I Love You, Mom! And Other Musings from a Grownup Daughter.

My mom is an amazing woman.  She's taught thousands of people how to read and write.  She's served hundreds through serving in church.  She is a strength and an example to me.  Here are a few of the many things my mom taught me that help me a be a better mom.

(All photos are from when we were together in Texas recently.)

I can do hard things.

While I was little my mom worked full time and earned a graduate degree while still fulfilling her motherly duties at home.  When I was 12 years old my parents divorced.  When I was 14 my mom lost her job.  We had no income for a year; she was the main provider for the four youngest kids still living at home.  When she wasn't diligently searching to secure employment she volunteered and helped teach young mothers, who had been addicted to drugs, how to mother to their babies.  When she finally found employment she had to secure 3 different teaching positions in order to pay the bills.

My mom can do hard things.  She works hard and she figures out how to make it through life's challenges.

Although my challenges right now are very different from what I saw my mom experience when I was a child I am reminded that I, too, can do hard things.  When I stand fearful, or feel like I am failing at all that the Lord has handed me, I stop and remind myself, "I can do hard things."  It empowers me to continue to work hard and be the mother I want to be, especially when it all feels too difficult.

Stay close to your sister(s).

My mom has 3 younger sisters.  I love my aunts and adore them. One of the reasons is because I feel like they adore me.  But the main reason...is because they bring my mom so much joy.  Growing up I would wake up Saturday mornings to the sound of my mom's laughter.  Many an early Saturday morning my mom spent chatting with one of her sisters on the phone.  She was always in a good mood those days.  My mom is happiest when she is in the company of her sisters.

I love and adore my older (and only) sister.  Even though I don't have the opportunity to call and chat with her early Saturday mornings I am always uplifted when we do chat and love the frequent texts and love sent to my phone.  She makes me laugh, she offers good advice (even if unsolicited at times...she is my older sister after all  :)), and she offers a different perspective on life's challenges.  I am a better mom because of my relationship with my sister.

Use peanut butter when necessary.

When I was bouncing off the walls, as was common in my rambunctious youth, my mom would make me sit down on a kitchen chair and hand me a spoonful of peanut butter (all natural, of course).  I was not allowed to get out of that chair until the spoon was clean.  It never felt like a punishment, just a cool down time.

I forgot about this perfect "calm down" gem until recently.  What an amazing trick!  It takes my kids so long to work through that spoonful of peanut butter that they calm down.  It's slow and methodical.  It's a diversion rather than a punishment.  Simon likes it so much that he usually asks for a spoonful of peanut butter whenever I pull out the jar.

Often, it's the simple things that can make all the difference in a child's (and mama's) mood.  How much happier we all are when a spoonful of peanut butter is consumed rather than yelling, "Stop doing that!" or "Calm down!" Motherhood is about creativity and finding uplifting ways of discipline rather than constant threats of punishment.

Mom, I love and adore you!  You have taught me so much and are such a strong, awesome woman.  Happy Mother's Day to THE most amazing mom in the world!!!

Natchez Trace Parkway

We enjoyed our mellow time at Allen Acres in Louisiana so much we decided it was time to spend more time out of cities and in the beautiful American countryside.   While planning Brian learned about the Natchez Trace Parkway, a National Parkway, that ran 444 miles from Natchez, MS to Nashville, TN.  The original Natchez Trace was a foot path used for travelers in the 1800s.  Mostly shipmen who took goods down the Mississippi River by boat and then walked back up north along the Trace.

Most parts of the Trace were remote and rural so lodging would be very limited.  We made a spontaneous, risky decision and decided to start camping.  Fortunately, Walmart carries an enormous amount of camping supplies.  And, fortunately, Walmart is everywhere (more so down here in the south, or so it seems).  I can't say I'm a big fan of Walmart, but I am impressed that we could get outfitted with everything we wanted in one trip to one store.  We spent roughly $500 and started camping that same day.  

