The Naked Lady in My Back Yard

Several months ago at work, a few of us got to talking about flowers that grow where you’re not expecting them.  If I recall correctly, one of the ladies told us about how she noticed that she had tulips or daffodils growing in patches where she never planted them.  So I chimed in about how, every year, I will without fail come home one day to a pretty pink flower growing near my fence.  For those of you who really know me…you know that I am no gardener.  In fact, I tell people that I have a “black thumb” — I’m a plant killer.  So it gives me great pleasure to come home once a summer to find that my pink floral friend has reemerged without my having to so much as lift a finger for her care.

The first summer that we noticed the flower, I was so shocked by its appearance in our yard that I went out to pick it up.  I thought that it was a fake flower that had somehow blown over the fence…I mean it literally showed up overnight.  But when I got outside, I noticed that it was indeed firmly planted in the crummy soil of our back yard.  “Bizarre,” I thought.  I definitely didn’t plant it (which is probably why it has survived more than one summer).  Yet every year, it comes up again.  When I explained to Troy what the flower looks like, he said, “Oh yeah, it’s a Surprise Lily.  Or sometimes they call them Naked Ladies.”  A quick Google Image search confirmed that, indeed, I had a Naked Lady in my back yard.  Ever since that day, I have just been dying to write a post with this title.

I was a little worried this year because it was nearly August, and I hadn’t seen the flower yet.  Then on Tuesday, like she had never gone away, there she was.  It wasn’t there in the morning, but as I left the garage to walk to the house after work, I noticed it in its full pink glory.  Giddy about being able to finally write my post, I grabbed the camera and headed out to document the arrival.  I lined up the shot, and then drats! — dead battery.  And of course we can’t find the charger anywhere.  Not to be foiled by a silly little battery, I forged ahead.  So here it is…the Naked Lady in my back yard.  Well, not really MY back yard but someone’s.

 

Official Tuesday Blog Launch Party

Okay…so it’s not really a “party.”  But I’ve been waiting so long to launch my new blog, and I decided that today is the day.  Hop on over to http://imabean.wordpress.com to check it out.  Hope you’ll enjoy!

Keep Coming Back, Kelso

As you probably know, Marc and I have interesting pets. Not interesting as in exotic fish or rare birds…interesting as in quirky and generally lacking manners. But they’re cute, and we love them nonetheless. I often wonder if their behavior is a reflection on Marc and me — much as I will probably wonder the same about Marc’s and my future children. I think, though, that when it boils down, they’re probably not as bad as I purport. So why the title? Why the inference that Kelso has started flipping pages in the “Big Book”? Well, it’s because of a story that I recalled and shared with Troy today at work.

When Marc and I had our first apartment, there was no Barkley…just Marc, Kelso, and me. It was great. We were three stories up with a balcony nestled in among the trees in the complex. Our first place together. Some days, we long for the simplicity of our lives back then — our life in the tree house, as we called it. But I digress. One day, probably around Halloween, my mom sent me home with one of those “bouquets” of Tootsie Roll Pops. So I put them in a mug on the kitchen counter. Then, as the days passed, I noticed that they seemed to be disappearing…quickly. I asked Marc about it, and he claimed that it wasn’t him. And I knew that it wasn’t me. So where were all of the suckers? Wait a second…why is there a Tootsie Roll Pop under the bed?….in the closet?….under the fridge? It didn’t really strike me who the real culprit was until one evening I noticed, while sitting on the couch, our furry little four-legged friend traipsing across the floor with a Tootsie Roll Pop in his mouth — picture it…sucker (still wrapped) clamped in his jaws, paper stick coming out the side of his mouth. Scoundrel! The whole time, it was Kelso who was nabbing the pops…stealing my favorite flavor, Raspberry.

Then there’s the bread. Don’t get me started on the number of loaves that Kelly has ruined — chewing out the corners of the bag in order to get his fix. There are no second chances when it comes to forgetting a loaf of bread (or buns) on the counter. We learned long ago that bread must be stored in the cupboard to avoid having to pitch the whole bag. And there is no grace period, no wiggle room. In a hurry and making a quick sandwich for lunch before work? You’ll come home to the gnarled remains of your favorite Sara Lee whole grain…crumbs shamelessly strewn about the counter top.

