Reconnecting

In the past week, I have reconnected with two friends from my other lives. One is a friend from my hometown - She and I haven't talked since ... I think our freshmen year in college. It was a shot in the dark to find her online, and we've exchanged a few emails since then. It's just feels comforting to reconnect with old friends.

The second friend is a young woman who worked in my office in Charleston when I was in graduate school. This young woman OOZED potential, and it was my treat to get to work along side of her as she developed and grew. It's even more amazing now, almost 4 years later, and after having not talked for almost 2 years, to pick up the phone & pick right back up where we left off. She's matured into a wonderful grown up whom I am glad to call my friend. AND - she's getting married! That makes 2 of the students who worked in my office. (Teri got married last year - expecting a baby this summer.)

It's a funny thing - reconnecting. It brings back memories that I thought were lost - brings back the part of me I thought I lost with the memories. It's good to know that it's not lost.

Stolen from Julie Weber

I copied this from my friend Julie's blog. She's been a part of both babies of this family. What a miracle - to see life emerge, right before your eyes/video camera.

Sweet Baby Girl

Sunday night around 11 pm I got ready for bed... as usual, I put on my pajamas, washed my face, took out my contacts and brushed my teeth. Forty-five minutes later, I got back up out of bed, got dressed, put my contacts back in, and started the coffee. You see, my phone just rang... a sound that had been making me jump for the past 7-10 days. On the other end were my married college friends who had months ago asked me to be present with them in the delivery room for the birth of their baby. Now one day post-due date, the still unknown baby (is it a boy? is it a girl?) was officially on the way. I got ready quickly, grabbed my coffee, and drove to Lexington as fast as I could. As the rain came down in sheets and lightening lit up the sky, I heard Alanis Morrisette on the radio. In that reflective moment, it immediately took me back to our freshman year, when we all were just kids goofing off. Away from our parents for the first time, we were old enough to make our own decisions, but young and protected enough to just fiddle around with responsibility like it was a choice, not a necessity. Now we were the parents--or at least old enough to be so. Knowing that my 18 year old self could have never pictured myself in this moment, I took the 20 minute drive to reflect on those lighter times and the journey since.Several needless details, many contractions, lots of deliberate breathing (hoo hoo, hee hee), and not that many minutes later, we were checked into the hospital. It was not quite 1 am. By 1:40, with video camera in hand, I was coaxing and consoling to the best of my ability, just trying to stay out of the doctor's way (we were all a little scared of his "bedside manner"). At 1:52, our encouragement turned to shouts of excitement, "IT'S A GIRL!" I loved her already. Julianne Elena had joined us and started her own journey, right before my very eyes. I know that someday she'll meet her own lifelong friends for the very first time and they will go on to share life's joys together. I hope I'm around to watch it all unfold.

3 days in Florida...

Hello friends. I'm back, with a now-peeling nose and shoulders. Sunburn works ONLY IF you put it on. Let this be a lesson to everyone.

As expected, the Tribe lost to the Yankees, but were successful in beating Jim Thome (Former Indian) and the Phiilies. Much cheering for Thome, even though he plays for another team.

Orlando, Here I Come!

Welp, folks, it's Spring Training Time. Time for the over-paid grown men to play a child's game. Time for cold northerners to retreat for a weekend, absorbing as much sunlight as they can before the return trip home. Time for daughters of said northerners to join in for a weekend of baseball, talks of a "great season" and good food. (hopefully.)

And that being sad, I'm outta here. Be back on Tuesday, my faithful few.

oh yeah - GO TRIBE!

This was taken on 3/13 at the March & April Birthday Celebration. I'm holding Michelle & Brandon's son Connor. What a cutie! 

28 years...

Happy Birthday to Me.

A cold winter day in Cleveland, Ohio, 28 years ago, a skinny little baby girl was born 3 weeks before she was expected.

And the world has never been the same. =)

What I have learned during this last year?

I've learned that nothing - NOTHING - can be taken for granted.
Not life, not health, not wealth, not employment, not respect, not trust, not comfort or safety, not even a good movie.

This has been a hard year. Lest I rehash things and make me sad on my own birthday, I won't list things that have made the year hard - I'll list the things that made the year good.

These are in no chronological order.
My nephew Andrew said my name for the first time.
My niece Katie made Jazz Band and has her own IM so we can chat after school.
My niece Lauren's soccer team went undefeated for their season.
My niece Julia started preschool.
Another Andrew and his brother Reece stole a piece of my heart.
I saw that my friends have really cute kids, and that these same friends make really good parents.
In a suprising turn of events, I lost my job that I loved only to have it replaced by a job where I am respected, treasured, and challenged.
I found out that friendship really can last across time zones.
I grieved more than I can remember - for loss of life and potential of life. In the grieving, I learned that it really is okay to be angry with God, and to not have to seek immediate resolution.
I put over 20,000 miles on my car, and it's still running great!
I went to the Sugar Bowl (WAR EAGLE!) and Mardi Gras.
I got "gutsy" during Mardi Gras and joined the masses rushing the floats in order to get the good "throws." best accomplishment: 2 coconuts during the zulu parade. Worst loss: a rubber chicken, grabbed from just-out-of-my-reach by anonymous drunk college guy.
I ate beignets unsuccessfully every time - and didn't care. (For those who have never experienced the beignet, it is a puff of dough fried and then COVERED in powdered sugar. Made famous by Cafe du Monde in the French Quarter of New Orleans. To eat is successfully is to walk away from the table with minimal powdered sugar on YOU. Like I said, I failed miserably every time. Simply breathing near the things causes a shower of powder.)
I moved near waht-eh. ("Water," for those who don't speak "Becky-ese.")
I learned how to speak my voice, even - especially - when I've been hurt or wronged.
I began to trust again.
I began to believe in myself again.
I found and joined a wonderful United Methodist Church, and was embraced wholeheartedly by my new family.
I remembered how nice it is to have a pastor.

I encountered grace.

I found myself beautiful, for the first time.

I am learning to be content with letting things take their own course.
I am learning to enjoy the journey.
I am learning to question things I used to assume.
I am learning to let people be who they are, instead of making them be who I need them to be.
I am learning to be who I am, instead of who people need/expect/want me to be.
I am learning that I really don't have to be perfect, even for myself.

I am learning how to accept grace.

I am learning how to live, and loving every minute of it.