The 14th Year

Happy 14th birthday, Alice Anne!

Yeesh, 14. Such a big year!

Let's get into it.

The notes app on your phone is full of all the things I'm either not supposed to say or the questionable things I have said. Your memoir will be hilarious.

You wrapped up 7th grade with the school musical, Matilda, where you were the only student with three rolls on the Tech side - Assistant Stage Manager, Lights and Sound. You took it on yourself to learn how to program the new light system. Both your choir teacher and your music teacher said you were their rock during the run of the show. And as always, we were so proud.

This summer was your first summer not at camp. It was different, but you did get to spend two weeks at theater camp with our local community college. You got to be on stage for week one - you were not a fan. And you got to run lights for week two - you LOVED that! 

You have a techie spirit and we cannot wait to see what you do with it.

On a random Tuesday, you received a text from a theater friend asking if you would be available to work sound for a student-directed play at the Deer Park community theater. You had zero hesitation. A week and a half later, you were running sound for the musical, Legally Blonde, with other teens in our area.

You are in a Career and College class this semester. You've decided on two schools even though I tell you all the time that you do not need to know that now. 

You have such a strong sense of style and the confidence to wear what you want. That is not something I had at your age and I love seeing it. 

This next year is a big one and my heart knows it's going to go by so stinking fast. It's the last year in Junior High. Next summer you can take driver's ed. You will be asked to make decisions you think will dictate the rest of your life. 

Remember, you can always change your mind.

And always, you are loved.

Be brave, my girl. 

We love you,

Mother and Father

A Quick Laugh

Our child was the first child born and spent a lot of her early years as the only. This means she naturally gravitates towards the adults in the room. Always.  

At summer camp, she becomes besties with the counselors. When at a party with children, she can be found with the adults. Most of the stories we have involve teachers, not classmates. In class, she likes to sit away from her classmates. 

It is who she is.

Now for a story....

Weeks ago, we attended a meeting on a potential upcoming class trip opportunity to Italy. This is a chance to hang with other kids their own age in a different country. Alice asked if we all went, if she could room with us. We stopped to ask her math teacher (a trip chaperone) if the kids had to room with other kids or if she could room with us. She said it depends on what we wanted. I mentioned Alice needed to learn how to hang with other people her age and not room with her parents. Alice gave me a look, the math teacher laughed.

Fast forward to this weekend when she was talking about school drama. 

Her "Oh, and thanks to YOU, now I have to sit next to so-and-so in Math class because my teacher thinks I (in air quotes) 'need to socialize with kids my age'! I used to sit alone!! It was wonderful!! And now it's ruined!"

I laughed until I cried.

This season of life with Alice has been one of my favorites. Our conversations are hysterical. Always.

Until next time.....

That Smoke

I am SO ANGRY.

It is no secret our house is on fire. And not figuratively - as a nation, we are burning. We are not great. We are a world-wide embarrassment. 

Months ago I wanted to order an American flag so I can hang it upside down. You can tell yourself that the nation is not in distress but you would be wrong.

Last week the world watched a masked armed "agent" shoot an American woman in the face. In front of her house. In America. In broad daylight. And then call her a "f&*^ing bitch. (And don't come at me with justifications or "explanations". I've seen all of the angles. He was wrong.)

I mentioned the flag again and my Beloved said "we don't want that smoke."

But here's the deal, THAT's the problem. THAT's how we got here. Enough people didn't want to risk retaliation so instead of saying anything - they kept to themselves. 

And their neighbors were marched to concentration camps.

Enough people kept their heads down and looked the other way and watched silently as people they claimed to care for were KILLED because of WHO THEY WERE.

So, smoke it is. 

I know that I am fortunate to be able to say the things I say without fear of being fired. To know me is to know where I stand. And when the time comes and my grandchildren ask their mom where their grandmother stood when the United States resembled Nazi Germany, she will not have to sensor her answer. She will not have to hesitate or change the subject.

She can, with confidence, say - she was obnoxiously against the oppressors and their open racism.

And that's what this is. This administration is actively trying to white wash America.

And if you are silent on this matter - you are part of the problem.

You can sit in church on Sunday and pray for the nation but if you are silent the rest of the days - you are part of the problem.

If you are silently trusting that God is in control and He has this all handled, this is His plan - you are part of the problem.

Jesus flipped tables. Jesus served those in need.

As a reminder, here's Matthew 25: 40-45

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 

42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 

43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

What's going on Minneapolis is just the beginning. When this happens in your city to your neighbors - will that change your mind? 

If you voted for this, I hold you personally responsible. The deaths that have directly resulted from moves, actions, plans of this regime are on YOUR hands. 

The irreputable damage this administration has caused is because of you. You put your trust in the hands of the openly hateful.

How you agree with any of this is beyond me. How you sleep at night knowing families are being ripped apart "for the betterment of the nation" baffles me.

I am most angry at "God's people" who are standing by while God's children are being snatched from their families.

We do not live in a time where you get to say "I don't do politics" and ignore what's going on - this isn't political. This is immoral. This is basic humanity and we're failing. This is not a difference in politics - this is a difference in morals.

And we should all be seething....

A Pinch of Hope

This weekend I stepped WAY out of my comfort zone for something I knew in my heart was important. 

I have been unapologetically vocal about my disgust with those in leadership roles and my disappointment with those who put them there. I share this on social media and in the shirts I wear when I leave the house.

But lately, that hasn't been enough.

Last Friday I decided to see if there was a No Kings gathering in our area and was pleasantly surprised to see one in our little community. I told my Beloved I needed to be there. I texted my like-minded Bestie and her response was an immediate "I'm down." That night we bought markers and made signs. 

I was going outside......

Before we left the house, it was important to me that Alice understood why this was necessary.

We talked about our Freedom of Speech and how the current administration would like to silence those who disagree with them. We talked about how they are trying to manage what stories the Press are allowed to tell. We talked about how they are attempting to erase parts of history that might make us uncomfortable; but these are things that to be learned so we don't accept the terrible treatment of others as being okay. 

Lastly, we talked about the importance of showing up for our friends that do not look like us who are having to worry about being unlawfully detained for the color of their skin. That is not something we have to worry about and it's important to use our voices for them. By showing our outrage at the blatant injustice - we are showing them they are safe with us.

On Saturday, with our signs in hand, we headed to City Hall and joined around 300 people from our community in solidarity that NONE of this okay. The lies. The shutdowns. The disgusting internet trolling done by the freaking leader of the United States - NONE OF IT IS OKAY.

We held signs, waved, blew bubbles, sang, chanted - even when it rained.  

And for the first time in a long time, we all didn't feel so alone.

We stood next to a woman from our neighboring community who was thankful to be able to stand with people who felt the same way she did. 

It's easy to feel like we're crazy. But over 7 million people peacefully gathered to express their anger at where we are heading. 

And for the first time in a long time, I had hope.

Hope that the hate won't continue to win.

Hope that eventually the lies will stop and consequences will happen. (I miss accountability and consequences and checks & balances...)

Hope that communities can live in peace again.

Just.....a pinch of hope.

I'm thankful we attended because now I know I'm not so alone in the immediate space I share with so many. 

Until next time....