I love my spam folder. I love it because it holds such promise. Promise such as emails awaiting me in the folder that say the nicest things. Things such as, “Hello. I love your post bringing me super inspired.” And, “Dear Web-admin, much show you nice work…” Now who wouldn’t love such praise? Especially as I read the eloquence of the sentence and then scroll over the link from the sender to find an array of pretty, shiny watches or weight loss information. Isn’t that just the highest compliment one can receive?
Ok I admit my brain is a bit fried which is why I even perused my spam folder in the first place. Hence the title, “Spam Fried” but feel free to say ‘fried spam’ if that fits your fancy. Though I assure you, the food from a can will never grace a fry pan o’ mine!
This past weekend, as mentioned in my last post, we attended the wedding of a cousin. Funny thing is, only a few days before did she reach out and ask my husband to officiate. So what was going to be, for us, a one day affair turned quickly into much more than that. In addition to that particular emotional celebration, my little brother proposed to his girl on Sunday. It was important to him to have all of us present for the proposal (which made for a lot of back and forth driving for us from the coast to the inland), and we are, each and every one, quite touched that he and his betrothed shared the big question in front of family witnesses. I have only ever been involved in one other proposal, my own. And being included in his, feels very special. Alas, a full circle experience!
Yet accompanied with the wedding bell theme…
While down in southern Cal for the weekend, my brother-in-law was offered a job. A position too wonderful to refuse. The only caveat (Cole, my son, and I have decided we cannot stand the word “caveat”…it just sounds so pretentious. Yet it is a good fit, regardless of my judgment of it), it will relocate his family (my sister and her children) and they won’t be ready for the move for at least a year, probably two. Thus, they will have a commuting husband/father for a quite a while which is not an easy task especially with a newborn and toddler (actually the family dynamic includes a 5 year old niece and a father-in-law as well–but that’s just a little sprinkling of “salt and pepper” to add a bit of spice to life. Right?). I know the role of commuting family members is tough on the nuclear unit because I am aware of the difficulty military families go through and also because I have a good friend whose family is enduring the hardship of a similar circumstance. But all said and done, the job offer is quite a ‘honey’ of a deal…it also means I potentially have more family in southern Cal, which excites my very soul. Whew, what a weekend!
Additionally, on Monday, of this week, my sixteen year old daughter began her adventure as a full time college student. Which is a scary thought for her father, her brother, and I because she looks and acts older than 16, yet she is quite naive–though very intelligent and full of wisdom. Yes, Esther is a ‘college student imposter’. Ironically, so am I. I, too, had to return to college this week. I have an obligation to “endeavor to earn the good grade advanced to me by a most compassionate and understanding teacher” (a class I had to walk away from when my son went into the hospital back in March 2011). And last night toward the end of a group discussion, the subject of me having a daughter on campus came up. A fellow compadre, with a shocked look on her face exclaimed, “You have a daughter here? I thought you were my age!” Her age being twenty-one. “No, I even have a son older than my daughter.” …now that is the kind of compliment I should find in my spam folder, for if those types of good words were present, I would not think twice to approve them for publishing! So yes, my daughter and I have a sting operation going at our local community college. Though there is no trepidation for my husband and son, regarding my naivety.
Amidst the above hullabaloo, I found the time to venture to my local, and favorite, independent movie theater. And believe it or not, both my daughter and husband were able to be by my side though the decision was a spontaneous one. We watched a French film titled, “The Intouchables.” For those of you reading this blog via email, iphone, or ipad, I have included a video link to the trailer. Essentially, it was one of the best movie’s I have seen in quite a while…since seeing the movie, “Made in Dagenham“. The three of us became lost in the story, the humor, and the sentimentality. So much so that we forgot we were reading subtitles. If you have the ability to venture out to a movie, I highly recommend “The Intouchables.”
Movie Ticket Stubs
Back to Spam Fried and Personal…
This has been one hell of a week! I use the word, ‘hell’ to give an informal nod to the young Oklahoma valedictorian student who has yet to receive her high school diploma because she used the bad word in her live speech. At any rate, it really has been a hell of a week. For that reason, I am hiding behind wedding and family bliss with a little nonsense thrown in for fluff. I know the good Lord is ‘working things together for good’ because I know that we ‘love him and are called according to his purpose’ (Romans 8:28). But oh how it hurts, which is where I will leave it. Now go to the movie theater, and like Mr. Roarke from Fantasy Island used to say, “Smiles, everyone, smiles.”
living in loss and gratitude 
The Noise