Falling, Falling, Falling...

School is under way,

Clouds come out to play,

Imaginations begin to mild,

Complaint from a child.

Carpool feels a little blah,

Sun continues to claw,

Days are hard to bare,

Less time to stop and care.

A sudden evening breeze,

Not hot, wonder the trees,

An inhale of moist air

Is fall somewhere in there?

Curlying of a corner lip,

Could it be? Only a sip...

Heart jumped a beat,

Outside, could be sweet.

A tiny hint of hope

Fall, please throw me a rope!

Could it be he heard me?

Sun says, "You'll see."

Stop waiting for something grand,

A brush of the cheek, with a hand.

The whisper of Autum calling,

Don't mind falling, falling, falling...

A Potter Carol

Twas the night before the big movie and all through the house,
eight creatures were getting ready with blue hair or a pink blouse.
The glasses were placed on the tables with care,
in hopes that the Dark Lord would NOT soon be there.
First there was Pavarti with her hair bound in braids,
and then there was Luna with her eyes in a daze.
Then there was Umbridge who wore pink from head to toes,
and the fun-loving Tonks who kept playing with her nose.
In came a Death Eater with lips curled in a sneer
a knock at the door would reveal Dobby and his rear!
As the sun sunk away and even the stars were in lack
In stalked Bellatrix Lastrange and Sirius Black.
As old enemies were separated for a moment or two,
giggles and laughs began to ensue.
The food was appearing with a quick flick of the wrist,
there were delectable treats that no one could resist.
Soon potions were brewing by Pavarti's hand,
And Patronises were erupting different then they planned.
Dumbledores Pensive revealed a great deal,
of what's so important and how do they feel.
Qidditch was in order, to the backyard they sped.
A competitive match til Tonks got wacked in the head!
As they all settled down, stomachs hurting from laughs,
Weasleys Wizards Weezes began with a gas.
Viritus syrum, so it was told
many truths that won't be revealed til they're old.
"Why are you worried about You-Know-Who?
You should be worrying about You-Know-Poo"
Bellatrix recited as she revealed such a treat
She led us outside assuring something neat.
As she opened the front door there arose such a clatter
Lord Voldemort himself, and all of his matter!
Screaming and wailing filled the dark night,
some had to run to the loo with great flight!
Out on the front lawn a battle would rage,
as the Dark Lord face each one center stage.
But with all their training, the good guys would win,
Voldamort would leave not to return again.
Potter Jeopardy was next as the teams were in two parts,
Defense Against the Dark Farts versus the Sharts.
As they drifted off to sleep all snug in their beds,
Visions of Potter characters danced through their heads.
With hundreds of Harry Potter pages, they've enjoyed
the anticipation for the movie would soon be employed.
And so it is said that what those Harry Potter books can do
is find the goodness of friendship and love that is true!

Nurture vs. Nature

This is one of my favorite topics. It seems I can go months without thinking about it, but it eventually finds its way back to my medulla. When a child is born, so is the thought, is this one going to be on the easier side of the scale or the more difficult side? When a child throws a tantrum we wonder, was that made because of the parents influence or because that is just how that child is? When a teenager makes a choice that opposes a parent we ask, is it because of the parents beliefs or is it because they were always going to make that choice?

On the scale of Nature vs Nurture, I have a feeling there are a lot of numbers in between. Each of our parents are a piece of us so in a way that is nature and a lot of the nurturing part has to do with the nature of our physical needs. Therefor nature and nurture are so intertwined that they become complimentary to our individual growth. So when that child is born they may be naturally more like sweet and quiet Aunt Min and the nurturing may bring out their tendency to be feisty. Or when a child throws a fit, it may be because the nurturing is not fitting the child's natural urge to be a fighter. Needless to say, when that teenager opposes the parents they could be testing the balance of nature and nurture to find their own number on the scale.

Either way, I am blessed to have parents who take the time to nurture where they can and leave it up to my nature to truly find my path. Nature and nurture become the artistry of life.

Even in Despair...

The very definition of despair is hopelessness and yet even in despair there is hope. It is the very last thread that links despair to human nature. Why? Well, to despair is to make a final choice, a choice that leaves no room for doubt. It is like looking into the deepest abyss in the ocean and saying there is no end. Is there no end, even in the deepest abyss of the ocean? I should think not. And why should I think not? Because even in the finality of endless hopelessness, there is doubt. And doubt in despair is hope. And with that last thread, the world can hang on.

