Remember When

One of the ways we keep the "honeymoon period" alive is...keep the honeymoon alive! That goes beyond date nights and making out in corners and lunchbox love notes. It means constant recognition of the fact that this is a once in a lifetime love. 

I found this idea on Pinterest, I think.. After the new year in 2014, Adam and I started a ritual. On Tuesdays, we did our "Tuesday thing." We'd write down favorite memory, special moment, anything important to us (individually) from the last week. And we put them in a box. 

It was an ugly box. A shoebox. I taped it shut, because I wanted to peek SO badly. Our kitties stomped all over our poor box and made it even uglier.

 

Someone used it as a launching pad &… Oh well. It's what's inside that counts! Tomorrow we'll open the box and remember 2014, one moment at a time.

We decided that for next year, we'd make a keepsake box with a bit more longevity. Off to my favorite place, the craft store! Adam painted the plain wooden box, and I got stencils & paint markers to personalize it. It's a little rough, but it's ours. Next year, on New Year's Day, we'll open this box & read the notes together again. What a beautiful way to start the year :) 

Happy New Year! SO much to look forward to in 2015! 

EDIT: We actually opened the box after midnight on NYE. It was amazing! We laughed and cried and relived so much of the last year. Marrieds, do this! You won't regret it. 

Love You Long Time

“I only wish that I had met you sooner, so that I could love you longer.” 

Beautiful sentiment. In theory, 100% true. In practice…maybe not so much.

I was 28 when I met my husband, and he was 31. We both had all-too-typical 20s: too much partying, lots of mistakes, and that one long crazy relationship that makes your friends and family want to shake you like a rag doll and scream “WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING” in your face. 

There’s a reason God never had us cross paths sooner. We were meant to meet each other as adults. At 22, I would have had zero interest in him before last call, and at 25, he would’ve probably chased my tail and called it a day when I didn’t return his phone calls. (Ok, I was kind of a bitch.) At 28, I was ready to settle down. At 31, so was he.

I’d never say we don’t fight – of course we do. However, our relationship has basically been smooth sailing from Day 1. No cheating, no break-ups, no constant turmoil and chaos like we experienced in our 20s. We went on dates as opposed to starting out just “hooking up.” We took our time (well, relatively speaking. We did get married after just 9 months but I digress.) There was never any question as to whether we wanted to be together, and we were ready to make that commitment. A relationship that thrives on drama is not a healthy relationship. You want to be with someone who brings out the best in you, not someone who turns you into a crazy, insecure hot mess. I’ve never questioned Adam’s feelings, or wondered if this is where I’m supposed to be. There’s none of that nagging insecurity present in so many relationships. When I see couples drowning in a relationship born out of chaos, or going through the break up-make up cycle, I cringe. Stop! Just walk away. Soulmates don’t lie, steal, cheat, break up multiple times. They don’t fight every time she has too much to drink or he falls asleep without texting. They certainly don’t begin when one is in another relationship. Know your worth, walk away, stop settling for less than amazing.

You may wait longer than you ever expected, but it's so worth it. In the end, we still have forever, from this life to the next.

Keeping Balance

This little bracelet won Christmas.

It's a whole thing (you can check it out at www.mylokai.com). So the white bead is injected with water from Mt. Everest, the highest point on earth. This is to represent the moments we feel like we're on top of the world. The black bead is injected with mud from the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth. This is to represent when we feel our lowest. The clear beads represent the journey. It's a reminder that we need to stay humble and hopeful, because our journey in life is cyclical and will have [sometimes extreme] ups & downs.

I just thought the idea was so cool. I gave them to my mom and my aunt, two women who have been to hell & back in the last few years. (I'm wearing one as well.) We could all use a reminder that whether things are terrible or amazing, that is bound to change. 

We just gotta keep swimming. 

Busy Little Elves!

Christmas isn't a season. It's a feeling.

- Edna Ferber

I've been crap at updating this lately, but between working, shopping, wrapping, parties, and life - there's just no time!

I have however been reflecting on the past year and I gotta tell you, I have a whole hell of a lot to smile about. Our first full year as a married couple, first year in our first home together, big strides at work for us both, a furry addition to our family. 

