Miracle Moments

It was mesmerizing poetry in motion...Watching my oldest son wade through the halls of his childhood, and for the first time that I can ever remember, scrub the bathroom floors on his hands and knees no less, because cleanliness is "Godliness!" Johnny returned home for his first visit in more than two and a half years, and for me-it was as though he never left. He's nearly 27 years old yet, he still reminds me of that baby faced boy wonder-who slipped into my world and immediately taught me the true meaning of loving someone, unconditionally. Johnny "boy"-has been living in Comunita Cenacolo in Borgoro Italy, amid an international group of men from Italy, Poland, Bosnia, France, and the U.S.A; inside a convent where the nuns lead and the boys follow-in Italian of course. The community learns Italian because that is the universal language in all the european houses...and I'm happy to say, Johnny is proficient, though he pretends he's not. His return to ...

We are celebrating the gift of life today-my second son's 23rd birthday! Mackie is my namesake, carrying on my maiden name-through his first name, McCall. I just left him in the kitchen stuyding...listening to classical music, Mozart and Hayden...and every note made me smile, because I have never, ever, ever heard him listen to anything but rap or rock or any number of other types of loud and sometimes confusing diatribes. Today is a good day, he seems happy and alert and at peace and for that I am grateful because as we parents know, in one fell swoop-everything can change! Mackie is an artistic entrepreneur, having designed a series of bandanas he calls "Bandelis" with the festive colors of...purple, green and gold for LSU and Mardi Gras and my favorite, black and gold for the best football team anywhere, the New Orleans "Saints." They're called "Bandelis" because they sport a Fleur de Lis pattern that is as uniquely fashionable-as my dear son...