My Real Life

December 14, 2010

Miracle

Filed under: Uncategorized — Amy @ 3:17 pm
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Now, please know that I do NOT use the term “miracle” lightly.

In fact, I take issue with the term in most cases.

For example, the movie “Miracle” about the 1980 US Olympic ice hockey team who beat the odds and beat the Russians in the Olympics?

I think it takes away from their hard work to call that a miracle.

Yes, they were the underdogs and for many reasons, shouldn’t have won.

However, they worked hard and calling it a miracle takes away from their hard work.

So, underdog story?

Yes.

Big surprise?

You betcha.

Miracle?

No.

However, I have to say, although I know how scientific it truly is and how it all works, physically, this baby growing in my belly?

Miracle.

I mean…seriously.

I am growing a human in my body.

It started out as a little nothing and is going to come out as a person.

How does that happen?

So very many things can go wrong, and for many people, unfortunately, it does.

And, we’re not done with this one yet, so I don’t want to speak prematurely that everything will be fine.

But if it is?

Miracle.

Right now, he/she is doing somersaults and you can see his/her little butt knocking against my skin.

It looks completely like the movie “Alien” but it’s awesome!

Miracle.

Yes, this is my fourth, and so by now, the whole miracle-ness of it all should have worn off.

But, it hasn’t.

And it won’t.

It’s crazy.

It’s insane.

It’s amazing.

It’s wonderful.

Miracle.

December 12, 2010

Decorations

Filed under: Uncategorized — Amy @ 11:56 am
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We spent yesterday afternoon decorating for Christmas.

The kids absolutely love to decorate, and this year, they actually did the tree without too much help from Real Man and I.

The decorations are a little clumpy, in spots, but I think it looks pretty good.

We got a kick out of this ornament.

It was given to us by my “Aunt” Linda when I was pregnant with Monkey Girl, 10 years ago.

Who knew how many times it would be appropriate???

And, once all was said and done, I went outside to take a picture from the driveway.

I think there is nothing like a house at the holidays, even without the outdoor lights.  It just looks SO much homier and festive, especially with the tree in the window.

December 10, 2010

Blast From the Past

Filed under: Uncategorized — Amy @ 12:57 pm
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Me and my girl.

A long, long, time ago.

December 7, 2010

Celebration!

Filed under: Uncategorized — Amy @ 9:09 am
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So, Baby Monkey had his Celebration (Christmas Concert) at Pre-K last night.

He was so excited to sing.

And sing he did.

Of course, he did so with his own, personal style.

Adding some sound effects here and there.

Goofing around on stage with his friend, who was sitting next to him. (Never understand why they let friends sit together at a concert)

Yet, he’s a character, and his fooling around was actually kinda funny.

Real Man and I tried to be stern but we couldn’t help ourselves.

And we laughed.

And laughed.

And laughed.

Afterward, I said, “Why were you fooling around?”

He said, “Because my friends were fooling around.”

I said, “Nice deflection.”

Then, he turns to me with the big, innocent eyes and says “Mama…do you love me even when I’m fooling around?”

Aye caramba.

That one is going to be the death of me.

But, at least I’ll die smiling!

 

December 6, 2010

Up on the Rooftop

Filed under: Uncategorized — Amy @ 9:38 am
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Okay, maybe not the rooftop, but down in the center of town, Santa came to visit last night!

I thought the monkeys had forgotten about it, but Real Man and I mentioned it during dinner and the monkeys were raring to go, so although we missed the tree lighting ceremony, we got there in time to wait in line for a half hour for the monkeys to see Santa and each get an enormous candy cane that make dentists around the world shudder.

There was also Christmas music that was blasting, so we danced in line to keep warm.

Our local optician also went and got the kids hot chocolate because it was freezing and he didn’t want them to lose their place in line.  (And, I think, because our family keeps that guy in business, between me and Monkey Girl, alone.)

It was a cold, cold night and I have to be honest, I didn’t really want to go.

However, when the monkeys started jumping up and down, Real Man and I knew we had to take them.

And when it was over, we were so glad we did.

December 5, 2010

O’ Brother, Where Art Thou?

Filed under: Uncategorized — Amy @ 3:43 pm
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Oh, he was in NYC this weekend!

You may remember that I blogged about my friend, Mark, many moons ago.

Mark was my brotha from anotha motha when we were growing up, and then moved to Texas when we were freshman.

I haven’t seen Mark since my wedding.

Until yesterday!

Mark was in town for a fundraising event, and we set up a brunch meeting.

So, I took the train in and Kim picked me up at Penn Station.

We went to a divine little place called Fred’s for brunch and there we met up with Mark and his friend, Terry.

It was just like old times.

Okay, just like old times minus the videos we used to make and the songs we used to record and the getting kicked out of Sunday School together.

Although, had we had a few more hours, it’s entirely possible that we would have gotten around to all of that…and more.

I really, really miss Mark, and was so glad to be able to spend time with him, and I thoroughly enjoyed his friend, Terry.  She kinda took over where I left off in his life, and I’m just so glad that he has a good friend like her.  They are very in sync and it’s good to see.

Next time, I hope he gets to come with his husband, Rob.  We’ve never met, but I’ve heard a lot about him and love how good he is for Mark.

Mark has surrounded himself with good people and that makes me happy.

Mark and Terry had theater tickets, so after brunch, we split and Kim and I did some shopping.

One of the things I picked up was cupcakes for the monkeys from the Magnolia Bakery.

Then, I made a fumble on the play.

Trust me, the kids didn’t even notice and devoured them immediately upon my return home.

