Modern Mommy:

Happy Anniversary!

To my husband on this day in history. We have made it this far, and that means something. We are walking that marital mine field right now, but there is still no one I would rather be blown to bits with! I always love you, no matter what we say or do. I love our family desperately. Thank you for giving me two wonderfully smart and beautiful daughters. I carry your heart, I carry it in my heart.

MM

The Proper Care and Feeding of Relationships

Busy, busy, busy are we these days. Friday found us on our last day with Grandma and Grandpa before they fly home to OR. We all went to Petsmart and purchased the long awaited fish for the small tank that has been aerating for a week now. We decided on a beautiful little Beta fish and HIS name is Dorothy. This is appropriate on many levels, but the only thing Modern Toddler cares about is that Elmo's fish is named Dorothy too. We have chosen to let her live in her innocence a tad longer. There was also a little scrapbooking here and there on Sat, then of course later that evening, wedding and infamous reception. BBQ on Sunday... and oh yeah... the dog. Sunday morning a beautiful little black lab came bouncing into our back yard. Modern Hubby was mowing the lawn and modern Toddler had just ran out to join him. Along comes puppy. She is disturbingly similar to the black lab we owned who, as Modern Toddler puts it, "went for a long walk." Actually she and her litter mate went to a family with a farm and lots of land after the two of them tore our yard to destruction and we could no longer safely keep them. Anyway, we took her for a walk hoping to spot her owner... drove around the neighboring subdivisions etc. No luck. So for now she is happily playing in the shade of our yard casually stopping to literally smell the flowers and napping when it suits her. Animal control will come get her, after all that is the first place i would call if I lost her... she is young, well cared for and has a collar (no tag). Modern Toddler is already calling her our puppy. Crap. Poor Dorothy does not know whether she is coming or going. And has gone from beloved pet to forgotten memory. Ahhh the fickle affections of a 3 yr old. The current mantra is, "She has a family that is so worried about her and misses her. We can't keep her." Between Dorothy and the bipolar we are kinda all stocked up on crazy. Here's hoping I do not pop a water purifying tablet and give Dorothy an anxiety pill.

In the many goings on of the modern family this weekend, I had the opportunity to apologize to a friend, who was long awaiting some humility on my part. I agree that the many glasses of wine she consumed may have contributed to the warm reception of my apology. Never the less, I felt better having said the words, and was hoping for less awkward moments and more of the good old days. No relationship is ever the same after "taking such a break". Translation: when will we ever truly leave high school and why are women still so petty and harsh on each other? I will just let that one simmer.

As I ponder the relationship dance we all sway back and forth with, my thoughts are drawn to the rebuilding of friendship and romance with Modern Hubby after much struggle and recent bipolar diagnosis. How complicated is this dance because life keeps changing the tempo, the steps and adding new partners when we started out expecting "just the two of us..." He and I and the big bipolar elephant in the room, make for one clumsy dance maneuver. Marriage is a little like cats and dogs, and dogs dig up your yard and your yard could be like a metaphor of the relationship. And the then the dog is the elephant. Crap. I assume you get my point.