He just turned 15.
Now he’s Life.
After only being in Scouts for a few years, Denver has managed to scramble up the ranks to make Life.
For those not in the know? That’s 1 away from Eagle Scout – the highest rank. It’s a huge honor.
His goal is 1 year to Eagle, 1.5 at most.
We have no doubt he can do it.
With freezing temps & sick kids & edits & hubs & birthdays & Disney on Ice & chaos all around…I can barely get a coherent thought together much less a coherent post.
So what do I do? I steal a post from the ever loverly Emily, who stole it from her…and so on and so forth. I love posts like these anyway, and so as soon as I saw it I knew I’d steal it – just wasn’t sure when or how soon – turns out pretty damn fast.
So, here you go. 48 Questions You Never Asked, but I’m answering anyway.
1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
Yes! My Great-Grandmothers – both of them. Sarah (she went by Sadie) and Melissa. I love this story and will tell you it if you ask. EVERY.TIME. Yup. It’s one of the areas my narcissism shines.
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
I can’t give you an exact date but I know it was recent. There’s been much emotionally-stuffs going on.
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
Nope. My print is better than my cursive – but in a rush they both suck. I write like my Dad (sorry Dad).
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Turkey Pastrami.
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
Three. Crazy. Insane. children. Love ’em most of the time.
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
Probably. I was always friends with the geeks & nerds…and I love theater people.
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?
NEVER (see also: ALWAYS).
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
Yup.
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
Hmmm. I used to say “No way in Hell would that happen”…but these days I’m more daring. I’d consider it (but probably chicken out).
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
I hate cereal. But occasionally go through craving spurts where I eat Special K w/ strawberries (or fake-berries, whatevs).
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
Never. Drives the husband up a wall.
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?
Physically? Not nearly enough. Emotionally? Beyond imagination.
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?
I’m a simple girl. Vanilla with caramel sauce.
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
If they’re smiling.
15. RED OR PINK?
Red. I hate pink, I have always hated pink.
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
My body. Especially after the picture gold mine from 10 years ago I sifted through last night. What HAPPENED to me?
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
My best friend Jess. She lives WAY too far away and transporters need to be invented already.
18. WHAT IS THE TECHNIQUE THAT YOU NEED TO WORK ON THE MOST?
Budgeting. Seriously.
19. WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
At the time I’m writing this? Brown slippers – it’s 3* out and my floors are COLD.
20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
Pulled pork. Last night’s dinner. Yum.
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
Currently the news is on in the background. When i’m writing it’s often either Hard Rock or Love Songs radio on Pandora (depending on which story I’m working on).
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
Burnt Orange.
23. FAVORITE SMELLS?
The smell of the pipe tobacco my grampa used to smoke – it evokes many memories and lets me know he’s still watching over me.
Vanilla or almond.
The wisp of smoke from a freshly extinguished candle.
The first fresh blast of crisp winter air you get in fall…it’s always so clean and cold.
Gardenias. Reminds me of my grandmother and my wedding.
24. HOW IMPORTANT ARE YOUR POLITICAL VIEWS TO YOU?
They are very important to me…that doesn’t mean I’ll share them with you. I don’t talk politics to 99% of people. Or religion. I hate arguing so I don’t do it.
25. MOUNTAIN HIDEAWAY OR BEACH HOUSE?
Both. But really? Mountain hideaway would win if I had to choose.
26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
HOCKEY.
27. HAIR COLOR?
Currently? Chocolate Cherry. I like to experiment, though…so it could change at any time.
28. EYE COLOR?
Brown. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it (just don’t look too close especially when I’m wearing purple and they look green)
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
Yes! Hate myself in glasses
30. FAVORITE FOOD?
Sorry. I can’t pick. Too many good things.
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
I hate scary movies. Husband loves them…
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
Madagascar 3. Probably 30 times since it was opened Christmas morning.
Oh, wait…the last movie I actually somewhat watched was INK. I missed portions of it, but it was an interesting and unique film.
