a beautiful weekend, friends. And to those who are celebrating their first Sabbath this Sunday, I'm pulling for you!

Like a Hand-Written Letter: Week Five

These words tatooed themselves on my heart this week, Holy Week.

The Gypsy Mama: The Hard Love

So Much Shouting So Much Laughter: The Fast You Have Chosen

A Joy Walk: With Everything, Hope

Mylestones: The Hours are Honest

This Heavenly Life: Earthy Like Child

Happy Easter, friends.

Like a Hand-Written Letter: Week Four

Some weeks, words escape me.

Or there's not enough time to speak everything pressing in my brain.

So I often soak in the words of others, finding camaraderie and comfort or solace or new thoughts to ponder.

Here are a few of the posts from this week that spoke directly to my heart and mind:

Alita Jewel's Treasures: With Them

Adventures in Babywearing: She

Peanut Butter in my Hair: An Open Letter to American Physicians

So Much Shouting, So Much Laughter: The Church of Aliens and Strangers {Like Me}

Lemon Drop Pie: Wishing for the Simple Life

Also, for those of you who want to take your craft {be in writing, photography, painting, scrapbooking, drawing} to the next level, come back tomorrow for a really, really, really exciting announcement!

Like a Hand-Written Letter: Week Three

The posts that bounce around, echo in my mind for days beg for a semi-place of permenance.

So I've begun giving them one in my own small section of the blogosphere every Saturday. Because I think what we read and then what resonates speaks volumes about where our hearts are treading {and that's something I want to remember}.

Martymom's Musings: In the Moments

Trains Tutus and Tea Time: Worn Jeans

Just Lenae: Different Times

Peanut Butter in my Hair: Simply Leaving Things Undone

Adventures In Babywearing: Continued Nursing

And a little something to make you spit out your coffee and laugh from the uber-talented Sarah ...

This Heavenly Life: Who Says Cloudy Days are Boring?

Like a Hand-Written Letter: Week Two

Some posts feel like they were hand-written on beautiful paper, folded, slipped into an envelope, sealed, stamped and sent in the mail, landing in my hands at just the right moment.

Here are some quite simple and extremely complex posts that spoke right to my heart this week. {Through out the week, posts continually show up in the right-hand sidebar, but I really wanted to give these awesome ones a place of semi-permanence.}

Alita Jewel Treasures: Have a Happy Weekend

Sorta Crunchy: Senator Coburn, I know it was you, and you broke my heart {on Christians in Government and Kingdom purposes vs. the empire}

So Much Shouting, So Much Laughter: A Woman's Place
This Heavenly Life: The Garden

Just Lenae: Anchors

Diet Coke on the Rawks: Filling My Heart With Love

The Gypsy Mama: It's True what they Say About Childbirth

Like a Hand-Written Letter: Week One

The boys and John ventured to Grandma and Buba's house, leaving me here in the unusual silence of an early Saturday morning.

My intentions to head over to the club for a workout were delayed upon receiving a couple of thought-provoking emails from friends I've never actually met in person, but who seem to know how to reach into my chest with their words and beat beside an always-pondering heart.

Aside from e-mails there's always a smattering of blog posts during each week that come along side me and walk with me, accompanying me in ways I can't explain. I usually list them in the sidebar, to the right, that's ever-evolving and changing.

But today, I just wanted to give those stories, those words a place of permanence other than in my heart. I don't know that I'll keep up with this every Saturday because how often is the house this bone-quiet? Nonetheless, here are my must-reads for the week:

{Just} Lenae: #538 on the Horizon

The Gypsy Mama: Why Time Shouldn't Be Hard Labor

Sorta Crunchy: Pondering the Counter-Culture Child

The Farmer Files: Wild Turkeys Couldn't Hold Me Down to Sleep

So Much Shouting, So Much Laughter: More than Watchmen for the Morning