The Sweet Life

again and again (and again!)

(Guess I should do these before the tagging continues and I become the true party pooper).

Rules: post the rules before you give the facts. post eight random facts about yourself. at the end of your blog post, you need to tag eight people and list their names. leave the people you tagged a comment on their blog, letting them know that they’ve been tagged.

(seriously-try not to fall asleep)

1. I was the class nerd when growing up. In the 6th grade one of my classmates was making fun of my coke bottle glasses (and my stylin’ braces) and my *little* sister stepped in and defended me. Something I never forgot, and when remember am filled with a rush of burning shame for the shy little girl I once was, and admiration for my strong little sister that stood up to girls four grades ahead of her. (I would say four years ahead, but who knows…they were probably swarthy 14 year olds still in the 6th grade). She could have been pounded into a puddle of second grade sassiness, but she stood up for me all the same. I kept my nose safely buried in my book and wished I could disappear, while watching out of the corner of my eye in case a pounding did occur, so I could locate the proper adult to step in and save her.

2. My parents divorced when I was four, and I had a secret joy in having two Christmases, two birthdays, two Easters, and two bicycles. I’m sure my kids are enjoying the gift of having not four, but six grandparents who dote on them (I know I do).

3. I still follow their ‘joint custody’ arrangement when it comes to spending time with my families…if Christmas is with my Dad, then Thanksgiving is with my Mom. Thankfully, my fabulous in-laws are Jewish, so I don’t have to rotate among three families at Christmastime.

4. When my daughter (almost 5) was three days old, I rocked her in her nursery and explained that ‘today was your first tuesday, and tomorrow is your first wednesday’, then promptly burst into tears, filled with the joy and mind blowing emotion that comes with motherhood.

5. The day after that my husband and I actually got into an argument over who was more tired than the other, and took turns insulting each other’s parents, grandparents, and ancestors…all while our precious daughter slept in the bed next to us. A lesson we learned quickly was to nap with the baby (and, of course, to support and encourage each other and all that other parenting stuff that no one really explains beforehand). When #2 came along, we did the exact same thing. We are slow learners.

6. Both my children were born in local birth centers, assisted by midwives and my husband (who was less of a support, and more of a cheerleader, high on crack, that sat in front of me and told me how AWESOME! I was doing and to KEEP! IT! UP!). He almost died on both of those occasions…

7. The last time I cried was last Friday afternoon, when I walked into the vet clinic with my dog Bailey in my arms for his euthanasia appointment. I thought I was doing really well, until the sweet, chipper receptionist looked up and laughed and said “Back so soon?”. I didn’t have an answer, and so I stood in the waiting room, with my dog in my arms, feeling his heart racing in fear, and wished that I could disappear (and take him with me).

8. The nicest thing anyone ever said about me was my Mother-in-Law, Charlotte. My husband and I were dating, and he had finally introduced us to one another. Not only was I 14 years younger than her son, but I was also Christian, still in college, and as he said to her “I know she’s not the nice Jewish girl you had in mind for me Mom.” She responded with “Yes, but the nice Jewish girl I had in mind would not have been like Jennifer.” Sweet, sweet words.

I tag Amy, Sarah, Janet, nodnarB!, Lollyblogger, Jenny, and Matt