real life conversation...about brotherhood

the scene:  while sitting at the breakfast bar eating a snack; out of the blue.


graham: life is so disappointing.

me: (chuckling) really? why is life so disappointing?

graham: always having to take care of my older brother.

me: (no longer chuckling)

the bible says "how good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity."

lately i question the balance between the good and the pleasant...

the things that don't feel good nor pleasant...

and the unity that can be found between the two. 

graham truly has been gifted with the unique ability to read a situation and adjust it to meet harrison's needs. this intuitiveness is special and will serve him well his whole life long. 

conversely, graham has become harrison's guide - looking out for, standing up for, speaking on behalf of, leading the way for, a comforting sidekick - starting when he was very little (younger than two). a job he took on himself and one i, admittedly, placed him in a few times too many. 

what does a mother do when her son expresses discouragement that his gift has become a burden?

 schedule counseling appointments then write a blog post, of course. :)

 ponder it; put the question out into the universe and pray for an answer. 

 sit with him in life's disappointment. 

 teach him to think on the positive aspects of his relationship with his brother. 

show him unity isn't a treasure to be found...

it is beauty we must create.

a real life conversation

me: you have rockstar hair, bud.

g: that's what i'm gonna do when i grow up.

me: what? be a hairstylist or a rockstar?

g: no, just be a regular man. no job. no college.  then i'll have my hair like this and walk around.

me: then what will happen?

g: maybe a girl will see me and walk up to me.

me: then what?

g: she might ask to be my girlfriend.

me: what will you say?

g: no. but maybe if she begs me too much i will say yes.

me: but what are you going to do for money?

g: i'm not going to have any money. i'm just gonna play video games.

me: and that's it?

g: yeah.

a real life conversation about father's day

the scene: sitting in the living room, trying to figure out what to get daddy for father's day.


me: okay, graham, you need to make a father's day gift for daddy.

graham: no i don't.

me: you don't?

graham: no. because do you remember a long time ago when i was born?

me: mmm hmm.

graham: yeah, so when i was born i was a gift. so i don't have to make him a gift because i'm already his gift.

you are everyone's gift, sweet boy.

you're also pretty knowledgable about how to get out of work...and definitely not lacking in self-esteem...i couldn't love you more.

a real life conversation

after just waking up i walked to the boys' room to check on them. graham was awake but still lying in bed so i crawled in next to him. he started whispering to me...



graham: mommy, i have a joke for you. well, it's kind of a riddle.

me: ok.

graham: how do you put a hippo in a frigerator?

me: i have no idea.

graham: you open the door, stuff him in, then close the door.

me: [skeptical about this riddle]: oh, i see!

graham: how do you put a giraffe in a frigerator?

me: um, you open the door, stuff him in, then close the door?

graham: yes, except you have to pull the hippo out first.

me: oh, of course.

graham: mommy, there's a river. there's a sign that says "beware alligators" and the bridge is out. how do you get across?

me: you jump?

graham: no, you swim because the alligators are at a party.

me [smiling]: that's pretty clever, graham.

graham: who can't cross the river?

me: i don't know. buddy.

graham: the giraffe! because he's stuck in the frigerator!

here are a few cute word-mishaps harrison has said lately...

"give me those cards! staff!"  (he meant to say STAT)
"don't temper me with cookies"  (he meant to say TEMPT)
"we need a new suspenders"  (he meant to say SUSPENSION for the car)

a real life conversation...

the white boys squeeze frosting onto cookies, new year's eve.

...about cookie decorating.



the scene: i was driving harrison and graham home from the park when i had the idea to host a bike day event for all our friends this summer.

bike day was an awesome experience for the boys during their preschool years. they attended a k-12 school for kids with special needs, but the preschool was integrated with typical kids. bike day was an annual event where every single student got to ride a bicycle (standard or adapted, with their own strength or with an adult pushing them) around the track.

music played. kids rode bikes. teachers smiled. therapists cheered. parents took photos and manned the bake sale. firefighters brought trucks, stayed to push or run alongside kids, and bought lots of baked goods. student volunteers from the middle school nearby walked over to help out. everyone was in good spirits. it was just a care-free, feel the wind in your hair, super fun day.

so anyway, i told the boys about my bike day idea and we started brainstorming the details about who we'd invite (everyone), where we'd have it (at the track behind our house), what music to play (bicycle race by queen of course), and what snacks to have (finally we reach the cookie decorating portion of this story).

so the boys want to cut out sugar cookie circles and decorate them like bike tires.

great idea, which was exciting to talk about for a minute, until the conversation turned into an argument (everything does with those two these days). it all went downhill so quickly that i couldn't figure out what it was they were actually fighting about.

until i heard this...



graham: NO HARRISON! WE HAVE TO USE SILVER FROSTING TO MAKE THOSE LINE THINGS!  (he's referring to the spokes of a bicycle tire)

harrison: [condescending, frustrated]  THEY DON'T MAKE SILVER FROSTING GRAHAM!

graham: [deep breath, big sigh, contemplative]  you just never know, harrison.



indeed, son, you just never know.

if you're reading this, consider yourself invited to white bike day! coming summer 2015!

a rainbow and a refund

last friday afternoon a thunderstorm moved over the mountains and we looked out our window to see this.

such a beautiful sight.

i love the small porch at our condo. each morning jeremy and i sit outside to drink our coffee and savor the view. the hummingbirds are plentiful, their high-pitched flutters constantly announcing their presence. my favorite sound is the restful white-noise of the wind blowing through the aspen trees. the boys have taken to ordering a cup of hot cocoa so they can join us in those peaceful moments.

last saturday morning graham accidentally tipped over his cocoa and he was heartbroken. he went inside and curled up on the floor. i told him it would be okay, it's just cocoa, no big deal. he lifted his head and cried, "i want a refund!"

:-)

happy humpday friends!