Perfectly Herself

"The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves, and not to twist them to fit our own image.  Otherwise we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them."  Thomas Merton 

Kernelectomy

This little knucklehead went to the ER last night.  You'd THINK I'd have a big dramatic story from this.  Gushing blood, severed limbs, broken bones, SOMETHING.  Oh no.  I have a very expensive popcorn kernel.  Last night, for only the second and possibly the last time, we gave the boys some popcorn with their movie night.  Previously, I have not trusted Tate with the whole choking thing.  But, apparently, I failed to read the chapter in my parenting manual entitled "See Hole, Insert Small Object,"  because I wasn't prepared for his coming to me with his finger in his ear and saying "Mama. The popcorn makes my ear feel funny."  Hmmm.  Really?  Your EAR?  And, upon inspection, yup, the popcorn was definitely making his ear feel funny.  There it was, a nice, round, plump little kernel shoved nicely into his ear.  Right    down     into    his ear.  After some desperate attempts (and I say desperate because I DESPERATELY wanted to avoid the several hundred dollar emergency room visit) to remove the kernel ourselves (in various manners I will not divulge here as I do not want to be sued or reported to child services), we decided that we may, in fact, be making it worse and should, quite possibly, stop.  Tate seemed more than willing to go let a doctor take care of it.  Apparently, we cannot be trusted.  The lovely ER staff didn't have much better luck than us at first, but eventually flushed it out with a catheter and large amount of saline.  Tate was thrilled to get three stickers and a stuffed car, even after screaming bloody murder during the procedure.  And after our prayers, where we thanked God for the successful kernelectomy and that it wasn't something worse, we had a quick discussion involving small objects.  

Mama:  Tate, you know now to NEVER, EVER put something in your ear like that again, right? Will you ever put anything in your ear?

Tate:  NoooO

Hmmm.... perhaps I should have also mentioned his nose.....

The Miracle and The Blessing

I think the running joke Saturday was what a miracle it was that my brother was getting married. Funny, but not quite true. Granted, going on 39 is a TAD later than average to be tying the knot; but anyone who truly knows Andrew knows that he is absolutely the marrying type. The friends he had there- brothers in a way, if you will- alone are a testament to his steadfastness, his loyalty. He is not a commitment-phobe, not anti-tradition or anti-establishment, not cold or cavalier or any of the things that might keep someone from a life-long devotion to another. If anything, I believe he is the opposite of those things. So dedicated and faithful that the decision to attach himself to anyone, to any THING, is never taken lightly, never made without some level of anguish over his ability to BE the perfect part in any relation or endeavor.

So, even though many will believe that the miracle happened this past weekend, I know that the miracle all along has been Amy: her willingness to see in my brother something that others could not and her patience to wait for him to see it in himself. Thank you dear, dear sister, for that. I think the miracle of YOU runs deeper than you know.

And the blessing?  Ah.  The blessing is the future to come.  For them and for all of us.  

Five

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday dear, sweet Calvin

Happy birthday to you

And, many more......

Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

Poor, poor Little Bird.  I didn't MEAN to scare her.  Yesterday I thought I would mess around with my (newly reddish) mop of hair in an attempt to feel remotely beautiful for the wedding this weekend.  I wasn't too worried about my appearance until it recently occurred to me that I would have to be in pictures!  Well, what's a girl to do to spruce herself up a bit?  Really, I'm not sure.  But I tried hot rollers.  Now, nobody but marilyn monroe can pull off hot rollers and look gorgeous.  Tate promptly informed me that I looked like a NANA.  But poor Ellerie.  She did not like me in them AT ALL.

Every time she looked at me, she would break out in sobs.  If I asked her "Don't you like my rollers?  It's still Mama!"  she would cry even harder.

Occasionally, between the terrified wailing, she would cover her face then peek at me to see if the horrific rollers were still attached to my head.  

But, after I picked her up, she calmed right down.  She even touched them after a few minutes.

Poor Elliebird.  Your mean old mama scared you and then took pictures of you while you cried. But I love that when I held you, you clung to me and knew me.  That is beautiful no matter who's looking.

I Dream of Sewing

I love getting a package in the mail, even if it is something I ordered myself.  This one came toward the end of last week and I get excited every time I look at it.  I found it at Fuzzylizzie Vintage and I am just completely in love with this pattern.  There is something inspiring to me about an old pattern.  This one makes me look forward to spring and summer and makes me want to dance barefoot in the kitchen to Rosemary Clooney.  Or maybe throw on the dress with pearls and heels while I vacuum!  I adore the pleating around the neckline and those are some awesome mama pockets.  Room for a pacifier, a band aid and some lip balm.  

Do I actually have the skills to sew this?  Maybe.  Will I actually have the TIME to sew this? Maybe not.  But a girl can dream, can't she?

Friday Night Hide and Seek

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.....  Ready or not, here I come!

Tate:  Mommy,  I want to hide with you!

Me:  Ok Tate.  Hurry and be quiet....

Tate (under the covers with me, loudly): Calvy will never, ever find us here!!

Me (laughing):  He will Babe, if you keep talking...  shhhh...

                                          Quiet

5 seconds later....

Tate:  Mommy, it's DARK under here. 

          (dramatic pause, while the wheels turn.  Then, with decided tone)  

          We should get a light.