![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.streamdoubletrouble.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Caden_Parker_02-21-11-225x300.jpg?resize=225%2C300\" "\\"Search_Parker_02-21-11\\"")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
We got a surprise visit from the muppets\u2019 godfather yesterday. Parker and one of his fellow seminarians were touring the California Missons.<\/p>\n
I have known Parker since he was a wee tot. He was 3 years old \u2013 in the Big Bird Sunday School class. I was 4 \u2013 in the Cookie Monster class, but my mom taught Big Bird. (Fitting in advance of our Sesame Street themed birthday party, isn\u2019t it?)<\/p>\n
While most kids want nothing to do with church on a Sunday morning (excepting the promise of a sprinkled donut if we behaved of course), Parker would absolutely melt down. \u201cI want to go back to church!!!\u201d As we got older, many of my peers were playing with dolls or Hot Wheels (or using Hot Wheels as dolls in my case). Parker, on the other hand, was giving sermons to his Disney plush.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Last night, Parker arrived clad in a retro shirt announcing \u201cThe Muppet Show.\u201d He entered with a smile, sharing that he had chosen that shirt specifically to come hang out with his godsons. When we toured the house, to show off the Calvin and Hobbes nursery, Parker observed that the muppets\u2019 could use some additional plush to complement our Winnie-the-Pooh family assortment.<\/p>\n
Now, those of you who know me, understand that this is an accurate statement under any circumstance. In addition to Pooh and pals, there is a giant grey tub holding a fuzzy assortment of turtles and Disney characters awaiting the muppets attention. Downstairs we have bunnies and pillow pals (and more turtles). There are six giant garbage bags living in GrammaJ and GrampaStavo\u2019s garage \u2013 filled to the brim with memories from my youth.<\/p>\n
So, it was with a giant grin that Parker marched back into our living room \u2013 arms full. Search and Destroy are the proud owners of a new stuffed Mickey, Minnie and Pluto (doggie!). Then, from a green bag featuring Kermit\u2019s face, came small dolls of Kermie and Miss Piggy. My boys are loved.<\/p>\n
So what did we do with our evening? Did we spend it reminiscing about years gone by? Did we hit the town to party like rock stars?<\/p>\n
We went to Target.<\/p>\n
Seriously, what can\u2019t you find at Target? That store has everything! Parker\u2019s friend needed sunscreen, I had a list of miscellaneous items I wanted to pick up for the party and the presence of our houseguests provided the perfect opportunity to acquire a comfy new air mattress? (Oxymoron? Comfy and air mattress?)<\/p>\n
During our weekend in Carmel, I slept in the corner on an \u201celevated twin Aerobed.\u201d It was shockingly comfortable \u2013 and more importantly \u2013 remained inflated throughout the entire night! I felt my friend deserved nothing less.<\/p>\n
Once we returned, and the mattress inflated, our little family stood back to admire our handiwork. (We\u2019d plugged the mattress in and stared at it for about three minutes.) Suddenly Jon asked, \u201cDo you hear that?\u201d and Parker poked at the mattress. It was hissing.<\/p>\n
It was hissing due to the hole dead center. Back to Target.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s always an adventure. Back in high school, our group of friends would converge at Parker\u2019s house and spend hours sitting in the foyer asking, \u201cWhere should we eat?\u201d \u201cI don\u2019t know, where do you want to eat?\u201d (Rinse and repeat.) So this was at least a nice change of venue.<\/p>\n
Our visitors left this morning \u2013 missions and cathedrals awaited them. We\u2019ll see Parker again this October when the muppets get baptized. And I can\u2019t think of a better friend to stand up for them on that day. (Well, besides Aunt Ivy of course \u2013 she\u2019s their godmother.)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
We got a surprise visit from the muppets\u2019 godfather yesterday. Parker and one of his fellow seminarians were touring the California Missons.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[15],"tags":[310],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3Sbzi-mA","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1576,"url":"https:\/\/streamoftheconscious.com\/fabulous-friendships\/","url_meta":{"origin":1400,"position":0},"title":"Fabulous Friendships","date":"August 1, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Mother of pearl that hurt!* It was set strike and Mark had just rammed into me with the corner of a very large section of the stage. 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