Sunday, November 27, 2005

learn from life

every day, I learn. I learn from work related endeavors, from personal endeavors, and from my kids.

today I learned that life is just a minute of time - a spot to be here, a breath to take. C had a tournament, a hockey tournament, and the team did great overall. They played with spirit, with excitement, and with energy. He is learning with every donning of his skates. He loves this sport. "mommy, the games are too short ... I wish I could stay out there for three hours." Learning that sports are a game of love.

Hi coach and family are wonderful. C has learned more from them this year, 8 weeks into it, than he has in almost 5 years. They are a family that we want to be around for many years to come. A family that we want our kids to be around for many, many years. Good people. People to learn from.

Neat times, neat people, and neat sports. Life is all about learning.

Learning to live.

I like this stuff.

Thursday, November 24, 2005

giving thanks

so much to be thankful for. so much in my life is full!

We began a new tradition this year, we hosted thanksgiving dinner at our house. my first bird, my first dessert making adventure, and the first opportunity to use all of the table finery that we have! :o) and Irish linen tablecloth, beautiful place settings, and carving tools. what a nice day!

it is by far, the favorite holiday here with this gal .... good food, laughter, family games, and no pressure! no gifts, no tension, none of the usual holiday balogny. just family, eating, and good times.

the kids were terrific, and thoroughly enjoyed the cousins here - despite an early rumor that the cousins wanted nothing to do with being at "an adult" party at auntie's - heh. I've always been the cool aunt, and certainly S id the cool uncle so, we came through again!

ahhhh .... now the let down, the afterburn, the fat belly in the stretch waist pants.

good stuff.

love the holiday season .... let it ring!

Sunday, November 20, 2005

I don't like you .....

:O(

What a way to start a Sunday morning, huh? That's what I heard after a feeble attempt at buckling a belt while still sleeping at 7:08AM. I politely asked if I could fix it once I woke up, and could use my fingers better, and I got an abrubt "I don't like you".

I was so sad.

Logically, I knew this would happen. I knew these words were a possibility. Just not at 5. oiy.

I told S my feelings were so hurt, and I felt so .... betrayed. She apologized, and moved on with her day. I moped around for a good two hours. Pathetic. Why was I so affected by that?

I so don't want my kids not to like me. I want them to love me. Love me as I love them. Unconditionally. Regardless if they buckle a belt. at 7:00 in the morning. On a Sunday.

Where *is* that instruction book for the kids, anyway? I swear I had it once in a dream I had ..... it's GOT to be around here somewhere .....

In glorious 5 year old fashion, I spent a delicious evening with her at dinner and after, we were just hugging and talking, and spelling things and sounding things out. And the disaster of a morning was a distant memory.

Life with reds .... it's got it's ups and it's downs ..... good thing the ups outweigh the downs !

Thursday, November 17, 2005

it all happens ....

some days are good, some days are bad, other days are somewhere in the middle.

Today was a middle day. Struggled a bit with schedule. Scurried a bit with work. Found time to enjoy a nice lunch with the little gal, and then some shopping.

It was the late afternoon that just.felt.funky. Not bad, just in-the-middle.

Determined, energetic, and controlling little creatures they can be. It's *exactly* what I have been raising them to be. Independent. Secure. Confident. Oiy. Why do they test that on me? {sigh}

But the reality it, in the big picture .... it was a day with two squirts working through the day-to-day life of being little-looking to be big SOON. Moms just get it all. And that is delicious. Just a bit in the middle.

So tomorrow, I bet it will be a better day. Well, it may very well be another day of life, that is.

It's all good.

It all happens.

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

Beauty

the faces I have to look at. the happy faces .....

they greet me in the AM, in the PM, and when they are heading to bed. my kids are beautiful. beyond words beautiful. I know that I am biased, and they are mine, but they are.

they are beautiful.

soft skin, freckles, glorious hair, pretty dancing eyes, and glistening smiles. I am so lucky.

