Six Years

Six years ago, RoadTripDaddy and I got married.  It was a crazy weekend full of love, family and friends.

I woke up early on our wedding day.  Very early.  I had spent the night at the site of our reception and had three of my bridesmaids with me.  I can't remember if I woke Lisa up or if she woke up from hearing me get up.  We decided to head to the hotel lobby so we didn't wake up my other bridesmaids.  We walked out of the room without leaving a note and without either of us grabbing our cell phones.

We chatted in the lobby as the hotel remained quiet in the early hours.  I attempted to get into the room our reception was going to be held in, but quickly realized the door was locked.  On the way out to our rehearsal the night before, I had looked into the room as the staff had started to set it up.  It seemed like the room was set up off (90 degrees off to be exact).  After I realized I wasn't going to be able to get in, I checked in at the front desk to see when the staff and event manager would be in to work on the room again.  Ignoring the fact that it was 5:30 am, I wanted to make sure the room was fixed before our reception that night.  Thankfully within about 30 minutes, I was able to talk to the event manager.  While she didn't believe me at first, once we both reviewed the set up plans on paper, she realized the error and promised it would be fixed by that evening.

With that checked off my list, Lisa and I then relaxed back in the lobby chairs and talked for a while longer.  My parents then walked in with some of our centerpieces.  We decided to help out and jumped in the car to head back to my parents to bring the remaining centerpieces.  At this point, it probably would have been a good idea to get my phone, call our room, or at least leave a note with the front desk to let my friends know that I hadn't run off.

When Lisa and I finally strolled back in the room just after 7:30 am, my two friends looked slightly panicked.  Unbeknownst to me, my groom-to-be had ordered a special breakfast for me and had his younger brother deliver it to my room.  My friends said something like I was still asleep or in the bathroom or something along those lines, accepted the breakfast, and ushered my soon-to-be brother-in-law on his way.  Somehow I managed not to run into him on my trip back to the room, even though I had missed him by roughly a minute.

As the day carried on and the 17 year cicadas sang a chorus loud enough you could hear it in the church, there were thousands of smiles, an outpouring of love and a pretty fabulous time if you ask me.

This morning at breakfast, RoadTripDaddy and I told Sweet Pea about our wedding.  We showed her our wedding album and talked about what a great day we had.  When Monkey finally made it out of bed, we told him about how special today was to our family.  Today we celebrated 6 years of marriage, 9+ years together, 2 beautiful children, friends who keep us smiling and family who keep us grounded. Thank you to everyone who was part of day six years ago and to everyone who has come through our lives in the time we have been together.

And to RoadTripDaddy...I love you more today than yesterday.  Happy Anniversary!

RoadTripMommy

What a difference a decade makes...

10 Years ago, I went to bed probably a couple hours from now as a college graduate.  It was the last night I spent living with my very best friends at the time.  It was a night full of promise and hope.  The world was our oyster, of course.  I was engaged, starting a full time job soon, and one week from my birthday.  My mother's day present to my mom that year was my graduation.  Graduation on Mother's Day was such a wonderful gift.  While my mom hadn't graduated from college (you would never know this), I could see the pride in her eyes after the ceremony.  My parents took pictures of me and my friends in our cap and gowns.  We were picture perfect.

10 Years ago, I woke up on May 11, 2003 and packed the remains of my college life into my parents car (and a truck I'm sure).  I hugged my very best friends goodbye and told my fiance I would see him soon.  I cried leaving my home for the last four years.  I cried leaving my very best friends.  But still...the world was our oyster, of course.  I thought about all the wonderful things coming up in my life.  A new job, wedding planning, and the official start of my life as a college graduate.

A little over one month later, I spent Father's Day crying.  My wedding was called off.  My heart was broken.  I called my parents and begged them to come get me.  I was visiting my fiance's father in the hospital and I wasn't sure I could drive home.  I hugged the women who I felt were part of my family, his mother and two sisters and cried.  I cried at the loss of my love.  I cried at the loss of what was supposed to be part of my new family.  My parents were there faster than I could have imagined.  I packed what was left of me into the car and cried the whole way home.

Tonight I go to bed married to the love of my life.  Our two little loves peacefully sleeping in their beds. My in laws are asleep in our house as well.  Half of my family is here with me tonight.  I am happier than I could have imagined 10 years ago.  While our life is not picture perfect, the world is a wonderful place filled with Sweet Pea and Monkey's laughter.  Instead of seeing the world as my oyster, I look in their eyes and am filled with hope.  The world is at their feet.

Tomorrow In a few hours, I will wake up and get ready to celebrate Monkey's birthday.  In less than a week, he will be 3 years old.  We will spend the day preparing for the party, from picking up the cake to wrapping that last present.  We will laugh and ticke and just enjoy our family.  We will see our families and some of our very best friends at the party and marvel over how big the kids are, how happy the little things make them, and have a fabulous time just being all together.  Most likely at the end of the day, I will cry; although the tears will not be of sadness or loss.  My tears on birthdays are always due to the amount of love I have in my heart.  The love that we receive from our friends and family.  The love of us.  We have the world at our feet.  It's our oyster, of course.

Farewell 2012

2012 has been quite the year for our family.  From Sweet Pea starting Preschool and Monkey going to daycare to my new job and RoadTripDaddy's continued success, there have been a lot of highs and certainly some lows mixed in as well.  I could write out a list of all the things that have happened, and go into great detail about the happiest and saddest moments from this year.  But instead, I want to focus on 2012 as a whole.  And yes...this will be sappy.  I just can't help it.

