F.I.R.S.T

There are times that I want to share different charities with you. To create awareness, one, and to open your mind and heart to consider those outside of your own household. It’s easy to get wrapped up in what you’re dealing with at the moment, but part of being a mom is to also teach your children to care for others.

My sister-in-law Cindy Finney has done some incredible work for F.I.R.S.T in St. Louis. Friends of Immigrants & Refugees in St. Louis was started to support Sister Paulette and the St. Pius V ministry mission to aid the many legal immigrants and refugees settling in the St. Louis area. We provide practical assistance to people coming here from troubled countries.

Many of their clients have fled from war and persecution. Some have experienced torture. Most are poor. Many have come to the United States with nothing but the clothes on their backs and hope in their hearts. Almost all of our families have lost loved ones. Most are widows with small children.

FIRST strives to be a friend to refugees in St. Louis by offering compassion and hope, as well as assistance with basic
needs such as:
• Rental assistance
• Utility and medical bills
• Groceries
• Clothing, coats and shoes
• School supplies
• Diapers, etc.
• An ear to listen
• Words to encourage
• A heart to care, and
• Arms to embrace

If you so feel inclined to help this or a similar organization out, please contact them today.

FIRST
P.O. Box 220101
Saint Louis, Missouri 63122
314-205-3329

Black Garbage Bags

If you recall my tips on organization not long ago, I had mentioned taking bags of gently used clothes to a charity location for them to re-use.  After our 7-hours of cleaning closets at our house, we had eight big black garbage bags of clothes.

I hauled the bags to the garage until one of the boys could load them and drop them off for us. On the day these were going to be taken, I got a frantic call. It went something like this.

“What bags do you want me to take?”  he asks.

“The black garbage bags all lined up there in the garage,” I respond.

“All of them?”

“Yes, all of them. Take them down to the parish and drop them off so they can re-use them.” I quickly summed up and then hung up the phone as I was  in the middle of carpool at the moment.

With that task complete, I felt even better. One less thing to think about. Lots of extra clutter removed from my house, my garage and now my mind. Ah….(sigh)…

Then the next day one of my college boys asked where some of his things were so he could get packed up again. I directed him to the garage where we’d kept most of his items not needed for the summer in big – black – garbage – bags.

They, as you may have guessed, were gone. The CDs, DVDs, photos, room decor and all where – gone.

Long story short, I tracked down a few of the items, but only after finding out they had been dropped at a completely different location than I had expected. We’re still hoping a few things show up, but what I’d like to remind you Moms out there is that even if you’re organized, there’s always a loop hole. Be flexible. Be understanding. Go with the flow. Problem-solve. Keep calm and make things happen.

After all, you did say “Yes, all of the black garbage bags.” And he did just that. He took ALL of them.

Back to Mom

Once the school year gets underway, I’ll take a breath and get a little time back to focus on me. I’ll make sure I get in for my annual check-ups, eye and dental appointments all in September.  It’s not that things slow up at all in September, but you have a little more control over your schedule again.

I tell you this to gently remind you NOT to skip out on your own “back to school” physicals and check-ups. If you’re not healthy and at your best, then you can’t be there for your children.  You also set the example. If they see that these appointments are important to you, they will value them as well. So if you’ve not been keeping up on your own health screenings, let this be the day to make the call and set up the appointment.

Happy moms, healthy moms.

Back to School, Back to Sports

We’re all in back to school mode around here. Are you? It seems to sneak up on us as we’re blazing through our summer and suddenly – it’s here. We’re doing all of the last minute preparations and working through our back to school and back to sports check lists.

But it’s not only my ten children that are heading back to school – two in college, three in high school, four in grade school and one in pre-school – but my schedule takes a change as well.

Here’s just a quick list I’m sure you can relate to on all the things we’ve been doing over the past few weeks in preparation for these first days of school.

• Make sure the uniforms fit. If they don’t, we check with siblings and friends to get what we need.
• Buying books.
• School supply shopping. (We all love getting those seemingly endless lists, don’t we?)
• Shoe check. Make sure those shoes fit!
• Physicals.
• Dental/orthodontist appointments (I like to avoid taking them out of school for these so I pack them all in just before the year starts.)
• Set up car pools.
• Haircuts.
• Paper work for each of the kids.
• Sports uniforms and equipment check.
• Sports practice schedules, including the two teams I’m coaching: girls kindergarten soccer and 3rd-grade volleyball.
• Summer reading books are being frantically finished.
• Stock the fridge.
• Prep for breakfasts and lunches.
• Wake up! I start two weeks out from the first day to start waking everyone a little earlier and a little earlier to get back on “school time.”

Just after I get everyone back in to the classroom, I’ll be scheduling my own hair cut, doctor, dentist and physical appointments. I encourage you to do the same! After all of the focus on your kids’ needs you do need to make sure you’re taken care of as well.

Happy 2008 – 2009 school year!