"Triumvirate" by Baby Max

Many followers believe that I reign alone. That all power is concentrated solely in my hands and that I am unwilling to allow others a voice in my government. These beliefs are incorrect. For I would be nothing without my two closest companions. Together, we compromise a trinity of law, order, and authority. Although three, we rule as one. 

Perhaps it is a common mistake because my co-rulers are not often photographed and do not typically speak to the public. Allow me to introduce them:

Pelt is the backbone of my authoritative rule. Through my alliance with Pelt, I have demonstrated my strength in quelling the Cat Rebellion and established a "take no prisoners" reputation. Pelt represents our commitment to maintaining order by whatever means necessary.

Thumb is our other partner. Thumb has been my most loyal friend and assisted with every step towards the top. Thumb is the source of power, providing nourishment and vitality to my reign. Without Thumb, I would be weak and ineffectual.

Although I am the figurehead, it is only together with Pelt and Thumb that I can truly serve as Max, King of Babies.

Prayer for the Children

Tonight I am holding Max a little tighter, giving him a few more kisses, and saying extra prayers of thanksgiving for my precious child.  Tonight I am also saying special prayers for other children. Tonight I am thinking of another precious one year old who is lying in the hospital on life support because he was so severely beaten by a person who should have cherished him. Tonight I ache for his four year old sibling who came into our office today scared and confused and alone after witnessing his brother's abuse. Tonight I am trying to imagine why people are capable of treating children in such horrific ways. April is Child Abuse Prevention and Sexual Assault Awareness Month and I had planned to blog on teaching your children about touching, but tonight all I can do is pray.

A Prayer For The Children

We pray for the children

who sneak popsicles before supper,

who erase holes in math workbooks,

who can never find their shoes.

And we pray for those

who stare at photographers from behind barbed wire,

who can't bound down the street in a new pair of sneakers,

who never "counted potatoes,"

who are born in places where we wouldn't be caught dead,

who never go to the circus,

who live in an X-rated world.

We pray for the children

who bring us sticky kisses and fistfuls of dandelions,

who hug us in a hurry and forget their lunch money.

And we pray for those

who never get dessert,

who have no safe blanket to drag behind them,

who watch their parents watch them die,

who can't find bread to steal,

who don't have rooms to clean up,

whose pictures aren't on anybody's dresser,

whose monsters are real.

We Pray for the Children

who spend their allowance before Tuesday,

who throw tantrums in the grocery store and pick at their food,

who like ghost stories,

who shove dirty clothes under the bed,

who never rinse out the tub,

who get visits from the tooth fairy,

who don't like to be kissed in front of the carpool,

who squirm in church and scream in the phone,

whose tears we sometimes laugh at and

whose smiles can make us cry.

And we pray for those

Whose nightmares come in the daytime,

Who will eat anything

Who have never seen dentist,

Who aren't spoiled by anybody,

Who go to bed hungry and cry themselves to sleep,

Who live and move, but have no being

We pray for the children

Who want to be carried and for those who must,

Who we never give up on and for those who don't get a second chance.

We pray for those we smother and for those who will grab the hand of

anybody kind enough to offer it.

Operation Inasmuch

"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Matthew 25:40

Today was one of the most gorgeous days of spring: bright sunshine, warm temperatures, and everything blooming in pastels and lush green. A perfect day to spend at the lake or the beach or the mountains. Or to be inside painting the classrooms of a non-profit agency. 

Our church sponsored a volunteer workday blitz to assist in meeting the needs of our local community. One thing I admire about many churches is their commitment to helping others and trying to improve lives. One thing I admire about OUR church is that we do that in our backyards. I can recall one summer during college when a friend from Birmingham informed me that she was coming to Greenville for a mission trip with her church. The same summer I had another friend from Greenville who took a mission trip to Birmingham. Ironic? I do not doubt the sincerity or desire of either group, but so often there is plenty to do in our community before we travel elsewhere.

Jason and I are both deeply involved with the non profit world here and are constantly harassing our friends to give money, volunteer, or be aware of the problems the plague our city. Thus, we are joyful to watch our huge church group take on all types of projects for non-profits, lower income neighborhoods, the elderly, churches....whatever needs to be done! After dangling from a ladder all day painting, I am tired, but satisfied. A great feeling.

And as a sidenote: My agency recently used Project Host to cater one of our events and the food was fabulous! Project Host is the local soup kitchen, but they also have a culinary school to prepare unemployed people for jobs in the food service industry. A great meal and a great cause! Eating to support charity is my favorite form of volunteering.

