7 Responses

1. 

   Suzanne Arena May 11, 2008 at 7:37 pm

   Beautiful children! Having a 4½(girl) and 6(boy) year old I am finally rewarded today having them clear their plates, push in their chairs and rush to wash their hands…..ah, Momming is paying off and I actually get to eat most of my meal now. I reflected today on the year my son was 3 and I had to take 4 weeks to have him evaluated at The Providence Center and then the following year at Bradley Pediatric Center. I thought of the challenging days I have spent trying to figure out why? I figured out that children have day Mom’s (childcare providers) which many are just mom’s themselves with no formidible training. I have 2½ yrs in early childhood and did some substitute teaching when I was very young. And since I have always been facinated with knowledge and learning (love the internet…answers in a nanosecond) and I read everything under the sun about why my child displayed such violent, out-of-character behavior and yet, I couldn’t find the answer except he was exceptional abstract smart and not challenged, but developmentally delayed with his coping skills. Wow, I told them that’s just a boy/man trait – LOL

   Here I sat today with my two Duracel kids that keep me running and I am very thankful those past days are behind me and we are in the right schools and working with degreed teachers whom are better day mom’s than I could be at this age…..sadly, I admit I am a better mom suffering with my perimenapausal flashes that I know my patience level is not as balanced as I would recall in my early 20′s…..and I’m quie sure this has nothing to do with my high strung, Type A personality :+} I do admire Kirsten’s ability to keep a practice, play mommy to 2 girls (I’d have 20 boys to 1 girl) and write these columns. And to all the Mom’s I know whom have Autisic children and absentee husbands….you are the true round the clock mom’s that inspire a flame in me…in your true selflessness. Happy Mother’s day!

2. 

   Kiersten Marek May 11, 2008 at 8:14 pm

   Truer words have rarely been spoken, Suzanne. I, too, am inspired by mothers I meet who work endlessly to care for their children even as they are faced with mounting difficulties, particularly women who are single parents. In all honesty, what makes me a halfway decent mother is that I have a husband who willingly does a tremendous amount of caretaking, and who is good at it.

   I’m glad things have gotten easier for you — that’s inspiring to me and to a lot of parents out there, I’m sure.

3. 

   Geoff Schoos May 11, 2008 at 9:00 pm

   Kiersten,

   I just wanted to belatedly wish you a Happy Mother’s Day. That picture of you and your daughters is priceless. Keep them close for the time goes by way too fast.

4. 

   Nancy Green May 12, 2008 at 6:52 pm

   Lovely picture of you and your girls. I’m celebrating Mother’s Day for the whole week, appreciating my own mother and enjoying being one.

5. 

   Ghost of Christmas Future May 13, 2008 at 12:30 pm

   and enjoy all those moments, because in an instance, their off to high school, college and out of the house. Looking back, it happens that fast, but then come the grandchildren.

6. 

   Rachel McNally May 13, 2008 at 11:29 pm

   Kiersten,
   Great picture! Your girls have certainly gotten bigger since I saw them last summer.

   I hope that all of the moms in Kmareka land and beyond had a wonderful Mother’s Day, I know that I did.

7. 

   Kathryn May 14, 2008 at 1:16 pm

   Hi Kiersten,

   Happy Mother’s Day to you–belated, of course, but I’m in the middle of end-of-semester grading.

   Such a great picture! It’s like the Army of Blondes … whacking down the evildoers of the world with determination and cuteness. Go, girls!