Basketball and the Big Boys

Every family has a sport. Ours is basketball.  Actually basketball is not our sport, it is my son Ben's sport and since he is the only boy currently living at home, we indulge him and watch lots of basketball, take him to basketball games and even put in a concrete basketball court and goal in our back yard.  My grandson, Wyatt spends a lot of time at my house, and absolutely idolizes and adores Ben, so he likes basketball too.

 Trek is Ben's best friend and although his love of basketball does not approach the obsessed level of Ben's, he does like to play.  And he loves Wyatt.  So inevitably, when Trek comes to the house, the basketball comes out.
 Usually, the two older boys play a little one on one, but as soon as Wyatt's sharp little ears hear the sound of the basketball bouncing on the concrete and hitting the goal, he races to the back window and stands, knocking on the window and yelling, "Ben, Ben, Ben", over and over in his sweet little voice, until someone has pity on him and takes him outside to play with The Big Boys.  Wyatt is in heaven.  He runs, he blocks, he shoots, he dunks (with help), he gives high fives, he whoaaaaaas! He is running with the big boys and loving every minute of it!

I love watching the boys play basketball.  I love watching the joy and excitement on Wyatt's face, and the patience of the older boys.  They are such good boys.  They will definitely be amazing fathers someday. 

Harry Potter and The Riddles

Yesterday, my family and I went to see the last of the Harry Potter movies, "The Deathly Hallows Part 2".  And yes, it was good. We went early to get good seats and had the good fortune of being first in line.  Yes, we were first.  That may not seem like a big deal to you now, but yesterday as the line got longer and longer, we were the envy of all.  Potter fans young and old, wished that they were us... the Riddle Family Who Was First in Line.  It was glorious!

When the 1st Harry Potter book came out, my oldest son Jacob was 10 years old and other than a few Goosebumps books, had never, ever read anything just for the pleasure of reading.  Until Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.  One afternoon I noticed that my son was very quiet and had been for a long time. He was reading a book... a novel.  He couldn't put it down, and I was ecstatic.  Then I heard that Harry Potter was an evil book that encouraged devil worship and witchcraft and I was crushed.  The only book on the planet that my rough and rowdy boy wanted to read would turn him to a life of crime in the occult.  So I did what moms do... I read the book.  I loved it!  It was like "Lord of the Rings- the Children's Version" 

Through the years all three of my boys have read all 7 of the books. More than once.  We have waited with anticipation for the movies and watched the DVDs on movie night.  Harry Potter has been a big part of our family for well over a decade and although we were excited to see the last installment, we were sad that it was The Last One.   The books and movies not only entertained us and gave us many years of Halloween costume ideas, but it taught children everywhere some very important lessons.  In honor of the Very Last Harry Potter Movie,  I would like to share what I have learned from Harry Potter.

1. Evil is evil.  It is not funny or cute or weak.  It is mean and ugly and destructive and hurtful and dark.

2. Evil can be defeated, but cannot be destroyed (except in the last movie).  Evil is always with us, and we must be vigilant and always try to walk in the light.

3. Good friends are essential.  We cannot fight evil alone and need the strength and companionship of loyal friends who will stand with us in the worst of times and laugh with us in the good times.

4.  Our past does not define our present or our future.  It doesn't matter where we come from, but our actions define who we are now and what we will be in the future. (Deep, huh?)

5. It is ok to be scared and confused, but we can't let that paralyze us. Bravery is taking action even when you are scared.

So farewell, Harry Potter The Boy Who Got My Sons to Read. Thanks for everything.

Chocolate vs. Mashed Potatoes- My Thoughts on Marriage

Lately I have spent a great deal of time thinking about relationships, most notably marriage and being the sugar addicted, carb loving foodie that I am, have defined the marriage relationship in terms that are near and dear to my heart.  Chocolate and mashed potatoes. (Insert happy sigh of contentment here).

Most marriages generally begin with hearts, bunnies and rainbows.  New love is bright and shiny, like gold in the sunlight.  Promises of undying love and passion are made, and the future is a rose petal strewn journey with the love of your life.  Your love burns as pure and fierce, and you vow that the bond between you will never be broken because you have found your soul mate.  It is like chocolate.  It's happiness... sweet, strong, wonderful and intensely satisfying, but not particularly sustaining or nourishing for the long haul.  

Time passes, and the love and passion that burned so bright and fierce is a more subdued glow.  The new and shiny has worn off and is now a burnished patina. You know your love so well, you can finish each other's sentences (... in the top drawer of the dresser) and predict which entree your sweet hubbie will order in the restaurant. (The one with habenero peppers or curry.)  The little quirks that you once found so endearing, now are irritating. (Does he really have to check his hair EVERY time he gets in the car?)  But you are linked together through shared memories, experiences and children and your lives are intertwined to the point where its hard to tell where you end and he begins.  You are no longer Rick and Lisa, you are The Riddles.  And when hard times come...and they do, sometimes all that keeps the bond from fraying is the commitment you made to God and to each other so long ago in the presence of family and friends.  But you beat the odds and survive and grow and thrive. The relationship is comfortable but deep and rich.  Just like mashed potatoes. With butter. Lots of butter.  It is contentment... not as exciting or intense, but is sustaining and nourishing to the soul.

Getting married is hard and staying married is even harder, but as much as I love chocolate, I will take mashed potatoes any day... for the next 20 or 30 years.