Odd Little Family

NOTE:  I originally posted this on No Hands But Ours (NHBO), but decided to post here as well for those who may not subscribe to NHBO.  Sorry if it is a repeat for some.

Happy Mothers Day!  Um, okay, maybe that's a little late, but this is really the first time I've had to post since Mothers Day.

ComicCon 2012 - what better way to say "Thanks Mom!"

I hope Mothers Day was great for everyone... lots of flowers, and chocolate, and other such things.  Our Mothers Day, well, it was... different.

This year, ComicCon came to town.  For the first time ever.  So naturally, it happened to fall on Mothers Day. And what better way to celebrate Mothers Day, than with a trip to a conference center filled to capacity with Star Trek Red Shirts, Halo Master Chiefs, Sailor Moons, smelly middle aged men in Captain Americas with their bellies hanging out, Captain Canuck (our Canadian knock off version of Captain America, except instead of catching bad guys, he just randomly apologizes to people and gives them Tim Hortons Coffee and bacon), and the obligatory various of Princess Leiahs, both Slave Girl/Gold Bikini* and Ambassador Leiah.  There were Zombies, Aliens, Vampires, even some normal looking people... but not many.

The girls and Sailor Moom

Apparently, there ARE MANY BETTER ways to celebrate Mothers Day.

Huh.  Who knew?

You would think a Mom would have enjoyed ComicCon.  :-)

While waiting to take this picture, many "middle aged smelly men kept pushing the girls out of line to get their pictures taken"

I mean, my Wife dose happen to like Super Hero Movies, Firefly, and Star Trek.  And she DID want to go to ComicCon.  She brought it up in the first place.  I mean, we saw some Moms there, who were obviously dragged there by their children or husbands.  And good on 'em for going!

Bobba Fet and a prisoner

There were younger couples there, some obviously on a date.  Some guy dressed up as the Bountry Hunter Bobba Fet from StarWars...  The girl, wearing a nice outfit, obviously missing the meaning of ComicCon, and looked as if she was ready for a night on the town.  This was a very different kind of date.

There were even some Dads, who were dressed up, one in particular who was dressed up as Captain America.  His daughter standing beside him was trying to cover her face in shame.


But I loved seeing one (single?) Mom, who was sitting on the floor with her two young boys.  Both boys were jacked up, and dressed up in costumes.  The Mom looked tired, but was smiling and encouraging her boys to have a fun time.  I'm sure she brought them after much begging and pleading on their parts.  And good on that Mom, who embraced what her boys liked, helped them get dressed up and take them out for an afternoon of comic books.

Head Crab from the Half Life video game

See Mom's are amazing.  I don't think the girlfriend really wanted to be there... judging by her body language, I don't think Bobba Fet was going to get a 2nd date.  Even the daughter of Captain America, who probably used to chase her father around the house asking for hugs and kisses, seemed to want to run away from him now.  But the Mom's there, well, they seemed to enjoy it... at least some of them... because they saw their 35 year old husband get to meet Jayne from Firefly!!!  Err, I mean, they got to see their children have a great time geeking out with fellow comic book and Sci-Fy fans, and in typical Mom fashion, managed to put the happiness of their family before their own, and find some measure of enjoyment in it.

Anikin and Obi Wan, how predictable

I guess every family is a little odd.  I know ours is.  Mothers Day at ComicCon seemed to work for us.  Is it for everyone?  Nah.  But it works for us.

I'm glad our family is a little odd... because I think, normal is boring.  :-)  If I wanted normal, I would not have had 5 beautiful children... I think that's just crazy.

Apparently, Bing would not take his eyes off Wolverene

What other Mom's get treated to breakfast in bed, home made cards, flowers, chocolate, and then get to meet Captain Jack Sparrow in the afternoon?  Are we a different family?  Maybe.  Is it because of adoption, faith, country we live in... or just because we're all a little crazy.  I think it's probably the crazy.

Meeting Captain Jack - I think Miss G is actually blushing in the picture

I guess part of growing up is finding out what Family really means to you.  And ain't no backpacking 'round Europe gonna help that.  But you find what family is to you, however it looks, and love the family you are given.  Single Mom, Single Dad, Step Mother/Father, Step Sister/Brother, Adopted... maybe there is no normal family anymore, except for a family build with love (sadly, that is not as normal as it should be).

When my children are 30 years old, and in professional counselling, that poor psychiatrist will never be able to figure out the root cause of my children's "issues"...

... but that psychiatrist will be able to identify many many many different ways our children felt loved, and accepted in this odd little family, no matter how different (or crazy) everyone is.

* = Despite my pleading, the boys did NOT want to get their picture taken with Slave Girl Leiah.  *siiiigh*  Maybe next year.  Next year.