33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
Burgundy…until I change later.
34. SUMMER OR WINTER?
Both? I love Summer…but I also love Winter. Hell, all the seasons have my vote.
35. FAVORITE DESSERT?
Mmmm….Cheesecake
36. STRENGTH TRAINING OR CARDIO?
Strength is preferred…but I get the importance of Cardio.
37. COMPUTER OR TELEVISION?
Computer.
38. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
Mine. This one of Mine, too. (Hey, I’m reading proof copies for errors, shush. I’m not that narcissistic…much).
Also, I’ve been re-reading Harry Potter Series, and am currently on my least favorite (and longest) of all the books, Order of the Phoenix.
Also Hunger Embraced (by my crit partner, fun & sexy book)
Also MWF seeking BFF, recommended by her.
Also…oh, I’ll stop now. Let’s just say I read multiple books at once, k?
39. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
My mouse pad is my desk…so…a lot of crap. It needs a serious cleaning.
40. FAVORITE SOUND?
Rain.
41. FAVORITE GENRE OF MUSIC?
Uh…you can’t honestly expect me to pick?
42. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
Cafilornia. About 2 months before dah big quake in 89.
43. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
I can bark like a poodle. I can sing, dance, write, knit, crochet, sew, and…sometime I think I can mother.
44. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
Buffalo, New York (well, a suburb of it)
45. WHERE ARE YOU LIVING NOW?
Indianapolis. Circle City. In my old(er) age…I kind of love it.
[flickr id=”8396269339″ thumbnail=”medium” overlay=”true” size=”medium” group=”” align=”none”]
46. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR HOUSE?
Stupid pale yellow that I’ve hated forever. Can’t afford to change it so it stays. Stupid pale yellow.
47. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR CAR?
Beige. Stupid brown/beige crap. One day I will own a car that is a color.
48. DO YOU LIKE ANSWERING 48 QUESTIONS?
I sure do. It’s fun to answer random questions.
As a teenager, Denver refuses to get his picture taken…So this post is a nearly identical repeat of last year and chock full of embarrassing baby photos in hopes he’ll let me get some NEW pictures to use. Happy birthday, brat. 😉
Time sometimes flies like a bird, sometimes crawls like a snail; but man is happiest when he does not even notice whether it passes swiftly or slowly.
~Ivan Turgeney
Fifteen years ago this minute, as I was in labor, I still thought he was a girl. The ultrasound said girl. Everyone said girl.
My dreams said boy.
Mymorning walk to induce labor I stopped not at the girls clothes rack, but at the tiny little suits, ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the teensy little ties.
After three false labors I was forced to sit in the hotel room my Mom had reserved until I “Finally” stopped screwing around and gave birth already. (For the record, Denver was only 1.5 hours “early” for his due date.) When my contractions were finally 3 minutes apart, my mom called my OB, who then demanded to know why we waited. She, in her dry and sarcastic glory informed him that she wasn’t about to take me in if I wasn’t going to actually have the baby.
And so Denver made me a parent. With his perfectly round head and surprise appendage that made him decidedly NOT a girl, & made me wonder how in hell I was going to raise a boy.
But he was perfect.
The gorgeous blue of his eyes made me fall in love in an instant.
Everything on time. Every milestone reached at JUST the right moment. Every clothing size changing right at it’s declared time (0-3 months? Gone at three months. 3-6? Gone at six…it was eerie).
He was happy. Smart. Playful. Loving.
He was my world.
He was my mom and dad’s world.
The first born grandchild. The first born great-grandchild.
The star.
Our family grew. It changed.
Not always in the best, most fair ways for him. In truth, sometimes he was forgotten, because he was so ‘perfect’. So easy in comparison. (I hate myself for it, but it is true).
It never made him less loved.
