I like to encourage people (within the careful confines of unending sarcasm of course)
And as I thought through my Seeker Sisters I realized that we are all, at heart, mothers. Even those of us who haven’t given birth.
But there are so many kinds of mothers I had to give it all some careful though.
A few Seeker mothers were easy.
Tina, the wise one. She’s an owl mother. She does all the work (well maybe just too much of the work) but beyond that she’s wise. She’s thinking, considering, researching. Tina, the owl mother. She also has great night vision so stop trying to sneak something past her, Ruthy!
Julie, well, what mother do we equate with passion? Bunny rabbits maybe?
I decided to go with grace instead. Julie and her passion for romance but also her full embrace of the grace of God. Julie is our swan mother. She nurtures with passion and grace
I decided Sandra is our dove. She shares the most beautiful posts, full of scripture and encouragement to weary writers. Helping us find peace with the journey and strength to carry on. I thought of other strong animals, but frankly those pictures were somewhat less than flattering. So Sandra is a dove mother.
Janet has such wonderful humor but in a quiet, unassuming way. She brings so much to this blog and to the Seekers. But like all mothers, she is a fierce defender of those she loves. Her encouragement is as beautiful and quiet as a doe.
Glynna lives on a mountain, did you know that? She’s so tough. I decided a llama is the right mother style for her. Hard work, bearing the burdens life has put on her without ever being less than beautiful.
Debby, I’ve decided to make a lioness. Debby is a fierce prayer warrior. If you ever want someone joining you in prayer (and who doesn’t) you could do no better than Debby. She carries us all in hard times. Her suspense books showcase the strength of her faith
Cara, did you all know that behind that mild mannered exterior, Cara is a former soldier? Yes, Cara has been trained to kill. She hides it well, but be oh so careful to NEVER make her angry. I spend an afternoon with Cara last winter and we saw a dolphin which made this all the more perfect for her. I decided a strong, sleek dolphin, bringing those she nurtures along at her side is the mother style for Cara.
Pam, what animal is hard working but in an oh-so-quiet way that we don’t know she’s working until after she’s done everything herself? I decided a cat. An orderly, neat creature that quietly rids your world of pests all without ruffling her fur.
Next is Audra. I wanted to make Audra a Rocky Mountain mother, but all of them seem to be rather big and fierce. And that isn’t Audra at all—at least I’ve managed to dodge that side of her! Who knows what her children might say! Then I found this horse, I decided it's a wild mustang with her young one at her side. Leading, guiding in a way that never fails to make me smile at the pleasure of it.
And of course Missy. Which mother animal gives a lot of hugs and is the first to cry with you and laugh with you? Well, most of your hugging animals seem to be primates…and I just couldn’t go there with sweet Southern Missy. But then I remembered how smart she was along with that empathetic heart and decided a fox. Quietly smart, fierce in nurturing those around her.
I searched for a blonde fox but you would not BELIEVE the pictures Google images gave me for blonde fox!
Myra comes next and I picked the most graceful animal I could find for her. Myra knows so much more than you can imagine. We ask her questions all the time and the scary part—which also matches with the cheetah—is, she’s usually able to answer them fast!
Which brings us to Ruthy. Oh the pictures I have considered and discarded for this one. Until finally, I picked for our most amazingly hard working Mother Ruthy…the opossum. Bearing all her burdens without even letting them slow her down. Never losing strength, never quitting her encouragement, even if her encouragement can be
a little scary so good for us.
And of course me. Well, all the slender graceful animals were taken and I had to be cautious about comparing anyone else to a cow! I know a lot about cows. Including I know that a mother cow—if you bug her baby—can be a dangerous creature. My husband has the broken ribs to prove it! Those horns aren't just decoration you know. I like to think all of us at Seekerville are fighting for all of you who visit here. I hope we help you make real serious progress in your writing life.
Call it mothering. Call it nurturing…especially maybe Vince and Walt might want to call it nurturing! Call it encouraging. But whatever we call it, Seekerville is a growing, energized party thrown everyday here on the webwith the goal of helping each one of you reach your God given dream of being a published author. We couldn’t do it without all of you.
On this week of Mother's Day I just want to say to you all, we love and appreciate everyone who stops by here and talks with us and gives back to the others on this site. God bless you all.
Everyone who leaves a comment gets their name in a drawing for a $25 Amazon gift card. Tell me what kind of mother-or father-or nurturer you are.
Hmm... I'm gonna have to think about this...
ReplyDeleteBut your descriptions of the Seeker gals are so spot on! I love them all - the pics are fabulous too!
I'm starting a new WIP for the whole LI pitch thing and I'm feeling out this mama to see what kind she is. I'm thinking she's like you, Mary, in a lot of ways. The horns especially make me think of her. Life's dealt her a rough hand recently and the hero's going to try to help but going to bungle it of course.
Anyway - it's bed time for this mama!
Love to all the Seeker Mamas! [And nurturers...]
[And in case anyone was wondering - after confabbing with the other contestees... no announcements have been made just yet so we're all still waiting... ;)]
I'm guess I'm a mama lizard. I'd much rather lie out in the sun and slink around the house than tackle domestic chores!
ReplyDeleteThe coffee pot's ready.
Helen
This was tooo, too, fabuuuulous!@!!
ReplyDeleteThank you Mary..Youuuu are toooo sweet. (That's my owl voice).
I'm just a sleepy mama heading off to bed.
ReplyDeleteBut before I go, I just want to say that you constantly amaze me, Mary Connealy. Such talent expressed so often in such diverse ways.
Blessings on you and all the Seeker Mamas.
Carol, I saw some Holt mentions on FB tonight so maybe you'll hear soon.
Wow, Mary, that was quite fun!
ReplyDeleteLoved all the descriptions, and the mother you picked for me.
I am a cat person.
Did you know that, or does it just show?
What a neat idea to decide what kind of mother animal our heroine's are!
ReplyDeleteNow that would be interesting...
Awww, I loved this. I'll ask my son when he comes home, what kind of mother I am he will have some kind of answer for sure. Probably something nocturnal.
ReplyDeleteAnd I do thank you all once again for being here. I think I will copy this, in color even, and keep it handy. You have changed my life!
Mary, You raise long horns?!
Mary,
ReplyDeleteHow very cool. So much thought went into this.
And Helen... too funny. How can you be lazy, your always here with the coffee.
I thought I would attack this from a scientific angle and ask my husband what animal would be the best example for me...
His first word was BADGER. Then he laughed.
