Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Happy Halloween 2009

Aunt Stacy came to visit us for halloween! The kids Loved it. We carved pumpkins, raked leaves, went trick-or-treating and then...Aunt Stacy got the Ford Germs that have been going around for two weeks. The last two days of her trip were spent sick in the basement. We really hope that she is not too traumatized because we really want her to come back soon. I promise to sanitize the house!
All in all, another successful Halloween. Naomi is still "trick-or treating" several times a day. She comes up to me and holds out her hand and says, "tish tee". How can I resist?















Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Promise Me ONE thing





1:30 in the afternoon. Willliam at school. Naomi asleep. Jake and mommy time.
I was sitting the the rocking chair in the green room. Jake was rough housing with me.
"Get over here this instant," I scolded teasingly.
Jake gave me that quircky smile and ran away.
I love that quirky smile.
"I am serious, get over here right now!"
I caught him.
"Promise me something."
"What? he questioned.
"All I am asking is that you promise me one thing."
"What? he asked again while trying to squirm away.
"Jacob, you are not being serious about this."
"Look at me in the eyes while I am talking to you," I said laughing.
"This is very serious business."
Now he got serious.
"What mom, I am looking at your eyes."
I had his eyes locked on mine.
"You have to promise me that you will never forget what I am about to tell you."
"I promise!"
"Promise?"
"Promise."
I whispered in his ear something that he had better never forget.
"I love you."
He grinned.
"I love you too, mom."

Thursday, October 22, 2009

My Broken Heart



High School break-ups can not compare to my Tuesday night heartache. I left Enrichment early to pick up my 6 year old from Tai Kwon Do. He is trying really hard to earn his Yellow Belt. He's just not getting the form right. A few minutes late, I hurriedly parked the car, slammed the door and ran in to retrieve my precious baby. Only he couldn't leave. I walked in to find his back toward me. Master McCray in front of him. Sternly calling his name. I stopped. What was going on? Everyone else was leaving and walking out the door. I felt confused. William stood there in silence before his Master. "Again, " Master McCray sternly spoke. I took a seat. William proceeded to do his form. He turned around as part of the exercise and saw me there watching. Our eyes clashed. His 60 pound body again turned around to face the Master. "You keep making the same mistake. I am not letting you go until you get it right." His voice was loud and strict. Then I saw William's white sleeved Karate shirt raise itself to his eye. And then his other arm. I could hear his quivering voice...wiping the small teardrops from his eye. Then I almost started crying. Master McCray interrupted my crying child. "William..No..don't do that William. Look at me. No crying. William...Stop It! STOP NOW!" What was going on? My baby was crying. I felt helpless. What was a mother to do? I wanted to swoop in with eagle's wings and rescue my child from the ravenous pray. Who was this man yelling at my child not to cry?
They continued working. William still was making mistakes. Master McCray was very frustrated. William too. What in the world was going on in front of my eyes?
They continued. William still not getting it. 15 minutes...20 minutes. And than 25. William's eyes began to water as his shaky six year old hand was raised. He had a question. Master McCray asked what he needed?
I heard his quivering question from the back of the gym. "Why are you keeping me here all night?"
The Master responded. "Trust me, William. I am NOT doing this for me. I am doing this for you. If you are going to get your yellow belt, you can not keep making mistakes. You are out thinking yourself. Stop IT! Do you trust yourself William?"
"What does that mean," William trembled.
"You have got to start trusting yourself!"

This went on for over 30 minutes. William still didn't get the form right. The Master finally let him go. As my baby walked timidly over to me, I took him in my arms and squeezed the life out of him. I never wanted to let him go back to this cruel world. A world where I had no control.
I sat in bed last night and cried. I cried for my baby. I cried for that little boy who is learning at such a young age how life is hard. I cried that he might never get his yellow belt. I cried most of all when I realized that this is life. And he has to learn it. I cried to think that Tai kwon Do is nothing compared to what he is going to face.
Why couldn't I take all the pain for him? Why couldn't the Master yell at me? Why couldn't I be the one to screw up? To get my feelings hurt? I wanted it, dang it! I wanted the pain. Please. Yell at me!
Yes, this is life, dear William. The only thing that I can promise, is that I will always love you. I will always squeeze the life out of you. No matter what. I don't care what people say to you. I don't care if you can't do the form. I DON'T CARE! Just come and let me hold you. Come and let me tell you how much I love you. Come and let me tell you how you are my life. The life that I love more than you could understand. I love you, William.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Here's to CHILDHOOD...




The other night I was talking to my sister-in-law about our kid's homework. We both thought it insane. Then I talked to William and Jake's teachers this week. Both of whom I LOVE.. Thank Heaven for people better than me who have chosen to devote themselves to teaching our children. As for the government...I am not so sure. The testing these kids have to endure. Insane. And its mean face can be traced back to pre-school. Jake's teacher says we need to work on helping him write his name in LOWER CASE letters. He's FOUR! I didn't even KNOW my name at FOUR! I thought he was advanced for making letter looking images on a piece of paper. i was wrong. William's teacher convinced me again how terrible this government testing is. "I can't even have fun with my class. I feel guilty letting them talk to me about their lives because if someone came in and heard us off-task I could get in trouble." They're SIX! No wonder no one is going into teaching. Who wants to get into trouble for caring about the CHILDREN!
So I say, here's to Childhood! Here's to making up funny jokes in bed when you're supposed to be asleep, here's to Naomi bobbing her head in the car listening to the radio, here's to William reading a funny Clifford book instead of forcing a chapter book so that he can be "above the bar," here's to staying in jammies all day long, here's to eating processed Mac & Cheese for two meals a day and loving every bite, here's to imagining different ways to defeat a slime tooth monster hiding in the bathroom, and by george, here's to Jake for writing his name
IN CAPITAL LETTERS! Here's to CHILDHOOD!

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Thanks for Coming...















We had a FORD EXPLOSION at our house! Grandma and Grandpa, Aunt Becky, cousin Ben, cousin Maggie and Uncle Derek all came to visit us. And no...Derek is not married to Becky. They are brother and sister. Becky's husband was left alone in California while his family learned just how exciting Akron, OH can be.
It was a Blast. I have the greatest in-laws ever.
First of all, I found used Tai-Kwon-Do gear in SLC. I called Cheryl and had her go pick it up and bring it to our little Ninja. William was thrilled. He took it to Tai-Kwon-Do tonight and couldn't have been more excited.
We picked apples at the Orchard, we had a great time at the elementary school "Bike Rodeo," we ate at Panera Bread...twice, once for William and once for Derek, we attempted, for five hours, to go to the Children's Museum in Cleveland, we went on a nature hike and found sticks, and we ventured out to Amish Country and took a wagon ride through amazing land and animals which we got to feed out of our own hands. WoW!
Thank you so much for coming Ford Family. We can't wait till next time...except I don't think Becky is too excited to fly across the country alone with her two kids alone throwing up in a doggy bag but maybe like labor pains, the memory will fade, and she will one day reconsider. We hope.