Dear Sunday Letter friends,
I’ve come to believe by some inconceivable cosmic magic the mere writing of these Sunday Letters makes time pass more quickly. And because we have such a limited amount of time to use, to waste, to sop up and wring out like a dishrag, I’d like to say thank you for sharing a few minutes of your time with me.
Really, it’s an honor I don’t take for granted.
All.The.Feels.
If you’re on Facebook, you’ve possibly seen the video below. It’s worth a re-watch. Or ten.
If you’ve never seen it, pretty please watch it now… I’ll wait.
How special is that? In less than 3 minutes, this video with one familiar song and only a few words of dialog spoken in a language foreign to me, tells an entire story, plucking on the heartstrings and fully embracing the wonders of life and love.
That’s my take on it, anyway.
It begins with the joyfulness of being a new parent. Yes, joy mixed with so much love the young daddy’s heart might explode, so incredibly happy he dances along with the music, in part to entertain his new son and in part to distract himself. Because, just maybe, this whole parenthood thing is terrifying if he stops long enough to ponder it.
Then, a few breaths later, daddy, for the moment, is feeling his parenting oats—I’ve got this parenting thing figured out. The son, now a few years older and not so needy, laughs and thinks his dad is the funniest smartest superhero-est man around.
Bam. The son quickly morphs into a young teenager. He’s trapped inside that awkward, fragile, perfect age of thinking his dad is both embarrassing and cool. He tries hard not to laugh as Dad cranks up the music while driving him to the movie to meet up with friends. Or wherever. Tis the season of great eye-rolling.
Suddenly, son is a young man feeling his way through a life that, to him, is finally, finally beginning. Maybe he’s just out of college, perhaps the same age his dad was when he was born. When “their” song comes on, Dad breaks out the moves in the local coffee shop because it’s what he does, as automatic and unstoppable as a heartbeat, especially when Dad is in the company of Redbone. Who cares who sees? Maybe the son. Definitely not the dad. He’s lived long enough to not worry about what other people think. And really, he never did.
In a blink, family has dispersed to other places, and Christmas has become a quieter thing. Dad is now a grandpa. The son has become the new daddy. Love has come full circle, and everything is as it should be.
Come and get your love.
All the feels…
Christmas Porch
Even though we aren’t grandparents, John and I have become somewhat like the parents in the video above. As empty nesters with kids living in other states, our house has entered that not-so-hectic stage. I don’t go all out with the Christmas decorating, not like I once did. Instead, I surround myself with a few of my favorite Christmas things without killing myself in the process. If that makes sense.
This extends to our front porch, too.
This past week we wrapped the railings in icy white lights and outlined the downstairs windows in red. Frosty is back on the porch, and our fall pumpkins have been laid to rest in the compost. I would never want to be accused of skipping Christmas…
I can’t believe this year is nearly over.
Adventure at the DMV
Sooooo, the DMV. Is there anyplace quite so entertaining / crazy / frustrating? I will admit that going to the DMV in Fayetteville, Arkansas is much easier than Dallas, Texas, but still there’s an element of what-on-earth every time I’m required to visit.
It’s the perfect place for writing fodder.
Last week, after putting it off long enough, Momma and I set out to get Arkansas plates for her car, an Arkansas driver’s license for her (she has Texas now), and registration renewal for me.
It was our second trip in four days because, naturally, we didn’t have everything we needed on the first trip. Does anyone ever get what they need in one visit?
I speak for the masses when I say, NO. Not possible.
Mercy.
Funny Dmv Pics | Forward this Picture
I could write an entire post about our DMV visit, but for now I’ll just say I had plenty of time to study the girl in front of me in the registration renewal line. She wore her abominable snowman slippers and clutched a humongous sack from Arby’s. Yes, she HAD THE MEATS, and they smelled up the whole place for the duration of time she was there. The smell even lingered after the girl left while Momma and I waited for her number to be called.
Conclusion: We accomplished two out of three things we set out to do at DMV and abandoned the third thing (for now). As I think back on it, the Arby’s girl was the best prepared with comfy shoes and supper for later.
No Snow Day
Yesterday’s forecast of anywhere from 2 to 100 inches of snow in reality equalled zilch. But we pretended to have snow, stayed home, made spaghetti, watched Army-Navy, basically did nothing.
I could never ever be a weather girl. I couldn’t deal with the constant disappointment of missing yet another forecast, showing up night after night to stand in front of a map announcing the low temperature for each town, one after another, each varying only a degree or two, like it matters, and forecasting snow that doesn’t come.
Yes, I can’t help it, I hold the weatherman personally responsible. And I’m always disappointed when we don’t get snow. When I was a kid, the promise of snow brought excitement overload. Momma got up extra early, turned on the radio to the Osceola station, and waited to hear the recitation of school cancellations.
