Creatures in the wild grow so fast, even at 2 years old most are performing as adults, That's probably a good thing since their life spans usually aren't very long but I am noticing that the older I get, the quicker even our little kids are growing up. I am not that old- 30- to be exact... I am supposed to be in my prime, right? Then why do I feel so old when I see the little kiddos I used to babysit in wedding announcements? It just amazes me to see everyone growing up so fast.
I took a little vacation with my girls (OK- I took them to Disneyland so it was totally awesome!) but, the point I want to make is what I saw one of the nights we were there. While leaving the park I noticed bus loads (literally) of teenagers entering the main gates. At first I felt the need to throw a tantrum because it was near closing time and I felt betrayed as a Disney fan that I had to leave while these kids were just getting started, but then I realized how old I was and how I get tired so much quicker and traded in my envy for relief that I couldn't walk down main street even just one more time.
(obsessed- yes- but moving on)
As I watched these kids I felt that perhaps my eyes were playing tricks on me- they looked like humans but behaved more like animals; some were making strange sounds as if they were practicing to swim with the dolphins later on, others hooped and hollered like monkeys in mating season while a large majority, some of whom forgot to pull their pants up all of the way or even finish getting dressed swam with the crowd like mindless goldfish as they laughed on with the main characters as if they were hyenas attending the premiere of the Lion King. Harsh judgment? Probably- but it takes a serious scene for a zookeeper such as myself (who is certified in crazy) to call out a wild bunch and they were on every account, a wild bunch of animals.
We walked the path to our hotels to find more and more buses unloaded and then we read a sign that changed my life. "Congratulations Graduates!"
"Oh heavens," I thought. "It was grad- night and these children whom I just mistook as jungle escapees are the future?" Perhaps I judged their excitement in the wrong manner, I am hoping that is the case and the boys' whose shorts were worn around their thighs were probably good Samaritans who gave their belts to the needy... I don't know them personally (so I'll only judge a little :) but after seeing the sneak peak preview- I grew a little worried about the future of us all... would one of these kids become my new mortgage broker, my internet customer service representative or even the helpful man that checks our lap bars before we go plunging down the hill of Splash Mountain?
Then something else happened. I returned home.
I had employed a young neighbor to take care of our pet dog while we were away. I found the house in a neat order with no usual sign of wear and tear... the kind that WE usually wreak within moments of entering a home. I was given a full report from his mom of everything that happened while we were away and then the boy came to return my keys and collect his payment. I was ready to hand over the envelope and call it good when he surprised me. I stood there holding out the payment but before he would take it, he asked me if there was anything that he could have done better. I was shocked. it was a good shock but I almost didn't know how to respond. I told him I was very satisfied with his work (apologized that he had to clean up a few accidents) and assured him that I would love to employ him again if he wasn't too traumatized. He agreed to return again and I closed the door with a smile on my face. This boy was employed with the intent that he was raising money to attend scout camp. I was so impressed not only by the boy but also with his parents. Rather than just pay for their son, they gave him the responsibility to earn it for himself. He had to do the work but his parents were there to support him every step of the way coaching him in what to do and accompanying him as needed.
The admiration I had for this boy and his parents reminded me of the graduates I saw. They were celebrating the joys in life and geez- it can't get any better than celebrating graduation at Disneyland! ... and I'm sure that anyone who reads this blog but doesn't know me in other lights might find unique ways to judge me as well. I did see them all leaving the park as we entered the next morning and their demeanor had calmed down quite a bit leaving me to believe that I had misjudged most of them but it still left me wondering about the readiness of today's children becoming tomorrow's leaders.
Moral of the story: Parents- we must teach our children how to work, we must support them in everything that they do but we must not be afraid to let them work, to learn, to be disappointed and to live. It was clear in this family who had helped me out (where there are 5 kids) that these children were being prepared to be future leaders. They will not be afraid to work when the time comes because they learned it under the tutelage and support of a loving umbrella... which is the best classroom for success. Our children will all one day grow up... some even faster than we are ready to accept and the more tools we can give them the better prepared they will be. Sometime we are afraid to make our kids unhappy, but they will meet disappointment and adversity regardless of what we do so the best thing we can do is prepare them to meet it head on. We only have a few years to turn babies into grown ups and some resist everything we teach them after the age of nine- but we cannot neglect our duties as parents. They may resist and sometimes not appear to be listening (sorry mom for all those times I pretended to ignore you) but they need our utmost attention and expect us to prepare them. (and by all means- if your child gives his belt away to some needy citizen, buy him a new one so that we can all feel a little safer in passing.) Our future is only as bright as the children we raise. I find remarkable rays in every child I see- let us embrace that glorious sunshine, not allow clouds to fog them over and let them shine!
