Iron Man

Wyatt: "Octangle!"
Me: "Huh? Do you mean octogon?"
Wyatt: "No, octangle. An octangle is a number. It's more than infinity!!!"

Wyatt: "Mommy, what does bwood smell yike?"
Me: "BLOOD? Ummm.... it smells like iron... metal..."
Wyatt: "It smells yike IRON MAN?"

 I pulled Wyatt onto my chest and fell backwards onto the floor. His body went limp on me as we just lied together quietly. I whispered to him "Do you hear my heart?"
He nodded, and continued lying there quietly. It was so sweet.
Then he said softly, "Mommy, I know what your heart yooks yike."
I smiled, filled with love and contentment. "What does my heart look like?"
He said, "It yooks yike.... dead animals."
WHAT?
Good feeling gone!
LOL

On gay marriage...

I understand some of the arguments against gay marriage. I get that some people are "grossed out" by the idea of two guys together (although some of these guys watch videos with two girls together, but I digress). I get that if the Bible is your personal law book, that you might view homosexuality as an abomination. And I get that you may view marriage as a sacred God-given ritual that shouldn't be tarnished.

I really do understand HOW people could feel this way.

But -

What I do not understand is how someone then extrapolates that to mean that everyone must live by their belief.

This country has lots of different people - it is how the country was designed.

Our country is full of Christians. And Jews. And atheists. And Muslims. And Wiccans. And a whole lot of people that don't know what to believe.

And this is a good thing. Because our country is all about FREEDOM.

And I am big on freedom. I think freedom is the most important thing. Freedom doesn't just mean that YOU are free to live your life the way you choose. It means that you must stand up for the right for others to live THEIR lives the way they choose as well.

It's easy to support freedom when there is nothing going on that offends you. It's trickier when you are supporting a freedom that you don't personally agree with, morally or otherwise.

I think this is where both the Democrats and Republicans fall short.

The Democrats say "We want freedom!!!! Except not freedom to own guns. And not freedom to profit with a successful business. And not freedom to make our own food choices for our children. And not freedom to fly certain flags that we may not agree with. And not freedom to teach creationism as one of many theories for how our world came to be."

And the Republicans say "We want freedom!!!! Except not freedom for gays to marry. And not freedom to make our own reproductive choices. And not freedom to smoke pot! And not freedom to teach evolution as one of many theories for how our world came to be."

It's easy to support freedoms you agree with.
It's trickier to support freedoms you don't agree with.

So back to gay marriage.

Even IF someone thinks it is disgusting and wrong and immoral... Why do YOUR beliefs dictate what is right for everyone? This is what baffles me. You can say "God says it is wrong and we must follow God." But.... there are lots of things God says are wrong that we do. How many Christians divorce? How many Christians re-marry? How many Christians have affairs? None of this is against the LAW of our country.

So why this one sticking point?

Why gay marriage? What will happen if gays are allowed to marry?

For those who are not gay, life will go on as usual. Your marriage will mean the same thing it always meant. If God was the center of your marriage, it will continue to be so. If your church and community are God-focused, it will continue to be so. Your church will not be forced to marry gay people.

For those who are gay, you will now have the same options that every other American enjoys. You can continue to stay single, or you can commit to someone you love. And that commitment will mean that you will receive the benefits that other married Americans have. You can put your partner on your health insurance. You can file taxes jointly. You become a FAMILY, so that you and your partner are legally responsible for each other. You can stand before your family and friends (and God - because there ARE gay people who believe in God) and profess your love for each other.

There is nothing dirty or disgusting here. It's all about LOVE. Your mind doesn't have to immediately go to what happens in the bedroom, because there is much more to a relationship than that. I mean, is sex the only important thing in your marriage? Doesn't it mean something to know that there is someone who will always be by your side, who you can walk through life with, and who is connected to you? Doesn't it mean something to know that the law recognizes your connection with this person, and that you are responsible for each other?

Why deny another adult that experience just because he/she happens to be attracted to the same sex?

It's about FREEDOM.

Gay marriage doesn't DIRECTLY HARM anyone.

And it's about equality. We should all be treated the same under the law. PERIOD. And if you do not support someone else's right to equality and freedom, it is only a matter of time until someone will be trying to take away a freedom that means a lot to YOU. We must all stand up for FREEDOM - no matter our personal views on an issue.

