Friday, October 24, 2014

Brotherly Love

Recently, during a bit of sibling drama, John-Heath made his feelings about his sister known to her by slipping this note under the door of the room in which she had barricaded herself. 



What is it Bill Cosby once said about parenting and children?  I think it was something like this...you can't really call yourself parents if you only have one child.  You just miss out on waayyy too much. 



P.S.  In case you're unable to read the penmanship of a left-hander with no patience when it comes to writing, he thinks she is a jerk, weirdo, nerd and, finally, an ittit.   - or an "idiot" as Webster would spell it.

P.S.S.  We are now seeking people in the Nashville area who may be looking for a college-age roommate.  Seriously.

P.S.S.S.  The drama wasn't quite as dramatic as this may have made it appear.  Still...if you know of a room for rent...

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Never at a Loss for Words

I have often said, and don't judge me when I say this, that had John-Heath been born first, there would have been no Ren.  I would have been one and done.  Actually, we thought we were one and done with Ren but...SURPRISE!
To be fair, a lot of it, I'm sure, has to do with my age.  I am ten years older in experiencing everything with him than I had been with her.
 
He is all boy!  And keeps us on our toes.  But what a precious boy he is!
 
My children are like night and day. 
 
Where Ren was more independent as a child, almost a loner (yes, even at the ripe old age of three), John-Heath is a people person. 
 
Ren would plays for hours by herself if you let her.  She would take all her little action figures or dolls or even movie cases and line them up, just so, in a row.  John-Heath always wants an active participant or, at the very least, an audience when he plays. And there is nothing in a row in his room!  His action figures or army men or Legos are scattered to kingdom come!
 
Of course, both my children are tender hearted, albeit in their own ways. 
 
Ren is more reserved with her emotions and expresses them mostly in a private way and even tries her best to keep from putting herself in a position to become emotional.  She is the first to change the channel when a sad news story or a Feed the Children commercial comes on.  But she has secretly taken groceries to those in need.  And when she hurts...well she hurts hard, and just adds another layer of bricks to the fortress around her heart. 
 
John-Heath will watch, often cry, then launch into a hundred questions about whatever it was that he just witnessed.  I will never forget this time before he ever turned two when he was sitting playing with Ren's keyboard and the instrumental version of the song "My Heart Will Go On" from the movie Titanic, which was a pre-programmed selection, came on.  After only a few bars of the song had played, John and I heard him begin to wail.  When we turned to look at him he was just sitting there crying at the music. 
 
My children are also very different in their approach to meeting new people.
 
Ren is cautious, somewhat standoffish, and can actually appear to be a little conceited.  But once one gets to know her they will find she can be quite the talker and has a great, very dry sense of humor.  She is also a very loyal friend, if the loyalty is reciprocated. 
 
John-Heath never meets a stranger.  Once when we were all on our way somewhere and stopped to buy a watermelon from an older gentleman at a roadside stand, John-Heath busted a gut to get his shoes on in time to go with his dad to buy the melon.  With the car doors open, Ren and I heard him say excitedly, "I'm John-Heath!!!  What's your name?"  And then he and the man began to converse.   Ren asked at the moment, "Mom, was I ever that friendly?"  To which my reply was, "No, baby.  You weren't."  It was probably the longest watermelon purchase in history.
 
Sometimes, I think how much easier it would be if my children had each other's good qualities and neither of them had their "bad" qualities.  Then I think how boring that would be.  Who wants cookie-cutter kids?

Have a great one, friends.  I hope this hump day for you isn't as rainy as it is for us.
 



Oh, yeah...that funny "John-Heath-at-the-funeral-home" story...



The casket room at our local funeral home is located just behind the office area.  It is where all the
different samples of caskets, urns, and models of vaults are kept.  And it is a completely fascinating place for a nine-year-old.  Just before a recent funeral, the minister, who happens to be a good friend of our family, had retreated to this room for a few minutes to quietly reflect over what he planned to say during the service.  He soon notices he is not alone.  Walking around the room, taking careful note of everything he was seeing, was my son.  When he finished, he made his way over to the minister and began to speak to him...
 
"I've picked out the casket I want when I die.  (And then, looking at this man for just a moment) Wait a minute...why am I telling you this?  You won't be around then."

Monday, October 13, 2014

Umm...hello?

I feel like I am standing on the front porch of an old acquaintance quietly knocking on the door.   Knock, knock, knock.  Heyyyy...anyone home?  It's me.  Tyla.  I'm back for the moment.  (Insert awkward silence here)  No...Tyla.  You know, from Tire Swings and Fireflies.  That blog.  Tire Swings and Fire...Oh, nevermind. 

Yes, it has been that long. 

I would like to say that in my blogging absence I have gone on to do some extraordinary, blog-worthy things in my life...traveled the world, earned another degree, won the lottery...

In truth, I have, as of late, put out some mums and pumpkins, cooked supper (occasionally) and saw a movie or two.

I know, I know...I should slow it down and save some activities for my golden years.

Even though life is as simple as always, I wanted to check in and say hello, or as some in my neck of the woods would say, hidee! (here's a quick how-to-speak-southern tip:  make sure you stretch out that 'i' in hidee and make it a really long one)

And since I know you have been asking yourself on a regular basis these past several months, "Just what has that Tire Swing family been up to lately", here's an update.

Moi:  In addition to all those mums and pumpkins I've put out and all that cooking I've been doing, I have spent quite a lot of time trying to figure out my password for blogger.

John:  He continues to plug away as an assistant principal at the high school in our town.

Ren:  Ren is still a theatre major in her second year of college.  This past spring she asked her drama teacher if she could possibly be a stage manager for a show before she transfers to a larger school.  Well, he chose her to be the SM for this fall's play The Adventures of Nate the Great.  She had a great time doing this and learned a lot, but said she missed being in the play and, truth be told, she was a little envious of not being able to take that bow at the final curtain.  Ren is more of a front and center kinda girl, rather than behind the scenes.  If all goes to plan, she will finish up at her current school in the spring and will be off to finish her degree elsewhere.  She would love to attend a school in Chicago.  Of course, staying in state would be tons cheaper and her dad is hoping she will take this into consideration.  But, hey, like I told her, you never know when some long lost uncle could kill over and leave her a fortune.  Or, at least, enough to cover tuition at a pricey fine arts school.

John-Heath:  My baby boy is a fourth-grader this year.  Can you believe it?  He is also now taking karate and karate-chopping everything in the house, including his sister quite often.  And, of course, he is still ever so full of himself and not the least bit backward or shy.  I have a funny story I'll have to share with you in a day or two.  I'll give you a teaser...it took place at our local funeral home.

Well, that's about all the time I have today.  But I'll be back.  I promise.  Wellll..."promise" may be too strong a word.  I'm pretty sure I'll be back.  Okay, how 'bout this...I'm pretty sure that I am hopeful to be back soon.