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Showing posts from February 8, 2010

Magical Moment 10, "The Frog and The Owl Valentine's Day"

The Frog and the Owl Restaurant is a small cafĂ© in Franklin, NC where my husband is attending a Park Ranger Certification course. It is one of the few places to eat in the small, Smoky Mountain town other than a fast food or a pizza place. Located on a cobble stone street in between an ice cream parlor and a thrift store, this is where we ate our Valentine’s dinner. The quaint restaurant was lovely and warm inside, with candles to light each table and artwork on the walls displaying scenes from the beautiful mountainous region. The menu was a selection of pastas, seafood, and steak with a unique and creative twist to each dish. Our normal dinner conversation usually consists of what Eddie is doing in school or what I have been working on back home, but instead we began reminiscing about past Valentines Days and other milestones we’ve reached as a couple. He’s told me the story before, but there is nothing like hearing it again – the day we met. We were both in the Army and it was m

Magical Moment 9, "A Goodbye"

An aged man lay in his hospital bed alone. He listened to the beeps and hums of the machine next to him and the footsteps of nurses and patients as they passed by his room. He concentrated on breathing, coaxing his lungs to move in and out with every passing second. He kept his eyes opened and studied each wall in his small room – the generic art work, the cracks, the cobwebs that no one notices and therefore never cleans. The only view out his window was blue  sky. He knew his time on earth would soon come to an end. He was alone for a lot of reasons. He spent what could have been the happiest, most enjoyable time in his life, answering the call of his country in Vietnam. When he returned, his interests changed. And because he could no longer connect to the world on a normal level, he spent his years alone, drinking and smoking. He never caused trouble. He never harmed a soul, but the damage to himself was now taking its’ toll. He lived in the same house for over 30 years, n

Magical Moment 8, "The Things We Do For Love"

I drove for 2 days in a blizzard to be with my husband for Valentines Day. Not just any blizzard, but the worst one on the East Coast in over a century. With me, I had a very scared, very loud cat and a very squirmy, energetic puppy. I spent the night in a fleabag motel when whiteout conditions would let me go no further. To top it off, my ipod died barely an hour into the journey. (In case you’re wondering, this is why there was no blog yesterday – no internet in the flea bag motel). I began to think about the things we do for love and it reminded me of another road trip in the not so distant past. Last summer, I made a 24-hour trek from Nebraska to North Carolina with my sister, my dog, and my two nephews ages 3 and 1. In case you’re curious, this involved not only the normal amount four people’s luggage for a month, but dog food, car-seats, diaper bags, strollers, and high-chairs, most of which had to be strapped to the top of my car with bungee cables and old rope found in my par

Magical Moment 7, "The Skyline"

I’ll never forget the first glimpse I caught of the New York City skyline. In the passenger seat of my Hyundai Santa Fe with the backseat filled with boxes, pillows, and a dog, I saw the dark geometric shapes stretch across the horizon as we drove along I-95. I was amazed at how clearly I saw the buildings even though the GPS said we were still 45 minutes away from our destination. Despite the 10 hour car ride, hunger pains, and sleep deprivation, I shot straight up and glued my nose to the window. As we got closer, the true outline of the buildings became clearer. Stacked rows of light shone through the square office windows making the vastness of the structures even more impressive. It was a mountain of buildings, sprinkled with lights. I thought about all the moments we would encounter here – the struggles, the work, the frustration, and the success. It’s still difficult to describe the level of shock I experienced my first days in the city. For a Nebraska girl whose idea of a traf

Magical Moment 6, "I Knew You'd Come"

I have the best granny in the world, or so says the homemade, brightly colored, baked clay clumsily glued to a safety pin “broach” I made for her in first grade. Constantly levelheaded, and always sensible, my grandma can be found in the front row of every Christmas play, piano recital, and cheerleading competition, bursting with pride for her grandchildren. Each of her co-workers knows by heart the lives of my sisters and myself. “Oh! You’re Mary’s granddaughter,” they say when she introduces me. “Boy have I heard a lot about you!” She drags every person she can club over the head to one of my boring jazz band concerts or just to listen to me play the piano at Lee’s Restaurant and sip coffee. There is nothing I wouldn’t do to return her love or see her happy. Nothing. My grandma is the sort of person who could talk endlessly about nothing and all you would have to do to make her think you’re listening is unconsciously grunt or nod your head every so often – it’s one of her most love

Magical Moment 5, "A Little Joy"

I had a best friend for 14 years. Together we traveled the country, went for jogs, lived in 3 different states, and relaxed in the evenings. She was my dog, Duchess. I had her for over half of my life. I remember the happy, playful energy she possessed as a puppy. I remember the dread that I used to feel as she grew older, slower, and more and more tired, knowing the day would inevitably come when she was no longer there to listen to me practice the piano or walk with me to Dunkin Doughnuts to get my morning coffee. One evening, I arrived home from a gig in the city to see Duchess in our living room slowly rise from her napping position on the floor to greet me at the top of the stairs. Each move as she unfolded her legs, propped herself up, and walked towards me was more deliberate and painful looking than usual. I ached for her and gave her a reassuring pet, then walked to the bedroom to put down my things. When I came back into the living room, I was struck with terror at the si