Dissipate

I've been disappointed. More than once. I know you can relate. Who hasn't felt this way?

Disappointment brings forth pain.

It gets sticky when the disappointment revolves around my children. You see, I'm not disappointed in them but rather, in some people that surround, or actually, that could surround them. These sort of disappointments sting and inflict the kind of pain that you want to let go real fast, like when you grab a scorchingly hot pan without wearing a glove.

Letting go is the easy part.

In my younger/single days, I'd carry a disappointment for a short time but then I'd let it slip away from me like a fallen silk scarf. Now that I have children, certain disappointments that affect them stick to me like when you walk through a cob web, you feel it and it's difficult to get rid of it.

Moving on is always a bit harder.

The job of having to explain a one-sided truth to them allows me to be fully transparent but only half correct. Still, I must be careful of not transmitting my own pain with the message but as you know, this too can be a treacherous road.

I understand that we are not free from problems. I know that every single one of us has their own troubles and heartaches to deal with. But I also understand that a choice is always made. When it relates to innocent children, they simply want to be loved and cannot fully grasp why anyone would not want to be a part of their lives.

Life is complicated and confusing, eh?

In spite of all this, I'm not teaching them to be hard and unfeeling. Quite the contrary, I'm teaching them to be soft and vulnerable with their feelings because this is what makes them human and raw.

Being human is breathing and feeling and sitting with their pain or disappointment because no matter what, they'll inevitably grow from it.  I can only hope that they emulate what I am showing them in myself.

Hard isn't better. Swallowing an issue for the sake of proving to be 'tough' will not give them what they need to grow.  I want them to know that pain and disappointment are tough but it will eventually dissipate if and when they allow themselves to sit with it and own it.

Dissipate.

I'm trying to parent my daughters without masks or armor. I want them to see me raw and real and vulnerable. I'm choosing to be fully authentic with them. You see, there is always a choice to be made.

When I let disappointment dissipate it doesn't mean that I'm weak or uncaring. It means that there is no point in me holding on to anger and resentment because these are the things that'll consume me if I let it.

For quite some time now I've been diverting my attention and energy toward the people that do want to be a part of my daughters' lives. The ones that enjoy their company and are eager to learn more about them. The ones that celebrate the minuscule details of who they are and the very things that make them smile and laugh out loud.  These are the ones that matter. I don't need to chase the ones that don't put an effort because I'm only taking away from the ones that do.

I know my place and I know when to allow certain things to dissipate. My heart always remains open but I've become strictly selective with how I share my daughter's vulnerable emotions. They'll always get to choose either way. I guess you can call it the 'Tiger Mama' in me. I can't help it.

Children know who genuinely love them. Children know when they are wanted. Children know when not to ask for someone anymore because whether we think so or not, they've owned their pain in some unique way and they too have moved on.

I want my daughters to know that while disappointment is inevitable, allowing it to dissipate is their choice. As their mother I can only provide them with certain tools but I cannot choose how they ultimately utilize them.

Slow

Slow is what I feel like today. I feel like taking several steps back and just breathing in a slow pace. A deliberate pace. A pace that'll make me once again realize that this life is precious and wondrous.

There is a cliché that I've grown to dislike—"enjoy it because they grow up fast", and I say 'dislike' because while I know that this holds some truth, still, it's a nagging reminder that I and most of us take the rushed road toward life.

I don't want fast. I want more slow.

Slow lingers a bit longer. Slow brings you closer to 'in the moment.' Slow let's you enjoy every mundane minute. Slow makes you smile at the glimpses of magic in your life without you ever wondering how you'd miss it. Slow is right here, right now.  

Today is my husband's 42nd birthday. He is my everything. He often reminds me that slow is better than rushed. I love this and many more things about him.

Slow was my walk down the long and narrow isle on my wedding day as I smiled and refused to cry.

Slow were the days of my honeymoon in Italy because we hadn't a care in the world but to be blissfully in love.

Slow was my first labor because I remember every detail of it.

Slow were the days that followed becoming a mother of two. While it was overwhelmingly consuming, I can still remember the scent of my colicky newborn and hear the little voice calling out, "mama", from my sweet 20 month old while she sat and waited for me in her highchair. A difficult and guilt infused memory for me, nevertheless.

Slow were the days that I watched my older two fall in love with their newborn baby sister, my third daughter.  As they admired and kissed her little face, my heart swelled with joy times three.

