Holy FREAKIN' Delicious...

...Papa Al Pomodoro - Stale Bread Soup!!!

Man, do I just
LOVE RACHAEL RAY!
She's a goddamn GENIUS in the kitchen
& this recipe is proof positive of that!

3	tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4-6	garlic cloves, chopped
1	medium onion, finely chopped or 1 large onion, finely chopped
1 - 15	ounce can diced tomatoes
1 - 28	ounce can crushed tomatoes
	salt and pepper
1	quart chicken stock
4	cups chopped or torn stale bread (about 1/2 pound)
2 (15	ounce) cans small white beans, such as Goya brand (smaller than cannellini beans)
1/2	cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, to pass at table
10	fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)

Heat a medium soup pot over medium heat.
Add 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, garlic and 3/4 of the onion.

Cook 7 to 8 minutes, then add tomatoes and crushed tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.

Add stock and raise heat to make the soup bubble.

Reduce heat to simmer and add bread and beans.


Stir soup as it simmers until it thickens to a stew-like consistency.





Turn off heat, adjust seasonings and ladle into shallow bowls.

(when your spoon can stand up straight on it's own in the center of the stoup,
OH IT'S DONE BABY!)


Top with grated cheese, an additional drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a spoonful of reserved finely chopped raw onions.

Mmmmmmm... SO DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!!

My Child...

...dances on POOL TABLES!


& the frightening thing?


She's GOOD at it!


Who knew...


...she'd find her niche' LIKE THIS!


Let's just hope it's a temporary thing...


...cuz I'm pretty sure Boston doesn't have ONE COLLEGE dedicated to the art of,

TABLE DANCING!
*ugh*

(psst, Baby can we get you down from there now? PLEASE?)

Then...

...& Now!

Psst, Hey Taylor...

...tell Momma to look: HERE!

You know you're a Masshole if...

1. The Red Sox World Series win was, and will always be, one of the
greatest moments in your life.

2. The guy driving in front of you is going 70 mph and you're swearing at
him for going too slow.

3. When ordering a tonic, you mean a Coke.

4. You went to Canobie Lake Park or Water Country as a kid

5. You actually enjoy driving around rotaries.

6. You do not recognize the letter "R" as a part of the English language eva!

7. Your social security number starts with a 0

8. You can actually find your way around Boston.

9. You know what a "regular" coffee is.

10. You keep an ice scraper in your car year-round.

11. You can tell the difference between a Revere accent and a Dorchester accent.

12. Springfield is located "way out west."

13. You almost feel disappointed if someone doesn't flip you the bird when
you cut them off or steal their parking space.

14. You know how to pronounce the names of towns like Worcester,
Billerica, Gloucester, and Haverhill.

15. Anyone you don't know is a potential idiot until proven otherwise.

16. Paranoia sets in if you can't see a Dunkin Donuts or a CVS Pharmacy
within eyeshot at all times.

17. You have driven to New Hampshire on a Sunday just to buy alcohol.

18. You know how to pronounce Yastrzemski.

19. You know there's a trophy at the end of the Bean Pot.

20. You order iced coffee in January

21. You know that the Purple Line will take you anywhere

22. You love scorpion bowls.

23. You know what they sell at a Packie.

24. Sorry Manny, but number 24 means DEWEY EVANS.

25. You know what First Night is.

26. You know at least one guy named Sean, Pat, Whitey, Red, Bud or
Seamus.

27. McLobster= McCrap!

28. You know at least 2 cops in your town because they were your high
school drinking buddies.

29. Sure there are 6 New England states, but Connecticut really doesn't
count.

30. You intentionally give wrong directions to tourists, feel bad when
they drive off, but then say to yourself ,"Ah, screw them."

