TENTACLES

The week-end of August 26th, 2011 we spent in Nimrod with Chris, Emily and their family, Lila, Jeff, Curt and myself. There was a celebration in Staples which is about 24 miles before you hit Nimrod. We met on Friday night and all just went to bed, it was a long day... lots of driving. On Saturday morning we all got up and headed to Staples, to take in some of the activities. JaciAnna and Conner D were in a tractor pull. They got a can of Dr. Pepper for participating... thus, they WON!!! I so love this about children, they are as excited about getting a can of pop - and happy for the person that wins.
While the kids were waiting to pull, I went across the street to a Pizza Restaurant to order food for all of us for dinner and to use their restroom. I'd say it was about the smallest bathroom I had ever been in... my knee touching the walls as I sat down, my left arm resting on the sink. You may wonder why this matters, and actually it doesn't, I have always been know for using the facilities (or not facilities) when I need to and not being choosy. But, I promise you, to tell this story...
you need to know that it was CLOSE quarters in the biffy!!

After the pull, the food was ready and everyone came over to eat their food, it was a crowded place... lots of food and a few extra taco salads! Before eating the little guy needed to use the bathroom.
so...
the big guy took him into this nice cozy bathroom.

The big guy went first...
The little guy watched on...
"what is that on the side of your leg dad?"
.... after some thought dad thought he better use appropriate terms and not use the slang word -
"well son, (dad explained and then said... "you have them too"
"no, I don't"
so, dad assures him he does and has him look... indeed Conner D see's something maybe a little bit comparable...
"but why are yours hanging on the side like that"
WOW - sometimes things are hard to explain to a little guy in a crowded bathroom but dad continues...
"well I am older and it is hot so then sometimes they get pushed to the side, but they are the same as yours...
YOWSER - dad is home free as the little guy doesn't say another word.

UNTIL...

Approximately 2 hours later Conner D is mad at his grandma about her not letting him have any more pop. She explains to him about the sugar bugs and the behaviors and health problems that develop if you drink to much pop...

He gives her this look (the one that says, "I know I shouldn't say this, but, I am going to .... I am going to say it and see what happens...)

...he opens his mouth
....and says "WELL I HAVE TENTACLES!!"

Thank-goodness that Chris had already shared the bathroom experience with me - so, I at least had an idea where he was coming from...
but
I did need to turn my face to the wall...
as the pop I was drinking was coming out my nose due to an extensive outburst of laughter.

I guess a grandma should always practice what she preaches about pop and stuff, especially when she is preaching to a young man with TENTACLES!!

THE DAY GOD GAVE CONNER A KITTY...

So tonight at 10:00 she calls me. Sometimes it is the only time when we can share a few words together. JaciAnna is at a friends house, Jordyn is sleeping. Conner D however is up and waiting for his cousin Paige to arrive from Roseau. Isn't it amazing, she sits down after a full day to load some pictures on the computer and call me (when you are a mom of 3 you need to always do at least two things at once!)and I'll be if the little guy doesn't need help getting his swim trunks on!? He and the big guy are going to hop in the hot tub while waiting for their company.
Okay so the swim trunks are on... mom sits back down.

Oh oh, we better have a drink of water to take outside with us...
MOOOOOOMMMMMM, can you get me a drink of water.
Okay so the water is gotten... mom sits back down.

MMMOOOOOMMMMM, I need to have a towel (he calls from with in the walls of the hot tub). mmmoooommmmm... can you get me and dad a towel please? So she gets up and gets the towels and brings them out to the guys... mom sits back down.

Ohhhhh mom, you gotta come outside here and see this little kitty, he is so cute!
Okay so we have now looked at the kitten on the steps... mom sits back down.

Moooommmmm, this little kitty is so cute, look at him, isn't he so cute? God told me that we should have him... He said we need to keep the little kitty. Well Conner, we need to shut the door here. You see your daddy is allergic to cats so it would not be a good thing for our family to have a kitty. Tell God thank-you for His offer though... mom sits back down.

And now the company has arrived, we will try to finish up our conversation and she will need to go to them...
welcome them to Foley, welcome them into their home...

So, she says I love you and gets up out of the chair.

THERE IS LOVE

When I was a little girl I remember having "my brother". I remember the excitement that would fill him over everyday things in life. Many times he would take little pieces of my skin and pinch. I have to say, I never quit understood it.