And then there’s this. The ultimate in kitty gluttony. As Marc and I relaxed downstairs the other night, we heard a strange rustling noise. Knowing that this type of noise usually sounds the alarm bell on a Barkley mishap (shredding dish towels…eating mail), Marc jumped up and started toward the dining room, only to notice Barkley idly chewing on a bone. So he looked down, chuckled, bent over, and returned with a Twinkie in hand…retrieved from the jaws of our monster kitty. I could only laugh and feel a little disappointed that I didn’t get to witness a cat carrying a Twinkie in his mouth for a good thirty feet.

So what gives? Why the insistence on candy, breads, and Hostess snack cakes? I think Troy nailed it when he said, “Your cat is a carb addict!” Indeed, our feline friend’s dirty little secret is out. He pines for all things carbohydrate. In fact, Marc even pointed out that the cat tries to eat cardboard. I’m guessing that it isn’t just some strange form of pica…that the cat indeed has a terrible addiction. And I’m starting to think that all of those nights when he screamed in Marc’s ear at 4AM, all of those painful MRRWAAAAH’s were really just cries for help. Cries that we, unfortunately, ignored until now.

My name is Kelso. And I’m a Carboholic.

Keep Comin’ Back, Kelso.

TMI

Perhaps it’s just me, but I don’t really care to know about what is inside W’s colon.

Random Lunch

My office is always cold…very cold.  So when lunchtime rolls around, I often try to take shelter outdoors where my body can start to thaw and feeling returns to my extremities.  Unfortunately, I also try to save a couple of bucks by packing my lunch, which usually equates to a Lean Cuisine frozen meal.  Gross…I know.  And seeing as how frozen meals don’t always transport well for, say, a lunch on Monument Circle, I’m usually forced to spend a few more minutes trapped in the igloo.  Today was no exception, so I scarfed down my lunch and took a walk over to the Circle to get some fresh air and relax for a moment.  I approached the Monument from the side and fully expected to round the corner to steps full of people — but it was empty.  I looked around for a minute to make sure that I hadn’t just made myself the main attraction in some sort of rally on the steps of the Monument (“Hell No We Won’t Go” or “Fair Hours, Fair Wages”), but no…I guess everyone else just decided to stay in for the day.  I called Marc, and we chatted for awhile as he tried to make his way through Broad Ripple traffic to buy a birthday cake for a co-worker.  Then I just sat — until I saw this!

I immediately grabbed my camera, because I had to share this spectacle with Troy.  You may have seen his post Icee Me last week?  Before today, I don’t think that I’ve ever noticed an Icee or a Slush Puppie truck.  But, alas, there it was.  I don’t dislike Slush Puppies as much as Troy…I guess I just wonder why they spell it with an “ie.”  Weird.

Secondly, I had to take a picture of these pigeons who decided to join me on the steps. 

The other day while we walked to Paradise Cafe, I noticed a pigeon that I thought had something caught on his foot.  As we walked back, I realized that in fact it was some sort of tag that had been attached to its foot intentionally.  Does anyone know what’s up with this?  I mean pigeon tracking?  Again…weird.

Finally, I stopped off at Starbucks to grab a treat — oh, okay…a tall Strawberries & Cream, no whip to be exact.  I know, it’s a weakness.  Anyway, the guy gave me my total, I handed him my card, then he asked if I wanted my receipt.  Thinking to myself that the total seemed a little high, I looked over the receipt and noticed that he had charged me for a Grande even though I had ordered a Tall.  And I know that he heard me say “tall” because that’s what he shouted out for the barista to make.  When I asked him about it, he said that if the cashier just presses the drink button and doesn’t specify a size, then the register automatically defaults to grande.  Hmm….conspiracy theorist?  Yes.  But it seems like an easy way for Starbucks to make an extra 50 or so cents per drink.  Maybe not…but I’m just sayin’.