31. You know at least one bar where you can get something to drink after
last call.

32. You're sick of the Kennedy's, but you vote for them anyway.

33. You know holding onto the railing when riding the Green Line is not
optional

34. The numbers '78 and '86 make you cringe.

35. You've been to Goodtimes before

36. You think the rest of the country owes you for Thanksgiving and
Independence Day. (...and they DO).

37. You have never been to "Cheers."

38. The words 'WICKED' and 'GOOD' go together.

39. You've been to Fenway Park several times.

40. You've gone to at least one party at U Mass.

41. You own a "Yankees Suck" shirt or hat.

42. You know what a Frappe is.

43. You've been to Hempfest.

44. You know who Frank Averuch is.

45. ADVANCED: You know Frank Averuch was once Bozo the Clown

46. You can complete the following: "Lynn, Lynn......"

47. You get pissed off when a restaurant serves clam chowder, and it
turns out to be friggin' Snows.

48. You actually know how to merge from six lanes of traffic down to one.

49. The TV weatherman is damn good if he's right 25% of the time.

50. You never go to "Cape Cod," you go "down the Cape".

51. You think that Roger Clemens and Johnny Damon are more evil than
Whitey Bulger.

52. You know who Whitey Bulger is.

53. You went to the Swan Boats, House of Seven Gables, or Plymouth
Plantation on a field trip in elementary school

54. Bobby Orr is loved as much as Larry Bird, Tom Brady, and Ted
Williams.

55. You remember Major Mudd.

56. You know what candlepin bowling is

57. You can drive to the mountains and the ocean all in one day

58. You know Scollay Square once stood where Government Center is.

59. When you were a kid, Rex Trailer was the coolest guy around. Speaking
of which...

60. You can still hum the song from the end of Boom Town

61. Calling Carrabba's an "Italian" restaurant is sacrilege

62. You still have your old Flexible Flyer somewhere in your parents'
attic.

63. You know that the Mass Pike is some sort of strange weather dividing
line.

64. The only time you've been on the Freedom Trail is when relatives are
in town.

65. The Big Dig tunnel disaster wasn't really that much of a surprise.

66. You call guys you've just met "Chief" or "Boss."

67. 4:15pm and pitch black out means there's just 3 more shopping days
until Christmas

68. You know more than one person with the last name Murphy

69. You refer to Savin Hill as "Stab 'n Kill."

70. You've never eaten at Durgin Park, but recommend it to tourists.

71. You can't look at the zip code 02134 without singing it.

72. You voted for a Republican Mormon as Governor just to screw with the
rest of the country.

73. 11pm? Drunk? It means one thing: Kowloon!

74. 2am? Drunk? It means one thing: Kelly's Roast Beef!

75. 5am? Drunk? It means one thing: You wish you had a blanket in your
back seat

76. You know that P-Town isn't the name of a new rap group.

77. People you don't like are all "Bastids."

78. You took school or work off for the Patriots first Super Bowl Win
Parade

79. You've called something "wicked pissa."

80. You'll always get razzed for Dukakis.

81. Saturday afternoons meant Creature Double Feature with Dale Dorman

82. Sunday mornings meant the Three Stooges on Channel 38

83. You've slammed on your brakes to deter a tailgater

84. No, you don't trust the Gorton's Fisherman.

85. You know that Papa Gino's usually has a jukebox

86. You think Aerosmith is the greatest rock band of all time.

87. Your town has at least 6 sub shops, and none of them are a Subway.

88. You know at least three Tony's, one Vinnie and a Frankie.

89. 20 degrees isn't that bad as long as there ain't no wind- then it gets wicked cold.

90. You were very sad when saying goodbye to the Boston Garden

91. Thanksgiving means family, turkey, High School football, and the long
version of Alice's Restaurant.

92. You know the guy who founded the Boston Pops was Athah Feedlah.

93. You know what the Combat Zone is

94. You actually drive 45 minutes to New Hampshire to save $5 in sales
tax

95. You've pulled out of a side street and used your car to block
oncoming traffic so you can make a left.

96. You've bragged about the money you've saved at The Christmas Tree Shop

97. You've been to Hampton Beach on a Saturday night

98. Playing street hockey was a daily after school ritual.

99. Hearing an old lady shout "Numbah 96 for Sioux City!" means it's time for steak

100. You remember Jordan Marsh, Grants, Bradlees, Caldor, Zayres, or Ann
& Hope.

Please Take A Moment...

...Kyle would want you to.

Creations a'la DOH...

Naked...

...funny how one word immediately slaps an image into every one's brain
of someone without any clothes on, fair to say?
Well, right now, that's how I feel...
naked.

But the irony is that, I'm fully clothed.
That's right, you heard me correctly,
all my 'cash & prizes' are fully covered by various pieces of clothing.
So, why do I feel naked?

When you undergo an MRI, you're not allowed, under any circumstances,
to wear jewelry of any kind.
They say to remove EVERYTHING;
(i.e.: watches, bracelets, earrings, necklaces, etc...)

Oh, but they say that you can wear your 'ring/s' should you wish.

Ah, I'm sorry, you're telling me to remove everything of a metal substance off my person but are allowing me that one liberty? Thanks, but I'll pass, I kinda like my finger where it's at.
I've read the reports that say the magnetic force of an MRI is so powerful that it can rip a mans watch clear off his arm practically taking the arm with it... so you can keep your liberties & I'll show up 'sans jewelry' for an hour & deal.

