Flashback To…2015
I thought it would be cool to highlight some of the more memorable moments of 2015 I never got around to documenting. Sure, it’s March but, I had another baby so, better late than never, right? đ
Here are some of my favorites…
ICYMI: Goodbye, Kitty!
Here is a recap of the last few months in and around the plantation:
When we last “spoke”, I had just started a new job at a small CPA firm. Excited to expand my skills and actually do something I was truly passionate about, writing and fundraising, I jumped right in…into Tax Season!
Who knew the next four months of my life would be eerily similar to football season, the TV/spectator football season. Anyone with any experience living the vida fĂștbol loco knows that football season starts well before and goes beyond what you see on TV.Â
When Did We Get That?
My response to the Daily Prompt, a ten minute free write. Good luck reading it. đ
He can’t say no.
And because this impacts me too, I would like to officially request that you only ask The Coach to help you move when the following is trueâŠ
You are completely packed and all you need is some labor assistance.
There…I said it!
My Sweet Husband will help you move if you ask him because he is that kind of guy. But problems arise when you send him home with stuff you (a) no longer need and feel someone should have or (b) donât have the energy to pack it or even throw away. He will likely say okay to something. First, he will text me and ask if we need (insert miscellaneous item here). I respond with a yea or nay but he will still show up with some random item.
Now, donât get me wrong we have obtained some awesome move related things like:
- A brand new camcorder (courtesy of my Mother-in-Law)
- A flat screen TV (I guess it does pay to be nice)
- And my favorite, my writing chair in my office (Thank you, Neighborhood Mom!)
But oftentimes he comes home with gems like this (The Coach spent a good 2 hours reliving his childhood, fixing the tires, chain and seat. I wholeheartedly expected to find a card in the spoke):
Quick note: Our daughter is three and while she is below the weight limits, she exceeds the head circumference restrictions. In other words, Georgia Peach has inherited her Mommyâs big ol head (sorry, Love) and I can not see over it! Besides, I look like I am riding a horse while riding this bike. Not cute or comfortable. Looking forward to him taking that weird seat thingy off!
That is all. đ
Friday Night Sister Wife
She is back.
There is always a noticeable shift in my husbandâs demeanor when he begins seeing her again.
Continue reading → Friday Night Sister WifeYou Ain’t So Bad
When I was pregnant with GeorgiaPeach (GP), the Coach and I decided that we aka I would breastfeed our Little Peach. I made him promise me that if I wanted to quit he would remind me of the commitment I made to our family and to stay with it. Sounded simple enough to us. What could possibly go wrong?
We took a breastfeeding class. I read books and asked my Circle of Moms who had breastfed successfully and (not so successfully) what I could expect. I was as prepared as I could be. One emergency C-Section later, I was in the breastfeeding business or…so I thought.
It was a rough start for me. I was nursing GP on demand as you should but, I didnât realize she didnât need to nurse for an unlimited amount of time! My precious baby was channeling Clubber Lang, kinda like this scene from Rocky III.
After going to my corner and spending 3 days feeling like a human pacifier, unlike Rocky, I was ready to throw in the towel. Can I order some formula, please? Â And that was when all of my âI Just Had A Baby And She Depends On Me To Eatâ emotions came to the surface and I broke down.
Me (crying): I quit! Iâm not breastfeeding anymore. I donât know what Iâm doing. And IT HURTS! Did I miss someone telling me that part?
The Coach (very concerned and looking for the slightest symptoms of Postpartum Depression): What happened?
Me (still crying): I donât think GP is getting enough to eat, I am still waiting for  my milk “to come in” and I miss my Mom! Listen, before you even start with me, I don’t have PPD so stop looking at me like that, this is normal, I JUST HAD A BABY! And no, I do NOT want to harm myself or our child, okay? I know there are other symptoms but trust me I’m fine, exhausted but, fine.
The Coach: Okay. But Babe, you donât want to quit. You and I both know it. You are doing great, GP is definitely filling up these diapers so she is getting fed. I donât know what you are feeling but, I will do everything I can to help and support you. Should we call someone?