I shall now consider what animal I consider the best example of my mother, nurturing nature.
I'd like to say I'm a mama bear. Cuddling my children, protecting them. teaching them to stand up for themselves. To battle for their families.
Or a majestic mama eagle my eyes always on my children. Feeding them excellent nutrition. Making them independent and strong. Molding them into young men of character.
I shall have to give it further thought.
Answer: Platypus.
ReplyDeleteWhy?
Answer: I like platypi. You kind of look like one in a weird way.
He always make me laugh, and I ran for a mirror. Don't see it myself.
I looked it up, platypuses is the plural. So I told him and felt smart for a minute.
I simultaneously laughed and thought how sweet you were in every description. That's quite the feat! Love it when people sincerely compliment each other--and when you can add belly laughs at the same time, well, so much the better.
ReplyDeleteI'm not even going to attempt to choose a mother animal for me. Right now, I'd pick some animal that eats its young or abandons them. I'm having a little bit of a hard time with the onset of terrible twos and the constant neediness and jealously of two children who are extroverts and their mama is an extreme introvert. Good thing they're cute.
Have you seen this comedian's mother routine? The screaming baby and how I reacted to it is frighteningly the same reaction I had to my very tearful first one as what this lady was stretching into hyperbole. Mary Ellen Hooper Watch it--it's funny mother stuff.
Too funny thanks for the laugh. Brought back fond memories of my second child and my oldest and I sitting on the bed with our ears coveted. Crying... Please baby stop, please baby. And on and on
DeleteHi Mary:
ReplyDeleteThis is so right on and so beautiful. You have the eye of a poet. I can look at the pictures and feel the wisdom of your choices.
I also ‘see’ a vision from a somewhat different perch. I would augment your choices with these somewhat different views:
Janet writes like a gazelle in motion. Hers is a poetry of the spirit that never needs to be spoken. A gazelle.
Ruth soars like an eagle with both a panoramic view of the entire countryside – and the acute vision to see the smallest details. An eagle.
Mary is the quintessential mama grizzly: powerful, resourceful, talented and protective. A mama Grizzly.
I think everything else is just perfect!
Very enjoyable post. Thanks.
Vince
Enjoyed reading this post, Mary! Thanks so much to all the Seekers for their encouragment. I know I have received some encouraging words from several of you and it has totally brightened my day! As for myself...all I can think of is a dog. I grew up in a family that raised collies and they are loving, loyal, and nurturing. We loved our collies. We also had a white german shepherd. He was loyal and protective. I am so grateful to be a mom and have my little "litter" in my care. It's a blessing. Happy Mother's Day a little early!
ReplyDeleteBlessings~Stacey
travelingstacey(at)bellsouth(dot)net
Mary, that was b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l. That's beautiful for those who haven't had their morning coffee yet. And, lest yuns think I'm tryin' to be a smarty-pants, for me, spelling is a 'mother thing.'
ReplyDeleteYes, because my kids were geniuses right out of my womb, I fell into spelling everything from what was on the menu for dinner to how I'd like to strangle the varmints if they didn't stop getting out of bed at bedtime (didn't matter about the thunder and lightening outside!).
Yeah, I was a tough old bird in those days. Now I'm hand feeding my finicky Pomeranian and cuddling her until she overheats, but I digress.
So my spelling used to be really good. That is, until the kids went and got all grown up on me! HA! But there's hope! 'Cause I now have a nest of babies and two year olds that come to see me and I get to spell A LOT. Like 'Do you think he can have a c-h-o-c-o-l-a-t-e after dinner, even though he didn't touch it?' 'Cause I'm a Grammy now, and that comes with special perks like that, you know.
Hugs to my Seekerville Ma's. You've brightened my day in many ways, and taught me bunches. I am forever humbled and grateful for your nurturing kindness! Like the song goes, someday I'll pass it on...
Love the pics and descriptions.
ReplyDeleteMary Cline, did you know the Platypus is nocturnal?
I am not a mother although I thought I would marry and have lots of kids, God had different ideas. I did do alot of babysitting and think I would be a Polar bear (or other bear) Would be fiercely protective of my children and defend them to the end but also know how to push them out of the den at the right time to go out and fend for themselves.
I love this post. It's so true. The Seekers have been an enormous help and inspiration to me. I am so thankful for all the mothering that goes on at this site.
ReplyDeleteHappy Monday!
Great post. I am like the cat. Quiet and busy working. Don' seek a lot of attention.
ReplyDeleteCsdsksds(at)gmail.com
I'm probably a shark mama...I'm sure my son would agree.
ReplyDeleteFun post.
Happy Monday.
Wonderful post, Mary. So spot on.
ReplyDeleteI had a run in with a mama goose and its fuzzy little family while I was with my grandbabies this week. We both hissed at each other and then herded our babies away from the other threatening party.
Love that Tina is an owl. A bit concerned that Ruthy is a possum. I run over possums.
And Melissa, they grow out of the terrible twos and the hair you pull out will grow out as well! I bet you are a Mama Lion. They don't take stuff from their young but pick them up by the scruff of the neck and put them in time-out, too.
Peace, Julie
And honestly, if you haven't seen the Susie's New Place Video from the Weekend Ed. ...go watch it now.
ReplyDeleteMary, that truly was a beautiful post. I love how you found attributes from each animal that fit each Seeker lady.
ReplyDeleteI can't decide what kind of mama I am. I think I'm part eagle, nurturing my kiddos, but also pushing them out of the nest, so to speak, to try new things. But, I'm definitely a cuddler, as well as one who disicplines when necessary. :)
AN OPOSSUM???? BEADY EYES, SHREW-NOSE, SHARP NAILS?????
ReplyDeleteAND A BIG BUTT??????
REALLY????? THAT'S THE BEST YOU COULD DO?
(ruthy slinks away, hunting for chocolate... and new friends....)
Mary,
ReplyDeleteI laughed and cried with all your fitting descriptions.
Enjoyed the pictures too.
Amazing.
That Helen, scrabble queen and lizard too. :)
At this point, I must be a Schauzer mom because I'm knee-deep in May-hem.
Had hoped to write "the end" yesterday but got too bleary-eyed. Today is the day.
Y'all have a good one.
And thanks to the nurturing fatherly men here too. So important!!
I love Vince.
ReplyDeleteI am an eagle, soaring, seeking, creative, rising and falling...
And possibly sweeping small children off to a realm where evil can never touch them.
I am a mystical, magical eagle.
