A Simple Life: Mindless Monday, Josh's Birth Day Story

Good Monday morning!

RANDOMNESS #1 - As I told you last week, Friday, October 4 was Josh's actual birthday. Since we had already had his Family Celebration, he picked the restaurant and the activity for his "real" birthday... Mugshots and a movie.

Is it any wonder I love this guy?

Roxie and I had some major running around to do, so we met Mike and Josh at Mugshots which is the perfect out-to-eat destination if you're going to a movie. The theater is right across the street. (Austin had to work Friday night, so he couldn't join us.)

Josh was insistent I watch Gravity, and no amount of whining and gnashing of teeth could persuade him to change movie choices.

I know what you're thinking...

"I thought you said you LOVED astronaut movies, Enchanting Belinda."

"I thought Sandra Bullock and George Clooney were two of your favorite actors, Enchanting Belinda."

"I thought eating Raisinets and drinking a 74-ounce cup of Diet Coke was your idea of the most perfect day ever, Enchanting Belinda."

Okay! Okay!

All of the above statements are true. They're true, I tell you!

But I do have some "conditions."

I love astronaut movies that begin at NASA headquarters... make periodic visits to NASA headquarters during the 120-minute movie... and end at NASA headquarters with everyone throwing paper in the air because they got that sucker through the earth's atmosphere JUST IN TIME! Those are the astronaut movies I love.

Sandra Bullock and George Clooney ARE two of my favorite actors... but only in the sense I like them in lighthearted romantic-comedy type films.

And eating Raisinets and drinking a 74-ounce cup of Diet Coke is EVERYONE'S idea of the most perfect day ever.

That being said, Gravity is a full-length movie which NEVER lets you relax.

Sandra and George are totally and completely amazing.

Sandra will probably win an Oscar... and she should.

But lighthearted... romantic... comedy... Gravity is NOT.

I would recommend this movie to families with young adults. There are some choice "words" used here and there, and to get the exact overall feeling of the movie, go to www.pluggedin.com for the Focus on the Family review.

Anyway, it was a good night.

Happy 20th Birthday, Josh!

RANDOMNESS #2 - It if officially Homecoming Week!

Today was "Dress Like a Holiday" Day. Roxie decided to dress in green to represent St. Patrick's Day... and since the St. Patrick's Day "stuff" will not be available until February at The Dollar Tree, Hobby Lobby and Wal-Mart, she went with a green t-shirt, green hair ribbon and a big ol' box of Lucky Charms cereal.

(I know. Some days are better than others. I know for a fact Tuesday and Thursday are going to be EPIC, but I cannot say anything on the blog in case it is a secret. Homecoming Week can be very secretive.)

RANDOMNESS #3 - Josh's Birth Day Story - Part Three (First Written October 6, 2009) - Bringing Joshua home from the hospital was much less traumatic than Austin's trip home. For one thing, we only had to drive to Gardendale rather than Cullman. For another, we were experienced parents now, having successfully raised an almost three year-old little boy. We knew what we were doing!

The addition of Joshua to our family went pretty smoothly. Austin was attentive and protective, and Joshua thought Austin was the most entertaining person around.

Until Roxie arrived, the first three years of Josh's life consisted of liking and doing anything and everything his older brother liked and did. "What's your favorite color, Josh?"

"Orange," he would reply... Austin's favorite color.

"What's your favorite food, Josh?"

"Pizza," he would reply... Austin's favorite food.

"What's your favorite animal, Josh?"

"Tiger," he would reply... Austin's favorite animal.

"This kid is never going to have a personality of his own," I complained to Mike one evening. "I don't know of one thing he likes that is different from Austin."

For some reason the closer it came for Roxie's arrival, Josh decided to become his own person. I watched him as he and Austin colored one day, both holding an orange crayon in their hands. Josh stopped coloring, and put the orange crayon down. He picked up a black one and slowly started coloring.

"What are you doing?" Austin asked, amazed.

"I like black," Josh replied without looking up. And as the week wore on, we discovered he liked macaroni and cheese better than pizza; and his favorite animal was a dinosaur and not a tiger; and his favorite superhero was Spiderman and not Batman. Once he got started, he definitely had a mind of his own. He still does.

I've never really thought of him as a "middle child." We've always told him how fortunate he is to be both a little brother AND a big brother. Roxie and Austin will never get to experience both. And he has the privilege of having a brother AND a sister. Roxie will never be able to say that.

There was a time I would have said, "Why Joshua? Why does Josh have to have this illness?" But because of his special placement in our family, right smack in the middle, it has become apparent after nearly four years that once again God knew exactly what he was doing.

When Josh first became sick, Austin was old enough (15) to physically help with Josh (sleeping in Josh's room at night from time to time, camping outside the bathroom for one or two hours at a time allowing me to get some much needed rest, playing with his friends who would come over but had to wait until Josh was able to come out of the bathroom... basically being a great big brother).

Roxie was young enough to understand her brother was sick (9), but still demand her time in the family and help us keep everything in perspective.

"That has nothing to do with OCD, Josh! You're just being a big old butt!" Music to my ears. Roxie helped keep everything "normal."

As I said last week, Austin was my total obsession and Roxie was my heart's desire. But Josh... Josh is my heart. He always has been. I understand him and he understands me. It doesn't mean I love him more, because I don't. It's just part of God's wonderful plan. You may have one child or you may have 20 children... They all bring something different to the table.

And Josh brought a black crayon, a dinosaur and mac and cheese.

Fall Feast

Since my kids and Bev's kids don't trick-or-treat any longer (because they are ALL adults), we transitioned our annual Halloween get-together into a Fall Feast get-together... not to be confused with Thanksgiving OR a typical Sunday dinner.

This is the tentative plan for this year's Feast:

We're going to do the Sunday afternoon thing because that seems to work best with almost everyone's work schedule, football team schedule, etc., etc. It will be held November 3 at our house. (We alternate between my house and Bev's house each year.)

The menu is simple and filling... bread bowls, chicken noodle soup and cheeseburger soup. We're also having Halloween brownies, hot cider and soft drinks.

If anyone is able to move after we eat (and eat and eat), we're going to play old-fashioned games... Punkin Chunkin', Bobbin' for Apples, Sack Races, Pumpkin Races, Flag Football and Wheelbarrow Races.

If the weather doesn't cooperate, we'll... Well, I don't know what we'll do, but I'll start working on Plan B the next week or so.

I'll post the rules for Punkin Chunkin' and Pumpkin Races on Friday's post. I just wanted you and yours to start thinking about spending an afternoon outside with family and friends doing some fun, inexpensive, memory-making activities.

Have a relaxing, soup-fixin', dog-walkin' kind of day. It's Fall. (And it is finally starting to feel like it!) I'll be back Friday with Homecoming Happenings, Weekend Happenings, Randomness, pics and more.

Take care, and I'll talk to you the end of the week.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda

P.S. How did you like all the pictures in today's post? Pretty awesome, huh?

Here are a few favorites from last October.

Don't worry. Friday's post will have a MILLION of them!

This pic was taken during Homecoming Week last year. I cannot remember if it was "Nerd Day" or "Elderly Day."

Either way, she got all of her "costume" stuff from my closet.