Notable Quotable and a Book

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Isabella: "Mom, we're taking money to school because there's a little girl who lost her house and her clothes and she has no food. Her name is Haiti."

(Brief pause from her. From me? Eyes still wide and mouth forming shocked and sentimental "Oh" shape.)

"And Mom? Does Haiti have a brother?"

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Speaking of Haiti... for my book-loving pals, find this book and read it now. You won't regret it.
Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man Who Would Cure The World by Tracy Kidder.
Riveting and inspiring. That is all I can say without gushing.
Thank you to Shah for reminding me for over 3 years to read MBM!
It was the perfect time to read this book, with all the attention on Haiti, and it explained so much about the situation - through following the inspirational life of Dr. Paul Farmer. It is people like him who provide us with hope, even in an untenable situation. What a dynamic man. If anyone can cure the world, it is him.
There. I gushed anyway.
Now stop reading this, and go read that!

I'll return soon with Tales Of a Grandmotherly Visit.

Welcome to the family!

There have been a few happenings in the last 2 weeks, as 2 other members have taken on the birthing responsibilities in the Lear family. Whew. I have been trying to pass that torch!

I'll work backwards, and welcome first my niece, Little Miss Gwen, to the world!
Rick's brother Dennis and his lovely lady Laura (of Disney-gifting fame) labored all through the night and halfway through the day today and were rewarded with a c-section to finally produce the small diva. The new Littlest Lear!

This is an event because, as you may recall, we roll with some crazy age-gaps in this family. When she passed away last year, Rick's mother was 96 - my children's grandmother. Rick's brothers had all started families early, so all of my children's first cousins were well into adulthood, a few being older than me. Yeah, that's comfortable to walk into when you're 20. And while my little Lears have enjoyed many good times with their second cousins, I could not manage to achieve that holy grail, that title which I have coveted: the name of Aunt Bethany.

(Though my "niece" Tina did sincerely offer to call me Aunt Bethany, which was the sweetest offer, but a little weird because yeah, she's a little older than me. But the fact that she offered? Golden.)

But now? We have a bona fide full first cousin, and that child will not escape me! Aunt Bethany is here for you, Gwen. Come rock with Phoenix and I. It is sweet, sweet, sweet to have cousins close in age. And since it's common knowledge, and I'm hardly announcing any breaking news, I'll out with it: Laura is 5 years younger than me - so I'm off the hook as the youngest sister-in-law, and no longer have the youngest kids with the oldest papa. Teehee. (Hi Laura! What are you doing online? Shut your computer and google at baby Gwen some more!)

Moving backwards, another little Lear joined us last week: Dennis's twin brother Brian welcomed his first grandson, Conner, which is Brian's 5th grandchild. I know, it's wacky to keep track of! Two Lears in two weeks, yet separate generations! (cue twilight zone music)

Moving to the middle news, which would be the beginning of this week, I offer proud congratulations to Jeremy and Susan. Soon I will no longer call her my almost-sister-in-law, as Jeremy formally proposed to Susan on Tuesday (3-2-10) and she appropriately answered, after 7 years together. It's exciting to have some big family goings-on! (cue champagne corks a-popping)

Ahhhhh. It is news like this that will lift me into spring. Which had better make a preliminary appearance by.this.weekend. Y'hear me now?

Wondering and wandering

I've been thinking about this place alot lately. Seems I've been missing from my own spot. Everything got busy, even moreso than usual, and I dropped off the face. Phoenix took over, again and again, as an easy speed-post.

And he is fun and cute and a blast to write about... but. Along the way I was losing the point. You know, the practicing and the honing and the wordsmithing? The dipping and the delving and finding of the soul in the telling of a story.

I haven't had too many stories to tell this winter. With today's crazy-heavy snow, I am officially crying uncle. Bring it, spring. Bring back the energy and drop-kick that groundhog along the way. Pasty-faced ground-dweller, we don't need you foretelling our weather!

I'll be back.

To the rescue!

It's Mama!
Mama to the rescue!
My mama, to be specific. And she is not a moment too soon, right?
I'm trusting she will be rich fodder for story-telling, if you will give me the few days' visit.
She's arriving early tomorrow, and I am r-e-a-d-y.

P.S. As per Susan's advice, I am amending yesterday's statement to read that Phoenix is only winning for a little while. Spring will come and little boys can play outside. Amen. Cheers!

See you after the weekend...

Catching up: the police

People! Hi!
This is the lightning round catch-up. I can only say that the days are flying by, with so much to do and think about and a whole world to save. You know? So, what should I catch you up on, right quick-like? My part-time job juggling monkeys? A visit from the police? Vacation Bible School registration & flashback?
Oh, the police, the police, pick that, you say? Well here you go. Take a second to reflect on all that I have told you herein, and all the characters that figure in this play we call life. For whom does the doorbell ring, when the policeman is standing on the other side?

Did you guess?

Okay, hold that thought.

"Good evening, is anyone else at home?" said the policeman at the door, in the twilight.
"Umm, yes, come in, my husband is here and, and, and come on back, sir," said the Mommy with the wide eyes.
He swept the room with a wary glance. Rick stood and chuckled and shook the officer's hand. The officer patted Phoenix on the head, and said he had a 14 month old at home.

Ah, Phoenix.
The guilty one.
The phone-dialer.
The mensa baby that dialed 911 not once, but twice.
Two 911 hang-ups equal one immediate visit from the police. Just so you know.

