Conversations in the car...on the way to school

In our household there isn't any topic of conversation that is taboo or off limits, and generally the worst of the topics is brought up at dinner time, around the table. Or when we are in front of friends and other family members.  Isn't that how it always is?  :)

Briley is my inquisitive child, she's the first one to 'google' something, after me.  I am notorious for telling the girls to go look it up or 'google' it.   Anyway, there's really no rhyme or reason why Briley brings up topics and when; this morning on our drive to school was no different than any other time....  Mirror Neurons... the topic of our commute.

Seriously?  Mirror Neurons?  What goes through that head of hers' at 7:30am?  What happened to middle school girl drama?  What happened to sister drama?  What happened to 'Hey I need lunch money'?  Oh noooooo, I have to listen to a long (well as long as it takes to get from our driveway to the middle school drop off lane) dissertation of how and why this occurs. 

For the rest of the world that like me, you have no idea what mirror neurons are, here is a brief explanation from... where else.... Google...and Wikipedia...

A mirror neuron is a neuron that fires both when an animal acts and when the animal observes the same action performed by another.^[1][2][3] Thus, the neuron "mirrors" the behavior of the other, as though the observer were itself acting. Such neurons have been directly observed in primate species.^[4] Birds have been shown to have imitative resonance behaviors and neurological evidence suggests the presence of some form of mirroring system.^[4][5] In humans, brain activity consistent with that of mirror neurons has been found in the premotor cortex, the supplementary motor area, the primary somatosensory cortex and the inferior parietal cortex.

 

Apparently, Briley had watched some sort of documentary on Netflix or YouTube, or where ever she gets her information and wanted to enlighten me about this topic.  Of course I continued to listen and interject the usual 'oh' and  'uh huh' the ENTIRE 8 minutes we were in the car, but in all honesty I had no idea what she was talking about.  Well that's not entirely true, I understand the premise of this topic, but really???? 7:30 am???  My brain is barely functioning enough to get us to work and school and she wants to discuss neurons??? Oh my...I think I've lost too many brain cells over the past 20 years to do her justice in daily conversation. 

 

I will gladly listen to her neuron conversations over so many more topics. I'm very thankful that she is so inquisitive and always stretching her brain and mine to learn new things. 



 



It really happened...DFW got SNOW!

Don't burst my bubble yet, I know this isn't really real snow....lol... well ok, I guess it's real.  This just isn't the quantity of snow that so many of our neighbors to the north are dealing with, at the moment.  **Reason #877 why I am so very glad that I live in the south and in TEXAS!  While dealing with this snow is an occasional inconvenience, it's not a way of life or anything I have to learn to work around.

This morning Briley and I were both dressed and ready to leave for school and work, but the snow had just begun and was coming down in big massive chunky flakes.  My maternal instinct and limited exposure to snow told me to WAIT!  Don't leave the house! 

What if I dropped her off at school and then had to just turn around and go back to get her because they were dismissing school early? 

This thought and many others were running through my head; most especially visual images of ME being stuck in a ditch somewhere because I am not prepared to drive in snow and I'm even less equipped to be cold and in a ditch! 

Briley was not a happy camper when it comes to getting up and dressed for school, to only find out that we were not going to school... just yet.  
She didn't let a little snow-day delay her from returning to her natural position and snoozing for a few minutes.  It's a rough life, no doubt!  :)  I'm surprised the cat wasn't curled up beside her!!  (She was even unhappier when she realized that I was going to be taking her to school, eventually.  I mean.. if I have to work, she has to go to school.  It's only fair? Right?)

Once I heard that the road were clear and school wasn't going to be dismissed, we proceeded to school and work.  Both of us arrived safely and the snow has stopped in DFW.  I suppose that was the ONE snow day of the year we get around here, and it was only HALF of a day.  Can't complain too much, but that sunshine better be out this afternoon and the roads better be dry!  I'm ready to be done with winter.  I know.. .I know... I should probably duck and hide from all of you throwing actual snow balls at me. 

The Empty Nest.... sorta...

I think we are getting a good dose of what it's going to be like when all three of my birdies have flown the coop... Brittany has moved into her own house, Bailey lives on the college campus, and Briley is in the 8th grade.  ~ sigh ~

Life is becoming so boring and dull for Al and I; we might have to find a hobby?  Or remember what we liked about each other 26 years ago???

That's really anybody's guess at this point, we've been together so long and had kids for so many years, I doubt we can even remember what we liked about each other that long ago. 

Yes, I know... we still have one little birdie that lives at home, but she's a busy birdie.  Thankfully Briley is very involved in band and theater arts, she's an A student, and very focused on school and school activities.  So far she's the easiest of the birdies and is no where near the high maintenance of others.  (whew... I finally got it right on the 3rd try!)

Thus.... the reason I feel like the next four years for her in High School are going to be an eye opening experience for us.  We are going to be lonely!!  :) Briley is becoming increasingly busy with her friends (which are all wonderful), her interests, and while we joyfully support that, the selfish mom in me is sitting back here waving profusely saying "HOLD UP!!  What about me?? Don't you need me??" 

Oh well, such is life... I knew we would eventually be on the downhill side of raising kiddos, and I'm very proud of the three we have raised.  God has been very good to us and we are very blessed to have three beautiful souls and all three very different girls that understand the importance of family and values, whether they want to admit it or not. 

Why the sudden sentimentality?  Well... it's like this... this week we had to sign off on the direction of Briley's high school years.  Yes, that hit me like a ton of bricks.  High school is upon us; it's really going to happen; my baby is four quick years away from flying the coop....(wiping away a tear). 

Not to worry, our life and household will still be full of fun and fireworks, this pretty much depicts our relationship over the past 26 years.  HA HA HA!  I'm fairly certain that I will continue to have lots of topics to write about.  My sarcasm and snarky-ness runs deep!  :)