For the past year or so, I’ve been looking into our family’s past. I think it’s important for us to know how and where we’ve come from and we are getting to the point where many of our “primary sources” are starting to be of an age where they no longer remember things as they once did. If we don’t do it now, there will be many things lost forever.

So, I’ve been painstakingly trying to harness the collective memory. It’s been both frustrating and exciting!

I started with a group of folks I knew well – or thought I did. The stories behind the photos – the life stories – are captivating and quirky and real. And, they make me love these folks even more than I already did.

my great grandfather, my grandfather, and his brother there's a story here

my grandmother and her brother

Recently, we attended a family reunion and I was able to meet a whole branch of the family tree for the very first time. Having these folks in one place led me to a treasure trove … of both family and memories!

Aren’t these folks stunning in their best attire? This marriage led to Husband being here on this earth – without it, he doesn’t exist. It’s stunning when you think about it from that perspective. Stunning and humbling.

As we met folks that day, looked at old pictures, and chatted about all sorts of things, I was struck by the continuity of it all.

my father-in-law and his sister - he hasn't changed a bit!

Generation to generation – some things different, many things the same. And it’s part of everything we are now and everything we will be.

I may have mentioned before that Little Man talks almost non-stop and that listening to him can be very entertaining and enlightening.  He’s told me more than I could ever imagine about topics I never thought I’d even consider, much less talk about … and sometimes he’s right! I actually signed up for Twitter, initially, to keep a running record of the crazy stuff he says! [Which so totally ironic that I can't stand it!]

Every once in a while you get a blog-worthy gem. Something that really deserves a bit more “ink” than the typical 140 on Twitter. Something that makes you stop in your tracks and think – or laugh out loud – or both.

I am quoting here.

Mom, you should do something more with your day than Twittering.

Really. I kid you not. He said that to me at dinner last night.

I think he should have warned Husband that he was going to say it because lemonade almost spewed all over the kitchen table. Once recovered, Husband looked at me as if to say, “See, I’m not the only one who thinks so!” [Husband and I are exact opposites when it comes to social technologies. That's an odd story for another time.] Between the two of them, there was righteousness and smugness to spare.

Of course, they are right. I should do something more with my day than tweet … and I do.  Lots more. In fact, I’m doing one of those things right now!!!  [Ahh ... the rebuttal, feels so good. Don't you agree?]

I am more than aware that Little Man knows I work on computers all day. He knows that it’s part of my job and he knows that many of my hobbies are computer-based. He’s talked to me about Facebook. He’s been a guest blogger here. I had no idea he knew about Twitter! Color me surprised.

As it stands, I’m going to pack away two important pieces of information from this little discussion of ours.

1. Little Man hears and processes everything Husband and I say. And … he often gets it right.
2. Being able to laugh at yourself – and see yourself through the eyes of your kids – is a good thing.

I’ve got one more thought on this before I get back to Twitter. [LOL, just kidding.] My son will soon be of an age where technology will play a bigger role in his daily activities. I expect the tables will turn at least a little before too much longer. I can hear myself saying something like…

• Little Man, I’ve got a dirty job for you … your room! Turn off Mike Rowe and clean up.
• Little Man, put down the Wiimote and let’s go outside.
• Little Man, time to log off … let’s eat.
• Little Man, don’t tell your Facebook friends that I’m crazy! I’m in your friends list, remember?

Wanna bet that sometime, someday I actually turn the tables and say…

Little Man, you should do something more with your day than Tweeting.

Hmmm … the child’s words used by the parent. I think I like it! Makes for a good tweet … don’t you think?

I’ve got many. My favorite are the little black notebooks that have elastic that wraps around the covers. They just look cool. Plus you can shove all kinds of things in them.

What I strive for my notebooks to be is … important. In Time in a Bottle, Robin Wright-Penn’s character had one … an important notebook. She played a researcher for a newspaper. On each page of her notebook were some random scribblings about what she was researching at the moment. Half sheets of paper, business cards, sticky notes, and a picture of her son were stuffed in there as well. I want a notebook like that.

I fail in this … everytime. I blame my handwriting, but I suspect that it’s really something deeper. You see, I always intend for my notebooks to look like those you see in the movies and my handwriting never stacks up. So, when I get sloppy, I stop. Perhaps I just think that the folks in the movies have more to say.

Twisted? Yep! I have notebook envy. Never mind the body type issues … I’ll never look like Robin Wright-Penn and I’m OK with that. Never mind wishing I could live in those beautiful places … I’d like a bigger house, but I’m OK with where I’m at there. I really just want the notebooks and dayplanners.

So there it is. Someday, my son will find a mountain of 1/2 used notebooks of all shapes and sizes. Some of them will say things that will lead him to understand his mom better. But, mostly he may just come to understand that his mom was more than a little nuts. Hopefully, he’ll be just fine with that! Maybe he’ll write it down in HIS notebook.