Life's Calling

The other day I asked Nate what he would like to be when he grows up. His first response: a-duh-no.

So I rephrased it. If you could do one thing, starting tomorrow, for the rest of your life, what would it be? Second response: you know that guy that gets to test all the new sodas and soft drinks? I want to be that. I explained that would most likely include lots of sciences, certainly chemistry and math. Since those are his strong subjects in school we decided that would be a cool option for him to consider, but it may be hard to get a job doing that since there may be limited employers looking for that position.

Then I asked if there was anything else? Third answer: mass murderer. Unacceptable. Lots of giggles.

One more time. Anything else? Fourth choice: kindergarten teacher. Aha! Something I can work with. We talked about how he likes hanging out with the little kids when we are with our friends, that he likes teaching them stuff, and that it is (sometimes) cool to have them all follow him around. (Which is all true, our friends kids all follow Nate around like the Pied Piper. They all adore him, love playing with him, always ask if he'll be around. Some have even had dreams about hanging out with him.) We decided it might be fun to do some babysitting this summer to check it out (and earn some extra video game money). There will be more on that later...

Things went so well with Nate, I figured I'd ask Rex about his career choices. I know, I'm rushing things. High school, college, and the work force are much further along in his future but I thought his response would be interesting.

I was not disappointed. The response: A real whip killer. A what? Whip killer. Don't know about you, but I needed an explanation. Turns out, a whip killer is much like Indiana Jones. He is an explorer, however he only uses his whip to kill the bad guys. I knew it, very interesting.

Don't worry, I plan to check in with his choice in a few years.

Welcome Baby!

We are super excited to welcome the newest
member of our social circle!!
Isabella Jolie
was born this morning to our good friends Jenny & Karl.
We've heard the new mommy & baby are doing well so far.
We can't wait to meet her!

Daddy's Little Girl

Over the weekend I overheard a conversation between Lucy & Todd. He was explaining to her that one day I would tell her that he was unsure about her, that he didn't really think she was the best idea, and that when she hears that she needs to understand he knows he was wrong. He continued to explain to her that she was perfect in every way, truly awesome, and one of the best things he's ever done. Then he turned to me and said over the course of the last week he could physically feel himself being wrapped around her little finger.

You see, Todd was terrified of having a daughter. When the ultrasound revealed his greatest fear he was in shock for a bit. He loves the kids, but caring for a baby girl and raising a well rounded woman is like knowingly traveling into uncharted waters. Pirate infested uncharted waters.

When the shock wore off the double standards kicked in. Boys need tough names, girls need something pretty and feminine. Roughhousing is for the boys, the girl needs to be treated gently. She will have to have pretty hair. She can only wear Mary Janes. Where can we get her some cute tights?

Then she was born. Through the blood and the gore and the tears, he beamed with pride and satisfaction. He gave her the name I'd desperately fought Zoe for and held her before anyone else. That's when it started.

He loves the boys. He loves their running and tackling, baseball and hockey, video games and burning leaves. But she is different. She can erase a day worth of stress with one smile. Melt his heart with one giggle. She terrifies him and completes him with every little breath she takes.

So when she's older and she asks, I can honestly say he really didn't want her. Didn't want her teenage attitude, shapely body, eager boyfriends, expensive taste. But that the second she got here he decided all of that was a small price to pay for one little smirk that looks so much like his own.

My Dilemma

Last night while I was lounging peacefully on the verge of slumber Todd came to me and said 'It's about time I put the E in the E Family Chronicles'. I was not happy, figured it may or may not be an open threat, and screamed at him a bit for taking something I have come to love and trying to kill it before it consumes any more of my precious free time (also commonly known as my Todd time). However, I was too tired to get up and protest.

So I let it happen.

I woke up this morning terrified at what I might find. Much like his favorite author, Todd is very opinionated, cynical, suspicious. But he also carries with him that 'crystal heart', open to new things as long as they prove to be worthy. The trouble is you never quite know which way he is headed until it is too late.

So this morning I checked the blog immediately.

Am I happy with what I found? Not the Bigfoot photo, I can assure you of that. But I appreciate his virgin post because it was thoughtful. And I love the words of Christopher Moore. (After years of being force fed his blog and books, I admit I have grown to be a modest fan and appreciate his honesty and sense of humor.)

So now what do I do?

Do I delete it since he tempts me to? Do I encourage more posting like the 'anonymous' commenter? Do I change my passwords so it can never happen again? Do I thank him for a job well done?

Nope.

Today I am going to get a haircut, do some laundry, and maybe take the kids to the movies. Tonight I am going to hang out with some friends and drink some wine. I am going to let the blog work it's magic for me. I'll let the urge to write more fester inside him like any other disease would. Knowing one day it will consume him to the point he can't control it any longer. Knowing he loves reading and writing more than I do. Knowing he'll be back.

Unless, of course, the cynical Todd reads this first. Then I will apologize for this post. And change my passwords.

Puttin' th E in th E family chronicls

Without further ado, it's time that I owned up to the co-authorship that I'm credited with on this blog. Does Ky approve? No. Does Ky know that I changed the photo on the bottom of the page to the (in)famous Patterson Bigfoot photo? No. Would I have been a male blogger without Jarrin blazing the trail? No F'ing way. Do I care?...

