iWag Wednesdays

Wednesday. One of my favorite days of the week. I meet with four of the most wonderful women. We pick a writing prompt and then share out loud with one another. We are still working on the critiquing aspect but the support for one another is there.

I came into the group with a lot of doubt, not about the group but about myself. I'm the newbie in the group, as far as my writing skills are concerned. I've always been a writer for as long as I can remember. It started off with a small locked journal in the fourth grade, writing journals in my literature class, then into a personal journal/scrapbook. I wrote poetry for the most part, took a crack at short stories, tried a novel but that didn't quite work out. I was always intimidated about how people would like my work and with that fear in the back of my mind, I never shared my work with anyone...until now.

Our first meeting was the most anxiety filled for me and we started youngest to oldest. Guess who was first? You guessed it...ME!! I was so nervous that I got that feeling like I was back in high school reading a paper in front of the class. My hands were clammy, my heart was beating in my throat, and I just wanted to run away and hide. But, I knew I was with people who weren't going to judge me or make fun of me so...I pulled up my "big girl panties" and read my paper out loud. It might seem to be a small fear to some but to me it was a big one. Public speaking has always been a weakness to me but I had taken the first step in conquering it.

It's been a few weeks since we started our group. The confidence in my writing has improved greatly in my opinion. I'm not afraid anymore. I have the support of these four wonderful women in my life who have helped me realize that:
        
                          I AM A WRITER.
               
                I MUST THINK IT. BELIEVE IT. BE IT.

So here's a big shout out to my iWag Wednesday ladies...I love you all and can't thank you enough for the love and support you give me.

                       Betsy-Kristine-Lisa-Sarah

Mean Mommy Mondays

Monday is not my favorite day of the week. It brings on my 6:15am alarm for the next five days and my husband going back to work on second shift. When we are together it's an equal share of parental duties with the kids. I'm not always the "bad guy" and that's nice for a change. Once Monday comes it's a different story and the "Mean Mommy" comes out. My patience level is non-existent, there is sometimes lots of screaming and crying, (not just from the kids) and it usually means an early bedtime....for us all.

I do beat myself up about it. Realizing that whatever is bothering me is not the kids fault. I'm not perfect and the kids aren't perfect, and they don't deserve what they get....sometimes. I do find that on occasion, I end up coming to my children with my tears and my begging them to forgive me for the way I acted. I try and explain to them that it's not their fault, and Mommy should've have taken out my anger and frustrations on them. This follows by their tears and little hugs and kisses telling me they forgive me and then all is made right in our home. I feel better, they feel better and I have admitted my wrong doing and asked for forgiveness.

You would think that after going through this song and dance for the past couple years that I would recognize it and change it. But, no...I haven't. I'm not saying it happens every single Monday but the usual chaos seems to gravitate around a Monday. But, anyone who knows me, knows my children are my world and they know how much I love them and would do anything for them.  I know I'm not the only Mommy who has gone through this, I can't be. As far as Monday's go.....Blech!! I despise Mondays!

The Day We First Met

There's the life you live and the life you leave behind. But what you share with someone else, especially someone you love- that;s not just how you bury your past. it's how you write your future.
                                                                                                    -Mitchell Siegel-

I really didn't know what to write. I had no idea where to start, so I decided to write about something, or rather someone who means everything to me. That person would be my best friend, my soul mate, my husband.

I remember the day I met him. It was the end of October; cool, breezy, colored leaves everywhere. I was visiting my brother on the naval base where he was stationed and I had stepped outside to have a smoke. Standing out front with arms crossed and the most hateful look on his face was Ron...and I was attracted to him. He had a large dragon tattoo on his upper right bicep, blond hair, and blue eyes. Just looking at him I knew he was strong but caring and kind. I hesitated, but only for a second and then I spoke to him.

Many people say there is no such thing as love at first sight, and for some it doesn't happen that way but it happened to me. Many people said we wouldn't make it. Most fear the unknown but we took a chance and leapt for love, and after two months of dating, we married.
October is coming and as the leaves change and fall, I can't help but go back through those happy memories of when we first met. Its been ten yeas now and we have two beautiful children and I still get butterflies when I look at him.

Autumn ABC's

Autumn has arrived
Brown leaves are scattered
Crunching beneath my feet
Dogs running around the yard
Evenings are getting cooler
Flowers are near their ends
Grass growth is slower
Happy children await Halloween
Inspired writers find their muse
Jack 'o' Lanterns soon sit on porches
Knitting needles are pulled out of storage
Lingering summer signs are scarce
Migrating geese are seen in the skies
Necessary wood gathering for warmth
Opaque decorations brought down from the attic
Perfume of pumpkin pie
Quaint friendly gatherings
Reluctant to let go of warmer weather
Seldom seeing the sun
Tasty holiday treats
Unmistakable that winter is on its way
Variety of fall colors
Wayward winds and snow will arrive
Xanthophyll covers various leaves
Young children play in raked piles
Zig-zag trees seen all over the horizon.