I want to preserves the time, the gentleness of this beauty and snapshot it in my memory.

I watched K color today, and while she did, she sang. A song she made up along the way. words that made her happy. it was an uplifting and sweet moment. she didn't even know I was watching, or listening. I said nothing.... until she was done. then I said how much I loved it, and her! hugs, and kisses ..... oooooo ..... delicious!

I watched C walk towards the front door from the bus. he didn't see me until he was quite close. I took a mind-photo of his little self, sure to capture the small frame, and the short stature of "him". I fast forwarded to the days that he will be much taller, and his stride will be longer. Stay young, sweet boy .... then he came to the door, where I was and smiled with a "hi, mommy!" and a hug .... oh, delicious!

I'll save these moments.

The beautiful ones.

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

he met a hero ... a real life hero

C met a hero tonight.

He has been reading a book with us entitled Up and Running, by Mark Patinkin. A true story, of a boy at 6 in 1997, who had bilateral below the knee amputations caused by bacterial meningitis. In a word, he has found him to be inspiring.

Incredibly so.

The front jacket of the book shows Andrew, the "hero" of the story, roller blading with two prosthetic legs holding a hockey stick. C literally grabbed my shirtail one day in the bookstore and said "mom! what is this book all about? we HAVE to get it .... check out that kid!" We did get it, and I have already read it and am now reading it to our squirt, along with him. I absolutely loved the book. I cried, I laughed, I mourned, I rejoiced .... it is truly a book I recommend.

He cannot get enough of this book. He states that Andrew is just so very cool because he didn't let losing his legs hold him back from anything. "He tries everything, and does everything that I do, mommy; I bet he'd be my friend if we played together. He looks like he's cool, and fun, and really good at sports too!" He wanted to know what it felt like, what his legs feel like now. If he'd get them back again? Ever? Does he miss them? Are his new legs stronger? Can I give him a hug tonight, mom? Do you think he'll like the gift I'm going to give him, mom?

I have been so moved by my kid's reaction to the book about a boy who overcame an unthinkable situation. A kid, at 6, had the world at his feet. And then, the world took his feet.

But he never skipped a beat. He got back up, and showed the world that feet are just a part of the puzzle.

C could not stop talking about this kid. We've known the launch signing was tonight for about a week, and he has been counting down the days to the meeting. How many more sleeps mom? About the chance to meet the "kid with the robot legs". About the idea of a kid playing ice hockey, and riding a bike, and rollerblading, and .. and ... he has no lower legs.

Incredible.

So, we met him. And the author. Also thoroughly moved by my kid's reaction to his book. I had emailed him and asked about any possibility of meeting he and Andrew some day to sign this cherished book C now keeps by his bed? He asked me to tell him about the kid that is reading the book with his mom & dad when we got there tonight at his signing. So we went, and I introduced C as the little guy that really digs this guy, Andrew. And we took a picture with Andrew, C beamed! And so did we. Then C gave him a puck from his room. A special puck that he had from a game he had played. He wanted Andrew to have it. From one hockey player to another .... "whaddya think mom, will he like that?" At dinner, I said to my husband how amazing it feels to be in a position to remember often how lucky we truly are. To have the chance to be thankful for the health we have.

To look at my kids and pause.

Precious gifts.

Monday, November 14, 2005

unreal .... I've entered blogdom. :o)

well, I've taken the leap. I'd like to join the billions of bloggers and somehow get my day to day life, my journey through that life, on paper. My story goes like this: I am a mom. A wife. A woman. A cheerleader. A boo-boo healer. A monster scarer. A friend. A daughter. A sister. A person ...... not necessarily in that order. On any given day, truthfully. I want to scribe the life that I am leading. A treasure, a journey.

I have two phenominal kids. An amazing, loving, terrific husband. An outrageous, and wonderful family. A crew of lovely, and cherished friends. Two neat, yet crazy dogs. A rich life, for sure. I want to share them. On paper. wow. A task. It will be big. :o)