The Card.

This Christmas my kids got me a cellphone. I had one, but it was pretty beaten up. It had tape on it holding the battery in and the light faded on and out. The five of them each put in money. They even got the youngest one to get 20.00 of her Christmas money from me, so she could put in too (I'll forgive her for that little deception:-). My oldest daughter and my sons went to the cellphone place had my phone turned off and then turned back on on this new cell phone within an hour and...funny but also unbeknownest to be (I didn't even notice). Anyway...when they came back they surprised me with it. It is really nice. A flip phone with a camera and bluetooth capabilities. I was incredibly surprised.

That was a sacrifice for them. I could think of 5000 other things that they could have done with that 20-25 bucks they spent a piece. My daughter Jerica could have gotten gas in her car for the week, My oldest Stevan would have had lunch money for work all week, Bryan could have added it to what he is saving, Jaivon could have used it for this month's tuition or food when he went back to school and Jordan...well...lipgloss. She could have bought tons of lipgloss and earrings. I sincerely appreciate what they did. For them to think so much of me that it matter to them that I had a phone at least as good as theirs, really spoke volumes as to what has really settled inside of them as they have gotten older.

If they knew what I was about to tell you...well lets just say they may have wished they had known this sooner. They could have just bought me a card. With the cellphone was a card, not your typical "Merry Christmas Mom" card. It was a "thank you" card and all of them wrote a separate short message to me. They thanked me for my sacrifice and for all that I had done for them. They thanked me for being there when noone else was. They thank me for being a good mom. My heart melted. That's all that matters to me. I just want to be on record as being a mom, not perfect, but who loved her kids so much that there was nothing that she wouldn't do, no place she wouldn't go and no fight she would back away from to be sure that they were whole, protected, covered and loved. I can't ask for more than that. For me to know that they "got it"....wow !! That somehow, though they don't understand it all- they remember the sacrifice and the nights and days I did without so they could have. It has given them (at least for that moment) a grateful spirit....and I as their mom, could not be more thankful. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to me indeed.

Thank you guys. I would not have half the character that I walk in now had it not been for the blessing of raising you. You make me crazy. You make me yell..You make me scared...but most of all you always make me proud!

The Year of Finality!

Happy New Year all !! For the Superfamily we are entering the Year of Finality. There are some things in every family that you finally need to deal with one way or another. There is a fork in the road of many decisions that need to be made, ideologies that need to be adjusted, past issues that need to be dealt with, hidden motives that need to be uncovered and new best practices that finally need to be integrated into your lives.

Individually, there are some finally's we need to deal with too. Some of us need to finally get over anger, laziness, unorganization, immaturity, weight gain, unhealthy habits, slothfulness, inactivity, procrastination, cut off a negative relationship, nurture another one, go to the dentist, read a book a month and much more..

Personally, for example there was more I need to do concerning sculpting the time and activity of my youngest daughter. I saw things that I needed to take the initiative on last year and I didn't do it. I was on it for the summer, but she missed out on other things that I should have had in place. Hopefully, this year I will do better to equip her to be the best she can be. For myself I HAVE to get my second book finished. I can't tell you how many people have mentioned reading my 1st book for the 2nd time. Its time, I just have to buckle down and FINALLY get it done.

So, I share that to say that I am not pushing anything out to my family that I haven't had to consider myself. I have one son that is going to finally go to check out a college, I have another who will finally try out for more sports teams, I have a daughter that finally started dancing again-will they "make it" in those particular areas??...who knows-depends on your definition of "make it"..but they are moving...making strides and gaining momentum as my Pastor would say and its something to say for at least finally trying.

So what's your finally for 2009. Just pick one...not even a whole list...This year I will finally_____ ....what? Whatever it is the Superfamily will be in agreement with you to get it done in Jesus name.