Heartbeats

Six years ago, Patrick Ms. L, and I waited a long 8 hours for  Ms  L to go into surgery.  We waited patiently at first, knowing someone, a young boy, needed to be seen right away.  But, as the day went on it got harder and harder. There is no way to explain to an almost 6 month old baby why she cannot nurse or even have a sip of water.  So, we paced and waited.  Finally we were told I could feed her, which meant surgery was postponed for a day.

And so we returned.  And the day of the surgery was long, and I had a migraine.  I refused medication, somehow I was sure that if I took the meds I would miss something important, something would happen and I would sleep through it. So, instead I curled up in the waiting room, trying to keep the nausea at bay, and we waited.

The surgery went well.  Textbook perfect, if you want more details you'll have to ask Patrick.  Because,   I don't remember much more about the surgery.  And I've written before about the hospital stay afterwards.  Reading to Ms L in silly voices articles from Rolling Stone Magazine and being chastised by an aid for not reading her children's books.  Whatever...

I am still in awe of how healthy she is today.  How full of life and joy.... just look at that face!

It used to be that I thought about Ms L's heart every day and I worried about it.  But, not any more in addition to being a healthy physical heart, that girl has a heart that is full of so much joy, love, and laughter that I know she's going to conquer the world.

Happy Anniversary Ms. L.. xxo 

Check list

We are preparing to move into a new home.  Our first house!   While were having the inspection the kids were with us, and to keep Ms L occupied I had her go around and do an inspection of what she saw and to take note of what the house needed. here is her list:

Carpet
Beds
6 Closets
door
Couch
table
Outside wood (I don't know what that is...)
Roof
Overhead light
and  the most important
FAMILY!

Romeo and Juliet 2

Ms L wrote a play today.  Or rather a treatment for a play, as we really don't have much dialogue yet.  Either way, it's delightful.  The entire cast is made up of Barbie dolls.  (full cast and crew list follows)

ROMEO and JULIET 2

Act I

Scene 1: Romeo and Juliet meet and kiss in a garden.

Scene 2:  R & J play with Fishy and Froggie at a park.  While the poisoneous dart frog spies on them.  But, they escape.

Scene 3:  After they escape they go home and they see their housekeeper.

INTERMISSION

Act II

Scene 1: They go outside and play.  The Mummy comes outside.  Instead of running away, they make friends with her.

Scene 2:  Juliet is gardening and the Vampire leaps out, but it's a sunny day so she melts.

INTERMISSION

Act II

Scene 1:  The director, (breaking the fourth wall) comes out and says, "Poisonous  Dart Frog, you need to act more better"

Scene 2:  Poisonous Dart Frog accidently gets his tongue on R & J and they die.

THE END

INTERMISSION/STAND UP and PARTY!

Cast/Crew;

Director/Costumer:  Ms L

Froggie -  Pinkalicious

Romeo - Rapunzel

Housekeeper - Explorer Barbie

Juliet - Barbie

Mummy - Blue Lagoona

Vampira - Draculaura

Fishy- Ariel

Poisonous Dart Frog - Coo-ka-ka-Choo

Partial Cast photo - Coo-ka-ka-choo, Ariel, Pinkalicious,Draculaura and Blue Lagoona 

The director and some of her cast

Romeo and Juliet in the Garden

Poisonous Dart Frog

N- 8years old

Eight years old!  That amazes me.  I can't remember much about those first days with you.  Although I vividly remember sitting in the rocking chair eating ice cream and watching American Idol the night before you were born.  But, after that it's all pretty much a blur.  And many days are still like that, a blur of activity as you  plow through your days at full speed.   Racing out the door to ride your bike or chase an invisible Pokemon, mountain troll, Ewok, Jedi, storm trooper, one-eyed, one-horned, flying, purple people eater...whatever.  They are all living in your world.

