Moments in time....

Time passes in a whirl and I come back here to realize how many moments I have not documented. I regret that but I won't dwell on it. I will document the ones I can now because I love remembering how I felt in those moments.

My trips to the DR have increased. In 2 weeks I will leave for what will be my 5th trip in 4 years. Four years seems like such a long time but in my heart it is a blip! My Facebook status last night said "Two weeks from today I will be on a plane to the place where my heart is happier, where I breathe deeper, smile wider and work harder than anywhere else. I simply cannot wait to get back to those people & that place. ♥" This is the absolute truth. I feel as though I am at home there as much as in my own where I have spent most of my 35 (eek) years.

I spent last weekend in Boynton Beach, FL for girls' weekend to celebrate my dear friend's 40th birthday. She turned 40 last year but also had a baby so we celebrated this year! :) There were 8 girls in her parent's lovely home and we had a fabulous time. No drama, no tears - just lots of laughter, sharing of secrets of love, marriage and babies, and fun all around. We sat at the pool, the beach, the bar chatting and laughing and relaxing.

The porch where I read every morning before everyone was up....






So much laughing.....












It was the most relaxing, stress-free time I've had in a long time. Most of the women were young mothers with little ones at home. In the beginning there was some guilt, but by the end we all agreed that time away is important to rejuvenate, recharge, and refresh!!!!

What can I say? Bathing beauties.....full of life....

We're so fancy - Blackberries and cash in a Ziploc bag.....nice!

Nothing says happy like wine and smiles!

Moving days....happy days!

Today one of my best friends from college moved to within 15 minutes of my house and within 7 minutes of my office. I could not be happier. Honestly, I am ecstatic. I am overjoyed. They have 3.9 little boys (#4 (also a boy) is due in 4 weeks) and they are the sweetest, kindest, most loving family. She is the most relaxed mama - never stressed, rarely angry, such an amazing woman. She was my first married friend back when we were so young, so innocent. She started out life after college getting married and moving to Germany to fly Black Hawk helicopters in the Army. Umm right - she's WAY tougher than I am.

Sweet, beautiful friend!

Upon returning to the US (pregnant with #1 who needed surgery), she lived in VA near our other friend and then moved to NC, close to my best childhood friend. I was able to see her intermittently and then they moved to western VA, far away from many friends. I only saw her once in the past couple of years and didn't see her boys much at all. I was so sad! :( When news came that her Army hubby might just end up at MIT, I nearly burst with excitement but tried not to get my hopes up.
The day she texted me "We're heading your way!" I could not stop smiling. When they started looking at houses, I hoped it would be within an hour of me. The day she asked me to look at a house 7 minutes from my office, I was nearly jumping up and down with excitement! Today I could not contain my pure joy.
I stopped at their home tonight to drop off a banana bread and my wonderful 36 week pregnant friend, said "Stay for dinner." I had no intentions of staying for dinner, only saying hi to all and coming back when they were more settled. I stayed for 3 hours. My friend is so calm for someone who has been in her new home less than 9 hours, for someone who is delivering her fourth boy in 4 weeks, for someone who just moved to a foreign state. Her boys are excited beyond belief and honestly so was I. I couldn't stop telling them about the things we could do here, the beach, ice creams shops, the drive-in, the fairs, the train, the Aquarium, etc etc!
She said to me tonight, "I still can't believe it's real.....like I can see you whenever I want." How true!! It feels like I have to squeeze in every moment with her this weekend until I can see her again. I don't!! I can soak up every minute of the next 2 years with her.....and I am content.

Babies and Birthdays

I spent a most wonderful, whirlwind weekend in VT for Miss M's birthday. You know those friends? The ones who seem like they have been friends forever (and at this point they have been friends for almost half my life which is close to forever!). My friend was dating her (now) husband when she walked into my life on the first day of freshman year of college so I have known him almost as long as her. J and I hit it off from the first minute - complete opposites - she was petite, where I was a giant....I was chatty and she was thoughtful. We spent more time in each other's rooms that year than our roommates did. I was far from home, so her parents invited me for Easter and made me feel like one of their children.