This is such a busy, stressful time of year and we have SO much happening in 2015 that sometimes I have a hard time taking a step back and relishing in the joy of the season.

Cheers, Merry Christmas, and God bless you & yours! 

It's A Secret!

A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.

- Mignon McLaughlin

"You guys are so cute!"

We hear it all the time. I mean, literally, all the time. It's more than the foot-plus height difference or goofy grin I get when you mention my husband. It's the genuine joy we get from each other. Marriage is work, and we work to make it work.

Pure and simple, it's love. I love him more every day. I loved him when I said those words the first time, I loved him when I promised to love him forever, I loved him this morning when I sleepily kissed him as he left for work, and I love him now. We say this a hundred times a day with words and also with actions, with notes in a packed lunch or scrawled into the fog of the bathroom mirror, with extra-long hugs after a crappy day and random Tuesday date nights just because. Not one minute goes by with someone feeling anything other than loved, cherished and adored. 

It's respect. We honor each other with words and actions, whether we're together or apart. We brag about each other. Everyone knows I completely adore my husband, and everyone knows my husband is absolutely enthralled by me. We do not speak badly about each other to family or friends.

It's caring. Being angry isn't an excuse to hurt one another, it's an opportunity to learn and grow. We fight, of course. Then we get over it, move on. It irks me when he leaves his dirty dishes in the sink right next to the dishwasher, and it makes him crazy when I leave my hairbrush on the vanity right next to the...hair accessory thingy.  

It's commitment. It happened really fast for us; in less than a year we made the ultimate commitment to each other. It's something we take seriously. I've never felt like we rushed into something or that we weren't/aren't ready. 

We're the lucky ones. I wake up every day with my absolute favorite person in the world. He makes me laugh and he holds me when I cry. He supports me, encourages me, guides me. We are best friends, partners in crime, teammates: Husband And Wife.

Our secret is there is no secret. There's no tricks to being happily married. Marry the right person, and it will come naturally. 

Ciao, bella! (Part 4)

The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. - St. Augustine

Where did I leave off…ah, right where I left my heart - Venezia! Tuesday morning, we woke up bright & early again. Another gorgeous water taxi ride into town and, at my request, our director took us past the Bridge of Sighs.

Turns out the romantic lore about lovers kissing beneath the bridge at sunset is garbage made up by Americans, lol. Bummer! In reality the bridge transported prisoners to their death and, as a condemned man looked out over beautiful Venezia he would inevitably sigh his final goodbye. Trafalgar set up a tour & demonstration at THE Murano glass factory. It was incredible! In just a few minutes, a master glassblower turned a piping hot blob of glass into a beautiful pitcher. The leftover piece became a small cat figurine in less than 90 seconds!

We perused the shop, passing on the €500 punch bowl sets (thankfully we'll inherit one someday; my grandmother traveled to Venice in the 70s solely to purchase a red Murano glass punch set with gold accents - red glass & 14k gold paint being the most expensive choice of course). We picked up some little gifts like a frog for my MIL & some original Pandora beads for me :) 
After Murano, we had a few hours free time. We strolled around Piazza San Marco before settling in at one of the outside cafes for some afternoon cocktails. Perfection. 

Obviously being on vacation is relaxing, but AHH…there's something else to it. A calmer, more peaceful way about everything. The time we wasted doing nothing, people watching, laughing, stealing kisses - those are the memories I cherish. 
Alas, time to move again! We were on our way to Lake Garda, a resort town typically frequented by Italians themselves more so than foreigners. The liquid lunch put us right to sleep and when we woke up in at our villa in Garda…holy cow. It was BEAUTIFUL. The villas were built into the hillside overlooking the lake. Our room was the biggest we had anywhere in Italy, complete with a private patio above the rolling hills and water. The extravagance & beauty, and privacy, did not go to waste I assure you! ;)

A resort shuttle took us into town - freaking adorable. A stroll by the lake led us to a tiny restaurant with outdoor seating. This dining experience was one of the best of the trip! Our waiter asked us steak or fish. Steak, so he led us to a glass case where we picked out the cut of meat we wanted. It was cut & prepared in the outdoor grill while we watched sipping complimentary wine. Salad & veggies were served family-style and while we passed on dessert, complimentary digestifs were impossible to refuse. (Note: grappa is completely disgusting. Undrinkable.)

