Digging Deep

October has proven to be a whirlwind of unique challenges that have forced me to dig deep.  Life does that, doesn’t it? – it makes us dig deep.  We find out what we’re made of when it matters most.  When times get tough, our true character comes out and teaches us who we really are.  A church leader of mine use to always say, “Life isn’t for sissies.”  Yeah, I believe it.

The flu found us.  Strep throat found us.  And the ashes from the volcano eruption in Chile last year found us (giving me a nasty nasty respiratory infection).  I’ve been to the doctor a few times which has been an experience in & of itself.  Think sea green.  Think ripped foam chairs.  Think a waiting room about 12’ X 15’ full of 20 people.  Think 1960s.  Wild.  (I’m on medicine that tastes like…I don’t know what it tastes like, but I can assure you, it’s very very gross).

We learned how to live without electricity for over a week.  Line drying is doable, but very time consuming.  

Never fear I say.  We Wolfley’s will make a come back, & it’s gonna’ be huge.  In the meantime, here’s my happy helper & our favorite dish as of lately, empanadas (homemade and all) ;).

 

Flamenco Musica Dance Team

Las Chiquitas - Mother’s Day Performance

Flamenco Musica is a local Dance Team here in Venado Tuerto, & AnnMarie is officially a proud member! Carlie desperately wants to join, but she’s a little too young ;)!  The team consists of 5 groups – las chiquitas (ages 4-6), las intermedias (ages 6-11), & las avanzadas (ages 12-18).  The other 2 groups consist of adult women (a beginning group & a professional group which is outstanding).  

Even though Flamenco Musica has about a month left of rehearsals, their end of year performance was on Mother’s Day last weekend.  Since AnnMarie has only been a member for a few weeks, she was obviously not prepared to participate, but the director invited her to ‘be presented as a new member’ at the end of the program. 

The event was held in a fairly big auditorium, & I was amazed at the turn-out (there were people standing in the aisles)!  This community really supports their dancers!

More than half of the dances were performed to live music.  It was so awesome.

Las Intermedias – Mother’s Day Performance

The culture here is a late late culture - everything happens at night, very…late…at night.  The program started at 8:30 & ended at close to midnight.  (Our branch party served dinner last Friday night at 11 PM, no joke.  Our girls were nearly sleeping on their plates.  Wish I had a picture).  Instead, here is a picture of AnnMarie with her instructor, Isabella…at midnight.

Mommy Memo No. 5

It’s Mother’s Day in Argentina, so…Happy Mother’s Day!!

My sister-in-law sent me this picture.  ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ in junction with this photo made me laugh…(and almost cry for whoever that poor mother was).

AND my Mom wrote a fantastic Mommy Memo.  No phone service makes for some great e-mails.

Practice Makes Polite

I think children learn primarily by example.  I once read that “You can't be rude to your kids and then expect them to be polite to other people."  Very true.

As a young mom,  I felt overwhelmed with the task of trying to teach my kids how to be polite!  Whether it was receiving gifts, eating at the table, talking on the phone, meeting new people, or just thinking of others, I decided that PRACTICE MAKES POLITE! 

Our kitchen table was a great place to learn.  We tried to have fun practicing – putting the napkin where it went, using the right utensils, and saying “please pass,” rather than reaching…or throwing.  Mealtime can bring out some atrocious manners, and most times, I felt like I spent the entire meal correcting.
BUT the more we practiced together, the better each meal became.  (Yet another reason why I believe eating together as a family is so important)! 

Children will learn how to treat others by the way you treat them.  For example, I have always believed that correcting a child in front of others embarrasses you and them…& ultimately, does more harm than good.  I always had a better experience when I corrected in private.  If my children were acting rude, I saved the relationship when I chose to lead them away and quietly and briefly correct them with a reassuring tone.  On that same token, we always tried to make sure that they received praise and appreciation when good manners were used. 

I remember a time when our son Kyle received a ride home from a birthday party.  When he walked into the house, I asked him, "Did you tell his mom thanks for the ride home?"  He said, "No, I forgot."  This was a great teaching opportunity.  We looked up her phone number together, dialed it, & told her thanks for the ride home!  Simple as that.

My husband and I decided early on in our marriage that when our children were young, we would make good manners a priority & basically, not tolerate bad manners. Think about it: Your child doesn't run into the freeway, play with steak knives, or stick Play-Dough in your VCR because you've made it clear that these behaviors won't be tolerated!  In the same way, you must decide that bad manners won't be permitted either.  It was a big deal for us to teach our children the importance of thinking of others through good manners.  (Some of our Family Home Evening Nights were spent writing thank you notes).  An education in courtesy must begin in the home.  Practice really does make polite.