Wow, what a wonderful weekend filled with celebrating my birthday!! Friday night we went out to eat at Joe's Crab Shack and then off to Whispers for a couple of drinks. Eve and I took Melvin with us and had a wonderful time. Saturday was a trip out to the ranch where my family treated me to awesome steaks, great conversation, and fabulous gifts. Mom gave me a beautiful watch and an awesome dessert cookbook. Dad and Tim gave me several thousand dollars toward the big move to my PH.D. endeavor. Joyce gave me Yankee Candle Potpourri and as always, some much needed cash. The kids gave me the neatest tea light vase. Then it was off to Trixie's (aka Melvin) drag show and Eve and I had the best time ever. Sunday was spent relaxing and sleeping alot. Amy made french toast for breakfast, and then I received MORE gifts from them. A candle warmer, and an EASY button (I LOVE that thought). Finally, on Monday the girls from work took me out to Chuys for drinks, fajitas, cake, much laughter and wonderful gifts. Rhonda gave me a Morenci Candle (creme brulee') that smells heavenly and this really neat key hanger for my purse. That's an awesome gift since I usually have this huge conglomeration of keys so they don't get lost in the bottom of my bag. I got hundreds of birthday wishes on Facebook and calls from all the important people in my life. I feel so blessed to have the people in my life that I have. Everyone made this birthday seem important to them and I love them for their sentiment.
During all of this excitement, we received a call from Eve's Mom on Saturday evening at 9:16pm. Uncle Marty died suddenly and everyone is in shock. Eve and I cried like little kids about the loss of someone so magnanimous that he could touch the hearts of people who only see him every few years. Personally, I only had opportunity to spend two occasions with Marty. I met him at Tricha and David's wedding six years ago, and then spent a week with him and Aunt Carol on the cruise two years ago, but his impact on my heart made an impression that will last long beyond his presence on this planet.
Eve will be driving up to Chicago with her parents on Thursday and they'll return on Sunday. I wish we could afford for me to go, as well, but we just can't swing it. My heart, mind, and prayers are extended to the family who treats me as their own during this time of grief.
It's usually the birth of a child that prods people to think about the cycle of life. This time,there is the subtle nudge that life is meant to be lived fully and completely with the enthusiasm that Martin Russo presented to all who knew him. It is not just enough to strive for success, but more that one share his or her smile, laughter, happiness, and wit with those who need a lift. Thanks to Uncle Marty for this reminder.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
A breatherVE
Ahhhh, finally a real day off. For the past 10-12 weeks life has been so weird I have not had a real day off. Today...the world is brighter, the birds are chirping, and all is right in life. I was lazy and slept in until 7:15am..I woke on my own with no pressing agenda - stretched, rose, piddled around in the kitchen all while listening to the morning news and feeling very much myself again.
This weekend we traveled to Shreveport to our friends' commitment ceremony. It was the most perfect expression of their eclectic personalities! Never before have I been so moved by a ceremony - I cried - terribly unusual for me. The dress, the music, the candor..all such a beautiful representation of Andrea and Tonya's sense of humor, love for each other, and most importantly, love for the life they share. We are honored to have been a part of such a heartfelt expression of what's good in this world.
Eve and I spent hours discussing the service and our friends. At one point Tricha (Eve's sister) asked if we were going to have a ceremony. Well....we would love to have one - a real marriage - in a state where it's legal, but we're saddened by the thought that the only family members present would be Tricha, Chris, Amy, Gage and Kaloeb. We have a lot of friends who would come, but they're all in southern states and to think they would travel to Eastern seaboard is unrealistic. Eve and I feel married, we think married, we live our lives married so for us, the legal ceremony serves only to give us the same rights as our heterosexual friends and family. We would like to have medical insurance as a married couple, we would like to be able to legally make decisions for one another, we would appreciate the legal right to claim taxes as a married couple. We wonder why people who love us don't understand those things...sometimes we think that selfishness says that those people think they're better than us in some way. It speaks to us that it's nice that we work, pay taxes, live our lives with responsibility, meet our obligations, love our friends and families..yadda, yadda, yadda, BUT...how dare we consider that we shouldn't have to work harder, pay more, love harder than anyone else. It's almost a slap in the face sometimes..."we love you"; "we're happy to share our lives with you" and then there's a rush to the priest...a firm disapproval of participation in the mainstream marriage and relationship endeavors...a clear and apparent distaste for our need to treated the same as any other married couple.
I know I am ranting...not everyone treats us this way...in fact, most do not. Eve and I love each other and at the end of the day...eleven years later...what others 'permit' us has little bearing on our commitment to each other and the people in our lives.
See....I am having a real day off!!!:-) I have the time to sit here and compose one of my personal rants without interruption. WEHOOOO....
okay, gonna piddle some more, vaccuum, steam clean, wash walls...do my cathartic exercises love the day with all of my heart! Later Gators!!