So, even though I'm sitting here fresh from a shower, smelling wonderful thanks to my 'light blue' and wet hair up in a clip, I'm still feeling absolutely naked & won't feel dressed until I get home from this blasted thing & put my adornments back on my person.

I don't wear much, I was never a big jewelry person, but the pieces I DO wear, I treasure... not because they were from someone special, but more because they were from ME.
When you're single & not dating anyone, you rely on yourself for a plethora of things,
buying jewelry is among them.
I own only the following:
1 necklace with 1 charm on it
1 pair of earrings that match the charm (charm really matches the earrings cuz it's a lost soul to the original pair of earrings I had owned & upon realizing that I had lost it's twin, I turned the sole survivor into a pendant & voila, a charm that looks like it belongs to a 'set'... very clever if I do say so myself!)
1 rololink charm bracelet with 5 charms on it:
a heart bearing my initials/birth date
a heart bearing Ruby's initials/birth date
my birthstone
Ruby's birthstone
&
one cross
(in memory of Ebenezer)

and last but not least, my ring.
It's a heart shaped white gold signet ring with my initials inscribed on it.
It's my 'self love' ring... I bought it years ago for myself to remind me every day that even when I feel lost in this huge world, that there was someone who always loved me, and that someone was me. It's a daily reminder that I'm stronger than I think I am and that I can handle anything life tosses my way... even a stupid MRI.

So, here I sit, feeling completely naked & wanting this night to be over so I can feel like myself again...

...and don't for one second assume that if I feel naked like this, that if I were to be sitting here typing with ONLY my jewelry on, that I'd feel dressed, because 'EHH' thanks for playing, NOT SO MUCH! lol
This chubby chick needs her situation covered. LOL

Anyhoo, so that's what I was thinking about just now in the shower
& felt I should share it before jetting outta here for the hospital.

Have a wonderful night & to those of you who just received referrals,

CONGRATULATIONS FROM OUR HOME TO YOURS!
You've all waited long enough & deserve this happiness finally, REVEL IN IT!
It's your day...!

XoXoXo

-Amy & Ruby Cate

From 'RUBY FIX'...

...to MAISY fix.

(You all needed a pic of miss Cheeks & she needed some serious toasty time
in Momma's chair whilst watching her fav show, Maisy!)

To quote Ruby's Auntie Nayne: "I love it when a plan comes together!"

peace -OUT-

3 Little Letters...

...our alphabet is filled with 3-letter combinations just waiting to be made:

Ant
Cat
Dog
Ask
Pig
Any
Ham
Jog
Hat
Gun
Gum
Jet
Job
God
etc...

But of the thousands of 3 letter combinations,

the following is the only set that causes me to stop & take notice:

M.R.I.

Tonight at 8pm, that is what I have to look forward to.
Now, as someone living with MS. I'm no stranger to these procedures...
tonight's isn't the first & certainly won't be the last.
And if I'm being honest, (which I always am...) they really don't bother me all that much.
Sure it sucks having to lay still with nothing to do for up to & sometimes over an hour,
but it's life, & honestly it's so freaking kewl to see the photos of my brain once they're done!
*I'm a geek in that sense*

What they are looking for tonight is to see if there's been any new activity,
in other words, any new lesions.
(lesions being damage to my myelin, which is irreversible & permanent)

I have a couple from when I was first diagnosed, but really... not a big deal.
Hell it just gives me an excuse now for those times I'm an idiot... I blame it on my
'dame bramage'
hehehehe


So... I'll keep you all posted, although I suspect that I won't know of anything until a few days from now as my neurologist needs time to view the images & compare them to my previous set... but it's ok.
I'm patient.

All I know is that I'm going to be missing putting my little girl to bed,
& that, isn't a 3 letter word, but rather a 4...

CRAP!

Nonno will get the honors tonight & I know he'll do just fine, but something about missing putting my little girl down with a snuggy hug & a smoochie wooch just chaps my ass!

I can deal with the physical side effects of MS. , really I can,
but it's these little side effects, the ones that effect the daily routine of my daughter & me,
that I could do without.

Stream of Consciousness...

...is a funny thing.