The Coach: Wait. It hurts?
Me (exhausted): I don’t know who else to call! I’ve called Jesus, my Friends, the Lactation Consultant from the hospital AND I emailed the instructor from the class. I have one more day left in me and that is it!
So…I didnât quit, my milk âcame inâ the next morning (the way I found out was pretty hilarious but, I will spare everyone the details) and I successfully breastfed GP for the next 11 months. đ But the point of this entire post is that the I felt slightly bamboozled by the masses.
Breastfeeding hurtsâŠin the beginning.
Now, before  you go all Lactation Consultant on me, hear me out.
As a first time natural “provider” of nourishment to a newborn, I had never (ahem) used my lady parts in such a capacity or as much in a short time span. Know what I mean?  Even when you are doing it correctly you will be sore, in the beginning. And I had cooling pads, creams, a nursing pillow, a comfy chair, etc! The whole process took some getting used to and I was reminded that we were both learning what to do. Obviously, a number of women are not able to breastfeed for various reasons so, I get it. You have to do what works for you and YOUR family. Period.
So…I said all of that to sayâŠif you are thinking about breastfeeding or if you just started, the truth is you will be sore and there will likely be some pain but, the experience was one I would never trade. Once I relaxed and settled in, GP and I started to work together. The pain DID go away and the experience transformed into what I envisioned all along, our first collaborative effort. đ
Breastfeeding, in the words of Rocky Balboa, “You ain’t so bad”.
And So, It Begins…
When I became a Mommy, there were many things I looked forward to experiencing as a parent. But, there was one thing the Coach and I decided on up front that he would take the lead on when the time was right.
Watching animated movies with Georgia Peach(GP).
Couple of little known facts about me…
- I have a thing for bullet points (if you hadnât already figured that out, I think they are great and very useful).
- I have little or no motivation to see dancing/singing animated characters in a full length movie.
I accept your judgement. đ
The latter truly baffles The Coach. From time to time, he will see a title to one of these âamazingâ movies and ask me with the tiniest bit of hope the SAME question only to be disappointed with my response, âNo, I havenât seen that movie, either.â
Sure, I have seen a couple since becoming an Adult but, I can count the ones I have watched from start to finish on one hand.
- The Lion King-Who hasnât seen this classic, right? I get it. Iâm not saying much with this one.
- Shrek-Hey, I am an Eddie Murphy fan. And to The Coachâs dismay, I find the movies Norbit (check out the awards for this film) and Bowfinger to be ridiculously hilarious. Again, I accept your judgement.
- The Incredibles-Any movie that has Samuel L. Jackson adding his yelling I mean acting voice to an animated character warrants a try. And let me tell you, it does not disappoint!
- Rio-I hear from those who watch these types of movies, I should not be proud to mention this one.
As a side note, we are aware that in a game night situation if the category of Disney or Animated movies comes up, I can offer limited assistance. The problem is that we are pretty competitive and have been known to randomly practice different trivia categories so we are ready to win when we get the call. So, Iâm not sure what is more disturbing, the fact that we practice or that we havenât actually been invited to a game night as a couple. We obviously need some friends here otherwise we will have to keep traveling to FL and IL to play with our family. đ
Back to these movies…so, my thought was that when Georgia Peach was old enough to see one of these movies, I would buy the tickets for them. Their first Daddy/Daughter Movie Date, cute right?
Obviously, I am too slow for them. Check out one of the gifts GP got for Christmas from her Daddy, a DVD. I suppose it doesn’t matter that she hasn’t seen the first movie of the series?
At any rate, I guess she was old enough on Wednesday. And so, it begins…
A Little Something For The Road…
The Coach is a pretty funny guy. Early in our relationship, we had the following conversation about funerals…
The Coach: Iâve been thinking about the type of funeral service I want to have when the time comes.
Me: What do you mean? Why are you telling me this? Is there something I should know?
