My kids..Dennis, he's my little man
. He's polite, loving, has a huge heart and is a big mamma's boy! On the other side, he's a rough and tumble kid, at times hyper and obnoxious...but what kid isn't at times?! We call him Pepper for two reasons...the first, is a little inside joke about my mother calling Dennis a little pepper (she was asking for a little pepper) at a restaraunt, which ensued in my father and I leaving, and eating at a different table in embarrasment. And the second is that I ate so much Thai, spicy, spicy thai that my baby boy came out looking like a pepper!Lately, he's been so into playing his DSI, which I was totally against (he won it, I didn't buy it). Previously he had a leap pad that he played and would learn from it instead of sitting there like a zombie all day long. Well guess what? Now that he has one he sits like a zombie all day long! It's so hard to be a parent sometimes. I'm trapped between doing "what is right" in the worlds eyes ,and doing what makes him harmlessly happy. Does anyone have these problems??? Pepper has taught me to love unconditionally, to throw caution to the wind so to speak, let my hair down and have some fun!
On to Ava. She is hot tempered, a brute, and saucy! She loves her brother who is her hero and both mommy and daddy with all her heart. Lately she's been into Jesus. Yes, you've read it right....Jesus. She's struggling to learn the difference between Jesus and God, and she's truly trying to understand what is right and what is wrong in God's eyes. "Is I being a good gorrl" that's how she says girl. She once pointed to her heart and asked me what was there..I said "your heart" she said "yes, that's right, but what else". I, in my technical mommy teaching her the right thing said "nothing, just your heart, some skin and bone" Ava said "Jesus, mommy". Ava has taught me to see with my heart, to feel and not be so technical, and together we're learning that God has a special plan for the both of us.Both of my kids bring different things to my life, but they are so full of love it makes my heart melt. I love creating memories with them. I remember growing up and having many good times spent with my family. I hope my kids can look back and have the same kind of memories.
I want to leave you today with another lesson learned in Italy..lesson #6.
6. Italians have a completely different schedule. Here's what I mean:
Italians usually open up stores around 8 30. By 8 30 I mean between 8 30 and 10. So, a store is scheduled to open at 8 30...you're lucky if they get there by 9. Everything shuts down from around 12 30 to 4 for Respito or Ripose, which means nap! Restaraunts open around 1 for lunch and again at between 7 and 9 for dinner. Dinner usually takes between 3 and 4 hours. Most restaraunts have a playground for kids! I'll tell you more about the meals next lesson!
Italians ALWAYS have time to talk. During work, in the middle of a street, or aisle. And to hurry them along is absolutely rude. The only thing Italians do quickly is drive! They drive fast to go eat slow...just how it is!
Well, this is it in a nutshell............................................for today!
Something I learned from a friend who's Native Canadian (like Native American, but her tribe is actually from Canada...before their was a Canada, of course) - things happen when everyone arrives, but not before. And also that things happen when they're supposed to and can't be forced. It seems like that's perhaps something that a lot of cultures believe...just not necessarily in the US as a norm. It's a shame as it often means we don't truly get to enjoy life. It sounds like the Italians do though. :-)
ReplyDeleteIf things close in the afternoon for Respito...do schools also close? Or do kids not get naps? :-)
ReplyDeleteMichele, I see a lot of things that I think we as an American culture miss out on. I like your lesson from Canada though. I mean think about it seriously, it shows how unselfish the canadians are, they wait, they want everyone to enjoy things. They look at life and think, let's roll. Let's take what we're given and make the best out of it. Americans (myself included) I think feel we need to be in control of everything from scheduling our day out minute by minute, to what color eyes our unborn kids will have. It makes me think too of Italian meals. Most restaraunts don't have menus..you just tell them what you want. Another way of not planning! You're right, we don't get to enjoy light heartedly the things that really matter.
ReplyDeleteAs far as Respito, schools are open everyday until around 12. The kids only go half of a day, but also go on Saturday half a day. Most children don't go to bed until 11PM or so. This is because of the lateness of their meals which at times don't end until well after 11!