So...is anyone else having brisket and cabbage for the new year?

I'm planning on surprising the fam (only two other people, whew, am I adventurous or WHAT!) with a big, tender, smokey brisket tomorrow served with cooked red cabbage and boiled potatoes...Here comes every Irish gene I possess...well, the ones that my older sister was kind enough not to suck up and keep for herself when SHE was born...yeesh!...that girl took every cute McCoy/Murphy gene in the gene pool, which include pretty eyes, freckles, curly hair, pretty shoulders, long legs (let's face it, Irish people are gorgeous) and left me to gather what I could from what was left. I arrived in the gene pool department and threw together some Hungarian/Russian material and whatever was left from the Emerald Isle...nice...thx sis...

Anyway, I'm planning this big brisket because Peter, who's "people" stepped off the Mayflower (don't get me started on how weird and focused those people had to be, hence the obstinacy and other issues associated with those of New England-and I'm saying that with love and respect) has cell-memory for this kind of food. He ADORES it. And since he wouldn't read a blog if the menu of his next meal depended on it, he'll never know....so...neener neener Peter....everyone knows what you're having for dinner tomorrow except you...neener neener....Oh yea, the immaturity?...that's a recessive gene that NO ONE will accept responsibility for....

THE C&O EXPRESS IS HOME...AT LAST...

That is Olivia on the top and Charlie on the bottom. Aren't they adorable? Eli called me this afternoon, extraordinarily excited and over-the-top, saying that OSU had called him and that he and "The Dear Sweet One" were heading down there at 4:00 PM to pick up the kidlets...He said he couldn't wait to be able to see his children without having to drive all the way down to campus...to have them actually in their home is just sending him over the moon...He said, "Mom, if the cost of having 24/7 access to my babies is changing stinking diapers and no sleep, then it's worth it".

Welcome home babies. Welcome to full-time parenthood Eli and Abby.

Thank you Heavenly Father.

From Chatabox Girl; an end-of-the-year meme...with thanks!

Year - 2008


1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
Hmmmm...there may be a recurring theme to this meme...I created and am the administrator for three blogs now....doing all of them relatively poorly I might add...

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Actually I did. This is my second year where I've selected a spiritual goal to ponder and learn more about and I did a fairly decent job in 2008...and I will certainly make more in 2009. Fo sheezy...(how spiritual was THAT!)

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Well, don't get me started...only my wonderful daughter-in-law, Abby...with the most adorable twins on the planet, Charlie and Olivia...stunningly beautiful...

4. Did anyone close to you die?
I buried my pops, Henry Hock...age 95. He was grand. And David, Abby's father...2008 was difficult.

5. What countries did you visit?
I live in southern California so there are several types of countries going on here at any given time...but no, I had no need for a passport in 08.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
a. a nice home in Temecula
b. a good paying job with short hours, while I'm in school
c. more of my kids coming out to SoCal to visit
d. my mother wintering out here with me next year


7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
December 12, 2008, the day the C&O express arrived!!!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Well, I would have to say that was a spiritual one...you know, the one I was pondering and meditating on in 2008?....it was big....

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not figuring it out soon enough or well enough or practicing it with more thoroughness.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
As I was levitating, I bumped me noggin' on the light fixture....dang....

11. What was the best thing you bought?
The affection of the masses...it was expensive but always always worth it....

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Well, I think it's always true to honor those who deserve it and therefore I honor Paris Hilton...she's a wonderful role model and deserves sainthood....*barf*

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Well, I just think it's kinda sorta fun to pick on Paris...rats...now I've ruined any chance I had at being her BFF...PLUS I have to repent...even celebrities have feelings....

14. Where did most of your money go?
Airline tickets and books...always....airline tickets and books....Let me confess something here and now...I will ALWAYS take my rent money to the bookstore...I have a problem and I know it...there is a 12-step meeting in my future....

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
I'm always a little excited...always...I have "excitement disorder"....I've learned to deal with it...but let's see...well, I really really love the idea of my son Eli publishing his poetry for children...really..."FOO IN MAH MOUF" is charming beyond belief....DO IT ELI!!!!!

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Pachebel's Canon-I'll remember it because I shared with Abby in her hospital room why I think it's so special and inspired...now I think it's Abby's and my song...