Through those 4 years, our friendship was a comforting constant. We studied, partied, talked, bonded, loved and supported each other. As she and her (now) husband dated and broke up, I listened. As I struggled with my mom's illness, she listened. We laughed together, made friends together and ate many, many Pub cookies and Dana Dining Hall meals together. Although we did our own things too, we never let our friendship go.

After college, she went back to VT and I to MA and it was hard. Roadtrips ensued, parties happened and their wedding was celebrated! Since then, we've traveled to FL to visit other friends, we've watched the Red Sox and 4th of July fireworks in Boston and cried together over many pitfalls of life. We supported each other through (similar) grad school programs and 30th birthdays.

Last May, life brought them an adorable bundle of love and joy in the form of the amazing Miss M! They were married for 8 years before having a baby so seeing them as parents is almost sweeter for me. I know them so well as a couple that it's like meeting them again to see them as parents!

Miss M's 1st birthday was celebrated this weekend with love and family and lots of laughter! It's always too short when I get to VT but always like coming home.....like seeing family again. It's never awkward....always a feeling of love and comfort, understanding and pure friendship.

I love my friends and their families.

Moments in time....

It's been such a long time since I've posted anything on this blog!!!! I looked tonight and realized that 2 long years have passed!! It makes me sad to have missed out on this much of my life because I really enjoy looking back through my archives at the moments in time.
So, I resolve to get back to blogging just for me....so that I may remember my life as I get older.
Tomorrow I leave for VT to see a sweet baby celebrate her first birthday! A darling girl who I have met but once since her birth and who I cannot wait to cuddle again!
I have made cute bow-bows for her and have my camera charged up for multiple photo sessions. My car holds 2 bottles of wine for her mama and I - the kind she can't find in VT that is a bargain in MA ($8/bottle!!).
I can't wait. Moments in time start again here.

Yikes!

It has been almost 6 months since I posted last! I like to read back on what I posted, so you would think I would have incentive to post.
What a whirlwind it has been! I'm not going to be able to remember all that has happened so I'll do a little photo story of a few highlights.

A beautiful (albeit cold) DC wedding in December! My first "maid-of-honor" duties and I could not have been more honored. My friend and I were the long time single friends, college drinking buddies, and working girls. We have seen many changes in life and I was bursting with happiness for her.

Now, they're expecting their first child in October!



My favorite little friends had a play date!

Follow the leader...

Shopping together.....

Snack time!

I SEWED!

Rice Heat Therapy Bag for Mama
(Tutorial from Sew Mama Sew Blog)

I spent some time up North in VT in WINTER! (So much winter that I got to spend an extra day due to unsafe driving!)

Vermont critters are friends! ;)

After the Polar Plunge in Lake Champlain!

Snowshoeing with a beagle!

I rocked....

We Wiied! :)

It snowed....

and snowed.....

but it was beautiful

so we walked despite wind that took your breath away!

Then we crafted.....hat in progress by JS.



I visited my favorite place.....

where Miss Kitty and Papa relaxed by the fire....

This has turned out to be really long and I didn't even get to small children making me a birthday cake!
Oh...and a whole post for my AMAZING medical mission trip to the Dominican Republic (which just happened a few weeks ago and I'm still sorting pictures). Truly an eye-opening, life changing experience.

This weekend is all about me. I have been working SUPER hard (65-80 hours a week) for the past few weeks and it's taking it's toll. That's why I am looking forward to my 10th college reunion this weekend. I can't wait to hit VT where my FL friend and my VT friend await along with wine and babies and the sweetest husbands ever. On to NY, where more friends, babies, wine, and memories await. Back to my carefree youth for just a few days....and you know I have a rockin' new dress to wow them all at dinner! :)

I've missed this. Maybe now that I've broken the ice, I can get back into it!

**Edited to add: I forgot the whole reason I wanted to blog tonight. My brother announced this evening that he and his gf are moving to FL. My brother is my savior, the one I call when I just need to vent, who always says "Do you need me to come there now?" when something happens with my mom. He is about an hour from me now and that's just far enough.
FL is way too far. It will be temporary and he is doing it to support an educational move for his gf, but I can't help but be a little bit selfish and sad tonight.

