Unfolding Parenting Appreciation

So, it is funny to me how so many successful adults do not appreciate how they were raised, and flee from their parents, both literally and communicatively. Aren't they now successful adults? Do they think they got there totally alone? I'm pretty sure that many parent's goal is to help their children become successful adults (for whatever definition they find success to have). I find it unsettling that our 5 month daughter now NEEDS us 24/7 and one day might flee from us. I guess that's not our main concern with parenting. I hope for her to be rooted in the Word of God and ambitious to achieve her personal best in whatever field(s) she chooses.

I know to my in laws it appears that I am a hater of sports - if she excels in sports, that would be a field she chooses. Well, I don't really hate them, I just couldn't think of anything more boring to watch on TV and don't particularly have interest in the outcome. It's not really fun to feel mocked that I don't know how to score a Football game! "Food Network Star" - that's a different story. Mike and I practically make it an event within itself to watch FNS together on Sundays. Re-runs are on tomorrow night! We've made fine dining a nice little hobby - whether we watch it together on Food Network, go out for a nice meal (we're trying to date a few times a month), or me testing out new recipes in our own kitchen. We've totally stopped going out to eat, unless it's planned. (well, the weekend 99c Iced coffee from DD is a nice treat we have together - total change from Mike's daily Latte and Bagel he'd grab on his way to Residency- What a drain both on health and on our pockets. I am fully guilty as well.) We are going out tonight and it's a nice treat to look forward to. Amazing how going out earlier was totally taken for granted!

As my husband is off reading Echocardiograms and learning the ins and outs of the heart, I am trying to get the house under control. When we moved here, he was so incredibly busy, that we were totally trying to play catch-up. The house was never in a state where upkeep was only needed. We had to constantly bring it back to a state where it could be kept up in the little time we had, and never quite kept it there. Now my purpose is greater with Naomi, to not "watch Naomi" (as I used to blandly put it), but to Raise Naomi. As long as I can focus and raise her with a whole heart, I guess I would not need her appreciation when she is older to know I've done well. I wouldn't really be raising her for the right reasons if I did, would I? -As you can see, I'm stalling and not going to change the laundry. I find it therapeutic, though, to order my thoughts that race through me while doing housework. And who said housework was mindless . . .

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