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Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Where I am, is Home....

Most of my peeps know that gypsy baby has come to
spend at least the summer at the cottage.
Needed a fresh start and although she was like,
"Lord, Mom I am 27, having to move back with my Mom"
I reminded her,
"Wherever your Momma is, is home, you can always come home"
and that she did, it has been almost a month and i think
last night made three nights she actually slept here,
but having a place to call yours, a place where
a bed and pillow is always awaiting your arrival is
all a gypsy baby needs.
Of course, her Dad would say the same thing,
she is always welcomed there as well
but her and I have lots in common.
So last night, for whatever reason,
I was thinking of that, how wherever your parents
are, no matter how old you are, where they live,
that is your home.
I went back in my memory to a time when Baby Boy was
a mere 18 years old. He had moved out on his 18th bday
because could not live by our rules.
Since then, we had moved to Thibodaux and
once he went into rehab. came out to live with us
in the apartment we were living in at the time.
We told him the same thing, where your parents
are you are welcomed if you can follow the rules.
During this time we decided to buy a home in Thibodaux
which would take Baby boy off the sleeper sofa he had been
living on at the apartment to having his own room once again.
As we were moving, we were all a tad happy to get out the 
apartment, well I and the kiddo's, Ron always like apartment living,
On one of the moving days, I watched as BB put his things up on the
walls into his drawers, things we had put in storage coming
out to be with him. He followed me outside that day.
Thanked me for giving him a place to stay.
Then in a shy voice asked, "How long can I stay"
Liked to knock me off my feet, I had to hold
back tears as I said to him same thing I told gypsy a 
few weeks ago.
"Baby, as long as you are sober you can stay until you die"
Meant it then and I mean it now.
The thought that he felt there may be a limit to how long
he could be there saddened me.
Of course after about a year, he had had enough of us all
and bought his first home as soon as he graduated from 
college. So to all you adult children out there,
Where ever your parents are, you are home.....

Saturday, June 25, 2016

TUTS HITS A MILESTONE!

 Our Sweet Tuts, the second of three grand girls turned
two in May. She is cute, smart and oh so Funny!
However, she has a big love for "Bae" her blankie
that she drags everywhere and for sure can't sleep without.
She also has a big love for her crib that she puts herself to sleep in
as well as a big, big infatuation with her Mommy and "DaDA"
Therefore, it has made it very hard to have her
overnight. She likes "Muzie's Howz" as long as the sun is 
shining and no sleep is involved.
 So, as with pictures here of her second birthday,
I wanted to try and start keeping her for the night.
Bean has always loved spending a night or two at
Mumsie's and at Maw Maw and Paw Paws but
her beginning was different from Tuts.
They lived between our two homes while their house 
was being built so she was used to sleeping away
as well as that girl is a socialite... does not want miss 
a thing. 
Tuts, well she is very different.
However, she turned two and began speaking in 
sentences, telling you what she wants,
"NO!" being her favorite when she means it.
She also loves "Yes Ma'am" and " I love you"
The sweetest disposition ever.
So back to the topic.
I wanted her to try and spend the night.
"Good luck" her Mommy said as she sent
her off with a small bag and Bae.
All day I reminded her, 
"You going to sleep at Mummies tonight"
"Yes Ma'am" and  "okay"
I used my new Flamingo sheets as an incentive.
"Where Nannie Jew?" she asked a few times, the
name she calls my Gypsy Baby.
"Working". My answer.
"Where DaDA?" "Work" same answer.
"Where Sissy?" "Going to movies with Mommy"
"Where Jemma Jemma?" she calls her baby sis
that she just started actually noticing.
"Sleeping at Momma's"
By 7:30pm after a day of playing and wearing
this lil tyke out, laughing at all her antics.
We played in Mummies bed and laughed at videos
of her family, I read her 4 books and then I said,
"Okay, Tuts, time to night night"
"NO!" OKKKaaaaayyyyy.....
"Well, Mumsie's just going to rest her eyes...."
"Ok Muzie,"
" I love you JoJo" "I love you Muzie..."
and I close my eyes.....
After a few minutes I peak my eyes open to check
on our progress and that lil fart,
her eyes were so wide and her nose almost touching mine.
How can you not laugh... 
yes, we both laughed and we started all over.
After four more tries with the same response....
HER EYES WERE CLOSED AND HER TWO FINGERS
SHE SUCKS IN THE MOUTH WITH BAE, CLOSE TO HER
NOSE!
Oh I got this! She is almost out, and that she was,
and even without the "white noise" machine,
our Sweet Tuts, slept all night at her Mummies' Cottage....
I don't know who was more excited the next morning,
tuts or Mumsie.
She opened her eyes, pried mine open and
said, "I slept a Muzie's howz!"
Oh yes, you did my sweet little girl.
...and a new milestone begins between myself and tuts,
not just playdates, but sleepovers are in 
our future. Happy second year, my sweet Tuts,
You make me laugh, you keep me feeling young,
you always, always remind me just how very
lucky I am for you and your sisters and
that the future, with you and I in it has just
began a new chapter.
"I love you, JoJo" "I love you, Muzie"
(forgive Mumsie's rough look in video!)


Friday, June 17, 2016

Happy Fathers Day, Daddy!