Personally, I have grown more this year than I thought possible.  I have been challenged and succeeded, tested and passed, pushed and pulled.  I don't remember a New Year's where I have been so at peace.  I'm really happy.  I feel blessed to have the people in my life that I do.  My family, my friends.  They mean the world to me.  If you would have told me a few years ago that some of these friendships would be in place, I wouldn't have believed you.  But the people that are a part of my life, make me feel lucky.  I could not be happier with my new job.  I didn't think it was possible to gain a second family in the workplace, but after 4 months at this job, the people I work with treat each other like family.  There is friendship, respect, trust, and a willingness to help each other out that I have never witnessed before.

As for RoadTripDaddy and I, we seem to have a new spark.  As in any marriage, it's a lot of work.  It should be.  Not hard work, but the kind of work that you get up in the morning, and take note, it's not just about you and your happiness.  I think we are all working on this.  It's not always easy to put someone's needs in front of your own.  I tease him and tell him that I love him more than he loves me.  But we both know that it's not a competition of who loves who more.  It's a team working together, making the most of the high points in life and being there for the other person when it feels like no one else is.

Sweet Pea has grown so much this year.  There are times when I look at pictures of her and she looks much older than her 3 years.  She looks like a little adult and there are moments where she has the attitude to match.  Sweet Pea keeps us on our toes with her questions, love of life and unending enthusiasm.  She loves to learn and really enjoys Preschool.

Monkey has gone from the quiet younger brother to being almost as talkative as Sweet Pea.  Once he started daycare, Monkey had a lot to say.  He is all boy and enjoys making me sweat as he jumps from the ottoman to the couch and back again.  Monkey also likes school and he keeps all the teachers on their toes with his charm.  He's got a lot of RoadTripDaddy in him.

As for this blog, I have been slacking.  I know that when I write, my mind feels lighter.  I know that I can keep the memories that sometimes slip away.  Like Sweet Pea saying "Oh my gosh!" whenever she is excited about something.  We heard this a lot on Christmas morning.  Or Monkey exclaiming "I found it!" when he saw a school bus while running errands one day.  It is one of my favorite memories from this year.  Or RoadTripDaddy looking at me and telling me that everything will be okay.  He has been my rock (cliche, I know - but it's true) and has kept me afloat more times than I can count.

So I look back on 2012 with happy tears in my eyes.  We are happy, healthy and ready to tackle all 2013 has to offer.

There are no words...

Yesterday morning as I laid in bed listening to Sweet Pea wake up in the other room, I checked Facebook to see if there was anything new.  I had hardly slept the night before and had been checking Facebook every so often trying to bore myself to sleep.

I came across a post from our local Patch website.  It read that a father and son had been found dead in the dad's garage.  I clicked the link and my eyes immediately filled with tears.  While I don't know the parents personally, I do know the son went to the same daycare/school Sweet Pea and Monkey go to.  In fact, while he is a little older than Sweet Pea, she was occasionally moved up to the Pre-K room with him.  Sweet Pea is the kind of girl who wants everyone to be included.  She makes fast friends and prides herself on knowing just about everyone that walks through the door, whether it's the kids or the parents.  I have no doubt that Sweet Pea has played with this little boy.  

I have had this family on my mind since I first heard about it.  I can't imagine the pain this mother is going through with the loss of her son.  It has left RoadTripDaddy and I speechless.  

Please keep this family in your thoughts and prayers as everyone affected deals with this great loss.

Changes

In September I went from being a stay at home to working full time again.  Sweet Pea and Monkey are back at the same daycare/school they attended when I was working last year.  They are doing phenomenal.  I can't tell you how happy I am to see them both thriving in school.  The transition for me going back to work has been relatively smooth.  The only difference is that I know have an alarm clock to wake me up (2 hours earlier than I used to get up!).  I miss playing with the kids during the day but I know they are happy and we all seem to be in a pretty good routine already.

The week before I started back to work, I went to the doctor for a routine visit.  Turned out to not be so routine and the discussion of surgery came up.  I explained I really didn't have time for surgery as I was about to be starting a new job.  That all changed when some test results came back and my doctor told me that waiting on surgery wasn't a good idea.  I scheduled the surgery that day.  After talking it over with RoadTripDaddy and a lot of thought on my part, it seemed like it was time decide on kids.  Since I was already going to be under, we decided to get my tubes tied.  It was a decision that I am 100% sure on and have thought about for over 2 years now.  Sweet Pea and Monkey are all we could have dreamed for in children and we love them dearly.

As the surgery date got closer, I started pre-apologizing to people in my life.  I get nervous and it makes me a tad bitchy stressed.  I have a tendency to take that stress out on the people closest to me.  The surgery was yesterday and everything went well, with one complication.  One of the procedures the doctor was hoping to perform didn't work.  RoadTripDaddy said he could tell my doc was disappointed when she spoke with him after my surgery.  She truly is a wonderful doctor.  One of those doctors that you drive an hour to her office because you love her that much.  Even if it means driving a little over an hour to get to the hospital she works out of to deliver your children.  I'm pretty sure I have told her she can't retire a few times.  I didn't sleep well last night but that's to be expected.  I am on pain meds now and will be spending the next week in bed.  The munchkins are headed to Grandma and Grandpa's tonight so I have some more time to heal without having to deny snuggles.  If only snuggles and kisses healed all wounds.  :)