After seeing snowflakes on Monday I hesitate to say that spring is in the air. But, I think it might be. The mulch crews are out in full force, and the dogwoods and tulips are in bloom. As the afternoons warm up and everyone regains a spring in their step, the only downside to the glories of the season are the allergens that accompany it.
The Spouse and the girls battle seasonal drainage and watery eyes, but my aversion is actually less to real trees and fresh flowers and more to artificial fragrance. It’s not that I mind the scent as much as it gives me a headache. Since our use of cosmetics tends to be liberal, we have a rule that no one is to douse themselves in floral perfumes or body spray in or before we get in the car.
Last week, though, someone {who will remain nameless} was feeling especially springy and forgot this rule. I walked downstairs into a sea of fragrance so strong that our kitchen could have been mistaken for Bath and Body Works itself. As we were tossing backpacks into the car to head to school I noticed one passenger was missing. I asked the other two, “Where’s your sister?” And, their response: “Oh, she’s outside trying to air herself out.”
You know you’ve used too much of a good thing when you have to be aired out before leaving the house.
The whole morning reminded me of the time we were at Orivs and one of the girls mistook a Frasier fir room mist for perfume. Our van and thus, our whole family, smelled like a Christmas tree for the rest of the day. I suppose there could be worse things to spray on yourself, but as a general rule I wouldn’t recommend air freshener.
Speaking of cosmetics and self-care…
The other night I heard this from upstairs:
The Kindergartener: I fleeced my teeth!
Me: You did what?
The Kindergartener: I used that string on them! I fleeced them!
The dentist would be so proud. And if a tooth can become teeth, I guess it only makes sense that floss can become fleece.
On an unrelated and more serious note…
I feel like we are losing a piece of American history each time we lose a member of my grandparents’ generation. I’m reminded of that again this week with the passing of Barbara Bush. Sometimes it seems we underestimate the impact the First Ladies of our lifetime have on our worldview and our patriotism. Truly, they are the closest representation of royalty we have in this country.
Politics aside, I’ve long been a fan of Barbara Bush as both a First Lady and as a matriarch of her family. Last year at this time the 5th Grader had the honor of doing an oral presentation on her. Of course that meant sporting a white wig and her signature strand of pearls.
But it also meant learning more about Barbara Bush’s life before and after the White House. To say she lived a remarkable story is an understatement. Her marriage of seventy-two years is impressive on its own. I think I’m most awed, though, by the way her family speaks of her profoundly personal influence on each of them. If you Google her name a collection of quotes will come up about faith and family. And, apparently, she lived what she preached in these arenas. A few years ago when asked about what matters she said:
“When all the dust has settled and all the crowds are gone, the things that matter are faith, family, and friends…”
I think she must have lived like she believed that, paying careful attention to the people in her personal sphere of influence even while navigating a very public life. I also admired her wit and wisdom on less serious matters when she said things like:
“People who worry about their hair all the time, frankly, are boring.”
I’m glad she was never boring. And, I’m thankful for what she did for literacy in this country and the many ways she verbally validated the importance of what happens not only in the White House, but much more so in our homes. May she rest in peace as she is reunited with her Robin. And, may we keep her legacy alive as we teach our kids about one of the finest First Ladies of our lifetime.
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