On this wonderful day, slow is the gift that I've been given and an exceptional man is the one I am celebrating. Happy Birthday to my one and only love...

Slow holds bitter and sweet but slow is still better than rushed.  

Beneath the surface

I always find it interesting to learn what a person's impression of me is.  At the same time, I'm rarely surprised at how little people know about me. I guess this happens to many of us. Right?

There are a handful, and I mean a handful of people who 1) truly know me and 2) actually get me. I don't 'show' much of myself which is contradictory to what you read here. I share a great deal here on this blog.  I'm expressive but I'm very selective with whom I express my deeper self to in 'person.'

It is what it is.

There is a sort of restrain I maintain for the sake of 'safety' and 'trust' and some may not understand this. Worse, they may think it's about them. It's not. The ego always finds a way to fit themselves into the equation. Funny, eh?!

I'm a friendly person but I maintain very little 'close' friends.  I'm loyal and protective with those I love. I'm severely flawed and I'm quite okay with this. What others think of me doesn't define me because although I don't seek the approval of others, I do consider myself altruistic.

At my core, I'm deeply passionate and in tune with the subtleties of body language. I often find myself acutely observing people. Obviously, this is one of the reasons why I'm a writer. Interestingly, my husband shares a few of these qualities along with me and it fascinates me. He's my 'go-to' person and ultimate confidant.  

The one obligation I have toward myself is to be authentic. Self-reflection is oftentimes a difficult task because you don't always like what you see. Wading through all the garbage is tiresome. Tossing out the things that weigh me down is liberating. Choosing to keep individuals that stifle my energy out of my life is a relief. Being selective with whom I put my energy into is smart. This is the process of peeling down the layers of my authentic self. I'm not saying that any of this is easy but it 'is' necessary.  

While having a conversation with a very close friend today, we talked a bit about compassion. I expressed to her that for the past decade I've been cultivating compassion within myself.

It has taken me this long to realize that many individuals whom have willfully inflicted harm and pain toward me are also broken and lost souls that deserve my compassion. Yes, they deserve my compassion.  This awareness did not happen overnight. It has taken me this long to own it. There were certain events that had to happen for me to cultivate and own this emotion.  Follow?

"Forget your personal tragedy. We are all bitched from the start and you especially have to hurt like hell before you can write seriously. But when you get damned hurt use it- don't cheat with it. Be as faithful to it as a scientist." Quote from a letter E. Hemingway wrote to F. S. Fitzgerald in 1934.

The thing about compassion is that it is not an easy feat. No. But it is a reality that has stricken my sense of worth in this world. Contrary to what I witnessed as a young child and for as long as I can remember, the one thing I always knew for sure was what I did 'not' want in my life.

I did not want an unstable life. I did not want a life full of regret. Basically, I did not want to be 'like' my mother. But I needed to be compassionate toward my mother, regardless.  Beneath the surface of my pain and resentment, compassion was being cultivated. It was a choice I made in order to heal and continue to grow and ultimately understand myself.

Growth doesn't come without pain.  Healing doesn't happen without once again ripping the wounds open. Compassion cannot be born without self-reflection.

As a child, my dreams were always bigger than my problems even when I thought the sun would never shine brightly enough. Perhaps this could explain why I'm confident in my own skin no matter what is happening to me. Sure, I get depressed and down and suffer from sudden bouts of anxiety but I don't ever lose my self-confidence. Only a a selected 'few' get to hear my moments of darkness because only a selected 'few' understand me.

I'd be a phony if I told you that I have all my garbage together. I don't. I'm 'far' from it. I've never claimed to have anything 'together' and I'm okay with this. I'm okay with telling you that I am a mess.  I. Am. A. Mess. Questions?

Most of us are a lot more complicated that what we seem while others simply seem ordinary. We all have our flaws and this is what makes us so interesting and beautiful. What fun would it be if we were all perfect? Blah, no way! Imperfect is way better. We are human. Imperfect beautiful humans.

Beneath the surface, I know that I am a rare and valuable individual. We all are.

One is like a pearl, sometimes irregular but always beautiful...

Beneath the surface of all this mess there is a compassionate soul.

We all have something that we need to work on and work with. Be authentic with yourself and you'll find your pearl beneath the surface too...

I Am NOT Supermom but I AM Mom Enough

The other day I was feeling overwhelmed, consumed and simply up to my neck with everything around me so I updated my personal Facebook page to read this:

There were more threads of people who commented (I just didn't snap the entire screen shot.)