You break into fight-dancing at the drop of a hat. (random combination of karate and dance moves)  Your love of all things Dr Who and Star Wars (even the awful Clone Wars) are a great source of joy to me.  While I am not as big a fan as you and your father, I love how you fully embrace their worlds.

Despite the fact that you are no longer a morning person, once you do wake up, you usually embrace the day and all it's possibilities with your whole being.  Although, some days it maybe noon before you are truly ready to embrace.

Constant motion is how I might describe you...



And yet there are days when you are quieter and concentrating.  Days when you do things like this:

for fun.  Who knew you'd grow into the kid that built molecules for fun just days after your eight birthday?  I sure didn't.   (That comes from your father's side of the family by the way.)

Or we'll find you in a corner doing this:

 You currently love all things science.  Recently you said to me, "Mom, can you find me a college with a good chemistry program."  (Sure, I'll get right on that).  You are an amazingly smart kid. You recently tested off the charts for your grade level in both math and reading.  (okay, maybe not off the charts, but in the 98% in the nation!!!!)  While you hate to do your homework sentences, when you finally quit belly-aching and messing around your write things like, " the butterfly goes through a metamorphosis"   and " In the workshop there was a combustion".  And because you're still an 8 year old boy at heart " I hate the bathtub".

 You are a wonderful big brother.  Despite the fact that your sister's constant singing is "annoying and frustrating",  you care about her and encourage her to be her very best self.   When she falls you are the first to get to her, to see if she is okay.  When getting yourself out the last cup of yogurt you'll think about the fact that it's L's favorite, too.  (oh, you'll still eat it.  But, I love the fact that you pause for just a moment before doing so...  I also love listening to you and your sister chatter away at night, when you're supposed to be sleeping.  I don't know what all you talk about, but most nights it is pure magical joy and laughter coming from your room.  (although, there are the nights when you threaten to never speak to your sister again....ah siblings)

Awesome big brother

Have a great year, my darling first born. I wonder what awaits us...

Just another day in the life

I know, I know it's been too long.  But seriously, if you knew what our lives were like around here, you'd forgive me.  Oh, that's the point you want to know?  Okay, well here's a peek at the last 45 minutes:

N is reading a book.  What's the umbrella for, you ask?  Well, we do live in Oregon so you never know when you might need one.  (or it might be that a certain mother is lurking around the house with the camera again).

The sky.

Meanwhile, Ms. L is prepping the living room for a play. First she makes this:


"I'll get on your shoulders and then you can get on the stepladder.  Then we can tape it to the ceiling"

"That's not safe, L"

"Oh, I thought it was teamwork"


(See what we're up against around here)

The producer/star/costumer/designer/playwright decided that it would be okay if the sky was taped to the wall. And so, like in many a profesional theater productions a compromise was reached!

Next the stage was laid out:

Costuming and make up (so very important):

And finally the production:

Seriously, is it any wonder we get anything done around here with all this going on?!!!

Gingerbread magic

Gingerbread houses!  Gingerbread houses!  I have been wanting to make gingerbread house with the kids since I was pregnant with N.  I fantasized about it, I plotted, I looked longingly at the kits at the stores.  But, I never made it happen.  

Why?   Why.  Well, let's be honest, while I'm crafty in my imagination sometimes my execution leaves a lot to be desired.    And the houses on the boxes looked "easy enough" but I knew my house would never look like what was on the picture and yes, rationally I knew it didn't need to, but still and all... there was an intimidation factor.  And also, I know the person who created This (OUT OF GINGERBREAD!):

by Laura Widner

 so you know, I may have had over exaggerated  expectations about what a gingerbread house should/could look like.

AND there's the idea of the mess.    Now, you wouldn't know it to look at my house some days, but I'm really not a fan of messes.  Or rather maybe I am a fan of the mess, I'm just not a fan of the clean up. So, when I heard that the fabulous Laura Widner aka Pastrygirl was offering a gingerbread house class I was intrigued.  Someone (again the fabulous Pastrygirl, who you should totally check out, if you haven't!) would make the pieces to the houses,  provide all the accoutramant AND take care of clean up?  I was all over it.  Signed us up and away we went.

