My kids are allowed to ask for ONE thing from Santa and one back up thing, just in case the elves at the shop aren't able to make enough of the first toy in time for Christmas.
A couple of Christmases ago my son asked for a Ben 10 watch.
He had watched the commercials over and over again. (What!? Don't judge that the TV was his babysitter…don't you DARE judge ;)
When I finally went to the store to see what was so cool about this watch, since it was the one thing he wanted above all else, I stood there dumbfounded. It wasn't much. It cost all of $9.95 + tax (the price was the only positive point) and made of plastic. Basically you could look in this hole and it would pop up different monsters as you moved the dial.
It was a dumb toy.
I tried and tried to get him to want something else from Santa.
But the little 6 year old was determined that the "Ben 10" watch was THE toy.
So come Christmas morning he got his wish. Only that the day was a disappointment for him. See the expectation of this watch was that it would transform him into an alien. That's right, you heard me correctly, he would put this watch on and "abra cadabra" he would be an alien and fight other evil aliens just like the "Ben 10" show. It broke my Mommy heart to see the fall of his Christmas Morning face of joy to one of disappointment and disgust.
Him: Tosses the toy aside.
Me: "What's wrong? Is that not the right watch? Did Santa get it wrong?"
Him: "No, but it doesn't DO anything. Ben 10's watch turns him into aliens".
Me: "Oh! Well... you can see pictures of aliens!!! Isn't that cool?"
Him: Looks at me like I'm insane, "MOM! That's DUMB!" Sigh of a 6 year old's disappointment and frustration.
Yet, each year he still keeps up hope that the new toy he wants will fulfill his childhood fantasy!!!
I found out this week that I'm no different then a six year old boy who expected a watch to transform him into aliens.
A conversation between MSM and I (The following conversation may or may not be verbatim or what I choose to hear and choose to make up in my mind… just sayin…)
Me: "So when do you think we will move into a house after you graduate? I have ideas and stuff I already am thinking of--like, stuff we need and stuff I want, and dividing them into a list of importance--the wants sometimes coming before the needs and I just can't get to far with that list until I know what size our HUGE mansion is going to be or are we going to decide on a BIG piece of land and a moderate size house... and who will clean this house and stuff like that…" (You know because we deserve all of this right off)
MSM: sighs and looks at me bored, "I need to find a job first Shelle".
Me: "WHAT!? You mean you don't graduate and just get a job!?"
MSM: "Funny--but no I didn't plan on looking for a job until after I graduate."
ME: "But…But… I told myself I was done as soon as you graduated. Done with working full-time, done with the crazy life, done living in a basement… done done done!!!"
MSM: "Well--as much as I would love to accommodate your expectations (and fantasy world--I heard him say that in his mind) it's just not going to happen. I first need to concentrate on my Senior project and my finals so that I CAN graduate before I can think about anything else. You do want me to graduate right?"
ME: "But…But…" as I phase out and drool begins, my expectations shattered with every breath and word that comes out of my other halfs mouth.
The hole at the end of this proverbial tunnel just got a little further away. In my mind, "graduation" was the end of that tunnel, but my husband forced me to realize that the "end of the tunnel" is just a mirage in a desert. It's as if he is singing to me, "First comes Graduation, then comes job search, then comes the entry level position and the fight to move up!" I think that is how that song goes?
My Christmas morning over joyed face… had fallen. And it wasn't pretty, it had wrinkles and freckles, and a KILLER ugly scab from the KILLER ugly cold sore I had.
Yet… yet… this week.
I can't find myself to give up hope or to be unhappy for long because, my HUBS is graduating and we can begin our life again… no longer feeling like we are frozen in time while everyone moves ahead of us at a quick pace. Not that I ever move at a quick pace (just ask my husband) but we WILL be moving (in life), at our own lazy pace, but moving nonetheless. How cool is that!?
Now I just need to decide if I want the Mansion or lots of land with a moderately sized house on it… tough decision.
