Sunday, August 29, 2010

An EXCLUSIVE Club I Was Invited Into...



The continuation of my last post, where I said on this afternoon of shooing mosquitoes left and right, my son taking pictures of what was supposed to be a weeding update..became the afternoon that I instead was invited INTO a very exclusive club, one that I have not been invited into since it had been renovated.
Here it is :
This is my professional photographer's tree fort, HIS special club that he has been redecorating for weeks now . He gets that from me, never satisfied until he ' sees ' just what he wants.

I look up at his fort, ask if I can come in and he says, very warily , but also mildly eagerly...' Yes. " But he has to go in first to allow me access, thru a barrier that is a piece of wood across the entrance that has to be moved.
Anticipation was mounting.
I felt very privileged. 
He has it all decorated with the essentials that a 9 year old may need at any moment.
As you can see, he bangs around with his hammer for quite some time to have holders for his necessities. His binoculars, his empty peanut butter jar to catch bugs in , water guns,toy trucks,  and do believe the little scavenger has one of my briefcase straps hanging from the top. I don't use my briefcase anymore anyway.
A handy-dandy paper towel holder, a few super heros , balanced with nails ( I love that ). He made all these shelves inside himself. He used old found wood from his dad's workshop and about 3000 nails.
Quick access to the other entrance/exit via a rope ladder.

Silver surfer super hero, a hammer he pilfered from the house , and a snappy bungie cord.
The serious necessities of a decorator outdoors, tape measure , mosquito spray, his container of 3000 nails, another old hammer of mine...and another super hero.

 Very important information he worked on about the most dangerous seas of all time. I am unsure if these are seas or sea creatures ? Apparently he considers this important , ready to access info, at a moment's notice in his fort.
 Every clubhouse needs a clock.
Numerous warnings about not going under this fort because the little nut hammered roofing nails all in the floor of it, so if you go underneath and stand...POW, a nail  in the head ! My husband allowed him to do this, I protested..always consider the danger of things for children...and now we have these warnings posted on all sides , written by my son, until my husband replaces his floor.
I won't even write what I am thinking, but I know that the wives out there know what I would say.
 The landlord-president of this club, sitting on MY replica Charleston small bench he got up here with his dad. Sticky fingers child , took this from it's front yard decorative spot and snuck it up here.
He also took my thermometer and nailed it to the side.
His yucky skull and cross bones flag he bought in Charleston, just to put out here. I told him it had to be placed so I could NOT see it from my kitchen window when I look at my garden. Don't like anything with skulls and crossbones .
I squeezed my way up her, and sat on his little bench. I was feeling privileged, he looked at me to see if I knew I was privileged, as only KIDS ( boys ) are allowed in here . I know he knows I have been sad , and he knows he makes me happy...so I think that is why he allowed me up here.
My little boy loves me.
Then we sat, on that little bench together, and looked around..and decided to use the self-timer and take pictures of us in his fort.
Most were flubs, but some of the flubs are cute , to me.
It was one of the few times lately I actually smiled ...you know , from the inside out , instead of just on the outside. Just for a few moments, I cannot explain how hard it is to actually smile these days. Little children are so precious .
I then squeezed my way out without being poked by his guard stick. Barely.
YUCK ! Saw this in my face on the way out. He loves anything related to pirates.
Then the club president whizzed by me to swing down from his handy exit rope.


What a cutie-patootie I have. He must have done this 15 times for me to get the right shot that HE liked.

Then he and Maxine , and I went back in to escape our resident terrorist mosquito raiders. My son made me feel special that afternoon , and being with him in his special place..decorated in his unique way , was priceless to me.

I wanted to let my readers know , today and even yesterday afternoon, I felt a little better...better about God, better about leaning into Him , not 100 %... ...but I know how desperately my soul misses Him . I love God very , very much.
I so very much appreciate all your comments and prayers and ideas you send my way. Very kind of all of you, thank you,
Gina

 " Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD. "
  Psalm 27:13-14

21 comments:

  1. What a precious son you have. Strange how God can send us a message in the simplest acts.

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  2. What a wonderful post!!!

    The photos of you and your son in his (boys only) fort are too precious.

    Love the glimpse into his "perfect" abode.

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  3. There's a smile on my face and tears overflowing with this wonderful post. It is priceless. What a wonderful gift from your son to you. I love his fort.

