Learning to Love Her Even When

Today I'm over at one of my other blogs, Unwrapping Love, where I've started writing on Tuesdays about cultivating gratitude. This post is about learning how to love Harmony even when I don't feel like it.

Come join me?

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Should I Let My Daughter Listen to Music With $#*&%@ in the Lyrics?

Yesterday evening Harmony and I were driving home after a long day. Harmony began to fuss, so I turned on the CD we had in the car, which instantly calmed her down. The CD was Mumford and Sons "Sigh No More", on loan from a friend. I'd been listening to the band's music for the past week every time I got in the car because I'd fallen in love with their sound! Besides enjoying the music, the lyrics have been delicious to unravel; Mumford and Sons has some incredible songs.

Suddenly the song "Little Lion Man" came on. "I really ****ed it up this time, didn't I my dear", go the chorus lyrics. Of course, Harmony was peacefully staring out the window, ignoring the words and simply listening to the tune, I'm sure, because she is fifteen months old. But now I was faced with a dilemma: would she grow up with swear words as part of her vocabulary due to listening to music with swearing in it? I'm not a prude nor a stickler for perfect language, but I generally don't swear (for several reasons, which I won't get into here) and don't want Harmony thinking that she may use crude language whenever she pleases. Would she, though, get that impression from a song?

I have to admit, one of the first things that crossed my mind was Scout in "To Kill a Mockingbird" saying to her uncle, "pass the damn ham".

This parenting thing is a grey business: it's not easy to decide whether all issues are black or white.

As Harmony gets older, she'll hear plenty of swearing all around her, at the grocery store, from other children, from other adults, etc. It's not like I think she'll NEVER be exposed to it. And at some point she is going to be the one who needs to decide what words will come out of her mouth. Until that time comes, however, she will need to abide by the teaching of her parents. And what am I teaching her by listening to a (very catchy) song with the "F-bomb" in it? Is it really that big of a deal? 

For other parents out there: what is YOUR perspective? How have you handled this topic in your family? Please let me know what you think!

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This Moment: 100th Anniversary Parade

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember. ~ Amanda

If you're inspired to do the same, come share your moment with me in the comment section!

Linking up with Soule Mama on this happy Friday, celebrating 

our local community's one hundred years together!

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Thoughtful Thursday: A Woman's Work

"It is the sisters and wives and mothers, you know, Caddie, who keep the world sweet and beautiful. What a rough world it would be if there were only men and boys in it, doing things in their rough way! A woman's task is to teach them gentleness and courtesy and love and kindness. It's a big task, too, Caddie- harder than cutting trees or building mills or damming rivers. It takes nerve and courage and patience, but good women have those things. They have them just as much as the men who build bridges and carve roads through the wilderness. A woman's work is something fine and noble to grow up to, and it is just as important as a man's. But no man could ever do it so well. I don't want you to be the silly, affected person with fine clothes and manners whom folks sometimes call a lady. No, that is not what I want for you, my little girl. I want you to be a woman with a wise and understanding heart, healthy in body and honest in mind."

~ Carol Ryrie Brink, excerpt from Caddie Woodlawn

~ A weekly post sharing a selection from a book I am currently reading ~

 ~ Feel free to let me know your thoughts in the comment section ~

A thoughtful quote can be the bridge that leads us farther
along the path of understanding ourselves and the world. 

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Wednesday Wanderings

Please watch this incredible video by Brene Brown!

This isn't so much 32 "extremely upsetting facts about the class of 2017" as it is "facts about how kids nowadays don't get my generation's cultural references and have way more advanced technology than I did".

A Chinese boy can see in pitch black. Too bad his name isn't Vin Diesel. 

Bibliophiles rejoice: here are 62 of the world's most beautiful libraries for you to drool over.

Out of these 12 little-known facts, I knew three of them, but they were still interesting!

How to make home-made fruit snacks. Yummy!

I highly recommend reading C.S. Lewis' "Letters to Children". Here's why.

Technology is now shedding light on 6 of the art world's greatest mysteries. 

National French Library, Richelieu building (oval room)
(source)

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This Moment: Two Baby Surprises

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember. ~ Amanda

If you're inspired to do the same, come share your moment with me in the comment section!

Linking up with Soule Mama on this friendly Friday morning!

*These knitted jackets are from the Elizabeth Zimmerman pattern called "Baby Surprise". Harmony and another little boy were both wearing theirs on a chilly day this week, so we had to get a shot of them together! The pattern is so versatile and cute on anybody : )

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Wednesday Wanderings

The links today are especially important for me, because they explore topics that I find interesting or meaningful. Most are personally relatable to me as well, so I guess you'll see a bit more of who I am ; ) You are more than welcome to share your thoughts in the comment section!

In our apartment, you're likely to hear us bellowing opera one minute and bouncing around the house to 8-bit music the next. We name the chickens that we cook so that we can comment on their tanning time in our oven. And we leave sticky notes that say "creeper" in places where they'll be found unexpectedly, because insanity. Is your family spicy or sweet?

I adore the Doctor. More specifically, David Tennant, since he's pretty much the best Doctor. The end.

Just kidding, it's not the end.

Chris and I have been married for three years now. We can ALWAYS use more wisdom on how to strengthen your marriage, and this heartfelt story is one of the best reminders of how to succeed at love.

The upcoming marathon of NaNoWriMo is still on my mind! The characters of my story (I'm going to try my hand at being a planner this year) are slowly coming to life. I'm using the computer for most of my writing, but not everyone uses technology to spin their tale! Here are the writing tools of twenty famous authors.

Speaking of writing stories, do you think that creativity means making something from nothing? That drugs make you more creative? That creativity belongs to the arts? Take a look at ten myths about creativity.

Home-made sourdough bread is the best, so here's how you get started! I'm planning on making my own starter this week : )

I wondered why coupons never seemed to work for me, and this article showed exactly why.

There are plenty of internet articles that say things like, "10 Best Pieces of Advice EVERRRRR!" and "The Most Important Thing in the World to Remember". Here's another one! Have to say, though, I don't know if I agree with numbers seven or thirteen. Just saying. You have to pick and choose the advice you take.

This is what one of my musical heroes said: "I'm a better musician now than when I was seventy." Wow!

Finally, here is a real-life news story from my hometown. Reading it was an absolute *facepalm* moment, especially the picture of the policemen grinning and the dude on horseback with the mustache that doesn't give a darn. His mustache doesn't give a darn, I mean. Um.... what? IDAHO.

Everyone thinks of potatoes when Idaho is mentioned,
but it's actually known as the "Gem state".
Yep.

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