After exploring the town trying to walk off that dinner, we hit the hotel bar (of course) and retired to our private patio with a fresh bottle of prosecco. It was definitely the most relaxing night of the trip!

I'm His Mrs.

I'd literally monogram ANYTHING. I instantly correct people when they use my maiden name. I'm so completely proud to be a Troutman - MRS. Troutman. I'm proud my husband chose me. He picked me to share his life with! What an awesome gift. He gave me his last name - yes I'm rocking it like a Kennedy. He never did that for anyone else.

Unpopular opinion, especially with girlfriends. But it's true. The things you share as husband & wife are so much more than any boyfriend & girlfriend share. Know how I know Adam is serious, that he means forever? 

Because he said so, in his vows.

We promised each other, and God, that we're in this together forever. The life we're building is beautiful. Memories, traditions, family - it's everything. I'm lucky to have him and I make sure he knows I'm devoted to him. So today when he comes home, he'll see this. Cheap and easy, but I'm always looking for ways to make our house a home and let him know I'm proud to be his. 

Just call me Mrs. Troutman :)

Love Is A Verb

A good husband makes a good wife. - John Florio

Today, my husband put toothpaste on my toothbrush for me while I showered, and I fell in love with him.

It's a silly thing. It literally saves the other person 2 seconds. It requires no real effort.

It has a huge impact on my day. That simple act of kindness, a little something to save me 2 precious seconds. 

Life is in the details. Making your partner's life easier in even the smallest way sends a big message. Having their favorite drink ready when they get home from a stressful day, turning up the radio when their favorite song comes on, slipping love notes in their wallet. Adam does the chores I loathe to do. I make sure the car seat is moved way back when we switch cars. 

It's more than just a feeling; love is a verb. Yes, my heart and soul are bursting with passionate love for this man. But the action - that is where marital success lies. We choose to love and be loving. It's not always easy, with two hot-tempered firecrackers like ourselves. Love is being caring, even when you're angry.

Think of your spouse. What would you want, in their shoes? We learned it in kindergarten; treat others the way you want to be treated. Quite simple.

There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved.

- George Sand

Ciao, bella! (Part 3)

Monday morning we woke up in Rome again. After basically no sleep, we somehow got our wine-soaked butts up and out to Vatican City at 7am.

(We clean up nice!)

And it did not disappoint. It was, in a word, amazing. The sheer size of everything is beyond impressive. We toured and oohed and ahhed over the tapestries, the flooring, the glass windows, everything.

Pope Francis chooses to live in a tiny two bedroom apartment instead of the grand papal residence occupied by popes before him (I love this guy). To see these incredible sights you only read about is such an awesome, humbling experience. There's no photos allowed inside the Sistine Chapel, and I bet no photo could do it justice anyway. (Snapped this photo just before going in the chapel; sharing because I love it!)

It was HUGE! So incredibly impressive. It's impossible not to say some prayers when you're there. 

Rome wasn't built in a day, but we had only had a day to see it! (Ok, two.) It was for to move on - VENICE!

Ok actually, the bus ride was kind of nice. Five hours of cuddling with my hubby, watching the hills of Tuscany roll by? Yes please! 

When we arrived…ahhhh. I've been waiting for Venezia all my life. Ok so the canals kinda smell funny…but whatevs. We took a water taxi into town - not all of Venice is on water, which surprised me.

Once you're in town, there's tons of regular streets in addition to canals of all sizes. We obviously went for a gondola ride…complete with a musician serenading us.

It's completely as romantic as it sounds and <3 <3 <3 Afterwards we went for a Spritz, a classic cocktail of prosecco and a bitter Campari-like liquor garnished with an orange slice & green olive. Weird but refreshing! We had time to visit Piazza San Marco (St. Mark's Square) to see her at night and let me tell you, it was beautiful.

