Fairy Tale

I was walking by a shop window the other day when my eyes caught a glimpse of a sign in the window with these words...

"Once in a while, right in the middle of ordinary life, love gives you a fairy tale."

I was drawn to the sign, and just stood and read it again and again. Then, I reached into my purse, pulled out pen and paper and copied it down. Why?

I decided to look up the definition of fairy tale. ...being magical, idealized, or extremely happy. I suppose we all long for the bliss filled life, where dreams do come true and we live happily ever after.

I want to look for the fairy tales in my life, people or places that make me smile. A song, a verse of scripture, a moment in time that I soak in and wish would go on forever. That's part of why we're here, to live life to the fullest and help others do the same.

Book Review - Ballet Shoes

I found this Noel Streatfeild novel hard to put down. Maybe it's because I love British writers, or perhaps it's the time period, it was published in 1936.

Great Uncle Matthew, GUM they call him, lived in London. Sylvia, his niece ran his home. GUM traveled all over the world a great deal. Upon his travels and on three different occasions he brought home three orphaned baby girls. Pauline, Petrova, and Posy.

GUM, once again took off to travel. This time he informed Sylvia he would be gone longer then usual and left her money enough for five years. Five years came and went and no letter or sign of GUM reached them. They were on the brink of poverty. Sylvia decided to take in boarders.

One of these boarders worked for Madame Fidolia's School of Dance. She said the school would take the girls no charge. Payment would come when the girls reached twelve (the legal age to perform on stage). The school would get a percentage of their earnings.

The girls enrolled. Pauline, excelled in acting and played many roles on stage. Petrova, did well in dance but disliked it very much, pretending to love it because she knew her family needed the money. Posy, excelled in ballet and for the first time in the history of the school, was taken by Madame herself to be trained exclusively.

This was an enjoyable story of lessons learned and the benefits of hard work to achieve greatness. And in the end, dreams really do come true...

Strawberries on the Wall

I could see the strawberries on the wall, or the evidence of them. There they were, five splotch marks of scarlet marking my newly painted walls. My four year old, once again left his calling card.

As mothers we all face this don't we? I'm not the only one, right? But this is when we are tested, what are we made of? Whatever is on the inside of us, is going to come boiling to the surface.

I am continually training my children to control their emotions and to master them. Now, with three sets of eyes fixed on me it was my turn to "practice what I preach".

But I didn't want to, I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs, "WHY! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!"

I may of said that. But before I did, I paused. In my own strength and ability I am totally in submission to my flesh and my emotions. But at that moment I prayed silently. Even though on the inside the atomic fury stirred. I knew I needed to calm down before I spoke, or they would have learned a new lesson on how to handle emotions.

So after a minute or two I calmed, then I spoke, then the consequence.

Being a mom is a tough thankless job, but it's worth it! My youngest is now four, where did the time go? I want to focus on knowing them and loving them before they walk out my door to their own lives.

So when out of the blue one of my children say, "I love you mom" or "I like spending time with you mom," my mind takes a picture of that moment. Those are the moments I focus on, those are the moments I carry with me. The strawberries on the wall will have to deal with that.

Happy Independence Day!

I love this country. I sometimes feel like I am different from others. I hear The Star Spangled Banner sung, or God Bless the U.S.A. and tears usually come to my eyes.

Over two hundred years ago, fifty-six men gathered together with one object, for this great nation. These men centered around a piece of paper, a paper that once signed could mean not only their deaths, but the deaths of their families. They didn't have to do it, it was of their own free will. They mutually pledged, their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. That piece of paper was, The Declaration of Independence.

Throughout history there have been many such men. Men and women willing to die to keep this country free. Many great mothers have willingly sacrificed their son, young wives their husbands. But why?

Those of us who live here, take for granted what people in other countries long for. We are free. Free to worship, speak, and believe as we choose.

But freedom, isn't free. There is a high price to be paid for it. And screaming for "peace" and hoping evil people that want to dictate how our lives should be lived will jump on the "peace" bandwagon are gravely mistaken. Evil must be defeated, at any cost.

Not long ago I said to my oldest son, "What should you say to a soldier when you see one?"

"Thank you," he said.

And I send out my thanks today, and am filled with pride for this country I love. Which despite its many problems is still filled with great men and women who are willing to fight for freedom.

And may God Bless America!

Book Review - Bridge to Terabithia

I just finished this tear-jerking novel, by Katherine Paterson.

Jess is a fifth grade boy "smashed" in the middle of four sisters. His father is away at work most of the time, and he really doesn't identify with any kids at school. Jesse is lonely.

Then someone new moves into the Old Perkins Place and his life changes. An unlikely friendship with a tom-boy named Leslie develops. She too is different. They invent a secret land called, Terabithia. A land where Jess is king and Leslie is queen. A place where they can truly be themselves and use their imaginations to the fullest.

With Leslie's help, Jess learns to stand up to his fears, and not let them, "squeeze you white".

There are some adult topics, and some words that are in my opinion inappropriate for a young reader, but as a whole this is an entertaining, well written novel.

Paterson has the ability to paint a beautiful picture of the world she is creating.