Thank you to Sarah, of PINK CEREAL AND RASPBERRIES fame, for the Five Questions!

1. What is your favorite memory?
Being able to hold my baby in my arms for the first time. It took a few days, an incubator and a lot of tears, but when it happened, I was overwhelmed with tremendous joy and an infinite, unbelievable love.

2. If you could go anywhere in the world, but you would have to stay there for a year, where would you go (and you can't pick anywhere within your home state)?
London, next to my own little place in my own little world, my favorite place in which to exist.

3. What do you like the most about yourself (interpret that as you will)?
This is quite difficult - there is so little. Let's see...I like that I am a mommy the most in terms of my identity. Physically speaking, I think that my hands are my best feature. Personality-wise, I like that I am a bit ballsy.

4. Who's your favorite daughter? j/k. If you could have had another child, what gender would you have wanted, and why?
WOW - another toughie. I love the daughter that I have so very much, it's hard to imagine that I could love another girl equally, but I believe that I could, and that is what I would want to have. My daughter would have had a good playmate, someone with whom to share her family life. Presuming that I would have this child with the same father, I would not want a boy, because I think my husband would have been much too hard on a son.

5. When you're feeing blue, what makes you feel better?
Rum and coke - haha - a phone call or text message from my girl - the mere thought of her puts a smile on my face!

If you'd like to play:
Leave me a comment saying, “Interview me!”
-I will respond by e-mailing you five questions. I get to pick them, and you have to answer them all.
-You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
-You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
-When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Goodbye

T = terrific

I = inquisitive

M = marvelous

M = meowing

Y = yackety

God bless you. I will love you always.

However

I watched the mother of a dead girl speaking at her only child's memorial service; the anguish and loss and profound grief so overwhelmed me. I, too, am the mother of an only child, a girl. I cannot say that I feel this woman's sorrow; I do not, cannot feel that; the mere thinking of such a tragedy is not something that my head or my heart can even begin to process. I'm so sorry it's you; I'm so glad it's not me - that fine line becomes invisible. But my sympathy for this woman, who lost her best friend, her beautiful child, her blessed daughter, runs deep and true.

I know that a parent of seven children feels this same sorrow. Yet, I have to believe that it is different, somehow. No other child will ever or can ever take the place of the one who has died; no matter how many children there are in the world, there is only one of each. But their babies depend on them to help cope with their sadness; the parenting must go on.

I am the sister of a boy who died. My mother's loss was tremendous, I know. She could not be a mom anymore. My brother died; my father took from me what my mother, in her unimaginable grief, could no longer give him. I not only lost my big brother, I lost my mother and myself as well.

But I don't know gone without good-bye

If I could reach the sky I'd bring her right back to your arms
Though I haven't seen your girl, she's forever in my life

BRIAN LITTRELL - GONE WITHOUT GOODBYE

Yes, I know that there are bigger things to worry about, and I have prayed for the students, faculty, families and gunman involved in the V-Tech massacre. But my world is very small, and in my bubble, I, indeed, understand that bad things happen to good people, and I do not blame God - there are bad people in the world, whether your world be as large as the world actually is or as tiny as my precious one.

The Giants bullpen is working my last nerve, as it is Matt Cain's, I am quite certain.

Yes, I know that there are more important things that happen in the world, heroes abound. But my world includes less than ten people that mean the world to me.

My daughter continues to fill my bubble with pride and joy and happiness. It is a wonderment to me that such a child could have magically and blessedly found her way out of a home that was not always what it should have been; we were all finding our way. She was able to help me grow up and come out (fairly) intact on the otherside, all the while, growing up herself and becoming this amazing woman. I thank her and our Blessed Mother for this; I am well aware that it had absolutely nothing to do with me.

Yes, there are tragedies and there is the overcoming of them. But in my small world, these are the experiences and people that matter.

Oh my! As far as any random weekend goes, this last one was marvelous, darling! Now, you throw in Easter and my birthday, and I have to say this was one of the BEST WEEKENDS EVER! From the beginning (my 51st), to the middle (Easter Vigil...oh, and pie), to the end (Easter Sunday, dinner, a superb dessert, Leo, Mark, Matt and Jack - they weren't dessert, exactly...), it was SUPER FANTASTIC!

Thank you to my wonderful little family for all the love - I truly felt it in a big way!

Seeing the love shared between my child and her beau is a thing of beauty...I don't think there is anything that makes me quite as happy.

I BELIEVE

Another "stolen" entry - but some things just need to be said!

I believe -
. . that just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other. And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do.

I believe -
. . that we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.

I believe -
. . that no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you should forgive them for that.

I believe -
. . that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.

I believe -
. . that you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

I believe -
. . that it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I believe -
. . that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

I believe -
. . that you can keep going long after you think you can't.

I believe -
. . that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

I believe -
. . that either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I believe -
. . that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I believe -
. . that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I believe -
. . that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.

I believe -
. . that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down, will be the ones to help you get back up.

I believe -
. . that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry.

I believe -
. . that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do
with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I believe -
. . that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others.
Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I believe -
. . that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I believe -
. . that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

I believe -
. . that you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.

I believe -
. . two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

I believe -
. . that your life can be changed in a matter of seconds by people who don't even know you.

I believe -
. . that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.

I believe -
. . that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

Thank you, Mr. Stewart

Forever Young

May the good Lord be with you
Down every road you roam
And may sunshine and happiness
Surround you when you're far from home
And may you grow to be proud
Dignified and true
And do unto others
As you'd have done to you
Be courageous and be brave
And in my heart you'll always stay
Forever young, forever young
Forever young, forever young

May good fortune be with you
May your guiding light be strong
Build a stairway to heaven
With a prince or a vagabond

And may you never love in vain
And in my heart you will remain
Forever young, forever young
Forever young, forever young
Forever young
Forever young

And when you finally fly away
I'll be hoping that I served you well
For all the wisdom of a lifetime
No one can ever tell

But whatever road you choose
I'm right behind you, win or lose
Forever young, forever young
Forever young, forever young
Forever young, forever young
For, forever young, forever young

3 not so beautiful things:
1. Shopping for an Easter outfit by myself...so, I didn't, and I won't.
2. Realizing that nothing is the way it's always been.
3. Feeling sorry for myself.