Saturday, September 24, 2011

Opposing Forces Collide

I watched her come undone
I couldn’t stop it
I listened carefully as it all became jumbled
I couldn’t understand it
I was angry
She was missing
I fought for her
We screamed
We hurled secrets at each other in front of the family
It was ugly
I threw her keys in the pitch-black back yard so she couldn’t leave
She was mad
It wasn’t the first time and it wasn’t the last
My heart ached for her when she was not well
I needed her then

She is bipolar
Just like the Earth…One up one down
Some ups
Some downs
She has gained control of it
Through a lot of work
Occasionally she tilts on her own axis but only to rebalance again
She is not broken
We have survived many things
This is no different
I have her now
She is not perfect but she is beautiful
She is mine
God gave her to me 

Bitey, The Elephant


When our sweet little boy started getting teeth he, like many children, also began figuring out how to use those teeth.  He would test them on everything, toys, books, furniture, dog tail and occasionally, us, his loving family.  In and effort to not raise a cannibal I assigned a corduroy elephant as the toy to bite.   Anytime he started to bite we would grab the little elephant and say things like, “Don’t bite Momma, it hurts!  Bite the elephant,” while sticking the elephant’s trunk in his mouth to practice his teeth gnashing on.  Soon his big sister caught on and named the elephant Bitey after a character in one of her books. 
Apparently the use of Bitey the elephant has made quite and impact.  The other evening we were all relaxing in the family room.  My husband was stretched out in the LazyBoy and our daughter had thrown a blanket over his feet making a hideout beneath them.  The cat had gone under there to hide and pretty soon I saw Colton join her.  I didn’t think much of it at the time but pretty soon Colton took off across the room toward his toy box muttering No, No, No, as he went.  He grabbed the Elephant and turned around and headed back to the hideout saying Bitey, Bitey, Bitey and handed the elephant to the cat. 
Now, I have no proof but I’m pretty sure that while they were playing the cat bit him.  Colton knows that if you feel like biting you need Bitey the elephant!

Memories of Aunt Kathleen's


White hexagon tiles brought to life with our crayons
as we colored the bathroom floor
Creativity

Orange and yellow plastic playhouse covered in mud
after making mud pies all day
Freedom

Taking turns eating cherries from the bag
on the rope swing
Yum

The warmth of the summer sun on our bodies as we played
outside all day
Cousins

Friday, September 9, 2011

Quiet


The house is still.  Too quiet.  Not long ago the air was filled with the pounding feet of naked babies running through the house and delighted shrieks as Momma chased them into the awaiting arms of Daddy who plunked them into the tub.  Laughter and splashes, water everywhere. 
Extraction is just as difficult as submersion. 
Legs flailing. 
Slippery bodies wrapped in hooded towels. 
Tiny toothbrushes clean tiny teeth.
Wiggly legs and arms expertly inserted into P.J.’s, less they escape and the chase is on. 
Wobbies and Ba (pacifier to some), sippy cups and favorite toys as we cuddle up to read bedtime stories. 
Music on
Sweet kisses
Heavy eyelids close
Goodnight, sweet dreams
My darlings.

The Iron


My son is at the stage where he latches on to something and that is only thing he wants.  Usually it's things like a ball, a whisk or a huge wooden spoon, but today it was the iron.  It wasn’t hot.  I had used it early in the morning to iron sisters uniform and had it out on the counter to cool off, when he spotted it. 
When he awoke from his nap I wen tot get him and took him into the kitchen to get some milk when he spied it and it was love at first sight.  Oh the iron wasn’t the first appliance he set his sights on, usually it’s the crockpot or the toaster but today was different.  The iron was out.  He made his request known by leaning out of my arms toward the counter.  I set him down so as not to drop him and quickly ran through all the reasons a 21 month old child should NOT play with he iron.  As I thought he grew louder and more insistent.  I caved!  What would it hurt?  I would just have to take extra care when using the iron.  Besides his love interest don’t last too long especially when they are too heavy to tote around.  I gave it to him.  Delight he hauled it to the couch where he proceeded to iron the cushions.  Soon it was time to get sister from school.  We live across the street from the Elementary school so I just plop him in the stroller and walk to get her.  Today he insisted on taking his friend!  There he sat happy as a clam, holding tight to the iron.  We paraded it to all the parents, teachers and students at pick-up.  Yes, I let my baby play with the iron.  Mother of the year here I come!

Saturday, September 3, 2011

I Am From....

I am from my Momma’s homemade chocolate chip cookies
Green beans from a can (swallowed whole while holding my nose)
The smell of Pin-Sol filling the house on Saturday mornings
Neon green gum strung from the window to taillight of Daddy’s black truck
Click click click of sockets ratcheting
Country music playing low on the radio, with the cool concrete of the garage under my bare toes.
Riding the floor jack, up, up, up, d o w n, up, up, up, d o w n….

Dirty feet and the smell of DEET
Quiet early morning horseback rides with Grandpa
Hold on tight three-wheeler rides down country roads
Fireflies, fireworks, family picnics
Millions of stars peering down from the black night as we lie on our backs in the middle of the trampoline listening to the lullaby of the locusts and the coyote howls
Soles of her feet against the soles of mine in the cool crisp sheets of Grandmas feather bed

Constant “I love you’s”
Place settings and manners
Rules and things done just so
Grandmother’s chocolate pie
Ice cream dripping from our chins
Sharing garlic cheese toast with Granddad before school
The light that danced in his eyes each time he saw us
His Miss America’s

I am from God
love everlasting
and a crazy wonderful family