As parents we are given a special privilege but with that blessing comes a big responsibility. Children need more than just food and clothes to be taken care of and it's our duty to teach them how to fish so that they may thrive all the days of their life. Let them learn the hardest lessons when they're the easiest to set right.
A little love goes a long way and so does a little child who receives all of the love he can get. I am grateful to all of those who set the example of true parenthood and hope that one day I can trust my children to look after someone else's pet or at least attend grad night and have their wild animal identity be not so obvious to the general public... hey- I said "Hope" :)
5.24.2011
5.09.2011
Dancing in the Rain
Sometimes we just need to laugh. Have you noticed how drawn you are to people that have a sense of humor versus the ones that are always down and out about something? I love to laugh- sometimes with people and sometimes at people... but mostly with them.
I am fortunate to live in a house full of comedians. Just ask them- they'll tell you how funny they are. Their favorite joke is the one where the mom spends all day cleaning just to walk upstairs and find a brand new masterpiece mess. If that one doesn't get her funny bone- then they have a few others they keep on hand for back up.
Sometimes, when no one is looking or heaven forbid going potty- they like to empty the freezer, hide the food and then close the door so you don't realize that you'll be cooking to save 60 lbs of meat until enough thaw time has already passed. That one always cracks me up. I thought I'd play a trick of my own and lock the door... but they got the last laugh when they found the key.
One time- I spent 4 1/2 hours scrubbing the kitchen and dining room floor with a toothbrush. I stood up and yelled, "Ha!" They stood up and revealed that they'd been busy doing the same thing with my socks and the dirty bucket of water... it's OK- I wanted to re-mop it anyway. And another time... I watched them playing outside together. They were so cute and playing so nicely. I had a warm mommy moment and let them play while I read a little. I proudly went back to check on them and found that they were playing nicely together as they all gained up on my defenseless greenery. Every leaf was pulled as it served as confetti flying with the wind. I couldn't get upset at that because they were no longer attached to the trees anyway. Every branch had been broken off of four trees and the smallest of them was being equipped to serve as the base of a child size slingshot.
Rhino is funniest when he eats breakfast, lunch and dinner- twice and Puppy cracks me up when she becomes engrossed in Tiger's plots and acts as his accomplice in tree killing or drawing pictures all over the walls (I had to get after them but in reality I was very impressed with the fine motor skills). Tiger is too funny for words. He used to open windows and try to sneak out of the house- even if he was upstairs, but I put locks on them so now he just throws things at the glass. He still gets me laughing every time he surprises me with a pile of dumped out laundry mixed in with the previous contents of the entire closet and I don't think I'll ever stop laughing over the nights he spends flooding the bathrooms. Oh. Good times. Monkey got a late start- she is after all the youngest but she refuses to be left out of the last comic standing competition. In just a few short years she has managed to empty 50 lbs of flour into my pantry floor TWICE (and got a little help from curious bystanders), broke the glass out of my 5 ft tall curio cabinet, wore all my makeup at once to make herself pretty, used the markers to add a little color to her body (she was after all out of make-up) and my favorite was when she was reported by her siblings as "just playing". She was in fact just playing but the punch line was that she was just playing in the living room with a 1/2 gallon of pink paint. I tried to agree that the room looked better with a pink rug, pink couch and pink fireplace- but I just couldn't see it her way so we agreed to disagree.
It's toned down quite a bit over the last few months (I am VERY grateful that we're no longer laughing over Tiger's habits to put his potty any and everywhere but in the bathroom) but it's never ending. Just like every comedian- they start out with an innocent opening, wait until you relax in your chair with just a small grin on your face and then BAM- they do something that causes you to burst out with laughter to the point that you have to cross your legs to keep from embarrassing yourself and call for oxygen because you are for sure, that this time, you will DIE from laughing so hard!
Yeah- that's how I feel every time I get out of bed!
