I write with red ink.

Right now, I feel that writing in red ink expresses the importance of the words to follow. Yes, I hand write these first. However, I must inform you this is just a rant. Definitely a jealous parent rant. Is it tasteful? No. These, however, are my temporary feelings. Please allow me to feel validated in my own sick way.

A few months ago I responded to our local papers request for "What Your Child Wants To Be When They Grow Up.". My interest immediately was peaked.
* This is where I sit and ponder as to what to call my two on here. I started to write BJ1, but that's just wrong. I giggle and change it to KB1. (kid badical, she's the oldest) Onward. *
KB1 has a passionate desire to become an artist when she grows up. I pour my loving, motherly heart out in an email to someone I don't even know. I gave this unknown writer pure, word foreplay. I kid you not. I wrote about her journal she carries constantly. How she doodles and 'writes' in it, and trust me, it's all very important. Now she's learning to write, notice the markers int the previous sentence. No, she's not retarded. So, as any good mother would do, I gave it up real good to get my kid some local paper time. It was quite beautiful, I might add. Finally satisfied, I hit SEND.

A few days later, I get a reply. He wanted info on me! Yours truly! I settle in for a healthy reply. I can feel myself wanting to win this so bad and it's not even a contest. My, my, my, how I can impress myself at times. I brought tears to my own eyes as my story poured out. You would have thought he was doing a complete story on me. Once again, mama represented. Another satisfied piece, I hit SEND. Naturally, I check that email account like every day, seven times a day for about a week. Nothing. What Unknown Writer? You don't like me now? You think you're too good for me? Who are you to judge me? I obviously felt slighted and gave up.

I moved on, forgot about it, not really. You know. I end up checking the account a few nights later and he had responded asking for a photo of me and KB1!!!! This is getting better and better. Oh yeah. Then I realized the date, he sent it days ago. Great. Now I have to worry if I can make it on time with a picture. It's two in the morning and I begin to peruse through all the pictures I can find. I can't find one picture that I want in the paper. Plan B- Just wake her up a bit early before school in the morning, take one, hurry up and email it. Next morning comes and we have a 20 minute photo shoot. We finally agree on two. She like one because she looks 'arty' in it and I like the other because she's smiling. I email them immediately and get a same day response. It says the article will run on the cover on a certain section on Monday and he was thankful.

I'm too excited and forget to tell immediate family. On Monday morning, my mother in law calls to tell me her brother read the article. I ask if there's a picture. She says no. I hide my great disappoint and am generally still happy about it. It's my little girl, after all.

Then I get the paper. Who makes the cover photo? Some goofy kid standing by a firetruck, because he wants to be a fireman. In fact, we get about four or five sentences. Really, Unknown Writer? The most unoriginal, overused, little kid dream. Doctor, lawyer, policeman. You get it. You chose this kid? Someone who desires to have a big ego? Because that's who does that line of work. People who need a cheer squad, nice one. Way to blow it, Unknown Writer. Maybe it was all my fault for my late response, but, I'd like to think not. Now, you have me thinking that you have poor taste. Simply put. Let me guess, I bet you have some American flag or an OU bumper sticker on your Ford? You bandwagon rider!! You choose it because everyone loves an American Hero? I bet you have a real festive Fourth of July, too, right?
Ahh, that felt mighty good. I am done.

I do want to say that I truly do appreciate firefighters, doctors, lawyers, policeman and every
childhood dream that is out there. So keep on dreamin', pretty little babies.