First Middle School Dance

I wasn't going to let them go.  My goodness - they're only 11 years old.  And they WEREN'T going to go, until Mom went to work, and they focused all their evil powers on a susceptible Dad.  He couldn't withstand the pleading, the tears, the drama.  They went.  BUT, being the sMother that I am, I went, too.  Kind of.  Rob and I snuck in after I got off work and "observed" for a little while.  Casual like.   The only parents spying on their middle-schoolers during their first dance.  The boys pretended not to see us, and each danced with one girl (girls look a WHOLE LOT older than boys at 11 years old, by the way).   Then they spent the rest of the night hanging out, milling with their friends, climbing the walls to look cool.... that sort of thing.  Kinda what I remember from junior high school dances.  It was sweet, and I shouldn't have worried like I did.  They were still kids. {{phew}}.  I did feel a little (a lot) out of touch when all those yoots started dancing in unison to some song I had never heard before. but was obviously the latest and greatest thing EVAH.  Think Macarena, 2015 version.  Whatevs.  But then, right after that, something happened that just warmed my ever-lovin' heart.  The DJ cranked "Don't stop believing" by Journey, and all.the.kids. stopped to cheer and sing along at the top of their lungs.  TO JOURNEY.  Circa 1981.  It gave me hope for the future, and I told a nearby chaperone that it did, and she laughed.  We all were just a small town girl, living in a lonely world, who took the midnight train going anywhere. 

It was a bloggable moment, but I didn't take any pictures.  Bad enough that I was there hanging out with them at their first dance, but I DO feel better about all of it now.  Maybe next time I'll even let them stay til the end.  Maybe. 

Dinner Conversation

I hate Mondays.  I really do.  They're miserable.  If we prepared ahead of time on Sundays, maybe they wouldn't be so bad in the morning.  So, tonight at dinner, I tried.

MOM:  "Quinn.  What are you going to do after dinner?"

((blank stare))

Mom: "Practice your trumpet."
Quinn: "Watch America's Funniest Videos."
Mom: "Do your homework"
Quinn: "Watch Once Upon a Time."
Mom: "Pack your lunch."
Quinn: "Ride my scooter."
Mom: "Pack your backpack."
Quinn: "Look on Ebay."

((blank stare.... from Mom this time)..
Quinn: "I feel like we're on the same page here.  Good."

Eleven Year Old Stats

For the record books, because both boys just had well-child visits.

Quinn weighs 79 pounds and is 58 inches tall.  He's gained 3 inches and 6 pounds in the last year.  BMI 16.5, 34th percentile.
Colby was 72 pounds and is 58 inches tall.  He's gained 3 inches and 2 pounds in the last year.  BMI is 15, 9th percentile.

Colby isn't gaining much weight, which is making his growth curve flatten (even lower) a bit, but the kid eats, so we're not really worried.  I have a feeling a big growth spurt is about to hit.

Other than that, every one is healthy, wealthy and wise!

Onward ho!

A Conversationi with Quinn

So, Quinn and I were driving in the car - a place where most of our best conversations take place - and he was telling me about space.  And flowing water on Mars.  And that water is needed for life.  And that maybe there were microbes or something there.  And that maybe life is also on some other planets, because there HAVE been planets found that are "Goldilocks" planets, just the right distance from their own just-right-sized star, that maybe could sustain life.  All very interesting to think about.  And then he said this:

"We always assume that if there's aliens out there, they must be so far advanced in comparison to us.  But what if we're the ones that are more advanced?"

I thought about that, and then replied "Well, I guess we assume they're more advanced because they'd be coming to us, and we're not yet capable of coming to them."

"Not yet," he replied.  "Give us time.  We'll get there.  And maybe we'll find them!"

This reminds me of a friend from years ago, who stated that what he loved about Star Trek was that it gave him hope for the future.  I'd never really thought about that, but suddenly, hearing my son dream about a far distant future, that made sense to me.  The movie "Tomorrowland" gave me a similar feeling. 

We hear about our imminent demise and that of our planet so much every day - global warming, Isis, thermonuclear war, zombie apocalypse - that I've stopped assuming that we're going to HAVE much of a future. Maybe subconsciously, but it's definitely there.  That feeling of impending doom.   Honestly.  That's depressing!!  But what if, just what IF, we don't self destruct????  What if we miraculously survive ourselves, and it's NOT the end of the world as we know it?  I didn't even realize that I'd had that EOTWAWKI mentality until my son unabashedly dreamt of a distant future where we explore the universe and find other living species.  A good, exciting future, not a "Panem" Hunger-games style future.    What if there's hope for this human race?  I didn't even realize it wasn't there, until he surprised me with it.  Hope.  HUH.  That'd be really cool. 

Thank goodness for eleven year old boys, who are still capable of dreaming about good things.  I need to keep them close.  Maybe their optimism will rub off on me!!