1-2-3

Today....was my birthday. It's an easy to remember day - 1-2-3 and all. I took the day off from work today to give myself some "ME" time. I realized today that I am not very good at scheduling that. My days are full of work, my nights are full of - meetings, volunteer work, sign language class and sewing class. Oh, right sign and sewing should be for me, and I do enjoy them sometimes, but it's all becoming too much. I am NEVER home and I don't have much time for spontaneous fun. Monday night - sewing (if I can leave the office), Tuesday night - volunteer at the Hospice Children's Bereavement group, Wednesday night - office meetings, Thursday night - sign class. Often that means that Friday becomes Late Night at the Office and that is NOT fun.

So, anyway - complaining finished. I need to sort out what I can weed out or place a hold on (in my head I am signing all of the things that I know how to sign - hooray! ;)), but I'm not coming up with much - except going home from work earlier.

Anyway, I wanted to sew today and it didn't quite happen. I had to take my mom to the doctor (which I knew but it's always a slower process than I realize) and then she needed to do another errand. I found myself getting frustrated and feeling selfish and I didn't like it. After all, if it's my birthday, it's a special day for my mom too right? Her first child was born today. Resolve to be more patient. With age comes perspective?

We had a work dinner tonight and thankfully I work with great people who made sure I felt special on my day.

That is sinful egg nog creme brulee. I just love the chocolate writing - so cute!
Taken with my camera phone so not great quality.... oh well. :)

I am thankful for my life, my friends and my family. I don't feel much older, but I hope that this year brings new perspectives, excitement and a renewed sense of peace with myself! :) (Oh and maybe a bit more blogging? Seriously, I'm so inconsistent!)
Happy Birthday to me (although it might be past midnight already.....)

Review

I thought perhaps I should look back at what I said I "would" do last year and just review how I did. I'm not going to berate myself for the things I didn't do, but I would like to remind myself of the progress I DID make. :)

This year:

I will continue to work on my finances so that I feel good about the way I am handling them. Check (sort of - I have worked on them).

I will save my money, research, and purchase a bike. Nope - I didn't get to this one, although I have the money for it.

I will learn more knitting techniques and make something for myself. I did learn a few more techniques, but then I lost my knitting mojo and haven't knit since February or March.

I will travel far and wide - including WI, MN, NC, NY, and VA in the first 2 months - hopefully AU and IRE will make it on the "far" part of the list. I travelled to all the states, but neither of the countries. I'm hoping for a trip to help people in the Dominican Republic this year....more on that later....

I will continue to bake, but work to improve my cooking skills. I wish I had cooked more.

I will do some form of exercise 5 times a week. I wish I had done this too.

I will be thankful to have my siblings all in the same country. I was and I am. My sister has returned and it makes so happy to be able to call her whenever I want!

B and I in Ithaca during a snowstorm!

I will appreciate my parents for what they are and be thankful to have them both living. I learned this lesson in a bigger way than I thought.

I will spoil the babies in my life with love and attention and perhaps a few little hand knit items. :) The babies were spoiled and it wasn't even a little bit difficult! ;)

I will spend time making sure my godson "P" knows how special he is to be the one who made me an "Auntie" and how much his mother (my best friend) means to me. When they visited in July, I spent almost every spare minute with them and I am so glad I did. He is becoming such a little boy!

I will make time for the important things in life - friends and family. I made time to take care of Mom, but was still to be at and in a few weddings and showers. These are the times memories are made of!

I will learn to sew - FINALLY - so I can stop being jealous of all the beautiful things on other people's blogs. I DID THIS! 100% I did it! I can't stop being proud of this. It's one of those things I've always wanted to do, but just never did. It's worth a post.....but I can sew now and have made several things in the past couple of months!

Three baby balls with bells in them -
a gift for my little friend whose favorite word is "ball"

I will do what I need to to keep my License in Social Work current, so that I can go back when I'm ready. I have to renew my LCSW in October, so I need to make sure I have all my CEUs by then.

I will make time for myself and my life. I have tried to do this by doing things I enjoy at night. I could do better, but I'm happy with the progress I've made.

I will make an attempt to be more organized. I made the attempt and it's a work in progress (esp now that I have fabric too)!

Overall, I'm pretty pleased with my accomplishments. I should make a list for this year. Not tonight though. I stayed home this morning with a pounding headache - my body telling me I need MORE sleep. If only I didn't want to sew in every free minute!