My hubby sent me some good words to live by today, shared by one of our fav athletes, Motorcross/Supercross racer Bubba Stewart...
"FORGET YESTERDAY - IT HAS ALREADY FORGOTTEN YOU. DON'T SWEAT TOMORROW - YOU HAVEN'T EVEN MET YET. INSTEAD, ONLY FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN...TODAY."
Now if I can only try to live by that...
~E
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Monday, April 22, 2013
MAN DOWN!
Wes, Auntie loves you...but this is too good not to share...
CLICK HERE FOR A GOOD LAUGH.
Yes, folks, that is his Mommy cackling in the background. ;)
~E
CLICK HERE FOR A GOOD LAUGH.
Yes, folks, that is his Mommy cackling in the background. ;)
~E
Friday, April 19, 2013
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Healing Our City
Haven't been feeling well so I've been watching most of the Boston Marathon coverage, hoping at every moment they will announce an arrest. As I sit with the kids watching the "Healing Our City" Interfaith Ceremony, I wanted to share some of the images that have been shared across the internet/Facebook as a result of Monday's events...
This is the video of the National Anthem at the Bruin's Game on Wednesday night. It was followed throughout the game by "We are Boston" chants. Bentley watched the video with me. He may only be 2 but his Mama will make sure that no matter what they choose to teach or not teach when he goes to school, as well as Grace, they WILL know the National Anthem and Pledge of Allegiance word for word. And they WILL take off their hats, and they WILL put their hands over their hearts.
This is the heart-breaking image of the young boy Martin who lost his life, with a simple, powerful message...
I saw this on Facebook this morning - it is a disturbing photo and although I do not know the original source it was posted by a person or group called "Keep America American." I don't know how I ended up as a "follower" of this group or person but actually a lot of the posts have been legitimate and things I have respected or agreed with. But this morning, this crossed the line for me:
The blurb said, "To whomever made this, its Actually 3 dead I believe. But still... We lost Marines That day as well. May God be with you. Oorah!" Now I am NOT one to ever get involved in political or religious debates on Facebook or anywhere else....I use FB to share pics of the kids and stay in contact with friends/family. But this was appalling to me. There were over 200+ comments with a range of emotions and reactions. Normally, I just scroll on by but this morning, the "Bostonian" in me came out and I replied..."I have followed and shared many of your posts. But how inappropriate to say "no fucks were given" at ANY life lost? I am a Bostonian and whether it is Boston, Sandy Hook, or anywhere else on US soil OR overseas - those lives and tragic endings should be mourned. I am a Bostonian mourning with my city today, this week, and for however long to come. But I under no circumstance take for granted our service men and women and the amazing work they do and the fact that they put their lives on the line for my freedom every day. I actually make it a point every time I see someone in uniform to loudly and proudly say THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. Hoping that others will hear and echo the appreciation. You cannot fault citizens who equally respect those lives lost in my city or overseas when the fact is that the media coverage is different. Whenever I hear the National Anthem, like last night at the B's game, I think of the direct impact now on my city as well as those brave heros overseas - but unfortunately the media isn't as 'in our face' with those military deaths as maybe they should be. But to say "no fucks were given" at ANY life lost - whether at what was supposed to be an innocent family day or a legit battle zone is unfair when there are people who give a significant fuck about both - even though it is not publicized the same way."
Thanks for listening to me rant today...and excuse the "f" bombs, he started it... ;)
~E
This is the video of the National Anthem at the Bruin's Game on Wednesday night. It was followed throughout the game by "We are Boston" chants. Bentley watched the video with me. He may only be 2 but his Mama will make sure that no matter what they choose to teach or not teach when he goes to school, as well as Grace, they WILL know the National Anthem and Pledge of Allegiance word for word. And they WILL take off their hats, and they WILL put their hands over their hearts.
This is the heart-breaking image of the young boy Martin who lost his life, with a simple, powerful message...
