BELOVED

It worked!

The pets went away, and Emma came to visit.

One frosty winter's night I heard a knock-knock-knocking on my front door, and before I could get down there to open it, in--without any fear or trepidation whatsoever--walked four of my favorite little lovelies (make that five: their dad came too!).

Nathan went straight for the kitchen and the crackers.

Slade went straight for the basement and the toys.

Sawyer went straight for wherever his dad was...but later came and played with us.

(So funny! He took this pose the instant
he saw the camera pointed at him!)

Emma read me stories by the Christmas tree,

danced a jig or two around the kitchen table (with Sawyer keeping pace, Irish-stepping all the while),

and even got Joshua to step along with them!

All the while, Nathan ate crackers.

Later there were hugs from Uncle Michael (more like torture-chamber squeeze-a-thons, if you ask me...),

and Nathan finished off the (second package of) crackers.

In fact, the only time Nathan spoke to me the entire night was to ask for candy (I was happy to oblige) and if there were more crackers.

Oh, and he also told me I could be his new mom if he didn't have to go home that night.
(Lindsay, I think it's time you invested in some crackers!)

I also think it might have been worth a missing animal or two (sorry to my own animal-loving family) for a night of getting to play the part of beloved aunt. Yes, definitely worth it.



P.S. Happy Birthday, Brother. You're beloved, and certainly invited to visit (and bring your little lovelies) too!

BELOVED

For Merrit:

BELOVED

Beloved,

Christmas Around the World was magnificent.

Let me repeat, emphatically,

magnificent.

You have become quite the dancing man! And besides, Hopak was back. Good choice, Ed. Good choice.

I also loved the Men's Chorus/Welsh Suite combo. The whole number was brilliant, and I laughed heartily at my friend's comment about how she wished she, too, could have hundreds of men obey the very wave of her hand...

I'll just wrangle/strangle my men into submission!

If that doesn't work, perhaps I shall follow Joshua and Emma's lead, and just chase a person around until I get what I want!

I'll just have to make sure Michael's not around to lock me out in the cold, as he did to Joshua!

My dear, be strong.

(Apparently stronger than you already are if you're going to try this again!)

And beware. This drinking fountain shoots you straight in the eye.

As if that weren't scary enough, Joshua has been driving! (An empty Marriot Center parking lot makes for a great training ground!)

"Whoa!" he said! "I'm all the way up to 20 miles an hour!"


He drove so fast the picture blurred!

Thank you for a lovely evening. The program was fantastic, the company phenomenal. The memories...beautiful, as always.

Now, as ever,

Go ye now in Peace.

BE-LOVED

This super singer and his Madrigal choir came and performed for the student body at Joshua's school. I, of course, played the ever-present stage mom, and was there to watch from the back of the room.

It was fun to be there, especially with many of Evan's former teachers coming up to me with looks of amazement at seeing little Evan all-grown-up.

It was touching to watch Evan pick Joshua out of the audience for one of their audience participation numbers, and Joshua beaming at his friends with pride, while turning to give Evan a look that could only mean, "How dare you put me on the spot in front of my friends!"

Sweetest of sweet moments took place after the program. Evan came to the back and told me how he had teared up, seeing Joshua and me there in the audience, while singing the words, "But sweeter still is the joy when I see the family 'round the Christmas tree."

"I just love you guys so much," he continued. "Thanks for being my family."

As he told me that I felt such a "whoosh" in my heart and I recognized, once again, what a marvelous miracle it is to be loved.

IN MOURNING

Not really.
But I should be.

All our pets are gone.

First, Buddha, the dog, ran away on Thanksgiving Day. We didn't even want to eat him, and he still escaped over the fence (again)...as of yet, never to be seen again.



Then, Joshua decided that Hamsters aren't really as much fun as anticipated. Instead they just turned out to be a lot of work, and smell, without much return (I would say something to the effect of, "Kind of like teen-age boys," but that makes me sound as rude as I really am, so I will refrain from such commentary). So back to the pet store went the hamsters, as per Joshua's request (and Mom's relief).

Now you see them...
(the happy birthday boy and his pets)

Now you don't!
(Kind of ironic labeling, don't you think?)

In keeping with the string of bad pet-luck, the bird died today. This actually makes me sad, surprisingly enough, and not just because of the $15 I spent last week on bird food. Maybe there's an animal lover deep inside me after all.



But probably not.

Come on over, Emma. We're pet free.

IDEAL

Why I am the ideal mother:

I feed my children.

(I didn't say I feed them well.)


I do their laundry.

(And then make them pay me for it.)


I put their stuff away in their room.

(Just like they do: plop, in the middle of the floor.)


I don't let them ruin their socks by playing outside without shoes.

(But they can ruin their feet, if they so choose.)


I play with my children.

(As long as they want to play my way.)


I love their dad.

(Truly, I do.)

IN STITCHES

I just heard about the funniest thing EVER...

Some nice lady was talking on the radio to Bob Lonsberry about the merits of home-cooked meals; and I quote,

"When you make a home-cooked meal, your children are more appreciative of the food and your efforts."

I haven't stopped laughing since.

She went on to inform the radio audience (those who could still hear her through their peals of laughter) that when you have a home cooked meal, children are more willing to help with the preparation.

Ho, hee, hardy-har-har...I'm wiping tears from my eyes now!

AND,

Did you know that teenagers are more willing to share their feelings with other family members when they have a home-cooked meal?

"Teenagers who gather around the dinner table don't seem to build up the walls that other teenagers build, and they are more open to talk and share their feelings..."

Oh! Stop! I'm going to pee my pants! My side hurts from laughing so much...Whoo-ee, I've got to stop and breathe now.

And make yet another home-cooked meal.