Confession

I'm a snob.  Well, a grammar snob at least.  Call me a rule follower, but I prefer to use words the way they were intended.  Yes, I'm one of those moms.  I correct my children when they say "Can I have some water please?" I usually say "Yes, you MAY have water."

I'm not sure why folks forget that there are two "r's" in the word "library."  I cringe when I hear teenagers say "fo sho" (that's "for sure" if you aren't hip to the lingo).  It's even more bothersome when I hear 9 year old kids saying it.  They might as well be pulling their fingernails across a chalkboard.  It's almost as frustrating as the boys that insist on wearing their pants below their bottoms and showing off their boxers.  But that's a whole other post.

I don't know when the word "supposedly" was replaced with "supposably" (not an actual word by the way).  At some point it became acceptable to use text speak in an email.  FYI: If I have to break out my teeenage text decoder book just to read your email, I'm probably going to delete it.  It also became acceptable at some point to use the incomplete sentence for dramatic effect.  I know I have done it before, but I know folks that do it.  All.  The.  Time.  I don't use it often.  Only when. Absolutely. Necessary.  :)

There: the opposite of here.  "Please put your shoes over there."
Their: the possessive pronoun form. "Their shoes were all wet after walking in the rain."
They're: Can be used synonymously with "They are." If "they are" does not work in your sentence, "they're" is not the proper word.  "They're going to the store after the movie."
My second grader knows the difference between these words.  There's no excuse for adults.

This morning I was taking Reagan to school and a Suburban pulled out in front of me with writing on the back window.  It said "Go VIPers." Now, granted, I did not get to finish my coffee so I was operating at half caff.  I went into an entire discussion (in my head of course) as to how ridiculous it is to have a football team named the VIP'ers.  Eventually I did realize that she meant "Vipers" but somehow she must have figured that standard rules of capitalization did not apply to car windows.

I saw a t-shirt at the store the other day that said, "Don't worry, I'm just correcting your grammar in my head while you speak."  I may have to purchase it for myself.

just....

I'm just sitting here and trying to sort out my thoughts.
I'm listening to my precious girls playing restaurant and giggling while they make french fry pizza.  Some days I want to pack everything up and move to a remote location where the world can't influence their innocence.  I don't ever want them to know that there are bad things that happen in the world.  I'm tired of hearing people swear in public.  I'm tired of averting my children's eyes because someone is dressed inappropriately.  I'm annoyed by the people that insist on being negative....all the time.  I can't believe the commercials that play on children's channels.  It almost feels like a losing battle.

At the grocery store two days ago there was a lady in front of me that used to work there.  The cashier asked where she was working now and she said, "I stay home now."  His response was, "Oh, so you're just a mom now?" Just a mom.  Just one of the most important jobs in the world.  Just shaping the future generation of leaders.  Just protecting our children from others.  Just teaching them right from wrong.  Just sharing the love of Christ with them so they can know His grace too.  Just teaching them to pray.  Just trying to balance life with love.  Just shepherding our children's hearts.  Just teaching...by example.  I could go on and on.

The truth is, it can be overwhelming.  I can't put my girls in a bubble.  They will know hurt and sadness.  That's why it's even more important for us to teach them about our eternal hope (and why we obey our parents, and how to speak with kindness, and how to be thankful).

It's not easy, but not impossible.  I'm just sayin.