We divided up into teams. Boys and girls.  And I think it worked out.  Although, I must confess that I thought L and I would have a simple house.  She likes details and I thought our house would be "cute".   Um... well, "Cute" is one way to describe it.   CANDY APOCALYPSE is another way...

Ms L, really wanted to load on the decorations.  My favorite detail, you cannot see in this photo (which is adorable, if I do say so myself!)  is a piece of red licorice which falls down one side. I thought it was just more decoration  nope "it's an emergency rope for getting out in case of fire, or flood or hurricane"  (must be the daughter of an stage manager!)

I love the house Patrick and N created.  Simple and sweet.  And they did it together.   From the icicles to the walkway, their house says "home".  N decided they would make it a seaside cottage and he asked Laura to help him sort out blue MnMs for the water, and wafers for the sand.   I just love they way my children's imaginations take flight every chance they get.

  

We had such a good time, we asked if we could pre-register for next year's class!   (And maybe after the holidays I'll tell you what happens when children eat too much frosting... but that's for another story!)

Happy Holidays~

Thanksgiving 2012

Things I am grateful for:

Patrick and the kids.  They are the reason I get up every day.  They bring me more joy and love than I ever imagined.  Even on our worst days, I know that Patrick and I are good parents who are raising pretty awesome kids.  And, if I get to know that every day, how lucky am I?

My sisters.  In the past 18 months we have mourned the death of two parents, planned two funerals, emptied a house of 45+ years of stuff, sold our childhood home, traveled to and from Iowa countless times (some more than others) and yet our sisterhood remains intact.  You hear the horror stories of siblings fighting over estates (big and small) and while it hasn't been a perfect journey, as no journey with siblings with strong personalities and ideas can ever be, we found our way to mutual agreement on almost every issue.  I am so proud to call these women full of love and laughter my sisters.

Mid-West Friends and family.  I am so very grateful for all the friends and family who came together to help my sisters and me this year.  Aunts, Uncles, cousins,  friends from college, high school and yes, even grade school came to the house at 5110 Ovid.  They made countless trips up and down the stairs tossing things into the dumpster(s), making trips to Goodwill, food pantries and recycling centers. They fed us, they housed us, they cried with us and laughed with us.  They broke bread (and splashed wine) with us.  They filled us up when we had no more to give.  I am so blessed by all these people.

My  writing group.  We write, we laugh we cry, we write a little more.  We write, we share, we read, we write a little more.  Sometimes we share a glass of wine (or two) but mostly we share our stories, our lives and push each other to be a little bit better than we were when we walked in the door.  I am grateful for their inspiration, encouragement and belief. We fly a little higher for knowing each other.

All of you.  I am so grateful for you that stop by my page, read the words I share with you. You encourage me to keep posting.  You praise me publicly, you send me private messages when something I write touches you.  You remind me that I am a writer and that I should continue to put pen to paper.  You make me fly.  

I am also grateful for:

John and Debby Wohlmut (who are the TOPS!)

Chocolate

Patrick's graduation from Grad School

Grant and Alana Byington

Our Village of friends/family who help shape our children with love and laughter

red wine
Reverend Anton DeWitt and the congregation of First Congregational UCC (Portland)

Mindless "crime-porn" TV
Denise and Scot Wicker

Cracked pepper Lentil chips

Pandora's Broadway show-tunes station

library cards

My book club
SBB #1

Girls night out (I need more of these)
Fr. Michael Amadeo

Date nights ( I need more of these )

President Barack Obama

Family movie night
Trudy Bradley

Did I mention my husband?
Spaghetti
Julianna
Skippy John Jones
Dr Who
A roof over my head
Jen Raynak
Slappycakes
Nutella
And you... yes you!
And so much more...  I am grateful every day.