Big Shoes to Fill

Someone wants to be just like his Daddy...

Mambo Italiano

When we last left the three intrepid travelers were still reveling in Rome. One and a half hours on a Eurostar train and we were in Florence! We dropped off our bags at our hotel which was the opposite of the midget hotel in Rome. Obviously it was a former palazzo for giants - the ceilings, doors, and windows were super sized! 

    

  Of all the places we visited on foreign study, Florence felt the most familiar to me because we stayed there the longest. And my favorite thing about Florence is how easy it is to navigate because you can almost always see the Duomo hovering over the rooftops like a signpost. Thus, I felt immediately at home again in this city. We spent our first day wandering through the streets, examining the beautiful cathedrals, inhaling the perfumes at one of Europe's oldest apothecaries, and marveling at the Renaissance artwork. My mother described the frescos as "jumping off the wall" and I awarded her a gold star for correctly identifying one of the central themes of the Renaissance.

 

    

Scarcely had we arrived in Florence when we left again; this time on a bus to Siena. I am quite proud of us for mastering almost every form of transportation while we were in Italy: plane, metro, train, and bus. We only missed out on driving! Siena is the home of Il Palio, a mad dash horse race around their central "square" (only it is really a half circle). Siena was also one of the main locations in the series "Winds of War", a book and miniseries that my entire family was engrossed in last fall. We treated ourselves to a nice lunch on the square, watched a crazy group of young men climb on concrete pedestals and drop their pants repeatedly, found the perfect broom for Max, and walked leisurely through the town.  This was Italy at its best, with no schedule and in no hurry. 

    

Arriving back in Florence that evening, my mom wanted to attend the English language Mass at Santa Maria Novella, one of my favorite churches in the world. Stephanie and I were happy to attend, however neither of us realized that it was Palm Sunday. For you non-Catholics, Palm Sunday is the longest Mass of the year because the entire Passion is read during the liturgy. While you are standing. In a cold marble church with no heat. And it was in Italian, not English. Although not quite what we bargained for, it was a beautiful experience.

   

After some art and culture at the Uffizi Gallery, we were ready for another important part of the trip: Shopping. Between the clothing and shoe stores and the outdoor market, Stephanie managed to stimulate the entire Italian economy.  Unfortunately, she did not take into account how to get all her treasures back home. Lucky for her that she had two other travelers whose suitcases were not quite as full! 

  

We capped off our trip with more churches, more art, more shopping, more pasta and gelato (and yummy waffle snacks), and an amazing climb to the top of the Duomo. 

  

This trip was enlightening in many different ways. It was my first visit back to a place I had been on foreign study and it made me incredibly grateful and nostalgic for our study group and trip. I was also viewing things with different eyes. The first time I recall envying the easy, graceful style of Italian women who look like supermodels walking down the street. This time, I noticed all the adorable dark haired bambinos and the various brands of strollers. I'm also much more well traveled since the first trip. I loved having the time with my mom and my sister, but I missed traveling with Jason. It was strange not to have him close by to strike up conversations with random strangers and ask insightful questions that make me gain a deeper appreciation of a place. But, most importantly, my mom and I shared a new type of experience. Although we talk on a daily basis, it is rare that we do something alone together or are not discussing Max. It was an incredibly special opportunity to share with her and Stephanie. Other than their snoring, I would not change a thing! 

And it had the most perfect ending to any trip when we were bumped up to first class for the journey back home! Ciao, Italia! 

Seventeen Months Magazine

Dear Max, 

Recently I was looking at pictures of a friend's child who is only a few weeks older than you and I was surprised that she looked more like a toddler than a baby. Then I looked at you and realized that you are changing in the same way! Your features have become more definitive and your gaze reflects how much of the world you can now comprehend. And, much to my delight, you have sprouted curls! They are definitely more obvious on humid or rainy days or immediately following a nap - your natural state versus the combed, coiffed look that lasts for approximately 30 seconds after your hair is brushed. 

The best adjective I have to describe you is "busy". You are a busy boy at all times and filled with self importance. In fact, we hypothesize that you are constantly thinking, "Who would do these things if I wasn't here?" Indeed, who would sweep the entire house with a toy broom, small mop, and dust pan? Who would carry around the empty cat litter containers? Open and shut the cabinets repeatedly? Or move the envelope from the table to the floor to the chair to the kitchen to the bathroom? It's no wonder we can't find bills! 

