The Garbage Man Can

My three year old has an infatuation with being a trash man.  In fact, for his 4th birthday he wants it to be garbage can themed.  Wish me luck with that.  He tells everyone he wants to be a garbage man when he grows up.  Our family and friends have embraced his enthusiasm by giving him toy trash trucks, magnets with Waste Management symbols on them, and his very own trash cans.  He will load them up with toys and pretend he's picking up garbage. Ever since he was old enough to notice the big dump truck come through our neighborhood to pick up trash he has just loved it!  He knows that every Tuesday and Friday are trash days.  He has been rolling out the trash cans since he was two years old...because he wants to...not because we make him! One is about his size so...it's all his own.  The garbage men will honk and wave at him when they see him waiting by the trash to get picked up.  Bryant will dance and jump in excitement when he sees them and tells them "Thank You!!" in the greatest voice ever!  Lately, we've been giving them water bottles to drink since it has been just so hot outside.  Bryant wasn't out to greet the trash men today because he was somewhere else this morning but the garbage men made it known that his presence was missed.  They emptied our trash cans and placed them neatly beside our garage door this morning instead of leaving them by the curb.  Never underestimate the power of being Simply Kind!!  Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

We Are Who We Are

I don't have much patience when it comes to waiting in long store lines.  It doesn't make it any easier when you have a toddler pulling things off the shelves and running around like he drank 2 large energy drinks!  Of course, there are the people that stare at me as if  I can't control my child and I should be ashamed and then there are the ones that giggle on the sidelines as if they read every "Denace the Menace" comic strip and find my distress amusing. I finally felt at one point that I was in control. My child was calm somewhat and I waited my turn. A man in front of me proceeds to turn around and just say, "We are who we are...wouldn't you agree?" "Well, of course." I said.  Not knowing where he was going with this he proceeds to explain to me that I shouldn't worry about my child's behavior. He feels that he is just expressing himself from a past life that he has had. He really believed that my child was a former World War II soldier. He asked me what my thoughts were on past lives. Well, what I really wanted to say was something like, umm...I have no idea in the world what you are talking about and please mind your own business but, I found myself engaging in his conversation by responding, "Hmm...well, yes of course I've seen some documentaries about what you're talking about." What in the world just came out of my mouth I thought! Did I just say what I thought I said?! Yes, I did. He was a friendly eccentric soul. I can't say that our conversation really continued to make much sense to me but hey, I think it was way more interesting than, "How's the weather" small talk.  When he left he walked back toward me and said, "Do me a favor...before he goes to sleep at night ask him who he is...he'll tell you."  "Ok, well you take care now." I replied. So, before he went to bed that night I leaned over and asked my son, "Who are you?" He replied, "I'm Bryant." "No really, who are you?" I asked. "I'm Bryant Dagenhart." He said. Whew...He is who he is!

A View From the Bottom

When I was a little girl it didn't take much to find the little miracles in life. I remember the day I read the newspaper for the first time and how excited I was, when I learned how to swim in the "deep end" from the lady that wore different colored sunscreen on her nose, and when I learned how to do a cartwheel for the first time with sudden grand hopes of becoming Nadia Comaneci. There is one vivid memory that I've often wondered why it really has much significant meaning to me. My dad pulled up into a tall building in Houston, TX. He had to go inside and take care of something I thought would be boring and all grown up so he let me stay in the car outside to wait for him. I remember while I was waiting I started to look around and then I looked up. I had contorted my head outside the passenger window to get a better look above. I became fascinated with how tall the building we were parked in front of was. I began to observe how the clouds barely touched the top of the building. There was something splendorous about it in my mind of a child. It reminds me that in those times when I'm so anxious to get to the top of the building to see the view from the top not to forget that there's just as much beauty from the perspective of just tilting my head. Finding the splendor in life doesn't have to be so complicated.

Are We Having a Holly Jolly Christmas Yet?

Isaac and I have been randomly singing the "Twelve Days of Christmas" for the past several days. Every year I still have trouble remembering all of the 12 What my true love gives to me are. I always get stumped on 12 drummers drumming and can't help but wonder if my son even gives it a second thought when we sing 9 ladies dancing and 7 maids a milking. I do love that a local radio station has now changed to all Christmas songs. Every time I hear "O' Holy Night" I get goosebumps. It is my absolute favorite Christmas song and I feel like I sing "Silent Night" year round. I do get tickled at the poor retail workers that at the mention of how I enjoyed the Christmas songs playing in their store they roll their eyes and sometimes quietly whisper..."It drives me crazy!" Other little holiday favorites for me are...."Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer", "Same Old Syne" (love Dan Fogelberg), "Christmas Shoes" (cry every time..every time...ugh!)...oh the list goes on. I do wonder though why there really aren't many newer Christmas songs around. It does seem every year it's the same old songs with new little twists but nothing that really grabs me like "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire" or something similiar. I wonder if the movie, "It's a Wonderful Life" can ever be out done? Well, there's a lot to be said for the classics. Enjoying the free gifts of the season! I hope all of you are taking time to enjoy it and not stress so much over it. "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"....so to speak.

