Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Nice to Um, Meet You?

Just sent an email. An every day type of thing, right? Typed it up, hit send. Sending pictures and info and smiles across state lines. Know why I'm so excited about this?
The email was to my sister.
My long lost sister, the one I'd asked for help in finding. Turns out, she found me first. Thank baby Jeebus for Facebook. She didn't even know my married name, and was just browsing profiles looking for someone who *might* look like me. Or what she imagined I'd look like now. She hasn't actually seen me in 18 years.
So we exchanged a little info, to make sure neither of us was some lying, conniving crack pot. Once assured I was me and she was she, she sent me her email address and phone number. I sat on it for like 6 hours. Because once I *had* it, I wasn't sure what to do with it.
Once I was home and the kids sufficiently busy enough with dinner and didn't need me right-that-instant, I picked up the phone and called her. As the phone rang, I asked myself, "What if she's insane?" I mean, really. I don't know her from Adam. In fact, the only Adam I've ever known IS insane.
But she *seemed* pretty normal, and she made me laugh a lot. Her childhood wasn't great, but she hasn't held any anger or bitterness. Her mom made her believe that our dad didn't care about her. I emphatically ensured her that was wrong, that he cared very much, and he always loved her and thought about her - AND always paid that child support on time. He didn't find out until much later that her mom didn't actually USE it to SUPPORT her child. So if she got nothing else from that conversation, I hope she understands that her father wasn't perfect, but he did love her.
Don't know what will happen next. Whether we'll continue to talk and get to know one another, or whether the excitement will wear off and we'll drift apart. Either way, I'm really happy to have made this connection. To know she's happy and healthy. To know she's out there. And for once, I can actually just pick up the phone and say hi. Or send a quick email. Just like that.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Two Stupid People

All Hubs wanted for Father's Day was to buy a new bike for Daimean to replace the one that was stolen. So, after he did the price check thing online, off to Target we went. To buy a bike. A fully assembled bike.
Two *smart* people would have taken Big Bertha (the Jeep) for this. However, two *stupid* people take the VW Jetta and are actually surprised when confronted with a bike that won't fit in the car.
On the plus side, it was A FREAKIN' BIKE so Daimean and Hubs took turns driving one another on the way home.

Daimean met a girl this weekend, at the school's summer celebration. She likes him. He likes her. I heard through the grapevine (which consists of other kids and her mom) that she planned to kiss him on the cheek at the end of the night. He hasn't talked about it yet but I'm hoping he might. Besides Daimean's first hint of action, the party was great fun, and reminds me how thankful I am that we're a part of the extended family at SJB.

Mom is doing alright, but riding my nerves like a jockey. I thought maybe it was because we've been spending way too much time together and she knows how to push my buttons. Until I sat down last night and read my last pregnancy journal. Found it a few weeks ago, tucked in among a bunch of old picture books. It was from when I was pregnant with Isaiah in 2003, and it asks a lot of questions about your own parents, your upbringing and your current relationship with them. Apparently the urge to throttle her has always been just below the surface. I guess some things never change, huh?