Ahem...

Good morning! Happy Easter!!! Special morning, special day. Thinking of long ago and waking up to find a few small gifts and Easter egg and basket hunting. We were pretty small. This wasn’t much earlier than we would go to church. Used to go to the 8 am service. I have a sense of all the beautiful new dresses of my peers and thinking it must surely be spring. Yayy, no coats! Strange, but now I’m remember a book I read. It was a picture book. I just remember the last page where the sketched and happy family was walking into the church together. It was an important image to hold onto. At the time, it seemed to make going to church special because I wanted to be as happy as the girl in the picture. Hmm, like a good memory :)

My memories afterward came from the boys. My sons enjoyed the baskets and eggs. We followed the tradition of my ex’s family by hiding small change with the eggs. Hehe, one of my favorite memories was after the older two boys found most the eggs, they would lead my youngest son toward the last few because he wasn’t as quick as them. Then, later the older son took over hiding eggs for the younger two, just to keep the tradition going. I was blessed with the amount of caring the boys have always done with each other. The boys had their own code of honor and respect. It was based on loyalty and fairness. For the earlier years there was a long period of the older two having more common interests and the younger one who was more independent, then the middle son switched his loyalties and he spent more time with the younger son and the older son became more independent. Now, things are divided between the three, so that the older two work together and the younger two play together. Still day-to-day close. Kinda neat.

Yesterday, I was very happy to get an IM from my younger son, Jacob. He wanted to know if I was interested in going out to eat. I smiled from ear to ear and said, something like, "Yes! Wonderful!" It was decided that I would go out to his college an hour west of here. LOL, but then there was a second IM from Macadam, my older son. He teased saying he was going to mess up my plans. We said, "Sure, go ahead and try." They definitely changed, but I wouldn’t say messed up! I ended up having dinner with TWO sons and a granddaughter. Cool, cool.

The ride out to Jacob’s school was pretty good, except at one point, I took the express lane caused by construction on one of the highways and it took me a few seconds to realize I was driving too fast for the conditions because I was allowing myself to feel pressure from the car in back of me. It scared me as did the heavy seam between the road and shoulder. I was thinking that it was going to skew my steering right into the wall. I was very happy when Jacob said he would drive back. I didn’t tell him I had been scared, but the relief of not driving is all good. I arrived just at the time we had agreed to. The community area didn’t have a phone and I didn’t remember which floor he stayed on, even if I asked a passing by student to let me up, so I sat down and waited. It wasn’t more than five minutes that Jacob came down. All my boys amaze me with their physiques and good looks on first approach.

We talked primarily on the drive back about computers. Apparently, the same three or four days I was having so much trouble getting on-line, Jacob was going through the same thing. I think he was still a little spooked by it, and I could sure empathize. Macadam could handle being without computers longer than Jacob, Tanner and Me. We each live on computers. Well, I wouldn’t push Macadam for more than a week, but he is more apt to be spending time with his family or watching ball games or movies than being on computer all day. The conversation with Jacob was too shortly lived before we needed to stop so Macadam could give us directions as to where we’d meet. Neither Jacob or us is good with directions, so we pretty much found a parking lot and asked Macadam to come find us! Funny how that works. Hehe

We went to a Friday’s which was fine. A little more expensive, but I liked the place for a change of pace. I didn’t order a drink, because Jacob is so strongly against drinking. No one’s happy with our smoking, so we didn’t do that either. The first to arrive was the pop that had been ordered. Sparkly princess noted that Uncle Jacob had a cherry and she didn’t. Pretty big deal for a four year old, so the waitress was asked if she couldn’t bring a few cherries which seemed to calm the waters. Then, came a triple layered appetizer with chicken, ribs, and shrimp with Jack Daniels dipping sauce. Very good. And last, we had our meals. Macadam and me tend to eat like royalty when wego out where Jacob is frugally set on no more than a hamburger. And, our pleasing petunia ... of course, ye olde standbye ... chicken fingers and fries. *giggle* One day she’ll outgrow it and I’ll probably be reflective like and a little sad. Hmm, but then there’s me and the Chinese place we eat at every Thursday. "Yes, please ... the regular!"

Oh yeah ... there was one more important conversation with Jacob before getting to the restaurant. We talked a little about "politics." Nothing overly heavy, because I’m not that good of a political person. I was curious however, because Jacob was pretty sure he was a conservative. He didn’t seem quite pinned down between Republican or Democrat, but seemed to be leading toward the other side. Think most of his family and extended family are Republican. It seemed strange to hear the words coming from him, "I am very conservative." I thought here is a young man in his prime, how could he hold this position so severely. Then I thought of his values and didn’t feel as surprised. He is the one who has decided against traditional improprieties such as the above mentioned and in not doing umm, everything under the sheets. Whoops, are mothers supposed to know this. We forget...

