Bittersweet

This past weekend was such a bittersweet one. It was the first Father's Day in my lifetime that I can ever really remember looking forwards to. When you lose your father at an early age, the joy of this holiday is sort of swept away. There were still wonderful uncles and my amazing Papa to celebrate and craft up gifts for, but it surely isn't the same. So, as any Father's Day in the past it was difficult to wake up and know this would have been a day that my dad would have loved and it was even harder this year not having the best Papa around to fill that hole as he was always able to help do in the past. This year however, was very different.....

this year was painting a coffee mug with the babe's handprints (more like blobs),

this year was whipping up an early morning quiche and making a Dunkin' Donuts run,

this year was a fun bike ride, not one used as a distraction,

this year was the grill, filets and red wine!! (thanks O'Connor's)

While I always feel like I've tried to celebrate my dad on Father's Day, it's more difficult than one can imagine and it never mustered up to much of a joyful occasion, until now, so I was more than happy to finally celebrate the day and have it come easy!

Pre Father's Day also provided me with my long awaited Christmas gift in June... Kenny Chesney!! While many may laugh and I can understand, this is a day that I long for and eagerly await every summer. It's a tailgate like none other with margaritas, Coronas, friends from VA, blow up swimming pools, sand and beach chairs, fishing poles..... you name it .....

and most of all, fabulous people watching and fashion like none other!!

It gave the husband and I a much needed day off (thanks, Mom) and some fantastic simple tunes. It gave me a chance to sit beside not just my husband and best friend, but a guy that has turned out to be a more amazing father than I could have ever imagined.

I hope that this past weekend and Father's Day provided each of you with an opportunity to be with your father... to talk to him, hug him, share a meal with him and tell him that you love him. It's a beautiful thing that I've missed for many years, but am so happy to have a son to enjoy those moments in his life.

 Live Wildly. Love Deeply.


































            (Jas and EB with an appearance
              by Dropkick Murphy!)                                          

Holy Summer

So while the past few weeks have been hard in dealing with the loss of Papa, there has also been a great deal of goodness that can't be overlooked....

My husband's sister, Mary Catherine was able to visit and have some quality conversation time with the babe.

Although under unfortunate circumstances, we were all able to have some time with my brothers (up from FL)

I was able to run my first post-baby half marathon with one of my besties, an amazing friend and my wonderful cousin, who trotted by my side the whole time, even though she could have been happily done and in the beer garden a great deal earlier. (No pictures from this event, it wasn't pretty.)

We were able to ring in the unofficial beginning of Summer at the Shore over Memorial Day weekend with friends!!























And...EB had his original sin wiped away!! We were able to celebrate with lots of family and friends and God didn't rain on our outdoor parade!

This passage was read at my Papa's funeral and I've been thinking about it a great deal since. While it could have been easy to look at the glass as half empty while mourning, it was more beneficial to see the half full side....


There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven—
A time to give birth and a time to die; 

A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.
A time to kill and a time to heal;
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance. 

 So, the past few weeks have been about birth... of great godparents....

 the planting of new Shore memories with our son....

the growth....of new beginnings (with a little luck)

 

taking to laugh....

and even a little dance or two.

If there's no breaking then there's no healing, and if there's no healing then there's no learning." - One Tree Hill

"The soul is healed by being with children." - Fyodor Dostoyevsky

                                                       Live Wildly. Love Deeply.