The Incredibles

I absolutely loved The Incredibles. In fact I have a favorite scene, the dinner table. Now I never thought of myself as having super powers and surely not as a super hero. But, I sure could relate to the Incredibles family sitting down to eat a meal together. After that I was almost convinced that I too had super hero powers. Thankfully my children don’t fight and squabble with each other. However, just trying to get them to the table and to sit in their chairs long enough to serve their plate to them is a mighty super task in itself. Then the enormous endeavor to keep the cups from spilling, the plates from flying, the food out of the dog’s mouth and the dog’s mouth out of the food. Holding on to the table with amazing stretch ability as to keep it upright while holding on to my chair with all my might, mind and strength all while keeping my youngest’s fork from missing my mouth and gouging out an eye as he insists I try a bite of his food. Now, if by the time this event has come to a close and I or anyone for that matter has been able to ingest as much food as there is on my lap or tabletop then I feel victorious in that I have conquered the impossible.

The after math is a sight, the true remains of a battle well fought. No, ground left untouched, literally. After their tiny little hands clear their places their little feet carry them away at lightening speeds off to other adventures. And it was all just one big blur as I gasp for air and wipe my brow. Now the insurmountable task that only super human powers could take on…clean up. And as I’m rolling up my sleeves and putting on my waders I’m informed that the young men’s presidency is meeting at our house in an hour. So, I kick it into high with some of my own lightening speed reserves and yes it all gets done in time even with a quick swipe over the dust on the piano.

After viewing Mrs. Incredible with her family at dinner I was sure I had super hero relatives somewhere in my genealogy. I must have traces of their powers in my blood. In fact it made me think about the other extraordinary tasks faced daily such as bath time (a complete story in itself), changing a dirty diaper while your infant is in the middle of an alligator roll or better yet streaking across the room. And yes, bedtime, now that takes super human powers saved up in your reserves in order to face at the end of the day. Oh, and what about all of the out of the ordinary yet still extraordinary happenings that lurk in and around the corner waiting to pounce out at any moment with a great big KAPOW, BANG and BAM!

And I know my children have inherited super powers from somewhere. Powers such as their super fast lightening speeds, their ability to disappear in a moments notice, the ability to with stand being restrained in their car seats, ear piercing levels of volume, force fields that deflect sound as well as the ability to pick up on the unhearable, amazing flexibility allowing them to wiggle out of any predicament (especially their clothes while you are dressing them)… the biggest one of all the ability to melt your heart without notice.

So, I am truly convinced that there are super heroes living among us (big and small). Who knows maybe you are one or at least have some link to one. Here’s to all the supermoms, superdads and superheroes of the universe who make our lives a little better.