Dog Training (Child Rearing?)

As I sit and wait for Daughter B to finish swim practice this week I've had the opportunity to watch a man and his dogs several times. He has two border collies - Meg (almost a year old) and Sierra (4 years old). These dogs, especially Sierra, are incredible. He stand in one spot and throws a ball for them (with one of those flinger things so it goes 50 yards or so). The dogs chasing the ball isn't so incredible, but the relationship between the three of t hem is. These dogs are totally devoted to him. Sierra never takes her eyes off him. Even when he's not throwing the ball she keeps him in sight and watches for his directions. Meg often runs ahead and anticipates what he's going to do. Sometimes she's wrong. Sometimes she doesn't give the ball back, but he gently reminds her and she will. Sometimes she drops it too far from him, and he makes her do it again - but always with a tender voice. From time to time he puts a lead on Meg and firmly pulls on it if she doesn't obey, but, still, his voice is soft and kind. She quickly complies. When they are done with their play they head back to his SUV. He give them water and a bone for a few minutes, then picks up the bones and tells them to get in. They sit like two children side by side looking out the windows.

Watching this regularly has gotten me thinking...

Those dogs ARE like children. With love and consistent reminders they need to be trained. Meg is only seven in dog years - still young, still learning, still making lots of mistakes and pushing the limits. Sierra is 28 or so. More mature. She knows he will only do what is right for her. She trusts him and loves him. She has no need to rebel or push because she's learned her lessons.

My children are in between somewhere. I imagine that over the next three years Meg will become more like Sierra. Perhaps not quite so compliant - she's a different dog with a different personality. JB and the girls will likely do the same. That's natural. The challenge for me is to be like the man - consistent, gently, kinds, soft-spoken... Looks like those fruits of the spirit are needed not only in biblical terms, but in real life as well - dog training and child rearing.

White Christmas

The past two weeks have been consumed with work on White Christmas. Long rehearsals have filled our evenings. John has played in the orchestra, I have worked on costumes, Daughter A has been perfecting her role, and JB and Daughter B have attended performances. Last Thursday it all came together beautifully! Friday was even better. I've been so proud of both DA and John. They have done an incredible job.

While I'm exhausted, I'm a little sad that today was the end. It has been refreshing to work with high school students again. I have realized just how much I miss their enthusiasm and spark for life. I know they're sassy and can be difficult (especially in class), but I love helping them move from childhood to adulthood. Maybe it's time to go back...

This year will be 9 in fifth grade - A part of me doesn't want to have to work as much as would be necessary to change teaching assignments again. And another part of me wants to get back to the kids I really love since I'll probably be teaching for another 12 years (at least), and it doesn't make sense to be frustrated for that long. I guess it's t ime for much prayer. I need to consider not only what I WANT but also where I need to be. What is my calling? Where can I do the most good? James Stockton at The Colony High School was right eighteen years ago when he told me that I was addicted to teenagers.

Is that a healthy addiction or an unhealthy one?

Busy, Busy, Busy

The past month has been crazy... Too many things going on to even list, much less blog about. I just have too many children, I guess. Basically, JB's been working and going to school DA has been rehearsing for White Christmas and going to school, and DB has been swimming and going to school.

Last Monday and Tuesday DA had rehearsals that lasted for hours. While she was rehearsing (and for a few hours before rehearsal) a few other Drama Mamas and I were altering costumes. And we're not talking a few. There are 386 costumes - most of which seemed to need some sort of alternation. It was long tedious work. And it was the most fun I've had in ages! I can hardly wait to see all those costumes in action next weekend.

You should go to the show! You can order tickets at www.cphstheatre.org.

Boys

We had another first at our house last Friday night. DA had gone to a friend's house to spend the night so that she could go play ultimate frisbee early Saturday morning with the friend a bunch of other theatre kids. This left DB home alone (with me, John, and eventually JB when he got home from work). She asked if a friend could come over and watch a movie...sure...friends do that all the time. The difference was this friend was a BOY! And not just any boy - one who likes her. He's really nice and polite, and truth be told she probably likes him back a least a little. But this was the first bit of teenage romance her daddy has seen involving her! It was NOT easy for him. The boy had an arm around his little girl! And they were sitting next to each other in the big cushy chair watching the movie - close together.

I went to bed, but it seems that the evening went along smoothly; even after JB came in and did the big brother thing. John was able to relax and leave the kids alone long enough to go out and practice his trumpet. He didn't do any of the things he considered through the years to embarrass his daughters when they finally had boys come over. (He did tell her that all boys are "evil" the next day at lunch.) I was proud of him. He was a calm, quiet, restrained father of a couple of beautiful 15-year-old girls.

Ahhh, our baby girls are growing up!

More About Learning to Drive

A couple of weeks ago it was raining pretty hard on a Sunday afternoon, so I decided to take the girls to drive in the rain. There wasn't much traffic, so I thought we'd probably be safe. (We were.) Daughter A got to go first. We ran to the car. She started it up; pulled out of the driveway and said, "Can the windshield wipers go any faster? I can't see anything." They couldn't, so I just told her to take it slow and easy. We meandered through the neighborhood with her complaining about having to drive. My girls NEVER complain about that. They BEG to drive at any opportunity. When we got home, DA ran in and sent DB out - I stayed dry in the car. DB turned on the car; pulled out of the driveway and said, "Can the windshield wipers go any faster? I can't see anything." Again they were going as fast as they could, so I just told her to take it slow and easy. Again we meandered through the neighborhood with her complaining about having to drive.

Sometimes it seems like I live each new experience twice - once with DA and again with DB. It gives me the opportunity to try things out and fix them with the second child. I just have to make sure I alternate who goes first.

Jethro the Jeep

JB loves his Jeep, Jethro. Jethro is red and cute and has spent most of his summer with his top off (as has JB). According to JB, Jethro likes to play in the mud, but central Texas has been in a drought, so he hasn't had many opportunities. The few times it has rained since he's had the Jeep, he has tried to go get muddy. Every time (or at least most of the time) something has happened to Jethro - doors crunched, tailgate crunched, 4-wheel drive went out. I don't remember what all has gone wrong, but there always seems to be something. One day last week one of his friends (who also has a Jeep) went out to play and got stuck....JB to the rescue. But in the process of saving the friend he banged his own Jeep up yet again; he knocked off one of his side mirrors and messed up his relatively new top. I was kind of frustrated by the whole thing, but he very maturely responded with, "I've come to the conclusion that if I'm going to play in the mud, I'm going to have to fix something. So I can't go out if I don't have the money to fix it." WOW! I'm so proud that he's growing up to be a such a responsible man. He is still a kid, though, and I'm sure he'll act like one again.

Homecoming

Daughter A and Daughter B had their first Homecoming Dance last night. Only DA actually went to the dance, but both girls got dressed up and went out. And both had a wonderful time. As usual, they are so different that a single activity couldn't have satisfied them both.