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? ~ Happier
b) thinner or fatter? ~ Probably thinner
c) richer or poorer? ~ Poorer (for now)<---I'll keep Chatabox Girl's answer

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Spoke my true feelings more...

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Procrastinated...sort of like what I'm doing right now instead of homework and studying...man! Some people NEVER learn!!!

20. How did you spend Christmas?
I celebrated it on December 25th like most people.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
I fell in love with MORE people-Charlie and Olivia arrived!!!

22. What was your favourite TV program?
The Office....I loves me some Dwight...

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I am "challenged" now...now more than I have ever been in my entire life....I don't think it's the people...I think it's me....

24. What was the best book you read?
The Peacegiver...CHANGED MY LIFE....

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
My IPod...don't judge me....but to know that my music is customized and portable...well slap my mom and call me Shirley...that was amazing!!!

26. What did you want and get?
The safe arrival of my twin grandchildren....

27. What did you want and not get?
My call-in radio show that I host!

28. What was your favourite film of this year?
Yikes...I've seen so few...so precious few....I saw GET SMART, that was pretty good, plus it made my Mom laugh after Pops died, so I guess that counts as the winner.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I conferenced with Jesus and told Him that He could have my b-day so His could last 48 hours instead of 24...that way we could have 24 hours of commercialism and another 24 hours of quiet meditation/contemplation...yea, He didn't buy it either...

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
The ability to fly?

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Appalachian chic?

32. What kept you sane?
Sane?

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Hahahahaha.....you mean someone does NOT know about my Christian Bale fascination/obsession?.....Really???

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
Prop 8...so tired of it...still....

35. Who did you miss?
I always miss my kids in Ohio...always...and I miss my mom....and I miss Sadie in Texas...and I miss my sibs....and my friends far away....okay, now I'm depressed....

36. Who was the best new person you met?
Everyone's "best"...UP WITH EVERYTHING!!!!!!

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
Anything that Earlene Clapsaddle says, I pay attention to...I don't compete with Earlene....

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Everything I do, I do it for you…<-------I'll leave Chatabox girl's answer...it's good.

NERD-ALERT...Don't let this happen to YOUR mother!!!

The children should have seen it coming. Their mother enrolled in school. Oh sure, it seemed harmless. She just wanted to "experience some culture"..."maybe take a few art history classes"...as if....

Then she discovered her credits from the community college were transferable...well, most of them anyway...and she enrolled in a four year college that allowed her to work during the day and take classes at night. What was the harm? The kids were grown, she had to do something with her time...there had to be more than hubby and church, right? Let the little lady catch up on Algebra and the Reformation and some psychology classes.

What? She earned her degree? She wants to go further? What the heck for? She's old! She has grandchildren to play with!! What are those things on her face? Are those HORN RIMS???!!! Is she actually worried about her Statistics homework? What's her focus of study? PSYCHONEUROIMMUNOLO-WHAT? This is wrong. This is wrong at so many levels.

The other night she pulled an all-nighter. She's on Facebook...with a bunch of her middle-aged friends. She's has an LJ account also!!! I heard she's got a young male friend in Australia who brews his own beer, plus he talks to her about Megadeath and other weird concerts he goes to. What's THAT about?

Mom's a hip wonk? No. Mom's a boat ride, a plane trip and two bus stops away from hip. Look at that picture? You could post that in the Lost Mom Department and no one would claim her. She's a Woody Allen nightmare, that one is.

Good thing her kids are cool....

IN KEEPING WITH THE THEME OF "MOVING FORWARD"...HENCEFORTH AND FOREVER REGARDING MY BIRTHDAY!!!

Here's a BIG SHOUT-OUT to Emmy...my erstwhile and always tender-hearted daughter (I hope the expression "tender-hearted" didn't originate in a cannibalistic community!) who year after freakin' year does her best to celebrate my birthday which, year after freakin' year always seems to arrive the day that seems to fall exactly after Christmas. No bueno. Emmy, you are a champ honey...one amazing champ. Thank you for the wonderful lunch you picked up for us from Claim Jumper and for filling up my tank while you did it! Bravo Baby Girl!!! And thank you for my beautiful fairy crystal necklaces...they are stunning and I will wear them gleefully...

The thing is, we were both EXHAUSTED from Christmas. Here's what it's like to have a birthday on December 26th. No one wants to celebrate the day AFTER Christmas-including myself! No one wants to clean. No one wants to cook. No one wants to do anything but sleep off the entire month before the day before your birthday. But because people love me, they feel compelled to do SOMETHING. This is excruciating to watch and even more painful to be a part of.