The Memory of their Presence during the Holidays

I drove past a shopping center the other day that had already put out all of their Christmas Holiday decorations. I couldn't find the enthusiasm. Since losing my dad I have dreaded this holiday season. We didn't spend every holiday together but it just felt a little more warm knowing he was still around. The holidays are a bittersweet reminder of holiday memories long gone. I miss the gathering of my family around the dinner table making tamales, laughing, and sharing life together. I had an aunt that told me once when I was visiting her in Monterrey, MX after my mom's passing, "The warmth of family is like a fireplace and will always bring you here." She was right. I haven't been back in over 15 years but my heart always travels back to the sights and sounds of my mother's soul there. I miss the many decorations and enthusiasm my Mom, (Beth) had for the holidays. It was her favorite holiday. I still remember the deviled eggs and pimento cheese sandwhiches we'd have at my grandparents house when we opened up presents. She loved to shop. She could out shop anyone. We wouldn't buy everything....we would just shop for everything. She loved giving to others. We had to have baked at least 25 7-up cakes one year to give out to friends and family. My Christmas flare in no way will ever compare to hers but I loved that about her! Every holiday my grandma served her infamous green jello! I have tried to replicate it over the years and I'm pretty sure it turns out more like the jello served in the movie, "Christmas Vacation" ...the jello made with dry cat food. My dad just loved the simplicity of it all. He pretty much just showed up and enjoyed the atmosphere. One Christmas Eve when I was little I remember waking up at around 1 a.m. and I ran into the living room of my grandma's house. I saw presents and my Dad and his brother were visiting in the living room. I looked at my dad in bewilderment and asked him why in the world didn't he wake me up when Santa dropped off the toys?! He and my uncle gave me some story about how he got to the house and just left everything there but he had to go really fast to deliver all the toys to other kids. I was mad. I truly held a grudge against my dad that Christmas for not waking me up to see Santa. Funny how he would rather me be mad at him than to have let me know the truth about there not really being a Santa. He took the hit for my childhood imagination. Although there are some that will be dearly be missed this holiday season I have to remember that I am the memory that my kids will someday hopefully share and I want to take the hit for Santa also. If you are missing a dear one this holiday season my prayer is that the warmth of memories and new ones made will make you feel like you are nestled by a cozy fireplace. Have a blessed holiday season my friends. Peace unto all of you!

We've Come a Long Way from Pong..But I Liked Pong

I blame the age of Atari for the technology age. We are the future we dreamed about while playing Pong. I'm still not comfortable with it even though it seems the way of life these days. Every time I look up...noone else is. Everyone, including myself, seems bowed in technology instead of bowed in prayer or meditation. To look someone in the eye while speaking is a treat. Driving has become the multi-task accomplishment of this generation. People reading, talking, and typing on their cell phones. Next time you drive..look around at the stop lights. I bet 3 out of 5 are doing what really should be categorized as a drunk driving analogy. Would I be exaggerating if I felt we are probably not too far away from our own Avatar technological selves? Maybe..maybe not. The irony is I use technology it seems religiously. When I gripe and complain about changes or enhancements in social networking or cell phones, I'm not dissing the advancements made, I'm grieving the personal touches we are leaving behind. There's something unnatural about my emotions and close friends being categorized by algorithms. While my children will find that virtual hugs and communications are something worthwhile, there is still a part of me that finds the sharing in a techie world a bit impersonal. Isn't that the way we like things though? This way we don't really have to expose our "true feelings" because the computer does it for us...it's really not us. Don't be fooled. You're exposing more of yourself in the guise of an imaginary protective shield you think is the internet/cell phone. Bottom line...there's a part of me that wants to run away from all the gadgets, news feeds, cell phones. etc. but then there's the other side that is attracted to it all in the same way. Do I feel more "connected" with people in the techie world? Hmm...I feel that I can get more information faster but relationship wise...no, can't say that I'm closer with people...just maybe that I know more about them from what we share. Seems there's a learning curve in all of this. I don't plan on dropping out of social networking and nor do I plan on chunking my cell phone in the ocean. It does give me pause in wondering how we can preserve intrapersonal communications though. The things that give me hope....teaching a grandma how to use a social network once at her hesitation just so she could keep up with what her grandkids were doing. There was something nice about that but the flip side is...those grandkids need to pick up the phone and call their grandma once in awhile also.

Raspberry Beret and a Lucky Parakeet

The first MTV video I ever remember seeing was, "Mickey" by Toni Basil. "Oh Mickey you're so fine....Hey Mickey!" We didn't have cable so I would usually catch the MTV hysteria at friends homes. Once, when I was in the fourth grade I was hanging out with a friend and we were so excited to watch Prince's "Raspberry Beret" video on MTV. We were singing and dancing along like we silly girls do while her parakeet was screeching in the background to it's own little rhythm. She went to the cage and said, "Hey, let's let him out....to fly around the house for a little." Bewildered, I thought, "Ok, well, that sounds fun...how cute that would be!" The little bird was flying away around the room as we giggled and then in slow motion there went the parakeet into the ceiling fan and around around it went and thudded against the wall. Oh, Dear!! I am the last person on earth who would know anything about parakeet CPR or first aid. My friend and I panicked and rushed to the little bird. Poor parakeet but,....it lived! We were so relieved that it didn't look or act hurt! My friend gently put the bird back in the cage...it began tweeting again and with a sigh of relief we could enjoy all that was Purple Rain and Raspberry again. I cannot listen to Raspberry Beret without it taking me back to the parakeet adventure. We all have our songs, don't we?