Sitting here next to the window, I'm watching at one end of the table Michael fillet his first deer kill and at the other end, Melody using Madalynn's new Easy Bake Oven. She never got one and is more than happy to assist Madalynn in making "goodies" (although she's spent most of the time scooting her out of the way ;) Mike is sitting on the exercise ball downstairs playing Wii Football with Macklynn. Miranda is on her way home from work and Megan has been back in Georgia since the wee hours of Monday morning. Mom, Dad, and Maggie left for home before noon today. Now, I'm trying to make the transition, which I never do well, from full throttle to idle. I don't even want to fool with decoration removal. I don't want to go in another store. (Besides, we have or have had 1 of almost everything.) I don't want to wear make-up for a few days. I want to keep on the new Hound's Tooth robe the kids gave me and eat peanut M & Ms out of the pocket. (We always accumulate M & Ms as gifts; imagine that! ;)
I can't claim that I've had anything but fun over the last week. We've watched some good movies, had good food and lots of laughs. Mike, Michael, and McKala have been hunting 4 times on a friend's 300+ acres and as they were out again yesterday, Mom and I sat in the rocking chairs on the front porch shooting the breeze, while the towels blew in it and the little people played in it. I can't claim exhaustion because I get a lot of help. However, my mind needs to rest.
Last week I wrote a story as a status that didn't do it justice. Mike came out of the International dealer's shop talking with a kind of short, gray haired black man. They finally walked over to my window to show me the gash under his " 'boggin". He recounted the morning that he asked a 19 year old at the shelter, where he volunteers 4 nights a week in the winter months, to straighten his bed. Instead of making his bed, he unscrewed the handle off the plunger and beat him with it. When the gray haired man said he didn't want the elders of the church to know for fear of the program's demise, I started searching for his name behind whatever was in his shirt pocket ...Joe, a man who had been homeless himself for a while and was taken in there ...and the best I can tell, reformed. Of course, the church authorites had to find out because he required plenty of stitches. When he said they told him they would pray for him, but he demanded they pray for the young man who'd had no guidance, I knew by the look in his eyes that he meant it. I had my sunglasses on, so it was easy to cry and I did so much so that my neck was wet.
The next day Mike took me with him to get a Sam's membership. I wore the 10 pound raccoon fur coat he gave me for my 40th birthday. It was far too hot for it, but we made a pair - him and his PETA (People for the Eating of Tasty Animals) T-Shirt on. We got some good deals, but most importantly Mike put his personal touch on gift giving for the children. I had limited presents to stockings, but he wasn't here for any input on them. He gave serious thought to each child's likings and was frugal in doing so! That night Megan arrived and after the rounds of hugs, she came downstairs with her wrapping paper and gifts. I'm not sure if she went overboard because she thought I went underboard, but she not only bought the new Wii Just Dance for all, but also something special for each one. It began when she called me a month ago after she had an idea. It came to her that since McKala had lost 3 of her 4 calves that she wouldn't have the money she planned for to purchase things she needed for working at the summerlong camp this year. It sounds over the top, but the pair of sandals she needed for support and to avoid blisters are $100 Chacos. Megan got them for her. It far exceeded what she intended to spend, but she did what she thought was right. It makes me smile now thinking about it. Anyway, we wrapped together until almost 4 am. Times like those can't be planned.
Christmas Eve we ate for the first time all together at our new table and chairs. Christmas morning there was an abundance of presents just because of sheer numbers and the fact that the kids had drawn names and gave ultra consideration to getting the most bang for the buck. I was really impressed with the personalization. If anything is fun about shopping, it's coming up on a gift that you're sure the other person will endear. The kids, even ...or maybe especially the boys, have learned this art.
We were having such a big time with gifts and stories about finding them that we forgot the time and missed the opportunity to ready for church. We haven't been all together to church in forever, so I felt pretty bad about that. Instead, we made hot chocolate and put in "The Help", another thing Megan bought us. We thoroughly enjoyed all of it. Miranda made a big pot of our Cajon Summer Sausage and Beans. Upon finishing, we remembered that I'd told Mrs. Redmond, the 93 year old lady my pig likes to visit, that we'd come for a visit. We threw on presentable clothes and it's a good thing because much of her family was still there including her grandson, who as we found out later is a 30 year old single lawyer. The girls lined up, when we walked up on him standing with his grandmother,like a scene from "Pride and Prejudice". I couldn't control the grin that crept up, so I turned my head.
He came downstairs once more to bid her goodbye, asked names again, and told us his sister upstairs knew us. Turns out she was the head lifeguard at the pool where we spent our summers in the mountains. (She'd been so kind to McKala that McKala had bought her a gift.) Too, she's a coordinator for Operation Christmas Child's Shoebox Ministry, where the kids had been called back to work 3 days prior. The chances that we'd be standing in her grandmother's house together seem pretty slim. :)
I can't remember much of Monday, but Tuesday Mom, Dad, and my 4 year old niece, Maggie got here. I was concerned about the visit since my brother's choices have a become a sore spot between us. Mom and Dad persevered and were entirely pleasant, despite the contentious conversations we had on Monday. Oh yeah! That's what I did most of Monday.
They gave me a Sonic toothbrush, something the Periodontist said is mandatory. And that's what I told Mike while we were at Sam's and he abruptly told me I didn't need one. We nearly got in an argument over it ...but all is forgiven now. Night before last, I put toothpaste on to use it for the first time. I turned it on and it slung toothpaste all over the place, in my hair, on the floor. I was already giggling at how stupid I was, when I put it on the back of my teeth and laughed out loud. If you have one, you'll know what I mean. If you don't, you should get one. If you recall how as a child how it tickled to have the roof of your mouth brushed, you'll appreciate the feeling.
While they were here, Dad read the blog I wrote about him. I wasn't sure he approved. He said it was weird reading a story about himself, but that it was fair. The thing that he pulled out of it all is that, "I like him." That was all the approval I needed. They've gone back home today. They left the smoked turkey he cooked and brought, the can of coffee she always leaves, and new memories of hunting, cooking, and playing together. I'm just gonna ponder on all that for a time, while my engine cools off and I return to plain ole Michelle. I hope you have the time to do the same; pondering on being "Michelle" is pretty awesome right now ;) ...lol.
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