July 4th

It was awesome spending time with the family. I didn't do anything except show up due to my recent back surgery. But I can say I enjoyed spending time with my family. It was nice to gather at my mom and dad's house for the holiday!!! I couldn't stay there long enough for the fireworks. I had to get home and lay down and take my back brace off. It was making the small of my back sore.

Everybody pitched in and helped cook everything that needed to be done. I have a great family. The only people missing yesterday was my children. They are still visiting their dad. They will be there for another month. I miss them terribly.

I hope everybody had a great 4th of July and celebrated Independence day with loads of family and friends around and lots of fireworks. I pray everybody had a safe holiday also.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY AMERICA!!!!

Life lessons for our children

The other night I received a phone call out of the blue from my oldest son, he is 19 and lives in Louisiana. I had been thinking about him a lot over the past few months but didn't call him due to not knowing when he was working or what he was up to. I think I was also afraid of hearing that he might have messed up again and then having that dreadful feeling that I had messed up his life in some sort of way when he was younger and thinking it was my fault he was messed up. You know failure as a parent. Now that I have said all that back to the phone call. He sounded upset in his voice but was talking about life and things happening in his life. I was listening to him and how he was talking and it was like a light bulb went off and he is starting to realize what we have been saying to him for years is true. Just like anybody we don't want to ever hear the four dreaded words "I told you so" when you are finally realizing somebody told you that a long time ago. I didn't ever want to say that to my children, even if I had to bite my tongue I want to say it so bad because of the things that have happened over the years. He was talking about his work and then about his home life I could still hear something wasn't right in his voice. I couldn't put my finger on it but after our lengthy conversation I realized he had called me to get my support,comfort of my voice, and to know that I was still there standing beside him and his decisions. I think he wanted someone to say to him he was doing good and just a pat on the back telling him what a great job he was trying to do with his life. No he didn't go to college nor did he join the military or go to a technical school but he wanted to try life without furthering his education. You know the school of hard knocks. He is living his life with pride and dignity. I don't ever think he will go on to further his education on his own, if his job required it I think he might and that is fine. I want my children to be happy. Parents want their children to be real successful in life but what does that mean to the child and what they might want out of life. What I mean is that sometimes we get lost in our own dreams for our children we lose site of what they really want. My definition of a successful life is doing what you really love doing and living everyday to the fullest. That doesn't mean being a millionaire or living in a mansion, nor driving fancy cars that just means being HAPPY in your life!!! I feel much better that he called me and I do want a good relationship with him. I think he is wonderful and a very intelligent young man. He will succeed in whatever he chooses to do in life. I'm proud of him and I'm proud to be his mom!!! I'm glad that I heard from him and I told him I loved him very much!!

Taking flight is hard to do but with some guidance and patients your children will have a successful life!!