And We Survive Another Holiday Season

I guess our family is like any other. We have strange family. An entertaining family. A strangely entertaining family, if you will. I used to think it was just us..but as I tell my tales of funnies and woes..we are normal no doubt. This is however, one of the first years in many, that NO incidents occurred at either Thanksgiving or Christmas. No arguments, no ejecting oneself out of recliners like a rocket, no trivial pursuits gone wrong, no references of who are you, where do you come from and that's what's wrong with you. 


I have however, seen a different side to my oldest son Joshua. Most of his visit has been a lecture of "going green", "recycling is a must/what is wrong with you people", and "you people have gone to hell in a hand basket since I left". Somehow, since he left a little over a year ago, he's learned that it cost money to run a dryer to get wrinkles out, he is willing to wear a pair of jeans more than once without washing as opposed to having them on 15 minutes and now they are dirty.The boy who once used a WAD of paper towels to dry 2 pots, offered me a 1/2 a sheet this morning when I asked for a paper towel to dry dishes. Half would do me he said, efficient and thrifty he said. And he is also offering his rehabilitation services to me while he is here..therapy. "Stop stressing, quit worrying, if you don't care about something, say so. You're 47 years old, quit letting other people run you. If "your inner self" wants to say no, say no."  It's working for him, for this is the man that told his mother 3 months ago, she was no longer allowed to comment on his face book page, in any form or fashion. He is an adult now, a professor. He cannot have his mother expressing her random silliness on his page for everyone to see. We can speak... in private. 


I don't really know who this new person is...I guess he is the same person I raised. The boy I raised to be a man. An independent, take care of yourself, don't let anyone run over you, learn to cook for yourself, never settle for less than what you want, man.  I guess I just didn't know I did such a good job until now. Too bad I'm not a slacker, he might have been a little bit sweeter, a little bit longer. Merry Christmas to me...the boy child is gone...a Man is born.

copyright © 2010 Michelle Mount Mims