how homelife has evolved
Michael is in front of the home desktop, checking out music videos over YouTube. Annika is inside the tv room, loading up on her end-of-the-school-week dose of cartoons. Angela this time is in our bedroom, pleased to be able to watch a dvd copy of "Camp Rock" in our player. And I'm on the laptop, catching up on emails and my new MP3 files.
We can redefine early Friday nights this way - where everyone faces a screen and gets busy individually while waiting for dinner to be served.
I have placed work in the back burner in order to experience and contribute to a fuller family life. So at Gela's reminder earlier today, I went to St. Mary's School to watch the children's presentation for their early celebration of Linggo ng Wika.
It was dusty and very warm in the campus covered court. But there I was, taking a seat at the foot of the stage just like the other moms who could make it to the activities of their daughters. And that was more than enough for me. I was so happy because I can finally do what I want to do for them - just like the way I imagined I should be when I decided to leave work.
The girls performed and once again I shared the pride and joy and fear my parents and aunts felt when it was me who was performing out to them years ago.
And when the show was over, it was a pleasure to shepherd the girls into the van, to tell them how good they were, and to narrate to Mike what happened.
Before going home, the four of us passed by the mall for an LCD computer monitor and a mouse. And we had some corn on the cobs - as if to formalize that trip. We munched on the corn inside the parked car and I think that was fun. Why, I even think eating inside the car is how the best family dates should go!
Therefore, so what if we now edge each other out for sound space. Mike and his Dishwalla, Nika and her Power Puff Girls, Gela and her Jonas Brothers, and I with my resurrected folder of misplaced Jason Mraz. I think each one of us deserves this alone time.
For we will see each other again for dinner, where together we shall give grace for the food we will partake. And without doubt talk about the stuff we're separately doing now.