This weekend we traveled to Shreveport to our friends' commitment ceremony. It was the most perfect expression of their eclectic personalities! Never before have I been so moved by a ceremony - I cried - terribly unusual for me. The dress, the music, the candor..all such a beautiful representation of Andrea and Tonya's sense of humor, love for each other, and most importantly, love for the life they share. We are honored to have been a part of such a heartfelt expression of what's good in this world.
Eve and I spent hours discussing the service and our friends. At one point Tricha (Eve's sister) asked if we were going to have a ceremony. Well....we would love to have one - a real marriage - in a state where it's legal, but we're saddened by the thought that the only family members present would be Tricha, Chris, Amy, Gage and Kaloeb. We have a lot of friends who would come, but they're all in southern states and to think they would travel to Eastern seaboard is unrealistic. Eve and I feel married, we think married, we live our lives married so for us, the legal ceremony serves only to give us the same rights as our heterosexual friends and family. We would like to have medical insurance as a married couple, we would like to be able to legally make decisions for one another, we would appreciate the legal right to claim taxes as a married couple. We wonder why people who love us don't understand those things...sometimes we think that selfishness says that those people think they're better than us in some way. It speaks to us that it's nice that we work, pay taxes, live our lives with responsibility, meet our obligations, love our friends and families..yadda, yadda, yadda, BUT...how dare we consider that we shouldn't have to work harder, pay more, love harder than anyone else. It's almost a slap in the face sometimes..."we love you"; "we're happy to share our lives with you" and then there's a rush to the priest...a firm disapproval of participation in the mainstream marriage and relationship endeavors...a clear and apparent distaste for our need to treated the same as any other married couple.
I know I am ranting...not everyone treats us this way...in fact, most do not. Eve and I love each other and at the end of the day...eleven years later...what others 'permit' us has little bearing on our commitment to each other and the people in our lives.
See....I am having a real day off!!!:-) I have the time to sit here and compose one of my personal rants without interruption. WEHOOOO....
okay, gonna piddle some more, vaccuum, steam clean, wash walls...do my cathartic exercises love the day with all of my heart! Later Gators!!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Has it really been four weeks since the last post?!!!
WOW...time does fly - I really thought that was only when you're having FUN. Hmmmm...not all that much fun lately.
School has been hard; work has been harder. Vehicle troubles are finally behind us and NOW there are four cars parked in our driveway. Everyone has a vehicle of their own to hop in at will. Amy's Dad bought her a 1999 Chevy Blazer (great car in awesome condition). I sold my Ford Five Hundred and bought a BMW. Eve gave the Suburu to Chris so he would have a car of his very own with no notes and reasonable insurance. Which leads us to Eve's new car. Eve just bought a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited with all the bells and whistles. So...no one has a note, insurance is reasonable, and we all have cars we want...(except Chris who would much rather have a camaro or an eclipse because he prefers a two door car). Finally, there's no need to make arrangements for transportation...we can all get where we need and want to go at any given moment.
Our Foster dog, Precious, is doing very well here. Mister is so obnoxious that he makes it hard for her to find her place - but, aside from the occasional telling each other off...they like each other and share the house like good little doggies. Frodo has some off-limits zones and Precious is okay with that. Toys are a little bit of a problem since Frodo claims ALL toys as his...even the baby's toys. All in all...it's a nice little family.
Chris started college last week and I couldn't be a prouder parent than right now. He loves his classes and will start his clinicals on the 23rd of September. Already, he'll be working as a volunteer at hospitals and fire houses beginning then. It's about time he get it together like this!
All is well with everything else. Getting excited about our friends' committment ceremony this coming weekend. It'll be nice to get to Louisiana for a couple of days.
School has been hard; work has been harder. Vehicle troubles are finally behind us and NOW there are four cars parked in our driveway. Everyone has a vehicle of their own to hop in at will. Amy's Dad bought her a 1999 Chevy Blazer (great car in awesome condition). I sold my Ford Five Hundred and bought a BMW. Eve gave the Suburu to Chris so he would have a car of his very own with no notes and reasonable insurance. Which leads us to Eve's new car. Eve just bought a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited with all the bells and whistles. So...no one has a note, insurance is reasonable, and we all have cars we want...(except Chris who would much rather have a camaro or an eclipse because he prefers a two door car). Finally, there's no need to make arrangements for transportation...we can all get where we need and want to go at any given moment.
Our Foster dog, Precious, is doing very well here. Mister is so obnoxious that he makes it hard for her to find her place - but, aside from the occasional telling each other off...they like each other and share the house like good little doggies. Frodo has some off-limits zones and Precious is okay with that. Toys are a little bit of a problem since Frodo claims ALL toys as his...even the baby's toys. All in all...it's a nice little family.
Chris started college last week and I couldn't be a prouder parent than right now. He loves his classes and will start his clinicals on the 23rd of September. Already, he'll be working as a volunteer at hospitals and fire houses beginning then. It's about time he get it together like this!
All is well with everything else. Getting excited about our friends' committment ceremony this coming weekend. It'll be nice to get to Louisiana for a couple of days.