SO THERE, CONNEALY! YOU BIG OL' GRIZZLY BEAR!
Now THAT I like, LOL!
These pictures are darling!
ReplyDeleteI love my daughter...I love being a mother....
Mary, your post is beautiful and poignant. You have a gift for weaving humor with heart.
ReplyDeleteGod bless all our mothers. I'm so grateful for mine. And for the privilege of mothering our kids and grandkids.
A doe, a gazelle, both fleet of foot. More often I feel like a plodder. :-)
Janet
I like to think that I'm a Mother that would do anything for her children, but at the same time I'm not afraid to admit that my children are not perfect and taught them that they have to own up when they did something wrong. I also use to tell my children, when they would have an argument/fight with friends or neighborhood kids that they need to say, "I'm sorry" to clear the air. Someone has to be the first to do it and it makes you a better person, NOT better THAN the other person, BUT a better person within themselves. Some people don't know how to say the words "I'm sorry" even when they are very wrong and I wanted my kids to know that it was important to be able to apologize.
ReplyDeletewfnren(at)aol(dot)com
Oh, Mary! How fun!! My imagination is running wild, and I'm totally cracking up at what must've come up on that blonde fox google search!! I would check it out myself but am afraid it might crash my computer. hahaha
ReplyDeleteOH MY GOSH, and now Tina is hooting while she types!!! LOLOL! You've created a monster.
ReplyDelete:) :)
Aw, Mary, this was such a sweet post. I have to agree. Seekers are very sweet, motherly types who help us, encourage us, and in Ruthy's case, force us to grow up! LOL!
ReplyDeleteThis gives me a new way of thinking about my heroines. I always seem to have a hard time coming up with new and different heroines. (Heroes are easier.) So thanks!
I think of myself more as an encourager than a nurturer. But I do love to feed people, and I'm fanatical about making sure my kids get enough sleep.
Not sure what that has to do with anything! LOL
Sorry about the oppossum, Ruthy. I knew equating you to a loathesome rodent was wrong, wrong, wrong. And yet, I kept making myself laugh.
ReplyDeleteAnd isn't that what's really important, ME?
LOL
LOL, Melissa!!!! I'm sorry you're having one of those times. Trust me...it DOES get better!! :)
ReplyDeleteLOLOL, Ruthy!!!!! Come back, please!
ReplyDelete:)
Oh, I was supposed to tell what kind of nurturer I am. Someone who likes to feed and encourage and make sure they get enough sleep ... a mama bird comes to mind. They work hard to feed their babies. However, then they kick them out of the nest and say, "Fly or die. There are only two options." Okay, that's not me. LOL! But I do sometimes think longingly of having an empty nest. Although most of the time I dread it.
ReplyDeleteMary, I love this post! What a great idea :) How well adjusted you are to label yourself a cow :D
ReplyDeleteI have noooo idea about myself. I know what I'd want to be like. Some fearless animal, not threatened by my predators, willing to stand up to them if they threaten my family.
What's an animal who looks all good on the outside - confident and poised, pays such close attention that she knows the unique nuances of her young, yet is so worried about stuffing up that all she can do is lay them in the Lord's hands every night?
AusJenny - I like your polar bear! Particularly the part about knowing how to push them out of the den :D
Mary, this is awesome! You managed to nail each personality in a witty, complimentary way. Nice job!
ReplyDeleteIt got me thinking about what kind of mom I am. With our daughter headed off to college and our son in middle school, I've gotten past the carrying, nose-wiping stage. Now I'm focused on giving them what they'll need when they venture out into the world. Some things we teach, some we have to let them learn on their own. All are important.
So my image is of a mama polar bear. Making sure they have the skills they need, but offering a warm place to come back to when they miss the mark and get a face full of icy water.
Happy Mother's Day, Seekerville!
Tina, that video is hysterical!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd now, before I cackle out loud any more, I need to go WRITE!
ReplyDeleteI have a June deadline. That's why y'all haven't seen me around much lately!
What a wonderful post this morning to all the seeker mama's, pics were fantastic, sorry Ruth was offended by the Opposum not sure I would like that either-Eagles are so much more "Loftier".
ReplyDeleteI love to open up your post and smile each time I read all the comments-Happy Mother's Day to one and all.
Paula O(kyflo130@yahoo.com)
A bit concerned that Ruthy is a possum. I run over possums.
ReplyDeletelol
Spew alert needed!
Ruthy, come back. Vince said you were an EAGLE!
ReplyDeleteI haven't a clue as to what I might be. Thoughts, anyone? :-)
ReplyDeleteNow I know I'm doing it wrong...we're doing the empty nest backwards. Our youngest son is graduating from high school and our daughter is graduating from college - but everyone is moving in with us.
ReplyDeleteI think that makes me a prairie dog mama. Colonies of little prairie dogs all around me, searching for food to feed them all, watching for hawks and ferrets...and all the time, they're busy building little satellite prairie dog colonies of their own.
And we're all enjoying every minute...
'Possums always get a bad rap. They're not rodents, they just look like over sized rats.
ReplyDeleteOr R.O.U.S.'s.
But in spite of that toothy grin, they're really not bad creatures at all. Think about how opossums nurture their little babies, carrying them around in their pouch or on their back.
Eating things most of us wouldn't touch...
Okay, let's go with the eagle.
When my son comes home from school I'm going to ask him what kind of animal he'd compare my mothering to. He'll probably say a chicken or something that eats their young and then try to convince me it was meant as a a compliment, lol.
ReplyDeleteMary's title does say "with apologies."
Mary, this was great! I think I might resemble an Old English Sheepdog. Lotsa curly, moppy hair and I'm very loyal and for the most part amiable.
ReplyDeleteWOW, Mare, what a BEAUTIFUL POST!! And, yes, I did tear up through it all because it's such a tender side of you that you cover up so well with your self-deprecating humor.
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you SO much for making me a "swan mother" -- WOW, I haven't been likened to something that nice in a long time!! :) And I was certainly an "ugly duckling" growing up, so that certainly fits ...
Hugs,
Julie
What a nice post, perfect for a Monday morning.
ReplyDeleteI'm an old mother hen when it comes to my kids. The twins will be holding my hands when they cross the street well into their twenties and my fifteen year old thinks he's old enough to drive... ha. There's no need for him to be driving a car on his own on the street with other vehicles whizzing by. Nope, not gonna happen.
Not sure...I've never been a mother. I hope I'd be a loving one. Proverbs 31! :D
ReplyDeleteSorry to be slow talking with you this morning. I keep compulsively re-reading the blog looking for ways I've horribly insulted my friends. (except for Ruthy of course!)