Marc and The Power of Words

I tried to provide a link to the “sermon” Marc wrote for Eric & Ujin’s wedding with my original NYC post. And while it seemed to work on Mozilla, I noticed that while using Internet Explorer, the link actually sent my computer into some crazy sort of death spiral, which resulted in my having to turn my computer off at the power button…twice. I removed the link promptly, but I do extend apologies to anyone whose machines also went into meltdown mode when you clicked the link! You know it’s pretty bad when CTR+ALT+DEL won’t even cut it. So here they are, Marc’s sweet words to Eric & Ujin — hopefully you’ll find them as touching as I did.

A friend of mine is known for often proclaiming a subtle truth: “Words are powerful.”

This friend would be prone to prescribe to this little saying, she is of course a poet of some international fame named Mari Evans. Mari, in her 8th decade of life, is deeply inspired by the way words move people. As a civil rights activist in the 60’s and a prolific contributor to the Black Arts Movement in this country, Mari has experienced, first hand, the turbulence, the magnitude, and the majesty of the role words play in our day to day life.

So, what does this mean for us today? This notion of words, their power, and the unifying love shared between the two of you and all of your friends and family? The simple fact is that the word “marriage,” which represents our celebration today, has moved through our existence as people and through humanity with sheer force and great power, giving rise to tremendous examination and criticism. The word “marriage” is paramount in terms of its powers; it conveys the summit of linguistic understandings. Perhaps the word “marriage” carries so much power because of its often controversial and disputable meanings. For us, today, I present a few ways in which we have come to understand the concept of marriage.

First, there is the daunting and catchy understanding of marriage conveyed through the analogy of the “Ball & Chain.” This popular and constructed likeness to the term does little to convey its essence. When referring to marriage as “the ol’ Ball & Chain,” people clearly express their lack of capacity to grasp other powerful words such as care, love, compassion, and forgiveness. As a friend to you both, I will forewarn that if you ever refer to “marriage” with this analogy, I will quickly direct you to old episodes of Sesame Street and Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. The basic and elementary maxims about life through relationships conveyed in these “made for kids” T.V. programs substantially breaks the restrictions set forth in this limited definition of the term at bay.

Second, there is the concept of marriage as “Partnership.” This understanding of the word matches marriage with a sort of benevolent relationship between two entities: Bonnie & Clyde; Ben & Jerry; Siskel & Ebert; Hot Dogs & Ball Games. While a bit more affirming than the “Ball & Chain” reference, the notion of marriage as “partnership” can lean towards the absurd. I’m not saying that marriage does not contain elements of “partnership.” Rather it fails, again, to present a comprehensive description of the word and its power.

Lastly, there is the notion of marriage as a “union.” Driven by underpinnings of romance and self denial, union, as the essence of marriage, seems to get real close to the true understanding of the term. Getting warm, getting warmer, you’re real close, right? But, like in the game of “find the object,” using “union” to find the meaning of marriage will always get you “warm” but never “hot” – never there.

I present to you my own tried and tested definition – analogy if you will – of marriage. Ready? Marriage is an Eternal Slumber Party! I know, you’ve probably heard me say it before and you’ll hear me say it again – Marriage is an Eternal Slumber Party. And that, my friends, is real power! It might sound funny, but consider it for a moment. Marriage is a party, right? If has all the elements – fun, excitement, wonder, celebration, and the enjoyment of each other and each other’s preciousness. And, what’s a party without the exchange of gifts. Here’s where it really gets good; true marriage is a constant exchange of one another’s gifts and the mutual delight created through this exchange. It is a real party! Isn’t it? And the slumber part – well, I won’t go into that too much today…I mean your parents are here.

Seriously, though, marriage is one long sleep over. And that’s what I have to share with you…as a married man; the times when marriage is true and active in my life are the times when my marriage is a slumber party; which is always and will always be also for you both together.

