Friends. In no particular order.

I have a mindfulness journal that gives me activities to write about. The latest tells me to write about important people in my life. I said earlier that I have friends that I call family. That's because many in my blood related family are assholes. Or maybe they just have their own lives and don't see any particular reason to treat me like family. Meh. I'm over them. 

I'll start with K. This friend came into my life 8 years ago. Our boys were in the same second grade class and they were friends. K is 10 years younger than I am but 100 years wiser. She has a kindness that I envy. She sees the good in people that I can not see. She is witty and gets my dumb jokes. We spend so much time laughing until my belly hurts. 

C is my longest bestie. I love this girl. We have daughters that are just weeks apart. She has an older son, I have a younger son. C has a truly joyful smile. We can literally go years without seeing each other, but it's as if a day hasn't passed when we meet again. Honestly, I don't reach out when I need a friend but I know I can and she will be there in a second. That knowledge is all I need. I'd do anything for her. 

B is my best grown up friend. We have more in common as professional, overeducated, mommies than any of my other friends. Her kids are older than mine and I want to emulate her parenting vibe. She's so smart. She's huggy...and I am not. But secretly I like her hugs.  

Little BananaSloths

 I do think I should give an intro of my little family, because they will be referenced often. A is my daughter. She's 16 and smart and beautiful and kind. She is mostly a dream child. Now. She loves people but also needs her space. I don't hug her enough. 

E is my son. He's 14 and way taller than I am. He is introverted, anxious even, and well beyond most intellectually. He also has a big heart. We can laugh together for so long. He reminds me to give hugs when he needs them. And when I need them. 

C is my husband. I've been with him for more than 1/2 of my life. We have very different temperaments and I don't do a good job of modifying mine to match his. We have had a lot of fun times and I think we will have more. He is honest and trustworthy. 

The dogs. The Buffalo came with us across the ocean after our adventuring (will get to that later.) She's 10 and finally slowed down. I love her but she is so stubborn. She loves C and I'm pretty sure she's trying to kill me so she can have him to herself. Leaky is the rescue. He's so cute and annoying. He pees on everything. But he also cuddles. 

The birds. The chickens are mostly for utility, but I like to watch them. Except for Nosy Nelly. She wants to be held and wants to be with me always. The parrot was inherited, more than 30. She loves only me, and she still bites me. 

Introduction

 First, you probably want to know what is a BananaSloth? Well, don't worry. It's nonsense. It's a "you had to be there" kind of joke in my family. Like much of what I will say here. 

Me: I like to journal. I'm a watcher. I try to see things around me that are unusual. I really like to make people laugh. But if you had me tell a joke, I'd get it wrong every time. I used to keep a blog about my kids and our adventures. Then we had a couple major life events and I just couldn't write anymore. So I lost my outlet. I write in a paper journal, but I don't have any organization to it. I've decided to write here somewhat anonymously. I'm sure if you are skilled you can figure out who I am, but I am going to keep names and details out of this. Maybe someday I'll share it with my friends and family. 

I am a mom of two teens. A wife of a neurodivergent husband. A caregiver of two dogs, four chickens, and an amazon parrot. I work as a child psychologist. I grew up an only child in poverty with an often single, and always mentally ill, mother. She died when I was in my 30s (Event #1, mentioned above). I have more friends that I consider family than family that I consider friends. 

And that begins, BananaSloth Life.