We had dinner at the hotel and despite that crazy day…hours of wine overlooking the hotel's fountain with our new friends. 

NH Laguna Palace Hotel

If I tell you I fell in love with Venice…that doesn't even come close. I adore that city and cannot wait to return. I hear it's sinking so I'm in a bit of a hurry!

Ciao for now…

Eat Pray Love

"Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all." -Harriet van Horne

I LOVE cooking. I love trying new things (Pinterest junkie) and love feeding people especially my hubby (it's the Italian in me). Adam is a great test subject especially since he loves everything! On our third date I invited him to my place & served him handmade crab cakes with fresh lemon aoli and, well, here we are! 

One of his favorites, that he requests often, is Chicken Parmesan. I made it tonight and thought I'd share my recipe.

It's ridiculously easy to make. I don't coat my chicken in anything before breading it, but I juice up my breadcrumbs with spices like basil, oregano, salt & pepper, and garlic. Once it's breaded, the number one most important part:

Whole, FRESH basil leaves.

We popped into an Italian market last weekend in NYC where I picked some up, but you can usually find it at your local grocery store. Don't skimp! Basil is amazingly delicious. Next comes the mozzarella and lots of it - Adam loves cheese! 

Cover it all in sauce (if you're using canned sauce, doctor that too!) and pop it in the oven. When I have about five minutes to go, I cover the mess in fresh parmigiano reggiano (you can use store bought shake parm if you want). Serve with any kind of pasta. Household fav around here! 10 minutes of prep and 20-40 minutes in the oven depending on the chicken. The smile on my hubby's face when he smells this cooking is worth it!.

Very Married

When I recently shared this Timehop photo (originally posted before I even knew I was interested in Adam), a friend commented that this quote is so true to me & my marriage.
I love that people recognize that. I am very married. The greatest compliment is "I hope to love and be loved the way those two love each other." My husband is my best friend. My other half, my soul mate, my person, my lobster. He's it for me. Adam & I do just about everything together. We still have separate interests, of course, it's just that we'd rather be together. My friends love him and his, me. I talk about him constantly and when I'm not talking about him, I'm probably thinking about him. I still get butterflies when he walks in the door and kisses me. If we're in the same room, chances are we're touching somehow. We sit on the same side of the booth. As soon as we were married, I changed my name socially & legally - yes I am rocking his last name like a Kennedy. My marriage is everything to me and I think that's the way it should be. 

I don't I'm better than people who aren't married, except me - I'm a better person as a wife.

Just call me Mrs. Troutman <3

Blessings!

I'm SO EXCITED!

Adam just got a promotion at work. A little extra money is nice, but what's nicer is WEEKENDS OFF! I'm super excited to spend more time with my best buddy! Saturday morning cuddles, Sunday brunches, I can't wait!!! 

Congrats to the hottest thing at CCP since this girl left! xoxoxo 

Pajama Party

Christmas Day is a huge deal with my family. We nicknamed my mom "Captain Christmas." Every year on Black Friday, we'd decorate my parents HUGE house. Tons of lights and at it's best, 27 - yes, 27! - inflatables decorating the yard. It was one of those houses people brought their kids and lovers to see. My dad LOVED it.

In early December 2011, the house stood stark and un-festive. Without my dad, no one had the heart or strength to get Christmas Wonderland going. Until one weekend. The neighbors showed up with their kids. They knew why the house lay bare. With their help - people we barely knew - we did a pretty good job bringing Christmas back to the 108. Their kindness still brings me to tears.

In the following week, many people contacted me to tell me how happy they were to see The Ponderosa decked out in holiday gear once again. My heart grew three sizes, for sure.
The following year, in the fall of 2012, we said goodbye to my childhood home. 5,000 square feet is too much for one woman drowning in loneliness, and years of happy memories were forever tarnished by my father dying there.
Christmas that year was different. "Crammed" into mom's new "tiny" townhouse (2,000 square feet plus a finished walk-out basement - some downsize! Lol!) and some family fall-outs meant fewer people in this strange new place. Perfect time to introduce my new boyfriend to the family, right? HA!
*oh yeah. So Christmas Day. We have this tradition. Everyone wears pajamas. We're there to eat, relax, play games, laugh. We do it in comfort! Over the years, typically my sister and I have worn matching jammies. We started including my mom with this too. It's just a fun thing we do, yes it's corny but it's us. One year an aunt actually wore a replica of the bunny suit from A Christmas Story. Cute!
So Christmas 2012, mom Jen & I have on our matching jammies. Adam shows up after work and heads upstairs to change. He joins us downstairs for Bingo…