The Coach:Â First of all I’m not dying and I’m telling you because you will plan it. I want my funeral to reflect me.
Me: Okay, but donât most funerals reflect the deceased?
The Coach: Well, I havenât been to many funerals but, the one that sticks out to me involved a terrible singer. The good thing about this guy was that his singing was so bad, he made us laugh. So, I decided that I wanted to do something a little different for mine. Let’s be honest, I’m a fun guy so why not put the ‘fun’ back in funeral. Most importantly, I want us to put together a cd of songs for our guests to experience. You know something they can play whenever they are thinking about me.
Me (laughing pretty hard): Wait, time out. The ‘fun in funeral’? And you want funeral favors to be handed out?? Since when are you an ‘experience’ guy? This is beyond crazy. Are you kidding me?
The Coach:Â I am serious! I would like people to have a little something to take home to remember me on the ride home or whenever. I was thinking a 2 disc cd set.
Me (still laughing): Where will this epic funeral take place? You know some of your favorite songs are not appropriate for a church.
The Coach: At church of course but, the cd wouldn’t be played during the service, it would be debuted at the wake/visitation. It will be a gift for coming to the funeral.
Now, I am laughing so hard tears are streaming down my face. A funeral cd? I am unable to speak. Finally, when I am able to collect myself, we continue the conversation.
Me: So, to be clear you want those attending your funeral to get some sort of party favor at the end? And you want that to be a cd?
The Coach: Exactly! And I want the liner of the cd to be a copy of the obituary.
Me: Â This keeps getting better. Iâm not doing that, you are outrageous.
The Coach: But isnât the funeral suppose to be about me? Iâm telling you this is what I want, isn’t it a great idea?
Me: Maybe we could do A cd, 2 is a bit much.
The Coach: You know I love for people to have a good time especially if we are hosting something, shouldn’t my funeral be the same?
Me: Â I agree, funerals are a celebration of life. But you my friend, can go a little overboard. We will have to work on the details a little on this one. Â Can we table this conversation for say 100 years? đ
The Coach: Yes, but you have to do it for me!
So, naturally I did a little research on the subject and as I should have known, memorial or funeral favors exist. Just not to the extent of what The Coach would like to do.
Seriously, what have I gotten myself into here? đ
Where’s My Check?
The Coach was an amazing athlete in high school and college (according to him he STILL is, he’s cute). đ While he was in college, he was blessed to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated. Â Obviously, this was an AMAZING accomplishment and a framed copy of the cover hangs in our daughterâs bedroom. Recently, he went to pick up my Mother-in-Law, GG, from her house, a few hours away, to bring her up to our house for a visit.
Since GG is downsizing and moving back to her hometown, each time we go to her house she sends us home with some of the Coachâs things. Often times, pictures and childhood keepsakes of him and his beloved brother as kids. Â This time, once GG was settled and the Coach had unloaded the truck, he walked into the kitchen and handed me this oddly familiar looking photo/picture/poster.
The Coach: Do you recognize that photo?
Me: Itâs you but, it is weird.
The Coach: How do you know itâs me?
Me: Because I look at that image every day. Â It looks like some generic version of the SI cover. Did you make that?
The Coach (laughing): It is me and no, I didnât make it.
Me: Well, who did?
The Coach: Some sports marketing company. Â Every once in a while this picture would pop up in grocery stores, gas stations, etc for football themed promotions or giveaways. Â Once one of my friends saw it and told me about it. Â After that, I would see them from time to time. Â I got one and kept it.
Me: What? Â Can they do that without your permission? Are they still using it? Whereâs your check??
The Coach: There is no check. Â I was in college when the original photo was taken so SI would be getting a check if anyone.
Me: Â That is crazy! So, they have this picture of you popping up all around the Southeast and there is nothing you can do? I am going to track down this company and see what’s going on.
The Coach: You are funny.
Me: I’m serious! Â I mean, you should at least be able to make sure the weird poster shows up at grocery store and gas station chains we like! Â I’m just saying.