ReplyDeleteNow I even feel bad about that.
Not bad enough to CHANGE IT OF COURSE!!!
Only living five states away from them has saved me.
Note the absolute lack of gorilla comparisons.
Also I had a picture of Cara and a SHARK for a while, but toned that down.
You're all very welcome.
I'm not a mother, but my mom is the best mom I could ask for. She encourages me and prays for me everyday. :)
ReplyDeletemarissamehresman(at)aol(dot)com
CAROL, what contest? Tell me? I had a wild weekend, away from home and computer the whole time. I went to a place that used to be part of the Underground Railroad, before and during the Civil War.
ReplyDeleteIt really reminded me the huge part Christians played in fighting slavery. So interesting. It was honestly deeply moving.
The house itself was a fairly simple house and they kept saying, "This preacher moved his wife and six children from a two room log cabin and this was a mansion to him." And of course it's such a modest home. A mansion by their standards and build with care to hide runaway slaves.
Anyway, everyone go find an old house and snoop around in it. Get a feel for how (to bring this back to today's topic) how hard mother's used to have it.
A fireplace in August in Iowa with six hungry kids, never mind the hide out in the celler and the never ending threat of imprisonment if you're found out as a stop on the Underground Railroad.
Helen, you can call yourself a mama lizard if you want, but I believe we can all see why I CAN'T call anyone a mama lizard.
ReplyDeleteMary Curry: Holt, got it. That's the contest you're referring too.
ReplyDeleteLike I said, a rambling weekend and I'm out of the loop.
Pammy, I did NOT know you were a cat person. I'm not surprised however.
ReplyDeleteMary Cline: I do NOT raise long horns. We raise Angus. We do have two long horns in the next farm over. They've got two long horn bulls, and I pull over and just stare at them sometimes. They're young yet. The horns are long but not yet that beautiful curved shape like my picture.
ReplyDeleteTina, I like the badger. LOL A dangerous animal. Check and see if your husband is scared of you, because if he isn't, (which I doubt since he called you that--no real fear there!) then you're probably not truly a badger.
ReplyDeleteMary Cline: I love platypusses...platypi..whatever.
ReplyDeleteThey are proof that God has a sense of adventure.
Interesting!! But a hard decision
ReplyDeleteMELISSA: I will now give you the most profound advice you will ever get for dealing with a two year old.
ReplyDeleteWait a year.
VINCE: You really think Ruthy soars like an Eagle?
ReplyDeleteNext year, I swear I'll pick something better for her.
Have you ever seen a possum up close though? A truly frighting animal. Hideous jaws of gaping teeth. This is one tough little critter. And, though Ruthy's teeth are lovely and not gaping in any respect, I do see the children hanging from her back. I considered a kangaroo. But one baby in her pocket? Ruthy would SCOFF as such laziness.
Mary, I have always been curious about this. Do you and Ivan raise dairy cows or just beef cows? Because I know you've mentioned that he goes out and milks the cows in the wee hours of the morning.
ReplyDeleteSorry to change the subject.
I remember when my first child was born, right after...when I heard that first cry and the baby was being handled and checked over by the doctor...and I was laying there exhausted, shaking, so addled from all I'd been through....and this TIGRESS awakened in me.
ReplyDeleteI had this stunningly powerful instinct just ROAR to live that I would kill or die for that child.
I could imagine being the mother who beats up the six year old on the school playground who bullied my five year old.
I could see myself with my sharp claws standing between my child and the world.
Of course I failed at that. And my children had to grow up and face hard things and pain...from scraped knees to 'best friends' who stopped being friendly to jerk boyfriends.
But then that's necessary. Having a mama fighting all their battles for them wouldn't let them grow as they needed to.
Still, I can growl with the best of the fierce mamas.
Melanie, we USED to milk cows. We got out of the dairy business and now raise only beef cows.
ReplyDeleteFor the first 27 years of our marriage I was a stay at home mom and Ivan milked cows.
That is one crazy hard way to make a living, let me tell you!!!!!!!!!
i just LOVE this post. i relate to Mary the most (both as cow or bear momma)- but since DH and I are scuba divers, i would think it apt for me to go with an aquatic momma. i am by no means sleek, so that leaves dolphins out of the picture. the next best i guess for myself would be a sea otter.
ReplyDeletebtw, my little one is 2 1/2 and i think i'm THAT mother who cannot control her little boy. i tried taking him to the Animation Showcase at the University (i wanted to see some of my students' other works) and he ummm... ran a bit amuck. he'd behave for about three minutes before wanting to run down to the front and explore the big screen. i spent most of the evening either holding him in a bear hug or running after him when i put him down to give my arms a rest.
so apologies to all out there... i'm the mother running after the gleefully squealing ankle-biter who is enthusiastically exploring his world (while ignoring momma's 'get back here!' half yell-half whisper) *heavy sigh* (sea otter mommies hold on to their pups almost constantly - grooming and teaching them...)
p.s. Mary, I know the possum comparison for Ruthy was meant as a compliment y'know, with the carrying the youngin's and such. you DID apologize before hand...
travelingstacey: I thought of a dog, but that could just go so, so, so wrong.
ReplyDeleteI am not a biological mother is what I tell people. I had a group of children that I cared for from the time they were 6 weeks old till kindergarten and I am still in their lives. They are my human children. Then there is my feline children one of which is laying on keybord as I try and typr
ReplyDeleteLyndee: we're doing the MAJOR spelling thing with my 3 yo granddaughter. That kid is WILY.
ReplyDeleteausjenny, I love the image of hugs, and pushing them out when it's time. Mothers need to do both for a fact.
ReplyDeleteANNIE RAINS: Annie, for all the help and encouragement you've received from the Seekers, we've received just that much back from all of you. We really are a village, don't you think? A community? We have so much fun over here in Seekerville.
ReplyDeleteWow, a shark mama for rose. We're gonna need a bigger blog.
ReplyDelete(That is a classic shark joke for you non-Jaws fans out there)
Julia Hilton Steele: A mama goose is a fierce creature. Ounce for ounce there is NOT animal on earth more viscious than a mama chicken. I am not kidding. They just attack anything that threatens their child.
ReplyDeleteA mama pig is only worse because it's bigger. That is one deadly killer of an animal. Trust me, I grew up with pigs and chickens and they are NOT kidding around when something bothers their babies.
