It seems like over the past several months there has been an abundance of really sad news. Sad news all over the world and sad news here at home. Most recently my hometown has been hit hard with some very sad news and I am praying that the loved ones of Justin Ruotolo can somehow find peace amongst this tragedy. Surely a life gone too soon. May your family and friends find the strength to endure the pain of their loss. May you feel the love of those around you and know that you are thought of and prayed for....http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/providence/obituary.aspx?n=justin-ruotolo&pid=153027514
That being said, I thought it would be a nice change of pace to talk about something HAPPY! I found out some really great news a few weeks back. Upon hearing the news, I immediately said to myself, "HOORAAYYYY FINALLY SOME HAPPY, AWESOME, EXCITING NEWS!" So I will start with this. Skip has been my best friend for almost twenty years. I have had many dear friends throughout my lifetime, but Skip takes the cake when it comes to being there for it all. We've been there for each other through the good and the bad, the happy and the sad. Part of the definition of a "friend" is someone you can count on. I can always count on Skip. There hasn't ever been a time when he hasn't been there for me. He's even been there for me, when he didn't know he was there for me. Like the times my Dad would find cigarette butts on the lawn and beer bottle caps in the driveway and he would question us. We would always give him the same answer. A shrug of the shoulders and a reply of "It was Skip." Somehow Skip never got in trouble with my Dad (except for that one time at work .. but we wont get into details here. We'll just say that it ended with a slap upside the head) Dad always had the ability to know when a person is good. Inside and out. Therefore, he always would cut Skip some slack. It probably helped that Skip usually greeted him with a big, dramatic, wet kiss on the mouth...(Grab your face and smooch kinda stuff) enough to make my Dad keel over in shock.. and then laughter. How could he be mad? The shock value of Skip's innocent actions always kept my Dad at bay with him. LOL! I honestly don't know what I would do without Skip's support in my life. He tells me how it is. If I am being stupid about an argument I am having with Billy, he'll tell me. "Ker, you're being stupid. I'm with Billy on this one," and vice versa. It's brutal honesty with us, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Who needs a friend to sugar coat everything? Give it to me straight. Tell me like it is!
So after twenty years of knowing someone, you get to know their family quite well. I have always said, "You can't choose your family, (Even though I got lucky in that department), but you CAN choose your chosen family!" Upon meeting Skip, I knew he had a younger brother whom my sister had dated in Junior High School (Can you even call it dating then? We use to say "going out" but yet, we never went anywhere! LOL) It lasted only a few weeks before his mother made him break up with my sister because it was Christmas and she didn't want to buy some little girl a gift. (I can totally say this because they will all laugh) Julie had already conned my mother into buying him a baseball cap... and she wasn't too pleased upon hearing the break up news. Yet, Greg didn't have the heart to break up with Julie, so he made his best friend Mikey break up with her. Best part, Julie and Mikey have been married for 5 years and have two gorgeous daughters! Long story short, through the years all of our friendship's flourished and somehow we even got our parents in on the mix. The Calamari Club was born and all the parents use to go out to dinner every Friday night. (They totally owe us for that one! If it weren't for us, they'd never had met!) I've touched on this a bit in older posts, but it's not too often that you find people in this world that have the same family values as we do. Somehow we have managed to surround ourselves with a circle of people who share our same belief, that family is a gift. To treasure it with your whole heart. The Youngs are such a family.
Through the years we all met our significant others and got married. I married Billy. Skip married Jane. Julie married Mikey. We were all part of each other's celebrations. As you may have noticed, Greg isn't mentioned here. It just took him just a little longer to realize that he was dating ALL the wrong women! LOL I'm not sure if I've emphasized that enough.... ALL the wrong, way too young, girls! We chosen family have this unspoken test. If you can bring a significant other to our Block Island vacation and they fit in, well then they are golden. Thumbs up. Until two years ago, all of Greg's girls failed miserably! But then there was Block Island two years ago when this gorgeous beauty accompanied him. Kirsten. I think we all began to see quite quickly that this was it. This was Greg's girl. This was the one! Not only is she beautiful on the outside, she's beautiful on the inside. There is no one better to compliment "my little brother" Greg. You see Greg is such a gentle soul. A laid back, I've got your back, type of guy. He doesn't get caught up in rumors or gossip. When he loves, he loves with his whole heart. He has one of the best smiles and his laugh is utterly contagious. He's kind and he's loyal. He's gentle and he is caring. He is true and he is honest. I have always said that he is a diamond in the rough. Now I say that he is a diamond in the rough and Kirsten is his gem. Together, they are a perfect pair.