But who am I to keep all of this enjoyment to myself. Really though? You'd think I'd be completely crazy (or thin) from laughing so hard all of the time but the truth is- I wouldn't trade it for anything. I have two sayings on my fireplace mantel (that is no longer pink) "I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it" and "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass- it's about learning to dance in the rain!" It's always raining here, usually because someone has flooded the upstairs again but in general- we are busy, busy people. The kids are always trying to find new ways to crack me and I'm always trying to find new ways to crack them. I'm not sure our storm will ever pass and I'm OK with that because inside each one is so much sunshine that the thunder and lightening are nothing compared to feeling of dancing in the rain.
I'll probably always be laughing about the 6 lbs of ketchup we go through in one week (don't worry- they don't eat all of it- most of goes on the walls or under the table- be careful when you sit), the endless pile of mom's broken things because it all looked so pretty, relentless jumping across couches for the input it provides or glancing over my shoulders to see kids watering the grass because the toilet is all the way inside the house.
Not everything is funny; but most things are. Kids need to be taught- and we're teaching the best we know how but in the meantime, parents need to learn to laugh. Take a minute to find something that would normally drive you crazy. Before you react, ponder what must have been going through your child's mind at the very moment they chose to challenge the forces of parenthood. I would love to sneak inside to find out what my kids are thinking even half of the time but when I spend a little more time with them- I find that Fred Rogers had it right- "play is a child's work"- and they're just working.. very hard (those dedicated sweeties)!
So- take care of what needs to be taken care of and then spend a little bit more time laughing about what you cannot control. Try mopping the floor the way they do and see if it's not more fun- come on- I triple dog dare you- and if you find it hard to laugh in the face of childhood opposition or tapping into your own childhood mischief brings back only painful (backside) memories... laugh at ours- there's plenty to go around and we love to share!
I am fortunate to live in a house full of comedians. Just ask them- they'll tell you how funny they are. Their favorite joke is the one where the mom spends all day cleaning just to walk upstairs and find a brand new masterpiece mess. If that one doesn't get her funny bone- then they have a few others they keep on hand for back up.
Sometimes, when no one is looking or heaven forbid going potty- they like to empty the freezer, hide the food and then close the door so you don't realize that you'll be cooking to save 60 lbs of meat until enough thaw time has already passed. That one always cracks me up. I thought I'd play a trick of my own and lock the door... but they got the last laugh when they found the key.
One time- I spent 4 1/2 hours scrubbing the kitchen and dining room floor with a toothbrush. I stood up and yelled, "Ha!" They stood up and revealed that they'd been busy doing the same thing with my socks and the dirty bucket of water... it's OK- I wanted to re-mop it anyway. And another time... I watched them playing outside together. They were so cute and playing so nicely. I had a warm mommy moment and let them play while I read a little. I proudly went back to check on them and found that they were playing nicely together as they all gained up on my defenseless greenery. Every leaf was pulled as it served as confetti flying with the wind. I couldn't get upset at that because they were no longer attached to the trees anyway. Every branch had been broken off of four trees and the smallest of them was being equipped to serve as the base of a child size slingshot.
Rhino is funniest when he eats breakfast, lunch and dinner- twice and Puppy cracks me up when she becomes engrossed in Tiger's plots and acts as his accomplice in tree killing or drawing pictures all over the walls (I had to get after them but in reality I was very impressed with the fine motor skills). Tiger is too funny for words. He used to open windows and try to sneak out of the house- even if he was upstairs, but I put locks on them so now he just throws things at the glass. He still gets me laughing every time he surprises me with a pile of dumped out laundry mixed in with the previous contents of the entire closet and I don't think I'll ever stop laughing over the nights he spends flooding the bathrooms. Oh. Good times. Monkey got a late start- she is after all the youngest but she refuses to be left out of the last comic standing competition. In just a few short years she has managed to empty 50 lbs of flour into my pantry floor TWICE (and got a little help from curious bystanders), broke the glass out of my 5 ft tall curio cabinet, wore all my makeup at once to make herself pretty, used the markers to add a little color to her body (she was after all out of make-up) and my favorite was when she was reported by her siblings as "just playing". She was in fact just playing but the punch line was that she was just playing in the living room with a 1/2 gallon of pink paint. I tried to agree that the room looked better with a pink rug, pink couch and pink fireplace- but I just couldn't see it her way so we agreed to disagree.
