At Home With Dad

Nicole wanted to take a picture of the sunrise.

Over the past month, the blog has decided to go on strike. Pictures wouldn’t upload. The family photos on the right side of the blog dispeared. All, of course, during the holiday season.

But, after a couple of hours, I think everything is back up and running. So with the New Year underway, let’s hope the blog consternations have come to an end and we can get back on track.

This week I watched It Might Get Loud which focused on three amazing guitarists: The Edge (U2), Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin & Yardbirds), and Jack White (The White Stripes).

The interplay between the guys was amazing. How each approached the instrument and music was fascinating to watch. While The Edge really uses technology, Jimmy Page just oozes creativity from every pore.  Jack White was by far the most interesting to me. I honestly believe he could make doing the dishes a soul filling, musical expression.

At one point in the movie, Jack White described his childhood. He was the youngest of ten kids and there was part of the program where he described his bedroom that really resonated with me. He said he had two complete drum sets, a guitar amp, guitar, and a small pallet for sleeping crammed into his 7 foot by 7 foot square room.

As a parent, I wonder what I would say if my child had this set up in his room. Would I restrict the whole idea? Would I have just shook my head ‘no’ as he even approached the house with a free snare drum in hand?

The father I-want-to-be says that Jack White’s childhood bedroom is beautiful. It expresses exactly who he is and it probably played a significant role in who he is today. On the other hand, my desire for order most likely would have left “little Jack” frustrated and without a creative outlet. Ugh…

Why is all this important? Well, see, my youngest daughter is very creative. She loves to draw, paint, cut-and-paste, and glue. She has made countless cards for most of the folks reading this right now. (Not that they get sent out, which is my fault, but that is another discussion. Or, maybe it isn’t come to think of it.)

I desire to create numerous creative outlets for my daughter. I desire to give her a wall in the house to just paint however she wishes. I desire to provide paints and a canvas for her to express herself with. All the while, I desire order and cleanliness, which runs in direct conflict with many of these activities.

With the new year upon us, I hope that don’t quench her creative spark, but rather foster and nurture it. Help it to grow. Whether she becomes the next great artist or not, I believe she was created to create, manipulate, and bring more beauty into our world. If only I don’t prevent her from doing so… Let’s hope I do the right thing.

You know, honestly, I hate to enter into political conversations, but the health care issue is a very problem in our house. As a type-1 diabetic, the thought of lapsed health insurance is terrifying. The result: I would be unable to obtain health insurance from any insurance company due to my preexisting condition – diabetes. After that, the cost to manage my diabetes would be astronomical.

This article articulates the issue well in my opinion. I encourage you take a quick read of it regardless of where you stand in regards to the health care reform being discussed currently.

This song has really been resonating with me lately. Thought I would share…

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one’s laughing at God
When they’re starving or freezing or so very poor

No one laughs at God when the doctor calls
After some routine tests
No one’s laughing at God
when it’s gotten real late
And their kid’s not back from that party yet

No one laughs at God when their airplane
Starts to uncontrollably shake
No one’s laughing at God
When they see the one they love hand in hand
with someone else and they hope that they’re mistaken
No one laughs at God when the cops knock on their door
And they say “We’ve got some bad new, sir,”
No one’s laughing at God
When there’s a famine, fire or flood

But God can be funny
At a cocktail party while listening to a good God-themed joke or
When the crazies say he hates us
and they get so red in the head
You think that they’re about to choke
God can be funny
When told he’ll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie
Who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus

God can be so hilarious
Ha ha, ha ha

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one’s laughing at God
when they’ve lost all they got
And they don’t know what for

No one laughs at God on the day they realize
that the last sight they’ll ever see is a pair of hateful eyes
No one’s laughing at God
When they’re saying their goodbyes

But God can be funny
At a cocktail party while listening to a good God-themed joke or
When the crazies say he hates us and they get so red in the head
you think that they’re about to choke
God can be funny
When told he’ll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie
Who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus
God can be so hilarious

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
(repeat)
No one’s laughing at God in a hospital
No one’s laughing at God in a war

No one’s laughing at God
When they’re starving or freezing or so very poor

No one’s laughing at God
We’re all “laughing with God”

–by Regina Spektor

Is it wrong that I smiled when both the girls said, “Sucks!” when I yelled OU?

We really hate OU around here, but I don’t want to encourage that kind of language – even if it is true. (I think)

Yes, it is true. We finally have pictures of our little ballerina. Now… In true ballerina fashion, she is sporting purple crocs and furry animals in some of the pictures, but she is still cute as a button.

I asked her to do a pose or two for the camera and she just went nuts with it. I couldn’t keep up with her showing off all of her skills. She was having a blast showing off for the camera. A true ballerina at heart!

The getting ready for ballet class process has vastly improved as well. She is able to get ready much easier and quicker, which is proving great for my blood pressure. I had a suggestion to try and put on tights myself with marbles in my hands – which went quite well – and gave me some pointers for Nicole as well.

Overall, the ballerina is doing well and enjoying it all immensely!

We combined the three big kiddos birthdays into one big party this year. (Anthony turns 7 on November 1st. Nicole turned 6 on September 11th. And, Faith will turn 7 on October 15th. ) So, we headed to ASI Gymnastics and turned the kids loose to run, jump, and make general mayham.

Check out some of the fun!

Well… 24 hours from now we’ll be knee deep into some serious Ritchie kid birthday festivities. The kids’ excitement is overflowing expressing itself in maniac fits of running and jumping throughout the house. Everyone – and I mean everyone – we’ve encountered over the last three days has been educated (and, of course, invited) to THE party. (So, we’ll see if the checkout lady from Newflower Market shows up.).

ASI Gymnastics is the location. 30 kids and their parents are coming to jump, run and create general chaos. 3 birthday cakes have pushed every other refrigerated food item from our fridge. We still have gift bags to put together. And, yet, I just want to go take a nap – not that anyone under the age of seven is going to let that happen this afternoon. I must press on…

Of course, two of the kiddos are coughing as we speak. So, we have a little deal set up for them. Every time they cough, they have to eat a small piece of garlic. With fingers crossed, we hope they will continue to get better and not have their health descend into a video-taped viewing of the own birthday party. With all the flu worries these days, we refuse to expose other kids to illness. “Why hello… Welcome to the party. Enjoy yourselves and be sure to take two antibiotics for the next three days. Thanks for coming!” So, we wait with fingers and toes crossed praying for good health tomorrow. We’re moving the right direction… See you *cough… cough* there! I kid… I kid… I’m going to go drink some more juice myself just to be on the safe side.

For the past month, I’ve wanted to get a picture up of Nicole all dolled up for her ballet class. Some folks are wondering why there isn’t a picture up on the blog of the little cutie. Well… You see – Nicole is a dawdler.

Each week, I’ve been adding a five more minutes to her “get ready for ballet” time. Currently, we are up to twenty minutes to put on tights and a leotard, which is still not quite enough time for her.

As a result, by the time she is ready for ballet I’m usually late and ready to blow a gasket. Each week, I tell myself to get a picture of the little one ready for ballet. And each week I find myself racing out to the car stating that we will never do this again.

She goes in her room and plays. She can’t find a ballet slipper. She struggles with her leotard. Ugh… I know I should be patient, but I really want her to start taking more responsibility with her ballet class preparation.

But, I’m hopeful. Maybe next week we’ll have a picture up of our little ballet star. Or, maybe just have a discussion about what her next activity is going to be.