Greg and Kirsten bought a house recently. The first step in beginning their lives together. Yet a few short weeks ago I got a phone call from Skip on a Sunday morning. I hesitated to answer because a phone call from Skip on a Sunday morning either meant good news, or bad news. I answered. Good news was an understatement! Kirsten and Greg had just found out they were pregnant with TWINS! To say that I was over the moon excited just doesn't even cut it. Amidst all the horrible things that have been happening lately, THIS is what now shines through. The GOOD in this world. The true BLESSINGS in life. THANK YOU GOD for putting Greg and Kirsten on this path. Every bone in my body knows that this is the right path for them and I am so excited to now see them have their chance to truly enjoy what I like to call, God's greatest gift.
So Greg, Kirsten, I wish you nothing short of all the happiness in this world. May your love for each other continue to grow stronger as you enter parenthood. May you always have the stars in your eyes and the smiles on your face. May you always be reminded of how very much you are loved and lastly... "May God bless and keep you always, May your wishes all come true, May you always do for others and let others do for you. May you build a ladder to the stars and climb on every rung. May you stay forever YOUNG!"
All my love....
PS: Greg... when do you want to meet for a cup of coffee?
We headed on out to Long Island for the Holiday weekend and had ourselves a wonderful time. It was a break that I very much needed. Unfortunately, the night before we were to leave, Billy got called in to work the entire weekend. He needs to take any work time he can get being that his job is so unpredictable with this economy. I was completely bummed, as was he. I had reservations about doing the drive and being away with all three kids by myself, but I am not the type to just forgo a fun weekend so off we went. We left Saturday morning instead of Friday evening because I was a little worried about the drive alone with the kids in the dark. Thankfully, it went quite smoothly. Of course, there are always some minor bumps along the way... the DVD players busted before we even got out of town and I ended up waiting for Target to open so that I could purchase some new ones. I'm adventurous, but not stupid! I needed those babies to keep the ride smooth for the kids! We made it to Long Island without hitting traffic and the kids did great in the car.
We love spending this time with Auntie Jill and Uncle Dave and are always so happy to enjoy our time with them on Long Island. I have always loved this area since it was a place I use to frequent while I was at Hofstra. We attended Uncle Hungie and Jill's Memorial Day festivities out east in Islip at Dave's parent's house. This home is breathtakingly beautiful! I love to go visit the Hungerfords and just take in the beauty of their home. It sits right on the canal, only a few houses down from the opening of the shore. Their backyard is beautifully decorated with gorgeous flowers and plants. Their patio heads out back to a dock with their family boat. This is not to say that I wasn't a neurotic mess trying to keep the kids away from the water. Being that they are water babies like their mama, this was quite the feat. Even when Mr. Hungerford took out the life vests for them, I was still completely stressed out. Life vests only meant that they could take more risks. I found Hannah trying to sit on the post of the dock hanging out over the water. Let's just say that I was a bundle of nerves over this Thankfully once nightfall hit, they seemed to have finally listened to my frantic "Stay off the dock" yells. I don't think I would normally have been so nervous if Billy was with us because he would have been an extra set of hands to help me keep track of them. (But then again, knowing me, it wouldn't have made the darndest difference!) Needless to say once the night hit, the girls took much joy in the sparklers Auntie Jill had bought for them. They truly had a wonderful time and really enjoyed the new friends they met. I completely enjoyed myself mingling amongst the guests. I knew hardly a soul there and yet everyone was so very nice and easy to make conversation with. I felt perfectly at home amongst these friends. I was even able to sit down and chat with Billy's cousin Jessica whom I have met, but have never had the pleasure of actually sitting down and speaking with. What an adorable soul she is! We bonded for hours chatting it up. She moved out to NYC a few years ago and I loved hearing of her adventures since it was, once upon a time, something I had always wanted to do. I have always been a girl completely fascinated with Manhattan and I loved hearing about her adventures there. The evening was the comfortable break I most definitely needed.
