Day 8: Middle-Class Mom's Run On Auto Pilot!

When trying to decide which episode of my day I would like to expose the world to today I drew a blank!  I started replaying my day over in my head from start to finish searching for some interesting detail to write about, find humor in or learn from.  I realized I couldn't even truly remember my commute home.  Today I wasn't operating manually; I was operating on auto pilot.

This fact was startling to me!  A whole day had went by and I failed to wake up from my daily routine long enough to notice, well anything.  This is scary!  Did I stay far enough from the back of the car in front of me on my commute to and from school?  Did my children's clothes match when they went to school today?  Did my clothes match when I went to school today? Did I use the bathroom today?...Grr...a gray and rainy day with a gray and rainy haze over my life.  Impairing color from jumping out and saying, "Hey, look at me"!!! 

My goal for tomorrow is to be conscious of my surroundings and notice everything.  I even want to notice those things that would normally mean nothing!

Ending on a good note...no matter how gray your day is consciously open your eyes to see the POP of color in front of you.  If you don't, you may miss something important or inspiring!  

Day 7: Mama's Tired (REVISED)!

Today I spent my day in the Emergency Room with my Dad who was in a car accident this morning.  He was rear-ended by a young boy who was reaching for something, didn't see my Dad's blinker, or didn't know my Dad was turning...who knows which story is correct...pick which one you want to believe because those are the three he gave to the officer.  My Dad is home and doing well...stubborn but doing well... 

Ending on a good note...I am thankful my Dad was not severely injured today.  I am also thankful for my family's ability to laugh through a bad situation!  Hug your loved ones and tell them every chance you get how much they mean to you!  Goodnight all...chat soon!

*I love you Daddy! <3

Day 6: Middle-Class Moms Worry!

As you can guess yesterday is weighing heavy on my mind.  On my commute this morning I heard a song on the radio that inspired me...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv6dMFF_yts&ob=av2e.  Maybe it gave me a new perspective, maybe the mixture of several different genres of music compiled into one song spoke to me...I don't know.  I do know I found comfort in it, and now I feel a bit better.

Ending on a good note...music can soothe your soul.  Chat soon!

Day 5: Knock, Knock it's Your Wake-Up Call!

Today, to my surprise, my alarm clock was the Maryland State Police.  Yes, you read correctly, it was the Po-Po Ho (in my Medea voice) knocking on my front door.  I would like to take this opportunity to put out there, for my curious neighbors (YES, I seen all of you drive by....at least twice), the reason those police officers were in my driveway is none of your beaver dam business! Clean your closets before you go trying to peak into someone elses!

Every day as an adult I am faced with new challenges.  Some of these challenges leave me feeling helpless, disappointed, hurt, confused, enraged; however, some challenges leave me feeling happy, enlightened and thankful.  You know what?  Regardless of the challenge we as adults must pull ourselves together, put on our big girl panties and big boy pants and continue to live life heading in the right direction.  We cannot dwell on what could've been, should've been or would've been while playing the role of the helpless victim. 

It is my experience that there are some people who, unfortunately, will have to travel down the wrong path to get to the correct one.  As the kind officer said, as we discussed this topic, "Our goal in life as citizens should not be walking a completely straight line.  Our goal in life as citizens should be to walk a crooked line that doesn't interfere with anyone else's life.  Because, if we don't make mistakes we will never learn from them".  What an amazing thing for an officer of the law to say and believe!  I am thankful this particular officer is who knocked on my door this morning.  I am thankful this officer recognized the importance of interacting with my confused family.  I am also thankful for the officer's ability to show concern and compassion for us as citizens.  In meeting him today I have learned a lot about the crime in my community, about those keeping us safe, and made a new friend while doing it. 

