Thankful Thursday: Papa's Got His Groove Back

And the Boy Wonder can't even contain himself...
he's giddy like a schoolgirl that his favorite playmate is back in action!




I have to admit, so is Mama!

Thank each and every one of you for your prayers and heartfelt wishes for JR's recovery.

He's on the mend bigtime now, and we are so grateful!

*************

My Sweet Pirate

This is the face of my Sweet Pirate.



I'd be fine if I knew that he was sportin' this pirate patch as part of a Halloween costume.

But, he's not.

Unfortunately JR developed a very, very bad infection in the eye that underwent a cornea transplant just 5 weeks ago. This is rare, according to the doctor, but not unheard of. If left unresolved it could lead to permanent loss of vision. It is very complicated and he is undergoing lots of antibiotics and poking and prodding.

We have been going to the doctor every day for a week (weekends included) to try to get this infection under control. The doctor has told us that this could take many weeks, even months to resolve and, unfortunately, could compromise the success of the corneal transplant. We are hoping and praying for the best.



JR has been such a trooper through it all.

I cannot even tell you how it breaks my heart to see him in any discomfort at all.....and when I look at his beautiful eyes I just know that somehow, some way, this is all going to get better.

**********

Real Life

I can now say, first hand,

that if you look deep enough into the eyes of the one you love;

allowing the day to day "noise" and fantasies of "perfection" to fall away...



You will remember the very first moment you realized

that you could not move forward without him

and that your life would never be the same.

You realize that he was the missing piece of your perfectly IMPERFECT life

and that he couldn't fix it all

but all of a sudden you were no longer alone...

which makes all the difference

and

then...

well, then....

you just thank your lucky stars!

(**special thanks to the Boy Wonder for taking these great shots

of the two people who love him most in the world....his parents!)

Whooo Hoooo....it's Black and White Wednesday
and the very last Wednesday that

Reagan Elizabeth WenYi Furey

will be separated from her Forever Family!!

It's finally HERE.....the last stop on the

The Long Road to China

Lisa and Marla will be here having dinner with me on Friday

and will be across the world in China scooping Reagan up on Monday morning!!

It's official.....I've begun holding my breath!

Black and White Wednesday: Fan Club

Last night as we were walking into one of our favorite restaurants
to meet my favorite sister,

I decided to snap some photos of the kids (big surprise, right)

along the beautiful stone entrance wall.

As I was looking through my lens and corralling my kids

I hear this thick, sexy Russian accent say,
"Are you always taking pictures?"

I immediately turned to see where it was coming from
and that's when I saw her...
Dita's Darling's

NUMBER ONE FAN!

I laughed when she put her hand out introducing herself

thinking I wouldn't recognize her.

Her reputation precedes her.

She and my sister worked together for years and are very good friends.

I knew she was a big fan of my blog and I've heard the most amazing stories about this wild, beautiful Russian with a heart of gold

and a personality larger than life.

She came upon my blog last summer and has been an avid reader ever since.

I was so flattered when I spoke with her on the phone several months ago

and she knew every single post; every picture.
She told me she was in love with my kids and, of course, JR.

Well, as luck would have it, we finally met last night in the flesh,

completely by coincidence.

She did not disappoint!
I about fell off my barstool when I said I had to get home to edit for Black and White Wednesday in the morning and she said
"I know....Long Road to China! "
I was hysterical!

Yes, my Number One Fan...today IS Black and White Wednesday
and it's only fitting that the beautiful photos of YOU are front and center for today's post.

I give you the aptly named GG

(aka Gorgeous Grandma, a moniker her grandchildren have given her).



Gorgeous, indeed.
Grandma? I think not.

Let me tell you, she's more like Raquel Welch Eat Your Heart Out!

(here she is with my equally beautiful sister!)

Of course she and JR were instant buddies....

they told me it was the immigrant factor.

I had to pry them apart around 10pm to get the kids home to bed!



GG is a colorful character for sure....right down to her brand of cigarettes and taste in jewelry.


