Please Pass the Rolls
Last night, we were speaking hypothetically about Jud working for my dad and how cool it would be because they could really have a great time teaching and learning from each other and because they get along so well and then the conversation took an unexpected turn.
Jud: Yeah, that’d be fun…until he fires me.
Rick: Mmm. That would make Thanksgiving awkward.
Read MoreCatastrophic Failure
While trying to import some pictures I received the above error and thought about just walking away from all working today. Somehow all of my projects have deadlines within a week of each other and I am overwhelmed by it, the kind of overwhelmed that makes you want to throw in the towel and just walk away. It’s almost too daunting to tackle. I’m sure it has more to do with my mindset than the actual tasks, oh and my crazy need for perfection.
Speaking of character traits that are wild and out of control, did you know that I can completely obsess over why someone does not want to be my friend. Yes, I am an eight year old. There is this whole story about how this person who runs in similar circles as me has been less than warm toward me and I can’t really give you details about it because, frankly, some of you know said person and, as I neurotically mentioned, I am wanting to be this person’s friend.
So, this week there was a whole heap load of strangeness where it was absolutely confirmed to me that they do not like me. They do not like me one bit. And I know this should not bother me. I know plenty of people who do not like me and their lack of friendship does not ruffle my feathers in the slightest. But here I am, stuck in a rut of trying to figure out what I’ve done to turn them sour.
Usually, if someone doesn’t like me, I know why. It’s typically pretty easy to figure out. Like this one girl one time told me that she’d been talking behind my back and she was sorry. I was shocked that she shared that with me, but not surprised that she’d been doing it. We were in high school and I’d stolen her boyfriend six months earlier and then dumped him after about a month because he was really needy and I didn’t have time for all that mess. I think they’d been dating for like a year or something. I know. I know, but that’s a legitimate reason not to like someone. Or there are the people with whom I do not want to be friends, for a host of reasons, like they are too crazy or too dirty or they talk about things I don’t want to listen to or they are not very smart. See, these people don’t like me because I don’t want them to. I don’t attempt to be their friend and I don’t really put much stock in how they feel about me.
But here I am now. There is this person, let’s call them Joey, who is so cold to me that I can feel the ice from half a city away and I do not know why. Maybe I am too crazy or too dirty or talk about things Joey doesn’t want to hear, or maybe Joey thinks I am not smart enough. And all of these things are very possible. But I want to know which one it is. I want them to tell me why they would jump through fire to not have to be in my presence. I want them to say what is so offensive about my personality. I know that the knowledge would probably hurt. I know that it would be uncomfortable and that later, in the solitude of the shower or perhaps while lying in bed and recounting the story for Jud, I would probably burst into tears, but I have this deep longing to know The Why.
I’m sure I’ll never know. Joey isn’t the kind of person I can just walk up to and say “I know you don’t like me, but I don’t know why. Want to tell me?” I think Joey would be all “Wha? Who said I don’t like you?” and then I’d have to be all “no one said it. I just know. So tell me.” Then, quite possibly, Joey would feign shock and insist that there is nothing there. That the ice I feel is really a rainbow of love and purple unicorns of friendship and that I am so wrong about it all. But I know. I know that it is real. I just will have to get over not knowing why.
Read MoreOne, Beginning (a week of firsts)
Thanksgiving is behind us and now we can all look forward to the next onslaught of holiday cheer. Before you rush off to the mall, you should take a minute to see what’s going on out here in the blogosphere. It is so nice and warm and not so filled with Christmas music or people ringing guilt-laced bells.
In support of National Adoption Day, we went to the children’s museum. It was a first for everyone but me and I think they all had a pretty good time.
Gideon officially crawled on Thanksgiving Day. It was way more awesome than the parade, but there were just as many running commentaries. The next month will be spent prying his tiny fingers off of things he should not touch. I look forward to it being exhausting and exhilarating in one long drawn out breath. 
It snowed on Wednesday; lots of pretty flurries with a little dusting that hung around until Friday. I think it hindered a few of your trips to see family, but I trust that everyone got where they were going safe and sound. We were keeping warm inside and pointing outside to Gideon. He was much more interested in his teething toy. 
This may have been the only time when the dogs have not huddled at the bottom of the grill while a giant bird was cooked inside of it. It was a bit brisk.
We were all glad that Poppy braved the wind to make us some deliciousness, though we are certain that his cold going from bad to near death has something to do with all of the time he spent ensuring the turkey would be tasty. 
Gideon ate his very first vegetable on Thanksgiving. He didn’t freak out or even, really spit out much of it. I’m going to try to upload the video of it so you can see what he did do. I’m sure you’ve been eagerly anticipating what our child does when feed peas….right?
It was the first time that all of these people gathered around the Thanksgiving table together. My brother and his wife, Jud sister, my parents, Jud, Gideon and our dear friends from Ohio/Colorado/we met them while we were all in Germany. 
This was the first game that Gideon got to watch with Truman. Neither did much watching, but I hope they’ll smile at these pictures together some day.
And the Last. The last time we’ll wear these Husker outfits together (for which Gideon’s shoulders will be happy. This onesie was starting to get a little too tight. Unfortunately Gideon isn’t the only one who’s glad we’re not going to a bowl game. It at least made the decision to get rid of Callahan that much simpler. And we won’t have to prepare ourselves to watch NU loose another game). 
Happy Thanksgiving
I thought this video was too good to not post somewhere.
We hope you all are having a great holiday.
Read MoreWe Probably Should’ve Taken More of These
Here are some pictures from our vacation:
Aunt Ronke came over for the party at Hunter’s house.
Gideon checks with Hunter to make sure it’s okay to eat the toy. 
Hunter evaluates Gideon’s technique. 
Aunt Jenn performs The Worm. 
The guys pose for a picture and allow their arms to extend around one another
(look for the next sign of the Apocalypse any day now). 
And here is one from right after we got home. 
Last night he did this and somehow got his arm stuck in between the crib slats. He was crying and crying (which we let him do when he’s awake too soon). When Jud finally went in the poor kiddo was trapped. Oh, and snotty. Very snotty. The kind of snotty that eventually drains down the back of your throat and makes you puke so much milk onto your mom that she has to change ALL of her clothing at four in the morning. Or, what I like to call, fun.
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