Monday, April 25, 2011

What a lucky girl I am!

It happened again the other day. I was sitting watching Sebastian play his first baseball game of the season. The mom next to me strikes up a conversation and it quickly turns to our kiddos. "You have FIVE?!? Wow!" (Five is said like it is some sort of disease.) From there the conversation quickly spirals into how lucky I am. My husband says there is no luck just God's providence. I will tell you God has been very good to our family. However, what this woman (and what other people I have spoken to over the years) have considered luck is really nothing of the sort.

She says "You are so lucky to be able to stay home!"
I said, "Well, I am glad that I am able to be there for my kids, but luck had nothing to do with it. I quit a professional job and cut our income in half when I had my first son. For the first two years of his life we lived on simple meals, did not go on vacation or even to the movies or out to dinner, and wore garage sale clothes. We still have to make choices that we would not have to if I were working."

She said, "How lucky you are to be able to homeschool. I do not have the patience for it." I said, "Really? Because I do not have the patience for it either, but I try. There are some days where I sentence myself to a ten minute time out in my room to get a grip on life."

She says, "How lucky that you have such good kids!" My response was "Yes, they are pretty good, for the most part. They have been spoiled with love and attention rather than video games and expensive toys. We expect a lot from them and get it. Because we have made them our priority and been there to guide them along the way, they have not had to rely on a daycare provider or peer group to help them make choices."

That is when she stopped talking to me. Now, that I am sure was just good luck on my part. LOL.

6 comments:

RealMom4Life said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
RealMom4Life said...

You worded that perfectly!

Yes, it's a little weird having conversations like that with people with brand new cars, a mega house, etc. It IS the choices we've made a long the line. I gotta save this one for myself.

But Crunchy...that is so NOT the way to make new friends :)

LayCarmeliteInTraining said...

I should memorize your answers. But I "only" have four kids and usually have only 2 or 3 in tow now so I don't get many stares,

Anonymous said...

Awesome! You just made one more perosn who may just think for a split second before speaking. One at a time.. :)

Crunchy Momma said...

Real, I know. I should be better since I have so much trouble making friends here.

Carmelite, funny that you say, you "only" have four. I think people do not really think you are crazy until you hit the five mark.

Suzie, at the rate I am going it is going to be a lllllloooooonnnnnngggg time before I make any sort of dent in the population at large. You must get funny comments all the time when you are out with Z.

Anonymous said...

Yep I sure do. Most often it's stares of confusion. One person asked me how dark my husaband was, another asked which one of us cheated with a n.... never mind the word they choose. Just after her placement in our house she still had bed sores and nasty rash on her bottom. I had to change her in a public restroom and someone saw her and called the police (I was actually thankfull for that one because at least someone cared). Last week she cried in the grocery store because I didn't give her a cookie- she was screaming, "You're not my mommy. I want my mommy!" no one cared. But most of all we get encouraging and nice comments, she's beautiful (she is), how lucky we are (we are thankfull), and my personal favorite " I do black hair, give me a call. She needs it" :) Always an adventure.