***The source of these photos is Facebook, a lot of whom I do not know the original owners for copywright purposes. I do not claim any of these photos as mine and if you know the source please share and I will add, but for now I can only credit Facebook.***
I saw this on Facebook this morning - it is a disturbing photo and although I do not know the original source it was posted by a person or group called "Keep America American." I don't know how I ended up as a "follower" of this group or person but actually a lot of the posts have been legitimate and things I have respected or agreed with. But this morning, this crossed the line for me:
The blurb said, "To whomever made this, its Actually 3 dead I believe. But still... We lost Marines That day as well. May God be with you. Oorah!" Now I am NOT one to ever get involved in political or religious debates on Facebook or anywhere else....I use FB to share pics of the kids and stay in contact with friends/family. But this was appalling to me. There were over 200+ comments with a range of emotions and reactions. Normally, I just scroll on by but this morning, the "Bostonian" in me came out and I replied..."I have followed and shared many of your posts. But how inappropriate to say "no fucks were given" at ANY life lost? I am a Bostonian and whether it is Boston, Sandy Hook, or anywhere else on US soil OR overseas - those lives and tragic endings should be mourned. I am a Bostonian mourning with my city today, this week, and for however long to come. But I under no circumstance take for granted our service men and women and the amazing work they do and the fact that they put their lives on the line for my freedom every day. I actually make it a point every time I see someone in uniform to loudly and proudly say THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. Hoping that others will hear and echo the appreciation. You cannot fault citizens who equally respect those lives lost in my city or overseas when the fact is that the media coverage is different. Whenever I hear the National Anthem, like last night at the B's game, I think of the direct impact now on my city as well as those brave heros overseas - but unfortunately the media isn't as 'in our face' with those military deaths as maybe they should be. But to say "no fucks were given" at ANY life lost - whether at what was supposed to be an innocent family day or a legit battle zone is unfair when there are people who give a significant fuck about both - even though it is not publicized the same way."
Thanks for listening to me rant today...and excuse the "f" bombs, he started it... ;)
~E
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
LOVE that DIRTY WATER...
BOSTON YOU'RE MY HOME!
I am born and raised in Hopkinton, spent my younger years at my Uncle's house along Rte. 135/Waverly Street in Framingham where we showered the runners on hot days with sprays of the hose. We looked through crowds of people for my friend's Dad who at the time was a regular runner. We sat in the big gym in our elementary school as the worlds TOP runners came in to speak to us as they arrived in town, standing proudly by their Kenyan flags, for example. It was just "Marathon Monday." As a member of the Booster's Club in town, Dad helped at the Start every year and made friends with the Marathon Committee; he even drove a pace car for the 100th running. I will never forget that year ~ the 100th Marathon was the first time ever where there was some darkness and uncertainty hanging over the day. Due to the significant anniversary of the event, there had been bomb threats made against the pipeline that ran through town; security was heightened - police, guys in fatigues; I recall more than the "usual" helicopters being flown above the town common. As I got older, I stayed in Hopkinton with my friends and we spent the day in town, at the START. (Usually getting into trouble the night before...) Yes, it was "Patriot's Day" and a day off from school but to us it was always "Marathon Monday" ~ it's still what I call it today at almost 32. It is a celebratory day, a day of pride for my hometown and our state capital, Boston.
The last few Marathon Monday's haven't been too exciting for me, either working for EMC in previous years or "working" at home with the kids more recently. But still, it was always "Marathon Monday" ~ where I remembered my roots and flicked on the TV at least a few times to see what was going on. Checked the pictures online of my friends who were hitting the bars at the finish line in the city. And now 17 years later...
Yesterday seemed like a normal, nice Marathon - perfect weather. I dozed off and when I woke up the tune had changed to "BREAKING NEWS: EXPLOSION AT BOSTON MARATHON FINISH LINE." What? Panic set in immediately. I have so many friends that now instead of spending time at the Start in Hopkinton have moved onto the end of the route and spent more recent years in Boston towards the finish line. PANIC. PANIC. PANIC. We both have family living there - who have their own friends in the area; my friend was with her sister and mother-in-law in/around the grandstands the news kept speaking of yesterday, waiting for their sister-in-law to cross.....as the first bomb, then the second bomb went off. At the time, I didn't know where she was as all cell reception went down; but I finally got ahold of her hubby to confirm they were all OK. When I talked to her she confirmed they were right near those grandstands constantly being shown/talked about on TV and she saw/heard the bombs DIRECTLY across from them and RAN. An old childhood friend was in town from Chicago and I knew via Facebook she was trying to get out of the city with her friends, but I had no way of getting ahold of her or trying to get to her and her friends. I tried my cousins, both "Bostonites" now. Anyone and everyone I could think of I frantically went through my phone for about 2 hours trying to make sure everyone was accounted for. As as of now, all is OK....For those immediate to me that is, but NOT for my city, my home, the City of Champions.
