I'm going to be a great aunt in July. Oh, this isn't the first time I'm going to be a great aunt. It is the first time I'll see the little creature more frequently than the others. This made me think about life and the cycle of life we Americans work so hard to forget. See I view this child as a nail in my coffin or maybe just the lid setting down on the casket. You get my drift anyway. Here is the replacement generation. My brother is old enough to be a grandfather! I can hardly believe it. He just turned 50 this year, this month to be precise.
Then I think, 50! Oh my gosh! Even if he lives to be 100 he is half way through his life. I'm well over a quarter of the way through mine. (Using the 100 marker) Reconsidering 100 I realize I am closer to being half way through this life myself.
Please, don't misunderstand. I don't want to live forever. In fact, if medical science somehow figures out the trick to eternal life I'll be among the first to slit my own wrists but even that event would be years from now anyway.
No, what I'm trying to get at is how life cycles through. For example, I'm often struck by the fact that my two oldest daughters are born in the corresponding dates of the paternal grandmother and great aunt. My great aunt was born in 1900 and my grandmother was born 1901. Drama Queen 2000 and Storyteller 2001. The preceding ladies were close. So close that my grandmother chose her sister over her daughter in a family argument that ripped the family apart for 20 some years. I'm only now getting to know that estranged daughter and I resent that I didn't have a chance to know her all those years prior.
Anyway, I've lived my life looking for parallels. I love history because I always would figure out how old I would be if I had been born during that time. Confused? What I mean would be if it was an event happening in the 1800s I would then have been born in 1868. I would spend a large amount of my imagination figuring out what I would have felt and believed if I had lived in those times. Of course some would say that that is a futile waste of time but it amused me and it still does.
So now my children are looking forward to a baby. I'm grateful because Miss Independence recently asked for a baby. She meant a real live baby. Oh speaking of marking time, Miss Independence turned four yesterday. We had the family party. I know my brother and his family forgot about it but they did finally show. Miss Independence had a ball. Most of her gifts were horses. She got to pick out the present from Aunt I don't get mad/I get even. It is a beautiful quarter horse figure that stands about two hands high. Miss Independence and Storyteller each try sitting on the thing. It is not built for that. Aunt Sister Sister gave her a stick pony (with accompanying horsey noises) and my brother gave her a My Pretty Pony. Passionfruit and I gave her a Cabbage Patch Horse. (They are much much cuter than the dolls.) Her chosen theme was Spiderman. We had a woman make her cake and we had the balloon bouquet.
Tomorrow is Halloween and the girls are looking forward to it. I'm not I've been sick for over a week now. I went on a trip during this illness. I ended up with an asthma attack. Found out today that it is not a good idea to fly with an asthma attack. Don't really know why although the way the PA kept shaking her head led me to believe I was courting a near death experience. She advised that I get an inhaler. My comment to her was gee I thought I grew out of the damn things. So many things I was suppose to grow out of... ecezema, asthma, acne. I guess I did grow out of the first two but lately I've apparently grown back into them. Let me tell ya growing up sucks. But back to Halloween, Passionfruit seems to have this idea that I'm going to be running all over town to take the girls places boy is he in for a big surprise. I'm considering not taking Drama Queen to tap tomorrow because I still feel like death warmed over. Looked at myself in the mirror today. I won't be needing any costume tomorrow if I still look like this.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Miss Independence and the wedding
Earlier this week Miss Independence packed her own backpack for school. One must remember what I've nicked-named her here to understand that I don't go through her personal bag. MI carried this bag, and I pretty much didn't pay any attention.
That is until we got to preschool. MI rushes off leaving me in her wake. I walk into the classroom and I can't find her. The other children tell me she's in the bathroom changing. I walk in and sure enough the little monkey is stark naked. It looks to me like she's changing into a nightgown on my first glance. Then I realize that it is her Cinderella costume. She's even brought matching shoes!
So I go tell her teachers that I leave them to deal with her because she won't listen to me. I then kiss my daughter good-bye and sincerely hope she has a good day.