Helping Things Go Right...

Taking a parenting class is like buying a really cool bike that hasn't been assembled for you child. The moment they open the box they want to grab the handle bars and run out to the driveway and start pedaling. But they immediately start to realize that they can't use it until much effort has been put into making it work.

After each parenting class I would run home and say, "Ok, here's my new parenting technique, so bring it on kids!" I'd watch my kids, scrutinizing every move so I could find an opportunity to correct. I eventually realized that the bike was missing a bolt here or a pedal there. I'd come back to class somewhat frustrated and with grease all over my face and hands.

Well, all the effort in the world was not going to work if my focus was on what the kids were doing wrong when they got on that bike. I had to look at it differently. I had to stop looking at what was wrong and start helping things go right. I had to stop counting how many times they wrecked and start counting how many they got back up. Even more importantly, I had to start seeing my kids good choices and not wait around for their bad ones.

Now ask any parent who has had to teach their child to ride a bike. Were they running next to their pedaling child to help them fall when they let go? Or were they running next to them to help things go right?

The lesson learned for me is to ask myself when things are going rough in a relationship, am I focused on what's wrong or am I helping things go right?

Book Entry...

Ok, so this is a piece of my story that I'm trying to write. It's very elementary and definitely in the beginning stages, although I have written a lot of the story. I want to put pieces of it on this blog just to bring a more critical eye. I didn't want to put anything from the beginning so as not to take away from the overall story. So this piece doesn't have a lot of description about who the characters are. So here are some tidbits to be of help. Bree is a 13 year-old girl, who tries to be tougher than she is, but just wants an adventure. Danny is Bree's younger sister of 10, who is more of a tomboy but isn't afraid of doing what's right. Kevin is a 14 year-old boy who already knows the value of work and is a friend to everyone no matter what. Brady (also 14) is Kevin's friend who is a self-centered know it all, who wants to be liked. In this chapter, they are about to go check out a forbidden abandoned house. So here is the beginning of Chapter 4...