He was a HIT! My family loved this silly man. He fit right in. It was a tough holiday for us all, so much change, and he joined in, lightened the mood, broke the tension, and melted everyone's heart. I was asked to bring him back the next year, no matter what - little did anyone know we'd be back the next year in our own matching clothes as Mr. & Mrs.

That day, December 25, 2012, I knew it was love. I remember the moment it hit me - I love him. I'm keeping him forever.

My hero. 

Caio, bella! (Part 2)

What do you do when you wake up Sunday morning in Rome?

Vatican City, of course!

There is no photo that can convey the atmosphere in Vatican City. It's just breathtaking. To be somewhere so beautiful, so historical, so full of love. Now, I am not Catholic and may have even referred to modern Catholicism as a money-hungry cult once or twice. But you can't deny the beauty and awesome presence of God. More on this later, though. We weren't actually able to tour the Vatican that day - something historical was happening! Inside, Pope Francis was performing the first wedding by a pope in 20 years. And, he was marrying TWENTY couples - some who already had children! Obviously a big deal. I'm no papal expert, but this guy is absolutely my fav. Again, more on that later. After watching the ceremonies for a bit on huge screens set up in St. Peter's Square and generally milling about, we headed to what was probably top on my husband's lists of sights to see - the Colosseum. 

Incredible! The history was impressive - standing on marble that has been in place for thousands of years, where emperors entered to watch the bloodshed. You can't go down to the fighting level of the Colosseum much to Adam's dismay; that's reserved for archeologists alone. Traveling with a tour group like Trafalgar has a lot of positives. We didn't wait in lines to enter any tourist attractions and had our own personal guide explaining every detail. The only real downside is, you don't get a whole lot of time at these attractions. Hubby was bummed we didn't spend more time in the Colosseum; I was satisfied seeing it, snapping some photos and picking something up in the gift shop ;) We popped in a restaurant across the street for seafood risotto (me) and real Italian lasagna (Adam - and he prefers mine!) and a glass of wine, of course.
We stopped near the Trevi Fountain and snagged our first authentic, DELICIOUS gelato.

Unfortunately the fountain  has been under restoration since July 2014 - two months prior to our trip. But, beside the scaffolding there is a small pool where you can toss a coin (backwards, over your left shoulder) to ensure good fortune and a return to Rome. We shall see!
Next up, the Pantheon. 

The Pantheon is a crazy impressive building last rebuilt in 126 A.D. It's this giant circular structure and apparently one of the best-preserved ancient Roman buildings. Again, my husband was in his element - I had no idea he was such a history lover! All the more sad that he never got to meet my dad.
We ended the day with a fabulous dinner in Piazza Navona (a city square).

Guess what accompanied dinner - I hope you guessed tons of wine! After a quick spin by to see the Vatican at night - which is so beautiful I'm near tears just thinking about it - and a few more hours at the hotel bar and a lot of prosecco later we crashed for a few short hours...who needs sleep, anyway?

To be continued...

Now & Then

Thanks to Facebook, high school reunions are no longer the way we catch up with classmates. I already know the name of the class president's son and that so-and-so recently got engaged/married/pregnant/divorced. It's nice, I suppose.
What's nicer is still being best friends with the girl I grew up next door to and regular check-ins with the girl I goofed off with in math class senior year.

Last night, I had dinner with these girls. Laura's parents were watching her two little girls and Kelly was home from NYC for the holiday with her steady boyfriend. Our men talked sports and shared silly stories about us. We jumped from topic to topic like middle schoolers without their Ritalin.