I did a little digging and that company doesn’t currently produce the weird poster anymore. Â But I guess I can understand how it can happen…
Once while working as a Consultant in 2001, a woman in my group would often tell me that she had seen me somewhere before. Â After a few months of us trying to figure it out, I thought I probably reminded her of someone else she knew. Until one day, she asked me to come into her office.
Work Lady: You know that my family and I are headed to Disney for our vacation this year.
Me: Great place. Â I was there a few years ago for a conference, I had a great time.
Work Lady (smiling): I know!
Me: Huh? Â How would you know about my conference in Orlando? Did we meet there??
Work Lady: Not exactly. You probably don’t know this but, Disney sends out promotional videos when you ask for more information about the parks and attractions. Â Have you seen one before? I brought in the one they sent us.
Me: No, I haven’t seen one before.
Work Lady pops the video into the machine she has in her office and hits play. Â We watched the intro of attractive families describe their dreamy Disney vacation filled with beloved characters, theme park attractions, and lifelong memories of ‘the best vacation ever’. I almost booked a trip for myself right then and there! Â After a minute or two of these vacation testimonials, Work Lady fast forwards the video and pauses it…on the screen a still of me.
And then it all started to come back to me. While attending a conference at Disney, my co-worker and I were asked to do an interview describing our experience in Downtown Disney one night. Â We did the interview, signed a release, and continued to have a good time, never giving it a second thought until now.
Work Lady pressed play and there I was on the screen raving about what a great time you can have as an adult at Disney. Â The entire time, I watched (and laughed at) the video I thought:
- Did I really think that outfit was cute?
- How many other people have seen this?
- I definitely had a couple of drinks that night!
Clearly, the Coach and I should have some endorsement deals. Â I mean seriously, just think of all the grocery store and gas station football related items that reversible (that’s right it has two sides!) poster influenced folks to buy. And let’s not forget all the families that decided to choose another destination for their family vacation after watching the Disney video.
All I can say is…America, you’re welcome. đ
Who Does That?
In April, I went to NJ/NY to celebrate my Fabulous Friendâs birthday. Man, traveling alone has itâs perks. I sailed through the airport with just my pre-Mommy purse with no Cheerios, diapers or food pouches in sight! I felt light as a feather and slightly guilty for being away during such a busy weekend for The Coach…but, that subsided once I got on the plane and took a nap. Sweet joy in the morning! đ
It was great to relive the old days of 9 p.m. dinner reservations, cab rides, subways and city shopping! I love Savannah but, a shopping hub…it is not.
On the morning of my flight home, I realized that during our day of shopping, I neglected to pick up a little something for The Coach. Probably wouldnât have been a problem if I hadnât made a point to tell him, âdonât worry, Iâll pick up something for you tooâ when he asked me what it was like to shop in NYC.
Crap.
My husband can be a little tricky to shop for so, I may have backed myself into a corner here. Luckily, I had a layover in Atlanta and they have some decent shops in the airport so, maybe I could pull off something nice for my guy.
Hold on, am I really planning a shopping trip to an airport? I am indeed…my choices were limited.
When I got to Atlanta, I jumped on the train to my terminal and headed to my gate. Surprisingly on the way, I found a shop that had some items I thought he would like and wear. I picked up a nice button down shirt and mentioned to the clerk that I was lucky I found the store since I didnât buy anything for my husband while in NYC. Â The sales clerk said to me, âMake sure you take the shirt out of the bag so he doesnât see the airport sales receiptâ.
My response, âMy game is tight, kid. I got this.â
I landed in Savannah after a LONG delay on the runway in Atlanta. I kissed The Coach and saw my precious girl in the backseat happily eating Cheerios and sporting her Fatherâs attempt at hair styling. Letâs just say I had some work to do before we sat down for dinner at the restaurant. But he tried, bless his heart. Â đ
Once we got home, I gave Georgia Peach her gift (she is almost 2 so, a mini I LOVE NY stuffed animal FROM THE AIRPORT is cool). I did not put The Coachâs gift in my luggage, I kept it in the bag from the store, exactly what the sales clerk warned against. So, when The Coach brought in my luggage from the truck he asked what was in the bag. I told him it was his gift.