Something's going on at the mall

Going to Seattle on my own for nine days was interesting, to say the least. Of course, it was very very very busy, since we were there for the NACCU conference. There were days I woke up at 5AM and worked until 10:30PM, with no real break. It was rough - but it is always rough. Once a year, I know I have to do it.

But this year, Doug and Wyatt stayed home. I was on my own. Nobody to be responsible for. Just me.

I found myself unfolding throughout the nine days. It was weird.

I started out stressed and small, and ended up free and me.

The first thing I realized is that people DO respond well to me. I tweeted for work, in the usual dry, professional NACCU voice. Then I tweeted as me, in my goofy UNprofessional voice. And it was obvious that people responded to the personal tweets. That's what they all wanted to talk to me about...

Then I talked to Eric Stoller, a social media expert, who confirmed that yes, you want to use personality and market YOURSELF as the spokesperson for the brand. He told me something like "You are vibrant, so be vibrant." and that was the beginning of a larger conversation with myself in my head.

I walked around Seattle, thinking about ME. Thinking about who I am, and how much of myself I try to hold back, in fear that people will think I am weird. But the truth is - I *am* weird. Or at least, I am me. (I'm convinced that I just say things that nobody else will say out loud.)

And how much I try to force myself to be what other people want or need or expect. And how much that drains me.

So why not just be me, and let things fall where they may? If someone doesn't like the REAL me, why would I want to put on some mask to hope to gain their approval and acceptance?

I always thought that "growing up" meant that you drop silliness and are able to act professional and together, but now I think that growing up is dropping the act, and just being who you are.

I do not have to force myself to conform to some standard that someone unlike me has defined. There is a role for me in this world, as God made me. I am quirky and outspoken and smiley and laughy and stumbly and creative, and those are all perfectly fine things to be. I wasn't made to be a 9-5 manager, and that's ok too. I have a lot to offer as I am.

I just let go in Seattle. I smiled and laughed and said all the weird random things that popped into my head, and people LIKED it. They laughed. They responded. I felt so ME. I felt free.

As I was walking through the streets of Seattle, thinking about how much of our lives we all waste holding our true selves in so that we fit in, and how I am not going to do that anymore, it started to sprinkle. I lifted my face to the rain and smiled as the drops fell on me. An ambulance pulled up on the other side of the street, and a lady behind me said to her friend, in a most serious loud whisper, "Something's going on at the mall." And I don't know - it just struck me as profound.

There's always something going on at the mall. Life is full of drama and pain and gain and loss and love... and though it can seem like a lot to deal with sometimes, we are here for such a very short time. I am not going to waste any more of my time being anyone other than me.

Since I've been back, I feel different. About a lot of things. I feel able to let go of a lot which is out of my control. I feel like if I am just me, everything is going to happen the way it is meant to happen. And I feel confident that no matter what other people choose to do, I will be just fine.

I yuv you the morest

Me: "I love you!"
Wyatt: "I yuv you the morest!"

Wyatt: "Mommy, you know what is more than a fousand? A FOUSANDY! It's more than anyfing except a quadwillion or infinity!"

Wyatt: "Hey, Mom. Million and Billion sound the same."
Me: "Yes, they do."
Wyatt: "You know what else sounds the same? HUG and ELEPHANT."
Me: "WHAT?"
Wyatt: LOL!

I shaved a bunch of fur off our fluffy cat, Rascal. He looks... well... not good.
Wyatt said, in a sad voice, "Mommy, the other cats are going to laugh at him." I said "Honey, cats can't laugh." He thought for a moment, then said "Well, all the other cats are going to meow at him." ♥

Wyatt was watching Shark Boy and Lava Girl in the back seat of the car.
Wyatt: "Hey Mommy! Lava Girl doesn't have a shirt on. She's wearing a zucchini."

Wyatt: "Inside my mouth hurts."
Me (looking inside his mouth): "Yep, you have a canker sore."
Wyatt: "A KANGAROO?" LOL LOL

We were at Walmart, and I was looking at the nutritional info on a box of frozen enchiladas. Wyatt said "Mom, you can't eat that. You keep getting fatter and fatter!" I almost died I was laughing so hard.

