Christie Taylor Uncategorized

The Hug-Fix

Last night I was helping Katherine with a homework project. She was making a children’s book on Hurricanes. Her drawings were beautiful and we were both proud of her work. However, the printed portion of her work wasn’t formatting properly. She asked me for help and I couldn’t find the fix for it. Soon it got to be late and my frustration grew as I still could not find a solution. After some time Katherine looked at me and said, “Mom, it’s ok. It will be fine like this, but I think you could use a hug.”

“Yes, Katherine, yes I could. You are completely right. Your mom is being silly over this and your hug is exactly what I need. Thank you.”

Our family was at the movies earlier that day, and a man in front of me in the food line started giving a woman and her kids a hard time for cutting in front of him, raising his voice. I don’t if they did, but I can tell you from experience making your way with three excited kids with food in the movie line is no small task. I think that poor guy needed to be told it’s fine, and he could definitely use a hug while he waited a whole 2 extra minutes to buy his popcorn.

Sure, we wish everyone stood their place in line, and Word docs formatted just the way we wanted them to on command. But life is full of menial distractions and frustrations that will mean little to us in one year, let alone a week, or even days later. But, in the moment, it’s easy to make these moments more important than they are. From now on, I’m going to work on taking a deep breath once I find myself in one of these moments, and remind myself, “It’s fine, nothing a hug won’t fix.” Thanks Katherine! 🤗❤️

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Christie Taylor Uncategorized

Independence, Wil-style

Independence, Wil-style:
Yesterday, after running errands, Wil kicked off his crocs in the middle of the kitchen, opened the fridge and said he was hungry.
“Ok, buddy, I’ll make a sandwich while you put your crocs where they belong.”
“I want a salami and cheese and spinach sandwich on a little bun.”
“Ok, will do, now go put your crocs away.”
I got busy making sandwiches for Wil and his sisters. When I finished making their sandwiches, I picked up their plates from the counter and turned around to place them on the kitchen table. There on the floor in front of me, right where he left them, were Wil’s crocs.
“Wil, I thought I told you to put your crocs away.”
“Hmph!” Crossed arms.
“Ok, I guess no sandwich then until you put your crocs away. That was the deal.”
“Oooooh, that means two sandwiches for me!” Elizabeth teased.
“No!”
“Then you need to put your crocs away, Wil,” Elizabeth said.
The girls and I sat down at the table to eat our sandwiches while Wil stood there unmoving. After observing us munch on our sandwiches for awhile, Wil walked over to pick up his crocs. He then walked in my bedroom, where he usually watches TV, and set them down right in front of the TV.
“Wil, I appreciate you moving your shoes, but I asked you to put them where they belong. You know very well they do not belong in my bedroom. Now please put them away where you know they belong.”
More standing still. Then after a few moments, he picked them up and put them in the hallway.
“Wiiiiiilllllll,” I said looking at him sideways.
More standing still. Then after a few moments he put them in his room right next to his bed.
“Getting closer, but not quite there, buddy.”
His crocs go under his dresser, which is right next to his easel. He put them under the easel. Close enough.
“Ok, I’ll take it. Now come join us for lunch before Elizabeth eats your sandwich.”
“Hey!” He said, then started laughing and sprinted barefoot to the table. He sat down and took a big bite out of his salami and cheese and spinach sandwich.
“Mmmmmmmm!”

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