We ran away to Ohio for the majority of last week. Mostly we did it for me, because I'm turning 30 tomorrow and I couldn't stomach the idea of facing that without seeing some of the most important people in my life, but we also did it for Owen who turned 2 years old on Wednesday. I couldn't stomach the idea of him getting older without those same people surrounding him.
It was really a wonderful time. I got my fill of friends, family, and even a couple co-workers while there. The only other time we'd gone back for any extended period of time was for my father's funeral and time with my family took precidence over meeting my girlfriends or catching up with the in-laws. Not to mention we had just found out I was pregnant then. In fact, I took the deciding pregnancy test in the questionably clean bathroom of a Best Western in Breezewood, Pennsylvania on our way back to Ohio only hours after finding out my dad had passed away. Let's just say my head wasn't truly in our last extended visit.
Last week was a much needed vacation. I adore my husband and son but time with my girlfriends is important as it's one of the few things that reminds of who I am beyond mother and wife. They bring Kate out to play and they're just so damn entertaining. Facebook can only go so far in keeping in touch with loved ones. Sometimes you need the real thing and the real stories and the real laughs to really feel a part of anything.
Owen also seemed to have a great time with his grandparents, his aunts and uncles, and his friends. He cried every time we drove away from a grandparent and it broke my heart, making me question whether or not moving away was the right decision. Fortunately, the look on his face when we walked in the door after the 6 hour drive home and the way he ran to his toys, to his bed, to his favorite hiding places, and the smile that crossed his lips helped ease my fears. Owen had a great time in Ohio but he was never as comfortable and at home as he was within a mere 5 minutes of walking into our Baltimore home. He misses everyone like I do, but he also likes his life here as much as I do.
While I'm also pretty sure Jon had a good time, I know he only did it for me. He knew how much I needed to see everyone, and he was in no position to argue as he left for a week long work conference in Dallas this morning. He knew I needed good times and good memories to fill my heart for this coming week since I am literally facing my 30th birthday alone. I'm so thankful he knew.
Showing posts with label milestones. Show all posts
Showing posts with label milestones. Show all posts
Monday, February 27, 2012
Thursday, February 3, 2011
I found an angel in my mailbox today
The hall at my parents complex didn't work out for Owen's first birthday party so we'll have to cram the whole family into our house. I'll admit a few stress-induced tears were shed when I first found out, but the invitations arrived today (finally!) and made up for it:
I say finally because I was a little late in ordering them anyway and the recent "adverse weather conditions" delayed the shipment even further -- what a mess! By the time I get them addressed and mailed the family will be lucky to have a week's notice, but hey, they're super cute so it's all good!
Monday, January 31, 2011
12 years ago today...
my husband gave me the first of what would be many, many silly sports analogies:
"So let's say I was going for a lay up--would I make a slam dunk or would I be rejected?"
Translation: If I ask you out right now would you say yes or no?
My response:
"You never would have been rejected."
I'm not exaggerating when I say I knew long before that moment that I was going to marry him. Jon is one of the very few things in my life I saw, wanted, and pursued until I had it. Somehow I knew he was the only person who would ever truly 'get me', and 12 years later, snuggled in bed together with Owen between us and Jack at our feet, I'm pretty sure I hit a grand slam.
"So let's say I was going for a lay up--would I make a slam dunk or would I be rejected?"
Translation: If I ask you out right now would you say yes or no?
My response:
"You never would have been rejected."
I'm not exaggerating when I say I knew long before that moment that I was going to marry him. Jon is one of the very few things in my life I saw, wanted, and pursued until I had it. Somehow I knew he was the only person who would ever truly 'get me', and 12 years later, snuggled in bed together with Owen between us and Jack at our feet, I'm pretty sure I hit a grand slam.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
How to be a rotten daughter
My dad is exactly one year and one day older than my mom, and even though I've had 27 years to get it right, I can never remember if their birthdays fall on April 3rd and 4th or April 4th and 5th. Every year I feel so guilty that I can memorize the birthdays of all my siblings, their spouses, their children, and the birthdays of all my in-laws, but I can never manage to remember my own parents. I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the days being so close together since we always celebrated both birthday at one time while I was growing up, but that's not a good enough excuse for me. It's just wrong to forget your parent's birthday.
