Happy Birthday to My Reason

Happy Birthday to My Reason Enough, originally uploaded by reasonenoughtocelebrate.

Today, A-Men turned 22.

Happy Birthday to one of the few reasons I have left to celebrate here in the Valley. I don't know what I'd do without him and I realize that every single time I'm with him. He really is my greatest escape... my most fulfilling release. My confidant. My friend.

He's the one I need the most right now, even if he doesn't realize it.

Tomorrow is October 1st.
The deadline.

I have failed myself.
Which is hard, because I'm my own worst critic.

Feeling Needed

Feeling Needed, originally uploaded by reasonenoughtocelebrate.

My parents and I got up early this morning to drive down to the Buckwheat Festival in Kingwood, WV.

My Aunt Carol & Uncle Bill had also driven down from Ohio, and so we all piled into cars and joined Aunt Greta, Amy, Jarion, Laken & Liam for the parade.

After walking around the craft booths for awhile, Baby Liam fell asleep as I was carrying him. I ended up carrying the sleepyhead all over the festival - and finally passed him over to my father for a second while I got situated. Hey - as much as I love those kids - even my arms need a break now and then.

I couldn't help but notice how peaceful both Liam and my dad looked as they waited on the parade. Although my dad only held him for a couple of minutes, and I proceeded to hold the still-sleeping Liam for most of the hour and a half parade - this image of them together burned into my memory.

I'm sure my dad didn't start out thinking he & I would end up with the relationship we have now. I'm sure there were times that I was once that sleeping baby - content in his arms.

Those days are long gone now, that's for sure.

Still, it makes me wonder what my relationship will become with my children someday - and if I can ever bridge whatever gap there is between me and my dad. Or if I will ever be able to find a man I am capable of completely trusting...

Priceless

Priceless, originally uploaded by reasonenoughtocelebrate.

The ONE time I don't check to make sure I have my cell before I leave a place, I leave it behind. Go figure.

I went almost 12 hours without my cell phone today, and I was sleeping for most of those hours... but it really makes you think about how addictive technology can become. When I picked up my phone around 11:30 this morning, I breathed a HUGE sigh of relief. My crack was back!

Suddenly the sun was shining! The day had dawned! Life could continue!

I can't even remember how I managed to be social without one. I think of how many times I've truly needed it and sometimes forget that I used to have to do without one:

I mean, when I was meeting up with friends in an incredibly public place - how did I find them in that huge crowd?

When I was running late, how did I let someone know? When I was early, how did I communicate to my friends that they needed to hurry up?

What DID girls use in bars to keep them "busy" as they tried to blow off some drunk guy?

How DID girls/guys break up with each other without text messaging?! (Just a joke. I realize text-breakups are almost as bad as Post-It note ones ala Carrie/Berger in Sex and the City.)

Oh dear cell, how I've missed you. I'm sorry you had to sleep alone last night but thankfully, you are right back on my nightstand - where you belong! (And in case Anna decides to drunk dial me tonight!)

Welp.

Welp., originally uploaded by reasonenoughtocelebrate.

(long pause)



...guess when my parents go out of town in October, I guess I won't have to worry about remembering to feed the fish.

Afternoon Delight

Afternoon Delight, originally uploaded by reasonenoughtocelebrate.

Went out for lunch with two lovely ladies today - Miss Candi and her niece Kacey.

I haven't seen Candi since Britney's VMA disaster a couple weeks ago and I haven't seen Kacey since she was asleep in her car seat as a baby. So it was really nice to meet up with them at the mall and just grab lunch and walk around.

There's just something about being around kids that makes you really slow down and enjoy the simple things in life. Candi and I were cracking up just riding in the elevator, because as we started to descend Kacey threw her arms out to steady herself from the vibrating elevator floor.

You can't help but smile when you remember what used to excited you.

I think she's ready for the Tower of Terror next.

Holding Out for a Homerun

Wake Me Up When September Ends, originally uploaded by reasonenoughtocelebrate.

"Growing up happens in a heartbeat. One day you're in diapers, the next day you're gone. But the memories of childhood stay with you for the long haul. I remember a place, a town, a house like a lot of other houses, a yard like a lot of other yards, on a street like a lot of other streets. And the thing is, after all these years, I still look back, with wonder."
-The Wonder Years

Tonight, I went to see the Pirates game with my dad. They were playing the Arizona Diamondbacks - which was interesting to see. My old life (Arizona) vs. my current life (Pittsburgh).

I may have worn an Arizona t-shirt to the park, but the Pirates won the game.

I kept watching the two kids in front of us at the game though -- so excited over every damn swing of the bat, every ball that went into the air. Like they truly believed that foul ball was coming -- any second now. Any minute and it would be theirs. Inning after inning they cheered, they stood, they held up their gloves. They waited.

They'd love to see a homerun hit out of the park, but they'd also die for a foul ball.

Chicago/New York would be my homeruns - but where IS my foul ball?

Scrub Up!

Scrub Up, originally uploaded by reasonenoughtocelebrate.

Today, my dad helped me wash my car and vacuum it out. He was in an unusually nice mood for some reason... but in true Paul David form, that mood faded away pretty quickly.

Still, my car looks 1,000 times better than it did before.

Which means it's pretty much guaranteed to rain in southwestern PA tomorrow.