It's toned down quite a bit over the last few months (I am VERY grateful that we're no longer laughing over Tiger's habits to put his potty any and everywhere but in the bathroom) but it's never ending. Just like every comedian- they start out with an innocent opening, wait until you relax in your chair with just a small grin on your face and then BAM- they do something that causes you to burst out with laughter to the point that you have to cross your legs to keep from embarrassing yourself and call for oxygen because you are for sure, that this time, you will DIE from laughing so hard!
Yeah- that's how I feel every time I get out of bed!
But who am I to keep all of this enjoyment to myself. Really though? You'd think I'd be completely crazy (or thin) from laughing so hard all of the time but the truth is- I wouldn't trade it for anything. I have two sayings on my fireplace mantel (that is no longer pink) "I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it" and "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass- it's about learning to dance in the rain!" It's always raining here, usually because someone has flooded the upstairs again but in general- we are busy, busy people. The kids are always trying to find new ways to crack me and I'm always trying to find new ways to crack them. I'm not sure our storm will ever pass and I'm OK with that because inside each one is so much sunshine that the thunder and lightening are nothing compared to feeling of dancing in the rain.
I'll probably always be laughing about the 6 lbs of ketchup we go through in one week (don't worry- they don't eat all of it- most of goes on the walls or under the table- be careful when you sit), the endless pile of mom's broken things because it all looked so pretty, relentless jumping across couches for the input it provides or glancing over my shoulders to see kids watering the grass because the toilet is all the way inside the house.
Not everything is funny; but most things are. Kids need to be taught- and we're teaching the best we know how but in the meantime, parents need to learn to laugh. Take a minute to find something that would normally drive you crazy. Before you react, ponder what must have been going through your child's mind at the very moment they chose to challenge the forces of parenthood. I would love to sneak inside to find out what my kids are thinking even half of the time but when I spend a little more time with them- I find that Fred Rogers had it right- "play is a child's work"- and they're just working.. very hard (those dedicated sweeties)!
So- take care of what needs to be taken care of and then spend a little bit more time laughing about what you cannot control. Try mopping the floor the way they do and see if it's not more fun- come on- I triple dog dare you- and if you find it hard to laugh in the face of childhood opposition or tapping into your own childhood mischief brings back only painful (backside) memories... laugh at ours- there's plenty to go around and we love to share!
5.01.2011
Mr. Zookeeper's Ark
Mr. Zookeeper loves to fish. Perhaps it's the serene nature and calmness that draws him to the water; you might imagine it being a little difficult to find a quiet spot in this house unless it is too quiet and that only means the calm before the storm. Maybe it's the thrill of throwing out the line and trying to outsmart the Big One that always seem to get away... and maybe I should just ask him exactly what it is that calls to him; but nevertheless- he loves it.
To enhance the leisure activity, Mr. Zookeeper has always talked of getting a boat that will allow him greater access. Being heard, a few years ago he was given two boats within a year by two separate grandfathers. An amazing gift, Mr. Zookeeper was all so anxious to get out on the water. The boats were not as anxious; for both of them failed in their duties. Naturally they would always start up in trial and the engines would purr. He'd get halfway out on the lake, get stuck and realize a little more work was still needed. Luckily the first few times there were oars in the boat; now he never leaves home without them.
Mr. Zookeeper has the talent to work on the boats but as most hobby sufferers, he lacks the time. Never being able to purchase one on his own, he milked these two boats for many years (including crossing state borders during a move) and for many years we'd move these boats in and out of the side yard every time we required access to the back yard (yet one more reason our neighbors have for questioning us). Finally exhausted of shifting with no results- Mr. Zookeeper made a bold move. One boat he gave away three times before actually finding a permanent owner. The smaller one would be taken in for an estimate to find out how much it would take to get the little guy nursed back to health. Long story short (as if that's really possible for me), A co worker saw the boat in the route to the shop and had a proposition. After considering the options, Mr. Zookeeper agreed. After a quick trip to the shop- for the NEW boat, RED joined it's new brother in the side of the yard.
