Blessed

My good friend passed away yesterday.  She was married to a wonderful Navy man who just returned from a 7 month long deployment.  They were incredibly in love after 18 years of marriage.  She has 2 boys, ages 18 and 15.  They adore her.  On an average Friday night, they wanted to spend it at home with their parents. 

I can only hope that my kids get a lifetime with me, and that when they are teenagers, when they have free time, they will want to spend it with me. 

Her name was Andrea.  And she was beatiful.  And hilarious.  And courageous.  And she taught be alot about being a wife in the Navy. 

Another friend of mine described them like this:  "He looks like Superman and his wife is smokin hot."  They had everything.  And now their grief is overwhelming, palpable.

I am looking at my kids and my heart is aching.

My husband came home last night and I just wanted to take off all my clothes and get in bed with him.  Not even to have sex...but I just couldn't get close enough.  Those moments seem so desperate.  I cannot think of words to express how much my family means to me.  They are my world.

I hope tonight, you climb in bed with your loved one and make sure they know what they are to you.

Aloha Baby!

I just got back yesterday from my awesome week in Kauai. It couldn't have been better. This was the view from our room...

This is the hot guy I went with....

This is the kind of food we ate.... (chocolate deep fried truffles)

I watched Dan swing like a monkey from a tree into a waterfall...

We had romantic dinners....

And some not romantic...yeah baby...Can you say Costco Dog?

Drank ice cold coconuts....

Had my first real try of sushi...

And well....blush...

And of course, nothing says "Hawaii" like the chickens...

You can imagine all the fun "rooster"...ahem...jokes that Dan came up with....

Went horseback riding on ocean bluffs....

All in all had the time of my life with the LOVE of my life.

That LOVE is MAGICAL

It seems that everywhere I look, there is love, weddings, engagement! Spring fever maybe? Dan and I attended a wedding last week. It was beautiful. Like most women, I LOVE weddings. It used to be I would go as a single woman, taking notes, silently critiquing and planning for my big SOMEDAY.

Now when I go, I like to just soak it in. The "remember whens"... Dan and I always watch the groom instead of the bride during the processional. They always have this big old sloppy grin. It is a face you rarely see elsewhere - and that love is something magical. I'll never forget Dan's goofy smile as I walked down the aisle. I'll never forget the terror that almost consumed me before the ceremony, before the doors opened and how it all fell away when I saw his face and the deepest calm I have ever known came upon me. That love is something magical.

As I watched the couple this last week join in their first kiss (she had no veil which I find so sad because aside from the sloppy grin, the lifting of the veil is the best part!) more memories flooded me. Dan's trembling fingers, how his tuxedo jacket felt against my hand, the way he leaned to one side and grabbed me with abandon and kissed me in a way that I'll always remember. That love is magical.

A week ago, my sweet friend Rachel got engaged. I am so filled with joy at this news. The happiness that I KNOW she is feeling, the overwhelming passion for a man and the realization that everything you had hoped for is standing in front of you and asking you that one question. To share your life together. I tear up as I look at the picture of her delicate hand and the shiny, elegant new engagement ring. I remember spending hours staring at my own. Waking up the morning after and giggling out loud like a little girl on Christmas day. Those moments are unbeatable, breath taking and nearly heaven. That love is magical.

It is all around me in tiny little ways. The sound of Dan's key in the door still makes me smile, my kids chasing one another and laughing loudly, the smell of Dan's skin after he shaves, the whispered "I love you, Mommy". These moments are what make life worth living. That love is something magical.

Life

Life has been busy for the Ginger clan lately. Brady is perpetually sick. He has been running a fever of 102 for 2 days now. Ick. He is also cutting what we believe is 6 teeth all at once. He hasn't had the best of luck. In a matter of 2 days he pulled himself up on Red's dresser and had it come crashing down on him, pulled our little TV off it's stand and had IT land on him and was face planted by Stinky and got a bloody nose. Poor kid. I think I am going to have to start bolting everything to the wall for his protection. Maybe even Stinky....

Dan was gone on a work trip for a week so the kids went out and found themselves some wild hairs. They have been crazy, fighting, whining, bickering it goes on and on. You know it is bad when Grandma even finds them unbearable. We pawned them off on the grandparents the other night because....DA DA DA DA!!!!!! It was the big V day.

Poor Dan handled it like a trooper. Not a single complaint. How many men can you say that about? I was more nervous than him. I tried my best not to show it, but I am loser like that and probably made him feel more anxious. As I sat in the waiting room for him and I realized that I was wishing that I had been the one to have the procedure instead of him (even though I squeezed 3 not so small human beings out of my HOO HA over the last 4 years). And it was a good dose of, "Man...I really love this guy." But when he walked out with his signature smirk on his face, relief washed over me and I was glad we decided to do this.

Although, in the waiting room before Dan was called in.there was the most ADORABLE newborn baby and I felt my uterus ache. I leaned over and whispered, "Oh, Dan! Look at that adorable little baby boy..." He just smiled fearfully and looked at me like I was crazy. The lady with the baby was there with her husband who was obviously there for the big V as well. She did not look nervous at all. In fact, she didn't even look up and say anything when they called her husband back. I guess her memories of a human head shooting out of her were just to fresh. LOL.

My family and friends are all taking bets that we get pregnant in the next 6 weeks. If it was going to happen to anyone, it would be us. So keep your fingers crossed. I am off to find Dan a pillow and blanket so he will be comfy on the couch for the next 6 weeks.

Love

If it was physically possible to make love to a dessert, I think this would be the one. I made this last night just to get a bit of a chocolate fix and thought about clobbering my husband with a frying pan just so I could have his too. Too bad that lucky bastard eats quick. You must try this. It is super easy to make and the only thing you might regret is that you have fallen in an unnatural love with a dessert.