Brotherly Love

     As the last work day of the week winds down, I am eagerly anticipating my brothers homecoming! Gill actually only lives about 30 minutes away but it's far enough that we don't get to see each other very often. So as he is probably packing his overnight bag and making sure to bring along his girlfriends gifts, for me to wrap, I am planning our traditional Christmas Eve Eve. ;0)
     When Gill and Katie arrive tonight we'll go to town placing all those colorful packages under the tree. As the bubbly and beer start to flow, Mom and Dad will join in to watch Christmas Vacation and laugh our butts off. Most of these evenings have ended with my little brother, eight years my junior, and I talking til the wee hours of the morning. 
     Like my sister and I, Gill and I have a special bond and these moments are the one's that mean the world to me. I am so very happy that he has found Katie, because they truly complete one another, and I love that she goes with the flow and has become a part of our traditional fun!

Christmas Traditions

     Last night I was lucky enough to partake in one of my most recent annual holiday traditions. My little sister, Anneliese, picked me up and we headed into the madness of holiday traffic. First stop was the mall to shop for various items to be checked off our "To-Buy" list. As usual, I have been done shopping since last week so I'm simply along for the ride. As Anneliese picked and added things to her arm full of items, I momentarily slipped into panic and disbelief. It wasn't the lines, it wasn't the lack of merchandise, it was simply the size of the chicks shopping in a certain store. Apparently to step within the confines of the big EX you must wear a size (-)4! That's right, I thought it strange as well, but then I glimpsed a pencil walk by in a set of high heeled boots (which she clearly could not walk in). She was chatting away on her bling accessorized i-Phone and chomping her jaws on what I assume was sugar free gum, which probably substituted for dinner. It was at this exact moment that I tweeted away about the drama induced fog I was in. To which two of my grade school friends responded with #OccupyEX tweets, completed with talk of donuts and lots of fun. And a smile was had by all.

     As Anneliese and I speed raced through the throngs of parents, teens and families dressed for Santa pictures, we were silently planning our "After Party". See for the past 3 years we have completed our shopping and picked a place for margaritas accompanied with chips and salsa. So as the last item was purchased we headed for the car and agreed on the Olive. Seated in our both munching on stuffed mushrooms and plenty of soup and salad we downed a pitcher of beautifully sweet Sangria. And as two sisters only 4 years apart, exhaled, we shared yet another tradition. Last minute shopping and Yummies!!!

   

Trimming the Tree

      Recently I joined my sister and her family for some quality "Christmas Tree decorating" time. Of course the night started off with my 2 year old niece being asked to put the Christmas balls on the tree. To which she reach in the Tupperware storage container, palmed a shiny red and white glass ornament, and tossed it at the tree. Yes I know, balls are meant to be thrown! 
     But the highlight of the night was when I overheard Timothy telling his father that he wanted to put the star atop the tree. As his little 6year old self explained, it was important to him because his teacher had told him earlier in the day why most people placed a star on their tree. As I directed my attention to his story he went into detail about how Mrs. B had taught his class that, the night Jesus was born, a bright star was place in the sky. As a public school teacher I was immediately struck by Mrs. B's decision to breach the biblical story of Jesus' birth. We are a christian family and both Timothy and Rilynn were baptized in the Catholic Church, but creationism in school is virtually unheard of in the public school system here in Good Ol' Jersey. It was only an instant later that I found myself smiling with a tear in my eye as Timmy went on to explain Dawli, Hannukah and Kwanzaa. I was filled with pride knowing that my little nephew would grow to be an honest humble man. 
Later that night I fell in love all over again as he sat nestled in my lap as we surfed the internet researching all types of religious and cultural beliefs. The beauty of religion is that you don't have to subscribe to a set of standards to honor the beauty of differences. 
     So as you celebrate this year, may Timmy & I wish you a blessed holiday season. xoxo

My Loves

There are two little things in my life that mean the world to me. Yes, you guessed it, Timothy & Rilynn. Today, Monday December 5th, 2011, my dear sweet boy turns 6 years old. What most people do not know about me  is that 6 years ago today my life was saved. 

