I Want To Live In Mr. Rogers Neighborhood

My Hood.

So, why you ask?  Why do you want to live in Mister Rogers Neighborhood when you live in such an awesome neighborhood already?  Well, if you have a little time, grab a cuppa, come spend a wee bit of time with me and I'll tell ya.  Welcome!
  
You probably already know Kathy from her, pretty much famous writers workshop.  She also has a blog AND she does videos over at SheKnows Mommalogues, which if you haven't checked that out you should because, it will give you a big laugh every day, and we all know that big laughs are good for you.  They're better than vitamins even!

On the Mommalogues Site, lots of mommy's, even some famous ones, film video responses to everyday questions that moms are asked.  Mama Kat answered the question recently, WHAT DID YOU WANT TO GROW UP AND BE WHEN YOU WERE A LITTLE GIRL? Then she put the question out there for us to answer too.  I commented that, I wanted to live in Mister Roger's Neighborhood so he could love me just the way I am.  Then, Kathy commented to me that she thought that was sad but would make a good blog post.  Then she linked me in her writers workshop and whew!  That meant I had to get off my beach bum hiney and back on this blog to post an explanation to that glib response of mine.  It worked and here I am so, thanks Kathy!  You make me laugh everyday, but you really motivated me to write today.

The way I see it the most important gift is the gift of life.  And the most important thing about life is to love and be loved. But how many people love you just the way you are?  No, really.  Think about that.  I often don't even love myself just the way I am, so how can anybody else, right?  It's really not that deep, it's just a little something I think about now and again.  But, sometimes there's somebody who really does love you, just the way you are.  And Mister Rogers did.  He really did, he said so himself every day in the between 1968 and 2001 on his original TV show, Mister Roger's Neighborhood and you and your kids can still hear him exclaim it today right here at Mr. Roger's Neighborhood on KPBS.  That's where you can find it if you live in California where I do, but if you go to the site you can find out when and where it's on in your state. I know, Yea!  We all know by now that every thing we hear on TV is true, right!  So, in short that was my answer to Kathy's question and I'm stickin by it.  However: those of you who know me by now, know I can never keep anything short, ("laudy, no matter how I try"), so here's the rest of the story. 

The following was a gift from my eldest son, to me, for my birthday.  Yup, it's a re-post but, my blog is so unorganized at the moment you wouldn't be able to find it if you had the time to try, so here it is again but, in a revised form. 


There hasn't been a day since my son wrote this for me that I haven't read it.  And it brings happy tears of love to my eyes every time. For some odd reason this kid knows me and loves me anyway.  Not only that, (just like Mr. R.) he loves me just the way I am!

Today and every day is a day to be happy to be alive no matter who you are, where you are, or what your situation.  Just because you are.  Because of that, I leave you with one of the greatest blessings I have in my life.  A love note from my son to me for my birthday.  Children certainly are, a heritage of the Lord!

  

 

I simply can't imagine a world without you.  So today as you complete your 55th trip around the sun, I give you 55 reasons I love you, mom...

1    Your penchant for cozy socks

2    Your sense of humor

3    You passed down to me your germaphobic habits

4    How very religious and prayerful you are

5    Your love for dogs

6    The sound of your voice

7    Your humility

8    You drink tea everyday out of the tea cup I got you, a reminder to me that I am with you even when I'm  not

9   Your kind heart

10  Your generosity

11  How cute you look when you laugh hysterically

12  How serious you are about bloging

13  How hard you work at keeping your promises

14  The way I miss you when we're not together

15  How lucky you make me feel each day for having someone like you in my life

16  When Dylan used to bite us, you would encourage us to bite him back.  If we were crying too hard, you would do it for us

17  The smell of your perfume

18  Your handwriting

19  How we get See's every time we go to the mall together

20  You knit me scarves

21  Your smile

22  You blogstalk

23  You gave me a brother and sisters

24  You were recycling long before it was cool

25  You are very forgiving, and we've given you a lot to forgive along the way

26  You don't consider it cake unless it is chocolate

27  You bring me Sprite and toast cut into strips when I'm sick

28  You listen to good music

29  You kissed James Taylor

30  You have pretty hair

31  You cry during romantic comedies

32  I love watching movies with you, even though you talk the whole time

33  Your freckles

34  You are an amazing writer

35  You're strong, in many ways

36  You have traveled all over

37  I inherited your artistic abilities, a talent of mine I value above all else

38  We are more alike than I sometimes care to admit

39  You taught me well

40  You let me make my own decisions

41  Your hands are always cold

42  Your heart is always warm

43  You love yoga, I love yoga

44  You spoil me

45  When I was little you always let me borrow your beloved silky blanket

46  My favorite birthday present I ever got was the letter you wrote me when I turned 19.  I cried when I read it

47  You let me keep Bailey

48  You like Soulja Boi

49  You married your best friend

50  You make me laugh

51  You survived my teen years

52  You are convinced that all of your grandchildren are gifted and talented.  Really, they are

53  You always told us our birth stories on our birthdays growing up, even if we didn't always want to hear them

54  You make lists

55  Dessert doesn't always have to come last in our house

I love you more than all the days we've been together,

Cooper

  

My son Cooper, because you took all the love I gave you and gave it back to me in one simple note on my birthday, and therefore made me feel like a bizillion bucks and because you love me, "just the way I am", (just like Mister Roger's)- 

You're my hero, boyo!

I love you more than all the love there is in the world...

My son Cooper is a Junior in college now.  He carries a full load at a rigorous University, works two jobs and has an internship in his field this year.  He is always doing service hours, feeding the homeless, visiting rest homes, (where he has a 100 year old girlfriend), and tutors kids in the poorer areas of Los Angeles. Yes, it's true I'm bragging big time, wouldn't you!  I'm just so proud of him and I can't imagine where he got the time to write 55 things about why he loves me. But he did and that's what made my heart sing.  He also writes a little blog when he has the time, which isn't often but, you might enjoy getting to know him and his art a little better. I'm willing to share him as long as I always get him back.  So, if you want to visit him, his blog is called Look Hear.

So, go forth, love one another and remember, even if nobody else does, just like good old Mister Roger's, I also love you, just the way you are!  

Blessings one and all,

Tia