I'm back with a little "Remember when..."

After an 18 month hiatus - I'm coming back.

I'm jazzed and loaded with material, and rarely short on opinions, which I hope will help lift you up as a mom, give you a place to share struggles, and remind us of the moments that make us proud and make us laugh. Today, school is on my mind.

At our home, we still have an elementary student, high school student, and we have our first child nearly finished with her freshman year of college. It's been a whirlwind and time is flying faster than when they were just toddlers and kindergartners. We're down to the last five weeks of school and the field trips have begun. Oh the outings they take to the prairie town, to the hospital, the park, roller rink, bowling, museums, and for my son today - a convent. I can't wait to pick him up after school today and hear what he has to say. I don't think I'll tell him the story of how his sister was conceived in a convent. That's a story for another day.

I think back to my grade school days and the field trips we took to the Tulip Festival, the fire station, and a restaurant. My high school days and plaid skirts, cruising around town with the windows down, and skipping first period for McDonald's breakfast. I think back to my freshman year in college and late nights, dorm room antics, and sun tanning covered with baby oil as soon as the sun came out and the snow was gone. All those extras outside the classroom helped us grow up and created memories we still have.

Have you looked back on this year your kids have had? How have they grown? Though so many things are different today for students, what has been the same for your kids that you experienced?

My high school class is preparing for a 26 year Class Reunion, yes, 26, we missed having a 25. As the preparations are going on, classmates have been posting pictures and even scanning in the yearbooks of the past for us to laugh at, have those OMG moments, and discover how much some look the same and how different others look now. Thankfully, the big hair days are not so big for most of us. My children are getting a glimpse of my high school days and having the "OMG that was my MOTHER?" kind of reactions. That's what I get for being friends on FB with them.

Even though the world keeps changing, technology becomes more outlandish and amazing, some things I think may always be the same. We'll raise our kids, shuffle them through their school days, and then go back and relive them with our classmates one day.

There Are No Strangers

Growing up, my mother never seemed to believe there were such things as "strangers." She always had (and still does) this very open heart for others. When I was 16 and we were driving home to the farm she spotted a couple resting on the side of the highway with their bicycles. Because it was blazing hot, she felt compelled to stop and check on them. But that's not all, she invited them to our home to swim, fed them dinner, and then sent Christmas cards to them for years afterward. My mother didn't know anyone who was a stranger.

So this fall, she was still at it. She walked into the SD State Book Festival at the Holiday Inn and struck up a conversation with a couple who she thought was at the Book Festival too. When she discovered they were passing through town and were planning on walking through our sculpture walk downtown, she offered to take them there, and then to the Falls (our city's namesake), and then through our historic district, and then out to dinner. She can and does talk to anyone.

Tonight I had a "mom" moment. Taking my daughter to the coffee shop I spotted a young gal carrying in a big board with drilled holes and a container of marbles. I know what those are for having grown up with one similar myself. Rather than just point it out to my daughter, I found myself engaging in a conversation with this gal and her friends.

I asked about who made the board? Her grandfather, just like mine did. What were the rules? Same as ours, and what do you call the game, "Wahoo" and that is where we differ. We called it "marbles" until we were old enough to know what the grown-ups called it; "S*@t On Your Neighbor!" It was a competitive game for our family and a big deal to try and get away with saying the adult title. Of course I shared our family title with the young adults who all laughed and decided that would be their new name. (Shame on me but oh well!) And then as we walked out, my daughter couldn't help but point out I had just had a "Grandma Jane" moment. I couldn't just walk by, I had to stop and engage these strangers in conversation.

But really, isn't that what makes life fun? Engaging with the people around us, learning about each other, sharing stories, and laughter? Our world really isn't full of strangers, just people we haven't met yet.

Celebrating Birthdays

This morning I was listening to a CD from NSA speaker George Walther. He was wonderful with the message to really live each day. George had one great idea for celebrating children's birthdays that I have to share with you. Check out his Legacy of Love for Your Lifetime Letter. It's a brilliant idea. I've often thought of audio taping stories, advice and love letters to my children on the computer that I can give them when they become adults. Haven't done it yet and I know I'll regret it if I don't get it done. Now it's on my to-do list.

A birthday tradition that started quite by accident in our home is the Birthday Banner. Years ago, the night before one of my daughter's birthday I created a banner to surprise her when she woke up. It stuck and I've continued it for years. It is the first thing my children wake up to to start their special day. I use a giant Post-It-Note used for flip charts, draw a picture of something that represents their year, celebrates their personality, or something special they want for their birthday that they are getting. The contents have included everything from frogs and cats, to bicycles and MP3's, to Mr. Incredible, Harry Potter and Yoda, and even slumber party girls and basket ball players.

I didn't realize how important these were to my children until I stopped at my oldest's 13 birthay thinking she was too old. She let me know quite quickly that the poster is the most important thing I do for them and why would I stop now! So, the tradition continues today. If I'm going to be out of town for their birthday, I make it in advance and instruct their sitter to post it for them. Each of them have kept all their posters and hang them in succession in their closet. It really is special to them. I wish that I had taken their picture each year with their banner, so if you start this tradition, add this element.

Many times I've shared the story of their birth day with them too so they know what a big day it was to us as parents. They love to be the feature of the story. My grandpa Frank used to tell me about the day I was born, where he and Grandma were at the time, what the weather was that day, and how they drove back early to SD from the ND farm because I was born. When he passed away I read his pocket calendars he kept of all his years. Everyone of us grandkids were noted on our birth day right along with what the weather was like.

The way you make your child feel special, loved, and remembered will have a longer lasting effect on them then the latest techno gadget, must have toy, or anything else. Share the special ways you celebreate your children's birthdays that they appreciate. The comment box is right below. Your idea may be just what another mother needs to validate her love for her children on their birthday.