Eric, you have a beautiful bride…seriously, man, a little out of your league. As your friend, I want you to know how proud I am of your life; I think I speak for us all in saying that you have always pushed your potential, followed your dreams – and achieved them! You have inspired us; you have taught us all many things; and most importantly, you have shown us all great love and care. Now your dreams include this beautiful young woman. And together you will continue to inspire, teach, and love everyone in your sphere. As husband and wife, you will harmoniously protect and uplift the absolute preciousness of our humanity. Eric, we all love you and share in your delight today.

Ujin, you have a tremendous man by your side today and forever. I have felt your dynamic spirit and colorful personality in the days leading up to this celebration. As your new friend, I want you to know that your very being is a tribute to the joy in our world. Your fantastic laugh, endearing smile, and altogether radiant zest for life makes us all better understand the tremendous value of living. Your complement to Eric’s life is so treasured, so powerful, and so encouraging. Ujin, we all love you and share in your delight today.

The two of you together are a testament to happiness…in fact, you generate happiness together in all of your surroundings. Your slumber party in life will produce great joy, abundant love, and true life. It is with great honor and handsome joy that I begin your vows of marriage, the most powerful word, today: right now.

Vows:

Do you (Eric/Ujin) knowing (Ujin’s/Eric’s) love for you and returning it, recognize (her/his) strengths and learning from them, recognizing your own strengths and always sharing them with (her/him), take (Ujin/Eric) to be your lawfully wedded (wife/husband)?

Exchange of Rings:

Place this ring on her/his finger, repeating after me. “With this ring, I thee wed.”

Pronouncement:

And now, Eric & Ujin, seeking the fulfillment of love and marriage, acknowledging in front of friends and family their strong love for each other. I now pronounce you husband and wife. Eric, please kiss your bride!

Big Times in the Big City

Marc and I arrived back in Indy on Monday night from our NYC trip. And let me just say that I am still trying to recoup from my time spent in the city that never sleeps. We headed out with little to no expectations of what we might actually do while we were there. Last time we visited — a couple of years ago — we did a lot of the “tourist-y” things like Time’s Square, Fifth Avenue, Central Park, etc., so there really wasn’t anything that just had to go on our agenda. Plus, we were there for a wedding that Marc was officiating (more later on that one), so we knew that we might have some obligations surrounding the festivities. In order to encapsulate our long weekend, here’s a play-by-play of the day-by-day…

Thursday, July 5th: Leaving on a Jet Plane

Thankfully our flight wasn’t a super early one, although Marc made a nice long day for himself by getting up at 6:00 AM to work out before dropping the B-monster off at the kennel. Then we were off…we got into NYC just after lunchtime and headed to Caleb & Maria’s — our gracious hosts during our stay. When we arrived, Caleb was still at work, so we settled in and caught up with Maria for awhile. Their apartment was spectacular…very cozy and comfortable, exactly what we needed for a quick getaway from Indy. Once Caleb got home, we headed to the vegetarian Thai restaurant just down the street for lunch. The restaurant was very hip (with an especially cool bathroom), but the funniest part was the menu, which allowed for your choice of chicken, tofu or vegetarian on most items. When we asked about why there was a chicken option at a vegetarian restaurant, the waitress informed us that it was actually soy chicken. Aha!

After lunch, we took a stroll around the neighborhood and ended up at Thompkins Square Park, where we came across Mo Rocca doing interviews for his AOL newsblog, 180 degrees. We wandered back over to the park later that afternoon to try to get in on the interview action, but we soon realized that they were looking for certain types of people — or at least that what we told ourselves to feel a little better about not attracting their attention. Marc ended up finding the interviews online…you can check them out here. Scroll down a little, and you’ll see two separate posts — one about Buying Tofu from Dennis Kucinich and another about Fantasy Baby Mamas. Next stop was a German restaurant — Zum Schneider — for pretzels, apple spritzers, and delicious potato salad along with just about as much sausage as a table of nine could handle. From there, it was on to our friends Lee & Asa’s apartment for a quick trip up to the roof to catch a beautiful view of the city and a little bit of voyeuristic site seeing in the form of watching a guy in the condo across the street trying out his super stylin’ dance moves. Marc still swears that the guy was on drugs. Then, thank goodness, back to the apartment for some well deserved zzz’s.

