I'm grateful....

For the fact that Finn thinks Sally is Lightening McQueen’s mommy.

For a full lap.

For having my time, my arms and my words mean so much to three little people (and sometimes four, depending on the words!)

For good friends. There is nothing like good friends.

For family that supports, shows up, comes through and makes the best of everything and everything the best.

For the ability to change my mind, my day, myself.

For Riley’s mean groove and need to perform. Even when I think I’ll collapse from another show, she always makes me laugh. Although that might not be her intention…

For the uninterrupted five or ten minutes before I realize that everyone has been playing nicely on their own.

For the wonderful people in my life that encourage my writing and lead me in directions where I almost always find work.

For smart, kind editors and their essential feedback.

For Logan’s insatiable and persistent desire to learn and recant everything she’s learned, verbatim. Her memory is a vault. And her sweetness is second to none.

For my hardworking and handy husband who, among many other talents, can fix or build or rig anything, anytime.

For Riley’s tough cookie attitude and soft gooey center.

For Heroes and Lost and the Office, Law and Order reruns at night and my DVR.

For this funny cowlick on the back of Finn’s head (think Dennis the Menace.)

For the ability to find time, somewhere, in this very busy life, to read.

For all and everything that is Mike.

For the fact that Logan still tells me all about her day, in detail.

For the blessings that God continues to give us and the boundless hope that I have for our future.

For all this and more, I’m truly grateful.

Torture

Torture. This is the word that my six year old chose to use to define her father's and my “assistance” with her recently lost top front tooth! After five of the longest weeks in life, Logan finally lost her front tooth on Wednesday morning with a little help from me. I saw my shot and took it and grabbed that sucker that had been blowing (literally) in the wind of her breath, preventing her from eating or talking and able to do 360 degree turns effortlessly. It was time and after hours of discussion, I talked Logan into a tug and then just kept pulling. (I know, I’m horrible, but it had gotten to the point that she would’ve had to miss school!)

When it was all over, in a split second, Logan became teary-eyed and profusely thanked me saying it didn’t hurt at all – man was I relieved. So now she can eat and sleep and talk without interruption and best of all, I’ll get the toothless Christmas card photo I’ve always dreamed of. Hope you enjoy a sneak peek!

What If?

So I’m a few days late, but I couldn’t let the event go by without mention. Eleven years seems so long ago and so short at the same time; so full of the life with which we’ve packed it. When Mike asked me on Saturday night what my favorite year of our marriage was, I thought for a moment. I could only say “this year!” On the surface, that’s a crazy notion; this has not been an easy year and we are facing more challenges, to say the least. But we are making progress in other areas of our lives that will change things forever. Never before in our time together have we been more in tune with our family’s future, hopeful about what lies ahead and sure about what we each can bring to the table. We are far from perfect, but our years together are leaving us smarter about each other and with the knowledge that we can pretty much handle anything that comes our way.

Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I wouldn’t have looked over that high school auditorium balcony at fifteen. What would have happened if I didn’t notice him down there? What if we didn’t have Mr. Bradley’s English class together or become good friends that kept in touch through college? What if that seemingly silly school girl crush on a messy-haired, jeep-driving, shredded clothes-wearing young man with the most insane blue eyes I’d ever seen hadn’t festered for all those years? What if we wouldn’t have met again at (of all places) Tracy’s Tavern and known that things were different? What if we would have given up on our long distance romance instead of taking the plunge and moving to Florida on a whim? The thought of what “would be” (or maybe what “wouldn’t be”) is enough to drive me mad.

When I look at the faces of the two people in this photo from a million years ago – thanks to Finn who ransacked a box in my office last week – I see so much that we just didn’t know. (You can tell how old this picture is if you note the HUGE "scrunchi" on my wrist!) But in good times or bad, I’d take my partner time and time again. There is no other person I’d rather ride off into the sunset with, detours and all.

Happy 11th anniversary to the man I love.

Slow down and laugh!

Some things just shouldn’t go unnoticed. That’s why, to my own detriment, I have to get this one down on the books. Our Halloween was jam-packed with no school and loads of activities: the grocery store with all three kids out of total necessity, seeing High School Musical 3, a huge neighbor party with a giant inflatable and all sorts of cool spooky sugary kid stuff (including a slushy machine with “blood” and “plasma” flavored drinks), trick or treating and another neighbor party until the wee hours. It was a kid’s dream come true.

Finn held out longer than expected, but crashed around 8:45. I have an early morning meeting this morning and went home with him while Mike stayed behind with the girls. After running back to the party to snap one picture with all the other adults dressed in costume, I ran back across the street to enjoy Finn’s sleeping silence and the end of my beloved current read, Twilight. I ran, to elongate my time alone at home after such a kid-centric day.

So let me stop here and tell you that I didn’t have night goggles on and that the age of 37 does not arrive with infrared vision. Take note and please beware of those ginormous blow up decorations – they are anchored with ropes and steaks that are apparently much stronger than quadriceps, as well as invisible at night. I flew down the stairs, hit the rope and exploded into the air in a blast of glory. It felt like ten minutes, arms and legs draped in 1960’s hippie costume flying everywhere; John Lennon sunglasses thrown. I landed so hard my head immediately hurt (or was it the martini?) and I was sure I had a gash on my elbow.

I looked around. Not a soul had witnessed this display of grace. All I could think was, “What a shame!” I laughed and limped all the way home, wishing someone could have absorbed this humorous humility. Exhausted by my day and sore from my fall, today I am grateful for humor in my life. If you look hard enough, there is always a reason to laugh! Hope you get a chuckle out of my spill, too.