Determined to get in his boat fishing trip (and me eager to let him), the Saturday before Easter we loaded up the family and headed for the lake. All was well. I even backed the trailer into the dock without drowning the truck- though I was positive I couldn't do it and had visions of the family sitting on top of the floating Chevy waiting to be rescued by the news helicopter. Indeed, we boated out, set the anchor and enjoyed some fishing. After five minutes, the kids were done so we moved to a new location. A little further out we tried our rods again. By the time Mr. Zookeeper got his pole out, the first child already had his pole in the water for several minutes so, naturally, he was done and ready to move on.
The air was crisp but clean and as the boat rocked on the waves I couldn't help but feel thankful for the opportunity to spend this time as a family. The cell phone was only used for it's amazing GPS abilities and the kids managed to make minimal contact with the water, although each one was strapped into a life jacket just in case. Rhino enjoyed watching his stick reflect in the water. Tiger liked watching the gummy fish sink as he dumped all the snacks overboard in one big toss. Puppy learned how to cast and proved if any one were to become Dad's fishing buddy it would be her. Monkey was also learning to cast but she never quit grasped the idea of release meaning the line rather than the entire pole. Yes, I am blessed and the day was perfect.
Mr. Zookeeper was just so excited to be out there that he didn't even mind spending most of his time fishing for poles, untying string and chasing freed worms. Rhino would be asking for the time soon, which meant he'd have a breakdown when he learned it was past lunch time so we pulled in all lines and decided to boat for a little bit before heading for shore. "Faster, Dad, Faster!" All the kids cheered as we skid over the waves. The smiled were painted in spite of frozen cheeks in the wind and everyone was having a good time.
Nice story, right? Of course it is- but it can't end here because, well- this is OUR story. Apparently my vision of us floating along waiting to be rescued was accurate, just a little misconstrued in the details.
All animals were on board, water surrounded us at every side and RED, Mr. Zookeeper's newest ark decided it had had enough. We drifted atop the waves for about 25 minutes while Mr. Zookeeper tried every form of manipulation and bribery to get that engine to talk to him. After realizing it was a very one sided conversation; Mr. Zookeeper agreed we'd better start back anyway.
Fortunately, we had felt inspired to take the family on the canoe rides at Disneyland so we have all been trained in the proper way to hold an oar. Palm on top and tight grip at the middle we began to call out. "Stroke, Stroke..."
The kids all wanted to row but for the sake of getting somewhere, each was eventually fired and all were sent to the back instructed to just sit down. Dressed in my son's over-sized straw hat, worn out jeans and a t-shirt barely visible by the life-jacket tied so tight imperfect posture was impossible, I decided I didn't just want to be an attractive wife but a useful one as well. (insert sarcastic grin) I stroked with all my might and Mr. Zookeeper kindly stroked and steered us straight; my paddle did half the work as his which caused us to make circling detours...I concluded there must have been something wrong with my paddle.
Just behind us, there was another drifting boat; this one however was much bigger, newer and clearly not drifting for the same reasons. At first we assumed he must be coming to rescue us. I kept looking over my shoulder yet the boat maintained the same distance. Confused that someone, who could clearly see us and what we were doing, would watch a stranded family row themselves to shore I decided that he must be in trouble himself and was drifting toward us to borrow our oars when we were done with them. Surely there could be no other explanation. Nonetheless- we rowed, and rowed and rowed. After rowing ourselves half the distance to shore (which was a good 30 minutes)we just started to laugh. Perhaps it was because our luck had proved true, perhaps it was because we were being followed yet not helped.. or maybe it was the combination of the two which were quickly joined by little flecks of ice kisses; yes, amidst it all, it began to snow.
By this time the girls were getting chilly, Tiger was mischievously quiet and Rhino had realized he was missing lunch and snacks would not do so we were relieved to hear that the boat shadowing us for the last 45 minutes did actually have a motor and was offering to tow us in the rest of the way.
We reached dock- I held the boat while Mr. Zookeeper ran to get the truck and trailer and even though I had a few urges to accidentally release the rope that held the boat in place; I held onto it tightly. The snow was now flowing freely and dock space was limited. Another kind fisherman and his wife grabbed our boat with theirs and positioned it out in the water so Mr. Zookeeper could pull it on the trailer without having to get in the water (do you see how kind we are, we are just distributing blessing to un-expecting people everywhere!)
