It was a quick doodle, done while waiting our turn at an appointment. Something to occupy her that didn’t involve a screen. She didn’t want me to look at it initially. She had drawn it in the middle of my notebook so I’d be surprised when I found it.
I couldn’t resist peeking and I looked for it later that evening when she was hanging out with Sean and I was doing post-dinner cleanup.
The love – and joy – pouring out of this little doodle brightened up my day in ways she can’t understand yet.
Her mouth is a heart!
I went up, told her I’d peeked and thanked her for her drawing. I tried not to let her see me tear up.
Life has been small lately: work, parent, eat, sleep, repeat. It’s still cool and rainy with just enough occasional bursts of sun to keep everyone from losing all hope. I’ve been working too much and feel like I haven’t been doing any more than the bare minimum for my family.
I often feel like I’m failing everyone, and everything, in my life.
Yet my daughter still loves me. So does Sean. They love me anyway.
And I love them.
And it’s reminders like this that get me through the hard stuff.
And that makes me think, maybe I’m not screwing everything up.
Sean and I are home alone for a few days while Flora is visiting my parents. We’re both working while she’s gone, so it’s not a vacation, but it kind of is.
Even when we spent our first afternoon together doing our taxes and watching Sunday afternoon sports. (Guess who did what?)
In honour of our time alone together, I decided to ask him some random questions I found online and see what kind of responses I get. Here’s what I got.
1. What movie(s) deserves a sequel? The Goonies, because people want to know what happened when the Goonies grow up. I’d like to see them as adults adventures with their kids, or having their own adventure. Top Gun, having because Michael Ironside, that’s why.
2. If you were in a witness protection program, what would be your alias?
Max Power.
3. What is the best sports stadium/arena you have been to? Where I’ve seen a game: Cowboy Stadium, Dallas. Where I’ve toured the facility but haven’t actually seen an event: Fenway Park, Boston.
4. If you could be a member of any TV-sitcom family, which one would it be?
The Banks family from Fresh Prince of Bel-Air – they have a butler and who doesn’t want to have an Uncle Phil?
5. What do people do too much of today?
Use their cell phone cameras at concerts. You paid big money to watch the show. If you want to watch it through a screen, buy the DVD. I didn’t pay to watch it through your screen.
Thanks Sean for playing along and answering my questions. Love you.
Team Mitchell was on vacation last week. We laid low at home and it was wonderful.
Highlights of the week include:
Sean’s birthday. We picked up dinner and had our neighbours over for dinner. I made a cherry cheesecake and it was pretty good for someone who doesn’t bake. I made it from a box, but still, I made cake! I should have made him wear the Dora party hat we have in the cupboard from Flora’s 2nd birthday.
Our ninth wedding anniversary. We didn’t do much to celebrate it, but we did acknowledge it.
I read six novels. I have completed my challenge for 2013 to read 35 books. Now I need to up the number since there’s a lot of 2013 left. Some novels were trashy, but that’s what summer reading is all about.
I played with Instagram video. I’m not sure if I love it yet, but it is fun.
I took Flora to the ROM. The train trips to and from were big adventures, but an unexpected highlight of our trip was the bat cave. I was convinced she would be terrified of it, but we walked through that thing at least six times in a row.
Pink Teddy enjoyed the trip too.
Lots of time spent outside. We went to the park, the splash pad and spent lots of time in the backyard. My favourite afternoon was spent in the backyard just enjoying my family, talking, hanging out and playing.
We’re back to our regular routine today – Sean and I at work and Flora at her school for summer camp. I think our return to routine was almost welcome, but I’ll still look forward to the next backyard party this weekend.
Sean and I in the #StonesVIP photo booth. Couldn’t convince him to wear the prop scarf.
Sean called me at work a few months ago and asked me this question:
“Do you want to go see the Rolling Stones in June?”
It was not the question I was expecting on a quiet workday morning just before lunch.
When I asked him why, he told me that they were releasing a bunch of discounted tickets, but buyers wouldn’t know where they would be sitting till the day of the show.
Seeing that we’re both under 40, we’re too young for the Stones’ heyday. However, as someone who loves reading about the history of music and pop culture, I figured we better take the opportunity to see them before they finally decide to retire.
Besides, a night out is a night out, right?
This past Thursday night, I rushed home from work, picked up Flora and got ready for my night out. On a whim, I purchased a tube of bright red lipstick. I haven’t worn really red lipstick since I was a teenager, but it seemed like the right thing to do. A classic look for a classic rock band, right?
Flora really liked the red lipstick and was annoyed when I wouldn’t let her have any. I was trying hard not to screw up the application or get it all over my teeth. Once I dropped her off next door for a sleepover with her BFFs, I did a fast manicure and Sean and I were off to the train to go back into the city.
When we got in line to pick up our tickets, the person who checked Sean’s ID asked us to go into a different line. When we got there, the woman told us that we got tickets in the Tongue Pit. On the floor. In front of the stage.
Holy crap.
The woman put our wristbands on for us and we walked into the arena. We checked out the merchandise (lots of choices and all overpriced), got a couple of drinks and did the modern thing and posted our surprise to Facebook, Flickr, Foursquare, Twitter and Instagram. The picture at the top of this post was a staged setup where there were people taking pictures with your phone so you could upload the picture to Instagram. Any opportunity to get a picture of Sean and I together that we don’t have to do selfie-style is good so I handed my phone over for some pictures.
We’ve been to a lot of concerts over the years and we’ve never had seats that good for a show this big. I worried that the standing-room only would mean that I wouldn’t be able to see anything and it would be crowded – my usual issue with general admission tickets. I learned that the advantage of seeing a band who’s been around for 50 years is that their audience is way more laid back than other shows we’ve been to. People brought their tween/teenage kids. We stood at the left-hand side of the pit, right next to the ego-ramp. And the security guard who reminded us not to lean on it as it was ‘put together with duct tape’. I stood up straight because I wasn’t going to be responsible for breaking Mick Jagger’s hip.
I will admit that I didn’t know every single song, but my classic rock band of choice has always been Queen. The show was what you would expect of a band who’s been together for 50 years: tightly choreographed, heavy on the big hits and to the point. We were close enough to count the wrinkles, but also close enough to see that those guys are in incredible shape. Which you would have to be to still be able to tour worldwide.
I’m glad I said yes to Sean buying the tickets. We had a lot of fun. I’ve decided to keep that red lipstick in my purse for good luck. Interesting things may happen when I wear it next.
This little surprise was sitting on my desk when I came back from lunch yesterday.
March 29th, 1996 is when Sean and I first became a couple. We didn’t get married until June 2004, but this date still matters to me.
Seventeen years is an odd number to celebrate but it marks that I’ve been with Sean for half my life. We’ve stuck together through our late teens, our 20s, and now our mid-30s.
Here’s to another seventeen years. And to seventeen more after that. And if our health prevails, another seventeen after that. And maybe a few more to make sure we got it right.
