Wednesday Magnolia

Getting bigger?

The sun has come out…I want more action little bud.

Come on, bloom.

Tuesday Magnolia

Happy 74th Birthday Dad!!!

I’m so glad you’re still kick’n.

Seriously…I am.

Love you!

Magnolia Monday

I’m on magnolia watch.

My favorite tree in the neighborhood is filled with soft, fuzzy buds and we are going to take a daily look to see what happens to it throughout the week.

Hopefully by Friday, when the sun starts to shine and the temps warm up, the tree will be filled with beauty.

Happy Easter

May this day find your heart singing, your belly full and your mouth filled with most of your teeth.

The Sales Man shall rise again

I was talking with my parents last night and we were firming up our Easter plans.  I told my dad that he would not burst into flames upon entering our church.

You see the church our family goes to was introduced to me BY MY FATHER, many, many years ago. He certainly never thought I would become a parishioner back in those days, I was 14.

Well, we did.  And now, the masses are so wonderful that we choose to go there on the BIG Catholic days (and every other Sunday) and since my dad is old school he would rather come with us and be together and bite his tongue than go to church without his family.

Needless to say, when I said that he would not turn into flames, he immediately asked my why I said that and then explained that he had been having some not so great dreams.

When I asked him about them he recounted the most recent.

Your mother brought me to a cancer center to live. EVERYONE was dying.  A whole room full of beds, in the round, all dying.  He didn’t want stay and turned to my mom and said,  I’m not going to stay here but I will certainly sell the service.  Then all of a sudden a large group of Sales Men with thick black hair came out and wanted to talk with him to find out what he knew.

The great thing about this dream, my dad can sell shit off the bottom of his shoe, and if his subconscious is still fighting and selling and trying to teach or beat the guys with the full-thick-heads of hair, then there still is a war worth fighting.

Sell dad sell, as long as you can.

Happy 1st Birthday Lucy!

I guess I never knew I could fall in love with a dog.

So much so that she got a present and we all sang happy birthday to her this morning.

The cats are pissed, they never have gotten that kind of attention.

Always surprising

This past Saturday, our little running trio, had our first 20 mile training run.  T-odd is The Pace Guy with his super duper Garmin 405, it usually tells us we are not going fast enough and/or that our predetermined route is too f*&%)#& short.

And so, on this day, at mile 19 we knew we needed more.  When we got to what should have been the finish we still needed another 1/2 mile.  We decided to just keep going until the almighty Garmin hit 20.  Seriously, passing what you think should be your stopping point is painful, if you are in pain or not.

So for the next 1/2 mile I am asking “Are we done yet?”, “It’s gotta be close!”  “T-odd, seriously, are we there yet?”  Laura, per usual,  is quiet and stoic and most certainly not complaining.  So we continue, T-odd kept telling us we were close and calling out distances, which by this point I couldn’t even decifer.

We turned the corner and started running up a hill, I continue to complain and couldn’t believe we were not done yet.  T-odd is running about 3 feet ahead of Laura and I when he says, “Ok, that’s it…done…20!”

On his word, I stop.

Until Laura snaps and starts yelling…MARY, MARY…RUN, KEEP RUNNING, YOU HAVE TO RUN TO TODD!

And for the rest of the way to the car we laughed at the insanity in her voice and the fact that I really did want to stop 3 feet short but thanks to her, I didn’t.

1:51 am

Dear CT,

This year, I find myself at a loss for words when it comes to writing your letter.  I have sat down several times and can’t seem to wrap my head around what I want to say to you.

So I looked back.

Who is this child with the curly blond locks in that crib?  This was not so long ago you know, just a turn of your mother’s head.

And suddenly you are on your way to preschool to find new friends and learn all about your colors, letters and how to be a friend.

And then I turned around again and you turned 4, loving knights and swords and castles.

And then I somehow caught you in a moment of quiet, sitting, watching and wondering.

THEN you became the oldest of three kids, two younger siblings always looking up to you and wanting your attention and love and admiration.

Some days you liked it and others…not so much.

We turned around again and your friends became a really important part of  your world.

And you have bonded with great people and are beginning to find your way and navigate this crazy world.

I think I lack the words because sometimes “life” goes so fast.  The year has whirled by and I turned around yet again and have found us back in April, you one year older, one year wiser, one year more mature.

The words I do have for you are this, I love you so with your freckles and your love of life, your gentleness and your complete absurdness, your abilities that give you confidence and your struggles that make you even stronger.  I love watching you grow older, I cherish our precious time together.

How lucky we are to share this time with you.

Happy 9th Birthday my boy!

I love you.

Mom

As a dog owner

Is it wrong to leave your garbage man with a 31 gallon galvanized garbage can filled with the entire winters worth of slushy, thawed dog poop?

I’m feeling guilty.