Swirling Thoughts

It's been a few days, and I've found that I have a ton of thoughts swirling around my brain...certainly not bad thoughts...just a lot of them. But, I've realized that the beauty of this cyber journal is, above all things, its ability to make room in my overactive, often ADD riddled brain. So here they are...

It was a beautiful weekend (despite, of course, the embarrassment that was the Yankees v. Red Sox series).

After the 4:00pm mass exodus that took place at my office on Friday afternoon, I spent the weekend with the ManBoy in the city. We watched the game with his roommates and went out for a great night on the UES.

Saturday was gorgeous, and the best part was the ManBoy didn't have to work. We spent the day in the park (sneezing) eating hot dogs and strawberry frozen fruits (ummm SO good!), reading and generally catching up. We talked for hours about our pasts, our future, our families, and our faith. It was one of those rare afternoons where you really feel like you checked in with yourself and the one that you love.

That night we had date night (my fav!). We went to the Blue Water Grill for dinner and spent some quality time together before he had to leave (at 4:45am) on a business trip for Los Angeles.

His job requires that he fly out there for a few days (or weeks) at a time and it's incredibly difficult to adjust to the feeling of not having him here. But, the time we spend apart makes it that much clearer how much we mean to each other. I miss him every minute he's away, yet I'm thankful that we get to use that time to appreciate how great a life we have together and how lucky we are to be with each other as often as we are.

Sunday I went back to Jersey for the day. I went to church in the morning with my bestest and offered my opinion on the new wardrobe she's purchased to meet, for the first time, a boy she's been talking to for the last few weeks (it's complicated...read her blog, you'll understand...and even if you don't you'll at least be up to speed on her keep-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat thriller of a love life).

I also got to witness my first cousin's confirmation and celebrate this auspicious occasion in his life of faith. It was incredible to see a boy, I've known only as a child, begin to take on the characteristics of an adult, and dare I say, a man.

My family is a large one. We are loud, opinionated, and close, both emotionally and geographically, which always makes for a good time when we all get together. I love them.

After the confirmation, we all went out to eat together. It was a great time, though it was strange not having the ManBoy there. My cousin, at one point during the meal, leaned over to my sister and I and said, "I've been reading your dad's book on how to give great toasts and I think I'm going to give one before we start eating". {Explanation: My father is known for his touching, often rambling, funny, but always heartfelt toasts.}

Before we began to eat, my cousin tapped on his water glass and, with very little difficulty, commanded the attention of the table (not an easy task with my family). He then began to give a beautiful toast to my grandfather, who had sponsored him at the confirmation and who has been sick over the last few weeks. It was incredible to see how moved my grandfather was and how mature and confident my cousin seemed. A palpable shift had taken place. If the kids in the family were becoming adults, what did that make me?

I guess it's just strange for me to finally have a seat at the adults table when, for so long, I've been with the kids. I suppose it's about time though. I've never really thought of myself as anything but an adult, and with my brother having recently gotten married and living down in Kentucky, I guess I'm next in line to move up.

It's not to say I'm not ready - I am, I guess I've just been elbowing my way in for so long, it feels odd to have someone just pull me up a chair...