Later that day when I came to pick up my little darlin' the teacher told me the rest of the story. Her teacher attempted to explain why Miss Independence ought not wear her costume. Well this line of reasoning did not work. MI raced to the "house center" and sat down on the little person sized couch. The teacher went over to her and asked her what was up. MI responded with, "I want to marry Luke!" So the teacher replied with, "Luke's not here, so the wedding's off." This seemed to placate her, and she took off the dress.
Now I wonder what would have happened if Luke had been there. Would he have been a willing bridegroom? Would they have gotten MI out of the costume? Please believe me that I in no way shape or form encourage this fixation MI has on marrying Luke. I do not react at all. I figure if I ignore it it will go away. So when will this end? And won't it be funny if she came home with Luke in the future?
That is until we got to preschool. MI rushes off leaving me in her wake. I walk into the classroom and I can't find her. The other children tell me she's in the bathroom changing. I walk in and sure enough the little monkey is stark naked. It looks to me like she's changing into a nightgown on my first glance. Then I realize that it is her Cinderella costume. She's even brought matching shoes!
So I go tell her teachers that I leave them to deal with her because she won't listen to me. I then kiss my daughter good-bye and sincerely hope she has a good day.
Later that day when I came to pick up my little darlin' the teacher told me the rest of the story. Her teacher attempted to explain why Miss Independence ought not wear her costume. Well this line of reasoning did not work. MI raced to the "house center" and sat down on the little person sized couch. The teacher went over to her and asked her what was up. MI responded with, "I want to marry Luke!" So the teacher replied with, "Luke's not here, so the wedding's off." This seemed to placate her, and she took off the dress.
Now I wonder what would have happened if Luke had been there. Would he have been a willing bridegroom? Would they have gotten MI out of the costume? Please believe me that I in no way shape or form encourage this fixation MI has on marrying Luke. I do not react at all. I figure if I ignore it it will go away. So when will this end? And won't it be funny if she came home with Luke in the future?
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Cleaning, organizing a child's room
This morning Storyteller was supposed to help me clean and organize her room. We spent a couple of hours just getting things out from under the bed (two twin beds for Storyteller and Drama Queen pushed together) and going through the disorganized boxes their father once bought out of frustration with no real plan to organize.
Last weekend we bought a kit of 9 cubicles that you can add little baskets to. Passionfruit and I were all pumped. Another project for us to put together. We absolutely look forward to these items we have to put together. We work well with one another. When I think of all the things we've put together the list goes on and on. Things like our hall tree, his desks (we've done 2 in 12 years of marriage), closet components, tables (coffee and side) are the types of stuff I'm talking about. Items that have numbered or lettered parts and accompanying hardware. We broke the box open and started going through things. Passionfruit was the typical male. He started putting it together. I assumed my female role of going through the hardware to make sure we have all the little things we need to assemble it. Drama Queen was aiding me. Suddenly, Passionfruit stops and says it's not going to work. We had four identical boards and not the two of one type and two of another that we needed.
Now we are waiting for the two missing panels to come to us. We have at least another week to wait. But in the meantime what truly inspired the cleaning spree was the missing items in the house. To date we are missing the children's light jackets, our Scotch Tape dispenser, a library book from school, and a case for a video from the public library. The last two items are really what I am interested in finding. I hate losing library stuff. Not just because I"m a librarian of sorts but because it means money to pay for these things.
So I am taking a break from the arduous task of cleaning and organizing children's rooms. What I've come to decide is that the children have grown out of several of the toys, and they should be given to others less fortune than my children. I've also decided that these kids have waaaaay too much stuff. And most of this stuff is tiny pieces of things that are guaranteed to hurt in the middle of the night should you have the misfortune of stepping on them. Our children are not at all inspired by or like expensive fancy toys. Instead, they like those little toys you get from Happy Meals and stuff like that. So I suppose I want to say that if you want to give our children a gift please go buy a happy meal and send them the "prize". You get a meal and they get happy.
