Visit with Aunt Loretta on Saturday. It was my first time meeting her and it was such a pleasure.
She gave Erich a scrapbook, some family photos and heirlooms and we all loved looking through everything. I was telling Aunt Loretta about my scrapbooking hobby and that was fun to chat with her about.
I never had butter cake, but found a GF recipe that I’ll have to try. What a lovely afternoon filled with love and laughter.
We gathered at Chris and Verne’s on a sunny warm Sunday afternoon. David and I have been engaged for a month, and our special friends, who have been part of my village for years, wanted to celebrate the happy couple. Chris hugged David and I, followed by Verne, and led us to the house. We were prompted to sit on the sofa— let the showering begin! We were congratulated, then handed a big blue bag. Card first, which I read first, then passed it to David.
It felt like we were kids again throwing tissue paper around like it was our birthday. A beautiful handmade, crocheted lovingly by Chris, afghan waited for our marital bed. David and I, how soft, we can’t wait to snuggle and cuddle underneath.
“One more gift,” Chris prompted, “that will help you handle life’s stresses and your ups and downs, which every couple has.” Emotional Agility, such a loving gift, as our village showers us.
I want to bury him, specifically my memory of Facebook dating gone wrong. I had many dreams perhaps climbing the icy hills of Alberta, or climbing the icy fjords of Norway- I’m the queen of the world, mistress of my own destiny instead of being held back by fear, infidelity, disappearing acts.
Yet, I buried him another way, climbing the hills of growth; meeting and loving an equal half we climb the hills and fjords together- bitterness buried in new memories.
Ah, the first week of April. The first week of David’s birthday month, as well as Shetana’s and all of the other April babies. There’s a lot to be thankful for this first Thursday in April.
Lucy has warmed up to me. She now follows me to bed and cuddles up to me. She’s usually skiddish and this is a big deal. The past few days have been rainy and cold, so I was in the middle of a Lucy and David sandwich. It felt really nice.
I’m being welcomed into my new home and when Mr. B is home, we watch TV together. I’m thankful we can bond and share moments.
I wrote this poem for NaPoWriMo the other day and it applies to Thankful Thursday:
On the windowsill she sits and plays Pokémon Go or photo shoots, she says making room for me, we laugh and talk, though some days we cry, rage, and balk: relationships, moving, engagement, photo lays.
She lends me the money to slay, paint splatters, anxiety, in three days I’ll be laying with fiancé, and Lucy walks on the windowsill.
“Don’t worry about the pay, moving is expensive, focus on loving ways to learn to live together, wedding talk, you have a lot coming up, time stalks.”
A random friendship that began one fall day, best friends, a help to my fiancé, began on the windowsill.
It’s NaPoWriMo and like every year since 2013, I’m participating. Today’s prompt:
Last but not least, here’s our prompt for the day – optional, as always. Today, we’d like to challenge you to write a surreal prose poem. For inspiration, check out Franz Kafka’s collection of short parables (my favorite is “The Green Dragon”).
Happy writing!
Today’s entry:
I sat down at the dining room table and relax. After painting the walls red, it was time for a breather. Before I lay my head down, I noticed a navy blue bag with “love” written in gold.
“I’m going to lock you in. What I’m going to give you will make you cry.”
I text him, was this my surprise? Yes, I could open it if I want to. No, I’ll wait for him to give me the gift. Something tells me that I should wait for him.
I’m covered in red paint when he comes downstairs. He grabs the bag and takes out the box. He lets me open it, there’s a card and artificial red roses on the bottom. They smell lovely. As I take the card out, I see the bracelet. He puts the bracelet on my paint splattered wrist, he’s nervous when he asks, “will you marry me?” Yes! He locks the bracelet, he locked me in. I’m crying happy tears, I hug and kiss him.
He prompts me to read the card that was in the box: to Jessica, my wife.
He raises a toast, a moment he waited for— she said yes, David’s joy, and dad’s joy she weds! They watch the fizz as mom continues to pour, he raises a toast, a moment he waited four, “congratulations,” the glasses clink, drops on the floor. She takes the first sip, then she said— raise a toast—it’s our moment of joy!
It’s hard to believe that this blog was established 6 years ago today. I created this blog on Easter Sunday, 2018, just leaving Islam and exploring Judaism. I deleted Wesley Bear’s Facebook account and was looking for more calm. I thought I would start blogging about my Happiness Box Project.
It’s hard to believe that this blog and project has been around during a pandemic, a weird election and we’re entering another weird election cycle. This blog has shown my adventures, a shituationship, a relationship, an engagement, and moving. This blog and project has grown along with me, inspiring others along the way.
After a long day, it feels great to unwind with two beautiful girls and watch Midsummer Murders. Natasha matches my vibe. Would be better if David was here cuddling too, but it’s a girls only club right now it seems.