LOST

Today I decided I was heading into pre dementia. I woke up and got ready for the day and proceeded to have no idea where my car keys were. I then spent almost an hour looking for them. Here are the places that I looked...

--under my bed
--under the couch (found some saltine crackers from the sick day)
--in the car
--in the trunk
--in the laundry baskets
--in my purse
--in the kitchen
--downstairs

I called Kris's office three times. The first time I asked them to ask Kris if he knew where they were (NO). The second I asked if he could maybe come home and drive me into town (He was busy so the message was never relayed and his secretary mumbled her name in the greeting and I asked her if her name was Bev and was she new?) ...This is embaressing because I know her and her name is not Bev and she has worked there for a year. The third time I told her I found them and not to worry.

Where did I find them IN MY PURSE.

Then I went into town and had a class at work on the computer. I visited with some people and then went into my surgery office and chatted with a coworker and left my purse on the chair. I realized this on my way to the car and it took me 20 minutes to locate it again. I went back to the office I had my class in 5 times ( and looked so smart!) and then walked back and forth to the surgery office 4 times and finally located the purse strap sneakily down in the nether regions of the chair.

Then I went to choir. I was running choir as the director is out of town and I am just playing parts and such. After the practice I walked out of the room with only my music and keys. I had left my purse and my phone in the band room. So I had to go find the athletic director to page the janitor who let me in the band room and I looked all around and couldn't find anything but my purse not my phone. I went back to the athletic directors office and she let me into the band office (which was also locked but I had been in earlier) and then she called my phone and it was ringing inside the piano which I had closed up on my way out.

Sigh.

Big sigh.

So I am just thinking that today was a day of lost things. Including, apparently, MY MIND.

I am also thinking that I am tired of other people's opinions. I am going to try harder to just really worry about my 5 beautiful daughters.. And how I am doing with them and God. If I feel that I am doing my best and that the big guy upstairs could agree than I really don't care what other's think.

It seems like we are really good and monitoring other people's kids and those kids problems and what we think those parents should be doing. Because Kris is in the bishopbric at church I feel like probably people watch our kids close...... Are their hemlines long enough? Are they dating the right people? Do we let them have cellphones and electronics appropriately? Are they going to school dances when they can't attend church dances?

And you know what? I really don't care. I feel like my girls are great and I have taught them what I should. Our family rules are not the same as others and maybe it's natural to compare and criticize.

But here is my advice for the day. Don't. Don't worry about anyone else but your own family. You don't know my challenges and I don't know yours. So I'll give you some slack... and you give me some too. And I'll answer for the parenting mistakes I make to my Heavenly Father... but not to anyone else.

End of Rant.

I also have some other parenting advice. Let your kid be himself/herself. I think this was my parents biggest strength. My parents let us be who we were. If your kid doesn't want to do something... don't force them if it's not important. Let them have a little free agency where they can. Their little personality is so precious and so uniquely them. If they aren't like you .... let it be.

It's not so important to look good in front of others as to show them that they have value.

Some of my brothers didn't like big productions. My parents respected that and didn't force them into awkward uncomfortable situations just for the sake of appearance. One time I had a piano recital I was really nervous about. I asked my mom and dad to not invite family to see it. My mom was really hurt but she respected my wishes and didn't invite anyone and I had a much nicer experience nerve wise and I felt as if MY FEELINGS WERE VALID and I WAS BEING HEARD.

I was allowed to be me. For every kid that is a little different. Some are loud and expressive and wanting to be in every activity. For some they are quiet and reflective and not wanting big changes in routine.

And that's my words of wisdom for today.

The day of lost minds, lost keys and lost phones.