Yes, that diamond ring is as REAL and exquisite as she is!

Raquel Welch ain't got nothin' on you, Girl!

GG, thank you for loving Dita's Darlings as much as you do!
We love you right back!

It's Black and White Wednesday
To see some fabulous images, click on over to

The Long Road to China

Thankful Thursday: Daddy Duty

This man takes it seriously!

I snapped him here watching the World Cup at our favorite watering hole.
Yep, he's the real deal!

About A Boy

A shy boy who came to this country when he was more than a decade old,

leaving all he knew behind to follow a dream of a better life.


Hearing the chatter of a language foreign to him;

he worked hard at learning to fit in with his new peers

and was so proud to be called an American.

He excelled in a sport that transcended language and privilege.


Those smoldering blue-green eyes and jet black hair

coupled with his trademark sweet manner worked together famously in ensuring

that the "new kid" would never be without company.



Still, it was a hard road.

A road that took courage, patience, perserverence and character.

The very traits that that beautiful boy still possesses today

in the man he has become.
The traits that make me so proud to be his wife.



Happy Birthday, My Love.
You make it all worthwhile!
Fortysomething never looked so good!

Stranger on the Street

You may be on a crowded street corner in Times Square.

For a brief moment you are in a holding pattern

from your scurried walk to your destination...

waiting for the light to turn.

In a sea of strangers, you are alone.

You may forget or more likely, choose not to acknowledge him,

the stranger next to you...

the one who shares with you that

momentary ambulatory pergatory.

You wait there together in suspended freedom

right next to him;

unsure of whether to awkwardly look away

or to somehow acknowledge him

with an exasperated glance, a short hello or a silent smile.

After all, you'll never see him again.

He's just a stranger.
Your mother told you not to talk to strangers.



Next time you stand next to a stranger on a crowded street;
remember, he is not a stranger to those he comes home to.

He may be no one special to you.
But to those he loves and who love him, in return...

He may be their whole world.

It's Black and White Wednesday.

Head on over to The Long Road to China

HERE

and join in on the fun.

Sunday in the Park with Papa

Check out all the wonderful Black and White images

at Black and White Wednesdays

HERE.

Perspective

Sometimes life can get so busy that I find
I allow myself to pulled in many different directions and
I wind up feeling overwhelmed.

I lose my perspective on what is really important
to me and it hampers my ability to enjoy the beauty of those things.

I have a tendency to look at the big picture and set my sights down the road,
which isn't always a bad thing unless you forget to live in the now;
enjoying the simple pleasures life offers every day.

Sharing my life with JR and the children has given me an opportunity
to learn that I am not a One Woman Show anymore
(as I was for most of my life before them).
However, if you ask JR, he'd tell you that he has to remind me of this quite often.

I have a friend who regularly visits my blog.
She says that when she visits our life always looks so perfect
and it makes her feel like she's not doing enough.
I laugh because I think sometimes I am not doing enough either.
I tell her that its not perfect...
we, too, have our ups and downs in our daily lives like everyone else.
On any given day we stress over...work, the children, school,
extended family, juggling finances, communicating with one another,
eating and exercising right, keeping our relationship in growth mode...
the list goes on.

When I started this blog I chose to dwell on the small details
of our lives to remind myself that though not perfect,
we have so much to be grateful for and life is, indeed, beautiful.

I decided that there are so many special moments that
I want to cherish and give the honor they deserve.
I don't want to ever take them for granted or allow them to elude me,
and although I don't capture every one of them;
I find that by celebrating the little things our lives
are enriched in so many different ways.

It's my hope that by sharing the little special things that happen here,
those who visit will smile and realize that life is not perfect,
nothing beautiful ever is,
rather, truly living really is in the details.

Perhaps being reminded of this they, in turn, will pause a little longer
on the very special things in their own every day that make life exceptional...

like holding onto the people who mean the most to you,



and never forgetting the importance of laughter.




For more wonderful Black and White images be sure to check out Black and White Wednesdays HERE.

Monday with Papa

Every week Nana and Sweetie pick two days
to spend together while JR and I are at work.

