Being a better mom...

Where is your 'me' time? I know I have talked about this before, but I struggle with that. Where is that time? I have come to the conclusion that even though I don't want it to be the gym is going to have to be my 'me' time so I went today. And I laughed at myself b/c as I am on the elliptical I was chanting to myself and hopefully not outloud b/c I didn't want to sound like a crazy person, "this is for me, this is for me, this is for me". Honestly, I hate working out. I hate sweating. I hate the entire process, but in the end exercise is going to be the best thing for me. The physical release of stress, the movement, the getting up and doing something and the taking time out of my day to make myself a healthier person for my family. Genetics are not on my side, people. They just aren't - and I can't sit around waiting to be thin. It's not going to happen...I have tried that...it doesn't work. So...if you happen to bump into me at the Health Zone and if you hear a crazy person talking to herself saying, this is for me...this is for me...that would be me...b/c I am reminding myself that the schvitzing and muscle stretching and movement is for me...it really is. I am slowly realizing that.

Being different...

Kids like being the same as each other. Even the slightest difference makes them so uncomfortable. Glasses, braces, being small, being tall, being bigger, any difference. Miles has struggled with being Jewish for a while. He goes through spurts where he is proud of being Jewish and then not-so-proud. Last night Miles told us that he wished he wasn't Jewish. He didn't like being different. He hated when people said, 'ask Miles' when someone had a question about being Jewish. Scott and I both told him he should be proud of being Jewish. It's something special and something to be proud of and definitely not to be ashamed of. But we both understand the need to fit in. At some point he will realize that it's okay. I hear myself telling him almost everyday that everyone has something that makes them different. We had a Sesame Street book that we used to read to him called 'We're Different, We're the Same'. I used to love reading it to him b/c it reminded him that even though everyone has something different about them, hair color, eye color, skin color, whatever it is, we are all the same, PEOPLE, living here together and it doesn't matter what you are, who you are, we are all people, just trying to muddle through all of this together. That's all that matters. Jewish or not. He'll get there, but it sure is a long road.