Go Red Sox

Here in Oklahoma we are trying to buy Seattle's team. Apparently they don't care about keeping their Supersonics and people here really want them. I honestly know little about the whole ordeal, but Oklahoma has passed some stuff to pay for bigger stadiums and a bunch of stuff to lure them and they are in court now trying to make it all happen. It's crazy to me that you can just buy a whole city's team and move them somewhere else. I think the original idea of a city team is that the team members are actually FROM the city. I guess it doesn't work that way though.

In any case, since we're into getting teams from other places I think we should go for the Red Sox. When you buy socks they are white, but after you do some good hard playing in the Oklahoma red clay your socks are NOT white. They are forever more the RED SOX. Why not get that team? Maybe their city wants to keep them.

Unusually Happy and Cuddly

These two guys were the best of friends today and I was eating it up! They were cuddling together in this chair and tickling each other and even held hands walking together into the toy room to play some more. I could have watched them like that all day.

Lincoln's Thoughts Today

Man this kids cracks me up.

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We've been talking about how cousins Sarah and Bobo are "getting a new dad" and Amy is "getting a husband." We haven't said much about it for a while, but Lincoln hit me with this today...

"Mom, when I turn five I want a girl."

Just to clarify... "do you want a wife or a sister?"

"I want a sister. On my birthday when I turn five I want a sister."

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He has previously explained to me (on several occasions) that he doesn't want to get married because he doesn't want to put those clothes on that you have to wear to get married. (I think he's related to his Papa.)

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Out of the blue this afternoon he said, "Mom, I wonder why giraffes don't take showers?" I suggested that maybe no one makes them tall enough. He thought it would be nice of the giants to make one for them. Sure. Why not.

Like My Dad

Tuesday I took the boys to see a movie that they show free for kids during the summer. It is the best way to attempt a movie... if it doesn't work out, no loss. But I digress, and I haven't even started.

On the way there we saw an ambulance with it's lights and sirens on pulling away from the hospital. Jackson said, "I hear a fire truck"

I tried to correct him and tell him that it was an ambulance, but I couldn't even say the word. All of my emotion from having to call for an ambulance one day rushed right back into me and I was in tears. I have no idea what kind of call that bus was headed to, but I felt a huge surge of empathy for them as I remembered vividly my own 911 call when Jackson was 6 months old. I was so upset with the lady on the phone for being so stubborn about wanting my address. All I wanted was to know what to do... who cares where I live? (of course later I got it - need to send ambulance, need addresss, duh)

"My baby is blue" is all I could get out. I had no idea what my address was. Jackson was hit in the head by a flying chicken toy from all the way across the room. Lincoln wasn't even looking where he was throwing, so it wasn't malicious. It was just a huge accident.

After I figured out what my address was the lady said, "don't move him." I already had. Of course I had run to him and picked him up, but he still wasn't breathing. By the time she was ready to tell me what to do next he started to cry. That was the most beautiful sound EVER. I remember telling her "he's crying, he's crying... I think he's going to be ok." I thought of the cost of an ambulance and told her maybe she didn't even need to send them. She didn't agree (good for her!).

My poor dad got my call while I waited for the fire department (which was VERY speedy). Jeff wasn't answering his phone and I put my sweet, sensitive, kind and concerned dad on the hunt for him. I think he was a worked up as I was in these crazy moments before we knew what was going on. I called my friend Mimi and gave her some weird version of the story that she didn't understand at all... something about a flying chicken?... she said she'd be there in 5 minutes. She lived about 12 minutes away, but she was there.

The firemen took a look at him and thought he was going to be ok. He had a huge goose egg where the chicken hit and he was very lethargic. I had seen his eyes roll back and it scared me so much. Lincoln was SO excited that a firetruck came to our house. I remember him throwing pennies at the firemen or Jackson and them trying to teach him not to throw, someone might get hurt.

Looking back now and knowing Jackson as I do, I believe what happened was simply one of those long breaths kids take before they scream their little guts out gone wrong. He didn't know how to stop the long breath and start the crying. He still does that sometimes. Now I've learned I can blow in his face and it makes him breathe. I still do it because I never, ever, ever want to see him blue again.


