What's Important

  Last year I lost my best friend Kathy.  Kathy and I had been best friends since our first day of school in the sixth grade when we were eleven years old.  Kathy and I were friends through thick and thin, we were there for each other through boy crushes, first dates, high school band, slumber parties, breakups, heartaches, college, first jobs, for everything, she was my maid of honor in my wedding etc...We confided in each other, she was the sister I never had and vice versa.  Then one day, while I was painting our bathroom, I got a call from Kathy's cousin, informing me that my "bestie" was gone,  Suddenly, just like that, my world changed.  When I heard the news, I literally could not catch my breath to the point that Jason had to catch me, and hold me up, and all I could say was "Kathy no, Kathy no".  While I was shocked and distraught over losing someone so close to me that suddenly, it taught me to pay more attention and appreciate what I have, and the people I have in my life.
  I decided to use Kathy's death in a positive way, it made me realize that you get out of life what you put into it.  Over the years, Jason and I suffered through miscarriages, an injury I suffered in a car accident, my subsequent depression (caused by a combination of the miscarriages and being injured)and I had shut down emotionally, mentally at times, even physically, and pushed Jason away at times too.  Things got to where Jason and I would spend most nights watching TV or one of us on the computer and the other watching TV, and hardly talking to each other. It felt like we were two "zombies" just getting through each day. I decided to "tune out" and to "tune in" to my marriage/life, to appreciate the people and things I have, and not take anything for granted, because it can be gone "just like that". I started by doing something as simple as serving dinner on the dining room table instead of in front of the TV, so we could actually have conversation during dinner.  I decided to join the "wellness"program that my employer offers it's employees that provides you with your own personal coach who counsels you on nutrition, exercise, and provides you with psychological support when needed as well.  For the first time in a long time, I started doing things that I love again like art, baking fun cakes, planning little get away trips to places we've never been etc...  Focusing on what's important in my life has definitely made me happier and I feel that it's made my relationships with family, friends and especially my husband much stronger. 
  My "bestie/sister" is gone, but I feel like she is here in some way, and I know she's "up there" singing out of tune everytime a Billy Joel song plays on my ipod.  I just know it.

Fateful Day

11 years ago today I met my husband. It was a day we both will never forget.
My husband and I were both working for the same major airline. I was working at Oakland airport (Oakland CA) and he was working at Columbus airport (Columbus OH).
A friend of mine (who I met through working with the airline)was also working in Columbus OH (we met through an airline training session in Phoenix AZ). I had made arrangements for my friend to come out and go to an Oakland A's game with me. We were both baseball fans and I used to get free Oakland A's tickets through a co-worker who lived next door to an Oakland A's player (on an airline agent's salary free was all I could afford anyway).
We made plans to go to the 12p.m. game on April 19th 1999, the A's were playing the Cleveland Indians that day (weird thing is, from 2003 to 2007 I worked for the Cleveland Indians!).
About 3 days before the game, my friend calls and asks me if they could bring a friend from Columbus to the game with them. I told them yes, but their friend will have to buy their own ticket (I only had 2), he said that was fine, I told him I would pick them up at the airport and we'd head straight to game from there. Everything was set.
I was at the airport around 9:30 a.m. on April 19th 1999. A big crowd of passenegers were making their way to baggage claim.
In the crowd I saw a man wearing a Cleveland Indians cap, with a Cleveland Indians jersey and khaki shorts, with a great big smile on his face! The first thing I said to myself was "oh my God, that's got to be the friend, because no one else would wear that here".Has to be them!
I was attracted to my husband's smile and his big brown eyes immediately, even though I'm a die hard A's fan, I looked past the Indians garb!
I liked him so much I was nervous around him, even standing next to him made me tingle! I had never felt that way about anyone before!
The funny thing is he thought I didn't like him, because everytime he'd try to start a conversation with me I gave him the cold shoulder. I later told him I was too nervous to talk and was afraid I wouldn't make sense!
We went to the game and the Indians beat the A's on that day. Afterwards I drove my friend and my future husband back to the airport. We exchanged e-mail addresses with each other and said our goodbyes. The rest is history!
If someone would have told me on April 19th 1999 that I was looking at my future husband, I would have thought they were kidding!
My husband still remembers what I was wearing that day. He has told me that never in a million years did he think he was going to fly to California to see a baseball game for a few hours, and end up meeting his future wife!
He still makes me tingle!

Birthday bash

 

   There are times in life when you're surrounded by people that you know would do anything for you, and you would do anything for them.  I mean you get that "warm and fuzzy" feeling when you are within the circle of your absolute closest friends and their spouses.  You know, like a "second family".

  Well, one of our very closest friends had their 50th birthday last Friday, and our friends Marc and Monice graciously offered to host an intimate birthday party for him!

  Our friend that just turned 50 (he doesn't look a day older than 30!) has the last name of "Berger" so that what he is called, everyone just calls him "Berger".

   Berger is the kind of friend that would do anything for you.  This is just an example of what kind of e friend Berger is:  Last year we suffered a miscarriage in the 4th month of pregnancy.  We were devastated!  My husband and I received many thoughts of sympathy and hugs that were comforting.  About a week after the miscarriage, I was home alone and got a phone call.  It was Berger, and he wanted to see if I was home.  About 10 minutes after the call, the doorbell rang.  At the door was Berger holding a large bouquet of flowers in one hand and a huge gift basket in the other!  I was both shocked and touched, I instantly got tears in my eyes!  I quickly invited him inside and said "thank you, you didn't have to do this", Berger replied "you're welcome, I wanted to cheer you up and I'm taking you for Chinese food for lunch!"  Berger took me to a great Chinese restaurant, and we talked about nonmiscarriage related things, it was a great little "escape".  The flowers were beautiful and the basket was a "spa" basket, it had a bottle of wine, a pair of satin slippers, facial mask, bubble bath, bath salts, foot and hand soaks, even a suede covered diary!  It meant a lot to my husband and I that he took time out of his day to do that for me.

  For Berger's 50th bithday bash I wanted to make something special for him (it was the least I could do).  Berger was going to have an ordinary birthday cake, since he is an "extraordinary" friend to us, he deserved an extraordinary cake!  One of Berger's favorite foods is a cheeseburger, so I made him a "giant cheeseburger" cake!

  To my surprise, my "cheeseburger" cake turned out fine, actually looked like a cheeseburger!  The cake was a hit with everyone, but most importantly I loved the smile it put on Berger's face!  He absolutely loved it!  Berger had tears in his eyes!