Now I really ought to get back to this major project. OH, MY GOD! THEY'VE FOUND THE RECORDER FLUTES! So much for a quiet peaceful afternoon...
Last weekend we bought a kit of 9 cubicles that you can add little baskets to. Passionfruit and I were all pumped. Another project for us to put together. We absolutely look forward to these items we have to put together. We work well with one another. When I think of all the things we've put together the list goes on and on. Things like our hall tree, his desks (we've done 2 in 12 years of marriage), closet components, tables (coffee and side) are the types of stuff I'm talking about. Items that have numbered or lettered parts and accompanying hardware. We broke the box open and started going through things. Passionfruit was the typical male. He started putting it together. I assumed my female role of going through the hardware to make sure we have all the little things we need to assemble it. Drama Queen was aiding me. Suddenly, Passionfruit stops and says it's not going to work. We had four identical boards and not the two of one type and two of another that we needed.
Now we are waiting for the two missing panels to come to us. We have at least another week to wait. But in the meantime what truly inspired the cleaning spree was the missing items in the house. To date we are missing the children's light jackets, our Scotch Tape dispenser, a library book from school, and a case for a video from the public library. The last two items are really what I am interested in finding. I hate losing library stuff. Not just because I"m a librarian of sorts but because it means money to pay for these things.
So I am taking a break from the arduous task of cleaning and organizing children's rooms. What I've come to decide is that the children have grown out of several of the toys, and they should be given to others less fortune than my children. I've also decided that these kids have waaaaay too much stuff. And most of this stuff is tiny pieces of things that are guaranteed to hurt in the middle of the night should you have the misfortune of stepping on them. Our children are not at all inspired by or like expensive fancy toys. Instead, they like those little toys you get from Happy Meals and stuff like that. So I suppose I want to say that if you want to give our children a gift please go buy a happy meal and send them the "prize". You get a meal and they get happy.
Now I really ought to get back to this major project. OH, MY GOD! THEY'VE FOUND THE RECORDER FLUTES! So much for a quiet peaceful afternoon...
Friday, October 13, 2006
Mommy and the Biker Babe
Today at the library we saw a Biker Babe with a Harley. Miss Independence was completely taken by it. I approached the woman to ask questions about it. It wasn't your normal Harley. It looked like a tricycle. So I asked her if she had a side car that went with it. It turns out that Biker Babe had had an accident several months back and was not strong enough to hold the motorcycle up on her own. So essentially she had training wheels. It was a pretty clever contraption.
Anyway the woman offerred the girls a chance to sit on the Harley. Amazingly Drama Queen hopped right on, followed by Miss Independence. It was cool because the saddle had a fold down back. Storyteller had to wait her turn. As soon as Drama Queen and Miss Independence got down, up went Storyteller.
Then I herded my girls into our tame mini-van. While I was getting them put into their booster seats the Biker Babe came up behind me and asked if "Mommy" wanted to get on it. Well I was rather surprised. This was the first time in a long time another woman had flirted with me. Okay in writing it seems rather innocent but my mother always said, "It ain't what you say-- it's how you say it." And that is true in this case. So I kindly declined her offer and chuckled to myself.
After the girls were in their appropriate seats, Miss Independence pushed me away. She wanted to watch the woman rev up the motorcycle. Like I said the lady was paying us a lot of attention. Biker Babe asks what's up and I explained that Miss Independence wanted to watch her start up. Miss Independence's eyes were all a glow. She was having a thrill of her life. Miss Independence didn't even cringe at the roar of the Harley's engine. I wasn't allowed to close the door of the mini-van until the Biker Babe had left the parking lot.
So you see folks that my premonition of Miss Independence getting off a Harley ain't too far off the mark. Of late I've been realizing how much my children aren't me. Oh sure, Storyteller looks like me, and Drama Queen may act like me but they really aren't like me at all. Miss Independence is nothing at all like me: not in looks, acts or tastes. She is a wild child. But like I told her this morning that she is one unique child and how much I appreciate her uniqueness.
