Play It Again, Sahm

Huck: Sure. But only if you weren’t able to do it yourself. I was going to post a reply of my own, you know.

Dulcet: Oh. Really?

Huck: Yeah. Was working on it when yours posted. It was going to be a good post, I think.

Dulcet: Not a rant like mine, huh?

Huck: A gentler rant. Remember, I’m on the loop strictly because of everyone’s good will. I have to be a little more diplomatic.

Dulcet: You’re not going to be able to send yours now, huh?

Huck: Probably not. Wouldn’t want to keep things stirred up.

Dulcet: I’m sorry.

Huck: Forgiven. You sure you’re okay? Her post wasn’t that bad, you know. Lots of those women had stronger objections when you first brought up the idea of me joining the loop.

Dulcet: I lost the Kerrick account.

Huck: Whoa.

Dulcet: They called today and cancelled—said they’re definitely getting a divorce. They still have to pay me for the design work to this point, but nothing more.

Huck: Okay, so we

Dulcet: I think it’ll be enough to make the bills for this month and part of next, but I don’t have any more clients! I can’t even talk to any of the clients from my previous job. And the ads I placed aren’t bringing in enough inquiries.

Huck: Dulcie, let’s

Dulcet: I’m going to fail! I was stupid for even trying this.

Huck: No, you weren’t.

Dulcet: What are we going to do? I should have done something. Stopped it from happening. I could have fixed it. I didn’t try hard enough.

Huck: DULCIE!

Dulcet: What?

Huck: Don’t you think we should take this conversation out to the living room couch? I can’t hold you when I’m typing.

Dulcet: Yeah…that sounds good.

Dulcet signed off at 5:01:56 p.m.

Huck signed off at 5:01:58 p.m.

Text Message From Jeff Ebberly: For Rosalyn Ebberly

——June 15 10:13 a.m.——

Mom, jst got n fyt. Im k. Nt my falt. Principel wl cll u. Sry. Jeff.

Marvelous Mommies,

After last week’s scintillating discussion on forgiveness, I thought we should turn our attention to a topic sure to warm and encourage every mother’s heart:

Meeting the needs of our children.

I’ve had to learn the hard way that EVERYTHING we do as mothers—every word, every glance, every touch—deeply affects our children for the rest of their lives!

So when you shrieked, “Can’t you be quiet for just ONE SECOND?” after breakfast this morning? Sliced their tender little souls like a piece of deli ham. They’ll forever struggle with voicing their own wants and needs. Assertiveness will never come easy for them and they’ll probably get taken advantage of by every emotional manipulator who crosses their path.

When you said you were too tired to read your son a book? Five years from now, that moment will fester into resentment that will cause him to punch another child in summer school. Ten years from now, it will blossom into a full-scale rebellion that will get him kicked out of school and placed into a juvenile detention center.

Every time you pushed their eager little hands away and impatiently told them, “here, let me do it”…it was one more blow to their fragile sense of worth. It will probably result in a total inability to sustain meaningful relationships as adults.

Not to mention a permanent spelling handicap.

How many wounds we inflict on our children every hour of every day! It’s no wonder they end up so screwed up. And it’s our fault as mothers for not meeting their emotional needs.

So let’s encourage each other on how we can do better at not ruining our children. Obviously, it’s not an easy task, considering that our own parents did a thorough job of wounding us to the point where we wouldn’t recognize a healthy psyche if it tackled us to the sidewalk. But as adults and mothers, it’s our responsibility to try to do better with the next generation, even if it kills us.

Blessings,

Rosalyn Ebberly

SAHM I Am Loop Moderator

“The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands.” Proverbs 14:1 (NASB)

Ooookay. Looks like somebody needs to dial back on her happy pills… WAY too cheerful this morning!

Z

Z,

Did you realize that note went to the SAHM loop instead of our Green Eggs and Ham group? ROSALYN saw it! You’d better apologize quick. She’s going to be SO mad!

Dulcie

Hey gorgeous mom-babes, (and Tom, of course)

Hope nobody took my previous message too seriously. Just trying to lighten the mood on this Monday. It’s rainy and foggy here in Baltimore—needed to cheer myself up a bit.

No offense intended.

Z