Jeanne, I picture you, mama eagle, pushing your young ones out of the next. And then noticing that the next is one hundred feet up in a tree. Oops. LOL
ReplyDeleteHow do you suppose a mama bird ever works up the nerve to do that the first time.
Ruthy: My brother once shot a possum...seriously...right in front of my eyes.
ReplyDeletethere it lay. Dead. On our front lawn.
I was WATCHING IT WHEN IT CAME BACK TO LIFE.
You know how they say, "PLAYING POSSUM?"
Those possum (possums? Possi? Opposummis?...moving on) aren't PLAYING possum, the FAINT. For real. They get scared and the keel over in a dead faint. Then they come to and run off. It's WEIRD.
Oh...ahem....not that you're weird or nothing, that is just an unfortunately possum attribute that has NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS POST.
(Thank you, Dear Lord God in Heaven for the five states separating us, today!)
Actually KC, considering how much you care for your dog, you make (in all but the most technical biological sense) be a schnauzer mom.
ReplyDeleteI already made myself a COW, Ruthy? You think a GRIZZLY BEAR IS A STEP DOWN????????
ReplyDeleteI think not!!!!
WENDY: I remember this with my kids, about apologies. I'd say, "Go tell her your sorry. And I don't just want the words to come out of your mouth, I want you to really BE sorry. Because you SHOULD be sorry."
ReplyDeleteBLONDE FOX, I nearly got my internet shut down for that one, Missy. How odd that of all the things I googled only YOURS caused XXX websites to offer themselves up to me.
ReplyDeleteHELEN W: Well, honestly I had no trouble naming myself a cow. It's OTHER people you can't call a cow. No matter how lovely a mother a cow is.
ReplyDeleteLast night it was this light misty rain and my husband goes out every evening to check the cattle and I went with him in this vehicle called a Kubota, which is a four wheeler only with bench seats instead of the kind of seat you straddle...a regular 4-wheeler has straddle seats.
And our Kubota has a roof. So we drove out amongs the cows, with the rain lightly misting down on the roof. There's a windshield but no doors so we got chilly and we didn't stay out long, but it was nice. And mama cows are lovely animals. When they try to kill my husband when he checks (they're especially fierce with their newborns and we're done calving for the year so no more babies and no more live and death incidents)...as I was saying, when they try to kill my husband well...I can't say we LIKE it, but we understand and respect it. He likes a good mother with good protecting instincts. I tell him, "If a strange man came at one of my babies I'd try and kill him too."
To which my husband responds, "I've been feeding their big lugs for their whole lives, where's the gratitude, huh?"
MIA ROSS: I've got this theory about parenting.
ReplyDeleteNo matter whether you spank their backsides or let them run wild, spoil them or crack down hard every minute......
Bottom line.....
Your kids are just watching you and imitating you.
Just be the best human being you know how to be because your kids are going to grow up to be just like you.
I know there are exceptions but wow are their a lot of kids who don't fall far from the tree.
I don't think an eagle is quite right. An eagle spends too much time soaring above it all.
ReplyDeleteRuthy is right here with us. Working.
A beaver perhaps?
What animal works hard?
Why must my mind always go to small furry creatures, Ruthy is in no (significant) way furry.
Jan, seriously, here's some advice. Sell your home and move into a one bedroom apartment QUICK.
ReplyDeleteDonna, if your son says chicken, take it as an extreme compliment. they are AMAZING mothers.
ReplyDeleteNot that your son would know that.
Erica, I know your kids just enough to know you're a great mother.
ReplyDeleteAnd if we're going to start naming our animal-mothering style by what we RESEMBLE....physically.....then this blog could get out of control FAST.
Julie Lessman: I do have a tender, loving, gentle side.
ReplyDeleteAND I'LL SLAP ANYONE WHO SAYS I DON'T!!!!!!!!
JAMIE, Good luck keeping your 15 yo from driving, sweetie. That's like trying to stop water from flowing downhill.
ReplyDeleteHi Marissa: that brief statement about your mom is as sweet as anything you could have said. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteDebH, let that little boy run, burn off that energy.
ReplyDeleteProbably in a park rather than a theater though. All efforts at cultural enrichment are probably wasted on him and exhausting for you at this point.
regencygirl01: we all have many opportunities in life to nurture. Seekerville is a great example of that.
ReplyDeleteAwwww, how sweet, Mary!
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm a cheetah??? Who'd have thunk?
Um, did you see the thing on the news about the woman getting ATTACKED by a supposedly tame cheetah???
I guess that means you shouldn't take quiet ol' Myra-kins for granted. ;>D
I'd like to add here that my brother is a terrible shot. He missed the oppossum completely but did scare it into a faint.
ReplyDeleteYes, heed Myra's warning and BE AFRAID!!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Mary---so clever to use the animal comparisons (btw, there was a "Ruthy" on my deck late last night...looking for leftover cat food *sigh*). ~ You were SO right about precious Debby G. being an amazing prayer warrior. I am convinced that Debby's prayers are what helped me get through my 4 spinal surgeries in 2010! ~ I guess I'd be like a mother hen, wanting to keep my chicks around me and NOT liking the empty nest. ~ Blessings, Patti Jo p.s. Mary, just finished reading IN TOO DEEP and loved it!!! Now I'm keeping it on my desk so I can gaze at Ethan on the cover *wink*.
ReplyDeleteTINA PINSON: My first baby cried ALL THE TIME. It was madness.
ReplyDeleteShe cried 24/7 from the time she was born until she was six weeks old. I'm not kidding. I could only quiet her down by nursing her, and that went on all the time, night and day.
Then, after six weeks, she began to SLOWLY taper off until about six months when she finally came out of it and started sleeping...mostly.
Those were some long, long months.
CatMom, whether we fear the empty nest or long for it or both depending on the day, the important thing is to cherish them while they're here because you'll never regret recognizing that it's a precious time that passes all too soon, regardless of fussy infants or defiant 2 year olds or belligerant teens.
ReplyDeleteHi Mary:
ReplyDeleteI think I missed the point last night! I was looking at the animal photos as writers and not as mothers. I think many of the photos work that way, too. Tina as an owl: perfect!
Maybe I was too serious for the spirit of the post. But I think it was midnight! : )
Excuse: I’ve been trying to rewrite my WIP in deep POV and I’m having the hardest time determining when it is the narrator talking and when it is the POV character feeling, believing, knowing or thinking. You don’t use italics or quotation marks except very rarely. The narrator is so hidden it’s hard for the author see him/her.
