cancelled subscription

 

Owen uses pencils, pens, and kitchen utensils as players in his make-believe football games, cuz if my boy aint' outside playin' it, he's inside improvising!

I could be wrong, but I can't help but to think if I had a close up shot of Bob at this age, it would be identical to this one of Owen.

Leaning over the office counter, I quickly scribble my John Hancock across the volunteer badge before making my way into Avery's classroom for the afternoon.

Owen's K teacher happens to walk by.

"Mrs. H", I call.

Stopping, she turns in my direction.

Me: "How are you?"

 Her: "Oh, good, thanks."

Me: "Great. How is Owen doing today?"

"Owen," she says, pausing....

AWKWARD MOMENT,

then she slings, 

"He's doing......... alright."

Alright?

Just alright?

Hmmm.......

I'm standing there thinking of what to say next when she comes quickly towards me.

"Ya know, I've noticed he spends a lot of time twirling the back of  his hair. It's become quite a habit."

Nodding, knowing she's right. I concur.

I'm stumped. This comment about his hair wasn't something I expected.

"Ya," I respond,

"We should probably just cut his hair," falls out of my mouth before I can catch it and shove it back in.

To that, she gives me the squint eyed, pierced lipped look, (the one that says, I think so, without saying anything at all)  nods, and goes on her merry way.

*****************************************

Yup, you bet the over analyzer in me has been a mullin' over that one for the past few days!

 I went through the ole' camera and found recent pics. of Owen sporting his mangy mop.

Fact of the matter is: I'm secretly digging his do.

However, after the incident in the hall with his K teacher, and comments here and there from others, I really have contemplated snipping his strands.

Ya see, one of my "problemos" is,

(I confess and Bob tactfully reminds)

I care TOO much what people think.

Then, today, while lazily enjoying my Sat. morning (the first one in months without an early morning soccer game),curled up on the couch wrapped in my favorite blanket, I was watching Andrew Luck's interview with my Logan Lady Stephanie's old crush, Steve Young, and Andrew said something  that's sticking pleasantly with me, like the chorus of a good song.

"If you subscribe to what other people say, it just gets in your head.

 I don't subscribe to what people say."

To that, I decreed,

Mrs. H,

"I AIN'T SUBSCRIBING!"

(Bad grammar, for this English teacher, is synonymous with cuss words, wink wink.)

.......and with that, 

 the unruly, rangy, dirty blond locks,

remain.

first moves

Remember when we were dating,

and neither of us were daring enough to say, "I love you."

So, one day, when we were driving in your car, on our way to drop me home, I had a "moment", where I was feelin' all over the moon about you, and although my inner crazy felt like shouting it, I just wasn't brave enough yet for the BIG words, so instead I threw out a little diddy like this......

"Like (cuz I said that a lot then too) I pretty much love you, Robert McBride."

.....and there ya had it.

Remember when we were dating,

 and you would drive an hour and a half to my little, white house in Logan and stay til' the wee hours of the morning but had to leave and drive like a mad man through all the small farm towns in order to make it back to Pocatello in time for your early morning football meetings?

You stood on my back porch for hours, craving a good night kiss, but not brave enough to lay the first one on me. You  played softly with my hands and looked tenderly into my eyes but just didn't have the courage to graze my lips.

So I grabbed hold of your big self and pulled ya in real tight. I kissed ya all romantic, just like the actresses in those soaps I was so into back then.

 ....and there ya had it.

Remember when we were dating,

 and we would spend hours upon hours chattin' it up on the old telephone?  My roommates were darn near appalled by my phone bill, and I was in shock too, as it was hundreds of dollars this girl didn't have! I remember calling my parents and shamefully begging them to help with the payment, the ONLY time in my entire college career I had to borrow money from my folks. My pocketbook nor my heart could take it any longer. I was ready to seal the deal on this relationship. 

So late one night in the middle of one of our conversations, I interrupted ya mid-sentence because I wasn't listening to a thing you were sayin' anyway and blurted out my best proposal...

"So, should we get married?"  

......and there ya had it.

                                                                                                                                                     

Fifteen years and four kids later here we are celebratin' your 38th.

Maybe I should apologize that it was ME who made all the bold first moves, but if that's what it took to snag YOU,

I'd do it .....

again, and again, and again.

f a m i l y p i c s

 Family pics.

I rate em' right up there

with
plucking eyebrows.

Cringe at em' both.

Despise em' really.

Not the pics. per say,

cuz' amazingly enough

little miracles take place

with each click of the lens

and a few actually turn out....

surprisingly nice.

It's the PROCESS,

I really dislike.

The gettin' it all together.

The weighty chore of figuring out what to wear,

  everyone looking just right,

 at the exact same moment.

It's darn near impossible really.
Oh, but we moms practically die trying.
.

I have the privilege of being dear friends with the talented Whimsy Pix,

when she called this morning stressing about which and what

to wear for her family pics.  

 I knew.

I knew it was a curse.
Prep for family pics. was an unavoidable curse. 

That girl's got more talent, style and down right awesome flare,

than I could ever dream to have,

and even SHE stresses about family pics.

I was reminded today and lately too, how much a conversation with a good friend "lifts."

It's like therapy.
I forget when I'm feeling the weight of the world,
 that my load isn't much heavier

or different, for that matter,

than anyone else.

It seems, when I open up, with unfeigned conversation

I find this to be TRUE.

Undoubtedly true.

I believe it's crucial that we,
"Vent", or "Share", if you will,

 refrain from judgment,
but rather, take time to listen, relate, and LOVE.

The impact?

Growth, aid, and comfort,

to name a very, small few.

I'm thankful for the reminder,
we are all in this together, more similar than we will ever know.

I've been blessed my entire life, 

with AMAZING friends.
Friends who listen without judgment,
forgive me of my follies,
accept me the way I am,
support and lend me their hand
and most importantly...
love me.

Cuz this girl's a lover,
and Oh how I LOVE my friends.

BIG, BIG, BIG

each and every one.

I didn't listen when Whimsy Pix advised, "Never bare your arms. 3/4 sleeves are always best." Darn, I wish I'd taken heed, and POOR Bob, completely uncomfortable with any display of PDA!

Not me, I'd devour him in public if he'd let me! wink, wink

This, of the girls, one of my faves.

Sure easy to spot my two cheesballs, A?!

Mr. Max, captured in his very true colors.

Yo, Avery....camera's this way!

Avery is missing shoes in every family shoot we've ever done.

It is NO surprise to me that one of Max's only words is, OWEN!

  

Thank you, gifted Cynthia for your patience with my family and the beautiful pictures you captured in the midst of our little clan's chaos!