We spent the rest of the weekend enjoying fun filled activities such as Mini Golf. Did I mention how much my kids love the water? As we grown ups were trying to perfect our game in the blazing sun, you could find Hannah and Layla trolloping about in any little pool of water they could find. Under the windmill, by the gingerbread house, literally standing in knee or ankle deep water. It was quite funny and I have to say, I let them do it just so they could get a littler refreshed from the hot sun that was blaring down at us. It was quite comical to see myself, Dave and Jill sweating our buns off playing Mini Golf and taking it so seriously while the kids really could have cared less, just as long as they could touch water1 LOL
Jill and Dave are two of the kindest people I have ever met. They are always doing and giving and loving to make memories with us. They adore the kids even though we pretty much took up full range of their home. Their generosity is unmeasurable. I can tell you that 99% of my children's wardrobes come from them and Jill's love to shop for them. I don't think there has even been a time when she hasn't handed them a bag full of clothes, or a treat. My favorite part of my time with them was Sunday night when we sat out on their patio with drinks in hand just talking about life. It was a memory that I think I will keep with me for a long time to come. Doing nothing but bonding and talking and laughing. These are the moments that I treasure most. There is nothing like Family and I surely love the fact that they are part of mine. If I could only find a way to give back to them a quarter of what they have given us.
Monday morning we decided to treat to girls to a manicure pedicure. It was completely hysterical to watch Layla's expressions. She was so into it and so adorable to watch. Hannah was thrilled as well and let me tell you, Mama was so relaxed and happy to get a little pampering for herself. After our girl time, we headed back home to pack up the car and drive to my best friend Denise's house. Denise and I met eighteen years ago. EIGHTEEN! Holy cow! We met at Hofstra orientation and literally became instant friends. We have always said that we had to have been sisters in another lifetime. Her friendship is one that I so treasure and although miles away, she has been with me during the best of times and the worst of times. Her friendship is so easy. It's just meant to be. There is no cattiness. There is no jealousy. There are never any cruel remarks. There is just two friends, so much alike, raising their families. I wish to God that we lived closer because I cant imagine how much better life would be with her by my side. The time spent with her is never enough for me and I am so grateful to get these blurbs of time with her. Her husband Chris also went to Hofstra and was part of my friendship circle there. Their courtship was that of a fairytale and it is so surreal to see them eighteen years later still connecting and goofing on each other the way they always did. It seems like just yesterday Denise and I were peering out our dorm tower window watching Chris as he walked back to his dorm... although I do believe his name back then was, "Cute Boy". LOL
The kids had a BLAST playing with her three children who are close in age to mine. They get along SO well and I love to watch their comradery. I can't believe that Skylar is about to be eight. I have pictures of her laying on my belly as a newborn the first time I took Billy down to meet Denise. Who knew that almost twenty years later, we both would be married with three children. Two girls and a boy for both of us. So many similarities between us that I hope when this life is over, I get to live my next one with her in it as well. We stayed for dinner and then got the kids in their jammies before heading back home. There were tears to be had from the girls as they didn't want to leave their NY friends. We also said goodbye to Denise's house as it has been sold and she is moving to a different town. I am so excited for her because I know that this will be her forever house and I am so excited to visit this new palace. One of my FAVORITE things about her homes is that the second I step through the front door, there is that air of comfy coziness. There is that warm feeling of a family living there. From the pictures that hang on the walls of the kids growing, to the toys laying about, it just feels like home. It's the feeling that I use to fantasize about when I was a young girl visualizing of what my family would be like. The laughter of children, the playing, the excitement, the witnessing milestones and the carefree way about it. I always get that when I am there. I was surely sad to leave but I am so excited for another visit in the near future. I also left with my car weighted down with my favorite hand me downs for Layla and Cameron. My girl Denise is this crazy shopper who can find the most adorable clothing and never pays full price. From Crew Cuts to Babystyle... it is all so adorable! Layla and I had a blast going through everything this morning and she is already on her 3rd outfit out of the bin. Even Mr. Cam was adorned in this adorable button down shirt today. LOVE ME MY DENISE hand me downs!
The next couple of days I will be a busy bee preparing for baby Cam's First Birthday. I can't wait for the party and I am thinking he may be walking for it as well. That boy is all over the place! He likes to pull himself up on my pants and take strides with me while I walk. He is so darn funny. That face of his is just so chubby and yummy I could eat him! My baby boy... turning one.. in less than two weeks... sigh... if only I could keep him this little forever!
