12 years

It's been 12 years to the day since my Grandma Estelle passed away. 12 years sounds hideously long. I feel like it's been forever and at the same time just yesterday. I miss her. It's still the only thing that can make me cry on cue. Anyway, I won't dwell because I hate this day each year and much prefer to celebrate her memory on her birthday in January so I'll just finish by sharing the speech I wrote and read at my wedding in August. After I read it, Sasha and I released two dozen monarch butterflies...each carrying a special wish just for her.

Miss you everyday, Grandma.

***

"My grandma Estelle always made sure that I understood that anything I dreamed was within my reach. If I wanted it, I could make it happen.

For as long as I can remember, she would tell me how she couldn’t wait to someday dance at my wedding. It’s a funny thing to remember, but that’s how often she said it. I don’t even really know why it was so important to her to do it, but I never questioned it until I started planning my wedding.

On this completely perfect day, the only dark spot is that she isn’t here. I spent so much time trying to think of ways to make her presence here felt. An impossible task in the physical sense since she’s been gone for more than ten years now, but once again, if I wish for something, I never stop thinking of ways to make my wish a reality. However, it started to really hurt that I couldn’t make this one wish of hers come true like she’d always tried to make mine.

As all of you who know me well know – I research EVERYTHING so eventually I found my answer. Though I’m not a magician and know that nothing will ever be as perfect as having her here in the flesh, I got as close as I could.

There is an ancient Native American legend that essentially says that if anyone desires a wish to come true they must first capture a butterfly and whisper that wish to it. Since a butterfly can make no sound, the butterfly can not reveal the wish to anyone but the Great Spirit who hears and sees all. In gratitude for giving the beautiful butterfly its freedom, the Great Spirit always grants the wish.

So while my grandma isn’t here physically, I’ve made sure that her wish is granted dozens of times over. So when you see a butterfly here today, know that she’s dancing."

Dare I admit this?

I dare.

It's October 12, and yes, I am listening to Barry Manilow's new Christmas album while drinking tea and breathing in the aroma of my pumpkin spice candle.

Work just got that much better.

Happy Friday.

a chair for jia joon

Recently Sasha and I were watching our favorite little person (aka Jia, our niece) for a day of zoo animals and froyo. On the way home, she came with us to drop some clothes off at the local Jewish Women's donation center. While we waited for Sash to drop off the bags, Jia and I wandered the aisles.

There wasn't too much of interest to me, but Jia felt otherwise when she spotted an Elmo doll on a faraway shelf and proceeded to scream out "Elmo" at the top of her lungs. Literally, I almost had a heart attack. Not one for letting small children touch "donated stuffed animals" (ew), I quickly changed directions. Jia soon spotted another item of interest.

An old, white, wooden child-size chair was tucked away in a corner. She screamed again in delight and quickly sat in it. I could see the happiness spread across her face as a result of finding something just her size. She was beyond excited and it made me laugh. Since the chair was wooden, and thus easily cleaned, I bought it. I figured it wouldn't be too tough to restore it to its glory days and give it a new life with a little girl who clearly thought it was awesome.

It sat in my living room for a couple of weeks while most of my free time went to the little event I'm planning (ie: our wedding) until this weekend when I decided it was time to fix it up.

Sash and I went to our local hardware store and selected the perfect shade of fuscia, which is basically Jia's signature color. Once I got home, we put a few nails in the wobbly seat and I started in on giving it about five heavy coats of semi-gloss paint. It took most of Saturday and then a little touch up on Sunday, but I think I successfully restored the little guy.

Before - not too bad, just a little shabby.

A little paint to spruce it up...

Final product with a little personalization to boot.

Judging by the screams and jumping up and down that came from our little Jia joon tonight, I'm pretty sure she remembered her chair. Seriously, you've never seen someone so ecstatic over a chair. Her excitement made all of the paint fumes I breathed in this weekend worth it.

if i was...

My best bud Emily posted this on her lovely blog the other day and I enjoyed reading it. I liked it because there are no explanations, just plain and simple answers. So, for no other reason than that, I'm taking a stab at it too.

If I was a month, I’d be November.

If I was a day of the week, I’d be Friday.
If I was a time of day, I’d be afternoon.
If I was a planet, I’d be Earth.

If I was a sea animal, I’d be a dolphin. 

If I was a direction, I'd be North.

If I was a piece of furniture, I'd be a window seat.
If I was a liquid, I’d be hot cuppa tea.
If I was a gemstone, I’d be a deep green emerald. 

If I was a tree, I’d be an apple tree.

If I was a tool, I’d be a ladder. For obvious reasons...

If I was a flower, I’d be a ranunculus.

If I was a type of weather, I’d be a crisp Fall day.

If I was a musical instrument, I’d be a piano.
If I was a color, I’d be an earthy green.

If I was an emotion, I’d be optimistic.

If I was a fruit, I’d be a tangerine.
If I was a sound, I’d be laughter.

If I was an element, I’d be earth.
If I was a car, I’d be all wheel drive.

If I was a food I would be grilled cheese on sourdough.

If I was a place, I’d be the steep cliffs along the Côte d'Azur.

If I was a material, I'd be spun from alpaca yarn.

If I was a taste, I'd be curious.
If I was a scent, I’d be citrus.

pretty much the cutest thing ever

for serious.