Archetypes

I decided to assign some archetypes to our family relating to their weekend activities.  (I asked Braeden for a refresher course in archetypes and he came to me with a page from his English class.  On the top of the page he had written KEEP!  He loves this kind of stuff.)

Adam

Hero: Man with great strength and courage; known for having honorable purposes; willing to risk life for the good of all; often leaves the familiar to enter a new, unfamiliar, challenging world.

Adam heroically did the early morning seminary drive on Friday while I did the early morning stay in my warm bed.  Then he drove kids to school, rather than make them ride the bus.  (I hope he didn't set a precedent that they will expect me to follow.)  He made Emma and her friend Hannah laugh early in the morning (which isn't easy if you ask me).   He told them the message on Fruit Ninja (an app everyone loves around here but me--I'm not that interested in video game type things) was that 'nothing rhymes with orange'.  "Nothing and orange don't sound anything alike," Adam said.

He makes me laugh.

His ultimate heroism could be taking our entire family to see Fiddler on the Roof (more on that another day) or taking me to see Imagine Dragons (more on that another day), but I think it was probably going to Boy Scout training all day on Saturday.  If you have ever been involved with the actual-bona-fide-uniform-wearing, eager and blessed with inefficiency-matched-only-by-their-self-importance professional Scouts, you know what I mean.  I don't know if I would have had the courage to go.

He's a hero.

Braeden

The Soul Mate: incarnation of inspiration and spiritual fulfillment

I was remarking to Braeden a way (one of the several) that I am a lacking mother.  He said, "You just need to keep doing whatever it is you are doing.  This is the best family in the world."

He is as delusional as he is sweet.

But I'll take it.

Emma

Jester: provides comic relief

Back when I homeschooled Emma, I enjoyed the infrequent times when a question on a test or assignment stumped her because she entertained me with either her wit or incredulous indignation that I would dare ask her a question she didn't know the answer to.  Friday she had a test in her history class.  The last question asked who our state representative is.  She said, "I had no idea so I wrote Ringo Starr."

(Adam said she doesn't need facts because she has imagination.)

I love that girl.

Mark

Loyal retainer: individuals somewhat like servants who are heroic themselves

Sometimes, like when I call Mark downstairs to empty the dishwasher, I call him Cindereddie (His middle name is Edward and I'm making him be a servant like Cinderella...get it?).  He doesn't like Cindereddie (or being asked to work) but he always comes running.  (The boy rarely walks.)

I relish the time I have with Mark.  I try not to take it for granted that I get to spend my days with him.  Homeschooling is one of the best decisions I've ever made.  Right up there with marrying Adam and keeping a pair of gloves in the pockets of every jacket I own.

On Friday we were out doing errands and stopped at Subway for lunch.  We split a foot-long ham sandwich, like usual. Mark boldly tried tomatoes on his half in addition to his lettuce.  While I was paying, I handed Mark the cups.  "Diet Coke, I presume?" he asked before going to fill my cup at the soda fountain.

He's my little hero.  He's loyal and loving and stretches me in patience-trying ways.  He makes me laugh and keeps me company and he knows I want Diet Coke. 

Me:

I'm not sure where I fit amongst the archetypes.  Perhaps I am a combination of The Damsel in Distress (a vulnerable woman who must be rescued by the hero--particularly when I burn dinner), the Good Mother (offers spiritual/emotional nourishment--I would add does the grocery shopping) and the Giant/Monster/Ogre (I get a little cranky sometimes).

I dabble in being the funny one but no one appreciates my humor.  I crushed my hand in our ladder on Friday.  (It's a long story and not a very good one.)  My hand was swollen and throbbing and pretty much useless that evening.  We were talking about our Saturday plans and I said, holding up my gimpy hand, that I was going to clean the laundry room single-handedly.  Nobody laughed.  When we were leaving for the evening I said I would be right down after I turned off all the lights upstairs, single-handedly.  Nobody laughed.   What?  I'm hilarious, right?