Gametes In Love

Polina and Lidat came up for Thanksgiving. One of their requests was to spend the day in the city… specifically Pier 39, playing Pokemon Go! Griffin is into it, so I thought, “Why not?”
It was fun!
We went to the aquarium, had lunch, and the kids played until my battery went just about dead. Perfectly timed with my car parking spot meter in 4 hours 🙂

At the aquarium, I told the boys they could buy something under 10 dollars, but they had to share. They picked a shark tooth necklace, which I’m sure was inspired by seeing Moana just the day before. Also, they had to work out the purchase through photos — which makes all both happy: they get something they want; I get something *I* want ;p
Their bigger toys came as gifts from Polina and Lidat. They both took stuffies home to boot, and as you can tell, pretty stoked about it. Storm named his otter “Watery”.

We had tonnes of sugar yesterday too. Mini doughnuts for them (since I don’t eat anything that has “doughnut” in the name); a crepe for me, and the boys’ first exposure to funnel cake. It was greasy as hell, and Storm couldn’t put it down.

More than anything I’m super stoked about how we timed out the rain just right. It was fine walking to the aquarium — started raining as soon as we got it; ended right as we got out after lunch. Started drizzling right in time for funnel cake — ended as soon as we were done, with enough time to get back to the car. Back home we pulled up to the gas station to pump, ended right as we needed to get into the grocery store. Rain had my back, I tells ya’!

Storm caught 4 pokemon yesterday. Griffin took down a gym. I’d say a good time was had by all. And here’s a tonne of photos to keep my album book happy. They’re barely edited, but I figured I’d take that over eternity in write-up.

Last night I introduced by children to this statement. Because it describes who I am. Don’t even remember how we came to this topic of conversation, but it felt like an opportune time to tie a term they are hearing on the radio, TV and around to their daily lives.

I want them to know that “immigrant” has a face. Mine. Their grandma’s; their grandpa’s; their aunt’s; their uncle’s. I want them to know that when they hear that term, people are grouping me and their relatives in what they say next. I want them to filter everything they hear about that term through the lens of what they know about us.

I don’t label myself usually. I never felt like I had to be explicit about the non-visible labels. But now I feel that I have to, not because I want to be different, but because I want to stand in solidarity with others in that label… and so that our sons can see that the family and friends they care about ARE who is being talked about.

If you have a label you want to embrace so that my children put more faces to terms, let me know.

For Storm’s birthday my sister asked me if it would be OK to get him a robot model kit. It didn’t involve any gluing, so I was willing to give it a go.

She warned me that it was for a slightly older age group, and I’d likely need to help him out. It was 15+.
She warned me the instructions were in Japanese.
She was really selling me here… can you tell???

Since Storm and I were looking at an unexpected Sunday at home, we decided to go for it and build it. My job? Take the pieces apart and hand them to him: his job…. assemble said pieces. Honestly I was preparing for this to become a project he would get 2-3 steps into and then realize was too hard & quit. One the ultimately *I* would end up building.

I was wrong.

Storm built the whole thing. By himself, save 3 steps that required some specialized snapping. In 4 hours.
I’m super impressed. We have another kit of a larger model. I’m thinking Christmas break fun-time.

Zoe needed to get in on the building action, but then realized it wasn’t really her jam, so she retreated to her cat-tree for a nap, knowing her people were close by.

Griffin had his last club soccer tournament last week-end. His team made it to the play-offs, but alas didn’t win.

This was the first game I attended this season, and sadly the only, since the following morning Storm woke up with an ear ache, and I took him home to confirm an ear infection. Oh well!

Griffin loved Gatorade. Not sure he realized what he looks like afterward. I call this the “I kissed a smurf and I liked it!” shot

Followed by “I ate it!”

While our world is recovering (or bracing) from Tuesday’s election news, my job as a parent isn’t diminishing.

I get to tackle important questions. Ones like: do bears poop while they hybernate?