The evening began with the girls getting ready - with the help of a friend who goes to another school. DA wore a dress she had gotten for our cruise last year, and looked even better in it now than she did then. Her biggest concern was shoes, but eventually she agreed that the shoes would come off as soon as she got to the dance, so there was really no need to be concerned. DB couldn't decide what to wear and ended up with a dress borrowed from the friend. It looked great on her! (She borrowed some of my shoes.) We did the obligatory pictures in front of the fireplace, and then John took DB out to the Oasis (see yesterday's post) to meet her swim team friends for dinner, and I took DA to a friend's house for dinner and then she would go on to the dance.

At the end of the evening DA has danced the night away with friends and then gone to the new "in" place in Cedar Park - Berry Cool for some frozen yogurt (one of her favorite snacks), and DB had had dinner at the Oasis and played laser tag and bowled at Main Event with her friends. Both got off easier than expected with the expense of the evening. DA learned that dance tickets were CHEAPER at the door than in advance for some strange reason, and DB's meal was left off the restaurant check so she just had to pay for the tip. All in all it was a great night for them. But I still can't believe my babies are old enough to be going to Homecoming. I'm just not that old!

A Dream Come True

I finally got to go to the Oasis. If you don't live in Austin, I'll fill you in... The Oasis is a restaurant out on Lake (Pond?) Travis that is famous for being a great viewing spot for sunsets. It opened my sophomore year in college (a long time ago!), and I've wanted to go since then. It was once on a list of places I dreamed of going to. A few years back it burned down - at least part of it burned. And I thought my chances were over, but the owners rebuilt. Last night I got to go!

As promised the food wasn't great, but the view was pretty. It was nice to sit outside and enjoy the fresh air. The sunset wasn't a particularly inspiring one, but it was nice. The company was great! John was with me. Daughter B put a bug in his ear last week about me still wanting to go there. She was planning to go with her swim team for Homecoming, and I mentioned to her that it would be sad if she got there before me. So she took care of it.

Actually, the best part of the experience was the fact that the lake is so low. I don't find Lake Travis to be particularly pretty - it's brown and dirty, and just not my thing. But with the lake down almost to it's river channel, it was interesting to imagine what the area might have looked like 100 years ago before the dam was built. Imagining how the Colorado River meandered through the area was fascinating to me. Where would animals have lived? What about people? What did the lake bottom look like when it was covered with trees and brush? Did the Colorado River narrow like the Pedernales to a trickle in drought times like these? Or was it still a decent size river? I need to go searching for pictures and documentation....I'm curious.

The Mini Van

It rained today! Yea! It rained! Hard - for a long time. And then I remembered that JB had taken the top off of his Jeep over the weekend and I wondered if he had put it back on before heading to school this morning. So, I sent him a text and asked. He replied that he had put the top on, but his Jeep was at home. He had ridden his bicycle to school. (It's about 6 miles!) He then told me that he was already home (he has an off period the last period of the day on A days), and that he had an adventure to tell me about when I got home...

I had no idea how terrifying the adventure would be! First of all, he's okay. A little scraped up, but no permanent damage was done to the boy.

On his way to school he was riding in a school zone in the bike lane, when a woman in a maroon mini-van decided to make a U-turn. She didn't look where she was going and ended up heading straight for him! As in a head on collision in the bike lane! He did some quick thinking and tried to jump the curb, but the bike he was on is a fancy street bike with super skinny tires and the curb was about 12-inches high and only the front tire made it up. He went down. The rest of the bike and JB were banged up pretty badly. A couple of hundred dollars of damage was done to the bike and the nurse at school spent quite a bit of time bandaging him up before he could even go to first period.

Now all of this is bad enough - my child has minor injuries and his bicycle has major injuries. But the thing that really set me off was that the woman made eye contact with him and then SPED AWAY!!! She didn't stop to check to see if he was okay as he lay splayed on the street; she didn't offer help; she didn't apologize for running the kid over. She looked at him and hit the gas. What kind of person does that? He was too stunned to get a license plate number.

There is nothing we can do about this incident, but please, if you see a teenage boy in trouble, stop. He's someone's little boy. He's probably not a serial killer - or even a hoodlum. He's probably a good kid. And he might be mine!

Pecan Street Festival

John and I went to the Pecan Street Festival today. The girls were busy making Homecoming mums, and my both my friends who like to do stuff like that were sick, so John sacrificed and went with me. I had a blast! I love looking at all the creative stuff, and trying to figure out how to make it myself. I see visions of me doing shows like that someday. (It'll probably never happen, but I can dream.) I usually end up buying some small gift for someone, taking a few pictures of really cool stuff (I forgot my camera this time), and spend a great deal of time watching people.

Austin has the most interesting folks in the world. Leslie (the resident cross dresser) was out taking pictures with the tourists, but he's not the only interesting person out there. There are people covered head-to-toe with tattoos and piercings, people with kids in strollers, dogs (and sometimes cats) on leashes, a guy with a snake draped around his shoulders, countless outlandish hairstyles, great bands on the side streets playing all different kinds of music, people handing out political pamphlets. All in all, it's very entertaining to me - and FREE. You should go with me sometime.

Thanks, John for going this time!

The Second Half

Today is my birthday - number 47. Amazingly, I feel younger now than I did 10 or 12 years ago. It's amazing what a little sleep can do for a person. As I pondered this particular birthday a few months ago, I realized that this is most likely the half way mark in my life. Several women in my family have lived to be 94...hence, 47 is half way done. I have to wonder what the second half will be like. The first half was filled with obligations. I had to learn to walk, talk and feed myself. Then they (whoever the omniscient "they" is) expected me to go to school for 13 years. Then I chose to go a bit longer. Then I began working for real, had kids, taught them to walk, talk and feed themselves. Then began to get them through school. And now it's almost done!

The second half of my life should be just that - mine! Whatever will I do with myself? I can tell you that I started the second half off with a bang. I went today, to get a tattoo. Just a small one, but a tattoo just the same. WAHOO! This is gonna be fun! (Oh, and thanks to the ladies who went and held my hand - I love you guys!)

September

Normally I dread September. It seems like most of the really bad things in my life happen in September (even though it's my birth month). This September has been filled with fun...

• Monday I took two dogs and two cats to the pet clinic at school to get their shots. Trying to get an angry cat into a carrier (and then have the other one walk into hers and sit down), load them all in a small car, drive 6 miles in rush hour traffic, get them out, get their shots, load them up again, drive to swim practice, get them out and wait, put them back in (with an additional person), drive to musical rehearsal, get them out and wait, put them back in (with ANOTHER person), and drive 6 miles back home was so funny I had to laugh out loud.
• Tuesday John to me to a Jason Mraz concert. He's one of my favorite singers, and it was phenomenal! 'Nuff said.
• Wednesday I got to help out the middle school cross country coach with her meet. Even though I have no children running XC at this time, I still love the sport. It was a blast to get to help so that parents could watch their own children run.
• Thursday I got to watch a bit of Daughter A's rehearsal while I waited for a meeting to start. Seeing her in her element was uplifting.
• Friday, for the first time in my history as a teacher, I graded my own paper. I made a 100, but lost 10 points for failing to put my name on the paper. I cracked up when I was fussing at my students for not claiming this "perfect" paper when one of them said, "Umm, Mrs. Wilkinson, that's yours. It's the one you did as an example."