You may say: 'Ok, fine. No big deal.' 

Now this comes as no surprise but you know what I noticed, yet again? That every single mother out there is practically in the same boat as me.

We're all struggling to keep our sanity, our homes in order, our kids fed and bathed and ALIVE, our life in some semblance of balance, yet we still put an enormous amount of pressure on ourselves no matter how many times we know this fact: "I'm NOT supermom."

I second guess my parenting decisions, DAILY. But I'm doing my BEST.
I worry that I'm scarring my kids in some emotional way, DAILY.  But I'm doing my BEST.
I struggle with feeling inadequate as a mother, DAILY.  But I'm doing my BEST.
I don't know what each day will bring me. But I'm doing my BEST.

There are so many other ridiculous things that would take up this entire post but I just don't want to do that to you. Follow?

Repeat after me, "I. Am. NOT. Supermom. But. I. AM. Mom. Enough."

Why do we do this to ourselves?

Here's one thing I KNOW for sure: There is no RIGHT way or WRONG way to parent. Period.

We're parents. We make mistakes, we do wonderful and not so wonderful things, we learn, we cry, we praise, we support, we give, we receive, we love and we're HUMAN.

Human.

So when TIME Magazine published their cover that read, "Are You Mom Enough?" along with the blogger, Jamie Lynne Grumet and her 'standing' breastfeeding toddler, I wasn't so much offended by the fact that a three-year-old was nursing but more about the hook and posture of the entire image.

Mom enough? Really?

Stooped on a chair, nursing? Really? No breastfeeding mother I know nurses her toddler in this fashion.  It's absurd and contradictory with how nursing a toddler is really done.  

I was baffled.

TIME got what they wanted. A seriously heated debate.

It has taken me days to let the rage settle and the hurt to subside. Rage because this depiction is insane. Hurt because I'm simply tired of yet another media incited 'mommy war' to take on another stab at ALL mothers.

This is a stab to every mother on this planet. Why? Because here is another tactic to cause 'the great debate' over parenting styles.

Just to be clear, I embrace, practice and advocate home-birthing, attachment parenting, long-term breastfeeding, co-sleeping, baby-wearing and pretty much all the other 'unconventional' parenting practices.  It doesn't matter to me what parenting style you embrace or practice for your child so long as you're not judging and placing a stigma on the ones that differ from yours.

Who am I to judge or criticize any mother or her choices?

My mother was not an attached parent and did not breastfeed me or my four sisters. She parented me as best she could. I'm okay with this.

This is not about good mom/bad mom. If you ask me, that term should not even exist because if you're a mom, you're simply doing your best. Period.

What is grossly missing in today's society with respect to mothers as a whole is one simple thing:

Compassion.

There is zero compassion for the working mom.
There is zero compassion for the breastfeeding mom.
There is zero compassion for the formula feeding mom.
There is zero compassion for the mentally ill mom.
There is zero compassion for the mother who has a baby as a result of rape or incest.
There is zero compassion for the mother who gave her baby up for adoption.
There is zero compassion for the stay-at-home-mom.
There is zero compassion for the mother who turned away for a split second and lost sight of her child.
There is zero compassion for the lesbian mom.
There is zero compassion for the single mom.
There is zero compassion for the artificially inseminated and unmarried mom.
There is zero compassion for the mother who had an elective c-section.
There is zero compassion for the mother who chose to terminate her pregnancy.
There is zero compassion for the mother who forgot her baby in a heated car.
There is zero compassion for mothers. Period.

Yes, I strongly believe that there is little to no compassion in the areas I listed above and many, many more.

If mothers continue trekking down this 'mommy war' road then how does this shed a positive example for our children?  What will our children think of all this drama? How are we shaping their impression of motherhood, moms, mom culture and parenting collectively?

I think we need to start with extending a heck of a lot more compassion in ALL areas of mothering, motherhood, parenting and the like.

Let's BE compassionate toward each other.

My friend and editor over at ShePosts, Kristen Howerton, wrote a phenomenal piece on her blog, Rage Against the Minivan, where she brings up an undeniable and important factor in the mom world:
"Where is the Mommy War for the Motherless Child?", just read it and you'll see.

Her points are mind-blowing and her tone is just what the world NEEDS to hear.
These are the 'wars' I applaud, back-up and am the first one to stand up and shout for.
Thank you, Kristen!

While I and most of us moms are not supermoms, I can proudly say and with smug smile, we ARE mom enough.  Period.

