Wednesday, July 18, 2007

My Ode







July 18th dropped by today, had some coffee, and is about to leave as quickly as it came. The entire summer has been like this. I remember thinking as crazy June neared its end "man, I can't wait for July, lots of time for reading good books, enjoying nature, camping, relaxing." Hasn't happened. Instead we've attended funerals, entertained parents/inlaws and started a paper route that gets us up at 440am during the week and 6am on weekends. On top of that, we've endured scorching temperatures which makes us want to stay inside our non air conditioned house which yeh, you can guess how much better that is. That being said, I had a good friend tell me the other day that sometimes I sound like a grouchy old man so let me change gears.

I wanted to do this 2 days ago but I was ill so today will have to do. Alexa turned five two days back. Five. The disconcerting thing about that is, its just not possible. There's no way that my youngest has now passed the toddler threshold. How old's your youngest John? Five. Yeesh. If my youngest is five, that makes my oldest. . .9. July 31. Not only that but on that same day my wife slides into her thirties. I can't believe I have a wife in her thirties. 31 is very different then 30 you know. 30 you're still flirting with the twenties but once you're 31 you've passed the point of no return. You free falling towards 4o. Flying more like it. And if my wife is flying towards 40 so am I. 6 days later. August 5. So here we are, flying towards 40 in a non air conditioned house. Crap, still stuck in grouchy gear. Ok, shifting gears. For real.

Alexa just turned 5 years young, man that's young, she might as well be 2. Man I feel young. Angie claims she's daddie's little girl, translation: she's spoiled. I don't know, maybe a bit, but I like to think I spank her just as hard and often as the others. Still, my youngest did just say sianarra to her toddler years so as her father I think its my responsibility to give her - her due props. So here's my Alexa Ode. Note: Unlike most Christian music, this ode won't rhyme and chances are I won't repeat the same line 17 times.

Alexa. She's the besta.

Just kidding.

An Ode to Alexa Cate

Alexa Cate. Did you know I chose your name? Sure did. Your mom didn't like it but I always knew it had to be yours. She finally agreed when she heard it with Cate. If fact, she said they sounded beautiful together. Beautiful.

Like your eyes. Oceans of blue. Your freckles. Divine marks.. Your laugh. The perfect note. Your tummy, ha ha, did you know you used to have a pot? You ate like a bird but you had a beer gut. The gut's gone now, which is good cuz I don't imagine you'd find that joke funny if you were 14. Although you might have, you've always danced to your own beat.

Like the time we were eating at The House of Thai. As we finished our meal we looked up and found you standing with your eyes closed, arms extended in the air and your entire body swaying to the music of Asian culture. You were so entranced by the music and dance you didn't bother to notice your brother and sister's pointed laughs and your parent's desperation not to do the same. That was the first time I knew you'd always be yourself.

I guess that's what I love most. You have always been ok with being yourself. Even if that self wears the oddest combination of clothes, dances in the strangest of places, laughs at the most unsual things and loves a cat more than any human should.

You are a free spirit living each day as it was meant to be lived - Reckless joy.

Reckless joy. Much better than Grouchy old man.

I love you Zesa.

Daddy

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

hmm, I dont really know the grouchy old man side of you I guess. I think it would just make me laugh. But seriously, I liked reading this - a lot.

Davis Family said...

I hope it was Alexa you were referring to spanking and not Angie - cause frankly I just don't want to know about that!

Anonymous said...

thanks for the comment - and i know what you mean, although im curious about the unlocked truths of yours. im glad you were around when i was a teenager...

Brian said...

so sweet

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