Category: <span>Life</span>

The things we do for ourselves that we NEED really want to do and have a difficult time giving up unless faced with serious deadlines/commitments. We all have them. Among my Monday morning guilty pleasures is reading the New York Times’ wedding section. It reads much like a mergers and acquisitions list in the business section. Young, good looking, educated and from well-to-do families reciting their vows in creative ways at expansive enclaves in the presence of their closest friends and loved ones. Some of the nuptials are mergers where the bride and bridegroom are a power-couple whose power will exponentially increase once joined in holy matrimony. Other times, the wedding is a fancily wrapped acquisition like most have been since the dawn of times: a well-to-do groom acquiring a bride from a well-to-do family.

The devil is of course in the details of how the announcement is composed. Reading them is nothing short of decoding a secret message … words like “until recently, the bride” or “also a [insert worthwhile profession], the groom is …”. The most telling bits of the announcement are of course the ones that are not written.

I first got into wedding announcement reading while trying to plan our wedding and it has just become a guilty pleasure since then. As our fifth year anniversary is coming up in a few days, all these wedding announcements got me thinking; aren’t all marriages business transactions? Sure, I’d like to think that people ultimately get married because they love one another, but finding a partner is not just about love. It is about finding a person who compliments you, your lifestyle and your family. Like in all partnerships in life, your life partner has to bring something to the table. What they choose/can bring to the table that speaks volumes. Some bring successful careers and adventure travel, others good looks and then there are some who bring more tangible offerings …

Looking at little Sophia suited up in her yellow and pink monkey pajamas, I can’t help but think what a potential suitor will bring to the table in a proposal, but more importantly, what will she?

Checking in on day 2 of a much-needed 3-day weekend. We decided to stay local and check out some of the things that are going on around the D.C. area. That’s one of the things that this city has going for it: things to do and places to be. Since the weather is chilly but pretty much gorgeous, we decided to head to the zoo. Our local rabbits, deer, chipmunks and the likes have all become too regular for Sophia and we figured a few lions, and tigers would spice things up. We weren’t the only ones with this brilliant idea as you can imagine. It was packed. Since it was our first time at the National Zoo, we took it easy and got the lay of the land. The elephant exhibit got seriously high marks today. Here’s hubby providing prime viewing opportunity for Sophia.

… I on the other hand was in charge of all things water… like the turtles who were sunbathing.

… She also liked the lions and once we did all that, it was time to get home for some needed respit and sustenance.

The thing about life is that sometimes things happen that level the playing field. What I mean is that everyone is equal in sadness and in extraordinary joy. Everyone cries when a loved one passes away and everyone celebrates the birth of a new baby equally.

We are often lost within ourselves focusing on what we want, what we need, frustrated about not getting the best deal, the nicest outfit, the best paying job, and being in the best shape of our lives. It all seems so important until you see the pictures from Moore, Oklahoma and realize the superficiality of it all. Pictures of kids pulled from a school’s rubble and families with infants standing in the debris of what you used to be their home drives home the message that there are more important things in life than just being “me” centered.  When all your earthly possessions are stripped away, nothing matters but the bonds of those who are around you and the helping hand of selfless individuals who help. My own take-away from events such as the recent tornadoes in Oklahoma is clear : live your life as if you did not have much and focus on those who fulfill your every day.

I have a tradition I keep for my birthday. This year, however, I had a hard time scheduling my time. Well, I am here to tell you that I finally did it. This past Friday, I used up some of my very hard earned vacation time and went out and about. I got a chance to get lost in my thoughts, to wonder and walk about in the city enjoying the sights and sounds of a bustling D.C.

One of my favorite neighborhoods in D.C., is Georgetown. It is always full of stylish people, young students, art galleries, boutiques and its streets are adorned with beautiful, old buildings dating to the early 18th century. If you don’t know the neighborhood well, and aren’t willing to get lost off the beaten path, you may just miss its quiet beauty.
Houses are at a premium in this posh neighborhood and the amenities are what draw people in. It just happened to be graduation day for George Washington and Georgetown Universities. Seeing all those young people, attorneys, doctors, engineers, architects — all delirious with joy having earned their degrees made the atmosphere electric. It was a perfect, warm, spring day and I am happy to keep my tradition. I returned home re-energized.

Disclaimer: Questionable Parenting.

Little you may know, but Sophia, is a monotheist. It just happens to be that her God is none other than Elmo. She adores Sesame Street and we have begun to use it as a bit of a crutch. Sophia has reached terrible two’s in her attitude but not in age. I don’t particularly want to wrestle or argue with her but things need to get done, dinners eaten, things put back in place, teeth brushed, etc., So here we are:

Me: Sophia, it’s dinner time.

Sophia: No!

Me: [after nap, trying to give her a snack] How about some apple sauce?

Sophia: No! RAISIIIIIIIIINS!

Me: Raisins after snack.

Sophia: RAAAAAIIIISSSSSIIIINNNNSSS!

Me: We don’t scream at home. Elmo won’t come and visit us if we scream.

Anyone else have a similar situation? What to do?!

How do you eat cake? First of all… it isn’t cake if doesn’t have more than 1 layer and frosting. Frosting is the absolute best part — well, almost always. Except in supermarket cakes; Those are sugary, tacky things that shouldn’t be called cakes and should come with insulin pills. The way I eat cake is by deconstructing it and saving the frosting (aka THE BEST PART) for last. So… in that same spirit, I saved this write-up for last.

We were sitting in my mother’s breakfast nook on Sunday enjoying our first cup of coffee while Sophia was enjoying some morning cartoons. For whatever reason, I looked down and saw my mother’s hands. I closed my eyes and pictured them, I saw hands that are young, lean, straight, untouched by arthritis. And then I opened my eyes and saw a heavier, wider hand showing the age of the person to whom it belongs. At first I felt sad. I want to forever see and remember my mom young, vibrant, and full of energy. But then, my sadness waned as I realized that those hands reflect the years of holding, comforting, hugging, feeding, rocking, cooking, soothing and playing that my mom has done. Those are the hands that did that for my sister and me and have done it for our own children.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers.

The story of how we met, is quite unlikely. We live in different countries and on different continents. We have a 30+ year age difference between us and yet we have an incredible connection. Her name is Alexandra, but I call her Shura. She’s a mom of a guy I dated very early in college. His and my relationship wasn’t meant to be for the long haul, but little did I know that Shura’s and my was.

She lives in Germany and I first met her in 2001. In fact, she was there when I was visiting her on 9/11. I remember the comfort she offered when I was separated from my family in such an uncertain time. What is so special about Shura is that she is an incredibly strong, smart, witty and honorable woman. She takes care of those who are near and dear. We share the same values, the same hunger for travel, reading, crafts. Most importantly, it isn’t a one-way road, our relationship; I celebrate and share in her joys and sorrows too. How lucky am I to have a mom like that around me?!