When I returned home, I had to watch my husband and stepson go through the same thing. Peter asked (with a deeply heavy sigh), "So, movie?"...as if.....Heck no!!! I just want to rest....I've had over five decades of this birthday....I'm over it....I don't want to celebrate it either....AND I'M DEADLY SERIOUS WHEN I SAY THAT...I. DON'T. WANT. TO. CELEBRATE. IT. EITHER.

Back in the 70s I must have heard someone with the same birthday complain about getting presents with silver and gold wrapping on it...and I think it sounded "cool" when they did it...so I emulated them...to sound cool...only in my grown-up head, it doesn't sound cool at all...it sounds whiny and self-centered...and here it is 2008 and I've been trying to repent since the mid 80s...truly....but my sister and other family members aren't listening to me because they really "heard" me in the 70s and they must really love me or for what ever reason but they really go the extra mile to celebrate or "gift" me on my b-day....I love you....you are released...go and sin no more....Bottom line-I can't stand to watch my loved ones suffer through one more of my birthdays...not one.

From here on out...from 2009 and onward...if you must recognize my birthday, a phone call or card will do...really...I'm serious...I love you all madly...but enough is enough....you have been valiant...but we're all tired...dead-dog-tired...let's rest...enjoy your day...and I will also....you are loved...and I know I am too....

He's a "Maniac" I tells ya....

Well, I know my heading says I'm moving forward...and I am...I've got BIG PLANS for the new year...BIG PLANS I tells ya...but I was going through some old photos that little Eli had out from when he and his dad lived in Maine and I just had to post them...this was about 2000...they were taken while the boys lived on a little island off the mid coast of Maine...Peter Jr., little Eli and Peter Sr...they eating some lobster they caught...*sigh*...

Peter grew up in Maine, again-on a little island in a house his father (a lobsterman) built, right beside a lighthouse...sounds charming doesn't it?...he has controlled his "Mainiac" accent quite nicely (I have found that most people from the Nor'east do NOT like to have their accents noticed-they are a "different" lot) but on occasion it will slip through with certain words such as "dog" or "dollar"...interestingly, "dollar" is the word I could always hear my father's New Yawk accent coming through on (and the occasional Yiddish dialect)...hmmmmmm...anyway, I liked these photos of my lobstering hubby....I will post something of substance soon...(The two boys in one of the photos are his sons)

I love you...

Merry Christmas. Here is a virtual platter of Christmas cookies. My heart is breaking because I can't be with each of the people I love...such is time and distance...but the love of Christ transcends all of that...and we know that current tears of sadness turn into tears of joy at a later time...all we have to do is just breathe, be patient, and have faith...Christ does the rest...I love you...I love you..I love you. I love youiloveyouiloveyouiloveyou....

CHRISTMAS COOKIES AND GRANDBABIES...AND BELL BELL

Today, I saw Emmy and the kids for the first time in about a month...yikes! I have been in Ohio and just now got over the mountain to visit them since getting back into town. We baked a boat load of Christmas cookies and played quite a bit. Clarkie finally remembered me...I wore a Tinkerbell T-shirt, which helped jog his memory...he has connected me with "Bell Bell" and refers to me as such, which delights me to no end...The cookies turned out great...don't even get me started on those anise cookies with lemon icing...oh my gosh...Martha Stewart, you she-devil...and the afternoon ended up with a love-fest on the couch between me and the babies...ahhhhhh, Christmas, cookies, and grandbabies....heaven on earth.....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALEX!!!

