My Father's Daughter

It's been on my mind recently: who am I? What is me and what is just the show I put on for other people's sake, to impress them or spare them? This song came to mind. To get the full effect of Natalie's beautifully written song you have to hear her sing it. This song (along with Held , also by Natalie) bring me to tears...every time. Click the titles of the songs if you'd like to listen. The Real Me By Natalie Grant Foolish heart looks like we're here again Same old game of plastic smile Don't let anybody in Hiding my heartache, will this glass house break How much will they take before I'm empty Do I let it s how, does anybody know? But you see the real me Hiding in my skin, broken from within Unveil me completely I'm loosening my grasp There's no need to mask my frailty Cause you see the real me Painted on, life is behind a mask Self-inflicted circus clown I'm tired of the song and dance Living a charade, always on parade What a mess I've

It's a new year. The Christmas craziness has finally settled down. It's the start of those 3 winter months where not much is happening. As I think about it I realize I really like winter. From December 21st to March 20th. I kind of love it. Both my kids have winter birthdays. Christmas is such a fun way to start the season (and by the time winter actually starts most of the stressful parts of Christmas are done). I love to bake and to feed people and for some reason that is just so much more fun when it's cold. And snow. How beautiful the whole world looks just after a snow storm. I also get to focus on my kids: teaching them, mothering them, reading great stories under cozy blankets, making lots of hot chocolate and pancakes and waffles and gearing up for the occasional snowy sledding outing. We play lots of board games. We make a lot of educational progress during these months. It's cold so I don't have to compete with long park days or swimming pools. There is