Sometimes she came into our dark bedroom and announced Snow Day! before we were fully awake. Other times, from the warmth of my bed, I turned an ear toward the kitchen and listened to the crackle of the radio. Hearing Mississippi County School District right after Manila and before Osceola was a joyous thing. Not hearing it gave me a dull ache in my heart.
Things Momma Says
Re: DMV—when told she would need a copy of her marriage license(!) to get an Arkansas drivers license…
Thomas Tate has been dead 25 years. He doesn’t have anything to do with my car or my driving!
That’s it for today’s Sunday Letter. Wherever you are, stay warm and dry! If you have snow, lucky you.
Your friend,
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.
I’ve scrolled past that video on Facebook many times. Thanks for insisting I take the time to watch. Priceless!
Yay. Thanks for watching! It is priceless.
Good for your momma! I said the same thing 40 years ago when a news story would only include my name as Mrs….and my husband’s name. I told them anybody could have that name, hell, I was the second one! And that award had nothing to do with him!
That’s so crazy!!!
Any time this is on Facebook, I stop and watch it…love it! I also love how you have reminded me of those feelings of listening to the crackly radio’s school closings. Oh, my! Thank you, Talya! Happy Sunday…
You’re very welcome! Those simple things like school closings brought such joy.
I agree with Mrs. Tate…….I had to change my license to match my passport…..woman kept insisting on seeing my divorce decree! I have never been divorced….the middle name on my license was my maiden name…..I finally left and returned another day to a different clerk.
Merry Christmas!!!
Good strategy!
The easiest way to handle the DMW is to sell my car and stop driving. ( My husband has nothing to do with getting my license changed from Texas to Arkansas. Thomas never knew I left; he doesn’t even know I’M BACK!! Oh, well.)
Hahahaha!
I moved to Arkansas in 1982, and I can not come up with the words to describe the first DMV experience, but I don’t think they asked for a marriage license. It fell in line with my first attempt to purchase a new car without my husband. I was told to pick out the car, and color, come back with him so they could talk man to man. The car I was trading was in my name, I had my own credit established, and my husband was out of town during the week. I moved on.
I remember the first “real” job offer I received in Dallas. I was told to go home, talk to my husband about it, see what he thinks, and let them know. I told them right then and there I already knew it wasn’t the job for me.
I always look forward to your Sunday letter but I usually wait to read it when I can sit down and know I won’t have any interruptions. I’m like Jodell regarding that video. I’ve scrolled past it numerous times. You were so convincing that of course I had to watch it. Well worth it! I posted one about a family twelve singing their version of The Twelve Days of Christmas. I loved it and laughed at it several times but I didn’t get any takers. You should look for it on my timeline or on YouTube. ‘Family of Twelve sings creative 12 days of Christmas’. Momma knows! Crazy DMV.
I will go back and look for the video. Thanks Colene!
My hubby went out this afternoon to measure the snow on top of the work table in our outdoor bbq area. He said that it read 11 inches. A short time ago it was time to replenish the wood for the stove and he said that the snow had become a slow rain.
The last time we had 11 inches was in Dallas if you can imagine! I’m ready for snow.
Oh I love that video! I’ve watched it many times.
I’m pretty sure you can renew your registration online now….you don’t have to go to the DMV for that.
I almost cried when we didn’t get snow here in nw AR. All my family is buried in snow in WV.
I tried to renew online first but for whatever reason my vehicle hadn’t been assessed. THEN, I requested assessment, received notification a few days later, went back online and paid to renew. THEN, I never received the new sticker. So I was still forced to go in…
I think you have maybe only missed one or two “Sunday letters” since you started them, but I do hope you realize you will never be able to stop…I have grown dependent on reading them on Sundays for your amazing insight into all things common and uncommon. I bet right now I could have my husband come in the room, watch that video and have to leave when he starts tearing up! And the DMV in Arkansas…oh my, I had my experience with that when I moved to Arkansas this summer. And I too had to bring my marriage license AND change ONE LETTER, my middle initial, to match my passport and previous state’s license.
The mid week posts are like icing on the Sunday letter cake! I just smile when I see a midweek post has been written.
Thank you Julie. I appreciate your Sunday Letter devotion!
I don’t recall ever coming across that “Come and get your love” video during my FB scrolls, so I watched it earlier this week, at work, and of course, ended up with “teary eyes.” Good thing no one came into my office! 🙂
The video was wonderful and I had not seen it, so thanks for including it here. I recently visited the DMV to register my new and had to leave without taking care of business. However, it was much better that previous visits. I love your letters and apologize for being so far behind in reading.