The first of a few posts on Recent Observations and Lessons

Some very random things have been going through my head lately. I know—no one is shocked by that. However, the interesting thing about this randomness is that it has been so profound! Not like Socrates-profound; more like “I’m only capable of learning things through self-revelation and never take good advice and save myself some heartache” profound. What an awesome sentence…I truly should write a book. The pile of rejection letters would be staggering! Anyway, I digress (surprise!!)

So, this will most likely be a very long, uninteresting post to most of you. However, since I tend to use this blog as a mini-diary sometimes, I thought I would write this down so I can look back on it in weak moments. (I recently determined to try to only speak/act in strong moments and only listen in weak ones. . .)

First of all, yesterday afternoon there was a light saber in the middle of the doorway to my bedroom. I almost never play with light sabers, so I was certain it was not mine. I have caught S. playing with them periodically with the kids, but he is much better than the rest of us at putting away his toys, so I ruled him out too. Here’s the thing. We (meaning I) have been on a kick with getting mad about stuff lying around. Seriously, I am not a maid or a servant. I am trying to convince my children of this for two reasons. One, it will drastically reduce my workload, and two, as I have said many times before—I want their wives to like me.

Anyway—since we have had MANY lectures/screaming fits/threats/etc. lately about toys left strewn about, you would think this light saber would have sent me into hysterics. Not only was it left randomly about, but it was in the doorway (I am quite clumsy—sprained ankle waiting to happen) of MY room—is nowhere in the house immune to this cyclone of disaster???

And yet, surprisingly, I did not turn into a screaming lunatic. I did not even make someone confess to having left it there. I laughed. Really? That’s ridiculous. Let’s not even go into the Parenthood Rules that insist on consistency…just based on my OWN pattern of behavior, shouldn’t I have gone nuts?

Well, instead here’s what I thought: That is the perfect analogy for describing our family right now. It wasn’t a huge mess that warranted me freaking out (although—are the EVER going to pick up their junk??) It was just a light saber left in the floor. Hilarious. Anywhere else you might say “Where in the world did this come from?” but in our house it makes perfect sense. A light saber in the floor of the doorway. Boys live here. Their friends are comfortable here. We have games of Making the Band and Cops and Robbers and Hideaway going on simultaneously. And, apparently, Star Wars as well. Of course there was a light saber on the floor…what else would be there? A basketball? A golf club? A paper monarch butterfly? Well, yes, but all of those things were on the floor downstairs. . .

It isn’t really all that interesting or amazing that a light saber was in my floor—but for that moment it reminded me that I have 3 little boys that live here that are pretty darn great. They won’t be little very long, and in the grand scheme of things, they won’t even live here very long. It is pretty awesome this little Monkey House family we have.