Queen Kelley

The girls and I enjoyed a quickly planned visit today from members of the “G” family (see their blog in my links list). Cheryl and her two boys spent the morning and lunch with us while husband and father Fadi did some work in a nearby town.

Cheryl’s little man, who just celebrated his first birthday, bounced from one item to another, curiously exploring his new surroundings. Fearless and enthusiastic, he boldly toddled down the steps from our kitchen to the den, tasted every object he picked up, and entertained us with his babbles. All the while, his precious big brother slept either in his stroller or snuggled on the sofa. If you read the family’s blog, you’ll learn that their first son was born with brain abnormalities. Now, at age 3, he functions on an infant level and, sadly, can neither hear nor see.

It’s a journey I don’t know, a path I haven’t walked, a trial I can’t fathom. But Cheryl handles it with such grace. Since the beginning, she and her husband have struggled with the “why” questions and learned how to tame them, faced curiosity from strangers who wonder about their boy, and advocated for their sweet son’s health and quality of life. Through it all, at least by my own observance, they’ve managed to maintain a strong marriage and demonstrate both deep love for each member of their family and a steady faith in God.

It was great to spend time with part of this family today, to laugh at the baby’s antics as he followed my Ladybug around, to run my fingers through big brother’s beautiful dark curls and touch his smooth skin, to talk to Cheryl about everything from the difficulty of parents finding time for friendship to the results of her oldest son’s latest surgery.

For me, it was a time to be with a friend. It was also a time to reflect on the many different journeys we take as parents. Some parents travel down roads that seem so haunting to me. It doesn’t make sense that we can’t all travel the sunlit path. Though this path still has its storms, at least they’re predictable. I suppose the hardest thing about living in this world is encountering the unpredictable. Truthfully, none of us ever know what side roads our journeys will take. For me, this is why faith in a Higher Power, in God, is essential. I don’t know about everyone else, but it’s reassuring to know there’s something constant in a world of unknowns.

To people like Cheryl and Jenny (mother to a cancer angel) who sometimes stop by and read what I write, I say thank you for letting me into your lives. I’m an outsider, and there’s no way for me to comprehend your journeys as a parent. And to be honest, I don’t want to be an insider. Even so, I’m grateful that you share your lives with me. It’s a reminder of what I have and a conviction of what I need to do. God has shown me much through you.

image from www.ew.com

Last week’s episode was much more low key than recent shows. The focus narrowed to Jack for the majority of the running time, and I felt myself getting antsy for more drama.

1. One of my constant questions was finally answered, though: Why does Locke see Jacob as Christian Shepherd? Apparently, it is because Jack gave Locke’s dead body something that belonged to his father. While the serene-looking corpse lies way too still for a man like John Locke, Jack slips his father’s shoes onto John’s feet. This is the only way Jack can recreate his original flight to the island—to have a body in a coffin that retains something of his father. Doesn’t this answer the question, then? Locke and Shepherd are inextricably bound, and thus Locke sees Christian when he encounters the mysterious Jacob.

2. The Oceanic 6, by some strange twist of events orchestrated by Mrs. Hawking of the swinging pendulum and certainly by Ben, all ended up on the doomed plane again. I guess the rest of the season’s shows will explain how each one was convinced to get on the flight. Frank Lapidus as the pilot was an interesting touch.

3. So where are Sun, Sayid, and, most importantly, Ben, when they finally appear back on the island? And how exactly DID they get there?

4. Does anyone else feel extremely nervous watching plane crashes on TV?

5. How did Jin get from standing by the absent well in the previous episode to wearing Dharma gear and driving the van in this one? And it’s a pity that Sun wasn’t with Jack, Kate, and Hurley to greet her resurrected love.

6. Did anyone else find themselves saying, “Just read the darn suicide note already, Jack”?

This week promises to focus on John Locke, and I can’t wait!

Daniel, Charlotte, Sawyer (image from eonline.com)

Okay, so no more extensively detailed posts that offer my most confused musings on each episode. Last night rocked, though! Here are some quick points.