I decided I would get down to bottom of this mystery one way or another this year, even if it meant I had to come out and say, "Mom, Dad, I can't remember who's birthday falls on what day. Isn't that hilarious?"
I bought no sugar added apple pie and vanilla ice cream while I was out grocery shopping this morning--my dad is diabetic and they both love a la mode pie--with the intentions of dropping in on them with birthday wishes and a little something sweet. And how lucky was I that at least someones birthday had to have taken place this weekend?
Jon and I actually ended up going out to dinner with my parents, brother, sister, and nephew to celebrate, and relief flooded over me when half way through dinner my brother nonchalantly asked, "So, your birthdays were yesterday and the day before, right? I know they're in the first week of April but I can never remember which days."
To which my mom replied, "Nope, today is my birthday and your father's was yesterday."
Neither of my parents were hurt by our forgetfulness. Not that I expected them to be offended, but you never know.
I'm writing this now, not because I think it's an entertaining story (believe me, I know it's not) but because next year I'm going to know when my parents birthdays are, and I'm going be without a doubt because I left myself this note in April 2009:
Dad's birthday = April 4
Mom's birthday = April 5
Mystery solved.
I decided I would get down to bottom of this mystery one way or another this year, even if it meant I had to come out and say, "Mom, Dad, I can't remember who's birthday falls on what day. Isn't that hilarious?"
I bought no sugar added apple pie and vanilla ice cream while I was out grocery shopping this morning--my dad is diabetic and they both love a la mode pie--with the intentions of dropping in on them with birthday wishes and a little something sweet. And how lucky was I that at least someones birthday had to have taken place this weekend?
Jon and I actually ended up going out to dinner with my parents, brother, sister, and nephew to celebrate, and relief flooded over me when half way through dinner my brother nonchalantly asked, "So, your birthdays were yesterday and the day before, right? I know they're in the first week of April but I can never remember which days."
To which my mom replied, "Nope, today is my birthday and your father's was yesterday."
Neither of my parents were hurt by our forgetfulness. Not that I expected them to be offended, but you never know.
I'm writing this now, not because I think it's an entertaining story (believe me, I know it's not) but because next year I'm going to know when my parents birthdays are, and I'm going be without a doubt because I left myself this note in April 2009:
Dad's birthday = April 4
Mom's birthday = April 5
Mystery solved.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Twenty Six
Today is the first day all week that I haven't had any real plans. If the snow sticks around for a few hours I'd like to build a snowman and maybe go sled riding but part of me is also liking the idea of being lazy and spending the day catching up on that goal of reading 40 books this year. I stalled out at 8 books a couple of weeks ago and haven't picked up another one. If I can just keep an average of one book a week I'll be okay.
My birthday was on Thursday. I'm 26 and still not feeling old. This is credited partly to always feeling like a teenager mentally anyway, and partly to being the youngest person by 2 years in my small group of friends. My original plan was to stop counting after 25 but I've decided I can let it ride until I'm 28, after that I'll have my 28 Again birthday, and then my 28 Again Again birthday and we'll go from there. I think it'll work.
Anyway, 26 was a good birthday. For the first time in 12 years I celebrated it with my childhood best friend, Melissa. We met up for lunch. Some of you probably remember this post I wrote last year about not knowing where she was, but in true Katie and Melissa fashion her spidey sense told her I was looking for her and she found me less than two weeks after writing that post. We still haven't done that great a job of keeping in touch on a regular basis but we do have working phone numbers for each other and we get together every few months or on special occasions, usually meeting half way between Akron and Canton. And when she walked in to Applebee's with a bouquet of colorful birthday balloons, her golden highlighted hair invincible to the cold and windy day outside, and heels I'd be too afraid to wear even in dry, non-icy conditions, it was like nothing had changed except our parents didn't have to drive us there. She handed me a card that was scrawled with the same, loopy handwriting "It's about time you turned 26!" continuing the joke that was started on my 10th birthday because she had to wait 5 months before I caught up to her age. I handed her a copy of the cassette tape we made when we were 11 titled Best Friends of '93 that I found while clearing out my parents old house. The tape was the epitome of what we were at that age; lots of giggling about boys we had crushes on, crude humor, and many episodes of our version of Life of the Rich and Famous in which she would interview me acting as Paula Abdul, or I interviewing her pretending to be Madonna. We started everything with a time and date, so in a way it's also like our joint journal, a record of the good ole days when all that mattered was our friendship and whether or not the boy who sat 2 desks over noticed how cute we looked that day.
