Mother of the Year

So, I have embarked on something I've never really done before: Halloween costumes. Year 1: Baby in eggplant outfit. Why an eggplant? Not sure. All I know is she hated it. Year 2: Costume 1-- Krispy Kreme cashier. Why? Because I had Chuck Taylor's, jeans, a black t-shirt, a baby doll apron and a free hat from Krispy Kreme. Done and done. Costume 2: Pirates. Why? Because anyone can draw a beard on their face.

But this year, my friends, is different. My kid is-- get this--- something kids actually like! She's Olivia! Ok, so I confess. I took the easy way out AGAIN. (Buying costumes is such a pain.) For her birthday, Ryan and I got her Olivia dress up clothes. It had an explorer outfit and a ballerina outfit. And naturally she's the ballerina. My mother-of-the-year award comes into play with the pig accessories. (FYI--- if you haven't already caught on, Olivia is a cartoon pig girl.) Out of construction paper, we made ears AND a nose. I am SO excited to see her in this!

In fashion with other posh blogs, I will now post a how-to segment, just to really make myself feel awesome.

1) Pig Ears

Need:

Pink Construction Paper

Pink Headband

Black Sharpie

Glue

Stapler

1. Fold pink paper in half. Along the fold, draw pig ears, allowing room at the bottom to adhese to the headband and cut them out.

2. Fold ears over headband and glue. Staple once, right along the inside, close to the headband.

3. Trace outline of ear with marker.

Voila! (And I wonder how many time's I've typed that as "viola")

2-- Pig Nose: (my shining moment in motherhood)

Need:

Paper towel roll

Pink paint

Pink Construction paper

Sharpie

2 pieces of Yarn

1. Cut a 3" piece off paper towel roll.

2.Poke 2 holes symmetrically near one end. Paint pink. (We put pink paint on a paper plate and rolled it. Confession--- this is because we do not own paint brushes. Oops.)

3. Draw a circle using the end of the towel roll on the pink paper. Cut out and draw 2 nostrils. :)

4. After roll is dry, string yarn through the holes, tying knots on the inside in. You may choose to tape the inside of the roll so it does not fall out (or if you made one of the holes too big...)

5. Glue the circle to the opposite end of the paper towel roll.

6. Tie the nose around your little person's head to make all the other moms wish they were you.

So, in conclusion, I nominate myself, Liz Eagle, for the available position of Mother-of-the-Year. Yes, I may have volunteered for everything at preschool and was asked to do none of it. Yes, I may have cracker crumbs as a permanent interior for the car. Yes, I may have to quickly scrounge for a lunchbox-worthy lunch every Tuesday and Thursday. But by golly, I worked my little thinking cap off and I made a damn good Halloween costume, for the first time in my life. Take that Paul, Virginia, Betsy and all the other Episcopal Preschool Mercedes Moms. My kid looks stellar.

In the news today

My morning began today as most do: with an intense desire for coffee. I am beyond blessed to have Adalai in preschool.... that is right down the road from Starbucks. So I drop her off, and change the music from Empire of the Sun (to which Adalai is addicted) to your local NPR. And today's Charlotte Talks hot button issue was none other than homosexuality and bullying.

I was so incredibly interested in this topic. As a God-follower (no, not in the twitter sense), I felt myself becoming very emotionally engaged in the discussion. I hoped to call in or send an earth-shattering email to be read on-air with much fanfare, and then realized: I really just don't know where to begin.

Homosexuality, coupled with teen suicide, has been a media-pressed issue for the past few weeks. I mean, I don't need to even bring up the tragedy of the Rutger's student. As a mother, tears well up in my eyes as I think of the pain of this man, this son. Realistically, it should illicit emotion from anyone familiar with the story, regardless.

I feel I have been bombarded with the topic of gay acceptance through various media outlets recently. And honestly, I think it is a very beautiful thing. I wrote a blog a few months back concerning gay marriage and the topic continues to peek my interest. There were so many excellent points brought on by the discussion. A young girl of only 15 stated (paraphrased) "We cannot change bullying, we must change a culture." Another man called, who has a gay son and step-son and blamed religious teaching, as did another emailer.

And that's where I divert. The caller stated "The problem is that from a young age, people are taught that the Bible is the Word of God and that homosexuality is an abomination. People then believe they have authority from God to take these matters into their own hands. If the Bible were treated as a religious work as opposed to the authoritative Word of God, people would not feel an obligation to eliminate this behavior." (also paraphrased).

Sadly enough, I agree.... almost. I do believe the Bible is the word of God. That is a concrete truth in my life. But in spite of my doctrinal differences with the caller, one thing remains the same: People believe they have the authority to take matters into their own hands. Anyone who reads the Bible and only reads about the Old Testament abomination of homosexuality has apparently overstepped the New Testament call to Love, a call not to judge, unless we want all of our shortcomings on the table to be viewed by all.

I do not claim to know what God thinks about homosexuality or sexuality in general. Is homosexuality worse than adultery? Is it worse than heterosexual sex outside of marriage? Is it a choice or are there biological determinants? I don't know. One thing I am certain of, though. Jesus came that we may have life, and that our lives may be more fulfilled. There is nothing fulfilling about fear-driven hatred or judgement. In fact, "Perfect love drives out fear."

So, to again quote the 15-year-old guest (who does not claim to identify with one gender above another) "We must change a culture". In this case, our Christian culture. We must become not a subculture who is hateful towards or oblivious to those who live outside our worldview, but instead those who chose to embrace Jesus' teaching of love. We must change our mindset of "God hates fags" (whether we show in through picket signs or judgmental glances) to a heart of love, with open arms accepting all and leaving the judgment to God.

"For God so loved the world..." Funny. We're all included.

My Life is not Perfect.

My life is not perfect. Well, to some anyway.

My house is not perfectly clean. (Or partially...)

Groceries do not always exist.

Meals are not always prepared.

My kids do not perfectly sleep.

My oldest doesn't not perfectly listen.

My youngest does not perfectly nurse.... though his weight gain may prove otherwise.

My oldest does not perfectly avoid hitting. Including her teacher.

My body is not perfectly trimmed down.

My diet is not perfectly balanced.

My car doesn't perfectly start.

My attitude isn't always consistent.

My relationship with my husband isn't perfectly pleasant.

I don't get a perfect 8 hours of sleep... ever.

My clothes no longer perfectly fit.

Our bills are not perfectly caught up.

I do not have perfectly updated baby books.

I do not always perfectly bathe my babies.

I don't always perfectly change the youngest's diapers.

I do not perfectly understand my relationships with others.

I do not understand the resistance I have towards others.

My days are not perfectly planned to balance babies, friends, or community involvement.

I would often rather sleep than communicate.

But I can tell you one thing. I am okay. I am okay with just being okay. I am okay with doing my best. I am okay if my best involves dirty diapers wrapped up, but not trashed. I'm okay with having clean dishes, even if they are still in the dishwasher. I'm okay with having clean sheets, even if they're STILL in the dryer. I'm okay with having flaking fingernail polish. I'm okay with having a body that says "Look at me! I have kids!" I'm okay with my only outing being the gym, even if it's simply to leave the house. I'm okay with having a little tree-frog of a baby who's constantly attached to me. I'm okay with a defiant 3-year-old who is constantly negotiating. I am okay with a husband who is gone every night to work so I can stay home with our kids. I'm okay with letting go of petty things to make room for the big stuff.

I'm okay with with my own brand of perfect. And I am okay with me.