It's Not About Giving Birth

I have to admit, some days my life feels like a Jerry Springer show. Being a step-mom can have its challenges, but the blessings win out--hands down, every time. As far back as I can remember, I've wanted a house full of kids. (I told you I'm an old fashioned girl.) So, you can understand why the day that my son was born was the best day of my life. He has grown into this amazing teenager who teaches me new things every single day.

But, it just wasn't in the cards for me to have any more kids... in the traditional way. Then these little people came into my life, via a complicated adult-relationship structure. In society's terms, they are step-grandchildren. To them, I'm "Mimi." So, I get to start over with some young minds rediscovering names of flowers, bugs and letters, as if for the first time. Riding along in the car, we'll go over a bump in the road they reel with unbridled laughter. We do, too, just remembering what that felt like. At that moment, the stress of the week rolls off, and we leave it in a pile at the side of the road. I don't try to be their Mom. That's not my job. I don't try to act like a Grandma. (I'm only in my 40s!) I just love them. Everybody needs that.

I was thinking about Mother's Day, today--and all those women who don't have children, for whatever reasons. I know many of them who feel left out, guilty or judged on this greeting card holiday. But I also know that they love, nurture and shepherd other people and creatures in a way that would make this world a much harsher, scarier place without that love. And that's what motherhood is all about. It's not about giving birth.

Vintage Vocabulary

I love words. Sometimes their lyrical nature gives hint of their meaning (like rhapsody). Sometimes they are just fun to say (onomatopoeia) ... even if you have to look up the meaning. It's kind of sad to me that there are some really great words in the English language that aren't really used much anymore...or at least not in all aspects of their meaning.

Lately, I've started keeping a mental list of some of these fun older words. I think we need to start a campaign to reinstate these gems of vintage vocabulary back into present usage. I can just picture my grandma (or my great grandma, right) saying these words. Here's a few to start our list ...

Muffler: A Scarf. (As in, "Put on your muffler!")

Davenport: A big sofa that often converts to a bed.

Pocketbook: A woman's purse. ("It's in my pocketbook, dear.")

Snood: A netlike hat for women

Kitty: A pot of money, usually collected from many people

Okay, we need a bigger list to make this a real campaign. Send me your suggestions.