Life is funny. Enjoy it.

Grandparents' Day

Today is Grandparents' Day. I'm sure some card company dreamed it up as a way to sell more cards. (At least that is what Daddy would say.) Our church has a special breakfast on the morning of Grandparents' Day to honor all the grandparents - duh. So Daughter B represented the family yesterday as they set up, and JB and Daughter A went this morning to serve. The Wilkinson household fulfilled all obligations. That's what I was thinking while I was running through the grocery store at 7:30 this morning.

Then, as I sat in church with heavy eyes (this 6:45 am swim schedule is tough on me, and I'm not even swimming), I began to think about my grandmother, Mamaw. The brown/country one. Both of my grandmothers were called Mamaw. One was pink skinned and one was tan - hence, the brown Mamaw and the pink Mamaw. Then as I got older I got more politically correct and identified them by where they lived rather than skin color - town or country. The Country Mamaw was the one I spent the most time with. She and I always had an incredible connection. She could infuriate me or make me incredibly proud. I always knew she loved me, no matter what. When I began to think about her I realized that most of who I am is because of her. She taught me so much by simply being there for me to watch.

She taught me to put my family first, to support my husband no matter how crazy the venture, to treasure my independence and rely on God, that no matter how tired I might be I could always do a little bit more, to be demanding of myself and others - but be forgiving, that honest work is always honorable, that math is important, to laugh at myself, and how to drive. I could go on forever.

I keep a piece of her (her diamond pendant) around my neck all the time. I think about her daily. And even though some people thought she was a bitch, I hope I'm just like her when I grow up... I love you, Mamaw.

Can I Have a Clone?

Last night was open house at the kids' school; the night for parents to go meet all the teachers. When I was a high school teacher not many parents came, and I knew that the ones who did were gonna have really good kids because they cared enough to show up. For that reason, I always go to open house. Up until now this hasn't been that difficult - even with twins. I've managed to make it to meet most of the academic teachers. This year was a bit of a stretch - 3 kids, 21 teachers, 1 mom, and 8 class periods to get to them all....With a little creative scheduling on my part, I managed to see most of the academic teachers, again. Sometimes I just popped in and said, "I have 2 other classes to go to right now, but I'm ____ Wilkinson's mom. Is there anything I need to know? Please email me if you have any problems." They were all very gracious and assured me that all was well. This is the only year I'll have the privilege of having three high school students, so I was going to make the most of it! It was even kind of fun. It should be an exciting year.

My Backyard

Everyone is gone this evening. Out with friends or out of town. I'm getting to sit in my backyard and just enjoy. I love my backyard. When we first moved into this house, the yard was what we bought...the house just came with it. By today's city standards we have a huge yard - between a fourth and a third of an acre. It has evolved over the years. We started with a deck and riding toys for JB. Then John built the world's coolest fort with the wood we got from taking the deck apart. (I was afraid the girls would fall and bust their heads open since it was raised.) We poured a patio and put in the kids foot and hand prints. For years it was the best place to roller skate. Even my best cat ever's footprints were fossilized there. Later we added a swing set, a soccer goal, a trampoline, and a wooden pirate ship. We've had chickens for years who talk in soothing voices if you sit near them. A clothes line is strung among the trees (we started with over 60, but have had to take a few out over the years). A screened in covered patio has been added, and a few years ago we put the pool in. This yard has grown with my children. And through it all - from the days when JB would put a blanket on the deck for me to lie on while he played because I was on bedrest to now with teenage parties, it has been the best backyard anyone could have...I'm very blessed to have a little piece of heaven right here. Life doesn't get much better.

Becoming an Adult

We had a major birthday at our house last weekend! JB turned 18. This birthday was so different from his first. On that first birthday we had a few friends and family over to have hotdogs and cake. JB looked so cute. He needed us. Without us he would not have survived... Birthday number 18 still involved a few friends and family. We had lunch and cake. JB was still cute (though I think "hot" is the more politically correct term these days). But he no longer needs us. He can take care of himself just fine these days. He enjoys having mom and dad pay for stuff like food, shelter and clothing, but he's perfectly capable of doing it himself. He knows how to do all the basic caring stuff, AND he's pretty savvy when it comes to important things like money management, relationship skills, work ethic... Wow! When did our child become a man, and how did we end up with such an incredible one?

Don't answer that - we know that God had a HUGE hand in it all. And thanks to all the friends and family who helped mold this incredible person. It really does take a village.

The First Days of School!

The first days of school are over. Thankfully! While I've looked forward to these "everyone is in high school" days, I didn't think it through.... I forgot about hormones and messed up schedules and "what if I don't have lunch with anyone" (surely there will be at least one other person in the cafeteria?) and "I'm ready for it to be over" and the most god-awful of all, "I have preAP English with my SISTER!" I think most of the problems that we can solve are over. Daughter A's is out of Cross Country and into PE and French. Daughter B has a second period class (but this resulted in two Wilkinsons in the same English class). And JB...well, he still has schedule problems but I think he gets some kind of weird satisfaction out of dealing with such issues, and one of the screw up classes might be entertaining. He's got a shop teacher with a mouth like a sailor and a VERY laid back attitude. It makes for some laughs around the table.

I made it, too. First day of school with new kids and Parent Info NIght are both over. I've only been confronted once (by a "friend", no less), and I haven't killed any teammates. I think it's going to be a good year!

Slow Learners

John was laid off from his job. He's been working for a non-profit who decided that they only have money for one professional position, and that position should be fund-raising rather than marketing...not much he can do about not being a fund-raiser, so we move forward.

I know that the economy is pretty crummy right now, but this is not the first time this has happened. By my best count it's the sixth time. And on each of the past five times I've suggested he play his horn and do some freelance work to make a living rather than work in the corporate "real" world. He's just not an office kind of guy. This time I decided to get bossy (not hard for me :-) ) and tell him that he can't look for another regular job. In my opinion, God has told him six times that he needs to do something different. Five times John has gone back to what he was doing before. In my line of work we call those people slow learners, and we make modifications for them. BUT we rejoice when they finally "get it". Hopefully, he's gotten it this time.

And if you know of anyone who needs a trumpet playing, boat building, marketing professional, trumpet selling, handyman, landlord please let us know!

Happy New Year!

I like my job. As jobs go it's a good one. I get to "play" with 75 or so 10- and 11-year-olds all day long for 9 months of the year. We usually have a good time - we laugh, we learn (me, too!), we notice the weird things in the world and marvel at how stupid adults (called grown ups in my world) can be. AND we get some awesome breaks from each other - Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring, and then about 9 weeks in the summer so we don't get to tired of being together. Those breaks give us all a chance to spend time with our families (one of my favorite parts).

