Moving Forward 2005
So as Spring of 2005 moved forward, we began to settle into life as a family of four: my husband (the stay-at-home dad), my husband’s granddaughter whom we had informally adopted (Adrian), our newborn son (Alex) and me, the working mom. We proceeded through Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day with tons of pictures to show for it.
March 20, 2005, the first of Angel’s birthdays without her. I bought a heart-shaped plaque inscribed with a memorial poem, her name and her dates of birth and death engraved on it, and gave it to hubby on her birthday. We hung it on a tree outside, since Angel loved the outdoors and all living things, right where we could see it at all times and be reminded of her. We also began a tradition on that day that continues even now. We lit a candle in her honor and spent an hour, beginning at 7PM, with our thoughts and hopes and prayers focused solely on her. We talked, we laughed, we cried...we let go with all our memories of Angelia. She came back to us for a blessed hour that night, and we decided to keep the candle burning until April 13, 2004, the first anniversary of her death. That’s a tradition that we continue, even to this day. For the three weeks separating the anniversaries of her birth and her death, we keep a battery-operated candle burning, in honor of our beloved Angelia.
We celebrated Easter that year with an egg hunt and party with our friends from our local adoption support group, and a trip to visit my sister-in-law and her family, and my parents.
March 20, 2005, the first of Angel’s birthdays without her. I bought a heart-shaped plaque inscribed with a memorial poem, her name and her dates of birth and death engraved on it, and gave it to hubby on her birthday. We hung it on a tree outside, since Angel loved the outdoors and all living things, right where we could see it at all times and be reminded of her. We also began a tradition on that day that continues even now. We lit a candle in her honor and spent an hour, beginning at 7PM, with our thoughts and hopes and prayers focused solely on her. We talked, we laughed, we cried...we let go with all our memories of Angelia. She came back to us for a blessed hour that night, and we decided to keep the candle burning until April 13, 2004, the first anniversary of her death. That’s a tradition that we continue, even to this day. For the three weeks separating the anniversaries of her birth and her death, we keep a battery-operated candle burning, in honor of our beloved Angelia.
We celebrated Easter that year with an egg hunt and party with our friends from our local adoption support group, and a trip to visit my sister-in-law and her family, and my parents.
Alex's adoption was finalized on May 12, 2005. That was a great day...oh, the tears I cried.
I looked so forward to my first real Mother’s Day, and I was not disappointed. My husband made such wonderful arrangements for my celebration. First, it was church that morning and brunch afterwards, followed by a lazy, Sunday afternoon nap and cuddle time with my baby. That evening, I was told to dress nicely, and hubby and baby took me to a wonderful Italian dinner at one of my favorite restaurants. There at the restaurant, waiting for me, was a beautiful bouquet of flowers, a nice bottle of wine, and my gift. My husband had taken my favorite picture of my baby as a brand newborn, and had it made into a “#1 Mom Award” plaque. What a surprise! What a thoughtful gift! I loved it.
I had another wonderful surprise in the Spring of '05: I ran into my good old buddy, 'Nett. She and I had been besties about a decade earlier, but then had lost touch when she went through a divorce and remarriage. A lot had changed (she had two more kids, I was now married with Adrian and Alex) and yet nothing had changed. We picked up right where we left off: phone calls, secrets, advice, commiserating, plots, plans, gossip, you name it. She had returned to school, hoping to get her degree, and I was very happy for and proud of her. She had always been to me like the little sister I had never had. I was thrilled to have reconnected with her.
We celebrated hubby’s birthday as a family, but my first time away from my new baby, other than work, occurred on Memorial Day weekend, hubby’s and my 7th wedding anniversary. We left the baby with my parents and went to dinner at a favorite Italian restaurant. Needless to say, we spent the whole time talking about and bragging about the baby and rushed home to him as quickly as possible.
For Father’s Day, I returned the favor to hubby. Church, brunch, and an afternoon with baby Alex. Then it was on to Outback Restaurant for a yum, yum dinner and lots of gifts for dad. A “#1 Dad” T-shirt, a “Dad” cross-stitch pillow, a large, framed collage of all my husbands’ children, and a photo and a poetry book about what it means to be a father. All in all, a very good day for the old man.
Late winter, spring, headed into summer....things were great, life was good. I loved being a mom and my family is terrific!
I looked so forward to my first real Mother’s Day, and I was not disappointed. My husband made such wonderful arrangements for my celebration. First, it was church that morning and brunch afterwards, followed by a lazy, Sunday afternoon nap and cuddle time with my baby. That evening, I was told to dress nicely, and hubby and baby took me to a wonderful Italian dinner at one of my favorite restaurants. There at the restaurant, waiting for me, was a beautiful bouquet of flowers, a nice bottle of wine, and my gift. My husband had taken my favorite picture of my baby as a brand newborn, and had it made into a “#1 Mom Award” plaque. What a surprise! What a thoughtful gift! I loved it.
I had another wonderful surprise in the Spring of '05: I ran into my good old buddy, 'Nett. She and I had been besties about a decade earlier, but then had lost touch when she went through a divorce and remarriage. A lot had changed (she had two more kids, I was now married with Adrian and Alex) and yet nothing had changed. We picked up right where we left off: phone calls, secrets, advice, commiserating, plots, plans, gossip, you name it. She had returned to school, hoping to get her degree, and I was very happy for and proud of her. She had always been to me like the little sister I had never had. I was thrilled to have reconnected with her.
We celebrated hubby’s birthday as a family, but my first time away from my new baby, other than work, occurred on Memorial Day weekend, hubby’s and my 7th wedding anniversary. We left the baby with my parents and went to dinner at a favorite Italian restaurant. Needless to say, we spent the whole time talking about and bragging about the baby and rushed home to him as quickly as possible.
For Father’s Day, I returned the favor to hubby. Church, brunch, and an afternoon with baby Alex. Then it was on to Outback Restaurant for a yum, yum dinner and lots of gifts for dad. A “#1 Dad” T-shirt, a “Dad” cross-stitch pillow, a large, framed collage of all my husbands’ children, and a photo and a poetry book about what it means to be a father. All in all, a very good day for the old man.
Late winter, spring, headed into summer....things were great, life was good. I loved being a mom and my family is terrific!
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