Day of Remembrance

I should be updating family via our personal website but I didn't want to miss this opportunity. Tomorrow, October 15, is the National Day of Remembrance for infant and pregnancy loss. While I personally have never experienced the agony of losing a child (born or not) I have friends and family members who have suffered anguish over their little ones' passings. Let's all take a moment tomorrow and pray for those who have suffered loss that God will exhange beauty for their ashes, gladness for their mourning and a garment of praise for their spirit of despair.

Here is a blog that I follow Bring the Rain. The author knows a thing or two about loss -- and she invites you and I encourage you to leave in remembrance your own story. Be advised: her blog is not one to read if you aren't somewhere that tears are welcome.

I was looking for a muse...

Realizing it has been some time since my last post I have been searching for a muse. Something to inspire the creative spark, to spur on the writing bug to bite -- for no other reason than I hope this blog and the family website maintain a dichotomous relationship. I was coming up blank -- nothing and I mean NOTHING was happening that was blog worthy...until tonight...

We made the trek to Pearland to have dinner with my parents and sister (Kristen rarely comes home -- between work and finishing school and finding a job -- so her visit prompted the trip). The fam made its way to the Pearland watering hole that my father has been visiting since he moved to Pearland in 1968, the place that my family frequented weekly until I left for college (the trips continued only I was absent): Juanito's. Juan's -- as it's affectionately called by my folks -- is a quaint little eatery where you can get Mexican food and for old-time Pearlanders still see people you recognize. I digress...we had finished a somewhat quiet dinner (Jack and Sam were there) and were on our way out when I ran into an old high school friend, his wife, newbaby and in-laws. Here is where it gets interesting...

This particular "old friend" actually used to be a boyfriend -- for about 2 months my freshman year (we started dating around Homecoming and had broken up before my birthday). We were in band together and remained friends after the break-up, obviously reserving some time for wounds to heal. I moved on and began dating someone else and eventually my "friend" found a new girlfriend (who is now his wife). She hated me back then -- with a passion that was and is unrivaled -- and I never really knew why. Life happened and we all moved on. I went to TAMU, met Luke, got married, had babies, etc.

***pause for an interruption....ugggghhhh gotta get the rhythm back...***

Anyway....I haven't seen this "friend" nor his wife in literally years, as in 8 years... When we ran into these folks tonight I honestly thought that all that high school crap would be gone. I knew she didn't like me then but seriously who holds on to that kind of garbage?? Apparently my "friend's" wife does that's who. She saw me and you would have thought she had smelled rotten meat the way her face contorted. My "friend" (I'm using quotes because can you really call someone a friend you haven't seen in 8 years and who you never talk to ??) wanted to stop and show off his son but his wife had different plans as she wheeled that baby away as fast as she could.

So here's my issue -- after all these years who really holds on to high school crap? I can honestly say there is not one person that I had an issue with in high school that I still have an issue with now -- mainly because I don't see those people anymore so what's to worry about, be angry about... Haven't we all moved on? Seriously...all of this happened when I was 14 years old and apparently still merits rude behavior. Haven't we all matured to the point that we realize we were DUMB at 14 so what bearing does anything that happened have on today???!!??

Obviously I got all kinds of fired up about this...less about her behavior because really -- I don't care -- like me, love me, hate me-- it has no lasting effect on me (especially since it will probably be another 8 years before I see them again...) but more about people's inabilities to move on, grow up, get on with life. I'm simply incredulous about the entire situation. I just don't understand lasting judgment of another person like that...it really boggles the mind <-- that was a grammatically terrible couple of sentences by the way; just consider it a stream of consciousness...

So I'm moving on and getting on and all that garbage -- and being thankful for a muse.

One more note: According to Jack, God holds your hand always so that when you cross the street you don't get hit by a car, or eaten by a crocodile or hit with a rhinoceros's sorn (yeah...apparently a cross between a horn and a sword...). Now you can all sleep well knowing this tidbit of wisdom...

Proof that my 3 year old is too smart for my own good...

Jack has been enrolled in swimming lessons for a while -- honestly I don't remember how long it has been... Since he completed his two week daily immersion course and said good-bye to Mr. Alex getting Jack to go to class much less enjoy these lessons has been a trial. We changed teachers again this week with the hope that a man might instill some confidence in him -- and at least relate to him a little better. I was preparing Jack for the change this morning...

