So, here I am....one full year officially into my 30s...and can I tell you, so far it really IS fabulous!
I could go through a litany of reasons on why I'm digging life, but some are private (I know, imagine that, I'm learning about privacy) and some are just obvious - how better to celebrate my birthday than with my baby shower - but all just add up to a great year. Life can get so out of control sometimes -- so off the track you know you should be on. At times I was afraid maybe I wouldn't be able to hop back on the right track, let alone find it! But then I would hear my mom's voice pop into my head..."Adelante, mi amor, siempre adelante." And so that's what I would do - move forward.....and get out of my own way:) And so here I am. Praise God!
Ying/yang, laws of the universe, etc., tell me that not all my birthdays will be the bookends to such blissful years. That's why, this year, my gift to myself is to relax, enjoy the moment and thank my Mama. Te adoro, Ma. Thank you for making it through the drug-less labor, emergency c-section and my adolescence.
Thank you, thank you, thank you....to everyone from the Romano/Colonnetta clan for the baby shower last weekend. The food was delicious and the company perfect. I hope that everyone had as much fun as I did celebrating Nick's upcoming arrival. Of course, it was extra special since both my mom and my sister flew in to join me! Outside of Jay and I, I think my mom is the most excited for Nick's birth. She is a phenomenal mother -- I can only imagine her as a grandmother. It will most likely be more fun than being a mother -- she can relax and enjoy it more!
And what can I say about the gift from Dana and Teresa? It was as if Dana took every thought, every prayer and every promise I have silently made and composed this amazing poem for Nicholas. I wasn't able to hold back my emotion and I know I wasn't the only dry eye in the room. And the care and detail that Teresa put into the presentation....it's truly humbling to have friends like that.
On a side note, it appears my blood pressure is a little high so I've been ordered to lay low this week. I'm just taking it as God's reminder that He needs me to let go a little more and let Him finish His perfect work.
Regardless of how you feel about the war in Iraq, President Bush, Congress, Muslims, Democrats or the price of oil, today just be glad someone is out protecting your right to feel anything.
Here's to all of the men and women, and their families at home who sacrifice daily so that we can live in relative peace. Let's think about the fact that we remembering an attack six years ago and not the continuous attacks that could be occurring here if it weren't for the soldiers, sailors and airmen who are stationed all over the world.
So, hug a soldier today. If not in person, then do it by saying a prayer thanking God they exist and asking for their protection.
Here's my shout out and "hug" to my cousins Kevin and Casey....
Thank God Almighty, sold at last! Yesterday, we closed on the sale of our townhouse in Houston. Papers signed, keys exchanged, checks deposited. 3636 W. Clay Unit E is officially SOLD!
The couple who bought it were very nice, probably my age, maybe a little younger. It's their first house so they were excited, nervous. It seemed perfect that our first home is now another couple's first as well. Even with all the excitement, it was definitely nostalgic to walk through the house one last time. That's where we began - all the good, the bad, the ugly and the crazy. That's where we started. It seems right that we have new walls now. New walls to witness our new life. But the walls at 3636 W. Clay were the first witnesses to "us". Sigh..... we had a moment, then I dug up St. Joseph and headed to the closing table.
Friday morning felt like Christmas. The big gift under the tree? ONLY ONE MORTGAGE NEXT MONTH!!!! Not to mention no more double electric, water, gas and property insurance bills. Or additional home repair. Or yard work. And then, of course, the absolute relief that comes with having a financial weight lifted. SOLD, SOLD, SOLD!!! Isn't it the most beautiful four letter word you've ever heard?
It may not have the same ring as "summering in the Hamptons", but my two week vacation in Ohio worked for me. Let's see....some of the highlights.....well, Nikki, Austin and I were home at the same time - TRIFECTA!
My mom, Nikki and Jessica (and Norma) hosted my first baby shower...on an almost ridiculously perfect weather day. Say what you might about Ohio, but there are few places in July a person can enjoy a sunny day with temperatures in the low 80s with low humidity. Baby showers, I've decided, are way more fun than wedding showers - not so much pressure. Basically, I just felt like Nick's proxy. Eating the food, opening the gifts and thanking the guests on his behalf. AND, it's the perfect setting to talk endlessly about the baby without worrying people are getting annoyed. Perfect day with perfect company...here are some of the photos...
Take a guess at which ladies are my mom and sister. It was great to see Aunt Marilyn, Kerry, Aunt Jo and Grandma. Especially since they made the drive to and from Mansfield in one day! I know my aunts are anxiously waiting to tell Nick about how cool I thought I was while growing up, and of course, to point out that I am happily living the suburban housewife life I swore I wouldn't! Oh well, I'm thoroughly enjoying my piece of humble pie.
Oh, Gerken. While I still think you are nuts for driving back and forth from Nashville for the shower, it doesn't compare to how much I appreciated it. Although I hope I am a pretty good friend, my friends inspire me to work on becoming a better one. Thanks, girl.
