I have sat here for almost 3 hours trying to come up with a post for you. Something exceedingly witty. Something intensely introspective. I have polled the audience around me. We have bounced ideas, we’ve discussed and I’ve heard their opinions on anything and everything. The silly. The witty. The deep. So I am going to let you “hear” what we came up with.

There was mention of a coffee shortage. I don’t know whether this is accurate or not because I refuse to google it on the grounds (*snort* – grounds…coffee…tell me that you got that?!?) that if it is true, it’s devastating at best. It was suggested that I could write wittingly about it; in which I responded that I could not. I would cry, wail, gnash my teeth and cover myself with ashes. We came up with the solution to transform our Florida Room into a greenhouse for coffee plants. Just have to figure out how to make room for Juan Valdez and his donkey to assure the best tasting beans.

In wondering about the donkey poop in the house, it led to talking about our dogs and children. You see, in addition to the 8 children within our blended family; there are also 3 dogs. None of which are over 6 months old. It should also be noted that 62.5% (Thank you to the math whiz for helping me figure out the exact percentage) of the 8 children involved are 6 and under. When it comes to children and dogs; the conversation always turns to poop or poopy-heads or farts….I digress. We watched Marley & Me last night. In watching that and the chaos that Marley could do in the house; I felt like I could relate very much. At any given point there is a tug of war going on, something just got broken, someone (hopefully a dog, but that’s not always the rule) is drinking from the toilet, there is screaming, barking, pooping, there is never any hot water, ripped bits of paper still defying gravity by flying in the air and someone rocking in the corner sucking their thumb praying for serenity (Yes, that’s mostly me) We also discussed the moral of the movie. Don’t poop in the ocean…OK…that’s not really the moral, but good sound advice. More actually about being happy with the unplanned events of your life than the planned bits or the parts you are always trying to reach for. Such as this blended family thing we are starting. Not in MY plan. His side? 5 boys and they were blended to start with. My side? 3 girls. We are a blended blended family. Its unplanned perfection at its best.

Then a deep conversation about that tears actually symbolize intense joy. In order to feel the pain that brings the tears, there is a moment of realizing the happiness that you had that is gone. Perhaps its the loss of something, someone or a dream. Regardless, the tears are acknowledging the happiness that was.

Then we turned around and talked about poop again as our collie snatched a roll of toilet paper from the bathroom and came streaking towards us with his prize. We decided that Laddie (unlike his famous family member Lassie) had no interest in saving Timmy from a well, but rather just wanted to wipe.

About that time there was an all-out war over a piece of bread that was dropped. As the dogs went primal it was like watching National Geographic when a zebra is taken down by a pride of lions. One dog did not get involved in the vicious re-enactment and I had to stop what I was doing to carry her a piece of bread. I found the Cleopatra wanna-be lounging very regally in the center of the couch. She accepted her bread and wagged her tail in dismissal of my offering. It was one of those moments when I noted how big she had gotten and is still growing. It brought me back to this unplanned perfection we got going on. A year ago I didn’t have her. A year ago we were a small broken family. A year ago there was no Christmas cheer. A year ago I gave up making plans. This year we have dogs running and frolicking all over the place, more stockings hanging over the fireplace than is probably allowed by the Fire Marshall and we have plans.

I’ve come to love these moments when those around me lovingly support my need to write by providing conversation with me. It’s those moments that I get to listen to what they think is important, what they think is funny and I get to step in their shoes for a moment and listen. Often I never sit down and actually write their ideas, but they inspire me by teaching me a lesson we often forget. How to ask “what do you think?” and really listening. Asking them to expound on something and loving sharing a memory or a theory with them.

I urge you today to sit around with your family and friends and ask them “what do you think?” and then sit back and really listen. It’s amazing what conversations will come up.

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