The Godfather

Seeing as I’m not particularly religious, I don’t really get the idea of god-parents. After googleing the term (as I do), the purpose became clear: a god-parent is supposed to help raise your children in the way of whatever religion you subscribe to in your absence. But going beyond that, I think a god-parent is someone who maintains a special 2-way relationship with the god-child. A non-blood relative who is part of the family is how I see it. Choosing someone to be a god-parent is a big deal. They’re expected to be there for a baby, kid, teenager, and eventually adult who they aren’t related to in any way whatsoever. To provide support for someone they had no help in creating.

 

I envision for Sophie’s god-parents to be there for birthdays and special occasions. Give her advice when she needs it and sometimes when she doesn’t. Help her out financially or otherwise if she’s struggling. But above all that, to guide her to be an awesome, stable, healthy and loved person. I imagine long philosophical debates, dates to get ice cream, trips to the zoo, and dispensing advice about her first boyfriend.

 

For me, there was only 1 person I could ask to be Sophie’s god-father. I know first hand the kind of support he is willing and able to give, as he has given it to me over the last 10 years. His name is Brad, and while he is an ex (and the most serious one to date), he is also still probably my best friend. I met him when I was 19 and we dated pretty much my entire adult life until I was 25. Because of the fact that we grew up as adults together, we agree on almost everything, have a ton in common, and he is probably the most intelligent person I know (besides myself, obviously). While a “god”-parent is supposed to raise the “god”-child in the ways of, well, god, I know he will raise Sophie in the way of intellect. And good taste in music. Brad and I have been through hell and back, he has seen me at my worst and my best, and I dearly love him still to this day. I always knew he would always be a part of my life somehow, and I am thankful that in can be in this capacity.

 

I am not sure how my future will pan out, none of us can be. I do know though that the people that love me in my life will always do right by Sophie. I am thankful that for everything I have been through I have this amazing family and extended family that are so good to me. And I am thankful that Brad accepted being her god-parent. He really is almost an extension of myself (except that fact that he is slowly becoming more and more politically conservative) and I know Sophie will grow up loving him! I did tell him, however, that if he ever registers republican, his god-parent privileges will be revoked. And I mean it.

MOvember Week 4: Thanksgiving Edition

This year there are so many things to be thankful for, despite the hardships I have faced. In April I found out my Mom was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer, which the Doctors said was inoperable, incurable, and gave her a short time span to live. Earlier this month, the Doctors exclaimed my Mom was in REMISSION! Can you believe that?! What a miracle it was. She continued to do two more rounds of chemo, and in January will start a 6 week radiation program just to kick that damn cancer while it’s down. While she initially lost all her hair, it is now grown back a little, and its short and gray and she looks like a MUCH hotter Jamie Lee Curtis. So I guess that is mostly what I have to be thankful for this year. Also, I found out in July that I was pregnant with my first child, and even though the father decided to leave us in September, and I’m going through hardships with finding a place to live and dealing with being a single parent, I am thankful that God blessed me with a baby girl, which is what I’ve always wanted. I decided to name her Sophie Pearl. Sophie just because I loved the name, and Pearl after my Mom’s middle name. Each doctor’s visit, she is healthy and growing on schedule, and feeling her kick and move each day in response to my pokes, prodes, and voice is… well, it’s simply amazing. I’m very thankful that Sophie Pearl has the best grandparents in the world, along with an aunt who is gonna spoil the hell out of her, and of course all my best friends who have done everything they can for me through this difficult situation. I love you all, family and friends, and on top of ALL OF THAT, I was able to participate in MOvember, and help bring these amazing men below to you all to show you what a wonderful thing they are doing for cancer research.

 

Here are those amazing men, and some of what they’re thankful for this year too:

Christian N.

Oscar L.

Donate to Oscar here:

http://us.movember.com/mospace/1024490/

Sean B.

“I am thankful for being able to spend more time with my family this year, not needing to shovel snow in Movember, and that I am able to help make a difference for Men’s Health.”

Donate to Sean here:

http://us.movember.com/mospace/853356/

Aaron C.

Donate to Aaron here:

http://us.movember.com/mospace/1099354/

 

Travis T.

“I am thankful for my meMOries with my loved ones.”

 

Tom S.

“This [week 4 picture] is a thinking face. The mo taketh my dignity but giveth me brains. Though actually, I look more like a juvenile Lemmy who’s lost his band.

The Mo cause is going well; donations are picking up and the mo looks like, well, a mo now. For the last push to raise donations, I’m heading to the studio on Friday for a photoshoot. A photoshoot that involves me, cowboy hats, cheque shirts and unfortunately, chaps.  Humiliation in the name of a good cause!”