Another favorite moment....checking out the crops with Grandpa and playing 1953 Scrabble with Grandma. Golden. But seriously, Grandma, you're getting a new Scrabble board for Christmas.
I ended up extending my trip and was able to hang out with Heidi and Sophia. Standing in the Boyd's kitchen it's almost like 20 years haven't sped by.....until you see Sophia running around and realize Heidi is somebody's "mommy" and we no longer are the crazy teenagers of Lakota Hills. Lakota Hills itself looks different. Quiet. Like even the neighborhood knows it's moment has passed.
Since Paul, Heidi fighter-pilot husband was flying in the Dayton Air Show, we went up on Saturday. It was crazy cool and I suggested Heidi should have a shirt made that reads "My husband has a cooler job than your husband" (sorry, Jay). It's nuts to think the same guy sitting across from you feeding his daughter pulled pork was just doing Top Gun-like stuff moments before. For the record, I was literally biting my tongue a little bit when I overheard one pilot say something about being inverted.....I really wanted to blurt out....what about the mig! (Top Gun reference. What the hell is a mig anyway?)
Seriously, is Sophia not over the top cute, or what? I wish Heid and I could spend more time together. We do a pretty good job keeping in touch considering the distance. Again, the value of fantastic friends.....
Before I write about how fun, relaxing and basically perfect the last 2 weeks in Ohio were, I have to discuss the trip back to Houston. Or, better stated, just bitch about it.
When John Young is your ride to the airport, there is a less than zero chance that you will be late for your flight. Papi plans the departure for your departure - what time you need to wake up, be in the car, on the highway, estimated time of arrival to the airport, road and weather considerations. So, even though my flight was scheduled to leave Dayton at 6:25 a.m., 45 minutes away from our house, I was not concerned. John was in charge.
All went as planned until we arrived at the airport at 5:30 a.m.
- Couldn't check in curbside because my bag was slightly over the weight limit
- The Continental check-in counter was a mess because the Cleveland flight was cancelled. HOWEVER, instead of prioritizing the check-in for the 2 early flights - Newark and Houston, the counter people made us all wait together. (Did I mention I was already checked in and all I needed to do was check my bag?)
- Finally, I, along with a couple other business travelers complained enough that they opened another kiosk area. I checked my bag - did not pay the overweight charge - and headed for the security line
- Security line chaos. Dayton is a small airport that has grown in popularity faster than sophistication and organization necessary for mass security line chaos. There were no "move to a new/front of the line" opportunities for the 2 flights leaving within 30 minutes. When my flight was called, I was almost at the front and asked the people ahead of me if I could move ahead. They agreed, but then the security agent asked me what gave me the right to cut in front of all those people. My response: I asked them! Well, she made me wait anyway!
- 10 minutes till takeoff: About to run through the Xray machine (sorry Nick, you'll be okay, bebe) and the security guy asks me if I'm pregnant - which I VERY clearly am. He then calls for a female assist to PAT ME DOWN!!! I didn't know if I was more angry, offended or shocked.
- Running to gate C-13. Made it! Door is open! Last name? Romano. Whew....wait, what do you mean you don't have a "Romano" on the list. Clearly you do, as I show my ticket. Where am I am going? Houston! On my ticket - Romano, Houston, gate C-13. THERE WAS A WHAT 15 minutes ago - GATE CHANGE!! What the $@&*! This may also be a good time to mention that most gates at the Dayton airport only have the gate number, not the destination information. Gotta get to C-17. Made it to C-17.....in time to watch the plane pull away from the gate. This seems like a good time to pee.
- Next flight out of Dayton to Houston - 6:30 p.m. - full. Code share flights with Delta connecting in Atlanta? Leaving Dayton late, oversold from Atlanta to Houston. Available options for arriving in Houston today - leave from Cincinnati. Time to call my parents.
So, I sat at the Dayton airport waiting for my blood pressure to come down, scarfed down a muffin and water and waited for my poor mom to drive the 45 minutes to pick me up, then turn around and drive the hour and a half down to the Cincy airport for me. I felt horrible since I knew she has a laundry list of things she needed to do for her life that had been put on a two-week hold already for MY life. -- "Mom, I could get a cab." -- "No sea loca"-- "Sorry Ma."-- "Porque?!"
Ah, the love of parents - waking up a dark thirty for a flight I couldn't get on; putting life on hold - again - to drive me from airport to airport......
In the end, I made it back to Houston via the 11:10 a.m. flight from Cincy to Houston. My favorite part, after the heightened security checks resulting in extra long lines and my "are you really pregnant belly pat down", my suitcase was on the original flight from Dayton to Houston. Go figure.
So, here I am....one full year officially into my 30s...and can I tell you, so far it really IS fabulous! 
