#2isms

As the sacrament was being passed today, I leaned over to #2 and asked him the same questions I ask him every week during the sacrament,

"Who should we think about when we take the sacrament?"

"Jesus"

"Why should we think about Jesus?"

"Because he died."

But today after I asked him, "What happened to Jesus after he died?" instead of his trained answer, he said,

"He killed all the bad guys."





Earlier this week, shortly after #1 had left for school, the house seemed quiet. Too quiet.

"#2?!?," I called.

No answer.

"# 2oooooo?!?!"

Silence.

I start opening doors and soon find #1's bedroom door locked and hear small noises inside. I reach for the key hiding on the door jamb and let myself in. No one in sight. But there are suspicious noises coming from behind the closet door.

Then I hear, "Don't look in the closet."

Of course I open the closet. And find #2 siting on the floor surrounded by 6 naked Barbies.

"#2! What are you doing!?!"

"I like dees girls make-ed mom."

perspective

Since I hosted book club in July it became my responsibility to choose the book we will read for our next meeting. After some deliberation I decided on one of my favorites, Angle of Repose, by my favorite author, Wallace Stegner. Angle was the first W.S. book I read and because of it I've subsequently read every piece of fiction and nearly all non-fiction that's he's published. I'll spare you all the love-fest I could write explaining why W.S. is the best and my fave. You can imagine my hesitancy of putting something so dear to me out on the chopping block for the diverse minds of my book club to potentially hate.

But I did and I nervously waited to hear how the ladies were enjoying/hating it.

The first response came from an open minded friend, "So I was a little surprised at the lesbian relationship. How long does that go on?"

My heart skipped a beat. Shocked, confused and mortified, I had no response to give her. I couldn't answer because I honestly didn't know what she was referring to.

It had been 8 years since I last read Angle of Repose.

I've now re-read Angle and sure enough, there is a female to female "marriage of like minds."
It is never imporprietous or physical but the relationship is certainly (at least for the first part of the book) beyond the bounds of platonic friendship.

It is curious to me that something that is blatant and obvious to me now was completely beyond my perception only 8 years ago. Interestingly, eight years ago I had a shiny new diploma declaring me capable of analyzing literature and yet it is now when my mind has softened after years of sparse use that I'm able to see something so clear. Hmmm.

The only explanation I can deduce is my change in perspective. My life is much changed. My body, my opinions, my goals, my spirit, my expectations...... all changed. I guess it's only natural that I can read the same book and after eight years see different things in it.

Since this episode I've been noticing in many things how my perspective has changed. For instance:

Several years ago when Spouse accepted his job offer there was a certain stipulation that if met would immediately earn him a $1,000 salary increase. At the time it $1,000 seemed an almost comic amount to raise a salary. But now after two pay cuts, $1,000 would mean a lot to us.

or

Most of my life I've been afraid of guns and felt strongly in their lack of necessity for humans. There was not a scenario you could paint for me that I would have conceded that a gun was a good thing. To me they represented hate, anger and tools of the devil. But I now I live somewhere unsafe. Many scary things have happened in my neighborhood. I have children. And now a 9mm.

These are just little things, incidental changes. But when you put these together with the major changes it make my head spin a little to think how my internal landscape has morphed. And yet, when I see people from past times, they still seem to recognize and know me.

I'm digging deep today. I would love to hear how some of your perspectives have changed.

All about me

This week we attended #1's back to school night to meet her teacher and see her new classroom. She was given a poster with "All About Me" written across the top which she is supposed to complete and return with on the first day of school (Monday).

All about #1
I am 6 years old.
My favorite color is golden.
My favorite animal is ducks.
My favorite food is poppy seed chicken.
Pump it Up is my favorite place.
When I grow up I want to be a teacher.
My favorite thing to do is jump.
If I had one wish I would wish for 1,000 cakes.


Here we are at Pump it Up:


Now let's all join in! I'll start:
I am 29 years old.
My favorite color is sky blue.
My favorite animal is a newborn lamb.
My favorite food is bread or fresh raspberries.
Hawaii is my favorite place.
When I grow up I want to be a chef and a publisher and a gardener and have a housekeeper.
My favorite thing to is read. without interruptions.
If I had one wish I would wish for this recession to end.

See how fun? Your turn......