It seems like every movie I see, the parents have to die for the kids to succeed. As a parent, especially as a Mom, this seems like a terrible concept to propagate. Look around. Bambi (the original), Nemo, Kung Fu Panda 2 (maybe), Tarzan. All the Moms die. I understand the story of the orphan is compelling, but I’m starting a plea to stop killing the parents. We don’t get in the way. We are what makes the kid. The WSJ had an article about how devastating it is for parents to die. They talked about how far reaching the effects are; that children aren’t so “resilient”. This is taking a more morose turn than I planned.
I was going to rave how wonderful Kung Fu Panda 2 was. We had a family date tonight. Last night, we reacquainted ourselves with KFP 1. The girls giggled in bed as we cuddled and watched. The second is fun. The scenes are eye popping. I even felt that 3-D enhanced the movie (I’m a bit of a downer on 3D. It’s seems like a money making ploy. There seem to be a few movies worth the expense, but they should be picked with discernment.) The best part of the movie was having Laura crawl into my lap and cuddle. At one point, she turned to me to keep from watching the scene. Then she had to turn back. The director did a great job of throwing a comedic instant to break the intensity of the scene. I not only got a cuddle, but I got a simultaneous belly laugh from my darling. One of the best aspects of the movie was the maintenance of Po as a bumbling, yet at times, all powerful character. He has still has some rough edges and actually bounces through them with comedic grace. I love the friendship represented in the fight scenes between the Furious Five and Po. I never realized fight choreography could portray friendship so well.
The morning started with Pilates with my hubby. That’s fun! I’ve been adding aching spine to my aching feet. Pilates is a life saver for me. It was fun to prioritize it this morning. We puttered and did chores. Sara gravitated to Wayne and folded laundry. Laura floated between her parents, occasionally being convinced to work without whining. I did the timer method. 5 minutes on, 5 minutes off (meaning, go play). It worked reasonably. It gives me the concept that I’m getting my kids to participate in the chore life of the house. Laura and I really bonded over hand washing dishes. Bubbles and water are compelling for her. She really gets pleasure out of scrubbing cutting boards.
Wayne worked hard to put bike racks on our car. We can now mobilize our bikes! We rode as a family to a local park and enjoyed the heavenly weather that is this weekend. Like ants leaving a crushed ant hill, so are Seattlites on a sunny day. Naps. Touring our seismic retrofit sanctuary at church. Eating dinner at Orrapin. Our girls endured a meal dining out with laughter and good cheer at a Thai restaurant without any writing device for over an hour. I take this as a sign of maturity. Towards the end, things were heading south and water glasses were turning into too much of a play object. Finally, we can full circle to the movie.
The week has been interesting. Laura’s school flooded and closed on Tuesday and part of Wednesday. We didn’t actually know if we’d have childcare that week till Wed right before lunch. It made for a bit of nail biting. It put my week into a tail spin. It made me ponder the grace of having good, reliable childcare. That is a joyful state. It’s one I’ve very consistently for 6 yrs. For this I am thankful.
Because of that blessing, I got to attend a conference on Friday. I listened to the language of my field spoken by different professions- primary care and surgery. It certainly enriched my vocabulary and my brain.
Things are trying to end. T-ball and Spanish end next week. The summer is feeling a little locked in. Plans are crystallizing. There’s a taste of adventure in the air.