The other 3 days she joins her friends at school.

This week, Nana could only spend one day with her littlest granddaughter

since she has a visitor from out of town staying at her place.

Papa to the rescue.

JR has a habit of not taking his vacation days from work.

He has 3 weeks worth of vacation from 2009 to use up by June this year.
He decided to start spending some Daddy/Daughter time with his girl...
so expect lots more this to come!

Unbelieveable cuteness...let the spoiling begin.


First thing when he gets up JR runs to the bagel shop to shower his princess with a fresh bagel baked that morning ...

Then off to do some outdoor chore time together a la Papa
Note the fact that Sweetie is in her jammies
and isn't wearing ANY shoes in the freezing cold...I did!


Then a little food shopping.


See the bandaid?

Well, after her accident last summer we kept her forehead covered and out of the sun until late Fall, per doctor's orders.

She is the undisputed Bandaid Queen 'round these parts.

Now, she's addicted to them and feels they are so much more than a fashion accessory!
To her, they are a necessity.

She checks to see if the sun is out at the window each day

and even though she no longer needs to cover her scar

(its the dead of Winter after all!) she wants to.

I tell her no and distract her until

she's on to the next thing and forgets about it.

Not JR. He still lets her wear them whenever she wants...even to bed.
Last night there was one sideways across her nose when I put the blanket on her again at 2am.

One thing's for sure...these two are completely off the CUTE-OMETER!

Worth the Wait

Sometimes when you think you just can't wait anymore...

you realize that the wait was all part of the Master Plan.





Even now, when he's not looking I glance over in his direction

to make sure he's really there.

My heart skips a beat and I catch my breath when he turns,

catching me...he always smiles.

JR and I almost missed one another.

I was ready to give up on finding someone to share my life with.

He was resigned to being a bachelor forever (albeit with a harem all his own)

I have learned two valuable lessons:

1. Almost only counts in Horse Shoes

and

2. Giving Up should never be attempted

For a glimpse of more Black and White Wednesdays visit Long Road to China HERE.

Black and White Wednesday

I thought I'd join in again on

Lisa's Black and White Wednesdays challenge for week #2.

It doesn't take too much effort for me since Pictures I've GOT!

This is one of my very favorite pictures of the disarmingly handsome JR

(I can say that with absolute certainty as the girl who wakes up next to him every morning!)

I took this on the ferry this summer headed into New York City

to see the Intrepi*d Aircraft Carrier Museum with the kids.

It was about 90 degrees and humid as anything.

We had a really memorable day.

I took lots of pictures (surprise!) which I never posted.

I knew that was going to happen as it often does.

I got busy with the summer and other pictures and just never got around to it.

What a great place that museum is.

WonderBoy was in his glory!

I am going to go back through the photos and post about that day soon.

It was just too impressive not to share.

My motto...it's never too late!

Black and White Wednesday

My friend LISA, photographer extraordinaire who consistently inspires me to

improve my own photography,

has begun Black and White Wednesdays on her blog

and has invited us to take part in her Black and White carnival.

I thought I'd post these 3 favorite photos of JR and Sweetie Pie because no matter my mood;

I look at these photos and they make my cheeks hurt from smiling.

Babysitter Extraodinaire

2 Watching 42

Good thing Sweetie Pie's responsible!

She's fiercely protective over and comforting to her Papa.

And sweet?

Well, they both are...Sweet like Sugar.

WonderBoy and I had some errands to run on Saturday

Sweetie needed a nap so JR stayed home to help her get some much needed shut eye.

Look what we found when we returned!

Thank goodness for the repeat function on the DVD!

At least it put someone to sleep!

Mutual Admiration

They are at once

Bickering Siblings
Best Friends
Partners in Crime
Soccer Mates
Candy Sneakers
Homework and Housework Dodgers
Mama Rule Breakers
Video Game Partners
Mama Hoarders
Jealous Ikes
Bedtime Avoiders
Action Movie Junkies
Sweetie Pie Antagonizers
Soda Sneakers
Loyalists
Accident Cover Uppers
Sweetie Pie's Staunchest Defenders
One Another's Biggest Fans
Father and Son
Inseparable
Sweetie Pie's and My Whole World

Busy as a BEE!

