TheBanyanTree: Checkin' In

[Maria Gibson]

One down, one to go.  My eldest has moved out of the house, officially.
I think he's gone to hell in a hand basket, thought, not said, but I'm
smart enough to know he jumped into the hand basket of his own free
will, loosened the tethers and not only went zooming off but gave
himself a little Fred Flinstone push on the way.  Down, I'm thinking and
not saying.  He called me at work a few days ago to chat and confirm a
little cookout for him and his new roomies.  He sounded stuffy and upon
my inquiry told me he'd had his eye punched when he and a pal decided to
box after deciding to drink.  Bottles and cans should carry warning
labels about not drinking while boxing but then if there was a short
line about not drinking while stupid it would probably encompass a
larger range of forbidden activities one shouldn't engage in while
drinking.  I went to see him Monday night and found him huddled in his
bed, feverish from not moving, eating or drinking anything all day.  He
couldn't open either eye, one swollen and the other's moving when open
made the swollen one hurt so it, too, was shut.  I was very happy they
were shut so he didn't have to see me see the naked women pictures on
the wall.  The 'grip the bust by the elbows and open the hoo-haa' type.
Not pretty.  But then he didn't see me see the absolute pig sty,
either.  Many, many things thought and not said.  I brought to him food
and drink.  I administered eye ointment to my son and instructions to
the most mature-seeming among the bunch there on getting the ointment in
the eye in a sterile manner.  Not that I actually used that word because
no one there would know the meaning, adding one more word to a whole
host of them I wasn't saying.  Words will not help this situation unless
they are directed toward God.

Allen wants to dye his hair blue on the tips (I am right here with
Sachet).  We've already dyed it jet black and tried to dye the tips
blond the same night...his idea, not mine.  They turned a fetching shade
of orange which turned out to actually look kinda snazzy.  He's
downloaded tips on tips and spiking from the internet and spends at
least 20 minutes on his hair in the mornings.  I, too, am happy to see
it.  Gone, it seems, are the days when I begged for teeth brushing and
hair combing and clean clothing.  He makes A's and the occasional B and
doesn't have to be hassled to clean up after himself.  He's generally
respectful and has a very mature view of the world and a keen sense of
not being the center of it.  I couldn't care less what he does with his
hair.  He's welcome to get an earring, although I probably jinxed it by
suggesting it.  I know it's all a temporary thing, though, because next
school year he'll be in the Army JROTC.  He's already figured out that
he can't go wrong joining since he wats to apply for the Air Force
Academy.  So let him fool around with his hair.  It's going to be shaved
off in a  few months to conform to the standards of a military-ish cut,
anyway.

Ah, now for the news that only the diehard few will see, those that made
it through all the kid news.  Next month I am going to run a 5K.  Yeah,
I can hardly believe it myself.  I've been training for the race for a
couple of weeks now and feel very good about it.  My left knee can get a
little tender (anyone with a hint or tip??) but I got a brace and am
conscious of the way I run, slightly bent-kneed to absorb the shock
better.  The race in question is the local Race For The Cure.  Breast
cancer has touched so many lives, including my own.  My friend from work
whose own BC story I've shared here, has made such an impact on me.  She
survives with a grace and candor that are unfathomable.  I asked her if
she would mind that I run this race in celebration of her victory and
she agreed.  I was a little unprepared for how intimate and personal
that was going to feel and we ended up shedding a few tears over it.  As
I told her, "Mary, I love you enough to run like a dog for ya!"  It will
be an honor for me to run with her name on my back.  She'll get to see
it, too, because she wants to walk on the same team!  I'm very excited
about the whole thing!  Randy is running with me and I was so glad he
went with me to the first clinic.  Like a deer in the headlights, I felt
terrified to walk in the door.  I am so self conscious and wish I
wasn't.  It isn't enough to just say I shouldn't be, though.  It's like
asking the marrow to quietly go away from my bones....

I am accepting donations for the race, if anyone is interested in
helping to sponsor my run.  If you are interested, email me privately
and I will send my address.  I have to have all donations by race day to
count, June 14th.  It's a wonderfully worthy cause and I promise to do
you all proud.  Finishing isn't an issue so my main goal is to run
without stopping to walk.  I did it this past weekend at the beach so I
know it can be done.  It's just tough.

That's it.  One kid out.  One kid dye-ing to be different.  Me running a
5K.  Hope all is well with you.

Maria