Ohmystinkinheck

You’ll notice that I ditched sk*rt and am no longer an editor there. Nope, decided it’d be in my best interest to move forward, and become an editor for kirtsy instead.

If you haven’t figured it out already…there are a heck of a lot of places you can go to read about the name change over in “non-pants-ville”; seriously, I think sk*rt kirtsy came out on top–and obviously had to ditch the sk*rt to wear the pants and maintain good humor and self-respect in what could have very well been a very dirty fight.

Dirty fight you say?

Oh yes, those women over at Skirt Magazine (not linked on purpose - let them find their own site visitors) are somehow concerned about the popularity of our kirtsy (prevously sk*rt). In fact, they were so worried about the growing popularity of the-site-previously-known-as-Sk*rt, that they decided it’d be better to threaten a lawsuit than to own up to the fact they were dumb enough not to purchase their own domain name in the first place.

But you know what? WE DON’T NEED THEIR STINKIN SKIRT! Nope, not when we could kirtsy threat-free.

And so the previous sk*rt is now kirtsy, and you’d do well to remember it because THIS WEEK you can win over $1000.00 in prizes.

I’ll give you a moment to pick your jaw up off the floor. Oh, and here’s a rag to wipe away the drool.

Done? Good.

Now, go here for details.

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Mother’s Day is not just a day to thank the Lord for my own beautiful Mother-which I do and will, but also a day to reflect on my role as a Mother. What is Motherhood all about? What about this “job” do I fully embrace? What should I strive toward in this ever-changing, all encompassing, bountiful, rewarding, exhausting, honorable role?

Yesterday, as I popped off shots of my kids at their Great Grandpa’s house, I saw so much of the effects of motherhood in the snapshots. So much that warmed my heart, convicted my heart, and stretched the fullness of my understanding of just “who” I represent in our family - and how, as a result, I should work to enrich what I do in that position.

I saw the importance of my love for their father. How they need that security and how our marriage is uniquely and painstakingly stitched around them like a hand-sewn quilt; wrapping them in all the comforts of family and foundation. How that stability bears out in their relationship with him, and how the expressions of my love for Jeff sets a precedent for their future life loves.

I saw that I am the bearer of band-aids…not just the physical sort, but emotional as well. I need to hear what they are saying and even, what they don’t say, but need me to know. At times I will need to bear-up with them beneath their personal burdens so it doesn’t take them to their knees. In that I will be with them in their deepest sorrows and together we’ll grow stronger.

I should capture their true beauty-even when they cannot see it for themselves; especially then. When the world tells them they are worthless, I should point them to the truth. They are a child of the King; heirs to the throne. That beauty emanates from within and there is no greater beauty than the love they can show another through Jesus Christ, their Lord.

It is my absolute blessing to revel in the fullness of their heartfelt joy. To laugh and be silly. To stop and SEE. To remember what it was like to be young and happy, without all the nonsense that builds atop true joy to hold it down. I should always present the day as an opportunity for joy to reveal itself, rather than a drudgery. Children need joy-every single day. Laughter is simply an essential for their good health spiritually, physically and mentally.

I need to see who they are-who God made them to be and give them the freedom to be that person. If at times they need to growl into the wind, let them growl. If they need to dance, let them dance. If they need to hide, let them hide. My children are like me in some ways, some more than others, but they are not fully me. They need the freedom to fulfill the roles they were created for; that special role that makes them the perfect fit to God’s plan in this puzzling world.

I need to give them a history. I should share pieces of my childhood. Let them know where they came from by telling them where I came from. That they belong to something beyond themselves. That I too was once a child, with a history, and that history is theirs as much as mine.

I am overwhelmed with this role-both the honor and the weight. So much hangs in the balance, and yet, even as I fail regularly, I can teach them forgiveness and perseverance. My days are a living example-my past a textbook of examples.

This Mother’s Day I pray for the ability to do it all better and at the same time, thank the good Lord for ever letting me do it in the first place.

Happy Mother’s Day.

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I’d like to point out right this very moment that I know I am very spoiled. I am very spoiled, because on occasion I get the absolute greatest little sussies (OMSHville’s word for “surprises” ) in the mail.

Today, before we left town for our day trip, I received this beautifully wrapped package, given to me by the blogger behind one of my favorite new reads, South End Blend. If you haven’t checked Mary’s blog, just be warned that there is always photo eye candy going on over there.

I love photo eye candy. For visual people, it’s as good as crack. Not that I would know about crack, but if I did, I could probably deal with withdrawal by feasting my eyes on flickr all the live long day.

Okay, so maybe not, but fortunately this is not an addiction blog of that nature, so I don’t have to be realistic about it. I can continue to live in my own land of La La, La La La La.

I love that Mary does things, like buy thread just to take a cool photo. I’m trying not to be sour that she didn’t pick up the wooden box of yellow chalk for me…today’s gift helped, of course.

I have a question for all of you. Be honest. When you wrap up a gift, do you scallop the edges of the WRAPPING PAPER? If you say you do, you’re totally lying. Or is it “lieing” - I’m too lazy to look it up. I know that bethany actually will know and email me; she enables me to be lazy–it’s all her fault.

I’m JOKING already.

So, in case you haven’t already checked out Mary’s blog, you should know that her creativity has manifested itself in an online paper company, Joppa Paper, that has yet to open, but has been dutifully checked by me 300 times a day.

What is it about paper products that satisfies some deep NEED in me? Is it the textures? The colors? Perhaps it’s the blank slate to rewrite my life - even if only in “To Do” and “Grocery” lists.

I love this notepad cover. She told me ahead of time that this one had imperfections–you don’t think she just sends free gifts she could SELL do you? I see no imperfections. I see a handmade gift that I LOVED receiving.

In fact, I have already decided that Mary sent it to me as a special Mother’s Day gift because she thinks I’m JUST THAT SPECIAL. If that isn’t the truth, I don’t want to know it.

I find that writing my own truth is something I can do quite well–online and on paper. :~)

Thankfully for you, Mr. OMSH keeps me in check.

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