Happy Fathers Day to the best Daddy for me!
When you write a blog for as many years as I have,
its hard to remember what I said before but its
Fathers Day and the love for this man, 
the first man I ever loved is worth repeating over and over.
Family dynamics, Born to my parents at the ages of
43 (mom) and 45(dad) I was their baby.
My nieces and nephews started coming not long after
I was born and my Dad loved us all but
had his own way and it was not the traditional,
"I love you" 
It was when his baby daughter at 5, had cancer, he rarely 
left the hospital. Back in those days it was child wards and
for whatever reason it was many children in one big 
room with curtains separating us. Parents were not allowed to
spend the night with their children. in todays world
this seems unreal that a sick child would not have
her parents with them but that is how it was.
My Dad would tell the nurse,
"I'm not leaving, I will wait in that lobby but I'm not
leaving"
When lights out would come he would tell me
"As soon as I can I am coming back but I'll be in lobby"
To try and sleep hearing babies cry for their parents
made me so appreciative that my Dad was there.
I am sure there were many nights he or my Mom
did not just comfort their own child.
Then there was the meals he cooked us,
you put in your order before school and it was
ready when we got home. Mom worked, Dad
stayed home and cooked.  His homemade buns could be 
smelled when I got off the bus. If I was sick
he always went a bought me a surprise,
a color book and colors, comic books...
and there was the one time when I was a teen.
Mom was at one of the older sisters houses
and I came down with a virus. Dad rarely came upstairs
but that night he heard me come downstairs to
the bathroom to barf and followed me up
to my room, he sat and held my hand,
wiped my head,  stayed with me all night.
These are the things that made me feel loved.
Towards the end of his life he was a cranky, old man
and yet, with us kids he loved making us laugh.
My Dad died when I was a mere 21 years old
and yet, I was blessed to have him for that long.
After growing up in a hospital, I had always wanted to be a nurse.
He saw me achieve this feat and his job was done.
I love you, you old cranky funny man,
Happy Fathers Day!

Thursday, June 16, 2016

A sense of smell can take you back....

I am not sure how many are deep thinkers as I.
Today I should say "deep smeller"
Many many years ago, when my kiddo's were children
a woman came into the doctors office I was working in
and I smelled her perfume and knew I wanted that scent around
me forever. 
She told me it was just a body lotion from 
Clinique called Aromatics.
That very weekend I bought my own and have
worn only that lotion for at least 23 years.
As my babies grew they often could be heard
saying, "I smell my Momma"
or "My Momma was here" just because of that smell
made by Clinique. I have worn it for so long that I can't
even smell it anymore on myself but often others
will ask what it is I am wearing.
This brings me to another thought,
often if you are behind me when when I walk into
my cottage, you  may hear me say,
"Smell, it smells like an old church"...
as I tak a big whiff of this wonderful home 
I call my cottage.
Below, the picture? It's a photo of my Mom's pillow.
The same one she used most of her elderly life. 
I have not washed the pillow case since she passed.
I can still smell her in the case.
A few weeks ago, my sister, C was here with the other
sisters so she slept with me and I had her smell it,
she agreed, Mommy's scent is still with us and I 
can't bring myself to wash to case. 
Which now brings me to another story.
Bean slept her one night last week and forgot her
favorite pajama here. So, a few nights ago,
myself and MawMaw Cathy babysat the three
grand girls so their parents could go on a date.
I brought Beans suitcase back that housed her favorite
PJ. I explained to her that she may want to wash
it before she wore it again because Mumsie had
not washed it yet. She opened the suitcase,
grabbed the gown and smelled it.
Didn't just take a small smell but
a deep, loving whiff.
Then said, "Oh, no Mumsie, I am wearing this tonight"
"Smell it" she insisted.
And I did, I smelled a combination of the cottage smell
and the Clinique Aromatics lotion,
"It smells like you Mumsie, I am wearing it tonight"
Yes, the kid will be eclectic like her Mumsie
and smells will take her back,
back to places of comfort and warmth.
I hope my smell will forever be in all their hearts and memories.

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

I was never afraid of being the Mother of a Gay child.....

.....Until now.
The massacre that took place in Orlando,
I hope touched many more people than just
the gay community and the families who loved them
It was my very own gay child, now 27, who told me
about it. I would have preferred to keep on my rose
colored glasses and yet, this could have happened
to me, just because my very own baby girl is gay.
How can I ignore that?
I have often said, 
"God gave me these two children to love them,
that is it, love them unconditionally no judgement barred.
Yet after this weekend, I am a terrified Mom.
I and my gypsy baby have been long time
lovers of Anderson Cooper, gay in his own right
yet so well known in the news community.
To watch his video as he tries to read the names
of the deceased through tears.
I watch and I get teary-eyed and many thoughts go
through my head and most importantly my heart....
and then I became AFRAID.
For the first time since my gypsy told me she was gay,
I had not had this type of fear.
YEs, I had fear for her to find a true and lasting love,
being gay makes this a little harder,
I was afraid that life would always be a tad harder for her
than straight kids and then I changed my thinking.
Our world has come a long way since my sister in law
came out in the 80's. What happened in Orlando
changed that, I am now in fear for my child and
all those other childrens' parents, like me,
who love them unconditionally.
I am so disappointed in our country.
We take one step forward by legalizing gay marriages
and 5 steps back. Yes, it was one hater who did the shooting
but so many jumped on the band wagon of what he did was
correct. Even heard a preachers sermon on Sunday saying
we should do like other countries and line all the gays
up and shoot them all. I mean this is a preacher,
who is supposed to be preacher love, not hate.
I will end with the fact that many people are suffering 
right now by the hands of one crazy person but lets
not be fooled thinking he is the only one with those same
feelings. 
I love, adore, both my children, my love for them
has not changed since they were born,
it has been a while since fear crept in my thoughts
and yet, this has surely put fear back in my heart. 
I LIKE YOU FOREVER,
I LOVE YOU FOR ALWAYS,
AS LONG AS I'M LIVING MY BABY YOU'LL BE!