Elisa's Journal

Ever have one of those moments when someone does something so heinous you end up hating people in general? At least for a couple of hours? Last Sunday I went with a few of my kids and all three of our little dogs to the Millie Bush Dog Park. Our secret hope is that Peanut, our resident bitch but not in the way you think, will learn to be nice and not nip at the jugulars of every stranger that leans down to pet her. The weather was perfect, as were our moods. (Little problem with a packed parking lot did nothing to curb our enthusiasm as we found the perfect spot on a grassy knoll adjacent to the lot.) Since the sun was shining, I took my new Marc Jacobs sunglasses. And since we were wielding a pack of wild, leash bound dogs lunging ever forward and since the big dogs in the park like nothing better than to swim in the muddy lake, roll around in a pool of mud for good measure, then jump all over us with their muddy paws, I tucked my nearly new Coach purse--a Christmas present-- under my seat. Mud-colored is so not its color scheme. When we got back, we discovered the rear passenger window was completely shattered and everything of any value gone...forever. My credit cards. My driver's license. My T-5 Palm Pilot (a.k.a my external brain.) Two cell phones. My GPS navigation system. Jackets. The only thing they left behind was the 2 year old pieces of chewed gum in the rear drink holders. I was stunned. Disappointed. Horrified. But in a complete fog, I drove home. Yes, I did find my way, thank you. I canceled all my credit cards, but not before they spent nearly $900 at Walmart. The next day, I had to renew my license. It might have been a blessing to upgrade my picture to one that doesn't look like a librarian in a crime line up, but no, I couldn't muster up anything more than an angry scowl. For hours, I was a bitter old woman with a cold and seething desire for revenge. I, that woman who usually loves everyone no matter what, felt hate. Sure these guys (or girls) were smart--they lay in wait, knowing full well women leave their purses behind when they go to the dog park. Hell, if they're that smart, why couldn't they find a way to make an honest living? If I could track them down, I'd shove all my old, cancelled credit cards up their asses. Sideways. But there's nothing I can do except damage control, so, well, I guess I'm kinda sorta back to loving everyone again. (maybe) (no promises)

Posted by elisa at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I wish to say to all you moms and dads out there--Happy Valentine's Day. Of course, for many of us moms, the times are gone when Valentine's Day meant a candlelight dinner for two. When you've got a passle of kids to slog through book reports and word problems and study guides and chapter readings, who has time to make reservations a month in advance? And long gone are the times when we'd be surprised by a box of Godiva chocolates and a diamond necklace and a dozen long stem roses. That money's been earmarked already for 18 years of presents for the kids like stuffed animals with hearts sewn to their chests and heart shaped boxes of chocolates or bags of those nasty candy hearts with sappy messages like "Be Mine." To me, this day is like all others...it's a day with endless opportunites to show how much we love our husbands and our children with those little things that perhaps go unnoticed, like having warm, freshly baked cookies ready for them when they come home from school. Or like helping them with their math. Or like showing them how much we admire them for working so hard during volleyball practice, or like TAKING them to volleyball practice every day, or like disciplining them when they're caught in a lie, or like giving them cough syrup when their coughing all night, or like wiping their runny noses, or like telling them to blow, not sniff, so they won't get an ear infection, etc, etc, etc. These are the things that show how much we love our kids. As for husbands...I got mine a card and a stack of scratch-off "Love Lotto" cards and rose petals for his side of the bed. I have no idea what I'm in for for the next several nights, but I'm sure they'll include several oportunites to show him how much I adore him. That said, I have an assignment for you all: Tell each and everyone your family how grateful you are to have them in your life. Oh, and please wish me luck that those scratch-offs won't wear me down!

Posted by elisa at 09:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I know. I'm a very bad girl. I've ignored by blog duties miserably. I guess as the kids get older, they become less annoying so there's less to gripe and vent about. Plus they don't say the cute things they did before. I'll start by catching up with each kid.

Kristina is waiting to hear which medical school she'll get in to. February 15--everyone keep their fingers, toes, and yes, earlobes crossed that she gets into UT at Houston. Why she can stand to be in the same town as her parents is beyond me. I must have failed miserably in my eternal quest to irritate, embarrass and annoy. Anyway, she's working for a dermatologist to build her cash reserves as is doing sooo well there. You know the Nike motto, "Just do it?" Well, her motto is "Just did it." She's ahead of the game 100% of the time. The downside is that she's using me as a dermatological guinea pig. She's hell bent for leather (what the hell that means, I haven't a clue) on making her mom look 20 years younger. By the time she quits her job, I'll have no spots, wrinkles, sags, creases or hair anywhere on my body. I'll look like a teenager with oddly graying hair. Ha!

Michelle is as free-spirited as ever. She's juggling a full course load in college and an industrial strength social schedule. She has more friends than God, I swear. You know, Michelle has always been my wild little colt. She has a tattoo or two (try saying that 5 times really really fast) and a lip piercing. She's had her fair share of trouble too. (This accounts, in part, for my grey) And sometimes I get the feeling that she looks at herself as the black sheep of the family--not uncommon for kids that break the mold, I guess. So to prove to her that I accept and love her, wildness and all, I got a tattoo this fall. This is no small feat for me, because I can't stand tattoos and I can't fathom why someone would want to desecrate their beautiful bodies with something permanent. After a while, things go out of style. Plus, that picture of Jesus on your ass will eventually look like Quasi Modo when you're 50. Anyway, I chose a rose with a heart on it, and the heart has an M for Michelle's name, It's under my bikini line, but I'd put it in the middle of my forehead if necessary. I figured at 51, it's safe to say I won't ruin my chances to be a runway model for Elle, so... How did she react? She was happier than she's ever been with any gift. She called all her friends. After all, the only thing people really want is love and acceptance. The other kids either cried or wouldn't speak to me for days. They thought it was pretty gross.

Erik is coming along well. He's making all As and Bs in his junior year of high school, is getting handsomer ad handsomer, and is interested in just about any hobby that smacks of testosterone--although with an attention span of a gnat embryo. His latest was boxing. He spent his money on a speed bag and used it for one day. Before that it was RC cars, before that it was karate, before that it was skateboarding, etc. Still looking for his first girlfriend, though. He's so shy, he's probably just going to wait for some girl to paste a big fat kiss on his lips, but I guess that's better than having to hover over a 17 year old Casanova, running behind him with two fists full of condoms yelling, "WAIT!!!!"

Lukas is taller, but still like an innocent child. He's getting so smart in the computer area that we've become totally dependent on him. He's our IT guy. He has a great voice, too. Every time he takes a shower, i can hear him sing at the top of his lungs. It's hilarious. I have to tape it one of these days. He's totally into the Beatles, now and is a walking encyclopedia on the group. I know I'm writing less and less on each subsequent kid, but I'm wearing out.

Annika is still as sweet as ever. She starting volleyball camp in March and is going to the UT camp this summer. She has loads of friends, all of whom endearingly call her "Uni" or "shrimp" because of her puny nature and her biggest problem is being a chatterbox in school. "Too talkative" seems to be the comment of the day on her report cards and progress reports. I guess she has lots to say. She did go through a terrible time recently when we had to put down Zoë, our very first dog--a 14 year old Weimaraner. We all sobs, but she grieved for weeks. She's such a softhearted child.

Anywho, that's all I have to say. I'll be less lazy in the future, I promise.

Posted by elisa at 09:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)