Blurry Photo of Mo Rocca at Thompkins Square Park

 
Asa, Caleb & Matt at Zum Schneider

View of the Skyline from Asa & Lee’s Roof

Friday, July 6th: Walk Until Your Feet Fall Off

Of course, anyone who has been to NYC knows that you walk…a lot. But by the end of the day, I literally thought that I just might die if I walked one more inch. Unfortunately, my RA decided to go crazy in my ankles, so by day’s end, I looked quite a bit like Little Miss Hobbley Pants.

First things first…we started out with breakfast at the Moonstruck Cafe followed by a quick walk to the subway to catch a ride up to Chelsea to visit Eric’s photography studio (a/k/a the wedding venue). It was our first time to meet Ujin, Eric’s wife, and check out the surroundings so Marc could get his bearings for the wedding ceremony the next day. We were sworn to secrecy regarding the set-up and decorations, as Eric was hoping to lock-in the “wow factor” for others who wouldn’t see the space until Saturday. But I can tell you now that it was gorgeous! Ujin’s best friend from home is a florist for a hotel in Korea, and she masterfully crafted the flowers in a way that didn’t overwhelm the small space but instead perfectly complemented the ambiance that Eric and Ujin were going for. After we met with Eric and Ujin to nail down their expectations of Marc for the service, we headed to SoHo for one of the best parts of any NYC trip — the shopping!

Ujin’s Sister & Friend Starting the Decorations

Centerpiece

We were mostly on the hunt for a dress for me for the wedding Saturday (found it!), shoes to go along (called off the search), and shoes to go with Marc’s outfit for Saturday, which we found at Aldo (yes, I know, we have those here). Once we wrapped up the shopping, it was time to head back to the apartment so we could get ready for the “rehearsal dinner” (if you will) at Eric and Ujin’s apartment in Brooklyn. We were so thankful to be invited to share in the events of the evening since it was mostly family in attendance — it was especially nice to get to know Eric & Ujin more as a couple since we hadn’t had the opportunity to meet Ujin and hang out with them together before the trip. Marc commented to me later that it was like Eric was a different person — in the very best way — around Ujin…and that’s saying a lot since Marc has known him since junior high.

Eric & Ujin — The Happy Couple

The highlight of the evening was the gift exchange that took place between Ujin and Eric’s families. According to Korean tradition, there are certain gifts that are to be exchanged between the bride and groom’s families before the wedding. Eric’s mom, Jane, presented Ujin with a wooden box that was filled with many gifts — including a carved wooden loon for her family (since loons mate for life), a Beanie Baby duck for Ujin (which reminded Jane of the duck in Eric’s favorite book as a child), a pair of earrings that once belonged to Eric’s grandmother, and a pair of earrings specially designed by the jeweler who created Ujin’s engagement ring to match her wedding set. Then Eric’s dad presented Ujin’s family with a gift to represent his “village” — photo books of the places he has lived. Jane presented Ujin’s family with a beautiful stained glass piece; and finally, Ujin’s family presented Eric’s mom and dad each with an amazing handcrafted vase from Korea. Finally, Ujin’s family presented Jane with a lovely traditional Korean wedding outfit that she would wear during the ceremony. It was all so thoughtful and heartfelt! If you asked Ujin, though, she might tell you that the best gift of the evening was the Chanel purse that Eric gave to her as a wedding present!

Ujin’s Family Unwrapping Gifts

Ujin’s Favorite Gift

Saturday, July 7th: Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Marc woke up at the crack of dawn on Saturday morning and took off in search of a place to pen his “words of wisdom” for Eric & Ujin’s ceremony. As he tells it, he first grabbed a coffee and headed to Thompkins Park, but it was still kind of early and just felt a little sketchy. Knowing that wouldn’t do, he hiked on up to Washington Square, but again it was so early that the park was empty and felt a little weird. So he got up and did what anyone would do…walked all the way up to Central Park. While there, he came across Lincoln Karim — a photographer featured in Vanity Fair for his work in capturing photos of the hawks near Central Park. You can see the photos that he took while Marc was there that morning by clicking here. Pretty cool! He also got to witness some firsthand peer pressure when several parkgoers and the photographer accosted a woman for smoking in the park, chased her off, and then heckled her into coming back to pick her cigarette butt off the ground to put it in the trash. Power in numbers!

