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Cookie Cutter Parenting

When I first became a parent I was looking to be exactly like other Catholic parents, whatever that was.  I immunized Beau and Maria.  I put them in pre-school because they would never get into Harvard if I didn't.  I bought the "Happy Meals" because that was what all the other moms did.  I dressed them like all the other kids.  We celebrated Santa and then God.  Why oh why was I so unhappy?  I had everything I wanted, so I thought.

One day I turned and saw a disaster following me.  A Catholic School run by feminists of the worst kind.  Caring more about academics and fundraising than the souls of these little people.  We were raising them to put God on the back burner.  

God knew exactly what to do.  I became pregnant with Ireland.  I had secondary infertility.  I was very busy when I became pregnant.  I was working part-time for the Catholic Pre-School, working part-time as a Waitress at a place that had Country Music Shows.  I was also helping my brother start his second Fitness Gym.  Full-time Mom and wife, everywhere and no where.  Sitting in the Gym one day, this woman walked in.  She was eight months pregnant with her third child and very angry about it.  She was telling my brother she was signing up and HE was going to get her in shape like she was pre-pregnancy.  I remember looking at her and wishing I was her...pregnant.  Wait!  That evening on my way home I stopped and bought a pregnancy test.  I was pregnant!  I found out I was three months pregnant.  That changed my whole world.  I stopped part-time work and was home bound.  I had Ireland and by the grace and miracle from God became pregnant with Trinity four months later.  

Beau and Maria then started to be abused by the teachers.  That was the nail in the coffin for the Catholic school they attended.  I was now unable to substitute teach or volunteer for the many things I used to do for the school.  Then Beau was constantly punished, even when we had asked them to let us know why, they didn't.  Maria's teacher told her that she was "neglected".  She in turn told me, she was "neglected".  Beau had a reading challenge that they punished and did not help.  They were feminist liberal teachers that were NOT pro-life.  They were against our family becoming bigger.  I had my boy and girl...why want more?

My husband BJ and I were crazy in love.  We let the other person dream and supported each other.  I really was surprised when I told him that I wanted to try and Homeschool Beau and Maria.  At first he couldn't even grasp this concept.  Trinity was six months and Ireland 19 months.  How was I going to do this?  But we did and we never looked back.  That was the first step away from the cookie cutter life.  

Our priorities changed completely.  We changed to a different Catholic Church.  We threw Santa out and took up new family traditions that started with God and then family.  I jumped in and became baptized fully in our faith.  Looly is another chance to parent differently.  By the time she came into our family, we were fully engulfed in what God wanted for us and how to serve him.  Looly is the icing on the cake!  Looly having Down Syndrome isn't just an extra chromosome.  It gave her a special attachment to all that is holy.  She prays and loves religious art.  She is three, this was part of the extra chromosome...a little extra, right? ;)

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