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For the last week Lily has been working on a special "All About Me" book at school. Each day Lily would tell me all about what section they worked on and how much she couldn't wait to finish the book and bring it home.
Well, yesterday was the big reveal! Lily was beside herself with excitement to share her book with me and Tony. Lily was so proud of herself...it was priceless!!
Among other things the book contains: a self portrait,
a family portrait,
and Lily's plans for the future.
I'm not going to lie. I was quite surprised by Lily's choice of a future profession. You see, Lily tends to be anti all things princess.
So, I said to Lily, "I had no idea you wanted to be a princess when you grow up." Lily quickly responded, "Oh, I don't. I want to be a Pet Babysitter, but K wants to be a princess so I said the same thing she did!"
Ah, kindergarten peer pressure. Too funny!
Since about the second week of school Lily has had a "best friend". K is a lovely little girl and the relationship Lily and she share is precious. Lily and K get along beautifully and there has been zero drama. Zero. It's wonderful!
I love to watch the two of them together. They think they're teenagers. Seriously. I won't be surprised when they both end up in neck braces from all the hair flicking/tossing that occurs whenever they're together.
Right now, Lily and K share a very special bond. That's what makes what Lily said to me yesterday all the more special.
Yesterday, out of nowhere, Lily said to me, "Mommy, if you were a child I would want you to be my best friend."
Oh. My. Stickin'. Heck!
Can I just tell you how much I love this sweet child?!? Of course I really can't tell you because it would be impossible! But, I have to confess, it really was one of those moments. A moment you want to freeze in time and replay over and over again. A moment I'm sure I will draw on a few years from now when Lily is rolling her eyes at me and wants me nowhere around!
Okay, so technically it's spring...doesn't mean I can't dress for the snow!
November 15, 2011, was easily one of the worst days...if not *the* worst day...in my entire life. Losing Dad is still incredibly painful, but what I find myself focusing on more and more as time passes are the moments of incredible laughter, happiness, and grace that also happened that day. I have posted about some of those moments here and here, but there is one really special example of God's grace that I haven't shared until now.
After Dad died we were all exhausted and completely emotionally drained. I'm sure what we all really wanted to do is head straight home, climb under the covers, and never come out. Instead, since Dad wasn't able to get the Smithwick's he wanted in the CCU, we decided we would all stop at an Irish pub near the hospital and raise a pint to Dad.
On our way out of the Coronary Care Unit we walked down the hallway past the small family waiting room where we had waited together when Dad had the balloon pump removed. I noticed two people sitting in the waiting room, but who they were didn't register at first. Then, it hit me. It was our cousins, Maureen and Kathleen! Talk about salve for a weary soul!!
These two beautiful women drove 2 hours - one way - because they wanted to be there to give us each a hug! We had no idea they were at the hospital. They just sat and patiently waited because they knew sooner or later we would have to come out of those Coronary Care Unit doors.
With a little arm twisting we convinced Mo and Kacks to join us at The Life of Reilly to raise a pint to Dad. We talked, laughed, cried, and shared lots of memories of Mom and Dad. It truly was the perfect ending to the best worst day.
If you would have asked me that night if I wanted anyone to come down to the hospital I'm certain I would've said, "NO!". If Mo and Kacks would have called to ask us if they should come, I'm sure we would've told them to stay home. I'm also sure that Maureen and Kathleen could think of a million different reasons why they shouldn't have come to the hospital. The time of night, a four hour round trip, and work the next day are just a few reasons that immediately pop into my mind. But, they didn't listen to those "reasons". They did what they felt led to do and I am beyond grateful! What we all really needed...and God knew even though we didn't...was fresh faces, broad shoulders, and warm hugs.
Mo and Kacks, the selfless love you shared with us that night and throughout my entire life has further convinced me of what I already know - there our angels among us.
I love you both much more than you will ever know.
Today would have been Mom's 75th birthday. As much as I miss her and wish we could be together to celebrate her birthday something tells me Mom's having the best birthday she's had in years!!!
Of course I have no idea what the next life is like...but somehow I can just picture Mom and Dad together - happy and holding hands.
Dad was all that Mom ever needed to make her happy. Oh, and an occassional hot fudge sundae. But I'm thinking heaven's got that covered!
Happy Birthday, Mom! I love you and miss you and find such great comfort in the thought of you and Dad together again.
Today was Baltimore's annual St. Patrick's Day parade. I know you don't normally think about a parade being a sad event, but for me and my siblings today was a *very* tough day.
To be honest, I thought long and hard about not going. Even when Dad was living the St. Patrick's Day parade was not my favorite thing. Too many people. Too much noise. You get the idea. In the past I always talked myself into going because it was important to Dad. Today I went for the same reason.
You see, St. Patrick's Day and the day of the parade are practically High Holidays in my family. A time to get together and celebrate our heritage and the joys of being a family. It's not a holiday that requires a lot of preparation. There are no gifts to buy and wrap. No big meals to prepare. Just time to be together, have a few drinks, tell a few stories, and laugh, and laugh, and laugh.
It seems almost impossible to believe that it was only a year ago that Dad was the Honorary Grand Marshal of the parade. What a wonderful day that was for him - for all of us!
Today at the parade, Dad's AOH division included his picture on their division banner and each member wore a picture of Dad on their sash. When they reached the spot in the parade route where our family always stands, they had Mary Beth, Patti, and me come out and stand with Don, Ryan, and the rest of the group to have our picture taken behind the banner. It was a very touching tribute and further evidence of how Dad was loved by so many.
We all miss Dad terribly, but he lives on in each of us through the love that we share and the traditions we continue.
Five years ago today Tony and I were in the Build-A-Bear store when we received the best phone call ever. The call began, "Congratulations, Mommy!"...and then the tears began.
I vividly remember every minute of that amazing day. In the days leading up to our referral call I was completely crazy. Seriously. I was sure we would be skipped or forgotten completely and I was driving myself crazy...not to mention what I did to poor Tony and everyone else around me! To be honest, I never knew I had that kind of crazy in me!!
What a difference 5 years can make! Oh, I still have my crazy moments...but nothing like back then!!!
When Lily woke up this morning the first thing she said to me was, "Happy Build-A-Bear Day!" Last year on Referral Day Lily talked to us quite a bit about her First Family and how we became a Forever Family. This year all Lily talked about was making a stuffed animal and nothing else.
Tony got home from work early this evening, we ate a quick dinner, and then headed straight to Build-A-Bear. When we walked in the store the sales person, Johanna, recognized us immediately. I found that amazing since we only go to the store once a year.
Johanna was not the sales person that helped us the day we received our referral call, but she was in the store. Tonight Johanna and I were both in tears remembering that amazing day!
It was impossible 5 years ago to know what an amazing difference Lily would make in our lives and how becoming a family of 3 would be everything we dreamed of and so, so much more!
Yes, I know Lily's eyes are closed...but we take this same picture every year!!
Last year Tony wasn't home when we celebrated Dr. Seuss' birthday. Last night Tony was home...and wished he wasn't!!
I offered to make spinach quiche or some other type of "green eggs", but Lily really wanted green scrambled eggs and ham just like last year. Suffice it to say that wouldn't have been Tony's first choice!
It's been a long time since I've seen anything as funny as Tony eating green scrambled eggs! The poor thing. He really suffered...and I really couldn't stop laughing! You seriously would've thought I had served him a plate of green, wriggling worms!
Come to think of it...Tony didn't react nearly as bad when I served frog legs to celebrate Leap Day ;^).