It was really nice to spend some time with Kimmie, as well.  We did get to see each other at the reunion, last weekend, but didn’t get to catch up.  So, we caught up and that was good stuff, as well.

Kim and I also had a celebrity sighting.

That was VERY exciting.

We sat down on the subway and Kim said “Amy, who is the lady sitting across from us?”

I looked at her and knew exactly who she was, but couldn’t quite fathom that she’d be taking the subway.

Or that she would be wearing these strange, orthopedic sneakers.

But, there was no mistaking, it was her.

We were sitting across from Dana Ivey.

The name may not strike a chord with you, but a picture of her should.

Here’s a picture of she and I together.

Okay, okay…so that’s Reese Witherspoon, not me.

But, you know what I mean.

She was also in Home Alone and a bunch of other stuff.

And she sat across the subway from Kim and me.

Really…it’s kinda like we’re celebrities now.

Or not.

Anyway…

I think, like Mark, I’ve surrounded myself with good people, and that’s a really good thing.

I’m a lucky woman.

December 4, 2010

5 Question Friday…On Saturday

Filed under: Uncategorized — Amy @ 8:40 am
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So, I missed 5 Question Friday yesterday, so I figured I’d play today.  I got the questions from some of the other blogs I read, as many of them play along.  Feel free to use the questions on your own blog!  Enjoy!
1. What’s on the top of your holiday wish list and why?
Hmmm…hard call.  There’s really not too much that I need right now, so I guess I’d go with a Barnes and Noble gift card.  I’m planning on loading up my Nook for when the baby comes so I have some reading material while I’m home, and for when I’m cleared to exercise and I can get back on that treadmill.

2. What is your favorite Christmas gift from the past?
Hmmmm…hard call.  Probably the pony from when I was 9.  Oh wait…I never actually got a pony when I was 9.  My parents just tricked me into thinking I was getting a pony.  They would stage conversations from the next room, when they knew I was listening saying things like, “Oh, she is going to love this pony!” and “Did you feed the pony today?”  There was a big box in the living room and in their staged conversations, they talked about how they were feeding the pony through a hole in the living room floor.  I spent hours in the basement looking for that hole.  Guess what?  It wasn’t a pony.

3. If you had life to do over, what would you be when you grow up?
Um…I wasn’t aware that my life was over and a done deal at this point.  I think there are still opportunities to try new things at this point, and I’m not sure I’m quite grown up yet.  That being said, I love teaching.  I’m very fulfilled by my career.  I do wish, at times, that I had not changed my major and had pursued music or that I had majored in English and pursued writing as a career, but although I don’t do any of it professionally, I teach piano and sing in the choir and play the handbells and I write this blog and am working on new novels, so I am satisfying those pieces of myself, as well.

4. When do you put up your tree?
Normally, pretty soon after Thanksgiving.  However, the kids and I went to get it out of the basement the other day (yes, we have a fake tree) we realized that it is in my parents basement, as we moved it there when we listed the house.  All of our decorations are at my parents.  So, we’ll go over on Sunday and pick them up.  Still gives us plenty of time to enjoy!

5. What is your favorite Holiday?
Halloween.  See my October posts.

December 3, 2010

Not a creature was stirring…

Filed under: Uncategorized — Amy @ 9:44 am
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…well, not really.

So, around 5 am this morning, I awoke to hear footsteps above me.

You’ll remember that on Wednesday night, Monkey Girl broke Baby Monkeys bed.

The end result was that we need to wait until the weekend to fix it, so the boys have both been sleeping in Monkey in the Middle’s bed.

So far, so good.

They aren’t staying up late chatting, and are getting along fine.

So, this morning, when I heard the footsteps at 5, I imagined Monkey in the Middle was up, as usual, and that he was taking a morning run to the bathroom.

I fell back to sleep.

When I woke up at 5:45, the house was still eerily quiet, but there was a strange glow coming from the basement.

I got out of bed and snuck downstairs to find this:

The boys had actually been up since 5 and were snuggled in the recliner, playing Indiana Jones 2 on the xBox, with the volume off so they wouldn’t wake anyone.

They also had already gotten their own breakfast and had eaten.

Be still my heart with these two.

They are enough to break a Mama’s heart!

December 2, 2010

Perspective

Filed under: Uncategorized — Amy @ 9:53 am
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Yesterday was a tough day around here.

If it could go wrong, it did.

Just to give you an idea, the day ended with Monkey Girl breaking Baby Monkey’s bed, and that was probably the least of our worries yesterday.

So, I was grumpy, upset, and quite frankly, pissed off for most of the day.

Yet, yesterday was also the 2 year anniversary of the death of one of the students at my school.

She died as a 6th grader, and so I now teach, as 8th graders, the students who were her best friends.

Watching these children deal with their grief, and thinking about the pain that her family must have felt yesterday, and every day, shamed me.

I wound up getting out of bed after the monkeys were asleep and kissing them and whispering in their slumbering ears how very much I loved them.

Because bad days come and go, but man, I am one lucky woman, and sometimes, I just need to be reminded of that fact.

November 30, 2010

My Little Guy and I

Filed under: Uncategorized — Amy @ 10:14 pm

Don’t really have much to say.

I just love this little guy.

He’s a sweet, little snuggle bunny, and he always makes me laugh.

I hope he always knows how special he is to us.

He’s a great example of how to love.

He always says “I love you” completely unprompted, and at random times.

He comes out of nowhere, just for a hug and a kiss.

So, today I post a picture of me and my little guy.

Just because.

Because that’s how I think love should be.

You can’t really help it.

It’s just there.

Just because.

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