Recently, it was brought to my attention, that I am not posting to Kimmy's blog daily...I hadn't realized. You see, I am writing, more than I ever have before. I have to. But, I am being published in other areas...in fact, to my surprise, someone mentioned that they had read a piece that I had published out there...
Lately, I find that I am beginning to forget...my memories grow thin...I told someone the other day, that I cannot remember December, January and most of February, so locked in horror that I was...but, as the curtain lifts, I feel the urge, the need, to get some memories out there - and I've tried to say it out loud, but am not able/allowed to...? And so I write...a lot...about a lot. Some things that you know about...some that would surprise most...
As for memory getting thin, today, at school, the 5th grade had a baby shower for Mrs. Rudzena (Casey), Aut's teacher. I was asked to bring strawberries. Kim would have baked a ton of stuff for this. At first, I was going to wash the couple of containers of strawberries that I bought, and bring them to school in the plastic shell that they were sold in...then, Kim haunted me, telling me to at least cut the stems off and put them in a bowl...so, of course, I did. One of the events that they put together (thanks Jenni for handling this!), was to fill in a journal page that would be compiled into a book for Casey. It had categories on it, like 'advice for mom'. One of the categories was 'favorite childhood memory'...I stared and I stared at the page and got...nothing...did I have a childhood? I couldn't remember. Anything. And then, Kimmy haunted me again....I heard a soft whisper..."meeting Mama"...And it was like a jolt of lightning! The memory of that day rushing back into my mind like a tsunami...my little Kim had saved me...again.
Here's another entry from Kimmy's journal:
December 21, 2003
Our first Christmas party!! (after 9 years of living there - Kim's shyness was lifting!) Santa made an appearance to surprise all the children. We had all of our friends (Shannon & David, Andrea & Mario, Kristie and Ross, Courtney and Shawn, and others) and their kids enjoy an Italian Christmas with us! We made the food ourselves. Vodka sauce w/ pasta, bolognese sauce w/ penne, chicken picatta, salad and fruit. The desserts were from Viro's - yum! Even our favorite teachers came - Miss Ami Daniels and her sister Mary, and Miss Annabelle Rios. Ami and Cody sat on the floor playing with his racetrack from Santa and Tonio enjoyed Mary's company until he fell asleep in her arms! What a blast it was! The kids decorated gingerbread men with sprinkles and frosting and the 'men' played foosball!
It was a nice Christmas. Ross, who works for Costco, and his wife Kristie (the third of Angie's daughters), had helped Kim get me a new foosball table for Christmas. We put it on the back porch, built a roaring fire in our fire pit and played late into the night....I remember playing with Mario and his son David...I had wanted a table for many years, and Kim had come through, as usual!
Tomorrow ends the school year for the bambini...how fast it went...how weird time flowed this year...they are sad, but excited for the next school year, but mostly looking forward to the summer...I will take 55 days off...55. A number that makes me appreciate each and every moment. A number that makes me pledge to care for the bambini, paying special attention to their needs, without tiring, or becoming frustrated, loving them for each and every minute of those 55 days....55. So short, and yet, so long...
Love,
Dave
Lately, I find that I am beginning to forget...my memories grow thin...I told someone the other day, that I cannot remember December, January and most of February, so locked in horror that I was...but, as the curtain lifts, I feel the urge, the need, to get some memories out there - and I've tried to say it out loud, but am not able/allowed to...? And so I write...a lot...about a lot. Some things that you know about...some that would surprise most...
As for memory getting thin, today, at school, the 5th grade had a baby shower for Mrs. Rudzena (Casey), Aut's teacher. I was asked to bring strawberries. Kim would have baked a ton of stuff for this. At first, I was going to wash the couple of containers of strawberries that I bought, and bring them to school in the plastic shell that they were sold in...then, Kim haunted me, telling me to at least cut the stems off and put them in a bowl...so, of course, I did. One of the events that they put together (thanks Jenni for handling this!), was to fill in a journal page that would be compiled into a book for Casey. It had categories on it, like 'advice for mom'. One of the categories was 'favorite childhood memory'...I stared and I stared at the page and got...nothing...did I have a childhood? I couldn't remember. Anything. And then, Kimmy haunted me again....I heard a soft whisper..."meeting Mama"...And it was like a jolt of lightning! The memory of that day rushing back into my mind like a tsunami...my little Kim had saved me...again.
Here's another entry from Kimmy's journal:
December 21, 2003
Our first Christmas party!! (after 9 years of living there - Kim's shyness was lifting!) Santa made an appearance to surprise all the children. We had all of our friends (Shannon & David, Andrea & Mario, Kristie and Ross, Courtney and Shawn, and others) and their kids enjoy an Italian Christmas with us! We made the food ourselves. Vodka sauce w/ pasta, bolognese sauce w/ penne, chicken picatta, salad and fruit. The desserts were from Viro's - yum! Even our favorite teachers came - Miss Ami Daniels and her sister Mary, and Miss Annabelle Rios. Ami and Cody sat on the floor playing with his racetrack from Santa and Tonio enjoyed Mary's company until he fell asleep in her arms! What a blast it was! The kids decorated gingerbread men with sprinkles and frosting and the 'men' played foosball!
It was a nice Christmas. Ross, who works for Costco, and his wife Kristie (the third of Angie's daughters), had helped Kim get me a new foosball table for Christmas. We put it on the back porch, built a roaring fire in our fire pit and played late into the night....I remember playing with Mario and his son David...I had wanted a table for many years, and Kim had come through, as usual!
Tomorrow ends the school year for the bambini...how fast it went...how weird time flowed this year...they are sad, but excited for the next school year, but mostly looking forward to the summer...I will take 55 days off...55. A number that makes me appreciate each and every moment. A number that makes me pledge to care for the bambini, paying special attention to their needs, without tiring, or becoming frustrated, loving them for each and every minute of those 55 days....55. So short, and yet, so long...
Love,
Dave
Gosh, I remember that night so well, the racetrack and alll...hard to believe that was almost 8 years ago?? Wow...well enjoy your 55 days! Hopefully we won't go 55 days without seeing all of you! :)
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