Category Archives: those I love
people i love
I am back, really I am
So last September I was tired all the time. My breasts hurt and I had to pee 3 times a night. I had no idea what was wrong with me. Duh! Finally in late September I took a pregnancy test. And then I took another one. And another. And needless to say, I have a baby now. Probably my pregnancy would have been a great thing to blog about. Especially since many of my favorite bloggers were pregnant this year too (her, her, and her off the top of my head). But I really didn’t think it would be all that interesting to any of you.
Anyway (not anyways), I am back and I will be trying to blog every day this month. The theme on NaBloPoMo is beautiful, so let me leave you with something beautiful from the last year.
PS Today is one year from the date of conception.
How do you really feel?
I have something in common with Dooce. How crazy is that?
Okay, maybe it was just that first sentence, but I know exactly what my dad is trying to say when he doesn’t say it. And when people ask me if my parents like Jon, I’m all, like Jon? Hmm. How do I put this? They think Jesus sent him.
When people ask me if my husband and parents get along, I usually say, “Well, if we ever got a divorce, I think my parents would really miss me.” My father tells people they were sure I would never get married (I was 24 when we started dating; 26 when we married).
But my mother didn’t think I would ever get married, not when I was a spinsterly 24 years old. Who would want a woman so shriveled up by life? So I got mine early. And then along came Jon and he was all, I like ’em shriveled up!
Six years later (on Sunday), I am not sure where I would be if he hadn’t been willing to marry me.
A letter to my parents
Dear Mom and Dad,
Happy 42 anniversary. Who gets married on April Fool’s day? My parents of course. What is it you say, Dad? When else should you get married?
What a small simple wedding you had. How times have changed. Here we are planning Mooch’s wedding…in 6 months no less…and inviting more people than you probably even knew when you got married.
Did you know, at 19 and 25, that you would still be together 42 years later? With 2 grown daughters? You probably thought we would be older than we are, but God had other plans. 7 homes in your first 5 years of marriage and a different job in each place. Finally settling in Brattleboro, because of Unka. Better than Cleveland I suppose.
All those hours at the store. You guys knew everyone. And they still know you. How many shelves did you fill? Bottles did you sort? Deer did you check in? How did you stand it, working together all the time? How do you stand it now? I know…Dad would say Mom is always within striking distance.
You guys have certainly been good role models as a married couple. You showed us it is okay to disagree, but you never really fought. You let us know we should take time for ourselves but to spend time with the ones you love.
You gave us religion, education, travel, culture, nice teeth, love, support, and freedom.
Here’s to another 42 years together.
Big D
My bear
Whoorl wrote a nice piece about her childhood blanket and challenged her readers to write too. I am writing about my favorite childhood stuffed animal. This week we had Staff Appriciation week at school and we each brought in an artifact that represents us. I brought my bear. Almost no one guessed he was mine.
He’s my bear. He doesn’t have a name. I always thought it was stupid when people asked his name. He’s a bear, a stuffed toy, why would he have a name? I know people name their stuffed animals, and in fact, I named other stuffed animals, just not my bear.
I have had my bear since I was about 18 months old. According to my parents we went to Florida to visit Sylvia and Bill that fall. Bill was my dad’s cousin, but they were way older than my parents, so they were more like grandparents. While we were there they had a birthday party for me. I certainly don’t remember it, but I have seen pictures. We were all wearing party hats.
I don’t remember a time not having my bear. He is flat and balding. His tongue is gone and his nose is rubbed off. His eyes are scratched and he has cataracts of clear nail polish from where I tried to fix the scratches. He used to be kind of yellow, but now he is a grayish color. His tag is worn and hard to read. When I was little and my mom would wash him, I would get mad. He got all fluffy and not comfortable. So I would throw him down the stairs and jump on him.
I took my bear with me everywhere. He went to DC with me in middle school. He went back and forth to college a dozen times or more. He always rode outside my bag on planes so he has been through several x-ray machines. He hasn’t traveled since I graduated, so I guess he needs a trip. I think he will go in the car with us to Sweet Briar this spring.
He doesn’t have a place of honor or anything. He still sleeps in my room, but he is buried under extra blankets and PJs to keep him safe from my kitty. When my husband is away, my bear sleeps on his spot.
He is my bear.
Valentine’s Day
6 Valentines and going strong. That’s what his card said (6 married/8 together, but why quibble). But the real gift was the Little Blue Box. I didn’t expect it. We don’t usually get each other gifts for Valentine’s Day. The other day a box was delivered to the house for him. With a return address of TCO. TCO? Hmmmm.
For our first anniversary, he got me the Open Heart necklace and post earrings by Elsa Peretti. They were the best gift ever! Really simple, but so beautiful. And in a Little Blue Box. I always wanted something from Tiffany & Co. I don’t really need fancy jewelry, but I like pretty shiny things.
Maybe if I am really good I will get these for our 10th anniversary.
Happy Thanksgiving
Greetings from upstate New York. We are enjoying Thanksgiving dinner at a country inn with the Lord’s mother, grandmother, aunt, uncle, and one cousin. The cousin’s sister is staying in SF with her boyfriend. MIL’s sister’s family is going to be with her while she is recovering from a stroke. MIL’s other brother lives out west and had to work. His daughter also is working, so she couldn’t join us either. So this year we are down from a possible 27 to 7.
We miss everyone, but it is nice to be with family.
I am thankful for:
My husband
My parents and my sister
My family
My MIL and her family
My health
My friends
My community
Having enough to eat
Having a nice warm house
Having enough clothes to keep me warm
Being able to read
Random fact: The second Thanksgiving we were married we spent in Cancun, Mexico with my parents, my sister, and her best friend.
First Snow
Today was the first day it has snowed in Hometown. It was a very slow scary drive. As I rounded one corner I could see ahead of me a small black car was spinning around and around on the road. It came to settle in a small ditch between the road and the train tracks. It was all I could do to stop and not hit the car or go off the road myself. I was able to stop right in front of the car as a young woman got out. There were at least 3 small children in the car. I called out to her and she said they were all fine. I asked what I could do for her and she told me I could go on because a town truck was coming. I drove slowly the rest of the way and called the business near where she went off the road to see if someone could check on her. I was still shaking when I got to school.
Today went quickly. I was certainly ready for the end of the day. Vacation days are a gift to teachers. I will be ready to start again on Monday.
Tonight is another night of scrapbooking. We set a goal of finishing the “black” pages (pre-1949) before Thanksgiving. All we have to do on them is photo labeling, which will be easy. This has been a great project, giving me a good opportunity to spend time with my MIL. She has told me stories about growing up and being an adult in the opera.
Have a great Thanksgiving.
Random fact: I have lived in Vermont my whole life, but I don’t ski or ice skate. In fact, I dislike the cold weather altogether.