Monday, September 10, 2007
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Monday, September 3, 2007
relating to Stevie
It seems like a lifetime ago that I had a child living in my home. I'm at the opposite pole from you, Stevie .... happy for any time that my children have for me. They are busy with their lives and families/boyfriends. We are the generation that was involved in the minutia of our kids lives. It's tough when that ends or evolves.
However , having said that....nothing, absolutely nothing prepared me for the joy that a little 22 month old could possibly bring to two people. I leave to babysit on Wednesday ! Can you see the smile on my face?
Sunday, September 2, 2007
.JPG)
Never say never. . .
I can't tell you how many times over the last few years I've said; "oh, if my son said he was moving back in I'd get a job just to pay for his apartment."
Joshua left home in 2002 to attend college, grow up and become the man we thought he was going to be. Of course I was devastated. Somewhere around 1984 I had lost my "self". I didn't know where to find "self", and I was afraid that if I stumbled over it I wouldn't even know. I was terrified of loosing all the stuff I'd grown to hate; midnight phone calls, boys running around my house at all hours, him not coming home all night, strange friends, stranger girlfriends, holes in my walls (that's another story).
My pity party lasted maybe three minutes. Not only did I find "self", I found restaurant reservations, out of town trips, food lasted longer in my refrigerator and cash stayed longer in my wallet. I could walk around my house in my birthday suit, even dance naked if I wanted. Life was good and nobody ate my chocolate. Of course he came home from time-to-time for the requisite parental visits and holiday get-togethers. And I travelled to at least three different states visiting him now and again. But he was happy and I was happy and I thought our happiness would be forever and ever. Forever and ever lasted until August 8,2007 at 3:40 p.m.
Joshua's grandfather had fallen ill and he rushed home from Kansas to his bedside. Well, grandpa surprised us. He lived.
And Joshua surprised us. He stayed.
Somewhere between Sterling, Kansas and Palm Desert, California, Joshua made a decision that would change my life forever. He was coming home. I must preface the rest of this by telling you that the previous two times Joshua had come to California had been to attend the funerals of his grandparents. So in his wisdom, at 35,000 feet on August 8th he decided that if he moved back to California he'd never have to attend another funeral. The logic escapes me.
Of course when he told me his plans I did what any good shell-shocked Jewish mother would do. I said no. Not really, but I did try to convince him that; a) too many adults in one place is a bad thing, b) I would hate disrupting his routine, and, c) I was never cooking again, he'd have to buy food and make his own meals. He wasn't scared.
Within the space of two days he flew back to Kansas, had his transcripts transferred here, quit his job, packed up five years worth of his life, his flat screen t.v., his two cats (to add to my five) and drove back "home". I used those two days to remove my winter wardrobe from his closet, my shoe overflow from his room and I found all the chocolate I'd hidden in there as well.
He's been home for a few weeks now. Once again there are boy-men running around my house at all hours, the telephone started ringing before he even unpacked, there are strange foods in my refrigerator, and there's a funny odor coming from his "things".
We do occasionally run into each other. The conversation goes something like this; "Hey mom." "Hey Joshua, what's up?" "Nothing mom. Could you look at my biceps, I think they're bigger than last week, are they?". Hmmm...some things never change.
Joshua left home in 2002 to attend college, grow up and become the man we thought he was going to be. Of course I was devastated. Somewhere around 1984 I had lost my "self". I didn't know where to find "self", and I was afraid that if I stumbled over it I wouldn't even know. I was terrified of loosing all the stuff I'd grown to hate; midnight phone calls, boys running around my house at all hours, him not coming home all night, strange friends, stranger girlfriends, holes in my walls (that's another story).
My pity party lasted maybe three minutes. Not only did I find "self", I found restaurant reservations, out of town trips, food lasted longer in my refrigerator and cash stayed longer in my wallet. I could walk around my house in my birthday suit, even dance naked if I wanted. Life was good and nobody ate my chocolate. Of course he came home from time-to-time for the requisite parental visits and holiday get-togethers. And I travelled to at least three different states visiting him now and again. But he was happy and I was happy and I thought our happiness would be forever and ever. Forever and ever lasted until August 8,2007 at 3:40 p.m.
Joshua's grandfather had fallen ill and he rushed home from Kansas to his bedside. Well, grandpa surprised us. He lived.
And Joshua surprised us. He stayed.
Somewhere between Sterling, Kansas and Palm Desert, California, Joshua made a decision that would change my life forever. He was coming home. I must preface the rest of this by telling you that the previous two times Joshua had come to California had been to attend the funerals of his grandparents. So in his wisdom, at 35,000 feet on August 8th he decided that if he moved back to California he'd never have to attend another funeral. The logic escapes me.
Of course when he told me his plans I did what any good shell-shocked Jewish mother would do. I said no. Not really, but I did try to convince him that; a) too many adults in one place is a bad thing, b) I would hate disrupting his routine, and, c) I was never cooking again, he'd have to buy food and make his own meals. He wasn't scared.
Within the space of two days he flew back to Kansas, had his transcripts transferred here, quit his job, packed up five years worth of his life, his flat screen t.v., his two cats (to add to my five) and drove back "home". I used those two days to remove my winter wardrobe from his closet, my shoe overflow from his room and I found all the chocolate I'd hidden in there as well.
He's been home for a few weeks now. Once again there are boy-men running around my house at all hours, the telephone started ringing before he even unpacked, there are strange foods in my refrigerator, and there's a funny odor coming from his "things".
We do occasionally run into each other. The conversation goes something like this; "Hey mom." "Hey Joshua, what's up?" "Nothing mom. Could you look at my biceps, I think they're bigger than last week, are they?". Hmmm...some things never change.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)