Liz and I just got back from eating a scrumptious lunch at a local restaurant. It was just her and myself. I enjoy going to lunch, just the two of us. She's such a good "restaurant baby" that taking her out is never a big deal.
So we ordered our food. Me a turkey club and Liz got a grilled cheese sandwich with a side of fruit. We both got drinks.
After we finished devouring our food, I asked the waitress for the check. She said, with a big grin, "Oh, it's already been taken care of." I must of had a very puzzled look on my face because she said, "Dr. Gordon took care of it." She said he comes in there often and usually does this once a week.
You're all thinking, "Who is Dr. Gordon?" Well he is local and very well known. He is a member of the Alabama House of Representatives.
I saw him sitting across from us, and I knew he looked extremely familiar, but I could not pinpoint where I knew him from. I thought maybe I had worked with him in the past. He said hello to us a few times and Liz had a conversation with him. Then he left.
He really made my day and not for the fact that we got a free lunch, but that someone well known such as he, would much such a nice gesture to us without wanting anything in return.
Well, maybe he wants our support, and by golly, he sure has it now!
Hopefully it's just the minor...stuffy nose, sneezy, watery eyes...type of cold. Last time she got sick was in January and she lost 2 lbs. because she didn't eat for days. She had a minimum fever of 101 and was just so lethargic. She's not acting the same as last time, so crossing my fingers it's just the basic, annoying, cold.
To top things off, the hubster is (of course, my luck) out town until next Wednesday, so it's me and my girl...roughing it for the next 5 days. lol
The 4:00 am wakeup call this morning brought the reality of having a sick child. My usually VERY good sleeper, couldn't breath because her nose was so stuffy, woke up at 4 am and couldn't get back to sleep. I brought her to bed with me, and eventually we both passed out at 5:00 until around 8:15.
So overall, I got TOO much sleep last night considering I went to bed at 10:30. Guess I shouldn't complain there.
We're just going to hang around the house today and have a girls day "in".
The sun was shining, the breeze was cool, everything was so green.
I woke up feeling refreshed, even considering I tossed and turned all night, I was so restless. I was surprised I didn't feel exhausted, grumpy, and just not in the mood to mingle.
But alas, I was wrong and so our day began.
Considering the weather from the past week vs. today, it was incomparable. My spirits were bright as I saw the light shining through my bedroom window. Finally, sun!
Liz and I had a relaxing, somewhat speedy morning. We ate breakfast and talked about our adventures for the day. She is coming down with a cold, so I was glad to get out today pre-grump stages.
We packed up the car and headed out on our mini adventure to Florida land. The land of sunshine, white sandy beaches, and our family. The perfect place.
We sang songs on the drive over and I reminded her of the people we were going to visit. In hopes that she would take to them immediately and not shy away. It helped and she didn't.
We arrived at the Noble compound around 11:00, just in time for lunch. Spinach quiche and fresh spring salad, with a spritz of raspberry vinaigrette. We took our time, eating slowly, Liz sitting in a big girl chair and enjoying the freedom of it. Great Grandma Virgie and Great Grandpa Dub so in awe of Elizabeth and how, in their words, "Smart, kind, and beautiful" she is. They hugged her endlessly, gave her sweet grandparent kisses that only they can give.
I admired them interacting with MY child from afar. It really touched my heart to see my 83 year old grandparents getting to know THEIR future.
My dad arrived shortly after 12:00 and as always, he had that Grandpa twinkle in his eyes like he does every time he sees Liz. You could almost reminisce with him, and the memories he has of when I was a little girl. We finished lunch and went outside. The dogs, Kita and Lovey, were waiting patiently for their human companions to join them...and maybe even throw a ball or two. Liz took one look at Kita, and bolted towards her, burying her little face into Kita's gigantic fury belly. Kita is a ginormous German Shepard, and the sweetest dog you'd ever have the pleasure of knowing. Lovey excitedly jumped on each of us as we walked by her. Being a terrier, it is in her nature.
We enjoyed our lovely day of sun and family. With the deterioration my grandfather is experiencing due to his Alzheimer's, days like this are few and so much more precious and meaningful to me now than they ever were before. He knew who I was, and more importantly, he knew MY child. He may never "know" us again.