Anyway the woman offerred the girls a chance to sit on the Harley. Amazingly Drama Queen hopped right on, followed by Miss Independence. It was cool because the saddle had a fold down back. Storyteller had to wait her turn. As soon as Drama Queen and Miss Independence got down, up went Storyteller.
Then I herded my girls into our tame mini-van. While I was getting them put into their booster seats the Biker Babe came up behind me and asked if "Mommy" wanted to get on it. Well I was rather surprised. This was the first time in a long time another woman had flirted with me. Okay in writing it seems rather innocent but my mother always said, "It ain't what you say-- it's how you say it." And that is true in this case. So I kindly declined her offer and chuckled to myself.
After the girls were in their appropriate seats, Miss Independence pushed me away. She wanted to watch the woman rev up the motorcycle. Like I said the lady was paying us a lot of attention. Biker Babe asks what's up and I explained that Miss Independence wanted to watch her start up. Miss Independence's eyes were all a glow. She was having a thrill of her life. Miss Independence didn't even cringe at the roar of the Harley's engine. I wasn't allowed to close the door of the mini-van until the Biker Babe had left the parking lot.
So you see folks that my premonition of Miss Independence getting off a Harley ain't too far off the mark. Of late I've been realizing how much my children aren't me. Oh sure, Storyteller looks like me, and Drama Queen may act like me but they really aren't like me at all. Miss Independence is nothing at all like me: not in looks, acts or tastes. She is a wild child. But like I told her this morning that she is one unique child and how much I appreciate her uniqueness.
Farewell to tap
Yesterday, Storyteller made her final decision. She won't be tapping anymore. This so surprised me how Storyteller disliked tap classes. I thought she would love the noise making.
The owner of the studio came up with a theory that Storyteller doesn't like it because all the girls in the class are in the ballet class right before. There aren't any other girls that join in for just the tap like Storyteller. So in essense Storyteller is walking into the class cold and alliances and friendships are made already. Storyteller is the outsider.
Well I would have believed that except yesterday two different girls grabbed Storyteller by the hand to take her into class. Storyteller kept escaping and they kept coming back to bring her back to the studio. So I really think the girls in the class like her. Who knows what goes on in that child's mind; or any child's mind for that matter.
Personally, I don't mind that I won't have to rush around on Thursday. It will make it slightly cheaper on the pocketbook, too.
The owner of the studio came up with a theory that Storyteller doesn't like it because all the girls in the class are in the ballet class right before. There aren't any other girls that join in for just the tap like Storyteller. So in essense Storyteller is walking into the class cold and alliances and friendships are made already. Storyteller is the outsider.
Well I would have believed that except yesterday two different girls grabbed Storyteller by the hand to take her into class. Storyteller kept escaping and they kept coming back to bring her back to the studio. So I really think the girls in the class like her. Who knows what goes on in that child's mind; or any child's mind for that matter.
Personally, I don't mind that I won't have to rush around on Thursday. It will make it slightly cheaper on the pocketbook, too.
Monday, October 09, 2006
Where is the video camera when you need one?
Yesterday, we sat down to dinner as a family. This is not all that odd. I work very hard to have this family time together. Before every meal we say a grace to thank God for his blessings.
Well our youngest has taken an active role in saying grace. In fact, Miss Independence demands that she leads the prayer. Which I think is rather cute. It is also something that I am not very familiar with since my family of origin said the prayer together without any one individual standing out... other than my father who would lead off the pray.
So, just before dinner Miss Independence and Storyteller get into this huge dramatic fight. Lots of screaming and crying. I manage to break it up before anyone sustains any physical damage. It end with me giving each girl a balloon. Storyteller apparently did not get the one she wanted. So she throws the balloon down shakes her hands up and down while she is jumping up and down. Also her scream is apparently loud enough to call in Passionfruit from the garage. The next thing I know Storyteller runs to a corner and stands there facing into it. I am totally shocked and amazed because I realize that Storyteller really wants to hit Miss Independence.
