On the Way to Becoming Me

July has been an especially busy month for me and my family.  Between work, summer camps, football workouts, family reunions, sorority reunions and other impromptu events, downtime has been a welcome addition to our schedule.  Honestly, it seems like summer just started!  It's hard to believe that we're gearing up for yet another school year. Being a teacher, summer break takes on a whole different meaning; whereas, if I were just donning my mommy hat, I'd be totally elated that school is almost in session (just keepin' it real).  But, for real, I almost shriek in horror when I see back to school commercials on T.V., and the store displays seem to be taunting me as a constant reminder that time is winding up. Before I can say farewell to the "summer of reunions," I have one more gathering to attend.  My 20 year class reunion!  It's crazy that it's been 20 years since I graduated from high school.  With the reunion approaching next week, I can't...

Last week iTunes radio featured a "First Play" from one of my favorite artists, Tamia.  While I loved all of the new tracks, one in particular, "Day One" really caught my attention.  The melody is smooth and definitely classic Tamia, but that's not what grabbed me.  I was captivated by the lyrics of this particular song because it seemed to be the perfect anthem for marriage.  In case you haven't heard it, here's a few lines of the chorus: If I could do it all again I would  Give me the bad days along with the good My heart is even more in love Then it was on day one... Funny how it all falls into place We grew even closer with every mistake Its crazy how we’re still in love The way we were on day one... Beautiful, right?  The thing is anyone whose been married any length of time, and especially those of us with a lot of mileage on the road know that it is not easy.  For me, being married ranks right up there with parenting; these are two of the h...

Ok, so this post is not an homage to Beyonce or my claim to wake up each and every day looking "funky fresh dressed to impress ready to party."  However, it is the perfect caption to the craziness that happens in the mornings at my house.  Notice I said my house and not yours.  I'm sure you  have stress-free and blissful mornings in your crib, but in my family of five, our mornings are anything but.  So, first of all let me just say that I love my family to the moon and back (even the teenager ;-).   **I had to throw in the personal shout-out to my teen since he claims I "offended" him in last week's post.  And to that I say "sorry, but Momma keeps it real, son!" Anyway, I digress.  Am the only one who wakes from a restful night of sleep only to immediately don your referee shirt and start spewing out phrases like "no, you're not wearing that...it's 40 degrees outside," "stop arguing," "get ou...

Something happened and I'm not exactly sure when it occurred and why I didn't notice it.  It didn't just happen to me, but to my husband as well.  No one gave us a heads up, posted a warning sign on our front door or whispered the words "new traffic pattern ahead."  Nope, we didn't see this coming at all!  And so I'm sure you're asking what didn't we see?  What caught us totally off guard?  One of our three children has become.......has become....a TEENAGER!!!!!   It seems like only yesterday that we were "oohhing" and "ahhing" over our first baby.  Back then I thought my biggest challenge was nursing and getting him to sleep through the night. I had absolutely no idea that the teen years would be, what I jokingly refer to as "my graying years."  Pause right now.  Stop reading and go thank your mother that you are still alive :-). Seriously!  While I do remember my aunts and older family members (who were empty neste...