All sorts of things make you squeal with delight. You love to jump and roll on pillows. dance to the music on the Fridge DJ, make bubbles with your lawnmower, play in the sandtable, and try to put things together. You have even started putting toys away in their correct spots. In the learning room at the library, you began to clean up the toys and separate them into the appropriate places without help. Mommy is so proud of your organizing ability (a trait directly descended from me)! 

Max, you sweet personality endears you to everyone. I am thrilled that you have retained some of your cuddly nature. When we are sitting or lying on the floor, you scoot backwards until you can sit down on our laps to read or play. It can be a bit frightening at times to see that large rear end coming straight at me, but I love that you want to be held. You also love to hold hands (a trait directly descended from your Daddy) and you're a big flirt. On the playground at the park you made friends with a seven year old girl and held her hand. The teachers at school sent home a note describing how you held hands with a little girl in the toddler class. And of course, you constantly lead your cousins around by the finger - especially the prettiest one, Mallory! Seems that you are developing an attraction to older girls!

My precious Max, you are the highlight of our lives. Being away from you for a week made me realize what a special child you are and how crucial you are to my days. 

Love Always, Mommy

Roman Holiday

For my mother's 60th birthday, my sisters and I wanted to give her a special gift. My mom is extremely selfless and is always making time to help others and using her resources for her family's benefit instead of her own. Traveling has been a long time desire for her, but she continued to put her children and grandchildren first. Thus, my sisters and I decided to give her a trip to Europe, allowing her to choose where she would like to visit. After much deliberation and planning she picked Italy, and Stephanie and I agreed to accompany her. My oldest sister Deanna graciously stayed home to take care of her children and to help with mine. 

We flew into Rome and the adventure began! After a death defying cab ride, we checked into our tiny boutique hotel complete with a cage elevator that was obviously designed by midgets. However, our room - and more importantly our bathroom - were spacious and comfortable. 

  

Rome is a frantic, chaotic city with thousands of twists and turns that abruptly dump you at the foot of hidden treasures. Our first point of homage was the Trevi Fountain where eight years ago I tossed a coin in and wished to return to Rome. After fulfilling my wish (and tossing 3 more coins in for this visit), we headed to the Spanish Steps to rub shoulders with native Romans and tourists alike. A huge crowd was gathered with cameras watching the window of the building next door. Rumors circled the crowd that Michael Jackson or some other celebrity was hiding upstairs. However, we were never able to determine who it was or if it was anyone at all. We rounded out our day admiring the austere simplicity of the Pantheon. Seared into my memory was the recollection that Italy's best gelato resided around the corner from the Pantheon. We located the establishment, and for once, the reality was as good as the memory! 

    

The next day we got some old time religion. "Old" as in Roman Catholicism at Vatican City, which is almost as old as you can get in Christianity. We attended the audience with Pope Benedict XVI. Although his mastery of languages was impressive and he was easier to understand, he still doesn't have the pizzazz of Pope John Paul II (whom I also saw live and in person). Strangely, there appeared to be a children's volleyball exhibition going on in St. Peter's Square at the same time. The rain held off until after the final blessing, but then the heavens opened up and soaked all the diligent pilgrims and the volleyball players.

  

  

After drying off at lunch, we took a tour of the Vatican Museum. Despite the fact that the museum stretches over four miles, I really could not remember anything about it from foreign study. Rome was the final city of our trip and I would estimate that we visited approximately 847 museums in 3 countries. This time was more enjoyable. We marveled at the magnificence of the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica, the largest church in the world. But, what impressed my mom the most? The confessional booths for speakers of various languages.

  

Our final full day was spent investigating the architectural ruins of Ancient Rome with the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, as well as the newer monuments, including riding to the top of the "wedding cake", a.k.a the Victor Emmanuel II monument. 

  

   

We then took an inadvertent walking tour of the Jewish Ghetto (we ended up there accidently and I insisted) and strolled from the Campo di Fiori to Piazza Navona. One thing I love about Europe are the vendors selling fresh fruit and flowers around every corner. They even provide a spigot to wash it off for lunch!

    

Between stuffing ourselves with pasta and gelato, we managed to see a lot of Rome.  I love the excitement and the energy of the city, the combination of ancient and modern, and the unique flavor of Italy it provides. But we were definitely ready to slow down a bit and our next stop in Florence would provide the perfect opportunity. My favorite part of Rome? The plethora of signs dedicated to my Baby King, "Max". 

  

To be continued.....