No matter which way you look, no matter what your political persuasion, it’s looking to be a less than stellar election season. Feel like you can’t do much? You can.

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I don’t want to sound like some kind of cheerleading Pollyanna here, but prayer works. Not in a ”God is my holy slot machine; I just pray and get a jackpot” sort of way. But when the future seems bleak, it is way better to give up my instinct to control and obsess to someone who sees the big, eternal picture. I don’t have millions to spend stumping for a candidate, but talking to God is free.

With age comes less co-operation, at least around here.

“C’mere and let me take some pictures!”

Moo says no problemo.

The Bear decides to start making faces. Grr.

Finally! Caught by the rapid-shot.

And the Princess? Just plain ticked to have to pose. No sense of humor here. Are we done yet?

Yes. I guess we are.

Lawanda has posted a movie meme!

1. One movie that made you laugh:
Young Frankenstein. Blucher!

2. One movie that made you cry:
Billy Elliot, among many others. I don’t want to spoil the ending, but his dad’s face right at the end gets me every time. I kind of have to dab a bit even talking about it.

3. One movie you loved when you were a child:
I loved Star Wars. I wanted Luke and Princess Leia to get married. Eek!

4. One movie you’ve seen more than once:
I could watch The Quiet Man over and over until I wore out the DVD player. Maureen O’Hara and John Wayne had real chemistry!

5. One movie you loved, but were embarrassed to admit it:
Drop Dead Fred. Laughed so hard I couldn’t breathe the first six times I saw it.

6. One movie you hated:
Boys Don’t Cry. It was the big thing that year and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. If I could scrub it from my memory with steel wool and a toothbrush, I surely would.

7. One movie that scared you:
The Others really got me.

8. One movie that bored you:
Rocky Horror Picture Show. This officially makes me irredeemably uncool forever.

9. One movie that made you happy:
Pride and Prejudice. *Mmmm*

10. One movie that made you miserable:
I was pregnant with the Bear when we rented Black Hawk Down. It was so cruel and awful and I knew the ending was not going to be a happy one. I left the room to sob and be sick halfway through and never finished it.

11. One movie you weren’t brave enough to see:
Saving Private Ryan. See #10. I’ve learned my lesson.

12. One movie character you’ve fallen in love with:
C.K. Dexter Haven in The Philadelphia Story.

13. The last movie you saw:
Dan in Real Life. It was actually a pretty cute movie until the ending which shows us all how teens and children are wise and all-knowing and adults are really dolts who bumble and are doomed to failure until the kids step in and show the way. I loathe movies like that.

14. The next movie you hope to see:
The Happening. I heart M. Night Shyamalan.

No matter how much you want to, no matter how exciting it may sound, do not under any circumstances try to have major dental work and begin marriage councelling in the same week. You may think you are living on the edge, but no. It’s no fun at all.

I got the temporary crown put on. The Halcion and Nitrous kept me from climbing the walls, but I feel pretty sheepish to need such strong measures. I wish I wasn’t that person, the wimp who needs sedation to keep from crying and clawing her way out of the chair. I’d much prefer sucking it up and toughing it out. Next week I go in for the permanent one, and hopefully I can face it without feeling like a small, trapped animal.

The day after the crown went on, Mr. MG and I met with our pastor. And because I want to be completely honest, I have to admit that marriage counseling is exactly as icky as you are thinking it is. It is a gigantic bummer to have to talk to a third party about your private lives. Really, the dental work was delightful in comparison. BUT! It has also been what was for the best, and I am so glad we made the leap. (She said, gritting her newly refurbished teeth.)

Now if I can only find a dentist who does counseling, or a therapist who knows teeth… There’s a fine idea! Imagine trying to work on your marriage with your mouths half-numbed. No one could fight and argue, you’d be too busy drooling and biting your tongues.

Cancel the trip to Disneyland, and get ready for some real fun.