Ending on a good note...today I thought I was presented with a dark cloud.  I am thankful that what I initially perceived as a dark cloud was actually a ray of sunshine.  I urge each and every one of you to greet your challenging situations at the front door.  Face them head on whith honesty and conviction and don't look back!  For my southern end of the county neighbors, we should be VERY THANKFUL and find comfort in knowing that the state police officer patrolling our area is genuinely looking out for the safety of our community and that he's NOT a Type-A cyborg on a POWER TRIP!

*Officer K, if you ever read this, if there is a next time please ring the door bell and Thank You...for everything! DNR it is! :)

Day 4 (a Day Late): So You Say Middle-Class Mama is Just a Friend?

Yesterday I spoke with a long-time friend who happens to be male.  We engaged in conversation as usual, How are you?, How have you been?, etc., etc.  I asked about his children...they are growing.  I asked about his job...he's being stationed in Okinawa, Japan in two months :(.  I asked about his wife...oh, she's fine...she doesn't know I'm talking to you.  I'm not allowed to have female friends...............

STOP THE BUS!!!

What is up with that? I said, "What because I have a vagina you're not allowed to speak to me?  I can assure your wife that you have male friends that would cause more trouble than I would.  I am happily married with four kids, five dogs and two cats"!  Seriously (thats meant in the "is this female dog kidding" sense of the word) !!!

Are my husband and I the only crazy people who don't get upset by the other having opposite sex friends?  Why is this such an issue? 

So people out there in computer screen world...give me some feedback here!  

Ending on a good note while awaiting insight...I was able to speak to my friend before he was shipped over-seas.  For that I am truly thankful!  Also, this middle-class mama, is blessed to have a husband that does not care what my friends are packing between their legs!

Day 3: Middle-Class Moms Can't Change Stupid!

Cheers to the freakin weekend y'all!!!

If any of you 25 and ups are daydreaming of going back to college, I'm here to tell you BE PREPARED to bite your tongue, turn your head and pretend your deaf! If you cannot do any of the things suggested you should probably get your degree online!

First encounter with stupidity today...I was sitting in the library, studying for an S&P exam when two guys walked by to enter the men's room directly behind me...together.  (I thought girls were notorious for going to the bathroom together, but whatever).  I heard the stall doors shut, then some very gross and horrible noises!  I instinctively looked up and around to see if anyone else was hearing what I heard (according to my husband I have super-sonic hearing so I'm never sure)...  When I looked up I met eyes with three people sitting around me, also within hearing distance, who were OBVIOUSLY wondering the same thing :)  Meanwhile, toilets flush, trashcans slam and the door opens.  The two guys come out together (Weird but whatever).  One guy says to the other, "Man, that was epic"...the other responds "Yeah man, that sounded painful"...WTF[IRETRUCK]!!!...REALLY?!?!.....REALLY?!?!  We all just heard you SHIT[AKE] mushroom! REALLY?!?!   

Second encounter with stupidity today...apparently it is appropriate to lay out in your bikini in barely 70 degree weather.  Why do I say this you ask?  Well, as I was walking across campus to my car during a tornado advisory, I passed three girls freezing their ass[ignments] off trying to look HOT by laying out on the campus lawn in their bikini's...goosebumps, hard nipples and all!  My message to them, "Baby girls, 70 degree weather equals short sleeve shirts not bikinis. Go on now, put some clothes on"...."bless your little hearts"!  

This next encounter with stupid is not related to college in any way, shape, or form....I wish it was...

