Happy Birthday, Happy Honeymooning, Happy Hodgepodge

Happy birthday to my older  sister today. 

Happy birthday to our nation tomorrow. 

Happy birthday to my dear friend Bonnie the day after tomorrow. 

Happy birthday to anyone in the Hodgepodge Lodge today. If you're among them, please let me know! I will personally come wish you--via blog comment, of course!--the best on your big day. 

1. What's one simple small pleasure on your summer 'to-do' list? 

Hold my new niece, on or about August 10th, when she is due.

Although the baby will be small (as all babies are in comparison to, well, larger human beings), the pleasure will be great. And while the baby is small and the pleasure great, a baby is not simple, but rather very complex.  Ah, the mystery and wonder and beauty of God's handiwork once again.

2. Do you have strong feelings or opinions regarding the immigration debate in your home country? Feel free to share your thoughts, but please play nice.

Yes, I sure do have strong feelings, not so much on the debate as on the whole issue of immigration. I have no problem with legal immigration.  After all, what American (besides Native Americans) would be here had it not been for someone in their lineage doing the immigration thing? But by all means, I say if you're born on the other side of the hoop and you want to enjoy all the privileges of living on this side of the hoop, then you gotta jump through the Immigration Hoop.

Is it easy? Why, no, of course not. Most things worth having aren't easy.

My "beef" is with illegals who live and work here tax-free.  It's with illegals getting a free college education while our kids have not had a single break financially to earn their degrees. It's with the culture putting Spanish on every sign, in every phone message, on every package , making English hard to find for the rest of us. I wouldn't move to Italy expecting not to learn Italian or abide by her laws or pay her taxes. I think the root of what I despise, is this feeling of entitlement that comes with being an American. That feeling that says, "In America I can do whatever I darn well please, and everyone should cater to me, no matter what paperwork I have or don't have to prove I belong here."

Grrr.

3.  What's something in your home or wardrobe that could be described as 'star spangled'?

Beside the obvious flag on the porch, which I fly nearly every sunny day? Um, let's see, I have a child's painting of " A Starry Night" by Van Gogh.  I also have some vintage bicentennial fabric in my stash that's begging to be transformed into something adorable.

4.  Is your house set up for a party?

As in , this very moment decorated patriotically, perhaps? No. As in, big enough and presentable for company to come in and have  a good time? Yes. I have decorations at the ready in the dining room server.

I would love to have the kids over for a 4th of July  crab feast tomorrow, but feel like I need to walk delicately on the whole topic of How to Do Holidays  now that we are in-laws for the second time.  I am terrible at being rejected; what if I invited them but the daughters-in-law would rather spend time with their side of the family or with their hubby alone?  Does it stir conflict in their young marriages? What if they do want to come over and I haven't invited anyone?  On the other hand, I am proud of my sons whenever they have said things like, "Mom, we want to create some distance between us and you guys."  I swallow hard at first and then realize he is doing the "leaving and cleaving" diplomatically.

I think I need to read up on how to be a really good MIL.   Any advice from you experienced MILs out there?

5. What one never-before-visited city in America, would you most like to see?

NYC.  Tell me why I live four hours from it, yet have never seen Times Square, Central Park, Broadway or any other thing in the Big Apple? It's baffling, I say. Baffling!

6. Your favorite red food? White food? Blue food?

A Maryland blue crab, which turns red when steamed, and has juicy white meat inside.  How's that for an all-in-one favorite red, white, and blue food?

7. What freedom do you value the most, and why?

Speech. Because I'm fond of speaking.      Most of the other freedoms that I can think of would be compromised or removed if freedom of speech were taken away.


8.  Insert your own random thought here.

My son and his wife just got back from their honeymoon on Saturday. I waited till I heard from one of them before touching base. After Steve texted with a gift-related question, I felt the freedom of speech to call Ambrey. I  left a message:  "Hello, Mrs. Zubrowski. How do you like being called that?"  She texted me back later. "Haha. I love being called by my new name! It's so exciting!"    

Well, here they are, the new Mr. and Mrs.  

(His Facebook status on this picture said, "Can you tell I'm in love with my wife?")







Would you like to see a few hundred more photos?  Check back soon. I'm still editing.  (A small, simple pleasure, but time-consuming, considering I have some 814 to go through, more or less.)