we all play our own role in the family

Our own little planet

Tonight was fun in a warped little way. Our family, as all are, is unique in our sense of sport with each other. A family's dynamic is a crazy little microcosm and each person within this micro universe plays their own role. If we were all the same -- all super organized and awesome at everything how could we possibly set up bars for achieving more? We need to represent all the possibilities in life . . . not everyone is amazing with money or cooking or making beds. Regardless, as far as an example of a family, we would probably lean more to the freak side than normal if there was a spectrum that lined up possibilities -- like a pain scale in a doctor's off. The really grumpy pissed off face that looks like terrible pain and the deliriously happy face that suggests what I can only guess is "a good place" but makes me suspicious of a lot of meds or severe dementia is my guide.

Tonight's game was credit card fraud. A little tiny email that opened up a box of questions, dirty looks, tisking, and yes, shaming. We were all called down to the the speaker phone conversation with the credit card representative as she listed off purchases, so many ripples began on our tiny ocean, turning into major swells that would allow anyone skilled enough to surf those bad ass waves for hours. Essentially we all got called down (called out) for the infamous green card purchases. None of us were spared, except probably Ella, who is by far the most fiscally responsible human being I've ever met. It was a bit of a guessing game at times . . . vague names for not entirely specific purchases that were sometimes (a lot of times) spontaneously made -- thank God time stamps weren't attached because C and I would have been completely sunk. Uh . . . this one was made at 2:09 a.m. -- C and I look at each other, fear in our eyes. My favorite part was getting to A's purchases. He is amazingly astute in managing our finances. I cannot fault him for any indulgences because he works really hard. I do too but this is where being a stay at home person doesn't get its full recognition -- whatever -- raising three teenage girls and a husband is not at all easy.

A passion, a hobby, a lifestyle . . . that adds up. It's okay, as I said, work hard, play hard. But for all the ribbing I get about my freestyle spending in Walgreens, CVS's, and Rite Aids, A does a good hit when it comes to the things that he loves. Lets put it this way -- he is now expensively outfitted for the potential rainy golf day. It would seem pretty normal if we lived in Ireland or Scotland. However, a huge chunk of Christmas purchases for him was on really really nice rain gear because he had suffered through a recent wet outing this past season. Golf and tennis are both sports that don't really happen when conditions are too severe, so when the credit card lady read out his purchases, a tiny smile spread across my face. Until that moment I was sitting on the time out couch, but this little bitty moment was my get out of jail free card. I could hold my head up and walk away since we all were mired and humbled a bit.