Happy Tuesday News… all around

August 11th, 2008

I’ve got lots of big happies tomorrow! (And one belated happy… oops.) I was going to post this in the morning, but I’ve been off for four days now, and there’s no way I’ll gt up in time to post before work. So a little early, a lot late… here I am.

My friend, Courtney, is celebrating a birthday today. It’s her first as a mother. Isn’t that fabulous? I’m sure little Ally Grace is going to give her mama a wonderful present.

Like so many of the friends I have today, I met Courtney at the college where Mike and I both previously worked. Courtney was one of my student workers, and I am deeply grateful that Linda and I had the opportunity to know and love her… then and now. Happy Birthday, Court!!

(Courtney and little Ally Grace)

And today is also the 13th anniversary of our friends, Aleece and Warren. You know Aleece’s name because she’s my personal webmaster/all-around computer guru. I met Aleece - again, at work… she was a student… yeah, everyone’s younger than me - when she and Warren had just gotten married. Mike and I had just celebrated our first anniversary, so Aleece and I have gone through new marriage and old marriage and babies and jobs and big kids together. And I can’t imagine this journey without her.

(Linda and Aleece at dinner with me during my May Louisiana trip with Griff.)

And, with much shame and embarassment, I must admit that I missed my brother and sister-in-law’s anniversary. Six years they’ve been married, the sweet things. Their son is 11, and they’re expecting a baby in the spring. I can hardly wait!!

I’ve already decided the baby’s a girl. I’m working on a gonna-be-a-big-brother gift for Zachary, and I keep thinking of things to make for my new little niece. I mean, I’ll wait till they’re sure she’s a girl because I’d hate for a little boy to be surrounded by the pink things I’m envisioning.

Regardless, John did himself well when he married Nicole all those years ago. And he did our family well by bringing Nicole and Zachary into our lives. We’re blessed to have them.

(Nicole…looking lovely, as always)

And for general happy news, our dear Mandy got a promotion that she SOOOO deserved. She is now the news editor at the paper she’s reported for since college. She’s an amazing reporter - she’s Mike’s best former student - and she’s going to be an amazing editor. The paper, and the reporters lucky enough to answer to her, are truly fortunate to have her.

Go, Mandy!!

(Josh, Mandy, Olivia, and Griff during our May trip.)

… And yes, for anyone keeping track, I met Courtney, Linda, Aleece, Mandy and Josh at that same school. Mike, too, for that matter. That place and that place in time brought many, many dear people into my life. And I am grateful.

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HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY… GRIFFIN!!!

June 17th, 2008

Here it is… our Griffin’s 10th birthday. It really is hard to believe that it’s been 10 years that he’s been with us. They have been interesting and challenging and exciting years.

When he was little (and we thought he was our only child), I always told him he was my favorite boy. He is, without a doubt, still my favorite boy.

He requested that Eliza be able to skip school today and stay home with him and Mike, so the three of them hung out all day. I met them for lunch, and Mike smoked a pork roast for dinner. It’s been a laid-back day, exactly what Griff would have planned, which, I guess, he did.

Saturday, we’re having Chuck, Stacy and the kids over for birthday fun. We’ll all go see “Kung Fu Panda” and have Griff’s Cold Stone cake.

And I’ll give him his 10 Box. I’ve been collecting 10 of various things for his special 10 Box.

  • 10 Dr. Peppers
  • 10 packs of gum
  • 10 Kit Kat bars
  • 10 scratch off tickets (now, don’t tell me about how it’s wrong… if I convinced Mike to let Griff have them, we’re good)
  • 10 balloons
  • $10 Target card
  • $10 gift certificate to the Italian Ice place
  • Lists of 10 favorite Griff things from family and friends (I’ll post some of these later).

I do love birthdays. I do love Griffin Robert.

Griff’s friend, Will, and Griff when we were in Louisiana in May. Will is going to turn 10 in 10 more days. They’ve been friends pretty much forever.

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Pre-birthday … Melancholy

June 9th, 2008

I love birthdays. All birthdays. Anyone’s birthdays. When Mike and I first met, he was confounded by my adoration of the birthday concept. His family wasn’t really celebratory. Mike’s not one to want much in life, which is nice but frustrating at gift-giving times. Griff is much the same.

Griff’s birthday is next week… he’ll be 10! And I think that 10 is a big birthday and that we should do something fun, something special. Now, I know he’s got both legs in casts. I know. But surely we could manage something good, right?

But he doesn’t want anything. Can’t think of what he’d like as a gift… doesn’t want a cake. Which says to me that he’s a happy content child. Which is exactly what I want for him! Really! But dangit, it does disappoint a birthday-loving mama’s heart. It makes me a little melancholy thinking about my little boy turning 10 and not wanting a cake.

Thankfully, my melancholy moments are fleeting but my birthday devotion is not. I’m going to spend the next week planning.

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