I know if I was sewing or working on something I would stick my tongue out over my lips. It seemed to help me to concentrate. My dad and mom would always call me "gramma Meyer". They said that is what she did when she was sewing or working on some sort of craft. But, I didn't get into trouble for this...
it just made people smile.
Jeff never pinched anyone else, only me... or was it that no one else was ever really around? I can't remember that part.
But I know 45 years later that he still feels that same excitement over children. When he see's them he has to do something to bug them. It is as if he knows he can't pinch them or hurt them, but, he is going to be sure that he gets them to notice. It usually involves a little squeeze, push, taking their blanket, or reaching out to them in some way that will get a reaction from them. I have to say, I don't really quit understand it...
but if I think -
I wonder if he realizes in his mind that the best way to get attention from someone you love is to "act up"? No one really notices him if he is just sitting there rocking. He is quiet and kind never causing much trouble.
And really when I think about it isn't this the way we are?
We want to be noticed, but, we aren't sure how to do it.
As adults we can figure out things to do that the kids like - we can get them to like us and like our company. We can read them a book, get them out toys, make their favorite food, take them to the park, take them to the fair, for walks, for bike rides, hold them, pray with them, color with them...
In conclusion - I am still not sure why he does these things...
but of this I am sure -
there is love.

THE RIDE

Jeff has been riding bike as long as I can remember. His bikes were always embellished to the hilt. We are talking a big ole orange flag on the back that would swing back and forth as he sped down the road (the faster the bike, the faster the flag would wave!)... there was usually a radio taped somewhere, a clock or two, a horn, stickers, and whatever else he could conjure up. In his mind his bike was his car and he needed to dress it accordingly!

When we lived in town in a trailer house down on Henderson road, he was about 7. He had a broken arm, so, he needed to use his other arm to hold on as he peddled down the streets. If my memory serves me somewhat correctly - it was shortly after this our parents moved us 8 miles out in the country with a mile long drive way. This would offer lots of space and long distances before Jeff would have to turn around and go back the other direction.

When we lived on "Boerners Hills" farm he had a bike accident. There was a big electric pole with a yard light on it right in the middle of the farm yard, as Jeff made one of his spectacular turns - he ran into the pole. With blood everywhere he was ready to mount the bike, it wasn't until he saw dad coming towards him that he started crying. Dad brought him in and got all of his wounds cleaned and then off he went for another spin.

When Jeff turned 18 he moved to Mankato into the Harry Myring Center. Along with him went his bike. He took classes and had lots of training on the rules of "how to ride your bike". He rode his bike for many years, it was his main source of transportation. I can't speculate how many he went through during his years, but I can tell you how much he enjoyed riding! When he was living by the fire station in Mankato he ran into a parked car. He wasn't hurt real bad, but, bad enough that someone called the cops. When they arrived they got him cleaned up and issued him a ticket for reckless driving. He was so proud of that ticket that we just really couldn't say to much! To this day he will say... do you remember when I got that traffic ticket?

I guess the final straw came one day when mom and I were headed up the hill to go to the "River Hills Mall". We saw a bike rider, riding fast through traffic, head down... well, what in the world? Who would ride their bike like that? Thinking that all traffic would be watching for him? Why would someone allow this person to ride their bike through all this traffic with their head down, didn't he know any better? Didn't someone say "NO!"

and...
as we looked closer we realized it was none other than my favorite brother. He was so enjoying the wind at his back...
so enjoying his freedom
so enjoying the ride.

We did realize we would need to say "NO" - but, we let him finish his ride home and at his next "teaming" we discussed his capabilities of driving bike in Mankato. The traffic had changed through the years, and Jeff could no longer maneuver through it safely. It was sad for us to take away this freedom, but he was just fine with it. We still let him ride his bike in Arlington and he could still ride in Mankato with staff. Eventually he gave up riding in Arlington on his own also. He still goes with his staff in Mankato on the bike paths - but, that about tops his interest.

Thinking about this story...
and the fact that I need to fill my bike tires on Thursday so I can go for a spin on my new bike...
I believe I will take Jeff to the track this week-end...
let him feel the wind beneath his wings
let him be free
give him the chance to ride...

THE PACT

As long as I had a few lines about the "swear words"...
I needed to get this story down also. My three girls shared it with me about 3 months ago... they are story tellers and they had us all laughing!
The girls informed me that when we would go away and the three of them would be home alone - things happened that didn't happen when we were there!
All three of them would stand together in a "ring around the rosey" type of circle. They would make a "pact" that "no one would tell mom and dad what they did"
... then
.... the first one to go - she would say a swear word out loud
..... then
...... the second one would say a swear word
........ then
the third.
I laughed so hard to imagine my little "angels" standing in a circle, swearing up a storm! Never once did any of them mention this to me until this story! I could think about how "naughty" they were when we were gone, instead I am going to concentrate on the "secret love of sisters" never breaking their "pact!" - cuz, hey, sometimes you just gotta say it!!
Thank-you girls for this wonderful story, thanks for the Blessing you are, and always have been to us! We love you so!!

Again...

Remember when I told you about the "Information Seeker?" Well, here is another picture of her... she searched out the facts about how to "pa-pose" a baby .

Again...

Remember when I told you about the "Wedding Singer?" Well, here is a picture of the singers at her wedding!