Doggie Tales...

Yesterday morning I was running around the house unpacking things and putting stuff away, when I turned around and saw Franklin dreaming about his farm dog days. From October until last week, Franklin had been able to go outside whenever he wanted and run on a nine acre farm with two other farm dogs and a farm cat.  He was in heaven as he bounded up the hills with his ears flapping in the wind and his nose in the air smelling all of the new and different smells. The snow didn't hurt his enthusiasm for country living either.

When I saw him staring out the window yesterday, I know he was wanting someone to let him out so he could freely run, smell and pee on everything he could find. I know adjusting to city life again will take some time for him, so in the mean time my goal is to take him to the dog park more often and to take him on more walks. I think this is the least I can do since he has been such a trooper over the hardest months of our lives.

During our most trying times, he was a protector, a comforter, a snuggler, an entertainer, and just a really great dog. So here is to more walks and more trips to the dog park in 2010. I hope everyone has a great New Year and has someone, even if it's a dog, who is all of these things to you.  Happy New Year!

Putting life back together

Two days ago, I walked into my home for the first time in almost 11 weeks. As I drove through my neighborhood I was amazed how surreal everything looked. I had thought about this moment for weeks and wondered how I would feel as I walked back into my life. Physically speaking very little had changed in our neighborhood. But, as I sat in my car in the garage I teared up. I was thankful to be home but also nervous about what the future holds.

As I sat there, I thought about how much my husband and I have both grown and matured. Really, I think even our dog has matured. He went from a city dog to a farm dog. Although I know he loved being a farm dog, he reverted back to his city dog roots and come inside when it got cold or rainy or was anything less than abundantly sunny.

Going back to human growth in unfortunate circumstances...my husband and I don't have kids, and besides our super-fantastic dog, we haven't really had anything to take care so when it became apparent that we were going to be the main care takers for my husband's mom as she struggled with and eventually succumbed to lung cancer it forced us both to grow up. It forced us to really put other people first and be more patient and understanding people. For me, this experience has made me a more empathetic and compassionate person and with the new year coming up my goal is to continue these traits.

I would also like to remember everyday to be thankful. Not everyday will be perfect and in fact, some will be downright hard but there is always something to be thankful for.

Thankful for...

Happiness is the only good. The time to be happy is now. The place to be happy is here. The way to be happy is to make others so. 

-Robert Green Ingersoll

It's been a while since I've posted and a lot has changed in my life. My family and I have lost an important member of our family, a main pillar really. And while we are still searching for meaning in all of this and trying to develop a new sense of normal, it's also still  important for all of us to remember what we are thankful for. Today, I am thankful for family. 

My husband and I have a great family who has pulled together to help us care for his Mom while she was battling Stage 4 metastatic lung cancer. With the help of hospice we were able to care for her at home and make her as comfortable as possible, but that didn't make the situation easier.  Since my mother-in-law passed away our family has remained strong and supportive of one another. 

As we prepare to travel home after the holidays, the memories I hope take with me from the past few months is how our families have supported us and when we were weak they were strong and vice versa. I also hope that we always remember that although this has been a difficult time, we are blessed to have one another.

My World Cup Dream...

Ever since I was a little girl I've loved soccer. I remember the first World Cup games I watched in 1994. I was in eighth grade and it made me want to go for a run and get into shape so I could try out for the high school soccer team. Unfortunately though, that enthusiasm faded and I never tried out for high school soccer. 

I haven't kept up on my soccer as much in recent years, but when I heard the World Cup in 2010 is going to be in South Africa - somewhere I really to go - I started making plans. But, my husband and my mom were not as excited as I was about going to South Africa. So, after some comprises and a promise that for my 30th birthday we will go to Paris, I have now accepted that my World Cup experience will occur in front of the T.V. instead.

Last month, I was watching the news when I heard that the last World Cup qualifier game for the USA team was going to be at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC. I immediately told my husband that I had to go. I was so excited about it that my wonderful husband bought me tickets the next day. 