Meanwhile, Caleb, Maria and I were getting cleaned up back at the apartment and wondering where in the world Marc was since it was actually time for him to be at Eric’s studio. When we finally got in touch with him, he took Caleb’s advice and hopped at cab back to the apartment to get spruced up and changed into his wedding garb. Once he was out the door, the three of us made our way to Tiffany & Co. to pick up a wedding gift….fancy schmancy!! Caleb told us that in the interest of time he would be willing to go to Tiffany & Co. by himself, but Maria informed him that if there was going to be any gift buying at Tiffany, we were going to be there for it. We decided to go with a beautiful crystal rose bowl that, of course, looked smashing in the trademark blue Tiffany box. The only problem was that we forgot a card — so, with no card stores in sight and necessity being the mother of invention, Caleb stopped into a convenience store and bought a Lotto ticket, which we emblazoned with a nice little note for the bride and groom. I wish I had a picture of the Lotto ticket tucked under the ribbon on the box…quite a contrast!

The ceremony itself was wonderful and touching, and Marc’s “sermon” was perfect! You never would have guessed that he was nervous, and his words were so appropriate. A couple of people told him afterwards that they even teared up during the ceremony. I have to give Marc big kudos for coming through in a big way with such short lead time. I was very proud!

The reception immediately followed the ceremony, and I’ll just say this about it — absolutely wonderful food, trays upon trays of sushi, and 36 bottles of champagne (which I think would average out to about one and one-half bottles apiece for each attendee when you take out us non-drinkers and the children. I’m sure that a few folks had a rather rough morning the next day. Once the last bottle was drained and the final bits of sushi were thrown out, we headed back to Caleb & Maria’s. Somehow, I made room for a slice of pepperoni pizza before bed!

Eric & Ujin in Traditional
Korean Wedding Clothes

Sunday, July 8th: Lazy Sunday

After all of the hullabaloo of Saturday, I can pretty much sum up Sunday with the following — slept in, Mexican for lunch, lounged on a blanket and a played a mean game of Scrabble in the park, Italian for dinner, watched Little Britain, and went to bed. We were all feeling a bit green from the Italian food, which was a little too heavy on the nutmeg, so we scarfed down some Malox and crashed out. The original plan for Sunday was to go to Coney Island to people watch, but that plan was stifled by the three cases of champagne the night before.

Monday, July 9th: Home Again, Home Again

It’s always a little bittersweet wrapping up a trip, especially when it’s a really good one. But, alas, all good things must come to an end I suppose. On Monday, we headed to Balthazar for breakfast. We were there the last time that we were in New York on the last morning of our trip, so we thought we would make it a little tradition. The food is pretty good — I’ve gotten the French toast both times — and the atmosphere is fun. Afterwards, we strolled through SoHo for a bit and then started a walk towards Chelsea in hopes of finding a gift shop that Marc had stumbled upon on his previous day’s jaunt (Marc woke up early each morning for a walk through the City). The temperature on Monday was about 97 degrees — no exaggeration — so we tried to take it easy, stopping off for lunch at the Esperanto Cafe in Greenwich Village. The longer we walked, the more we realized that we should have brought along the address to the gift shop since we were obviously not going to find it on our own. While moseying about, we did stumble upon The Magnolia Bakery, famous for it’s cupcakes. Read it here, though, folks…I was too stuffed from lunch to get one and doubted the viability of the cupcake in the heat should I have decided to eat it later. (I guess I’ll just have to go back again….) Finally, we decided that it was getting too late and we were too hot to look any further, so we grabbed a taxi back to pick up our things and head out. The flight back was a smooth one, and we touched down just after dinner time. I had Marc drop me of at home before he drove up to his parents’ house to pick up Kelso, but I begged him to pick up Donato’s on his way home….which I ate in bed. Shame, I know. But what’s a girl to do? I was/(am still) so tired!