All through dinner and dishes, Bree felt a tinge of anxiety. But Danny had already agreed to go, so Bree was feeling excited more than anything. Bree waited for Danny by the bathroom door, so when Danny came out Bree was already in her face saying, “You ready?”
Danny shrugged a little unsure and said, “Yeah.”
Bree whispered, “C’mon.” She waved Danny toward her and than tiptoed through the hall and past her dad sleeping on the couch. As she slowly twisted the door knob, Bree heard Danny say to their mom, “We are going to the cottonwood tree by the old Bashford place.” Bree flinched at Danny’s honesty. It seemed so much more adventurous if no one knew where they were going. She waited to hear her mom say something like, don’t go near that house or just stay close by. If she did, Danny would listen and Bree would have to go without her. But lucky for Bree, her mom must have been reading a book because she answered absentmindedly, “Be careful.”
Bree now didn’t care how loud the door opened. She held the door for Danny trying to show her frustration. Danny just smiled and marched out of the house toward the trees.
Danny was feeling excited too because she picked up speed as they ran side by side through the trees. Bree and Danny quickly reached the clearing into the Bashford Estate. As they approached the cottonwood tree they heard voices from high in the tree.
“Check it out,” Brady called from a platform of wood. He stood with his hands out like he just conquered the world. Bree was more then happy to ignore Brady's Napoleon complex.
Kevin was below the wood platform hammering smaller pieces of wood under the platform to keep it in place. He grabbed a hold of one of the pieces and shook it as hard as he could. It didn’t budge so he called to Brady, “I think that’s good.” As Kevin looked down to put the hammer back into his belt, he smiled at Bree and Danny and said, “Hey girls.”
“Hey guys,” Bree answered.
Danny smiled excitedly and said, “Great Idea!”
The trees large trunk stretched straight up into several branches. Three in particular lengthened out into the perfect spacing for the wood platform. The tree would have been impossible to climb if it weren’t for the smaller branches that poked horizontally out every few feet.
As Bree reached up to climb the tree, Danny tugged at her shirt. She whispered, “Let’s get this over with.” Bree and Danny had left the house just before six. The days were getting shorter everyday and Bree knew that Danny had a point.
Bree answered, “Oh, alright.” She called up the tree, “We are going to check out the house before it gets dark. You can just watch us from up there if you’re too scared.”
Bree watched as Brady dropped his hands to his side and looked appalled at such an accusation. Brady yelled, “Yeah right,” as he quickly walked to the side of the platform where a larger branch stood.
Kevin climbed down branches as if he’d done it a hundred times while saying, “I knew the Angle girls weren’t scared of anything, but I gotta say, I’m impressed.” When he reached the bottom he hopped down and turned to Danny and asked, “How old are you anyway, Danny?”
Danny blushed, looked down at her feet, and answered, “Ten.”
Danny looked back toward Kevin as he smiled and said, “That’s impressive!”
Brady was climbing down the tree, obviously trying to look as graceful as Kevin. When he reached the last horizontal branch he leaned out to grab it with two hands. He swung his feet like a pendulum but as he did he lost grip of the branch and landed in a crumpled mess on the ground. He quickly popped up trying to look like he did it on purpose.
Bree rolled her eyes and Danny snorted out a quiet laugh, cupping her hands over her mouth.
Kevin clapped his hands together and asked, “Are we ready?” Then he winked toward Danny who was still trying to control her laughter.
Brady answered, “I’m ready. We should have done this a long time ago.”
Bree rolled her eyes again this time hoping Brady would see her disdain. Once again, Brady the self-centered, Bree thought.
Brady turned toward the house and began walking. Bree, Kevin and Danny followed. Kevin, who was already next to Danny, said, “Let me know if you don’t feel like looking at a stinky old house. I’d rather watch from the tree anyway.”
Bree cringed at the idea of her and Brady having to look at the house together and quickly said to Kevin, “I’ve got her.”
“Either way,” Kevin said as he shrugged. Then he jogged ahead to catch up to Brady.
Danny walked with lightness to her steps and said to Bree, “He’s just being nice. Besides, it’s just a house.”
Bree got a sneaking suspicion that Danny was trying to convince herself.

Window Decal...

I'm starting small, trying to think of something good to write is not effective at this moment. Okay, so I was driving the other day and I saw a window decal of a volleyball with a quote under it saying, "If you don't love it, you're probably not that good at it." Of course the volleyball is what caught my attention but the saying brought a scowl to my face. Why? you ask, well, I think I'm the eternal "don't be mean to the underdog" type. So automatically I thought that just because someone is not good at something doesn't mean they don't love it. Well, guess what? That glance and small thought was not left where I had it. It has followed me around. Every time I thought of someone and how they are so talented at this or that, that decal jumped into my thoughts. For instance, I play volleyball a few times a week, hence the attraction to the volleyball decal. One group in particular is a very committed group of women. Holidays, birthdays, rain or shine, they show up ready to play. We have been playing for years now and I'm so impressed with the level of play. Of course, we are not ready to have scouts come, but we have kept the competitive nature flowing freely. When I looked around at all the women this week, I realized that they all 'love' volleyball. And because they love it, they have found an environment where they can continue there learning of it. I have a friend who just found out she loves to sew. And guess what, she's good at it. I have watched a family member make delicious foods. And guess what, she loves to do it. I have had a picture taken by another family member (I had no make-up and a stinging headache), and the picture turned out great. And guess what, she loves taking pictures. I have decided that this window decal is spoken with truth. Clue into those around you and you may see that the things people love are usually the things they are best at. It's quit a fun mind game to think about. Enjoy!

Follow Me

It's funny the things that seem to follow you around. Like a gnat that just wants a better look at your eye-color, even if it's too close (yuck), or like that shirt that you swore you threw out months ago, but it still ends up nicely hung in your closet. Sometimes it's like that card that pops up once a year when your cleaning and reminds you that someone loves you. Yep, that's about what it's like when I write. I never thought much about my writing. I barely passed English. I haven't even learned to crawl to the seasoned writer. But like I said, it follows me around. I can't stop the gnat from being curious, or that shirt from wanting to be worn. And I certainly can't see that card and not read it. So here goes my Writer's Blog. Follow me into what I'm hoping is harmless, harmonious and, at times, hilarious.