Love Now

A cheesy little diddle I wrote last night (this may make an appearance in this year's Christmas cards).

The holidays are just around the corner

The fireplace is burning bright

The first snow is falling out our window

There's no leaving the house tonight

The lights are up and shining

The ornaments hung on the tree

And we're sitting here smiling

Because next year baby will make three!

Love Change

As the end of the year is quickly approaching, I think of what's to come. I attempt to think beyond final school projects, presentations and the looong paper I have yet to write. I try to think beyond hectic days at the office, last minute client deliverable changes and tying up loose ends. I try to think beyond the to-do lists because frankly, there IS so much more to look forward to in the coming days, weeks, months and year.

To start, I'm looking forward to Friday, when I find out if this palm-sized adorable swimming in my belly is a girl or a boy. From there, I'm afraid I'll think of nothing but strollers, nursery colors, and miniature socks...but is that so bad? :)

Then there's the office holiday party, which I'm really excited about this year. I got the perfect dress over the weekend - one that will hopefully still fit in two weeks and I'm ready to celebrate with the people that make work such a pleasure to come to each morning. Not one day goes by that I don't feel grateful for having the luck of loving my job and the people I work with.

The holiday party coincides with one more exciting day - one we've been celebrating since first grade - the last day of school! This semester has been a great one. I remember wondering if I can handle it all and whether I should take the semester off to focus on family. I definitely made the right decision to stay. I've learned so much both about account planning and the powers of social media - all things I can apply to my everyday work.

Soon after it's time to celebrate the holidays with family and then the babymoon! (Thank you to whoever invented this concept) - we are SO excited to see a new place and enjoy being a family of two for the last time.

In many ways, this year has been one of the most important ones of my live...but I have a feeling the fun is just beginning. So here's to the new year - chasing dreams and never resting until they're realized.

Happy New Year, all.

Love Who You Are (And Who You Want To Be)

After a short self-reflection I decided I'm a wild child on the inside but on the outside I resemble a grandmother so the only solution was to paint the outside to match the energy on the inside. So, I designed a whole new look for myself and last night I went home with the blue prints. They were not appreciated.

Since I feel you may be looking at me and expecting a drastic change any day now, I feel like it is my duty to let you know the extreme won't be so extreme. My plan was threatened by an unmentionable boy who was not fond of my pulp fiction haircut plans. I believe the exact words were "Ya do it, and I'll shave my head and grow a mustache." Given his Greek genes, growing a pedophile-like mustache can happen overnight so I dare not play with fire. I am a strong believer that a woman should stand on her own two feet and never give up who she is for a man but I suppose that when a man picks you because of who you are, you shouldn't drastically change that person - inside or out. Perhaps, this unnameable gentleman would not have chosen a black lipsticked gal for his life partner.

Well, we may never know. I do want to thank you for being supportive but sadly it'll be plain Jane for a bit longer. Take me as I am.
 

Love (and Headbang) Like Crazy

**I wrote this two years ago but the memory is still very much with me**

So Tuesday is our two year anniversary. Two years ago we were standing in the Nassau, Bahamas airport with Fat Joe (serious) taking pics and enjoying our last days as singletons. So of course we have to celebrate all week. Last night, I surprised my husband with a home-cooked dinner (his favorite: lamb) and truffles. Tuesday, we're going to our favorite French bistro and Wednesday, we're going to the theater. But tomorrow night's plan trumps all of these events.

Tomorrow, we will be going to see Anvil. You see it all started a couple weeks at work, when someone sent out an email with Anvil tickets. I Googled the name and found it was a delightful play about following one's dream. Lovely, I thought as I bid on the tickets. I was ecstatic to win just seconds later and bragged to my whole group at work. That's when I found out the Anvil the tickets were these guys: I was far too embarrassed to admit my mistake so I took the tickets and tomorrow evening, we will be moshing with other fellow rockers.

Rock on (is that what one says at these events)?

Love Lots

Given this blog is about love, I feel the need to pay homage to my team's Halloween costume this year since it was about loving lots. Though I've never actually seen an episode of Sister Wives, I jumped at the chance to dress up as one of them, especially since this gave me the opportunity to play pregnant when no one knew that I really was. Our costume was a big success (minus the unnecessary tummy punches that apparently come with mildly stuffing your shirt).

I don't know any true life polygamists though I've spent some time in Utah, but I would be inclined to say love one, love many (unless of course you are my husband). :)

Happy very belated Halloween to all - now we look forward to the holiday of Thanks where I will blog of my love for all things Turkey.

Produce Love

A little smile on his/her face, a big smile on mine.

Love Life

I can’t breathe. My wheel is wavering between the bike lane and the street and my eyes can no longer tell which side I should be on. Another hill is up ahead and I’m not sure if it’d even be sane to attempt it. It’s been twenty miles in the blistering heat and I have many more until I reach the top of this mountain. I petal faster to gain enough momentum to climb the hill but my breaths become shorter and more shallow with each push. I want to stop and throw my bike down but I can’t. I’m doing this for her, for Eva. Every breath I take is for her, because it’s a breath she can no longer take.

Eva’s last post – the one she wrote before her untimely death left out the poetics and called for help, for help breathing. She had been suffering from Cystic Fibrosis for twenty-five years - the disease would claim her life just 48 hours later. 

Eva blogged every day she could for four years. Her posts were honest and heartfelt, and I imagine left many readers with a puddle of tears on their keyboards. At this age, girls talk about boys, fashion, and dancing. Eva wrote about oxygen tanks and what it’s like to live her life between four hospital walls. 

Before she died, she wrote:

“A mark on the world
A difference
Some proof that I had been here
Something to say that I mattered
That when my body left this world my soul had made its imprint.”

I can’t breathe but I won’t stop until I reach the top. My legs ache and I push faster. The sun burns but I’ll worry about that after. For the first time I notice the leaves changing colors around me and I smile remembering how much Eva loved the fall.