Jakandy Bennu

Christabel and the Jons are playing out of the Cerwin-Vegas at the ancestral beach house right now. I’ve been drinking a good deal of alcohol, flitting around on a nice speedboat, and talking with folks that feel like they’ve always been family, but only have been (in reality) for a few months.

Good times.

Its days like this, with the kids baiting fishing hooks and swimming like otters that the crazy high-octane beauty of life spills out, and you’re captive to it. It takes you along, and if you have the damn sense to just relax and ride with it, boy, it shows you things you just can’t imagine.

Just found out some great news. My youngest brother and his lady are expecting a LITTLE GIRL!!!

Congrats, Colb!!!!

Life is so interesting.

Dragon asked us that on Wednesday night after we told the boys that Cami (my sweet, old dog) probably has cancer. I had just received the phone call from my vet. And after sitting on the bed for a bit,  being held tightly by my tender, understanding husband, it was bedtime for the boys. 

We talked to them and explained that Cami was very sick and probably hurting. We are going to the vet on Saturday for some x-rays to see if we can see what is going on. We will decide what to do from there. I told Dragon that if he believes that animals have souls, then yes…they go to heaven. At least that’s what I believe. I know so. I don’t know how I know. I just do. They are God’s creatures just like we are. 

While we were all sitting on the twin bed, we had a big family hug.

Wildcat said (from the inside of the hug) “It will all be fine.”

I won’t ever forget that moment.

I’ve always felt that motherhood is the most challenging, exacting, important, amazing role that any person can play in the world. Don’t get me wrong, as a father myself, I’m a fan of good daddies, but theres something in the way that little kids (and big kids) look at a mom, whether its when they’re doing homework, or clearing a table, or asking whats for supper, or being tucked in at night, thats completely different from the way they look at a dad.

Moms (and I’m not talking about people that just give birth to kids… theres a lot of people out there that can squeeze a kid out of their body and not be a mom at all, just a baby machine) have shaped my life, and made me what I am. I’m inspired by my own mother, as well as the other mothers in my life. I watch my siblings who are mothers with their own kids, and I see somebody greater, bigger, than the little sister I grew up with. I see a MOM.

I look at my friends who have kids, whether I knew them before childbirth or not, and can’t help but be drawn to the way they treat their babys, my babies, and babies in general.

But this year, this year I’m watching this cute little pet store girl that I fell madly in love with last year, who hasn’t yet had a full year as a Mom, but kisses the boo-boos, and chides for not flushing the potty, and helps with homework, and is told “I love you, mommy” at bedtime. Its the most amazing thing, the most wonderful thing that I’ve ever seen.

She wasn’t a mom this time last year, nor had she ever been before.

But now, she’s every bit as much a Mom to two little boys as the lady who gave birth to them. She loves them fiercely. She protects them, she watches them play at the beach, she gives them kisses, she gets onto them when they need it, and she guides them. Most importantly, she guides them.

Its so beautiful. Its truly an amazing thing.

And it makes me even more madly in love with her. I fell in love with a cute little redhead girl, but I married a cute little redhead mom.

Its awesome.

The “burn” of the sunburn is about cleared up. Now we have itchies…

Don’t be surprised to see anyone one of us (except Wildcat, of course) using buildings, trees or any textured surface to scratch our peeling sunburn….

These guys have figured it out..

Well, Notat had the evening at home tonight while I am pulling the weekly closing shift.

I got these text messages a couple hours ago… he had just gotten home from work and picking up the boys. These span over about 20 minutes. (note: we keep the pup in the kitchen when gone for more than 4 hours, on account that he can’t hold it that long in his crate, yet)… AND- it’s raining today…

“Big ol kitchen poop”
“No pee tho”
“Awesome”
“Shat in the dining room. Yay!”
“I am the master of poo!!!!!”
“Poo in the den. Going a little crazy. Dishes, laundry, poo, homework, supper….”
“Remind me that I wuz once a single parent? I think I’ve lost it… Still in a happy mood tho, woot!”

And then- about 1 hour later - he and the boys brought me dinner at the store. Like they always do.
He DEFINITELY hasn’t lost it.

You rock, baby!

So, its the boy’s birthday.

As this is a newey blog and stuff, we’ve been coming up with new supersecret internet names, as discussed in some of the recent comments. Obviously, mine isn’t very imaginative.

The 5 6 yr old is now at the age where he can come up with one, and he got all excited about Wildcat.

So, Wildcat it is. Still no word on the 11 yr old naming front.

But I digress…

So, today is my baby boy’s sixth birthday, and a big day it is. We’re planning on having awesome cake, some Iron Man movie watching, and his current choice for birthday supper, grilled hamburgers. No party because, well, I’m one of those parents who likes to celebrate the birth of progeny by not having a loud bunch of rambunctious, energetic, questionin’ your authority little bastards running around. I have a puppy for that.

Happy birthday, Pigpen Juicebox Wildcat!

OK, we’re back home again. Our beach trip, not counting driving, lasted a mighty 36 hours. Add that to the 16 hours of driving, and it equals the vacational equivalent of going to visit your brother in the Florida state pen.

Not that my brothers there, yet.

This is a pictorial account of my vacation, by me.

As you can see, the youngest really didn’t suffer much of a sunburn. I chalk that up to a lifetime of drinking Oak Ridge water. Its those early years that really add to the mutation.

Here are some real pictures, for those who are into those things and stuff:

So we went and breakfasted at “Hot Stack”, which, as it turns out, had some kickass pancakes. All starched and sugared up, we got it on at the beach. It was freakin sweet. We’re taking a little time out at the hotel currently, counting our sunburns, and taking showers and beers. Bell is looking a bit lobsteresque, the 11 yr old (we haven’t settled on names yet for the kids) has a nice chafe on the side of his leg, the 5 yr old is looking bronzed, and my only problem is that apparently my knees burn before the rest of my body. Go figure.

Oh, and I seem to have lost my room key. Good thing my lovely and talented wife is more responsible.

We’ve spent something like 4 hours at the beach having a high time. Theres a lifeguard with lemon-bleached hair down to his shoulders , driving around sidesaddle on an ATV, and every time he drives be the Lady and I are compelled to sing “Fabulous Lifeguaaaaaaard”…the music would have a boom-chicka somewhere in it.

Guess it makes more sense if you hear it.

We woke up this morning about 180 feet above this.

Pretty freakin’ sweet, huh?