August 27, 2010

Better Than A Fist To The Face

Greetings from the deep end!
So, for about two years now, this day has been approaching. It has been sneaking up very smoothly but very obviously. I honestly don't know how in the world I didn't see it coming. Other than the fact that I am unobservant to a fault when it comes to things of a not-me nature. What can I say? I'm human.

Today, for me, is one of those days where reality and the universe join forces and contrary to popular belief and opinion, prove that I am in fact an adult. This comes as a shock to me. I know it shouldn't, but it does. Especially since it happens so often now a days. I am one of the popular voters who says I am in fact not an adult but rather one who belongs in a lower grade in a middle school somewhere. 12 to 13 years old. 15 tops, and only on a really, really good day. As previously mentioned, however, reality and the stupid universe are here once again to destroy whatever semblance of normalcy in adolescence I once believed I possessed. Today my son, my little baby boy, my little guy, my little dude, turns two.

Parents of children younger than two just cringed at the thought of their little toddler or toddlet becoming a big boy or girl. Parents of older children, or better yet, grandparents all just laughed at me. Thanks for that by the way. You think you are so smart just because you happened to have your kids, keep them alive for more than X amount of years and they happened to have grandkids for you. Doesn't mean you can laugh that the poor blind schmucks like me who would rather sit in our bedroom with our eyes shut watching videos of the kid's first day than accept that they are going to grow up and become big boys and girls. Or even worse... GULP... teenagers.

My parents at this point are probably a little sad that the boy (Xander) is growing up but what they are really thinking is, "That's right boy! This is what you get for getting older, becoming a big boy and then becoming a teenager!" Well, all of you parents that just agreed with what my parents are probably thinking, remember this, every time I have this hit of reality and adulthood, every moment my boy gets older and thereby makes me feel older, you are older as well, by association with me.

With that, I thank you Reality and Universe, for allowing me to not have to go down alone, for allowing others to suffer with me. Because at the end of the day we are all a day older and hopefully a little more grown up, whether we are two, twenty seven or fifty-two.

Oh yea! Congratulations to Me and Pam for keeping a child alive for TWO YEARS!!!

August 25, 2010

Up To My Elbows

Greetings from the deep end!
Have you ever been up to your elbows in anything? I have been, and currently am, at this very moment. Here I sit in my RV/Home in the living room/bedroom/kitchen/play room/TV room/sitting room/dining room/dressing room/office/driving area with toys, blankets and baby clothes, up to my elbows. Does it sound like I have a rant waiting just under the surface of my skin? Does this installment of “The Deep End” feel like it may be about to explode into an angry observation on the negative situation that I have found myself in? Well, it may feel that way but that is not how I feel. Not today anyway. Today I am content. Usually on days where I feel content I have nothing to write about. No funny story to tell about falling into a pond and finding a fish in my pocket later. No rant about how the boy got me up entirely too early. I’m not going to share about cooking, as I haven’t cooked for real since before we moved to Rapid City. Nope, today I have nothing to write about. So then, I guess I will write about all of the injustices I have suffered today.

So, I woke up this morning at 8:00am when the kids woke up. Of course the little punks just cuddled and played until 9:00am. Don’t they know that today is Tuesday and mommy and daddy rely on their little alarm clocks to get them up sooner?

Then I get to work on time and ready for my day only to find that coffee has already been made. Don’t they know that having coffee first thing when I get to work is the worst way to start the day? I get all awake and produce a high quality of work. This coffee first thing in the morning thing must stop.

I got home for lunch at 12:02 after a very productive morning at work (stupid coffee) only to find that the kids were happy, lunch was ready and the plan was for me to lay down with Xander after lunch to put him so sleep. Great, I got to eat lunch with my family then I was forced to take a 20 minute nap so that the BOY could get his rest. Wonderful.

I woke from my nap, put my shoes back on and went to the weekly prayer and staff meeting. I had a wonderful time. Dang it. Staff meeting is supposed to suck! How am I supposed to be relevant if work doesn’t suck? I am being robbed of the basic American right to loathe going to work.

So, then, I return home at my leisure and spend a couple hours playing with Aryll and working on my computer playing with video while Pam and Xander take care of the laundry and get some more movies out of storage. Pam brought back “Happy Gilmore”. Life is just so frustratingly good right now that it is bad. We have come full circle.

Then, just a moment ago Xander interrupted me. UGH HE IS SO ANNOYING!!! He came over with a toy and asked me to play with him. He was kind and cute and didn’t scream or cry. So of course I was forced to spend time with the interrupting monkey and play crocodile with him. Of course he would be respectful of Daddy’s writing time and stop playing without a fight a few minutes later. So frustrating.
It is with that thought, dear reader, that I will leave you with. Even when we are “up to our elbows”, with the right perspective, we can still find something to grump about. Now, where is that crocodile puppet, Xander is just screaming for a good tickle.