Third and most recent encounter with stupidity today...just before I left, as I mentioned when discussing bikini's, there was a tornado advisory alert sent out campus wide.  I didn't think anything of it.  I got in my car and started home merging onto Rt.13 then on to Rt. 50.  Traffic was HORRIBLE.  I got behind a women who's kids have four paws, whom attended UMBC and also attended JHU.  (I gathered all this information from her bumper stickers and window decals).  This highly educated animal lover was driving 15mph in a 35mph zone, driving with two feet (stop & go) and then proceeded to turn left without using her blinker! Grr!!! "USE YOUR BOOK SMARTS TO PRETEND YOU HAVE COMMON SENSE LADY", I yelled at her as I drove by!  Oh how I wish this was the encounter with stupidity I am referring to, but its not (sigh)...  I continued on my way home driving along singing to Sirius Hits 1...then my mom called.  I was chatting away with her (hands free)...still driving along...before I knew it I was half way home.  I turned by NDHS towards Hurlock and noticed a strange looking cloud.  I said to my mom, "There's a cloud right next to me that look suspicious"!  Didn't think anything of it...  Meanwhile she's yelling and carrying on that she can't hear me because I'm breaking up...blah, blah, blah...storm...blah, blah, blah...get off the phone....blah, blah, blah...storm...I don't know what she was saying we were breaking up!  I got off the phone.  Didn't think anything of it...  I was not paying any mind to the suspicious cloud next to me, the lightening around me the gusts of wind beating against my car or my phone breaking up.  As I got closer to Preston I encountered puddles falling from the sky making it almost impossible to see the road in front of me.  Didn't think anything of it...  I got to the school, swam to the door to meet the kids and then swam back to the truck to load them up.  Then, completely saturated, we headed home.  It wasn't until I got home, seen the face book updates and added up the facts that I realized I was probably driving parallel to a tornado and directly through a severe thunderstorm.  Yay me!!! No wonder that cloud looked suspicious!!! (Unfortunately, due to my own stupidity I do not have a picture of the cloud).

Ending on a good note....while this middle-class mama cannot change stupid I can definitely learn from it.  Lesson one: NEVER take a shit[ake] mushroom in the library.  Everyone will hear it!  Lesson two:  DO NOT layout in my bikini on the campus lawn when it is only 70 degrees because people will be able to see my hard nipples!  Lesson three:  ALWAYS USE YOUR BOOK SMARTS MRS. M TO PRETEND YOU HAVE SOME COMMON SENSE!!! :)

Day 2 Epilogue: Middle-Class Mama says, "Lesson Learned"!

Happy Friday! All my girls in the house say WHOOP, WHOOP!

So, as you all have read, I gave my little brother 24 whole hours to explain why installing a surveillance camera on my house was necessary before I sold the camera on the Internet.  I guess he must have thought I was bluffing until he seen me headed towards the door with a screwdriver in my hand!  He, in a panic, explained to me that someone has threatened to vandalize his vehicle and he installed the camera to catch them on video.  "Please don't take it down", he begged.  How hard was it to say that in the first place??? How hard was it to ask??? Why did it take all that trouble and waisted time, coming up with a punishment, for him to come to me and be honest??? Ugh!!!

Ending on a good note....The camera is still on my house...and if a PUNK chooses the wrong vehicle to vandalize I will have their face on camera...and you best believe I am not above punching* a "just-barely-an-adult" for touching what belongs to ME!  Step-off! You don't know what I have in my purse!

*Mrs. M does not promote unnecessary violence!

Day 2: This Middle-Class Mama's Gonna Teach You a Lesson!

Hello all!  Bare with me, I had a margarita with dinner...

As I mention in my opening post my brother lives with me.  I love my brother, unconditionally.  He is ten years younger than me therefore is treated more like one of my children than like a sibling.  That being said, I feel it is my duty to teach my children and him life lessons including those on respect.

A few days ago my husband discovered a surveillance camera installed on our house.  Since we did not put it there that only left my 20 year old brother as suspect.  Shocked and appalled, I felt it necessary to approach him immediately!  He nonchalantly admitted to installing the camera one night while my husband and I slept.  (I'm talking screwed to the soffit, wires ran behind knee-walls type install and he saw nothing wrong with it).  My first reaction...I found the fact that my brother found it acceptable to install a fixture on my home without permission disrespectful...i was hurt!  My second reaction...that little f[iretru]cker* is gonna get smacked!  My third and most rational reaction...this middle-class mama is gonna teach him a lesson!!!  I sat idle for a few days pondering the best way to go about it and this is what I came up with...today I gave him 24 hours to provide me with a good reason why it was and is necessary for a surveillance camera to be installed on my house and why it was not necessary to request my permission first. (His current reason of "because it's cool" is unacceptable)!!!  If after this 24 hour period he is unable to provide a viable reason for his actions it is understood that I will rip the camera off of my house and sell it on-line to the highest bidder.  Which you can bet your bottom dollar I will do!

