Sneakers and Wine

February 22, 2014 I recently began a crossfit program to optimize my health.   It’s challenging and I love it! But what I love even more is looking around at the equipment and the people doing things like rings and pull ups, it reminds me of how I used to play on playground equipment, long before I could ever appreciate the strength it takes to play in such a way. I loved the monkey bars, I never thought of them as work, it was just so much fun to swing from one rung to the next and every once in a while trying to see how many rungs I could skip or just swinging my legs up around a rung and   hanging out upside down for a moment o r two. I spent some time with a very dear friend last night, sipping wine by the fire place, a gentle ending to a cold week.   Our conversation evolved to us talking about our children, letting them grow up, and loss.   At some point I just blurted out, “Life is kinda like monkey bars.   A series of holding on and letting ...

February 5, 2014 Two days ago, a snowday was called for most of Connecticut. Today was truly a gift, it was the perfect moment, soft flakes, temperatures holding steady in the 30s        I took advantage of the moment and slept until 8:00am.   Even though I am well into my thirties, I still get as excited as my children for a snowday! Time to drink my entire cup of coffee, no rush out the door for work and school, waffles, board games, hot chocolate, popcorn, movies, wine, and homemade soup simmering in the crock pot all day!   Snowflakes, especially these soft gentle snowflakes, are a comfort to me.   The day after Aidan died, I woke up and a swirl of snowflakes spun happily in my back yard as I looked out my window wondering and hurting.   Aidan was four when he died just after new years in 2009 from complications related to his premature birth and congenital heart defect. I knew it was him because shortly before his passin...

February 5, 2014 Sneakers and Wine For years people have been coming to me telling me I have to write a book and tell my story.   And for about a year now I have quietly and privately been keeping a journal of the thoughts, realizations, and clarity I have received. I am a single mom, raising four young men, while also trying to balance family, work, friends, health, and fun.  I am finally deciding to attempt to share my journey through a blog  I will call Sneakers and Wine.   As part of my personality, I tend to lean towards extremes and it is only in the past few years I have really learned to balance and center I must allow all things to come and go into my life.   Sneakers and Wine is meant to represent this balance.   In a very direct way, through both I have recovered from repeated tragedies and loss.   The Sneakers, representing a commitment to health, learning to focus on my own journey, yet be aware of all that surrounds me...