In many ways, being the parent of a teen is infinitely harder than raising the young ones. He isn’t satisfied with easy answers. He sees the world around him in such a different light. He sees things that a younger child wouldn’t. He understands and absorbs everything. Things that I sometimes haven’t the slightest idea how to explain to him, to clarify.
Right now he is struggling, battling against an internal battle I can’t resolve for him. Fighting against the common, and always unique and personal pain of being a teenager.
But in his heart – he is a good kid. He is smart. He is still loving.
He is annoyed with his parents. Embarrassed that his mother has a tattoo and plans more. He hates failure. He strives to do his best and no one is harder on him when he fails than himself. Interested in photography. Science. Math. Writing. Cross Country.
He dreams big dreams. Of being a doctor at Riley so he can help other kids like him.
He achieves big things. Advancements in Boy Scouts, Junior Honor Society.
He struggles to fit in.
He is 15.
In so many ways.
He is my baby.
In so many ways – he always will be.
Happy birthday to my oldest, my first born.
15 is a big number. But you’re just getting started.
[flickr id=”5748019048″ thumbnail=”medium” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”center”] [flickr id=”5888954984″ thumbnail=”medium” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”center”] [flickr id=”6087274981″ thumbnail=”medium” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”center”]
Nine years ago my life was different. (Sort of) newly married, only one young son at home. I had no blog, but I did have an online existence.
In one of those (now defunct) online locales I met a girl that went by Vilanaa. We talked some, but we weren’t close. Then one day she emailed me to give me a file that the internet (and my stupidity) had eaten…and from that moment on we became fast friends.
I quickly learned her real name was Jess. We bonded fast over many similar experiences and laughed over the same jokes.
For several years we shared our lives through the internet & phone. Never meeting, but she was there for everything. The first person my husband called when I went into the hospital for the girls, for my gall bladder. I became the person she called for everything, joy to crisis. We watched each others kids grow up through pictures.
We finally met several years ago when I went out to meet her. Upon arrival I ‘forgot’ my kids in the car and rushed into a tight hug that lasted five minutes while Denver got the girls unpacked and met her boys. Many tears of joy were shed.
A year an a half ago she returned the favor by driving out here for my birthday. She was present for my first tattoo and my husband finally got to know the person behind the voice.
She is my best friend. Our friendship is amazing and strong and amazing again.
But she lives so far away. Without the invention of the transporter I can’t be there when she’s in true crisis. I have to be content with knowing she has a support system that is helping. I have to be content to be on the other end of the phone to remind her to breathe when she calls me in tears.
Last month I went out with two wonderful and amazing Indy friends of mine, Casey and Shireen. These two women are best friends like Jess and I, but they live in the same town(ish). They are able to see each other at least twice a month (most times) – but at the end of the evening they embraced in a tight hug that lasted several minutes. Both apologized to me, saying it sometimes makes people uncomfortable.
I told them don’t apologize ever for that sort of closeness. That if my BFF were here I’d hug her the same way every time. We all need the bear-hug friend…whether they are five minutes away, an hour away, or 12 hours away.
Treasure your bear hug friend and hug them as often as you can.
Because this 12-hours away crap? It sucks when your best friend needs you.
Now who can get those scientists to finish up the transporters ASAP for me? I’ve got to get a bear hug.
Be on the lookout for a wicked evil bathroom stall door.
Color – gray.
Height – about 5’6″
Distinguishing features – a metal locking closure, and nasty auto-swinging hinges that rush it back in your face.
The crime – disrupting the simple doe-eyed beauty of my youngest’s face.
Poor Kennedy.
The only thing she did wrong was be born a Mini-me…right down to the klutzy instincts.
Always photogenic.
I have a few…off…pictures where she was goofing around or grumpy.
Most of the time it’s pure magic.
Smiling, pensieve, anywhere in between.
She loves to pose for the camera and I have a series of photos from a couple years back where she’s turning and posing in every way she can think of.
So it was not much of a surprise to me when she came home from school today bearing this little gem:
After all, she’s perfect for it.
Now to get her there.