Why is it so hard to accept that your kids may not always like you. Spencer has always had a difficult time waking up in the morning. Most mornings, I get up and wake him at 7:00 am. I stay in his room long enough for him to answer a question so I can insure he is awake. I then go about my business and begin the process of wondering if he actually got up. I listen for stirrings of activity. Then about 7:20 I go back into his room and remove the covers from his head (I have never known anyone who can wrap a blanket tightly and completely around his head to sleep. How does he breathe?). I have talked, yelled, indicated that it is not fair (highly ineffective) and still he continues to rely on me to provide this multi-phase waking ritual. This morning I went for the jugular. I grounded him from Game Boy for a day. While dropping him off, he gave me a really crusty look. I asked him what the problem was. He said, "A kid can't be expected to get up that early." I looked across the schoolyard and thought about all those children who shouldn't be expected to get out of bed by seven. I can't wait for High School and Seminary.

And I thought you had kids so you would never be without your friends.

Enough for now... love to all.

I'm feeling a little frustrated tonight. Kids watching too much TV--difficult to get them to quit arguing--challenges with wanting to work at a different level with my clients--I feel a sense of discord. While looking for quotes for a class project, I came across this quote from Shel Silverstein:

God says to me with kind of a smile,"Hey how would you like to be God awhile and steer the world?""Okay," says I, "I'll give it a try. Where do I sit? How much do I get? What time is lunch? When can I quit?"

"Gimme back that wheel," says God,"I don't think you're quite ready yet."”

I am not ready to be in charge of the Universe so maybe it is okay to give back the wheel.

Enough for now...love to all.

Been playing with Photoshop lately. Here is one of my dubious masterpieces in honor of Memorial Day. Memorial Day has always been an odd holiday for me. Just an extra Saturday thrown in after Sunday for a change. Layla had a play date with Katie Donovan, so Doug, Spencer and I went to lunch at the Elephant Bar. This evening we received a last minute invitation to a neighborhood barbeque. At first I thought, okay how do we get out of this gracefully. But then Spencer ran in looking truly excited to participate. I didn't have the heart to keep him in, so I made a quick fresh guacamole salad and off we went. As always, once we got there and started to talk we had a great time.

I read a quote that made me smile by Ralph Waldo Emerson:

Evermore in the world is this marvelous balance of beauty and disgust, magnificence and rats.

Enough for now...love to all.