Settled and Happy

I know, I know....it's January 16th and this is when I am talking about the New Year. Fine, it has taken me a couple of weeks to settle into 2009, but I'm here, and I'm settled.

Being Thursday night, I spent the evening with my knitting family at the shop where I spend most of my time, and I had the pleasure of meeting my friend Karrie's brand new baby. What a darling, little package of cuteness drizzled in honey! Even though I am no way ready to fulfill my hubby's all time dream of having six children, (even one for that matter) I can't help but oooh and aaah when I see newborns.

It's not just the cuteness and the awesome baby sounds. It's more about the moment that I get to look into the eyes of a human being whose viewpoint of the world is not yet tainted, and I feel hopeful for them, for me, for all. It's weird, because really, how the hell do I know what a baby is thinking about, but I know that I am hopeful. I have decided that I can probably watch a mother cradle her baby for a very long time and not be even a wee bit bored with it.

It also reminded me to be so thankful for my own mother who raised her family as a single mom, working her butt off to make sure that there was always food on our table, but always made sure that she was there to be the nurturer as well as the provider. She showed me how intelligent and powerful women can be, and she taught me that it needed to be done with no apologies. I,as an adult with a mere handful of responsibilities, am in awe of the dedication of this woman who worked a full time job during the day and taught college courses at night, who combed my hair, and chased me through the sprinkler on hot summer days; who baked four different kinds of cakes every Saturday morning and composed classical lullabies with a Caribbean beat on the piano to lull us to sleep; who encouraged each and everyone of her children and made us believe that we could do whatever we wanted to do, but she wanted us to be humble in our successes and accomplishments. I am in awe oh her. So now that her six children are grown, I hope that she can be proud of the people that we are, as well as take credit for the good things that come from us.

So, I called my mother when I got in the car to go home. It was about half past 11 at night but I wanted to tell her how awesome I think she is. I got the response I thought I would. "Oh, Tatoue, you're crazy. I love you, but you're crazy". And then she laughed. Ahhhhh....music to my ears. What more could I want?

Ummmm.......sleep perhaps?

~T

Happy Me!

I just have to say that I had the most awesome birthday today! I want to write so much about it but I am so tired, I will save the details for tomorrow. But I am so blessed to have such awesome family and friends. And I mean AWESOME! Everyone went out of their way to make me feel so special through their words and their actions. I smiled all day! Tomorrow, when I am awake and can portray a cohesive thought, I will sit and write to share all of the wonderful events of my birthday!

Oh....and I'm lucky that my Jeffie believes in celebrating a birthday week, so I can't even imagine how awesome the next six days are going to be. I love my people!

~ T