RE: MS WRITE NOW -- Celebrating Graduation With the Poetic Tribute, "I Knew You When"

I Knew You When…

A Quasi-Poetic, Narrative of Tribute to My Beauteous Graduating Daughter

Created by:  Your Mama

Written in honor of your high school graduation – June 8, 2012

I knew you when you weren’t 18, more like zero and a half.

Measured in increments of joy and months of anticipation.

I knew you even before I met you; Kelsi beautiful and bright.

Your father uttered your name and we knew it was you.

I knew you when your biggest job was to get yourself born healthy-limbed and vigorously normal.

We examined you so closely it looked like an Area 51 alien abduction reenactment.

I knew you when a can of Diet Pepsi would determine a mighty birth story or resentment.

Your father’s break from coaching duties occurred a nanosecond before the doctor yodeled, “Let’s do this thing!” (Or something like that.)

I knew you when the whole of us only became that way because of your arrival.

Your world was Mama, Daddy, Sissy, Kitty, Krissy, and Sammy; it was enough for all of us.

I knew you when your perfect little feet were adorned with toenails the size of miniature seashells.

I carried you everywhere, unable to bear encasing those exquisite toddler toes in shoes.

I knew you when you had so many boo-boos it looked like “parental supervision” should be added to your Christmas wish list.

Kelsi the Adventurer seeking answers fearlessly incurring a few bruises along the way to finding your truth.

I knew you when your best friend tagged you as her “Comfy Companion.”

That rich, solidly-grounded relationship will forever nourish you and your Sissy.

I knew you when Olympic Gold for swimming and AllStars for basketball were in your “do it or bust” future.

Through painful discovery and gracious acceptance you learned you are so much more than the titles and judgments others bestow upon you.

I will always know you, my precious daughter, and our bond distinguishes me as a life-time achieving Mama, the only award that has ever mattered to me. 

I have reveled in the fact that I’ve had you all to myself for this first phase of your gifted life.

As you go forward into adulthood I will savor my memories of your development into this exquisite creature I see before me

Delighting in the accomplished woman you are destined to be.

Now the difference is I’ll be watching you from a bit farther away; always your safe harbor, now standing on the shore.

Forever waving my metaphorical pompoms as you take the journey to always knowing yourself.

MS WRITE-NOW is the Proud Recipient of the Illuminating Blogger Award

Greetings everyone!


I am having a fabulous day that just got a little bit fabulous-er...y...the good folks over at the Food Stories blog emailed me that I was chosen as an Illuminating blogger and I couldn't be more thrilled.  


Here is a link to their blog:
http://foodstoriesblog.com/illuminating-blogger-award/


Out here in Blog Land we're never quite sure about the "who" and "what" of it, but I say anything that's a pay it forward kind of deal that doesn't sacrifice baby seals (or anything remotely like that) in the process is all right by me.


I love random acts of goodness, kindness, and awareness.  Part of this nomination is that we share one random thing about ourselves; however, in the life of a humorist that's pretty much the mission statement for this blog, wouldn't you say?

I do have something though:  Once upon a time there was a "Brat Pack" couple named Demi Moore and Emilio Estevez (who knew HE would become the lesser known of the Sheen boys?).  


In those days -- and we're talking the eighties -- power couples didn't have their names fused together (think Brangelina), but rather they were labeled by the movies/shows they starred in.  This dashing duo appeared in the edgy, cult classic, "St. Elmo's Fire."


They were madly in love and wanted to produce/star in movies together which led to Emilio writing the script for a film entitled, "Wisdom." If you're a fan of irony -- and, boy, oh, boy, am I -- this ill-fated non-star-making vehicle was a bomb of a flick with a limited release in the Sheen/Moore basement I do believe.  Ergo:  Maybe not so much wisdom in producing this one.  (I personally believe this movie led to their break-up; however, my assertion is based in everything except facts.)


What's my random thing?  I was a stand-in for Demi Moore in this movie. In fact, at the time we resembled each other so much that Emilio began walking toward me at one point, no doubt thinking I was his beloved.  (Either that or my magnetic personality was really drawing him in and he was repeating over and over, "Demi-Schmemmy, must meet new, unknown, acid-jean-wearing stand-in with awesomely permed hair.")  I don't know.  You decide.


What I do know is that he would absolutely remember this moment as I do, probably even better than me, etched as it would be in his mind.  Granted, it could be that he was thinking of asking everyone on set to make a donation, so he could finish filming the super-duper expensive crash scenes it took days to stage.  Let me have my pink-hued version:  He saw me in a Touched-by-an-Angel light and knew in an instant I was already married and he couldn't have me; his one true, love.  [Insert sigh.]


My new best friend at Food Stories has also asked us nominees to nominate five bloggers we enjoy reading for the illuminating, informative posts they share with us.  It was almost tough for me to narrow this down, but I did that too.  I may need a nap now, there has been so much going on at the "home office."


Enjoy reading these!  I know you will!


Yoga Today

http://blog.yogatoday.com/

This is an unbelievable gem of a find boasting over 400 on-line yoga classes that you can access from the comfort, convenience, and privacy of your own home – on your schedule!  This yogis are inspiring in both their yoga practice and as human beings.  I always feel like a better person just looking at this site let alone accessing taking the classes offered. 

Cindie Wilding, Certified Life-Cycle Celebrant

http://cindiewilding.typepad.com/my-blog/

She puts it best, “Bringing Ritual and Ceremony to Every Day.”  She’s just so gosh darned positive, uplifting, and classy that her blog has become the ritual and ceremony in my day.  

Feisty Cat

http://feisty-cat.blogspot.com/

Feisty and so much more!  Feisty Cat’s prose purrs along, delivering thought-provoking, amusing, well-worth-your-time content.

Studio 30 Plus

http://studio30plus.com

Diverse, mature (not in a bad way), and refreshingly positive, this blog creates a rich community in and of itself, but it also supplies excellent outreach as part of its mission.

Work it, Mom!

http://www.workitmom.com/

Support that begins with a “W,” that’s “Work it, Mom!”  This blog is packed with all sorts of goodies for the time-poor, idea-rich mama.