One down side of my job is I have to work with a few grown ups . There is generally 1 or 2 grown ups to go with each of the kids, and sometimes as many as 4 (or more). Some of these adults don't seem to remember what it was like to be 10. They are often not much fun. They expect us to take life way to seriously. They want us to conform to a bunch of tests, sit in desks and stare at pieces of paper and try to remember all that is on those pieces of paper.

As I start my new year (because in my world New Year's Day is in August). I'm making a few resolutions:

1. I'm NOT going to let grown ups impede our fun. I'll just invite them in to see how much we accomplish while having fun.
2. I'm going to make someone (hopefully a grown up) laugh EVERY day.
3. I'm going to stay organized. (I make this one every year, but I have yet to succeed.)

Hopefully the other weird grown ups who get to "play" with my own kids for the next nine months are feeling the same, and they'll work to make the year filled with fun and laughter (and some learning, too). And if you want to be in a place where it's okay to talk about farts, poop, dog slobber, vomit and snot; where giggling is okay - even expected - at what, to other people, seems inappropriate times; where stupid jokes are still laughed at and always one-upped...just come see us. We'll let you join in as long as you don't tell us to grow up.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Wicked!

We went, as a family (plus JB's girlfriend, K) to see Wicked last night at the Bass Concert Hall at UT. We went down a little early, and walked across campus to the Drag to get something to eat and then went to the show. It was a spectacular performance!!! Our seats were good - not great, but not bad - and with binoculars we could see really well. The set was incredible, the costumes were incredible, the leads were incredible, the ensemble was incredible, the orchestra was incredible... All in all it was one of the best shows I've seen (and it has a great message). But the most wonderful part of the evening wasn't the show...

For the first time since the kids were little we ALL went to see a musical together. No one complained or fussed. Everyone seemed to have a good time (or kept their complaints to themselves). The best thing about the evening was that while Daughter A, the theatre geek, waited in line at the stage door to get autographs for 30 or 40 minutes, her brother sat on a curb with his girlfriend and never tried to guilt her into leaving. He was almost a gentleman. He did look rather bored and didn't try to hide it; but I couldn't judge him for that. It was late and still a little hot, and he had a sweater on. Life doesn't get much better than that - three siblings, an extra teenager, a mom and a dad (who doesn't like to wait) all having fun together without any squabbles.

And it's a good thing, too, because we could have had a nice weekend at the beach for the cost of those tickets, but the fringe benefits wouldn't have been as great!

Birthday Girls

We celebrated the girls birthday today with family and friends. Many of their friends were out of town, but a few managed to make it. Most of my family was there and other "family" members who don't share the names Barton or Wilkinson. We all had a great time even though it was incredibly hot (duh, it's August in Austin) and only a few of the kids chose to use the pool. Since the girls' second birthday they have always had 2 cakes. I don't believe you should have to share your birthday cake with someone else. (I may have messed things up for the mom of another set of twins that were at the party and have always shared a cake.) No one in our immediate family is a big cake eater, so we invariably end up with way too much leftover cake. So I took the easy way out and bought only one cake from Costco for the party. I thought it'd be ok since they are 15 now. Then my sister-in-law had volunteered to make a cake. I thought, "Great. I don't have to make it, but we'll have 2 cakes. All will be well." Umm, Rosalba didn't make a cake - she made a CAKE that would have fed an army! This was as big as some wedding cakes (and beautifully decorated). Even our 30+ people couldn't put a dent in all the cake we had!

So now, we have several wonderful gifts, enough leftover hamburgers to eat them for lunch tomorrow, and cake that fills the freezers! If you need some just let me know; I'll be glad to share.

The Sins of the Mother

Daughter B is out of town with a friend for the week. Daughter A is bored, BORED, BORED. She tells me this regularly as she's drawing a square in the air in front of her with her fingers and saying, "she completes me". Whatever will they do when they marry?

Anyway, in an effort to assuage the boredom I suggested DA and I go try on heels. Just for fun. She loves tall shoes because they allow her to be "a part of the conversation". We went to our usual store for cheap clothing (Burlington Coat Factory), and proceeded to try on all kinds of heels. Strappy ones, enclosed ones, pretty one, pretty ugly ones, 4-inch, 5-inch, platforms, all colors, all styles. You name it; we tried it on. We even agreed on some! When we had exhausted all the shoes in that store, I suggested we move on to a more upscale store with good Italian shoes.

Bandolinos! My favorite in the world. I truly believe you get what you pay for when buying shoes. Back in the olden days (before children), I would only buy Bandolinos. They fit my feet. They feel heavenly, and they last for years. DA tried on a pair. She was a bit disappointed because the smallest size they had was a 6 and she needed a 5 1/2, but she got the feel. She understood the love a woman can have for good Italian shoes. We went on to continue our "shopping" at another mid-scale store, but nothing grabbed her. She had had something so much better. She says I made her a shoe snob, now. Oh well, I'm sure she'll get over it.

Oh, and we didn't buy anything...

Wisdom (Teeth)

JB asked me to make him a dentist appointment because one of his molars looked funny and hurt a bit. I did. He went. Alone! I didn't have to drag him or threaten him or anything. He went of his own accord, and then went back a couple of hours later to have a panoramic x-ray done because they needed to see his wisdom teeth so they could determine if they need to come out to protect that expensive orthodontia he had done. All of this was done by an almost 18-year-old boy (man?) without any pushing or prodding from his mother. I was proud to say the least. He came home from the second appointment in a state of shock and frustration. He learned that he DOES need to have his wisdom teeth pulled - ALL 6 OF THEM! The dentist is sending him to an oral surgeon (we now have that consultation appointment made), and plans to use JB's x-ray in a class he's teaching because he's never seen one like that before - even in a textbook...Maybe this is why JB has always been such an old soul. He's got "wisdom" beyond his years. :-)

Friends and Machines

I had the opportunity to go on a trip of my own this week. A close friend, an old acquaintance and a girl I've seen twice and I spent several day together (with about 3,600 other BeautiContol consultants) at the Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine. By the time I got home I was travelling with three close friends. The trip was like grown up summer camp. You know, when you would become BFFs with people you only saw for one week out of the year because of the incredible bond you make with people while sharing personal space.

The conference was good, but the fellowship of these three ladies far outweighed anything I learned from the conference. We laughed until our stomachs hurt, we told stories on ourselves that one would not normally tell, we shared ups and downs about our husbands and children, we sat on beds in a single room - four women in their 30s and 40s - and "talked" on Facebook to each other and giggled because it was so ridiculous...Until my computer died. A horrible, painful (for me), never to be resurrected death. But because of these wonderful, supportive women I made it through the initial shock. Hopefully, I'll find a replacement machine soon, but until then, I'll have to Facebook with my friends on the kids' computer in the living room. The wonderful thing is - the friendships I gained the past few days is worth much more than my loss that I'm not even sad about the laptop...It was more than a fair trade.

