It's all the same thing . . .

One of my favorite lines from the short one-act play, "Trifles," is spoken by Mrs. Hale, the rural wife who has lived long enough to be wise. She says, "We all go through the same things. It's just a different kind of the same thing."

Isn't that true?

No matter our age, or experience, or nationality, or even waist size, we're living this life with lots of mistakes, with educated guesses, and hopefully, with humor and grace. Whenever I get really critical of myself for not being super-Mom or for not being as smart, or as efficient, or as effective, or as good as I think I should be, I remember that even the best and smartest among us have obstacles and challenges and troubles--we're all going through the same things, just a different version of the same things.

Do you agree?

On a different note, my kids have been doing some nutty things lately. Grace is in the middle of trying to potty train herself (I lost interest weeks ago :-)), but is afraid to poo-poo in the potty. When this dramatic event does occur, she jumps off the potty in alarm and, well, let's just say that this story always ends with me on the floor with wet paper towels. Yuck. Additionally, she decided this week that she did NOT want to leave the house in the morning (hey, I agree with her!), so she has been climbing up into the stroller (which I have parked in the entryway), and refusing to get out. When I walk in her direction, she yells, "Go to park! Go to park!" The mornings have been really fun as I have struggled to pull her loose from the stroller. I hope we're not on a hidden camera somewhere. (Actually, I have that thought many times throughout every day).

Luke has been having fun trying to decide to do with his very loose tooth. Instead of coming out, like it needs to, the tooth has shifted to the side, leaving a gap. So, he has been plotting how he can trick the tooth fairy into leaving money for him, because it LOOKS like he has lost a tooth. Also, he is now obsessed with the game of Monopoly. He wants to play a round whenever there is a moment of free time--the problem, of course, is that Monopoly is not one of those fast board games. You have to round the board, you have to buy property, you have to buy houses, you have to buy hotels, and then you have to deal with the "Chance" cards and "Community Chest" cards and income tax and going to jail, etc. Except for the jail part, this game is a little too much like real life to be spectacularly fun. :-) But we've been playing and playing and playing . . . I am now paying rent and passing "Go" in my sleep.

Speaking of fun things, I received a wonderfully fun package in the mail this week from Trisha. She always sends the best surprises, and I loved every item! She always makes my heart glad. Thank you, Trisha, for each wonderfully fun gift--you know my heart so well!

And bless her heart, she sent me a cookbook and very cute spring mother/daughter aprons. If she is nothing else, this is a girl who never gives up hope. She has done everything within her power to bring me more fully into the joys of homemaking and cooking, but I'm just a hopeless case. I love her for trying, though! Actually, this was a really neat cookbook--easy recipes, and, she scattered personal notes throughout the cookbook, which I thought was such a fun and creative idea! I promise to use the cookbook--really. :-) I'm not kidding. I will. Really.

She also directed me to "Antique Mommy['s]" blog; great blog, great writer, great Mom. In the most recent post, she and her son observed people schlepping into Wal-Mart in their pajama bottoms and slippers. She reminded her son that "although we are in the Wal-Mart, we are not of the Wal-Mart." Classic, classic line!

Well, all for now. Thanks to all of you who check in on us through this blog, and special thanks to all you who leave a comment. We love hearing from each of you. I wish I remembered to reply to every comment--but I do read every word.

(In a future post, I'll tell you about the phrase "donkey girl scout." It has its origins in the 1980's, and believe me, I am one.)

Ta ta for now.
Jana