To All You Moms Out There...

I'm Invisible


It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?' Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom.


Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?


Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'


I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, she's gone!


One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a hair clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: 'To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'


In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.



A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.' And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'


I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.'


At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.


When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'You're gonna love it there.'


As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.


Great Job, MOM!

My Husband... the Photographer

Phillip has recently become interested in photography. He has a good eye. Here is his latest picture:



So, what do think?

Finally, Last Set of Pics from GA Trip

Rylee



Savannah Grace



Ella



Two Peas in a Pod



Jack



Ella



Cooper



Cooper and Rylee



Cara and Jack

A Little Bit About Me...

NAME: Anita Lunette Bishop McCart

I am: a wife, mom and friend

I want: to leave a great legacy

I have: a great husband and 2 beautiful girls

I wish: I was 3 or 4 sizes smaller

I hate: bugs!

I miss: my older sister (love you Christina)

I hear: the voices inside my head!

I wonder: what my girls will be like in 30 years

I am not: alone on this journey

I always: eat more sweets than I should!

I sing: to my girls

I laugh: when I’m uncomfortable

I cry: the “ugly” cry

I make: a mean PB&J

I write: “to do” lists (I love checking things off, I feel like I’m accomplishing something)

I regret: things that I won’t put into writing

I need: true friendship

I am surrounded by: TOYS!

I should: get more sleep than I do

I must: finish my “bucket list” before I die

I understand: that no matter how I parent my children they still have the free will to choose their own path. Draw them to you Lord!

I adore: Steven Phillip McCart, Jr.

I listen: to a wide genre of music

I hope: that 20 years from now I have the same relationship with my girls that I have with my mom

I dream: of being debt-free, adopting a child, being a great wife and mom and making an impact for His kingdom

I celebrate: all that God is doing in our lives, He’s SO faithful!

I love: my Savior, my husband, my girls, my friends and family

I give: props to all those single parents, I definitely couldn’t do it!

I tag: Jess, Mandy, Jennie, Christina and Erin
(all you have to do is copy and paste this into your own blog, erase my answers, put in your own then post it)

Playground

Rylee's 2 Year Pictures

Fun in GA Part I

Rylee is VERY confident in her swim vest



Savannah's learning how to dive



Savannah's favorite "cousent" Ryan



Rachel and her boyfriend Brandon

Blog Lull

Well I know that I promised LOTS of pictures from Rylee's party, however I'm in Atlanta all week with the girls, so they'll just have to wait till we get back to Charleston. I'm able to blog but all the pictures I want to share with you are on Phillip's computer. (he had to stay behind and work)

So, anywho, as I said earlier the girls and I are on a little vacay to Atlanta to see some family and friends. We don't have any plans per say, just hang out at the pool, eat some good food and see some family and friends. We'll be here till next Sunday so call me if you want to hang out!

If you think about it say a little prayer for Phillip. He's home alone with no car for a whole week! I'll be back later with some Atlanta updates. Hope you're all enjoying your Sunday.

Rylee's Party

As promised, here is round one of the party pictures...

The decorations...
(and yes, I did hand color those pictures, I felt like a kid again!)







The Food...



The Silly Sister...



The Birthday Girl...
(in her favorite dress with her favorite present)

The Dress

My very talented and wonderful mother-in-law custom-made a Little Einsteins dress for Rylee to wear at her party. It turned out great and I wanted to brag about it here. I also want to say a special thanks to Leigh for going into Raleigh and getting the fabric on a moments notice, you're the best!

1. Front Shot


2. Close up on the Embroidery


3. Close up of the Fabric


4. Rylee in the Dress, and yes that is a matching hairbow
(I think the dress got caught in her diaper!)

The Cake

So I thought before I posted pictures of Rylee's party I would do a special post just for the cake. I have never made a cake for any of my children's birthdays. My motto is: if you can find someone that can do it better than you, let them use their talents and make some money from it. So I checked around to see if anyone have a Little Einsteins cake, but no one did. So what was a mom to do? You have to have a cake to match your theme! So with the help of two websites and my awesome, wonderful, fabulous, selfless mother, this is how it turned out...