didionville

boy, am i lovin’ this holiday! it helps that didion and his daddy are so smart … they were well prepared to pamper mommy … mimosas, bacon and eggs, lots of laughs and hugs …

but bliss, at least for me, never comes without some reflection. jenna bush got married yesterday at her daddy’s “ranch” in crawford, texas. i certainly would never deny a parent’s right to feel happy and proud at his or her son’s or daughter’s marriage. i cannot help but be reminded, though, of another time the crawford ranch was front-and-center on the news front … cindy sheehan will never be able to beam with pride and love at her eldest child’s wedding … her son, casey, is, simply, no more.

so as “spectacular” as jenna’s wedding might have been, i want to hope that somewhere deep in our president’s heart or — dare i hope — brain there is some consideration for the american mothers who have lost sons and daughters in our war in iraq (and in our — more justified, yet often ignored — fighting in afghanistan). i also hope there is even one iota of consideration for the iraqi and afghani mothers whose families are innocent casualties. i suspect, though, there is no such consideration, no hope for empathy … or sympathy … or any other sort of “pathy” (excepting “sociopathy”, that is) …

i deeply support our troops. i deeply support their families. i deeply support anyone willing to sacrifice so much to serve his or her country. i will certainly and fervently support my son should he choose to build a career in the military. BUT I PUT ALL FUTURE PRESIDENTS ON NOTICE: while i support our soldiers, i do not support vanity wars, and i dare any one government leader to try to send my son on any ill-conceived mission.

that said, i am having a wonderful mother’s day. being a mom is an incredibly complicated, bittersweet vocation, but as complicated and as bittersweet as it is, it is also the most beautiful and rewarding adventure imaginable.

Ever since — and definitely during — Didion’s birth, I have been totally amazed by Leslie. She has always known just what to do and just what Didion needs, kind of like the Oracle at Delphi. I am sure I am not the first husband and father to notice this, but the mothering instinct is real and special. Every cry, every new feeding or sleeping pattern, Leslie has quickly figured out. Didion loves hanging out with her — he totally lights up when she comes back into a room, and watches wistfully as she leaves. I love seeing the two of them together — reading, singing, dancing; Leslie is always coming up with a new way to entertain him. I know how much work it is just to keep him fed and clothed and clean, adding in unique entertainment is truly a feat.

So Happy Mother’s Day to Leslie! And to our moms and sisters and grandmas, too. It is only now with Didion that I can really see what it takes to be a mom. All I can say is, “Wow!”, and thank you. I should probably apologize for all of the pooping and crying, etc.