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Hi yall! I’m Shana and I blog over at Organized Chaos. I started blogging in September 2012 and have fallen in LOVE with this blogosphere! I’m so blessed to have this opportunity to be a part of Traveling Tuesdays and get to meet all you lovelies!
I’m a 23 year old mom of 2 monkeys boys under 3 years of age and a wifey to my amazing Hubby Dearest for nearly 4 years now! (There’s your counting for the day ;-})
I blog about my life as an American living in South Africa, mommy-hood, being a Godly wife, conquering PPD, my running obsession and a jumble of other stuff. I throw in a recipe or a craft every now and then for a little spice!
Moving to South Africa has been one of the biggest accomplishments of my life, but it changed my perspective on a lot of things. Race and culture play such a HUGE part in peoples lives in this country that it was impossible for me not to be affected by the controversy at times. It has taken a lot of courage to stand up for how I feel on certain subjects and a lot of self reflection to allow my bull headed beliefs to be swayed on others. I've lived here for four years now and I've been a mommy for more than half that time….and I wouldn't change it for the world.
Each morning I say a prayer for my family before I get out of bed. In this prayer, I pray for myself as a mother and a wife. Being a mom to boys is a whole new world! I've been submerged into trucks, bikes, mud, and all things creepy crawly. (Let’s not even discuss the fishing!) But I must admit, parenting to any child is a world of its own. A blessed world at that. And each day I’m learning more and more about the fragile environment we create for our children. Today I wanted to share with you a few finer moments of realization in parenting. I have written these as my sons…but truly it is all children.
1) My sons do not know hate. The more I am around these children, the more I realize children ARE love. Everything in their being is created to love us. They do not know hate or racism or prejudice or judgment. They know how to love and they do it VERY well!
2) My sons do not know intolerance. This is a concept this world has forced upon our viewpoints. I pray it is never a concept they fear from me. When looking into the future and wondering about the relationship I will have with my adult sons, I pray it is one of tolerance. I pray that they ALWAYS feel they can come to me and be welcomed NO MATTER the circumstances. Intolerance is the opposite of love and it is something these tiny humans cannot fathom. We, as adults, continue to make mistakes. I pray this is one we can leave behind. Whether it be that their likes differ from our own (go ahead my boys be a Cheetahs fan…I will STILL love my Blue Bulls and YOU!!), their belief on religious doctrine is more liberal than mine, or something bigger….I want them to know they can come to me. I want them to WANT me to know.
3) My sons do not know wait. Time is fleeting. Each moment passed is gone forever. When Lil Mister wants to play cars and I tell him to wait because I am doing dishes or cleaning…it crushes his world. It is not because he is spoilt…but his world is centered in me and my loving attention. Too often we expect children to mold into this world we’ve brought them into, but really this world could do with a little molding into their view. Wait…it is a painful concept…one that they MUST learn, but…oh BUT my sons can wait to learn it a little longer. My dishes will not be damaged if they wait until the night to be cleaned so I can vroom-vroom across the tiles!
4) My sons know empathy. A child feels for you. A child cries for you. A child yearns for you. My sons know when I’m hurting…the sense it within them. Their hearts reach out to me. They want to fix my pain just like mommy wants to fix theirs. My son brings me a blanket when I’m sick, or plays quietly when I’m sad. My son reacts to my anger with anger because that is what he feels. Too often our world suppresses this. We ‘teach’ our children how to react rather than just letting them do what is natural. My sons will not be taught this way. They will learn what is appropriate..yes, but NEVER will they learn that feeling for each other is wrong. Boys CAN cry! Girls CAN scream! All has its place and time.
5) My sons know play. Oh…how it erks me when Lil Mister soaks my wooden cupboard by splashing in the bath. It is NOT his fault I chose to put a wooden cupboard in the bathroom. Splashing is play and play is what he knows. Lil Mister knows it is fun. Work can wait when I am at home. Play is learning, play is loving, play is fun. This is what my sons know. This is what my sons do. This is who my sons are. He doesn’t want me to be a child with him; he merely seeks that I see it from his perspective because that is all he knows. When he wants to blow sherberts on my arm; I accept them with a smile. When he plays cars and hands me one….I will take the car and sit with him; he only had one thing to give and he choose to give it to me!!
6) My sons know home. A child knows home…it is the only place he REALLY KNOWS. He goes to school and other peoples houses, but home is his. It is a place where he is to feel safe, loved, and accepted. It is natural for us to tie feelings to a physical place. We travelled to Ouma the weekend. Lil Mister did NOT sleep. He wouldn’t nap…he woke up every 30 minutes all night both nights. It was miserable. He was with his entire family that he has always known and Mommy and Daddy were there; but it wasn’t home. Sunday night we’re home and he sleeps straight through no problems. Monday…lays down and takes his nap without question. He was HOME. It is MY responsibility whether we live in this house forever or move 8 times….to make the house HIS home. I must fill it with love and acceptance because he will carry that HOME with him as an adult and fill his families HOME with the same. I will ALWAYS be HOME and will ALWAYS do my best to make it HIS.
These are my beliefs today. This is what my children are teaching me each day. Tonight, when Lil Mister wants to splash in the bath…I will say splash away my child, splash away; for a cupboard can be replaced…his smile cannot. When he asks me to play with him in the yard, I will turn the dinner down. We can eat an half an hour later because his heart cannot wait. Children are love and my children are my love. They have stolen my heart away and I hope they never give it back. They are why I blog.
Shana..
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Have you heard about the Google Reader going away? Well, if you haven't, have you been living under a rock? I'll be the first to admit, I don't watch the news, so I'm always a little late at getting announcements like that one. So, here's my plea for you to follow me through Bloglovin'. I'd love to get to the 600 range soon, as that's where I am with GFC. So, any help is appreciated! Thanks!