Last night, something was wrong with the satellite receiver, and we could only get in Jay Leno. Wyatt whined "I don't yike this show!!!! It's too grown-uppy!" LOL

Wyatt: "What is this show called?"
Me: "Dancing with the Stars"
Wyatt: "What? It's not called Dancing wif the STARS! People can't dance wif STARS!"
LOL

Jump on a Cwoud

Wyatt is sitting here coloring and singing. He's singing "I'm not asking you agaaaiin. I'm not asking you agaiiiin." I asked him why he is singing that, and he said "It's a song. I just made it up." LOL

Wyatt and I were outside, and I was pushing him on the swing. He said "Mommy... I would yike to jump on a cwoud. Or, I know... get some scissors and cut the cwouds into shapes!... (pause) Or just sit on one wif you and watch all the cars go by." ♥

Wyatt: "Mommy, what colors are in a rainbow?"
Me: (pulls up picture on Google images) "Bam!"
Wyatt: (carefully chooses crayons to match the rainbow and draws it)
Wyatt: "Now I am going to put more colors on!"
Me: "But then it won't be a rainbow."
Wyatt: "Ohhh yes it will. It will just have YOTS OF COLORS ON IT!"

Me: "hey,Wyatt, Do you want to go have breakfast at The Eggery? Do you like that name ; The Eggery?". Wyatt: "Yeh it sounds someone is gonna throw eggs at you!"

Wyatt, inspecting a quarter: "Hey! This quarter says DURANGO on it! Yook, Mom! L-I-B-E-R-T-Y.... DURANGO!"

Wyatt, looking at the mustard striped wallpaper in our hotel room ..."Mommy, I don't yike this wall. I would yike red with monkeys on it better."

Twinkle Twinkle

"Wyatt was playing a game on the DS in the backseat of the car.
Wyatt: "Mom, I have a yot of money! One billion dowwars!"
Me: "Wow, that is a lot of money! Can you buy me a necklace?"
Wyatt: "NO!" (pause, then in a sweet voice) "But I will buy you a butterfwy.""

"Me: "Wyatt, did you sing any songs in school today?"
Wyatt: "Yes. We sang Twinkle Yittle Star." (makes scoffing noise) "Except they called it Twinkle Twinkle! And I was yike 'What is Twinkle Twinkle! You mean Twinkle Yittle STAR?!?" (makes scoffing noise again)
Nothing like indigence in a four year old. LOL"

"One time, about 6 months, ago, we found a couple of Starburst candies in the sand at the bottom of the slide at our neighborhood park. So we were at the park last night, and I asked Wyatt what he wanted to do. "I know!" he said. "Let's dig for Starbursts!!" LOLOL...

"Me: "I love you more than anything in the whole wide world."
Wyatt: "I yuv you more."
Me: "Not possible!"
Wyatt, in a sing-songy voice: "Ohhhhhh, I fink I dooooooo....."
♥"

"Wyatt watches DVDs from the library in my car. Today he was watching one with a story about a dog who ran away from home. There was a scene where he was hiding under a car looking sad, and Wyatt said from the backseat "Oh no, he's weawy wonewy (really lonely)" Wyatt's eyes started tearing up and his bottom lip started quivering, and I said "Oh honey, it's ok. You'll see. He'll find his way back home." Thank goodness he did. Whew."

 

Yittle Dwagonfwy

Wyatt and I have been watching Venus and Jupiter, as they have both been very visible. I pointed at Venus and said "There's Venus." then pointed at Jupiter... "... and what's that one?" Wyatt thought for a moment then said "Baltimore" LOLOL

Wyatt: "Mommy, we learned a song today. It's about a yittle dwagonfwy who fwies through the forest and a fairy helps find food for him."
Me: "Really? How does it go?"
Wyatt: (singing) "A yittle dwagonfwy fwies through the forest and a fairy helps find food for him." (pause), then in a normal voice: "It's kinda a short song."

The best question ever: "WAIT, MOMMY! Can I have THREE more hugs and THREE more kisses?" Ab-so-lutely!

Wyatt has his first crush. He likes a girl at his school named Shiloh. He says "She's pwetty, Mom. Weally, weally pwetty."