Back from a ski weekend Kim style LOL! What is Kim Style you ask? It’s a little like Murphy’s Law meets Clark Griswald. *snort*
The hubby has been doing some major jet-setting for work and his time zones have jumped from Vancover to Hong Kong rather quickly. So, Friday when he got home, packed his bag and hopped into the car for a three hour drive to Vermont–I understood why he was a little quiet. Okay–I didn’t, but I thought I did. I assumed the poor guy was exhausted. (BTW he planned the trip LOL!) But when Murphy and Clark hang out, and they usually do at my house, interesting stuff happens. Before we even arrive at our destination, we were one man down to the flu. Or maybe it was jetlagitis. But whatever the case, the hubby was down for the count for the first 24 hours–fever and all. Boo! Which of course left us all sad, but it also left me with three kids under the age of twelve, skiing for the first time this season in a new and unfamiliar location. And we’re kind of newbies at this. This was basically our 4th time as snow monkeys (bunnies really isn’t the right word.)
Oh, the stories I could tell. Like the 7yo taking off his skis to slide down a rather steep section on his butt and then our inability to get them back on, so he just said he’d run down instead. Down a mountain, with poles flying behind him, in ski boots. Oy. And the thing is he was fast. I have no idea how he did it. ROTFL! And the other two monkeys waiting for us for so long at the bottom, and then seeing a rescue crew zooming up in our direction. Yeah–it was like that. And then there was the whole–I AM A PACK MULE thing. Where, after we salvaged the day by splitting up for lessons, everyone came back so tired they couldn’t carry all their gear. Glad I don’t have a picture of that one. Grrrrrr And then there was that moment during my lesson where I was sitting at just the right, or should I say wrong angle, while getting off the ski lift and my leg (being the perfect length) got wedged between the seat and my boot and I couldn’t get it out until the snow dropped off releasing my leg. Ouch! But, despite the ski lift trying to amputate my leg–I DID NOT FALL! Ballerina balance!
But here’s the thing about Murphy and Clark–they are great memory makers. That night, when the hubby felt well enough to go to dinner with us and grab some soup, the boys and I spent the whole night telling him all our stories and we laughed until we were crying. And it was too much stinkin’ fun. And every couple hours everyone would admire the new colors that my leg was turning. And when we took the sick-one skiing today–we had more Murphy and Clark moments. And we had some amazing ones too–like the perfect view from the top of a mountain inVermont. All those moments, good or Griswaldish, we gathered them up and took them to the dinner table where we roasted s’mores and pretty much kept saying what an awesome weekend we had. Because as we writer folk know–in the end–it’s all about the stories. They are the thing that lasts.
Does anyone else have Murphy and Clark on speed dial of it just me? And I’m back home and catching up if you need something from me–I’m doing my best while simultaneously crawling back into the revision fort. *Peeks in fort to look for Murphy and Clark*
Ummmm because I don’t have enough to do with back-to-school, soccer, construction, revisions and that little thing called a book launch. I’ve slowly started converting my mom’s slides to digital.
A very early picture of me. But I’m not important in this pic…check out what the two biggest influences in my life were wearing ROTFL! Who allowed this? And how did this effect my social and emotional growth?
Daddy and his baby *heart squish*
Home…there is no place like it.
I imagine he would have been looking at me a lot like this on October 30th. Notice the makeshift mobile with clothes pins and toys…my parents rock!
And this is why the book is dedicated to him…he always gave me a safe place to lay my head. I miss him.
Obviously my parents sense of style rubbed off on me but I think I pulled it off. LOL!
More pictures and interesting clothing choices to come. What’s the most interesting thing your parents dressed you in?
Today is my 18th Wedding Anniversary…but I’ve known my husband a lot longer. In fact, I met him when I was about this age…
I looked something like this…
I was in the morning Kindergarten class and he was in the afternoon. We didn’t really “know” each other, but he was the Conductor at Kindergarten graduation–already showing signs of being a wonderful leader. While we might not have been friends, as I got older, I absolutely knew who he was. My dad was his soccer coach…
My dad’s in the middle in green and the future Mr. Poppins had on red knee pads. *grin* BTW it was the 70’s and 80’s folks…it’s not our fault…you can blame our parents.
So for years we dribbled in and out of the same circles, but it wasn’t until high school where we had a real relationship–we HATED each other! We were hardcore political rivals. It wasn’t unusual to see us debating politics from one class, straight into another, and right on into lunch. Just like in Wicked–there was loathing–unadulterated loathing…until the summer before our senior year. We both attended a leadership conference together. We became friends. Real friends. He was a pretty amazing person–as long as we didn’t talk politics. We went to the Senior Prom together.
We graduated from High School together. (Our future Best Man, Joe)
Then we both headed off to college. And found out–we missed each other. LOL! So I went to visit him at West Point…
We started dating in October 1988. We’ve actually been together twenty-two and a half years.
I’m very lucky. Not everyone gets to marry their best friend. It isn’t always a fairy tale, but it isn’t supposed to be. It’s a journey–just like everything else and I couldn’t have pick a better co-pilot for my life. Here’s some of what we’ve done in Eighteen Years…
*Together we’ve graduated from college a grand total of 5 times. (2 for me and 3 for him)
*We lived in Germany for four years, traveling to Italy, Switzerland, England, France, Poland, The Czech Republic, Denmark, Turkey, Hungary, Monaco and Egypt.
*He spent 10 months serving in Bosnia and I lived alone in Germany while he was gone.
*We lost three Grandmothers, two Grandfathers, a brother-in-law and both our fathers. We both had the pleasure of knowing all of them so we can always share that with each other.
*One day we realized that there was very little chance we’d remain the 23 year old people who stood and made vows at the alter. At times this was scary and ugly and sad. Then we decided that instead of being angry at each other for who we no longer were, we would try to love the people we’d become. I’m so glad we had the courage to do that, because I love the 41 year old Mr. Poppins even more than I loved the other one.
*We moved home to be with our families because we realized that there isn’t really a heck of a lot that is more important than the people you love.
*We’ve followed our dreams, supporting each other and doing the things that need to be done so that we both can feel like complete people. We work around our short comings. When he’s out hob nobbin with clients at fancy 5 star restaurants, I make myself a little something at home and take out the garbage cans. When I’m writing and juggling kids–he just goes out and buys another pack of underwear and plans a “Daddy Party Weekend.” We couldn’t do it without each other.
*Best of all…we’ve brought our three boys into the world. And I know I will never get tired of sitting with my best friend and marveling at the wonder of them…
John, I know you’re reading this. Happy Anniversary…I love you.
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