During this lull I manage to get dinner ready. Miss Independence continues to nurse her grievances. I go to Storyteller and tell her how proud I am of her for handling the situation as she did, and I ask her if she is ready to join us for dinner. Storyteller agrees to come to dinner.
When we all get there Miss Independence starts the prayer. Her voice is sad. As the prayer progresses she sounds sadder and sadder. Tears start wellling in her eyes. Finally the dam breaks and the tears course down her cheeks. Her voice is one step before a sob. Passionfruit starts to laugh. Drama Queen starts to laugh. Then Storyteller and I are laughing. Most amazingly this makes Miss Independence laugh, too!
Passionfruit and I both wish we had a video camera going. So many great and funny things happen and we never get it recorded. It makes you realize just how wonderful those videos on American Funniest Home Videos are. Those folks just got lucky. That or they walk around with a camcorder taped to their foreheads.
Just another funny day in our lives. Oh yes, Passionfruit went on to make a funny faux pas. Drama Queen wanted a drink of his juice. When Passionfruit brought it to the table he started to pour the juice into Drama Queen's soup bowl. Passionfruit offered to pour it into her cup but I agreed with Drama Queen that was just too yucky.
Well our youngest has taken an active role in saying grace. In fact, Miss Independence demands that she leads the prayer. Which I think is rather cute. It is also something that I am not very familiar with since my family of origin said the prayer together without any one individual standing out... other than my father who would lead off the pray.
So, just before dinner Miss Independence and Storyteller get into this huge dramatic fight. Lots of screaming and crying. I manage to break it up before anyone sustains any physical damage. It end with me giving each girl a balloon. Storyteller apparently did not get the one she wanted. So she throws the balloon down shakes her hands up and down while she is jumping up and down. Also her scream is apparently loud enough to call in Passionfruit from the garage. The next thing I know Storyteller runs to a corner and stands there facing into it. I am totally shocked and amazed because I realize that Storyteller really wants to hit Miss Independence.
During this lull I manage to get dinner ready. Miss Independence continues to nurse her grievances. I go to Storyteller and tell her how proud I am of her for handling the situation as she did, and I ask her if she is ready to join us for dinner. Storyteller agrees to come to dinner.
When we all get there Miss Independence starts the prayer. Her voice is sad. As the prayer progresses she sounds sadder and sadder. Tears start wellling in her eyes. Finally the dam breaks and the tears course down her cheeks. Her voice is one step before a sob. Passionfruit starts to laugh. Drama Queen starts to laugh. Then Storyteller and I are laughing. Most amazingly this makes Miss Independence laugh, too!
Passionfruit and I both wish we had a video camera going. So many great and funny things happen and we never get it recorded. It makes you realize just how wonderful those videos on American Funniest Home Videos are. Those folks just got lucky. That or they walk around with a camcorder taped to their foreheads.
Just another funny day in our lives. Oh yes, Passionfruit went on to make a funny faux pas. Drama Queen wanted a drink of his juice. When Passionfruit brought it to the table he started to pour the juice into Drama Queen's soup bowl. Passionfruit offered to pour it into her cup but I agreed with Drama Queen that was just too yucky.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
The evolutionary God
A rather devout Christian co-worker of mine gave me a handbill advertising a man. This man uses Dr. in his name. Now, I know next to nothing about this individual but I can tell you that he is most definitely a creationist.
My knee jerk reaction to this handbill is to scoff at it. I bristle with contempt because this man is going to use the Bible to explain away dinosaurs. He calls them "God's lizards."
Well this post has sat in my draft file for days now. I never seem to get to because my life is influx most of the time. In the time that I've had I've finally researched G. Thomas Sharp. Mr./Dr. Sharp is educated. He has a master's from OU and a PhD. from a Baptist college in Florida. I've been to his website. I've read his philosophy and his mission statement. Superficially it all sounds somewhat benevalent. Unfortunately like most fundamentalists of any religion there is a malevalent undercurrent. Basically it all boils down to the fact that if you believe in evolution you are embracing the devil and his ways.