He liked it and thanked me. THEN…
He started asking me about the store. I must have forgotten who I married.
The Coach: I have never heard of this store before, is it in NY? I really like the shirt, I wonder if they have a store close to us?
Me: (Getting GP ready for her bath). Iâm not sure of all of the locations (besides the one at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Terminal C!).
The Coach: Did you buy this shirt at the airport in Atlanta?
Me: (Cracking up). Huh? What? Wait? What? How did you find that out?
I walked back into the living room to I see him on the laptop, pointing to the name of the store and itâs location…the only one, Â Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Come ON!
Me: (Still laughing). I mean, who are you?? Honestly, I ran out of time and had to make it happen. Do you like the shirt any less? And what makes you jump online and look up the store, anyway, who does that?
The Coach: I liked the shirt so, I wanted to see if there were other things I might like but, Iâm guessing the store is not big, since it was probably a kiosk.
Funny. đ It was an actual store, big shot.
Many a great find are attributed to a kiosk. Â Here are a few…
-
Designer (knock offs) Sunglasses
-
Your Name on a Grain of Sand
-
Whatever the people who always ask if THEY can ask you a question sell. Lotion? Timeshares? Nail Buffing systems? Â I donât know.
-
A great DJ Mix CD
In the end, The Coach liked his shirt and will have to go to the designerâs website for more shirts with a similar style or he can just take a trip to Hartsfield-Jackson.
And, I, on the other hand, realized that âmy gameâ is no longer tight. đ
Â
I Don’t Care
A couple of months ago, I was back in the best city ever :-), for a fabulous wedding and to celebrate my dear friendâs new job and relocation back to the East Coast. We planned to go out for dinner and drinks with some of her friends at around 9p to celebrate…just like the old days.
On the drive over to the restaurant, my friend and I were catching up when she says to me, âI predict you will say âmy husbandâ about 11 times during conversations tonight.â
- Wait, was she talking to me? Probably since I was the only other person in the car, but huh?
- Have I graduated from baby updates to name-dropping?
- Do I say âmy husbandâ constantly in conversations when talking about the Coach?
- Have I turned into âthat womanâ?
To be fair, I am a newlywed and I enjoy it quite a bit, thank you very much. But this comment made me question the content of my conversations. Itâs not like I squeeze in a âmy husbandâ while talking about politics, food, fashion, reality shows, or more importantly Scandal. Or do I?
Hereâs what I realized…I donât care! Thatâs right, I said it. I donât care. Hereâs why…
About 10 years ago, after breaking up with a guy I probably would have vomited on if our Georgia Peach had dated, I made a list. I mean seriously people, you make a list of things you need at the grocery store so donât look at me all sideways about a list for a LIFE-LONG PARTNER. A list of all the qualities I wanted in a husband and what I wanted our relationship to look like together. I tucked it away and over the years I would pull it out to review and revise it. Each time I would pray over the list asking God to remind me not to ask for qualities in another I didn’t possess myself.
On it was things that would complement my personality like being family-oriented and sincere. Sincerity was the quality my beloved Grandma Josie said she was the most drawn to when picking my cool Grandpa Joe. They were married just shy of 40 years when my Grandpa passed away (they had 11 children so there were CLEARLY other qualities they saw in each other). But, their relationship showed me a level of commitment to each other and to their family that remains with me. I pray to have in my own marriage.
So, after years of praying (and crying) for a great partner in life, I drafted the Coach. Â đ
I waited a long time for the right man for me so, I am more than happy to say with pride, my husband. I love my husband, love that we are friends, love being married to him, love that we have to work together to resolve our differences and that we work on communicating with one another, love that we are a team, love that he is a great Father to Georgia Peach and love that he is sincere.
Thanks for the great advice, Grandma Josie. I think you would have loved, MY HUSBAND. đ
Seriously, I Didn't Know 
