The most creative job in the world...

It involves taste, fashion, decorating, recreation, education, transportation, psychology, romance, cuisine, designing, literature, medicine, handicraft, art, horticulture, economics, government, pediatrics, geriatrics, entertainment, maintenance, purchasing, direct mail, law, accounting, religion and management.

Anyone who can handle all those has to be somebody special...she is.

SHE'S A HOMEMAKER!
(Author unknown)

The inspiration behind this section of muse is Victoria. I visited with her and found that she works full time as well as being a homemaker. I know that many women work hard every day to care for families and loved ones on top of their daily service in a career.

I hope that you will be inspired to share your thoughts and feelings on Women and Motherhood and the significance of their presence and contributions to our world and its society.

Is it true that behind every great man is a woman?
All comments or muse are welcome from any guest of Tir.~~~

Hey Mstree,
I think there is an art to being a mother as you mentioned in the anonymous quote above. Being a mother is something personable and personal too; as each woman has her own slant on it, as does each culture.
Lots of what we learn (how to be a mother) is something handed down to us from our own mother, refined by our circumstances.
A 'rule of thumb' that I use on myself to measure if I'm doing a good job or not.....are my kids still living? If they are, then whatever it is I'm doing is working. I know this sounds lite, but when one has a critical mother like I do, who can't seem to see the good acomplishments but only what's wrong and what needs to be fixed (according to her) I need a quick reference guide...."Are you alive children?" ....."Yes mom." .....Case closed. I know I'm doing well despite what 'grandma' says.
*S*

I shall put this under the TRIBUTE heading. Ironic that I should bring this up the day after St.Patricks day.I think of a man who was born into poverty in a rural town called Woodford, in Co.Galway, Ireland. I think of a man who had only a 3rd grade education but died with the knowledge of a college grad. I think of a man who at the age of 17 left Ireland with his sister and was ostracized for it because he was leaving behind a mother, father & brother. he left with guilt, let there be no doubt about that. I think of a man who when asked years later why he left his beloved Ireland would quickly change the subject & more guilt would set in.I think of a man who said he came to America with his hands out to work, not to receive a handout. I think of a man who was incensed, since there were no passsports, of having his paperwork stating his country of origin was "GREAT BRITAIN and HER PROPERTIES." He was born in Ireland & carried the stain of that paperwork 'til the day he died.I think of a man who drove taxicabs in NY city as a means of support & fought for his new country in the Great War because he felt it was the right thing do to.
He was a humble man who never doubted that he made the right decision in coming to America. Some would call him & countless others cowards, but I think of just the opposite! He stuck to his convictions & beliefs as only a thick headed Irish lad could do. He married a sweet woman named Elizabeth McGuinness & proceeded to have one child. That one child married and had several children of her own. I am one of those children. And who was this man you ask? Patrick Joseph Collins, my grandfather, a man who I am immensly proud of to this day & was fortunate enough when I made my 1st trip to Ireland to be shown his birthplace by my newfound cousins. He was there with me in spirit, I am sure of that! His perserverance, his wit, his logic & everything else I am proud to say was passed on to me & my family. For this I am forever grateful. This small tribute is my way of saying thank you, poppa, for being who you were & allowing me on St.Patrick's day & EVERY day to say I am PROUD to be Irish! I miss you!

you bring tears to my eyes, Shamrock the Brave !! sweet tears, family tears.

Heritage and Family live within in us, it is true. Only some have the wisdom to see and feel that.

Thank you for sharing your Poppa with us.

Quill, thank you for validating me as a mother! Hehehe...my kids are all among the living. I just tell the judgmental ones that my kids were sent to me to learn the things I have to teach them and theirs to them to learn something else. My mother was/is a controller. I had to learn that I could take my control back. No one controls us unless we allow them to.

Shamrock, thank you for the beautiful tribute to a wonderful man! We owe so much to those who sacrificed to leave behind loved ones and homes to make a new beginning for future generations. What an honorable branch you must be of this noble lineage. I honor the many Irish in our nation for they have truly made it a great place to live and the heritage lives on in each as Lacie said. I think of those who left Ireland during the potato famines...I learned that the famine in 1845 was not the first and it brought many to America and they were despised and looked down upon because of the fear that they would take all the jobs and ruin things for the citizens. Fear is so destructive...

Now I found a few tidbits that I thought would be fun to list here:

THE IRISH...IN THEIR OWN WORDS by David Clark clarkda@ida.net

Everyone is Irish on Saint Patrick's Day, they say. So what does that mean? Who are the Irish?

"They're more than a people who drink, chase leprechauns and kiss the Blarney stone," I thought. So I searched for words from the Irish themselves. Here are a few observations from the Emerald Isle.

The Irish are passionate. "The Irish don't know what they want and are prepared to fight to the death to get it," wrote Sidney Littlewood.

The Irish can be susppicious. "Its not that the Irish are cynical," observed Brendan Behan. "It's rather that they have a wonderful lack of respect for everything and everybody."

But..."The Irish are a very fair people," James Boswell insisted in 1790. "They never speak well of one another."