Instead of making me feel like a teenager again, the whole night reminded me how much of an adult I am. 10pm buckets of beer are now 7:30 steakhouse dinner reservations. Shots are now glasses of Malbec. Closing the bar is now heading home at 9:30 because there are kids to put to bed, family to visit, and errands to run in the morning. And I'm thrilled, thrilled with my life and the happiness of my friends. Our lives are in different places now at 30, but when we get together - we're the same girls we've always been. I love that my husband gets to see this side of me.

I've known these women more than fifteen years and I'm thankful to have them in my life, now and then. 

Family

This was my second Thanksgiving with Adam's family. (We've been together for three, actually, but had been dating about 5 minutes the first year and as such, I politely declined 😳.)  We also spend Christmas Eve and Easter Sunday with his family, plus summer barbecue-worthy holidays at his brother's pool. They have welcomed me with open arms from day one. His mom and brothers were telling him to "hurry up and marry that girl" from the beginning. They interact extremely different than my family and are entirely different type of people, but I love them and they love me. Tonight when I left my brother-in-law's house, there was zero sense of awkwardness or obligation with the goodbye hugs (despite Adam's "go hug your ________" to which my MIL said - Stop saying that, she's not rude and we like hugging her, she's not like that other one. Lol). My niece, who like my nephew is a bit shy, came right up for a hug and without thinking, I gave her a kiss.

That's when I realized - this is my family.  I married into a wonderful group of people and by now, the "married into" part is a non-issue. It's Mom & Dad, brothers & sister, niece & nephew. They are my family.

And for this, I am thankful. 

It's a Boy!

I've always been glad Miss Piggy loves Adam, and vice versa of course! I told you what my dad had to say about men and cats. Piggs is an excellent judge of character as well.

But one cat? Only one? Complete malarkey. Just had to get husband on board. Yada yada yada…fast forward to last Monday. Someone had won something in NASCAR so Outback was giving away Bloomin' Onions (that free $4 appetizer cost us like  $60 so there's a bargain). Right by our closest Outback is a Petsmart. We stopped in to pick up the eco-friendly disposable biodegradable litter boxes we use. And there they were…cages of adorable cats. I'm not sure what Adam thought would happen when he suggested we go in the enclosure to meet some kitties!

I'd wanted to adopt an older cat, a sad case, maybe one who'd been at the shelter a long time. Hobo seemed like just the guy (had to be a male - Miss Piggy is a princess and we all know females rule in the animal world!). He was a goofy boy with what looked like the kitty equivalent of a cleft palate. I loved his little "deformity!" 

But then "Oreo" came out of his cage. He jumped up & purred like a motor immediately. A five month old black & white kitten, he was NOT what I had in mind! Then I saw him in my husband's arms, snuggling & purring. And so we filled out the application. We had to jump through some hoops - like personal and vet references as well as getting Piggs up to date on vaccines (I've never vaccinated indoor cats, what's the point? I BAWLED at the vet when she cried!). Then, Friday night, we brought our little guy home :) 

Adam named him Stache, obviously for his adorable little half-(Hitler)mustache.

It's been an adjustment for all of us especially Miss Piggy, but when he wakes me up at 4am trying to crawl into my skin or Adam laughs "hun you gotta see this!" while playing with him…it's all good. 

Stay tuned for news of our next addition :)

Ciao, bella!

Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.
If you ask me what I'd do if I won the lottery, you'll hear me rattle off a list of dream vacations. I was lucky enough to go on one of those dream vacations, sans jackpot winnings. I'm a creature of habit and as such, I think I'll reserve Mondays on here for rehashing my trip to Italy this past September.
*I also tend to break my own rules constantly so don't be surprised if on any given Monday, a post is completely unrelated or even missing.
On September 12, we piled into a van headed for the Philadelphia airport, fresh passports in hand. 

Please note, my husband is not a good flyer. He was not exactly looking forward to the 7+ hour flight to London followed by a 2 hour jump to Rome. This was made slightly more bearable by the fact that British Airways offers alcohol at no charge on international flights. The wine binge began! 