Mom, remember when...

There were some pivotal things I learned from my mother and other things about her that I'd simply like to forget. Still, I love her dearly.

I was sitting at a café down the street from my house the other morning, Luna was watching a flick on the Kindle Fire and I starting thinking long and hard about the positive things my mother had imparted to me as a young girl.

I always knew that I wanted to be a mother.  Children are gifts.  Mothering is an art.  Feeling completely consumed by mothering your children and trying to do it 'right' is a natural and expected emotion.  I feel the latter quite often.  Still, I love being a mother. Period.

My mother confessed to me once that she wasn't too thrilled about having children but that she was glad she had had all five of us.  Of course, she had her first child at age 16 and no one WANTS a child at that age, right?!  

She always wanted to travel.  Her dream job was to become a flight attendant (a Stewardess back then) and to be free to roam the globe as she pleased.

Instead, she takes care of two children that are not related to her.  She's a nanny.  Those children spend more time with her than her own grandkids do.  Life is funny that way.

She once told me that she wished she could have her five daughters and nine grandchildren in one room together, sharing and being her family.  I don't know that this will ever happen but I sure wish I could give it to her even for just one moment.

Her life is filled with so much regret that perhaps this one little gesture would ease her pain just a little...
Or maybe I'm being a little too optimistic?

I came up with four things my mother taught me.

1. Give and don't expect anything back:
My mother never told me this but she taught it to me by her generous way toward others and her charismatic demeanor.

She has a fickle heart but she's genuine in her actions.

Growing up, I found myself wanting to help others because of my mom.  My mother gives until she barely has enough for herself and she'll never ask for anything in return.

Simply how she is and I like that about her.

2. Be cautious with your decisions:
My mother never really voiced this lesson either, however, I did watch her every step and analyzed her choices and decisions closely.  There was always a sense of doubt in her choices.

Her doubt often expressed itself through her candid ability to flee in retreat from her decision making.  It inadvertently affected me in such way that nine out of ten times I'm looked upon as being way too cautious.  I'm okay with that.  

3. Keep good friends close:
My mother estranged herself from her family for about 10 years.  I was about five years old.  I have no recollection of ever hugging or kissing my maternal grandmother, Carmen.  I have no memories of playing with my other cousins, my mother's nieces and nephews, that were my age.

My mother relied heavily on her friends and her 'chosen family.'  I grew up feeling and believing that family wasn't worth having around because they'd probably never be there for you when you really needed them.  This is what I saw.  This is what I lived.  This is the only thing I knew.  

Somewhere deep down in my soul I knew that there was something missing. Still, I value family.  I love connecting with relatives and I look at relationships much differently than the way I observed them as a child. 

I keep my friends close.  I'm selective in how I engage but I'm authentic and genuine in my actions.  My mother taught me that friends are sometimes a little better than family.  Then there are times where one ends up coming back to one's roots to further understand themselves.  

My dearest friends are my heart and they know it... 

4. Be self-sufficient:

One random day my mother said to me, "Don't ever depend on a man for security."  I was 10 years old. It was a bold statement.  I understood what she meant.  I also knew that she wasn't practicing her own advice.  

For some unknown reason, her advice seared itself in my mind.  It made a huge impression on me.  I'm so glad she said this to me because it further cemented my desire, passion and will to follow my dreams no matter who or what was standing in front of me.  

My teenage years were a challenge because I struggled with my mother to take me to school or work.  

I held a 25 hour per week part-time job while in tenth grade.  Every two-weeks, I'd give her half of my paycheck, something I felt like I had to do.  She often said that she was either too busy or that she didn't have enough gas to take me to school or work.  Thank goodness for public transportation and a couple of friends.  

These challenges shaped who I am.  For better or worse, I thank my mother for this.   

The other day, I asked my mother what color tulips she liked most, "Pink.", she said. 

So I got her these... just a blooming reminder that I love her.     

*To my dear and loyal readers, I wish you all a lovely Mother's Day... ♥

Mom 2.0 Summit: Insight and Inspiration

Mom 2.0 Summit brings together a variety of moms, dads, bloggers, brands and social media experts.

This was my very first blog conference.  I had no idea what to expect.  I was open and willing to learn everything and anything that it had to offer.

Needless to say, I was blown away.

The first event was the White Party.  Attendees and brands networked and got to meet one another.  The crowd was lively and we all had a fabulous time.

Of course being in Miami, it was Mojito central!!

I die for baby toes! 

