Making a liar out of Mama

This morning while I was getting ready for Grandma Mildred's funeral, I was dealing with some other stuff. Jamie came in a bit huffy and asked why I was doing what I was doing because it wasn't my job and I certainly wouldn't get any recognition or credit for doing it. I replied that I don't do very many things for recognition or credit, if I needed that, I certainly wouldn't have jumped onto the Mommy track where I don't get a paycheck, much less engraved hunks of crystal like he gets every year. I figure if the kids are productive members of society and stay out of prison in a few decades, I've done okay. But motherhood isn't exactly for those seeking/needing instant gratification.

A few hours later, we were driving down to Rolla for the funeral and Chase hands me a magazine from the back seat. It was open to an Operation Smile ad. Chase had LOTS of questions about cleft lip/cleft palate. I answered his questions, but was honestly anxious to crank up the iPod again. Just as I was getting ready to do that, his voice came from the backseat. "Mom, will you send them $50 from my DS fund?" I said, "Chase, you only have $100 in there." He said, "I know. Those kids need it more than I do."

So then Jamie looks at me smugly and said, "Yeah--that beats a chunk of engraved crystal any day of the week." It does. But I can't take credit for what's in his heart--that's all Chase.

Interestingly, as much as I hear that he looks like his Daddy, today I saw some pictures of his Grandpa Jim...I've seen lots of pictures of my husband as a child, and I would never confuse those with pictures of Chase. But the pictures of Jim at that age? Like I was looking at my kid. CRAZY!

Jamie's cousin Jerri gave a beautiful eulogy for Grandma Mildred. Mildred was a humble, kind, gentle soul. And an amazing cook--her strawberry pie was amazing. But the thing I will remember most about Jamie's grandmother was how she lived her faith every single day. She loved the Lord and she lived like it. She wasn't superior and didn't put on airs. She was who she was, and who she was was a Godly woman. I am grateful that Jamie shared her with me the last 13 years.  And I truly hope that if I am fortunate enough to have 93 years on this Earth, that my life will be celebrated as hers was today.

An Ordinary Life

I don't think it ever occured to me as an undergraduate overachiever that in less than a decade and a half, I would feel a sense of accomplishment putting all of the laundry away. While the four of us generate quite a bit of laundry, I never really considered that such an ordinary chore could give me such an sense of accomplishment.  Yet every week, as I finish, I think "SUCK IT, LAUNDRY! I WIN AGAIN!" My husband is managing millions of dollars of other people's money and I'm smug about the laundry.

I don't really think I ever considered as an undergrad how much I would enjoy homemaking. I've spent enough time on internet message boards to know that the art of homemaking is no longer considered an art. My (single sex) alma mater dropped its home economics major several years before it went co-ed. I honestly doubt there is a home economics major or minor anywhere in the US these days. It occurs to me that perhaps, in our fight for gender equality, we have done ourselves a great disservice by trivializing a role that very satisfying for some people. I am an intelligent, capable woman. There are many things I could be doing well if I wanted to work outside my home. I have chosen instead to focus my efforts on my family and my home. Many women (far more intelligent, capable, and educated than me) are dropping out of the work force and rediscovering what it means to be a homemaker. They too are finding satisfaction in the mundane tasks of everyday living: putting laundry away, preparing meals, keeping a tidy home. It is not glamourous. It isn't always fun. But I find it immensely satisfying nonetheless.

Chase's Room

I finally got around to updating Chase's "big boy" room. I painted on Thursday (mostly while Cass was at preschool). On Saturday, we went shopping in Dad's basement and took my Mom's old childhood desk off his hands. I stripped the green & black faux finish she applied before I was born, sanded it all, and painted it. Chase picked out new hardware for it at Hobby Lobby. He also picked out fabric and the baseball accessories over the bed. I sewed all day yesterday (love the fringe I found 60% off at Hancock Fabric on a thread run) after church. This morning I made his headboard (that would be spray painted foam core) and put all the pictures on the walls.

I think this will age better than the baby blue & construction/cars/trucks thing he had going. He is THRILLED and so very proud of all my hard work. Mad props to my Dad for his hoarding tendancies. I make fun, but I've benefitted greatly from all my "shopping" at his place. And the desk is sturdy enough that Chase's grandkids may well be using it in 50 years...