In spite of our efforts, the boat was given a final heave up on to the trailer, the boat stayed in place but Mr. Zookeeper was not so lucky. Standing in freezing water up to his thighs, Mr. Zookeeper jumped faster than I had seen in a long time, all while letting out a big spurt of laughter (that's how good I married). Soaking wet and now with no fear of falling; the job got done and we all sought refuge in the warm seats of the heated truck; okay- we all watched Mr. Zookeeper struggle with the elements from the comfort of our shelter but I did have my window down which created quite the draft so I was just as happy as he was for him to be done. After three hours more than expected, a good laugh and many shakes of the head- we set for home. Mr. Zookeeper of course was the most anxious to get home as he did not have a change of clothes and in spite of my worry and insistence that he would catch cold and die, he refused to drive home in his underwear. (And he'd like for me to add that he did not die and managed to keep a little of his dignity while driving home in frozen underpants.)
Not exactly as we planned... this is what family is about; weathering life's storms together (and I have since forgiven Mr. Zookeeper for his faulty boat and he has since forgiven me for watching him load the faulty boat in freezing temperatures while sitting comfortable in the truck- someone had to watch the kids...). There was no flood of tears, though we were surrounded with water never knowing when we might see land again and at times it did feel like 40 days had passed. The animals aboard were all safe and a memory set for the record books had been made. Indeed, it was a day we will not quickly forget and while it did end with all well- I think perhaps it might still be one of those we don't want to repeat... at least not until we put a little more work in re-building the ark....
To enhance the leisure activity, Mr. Zookeeper has always talked of getting a boat that will allow him greater access. Being heard, a few years ago he was given two boats within a year by two separate grandfathers. An amazing gift, Mr. Zookeeper was all so anxious to get out on the water. The boats were not as anxious; for both of them failed in their duties. Naturally they would always start up in trial and the engines would purr. He'd get halfway out on the lake, get stuck and realize a little more work was still needed. Luckily the first few times there were oars in the boat; now he never leaves home without them.
Mr. Zookeeper has the talent to work on the boats but as most hobby sufferers, he lacks the time. Never being able to purchase one on his own, he milked these two boats for many years (including crossing state borders during a move) and for many years we'd move these boats in and out of the side yard every time we required access to the back yard (yet one more reason our neighbors have for questioning us). Finally exhausted of shifting with no results- Mr. Zookeeper made a bold move. One boat he gave away three times before actually finding a permanent owner. The smaller one would be taken in for an estimate to find out how much it would take to get the little guy nursed back to health. Long story short (as if that's really possible for me), A co worker saw the boat in the route to the shop and had a proposition. After considering the options, Mr. Zookeeper agreed. After a quick trip to the shop- for the NEW boat, RED joined it's new brother in the side of the yard.
Determined to get in his boat fishing trip (and me eager to let him), the Saturday before Easter we loaded up the family and headed for the lake. All was well. I even backed the trailer into the dock without drowning the truck- though I was positive I couldn't do it and had visions of the family sitting on top of the floating Chevy waiting to be rescued by the news helicopter. Indeed, we boated out, set the anchor and enjoyed some fishing. After five minutes, the kids were done so we moved to a new location. A little further out we tried our rods again. By the time Mr. Zookeeper got his pole out, the first child already had his pole in the water for several minutes so, naturally, he was done and ready to move on.
The air was crisp but clean and as the boat rocked on the waves I couldn't help but feel thankful for the opportunity to spend this time as a family. The cell phone was only used for it's amazing GPS abilities and the kids managed to make minimal contact with the water, although each one was strapped into a life jacket just in case. Rhino enjoyed watching his stick reflect in the water. Tiger liked watching the gummy fish sink as he dumped all the snacks overboard in one big toss. Puppy learned how to cast and proved if any one were to become Dad's fishing buddy it would be her. Monkey was also learning to cast but she never quit grasped the idea of release meaning the line rather than the entire pole. Yes, I am blessed and the day was perfect.
Mr. Zookeeper was just so excited to be out there that he didn't even mind spending most of his time fishing for poles, untying string and chasing freed worms. Rhino would be asking for the time soon, which meant he'd have a breakdown when he learned it was past lunch time so we pulled in all lines and decided to boat for a little bit before heading for shore. "Faster, Dad, Faster!" All the kids cheered as we skid over the waves. The smiled were painted in spite of frozen cheeks in the wind and everyone was having a good time.