In December of 2005 my life was at an ultimate low. For no reason other then I was enormously depressed. I've spent a good portion of my life struggling with depression and I had always experienced Highs and Lows. At this particular point in time I was at a loss. I found happiness in nothing and no amount of time or energy could help me "snap out of it". 
Then at 4:00 AM on a chilly December morning I received a call that would change my whole world. Anneliese, my younger sister, was in labor with her first child. Being new to the whole Aunt thing, I rushed to the hospital in a flurry and announced that I was there to see "Anneliese Cornwall". Apparently in my sleep induced fog I had forgotten that my sister had been married for some time and was no longer a Cornwall. When I finally convinced the Labor & Delivery Nurses that I was in fact the soon-to-be Aunt and must have left my mind at home I found Anneliese, Tim & my Momma enduring contractions in anticipation of the little guys arrival. This went on for a few hours and Anneliese was a trooper.
Then at around 9:52 AM life as we all knew it changed. Timothy Joseph Eddis, Jr. was born and the sun shone a little brighter. After some time with Mommy & Daddy and of course Nanny, little Timmy was handed off to me! I don't remember crying, I don't remember talking, I don't remember much of anything other then the cloud of warmth that enveloped me. In that moment Timmy saved me from myself. Life was completely worth living and I would make sure to thank him, silently, each and everyday for opening my eyes!
Since then we have welcomed Rilynn May Eddis to the family as well and just like Timmy she is the force behind me: to keep my head up, eyes open and smiling.       

In The Office

Just like every other Monday through Friday morning, I arrived to work this morning with my wonderfully aromatic cup of Dunkin and went to town doing as I do any other day. It was as I set my coffee down and went to place my purse under my desk that I realized that I, the secretary, am very antiquated. Not personally of course, with my snazzy scarves and hip jewelry but instead my office space.

One of my very first tasks each morning is flipping the switch to power up my typewriter. Yes I said it, Typewriter. In the days of tech savvy companies and interaction through the World Wide Web, I am still required to type work orders on the good old Brother Typewriter. 

Granted this may be a few years older then my nifty little friend but believe me, it's brutal! As a result of using this little beauty I have also invested all of my savings in Wite-Out. Yes that's right, dear old Wite-Out has become my new BFF. Not because I'm painting my nails with it or sniffing it but because my goofy little fingers can never figure out how to slow down. Hence the anticipation of Wite-Out stocks going through the roof. 

As I reflected upon this devastating statistic I reached over and flipped the switch AGAIN, on my FM Stereo Cassette Player. No, I'm not still trudging along to my mix tapes but yes I am still listening to the radio via a radio, with an antenna no less! 

  So as you start your mornings each day, think of me and say a little prayer that all my gadgets are in order and working functionally! Till then..... 

And then there are your 30's

All to often lately I've been bombarded with feelings of what it's like to age. Whether it's girlfriend "talk" about mammograms, prescription prices or aches and pains, I've been feeling every bit of my 33 years. So as a reflection I have decided to make myself a little stronger, a little happier and a whole lot sexier as I approach 34.
I stood in front of my wardrobe this morning and pouted...literally frown and all! With hands pressed firmly upon my ever growing hips, a sigh escaping my lips and a quick roll of the eyes, I would be resorting again to my "go to" black slacks. Mind you I work in the funeral industry so anything too bright and happy would be a travesty but a little color can't hurt. Color is a fundamental part of happiness. 
Think back to your 13 year old self and how enthusiastically excited you were to get your grubby little hands on that turquoise and hot pink IOU sweatshirt. Yes you wore it everywhere. Yes the graphic print front wore off before you outgrew it but think how happy you were to be swaddled in your painfully colorful sweats. Now think to 18 and how you went to your Senior Prom in that royal blue dress. You had never felt more like a princess and good luck to anyone else who showed up to the soiree, because you looked damn fine girl. When you were 26 you were honored to be asked to stand as your sisters Maid of Honor and couldn't have been any happier with her choice of red for the bridal party. Of course she was the sparkling beauty that day but think of how happy you are looking back at the pictures of you in your mermaid flair "Marilynesque" dress. 
So why then, if color is so monumental in our happiest of memories, are we inclined later in life to throw on the boring, the bland, the blah. Yes maybe our hips have taken a different shape. Maybe too our middle is a bit more round and plump but that is no excuse for pouts in the morning that dare you to dive back under the covers. 
So next time your closet laughs at you as your rubbing the sleep from your eyes...stretch a second longer, smile a tiny bit wider and realize that no matter how much your body has changed, you still have that sexy little sassy attitude that can take you anywhere your heart desires!    

