Challenge 49

This challenge is brought to us by Ali...

"Describe what you have LOVED and also NOT so much loved about parenting, or, if you'd rather, tell us what you loved and also NOT so much loved about your job/career, work, or professional life?
Have fun thinking on this topic and remember to use examples if you can!
Thanks for accepting the challenge!" ~ Ali

Her journaling:

I have been a mommy for a long time now… for 15 years it has been my MAIN job. I can’t say I’ve loved EVERY moment… OH MY… but loved most of them! This got me thinking about what I’ve loved and maybe not-loved-so-much about my main job. ~Journaling: January 2009
I have loved~ laughing when one of you told me you wanted a “choking cherry jelly jam sandwich”… seeing amazing report cards… hearing that you are polite and thoughtful at school… seeing you light up when you see your friends… feeling proud that you can “see” both sides of a story… noticing your compassion developing…painting a bedroom purple… hearing a 15 year old laughing with an 8 year old… seeing you ride…seeing you buckle down and study…noticing that you love animals…making up words like “besaur” that have become part of our family’s culture…finding a meal that we all LOVE… scrapbooking with you… scrapbooking ABOUT you… reading to you… enjoying a campfire with you… hearing you speak another language… being able to speak BACK to you in the second language… partnering with your Daddy in all things related to you four… occasions when you had sleepovers here or elsewhere…seeing that you have such nice friends… being able to get your opinion on things… taking you all for drives in the Valley…being able to work my nursing shifts around you all… seeing you draw… seeing you create… making homemade “squishy” play-dough…taking you all to PEI in the “car house”… singing to you… seeing you play in the kiddie pool in the backyard… routines that work… watching Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang with you… having an evening Chiminea … no-school stormy days… goodnight kisses… talking about makeup… hearing you say “I wuf you…” rotating the toys… colouring with you… trips to the Zoo… feeling like a good Mom…
I haven’t loved~ whining (yours OR mine)…chore lists… feeling like a “broken record”… VERY messy rooms… stomach flu… seeing you sad… seeing you afraid…hearing a LOT of complaints about meals…receiving a diagnosis of ASD… fighting FOR you (but I’ll do it, never fear)… the 24/7 nature of parenting… always worrying… always trying to protect you even though I know I shouldn’t … too much video-game time… having to “police” TV show choices…dealing with out of control kids at a party at Roo’s (not our kids!)… reminding, reminding, reminding then nagging…setting a lot of limits… making lunches… unpacking lunches… wondering “why?”… the “grumpies”… 9 million stuffed toys…being away from you for even one night… watching the same movies over and over… seeing you cover your ears because noises hurt… putting away the laundry… seeing you and Oakley fall… waiting for CT scan results… arguments… shopping… watching the clock…stepping on Lego…picking up Lego… trying to trim your bangs… the mystery of the “changing” car-radio station… hearing “bad words”… the disappearing chocolate chips… the grocery bill… snowsuits and winter boots… lost mittens… lights left on… … messy back seats in the car… our PEI vacation with you being too “short…” … you saying “ But I didn’t hear you!” … yelling … forgetting details of a note I’ve jotted down to “journal about later…” …you crying when we passed by the Zoo sign…
feeling bad about time going by too fast…