And what about that fun-loving, hard-drinking stereotype? "Life is too important to be taken seriously," observed Oscar Wilde. "Work is the curse of the drinking class."

George Bernard Shaw added that "Alcohol is the anesthesia by which we endure the operation of life." And..."The problem with some people is that when they aren't drunk, they're sober," wrote William Butler Yeats. So maybe, as P.J. O'Rourke advised, "It is better to spend money like there's no tomorrow than to spend tonight like there's no money."

and if someone lectures you a wee bit for bad behavior, Wilde suggested, "The only thing one can do with good advice is to pass it on. It is never of any use to oneself."

The Irish are romantics, experts in personal relations. "Always love your enemies, nothing annoys them so much," wrote Wilde. And Yeats wooed women with the following:

Wine comes in at the mouth
And love comes in at the eye;
That's all that we will know for truth
Before we grow old and die.
I lift the glass to my mouth,
I look at you and I sigh.

So today, as you dance a jig or sing "Danny Boy," remember the Irish:

From the great Gales of Ireland
Are the men that God made mad,
for all their wars are merry,
And all their songs are sad.
~~~G.K. Chesterton

A friend sent this to me and I thought of lacie and how she spends time at Tir chatting and helping so many.

Patty Tietz wrote:
>
> "WOMEN"
>
> Women have strengths that amaze men.
>
> They carry children, they carry hardships, they carry burdens ... but they hold happiness, love and joy.
>
> They smile when they want to scream.
>
> They sing when they want to cry.
>
> They cry when they are happy and laugh when they are nervous.
>
> Women wait by the phone for a "safe at home call" from a friend after a snowy drive home.
>
> Woman friends keep secrets you told them years ago and never bring them up again.
>
> Women have special qualities about them.
>
> They volunteer for good causes.
>
> They are pink ladies in hospitals, they take food to shut ins.
>
> They are child care workers, executives, attorneys, stay at home moms, biker babes and your neighbors.
>
> They wear suits, they wear jeans, they wear uniforms.
>
> They fight for what they believe in.
>
> They stand up for injustice.
>
> They are in the front row at PTA meetings.
>
> They vote for the person that will do the best job for family issues.
>
> They walk and talk the extra mile to get their children in the right schools and for getting
their family the right health care.
>
> They write to the editor, their congressmen and to "the powers that be" for things that make for a
better life.
>
> They don't take "no" for an answer when they believe there is a better solution.
>
> They can wipe a tear, cover a cut and give a pat on the back at the same time.
>
> They eat a little so their family can have more.
>
> They rush to school to pick up a sick child.
>
> They stick a love note in their sweetheart's
lunch box.
>
> They do without new shoes so that their children can have them.
>
> They go to scout meetings and chaperone class trips.
>
> They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.
>
> They don't make excuses for defending their family or friends.
>
> They give a friend some money in times of trouble.
>
> They love unconditionally.
>
> They are loyal, honest and forgiving.
>
> They are smart, knowing that knowledge IS
power.
>
> But, they still know how to use their softer side to make a point.
>
> Their world consists of goodness, love and caring.
>
> Women want to be the best for their family, their friends and themselves.
>
> They cry when their children excel and cheer when their friends get awards.
>
> They get teary eyed when others do great things.
>
> They save their anger for the unjust and the
insincere.
>
> They tell people that need to be told to straighten up their act.
>
> They lend a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen and a voice to make suggestions.
>
> They are happy when they hear about a birth or a new marriage.
>
> Their hearts break when a friend dies.
>
> They have so much sorrow at the loss of a
family member, yet they are strong when they think there is not any strength left.
>
> They can control situations that seem uncontrollable.
>
> They can round up energy when they are tired.
>
> They can stay up a little longer to talk to
someone who needs a friend.
>
> They will rush to be by your side when you are
lonely.
>
> They will give up their favorite TV show to help with homework or read a bedtime story.
>
> A woman's touch can cure any ailment.
>
> They know that a hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart.
>
> She can make a romantic evening unforgettable.
>
> She can bring out the best in her husband, children and friends.
>
> A woman doesn't mind standing in the shadows.
>
> They are not there to push, but to gently encourage.
>
> They are cheerleaders, teachers, lovers and
important in many peoples daily lives.
>
> They can whisper a kind word, scream a loud cheer and laugh away a fear.
>
> They can mend your broken spirit and give you
back your self-esteem.
>
> They can knit a family back together after a
break up or a loss.
>
> Women come in all sizes, in all colors and shapes.
>
> They live in homes, apartments, cabins and trailers.
>
> They drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you to
show how much they care about you.
>
> They have hearts that forgive and forget an injustice.
>
> They have hearts that remember a kindness.
>
> They have hearts that beat with loyalty and love.
>
> The heart of a woman is what makes the world spin.
>
> They can cry and laugh at the same time.
>
> They can be sad and hopeful at the same time.
>
> Women do more than just give birth.
>
> They bring joy and hope.
>
> They each us to dream and make goals.
>
> They give compassion and ideals.
>
> They climb into a persons life and make everything better again.
>
> They give moral support to their family and friends.
>
