I love this picture. It suggests balance–which I had none of last night. Marcel had all of it, walking on that plank all around the playground. It also suggests texture, which this family had plenty of last night. Sam called me a monster when I said no to an evening bike ride. (We had been at the beach all day, and he had a late afternoon bike ride across town!) Or was it when I ignored his screaming after he kicked Marcel, and Marcel kicked him back just as hard?

Then Marcel said he hated me when I was washing his hair. Then he bit me, and scratched me when I tried to rinse, or was that the combing afterword.  This was after Marcel refused to eat the dinner I made, and Sam commented on it’s lack of an appetizing presentation. I was doing the pile of dishes while standing up, and eating right out of the pan with a wooden spoon. They were watching a movie that was absolutely devoid of merit on any level. I had given them the controls to my undoing right then and there. Sigh.

Eventually Sam finally ended up putting Marcel to bed, after the sixth or maybe eighth time he got out of bed screaming he wanted me to fix his covers. So that I wouldn’t walk out the front door screaming, I locked my bedroom door and just started to pray. I don’t pray normally. I think I’ve locked that door once. Maybe it was all the sun today at the beach. Maybe the feelings that come up after a memorial (my uncle’s). Or can we blame all of this on the Picture People?

I’m doing it–taking my kids to the mall this morning-to our appointment at the “Picture People” with my Groupon that scored me $120.00 worth of pictures for $10.00 (after a $10.00 new customer credit). I’m not a Picture People person. I’m an I-phone picture person. Sam’s birth mom likes studio portraits, so I am going to have it done.  And ten years from now, I’ll be tickled I got them in button downs for thirty seconds too. Ten years from now when I am, powers that be willing, living with a sixteen and thirteen year old and gray, and wise I’ll look back on this day and think; “that was such a sweet and easy time.” Will I remember that the only button down Marcel agreed to wear was Sam’s old Hawaiian shirt. Forcing a shirt on Marcel would be like making me try flan.  And what goes with Hawaiian? Can you say smile?

My next Race, Ethnicity and Place vignette is only a day or so away. Stay tuned.

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Fundraising update!

Thanks to a generous Maine donor yesterday, I am up to $175.00 which means I can book our first night in the hotel! THANK YOU!! (We are staying at a hotel down the street from Sam’s birth mom the Monday and Thursday of our trip, the days she has off. We will be with friends north of her, for two days between our visits with her and her family.)

Special special offer:

The next contributor for any amount over $4.99, can ask for a print of any picture on the blog they liked–just mention the post date on the comments section of the paypal page! One contributor at random, will get their own wallet size family portrait of Mama C and the Boys, taken today at the Picture People, signed by all of us!  Requirements: donate $10.00 or more between today, and next Sunday! It may not be dinner with the President, but a close second?

Any amount over $10.00 receives a page of the most original and handsome stickers ever. Like public radio this blog is ad free! A $5.00 donation will help fill the gas tank, a $35.00 donation will take us out to our first lunch with her, and for $140.00 you get the satisfaction of knowing you paid for us to stay a few blocks from Tea and her family for our first reunion in over six years for one night. (Hey it can’t hurt to ask right?) I promise not to ask again for a week! We are 17.5% of the way there. Another $25.00 will get me to the 25% mark. Thank you for considering it. I am very touched by all of this help, and know that it is a BIG DEAL.