Rare Bird

Cookies & Milk--a post for David

When we were little, my brother and I would play this game called, “Cookies and Milk” where you stood at the head of the bed and fell backwards, while yelling “cooooookies and miiiiilk.” The supporting sibling would then catch your feet and bounce you back up so that you were upright again.  Over the years, once we moved to a new home and new rooms, we changed the words to see who could make the funniest combination while we fell:  “maaaarshmallows and toooooenails” or “piiiickles and coffeeeeee.”  You get the point.

Being close in age, we were still the supporting siblings for all manner of ridiculousness:  “No, Mom, I have NO idea how those house numbers got glued to the bedroom doors so it looks like a bed & breakfast” or “No, Mom, she was home right when she said she would be.  I heard her come in.” And my personal favorite, “No, we aren’t sure what happened—the car has had that weird smell for a while now.”

As we got older, it became harder and harder to figure out how to catch each other when we were falling.  We didn’t need our feet caught, but somehow we still needed that extra help finding our self upright again.  In our teens, it was the comfort of just knowing that there was always one person who had your back, no matter what—who would take your side, right or wrong.  In our twenties, it became harder to define what support meant, without nagging or being pushy.  People need room to find their own way. 

So, little brother, today, on the anniversary of your “homegoing” I honor my favorite memories of you…

• the home videos we made to Ray Stevens songs (may they always remain hidden)
• you and Dad pulling the stump out of the lake using rather unconventional methods that summer at Keowee
• "Whoa! Whoa!"
• the video you made to send to America's Funniest Home videos when you were 11
• the last summer we had together--working on the house together and of course, the "knees of stiffness"
• our last weekend and you bouncing that stupid bouncy ball all through the mall, with people looking at us like you were insane
• sitting on the doorframe in my house (where the porch would one day go) talking about what we wanted from life and where we wanted to be in a few years (I hope you found your peace)
• your beautiful smile
• your infectious laugh
• your sarcasm that I can only hope to aspire to

I love you, little brother.

Thank you, my virtual "village" for listening and helping me honor my brother today.  If you knew David and would like to share memories, please feel free.  If you weren't blessed to know him, feel free to share memories of your own siblings.  But wherever you are in life, please take time today to let those you love know how important they are to you.  Blessings to you from us!

 

How Facebook Changed my Mind

So I woke up blue today.  I moped through my morning "mom" chores and then sat down for a few minutes of computer time before the baby woke up.  Logging onto Facebook this morning, it seemed like all of my community was a contradiction.  People complaining about having to go to work after having weeks off for the holiday, while other statuses asked for thoughts and prayers for applications and interviews so they could get back work to support their families.  People complaining about being "too" pregnant, while other FB friends are posting about "Hope this IVF takes this time" or praying to get through another 2 weeks so that their babies have a fighting chance once they get here too little and too early.  

So in light of my resolution to be more gentle with myself and others, I know that I am as prone as anyone to whine or complain, but as I may never know what people are going through and my hope is that I will be more conscious of that.  

So, thank you Facebook for reminding me to be thankful.  So today, I will put on my big girl panties and rather than give into my blues, I will be thankful.

For my home, for though it may not be as put together and decorated as I would like, is warm and homey.

For my sweet family.

For a child who makes me laugh with her new made-up words.  (Not sure what the newest one represents but she uses it a LOT and it sounds suspiciously like "catpee.")

For a body that is moderately healthy, and is getting better every day, despite its attempts to give up on me last year. (I am rewarding it for hanging in there this week, by doing a juice cleanse with some girlfriends...day two--we'll see how this goes.)

Resources by which I may feed my family (we are putting up more butternut squash today, as it is one of Babybirds favorite) and a great store of goods from the garden to fall back on, on this snowy day.

 

For friends who love me and worry about me, when I "drop off their radar" as one so lovingly puts it.

I have much to be thankful for today...thank you Facebook for reminding me not to whine, and to celebrate what I have and where I am.

I hope you all have a wonderful day...what are you celebrating today?

Blogging, not Baking—my 2011 plan of attack

 You know it is time to update your blog when you get an email that a PUBLISHED WRITER whom you admire and respect leaves a comment on your blog and you think, “Oh man…I forgot I had that thing.”  Embarrassing? You betcha. (On that note, if you are not reading Vicki Lane, you are really missing out on a great Appalachian writer.  So if your resolution was to read more, go buy her books.  You won’t be sorry.)  So, as the rest of the world makes resolutions today on this landmark date 1-11-11 that just begs to be written, I resolve to endeavor to keep this updated. 

What started as a platform to keep people updated about Baby Bird’s health status will be my new outlet.  My coping method of choice last winter with a preemie baby on a heart monitor was to bake twice a week, which was undoubtedly delicious, however, I am not sure that my waistline can handle another winter of BakeFest, so my new plan for combatting the winter doldrums will be “Blogging, not Baking.”  (Please be patient with me, I am learning the ropes and not so great with code and pic format, etc. so the blog remains a work in progress.)

So, my plans for change this year are to

1. Be more gentle with myself and others.  (Look at that face, how could that NOT inspire grace?)
3. To take more pictures..and better pictures.
4. To usher my family (yes, even Papa Bird) into a lifestyle of more responsible eating.  This morning, as I was feeding Baby Bird her delicious breakfast of homemade Greek yogurt and organic blueberries and planning out what I vegetables that I preserved from our summer garden to fix for her dinner, I laughed until it hurt, because I was doing it as I also ate my breakfast—a diet soda and a hunk of cheese.  (And before you say, “Well, cheese CAN be a complete protein and it CAN be produced from great farms that use humane and sustainable practices, etc.”—I am pretty sure that the people at Velveeta don’t put that much love into their “cheese.”)  Oops.  There is a clear dichotomy in what I eat and what I feed my child.  In 2011, I want to eat as well as I feed her.  Currently, I fix two separate meals—something healthy and delicious for the baby and something that comes in a box for my SUPER picky husband and by the time I have picked off their plates (because it makes me nauseous to waste ANY tiny bit of anything) I am too tired and too full to actually sit down and eat anything.
5. To quit making excuses for not writing or exercising.  They are both things that make me a better version of myself and that I, for the most part, enjoy. 
6. To capture my grandmother’s story.  She is fascinating and beautiful with so much wisdom to share—whether I write it down or just make notes for my children to enjoy, I want to make use of our precious time together.

So from our family, we hope you had a great holiday and thanks for joining us on our journey into this next year.  I am learning, more and more, that community is worth so much, and I am glad to have you as part of my "village."

 What changes do you hope to make in 2011?