Follow Your Passion

Wahoo! The cloud has lifted from our house! Yesterday evening Daughter A decided to abandon running cross country and focus on her acting. Now, acting is her passion, and cross country has the potential to interfere, but she's been hesitant to quit because she doesn't want to be a quitter, and she doesn't want to not be an athlete because her brother and sister are. This has been incredibly frustrating for me. She has an incredible ability to act - a talent neither of her siblings have. And yet she still feels a need to do what they do, but she complains about it every step of the way. Praise God that she has wonderful friends who have encouraged her to follow her passions and talents! I wish I had as much control over my child's life as 14- and 15-year-olds have! Thanks guys!

Apollo the Illegitimate Grand Cat

The phone rang, it was JB, "What would you do if I brought a cat home?". How many times has he asked me this question? Why does he keep coming back to it? We already have Kiwi, a cat he talked me into getting, and Maddie, a dog he talked me into getting plus another cat and dog, a rabbit and several chickens. Why does he need another pet for me to take care of?

I hemmed and hawed and tried to put him off. I thought it worked. Then the phone rang a second time. "Could you talk to the lady here? The kitten is from Town Lake (a kill facility), and he's on the list to be killed if no one takes him. She says I can have him since I'm almost 18. And I'll pay for the adoption fee, but she'd like to talk to you since I still live at home." Ohhhh, he knows my weaknesses. A poor little kitten that looks like one we had get hit by a car just a year ago. A male. He's already neutered. He's had his shots. JB's got all the answers to my questions. I talk to the lady. She's understanding, and as much of a "crazy cat lady" as I am. When I tell her my husband's going to think I've lost my mind (again), she lets me know that hers feels the same way about her. But I CAN NOT let a cat die. Not a sweet little kitten who needs a home that I can provide. So (said with a great sigh), JB brings the cat home. He is indeed cute and cuddly. He looks quite a bit like Titus, but different enough it won't bring back sad memories. And he seems to deal with the dogs with no problems whatsoever.

Then comes day 2. JB plays with the kitten for an hour or two; comes up with a name (Apollo); and then says, "Can you watch Apollo? I need to go help Cameron get his bicycle." So here I sit with my illegitimate grand-cat most of the afternoon. Luckily, the cat's "aunts" are here to play with it as well. And he and the dogs get along just grand. I've been suckered AGAIN...But the cat has a home. He's alive. And I have another furry friend to love. Thanks for the cat, Bud. And there is no way you're going to take him away from here when you leave home. He's going to live with his grandmother all his life!

Homecoming

The girls came home today! They already miss their friends from camp, but I am so glad to have them home. It was fun to see them interact with such close friends they only see for one week of each year. I remember those incredibly close bonds. Donna Magee, Rhonda Agee, Dan Anderson, and Danny Balch were people I will always feel a closeness to even though I haven't seen them in 30 years or so! We shared Peach Valley Camp together year after year. And now my daughters have that same type of bond with camp friends.

While I'm thrilled that they got to experience those things, I've missed them (and their brother and father). Missed the conversation and craziness that comes from three teenagers and a husband in the house. I may have even missed the extra work involved (maybe).

John and JB will be here in a few hours. They did not make the summit on their mountain climb (hike), but they've had the opportunity to try something new and see how well they can do. It sounds like both of them did really well. John says that JB did a great job as crew leader. That he was very proud of his only son. It seems one of the adults, not a teen, was not at all prepared for the strenuousness of the hike and managed to go so slowly that no one was able to make the peak. I find this a terribly unfortunate and unfair situation because Trek is an everyone or no one type of thing. And since this person wasn't fit enough to move along the trails at a reasonable pace, no one was able to get to the top. I'm sure I'll get more details when they get home, and I'm sure they are a bit frustrated. Hopefully, there was something good that came out of the experience.

The bottom line is that things are getting back to normal. I will be much busier, doing things for so many other people. But I'll also get to enjoy their company, feel their love, have their support, and listen to their laughter. The break has been nice, but my regular life is even better!

Peer Pressure

I went to my friend's house to pick up the key to my car. (This is the same friend I traded cars with a couple of weeks ago so I could transport a passel of girls to Victoria.) I left the dogs in the house because I was just going to run a few quick errands: put gas in John's truck, pick up his dry cleaning, get a movie to watch, and I made the snap decision to stop by and pick up the key. We did the normal niceties, talked a bit, bitched a bit. But she's incredibly persuasive and by the time I left I had agreed to have my teaching team over tomorrow for swimming and pizza (I'm fine with that - we'll have fun and we need to bond), and did P90X AbRipperX exercises for 16 minutes!!! I'm going to hurt tomorrow! Why did I do that? I DO want tight, ripped abs, but I don't want the pain. I'm a wienie. Oh, well, it's too late now. The damage is done. I might have to do it again.

Growing Up

Today is A's and B's birthday. They are 15. For the first time since their births, I did not get to spend the day with them because they are at camp. I'm a little sad, but I've survived. They have each other, thank God, so hopefully the day was filled with joy and happiness for them. My babies are growing up. My mother always said that in order to be a successful mother to you had to work yourself out of a job. They still need me somewhat, but not like they once did. I must be headed along the right path. Happy Birthday, girls. I love you both.

Struggles and Blessings

I have come to realize that I whine a lot. At least in my head. I'm sure quite a bit of it comes out of my mouth as well. I need to stop...I am so incredibly blessed! The past few weeks and months I've watched several friends go through incredible difficulties. One lost his daughter to cancer in early May, and then his son passed away in early June. Another has a son with cystic fibrosis who is in need of a second round of transplants (lungs and liver). One friend has spent the past year fighting for her marriage (and finally seems to be winning), and another's husband just left her this morning (hence, this post). She has two children, whom I love dearly, who don't understand why their parents are doing this. Another friend is the primary caregiver to a cousin with a form of ALS that supposedly takes longer to do it's awful work. Meaning he will have to suffer longer. Several friends are out of work with few possibilities in the future. The list goes on and on.

But I AM BLESSED!!! My family is healthy, my husband is faithful and loving; we both have jobs; my children don't get into any major trouble. I have my house, more cars than drivers (for another few days), my pets, and my extended family; we never miss meals; we are able to go on vacations; I work with kind, loving people; I attend a church with so much faith and spirit it oozes out the cracks in the walls. Thank you, God. I'll try not to whine any more.