I digress

As much as I'm sick of the term 'fortheblog' that my wife has recently picked up, I'm happy she's putting herself (and the rest of us) out there. Through this medium my mother is able to see pictures of her grandkids, hear about our antics, and (at least) 'get a seat toward the front' on our roller coaster ride. As opinioned as I may be, I always feel that someone has already said it better, and in this case it just happens to be my favorite author, Christopher Moore (whose new book 'Fool' will be released in early Feb).

Buy his books...or if you're one of Ky's cousins, just hope I draw your name next Xmas.

I watched the Inaugural celebration at the Lincoln Memorial. There were singers singing about freedom, and actors reading the words of great Americans from the past. And above it that great stone effigy of Lincoln scowling down like a great prophet who had delivered his message of freedom and was waiting to see how badly we’re going to fuck it up.

And I have to admit it, I got a little choked up.

And I thought,
Am I being cynical enough?

I thought,
Do I need to keep my guard up?

I thought,
Am I being suspicious enough?

I thought,
Will people think me a fool, if I’m earnest in my hope?

Then I realized, I wasn’t choked up
Because of the Rosa Parks story
Or the Lincoln quotes
Or the talk of a nation built on an idea.

I was choked up because I was tired.
Ever been that tired?
So tired you feel like you might weep?
I was tired of being lied to, and manipulated, and treated without respect,
Like I was some sort of moron.
I was tired of freedom and love of country being thrown in my face
Like ads for soap, in order to sell an unjust agenda.
I was tired of my patriotism being questioned because I had the audacity
To point out that I was being lied to.
By leaders who became avatars of cynicism, and doubt, and mistrust.
And yes, death.

I was exhausted.
And cynical.

Shouldn’t I be?

Because if I go into this new era,
With a heart clear of cynicism,
I could get hurt.
Disappointed.
I could look the fool.
I could get heartbroken.
Again.

Cynicism seems so attractive when compared to heartbreak.
You could be cool.
Heartless, but cool.

When I was talking about Death a lot.
I talked about how we may not all charge the machine gun nest
Or save the passengers from the freezing water
Or carry the child out of the burning building
But we would, we will, all face death
Maybe many times.
And how we behave at those times
Is the measure of our courage, of our character.

And so maybe now,
Like taking the chance to fall in love,
We face another one of those moments,
But instead of facing it one at a time
Small, trying moments, large in our little lives
We face this together.

We can be cynical. Hold back. Be safe.
We can be suspicious, and doubtful,
Or we can go forth openly, hopefully
Unguarded
With a heart
Clear of the cloud of cynicism.

A crystal heart.

And if I were still on speaking terms with God,
That’s what I’d pray for.
A crystal heart.
Clear in purpose,
Clear in righteousness
Clear in resolve
For us all.

And it might get broken.
And it will take courage to face that.
And it will hurt like a bitch if it does.

But then again,
Have you ever fallen in love?
Pure, sweet, illuminating, edifying love?
It makes us better than we could ever be.
Stronger, taller, kinder, more generous.
Tolerant, patient, and assured.
Better.

Should I be more cynical?

Should I be more suspicious?

Should I keep my guard up?

I think not.

To be right, to save face in retrospect, to live for the hope
Of profitable hindsight.
Is safe, and shallow and cowardly
And more likely to bring about a future darker than today.

No, I think I’ll go into this fresh American future
With a crystal heart.
Take the risk.

After all, you guys will all be there.
We’ll all be there.

Thanks for helping me think this through.

Happy Martin Luther King Day
Happy Inauguration

I hope you had the pleasure of reading this before the love of my life deletes it...

TEE

Love This...

Every winter the movie theater offers a cool (& cheap) movie festival for kids. It is usually pretty busy, but we go to the good ones anyway. Check out the line up here:

Frosty Flicks

Here We Go Again

Rex has been sick lately. He caught it from Nate, go figure. Nate had a cough, runny nose, was sleepy, maybe a low grade fever, for 3 days. Rex had a cough, runny nose, and fever too. For the first 2 days. Then the wheezing started, followed by gagging, a higher fever, nothing good.
When he woke up from his nap yesterday burning up, looking dazed, and talking gibberish (I eventually realized he was talking about his whip. Damn that Indiana Jones...) I called Todd frantic (something he says I do often, but I can only think of a few occasions: near the ends of the pregnancies and when the bird broke into the house*), got out the nebulizer and began to panic. I was terrified we were close to reliving last years horrid trip to the ER and hospital stay. Todd rushed home and I took Rex straight to the Dr. to check for possible breathing problems/pneumonia (again).
This is what we found out...Rex most likely has a slight form of asthma but we cannot make a clinical diagnosis until he is at least 7. Until then he will have to use a nebulizer every winter, December to March, to help keep his lungs strong and attempt to prevent any "real" problems. He has two treatments he will use, one when he's sick and one as a preventative measure.
Great.
He is doing fine now, but none of us are very excited about the treatment plan.

*In case you hadn't heard this one before...
Once when we were in Normal a bird flew into our house through a small crack next to the air conditioner. I freaked out and called Todd at work to come home and get it out of the house, while a little Nate laughed and an infant Rex screamed. The bird eventually flew out the front door, however Todd and his friends made fun of me for months. In fact, Todd still teases me about it now.