Stretching

 I’m struggling. I have been for awhile now. 

I knew this would happen. When I was holding hands with my three-year-old girls as we took a walk. When they climbed into our bed and snuggled under the covers each morning. When I was brushing the tangles out of their freshly washed hair. When they begged me to watch a movie with them. Or paint with them. Or play ponies with them. 

I knew a time would come when they stretched the umbilical cord long enough that they no longer wanted to snuggle or hold hands (or even go on a walk with me). When they wanted to be alone or with friends before they wanted me. 

But, dang, it hurts. 

From the moment I realized there wouldn’t be any more family walks in the woods, I’ve been trying to come to terms with this stretching. I’ve been trying to find a way for it to hurt less. I’ve tried ignoring it and I’ve tried sitting in it. It still lurks in the background of every scene. 

When they are sad and I want to wrap my arms around them like I used to, but they push me away instead. When I lean in for a kiss on their forehead and they pull back. When I plan a family activity and it’s met with groans. 

It’s even there during the rare tender moments. Move slowly. Don’t scare them off. No lessons. No lectures. Act cool. Like this isn’t the most precious moment you’ve had in months. 

It’s there and then it’s gone. I’m left trying to survive the disappointment without letting on how hard it is for me. Left to try to find peace, joy and purpose without them hand delivering it in giggles and kisses. 

I knew it would happen. It still hurts. And hang on heart of mine, there's still more to come. 

TOP 20 REASONS WHY DOGS ARE BETTER THAN CATS

By Claire Seel 

Hi again, my mom wrote a blog back in 2010 called "Top 10 Reasons Why Cats Are Better Than Dogs" and i'm here to prove her wrong 

Dogs will wake you up if the house is on fire. Cats will sleep through it.

                                                              Can A Cat Do This? Boom! 

1. You have to have their poop smell in your house (they poop in a box that's weird) 
2. They help you stay active because they just want to have fun, with my cats I can just sit and watch tv but with dogs you have to go outside and smell the fresh air 
3. You can train dogs to do pretty much whatever you want (Like putting away their toys)
4. Dogs respond to their name unlike most cats who just ignore you  
5. Dogs kisses don't feel like sandpaper
6. Dogs are super social
7. Their eager to please 
8. You can play fetch, frisbee, or even hide and seek with cats it's just the hide and "sleep" 
9. Most dogs enjoy car rides 
10. No hairballs 
11. Dogs can sense when your feeling down and try to help 
    
12. Dogs will swim and get wet with you 
13. Dogs will let you bathe them 
14. Dogs will enjoy going anywhere you want (as long as it's not the vet *wink) 
15. Dogs don't bring you unwanted gifts 

    

    "it's fine if you catch em just don't bring em back"
16. Dogs save people's lives 
17. Dogs wake you up in the morning with happiness cats wake you up with claws and teeth 
18. Dogs always turns back to make sure your still there 
19. Dogs love making friends 
20. and lastly who can resist this 

    

    
     

    
    

    
    

My Best Friends

 By Claire 

Hey guys, I just read my moms blog post about cousins "Unbreakable Bonds" and she's right my cousins are my everything I have... hold on one second let me count... 10 cousins (2 more came after my moms blog) and those are just the ones that I see all the time when we used to have family dinners, Fourth of July, bonfires, birthdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, school, activities outside of school, anybodies school activities, and sleepovers exc, the point is that see them a lot.

 

Although some of them I might see less and less like my oldest cousin, Bella is in college, and has friends, and a boyfriend, and school stuff, my two cousins, Charlie and Alice moved to Lincoln, I can't see Zander and Ellie because Grandma is sick, so the only cousin I really get to see is my bestest friend in the whole world, (I don't care if bestest isn't a word, i'm still going to use it.) The person I can look to if I am sad, or mad, or need to vent, Cambri, she's in middle school now just like me, and that's great. With our family the cousins have groups of people that they play with Charlie, Henry, Reece, Ellie, and Jackson,(6,7,7,5,4) Me and Cambri,(12,11) Bella and Grace,(18,12) and Alice and Zander (2, infant) are kinda on their own for right now, these are usually who hangs with who at family, dinners, Christmases, Easters, Thanksgivings sleepovers, or any other family event. Here are a few quotes that made me think of us 

         "God gave us cousins because he knew our moms couldn't handle us as siblings."

         "A cousin is a little bit of childhood that can never be forgotten"

         "Cousins are connected heart to heart, distance and time cant break em apart"

         and my personal favorite "Cousins are like stars, you may not be able to see them but you know their there"

Thank you, family for bringing my best friends into this world without them I would be lost, see you next time 

P.S. I'm trying to convince my mom to write more, so don't worry, the funny mom stories will be coming soon