Dawn Is Me

Randomness.

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Gina’s home. We helped her to load her stuff in the car when we went to get her yesterday. She packed in typical college student fashion, with an interesting mix of actually-packed stuff, loosely packed stuff and just stuff.

So, when I was trying to help her with her stuff and her attempts at juggling seemed poised for disaster, here is what my uber-cool college student daughter said to me:

“Nooooo! Not my teddy bear! Not my teddy bear!”

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I guess I was wrong. Having health insurance really does make a difference to how much attention you pay to your health.

Major dental work is about to happen in the household. I’m tickled pink because I’m looking at a pain-free mouth with which I can eat the foods I prefer to eat.

Spouse is bummed because it’s all making him feel old.

Perspective is everything.

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Kimmie says that she likes to chew on her boyfriend’s head when he lays it on her shoulder.

For the record, she doesn’t actually chew it. She sort of mouths it.

I asked her if that’s what she did when she was not in a position to interact with the guy’s other head.

She declined to answer. Well, actually, what she said was, “I hate you.”

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Note from Ricky’s teacher:

Just a quick note to let you know that Richard was unprepared for class numerous times this week. His brain is swirling with information about minerals and crystals, but the papers and pencils are not there.

My response:

Guess he has trouble with graphite and wood, huh? I’ll exchange some words with him, thanks for letting me know.

That settles it. The boy needs a secretary.

There’s less than three hours left in 2008, the year dubbed by Kimmie as “the worst year ever,” and I’ve been reading about Faith’s new little Chicklet.

Which seems as good a topic as any to ring in a brand new year, huh?

Actually, I’m getting a really big kick out of watching Faith’s public love affair with her baby son. It’s been 22 years since I was right where she is now, first time mom to enchanting, fascinating and (to me, at least) infinitely cute small man.

You probably don’t need me to tell you this, but that was a long time ago.

Right now, my family is draped about various spots down here with me: David, now very large and taller than his dad (much to Dad’s chagrin); Gina, smart and sexy, strutting around with the supreme confidence of somebody with a whole life ahead of them; Kimmie, growing into her womanhood as awkwardly as we all did and still managing to be one of the most interesting people I ever met; Ricky, not so much a ‘baby’ anymore, due to shoot up to be taller than Mom any second now …

One of the best things about having kids is that watching them is a lot like watching the future happen in your own living room.

I wish Faith much joy in the journey. I hope she has as much fun as I’ve had.

So, beyond my New Year’s wishes for my family, and especially my wonderful, wondrous children, I want to wish a very special Happy New Year to Faith and her Chicklet — the first of many, I’m sure.

Somewhere along about now, I should be having a fourth bloggiversary. Although, to tell you the truth, I think I just missed it by a few days.

Which, I suppose, goes to show you how much I care. And that’s a good thing. It kind of indicates that I have a life.

I felt badly for my children when I saw this. Not too badly, because I think wallowing in guilt is a waste of time and because I have plans in the works to fix it.

I am in the midst of a battle. To me, it feels like I’m fighting for my life. I want to say it pays to know who you’re getting married to before you say “I do,” but there are so many ways in which you really just can’t know.

That’s when life challenges you to play the hand you’re dealt. That is, if you choose not to take the easy way out.

More on this later.