These cute little toes belong to Jane Maynard's of Daily Buzz Moms baby! 

Image via Mi Caminar

White Party at The Ritz-Carlton

I got a whole lot from this conference, probably more than I bargained for.

Here's my under $50 outfit for day 1 of the conference.
All except for the shoes are from Goodwill!

Top: Loft- $3

Necklace: Vintage-$8

Skirt: No brand-$4

Shoes: Zappos $30

Lunch and Dessert was sponsored by Aldi on Friday.

At one point during the conference I felt a bit overwhelmed.  I was worried that a slight little panic was going to rise in me.

It was not because of the amount of people, rather more because of the amazing speakers and breakout sessions.  The breakout sessions were individual blocks sectioned off for the attendees to get more out of the conference, i.e,. 'improving your blog through social media', 'discovering the right direction for you' or 'standing in the spotlight', just to name some.  

Note to self:  A tab bit of over excitement can bring on a migraine.  Just remember that.   

The highlight of the event for me was listening to the amazing Brené Brown speak. 

WOW.

Amazed.

Inspired.

Moved.

Brené brought pure heart to the entire conference.  Her words were uplifting and her spirit was exactly where she puts her message into—Compassion.  

"We have to normalize discomfort"-Brené Brown

 I was thrilled to personally meet and have her sign one of her books for me.  It was awesome.

"Tell the story of who you are with your whole heart"- Brené Brown

If you want to hear more from Brené, watch her Ted Talk here. 

It was also very exciting to meet some top bloggers that I read and follow.  I also met the editors of the site I contribute to, ShePosts.

I mentioned to one of them that while social media is an amazing platform, nothing can beat the face-to-face connection that's made when you meet someone.  There is a void that's filled.

I'm all for social media but I also know how important it is to connect face-to-face with people.
Just grateful I was able to do this... 

Kristen Howerton, editor of ShePosts and author of Rage Against the Minivan. 

That's us at the Versace Mansion Party! 

What I learned from Kristen? Write what you're passionate about even if it's controversial. 

Gabrielle Blair of Design Mom 

I briefly met Gabrielle while she was trying to eat.  I kindly asked her to pause for a photo.  

She was generous and sweet. 

What I learned from Gabrielle? Take risks! 

She and her husband and six children moved to France almost on a whim and they love it! 

I admire this spontaneity... 

Cecily Kellogg of Uppercase Woman and Babble's Mom Crunch 

was my bus ride buddy to the Versace Mansion.  

Don't you just love her bold pink hair?! It was great to chat with her.  

Made some West coast buddies! Alexis Gentry (middle-from Seattle) of Design Sundries

and Cathy Pollak (wine maker from Oregon) of Noble Pig

Another big plus for me was meeting and connecting with local Miami mom bloggers! 

Alexis (far left) of The Exhausted Mom and 

Caroline (on the right side of me) of Smarty Pants Mama

Both amazing women! 

Simply thrilled to have met all of these awesome mamas... 

I'm still feeling the effects of the positive energy and inspiration I got from the Mom 2.0 Summit.  

The fact that I went and made such incredible connections reminds me that we're all striving to inspire the many that come to our blogs, read us, follow us, comment and share the love. 

If you blog, continue.

If you comment, continue.

If you read, continue.

If you have a passion, continue.

Nothing can stop you from achieving your dreams... 

So. Worth. It.

Gearing up for Mom 2.0 Summit!

I'm beyond thrilled to be attending my very first conference this weekend!! All the fun starts today at Mom 2.0 Summit being held at The Ritz-Carlton on Key Biscayne.  White Sand White Party here I come!

For some weeks now I've been able to connect with really nice moms/bloggers over some Facebook groups, Twitter feeds and Pinterest boards.  I have no idea what to expect from this event.  I'm new to all of this so there is nervous excitement in one place here.

I'm open and ready to connect.  Period.

I'm simply looking forward to meeting and connecting with all of the wonderful moms, bloggers, entrepreneurs, media sponsors, sponsors and everyone else in between.  You can view their awesome schedule here.

If truth be told, I normally don't like crowds and I steer away from large groups but I'm definitely going to let my hair down (well, my short hair, at least) and go with it.  I'm hoping to be surprised and inspired by all around me.  I'll be tweeting my way through it (or try to!)

I'll post pics and fun stuff as soon as I have it.  If you'll be there, please find me!

Wish me luck!

