Her Baby

Posted on April 1, 2012 by jenn

The music clicks on.

I watch them begin to move to the soft melody.

I flash to a picture I once saw of a chubby, blond-hair, blue-eyed little boy with a grin that clearly lit up any room like a ray of sunshine.

I picture her rocking this baby in her arms, singing softly, imagining a future for him.

I picture them dancing together, perhaps his wobbly feet on hers as the little boy begins to take the first steps on a journey to independence that would lead to this day.

I imagine her laying in bed just 12 hours ago, simultaneously celebrating the man whose wedding she would be attending the next day, and mourning the blond haired little boy love of her life.

For a moment in time, they dance together, 31 years of memories between them.

They are center stage with all eyes on them.

Tears well at the corner of my eyes as I catch hers.

I want her to know that her baby’s heart is safe with me. That I will protect it with everything that I am. That I will not hurt him. That she has done an amazing job raising the man that became my husband just a hour ago.

I smile as I watch them, their movements comfortable. Their laughter contagious. Her love, palpable.

I know that he is my husband today, but her little boy always.

I hold this moment in my heart, as I watch them dance, mother and son.

Linked to Group Blogging Experience 2 and Yeah Write #51

Come check out some amazing writers.

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Sunday Stream of Pictures

Posted on April 1, 2012 by jenn

Last Sunday we went to North Conway to have my wedding rings inspected. We ended up with a crotchety older woman, who hated us (and her job) and dropped the eff-bomb while talking to us. Quite an experience really. It had me so riled up I needed some ice cream to calm down, cookie dough – to be specific.

One of my favorite features of my ipod is the front facing camera! It leads to photo shoots that lead to these pictures. No need to comment on our awesomeness.

If you haven’t had maple creme cookies, I feel really bad for you. And you should probably buy some ASAP. And if you live in an unfortunate part of the country that doesn’t have any, I will mail you some.

Apparently 30 is the new 55, as the AARP is after me again. At least they got my name right this time. I’m considering applying, maybe I could start getting the senior discounts early?

Here’s the Draw Something feature of the week. Bon Jovi! Would you have guessed it? Jenn did, but only after many scrambles of the letters. Apparently I’m no artist, shocker.

In case you missed the previous post, I chopped all my hair off. Here it is, straightened. I’m still getting used to it, and not sure if I like it or not. However everyone else likes it, so that’s good enough for now!

We are in Vermont for the weekend, visiting! Here’s my beautiful Mom and I before heading out for a walk.

Casey, in true tourist fashion decided to try out the granite chair in downtown Barre. Comfy, no?

We had a pretty serious yahtzee competition last night. Let’s just say someone beat someone by one point. No names here.

And we’ll close up with one more gem drawing from me!

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Have a great week, everyone!

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Before and After

Posted on March 30, 2012 by jenn

Note to self: Don’t impulsively schedule a haircut after having a bad moment, crying in the gym parking lot over what you can’t have.

Also? Sometimes change is good. This change, I’m still getting used to.

What do you think?

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How a Mom Loves a Daughter

Posted on March 29, 2012 by jenn

She will hold you accountable for your actions,

but she will also be your biggest cheerleader, your unwavering cornerstone of support, the person who held you underneath her heart for all of those months.

She will not know what you life holds for you,

but she will dream with an open heart that all you do brings you happiness and love. She will wish that everything hard she’s ever had to go through in her life, will not happen to you. But when it does, she will be there to tell you how she got through it.

She might make you try new vegetables and foods,

but she will never let you go hungry, she will find a way to ensure you are safe, sheltered, healthy, and warm. No matter the cost to her own well being. And when you need to know how long to cook the chicken for when you get your first apartment, she’ll always know.

She will worry about you from the moment she learns about your existence until she takes her last breath,

but she will also teach you how to leap into new challenges. How to make yourself heard in world that still treats women differently.

She might not want to climb trees with you.

But she will always know where the band-aids are when you fall, and she will always challenge you to try again, to learn how to be independent – even when your new found independence causes her sleepless nights with lots of “FINE! DO WHATEVER YOU WANT!” at the end of heated arguments.

She won’t always know what to say when your heart is broken.

But your body will always fit with hers when she pulls you in for a hug, and when she strokes your hair you will feel such tenderness that it feels like being touched with unconditional love. And then? She will put on a Broadway musical, you will split up the roles, and sing through the entire play on a random road-trip to get your mind off of things.

She won’t know what that noise is your car is making.

But she will show you what number to turn the volume up to on your radio so you can’t even hear it anymore.

Posted in joy | Tagged | 4 Comments

Mirrors

Posted on March 26, 2012 by jenn

When I hear children whisper to themselves “I can do this,” I know that sometime in their life, an adult has whispered to them “you can do this.” I know that in their life there are adults that take chances, leap without nets, and take on challenges.

When I hear children whisper to themselves “I am stupid,”  I know that sometime in their life, an adult has whispered to themselves “I am stupid,” or sometimes an adult has shouted it in anger toward that child or toward another adult.

I often hear my own words repeated back to me, “How are YOU feeling about that?”

I see my actions, and all of your actions play out in theirs.

In my opinion, we have very few more important roles as adults, than influencing children that we interact with. It doesn’t matter to me if you are their parent, their teacher, their coach, their mentor, their neighbor, or like me, their therapist.

Children are mirrors. And what they reflect back to us,  are our own actions. When I have children acting out with dolls in my dollhouse, I can see the reflection of their home. Of their hearts. Of every interaction they have absorbed.

And trust me, even though you may believe they are not listening. . . they hear every word.