Now, I would just like to make a few observations about evolution. To believe in evolution does not preclude God from creation. God is the Creator. If anyone has children they will know that a child will often "rework" their art work, over and over again. I see evolution as God reworking His creations.
Why do I liken God to children? Well there are several places in the Bible where Jesus infers that children are closer to God than adults. You know, where Jesus says that we must become like a child to enter the kingdom of heaven. That is my main evidence for evolution.
Second, my God is not a narrow God. My God has a sense of humor and is unlimited in his vision for the world. I think it is demeaning to think God works in such a narrow field as many of the rabid creationists place God and his works. God is unlimited and all knowing. We as mere mortals cannot fathom the depths of God.
Also, I would like to enter my second piece of evidence that evolution is God's work. Are we all not a testament to evolution? None of us are the same as we were when we were born. None of us are the same as when we were toddlers. We are not the same as when we were teenagers. The pattern continues throughout our lives. Every decade points to evolution. We evolve as humans.
Plus, I would like to go even further and point out the fact that every generation has evolved beyond what previous generations were. Look at old photographs of people. There are subtle differences in our forebearers. No one looks like anyone in the 1800s. It is difficult to describe what it is that marks them as being from another century. Our culture has certainly changed. If someone from the 1800s or even the early 1900s were dropped into our day they would be mortified at the lack of civility our culture has undertaken.
So I urge everyone to consider my evidence that evolution is not only a fact but an active force in our lives. I for one continue to evolve. And I hope that I evolve into a better human being with faith in God and His works.
My knee jerk reaction to this handbill is to scoff at it. I bristle with contempt because this man is going to use the Bible to explain away dinosaurs. He calls them "God's lizards."
Well this post has sat in my draft file for days now. I never seem to get to because my life is influx most of the time. In the time that I've had I've finally researched G. Thomas Sharp. Mr./Dr. Sharp is educated. He has a master's from OU and a PhD. from a Baptist college in Florida. I've been to his website. I've read his philosophy and his mission statement. Superficially it all sounds somewhat benevalent. Unfortunately like most fundamentalists of any religion there is a malevalent undercurrent. Basically it all boils down to the fact that if you believe in evolution you are embracing the devil and his ways.
Now, I would just like to make a few observations about evolution. To believe in evolution does not preclude God from creation. God is the Creator. If anyone has children they will know that a child will often "rework" their art work, over and over again. I see evolution as God reworking His creations.
Why do I liken God to children? Well there are several places in the Bible where Jesus infers that children are closer to God than adults. You know, where Jesus says that we must become like a child to enter the kingdom of heaven. That is my main evidence for evolution.
Second, my God is not a narrow God. My God has a sense of humor and is unlimited in his vision for the world. I think it is demeaning to think God works in such a narrow field as many of the rabid creationists place God and his works. God is unlimited and all knowing. We as mere mortals cannot fathom the depths of God.
Also, I would like to enter my second piece of evidence that evolution is God's work. Are we all not a testament to evolution? None of us are the same as we were when we were born. None of us are the same as when we were toddlers. We are not the same as when we were teenagers. The pattern continues throughout our lives. Every decade points to evolution. We evolve as humans.
Plus, I would like to go even further and point out the fact that every generation has evolved beyond what previous generations were. Look at old photographs of people. There are subtle differences in our forebearers. No one looks like anyone in the 1800s. It is difficult to describe what it is that marks them as being from another century. Our culture has certainly changed. If someone from the 1800s or even the early 1900s were dropped into our day they would be mortified at the lack of civility our culture has undertaken.
So I urge everyone to consider my evidence that evolution is not only a fact but an active force in our lives. I for one continue to evolve. And I hope that I evolve into a better human being with faith in God and His works.
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