Oh Alex. My grandson that beat all the odds. Howdy!!! Oh how I love to be greeted by this angel. "Hi Grandma!" never sounded more wonderful than when it comes from the lips of this young man, and always always always accompanied by a huge hug. I'll keep this upbeat and happy and looking forward to the future...but I'm typing this with tears in my eyes...okay, so much for happy, but they really are tears of love and gratitude. He was diagnosed in the autistic spectrum at 18 months...we were told he would never be potty trained...he would never speak...he would never attend a "normal" school...it was a pretty bleak diagnosis. But the Bowman family is either too stoopid or too optimistic or too "something" to accept such news. We just fell in love with this little feller. We all decided to teach (and learn ourselves) sign language so we could communicate some way with him...we jumped with him on the trampoline to make him smile, even if we were tired or achy or it was cold outside...his teenage uncles, Eric and Eli carried him on their shoulders and would have stood on their heads if it meant getting a smile out of him...we ran for him, did for him, bought for him, played for him, did anything and everything for him...we even invented a silly language called "Bowman-speak" that one can still hear remnants of if one listens carefully (it's silly-I'm just warnin' ya)...in short, we did everything we could for him without any thought of receiving anything in return, not even affection. He was autistic. We didn't expect a thing. Not. One. Thing. But we got it. Boy. Did we get it.

He was potty trained by age four, he's in the 5th grade in a wonderful Worthington school and yea, he struggles but he's in there and he speaks his mind...PLENTY!!! His hugs are incredible and I can't imagine life without this kid. He's been our Sunday School for 12 years now. We owe him plenty. Life with Alex...s'all good....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUBBY!!!

So, 28 years ago tonight I was one tired but happy woman. I had my son. He was beautiful...absolutely beautiful. I would be home in time for Christmas to spend it with my two sweet little girls and I would bring them the best gift in the whole world, their little brother. They couldn't wait. No one could wait. We were ecstatic. This was before the obligatory ultrasound that told you months in advance what you were having. We just had to wait and be surprised. When the doctor held up my 10 pound baby boy and I heard that cry, it was heaven on earth. I fell hard for that little guy and I've been falling ever since. My Bubby boy. He makes me laugh and he makes me cry. The first night we brought him home, he developed a little cough. His dad freaked out. He said, "That's it! We're taking him back!". I said, "Relax! He's not an appliance. There's no taking anyone back!" Sheesh... So, here's to Eric! Happy Birthday honey...I love you baby boy...

Charmed beyond belief!

I can't explain the effect of having these precious babies born to us at this very special season of the year...the music of Christmas, especially the music of Christmas, brings me to my knees ANYWAY, but to couple it with the feelings of gratitude we're all feeling about Charlie and Olivia is beyond belief...The power of babies...unspeakable and undefinable...this love that carries us and buoys us...this gratitude that lifts us above our trials and complaints and earthly cares...this hope that the future is bright and all things happen for bigger reasons than we can see or understand now...babies...bright, beautiful, loving and full of grace....God is among us when we hold a baby...

THERE BE BABIES!!!!

Please allow me to introduce Charles David and Olivia Ruth, weighing in respectively at 4.9 and 4.4 pounds. Charlie was 17.4 inches long and Livvy was 17 inches. Charlie looks like Abby and her cute Grandpa, David Legge. Olivia has a dimple on her chin and a widow's peak in her hairline, a sign of mischievousness and a sign of beauty, again respectively. Both babies have heads full of dark blond wavy hair. Charlie, when I saw him in the NICU was lying on his stomach (and I have witnesses for this) did 3, COUNT 'EM 3, push-ups and lifted up his head each time...no, I am NOT exaggerating. Olivia, or as I have taken to calling her, Olive-vivvy, lays quite serenely and queenly and dislikes noise...she of the dimpled chin and widow's peak....yes...there be babies...

The following pictures are "pictures of pictures of newborns" and therefore the quality goes down quickly...please forgive me...but I wanted to post SOMETHING! Also, a word about the picture of Abby and her babies...some of you may not have had the pleasure of meeting Abby...let me say something about her...She is one of the most amazing young women-correction-she is one of the most amazing PEOPLE I have ever had the pleasure of knowing and the fact that I am related to her is a prize I will treasure eternally. I never realized how much I loved her until today. I KNEW I loved her, but I didn't realize the true depth of that love until I gazed at that picture and caught a glimpse of her soul. When I gaze at that young mother's face, and all that she experienced in the last several months in an attempt to save her children, I see her spirit. Her great, noble spirit. And I am honored to share in her mortal journey. Honored. Here's to you Abba Dab. The Dear Sweet One...


OLIVIA RUTH (LIV)

CHARLES DAVID (CHARLIE)

THE DEAR SWEET ONE AND HER ANGELS

48 HOURS AND COUNTING...

The twins are coming, the twins are coming...