We loved camping in Mississippi.  I was really, really impressed with their state parks: low cost, clean, bathrooms, etc.  We are not avid campers, but we loved exploring the Natchez Trace Parkway this way.  The drive up the Trace took us 7 days; we went slow, stopped frequently and learned about the history in the area.  The weather was beautiful, the drive was relaxing and educational.

Warning: this post has a ton of awesome photos.  :)  

We jerry-rigged a roof bag to accomodate the camping supplies.

First stop, we were still in LA, near Alexandria

Love this girl!

Natchez, MS

Natchez State Park

Emerald Mound 

One of our favorite stops along the Trace was Mount Locust.  The house and history were interesting  the ranger was a dynamic teacher, and it was beautiful.  The kids enjoyed working on and receiving their junior ranger badges.

P.S. All the rangers we have met at the national parks have been amazing, sweet, intelligent people who love their job.  When I work again I want to be a national park ranger.

One night we camped in a state park that was located in the middle of Jackson, MS.  It felt amazingly rural for being in the middle of an urban metropolis.

LeFleurs Bluff in Jackson, MS

Cypress Swamp

Near French Camp

A section of the original Natchez Trace.

For $20 we picked up a youth tent for Isabella that we set up right next to ours.  I was amazed that she stayed in it all night long.  She loves having a little tiny space all her own.  (Her brothers can only go in as invited.)  It made a huge difference in her happiness/pleasantness and bedtime became much easier.

She can stay up late and read or write.  A privilege she's never had since she always has to share a space with her brothers.

Happy camper!

Sunrise at Tishomingo State Park, Mississippi

This site came with a "pet" goose.  A kind, yet very persistant animal who happened to appear within seconds of us pulling out any food at any moment.

Morning cuddles are my favorite

The Tennessee countryside.  I fell in love with the beautiful, green hills.

Natchez Parkway Bridge was our last stop before Nashville.
Isabella had been entertaining herself with my lipstick in the car.

Visiting Cousins in Louisiana

After we spent a couple of weeks touring around Texas we started to head back east.  It felt a little strange realizing that we had passed the halfway point of our trip.  And we did a lot of re evaluating.  Perhaps more than usual.  I feel like we are always re evaluating; trying to decide if this is the trip we intended and hoped.  And if not, do we need to make changes.  But all that introspection will be for another post, perhaps, someday.

As I was saying...After Texas we headed to the middle of nowhere in Louisiana.  Brian's cousin's family is stationed in Ft. Polk right now.  All our kids are the same ages, get along really well, and we always have a great time when we visit Paula.

Since they are currently living in a RV we all stayed in a small, very rural bed and breakfast.  Allen Acres was a little piece of heaven unexpectedly found in Pitkin, LA.  Since we had been staying primarily in hotels in big cities it was a welcomed relief to spend a few days doing little more than rocking on a porch and watching the kids chase lizards.  I finally felt myself breathe and my heart slow down.  I finally felt comfortable.

Painting turtle shells

Feeding the chickens and gathering eggs for the morning's breakfast.  With Charles, the owner of the b&b, who has the most beautiful southern accent.

Isabella and Isabella ("Bella" & "Izzy" when they are together) are 6 months apart.

I miss that porch and those wonderful cousins.

City Mouse & Country Mouse with muddy feet.

Lidia and Simon are a month apart.

I love Paula!  And still don't know how she got Oliver to eat vegetables.

Loving Paula's farm animals

Oliver and William are a month apart.  Poor William...

Texas Forever

Last post of Texas!  We drove from College Station to Ft. Worth and spent a few days with Brian's cousin Katie and her sweet family.  Dallas/Ft Worth was much more exciting and worth visiting beyond the airport (where we've spent a lot of time in all our cross country travels).

Old stores and cool signage in the middle of nowhere.

One of our favorite things we did in Ft Worth was going to the Stockyards where they still herd a few longhorns down main street everyday.  Just for show, but we enjoyed the show.  The longhorns are really amazing.

 And we ate some more awesome barbecue.

One evening we drove to Dallas to visit some NYC friends who moved there recently.

And took a fun little train ride around a beautiful park in Ft. Worth.

And that wraps up our Texas travels.  Next up... Louisiana!