After all-night travel to London, we hopped our flight to Rome so excited we barely cared about the lack of sleep. I all but burst into tears when we landed - ITALY! I was here! We toured with Trafalgar tour group (highly recommend) and after dropping off two groups at not-so-nice hotels, we pulled up to Cardinal Hotel St. Peter. Gorgeous! Balcony with a perfect view of the Basilica. Lunch in the hotel's courtyard with a few refreshing glasses of prosecco, followed by - well, we were on vacation, use your imagination ;) Trafalgar had arranged a bus tour of the city followed by a welcome dinner. We met some of the other people in our travel group (half weirdos, half really great people). We were served all the pizza, pasta, antipasta, cheeses, desserts, etc. you can imagine complete with opera singers and, you guessed it, endless wine. 

Oh, the wine! It was everywhere. And CHEAP! Obviously I was in heaven.
After being awake basically over 24 hours, you'd think we crashed after all that...nope. Rooftop drinks until way too late, of course. Still up early the next day to see some major Roman sites - who needs sleep anyway! See ya next week... :)

Tis The Season

Thanksgiving: the expression of gratitude.

I'm one of the lucky ones. I have much to be thankful for. Born to an amazingly hardworking mother, I had everything material a kid could want. I was given the intelligence to understand people and the world at an age most kids don't. I learned the concepts of grace, humility, and friendship - or so I like to think! As an adult, a very tumultuous few years in my 20s managed to teach me incredibly valuable lessons while leaving me and my loved ones relatively unscathed. And then, after the most devastating blow, I met Adam. Adam persistently pursued me and was patient with me - I was what one might call emotionally unavailable. The ultimate cynic.
Now here I am, married! I was born to be married, to be someone's wife. I adore my husband and am thankful every day that HE picked ME. We are building a wonderful life together. He showers me with affection and puts up with my crabby moods and curious quirks. I'm appreciate for our past, I'm grateful our present, and I'm so looking forward to our future.

As an aside, I had a bit of trouble getting to this post and finishing it. Why? Well…

Stay tuned!

Peace Love & Rescue

 Everyone has a platform, a passion, a cause they truly believe in that moves them and breaks their heart.
At least, they should.

Mine is animal rescue. It's easy to love animals, of course. They're cuddly and cute and helpless and lovable. If you have a heart, the love and affection of a furry friend instantly warms it. Rescuers, however, devote their time, money, resources, and sanity to giving animals a voice.

We'd had cats in the family home ever since Frank became a part of things. First was Booger, a chubby calico with a big black spot by her nose. Next was Genga, ruler of them all, rescued when he was left in a motel room to starve by what I can only assume were heartless terrible people. Then came Smoky, a ginger tabby taken in when a coworker fell too ill to care for him. Tigger was a grey striped boy who was headed to the dreaded SPCA. Zuzu, taken in when she was left with her littermates on the vet's doorstep. Lastly, Blizzard, adopted after a frantic phone call during, you guessed it, a snowstorm.
*Frank always said, a man who doesn't like cats, doesn't like women. Cats are finicky, demanding, spoiled, selfish, and demand attention on their terms while returning affection only when they please. He was pretty spot-on with that analogy - did I mention he was the smartest man I've known?

My friend Grace is the founder of Finding Shelter Animal Rescue (www.findingshelter.org) and in the winter of 2010, she asked if I would foster a kitty named Sheila. She'd been found running the streets of West Chester on the day of Grace's sister's wedding. Being allergic to cats, Grace kept Sheila on the third floor of her house away from her and the 6-10 permanent and foster dogs taking up residence. So one Saturday, I picked up a sweet grey kitty and brought her home. You'd think she'd been starved...she became Miss Piggy. hehehe :) The following week, we heard some bad news from Frank's doctors - whatever was making him feel bad was in fact, very bad. I came home from school every night and cried in my big easy chair. This kitty cuddled up in my lap every night, all night, then slept spooned next to me in my big bed.

After two weeks, I let Grace know "Sheila" could be taken off the adoption list.

I believe my dad sent me this beautiful kitty when I needed her most. For four years, she's been my friend, my sidekick, my best girl. Not that she met a lot of men in her time with me, but when she snuggled up to Adam right away after hissing at others - I, too, trusted him.


"I may have rescued you...but it was you who saved me."