Ruth flies high in her overview of human nature. Just look at her themes. Overcoming addiction, loss, death and dying, self-sacrifice and forgiveness, tragedies ripped from the headlines, loving Mr. Wrong, and yet Ruth also sees the smallest details which make the motivation so much more believable. The wider the panoramic view the more need there is for exacting detail in the shadows. (This is what made Ansell Adams so great – but you have to do it in the darkroom.)
Mary, now with you, it can’t be a cow! You have to be much more creative than a cow! A bear fishes, climbs trees, hunts, picks berries, and can even perform in circuses. A writing bear can work any genre. Bears also are great mothers and anyone who sees them at play knows they also have a great sense of humor. No, it’s a grizzly!
BTW: I see Missy as a beautiful golden sheep dog keeping the flock safe while providing love and guidance.
I’m working. I have ten continuing education courses that I have to revise, make new tests for, and get off to the real estate commission. This is over 300 pages of edits. I must say, it’s more fun writing these posts! Geerrrrr.
Vince
Actually Carol wasn't waiting on the Holt but Fool for Love. Since the same VA RWA chapter does both I thought the Holt News would help.
ReplyDeleteFunny that auto-correct keeps typing holy.
All you ladies are definitely the types of mothers I want to have guiding me through this writing life.
ReplyDeleteSeekerville is my go to place for knowledge and support. I'm grateful you ladies have such passion about God and your writing to share with others who are so utterly clueless, like myself.
I have to say, I don't know where I would be without Seekerville and am so blessed to always have somewhere to go for food, fun and knowledge.
Thank you Seekerville mamas!
Love, Love, LOVE this post. You are soooo clever, Mary. And your great big heart shines through, too. I chuckled at some of the animals chosen but sighed when I read the descriptions. Great job!
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of mother am I? When our daughter was young and under my care, I was a lioness mom, always on the lookout for danger and willing to fight off anyone who "threatened" her. I'm sure my protectiveness drove our girlie nuts at times. Now that she's grown and living on her own, I've been able to relinquish control, entrust her to the Lord, and watch with joy the remarkable young woman she's become.
Mary, so fun!!! Loved the pics and your comments.
ReplyDeleteSending hugs to sweet Patty Jo! :)
Going with the Mother's Day theme...9 new goslings were born yesterday. So fun to see them. Two other families had 2 babies each.
Tina,
ReplyDeleteMy eldest daughter realized she had go gluten-free during the first year-plus of her babies' lives. She nursed her children, and they had terrible acid-reflux if she consumed any wheat at all. Her first-born cried non-stop until my daughter finally hit on the problem. After a lot of prayer, of course. Whenever I hear of crying newborns, I tell the mom to consider gluten as the trouble maker.
Hugs!
Mary, I wouldn't have thought you were lying when you said your brother shot the opossum and it came back alive.
ReplyDeleteWe shoot Opossum, and we shoot them REPEATEDLY and then we DROWN them!!! They can take over 10 bullets and still disappear in the morning. That's why we drown them now too. They're like the grinch - tiny hearts or tiny brain targets or something.
So maybe Ruthy, she's saying you're invincible????
VINCE: Thanks for saying I can't be a cow. I will cling to your words.
ReplyDeleteMary - thanks for making me laugh today :D. Much needed. Besides an orthodontist appointment for my EIGHT YEAR OLD [not sure what's going to need doing until he gets a better xray but it sure sounds expensive] today was the "Homecoming Celebration" for a friend - I didn't get to go but know she's in a much better place even as my heart aches for her hubby/young kids.
ReplyDeleteStill haven't quite figured out what kind of parent I am... I like dolphins though...
Or a grizzly.
That sounds good.
Two contests were supposed to announce on Saturday - Duel on the Delta and Fool for Love. As far as I know [I know others entered in both, including Melissa J.] they haven't made any announcements yet...
Mary, this is brilliant! Perfect in anticipation of Mother's Day. I tend to define people by dog breeds, so I totally 'get' this.
ReplyDeleteI'd be a shetland sheepdog -- fiercely loyal, they are homebodies who love their families and aren't above herding them into a corner to keep them in line. :-)
Mary Curry - looks like they were all announced at their conference this weekend with finalists being notified by the coordinator on or about yesterday [today would still qualify as about I guess... ;)]. Either it hasn't been done yet or no one I know finaled :D.
ReplyDeleteI'm a Missy hugger, but if I were choosing, it would be an otter because everyone "otter" have fun and gliding through the water on the way to another adventure. Once my husband and I were given a word picture. We are going across an ice skating pond. My husband's journey would be getting across. My journey was the people I would meet and talk to along the way. My husband's response, "I can't skate."
ReplyDeleteAh, I love this post so much!!
ReplyDeleteMary you did such a good job giving your fellow Seekers animal characteristics.
LOL, I do not mean that like it sounds. ;-)
I'm not sure what kind of animal I would be. Hmmm...
But I had to giggle and bite back a laugh at Ruth's opossum. But hey, if it works, accept it. ;-)
I would be a Great Pyrenees who stands guard over her children, chasing away anything that would make them take the wrong path and get hurt. Now that my babies are adults I can only protect them through prayer, that their own FREEWILL will not cause them to be hurt. I am the mother that prays at night to forgive me that I wasn't patient or loving enough to my adult children. I am also the mother that wakes up, who often forgets that prayer and refuses to accept that they can't do better or try harder! Sometimes it's harder being a mother to big kids than when they were little!
ReplyDeleteI have had giggly tears all through this. We are all so lucky. We can pray for our kids from before birth, even before conception, and long after they leave the nest. I'm glad I can be a people mom. Even if I do resemble a platypus, (Still don't see it), but I did mention it again just to see Joe grin, (Yes an expensive grin Carol Moncado but so worth it). I'm going to miss him so much.
ReplyDeletethanks for the advice Mary. letting my little guy run amuck in the park sounds better. i don't know what i was thinking... perhaps since he likes cartoons he'd enjoy the animation? *sigh*
ReplyDeletenow if i could just get him to stop with the selective hearing thing... is that an automatic "male" trait?
i'm all ears Vince (or Walt)
I love all of you who have literally leapt to me defense.
ReplyDeleteOr leaped.
Jumped????
We'll go with that.
I've been staring at my nose all day. Is it really that long? Big? Pointed? Are my teeth THAT PROMINENT????? Actually they're more rabbit-like, think Bugs Bunny teeth, and I could have embraced being the Mama Bunny from Runaway Bunny. I just love her so much...