Why is it that one minute I can be thinking about life and love and happiness & how many Cheerios I picked up off the floor today & then the next minute, just like that, I can be wondering
about how amazing it is that a hot shower can do so much for someone trying to de-stress?
I have always preferred to take my showers at night, just before bed.
Something about climbing into my bed all clean & warm in a toasty pair of PJ's
that just sets my life right.
Silly things like that, like going to bed with wet hair knowing that, when I wake up in the morning, it'll look just as cute as it did had I dried it, kinda.
Well, maybe not completely as cute cuz I am pretty certain that, IF it were SUMMER, I'd wake up looking like 'Oom Foo Foo the Bush Bitch' (thanks Eddie!), but I digress.

Things like this, like this very post, what's the point of it? Why type anything at all if I've got nothing of substance to chat about...?

Well, I'll tell you why I PERSONALLY felt like blogging right now & you do with it what you will.
Right now, at this very moment, I am not only sitting here dripping wet in my favorite blue towel from Land's End, but I am wondering why it is that things that are currently happening to me in my life, have to happen at all.

They say that you get back what you put out, right?
I mean, if I'm a good, honest, decent, generous, loving human being, does it not then reason to believe that I should have a wonderful, stable, good paying job with a family who considers me to be part of theirs?

One would think.

The reality is, you don't always get back what you give out.
I've seen people who are complete & utter ASS-HOLES get HUGE things come their way
& I just have to wonder, what the hell did they do to deserve it?
Lie on their tax returns?
Be cruel to their mother?
Betray a friend?
Cheat on their wives/husbands?
Hurt someone who trusted them & feel no remorse?

How cruel a joke is it that sometimes the good get kicked more often than not & the shitheads of the world continue to stand strong & unite emerging even stronger & more formidable a force than before?

I guess I'll never know...

...ah yes, so back to my reason for posting.

For me, this is honest to God, therapy.
No co-pay, no driving to an office to wait my turn, no having to truly face something head on in the presence of another, none of that.
Now, please don't misunderstand what I'm saying, there is nothing wrong with any of that at all, therapy of any kind is a very commendable thing.
It takes courage.
It takes strength.
To be able to recognize within oneself that,
A. there is a problem
&
B. you need help
IS
HEROIC
BEHAVIOR
PERIOD!

Since, at the current time, I am not afforded that luxury to have an actual therapist, I turn to my blog for solace. It's where I vent my random musings about nothingness & feel purged of all the days stress in one long rambling post & leave whatever it is that's gnawing at me, behind.
If only for the night...

It's healthy,
it's normal,
it's affordable,
it's my way of coping.

Today I sat wondering about those of you out there with college degrees...
You go to school to study something you love, you do well at it, you earn recognition for those accomplishments & in the end, that piece of paper validating your successes usually ends up in a frame above a desk somewhere in your home for the world to see...

...yes, you done good,
you did it,
good for you,
yet life goes on.

What I want to know is, where is the piece of paper with a formal recognition for my accomplishments as a Nanny?

Hell, college for some is two years, for others it's four, & even others it's more than that... but I'm pretty sure I have yet to hear of someone going to college for over 16 years studying something they absolutely love, correct?

So, when people find out that I never went to college, most are shocked to say the least...
...others don't know what to say in response to learning such news so they opt for a fifth plea.
(a smart choice)

But where is it written that I shouldn't have a framed degree from the school of LIFE for my accomplishments as a successful, loving, hardworking Nanny of 16 years?

Hell, that's FOUR SEPARATE COLLEGE DEGREES FROM 4 YEAR SCHOOLS RIGHT?
But again, here comes that nasty little thing called 'reality' to rain on my parade.

If I were to ever entertain the thought of actually typing up my own version of what my
'Nanny Degree' from the School of Life would look like & take it even one step further as to actually not only print that sucker out but hang it proudly in my home... what would people think?

"has she lost her mind? that's not a 'REAL' degree... she's nuts etc..."

Well, here's my question, what the hell constitutes a 'real' anything in this world?
Most of us judge the realness of things based on whether or not we can see and/or touch them, right?
Why is that?

I can't see or touch the love I have for my daughter,
but you bet your ass it's as real as the sun is hot.

I can't see or touch the wind that blew outside today,
but as Ruby & I were out for our daily walk, I sure as hell felt it on my face as it tickled my cheeks & blew my hair around in a tangled frenzied mess.
(my brush is STILL cursing me)

My point is, (and yes I actually do have a point to this rambled mess...),
is that in my quest to find a job, I more often than not get judged based on two things:
my lack of a college education, & the fact that I am a single mother living with MS.

You know, I don't want to be judged based on any of those things.
You wanna judge me?
Do so by my actions,
my character,
my wit,
my candor,
my love,
my enthusiasm,
my sense of humor,
my genuine nature...

