What Do You Wait For?
My son hates summer vacation. It's the most boring time of his life. You think Harry Potter dreams of going back to school? My kid lays there, like veal, dreaming and hoping and impatiently waiting for school to begin. And sure, he likes the interaction and the stimulation and the fun of seeing his friends every day, but that's not why he dreams of the first day of school.
It's because he lives in kid time. And in kid time, the first day of school is very quickly followed by Halloween (Score!!).
Which is then immediately followed by Thanksgiving (SuperScore!!)
Once that happens, Good God, it's Christmas (DINGDINGDINGDINGDING!!!).
It's the holy kid trifecta of wonderment.
Every day since the first day of school, he comes home and asks me if it's Halloween or not. He has his costume all picked out. He's ready to go. Move it along already.
It's gonna be a long Fall.
Me, I've eagerly awaited the release of my new book, which conveniently is today (WHEEEE!) and while I was listening to the boy tell me exactly what kind of candy he's going to be getting (snort, yeah, sure, hon), I realized, release days are a lot like holidays and birthdays. You wake up on that day and expect the world to be totally different. Taller. Smarter. Immune to calories. Something magical this way comes. And there's always a little bit of disappointment to be had when the day ends and fireworks don't happen to stamp the day as special. (Maybe that's why I like the Fourth of July and New Years so much.)
But unlike when I was ten and I was not magically transformed, my son is going to be freakin' psyched when Halloween finally rolls around. He's going to be put on his costume and he's gonna get candy and then it's going to be Thanksgiving, just like he plans. Cause my son has doesn't notice when a day isn't as bright and shiny as he hoped. When there's no marker to which he can prove to himself that this day was worth waiting for, even if it's just Monday. And there's something really great to be learned from that.
So, taking a page from Sam's post yesterday, I'm working on my optimism. Today, I'm waking up freakin' psyched. I'm even gonna buy some candy. I'm making today my day, because I've waited all year for it. And I fully plan to be taller and smarter and faster and you know what, I'm TOTALLY gonna be immune to calories. I'm thinking on the bright side. I'm use countless exclamation points and I'm going to make some Halloween cookies, just for the boy. (Well, all right, for me too, but don't tell him!)
What day are YOU looking forward to this year? Will you wait to see what the day brings or will you do something to make the day special?
It probably doesn't help
that the stores are selling Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas or in Canada Thanksgiving, Halloween, and Christmas. I couldn't believe the displays for all three of them in the dollar store today.
I look forward to Boxing Day when my husband and I join my sister and her family to celebrate Christmas one day late. My sister has 5 kids and nine grandkids so it's a roaring, in more ways than one, good time. We have been going there for probably 15 years or more. My sister started the boxing day celebration when her mother in law was in a nursing home and the family spent Christmas day with her. Later as her children started to marry rather than cause conflict with her kids spouses families she decided to keep up the boxing day get together. The kids range in age from 13 to baby so there is lots of excitment planned for this year.
Kaelee
LOL, I was so thrilled that the store had the halloween cookies my son likes so much, actually. It helps stave off the questions, lol. I haven't seen Christmas stuff yet. (But I know I will, lol)
I love those kinds of family traditions. Both hubby and I have divorced parents and the siblings are all over the place. It's harder and harder to have family get togethers, so yours sounds absolutely lovely!
My brain is mush!
What day I'm looking forward to? Any day when I'm relatively caught up with laundry, there's time to read, and I can hug the kids :)
BTW, have you read the JQ epis yet? I know you just got them, but I'm not sure I'd be able to wait! I'm dying to know what you think :)
Actually...
I've read three of them! LOL! I really enjoyed them. There were complaints by some folks, but I really, truly enjoyed them. (Esp "When He Was Wicked". That one was great. (I get to read when I nurse, so this worked really well, lol!)
Ooh...
OK, I'll all over it--gotta go get them now! (If I can figure out to pay and get them downloaded and all that! Sometimes the most straightforward computer things just confound me!) Thanks for the rec! (And I loved that about nursing--this lovely sit-down, cuddle, read time! But I don't miss it enough to have another ;))
Yowsa
Talk about infectious enthusiasm! ;) Congrats on the new release! I can't wait to read it.
