Defiance: A genetic defect?

I still remember the day I first felt truly defiant. (Well, the first day I can remember, of course.) I must have been, oh, six, and I had watched entirely too many dramatic stories on television of young runaways. After my mother delivered what I perceived to be a vicious injustice, I stormed off to my room, packed a few necessary belongings into my baby blanket, searched the room for a toy broom to tie the package onto all hobo-style, and marched back to the front door. I looked up at the kitchen only to see my mom busily doing the dishes.

Who did she think she was? A mother of five? (Or maybe it was six by then, the timeframe really is blurry.) Giving it an Oscar-worthy, "goodbye-cruel-world" performance, I painfully sighed, "I'll see you in twenty years."

She turned off the sink and looked at me. Immediately I understood this to mean that she felt all the pain that would exist in her life without me. I felt her begging me to stay and remain the vital part of our family that I was. I felt her apologizing. Then she spoke.

"Did you say something?"

"Yes mom," I thought, "your apology is acceptable. Thank you for understanding your error. I would like to spend the night in my warm bed now."

But all I sighed was, "no."

I don't know why this story has been running through my head lately. Perhaps it's because Penelope had her first truly defiant moment the other night: refusing to swallow her food.

Like mother, like daughter.

Note: Please ignore the obviously bad parenting and filming in this video. Also, did you notice how Jesse is all worried she might be sick, and I immediately just wanted it on film? Man, he really is a better parent than I am.

for father's day: reflections a day or so late

the summer after i graduated from high school, i dated a boy for about half a minute. he was handsome, funny, crazy smart and completely inspiring. one night we sat on my parents' trampoline and he told me all about the happenings at his job -- working at the movie theater.

a little boy got lost and couldn't find his parents. he approached the strapping at-the-moment boyfriend and asked him for help. said hunk proceeded to take the chap up on his shoulders and walk him around the theater while they searched for his parents. he kept the kid laughing until the parents were located. all was well. and he described all the events like they were truly blissful.

so things didn't work out between us at the time, but we stayed friends. and he kept on being wonderful with children. he gave my nephews the best birthday presents and piggy back rides. they adored him and so did i. and i knew i wanted to marry someone like that. someone who, like my daddy, understood the importance and honor of being a good father.

luckily for me, i did. i really think my husband is one of those men that was born to be a father.

don't you? happy father's day to you men out there.

(p.s. in case you didn't catch it, jesse was aforementioned summer boyfriend. clear now?)