Ending on a good note...We as parents, older siblings and guardians, middle-class or not, need to keep it real!  If taking his camera and selling it on Craig's List or EBay makes me mean, than so be it.  I'll wear that label along with the wrinkles on my forehead.  Because, at the end of the day, I know that I did my part as a responsible adult. Not only have I reprimanded him for vandalism, I am also teaching him that it is not acceptable to walk through life doing whatever you want with no regard to how it will affect others around you.

*I have given up using profane language for Lent...due to this I am forced to come up with clever ways to express myself through what would usually be a curse word. 

Day 1: Middle-Class Moms wake up with wrinkles because they cannot afford Botox.

Today I woke up with wrinkles.  I am 98.75% confident they were not there yesterday.  I'm also pretty sure I could label the gross long wrinkle across my forehead STRESS and the little wrinkle above it WORRY.  Unlike those in the socioeconomic class above me, I cannot financially afford to run off to the local dermatologist to seek out Botox treatments.  No, I have to wear them across my forehead like battle scars...battle scars of life...

While on the subject of lack of money, I often wonder if my middle-class comrades realize we are the working poor.  As middle-class college students it was necessary to take out loans to pay for an education because we were not poor enough to qualify for assistance and not rich enough to pay cash.  We were assured that our college degree would lead to gainful employment that would more than pay for our student loans it would buy us houses, cars and college funds for our children.  We graduated college, found jobs and bought houses, cars and college funds, then SPLAT!!!  We were all standing around wondering,"What is that foul smelling substance that just hit that fan over there??  Wouldn't it figure, just when we dug ourselves from the middle-class trench and were sitting on the green grassy edge of the lower upper-class there was a mud-slide, and we fell back in.  Now we are struggling.  We as a social class are lucky to have jobs even with college degrees.  We as a social class cannot pay our student loans.  We as a social class have been forced to clean out our children's college funds to pay for the mortgage, groceries, heat and electric.  (I'm aware that this theory does not apply to all).  Wouldn't you almost rather be poor! Then the state would pick up part of the bill...

Ending on a good note...if we have hit bottom economically there is no place to go but up.  I will keep clawing and scraping my way out of the middle-class trench to show my children that you never give up.  Even when the odds are not in your favor.  Also, if wrinkles are the battle scars of life, I will wear them proudly.  Even if they are attributed to stress and worry...they are proof that I went to battle against stress and worry, that I fought in that battle against stress and worry and that I won...  So can you! Hang in there middle-class wear your wrinkles like a new Coach bag!

 

Hello world of Blog!  I'm pretty sure you've heard of the Tiger Mom...ever heard of the Middle-Class Mom?  This is a group of mom's that clean their own homes, dye their own hair, give themselves mani's & pedi's, are members of the PTA, work full-time* and know how to make a weeks worth of groceries last two.  How do I know?  I am a middle-class mom.  

I am 30 years old.  I live in a small town, in a large house with my husband, my four children, my brother, five dogs and two cats.  I work part-time from home, attend a local university full-time, volunteer for the local athletics organizations and volunteer at the local elementary school.

With all that going on in my life why blog you ask?  To expose each and everyone of you to my awesome venting skills.  I will post the trials and tribulations of my life everyday for a year.  Sit back, relax and enjoy as I expose what life is really like for middle-class American moms!

*I feel I should share my definition of working "full-time".  If you are a "stay-at-home mom" you work full-time.  If you do not work and your lack of employment is not related to a disability or bad economy, you live off of the state and at one time gave birth, I do not consider you a stay-at-home mom.