Simple Joys

As a single 30 something I have yet to have children of my own. So tonight will I was babysitting my 5 year old nephew and my 2 year old niece, I was reminded just how simple life really is. Yes the bills have to be paid, work has to be done and laundry always needs folding but what really makes the world livable?
We had just finished up dinner and as I was loading the dishwasher, Timmy, asked to listen to his favorite singer, Michael Jackson. Granted, in his 5 years he has been known to think Beiber is awesome and Selena Gomez is of course "hot" so when he asked to listen to a little Michael, I was happy with the request. As Pandora loaded on the fancy thinking box, Rilynn asked "dance"? At 2, her speech is advanced but we are usually limited to one or two word questions and answers. So to answer her question I said "sure". Just as Smooth Criminal began to fill the living room, her tiny little hand with her pretty little pink polished nails reached out for mine.
For the next half hour or so, I danced through the living room like a little girl with my niece and my nephew, as they laughed, smiled and filled my heart with Joy! The dishes could wait, the world could end and I'd be just fine because I had an evening of belly laughs that that made me smile!

Just an Ordinary Girl. Or am I?

My entire life I have been that blue eyed, blonde haired girl. With that said, most people assume that I was a cheerleader and pledged a sorority. Most think I have no culture, no mystery, no secrets. I don't claim to have been mistreated based on my hair or eye color or even the color of my skin. But I have been misjudged.
While many little girls were sporting tiaras and tutus and playing tea party with their dolls, I was wearing dungarees and climbing trees. I remember days of coming in from the yard for lunch and mom rolling her eyes because I had grass stains or mud on my cute little ironed dresses. When all my "girly" friends wanted to be cheerleaders, I begged my parents to play soccer.
Most weekends in High School and even College were spent with my nose in a book. Usually not the book I should have been highlighting and taking notes on, but instead a book I could lose myself for hours in. I was not the typical party girl and I didn't always make friends easily. I would later attribute this to my sneaky suspicions that although everyone has potential to be kind hearted...not everyone uses that potential.
So recently when I was asked what I did for a living and I explained my occupation to this potential "date", I didn't take kindly to the phrase "oh your just a secretary"? No I am not just a secretary. I am a women. A women who worked her ass off as to earn a Bachelors Degree from an accredited college. A women who shortly after college worked her ass off to get through the police academy and graduate to become a Police Officer. I am a women who once stared down the barrel of a shot gun and was able to keep my cool long enough to talk the offender out of using said firearm. I am a women who has helped family and friends and even complete strangers in times of need. I am a women who loves and loves hard but will never love you again if crossed. I am a women that is strong, can wear a great set of heels, walk in them and still wrestle big tough guys to the ground if necessary. So next time a "date" asks me what I am...I'll let him know I am a women and it doesn't get much better then that!

New to Blogging

So I introduced myself today to the World of Twitter. As I looked around I started adding people and organizations to follow. Ok, I must admit I began to get overwhelmed and went crazy adding everything from political organizations to Tom's Shoes, which I must admit are a great idea but for shoe lovers like me, not so pretty. I had witnessed friends and acquaintances who received the most up to date tweets and was determined to be in the know. As I skipped along my new BFF, Twitter, I added my cell phone number thinking this was the way to stay informed. Needless to say I had to step away for a brief time to do some "work"...but I got the itch a short time later and reached for my phone. There rested 32 messages and an immediate need to delete my number!