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  • November 30, 1999

Archives For November 30, 1999

Comedy Central Presents: Cousin Jen

May 4, 2012

A few people have asked me why I created maternalmedia.com. They ask if everything is still going ok with momaha.com. This post will sum up why I still love writing for momaha (and always will), but why I needed another outlet to publish information that isn’t exactly appropriate to run on a website that is funded by our city’s major newspaper.

You see, my family can pretty much be summed up as overly competitive dysfunction junction. Not my family as in me,  my husband, and our three children (although we have issues like everyone else). I mean MY family, like the people who raised me and their extended clan before my husband proposed to me.

I received an unbelievable award yesterday. I wrote about the Leader for Life honor back in February. Momaha.com’s editor wrote a nice event recap too.

So I was basically on top of the world yesterday. Then, come Friday morning, I receive arguably one of the funniest e-mails ever from my cousin Jen. She consistently complains (rightfully so) that I do everything in my power to steal the limelight every chance I get from her and the rest of my cousins.

Sit back and enjoy…

My dearest cousin:

You are probably unaware that you have affected my day already and it is only 9:20, and let me tell you why. I was eating my breakfast when I decided to log on to Facebook and check out the usual Friday morning smattering of TGIF’s when I see an article posted about my pretty princess of a cousin accomplishing yet another feat that many other women could only hope to achieve.

Jen’s breakfast.

I pose one question, who’s ass do I have to kiss to log on to Facebook one time, and not see you being inducted into the world’s greatest HUMAN BEING EVER Hall of Fame?!  Geez Louise, I mean I can really only compare how I feel to what it would probably be like to be Jesus’ younger, slightly more awkward, red-headed step brother.  This is ridiculous.  The one bit of satisfaction I did get out of the article was the other attached photo of you sitting at a table, clearly not crossing your legs in a dress.

My offensive act is caught on film.

But that’s it!  Congratulations, you have done it again.  You have somehow managed to make the shadow we all live in colder than the shady side of an iceberg, you are heartless.

Good day to you,

Jen

In Crazy, Family, Memories, Support , ,
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Poetic reflection: making life stand still

April 16, 2012

In the blurry days of summer, when light takes hold of dark

When kids grow faster than flowers, and memories make their mark

When you spend time treading water to keep your head afloat

And reflect on putting pen to paper or making mental note

The older you get the more you sit and watch your days unfold

It’s the same story from parent to child no greater truth will ever be told

You yearn to rewind and freeze time but know you never will

For humankind is simply powerless at making life stand still

Far too often we fail to recognize when all is good and right

When troubles are fairly minimal and we sleep peacefully at night

Our perceived hardships are quite trivial in the grand scheme of things

Surrounded by those who love us, true contentment family brings

Moments are like bubbles of time floating carelessly in the breeze

Both beautiful and fragile they move on as they please

You try relentlessly to catch them knowing in your heart you never will

For humankind is simply powerless at making life stand still

In Awareness, Belonging, Family, Inspiration, Kids, Love, Memories, Passion, Reflection, Support , ,
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Bragging and baseball

April 5, 2012

I conquered my first unassisted pull-up earlier this week. It was one of the goals I set for myself about a month ago.

Boo ya.

Today I did a couple more just to prove the first one wasn’t a fluke. Now I can casually say with confidence, “Who me? Yeah, I can totally do a pull-up.” It doesn’t seem like the hugest deal in the world, I know. But, it is big for me.

It felt fantastic to hoist my chin up over that bar for the first time with no help.

Even more rewarding than achieving my own success was watching my two boys start baseball season. My 8-year old is just getting his feet wet in somewhat competitive ball. Prior to this year, the only pitching he faced was dished up by his coach.

Now he’s facing boys his own age hurling strikes at him faster than he can blink an eye.

I've told my 8-year old the chances of him actually making contact with the ball will increase as soon as he stops watching his dad snap pictures of him through the fence.

My 10-year old has a couple of competitive seasons under his belt and he is really starting to come into his own. Tonight he allowed only one run while on the mound and hit back-to-back triples. I told him to bask in the glory while it lasted because you can be on top of the world one day, and cause an error to let your team down the next.

That is what I love about the game of baseball and why I miss playing fast pitch softball. Each pitch and swing of the bat is so meticulously planned and the really good players make it all look so effortless.

For those who have never played or coached the game, these sports can seem incredibly slow and dull. However, there is so much strategy and heart that goes into every inning. My son was able to feel on top of the world earlier this evening because 11 of his buddies backed him up, knocked down balls, hustled their hardest, and rallied from behind to pull off a win. The camaraderie experienced on the ball diamond is like nothing else I’ve experienced in life.

When else in sports are you willing to put yourself at risk of getting drilled by a hard non-inflated object on both offense and defense in an all-out effort to help your team succeed? I’m not saying it’s the hardest sport in the world (after all, I’ve never played football, hockey, or fought in a cage), but I would argue that hitting a moving baseball IS one of the hardest skills in sports.

Baseball is a game of child’s play. No matter how old the athlete, when downpour and lightning cause rain delays, you are bound to see a ball player sliding across the tarp-covered field. Cheeks are both smeared with eye black and stuffed to capacity with sunflower seeds. Kids show up in flocks for the chance to catch a coveted fly ball. And moms can barely contain their excitement and pride from tee ball through the major leagues.

I’ll be enjoying America’s past-time this summer and I hope you enjoy the warmer months too.

And it's ONE, TWO, THREE kids we're off to the ol' ball game!

My 10-year old south paw pitching.

My 3-year old occupying herself during the game. Disclaimer: The boys were between innings. I yanked her off the fence the moment a batter approached the plate.

In Crossfit, Family, Fitness, Inspiration, Kids, Love, Memories, Passion , , , , , , , ,
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