I like Halloween and Thanksgiving, too, though I could do without Christmas, but I personally think summer is like a 3 month long gift, so that's okay. ;)
Yay for your boy, but the wonder of childhood no doubt also has to do with the fact that at that point, they are not the ones who have to make the costumes or cook the dinners (ah, my inner pessimist comes forth again), but even those things are fun, too (inner optimist smiles smugly...)
Honestly the day I am most looking forward to is the day I get a call from my agent telling me my mystery novel is sold for big bucks and that several publishers are arguing over it *G*. I would bring down the house on that day. The only day that could be better than that would be the day the novel sells to a movie or the series sells to a TV show and I have to go help with the casting... *G* Hey, it could happen, right?
More solidly, I'm looking forward to this weekend, and plan to do some fun things to make it a little special.
But your post reminded me to stop worrying about things that I'm chewing on and enjoy today, too. It's sunny and I have time to write and some new things afoot, and should be determined to enjoy it, not nitpick it all to death with "what ifs..."
Great post, Dee. My only question is what costume are you wearing for release day? If my mystery sells, I may go out and rent a Wonder Woman costume, no matter what day it is. ;)
Sam
Oooh, what costume...
That's a good question! You know what, let's go for the gold. I'm going to be Sexy, hipster Mom. (I'm walking to the UPS store today, so hey, maybe I'll get a discount!)
Yay on the optimism. We could be happy scrappy hero pups one of these days!
Dee
LOL
"My kid lays there, like veal," what a great line!!
Day I'm looking forward to? Well, not today, that's for sure. I'm headed back to the dentist. The crown they made for me didn't fit right so I have to start the process all over again. *sigh*
Not my birthday next month because I've scheduled both my yearly gyn exam and mammogram for that day.
Okay, I see I'm not getting into the spirit of this.
Let me try again: I'm looking forward to October 1st. That's when the new, improved crown will be put in place. And that means I can chew gum again!
I like chewing gum while I'm at the gym and I haven't been able to do that for over a month now.
So it's not that far away. October 1st. Circle it on your calendars!
ani
Ack!
Well, I'll hold the faith for you til the 1st. I have one crown that bonded slightly out of place. Actually, that whole tooth was a total pooch screw. It's been loose for years but I have to wait for it to break off to get it fixed. It's hurt for years, so really, that waiting til the first is way better than a dentist trying to shove it on anyway. :)
Big hugs. But, I gotta ask...why the hell would you schedule a swab and squeeze on your birthday? Dude, that's just not nice to yourself! :)
Dee
Swab and Squeeze
LOLOL
That was the only date I could get in. I had different dates for each, and both docs called and said they had to rearrange and that was the date they both gave me. The strange thing was, I got the calls on different days.
When my gyn's office called it didn't even hit me at first that it was my birthday. When my mammogram place called I thought, Oh sure, why not. The day's busted anyway!
I may still get a birthday lunch out of it though. I hope.
What am I waiting for?
Well, first off for this move to be done! Sometimes I think the "We're transferring you. You have two weeks to be packed up and gone." is easier than deciding to take your time with a major cross country move. Now I know!
Second, I'm waiting for Xmas. NOT because Xmas is my favorite holiday or anything (I prefer Halloween!), but because our newest family member is due to make an arrival on Xmas! This may be the only year ever that the shopping days til Xmas countdown really means something to me. :-)
Contgrats on the book release, Dee!
Cathy
Hey Dee--Congrats on release
Hey Dee--Congrats on release day! Those are always calorie free days, so indulge.
I'm looking forward to many days--the release of my book next month, getting the next book sent off at the end of next month, my trip to San Francisco in the middle of next month. I'm really looking forward to next month, lol.
I used to be just like your son. As soon as school started, I started the countdown to Halloween. Then Thanksgiving. Then Christmas. I know exactly what he's feeling--total impatience and happiness that it's close enough to the event to be impatient.
Jeannie
Congrats on your new
Congrats on your new release!
Most of the stores in my area have Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas merchandise on the shelves already.
I can't help wishing for the good ole days, where one holiday was over before the goodies for the next were displayed.