Donate to Tom here:

http://uk.movember.com/mospace/963312/

 

 

Brian W.

“I’m thankful for many things: family, friends, my dads handing down of awesome ‘stache ability, and sweet footy skills.”

 

Eric C.

“This year I’m thankful that no one else close to me has been diagnosed with cancer.”

 

Russ S.

“Thankful here for a healthy life and a happy family (that puts up with my moustache). Hope all is well with you and your in-process little one!”

Donate to Russ here:

http://us.movember.com/mospace/562356/

 

Mike C.

Donate to Mike here:

http://us.movember.com/mospace/908906/

 

Dan M.

Donate to Dan here:

http://us.movember.com/mospace/1001822/

Nate M.

Donate to Nate here:

http://us.movember.com/mospace/943124/

 

Justin R.

“I appreciate all of the support I’ve been getting: whether it’s with a monetary donation, or how my uncle Dan contributed and started his own MO-vember team, he’s raised almost $400 so far, or just your ability to completely terrorize me and my lack of mustache growing genes, thanks Dad for the genetics by the way.”

Donate to Justin here:

http://us.movember.com/mospace/1000146/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How I met your father

Damn, it’s scary how a time frame of 6 months can change your entire life and it’s path. There’s an episode of How I Met Your Mother where Ted, the narrator and main character of the show, talks about how his life might have been completely different if he had gone right instead of left one day. And it really is that simple. When I tell my daughter the story of how I met her father, and how quickly my entire plan changed, it will come down to just a few minute tiny decisions.

The night I met Nick was about 6 months ago on Cristina’s birthday weekend. We were actually wearing shirts from the TV show that said “Have you met Lizzy?” and “Have you met Cristina?” Cris decided that we would start at PB bar and grill and then bar hop from there. Except we never left PB bar and grill. A long ago friend had recently been in touch again, James, and I knew he lived in PB. I texted him the night we were out to see if maybe we would end up at the same bar. Literally, as we were on our way out to go to Moondoggies, James texted me saying he was at PB bar and grill. So I took the opportunity to see him, and that’s one reason I met Nick. If he had texted me 5 minutes later, we would have been gone already, not looking back. I would have never met Nick, and wouldn’t be pregnant right now with my first child.

The night of Cris’ birthday, her friends and I decided that we would play a little game with her… more like for her. If we (the friends) decided that a guy was a 8 or higher on the hotness scale, then she had to either hit on him or take a shot. It’s a win-win… she gets her flirt on, or gets wasted. Well, Nick happened to be the first guy we all came across and agreed upon, and Cristina quickly passed for the shot. If we hadn’t made up that game, or if Cristina had decided to get her flirt on, things would have been so different.

There were several of James’ hot friends at the bar that night. Nick happened to be the first one we met due to the game we were playing, but there were several others I was certainly into and attracted to. Nick or someone else told me that one of the guys happened to be gay, even though he wasn’t. If they hadn’t jokingly told me that… I may have ended up with a completely different person, and thus a different path.

I was also seeing several men the night of Cristina’s birthday, and one of them was invited to come out with us. He ended up getting off of work later than expected, and had to pick up a friend to come with him. And since they lived rather far from PB, by the time they arrived, it was already a shit show, and Nick and I had already been flirting. If that guy had gotten our of work on time, maybe took 3 less deliveries, he may have shown up before I met any other guys, and thus I would’ve been flirting with him all night, and never would have been interested in Nick.

There’s a slew of reasons how we happened to meet, and what ended up with me being pregnant and will end up with a beautiful baby girl. But it’s truly insane to look back and say only 6 months can alter something so drastically and so permanently. All of the factors were so little, yet they added up to this extraordinary event. Hindsight is 20/20 and when we’re in a sad or stressful moment it is hard to imagine a totally different life in a year from now, or 6 months, or 5 years. But it does happen. As stressed as I may be right now, I know that in x amount of time, however long or short it takes, things will be different. I would have never ever ever guessed back then that all that alcohol and embarrassment would result in the most important thing of my life coming about. Life or God or whomever you would like to call it has a weird way of working for sure. Whether or not free will exists, the path life takes us on is the most confusing, messed up journey we could imagine, and one we would never hope for, but also one we would never take back for the life of us. The past year of my life has been so crazy and tragic and happy and insane that I simply have no clue what the future will bring, what it even could bring. I never thought I’d be having a baby this soon, yet here she is in my belly. I never thought it would take me this long to complete my post-grad education and law school, yet here I am, 4 years after getting my BA, about to start law school all over. It’s all one big miracle, that we get anything accomplished at all. The next 6 months should be one for the books, that’s for sure. And I can’t wait for the big reveal.