Back in the present, Jon and I, and a group of 8 of our current nearest and dearest friends went out to Crave last night to celebrate my birthday. I had an Angel Food Cake martini that was quite tasty but not exactly worth the $8 I paid for it. We left feeling extremely happy and full, but a little guilty for spending $80 on our meal, but it was 2 drinks, 2 appetizers, and 2 entrees and my birthday, so we got over it pretty quickly.
My birthday was on Thursday. I'm 26 and still not feeling old. This is credited partly to always feeling like a teenager mentally anyway, and partly to being the youngest person by 2 years in my small group of friends. My original plan was to stop counting after 25 but I've decided I can let it ride until I'm 28, after that I'll have my 28 Again birthday, and then my 28 Again Again birthday and we'll go from there. I think it'll work.
Anyway, 26 was a good birthday. For the first time in 12 years I celebrated it with my childhood best friend, Melissa. We met up for lunch. Some of you probably remember this post I wrote last year about not knowing where she was, but in true Katie and Melissa fashion her spidey sense told her I was looking for her and she found me less than two weeks after writing that post. We still haven't done that great a job of keeping in touch on a regular basis but we do have working phone numbers for each other and we get together every few months or on special occasions, usually meeting half way between Akron and Canton. And when she walked in to Applebee's with a bouquet of colorful birthday balloons, her golden highlighted hair invincible to the cold and windy day outside, and heels I'd be too afraid to wear even in dry, non-icy conditions, it was like nothing had changed except our parents didn't have to drive us there. She handed me a card that was scrawled with the same, loopy handwriting "It's about time you turned 26!" continuing the joke that was started on my 10th birthday because she had to wait 5 months before I caught up to her age. I handed her a copy of the cassette tape we made when we were 11 titled Best Friends of '93 that I found while clearing out my parents old house. The tape was the epitome of what we were at that age; lots of giggling about boys we had crushes on, crude humor, and many episodes of our version of Life of the Rich and Famous in which she would interview me acting as Paula Abdul, or I interviewing her pretending to be Madonna. We started everything with a time and date, so in a way it's also like our joint journal, a record of the good ole days when all that mattered was our friendship and whether or not the boy who sat 2 desks over noticed how cute we looked that day.
Back in the present, Jon and I, and a group of 8 of our current nearest and dearest friends went out to Crave last night to celebrate my birthday. I had an Angel Food Cake martini that was quite tasty but not exactly worth the $8 I paid for it. We left feeling extremely happy and full, but a little guilty for spending $80 on our meal, but it was 2 drinks, 2 appetizers, and 2 entrees and my birthday, so we got over it pretty quickly.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
There Will Be Popcorn
I sent Jon this text today:
Happy 9 yr dating anniversary and LOST day!
I think we both agree the anniversary is inferior.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Stick Shifts and Safety Belts
I set out in my mid-teens looking for a guy like my brother: well liked, somewhat fashion savvy, understanding to a fault, intellectual, and music lover.
I walked away with someone a little more like my father: widely misunderstood, hot tempered, timidly intelligent, and avid video game player.
This is by no means bad, just strange. I thought dating my brother's friends would be the best way to go about finding someone with his positive qualities, and instead I found someone who could help fill a gap that had been increasing in size between my father and me for as long as I could remember.
Today is the 8-year anniversary of our first date. Seeing as we were young and broke, our date consisted of a few laughs as we roamed up and down the aisles of a Toys R Us, profound conversations while holding hands in his car, a scenic pass through the Metro Parks, and dinner at a restaurant with an old-fashioned popcorn machine.