Opossum.
They eat my cat food. They DO play dead. Or faint. And they're ugly with sharp, nasty teeth and did I mention ugly????
My vanity is shattered.
Gone.
Demised.
But I brought chocolate because I love the lot o' youse!!!!
Five states, Mary????
I can drive that in a day, honey.
LOL. I'd change it to a warm and cuddly fuzzy bunny for you, Ruthy. Except then the comments would all make NO SENSE! We don't want that, now do we?
ReplyDeleteAnd remember, I made myself a cow!!!!!
Talking about kids and moms is always fun.
ReplyDeleteWe nurture our books with the same creativity and passion that we give to raising children...not the same level. Not the mother love in our hearts.
But the first time an editor tells us our 'baby' is ugly, that's a pretty hard blow to our 'mother's' heart.
Can an oppossum leap?
ReplyDeleteReally now.
Anonymous and sticking to it.
I think they leap. Or at least jump.
ReplyDeleteRuthy as the mother rabbit in The Runaway Bunny? Totally. That's even better than Vince's eagle!
Love all the cute pictures!
ReplyDeleteI'm not a mom, so I can't say. But I'm a quite thoughtful type and hopefully whatever good traits I have will translate into a good mom when I get older. :D
Ruthy, if possums were as cute as you everyone would have one.
ReplyDeleteDo you mind passing some of the chocolate this way? :)
LOL Mary...maybe I shouldn't have picked a dog : ). I loved the advice about the two year old. So what do I do with my 3 yr old son who is now stronger and faster than when he was 2? : )
ReplyDeleteLove the animals you chose for each lady. You really have to know someone well to make the right choice.
ReplyDeleteI would be a chameleon. I am shy so I like to blend in and not be noticed. I like to listen more than speak. lol
misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com
Helen W you could be one of the Aussie animals (not a Koala unless you want to sleep 20 hours a day).
ReplyDeleteMaybe a Kangaroo or Wallaby they look after the young but let them out to try things and always have a home for there children.
Ruthy I did a project on the opossum cos they are just so cute. Here In Australia there are places people will go to watch possums at night cos they are so cute. There is a place where they live in a town near here and when I stay with my friends there we would go and look at them and leave apple for them. I got some cute photos. While some may cause problems they are still really cute.
(I have to say some of those other animals scare me, Have you ever been attacked my swans, not pretty!)
Awwww, love this early prelude to Mother’s Day! I think your animal surmises are pretty spot-on! Even the opossum was cute, and I have seen plenty opossums!
ReplyDeleteMothers are the bestest, most wonderful blessing from the Lord. I love my mommy (I’m 25 and still call her “mommy”) so much. She’s so courageous, and encouraging, and loving.
All you mothers are awesome. : )
road_to_avonlea_17(at)yahoo(dot)com
Whitney
Creative! Another great blog..
ReplyDeleteThanks Mary... and Seekerville!
Happy Mother's day to all in advance!
Ganise (NOT a mother...yet. But has the best Mama in the world :)
Yes blessings to all the wonderful mommy's.
ReplyDeleteI was the perfect mother, a clean child, a quiet child. Everyone would comment on how wonderful he was and what great job I was doing. I was on constant high beam. Except maybe when I was sleeping or over tired, but my first born, would let me rest.
I was patting myself on the back for all my wisdom and would readily share with anyone who wanted to know my secret.
then along came my Colicky baby...
I felt like mine cried for years.
But beyond that, child 2 was a quiet child, a quiet stubborn child. Who if he left your sight for too long, you began to worry. Who started taking things apart at an early age to see how they worked. And many other things.
As I said earlier... I asked hubby what animal he would choose to depict the kind of mother I am and didn't much like it...
Today I asked my son, the one with whom I was pert near perfect... And he said, A grizzly bear. I can live with that.
I thoroughly enjoyed this post and the pictures. I married later in life so my husband & I have no children. But I did help raise my brother's three children.
ReplyDeleteSmiles & Blessings,
Cindy W.
countrybear52[at]yahoo[dot]com
Jenny - sleeping 20hrs a day sounds pretty good at the moment... ;)
ReplyDeleteI agree AusJenny, swans are SCARY. They are SOOOO massive and when they come flying at you for food it's really really hard not to cower in fear. The one at our zoo is really demanding and that bird has got to be like 50 pounds. Interesting to watch them swim, they thrust their powerful chest forward instead of really kicking and well, I don't ever want to make one angry.
ReplyDeletetravelingstacey, here is the dirty little secret of the Terrible Twos.
ReplyDeleteBrace yourself.
They start when your child turns 18 months and last until they're about five.
A badly named childhood phase if ever there was one.
Good luck.
Okay! the swan sounds more like Ruthy all the time. Right up to and including the 'eighing 50 pounds.'
ReplyDeleteFun post, Mary! Even funner ... uh, more fun ... to read the reactions and what kind of animals some of these moms identify with.
ReplyDeleteI haven't a clue what kind of animal mom I would be. I would ask my grown son but, well, I'm just not sure I could handle the truth.
That's it! An ostrich!
Nancy C
Carol. I too like the sound of sleeping 20 hours only they are now on the endangered list.
ReplyDeleteMelissa, I am with you on swans. When I was in Perth with a friend there is a lake with black swans (I love the black ones) but there were lots of them and my friend had the food they mobbed her and they were fierce she got several nips at this stage her friend and I threw out food and high tailed it back to the car in fear.
Mary I could see Ruthy as a swan going at you.
Uh oh. I googled mother rabbits and Google offered me
ReplyDeleteNother Rabbits Eat Their Young
That's not Ruthy.
And if I'd known swans were killers, I'd have picked something nicer for Julie. Oops.
Guess they're easy prey if they sleep 20 hours a day ;).
ReplyDeleteI did see a pic on facebook today - a Koala and it said this:
What do you mean I'm not a bear?
I have all the Koalafications.
:)
Well, since I'm only nineteen, I am not a mother. But I know what kind I want to be, so one day, we'll see. Loved all the pictures of the animals:) This was a very sweet post.
ReplyDeleteAnd who wouldn't love an Amazon gift card??
Clp1777(at)aol(dot)com
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAnd I always love reading the comments between Ruthy and Mary--hilarious! Seriously, an opossum?? Haha! (and who decided that word should have an "O" 'cause that makes absolutely no sense :D
ReplyDeleteMary, you truly have the heart of a poet and the imagination of a very whimsical creature. Put the two together and you get not only a wonderful author and fiercely protective mother, but a one-of-a-kind friend, too.