Nice story, right? Of course it is- but it can't end here because, well- this is OUR story. Apparently my vision of us floating along waiting to be rescued was accurate, just a little misconstrued in the details.
All animals were on board, water surrounded us at every side and RED, Mr. Zookeeper's newest ark decided it had had enough. We drifted atop the waves for about 25 minutes while Mr. Zookeeper tried every form of manipulation and bribery to get that engine to talk to him. After realizing it was a very one sided conversation; Mr. Zookeeper agreed we'd better start back anyway.
Fortunately, we had felt inspired to take the family on the canoe rides at Disneyland so we have all been trained in the proper way to hold an oar. Palm on top and tight grip at the middle we began to call out. "Stroke, Stroke..."
The kids all wanted to row but for the sake of getting somewhere, each was eventually fired and all were sent to the back instructed to just sit down. Dressed in my son's over-sized straw hat, worn out jeans and a t-shirt barely visible by the life-jacket tied so tight imperfect posture was impossible, I decided I didn't just want to be an attractive wife but a useful one as well. (insert sarcastic grin) I stroked with all my might and Mr. Zookeeper kindly stroked and steered us straight; my paddle did half the work as his which caused us to make circling detours...I concluded there must have been something wrong with my paddle.
Just behind us, there was another drifting boat; this one however was much bigger, newer and clearly not drifting for the same reasons. At first we assumed he must be coming to rescue us. I kept looking over my shoulder yet the boat maintained the same distance. Confused that someone, who could clearly see us and what we were doing, would watch a stranded family row themselves to shore I decided that he must be in trouble himself and was drifting toward us to borrow our oars when we were done with them. Surely there could be no other explanation. Nonetheless- we rowed, and rowed and rowed. After rowing ourselves half the distance to shore (which was a good 30 minutes)we just started to laugh. Perhaps it was because our luck had proved true, perhaps it was because we were being followed yet not helped.. or maybe it was the combination of the two which were quickly joined by little flecks of ice kisses; yes, amidst it all, it began to snow.
By this time the girls were getting chilly, Tiger was mischievously quiet and Rhino had realized he was missing lunch and snacks would not do so we were relieved to hear that the boat shadowing us for the last 45 minutes did actually have a motor and was offering to tow us in the rest of the way.
We reached dock- I held the boat while Mr. Zookeeper ran to get the truck and trailer and even though I had a few urges to accidentally release the rope that held the boat in place; I held onto it tightly. The snow was now flowing freely and dock space was limited. Another kind fisherman and his wife grabbed our boat with theirs and positioned it out in the water so Mr. Zookeeper could pull it on the trailer without having to get in the water (do you see how kind we are, we are just distributing blessing to un-expecting people everywhere!)
In spite of our efforts, the boat was given a final heave up on to the trailer, the boat stayed in place but Mr. Zookeeper was not so lucky. Standing in freezing water up to his thighs, Mr. Zookeeper jumped faster than I had seen in a long time, all while letting out a big spurt of laughter (that's how good I married). Soaking wet and now with no fear of falling; the job got done and we all sought refuge in the warm seats of the heated truck; okay- we all watched Mr. Zookeeper struggle with the elements from the comfort of our shelter but I did have my window down which created quite the draft so I was just as happy as he was for him to be done. After three hours more than expected, a good laugh and many shakes of the head- we set for home. Mr. Zookeeper of course was the most anxious to get home as he did not have a change of clothes and in spite of my worry and insistence that he would catch cold and die, he refused to drive home in his underwear. (And he'd like for me to add that he did not die and managed to keep a little of his dignity while driving home in frozen underpants.)
Not exactly as we planned... this is what family is about; weathering life's storms together (and I have since forgiven Mr. Zookeeper for his faulty boat and he has since forgiven me for watching him load the faulty boat in freezing temperatures while sitting comfortable in the truck- someone had to watch the kids...). There was no flood of tears, though we were surrounded with water never knowing when we might see land again and at times it did feel like 40 days had passed. The animals aboard were all safe and a memory set for the record books had been made. Indeed, it was a day we will not quickly forget and while it did end with all well- I think perhaps it might still be one of those we don't want to repeat... at least not until we put a little more work in re-building the ark....
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