Two Rules to Live By

There are many useful rules to live by
but there are two
that work best for me,
especially when it comes
to lose-your-mind anger moments
like I had yesterday (see yesterday's entry).

The first rule:
Never go to sleep angry.

I am pretty sure I heard this one
from my mom.
Rob and I have practiced it in our marriage
and I have practiced it with my kids.

Partly because it is the right thing to do
and partly because for some morbid reason
I am sure that the one time
I DON'T do it
one of us will expire in the night
or my child will be stolen by a traveling
pack of gypsies
and I will have to live
and rend my garments in despair
for the rest of my natural life.

And I am way too cheap to rend my garments
even if they are from the clearance rack at Target.

The second rule is
Sleep On It.

Had I not had this rule
I most certainly would have said
a long chain of things to my daughter
which I would surely regret at sunrise.

Somehow, things always seem a little better in the morning
or if not better, at least a little more in perspective.

So,
my little mommy self,
who was full of wounded pride,
has been dusted off.

Amends have been made
and life goes on.

Speaking of,
tomorrow is the last day of school
for the two older kids.

As of tomorrow,
we will have a seventh grader
a fourth grader (!)
and a kindergartener.

Also,
a bonus piece of news:
Kate was chosen as a sixth grade
Student Ambassador for her school next year.

I promise the next post will be more cohesive!

The one who turned on me like a hyena during a feeding frenzy:

Just kidding!