Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Day 11: Oh Rats

Wow--today has been such a busy day. It's one of those days that started at 6:00 and I am just now--at 11:00--sitting down to actually stop. Think about my day. Remember those good moments. And then go to bed so I can do it all over again tomorrow. But that's ok...It's what we Americans do. And? It's a good life.

So this afternoon Jace had his regular buddies over: Harrison and Alex. Jace adores these boys and if it were up to him, they would live here. We try to have a weekly play date and it's nonstop action from the moment they arrive until they leave. Alex is a very sensitive soul. He is one of those kids that gets his feelings hurt if I you look at him cross-eyed and yet he is all boy: rough and tumble and giggles and fun. So this afternoon when I came home from my class, he was on the couch with quite a tragic look on his face. Jace informed me that he was mad at him and ready to go home. So I went over to talk to him to figure out what the problem was. He just shook his head--refused to say a word. So of course Jace, who is never short for words, immediately began to tell me how the boys were pretending to be dogs and cats. Alex, who was a dog, bit Jace. Twice. So then Jace decided to change the rules a bit: they would all be cats. So then Alex, now a cat, 'scratched' him on the arm. And...then Alex joined in the conversation. He quite adamantly stated, "But I didn't! He said I scratched him and I didn't!" And then he proceeded to show me his very short little nails that were by no means capable of scratching.

It was all I could do to keep a straight face. Here he had bitten Jace--not once, but twice. And then he had 'pawed' at Jace's arm in an attempt to scratch him but, of course, couldn't. But it was enough to make him sad that Jace would make such an accusation! (Oh boy, Alex...stick around, buddy. Jace will have plenty of accusations to go 'round!)


So once Jace readily admitted that he now understood that Alex wasn't actually trying to scratch him, Alex decided that he could be happy to stay and play and..."Could you make dinner? I'm hungry." (Pretty sure these boys have endless stomachs.)

So--I'm not sure what part of this story I like the best. The fact that they were pretending to be dogs and cats? The whole false accusation story? The big hug Alex gave me when it was all over? I can't decide. It was all pretty darned hysterical.





Then this evening I skyped with Savana. That isn't anything new. It seems we skype several times a week. But what made it special is that she told me she read my blog and she wanted to do something that would bring me joy so that I would write about it. She considered writing me a note...but then she forgot (she was home this past weekend). But what she didn't know is that simply caring enough to read my blog was enough.

I do like this daughter of mine. I like her a lot.

And last of all? Tonight when we got home I went into Jace's room to check on Socks, his little dwarf hamster. She's a rather persnickity little thing--but she's cute. I try to 'visit' her daily as they take some time and effort to tame. But anyway, there she was--up in the top part of her cage in this little box area. And when I opened it up, she immediately perked up, stood up with her little paws on the top of the box so she could look out and see what's going on. Usually she scurries back down the tube and hides in her little home when she suspects that I may invade. But tonight was different. She hung around, checked things out, and even let me pick her up without 'boxing' me too much.

So we came to an understanding tonight--Socks and me. I think she's finally realized that I'm her friend actually. I mean--I have faithfully checked her food and water and made sure Jace cleaned her cage. I've been in her court all along. But she never knew it. She just assumed that the water bowl and food bowl--they magically refilled themselves.

And this new understanding between Socks and me?

It gave me joy.



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