Boston: A view

Darling hubby and I went on a little escape to Boston this past weekend.  We were looking to spend quality time with one another without the craziness of being parents to three darling little girls.
We thank Grandma a MILLION times for offering herself and her home to her three sweeties!
Thank you!!

We had never visited this wonderful city and we were pleasantly surprised on many levels.  

For starters, Bostonians are over-the-top NICE, which is unusual for us coming from a 'not so friendly' city. It didn't matter where or what we were doing, anyone was willing to help.  That was awesome.

Secondly, the city is very clean and extremely easy to navigate.  We used Boston's public transportation the entire time.  The subway line is clear and simple and many things are in walking distance.  We got ourselves a Charlie Card, Boston's re-useasble and re-fillable card ticket, and we were good to go.  Simple.

DAY 1:

Our room view at the Ames Hotel  

After we checked in to our hotel, one of the first places 

we stopped to get a midday lunch was at Parish Cafe.  

What a treat! The concierge had recommended it and we LOVED it.  

I had a scrumptious omelette with goat cheese and grilled veggie sandwich 

on a french baguette with a glass of white wine. Delicious. 

There were flowers everywhere.  So gorgeous! 

I kid you not, we walked everywhere! 

Most of the buildings were spectacular. 

Next, we hopped on the subway and made our way to the grand Museum of Fine Arts.  

That is Green Glass Tree by Dale Chihuly. Incredible!  

Degas' bronze splendid ballerina...

I'm a huge fan of Degas so every time I see his work, I'm entranced. 

After viewing some incredible art, we took a break at the MFA cafe.  I was so sleepy here...

Notice in this Sargent piece how they displayed the vases on either side of the artwork 

that are also the original ones in the painting.  

Pretty cool to me!  

The MFA was a great place to visit.  

You cannot go to Boston without viewing all of the original art there.

DAY 2:
We visited the New England Aquarium on our second day in Boston.  Such a wonderful experience! Of course, the entire time DH and I thought about our three little girls and how we couldn't wait to bring them there to see it as well.  There were so many activities and hands-on learning for the kids.  We're already looking forward to seeing the looks on our girls' faces when we finally take them there.
Here's some of what we saw...

The penguins! Oh the penguins were so adorable! 

The aquatic life they had on display was outrageous.  So much to learn and view and experience.  

A definite visit for children! 

After our visit to the Aquarium, we stopped in at Legal Seafood and had a terrific lunch. 

Crab cakes and New England Clam Chowder. Yum. 

We took a stroll down the Long Wharf. 

This is us having a grand time and sitting overlooking Long Wharf... 

Later we took a nice stroll along the Boston Commons which is a lovely park centrally located and easy to get to and get through.  It was very relaxing and peaceful.  

Overlooking the lovely lake... 

The gorgeous tulips... 

Documenting my DH while he documented me... 

Pure peace... 

Social networking in the park... 

The strolling bridge...

Happy two... 

A little piece of the park... 

Geese in Boston Commons from Vanessa Jubis on Vimeo.

DAY 3: 

On our third and last full day we went whale watching off the Stellwagon Bank, which is a National Marine Sanctuary. Neither of us had ever done this before so it was a first.  

Because we didn't want to risk getting sea sick, we both took a full dose of Dramamine and it worked like a charm. We enjoyed the very cold ride out to the protected site and we were actually able to spot a few whales.  It was a fun and exciting experience.  

We loved it.  Again, we cannot wait to take our girls to do this as well.  

Boston from the sea... what a sight... 

We enjoyed every moment of our escape and fell in love with the beautiful city of Boston... 

It was a wonderful time for us because we'd been needing to re-charge ourselves.  Between stress and worries and problems galore, it's always nice to step back and away from the everyday craziness and focus on the two people that count. Our marriage is the glue that binds all of this.  There are also three little people that are depending and counting on us to stay sane, glued and unscathed. 

I can never promise my girls that I will never fall apart but I can surely promise them that I'll do my very best to keep the flames of my love for their father alive and constantly burning.  

They're counting on me, on him, on us and we're happy to provide them with this constant.    

Here's to many more small or last minute getaways with my darling husband.  It was fabulous... 

I'll leave you with a short view of our fabulous room at the Ames Hotel in Boston.
Built in 1893, the Ames Building was the tallest building in Boston until 1915.
Being a landmark, it will always be known as Boston's first skyscraper.

We. Were. Blown. Away. 

AMES HOTEL BOSTON from Eduardo Jubis on Vimeo.