Anyway ... in my way of thinking ... I was a Republican for many years, but more so because of family ties. But, then somewhere along the way, I figured Democrats are more supportive of social programs that assist the disadvantaged. That’s not something the Republicans favor. They seem more sure that government shouldn’t be spending for much of anything beside taking care of the wealthy and supporting war. Maybe these thoughts differ from yours. Not sure. We’re not here to make converts, neither were we with Jacob. I turned out to be a liberal Democrat though. I think they are more supportive of people who are different and/or aren’t as able to help themselves. Guess we’ll let it go at that.

Hehe Abby wanting a cherry like Uncle Jacob. Maybe, she’ll be socially aware! Let’s see ... what could it mean that we ordered some cherries for her. AHA socialist thought ... there are enough to go around if you present your need! Sure didn’t like it toward the end when the waitress told her she could have more cherries if she ate everything on her plate. So far she doesn’t have a weight problem, AND she should be treated by strangers well because she is wonderful. She certainly shouldn’t have been trying to get something "out of her." Thinking drive-by car with a man,trench coat, and suckers. I thought kids could be bribed, don’t get me wrong, but I always told them straight up when I was going to bribe them. Different when you’re a Mom. I would give them such and such FOR such and such. Then they had a real choice. They had to weigh their "values" over our "values" no judgment held. LOL Then when they got older, they’d figured out us and cherry slurpees. They’d come back and say, "Mom, do you want this nice tall cherry slurpee as much as we want to have our friends for an overnight?" To which the proper response would be "Do you want pizza as much as I want you to clean up the place first? And, did you get me a straw?" It all balances out.

Anyway dinner out with the kids is always good ... There conversation was lite this time. Abbe had some trouble. She sees Uncle Jacob and I think she figured that it was then time to play. I can’t remember if it was that or something else that got everyone stirring pop fast. Hehe maybe she’ll grow up to be a scientist! Toward the end she sat up on the low edge of a divider with thumb in mouth, blanky and watching people. AHA a psychologist!! Well, maybe after she outgrows her oral fixation stage. Heheh. Jacob talked in a little more depth about his computer and Macadam talked about getting a replacement for his phone. About evened out there. It was decided pretty obviously that we weren’t going to get to keep Jacob over night. Think that’s my wishful thinking more than anyone else’s. Us and Macadam kind of went over that all before the "pick-up." It seemed more like the two women arguing over one baby in King Solomon’s Court. ‘Cept, we were both willing to give him up without cutting him in half. Yes, then too we figured Jacob should have a choice, but by then we already knew he had slipped away. Macadam’s place is HOT! *Sigh*

I drove home by myself and did pretty well, ‘cept I hold the steering wheel tighter than a constricting snake. Pretty much what we’ve figured out is that we can’t see buildings to our left or right. And, we can only see about 40-50 feet into the dark. Signs? Yeah, uh huh. We thank heavens above for making those reflecting thingies to divide lanes. And, often we get behind another driver so we get hints as to which way the road is going to wind. I’m terrified of streets without lights. I know I shouldn’t be driving at night. But,am just not willing to give up this luxury of freedom. Someone’s going to decide I needto be put in an old person’s home. Ok, Ok Enough of that!

Before we left the others, we had a special surprise ... Jacob now has a nifty neato digital camera. It’s pretty cool. So cool, he even let us use it to get a picture of the three of them. Then there’s one of us with Jacob and Abbe, and one with us, Macadam and Abby. Really cool stuff. We hope that Joe doesn’t forget to download her into Macadam’s computer today before he starts taking other pictures. Macadam and Lee, especially Lee are hosting an Easter party for the other two sides of the family. He said about 20 people. There was rumor that Tanner was considering it. The guys we’re hoping I think to get a look at his new Corvette. Hehe ... that be my boys!

To finish a wonderful, evening, we turned on the Illinois-Arizona game when we walked in the door. There was about 9 minutes left. I watched in horror as Illinois sunk 15 points behind Arizona. But, was on my feet yipping and yapping in the last two minutes of the regular game and into overtime. WoW! What a run they had! At first it seemed they couldn’t get close to the painted area and the announcer was saying more that half their baskets we’re three pointers. Then like they became aggressive and in their face. Is there anyone who doesn’t know we come from Chicago? Gee, I sure hope Bill skips this entry. Pretty sure he was going for Arizona, his home state. *Sigh* Took a few Law and Orders before we were ready for bed after all that. *Giggle* think it’s pretty convenient that this show is all new to me and seems to be on at least three channels every night.

Yep, yep a dream of a night. And, now it’s a holiday and still morning! YAYYYYYY! Naptime!