    I love your smile and the pictures of both of you.

    Love and hugs ~ FlowerLady

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  4. I love those dangerous seas! Obviously the seas that I have seen this week are absolutely not up to that standard! Well done him!

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  5. Gina,
    You have a way of touching my soul and bringing tears to my eyes. This was so precious.

    I noticed in the background the old windows and mirrors you have hanging. I love that.

    Blessings dear heart,
    Terri

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  6. it's lovely to see your smile!! looks like you and your son had a lot of fun!

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  7. Gina, this 'Club' is the every boy's dream! And it is HIS! Great place!

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  8. It sounds like you had a good Sunday.
    I am sure that those days are a rarity.
    Good for you,
    wishing you many many more of those blue clear skies ahead!
    L.

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  9. How lucky are you to be invited to that club. I love seeing kids imaginations when they are allowed to do their own thing and just be creative. I'm glad to hear you are feeling a little better. I'm sorry I haven't visited for awhile, but I have thought about you.

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  10. This post just warmed my heart. Your son has a fine club house, and I think he has decorated it very well! I hope that as day by day passes, you will have more smiles that come from the inside. Great photos of the two of you!

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  11. Hi Gina,
    What a brilliant tree house! Oh, how I wish that I could have had one like that when I was younger. As for the piece of wood 'security' across the doorway....an absolute 'must' for every boys den! Your son looks like a great kid, he's certainly very lucky to have someone like you to share his tree house.
    Take care.

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  12. Little boys can sometimes put their mothers on pedestals. I wonder if he sees you as a Queen sitting on a throne in his little fort/castle. But you don't have Queens and castles in America, so perhaps not.

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  13. Now THAT- is a Tree Fort! Booyaa!

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  14. Hi Gina,
    What a great post and a great day with a boy who loves his mom.Precious. The fort brought back so many memories and yes always a million nails.
    You are in my thoughts and you took a huge step today in this post.The Smile.... you want to give but can't, I wrote about that smile too when I did my first post about my loss. Your words are perfect my dear friend, totally expressing the struggle within. Much Love Meg

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  15. I'm overjoyed to see you smile (((hugs)))

    That is one cool den. I would have loved one of those myself. My grandad turned a large chicken coop into a little den for me and my brother. I remember having a little coffee table with a vase of cut flowers from the garden on it each week.

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  16. What a cute story. Good to see you smile!

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  17. The combination of humor, great photography, a peek into a personal retreat, and a mother's heart/smile makes for one of the most heart-warming posts I've read in a long time!

    I really like how your son has converted this standard equipment into a room of his own. It would be interesting to chronicle its changes as he grows older....

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  18. What a precious memory for you both, your son is adorable!

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  19. I guess that your little boy's Seven Dangerous Seas, and Sea Monsters, came out of a project for school.

    It would make interesting material for a psychologist. I've just come across a drawing of a sea monster, reproduced in a psychology book by Jung. This sea monster is connected with the number 7. There are seven heads in a row, just above it. Jung explains that this means the 'Sevenfold line of David'.

    The drawing was made by a Nun, 850 years ago. She'd never seen a sea monster. It's a weird looking thing, half-cow, half-fish. Sea-monsters (and the number 7) are part of our deep psychological make-up.

    Here's the same drawing, on Wiki:
    http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hortus_deliciarum_Jesse_tree.jpg

    This is the artist/author:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herrad_of_Landsberg

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  20. Hi Gina ... this is the first time i am here and read many of your posts july onwards . A friend of mine who lost her daughter of 19 years to a sudden illness gave me this link and now i am thinking what can i say .......... it's not easy to accept a tragedy like this , but here in this post i can see a little angel lighting up your heart . God has his own ways to make you faith stronger.

    I lost my 9 year old daughter to a regressive neurological disorder ( frederick's ataxia ).. on 31 Dec. last year and this month is being really difficult for me.

    Your daughter is really so so beautiful and full of life ... I loved the fact that you are remembering and writing all her happy moments and all the good things in life she had .... something i have tried to do all this while and it helps i believe .

    Take care of yourself and convey my love to this little angel, he has made such a cute little tree house..

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I love comments , please leave one if you like. I try to respond to comments,but if I'm running behind, please know that I read each one before they are published. Thanks much, Gina