Had to look this up, but the answer is ‘no’. There’s a fecal plug involved… but I had to stop at ‘no’ because I’m not ready to talk about butt plugs with the kids. Mostly ‘cuz I can’t do so without giggling.

This parenting thing: fun!

Kiddos,

Eight years ago I wrote you about my conflicted feelings of that major election. We brought a great man into office, though lost rights for people who love one another. Today, I feel very much the same, and I struggle with how I feel. I woke up and thought “Is Donald Trump really going to be our president?” And I worry.

I worry about the future. I worry about the rights of people here: for their safety primarily.
Will non-Christians, non-Caucasians, people with special needs & immigrants feel safe walking around and speaking out?

I worry about the future of health-care. Is affordable health-care for all no longer a priority?

I worry about our elderly. Is their physical & financial health at risk?

I worry about the future of our economy and the safeguards we’ve tried to put in place to make sure business practices don’t endanger the whole market. Is that over?

I worry about the rights of same-sex couples. Will their marriages be disregarded? Will discrimination against them be considered OK?

I worry about war. Did we elect someone who will throw a fit at the perception of feeling slighted?

I have a lot of questions. My mind is short-circuiting with “What Ifs” It’s a somber mood today as I wrap my head around it all, and feel a loss of hope for what we will achieve in the coming years.

BUT… I am also committed to NOT let discrimination, suppression and ignorance win. I need to make you a promise that I will do better than I have; to be more involved; to be more vocal. I want to be able to put you to bed each night knowing I stood up for the right thing that day.

We spent Halloween with friend (again) this year. Frankly, it’s kind of the way to go, as far as I’m concerned. The kids have a blast, Shane and I get to prep for a night of mayhem in the company of people we like… plus our neighborhood doesn’t celebrate, and it feels less creepy going to someone else’s ‘hood without a good reason to be there.

Griffin was a Squirtle. He wanted to be a pokemon, but was willing to accept whatever Amazon and eBay had in his size/budget. Storm? Well, Storm ended up being several things throughout the day, and had multiple options to choose from. He was Iron Man for his school’s parade, and surprised me by coming as Darth Vader (again) for ToT.

Bonus of the latest Star Wars movies being out? Darth Vader gets to hand with Kylo Ren: grandfather and grandson reunite.

Squirtle got to play basketball against Steph Curry. As a whole a good night was had by all.

Griffin came home from school yesterday really enthused about the upcoming election. They had covered the electoral college in his grade. Later that night he was telling Shane how their teacher exclaimed that many people choose not to vote. He didn’t understand why. Shane gave Griffin an absolutely amazing explanation on why voting is important.

(What follows is a conversation overheard in bits, but mostly relayed via Shane.)

Shane: Ok — so imagine we are about to vote on dinner for the following night. The choices are between hamburger and pizza.
Let’s say that YOU want pizza, and Mommy wants pizza, and I want pizza. Storm, however, wants hamburger.
Given what you know, what do you think we’re going to have for dinner tomorrow.

Griffin: Pizza!

Shane: Right. Ok — so all the votes have to be in by 5pm the night of dinner.
Now, it’s 4:30, and I’m upstairs busy, and I’m not able to come down to vote. (all voting has to be put in downstairs in the kitchen by 5pm). But I know that you’re going to vote for pizza, and Mommy is going to vote for pizza, so we’re ok even if I don’t vote.
Meanwhile, Mommy is doing something in the kitchen, and she’s thinking “Shane is going to vote for pizza, and Griffin is going to vote for pizza, so we’re fine. I don’t need to stress it if I don’t vote.”
You are playing basketball, and don’t want to stop just to go vote, but you know that if I vote for pizza and Mommy votes for pizza, we’re having pizza. So you don’t vote.
Meanwhile, Storm casts his vote for hamburger.
Guess what we’re having for dinner that night?!?!

Griffin: (sad) Hamburger.

Shane: That’s right. That’s why you gotta go vote!

So… you heard it here folks. Go vote! Or you’re going to end up with hamburger for dinner.