Daddy

My daddy's birthday was yesterday. I thought about it Friday night and again about 11:30 last night. But I forgot it when it was appropriate to call. Today I had to take Daughters A and B to camp near Marble Falls, on the way home I decided to call and say "Happy Birthday, sorry I forgot yesterday". He wasn't home. My mom was, though, and she told me he was at their retirement place outside of Lockhart. Since I'm free all this week - no kids, no husband, no expectations - I decided to surprise him and go down. This was about 4:30. By 6:00 I was in Maxwell with a batch of fake homemade cookies (the frozen dough kind) and our dog Maddie because I hadn't walked her yet. No one else was there, just Daddy and me! I can't remember the last time I had my daddy to myself. It was meant to be a birthday surprise for him, but it ended up being a gift for me as well. He was Daddy, not Pops, the grandfather to my children. We wandered around with the dog (who was afraid of EVERYTHING), looked at the drying fish tank and the dry garden. He showed me a huge snake that had surprised him in a bucket of water. (Daddy hates snakes, so it was dead by the time I got there.) We sat on the swing and talked and watched it RAIN! This was truly an evening for miracles. After a couple of hours my aunt and uncle showed up (they have a place there, too) and shortly after that my mom came with my neice. We had an improptu dinner of grilled sausages that Daddy had cooked up for us, and sat around and visited. By 10:30 I was home. Total time was about 6 hours, 1/4 of a day. I felt relaxed and rested. I had started with an attitude of this was something I had to do, and came home refreshed. I should spend more time alone with Daddy.

Sisterhood

Today was the day. John and JB left for Colorado. So the girls and I spent the day together. We made a trip to JoAnn Fabrics to get the material to make a dress of DB while they are gone. (I already had what I needed for DA.) While we were there DA was on the lookout for stuff to take to camp to give to DB for her birthday - She found some balloons. When we got home they finished packing for tomorrow and then began working on their birthday secrets in separate rooms telling each other not to come in. It has been sisterhood at its best around here all day long. They are each excited and proud of what they have created for the other. I think they'll both be happy with the results.

That sisterhood they share is a mystery to me. Since I have only brothers I don't have a clue what they feel for each other. Their bond is so strong, I'm a little jealous. As a kid I never wanted a sister, but as an adult I think it would be wonderful. Please don't think I don't love my brothers, I do. I'm particularly close to my youngest brother because we live in the same town, have similar interests, and spend time together (he's my hairstylist :-) ), but that bond doesn't seem to be the same as what DA and DB have. They finish each other's thoughts and sentences. They break out in song at the same time with the same song in the same key. They tolerate each other's idiosyncrasies with patience they don't have for anyone else. They even talk about working it out so that they will have their children on the same day. (And they probably will.) I don't know if this connection is because they are twins or because they are sisters, but it's an incredible connection, and I'm glad they have it.

And by the way, they both idolize their brother.

The Drama Princess

Daughter A is a drama princess. (She can't be the queen because I'm the queen of the looniverse.) She holds this title in more ways than one. She IS an actress. She has been since she was about two. I can't remember a time when she didn't know every word to any Disney movie she saw. She created "shows" for us to watch almost daily. She loved to put on costumes and create elaborate plots for the shows. Some of them were even pretty good. She's the second freshman to earn a leading role in a CPHS musical - only the SECOND! Yep, I'm pretty proud of her, and I'm bragging a bit. BUT....

She also has the ability to find drama in situations that others might find a little irritating or possibily even mundane! While theater is her passion, for some reason she feels compelled to run cross country like her brother did. Now DA is not the runner JB is. She's a good runner, but not an exceptional one. She doesn't love it the way he once did. She says she doesn't want to be the only Wilkinson child who is not an athlete - never mind the fact that she is the only one who can get on a stage in front of hundreds of people and sing, dance and act. It seems like running turns into a frustrating drama every day when I pick her up from practice. Something always happens (a fall, an untied shoe, a witchy girl on the team says something, coach yells, a muscle is pulled, a foot hurts, meets are going to interfere with rehearsals, etc.) to make her run miserable. And every day I ask her why she runs if she hates it so much. The whole drama is exhausting for me; I can only imagine how it must be for her.

Today I finally got something other than the stock answer and complaining. She agreed to think (just think) about switching to regular PE next year and focusing on her acting rather than splitting her energy between cross country and theater. I feel so relieved. She'll have to talk it over with her friends, but I think they'll back me. And when she makes her acceptance speech for her first Tony award she'll have to thank me for encouraging her to drop cross country!

Birthday Traditions

We make trip after trip to the store to get the things everyone needs for their various trips next week. Shorts (longs? they must touch the kneecap!), rain gear, flashlights, small toiletries, hiking socks, bowls, sporks, a fan, and two digital cameras for the girls birthdays. They will spend their birthday at camp this year while their daddy and brother are scaling a 12,000 to 14,000 peak in Colorado. And I'll be home with the dogs and the cats.

We've never been apart for their birthdays. We have a tradition... I get up before 6:39 so that I can wake Daughter A before her birth time. She gloats for 35 minutes because she is "a year older" than Daughter B. At 7:14 everyone has been born. They open their presents. I tell them the story of their birth (again). We have breakfast and the day begins. This year the tradition will be foregone for the first time. I'll get up at 4:45 so I can go walk with my friend. I'll come home to a house filled with pets but no family, and I supposed I'll tell Jake and Maddie the birth story when the time comes. I already know how they will react. Jake will lie there and move his eyebrows around. Maddie will look at me expectantly, hoping for some type of treat and perk her ears when I say the word "go" as in "we decided we should GO to the hospital". I hope I'm able to be strong and have a good day. After all, my babies will be having fun at a camp that they love. My husband and son will be getting closer to summit-ing, something they've looked forward to since January. It will still be a day of celebration, just not all of us together. They are really growing up, aren't they?

Re-connecting and Reminiscing

The past week or two has been filled with opportunities to re-connect with old friends. I spent an evening with a former student (who ended up being a close friend) and two wonderful ladies I used to teach with. Then one of those friends brought her young sons over to swim later in the week. It was great to catch up on what had been going on in their lives and realize how wonderful my life is with older children and no more toddlers. :-)

I had lunch with a friend from junior high and high school that I haven't seen in 28 years! We seemed to just pick up where we left off the summer after graduation. We talked about high school and last week. The conversation was seamless; easily flowing from one thing to another just like it did when we were 12 and 18. I never would have thought I could do something like that. Thanks to Facebook, I can...

I visited with my parents next door neighbor, my extra grandmother, when I dropped the girls off in Victoria. She told me where to find Charlotte, her "real" granddaughter (and my extra cousin), so I could stop by and see her for the first time in ages before I headed back to Austin. And I did! Again an easy conversation and a great feeling of complete-ness when I left.

I have never been good at keeping in touch with people. I tend to be a loner and kind of forget the old friends when it is no longer convenient to see them. Maybe it's because I'm hitting middle age, but I've enjoyed the re-connecting and reminiscing. I think I'll continue to try to rebuild those relationships. In talking with all of these people (particularly the ones from long ago) I've begun to gain some insight into who I really am. And I'd like to find that girl again.

I found a quote last week by e.e. cummings. "It takes courage to grow up and turn out to be who you really are." I think I may be finally gaining that courage thanks to Denise, Sarah, Jennifer, Temi, GrammaDee and Charlotte.