Marc at Balthazar for Breakfast

Happy About my Full Belly

That’s a Wrap!

Well, now you know way more about our NYC trip than you probably ever hoped to, but I guess this breaks the blogging fast. When it rains it pours! Enjoy the stories and photos, and if you haven’t been — or haven’t been for awhile — get your booty out there soon, and bring me back some cupcakes!

Belated Birthday Pics

Yes, it has officially been one million years since my last post.  So to tide you all over, here are the pictures from Marc’s birthday/graduation party a few weeks ago.  I know that they are late coming, but I thought that some of them were too cute not to post.  Here you go…  We’re heading to NYC next week, so hopefully I can whip up some good blog material for everyone upon our return.  Until then….enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You Say It’s Your Birthday…Happy Birthday to Ya!

Thirty short years ago today, the Good Lord blessed this Earth with a unique and charming individual that I am happy to call my husband.  Yes, folks, today is Marc’s thirtieth birthday…the Big 3-0!  Time for much merriment and partying!  As it turns out, Marc was a little stressed about this monumental birthday.  When we woke up yesterday, he looked at me and said, “You know, this is my last day in my twenties.”  To which I replied, “Yes, honey.  But just think—tomorrow you will be so much wiser and smarter!”  I don’t think he took much comfort in my assessment of the situation.

As our friend Troy points out, the fear of getting older is fueled by our society’s general obsession with youth. And truthfully, I wonder if we would view aging differently if we lived in a place that revered older folks a bit more.  But I digress…  This post is about Marc, our celebration of a milestone birthday, and kicking off another great decade that will hopefully be just as fruitful and magnificent as the last three.  I think that Marc was born under a lucky star—he first made his appearance on Six Seven Seventy Seven at Seven pounds even at 11:11am.  It just sounds good.  He was a super cute little guy, and I don’t think that much has changed in thirty years!

As most anyone who knows him will tell you, he’s a one-of-a-kind guy in all of the best ways, and I’m truly blessed to share my every day with him.  So in honor of my dear husband’s birthday, I compiled a list of thirty reasons why I admire Marc.  

1. He always helps me open things without complaint, even though it’s probably a little annoying.
2. He actually likes to exercise and sticks to a workout routine–while I sleep in.
3. He always sees the best in others.
4. He is an eternal optimist.
5. He never gets upset when I buy clothes, even when I’ve said that I’m not going to buy anymore.
6. He’s a kid at heart.
7. He has a great smile.
8. He always joins me in singing songs from Les Miserables at the top of his lungs.
9. He can always tell you about great new music or bands that you’d never hear of otherwise.
10. He can play the piano without sheet music.
11. He knows EVERYONE!
12. He can do a great Stone Phillips impersonation.
13. He takes great care of his family.
14. He keeps me laughing.
15. He always makes me feel loved.
16. He doesn’t mind when I burp loudly.
17. He always says my cooking tastes good even when I’m doubtful.
18. He gave me the best nickname ever, without which there would be no Meandering Mango.
19. He usually takes over the nasty house jobs, like cleaning up when the pets get sick.
20. He dreams big dreams.
21. He’s a good cuddler.
22. He has a wonderful sense of humor.
23. He’s very modest.
24. He worked full time while going to grad school and still managed a 4.0!
25. He never hesitates to lend someone a hand.
26. He tells people that being married is like a big slumber party, which I think is cute.
27. He doesn’t compromise his values or beliefs just to please other people.
28. He always tells me I’m pretty, even when I’ve just woken up and my hair looks like a rat’s nest.
29. He’s good about keeping things in perspective.
30. He is the most wonderful, loving, caring husband that a girl could ever ask for!

 Happy Birthday, honey!  I Love You!

Prayers for Sweet Delphine

If you’re the praying type, please keep Delphine and her family in your prayers Tuesday as she undergoes open heart surgery. If you would like to learn more, visit Melissa over at Banana Migraine. This is just about the sweetest family you’ll meet!