Wednesday, December 3, 2014

The Journey.

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice –
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
“Mend my life!”
each voice cried.
But you didn’t stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do –
determined to save
the only life you could save.

-Mary Oliver 

Thursday, July 10, 2014

July 4, 2014.

Hooked great white shark bites swimmer off Manhattan Beach on busy July 4th weekend

"Lifeguards were keeping an eye on beach goers Saturday afternoon in Manhattan Beach as the waters were closed following a shark bite on a swimmer." - Daily Breeze



The shark bite happened on the 5th, the day after we were there at the exact same spot, and by that I mean EXACT! 840 miles of coastline in this state and we are within hours and inches of a shark attack.  We started our day in Hermosa Beach but ended up at Manhattan.  Wyatt spent the entire afternoon in the water and he went out so far that I lost track of him plenty of times. We didn't see the news until Sunday morning and it completely freaked me out.   Wyatt didn't seem to be all that bothered by it.



We planned to find a beach where we could see fireworks shows but ended up leaving about 7 pm for poor planning and dumb lack of food.  We had to walk uphill to get back to the place on the street where our bus (that only comes every half-hour) would pick us up.  Sarah and Tony saw the bus and started running towards it as it was pulling away.  Sarah made it to the bus first and we all followed running at our best beach chairs on our backs, arms full of beach crap pace.  When she got to the bus, she started to get on and the doors closed in front of her.  Someone on the bus must have alerted the driver and the doors reopened and Sarah and then Tony hopped on.  Thankfully that bus driver waited and we all got on.  Eva was so pooped that she didn't ever realize that she had the chair strapped to her back for the entire 20 minute ride. We were so relieved, and so breathless that we laughed our sweaty selves to pieces and didn't even pretend that we weren't ridiculous.   Including  Emily, who would be mortified if she thought anyone knew she might enjoy a silly moment with her family.  We ended up having pizza delivered to our hotel and watched three pretty far away but spectacular fireworks shows from our hotel room balcony.

We also spent a day at Universal Studios Hollywood, a first for all of us.  On our third day we visited UCLA and USC.  Summer 2014 mini-vacation attempt #1 = success!






Saturday, January 11, 2014

My boy. January 11, 2014.


Saturday. Basketball game. Haircut. Starbucks. He likes the peppermint hot chocolate. He is ten years old for two more months. He is so much fun to hang out with.

He is smart, goofy, intense, playful, compassionate, generous, and more awesome things. His sisters drive him crazy. He drives his sisters crazy. Though in all of the craziness I can tell that he will be a strong force in their lives always. He has a shadow and her name is Eva.

I can still see the scar from the time the bathroom faucet tore into his head, just above his left eye. Technically, his eyes are brown but you have never seen his brown before. He has this citrine smoky quartz crystal color variation that, when he engages you, is hard to look away from.

He is adorable.

He still lets me hold his hand in public places. He tells me that this will never end, but I know it will. He has fat little boy hands. You might not say that, but I have three other children with skinny little girl hands. I love those hands. I am proud of those hands. He works hard and plays hard with those fat, boy hands.

He loves sports. He is athletic. He has boundless energy. He is a team player, you'd want him on your team. Just this morning I complimented him on his great passing instincts in basketball. He shares. He throws his share of baskets too. This isn't to say he isn't a gamer. He is a gamer. He loves his Xbox, and whatever else he can get his chunky hands on. He would like to be more of a gamer but I make it my job that that he isn't. I throw him to the curb for basketball with the neighbor kids at every opportunity.

He is a 5th grader, he does well in school. I am proud of him. He speaks two languages. He is responsible but often, he occasionally needs a little push. He has been in trouble at school only a few times. He doesn't like to be pushed or threatened or for you to cut in front of him in the tetherball line. He is a loyal friend. He values his friendships in a sincere ten year old boy way. 

He is a loving son. The deepest part of my heart is full up with his goodness and his mischievousness and his love. He becomes very affectionate at bedtime. He is an early to bed early to rise kind of guy. At bedtime his affection for me flows out like a river and I do my very best to return every sweet sentiment with one equally grand, though he insists it's not possible and laughs sweetly, knowingly, when I say yes it is. I know that this too will end, too soon. The ebb of life gives and takes away again. But, I'll remember. He won't always be little, but he will always be my boy. And he will always be awesome.