Weekend review

We are back and made it through Saturday. Fortunately, Mother Nature was smiling on us and we got a 70+ degree day with lots of sunshine. For a Midwest April, this is amazing (Sunday was 45 and rainy, if that says anything)!

For my reference, a few important notes for next year:

1. Don't do favors
2. If your child touches your face with cake hands, make sure husband checks your face before pictures are taken (after reviewing our photos, it looks like I have chocolate snot. Greeeeat...I'm sure several other people got the same shot).
3. Make sure the time of the party doesn't interfere with nap time...especially with a sick child. She wasn't miserable - but not her usual smiling self.



I am not amused.

This little bundle of teething sickness decided that the day of her first birthday (Sunday) was the perfect time to start walking and feeding herself with a spoon. However, the continuation of doing either of these is on her OWN time...no amount of coaxing can get her to do it when you want her to (good thing we got the first steps on video).

* * * * *

Dance Party Time!
(Have no idea what I'm referring to?...read the bottom of this post)

Artist/Band: The Pointer Sisters
Song Title: Jump
Kid-friendly?: Yes

And here is a great scene of Hugh Grant dancing to this song (as the Prime Minister in the movie "Love Actually." If you haven't seen this movie. Go watch it right now. Seriously)

Engagement - The Prequel

See this post for the story of the engagement and the reason for this particular story.

April 19th, 2006 -
I was working at a prominent hotel in Milwaukee, dating the greatest guy on earth, and just lovin' life. On this day, I got a frantic phone call from my Uncle J telling me that my mom's husband, Scott, was in the hospital after a sudden heart attack the previous weekend. He was on life support and he wasn't going to make it. They were going to disconnect him that afternoon.

My mother is not one to keep in regular contact with anyone. We'd go months at a time without any kind of communication. At this point in my life, we hadn't spoken in years.

My uncle put her on the phone. She seemed distracted, but relieved to hear my voice. I could hear the need for my presence - she didn't have to say a thing. Knowing how she'd never ask for help (a trait I know all too well), I understood, but still asked -

"Mom, do you need me to come down there?"

"You'd do that?"
-

My emergency-organizer self kicked into action. Within 12 hours, I:
1. Got the OK from my boss to take a few days of bereavement
2. My discounted flight lined up (through the generosity of a close friend's father who worked for an airline)
3. A dog sitter confirmed
4. A rental car to take me from Charlotte, N.C. to the small town where my mother lived.

The next day (Thursday), I was on a flight to North Carolina.

-

I stayed at the hospital with my mom. The wonderful hospital staff arranged for a second recliner chair to be brought into the room for me.

Scott was a fighter. He held on longer than anticipated. It took until Friday evening for him to pass away. For the first time in my life, I saw my mom cry.

I handled the arrangements and addressed any other details needing attention. I was back in Milwaukee by Monday evening, exhausted, but thankful for the time with my mother.

This wasn't a pleasant circumstance by any means, but a lot of good did come of it. I reconnected with my estranged mother. My faith in God was tested and, ultimately, strengthened. And my extended absence gave ShankRabbit the opportunity to visit my fosterparents and ask for permission to marry me.

When we returned to the area two weeks later for MOTD, I was able to call up my mom and introduce her to ShankRabbit. This would have never happened if I didn't have that time with her.

-

(Clarification: I left my biological parent's home when I was 11. My biological father has been out of the picture for a LONG time. My fosterparents entered my life when I was 13, so they are who I'd consider the parental figures in my life)

The Engagement

I said I'd tell you the story of ShankRabbit's proposal. Here it goes...

May 3, 2006 -
ShankRabbit and I head down to Deals Gap, N.C. for "MINIs on the Dragon." This is an annual MINI Cooper owners meet-up centered around the "Tail of the Dragon" - an 11 mile stretch of road of 318 curves that snakes through the Smoky Mountains on the Tennessee and North Carolina border (we'll save the story of my motion sickness for a later date). We had planned this trip for several months, so the fact that I had been down in this area a couple weeks before was a little bittersweet to me.*

May 5, 2006 - After a hearty, country breakfast made by the lovely owners of the Hemlock Inn (the greatest bed and breakfast. Period), we decide to take a hike around the property, as it is set in a beautifully wooded area.

My experiences with hiking - mostly in Galena, IL - were tarnished with the discovery of a tick or two on my skin and/or scalp. It never failed - no matter how covered up I was they'd find a way to latch onto me. Evil parasites!

Not knowing what the woods of N.C. had in store for me (I assumed since we were in the mountains, I'd probably encounter some kind of saber-toothed zombie tick), I threw on as much clothing as I could. Two sweatshirts (one with a hood), a long pair of jeans, tall socks, and a cowboy hat. I would have worn my baseball cap, but ShankRabbit didn't have anything to cover his head (and I refused to let him hike with me until it was properly protected. I wasn't ready to sacrifice his brain to the undead insects).

We hiked around the property for a while and came to a clearing. It was obviously the future site of a home, with a spectacular view. I was glad to take a rest as the 15 pounds of clothing I insisted on wearing were creating a mini-inferno on my body. After all, it was about 70 degrees that day.

We joked about how it would be our home someday. ShankRabbit then said he'd finished the song he was writing for me and wanted to sing it. This was not out of the ordinary as he breaks into song often, so I stood there and listened to these wonderful lyrics:

In a world that's so uncertain and veiled in a curtain
It's you I want to see
Apart from all condition with purest conviction
By your side is what I'll be

It's not just the way you look
Or the cute way that you smile that I love
It's the way your soul invades me
That's led to believing you're from above

And I know you're not expecting what I'm about to be singing
But believe
That when I look into my life
I only see you as my wife eternally

Now you know I wasn't lying
When I said you never could know how much I loved you
And I hope you've started seeing
And maybe believing that it's true

I want you for forever
I need you for forever
Just say the 'yes' and I'm yours

I didn't get it. He even got down on one knee for the last line and I thought he fell. I was about to help him up when it occurred to me, "oh...he's on ONE knee...OH CRAP!"
Cue uncontrollable sobbing.




OMG! I'm engaged!



And there you have it - that is why I wore that hideous get-up and didn't have a stitch of makeup on.

_______

* - In the process of writing this post, I realized the story would not be complete without detailing what happened two weeks' prior. It's not as fun and happy, but in my mind this is an important part to tell...at least for me. That post will follow on Thursday.

The new hair

We have successfully located our battery charger. Therefore, I can show you the promised "new hair" photos.

We attended a friend's wedding on Saturday. My brother-in-law and his wife were watching Peanut for us while we partied like rock stars (or at least made an attempt):



A lot of fun was had. A lot a lot.

And I can tell you one thing for certain (as pointed out today by a friend who also attended): we are not 21 anymore.