Earth Quake Updates

Here are two more websites about the earth quakes and help being given and still needed if you wish to donate...

http://www.melodyzhangorphans.blogspot.com/

http://www.lovewithoutboundaries.com/earthquake.cfm

Half the Sky Foundation Website

For updates and a place to donate for those in need it China visit the following website.
http://halfthesky.org/work/earthquake08.php

May 8th - Our Un-anniversary!

May 8th is the day Dan proposed to me 17 years ago and, of course, I said yes. It was a very romantic night. Dan picked me up from dance class and we went to the Rustic Inn to pick up a bucket of garlic crabs. We were living in Bill & Evelyn’s apartment at the time and we had a picnic in the living room. I thought it was just a celebration of May 8th which was technically already our un-anniversary but Dan had more planned than I realized. Actually more than he realized too. You see that morning we went crabbing because we wanted to catch our own crabs. My Dad used to take us crabbing when we were young. We didn’t always catch many but it was fun and my mom always had a big bowl of linguini and clam sauce ready when we got home so we were good with or without the crabs. Well, we didn’t have much luck that morning either. As a matter of fact we didn’t catch any crabs at all. Now, we thought it must not have been crab season but it turns out it was the bait we used in the crab traps. We used chicken. We were told chicken would do the trick but we weren’t the brightest stars in the sky in our youthful days and when we went to Publix to get the chicken we thought we should take care of the bait and our lunch at the same time and we got fried chicken from the deli. Yes, not only was our bait cooked but breaded and fried. What crab would pass this up? What were we thinking?? Hence the reason we went to the Rustic Inn for crabs that evening. So while I was teaching my dance classes Dan went to a movie. Imagine that! And I guess at some point between dropping me off and picking me up he decided that this was the day. I just asked him what made him decide that was the day and he said, “I thought any girl who would buy fried chicken wings to try to catch crabs had to be a perfect catch. How could I find someone more perfect for me. I loved you and it was May 8th which just happened to fall on a “Windsday” that year. It was obviously meant to be.” So he went to his mom and asked her for her engagement ring, then went to the Hallmark store to get the precious moments statue and waited for the perfect moment after our picnic to ask. It’s been a while since I’ve seen the precious moments statue but I recall that it was of a little boy on his knee with a ring in a box and a little girl with a paper with yes and no check boxes and she had a pen. It was really cute! He gave it to me, then the ring and gave a very romantic speech which sadly neither of us really remember the details of. It‘s funny how you think you won‘t ever forget things like that because they are so important at the time but thankfully the emotional connection will always remain. Thank goodness for that! It comes in handy when you have those moments where you think I know there‘s a reason why I stayed with you this long so I guess I’ll hang around a little longer! Well, this year we skipped tradition a little and didn’t have crabs but we had fun swimming at my parent’s pool. We went after work. It was a beautiful evening. We swam and had a good time.

A promise to Gigi

So, last Sunday we went to get some more furniture for Gigi at Ikea (where else?). We got another shelving unit, this time only one row of 5 squares instead of 2 rows of 4. This will go on the other side of the current shelves, leaving Gigi with 21 total "cubbies" for her toys and other treasures. Now, last time we built the first of the shelves within a day or so and the second one a couple of days later. This time the box has sat in the hall all week. Yesterday, Denise asked me to build the new shelf and I did not do it...all night that I was home. I was VERY tired, having been up since 5:30am and having had a very rough day. Not that I went to bed any earlier than I normally do. I did push the box inside the bedroom to do it, but I never even opened it. Just could not get the energy going.

So, I want to make a promise to my little girl. No matter how early I may get up or how hard I work, I will never be too tired to spend time with you or to do whatever it takes to make you happy. So often we find ourselves getting into a busy time in our careers where it seems we are living to work, but I know that it is supposed to be the other way around. We are supposed to work to support our lives and ensure we can attain the needs of our family. I promise I will never put my job ahead of my family and my little Gigi.

Having said that, I need to stop typing now and go take a shower. I am due in at work in less than an hour.

LOL