through the screen

Just now, I have logged off from YM. Being on-line with my family is a daily ritual. However bizarre it seems, my kids have adjusted and wholly accepted seeing me through the computer screen. Maxine would chat with me about school, her friends, I would hear her rave about Pokemon games on DS and her fave mag, Total Girl. Lomi is tinkering with his new toy car, taking it apart and then putting it together. Nikki, who at most times used to ignore me, to my delight now talks her jibberish at me looking straight at the camera. I watch as they all sit together, heads bowed down, as they draw (well, Maxine does, Nikki scribbles and Lomi writes his favorite words). I see Nikki finishes ahead and looks disinterestedly at her sibs' creations. She makes for the bed and says, "Mama! Look!" and she jumps up and down, landing on her bum and laughing out loud. She then pulls, as she screams, on her big sister and brother and orders them to jump as they all held hands. Such a little tyrant! They land a big merry mess on the bed. Up and down, over and over. The laughter drowns Nanay Linda's worries about the bed holding up to such a "beating". But who cares. A bed is just a bed. Easy enough to buy one. These memories are priceless.