Ryan is now 9 and will be 10 in a couple of months.  I wrote this post in 2010 and I do not know why I didn’t post it.  At any rate, I often find myself thinking about things that my little one said or did a few years ago and I sure miss those days.  Albeit a dated post,  I thought I’d post it anyway.

March, 2010.
Ryan has such a tender heart, he’s incredibly sensitive.  He’s been asking many questions about dying….do you go to heaven?  Do you come back?  We were driving home from the grocery store the other day and he said to me, “Mom, no one in our family is going to die, right?”  Carefully I replied “everyone dies, but not for a long, long time.”  He just had the saddest look on his face and I tried to reassure him that it wouldn’t be until we were very, very old.  He then began to sob saying, “I don’t want anyone in my family to get old..”  He cried the whole way home.  How sweet is that?  Sometimes I can’t believe his capacity to understand such grown up things.

As a 4 1/2 year old, he continues to ask the same questions, repeatedly.  I now tell him what he wants to hear, I can’t bear to see his heart breaking.  His heart is so pure and sweet, he’ll know soon enough the realities of the world.

Oh geeze, I’m feeling sooooo sappy today!

Squeeze your kids, they won’t want to be squeezed so much when they’re older.

Angie

Hello Everyone-

I haven’t posted in a bit and for that I apologize.  Life has been a bit tricky of late.  (excuse the Halloween pun)

It seems that more and more people I love are having health issues.  Serious health issues.  I just lost my best friend, who I am going to write a tribute to in a few days.  I need time for the perfect words as she was so very special to me.

One message I’d like to share with you this beautiful fall morning is to take care of the people you love.  If you have a sick friend, neighbor or family member, show them love through the love and care you put into a delicious comforting dinner or your “go to” baked good.   I have always believed that cooking for a loved one whether they’re sick or well is the truest expression of love.  When I just don’t know what to do for someone and want to help, I cook.

The food I most want when I don’t feel well or am in distress is  chicken noodle soup.  So simple.  So comforting.  So healing.  So versatile.  You can make it any which way you please.  There are no rules.  I empty out my bits of frozen vegetables from my freezer and any veggie or rice/pasta leftovers in my refrigerator right into the pot.  I get this from my Mother, she always made the best soups out of leftovers in the frige.   Warm fuzzies.

I just went through my soup posts and realized I’ve never posted a recipe for Chicken Noodle Soup.  I’ll be sharing that one next.

Have a blessed day.

Angie

My big 1st grader!

Is there such a thing as post parent depression?  If not, here’s my take on it….

When you have your first child, you don’t really realize just how much your life will change until you experience it for yourself.  I feel very fortunate that I was able to stay home with Ryan.  Of course, this created a few challenges for me.  I really missed being out in the world.  I missed “lunching” with friends and staying on top of all the fashion trends working and simply being an adult.  Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t change a single thing, but this made me feel at times a little down.

When Ryan turned 3, I thought it time for pre school.  Kids could go 5 days a week, three (M,W,F), or two, (T,TH).  I opted for the two days a week, I just couldn’t do a day more!  I remember feeling sad when I left him there the first day.  There too was the end of the year party for pre school.  I was sad because the next step in our educational journey would be Pre-K.

Do you get where I’m going with this?  Pre-K, Kindergarten, and now 1st grade.  Our Jack is off at school, major change in our house, and now Ryan, gone all day! 

This morning when I dropped Ry off for his first day of 1st grade, my friend Sarah’s boy was starting kindergarten.  She got a little teary and I was feeling a little guilty because I didn’t feel a pang of sadness….until I went on my walk.

I set out on my walk, like most days in high gear.  It wasn’t until I came across the largest bee looking insect I’d ever seen!  I thought, boy, Ryan would love to see this!  Suddenly my mind was flooded with memories of walking my little boy to pre school, calling me “Mama”, (he still does:-) asking me for a “toochie” (this meant cookie).   I then was trying to remember exactly how he looked when he was much younger…I was a mess!  Emotional power walking.  I wonder if you earn more Weight Watcher’s Points when your crying and exercising????

I packed Ry’s first lunch of many today.  Reflection is good.  Time goes too quickly.  Enjoy the chaos that comes with kids, we’ll miss it when it’s gone.

Have a great evening!

Angie