Puck and the Expedition

I took my girls to Victoria today to spend the weekend with their grandparents. JB was already at Port A in his dad's truck, so all I had to drive was my MINI or his Jeep. Normally that's a great thing, but today I was also transporting two other girls. A MINI does not comfortably move 5 people and the luggage for 4 teenage girls 130 miles so I had to find something else to drive. (A Jeep also only has 4 seat belts and is rather rough for a long road trip.) I ended up trading vehicles with a friend who drives an Expedition...now we're talking BIG! You could park my car inside of hers! The really ironic thing is the I - the mother of three active teen-age kids - have a MINI Cooper to run around in, and she - not yet a mother - drives the ultimate mom-mobile.

She wasn't up when we were ready to leave, so we had to wake her to trade cars (sorry). We headed out, but needed gas first... OMG! I'm used to putting about $20 worth of gas in and being set for 300 or so miles. This was a different beast! As far as big vehicles goes it gets pretty good gas mileage, but I ended up spending over $70! The kids loved it - power EVERYTHING, DVD player, the works. It took me a bit to get used to driving something so tall and long, but I managed. After all, in a former life I drove a 15-passenger van. The thing drove like a dream and handled great, but when it came down to it, I missed my cute little car. I guess I've just turned into a MINI girl. Ever since I got Puck (that's his name - after the Shakespearean character) people have told me that he suits me. I felt like I was betraying him and doing major damage to the environment. Thanks, Stacey, for the loaner. You're a life saver. Thanks, Puck, for not disowning me for driving someone else - I will always love you most!

Hopefully my mom will bring them home...

Flying Solo

Either I'm really good - or I'm really crazy. JB left for Port Aransas yesterday around noon; I've heard from him once; and I'm not worried! Well, maybe I need to clarify a bit. He and some friends went to Victoria to my parents' house yesterday. I talked to him briefly after they got there. He didn't call to let me know he was okay. He just wanted to know if I would be mad at him if he brought another kitten home because evidently there are a bunch of free kittens in Victoria. I know my mother watched over them last night and gave them plenty of advice as they left for Port A today. And I know that JB would never consider not listening to his grandmother...She might beat the fire, the tar or the living daylights out of him (those are phrases for another post some day). Therefore, he must be okay. I haven't heard from him and Mama told him to be good.

I made my first trips without parents to Port A when I was 17 (he'll be 18 in about 6 weeks), and I lived to tell the tale. I didn't even do anything I shouldn't have. My brothers went at about the same age, but I'm sure they lived a little more on the edge than I did. Bottom line is they both are still with us and didn't get in to any major trouble. So I guess all of that and knowing that JB is a responsible kid and that I've done a pretty good job of raising him results in me not being worried about him. I feel a bit guilty for not being in constant earnest and wailing prayer over the situation. I've prayed, but then I've forgotten about it. There has been no overwhelming desire to worry. Truth be told, I've worried more about John being out on Lake Travis this evening than JB's adventure along the coast. I am anxious to hear how it has been, but I'll wait until he gets home to find out.

I'm proud of myself. I hope everything continues to go smoothly. And I'm looking forward to the boys getting home Sunday afternoon. I miss them, but I feel peaceful about it all. Thank you, Lord, for taking care of both JB and me.

Shuttle Service

It's summer time. I'm supposed to be off. I am a teacher, after all. Now all teachers know we don't REALLY get the whole summer off, but we do get a few weeks. I'm supposed to be playing in the sun. Right? Not driving to school. Right? Home with my dear children. Right? Oh, no - that's not the life for me. I'm a shuttle service for two teenage daughters who are not yet old enough to shuttle themselves, but definitely old enough to have very active lives! And I live in the Looniverse so things have to be a little crazy.

I made five (count 'em FIVE) trips to Cedar Park and back today. That's about 30-35 minutes per trip! I don't worry about the mileage/gas too much; that's one reason why I drive a MINI. At 6:15 I left the house to go to CP to take Daughter B to swim practice. At 7:15 I left for the second time to take Daughter A to cross country practice. At 9:00 I brought DB home in case some friends who were coming over to swim got here before XC practice was over because they were doing a longer workout today. I immediately headed back to Cedar Park to wait for DA just in case they did get done on time. By 10:15 we were home. At 2:30 DA wanted to go hang out with some friends at the park/pool where DB had practice at 6:30 this morning, so off we went. At 5:15 I left to pick her up again. There they are six trips... And in the middle I cleaned some cabinets, worked in my classroom, enjoyed the company of friends in the pool, cleaned some more cabinets, went to the bank, did some laundry, watched half of a really good movie, and fixed supper. Not bad for a crazy day. :-)

Now, I don't want to sound like I'm complaining. I chose to take a job in Cedar Park and to put my kids in school there to get them out of the middle school and high school they are zoned for, and I'm glad I made the decision and will stick by it. But five trips? Seriously, girls...you need to coordinate a little better!

Discipline and Dedication

It’s Independence Day, and I’m sitting at the UT Swim Center waiting for Daughter B to swim. They just finished the warm up. Warm up in this pool is almost overwhelming to me…a couple of hundred (yes, I counted) swimmers all going end to end, time after time for about an hour – steady, streamlined swimming. All different types of strokes. To me they are all amazing because I can’t even begin to do what they do. (DB is trying to get me to breathe right as I swim so that I won’t drown next time I do the Danskin!) The water churns from all the commotion, but they are so disciplined and organized that they seldom even touch one another. When they all get out the pool is like glass almost immediately. I’m told this pool is designed to have almost no wake and it works! The timeline for the meet says that 756 entries will swim in 99 heats in a little more than 4 hours. My child will compete for about 2½ minutes today. The other 250 minutes I will sit and be astonished (and a little jealous). I want to be like these kids when I grow up! They get up in the dark during their summer break. They swim for hours every day. They do core workouts. They run. They eat right and stay hydrated. They go to bed early while their friends are out late so that they can get up the next morning and do it again. During the school year many of them swim before and after school. They swim when it’s hot and when it’s freezing (like ice on the dog’s bowl freezing) in an outdoor pool. Most of them keep a pretty high GPA. They are truly incredible kids. Their dedication, discipline and determination are to be greatly admired. I’m proud of all of them – even the ones I don’t know. I’m particularly proud of DB – not because of her insanely fast times (she’s still working on that) but because of her willingness and enthusiasm to be a part of such a demanding sport that she began only 9 months ago. Her determination to improve while accepting her limitations and staying positive is a lesson to me. I’m only sorry you can’t see her…she’s the pretty one in the CP swim cap!

Driving

Twenty one days until Daughter A and Daughter B will be 15! The countdown began months ago because they have been looking forward to the day they can get driving permits. The thought that we are so close to the big day is a little disconcerting. Can my babies really be that old? I’m almost coming to grips with the fact that JB will be 18 in less than 2 months (after all he looks, talks and moves like a man), but these are my baby girls! They were so small you could hold them in one hand! How will I ever help them both get enough experience in the next year to feel comfortable letting them drive alone? What if one passes the written test the first time around and the other doesn’t? Will I be able to get Verification of Enrollment forms from the school during July so that they can even take the test or will they have to wait until August? So many questions…

Luckily they will be at camp on their birthday so we don’t have to race to the DPS office at 8:00 that morning. Truth be told, their study books may not even be here by then, so that may buy a little time. My brother is borrowing the car they will drive until his is fixed – so that’s another possible delay.

