Personal Momsense

I am a mom of three, a teacher to a crew, and married to a coach. We are surrounded by children 24/7. I haven't been to the bathroom alone since 1996, and I am fairly certain that is a trend that will continue for quite some time. We are constantly on the go...this is the momsense that ensues as we parent at the speed of life.



The Events that Lead to the Momsense:

March 24, 1971. I am born. I immediately make my mother cry (a trend I will continue for another 20+ years) because I was the biggest baby in the nursery.

1974. My brother is born. This simply meant that it was time to up the ante on the shenanigans.

1976. I practice forward rolls in my basement for more than 4 hours in hopes of making it to the 1980 Olympics.

1980. No Olympics, but I do ask for a Dallas Cowboy cheerleading uniform for Christmas. My father emphatically declines, and I settle for tennis shoe skates and a ten-speed bicycle.

1981. I get bangs for the first time, and my mother quickly points out that I don’t have the forehead to pull them off. I keep them for another 28 years (and counting)…

1983. I get my first kiss…at school… by Chip something or other. I quickly mark it off of my “To Do Before I Die” list vowing never to do it again. My list also includes the following activities: making a phone call from a phone booth, riding in a taxi cab, wearing eye shadow, writing a book, and becoming a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader. (Ambition is clearly one of my strengths)

1984. I enter junior high, get braces (which, if you'll notice, was NOT on the aforementioned list), and master the art of being “cute and darlin’” a tactic that will serve me well for many years.

1985. My family relocates from Nashville to Franklin. I declare my life over and start reading up on nunneries.

1986. I enter 9th grade at Franklin High School and get nominated for Homecoming Court. Not ever having heard of that, become quite offended because I thought it was something boring like student council. When I found out I just dressed up, sat on the back of a convertible Corvette and waved during a parade- I was totally cool with it.

1987. I attend Barbizon School of Modeling. I then willingly don a two-piece bathing suit in a mall food court all in the name of fashion. (Consequently, this will be the beginning of spectacularly average modeling career which will include a couple of country music videos and a few mall Back-to- School fashion shows)

1988. My parents take me out of FHS and move me to Brentwood Academy so that I am not able to rely on my “cute and darling” routine anymore. I run track for the Eagles and enjoy being state-runner up in 3 events two years in a row.

1989. I graduate from high school and enroll at The University of Tennessee in the pre-med program.

Early in 1990. I discover I don’t enjoy sick people and change my major to English perhaps to pursue a career in law. A few years later I realize I prefer not to deal with other people’s problems, so I decide to teach teenagers and have children of my own, because how better to avoid dealing with the problems of others?

1989-1993. I enjoy 5 full football seasons at UT (I squeeze one year of grad school out of the Parental scholarship fund)

1994. I begin my teaching career intending to work 4-5 years before becoming a stay-at-home mom.

1994-2003. 1 marriage, 2 children, 1 heart-wrenching and unwanted divorce. Still teaching...
2003. I enjoy the best year of my adult life. Jesus and I become very tight, and He sends Coach. Still teaching…

2006. Coach and I marry in the coolest wedding ever and bring our families together…and then there were 5. Still teaching…

2008. So begins the blog… AND, still teaching…

2009. Finally reconcile with Jesus that teaching is my purpose. Enjoy the antics of my family. Turn 38. Will begin taking donations for Botox and a new car. (I’ll explain later this week).