Use them carefully.

“Careful the things you say, children will listen. Careful the things you do, children will see and learn. Children may not obey, but children will listen. Children will look to you for which way to turn, to learn what to be. Careful before you say ‘Listen to me,’…children will listen.” ~from the musical “Into the Woods”

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Linked up with Group Blogging Experience 2, the prompt this week was “Mirror.”

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Red Shoes

Posted on March 25, 2012 by jenn

They made me feel powerful.

Sometimes I would click them three times, and spin around. I would chant softly “There’s no place like home,” and be transformed into a world of make believe.

Sometimes I would pretend I was a ballroom dancer gliding across my bedroom floor.

I was an eight year old girl. With my very own pair of ruby slippers.

I wore them with everything. Floral dresses that didn’t match. Hot pink stirrup leggings that didn’t match.

To me, matching didn’t matter.

What mattered was the perfect “clicking sound” they made on the pavement while I walked, announcing my arrival.

What mattered was the confidence I felt because they left glitter everywhere I went.

What mattered was the fact that I felt beautiful in them.

 

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 What has made you feel beautiful lately?

Posted in beauty, self image | 5 Comments

Posted on March 25, 2012 by jenn

“I’ll be the greatest fan of your life.” ~Edwin McCain

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Sunday Stream of Pictures

Posted on March 25, 2012 by jenn

Another Sunday is here! That means we get to talk about the past week. And this week? Was actually pretty awesome.

We brought all 7 of our old doors to the dump. GOODBYE OLD DOORS. Also? We got to witness the people that go to dumps and pick through things An interesting lot, they are.

Skeeter started driving. I know, he seems young. But he’s really 42 and still living with his Mom, so… it’s time.

I’m just going to go ahead and let you know that 80 degree weather in Maine, in March, is not normal. It’s barely normal in August. But this? Was our week. We saw 80 more than once.

Aren’t they just so cute? I even creeped on to a neighbor’s lawn to take this picture. Don’t worry, I’m pretty sure they weren’t home. Wait, that probably doesn’t make it less creepy does it?

It was so nice out, I wore dresses and skirts for three days! Mostly because all of my shorts and summer things are in storage.I also got so many “OHMYGOSHYOULOOKSONICE” comments that I started to wonder exactly what I look like normally 😉

It was SO HOT out that the boys chowed down on ice cubes after our 4 mile walk.

We went to visit Pemaquid Point, which is where we got married. It was 70 degrees on the coast and so beautiful.

Here is Draw Something’s weekly feature on the blog. Today you get my version of “Goofy.” Surprisingly, she actually guessed it! I’m guessing from scrambling the letters enough times so she figured it out 😉

Casey got us tickets to go to the 70th Anniversary screening of Casablanca. For one day only it was playing in selected theaters nationally. He knows me so well, I was positively giddy at seeing my favorite movie on the big screen. Casey’s review? “It’s sort of  like Cheers. With Nazis.”

And finally, yesterday, we helped Stacey do the last of her moving and cleaning. She is one tiny person, but this is the trash I hauled away from her house. Incredible, no?

I will leave you with one more picture of where we got married, and where we fell in love. Isn’t it breathtaking?

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Have a great week, everyone!

 

 

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Kid Quotes Friday!

Posted on March 22, 2012 by jenn

You may have noticed that things have changed around here. We are officially on a self-hosted WordPress blog! So bear with me as I learn the ropes of a new blogging platform. Also? I think lots of you are going to need to re-subscribe due to the Google Friend Connect “issue,” and the fact that GFC is wordpress-ist. So, hopefully you’ve found your way here and can subscribed via RSS, or have us directly delivered to your e-mail box! Okay – on with the show! Grab a button and link up for Kid Quotes Friday!

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Kid: Do you have a brother?

Me: Yup, I have an older brother.

Kid: Oh, do you think he wants to come to my birthday party? It’s boys only. (7 y.o.)

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Kid: The other day my brain was hurting. Probably because of all the smarts in it. –6 y.o.

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Kid: I have a lot of boogers in my nose. Do you want me to count them after I blow my nose?

Me: No, thanks.

Kid: Suit yourself. -10 y.o.

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Kid: you have good timing. I just finished saving the world. Well, the Pokemon world that is. –10 y.o.

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Kid: I think that you should tell your boss that you don’t want to go to work. Instead you should sit home, watch TV, and say ahhhhhhh…

Me: Okay, I’ll tell my boss that.

Kid: Okay good, if they need to call me about it, they can. –7 y.o.

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Happy Friday, everyone!

 

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Heavenly Day

Posted on March 22, 2012 by jenn

Oh heavenly day, all the clouds blew away
Got no trouble today with anyone
The smile on your face I live only to see
It’s enough for me, baby, it’s enough for me
Oh, heavenly day, heavenly day, heavenly day

Tomorrow may rain with sorrow
Here’s a little time we can borrow
Forget all our troubles in these moments so few
All we’ve got right now, the only thing that
All we really have to do
Is have ourselves a heavenly day
Lay here and watch the trees sway
Oh, can’t see no other way, no way, no way
Heavenly day, heavenly day, heavenly day

No one at my shoulder bringing me fears
Got no clouds up above me bringing me tears
Got nothing to tell you, I’ve got nothing much to say
Only I’m glad to be here with you
On this heavenly, heavenly, heavenly, heavenly
Heavenly day, all the trouble’s gone away
Oh, for a while anyway, for a while anyway
Heavenly day, heavenly day, heavenly day

Lyrics by Patty Griffin

Posted in joy, marriage, pemaquid point | 4 Comments