Elizabeth LOVES animals! She trust all of them and is not scared one bit. I love that she loves them, but a little caution would be nice considering she almost got her fingers nibbled off by a cage full of hungry ferrets! LOL
We spent 20 min. walking from fish tank to fish tank admiring all of the, "Dorothy's!" as Liz likes to call them.
For those who don't know, Dorothy is Elmo's goldfish. To Liz, all of the "orange and yellow" fish were Dorothy's. Oh, and she also saw a bunch of "Nemo's" too. =0P
She wasn't so fond of the birds, but I think that's because they were loud and skittish. They weren't "interacting" with her, so she figured if they won't give her the time of day, then she'll return the favor.
All in all, it was a fun little adventure for mommy and Elizabeth! Small things like today really make me love being a mother and realize that staying home with her is where I'm supposed to be. To see her smile so big and be genuinely excited just because she saw a bunny makes my heart melt.
I just had this sort of twisted view on the "homemaker". Maybe because, growing up, there were really only two influential people in my life who were these said homemakers.
My grandma - paternal side My BFF's mother
They both made it look so easy and effortless, that I just always assumed that being a SAHM and raising children was a simple, and maybe lazy, job...ducking!
My choice to stay home was actually brought up in conversation many times over the course of mine and my husband's relationship. He grew up with the "cookie mom" and a more traditional household. Mother cares for children, father provides for family.
I grew up with the hard working, independent, PHD, Dr. H, mother. A entrepreneur father who owned a successful restaurant and dabbled in real estate.
Both sets of parents were awesome in their own way.
After many years of getting to know my mother-in-law (MIL) and the more I talked and thought about staying home and raising my children, the more it became apparent to me that this was something I wanted. I had always had this maternal side just bursting to be used.
And on August 17, 2006, I found out that the thought of just using this "ability" was no longer, it had now become reality.
Being a stay at home mom can be challenging, to say the least. I should know, I am one.
We, as a society, are so focused on our professions...when is the next promotion, raise? What can I do to be better at my job and climb that corporate ladder we all hear about, but many (or most) of us don't and probably won't, experience.
Rewind 2 years. I had a job. A "real" job as most people would call it. I worked at the same company for 5 years, and I loved it. I really enjoyed the every day challenge and being surrounded by intelligent adults. It gave me a since of purpose and as if I was doing something worthwhile with my life. My life was easy with small challenges. Some would categorize and file it away in the "boring" section.
I woke up, went to work 8-5, came home, ate dinner, spent time with hubby, went to bed. Fill in the blanks as you must, but that was my typical Monday-Friday.
I admit now, because I can, that I was one of those women who asked, "How hard can it be a stay at home mom?" I truly thought that mom's who stayed home had it all and a bag of chips (cheetos if I had my choice). They were living the life, doing whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted.
....was I ever mistaken.
I was raised with 2 full time working parents, I just did not live "that" life. The one where you come home from school and your mother has a kiss, a snack, and some juice for you. Where you walk into a house that smells like heaven because she's been prepping dinner for hours on end.
Before you think, "What an ungrateful (insert naughty word)!", I am by NO means blaming my mother for not having my cookies and milk ready when I walked in the door. I am just explaining as to why I had a completely different perspective of the SAHM.
Ah, it is an all too familiar term as to which the generations of new will always know, and the older ones have grown to fancy.
Yes, I have done it. I have caved into the depths of the blogging world. It is a part of life I have yet to experience and I have a feeling it is going take me on a long journey of self discovery.
Psshhtt...as the oh-so-lovely Cher from Clueless would say, "As if!"
I'm starting this much needed and probably overdue blog in hopes of recording some sort of journal into our lives since I have been so absentminded to do so...well...ever.
I have never been much of a writer. I tend to use my voice, too often, as my husband (Robert) would say. Unfortunately (or fortunately - if you're a cup half full type of person), for him, he has a daughter who is following, graciously I might add, in her mother's footsteps.
Our beautiful Elizabeth.
I have my suspicions that this will be a fun adventure.