Being a Bostonian, I feel confident in saying that whoever these people are, they picked the wrong city to mess with. Boston is tough, Boston fights, Boston wins. I hope they live in terror at every breathing moment that "we" as a city are on their tails, and "we" will find them, and "we" will take them down.
A day characterized by community, worldliness, friendliness; a day that needs no words to describe it for those of us that have lived it; that day has been compromised. But tragedy and terror breeds strength, togetherness, an outpouring of love, and the desire to help. We saw coverage of police and Marathon volunteers tearing down guard rails, fences, any and all barriers that were in the way of reaching those injured on the sidewalk before the second bomb went off. That is heroism. In the midst of tragedy, goodness does and will always prevail.
Despite this tragedy, try to focus on the good - the heroic people who dove right in to help without hesitation; the doctors and nurses who have been working diligently to save lives; be thankful for all the lives that were spared and that things weren't, god forbid, worse; be thankful for our police & firemen, the National Guard, and every single person who has been in Boston or in the hospitals helping those in need. Try to think of all that goodness at such a dark moment. It is dark, wrong, it is dispicable and disgusting, and I hope with all of my heart "we" (as the City of Boston) find this person and he or they are brought to true justice - Boston style.
Although this wonderful Marathon Monday tradition will be stained with blood for years to come, we will fight, we will find this person/people, and we as a city will prevail. And next year, the year after, the year after...we will remember and pray, and grow stronger. That's just what Boston does, baby. We are fighters!
~E
I am born and raised in Hopkinton, spent my younger years at my Uncle's house along Rte. 135/Waverly Street in Framingham where we showered the runners on hot days with sprays of the hose. We looked through crowds of people for my friend's Dad who at the time was a regular runner. We sat in the big gym in our elementary school as the worlds TOP runners came in to speak to us as they arrived in town, standing proudly by their Kenyan flags, for example. It was just "Marathon Monday." As a member of the Booster's Club in town, Dad helped at the Start every year and made friends with the Marathon Committee; he even drove a pace car for the 100th running. I will never forget that year ~ the 100th Marathon was the first time ever where there was some darkness and uncertainty hanging over the day. Due to the significant anniversary of the event, there had been bomb threats made against the pipeline that ran through town; security was heightened - police, guys in fatigues; I recall more than the "usual" helicopters being flown above the town common. As I got older, I stayed in Hopkinton with my friends and we spent the day in town, at the START. (Usually getting into trouble the night before...) Yes, it was "Patriot's Day" and a day off from school but to us it was always "Marathon Monday" ~ it's still what I call it today at almost 32. It is a celebratory day, a day of pride for my hometown and our state capital, Boston.
The last few Marathon Monday's haven't been too exciting for me, either working for EMC in previous years or "working" at home with the kids more recently. But still, it was always "Marathon Monday" ~ where I remembered my roots and flicked on the TV at least a few times to see what was going on. Checked the pictures online of my friends who were hitting the bars at the finish line in the city. And now 17 years later...
Yesterday seemed like a normal, nice Marathon - perfect weather. I dozed off and when I woke up the tune had changed to "BREAKING NEWS: EXPLOSION AT BOSTON MARATHON FINISH LINE." What? Panic set in immediately. I have so many friends that now instead of spending time at the Start in Hopkinton have moved onto the end of the route and spent more recent years in Boston towards the finish line. PANIC. PANIC. PANIC. We both have family living there - who have their own friends in the area; my friend was with her sister and mother-in-law in/around the grandstands the news kept speaking of yesterday, waiting for their sister-in-law to cross.....as the first bomb, then the second bomb went off. At the time, I didn't know where she was as all cell reception went down; but I finally got ahold of her hubby to confirm they were all OK. When I talked to her she confirmed they were right near those grandstands constantly being shown/talked about on TV and she saw/heard the bombs DIRECTLY across from them and RAN. An old childhood friend was in town from Chicago and I knew via Facebook she was trying to get out of the city with her friends, but I had no way of getting ahold of her or trying to get to her and her friends. I tried my cousins, both "Bostonites" now. Anyone and everyone I could think of I frantically went through my phone for about 2 hours trying to make sure everyone was accounted for. As as of now, all is OK....For those immediate to me that is, but NOT for my city, my home, the City of Champions.