The newest ultrasounds showed hair...and chubbiness!!! What joy!!! They are both over 4 pounds. Olivia may be up to 4.5 and Charlie might even be 5!!! The cut off for going home is 4 pounds instead of the 5 that was previously thought...that's great! The three things we have to watch for are temperatures, lungs and sucking reflex. Those things will be evaluated pronto (I'm assuming) and decisions made thereafter.

Tension mounts, along with joy...I'm jumping out of my skin....

Just Missing Peter...

Just missing my hubby who's working hard back home.
Did you see the movie "Juno"? Do you remember the Dad in that movie...yea, that's pretty much Peter, even the same job....when we watched that movie, Peter laughed really hard at EVERY SCENE WITH THAT FATHER IN IT and said, "Wow, I REALLY like that guy". wonder why....

You know Dwight from "The Office"?...yea, sometimes that's Peter....

You familiar with Christian Bale in "3:10 to Yuma"...yea, sometimes that's Peter....

And after five years together, I still hate to turn the light out at night when we go to bed because I won't see his face and those bright eyes...I'm THAT gone...

And he won't even see this cause he doesn't read blogs...no time...too busy...can't be bothered...if he has "time to play on the computer, then I have time to do something constructive"....yea....that's "Dwight" talking....

Gotta love that man....

How old are my kids?

Well, the last two Sundays, I've had the supreme pleasure of cooking for my kids. It has been a blast. I get to cook a meal with lots of love and then laugh all through the consuming of it. WIN/WIN!!!

This Sunday, when Eli met me at Church before dinner, I should have noticed something was different, but I didn't. I'm an idiot.

Later at Mom's house, I finally took the hint...he had shaved his goatee (and I guess that includes the mustache, do goatees always include the mustache?) and his skin was beautiful and baby-butt smooth. And then he explained why. He did it for his children. The ones being born on Friday, the 12th. His son and his daughter. He did it for them. He didn't want his face to be rough on their new skin. He wants to be as close to them as possible, skin on skin, and have them be better for it. Nourished.

He said he feels that he looks older than his 26 years. I looked at him. I pondered that after he left. I thought about his brother's age also. And both of his sisters' ages. I wondered if they looked their ages. I thought about how old they looked to me. Do they "look" their ages to me? And then it hit me. They look exactly what they are....when I look at them, they look eternal....

I'm an Average-Aunt, once removed...

So tonight I'm babysitting my Great-niece and Great-nephew. Yea. Nothing adds "age" to one's self image like the adverb "great" to a familial connection. Remember YOUR Great-Aunt? Did she wear her white hair back in a bun? Did she wear sensible shoes? Did she bake cookies or leave you something nice in her will? Boy...are these kids gonna be disappointed! (For the record, I'm wearing jeans, a t-shirt, Ugg boots and my blond hair is "swooped" across my forehead, J-Lo style!!!-cause I'm hipcool) My nephew Stephen is hiding out in the computer room, probably hacking into the school system just for kicks...my niece is quietly watching cartoons in the great room. The family beast, a large but benign giant Golden-Doodle named Max visits between the two to check on them-apparently I can't be trusted to safeguard their welfare.

Stephen got a ice-cream sandwich as part of his dinner and Kathryn ate about 400 mini candy bars-I'm stunned that she's sitting in one place...Bravo baby girl!. My niece, Tiffany, and her hubby are visiting her Greek in-laws. I hope they stay out late enough to feel that they truly got away for the evening. I ate one of her bananas. And I'm using her wireless network to do some homework...and this. I don't knit or crochet, or bake cookies. I do rock in a rocking chair...I have THAT going for me...as far as being a GREAT Aunt goes....

And adding the word "Great" to the title just because we're one generation removed adds pressure, in my not-so-humble opinion. What if the kids think I'm just an average Aunt...once removed? What then? Then, when introducing me at their wedding, they'll be forced (by honesty) to say, "This is my Great Aunt Dee Dee, but truth be told, she's really just sort of average, so this is my average aunt, once removed". That's a mouth full and will take up all sorts of valuable time better spent dancing at their reception. I can't take that kind of pressure.

Poor kids.

Abby's about done!

This is my daughter-in-law. She is referred to as "The Dear Sweet One". She is carrying Charlie and Olivia. If they don't make an appearance on their own (which it appears that they won't voluntarily), they will arrive on 12/12/08. Abby's over it. Kaput. Fin. I present as evidence the following photograph. I rest my case.