1. Did you notice Sun’s expression when Ben revealed that Jin lives? I had wondered if there were more to her vendetta than Jin (not that he wasn’t reason enough), such as something involving her daughter or some kind of crazy plot connected to Whidmore, but I was glad to see her unabashed love for Jin in her eyes.

2. Speaking of Ben, Michael Emerson nails him every week. He’s such an intriguing and disgusting character. I have no doubt that he is in complete control of just about everything on the show. And that’s frightening.

3. What is the deal with Daniel Faraday? He seems thoughtful and sympathetic one minute and sinister the next. Now that his mama’s identity is confirmed as Mrs. Hawking, aka Queen Creepy who works directly with Ben, I expect more to unfold about his true motivations.

4. Wasn’t John Locke’s scene deep underground moving? He asked for help, and when he didn’t get it, you could see all the struggles, doubts, hopes, and fears of his life flash across his face. And who wouldn’t be moved when he pulled himself up, protruding leg bone and all, and made his way to the donkey wheel. What a hero! Even if he’s wrong, clearly he thinks he’s doing what’s best for everyone.

5. Poor Charlotte. At least her last moment seemed pleasant.

6. Smoky’s back! Was it not incredibly spooky when the black smoke monster dragged the Frenchman through the jungle and deep into the dark hole? As for the French, now we know that Rousseau’s team did not, as she told the castaways a few seasons ago, die of some strange sickness. Rather, they began acting strangely possibly due to their association with Smoky and she (age 16 and pregnant, no less) shot most of them. I am curious as to how Ben ends up with her daughter.

7. Don’t you just love Sawyer? Okay, maybe I’m partial.

8. Kate’s pretty ticked at Jack, so it’ll be interesting to see how they go from ice-cold anger to heated passion by next week’s episode (at least as indicated in the preview).

9. I think Jack should be scared of Sayid. Don’t you?

10. It seems that Whidmore’s little group of scientists—Daniel, Charlotte, and Miles—had all been on the island before. We’re still awaiting confirmation of Miles’s presence in the past, but I’ll bet it’s coming.

11. Why in the world is Christian Shepherd personifying “Jacob”? I’ve been wondering that for a while now.

Looking forward to more!

Something had to go. When I spent the majority of Lost episode 3 taking notes to help with my blog post later, I realized that was not the best way to enjoy one of my favorite shows. Also, I simply can’t keep up with the posts this time around. Too many other tasks pull at me when I open the computer. Anyway, I’m fascinated and wonderfully confused by the season thus far, loving the characters and their intricacies, and excited about what will come next.

If you, like me, need some kind of recap to help you process what happens each week, I’d suggest reading “Doc Jensen’s” articles. He likes to go down rabbit holes, so prepare to skim certain paragraphs if that kind of thing bores you. You’ll find him at this Entertainment Weekly site. I’m heading there now to get a refresher course on episode 4. Happy “getting Lost” tonight!

Ever read another mother’s account of something her kid did and thought, “She nailed it”?

To start at the beginning, I’ll say that my heart goes out to families with sick kids, and I frequently get to know such families through their powerful blogs. Somehow I found “MckMama.” When I first landed on her site, she was pregnant with her fourth child (in four years) and had been told that the baby would surely die at birth due to irreversible heart failure. Now, this little boy is three months old and appears to have no lasting complications from his illness in the womb. Aside from being a photographer who posts breathtaking photos of her children, food, the ice and snow of the frozen tundra where they live, and anything else she finds interesting, MckMama is clever, witty, and entertaining. I’ve read her “Have a Question? Check Here First!” articles on the left side of her blog. In many ways, her approach to rearing kids, her marriage, and God differs greatly from my own. In other ways, of course, we’re on the same page. Regardless, I enjoy her updates and empathize with her about life, even as I wonder how in the world she does it with so Many Small Children (MSC, as she dubs them).

This post is a case in point. Any mamas and daddies who click on this link and read it (and any aunts/uncles/cousins/friends of little ones who’ve been there and can vouch for its validity), let me know if you can identify! Note: MckMama identifies her four children by McDonald’s menu items.

What? It’s fun! And clever. Clever, I tell you.