Back then our relationship was so easily summed up by the lyrics to Cake's Stick Shifts and Safety Belts; we didn't have a care in the world. Of course, through the years my insecurities would nearly destroy us many times, but for some reason he stuck it out, and every time I ask him why, he just says that I was worth it. I'm still baffled by that, because I don't know that I could have handled me.
We have long since left the honeymoon stage, as I like to call it, though we are still close and affectionate. He's been my best friend for longer than eight years, which means he knows me all too well; every facial expression, every tone of voice, every "I'm fine." He knows all of the hidden meanings, sometimes to a frightening degree, because I don't realize I'm doing it. It makes me wonder what we would be like had we not met as teenagers and at the most awkward time of our lives. Would he still know me inside and out? Would he think I'm a stronger person than I really am just because he wouldn't have seen me at my weakest? Would I see him differently? I don't know. And if I have it my way I never will.
I walked away with someone a little more like my father: widely misunderstood, hot tempered, timidly intelligent, and avid video game player.
This is by no means bad, just strange. I thought dating my brother's friends would be the best way to go about finding someone with his positive qualities, and instead I found someone who could help fill a gap that had been increasing in size between my father and me for as long as I could remember.
Today is the 8-year anniversary of our first date. Seeing as we were young and broke, our date consisted of a few laughs as we roamed up and down the aisles of a Toys R Us, profound conversations while holding hands in his car, a scenic pass through the Metro Parks, and dinner at a restaurant with an old-fashioned popcorn machine.
Back then our relationship was so easily summed up by the lyrics to Cake's Stick Shifts and Safety Belts; we didn't have a care in the world. Of course, through the years my insecurities would nearly destroy us many times, but for some reason he stuck it out, and every time I ask him why, he just says that I was worth it. I'm still baffled by that, because I don't know that I could have handled me.
We have long since left the honeymoon stage, as I like to call it, though we are still close and affectionate. He's been my best friend for longer than eight years, which means he knows me all too well; every facial expression, every tone of voice, every "I'm fine." He knows all of the hidden meanings, sometimes to a frightening degree, because I don't realize I'm doing it. It makes me wonder what we would be like had we not met as teenagers and at the most awkward time of our lives. Would he still know me inside and out? Would he think I'm a stronger person than I really am just because he wouldn't have seen me at my weakest? Would I see him differently? I don't know. And if I have it my way I never will.
Wednesday, July 5, 2006
Three Years Down
This year it was leather. Jon and I get an odd sense of amusement out of torturing each other every year by following the different material for each wedding anniversary. Though I must say that leather was far less difficult than paper or cotton, for me anyway. I have a knack for completely losing my gift giving imagination when I'm given guidelines. This year I was pretty proud of the leather iPod case I bought. He seemed to like it enough.. at least it is already in use. He gave me a leather photo frame and a brown leather pocketbook. He said he thought I had outgrown the hot pink one I've been carrying around for the last two years.
We went to dinner at Crave; a sophisticated and artsy corner restaurant downtown with a great atmosphere and even better food. We talked about the past three years, what we've accomplished, and what we hope to accomplish in the coming years.
"So, are you happy with our life so far?" he asked.
"Absolutely," I said, "are you?"
"Yeah."
When we got back from dinner he opened a bottle of champagne and poured a glass for both of us. I lifted my glass as if getting ready for a toast just as I saw him tilt his head back and start, very nearly, chugging his.
"Oh! My bad." He said when he noticed me staring at him. I started laughing uncontrollably and finally he toasted:
"Here's to many more years of me being me, and you putting up with it!"
"Cheers to that!"
We went to dinner at Crave; a sophisticated and artsy corner restaurant downtown with a great atmosphere and even better food. We talked about the past three years, what we've accomplished, and what we hope to accomplish in the coming years.
"So, are you happy with our life so far?" he asked.
"Absolutely," I said, "are you?"
"Yeah."
When we got back from dinner he opened a bottle of champagne and poured a glass for both of us. I lifted my glass as if getting ready for a toast just as I saw him tilt his head back and start, very nearly, chugging his.
"Oh! My bad." He said when he noticed me staring at him. I started laughing uncontrollably and finally he toasted:
"Here's to many more years of me being me, and you putting up with it!"
"Cheers to that!"
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