I really do want them to learn to drive. It will make my life so much calmer (in some ways) once they are able to take themselves places. They’ve even already worked out how they will get to their respective practices for sports and who will drive when. (Wahoo! No more getting up at 6:00 in the summer to get someone to swim practice and then making another run at 7:30 to go to cross country practice!) The problem is I can’t quite figure out how to teach them both and get them enough practice to be confident within the year I’m allotted. Right now I’m thinking I’ll work with each one on alternating days. Of course I’ll have to keep a chart like I did when I was trying to remember who had been fed and who had had a diaper change when they were babies, but now the chart will read things like “stops and starts”, “parking”, “turns”, and “emergencies”.

I’ll keep you posted, but beginning July 27 you might want to avoid the roads in our neighborhood…the Wilkinson girls will be attempting to drive!

Car Talk

My kids and I have our best discussions in the car. Maybe it's because I have a captive audience - what are they going to do? Jump out of a moving car? Or maybe it's because this is about the only time I have one-on-one with any of them. Maybe it's because we're sitting side by side and my eyes are on the road rather than peering at them... Regardless of the reason, this is when we have our most meaningful conversations. It is because of this intimate time that I often enjoy being Mom's Taxi Service. (And it's an excuse to drive my cute little car.) I learn a great deal about my kids and their friends during this time, but more importantly, it often becomes a teachable moment. A chance to share my belief system with them. A time to discuss difficult and controversial subjects. Things we see along the road can lead to meaningful discussions we otherwise probably would not have. For several weeks a group of people were protesting in front of an abortion clinic that is on our way home from school. Every day we watched these people. Rain or shine they were out. You had to admire their dedication and tenacity. But we wondered if they were just anti-choice or if they truly wanted to help the women who may have felt the need to go to such a clinic. I took the opportunity to talk to my daughters about the dangers of judging others and the need to help people who are in crisis. (Personally, I wouldn't choose abortion for myself, but I don't know the situations of those who were there and since I'm not willing to raise their children, I'm not going to tell them what they should or should not do.) It is truly amazing the insight 14-year-olds have regarding political and moral issues. The girls became so concerned about this that they questioned one of the leaders of our church about it. He had to admit that they were right - we should do more than condemn abortion; we should offer solutions (And this is a man who practices what he preaches!) There have been many other incredible discussion that I can't really write about without compromising confidentiality, but suffice it to say that one of the most effective classrooms I've ever taught in has four wheels, two or four doors, no desks, and moves down the road... I wish I could drive some of my fifth graders (or maybe their parents!) around.

Rite of Passage

Today I took JB to buy his first college course book! He's taking a dual credit course this summer and needed to go get his book. On the way there I suddenly realized that I didn't need to get out in the heat and traffic - the boy has a perfectly good Jeep and a perfectly good driver's license that he could have been using. I turned to head for home and send him on his way with my debit card (he's trustworthy, so far) when he said he wanted me to go. I though, "oh, my little boy needs me, " but no - my little boy wasn't sure where he was going and didn't want to be stuck in traffic in the crazy heat in a Jeep with no top on it. Oh well, at least he needed me for something. But he DIDN'T want me to go into the store with him. (Aww, shucks)

We got to Bevo's Bookstore, and I was wishing I had brought something to do with me. I remember my first venture into the University Coop - hours of lines, confusing stacks, no one to help - and I was expecting a bit of a wait. He popped into the store, got the book, bought it (with my debit card) and popped back out. All in less than 3 minutes.

Now, I'm thrilled to be able to be a part of this rite of passage that my firstborn went through today, but where was the anguish? The pain? The confusion? It all seemed too easy (though not any cheaper) to be a real rite. After a few moments I came to realize that I wish his life could always be this way...that all of the petty things that have caused me grief could be easy for him. I know we have to experience some suffering in order to truly appreciate how good we have it, but I would love to save my children the hassle of the inconveniences that life throws our way. Alas, I can't, so I'll just have to be supportive when they arise and remind him to look at the bright side - it is just an inconvenience, not a real problem.

Now I think I'll go cheer him on as he replaces his brake pads...a hassle he's just going to have to work through...

Laughter

I love laughing with my kids. Some of the things we laugh about are really stupid, but we once we get the giggles it's hard to stop. Most of the time we're laughing at ourselves (or each other), and often even laughing at whoever who is in a bad mood. Usually we laugh at Daughter A - she's the funny one, and she means to be funny (she is the actress, after all). Sometimes we have to laugh at/with Daughter B - the serious one. She's really smart, but sometimes a little dingy so we have to laugh. Even she will do something and then laugh at herself and say, "That was a B moment!" JB often makes us laugh when he's singing and dancing. He's really a good singer, but his dancing....hmm. At least it's entertaining. I'm glad I'm his mother and not his girlfriend. (I don't know if she's okay with his dancing or not - I should ask.) They laugh at me, too, but since I'm the one writing I don't have to share those embarrassing moments (just don't ask them about me doing Wii Fit!).

Yesterday we were lounging in my room just talking. JB was lying across the bed and Mango, the dumb cat, was circling him like a buzzard. She stopped with her head by his shoulder and her tail on his side. She's an annoying cat, and he thought he'd make fun of her dumb-ness. So he said, "Do me a favor, Cat, and put your butt in my face," in the most sarcastic tone he could muster. She took 3 or 4 steps forward, pointed her behind at his nose and waved her tail at him. The rest of us laughed until we cried. JB decided that the dumb cat speaks English. We're still laughing....I love that something so insignificant can create such a bond between my children and me. I hope we always have that weird connection.

Welcome to the Looniverse

When our children were young and learning to talk John used to play around with them, making them bow in front of him and say, “Oh great swami, master of the universe.” Well, when you have two 18-month olds trying to say big words it sometimes comes out a little different. So it came to pass that our house became known as the Loon-i-verse (as in “Oh great swami, master of the looniverse”). We still live there (here?) Things are generally a bit loony around here, but we have a good time and that’s what really matters.

I’ve been here in Austin for most of the last 28 years. I’m lucky enough to be married to a true Austinite who was born in St. David’s Hospital. So by default, I belong here. The real blessing is that we’ve been able to raise our children here. They’ve benefited from all that Austin has to offer, and for that I am grateful. Unfortunately (or maybe it’s fortunately), my kids will soon be leaving my home, and maybe even our wonderful city. JB is almost 18. He’s a senior…for all intents and purposes he’s a man and tries to do all things manly. The girls will be freshmen. Daughter A will be in theater – following her dreams to live on a stage. Daughter B will be singing and swimming and continuing with her aspirations to be as close to perfect as possible in everything that she does.

When they were born I said I could hardly wait for the day all of my kids would be in high school. (I’m addicted to teenagers.) Well, that day is here! So I’ve decided (yet again) to try to blog to keep family and friends updated on what goes on here in the Looniverse.