Thursday, October 20, 2011

The Wrestling Match

Today Katelyn and I wrestle for control of the keyboard.
I must blog and she must be on my lap.
I shall conquer.

My mind has been going turbo speed today. One milllllion miles an hour... and all the time wishing I had my blog at my fingertips so I could write it all down and you could all be enlightened on what really goes on up there. Just in case you wanted to know. You know?

I made Jello-o Jiggles for Liv's pre-school treat today. Her letter was "J", and I crown myself Awesome Mom, because this means I had to have forethought and do it last night. Remember Bill Cosby in the jell-o jigglers commercials? I love Bill. He and I are close, personal friends. As you can see, we are on a first name basis. But sometimes I call him Cliff, or Dr. Huxtable, just 'cause I'm nasty (sorta like Janet Jackson). Either way, I keep the dream alive. My brother and sis-in-law got to see him live. I was jealous that day.

This last week has been a deeply female week for me. Maybe the last two weeks? I have told myself "Grow up, 2-year-old!" about fifty million times. My amazing second councilor in the Young Women organization was needed elsewhere... to become the new ward Relief Society president. Can you believe this?!? Honestly, I struggled like -- hard core -- like a tiny tiny toddler -- over this. I just love all the leaders I work with so much. They are each so amazing and so unique. We are close and we've developed a groove, you know? I'll admit, I cried. Well, let's clarify: I bottled it all pretty well until sacrament meeting this week, wherein I basically fell apart into a public blubbering mess. It wasn't pretty, people. Sobs. Shaking sobs from the opening hymn on. It was ugly.
I laugh at myself.
It's hung over me even this week. Until Tuesday when I sat on the cement to pick grass and told myself I was so lame and needed to BUCK UP, CAMPER!!! I wrote my undying love out in letter form for my dear friend (formerly known as Incredibly Valuable Counselor) and stuck it in her car while avoiding eye contact so I could keep it together (let's remember, I'm 2 right now), and then turned to the future. I encouraged myself with some GREAT news... a new second counselor is being called this week, and she will be AWESOME! I know she will fit right in and the girls will adore her and she will adore them. I know the other leaders will love her. And I look forward to that! Yay for Sunday! Yay, yay for Sunday!!! I feel much better now.
I have finally followed the advice I so freely gave to my teenager: Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened!

On a different note, I love Halloween so much. I truly, truly do. Dressing up and candy. What. Is. Not. To. Love. I woke up this morning and realized I haven't even watched 'Hocus Pocus' yet! And what about 'Watcher in the Woods'? And 'Something Wicked This Way Comes'? And 'Mickey's House of Villains'?!? I have some ground to cover.

Katelyn is working hard to win this wrestling match. No, Katelyn, No! I have to finish up quick.

I also woke up this morning thinking about this one particular story about my Granny-friend. Did you know my Grandma's name was Iona? Devona Iona. That is a funny name, no doubt about it.
Okay, here is the story:
My Grandma had a good friend that had a tragedy happen in her marriage and then, through a series of not-great choices, became involved in an affair. You can imagine the stir this would cause in any town, much less a tiny town where everyone knows each other and social standing is -- important. So, naturally, everyone picked up their "rocks" to stone this woman, or at least ostracise her in every way. But my Grandma took a stand, one that my Mom couldn't understand at the time. Even though she made it clear to her friend that she couldn't condone her choices, she also let her friend (and everyone else) know that she still loved her, that she still had her friendship, and that she was there for her. I think this is a very admirable story, an amazing story, especially considering my Grandma was (and is, in the Spirit world) a lady in every sense of the word, deeply in love with her husband, and influential in her small community. That must have been a hard experience. But -- here is the moral of the story. As my Granny-friend aged and aged, and her friend aged and aged, my Grandma couldn't have had a truer, bluer, more helpful and devoted friend in the world. Since she was in better health, she did so much for my Grandma out of love and absolute adoration and devotion and truly was beloved of all of us.
Isn't my Grandma the coolest? I miss her, but that's okay because I love her and know she is still my BGF.
Grandma's really might be the best invention yet.

Well, folks, that about covers it. Katelyn has reached her limit and I myself feel sufficiently expressed. Good day, Dear Ones!

2 comments:

Ducksoup said...

like a breath of fresh air. well said, rie. i loved what you wrote about granny. i can't believe you typed all that with katelyn on your lap. i can hardly type in google.com with maci on mine. just another example of your awesomeness. well loved everything about your post. especially the thought to smile because it happened not cry because it's over. i want your brain. let me know if i can have it. love yah rie.

Simmons Family said...

I watched hocus pocus this week and was thinking of you! I miss you!