My Bucket List

At 36 years old, my original bucket list was already complete.

I only had three things on there:

1. Graduate college

2. Get married

3. Have children

That was all I ever really wanted and needed in this life. Pretty simple. Sort of. Not that I don't have any other dreams. I'm driven enough to work hard and see things through. It's just that I am pretty content. I love all kinds of things and want to do many things, but none of it seems dire or desperate if it doesn't happen.

I have traveled. I got tattoos. I have hilarious stories from my youth. I have donated and volunteered and surfed (twice), bought a house, taught Sunday School, was asked out by a famous ball player and blah blah blah...

So while my bucket list now consists of hopefully seeing and doing all of the wonderful things that come from numbers 2 and 3 above (like celebrating anniversaries and watching my kids get trophies, school awards, travel, make friends, and also graduate college, get married and have kids), I have had a few simple desires come up recently that I think would be really neat if I could do them this year.

They are:

1. Go on a ride along with a police officer.

2. Get a motorcycle license. Not for David's Ducati, but so I can ride my dad's moped.

3. Run a 5K this year. (This one will be tough...I usually only run if I'm being chased.)

What's on your bucket list?

Feliz Cumpleanos David

Happy birthday, David.

You are 32.

I love you.

And I love having a family with you.

A birthday wish...

A birthday meal...his favorite pambazos.

And I thank these wonderful people for bringing this wonderful person into my life.

Los quiero mucho, mis suegros.

Salvatore Gives Mommy a New Favorite Song

Salvatore has been making up songs lately.

And they are elaborate.

They all start to some familiar tune, but then they just go on and on and on and on.

This afternoon, we were playing in our room and he said he wanted to sing one more song for me, but this time he wanted me to sing along.

He assured me that the song was easy.

"The blessings come down when your prayers go up!"

He repeated this at least 6 times and then I joined in.

Complete with hand motions of "blessings" coming down while "prayers" (with clasped hands together) are going up.

My new favorite song.

Favorite Part of Childhood

A while back, while out with my dear mommy friends, we took turns asking each other fun, interesting and deep questions about our lives. One question that went around the table was, "What was your favorite part of childhood?"

I had my answer instantly.

Brian.

Baby brother. Maid of honor at my wedding. My partner in crime. Darshnoosh! (Remember that, Brian?)

We had a great childhood. We traveled everywhere. Visited almost half of the United States. Super cool dad who made everything fun. Beach and baseball. We moved a lot and learned how to change, make new friends and start over.

And Brian was the best part of all of that.

Brian recently played baseball at our former high school, Sunny Hills, and we went to cheer for him. I haven't walked on that campus in the 20 years it's been since I graduated. The alumni team played against the current varsity team. Varsity won. But Brian had the only RBI.

The picture above is us standing in front of our art class, the only class, we had together (I was a senior when he was a freshman). Our clearest memory of that class is that we were all sitting together working on some drawings when they announced on the radio that Magic Johnson had AIDS. Crazy.

I want my kids to take note and realize that this is the relationship that we are building for them as well, two best friends...

Simple Saturday

We packed a lunch and ate it at the Fullerton Amtrak Station.

We watched the trains. Discussed the local art. People-watched.

Danced to the fabulous, young musician sitting next to us. Put all the loose change we had in his guitar case.

Then we walked over to Tutti Frutti. I was hoping for peanut butter flavored yogurt, but fell in love with their white chocolate!

I spent $4.15 for three hours of fun in the city.

Lost in Translation

It cracks me up when Salvatore gets "lost in translation."

He says "piggy BANK ride" instead of "piggy back ride."

He says "so I am" instead of "so am I."

He asks me to "take him a bath" instead of "give me a bath."

He came home from school the other day and wanted to sing his new song for me. (To the tune of Frere Jacques). He proceeds, "God our Father, God our Father, once again, once again. We receive our glasses, we receive our glasses, Amen. Amen."

I laughed and said, "We receive our BLESSINGS."

"No, no," he insisted. "We receive our GLASSES. God gives us glasses so we can see and drink milk and stuff. It's 'glasses'."

Ok. "Glasses" it is.

Real Examples of Love

Real examples of love in chronological order on this Valentine's Day:

Dropped Salvatore off at school and watched every classmate run and greet him with tremendous love.

Had new and former students give me candy, chocolate, handmade cards, and sweet letters.

Spent the day with my awesome intern, Heather.

Great conversations, lots of snacks, lots of hugs, tons of laughter, and many fabulous teaching ideas shared with co-workers who rock my world.

Major milestones with my 5th grade math group, three of the toughest kids in town working quietly and excitedly with me at the corner table.

David sent me flowers at work.

Dad drops the kids off to me after work and my friends are as excited to see them as I am. And they were adorable, hugging and greeting everyone.

Stopped by to see my best friend, Suzanne, and my Goddaughter Sara and picked up heart shaped pizzas from Papa Murphy's.

Blasted Whitney Houston all the way home. Got a bit teary-eyed. Like listening to a soundtrack of my life with some of those songs.

Watched two episodes of The Big Bang Theory while the kids played with each other and Benedict.

Cleaned the house, packed our lunches for tomorrow, ironed all of our clothes, and snuggled with the kids on the couch.

Currently, I am waiting for David to come home, as he worked a double shift today, to serve him with love...

Thank you Lord.