Being a Bostonian, I feel confident in saying that whoever these people are, they picked the wrong city to mess with. Boston is tough, Boston fights, Boston wins. I hope they live in terror at every breathing moment that "we" as a city are on their tails, and "we" will find them, and "we" will take them down.
A day characterized by community, worldliness, friendliness; a day that needs no words to describe it for those of us that have lived it; that day has been compromised. But tragedy and terror breeds strength, togetherness, an outpouring of love, and the desire to help. We saw coverage of police and Marathon volunteers tearing down guard rails, fences, any and all barriers that were in the way of reaching those injured on the sidewalk before the second bomb went off. That is heroism. In the midst of tragedy, goodness does and will always prevail.
Despite this tragedy, try to focus on the good - the heroic people who dove right in to help without hesitation; the doctors and nurses who have been working diligently to save lives; be thankful for all the lives that were spared and that things weren't, god forbid, worse; be thankful for our police & firemen, the National Guard, and every single person who has been in Boston or in the hospitals helping those in need. Try to think of all that goodness at such a dark moment. It is dark, wrong, it is dispicable and disgusting, and I hope with all of my heart "we" (as the City of Boston) find this person and he or they are brought to true justice - Boston style.
Although this wonderful Marathon Monday tradition will be stained with blood for years to come, we will fight, we will find this person/people, and we as a city will prevail. And next year, the year after, the year after...we will remember and pray, and grow stronger. That's just what Boston does, baby. We are fighters!
~E
Friday, April 5, 2013
A Goodbye Sign...
Hopie left me a week ago Tuesday. Call me crazy but I believe in fate & signs. On Tuesday, exactly a week later, while sitting on the couch this big white dog who was built like Hope, who I'd never seen on my street before, came happily running down the road past my house. Call me nuts (I know I am, its OK), I think she sent that dog as a sign, a way of saying goodbye, and to let me know that she is OK and running free and painless again.
I picked up her ashes. I don't know what I imagined but it was much harder than I thought - I was watching all of these dogs happily running out to their owners and my girl came out in a box. I only had one choice - well, so no choice - of urn - an oak box via Tufts. So I have a beautiful, modern, ceramic white urn being custom made for her. The front will say "HOPE" and the back will say "IF I COULD LIVE MY LIFE OVER AGAIN I WOULD HAVE FOUND YOU SOONER SO I COULD HAVE LOVED YOU LONGER." Only the best for any of my babies, or my hubby - yes, hubster, you are one of Mamma's babies, too whether you like it or not. I am glad to have her back with my physically as well as in spirit. I still have her collar handy, along with her temporary urn - on my nightstand.
Today I've seen three signs so far of her presence...1) On Facebook this morning someone's profile pic was a little boy with "Hope" written on his hand, then 2) I bumped into a girl who had "Hope" tattooed on her wrist, then 3) In a little store there was a teeny ceramic angel laying on top of a little rock that said "Hope," as well as on the bag.
The last pictures of my beautiful girl...
ONE OF MY FAVORITES:
HEAVEN'S RAYS OF LIGHT WAITING FOR HER:
My sweet Hopie Girl, Mommy will meet you again someday on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge. Until then, wait for me and watch over us...
~E
I picked up her ashes. I don't know what I imagined but it was much harder than I thought - I was watching all of these dogs happily running out to their owners and my girl came out in a box. I only had one choice - well, so no choice - of urn - an oak box via Tufts. So I have a beautiful, modern, ceramic white urn being custom made for her. The front will say "HOPE" and the back will say "IF I COULD LIVE MY LIFE OVER AGAIN I WOULD HAVE FOUND YOU SOONER SO I COULD HAVE LOVED YOU LONGER." Only the best for any of my babies, or my hubby - yes, hubster, you are one of Mamma's babies, too whether you like it or not. I am glad to have her back with my physically as well as in spirit. I still have her collar handy, along with her temporary urn - on my nightstand.
Today I've seen three signs so far of her presence...1) On Facebook this morning someone's profile pic was a little boy with "Hope" written on his hand, then 2) I bumped into a girl who had "Hope" tattooed on her wrist, then 3) In a little store there was a teeny ceramic angel laying on top of a little rock that said "Hope," as well as on the bag.
The last pictures of my beautiful girl...
ONE OF MY FAVORITES:
HEAVEN'S RAYS OF LIGHT WAITING FOR HER:
My sweet Hopie Girl, Mommy will meet you again someday on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge. Until then, wait for me and watch over us...
~E
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