Today’s thankful: My ninja coming up with a mama lie abilities

Youngest has had her first wiggly tooth for about two weeks. This afternoon on the way back to the condo from the beach, she stopped and said, why does my tooth feel funny? I stopped and looked and said, “Well, because it is gone. Did you swallow it?” She apparently was pushing on it with her tongue and spit it out onto the boardwalk. We looked for a few seconds, then I had a moment of zen like Grinchiness, I thought up a lie and I thought it up quick. I told her it was not a big deal, because we could just write the tooth fairy a note and tell her to get her tooth detector (kind of like a metal detector but for teeth) and go to the boardwalk and get it. She bought it hook, line and sinker. Yay me!

Today’s thankful: The occasional knowledge gap

This morning I handed clothing to Youngest and told her to get dressed. As I walked out of the room, I heard her say, “But my panties don’t stink!” I told her to change them anyway. I am so glad that I didn’t see her actually check to see how they smelled.

Today’s thankful: Middlest

Today is Middlest’s 16^th birthday. It is amazing to me how the moment we met seems like yesterday. Many of the moments in the past 16 years have faded, but that one remains crystal clear. I’m not sure if it happens when adoptive parents meet their babies, but I bet it does. Getting to meet the person you have waited for so long is a wonderful experience. I am thankful not only that I have that memory, but also that Middlest is part of my life.

Today’s thankful: A husband with mad repair skills

You don’t NEED a man, but they can make life better is my mantra. My girls have grown up hearing and probably despising this phrase, but I wanted them to feel good about being on their own and be independent before choosing a mate. And I am hoping when they do choose, they won’t settle because they feel like they NEED a man in their lives. So it is with acknowledgement of the inconsistency that I write today’s thankful. I don’t need a man, but sure am glad for the one I have. He grew up poor, which means he knows how to fix almost anything. I’m sure his mechanical aptitude doesn’t hurt, either. At any rate, the faucet in our bathtub starting leaking last week.  This Saturday when I returned home, I found him toiling and cussing in the bathroom, and the tub was well on its way to being repaired. I didn’t have to lift a finger even to call the repair man, and my tub is good as new. He made life better for me and I am glad he continues to stick around.

Today’s thankful: Volunteer opportunities

I grew up in a home with a mother who volunteered for all of our activities. She was always the room mother at school and our Girl Scout leader. She sewed costumes for the marching band and always showed up when a call came out for parental assistance. By her example, I am that kind of mom. Yesterday I worked at a drumline event at Middlest’s high school. Hosting this event is a fundraiser for the marching band, so I signed up. This is where the thankful comes in. I am thankful that my mom showed me the value of volunteering for my children’s activities. Because I put myself out there yesterday, I met a very nice band mommy whom I hadn’t previously had the pleasure of meeting. We passed a very enjoyable four-hour shift chatting, working and supporting our kids. As a bonus, Middlest also signed up to work a shift (away from me, of course). Dare I hope she is following in my volunteer footsteps?

Today’s thankful: Happy memories

My sister used to sing “Desperado” by the Eagles every time she was drunk. I happened to see this phenomenon enough times in my life that the song makes me think of her. Tuesday afternoon I was on my way to mom’s house when that song came on the radio. The grief of her being gone hit me like a ton, then it slowly transformed into happy memories of her singing that song, usually with a wine glass in her hand. Yesterday I was telling my other sister that I had heard “Desperado” on the radio and she smiled and said, “Shell’s drunk song!” Yeah, I miss my sister, but sure am thankful for all of the happy memories.

Today's thankful: Wonderful, understanding bosses

I need to rant for a minute. My problem is that we of the feminine persuasion have been fighting for equality since the sixties and are still not there. I read recently that 60% of bachelor’s degrees are being conferred on women. Yay! In spite of our collective progress, though, a lot of men are still turds when it comes to child rearing. When I was married to a dentist and he refused to take his turn missing work when the kids were sick, I accepted it because there were already patients scheduled for the day and I wouldn’t want to be cancelled. Also, he was bringing home most of the money for our household. Now that I am on marriage two, Spouse is self-employed and I bring home the majority of our household income. Yet he still claims to be “too busy” to take his turn when childcare issues arise. I am pretty sure it is a man thing, because I know a lot of women who are majority breadwinners yet still handle most of their childrens’ needs. Grrrrr! I guess my thankful in all of this is that I have a job with wonderful bosses, who also happen to be mothers, so I can take the time off work to tend to the childcare portion of my day.

Today’s thankful: Euphemisms

There is a fast food place in town advertising fish tacos on their sign. Every time I drive by it, the adolescent part of my brain takes over and I think “Fish tacos: Euphemism or food item?” I also get one of those “Heh, heh. That’s what she said” moments. Yah, I know fish tacos are really food, but are nothing I would seriously ever consider ordering, especially at a fast food joint. As for the being thankful for euphemisms, if they didn’t exist, I wouldn’t get a chuckle, albeit immature, every time I drive by that sign.