> And all they want back is a hug, a smile and for you to do the same to people you come in
contact with.
>
> Women are leaders, but don't want followers.
>
> They want people to grow into the best person they can be.
>
> They want to touch you in a way that will make you share your goodness with others.
>
> One touch can turn a bad day into a better one.
>
> One extra minute of her time will make a child feel special.
>
> One more kiss will make her beloved feel more
loved.
>
> Women have a lot to say and a lot to give.
>
> Let us strive to listen more and to appreciate more each day!
>
> *This was sent to you by someone who respects you as a woman and who sees many of your qualities in this letter...Why not pass it on to someone you recognize and know...

I feel flattered you thought of me with this, Mstree, thank you.

*passes this onto all the ladies of Tir*

*whispers to Mstree - seems my bad temper, impatience and stubborness were left off the list! *L**

Hmmmm...
Bad temper = PMS, Putting up with Men's S***.

Impatience = the buzzard who was just too hungry too wait and wanted to kill something for lacie to barbeque. (No road kill, please!)

Stubborness = persistence, tenacity, drive and just never giving up. Is that the same as relentless? LOL

You really do shine, lacie! It is a person's uniqueness that makes them so special to others. You do not follow the norm and I really like that about you.

thank you.

Hear, Hear!!!!!!
*agrees completely w/ Mstree's description of lacie, and w/ the appropriateness of the above post in relation to her*......*sounds like I swallowed a dictionary doesn't it? =)*

gee, thanks, 'soul *L*

My heartfelt thanks and appreciation for a special friend I met at Tir. She gave me understanding when another did not. Here are her words of counsel to me:

It is ALWAYS hard for an artist, whether that artist is a painter, sculptor, or WRITER. We put a part of ourselves in EVERYTHING we write!! That is something, the "masses" (whether they be fans or critics), don't understand.

All criticisms are filtered through the beliefs and experiences of the critic. I really don't know the criteria nor do I know the beliefs or experiences of others.

NEVER give up what ye do just for what ONE critic has said. Your heart knows the way it needs to go. And at this point, ye can't disappoint "the fans" .

Our world is vast and complex, with multitudes of people and ways of life. A world at peace is one where all people can express themselves, their ideas and their beliefs while respecting that same right in every other person. The enormity of the problems we face around the world and even those in our own communities can seem overwhelming. World peace begins with each one of us. Work wholeheartedly for peace wherever you feel called to do so. Make an impact close to home or halfway around the world; engage your heart and energy to make a difference.
(Quoted from Yogi Bhajan)

My own personal belief and feeling is that we first need peace within our own hearts in order to foster peace with others and our world at large. The person who is doing the hurting...is the one hurting! Ponder that a minute...

Is there something I as an individual can do to just love that person past their threshold of pain to where they finally open up their trust to me? Can I offer a non-judgmental listening heart when they are hurting? Can they unleash their anger, frustration, pain, or any hurt on me and know that I will still love and accept them just the way they are? That is what is needed for a heart to heal. Our feelings dictate our actions in life.

Quoting...Peace unto me. Peace within me. Peace in my mind, Peace in my surroundings. Peace to all. Peace to the Universe. May there be Peace in the World. May there be Peace all over the World forever. Yogi Bhajan

*feels in awe of the guest's quotes and feelings* ... i am just but me *S*

My eldest son started his first part time work tonight .... he is stuffed!! *L* and now in bed (tis after 11pm here) .. but i have his work clothes in the washing machine and waiting to hang them so they are ready for him to work after school again tomorrow ............. and tis a 5am call for me *L* ......... now, tell me that parents all over the world dont do what i am doing *L* ......... *high fives to all the like parents* LMAO .. are we silly, or great?? *grin*

.............but, if you would like to see handicrafts, as was first mentioned in this string ...... i would feel special if you would take the time to look at some of mine. www.anglefire.com/az/ratzy

To all the women at Tir who have feelings...may this make you laugh or smile...at least for a moment or two!
WOMEN'S T-SHIRT SAYINGS"
* I'm out of estrogen. I have a gun.
* Guys have feelings too. But like... who cares?
* I don't believe in miracles. I rely on them.
* Next mood swing: 6 minutes.
* I hate everybody, and you're next.
* Please don't make me kill you.
* And your point is ...
* I used to be schizophrenic, but we're OK now.
* I'm busy. You're ugly. Have a nice day.
* Warning: I have an attitude and I know how to use it.
* Remember my name - you'll be screaming it later.
* You KNOW you want me.
* Don't worry. It'll only seem kinky the first time.
* Of course I don't look busy. . . I did it right the first time.
* Why do people with closed minds always open their mouths?
* I'm multitalented: I can talk and annoy you at the same time.
* Do NOT start with me. You won't win.
* You have the right to remain silent, so please SHUT UP.
* All stressed out and no one to choke.
* I'm one of those bad things that happen to good people.
* How can I miss you if you won't go away?
* Sorry if I looked interested I'm not.
* If we are what we eat, I'm fast, cheap and easy.
* Nobody knows I'm not wearing underwear.
* Don't make me mad. I'm running out of places to hide the bodies.
* Objects Under This Shirt Are Larger Than They Appear.
* I have PMS and a handgun...any questions???

_____________________________