So, on a cold and dreary October evening I got a little piece of my World Cup dream.  The energy and excitement was amazing. In a city where political affiliations can determine your friendships, last night, everyone, except for the Costa Rica fans, was a part of Team U.S.A.   

After a hard fought first half, Team U.S.A was down 2-0. But, late in the second half, Team U.S.A was reenergized by scoring one goal around the 71st minute and in the final moments of the game the U.S team scored again, tying the score at 2-2.  

Although this has been a hard week for Team U.S.A, with the absence of teammate Charlie Davies after he was involved in a very serious car accident early Tuesday morning in D.C. They played a great game and I am so grateful that I got to be a part of the excitement. I look forward to watching Team U.S.A win in South Africa next Summer. 

Food, Friends and Family...

Last weekend, my husband and I traveled to Missouri to see our families, and throw an anniversary party for my parents. We spent most of the weekend cooking and eating, but it was a wonderful time and a great fall weekend.  

When we landed the temperature was a brisk 46 degrees, a stark contrast to the 80 degrees it was suppose to be in Northern VA that day. Our first stop in Missouri was lunch at Sonic, my favorite fast-food place. The closest one to us in VA is 45 minutes away and it's definitely something I miss from home.

After lunch, we spent the next hour helping my brother with his chemistry homework. I didn't so much as help as watch TV while my husband and my brother discussed chemistry equations and formulas.

For the anniversary party, I decided on a Fall theme. The weather in Missouri has been fall-like for several weeks now so it was perfect. I put together a menu full of fall dishes like butternut squash soup, harvest vegetables, honey glazed carrots, creamy spinach, baked mac-n-cheese and steaks, pork loin and hamburgers.

The best part, though, was the cake we had for dessert. About a month ago, I asked my brother to find a picture of my parents and their wedding cake. I thought it would be fun to have a replica made for the party. My brother found the perfect picture and I contacted Sonja of Celebrations by Sonja. She did the cake for my wedding and my family and I have been looking for an excuse to get another one. The cake was vanilla with a strawberry cream filling like my wedding cake. It was a beautiful cake and it tasted even better than I remembered.

The party was a great success. It was an evening full of laughing, looking at old pictures and catching up. Our families had a great time and I know my parents were so excited to see everyone. We look forward to seeing everyone at the next party.

Cake by Celebrations by Sonja

Friday Fall Finds...

The end of another week is upon us.  This week was full of abundant sunshine and wonderfully cool weather. When the weather began to cool down a few weeks ago, I started looking for a cute pair of wrist warmers or fingerless gloves. I really like fingerless gloves and wrist warmers because they make doggie duty so much easier, but they still keep my forever cold hands warm. I found the perfect pair from NataJane who sells these adorable wrist warmers at her Etsy shop. These are adorable and will definitely not work for doggie duty. 

Photos credits: NataJane

My book-love...

"Everything in the world exists in order to end up as a book." 

Stephan Mallarme, French poet, 1842-189

I love books, all types of books. I love walking into a bookstore or the public library and looking at books.  When I'm flipping through a book, I imagine all of the hard work, the worry, and the sleepless nights that each author put into each word and idea of a book.  I use to spend hours scouring the New York Times Bestsellers list and the Barnes & Noble Bestsellers list in search of my next great read.  I don't have the time now to hunt for my next book and I think this is actually a good thing because I think in my obsession to find great books, I missed a lot of really good books that would've meant a lot to me.  

   Last weekend, my favorite radio show, This American Life discussed "The Book that Changed My Life".  This program got me thinking about the books I've read and if any of them had changed my life.  I finally decided that there are a lot of books that have had an impact on my life.  But, I'm not sure if there is one that has drastically changed it. My current book-love is A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg.

I love this book because it is a heart-warming walk through the important moments in Molly's life as told through food. These are experiences that most of us have had (although I have yet to go to Paris) but what I really loved about the book was being able to catch a glimpse of another person's important moments. Also, Molly's descriptions of her father's love for Paris touched my heart and made me want to hop on a plane and go straight to a cafe for a pain au chocolat and a croissant. This book is warm and lovely and if you're looking for a book to snuggle up with at the end of a long day, this is your book.