Dogs and Cats

Nathan finally requested the web address for this electronic diary and read some. He looked up alpha male and came up with the word "domineering." That isn't my definition of an alpha male. I didn't want to throw words around carelessly, so I did some research of my own. What I found was more my take on the subject. So, I want to clarify that my three fellows are not domineering. Not at all. They all want to be the leader. They all are confident, assertive, and determined. Are they all this way all the time? No. Are they all this way at the same time? Well, sometimes. Do they like to wrestle on the floor like a pack of pups? Yes! So now that we are operating on my definition, let's move on.

Carter had some portraits made and he was not happy about it. I couldn't believe how uncooperative he was, especially considering he loves to have his picture taken. Well, the photographer wouldn't let him do what he wanted. She wanted him to pose her way. That is, she didn't want him to wear his sunglasses, hold an old gigantic cell phone to his ear, point at the camera and scrunch up the right side of his face like he's winking. See, Alpha 2 had his own agenda and it wasn't matching up with the professional's course of action. She tried to hold out his poses as a reward and probably, she should have just let him get it out of his system. I understand her strategy. Things can easily spiral out of control and the whole session turns into a 5 year old making funny faces. But honestly, giving him instructions like "tilt your head to the right" isn't that effective. It renders a boy who is touching his left ear to his left shoulder. So, then you are left with slowly tweaking it by saying "Not so much. A little higher. Little more. A little more." That is frustrating for any kid. But he rallied when she began playing games with him. Nathan and I went to look at the proofs yesterday and I was astonished. They were gorgeous! We told the manager that the photographer was amazing to get those pictures from such an unhappy and uncooperative guy like Carter was that day. Of course, the best one was the one with the sunglasses, cell phone, and finger-pointing.

Last night, Nathan took the boys off to the grocery to pick up some supper items. Kroger is two short blocks away, but I had no expectation that they would make it back in less than an hour. It seems that every trip they take together turns into some adventure or interesting discovery. I heard them roll into the driveway but no one darkened the doorstep for a while. I began to wonder. Then, Carter enters and hands me a ticket. A real ticket to "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof." I looked at the expired ticket and asked "what should I do with this?" He instructed me "Take it outside and give it to Daddy. He'll show you." Okay. I turned to get my shoes on as Carter ran out the back door yelling "her's coming! Her's coming!" I went out the front door and walked around to the back. I had no idea where they were. As I cleared the side of the house, I saw Nathan up in the clubhouse, with Will, and a huge sign that said "CATS." I looked down at my ticket and back to the Cats on the green plastic roof and proceeded to laugh hysterically. I told them that only they could find a huge CATS sign and a ticket for that play on the same trip. Nathan said look what it says on the other side. He flipped it and there was another word completely appropriate for my Kentucky rooting, cat loving, God proclaiming son. I laughed some more and said "we'll have to show Mrs. Barlow. She says Carter will be the next Billy Graham." When we are not cheering the cats on, we can just flip the sign over and have a "REVIVAL."