Thursday, September 25, 2008

Kirk's Words

I rarely post the words of others but today's conversation with my 6-year-old nephew was priceless...

On the way to the toy store, where Kirk was going to spend his allowance on some new Star Wars toys, he asked, "How come when you want something, sometimes you have to wait so long?

"Like Disney World," he said. "When I went there I had to wait so long."

I interjected, "I understand, buddy. I feel the same way about getting married. I'd like to get married and have babies and I have been waiting a very long time."

"I know, Aunt Michele," Kirk replied. "Sometimes you have to wait a long time to get married. It's not like I'm gonna meet a girl tomorrow and marry her. I'm only six! Who gets married when they're six?"

I chuckled softly so as not to discourage him.

And then, he finished, "I bet you do feel like you've been waiting a long time to get married!"

Out of the mouths of babes...

Monday, September 22, 2008

"Fashion Week" in New York

They say that New York is the fashion capital of our country but in my week long stay, I saw more fashion disasters than I did trends. I now think that perhaps New York is just an excuse for people to wear whatever they want and call it fashion.

My fashion revelations from the week:

1. Cowboy boots with shorts are better left to Lea Thompson in the big screen hit, Some Kind of Wonderful. Or, to anyone who is currently living in the year 1987.

2. Just because it's all one color... that doesn't mean it goes together.

3. Not everyone should wear leggings. If you choose to wear them against your better judgment, please wear a shirt or dress that comes to just below your hips and spare the rest of the world the up close and personal view of your more personal regions.

4. Underwear alone is only good for the naked cowboy.

5. There should be less t-shirts in the world that say "Princess" and "Fuhgedaboutit" and more shirts that say, "No, I don't want a bus ticket, a Jesus pamphlet or a pass for tonight's comedy show."

6. Gay is NOT a fashion statement.

7. Unless you are a rockette in training or enduring rigorous training to build up your calves, stilettos and sweats equal a great, big "NO."

8. A scarf is not a universal accessory. Neither is a sequenced beret.

In no way am I claiming to be a fashion example for others. I'm just a little disappointed by New York. My expectations were so great and many of the people here failed the trendy test miserably.

Saturday, September 13, 2008

40

September 13, 2008, is my parents' 40th anniversary.

About three years before they got married, my mom says they "knew of each other." Two years later, on Valentine's Day, my dad proposed. In June they bought a house for $15,000 and 3 months later they got married. My mom was 30. My dad was 29. They were too old to be single, in that day and age.

They have been through a lot.

They were pretty well off financially when they first got married. They often helped others less fortunate. They traveled often and went out to clubs and restaurants regularly. My earliest memories of my parents are the nights they'd go on dates and leave me home with a babysitter. My mom is taller than my dad but she always wore heels and always had a nice dress and jewelry on.

My dad was a butcher in the family market. My mom quit her job the week before the wedding and has been a stay-at-home wife and mother ever since.

I guess the financial burden of adopting two kids, losing the grocery store and putting kids through Catholic schools finally caught up with them and my teen years were sort of rough. I think it was around year 15 that I thought they'd call it quits. It scared me. I think it scared my mom more. But we were flat broke, my dad was working nights and we were still going to Catholic schools and playing ball and growing out of our shoes faster than you can blink an eye.

But they stuck it out and life turned around slowly. And by the time my dad retired five years ago, they were like kids again. They go on day trips with the seniors group from their bank. They go to matinee shows in the middle of the week. They go fishing. They go to baseball games and clean the house together and go for drives around the city.

I think they like each other.

Happy Anniversary, mom & dad!

Monday, September 01, 2008

Reminders, Rewards, Resolution

I spent my last official weekend of summer with my girls. My girls are my two Goddaughters who are 17 & 16. For the last 15 years, I have helped raise them. And at times, like this weekend, they have helped raise me.

Every time I am with them, I am reminded of how far we've all come. But this weekend, we talked about our beginnings more than normal and about their Uncle Joe, my first love and the man who brought the girls into my life. I hadn't thought that far back into my past in a long time. It was fun to reminisce.

The weekend was personally rewarding. I look at them and I'm in awe at how far we've all come, the obstacles we've hurdled and the future that awaits all three of us. When my girls became MY girls, they were babies. Now they are young women. Ballplayers, just like I was... Intelligent. Strong. Self-assured. It makes me feel good because I know that if I didn't have a hand in all of it, I had at least a finger or two!

It was the first weekend in quite a while that I wasn't out partying at least one night. And that was ok with me. My girls reminded me how much I loved mothering them and just spending time with them. And I think I might be ready to retire the party girl. Not forever. Just most of the time. And I think I might be ready to try again to have a couple of kids of my own.

Then my girls can help me raise my kids. Or at least be an example of the possibilities.