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Category Archives: Family
The Tale of the Badger Ring
(By Kevin)
When my friend and coworker of about eight years, Scott, was a teenager, his dad was a Baptist minister and missionary to the Seminole Indians in Hollywood, Florida.
The Seminoles respected him so much that they gave him a ring they had made for him, and a couple of years ago, Scott gave the ring to me.
Silver with turquoise and jadeite stones, the ring is engraved with a badger claw on either side.
At first, I thought they were bear claws, but when I pulled the ring out of my drawer back in January, I started doing a little more research and realized the paws are much longer than a bear’s. Definitely badger.
According to Native American tradition, badgers represent passion, courage, leadership, health and strength.
Scott didn’t know why the Seminoles chose to make this particular ring for his father. Since much like Catholics, Native Americans see meaning in everything they do, though, it seems likely that it was because his father represented the qualities they saw in the badger.
Looking into the ring’s significance also spurred me to ask my grandmother about my own Native American ancestry. She told me that Loudema Shelton, my grandfather’s grandmother, was a full-blooded Cherokee.
That same day, Lucas, Atticus and I spent the afternoon running through the woods around my grandmother’s house, the woods I grew up in.
I told them about the ring and the badger, and we gave each other Indian names. I knelt down and let the creek water flow over the badger ring. That creek is like a part of my soul.
That day was the last time I saw my grandmother before she went to the hospital, where I lost her forever. ๐
Later, I researched the possibility of living on the Cherokee reservation and found out that, since I’m 1/16 Cherokee, I would be eligible for it with further documentation.
There’s a part of me that would love to immerse my family in that culture because of its symbolism and spirituality, much like the Truth, the Catholic Church.
Apples?
Well, I don’t see any apples. I see some kind of evil-eyed guy with a helmet…
Two Generations and a Lawnmower*
One really cool thing about hanging out with Grandpa.
(“Except the bumps,” Atticus says.)
*Title by Mr. Hawke ;P
My Little Helper :)
By Atticus, who came to help me get ready for my sub yesterday morning. ๐
One thing about being a teacher is that a day off is almost never a day completely off. Plans and copies must be made; classroom desks must be organized; agendas on the board must be written.
So while I took care of all that I need to, Attie amused himself with the markers and board. Love it!
Praying, Hoping, Loving
photo credit: rolandojones
This morning, we were sitting in the van at the bus stop, right on the side of Highway 29.
It was about 7:15, and since we had a little time before the big yellow bus would be stopping to pick up Lucas on its way to school, we were checking out the little black birds and robins hopping around in the grass.
And then we spotted a little rabbit, in between two telephone poles, and way too close to the road for comfort.
“Don’t go to the road, little rabbit!” we all said aloud, though the rabbit was far away and oblivious to his audience.
But with each little meandering hop, the little bunny got closer and closer to the cars, trucks, buses, vans whizzing by … sure destruction!
I could see the splat in my mind. I certainly didn’t want to witness it with my boys!
Lucas decided we should all pray.
“In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti.” Lucas, Atticus, and I — good Catholics — made the sign of the cross on our chests: “Amen.”
As I thought to begin a prayer for our new hopping friend, Lucas started one of his own:
“Dear God, please protect the little bunny rabbit and don’t let him get hurt on the road. Amen.”
So precious! My heart is full of joy, peace, and love just writing it. (And missing, as well, since today is the day we have to let him go for a week…)
And such that I am, I couldn’t let the life-lesson opportunity pass.
“Sometimes, you guys are like that little rabbit,” I began (probably with my teacherly tone, though I’m not sure I would recognize it myself), “on the edge of getting hurt or getting in trouble. And we try to do everything we can to keep you away from it.
“Sometimes, we have to go right up to you and pull you away, especially if it’s really dangerous, like walking in a parking lot or not getting lost in a store.
“And other times, if it’s not life-or-death, we stay back a little — praying, hoping, loving — to let you learn how to stay out of trouble on your own. Because eventually, there will be times when we just can’t get that close, like when you’re in school, Lucas. Or when you’re at Susie’s, Attie.
“We can’t be right there beside you guys all the time, and you need to be able to figure out where the road is for yourself.”
By the time my little lecture was over, the bunny had hopped into the taller grasses at the far end of the yard, out of danger for the time-being, at least.
We cheered.
Then, the bus came and went, my little one inside, going down that big highway, and Attie and I drove on into our day, me praying, hoping, and loving.
Mother’s Day Art
This is one of the few reasons I wish I taught elementary grades: all the cute-as-can-be collectible art. This piece was in Lucas’ bookbag when he came home today. So cute!
And here’s the back… A Mario Brothers special Bowser’s Flower picture! Check out Mario with the purplish-red hat and Luigi with the green one. ๐
Happy Mother’s Day to all of you moms out there! And special prayers this weekend for all the mothers who have lost their babies of all ages…
A Trip to the Doctor
Even after four shots and a finger prick-and-squeeze, Atticus still had it in him to hug Mrs. Charlotte. Then, at least. Later this evening, when I mentioned that he really liked her, he said, “Yeah, but I don’t like her shots!”
Today was the day for his school physical because he’s eligible for kindergarten this fall.
I still can hardly believe my “baby” is heading to school soon. It seems like just yesterday that we were cradling him, changing him, and feeding him bottles. The older you get, the faster time seems to fly.
By the way, Charlotte Williams is pediatric nurse practitioner at Piedmont Primecare next to the mall in Danville, and she is AWESOME!
She spent so much time with Attie! She listened to him sing two songs (the “Our Father” and the Latin “Ave Maria”) and was so impressed that she wanted him to sing for the other doctors and nurses afterward. She was so sweet and kind and really made our whole visit much less painful — as always. She is highly recommended!
The Easter Dye
The dyeing step of the Easter egg process is much more fun for everyone (but more so especially those of us who don’t have to clean up afterward).
We used a water, vinegar, and food dye mixture. It didn’t make for as vivid eggs as we’re used to, maybe, and they’re a bit splotchy, but it was more like “cooking.”
The kids loved stirring up the dye liquid and pouring it over the eggs. They liked mixing up the colors a little, too.
Thank goodness I put down the old cloth. We survived with relatively few dyed areas, furniture, skin, or otherwise. ๐
The Easter Boil
The Easter Egg is a process.
Today, we boil; tomorrow, we dye.
This feels like it’s going somewhere poem-like with some word play on the boiling and dyeing, a big metaphor for life or something. So I’ll stop here and spare us all…
~*~
What I wish I could’ve posted tonight is a picture of Lucas and Atticus holding their little candles at the Easter Vigil Mass.
You know how the forecast will give you two temperatures for any given time? One is the real temperature, and the other is the windchill temperature — the way it really feels? Well, with little kids up after their normal bedtime, the two hours we spent there felt like at least four. ๐
And one fake candle shattered its glass bulb on the tile floor, and Kevin had to search for the shards with the other candle in the darkened church.
Still, it was a beautiful service with beautiful music (although we wish there would’ve been more Latin, like last year!) and a good number of new people joining.