ReplyDeleteHappy Mother's Day. No one else can wear long horns as good as you!
Carol, The reason they are endangered is cos of Man we are taking away there habitat. there is also the issue that some have health issues.
ReplyDeleteMary not all swans are bad. the ones on the river in Adelaide are really friendly.
I can't believe no one else is mentioning Melissa's graphic and extreme murders of possums. It sounds like a Hitchcock movie. "We shot them five hundred times, then drowned them for good measure." Yikes.
ReplyDeleteMary, thanks for clearing up the dairy cow/milking/beef cow thing. :-)
I am so giggling over Ruthy being an oppossum! They're such cute creatures and let their young just crawl all over them.
ReplyDeleteYep, that's Ruth in a nutshell, only it's usually puppies crawling over her, LOL!
The nurturing never stops : )
I don't have the nerve to google blonde fox...
ReplyDeleteCAROL MONCADO...BEST KOALA JOKE EVER!!!!
ReplyDeleteAND
I know a koala joke. the joke is long but the punch line is:
"The koala-tea of Merci was not strained."
Make up your own joke.
CASTLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteTell me this is NOT the season finale? i think I heard that. I am devastated!
ausjenny, I believe you about the friendly swans, but if I approach on and it kills me, I vow that my tombstone will read:
ReplyDeleteAusjenny said I would be fine...
Courtney, I agree with you on the O in opposum. Do we still say, I thank thee very much?
ReplyDeleteNO, language had changed, thee became you.
and oppossum became possum.
YAY!!! Audra is still speaking to me.
ReplyDeleteI worried.
Melanie I'm sure Melissa was exaggerating. i'm sure they shot that oppossum only a few dozen times.
ReplyDeleteAnd oppossums need to stay in the woods if they want to live.
They come in and try to steal your dog's food, they take their chances.
Remember, if animals want to have rights, then they must take seriously their responsibilities.
NO GOOD CAN EVER COME OF GOOGLING 'BLONDE FOX'
ReplyDeletemY GOOGLING of bunnies went oh so quickly to a dark place, too.
ReplyDeleteGoogle and Hugh Hefner should be ashamed.
Mary Always wanted to be in an epitaph.
ReplyDeleteIn this case I think just approach the ones in on the banks of the Torrens in Adelaide.
Of course I"m still speaking to you, dear. I love being a horse...
ReplyDeleteAs I saw all the really good animals like doves, swans and sharks being taken, I began to worry I was going to be a chimpanze or badger or something.Or even worse...
A POSSUM!!! Oh man, I'm still giggling over that one : )
Well I'm not a mom but I want to be one someday! And I do so much babysitting it's almost as if I did have kids! Anyway I think I'd be kinda like a momma cat-and it doesn't hurt that I love cats!
ReplyDeleteWell, maybe not exactly ten. I don't always count....
ReplyDeletehahahahahahaha
ReplyDeleteOpossum and chicken coops don't mix.
I did save a baby opossum once, for what reason I don't know considering I knew I'd kill it if I saw it again when it was an adult, but it was just too cute.
Hopefully it went to eat dog food at some kind-hearted city person's home.
I'm really not a monster....
ReplyDeleteSo much thought has gone into this, Mary! I really feel I know all of you much better now, thanks to these awesome comparisons.
ReplyDeleteI'm a dog person from waaaaay back! Not only have I lived with many of them, I think I'm probably more like one than any other animal when it comes to nurturing and nudging my litter. Setting examples, defending against dangers and making a lot of noise if any of us is being threatened by danger... all that kind of thing.
Great post!
I read the blog here pretty regular but don't often comment. After reading this post, I was compelled to though. I think Mary's written a delightful tribute to mom's and using the animals for comparison is quite a novel idea :)
ReplyDeleteI am a mom of four mostly adult children. I have no idea what kind of animal could be equated with my mothering style. I'm not a "gentle" mom, but I can be when I need to be. My kids are all pretty demanding/temperamental ( they get that from their dad ;) ), and I find that I end up giving a lot more spiritual direction now than I thought I would, which means they still are keeping me on my knees! And this old woman has some creaky joints that could use a break :)
I'm the over-protective kind. I am fully aware of this.
ReplyDeletemarypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Mary, what a great article...really shows your love for these gals!!! Sorry I am late...rain here makes for internet problems! Thanks, Mary.
ReplyDeleteLoved this, Mary. You captured the Seeker ladies. =] Hugs and thanks to all of you.
ReplyDeleteMary~ I loved this post. I cried and I laughed. My biggest belly laugh was this... "you would not BELIEVE the pictures Google images gave me for blonde fox!"
ReplyDeleteLike Audra I have no desire to Google it, but my imagination is good. I laughed out loud, and then giggled some more when I thought of how NOT like Missy those pictures would be, but how much your description rang true.
I don't know what kind of animal describes my mothering style. I want to teach my little girl all she can absorb, and then I want to set back and let her use it all as best she can. There's a great grandma in our family who always thinks I'm trying to teach too much too soon. But I figure if she gets it, it's not to soon.
Like Ruthy, I love the mama in Runaway Bunny (one of our favorite books). No matter where my Erika runs, I hope she always knows that her mommy will be there.
My mom was a Mama Bear. We had a saying in our family, concerning outsiders..."Don't make the mama mad!" A few people, teachers and other moms, made that mistake and lived to regret it.
That saying went for us too. We all learned the hard way, like that mama bear, she wasn't scared to box our ears if we needed it.
andeemarie95 at gmail dot com
I guess I would have to be either like Sandra or Janet! I am quiet and very protective of my child!!
ReplyDeleteI think I'd be a koala. My baby is so clingy sometimes that I'd put her in my pouch if I had one. But like a koala I feel like hanging onto that tree of life, trying (although I feel many times unsuccessfully) to keep my eye on Him--all the while my baby clings on and depends on me.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness....LOL I love this!!!
ReplyDeleteI will proudly take the monkey mantle. While monkeys are nurturing in the infancy stages of their children's lives, they have a tendency to push those kids to become and do more than they want to. They teach by example and hold high expectations while remaining supportive and sympathetic. So, I'm a monkey I guess! LOL
ReplyDeleteI just found this blog and have to say that I love it! I can't believe I haven't seen it before. Well, I'm glad I'm here now!
Of course they are all darling pictures. Thank you for putting them here Mary!!!
ReplyDeleteJan