Thoughts and Musings

Life Is Good

I came in to a slumbering house this evening after having been out with the girls for dinner. Walking into our bedroom, I watched for a moment as Joe slept heavily, his chest rising and falling in time with Sasha’s, who was curled up as close as she could get to him with her head on his leg. Joe’s breath came easy, and he looked more at peace than I can describe. I love watching my husband sleep. The rhythm of his breath, the beat of his heart as I lay my head against his chest.

I changed into one of Joe’s shirts (another thing I love: slipping into his shirt, his scent still on the collar), and slid under the covers, careful not to disturb my husband or our dog. Sasha remained asleep, though sensing my presence, her tail beat hard against the mattress, bringing Joe back to awareness. “I love you,” he whispered, turning toward me so we could resume the position we had reluctantly given up this morning: me on my left side, curled in near-fetal position, him also on his left, snuggled close against me, spooning me, with his right arm holding me tight to him. “I love you, too,” I said, and turned my head to kiss him lightly before turning back and falling into a content slumber myself.

It doesn’t get better than this.

This Is the Year!

Wild card, baby, WILD CARD! We're going to the playoffs!

9/11

Today is the second anniversary. The world is as scary a place today as it was on that day 2 years ago when life changed forever. Everything these days is measured by 9/11. Events happened pre- or post-9/11. We are certainly not as innocent as we were before that day. That innocence, that naiveté, went up with the smoke that rose as the buildings were brought down by so much hatred and intolerance. While we are not the same people as we were back then, changed by the images of death that haunt us still, changed by the voices of the unfortunate souls whose only mistake on that day was being American, we have, I believe, lost some memory of the horror. Some would say that’s a positive thing, a necessary means to going on with our lives; others would say that’s a negative thing, a step that ensures a repeat of the horror as we let our collective guards down. That day still lives with me. Not a day goes by that I don’t think, in some way, of the souls that were lost that day, or of the insanity that ended so many lives. Not a day goes by that I don’t fear something awful is about to happen to us, to Americans, yes, but more importantly to mankind. How many deaths, in how many nations, under the guise of how much bullshit, must happen before we burn ourselves out. Before we lose the essence of our humanity, and once and for all become something less than human. No God justifies this kind of hatred. My God, your God, is weeping these days, as he opens his arms to more casualties of our intolerance. How did we get here? And is there any going back?

Let us not forget…

That Time of Year

Joe and I decided to have a Labor Day cookout. It was really the first time we've had people to the house, and I was really looking forward to it. Joe and Donna (and Dixon) came up from Rhode Island, and we had between 10 and 15 people there at any given time throughout the day. It was a great time: good food, a few drinks, great conversation, etc. AND, we cooked on our new grill and it did NOT explode when we fired her up, so that was good.

It was especially great to see Donna and Joe. They have become such a huge part of our lives. Joe's new heart beats strongly in his chest, and we are thankful every day for that. I remember when Joe and I got engaged, the first thing we did was drive to the hospital to share the news. We got engaged a month before Joe received his new heart, and I remember praying that he and Donna would be here for our wedding. I remember thinking that I wanted nothing more than to share a dance with Donna's Joe at our wedding. One month later he received his new heart, and 7 months after that we got to share that dance. Life is magical.

Dixon and Sasha had a great time this weekend. They became fast friends as they ran around the yard, chasing various toys and each other until their energy finally waned and they collapsed on top of each other exhausted. We got the cutest picture of the two of them cuddled together on a chair preparing for a good night's sleep.