Ever since the dynamic duo, Sydney and Isabella, sent this little bumble bee ditty over for Sweetie Pie, she insists on putting it on at least once a day as she buzzes around the premises.

Once in full regalia, explaining that it's an indoor outfit

rather than supermarket attire hasn't exactly been easy.

What better day than Halloween for our little entomologist in training to not only sport her ladybug costume but to give Mr. Bumble Bee equal time.

I wasn't kidding when I said she put me through three costume changes on Halloween.

This was numero tres!

Have wings will travel.

Believe me, Baby Girl was workin' it and playin'

to her favorite audience member.

You know, the one who melts to a puddle when he

sees her little face and hears that sweet voice say:

"Kiss, puleeeeeeeezzzzz, Papa"

Then they're two peas in a pod;

or bees in a hive, or whatever...

...right up until he tells her her bee-hind lookes big in that outfit.

Yep, a picture's worth a thousand words.

I'm still laughing.

There it was:

The silent, firey, sideways, appalled, indignant, death look that harkens revenge.

That's Mama's Girl!

Men...will they ever learn?

Thankful Thursday

Actually, Thankful times a million.

Lost and Found

Lost and Found on this day 5 years ago.

We had only seen a picture of one another and spoken on the phone a few times.

(He has the best accent!)

He lived a few miles from me.

Ironically, many years before we had gone to different high schools in the same town and even graduated the same year.

We never ran into one another back then.

After chatting on the phone a few times, he asked me to meet him for a drink at a local restaurant.

He knew all about WonderBoy and me and hadn't run for the hills.

This would be the moment of truth because, in my book, you can't fake chemistry.

I pulled into the parking lot like a maniac, running late, as usual.

I was wondering if the man I was about to meet would even come close to living up to the fantasy of the man I had imagined him to be staring at his picture.

I checked my look in my rearview mirror knowing that it was the last time I was going to see myself before I knew the answer to my own question.

I barreled out of the car in my characteristic whirlwind; grabbing my bag, fluffing my hair, while dropping my keys, shifting my clothes and otherwise primping to get my girl on.

Outta my way, PEOPLE, I had a DATE!

As I trotted through the parking lot, looking over my shoulder at the incredibly crooked parking job I had just perpetrated, I took a deep breath and quickly wiped that bead of sweat from my upper lip...

and, that's when I saw him...

He was sitting on the bench outside the restaurant staring right at me.

He had been, characteristically early, and had been watching me the entire time from the moment I flew into the parking lot as if it were a Nas*car pitstop.

He had a grin ear to ear.

His was even more handsome than I had imagined.

I took one look at him and melted into those sparkling, steely blue-green eyes and began to laugh.

We needed no introductions.

Before I took my first sip of my Margarita, I knew I was looking at my husband.

And the rest, as they say....is history!

Thank you for Finding Me!

I love you to pieces.

(Special thanks to WonderBoy for taking these pictures of us!)

Beauty Queen

See JR?

Yep, there he is.

He's tickled pink that he just got his lottery tickets.

On our way home the other day he was desperate to stop for some tickets.

Then we came upon this very macho liquor store/bar along the route so he ran in to get them

'cause the jackpot was climbin' and ya gotta be in it to win it, right?

Hey, what's that I see there?

Could it be?

Naa, it couldn't be.

He didn't.

Oh boy, he did......


It is so hard to hold the camera still when you realize that

your husband just went out in public

with your daughter's new pretty pink bow in his hair.

I laughed for an hour.

At least it matched his shirt!

Apparently someone's been watching way too many episodes of Toddl*rs & Ti*aras!

*Sweetie Pie likes to take her hair clips/bows out of her hair at least 100 times a day

JR has this habit of puting them in his hair so they don't get lost...perhaps he'll use his shirt from now on.