Wordless Wednesday: Chairs

I guess I won't be too wordless today, but I'll keep it short and sweet.

I took this on a rainy day last month--and those rainy days have been few and far between this summer. But the reason I really like this shot, are the chairs that are in the soft focus.

Those are the chairs on our back patio that Mook and I plant our rears in when the lightening bugs start their summer dance.

So in an emo-artsy sorta way, the rain on the window makes me think of tears--since Mook and I haven't had many opportunities to just sit and be this year, especially this summer. I've seen him a total of 8 days this month.

I'm incredibly thankful for his job--just hoping that things calm down soon so we can plant our rears in those chairs, roast marshmallows and watch Oman chase the lightening bugs.

Glitterazzi

*UPDATE*
Correct toe matches:
Calliope: Liberace Silver
Rottenstinker:  Sunkist Orange
LJ: Emo-Black-Purple
Somewhat Ordinary: Pretty-Pretty Princess Pink
JJ: Iron Man Red-and-Gold

Each blogger at Schlubfest* is unique. 

Just like our toes:

Pretty-Pretty Princess Pink, Emo-Black-Purple, Sunkist Orange,
Liberace Silver, and Iron Man Red-and-Gold

Can you pair the glitter-clad toes to the right blogger?

If you match correctly, we'll send you a piece of Schlubfest pie.

*Schlubers: JJ, Rottenstinker, Somewhatordinary, LJ, Calliope

Ingredients of Schlubfest

Main Entry: Schlubfest*
Variant(s): also shlub \ˈshləb\
Function: noun
Etymology: Yiddish zhlob, zhlub yokel, boor
Date: 2009, 2010

slang : a gathering of pajama-clad women, no makeup, junk food, wine, blogging,
toddler chaos,and more poopy diapers than you could shake a stick at.

Mom's* who are grateful for the toddlers who will surely provide reason for all of the above.
JJ, Rottenstinker, LJ, Somewhatordinary, Cali

Photo Friday: Chocolate Companion

Mook and I have always been dog people, so it was only natural for us to adopt a precious little pup as we were starting our life together.

As we drove to pick her up, we still hadn't agreed on a name. Let me just share some of Mook's brilliant suggestions: Lunchbox, Milkshake (that is her middle name), Darth Vader, Taxi...

So you get the idea.

Mine of course, were much more intelligent ;)

We finally settled on something that deserves a resounding "Awwwwwww"....we named her after the dorm where we met in college.

Here she is at only 6 weeks old...

And as you can see, even at 75 lbs, she still thinks she is a puppy.

I took this this morning after she chased a cat out of the back yard. 

I can clearly see the gray forming around her mouth and spattered across her coat. She'll be 6 next year--still young in my opinion! I hope she's with us for many more years--she and Oman are really starting to become best buds. Just the other night, I got up for some water, and noticed that J wasn't in her usual spot near my bed. I got a bit concerened since it usually means she's wandered off to get sick somewhere in the house. However, I found her curled up right outside Oman's door. Melted my heart on the spot....

Today's other Photo Friday entries are over here--go check 'em out!

My Place

I know where I want my final resting place to be.

I don't mean to start out on a morbid note, because to me, it brings me a lot of peace knowing exactly where I want to "return to to dust"

By the sweat of your brow
you will eat your food
until you return to the ground,
since from it you were taken;
for dust you are
and to dust you will return.

Genesis 3:19

My place is one that is full of life, memories, the echo of past footprints, a wooden swing, faded paint from years of sun, and the knowledge that if you keep your feet on the floor, you'll know someone is approaching by the vibration of the wooden planks.

July 4, 2010

My family knows this place as "The Sit.tum" -- our slang for the dock that sits off the family beach house where we sit 'em down. Our rears, that is :) I think each of my family members agrees that this is the most peaceful spot on the planet to us. And we each love it for the individual memories we have. 

You know the saying, "If these walls could talk..." Just modify that a bit : "If these boards could talk"

They are still the original wooden planks that were used to build the dock 29 years ago. So they've "felt" all sorts of memories.

Eating breakfast with my cousin as the sun came up, devouring watermelon and seeing who could spit the seeds the furthest into the marsh, countless sunsets, watching military helicopters prepare for Desert Storm, late night star gazing with my soon-to-be-husband, watching fireworks with my grandparents, standing in the sun and shouting into the wind, "I want to be a Mom!", prayers that the miracle growing in my belly would hang on through a bleeding scare, my sister's wedding, and most recently having that not-so-little miracle sitting on the swing with me--holding my hand, and sitting still as we enjoyed some precious mother-son time. 

 

So you can get a glimpse to why this is My Place...so many meaningful life moments, that it has always been easy for me to think of it as a final place. So tell me--am I the only "dark and twisty" one? I even know what song I'd like played at my funeral (Seat Ne.xt To You, Bon Jo.vi)  

I do think this has been on my mind more recently, just for the fact that my family just celebrated my grandfather's 90th birthday. Spending time with him last week was so special--and I realize how lucky I am that all four of my grandparents are still living. I haven't known a summer at My Place without my grandparents being there...

I spent time last week repainting parts of the dock that I had stenciled with palm trees and waves when I was 10...twenty years of sunshine had made the paint fade quite a bit. But I did leave one section in its original form...just as a reminder to all who visit that My Place is welcoming of all things past, present and future....

Perfect Moment Monday: Sitting

Behold.

This is a rare sight these days. The Oman sitting still.

I guess he knew how behind I am on reading blogs, and perusing the internet.

Thank you, my sweet boy for sitting in my lap for more than 10 seconds. You made my day.

See more Perfect Moments over here!

Wordless Wednesday: Shoes

I've waited a long time to see little shoes among the big shoes at our family beach house.

Even a shoe rack makes me appreciate my little miracle.

Mile Zero

You don't need me to tell you that going down the road of infertility can feel like the longest, car-sickiest, are-we-there-yet, kind of trip.

It's a bit like starting at Mile Zero and working your way through intersections, stop lights, detours and dirty Rest Areas.

And it was not lost on me that when Mook and I visited Key West in the summer of 2007, that it was quite ironic that we were in a physical location of a "Mile Zero" when we were getting ready to go through our first IVF when we returned home.

So to find ourselves there again this summer, almost three years to the day, we talked a lot about the journey and the miles we have traveled since. You may remember me telling you that we gave Oman the middle name Miles for that very reason: the journey we took to have him in our life.

I haven't even told Mook this yet, but I claimed the reason I was rubbing my eyes after we snapped some tourist-y pictures, was because I was sweating (which I was--its.so.freaking.hot.there) but I was weeping underneath my sunglasses. 'Cause sometimes--it just really hits me how much crap we went through, and how lucky we are.

The other cool moment?
(well, there were lots--like the fact that we got to stay with Rottenstinker's parents, who were amazing hosts)

We took a picture at the street sign that was special to us in '07. A name we loved...and thought "Wow, wouldn't it be cool to name our daughter that some day?" 

                                                                                                                        

Funny how we didn't stray too far....

------------

I guess each time you start down a new path, you pretty much start at Mile Zero. I sort of feel like that's where I'm stuck for the moment as far as adding to our family. Not sure when we'll "get in gear" so to speak. But I can tell ya....I'm enjoying the heck outta the little man who is GO GO GO all the time :)