Everybody Is Tired

These last few weeks have added a whole new understanding of the word FRENZY. These last few days in the month of May have made me better comprehend the overused word BUSY. And these last few moments of the school year which have caused my right eye to twitch in a manner that could only be considered SPASTIC, opens up a whole new meaning to the word CRAZY.

And so the reason for my blogging absence.

Eight baseball games a week (read that one again - EIGHT BASEBALL GAMES A WEEK), three end of the year school plays, two field trips and an end of the year school carnival were the reasons behind the frenetic activity in our household this month. Throw in weekend hospital call for the past four weeks for my husband and the result is a very tired family.

Tomorrow is the last day of school which entails three parties at three different destinations all occurring at the same time. It should be fun.It may just squeeze the last bit of joy remaining for the month of May, but loads of sugar-induced fun nonetheless.

I have thousands of pictures and stories and events that I will update later, but for now, the neurons in my FRENZIED, BUSY, SPASTIC, CRAZY brain are unable to fire properly. I am just too tired.

Tonight,I plan on sleeping deeply like this:




And all will be well again.

Imagination

Of our three children, Mary Mac is by far the most independent. God gifted her with a personality that easily entertains others as well as uniquely amuse herself. Every song she sings out loud - in her five year old mind - is in front of an audience of thousands; every construction paper colored a masterpiece to be hung and admired; every story read or recounted a lesson to be learned by her wide array of captivated students, which mostly include inanimate objects lacking any other options.

Imagination flows freely from this wide-eyed little girl, which makes it even more of a joy to happen upon an activity or game born from her limitless world of pretend, a place where the rules are of her own making and the participants of her own choice.

The following pictures demonstrate an isolated occurrence among hundreds we have encountered during her lifetime. It examples Mary Mac at her finest when her imagination is wide open and the possibilities endless.

Candy Land is fun. It is even more fun with other participants:


I'll invite a friend to play:



The caterpillar draws a yellow card. He was hoping for a double.


The caterpillar makes it through Lollipop Woods. He must have a stomach of steel.



He is momentarily distracted by the pink bubbles. This diversion and lack of concentrated focus will cost him the win.


Mary Mac bestows the honor of second place to her fuzzy friend.


Now if she can only get the frogs in our mailbox to be as cooperative....

Baseball Joy

Chase and his friends celebrated his birthday at a minor league baseball game. Baseball and birthday cake equals a whole lot of ten year old JOY:

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He’s Ten Today and I Feel Faint

Double-digits.

Forever more.

How can I possibly have a ten year old? How could a decade pass by so quickly? Oh, Mr. Time, you have a cruel heart and questionable intentions. I hope you soon sit on a tack.

It seems like just yesterday I was riding home from the hospital in the back seat with the most beautiful infant I had ever seen, swaddled like a double-stuffed burrito and completely engulfed in a car seat that swallowed him whole. I clearly remember hyperventilating on I-285 in Atlanta, Georgia, as my husband navigated us home at 45 miles per hour on the very fast moving interstate. More than once I screeched at those (everybody) passing us, “WE HAVE A NEW BABY ON BOARD, YOU MANIAC! SLOW DOWN! STAY AWAY FROM OUR CAR! It was punctuated with wild gesturing and I believe a little spittle, but I felt hormonally justified.

My oldest offspring, my first born, MY BABY, turns ten today. It is hard to believe and I am more emotional, more unstable, and feel more – here’s the real shocker –dramatic than ever before.

In fact, I feel faint again.

We have been celebrating this very momentous occasion since the early part of this week. It started with a surprise event that included Chase meeting one of his all-time heroes.



The inscription read: I HEART JONI. Love, Mark.


As members of our area Georgia Bulldog club, we had the opportunity to hear head football coach, Mark Richt, speak about the upcoming football season.



We also met the new basketball coach – Mark Fox – who has a quick-witted sense of humor we especially enjoyed.



Even my tag along friend, Mr. Double Chen, was able to attend. He was, however, not invited. He thought Mark Fox was funny, too.



During the question/answer session with each of the coaches, Chase was called upon to ask a question. He asked Coach Fox the following:

“Do you have any openings for water boy?”

....and then to Coach Richt:

“What role did you play in Stafford (Matthew) and Moreno’s (Knowshon) decision to turn pro?”

Just a ten year old in Howard Cosell’s body.


At the end of the night, Chase’s raffle ticket was pulled and he won a basket of Georgia Bulldog Christmas tree ornaments. It was very exciting. I believe I even squealed out loud.

(You have to live in the South to understand.)

More birthday festivities are planned for this weekend. I’ll be sure to keep you posted. But for now, the reality that a ten year old boy lives under my roof is starting to sink in and I think I need to lay down.

He's ten today and I feel faint.