With all of that background story, what I wanted to talk about today was that I have this super-sensitivity at times to things that I'm not really even a part of. I guess it is an extra helping of empathy. I get it from my dad. He is the one who likes the chick flicks and good sappy stories. He is the one who choked up as he watched a girl's soccer final coming to an end with a big finish, even though we were only there for a few minutes of it because it ended right before my brother's game began. I'm so grateful to have a such a great dad as a role model for me. He is one of the most giving people I know and has done so much more than his share in taking care of everyone else. I'm glad that he is a part of who I am.

Medical Issues

Lincoln has been having some allergy and asthma trouble lately. Nothing serious, but we've been downing the Claritin and have had to give him a few treatments with the nebulizer. One time this week when I gave him one of those treatments he said, "Wow mom, now I can get air in my mouth"

I'm getting better at recognizing the signs and so is he. Today I was getting concerned because he kept telling me that he was sick and needed medicine. I kept asking him what kind of sick he was... did he hurt in his tummy? was he having trouble breathing? He wouldn't respond, but every once in a while he'd ask for medicine again. This went back and forth for some time and finally he said, "Mom, I'm sick with the hiccups. I need medicine."

What a relief. Well, not for him since I don't stock up on hiccup medicine!

More on Breakfast Dangers

Do they make helmets for chins?

Perspective

This tiny little grasshopper was visiting my orange zinnia today. I've posted a picture of this zinna before... it has grown quite well. It is my only zinna - I got it from the church on mother's day, so it looks a little strange thrown in with my little petunias and begonias, but it will have company one day soon as my zinnia seeds are showing great progress and beginning to bud.

If you look at this little flowerbed as a whole it isn't anything amazing, but when you can find the right perspective and focus in on the little beauties that are there it is such a delight.

I had a roommate in college that taught me a lot about enjoying the little things. She and I laughed at everything. We found ways to enjoy even the most mundane moments. I loved to hear her stories when she came home from class. She got such a kick out of watching the days events. One of my favorite memories (other than the fact that she purposefully kept a spatula in the car to use as a microphone and passed it around so that everyone could sing and assigned people to be backup) was when I'd had a bad day. I don't even remember why it was a bad day, but there I was coming home all sad and mopey and she and Lori met me at the door doing the "Welcome Home Dance" (a crazy half tap dance with a lot of arm waving-I still do this for Jeff sometimes) and they brought me in and sang this Dave Matthews song to me as if we were in a musical.

Best of What's Around
hey my freind
it seems your eyes are troubled
care to share your time with me
would you say you're feeling low and so
a good idea would be to get it off your mind
see, you and me
have a better time than most can dream
have it better than the best
so can pull on through
whatever tears at us
whatever holds us down
and if nothing can be done
we'll make the best of what's around
turns out not where but who you're with
that really matters
and hurts not much when you're around
and if you hold on tight
to what you think is your thing
you may find you're missing all the rest
well she run up into the light suprised
her arms are open
her mind's eye is
seeing things from a
better side than most can dream
on a clearer road i feel
oh you could say she's safe
whatever tears at her
whatever holds her down
and if nothing can be done
she'll make the best of what's around

I love that I can focus in on the little things that make life meaningful, when the big picture isn't always that exciting. Enjoying the minutes and the small flowers and such is what will make the big picture become more beautiful and memorable.

Color

Our bartending area turned toy room space has a new face to it. I am slowly, but surely getting rid of the ugly bright white that was on every wall. Don't get me wrong, white can be good... but not in this house. All of the trim is cream, so the white just looks bad. This color is courtesy of Amy... a leftover can from painting her house before turning it over to the renters. Thanks Aim - I LOVE LOVE LOVE it (doesn't hurt that I helped her choose the color!).

The Dangers of Breakfast

A lot of things can happen while enjoying bacon toast and a few slices of orange. You'll probably want to wear a helmet while thus indulging.