And even if you quickly grab the phone upon hearing the 911 operator, who is on speakerphone since the little bugger also figured out how to work that, and you nervously say it was an accidental call made by a baby... well, that only confirms the immediate appearance of an officer on your doorstep. Just so you know.

Accidental calls made by babies must be a popular excuse, or something.
All I know is, this child has the time, energy and dedication to figure out anything he pleases, and I say to you softly, here and now, in the company of close bloggity friends - he is w-i-n-n-i-n-g.

If you guessed right, your prize is a day in his joyful company.
That is all.

Guest blog: my invisibility cloak

You likey? I fixed it myself. Hair gel a la syrup.

I am ruling this place!

But you can't see me. I'm part phantom. And those are not scissors.

Promise.

P.S. Mommy will return. She got hit by a bug & is recuperating. I'm doing my best to speed the process...

Guest Blog: what I've been doing

Hey out there, to all my peeps! It's me again, Trouble.

I've had a great week, lots of fun action and unexpected delights.
Check out this drawer move. Nice, right? I thought the crash-bang-boom that all the pans made, as I decanted them, was great. Until I thought of climbing here. N-i-c-e... adds some much-needed height to me, if you catch my drift. From here I can reach the oven's "Shut-That-Thing-Off!" buzzy thing. It's also a good spot to check out my style. Works best if you lick the surface, and then look into it.


Now this was pretty smooth, I thought. I found a marker and I was SURE no one could see me back here. My best work is done in secret. I knew this movie case was special, and just right for my latest "rawing" - I mean, Beba carries it around all the time and seems to like those 4 singing dudes...


This? I have no idea how this happened. I mean, I was all cool and secret-like, playing with something under the table, and the next thing I know... Whoa! Where am I?! Was I just sleeping?! This is the stuff that really ruins a guy's image. I can't be seen to SLEEP. Way too much to do around here. I mean really. I haven't pulled the fruit basket off the counter ALL day. Better get right on that.


Come with me, my love. Together we can conquer the world....

Nice

I am thinking of putting a bumper sticker on my car.
It is black with white letters, and says 3 words.
They really seem to say it all today, and could apply to everyone from 1-91.

Just Be Nice

Or maybe I should just put it on my forehead.
Or make copies and stick them on every one of my children's foreheads.
Want one, too?

The End.

As Capes Make us Magical

My Mom gave the girls two handmade capes for their birthday. They started their cape lives as costumes in Washington, NC's homeless shelter fundraiser, Dancing With Our Stars. My Mom, brother Jeremy and almost-sister-in-law Susan all volunteered as dance pros, and worked diligently with local stars for the event. Jeremy's number was to a James Brown tune, so he made capes, a la Monsieur Brown. And now we got 'em.

They embued the girls with superpowers, which were immediately apparent. They ran faster, jumped farther and climbed higher. See? Too bad they did not come with extendable robotic arms, because there's a ball or 6 in the neighbor's yard.

Kindly notice Phoenix, who is master of photo ops now. Camera out? He's there, positioning himself in front. Good boy.

Look! Yonder, hails a ball that belongeth to us! My word, there are even more back there! It's a veritable ball universe! (Note to neighbors that never go out back, hence never noticing a lawn littered with spherical objects. Dudes, throw us our balls. Seriously. Or I will have to unleash the Caped Crusaders on your property. And that? There is no turning back from. Once they go over, they keep going over.)
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Now that I think about it, I could really use a cape myself.

Project 2: the silhouette

"Rickey - 1961"

I first laid eyes on the silhouette when I visited Rick's mother, Jane, at her apartment. She had a two bedroom place, and in the guest room she had the silhouette of Rick in 2nd grade. It seems she has had it hanging on her walls since it was created; holding her baby boy right there beside her.

There is something between a mother and her youngest son. Probably any son, but in a family of 5 children, the youngest holds a particular place. A bittersweet place, if the mother realizes this will be her last.

After Jane's passing last year, the silhouette eventually made its way to us. It was a harrowing journey, as it arrived in an old frame with shattered glass. What care is "fragile" these days? It was sweet to lay eyes on it again, and I assured Rick I could quickly fix up and re-frame his treasure. The cherished silhouette was in the same frame it was placed in 50 years ago. Taped carefully to a white sheet of cardboard, who could have guessed it would still barely cling on, these many years later?

It makes me wonder how many of my little projects will carry on, just as I have made them, for as long as someone loves them. At what point will my little ones go to re-frame their cross-stitch birth samplers, only to see how I rigged them in there by hook or crook? :)

A small, excited 7 year old Rickey - much like our own kids each day - must have proudly presented this silhouette to his Mom after school that day. Knowing how cautious and particular he is, I can picture him cradling it all the way home, careful not to bend it. He was successful, because all these years later, it is sun-faded, but has not one bent corner. Rick remembers his 2nd grade teacher making these for the class, he said she shined a light and traced their profiles on paper taped to the wall.

I found a beautiful custom frame in one of my (trash) treasure hunts, used archival watercolor paper for the background, and a simple white mat. It makes me wish I had a matching one of myself at age 7! It definitely makes me want to try this out on my own brood.

And there you have it. Me chugging along with the little projects I have been wanting to complete. Project 2 - done. I may take a break from project posts after this. They are exciting to me, but maybe make for *cough* dry reading... ;-) Surely the activities that Godzilla-toddler has been up to are much more stimulating! And I have photos to prove it...

Happy days...