Happy Birthday Em!

Our girl is turning 10......I will never forget the first time we met.....she was a 5 year old that had BIG changes in her life. 

Her Mommy was in love, and along with that came this family....a lot of new people that just wanted to scoop her up and shower her with affection. We welcomed her into our hearts and the joy she has brought us all is immeasurable. Five short years later she is growing up and we are so blessed to call her ours. Last night we celebrated Emily with a slew of energetic and excited girls.....it was a BLAST!!!

It's Almost Springtime!

I come from a family of gardeners. People who love Mother Earth just as much as their own Mom.

Diggers of the dirt, composting long before it was the cool thing to do..

Growers of incredible vegetables that would fill the freezer for those cold Ohio 

winters...we always had fresh, healthy and delicious vegetables..

And flowers...I revel in Nature, happiest with dirt up to my elbows.

 So today, while cutting a bouquet of winter flowers for someone special, I 

decided to share some of my beautiful yard with you. 

And to think we had a winter storm last night !

Grateful!

This has been a day of gratefulness. For health, for family, for prayers, for good nurses, for kindness, for familiarity where no words are needed. It is a humbling experience to spend time in a surgical waiting room of a hospital. There is a lot of nervous chatter and anxiety in the air....fear of the unknown. One can almost see the minutes tick away on the clock. There have been three helicopters whisking in and out, delivering pain and suffering to hope and hopefully life. When it was our turn to speak to the surgeon, the once crowded room was down to three families. The sun had set, the shifts were changing and we were grateful.

All you need is Love

Valentine's Day stirs fond memories. I can close my eyes and see all five of us sitting in the dining room of our home in Barrington Illinois. We would eat dinner on "the china" -a heart shaped box of chocolates for each and a gift. It was special and a family tradition..happy times..How I loved those days!!
Tomorrow night me and my Valentine will dine on grilled lobster and roasted vegetables. It will be a quiet evening..maybe a fire in the fireplace, a little chocolate and a martini for my pizza man. This time.....the now...is perfectly LOVEly. Xox

aluminum hearts, created by Joanie 

And........We're Off !!!!!

Wow.....my 60th birthday. How the heck did that happen? How did my kids get so old? Notice I didn't say how did I get so old ! I have been with my pizza man over half my life..... I really like that. I have decided to follow in my blogger daughters' footsteps and write about my joyful journey leading up to the big day....Cinco De Mayo 2012....my birthday. There will be a party or two for sure. After some encouragement, the guest list has been started. I always pictured a big gathering in our wonderful backyard....we have thrown many a festive and fun party back there. Surrounded by tall trees and beds of flowers where I have spent many glorious gardening hours. The party throwers have their own ideas...whatever the circumstances I just can't wait. Does anyone ever put 60 candles on a cake?