I, like most people in the world, will never forget everything about Sept 11, 2001. I remember how I woke up that morning...a call from our friend Steve Kostorowski from DC. He kept yelling into our answering machine to wake up. I had just gotten done working the US Open and had flown back to LA a few days before. I was set to fly back to NYC the next day. I remember sitting on the bed in utter shock all morning. I remember talking to as many people as I could get in touch with to make sure they were okay. I remember crying and disbelieving over and over again. I remember being annoyed at our local bakery because they didn't have the news on their radio. They were playing music and going about their day and I wanted to punch them and say, "Do you realize what just happened?!"
All this remembering is a good thing, I think. It still makes me sad and I hurt for all the families who lost loved ones in the tragedy. But I feel that if I don't forget. That if I remember. I am honoring them. If I remember, then they know they are not forgotten. I know they were heroes that day and will forever be a hero in my book. If I remember and think that, I believe somehow, someway they will know it.
I am just one person who, thank goodness, did not lose a friend in the tragedy. I was very lucky and I know that. That is something I will remember as well. Sept. 11 is a sad day but it can also be a day to honor and count our blessings. That is what I choose to do.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Thursday, September 10, 2009
The last few summer nights
Tonight was awesome. We went to the pool for 3 and a half hours and played our heads off. I am so glad the weather is holding up and I am reminding myself and thus, you, that it won't be like this much longer. So, get outside and enjoy every night of it.
Today was smooth with the kiddos. We did lots of errands and they were real troopers. But my little fella was not in a good mood. He was up A LOT last night. So, I think he was really tired and super grumpy. That being said, I put him down a tad earlier than usual. I cleaned the house, wrote 2 emails and then put my daughter to bed. About 10 seconds later, my son was up. WHAT?!!! So, we snuggled a bit (I absolutely love that and know it won't last forever) but then he just turned super grumpers again. So, at about 3:45pm I woke up my daughter and to the pool we went.
My point in telling you this is that I could have easily stayed at home and, thus, missed out on a wonderful session at the pool. What a shame. Very Very soon, the season will change. And where I live, very , very soon, snow will cover the ground till May! So, soak up the sun and the outside as much as you can while you only have to put on a t-shirt!
Get outside and be happy!
Today was smooth with the kiddos. We did lots of errands and they were real troopers. But my little fella was not in a good mood. He was up A LOT last night. So, I think he was really tired and super grumpy. That being said, I put him down a tad earlier than usual. I cleaned the house, wrote 2 emails and then put my daughter to bed. About 10 seconds later, my son was up. WHAT?!!! So, we snuggled a bit (I absolutely love that and know it won't last forever) but then he just turned super grumpers again. So, at about 3:45pm I woke up my daughter and to the pool we went.
My point in telling you this is that I could have easily stayed at home and, thus, missed out on a wonderful session at the pool. What a shame. Very Very soon, the season will change. And where I live, very , very soon, snow will cover the ground till May! So, soak up the sun and the outside as much as you can while you only have to put on a t-shirt!
Get outside and be happy!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Do Good
One of my friends has an automatic post at the end of her emails with her name, number and a saying. The saying is very simple but for some reason it hit me yesterday. It says, "Do Good".
I just casually glanced at it when I first saw it but my mind kept going back to it. It is simple but means and stands for so much. It can remind us to give more to people in need. It can remind us to help someone in need. It can remind us to be pleasant and positive. When you think of doing good, what does it make you want to do? How would we, as a people, change our behavior? Would we be super conscious of holding the door open for people or carrying someone's groceries?
See, I think "Do Good" just means be a good person. Do good things throughout your day, as much as you can. If you are faced with a decision to let someone in when merging in traffic or not, do the good thing and let them in. All of these simple, kind actions can change the attitude of a large group of people. Doing good really puts the choice in the hands of the person who read it. I guess I just like it cause it makes me want to deliver. I want to do good. I want my kids to do good. Don't we all.
I just casually glanced at it when I first saw it but my mind kept going back to it. It is simple but means and stands for so much. It can remind us to give more to people in need. It can remind us to help someone in need. It can remind us to be pleasant and positive. When you think of doing good, what does it make you want to do? How would we, as a people, change our behavior? Would we be super conscious of holding the door open for people or carrying someone's groceries?
See, I think "Do Good" just means be a good person. Do good things throughout your day, as much as you can. If you are faced with a decision to let someone in when merging in traffic or not, do the good thing and let them in. All of these simple, kind actions can change the attitude of a large group of people. Doing good really puts the choice in the hands of the person who read it. I guess I just like it cause it makes me want to deliver. I want to do good. I want my kids to do good. Don't we all.
We all reach our breaking point
As mommies, we are often pushed to our limits. We have great mommy days, good mommy days and, every now and then, not so good mommy days. I really despise the feeling of the "not so good" mommy days. In fact, there have been a few, okay several, that I have not been proud of. I am writing about this today because my best friend and I just had a conversation about this very subject. We described it as if we are a glass of water and with every whine, cry and meltdown the glass is filled more and more until the damn thing starts to flood the whole house. That is the moment to which all moms can relate. That feeling of needing to let go of so much frustration and anger and whatever that you just yell. Actually it is is more like, you just YELL!
Honestly, with me, I am really good right up to that point. Keeping my cool as my child is hitting and screaming. Telling her to "just relax" and that "this is not acceptable behavior". It's not until, after manhandling her into her car seat(for the second time) while she is out of her head screaming at me and pulling my hair that I slam the door and scream so damn f-ing loud that I think the entire west hears me. Then I proceed to get in the car and explain with another scream, "I just wanted you to get in your damn car seat!" Yes, this really happened. Not my proudest moment.
For real, I screamed so loud that my voice was horse for the rest of the day. This didn't do any good as both my kids were now screaming. And after the scream I felt like an awful parent. But during the scream, I felt so damn good. For a second, I sat there in the car and had this blank look on my face. Once I came to, I immediately tried to calm down my son and reassure my daughter. Then I felt this need to talk to somebody about it to make sure I wasn't going insane. Friends are good at making you feel normal.
My best friend and I told our stories and made each other feel better. We reminded each other that we are good, and often times GREAT parents. We cried and laughed and in the end knew that we all were going to survive.
We parents tolerate a lot during a day. It is a wonderful job and I just want everyone to know that we are not perfect but I know we are trying our best to raise really good kids. Keep at it and if you need to scream, make it a good one.
Honestly, with me, I am really good right up to that point. Keeping my cool as my child is hitting and screaming. Telling her to "just relax" and that "this is not acceptable behavior". It's not until, after manhandling her into her car seat(for the second time) while she is out of her head screaming at me and pulling my hair that I slam the door and scream so damn f-ing loud that I think the entire west hears me. Then I proceed to get in the car and explain with another scream, "I just wanted you to get in your damn car seat!" Yes, this really happened. Not my proudest moment.
For real, I screamed so loud that my voice was horse for the rest of the day. This didn't do any good as both my kids were now screaming. And after the scream I felt like an awful parent. But during the scream, I felt so damn good. For a second, I sat there in the car and had this blank look on my face. Once I came to, I immediately tried to calm down my son and reassure my daughter. Then I felt this need to talk to somebody about it to make sure I wasn't going insane. Friends are good at making you feel normal.
My best friend and I told our stories and made each other feel better. We reminded each other that we are good, and often times GREAT parents. We cried and laughed and in the end knew that we all were going to survive.
We parents tolerate a lot during a day. It is a wonderful job and I just want everyone to know that we are not perfect but I know we are trying our best to raise really good kids. Keep at it and if you need to scream, make it a good one.
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