It’s kind of nice to have kidlets spaced so far apart. For example, ours are all so different in age that we will never have two kids in any one AWANA club at a time. That means this year we got to go to two awards ceremonies. And what’s so great about that? Two times the cookies.

The Princess had her Truth and Training awards on Sunday evening. It was a challenge to get used to a different book format this year after three years of Sparks, but she finished her entire book and still got through the review as well.

That handbook was amazing! It’s like a mini course in apologetics. And getting that review pin meant – among other tasks – knowing 32 questions about her faith, the answers to those questions, and scripture (including the reference) to back up all 32 answers. All that said in one sitting, word perfect. I pretty much wanted to pick her up and run a lap around the church, hooting and hollering.

This year our AWANA program also had five high school seniors earn their Citation award. That means completing all ten handbooks from third grade to graduation. And it’s not just books – there is a ton of outside work as well. The Princess was in awe of those amazing young people. She wants to be up on the stage getting her own plaque someday.

But until then, she said she would settle for the umpteen cookies, candy bars, and other goodies she got at the party. You’ve got to start somewhere.

My, how far he has come. The first year the Bear was old enough to go to AWANA Cubbies, the very idea gave him the screaming mimis. I figured that we didn’t need to push it and waited. Even at the beginning of this year, he didn’t like going at first. He would cry and I would get weepy and it was so hard.

But now!

He ended the year with a bang, even enjoying the chaos of game time. He loved snack time most of all, and looked forward to seeing Mrs. G every week.

So his book is finished, and he is excited about Sparks next year. “They get a lot of candy in Sparks you know, Mama.”

Now there is something to look forward to.

One of the best thing about having kids is how they can surprise you and shake you out of your preconceived ideas.

Everyone knows that boys’ fine motor skills don’t develop as early as girls’ do. Everyone knows that boys have a hard time with reading and handwriting and art. Everyone knows that…except for my Bear.

His very favorite books are the Irving and Muktuk series by Daniel Pinkwater. The books are about two polar bears who are up to absolutely no good. They are bad bears. “You are not to be trusted.” Officer Bunny tells them. My Bear eats that right up. Now he wants to lead a life of crime, stealing hats and blueberry muffins.

And when he signs a card, he lets you know: he is a bad bear. You have been warned.

I tell you, I can’t get that Discovery promo spot out of my head. I love it love it love it. Where do I go from here?

I pick up the free Boom De Yada ringtones from the Discovery website, that’s where. Go try it, it’s lovely.

Now whenever my phone rings I may spontaneously hug someone. Watch your back!

When her 36-year-old son was in between houses, she let him and his whole family move in until they found their own place. (She was a total sneak who stealthily did all our laundry, too.)

When she asks what she can bring to a get-together, not only does she make enough of that to feed an army, she whips up two or three other things, too. And it’s all delicious.

She sews. Well, that’s really an understatement. She sews outfits that look like something out of a catalog, she upholsters her own furniture, and she can make amazing creations out of whatever she finds in her scrap basket or the bargain bin at Walmart.

She is an interior decorator with an impossibly elegant eye for color and design.

She is a masterful photographer who especially loves the beach and the local bald eagle population. She should put out a book, though if you tell her so, she’d say, “Oh, I don’t know about that…”

She is an amazing people person, warm and generous to everyone she meets. She genuinely cares. She is one of eleven brothers and sisters, so she got lots of practice, and early. Of all people she loves family the most, and keeps track of everyone right down to the youngest third cousin twice removed. She’d be able to tell you what their dress size is, how their grades are, and what funny thing they said last time she spoke to them on the phone.

It is s a blessing to call her my second mom.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Yep, it’s two video posts in a row, but I can’t help it. I have a new pet earworm, and I want you to have one, too.

The Princes watched it twice. “Wow, that’s such a great song. It does its job well.”

“Makes me want to watch the Discovery Channel.” I said.

“Yup.”