Waiting Game

The Mom in Waiting

I decided to spare your sensibilities yesterday by refusing to write on Frail Deeds. It had nothing to do with the anticipated funk over the Patriots losing in the Super Bowl, although that might have had something to do with it. The entire family is on pins and needles waiting for the call from eastern New Hampshire that the ABFA is headed towards the delivery room. We are all very excited about the arrival of the BRS and while the first 8.9 months seemed to fly by (for everyone except the ABFA) this week is crawling. The designated delivery date is Sunday but I’ve never ascribed to the accuracy of that prediction which seems more like soothsaying than science.

Imminent Super Parents to Be

We spoke with the parents-to-be on Monday night and their entire household, with the notable exception of Riggins, seemed primed for the event. My Favorite Son, displaying his usual heart of pristine gold, baked cookies and brownies for the ABFA to consume over the final week. It’s how he rolls. The weather looks clear with the dynamic exception of today where a really nasty winter storm blows into the region. Luckily the hospital is just a couple miles down the road from their house. I’m so excited for these two to become parents with the added benefit of my own acquisition of another grandchild. Grandparenting is the absolute best!

The FBR Gamely Fighting her Cold in a Steam Bath

Moving on to grandchildren that have already arrived on the scene we finally connected with the FBR last night and found her fighting a tough cold. She’s not one to let anything like that slow her down although she was climbing all over her mother who was playing the refuge center. After a brief rest she told her mother that she couldn’t finish dinner because she had to go bounce on her trampoline. I was rummaging around the kitchen about fifteen minutes after our call when the IPad rang again and I found myself looking at the FBR. I could hear Wingman in the background explaining she had seized control of their IPad and decided to call us back. You can imagine the pride I took in that decision but these feelings were dashed when she got up and walked away, refusing to talk. She was more interested in the act of calling then actually conversing. It still felt sneaky cool.

My Wife Was Very Excited to Receive a Bouquet of Thank You Flowers
From the ABFA and Favorite Son 

Speaking of cool, I tried to throw my hat into the home decorating ring yesterday with predictable results. My wife has decided to put something new over the fireplace in the living room. In a move that took immense courage on my part I suggested we put the huge framed keepsake of flags I was presented when I left battalion command. Nearly every former military member has what is called an “I love me wall” where all the many mementoes handed out at the end of various assignments are hung. Over the years my wall has migrated from center stage to mostly the basement and any office I occupy.

I Thought This Would Look Great in the Living Room
Which is Why These Decisions are not Left up to Me

This particular memento features a replica of the battalion colors surrounded by the flags from each of the subordinate companies along with a small plaque thanking me for my service as commander. It’s hung in a place of honor in every office I’ve occupied since I received it. Unsurprisingly I received a look of utter scorn from the decorator in chief which only spurred me to a long soliloquy on the historical significance in family history of the artifact (both of my children are rolling their eyes while reading that having suffered through similar speeches throughout their life). In truth I was having a lot of fun as my wife started to take me half seriously and her indignation rose concomitantly. I have a more realistic chance of winning an Olympic gold medal over the next couple weeks than convincing her to follow my decorating advice. It was great to finally have a date for date night last night. We took in The Shape of Water which I’d already seen but truly enjoyed the second time through but that could have been because of the company I was keeping.