Stop this Train...

This song... ALWAYS makes me cry. I can't even get through the first verse without getting all choked up. I have this slide show in my mind that constantly plays when I hear certain songs and this is definitely one of those. Although I love the idea of watching my family grow, I just want to freeze this time. I've lost so many important people in my life that the thought of losing one more... can't even finish the sentence. I guess it's just one of those nostalgic days. Here is that wretched song and here are some of my favorite snapshots revisited...

Can't Say FFFFlowers

Arianna lost her top tooth this morning. She's lost a few teeth already, but this one seems so significant for me. I guess, because she looks like a big girl. How many moms can say that their kids take out their own teeth? I admire her determination. She sat there in front of the mirror twisting and turning that stubborn tooth until she heard the cracks. I've never seen a little girl so happy to see her bloody tooth hanging by a thread. The first thing she told me was that she looked like her big cousin, Mumi. Even she sees how different she looks. Then, she tried to say something that involved the word "Flowers" and started laughing, "I can't say flowers, ha ha ha. " Another few images to store in my long-term memory...

The House That Built Me

I haven't lived in this tiny home in Village Green for 12 years now, but it will always be "my home". Every time I'm in the area, I can't resist the urge to drive past it and wave. The new owners haven't done much to it in all this time as if to preserve our history. The paint's the same, the walkway has the same old-fashioned dilapidated tiles, the once new awnings are collecting mold and yet, it still pulls me in each time I drive past it. See up until I was 21, I knew no other home. Those walls contain vivid memories of slumber parties in the living room, 25 people packed in a tiny kitchen clad with ducks, sleeping on the floor in sleeping bags in a nonmaster "master bedroom", backyard parties with records and tape players, 4 dogs, 1 cat, 1 hamster, 2 bunnies, lots of chickens and birds (you'd think we owned a farm or something), family reunions (some with us and some no longer), the list is endless. Resonating most within those walls was an intense amount of love. Luckily, we take the that along with the memories.
So I drove past this personal Heaven of mine and do what I always do: yell out to my girls "This is where Mami grew up!" and they always respond "We know, Mami." This time, I took out my iPhone and like a strange stalker in a moving car, I captured my little home. Here it is: 12251...

Only one like him...

Normally, I'll use my words to say something to explain what a remarkable man my husband is, but today...I'll just show you the kind of father he is.












These are but a few of the images that I forever hold in my heart, yet they are sufficient to tell the story of a father who loves his girls more than life itself.
Happy Father's Day to him and to all those special Dads out there including my own.
xoxo

You and Me Together

I knew exactly what I was doing when I decided to marry my husband! There was no question, no doubt. It was a decision that made every part of me feel wonderful, the really good kind of decision! We're pretty perfect for one another and together, we've made a pretty perfect family. There are lots of things that I'm unsure of in this life, but when it comes to him...100% CERTAINTY and together, I know, we can pretty much get through anything this life throws our way.
You can't imagine how thrilled I was when Gabi graciously said that she would take our family portraits! She absolutely captured who we are as a family and I couldn't have asked for anything more. Check out her work at www.photographybygabriela.com .
Looking at these makes me fall in love with my family all over again!!!

My Best Friend

I have only a few, but the ones I do have mean the world to me. Melanie is one. We met in the 9th grade and instantly became the closest of friends. Somehow we knew that connection we shared would never be lost; not to boyfriends, not to graduations, not to weddings and children, not to time, and not to distance. Somehow, we've withstood all of it and I'm so proud to call her my friend. I'm in awe of her strength and I always know that when I need some grounding, she's the one to call. I was able to capture the essence of who she is when she last visited and I share a little bit of her with you. Here she is...my best friend with those she loves.

Where I come from...

I'm a very nostalgic person. I've always been, all my life. It's probably why my business name suits me so well. My mom's always called me the family historian because ever since I was a child, I could spend hours pouring over photo albums, asking countless questions, soaking it all in. I'm not sure if the stories I heard about my grandparents were romanticized, but I do know what I witnessed as an adult with the type of love they had for each other. There are few people who can say that they've lived their life to the fullest and were able to pass on gently to the next life holding the love of their life's hand. That is how my grandfather passed, surrounded by the amazing family he put together. I think witnessing this kind of love helped me not to settle for anything and find a partner who I can create this same kind of magic with. Speaking of magic, my childhood was the most wonderful time. I must be the luckiest person alive to have such a beautiful family who loves each other with not one condition! This is truly what Valentine's Day is all about. It's not just the romance and the flowers, it's a time to count your blessings because if you look really hard, you'll find a million in your life. So I leave you with a tiny piece of my history and a BIG part of who I am. Happy Valentine's week! xoxo