Me: Jack, I want you to know that today is a swim lesson day (he immediately begins to whine and fake-cry) but you are going to have a new teacher -- Mr. Corey.
Jack: But I don't wanna go to swim lessons...
Me: I know you don't but we are going to give Mr. Corey a chance. We are going to go three times to see him and we won't have tears when we go. If after three times you still hate swim lessons we won't go back again.
Jack: But I wanna stay here...
Me: I know but Mr. Corey deserves to be given a chance.
Jack: (with an exasperated sigh) but that's not my point. My point is that I want to stay here to take care of my favorite dog Ginger. What do you think about that point momma?
Me: (silence...a few moments pass before I speak) well I think that's a good point and I think it's great that you want to take care of Ginger but remember we made a commitment to swim lessons and we need to honor that commitment.
Jack: hey momma have you seen my dalmatian movie (he lost interest at this point...)

Coming up for air...

Ike is long gone but he has left quite a lasting imprint on our lives! We are currently the only Houston-based family members (for both sides) with power so we are running our very own evacuee shelter. We have 7 adults, a preschooler, an infant and 5 very LARGE dogs crammed into 2100 square feet of house -- a house which is typically more than enough room for us but now finds itself busting at the seams. We have all decided to take Jack's attitude on the situation -- to love the fact that family is here and to ignore all the awkwardness and lack of creature comforts that could cause things to seem unpleasant. Fortunately our house was spared damage -- just some minor tree mess that we had to rake up and one larger branch that Luke had to chop up.

I don't expect anything profound to blog about for a while -- playing hausfrau to this many is occupying what little brain function I have these days.

Best Ike photo so far...

HI-LAR-I-OUS!!!

Tell 'em he's coming...

Hurricane Ike is on his way. We are preparing to "hunker down" in the Pearson house. We emptied the yard this morning of all potential debris and last night made one last grocery store run to buy a little more water and a few more comfort items. Of course after emptying the yard this morning we discovered that the water main on our street had a crack and that work crews had shut off the water to every house on the street. It's almost noon and we have been without water since about 10 am. Doesn't sound that long but believe me when I say it is -- you just don't realize how much you depend on water until you can't turn on the faucet. We've spoken to the crew supervisor and he has assured us that the leak will be fixed and the water turned on long before Ike hits. We're praying that is so. My family is riding out the storm in Pearland, hoping to be on-hand to do damage control from what will surely be rising water. Luke's mom is on the emergency response team for Memorial Hermann and had to report by noon today with enough clothes and water to sustain herself for 7 days. Those of you in Ike's path -- we are praying for your (and our own) safety. Those of you beyond Ike's reach -- please keep us all in your prayers. This is a HUGE storm with the potential to cause damage that hasn't been seen here in our lifetime. One report I read eerily compared Ike's path to the path of the Hurricane of 1900 that destroyed Galveston. Hopefully it won't be as bad as that storm... Anyway, keep us all in your prayers and we'll see you on the other side!

Back to school, back to school...

Today was Jack's first day of preschool. In typical Jack fashion he awoke bright and early around 7am (a good hour before I was planning on waking him) and presented me in a most lion-king way his teddy bear for teddy bear day. He then proceeded to tell me he was "ready for school time please." He gobbled his breakfast and dressed at a breakneck pace leaving us with LOTS of time to sit around and wait.

At 840 I could hold him off no longer so we loaded the car, stopping of course for the requisite picture time outside and headed off for school. On the way in to the school Jack insisted carrying EVERYTHING himself. His nap mat is supposed to be "compact" per school request -- his is...well...not. So he has a loaded backpack, his teddy bear, his nap mat and a box of kleenex all the while attempting to cross the parking lot. Needless to say I made him stop so I could help. The only word to describe his entrance to the classroom is to say that he strutted in like he was big man on campus. While all the other kids clung to mothers, mine sat down at the table and opened a puzzle to begin his "lots of school work" (his words to me). No tears, no fear, barely even a bye mom. That was it...

I tried to attend parent orientation but Sam was having none of it. He screamed the entire time so we left about 15 minutes into the 45 minute presentation. I think he sensed he was alone with mom -- that and he was practicing his new skill of fit-pitching.

My baby is a big boy. I told Luke last night that I was more nervous than Jack was -- and that kindergarten is going to require medication for me.

A prayer for my son as he begins a new phase in his life...
Lord, I pray that Jack will grow as Jesus did, "in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men" (Luke 2:52). Thank you for crafting him with numerous gifts, talents and abilities; help him to develop these gifts and guide him in the use of them for Your Kingdom. Lord, may Jack "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18).