8-5-05

Ruby In Her Own Time...

Ok, so it's friday and the weekend is here... I got out of work early today, which was nice since last night I had my little Sammy spend the night for his special 'sleepover' that was much overdue in his eyes. His twin sisters had a special 'nanny house sleepover' about a month ago & all he's done since then is to REMIND me that, "Nanny, it my TURN TO SLEEP AT YOUR HOUSE! " and so it was, so Sammy spent the night last night so 'technically' I've worked 30 hours straight the last two days! LOL But I did manage to take advantage of the fact that I got to leave a little early & I went to this adorable toy store in Marblehead called Mud Puddle Toys. I go there often to just get one thing here, another thing there... it's how I've been collecting things to fill Ruby's playroom & bedroom. So, I've been searching for 'THE TOY' to bring to give her on 'GOTCHA' day... and in my heart I knew I wanted to find the most adorable, SOFT AS FEATHERS, SQUISHY AS A LONG OVERDUE HUG, AND WARM LIKE MOMMA'S KISSES STUFFED PANDA BEAR! I've been looking forever & knew 'WHAT' I wanted but it was a matter of FINDING it & for the longest time... nothing, not a bite anywhere. BUT TONIGHT THIS MOMMA HIT THE JACKPOT!

Now, picture in your mind the kewlest most unique toys ever & imagine you're a kid & you're in this small, magical space that has built in castles within the store's walls, bunk beds with fairy's hanging from the ceiling & jewlery boxes as far as the eye can see... small little book shelves just high enough for little people to take their time browsing, and every toy in there is practically like something out of a dream & even as a grown up I STILL have that 'OMG I'M HERE' feeling every time I walk into this place... It's a small space, probably the size of a studio apartment, split level with the balls & kazoos & harmonica's & chalk & bubbles being in the first part of the store & the softer, more magical things hiding out back, AS THEY SHOULD! So, I go in, my heart racing because I just knew that tonight was the night that I was going to find my 'GOTCHA' gift... and as I stepped up the three stairs to the magical back room filled with surprises galore, I spot it... the most amazing, antique looking, soft as feathers, squishy as the best hug ever, toasty as momma's love PANDA BEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!! My eyes welled up with tears because I could almost instantly see myself handing it to Ruby on gotcha day & her little hands reaching out to grab hold of her new fuzzy friend & my heart was BURSTING AT THE SEAMS! The owner of the store ( who knows me well by the way since I'm in there all the time with my three that I nanny for ) says to me, " Amy, are you allright?" To that, I just turned & smiled at him & said "Yes Sam, I've never been better!"
Well, the bear was $50 and I only had $42 on me, my heart broke just as fast as it had inflated upon seeing MY PANDA BEAR!! I slowly went to put it back down & Sam says to me " what's wrong? is it not what you were looking for?" I just wiped a tear from my eye & said, " No, it's actually exactly what I was looking for but I don't have enough... it's $50. and I only have $42."
He thinks about this & lookes at me again & says to me, " Amy, you're in here all the time & you give us wonderful business, if that is the bear you want, you're in luck, because today he's on sale for $42 ."

Well, that's all it took, I started bawling like a kid who just dropped his ice cream cone on the sidewalk & mom said I couldn't have another one! I was SO HAPPY & SO TOUCHED that he would do that for me, I then explained to him why the bear was so important to me, and he said, " Oh that's right, I forgot, you told me you were going to China, that's amazing Amy, how wonderful to know that this little fella is going to be a world traveler!"

I paid for the bear & clutching him close to my heart as I left, I smiled & knew that when my little Ruby sees this guy for the first time & touches him & feels how soft he is & nuzzles her sweet face into his feathery soft fur, she'll feel as if she's come home. Just as I will feel the same the moment they place her in my arms! It's a love story like no other... and I wouldn't change it for anything in the world!

You know, it's funny... as a single mother, I have my moments when I think to myself, am I ever going to find true love? And tonight I realized, that the answer to that question was a loud resounding YES!!! I have found true love, in my daughter Ruby Cate. I can't imagine a more pure love, a more fullfilling love, a more powerful love, an everlasting love... a TRUE LOVE! So, yes, I have found true love & she's currently waiting as patiently for me as I am for her. =)

I LOVE YOU RUBY! WAIT TILL YOU SEE THE AMAZING PANDA BEAR MOMMA IS BRINGING TO YOU BABY GIRL!!!!!!!

I think I'll sit him in my lap for the plane ride, he'll keep me company. =)

hee hee, I'm the luckiest woman alive!

-Amy