...or please don't judge me at all.



Now, you'll excuse me as I have to go continue to search for a job...

The Power of Prayer...

...is needed for our little family in 2007.

I still have not had any luck finding a new family to Nanny for.
To say that it's a 'terrifying' feeling, is an understatement.

I had just enough money to pay my actual 'bills' for the month of Jan but nothing more.

There is still rent to pay, food to buy & there will be absolutely no extras.
Thankfully, Ruby thinks that going out for a walk around the neighborhood with her Momma is the be all, end all of her world, and those I can provide TENFOLD!

But the rest?

I can't even get into it because I truly am beside myself with uncertainty & fear.

Please, please, PLEASE... all of you, say a prayer right now that something, anything comes our way in the way of a job.

It's truly unfortunate that being cute can't pay the bills...

...if it could, Ruby & I would be millionaires a million times over.

Now, as I've already sent up my plethora of prayers for the morning, & while you all take a moment to ask the 'Big Guy' for some help for me, I am going to take my Rubes out for a much needed morning walk on this beautiful 50 degree sunny day here in Boston.

*hugs to everyone in advance for the prayers*

-Us

PS.On a side note... remember how I mentioned karma concerning miss A.B.?
(for those of you who've forgotten, that stands for: ANOREXIC BITCH )

Turns out her father's been in & out of the emergency room... nothing too too serious but enough of a seriousness that it's apparently frazzled her world just that much more.
Happy New Year TWAT, enjoy your upside down life with your welfare day care center for the kids... GOOD TIMES!
NOT.

Ok, out for my walk now... I love that the best things in this world, the most wonderful moments don't usually cost a dime.

More later everyone... & to those of you who want to reach me, call the cell, while it's still on.

Better Late Than Never...

mom4ruby: you up?
mom4ruby: please say you're up!
mom4ruby: lots to tell you about my first day of 2007...
mom4ruby: my GAWD!
mom4ruby: 420am cell phone rings
mom4ruby: Matty: "hey, happy new year, can I come over? I want to see you..."
mom4ruby: Me: *groggy from sleep* "Sure Matty, that's fine, you can come over...
mom4ruby: Matty: "I'm leaving right now..."
mom4ruby: *click*
mom4ruby: three minutes later, he's here & asks if we can just curl up together in my bed cuz he has something he wants to tell me
mom4ruby: long & short of it is, 2007 is 'his year', he stopped smoking already, he quit drugs, and now, he says, he's giving up hard alcohol, period.
mom4ruby: He wants to be happy and start his life & he's done being an asshole drunk.
mom4ruby: I started to cry
mom4ruby: he said " Baby why are you crying?"
mom4ruby: I said " because I'm so happy, and so proud of you that this is your new years resolution..."
mom4ruby: Matty: " well don't' cry baby, it's good news" *hugs me & kisses me*
mom4ruby: Me: "Matty, I'm in love with you, I love you and I'm sorry but I can't help it, I just am so in love with you it's insane..."
mom4ruby: him: *turning my face so that I'm looking right at him* "I love you too Amy"
mom4ruby: lots of making out
mom4ruby: snuggles until he falls fast asleep in my arms
mom4ruby: Ruby wakes up wailing
mom4ruby: took her into bed with us, just had her lay across my chest, her head on my shoulder...
mom4ruby: she looked at him, smiled & said "Momma, Matty...!"
mom4ruby: she wouldn't fall back to sleep (guessing it was a bad dream) so I put her out on the couch with her bear & a sippy & let her watch Maisy.
mom4ruby: I come back into the bedroom to find Matty grabbing at me, pulled me down into the bed with him, kissing me like the type of kissing that sends you soaring into outer space...
mom4ruby: and he said "quietly shut the door..."
mom4ruby: so I did
mom4ruby: and we made love.
mom4ruby: OH
mom4ruby: MY
mom4ruby: GOD
mom4ruby: HAPPY
mom4ruby: MATTY
mom4ruby: NEW
mom4ruby: YEAR
mom4ruby: TO
mom4ruby: ME
mom4ruby: !
mom4ruby: I could cry I'm so happy
mom4ruby: I smell like him, my bed smells like him, I miss him already... ( he went home to catch some real Zs) but is going to be back later to watch the new Dane Cook Tourgasm DVD I ordered that just recently arrived.
mom4ruby: if I'm dreaming, please don't wake me, cuz I don't want this dream to end.
mom4ruby: !
mom4ruby: oh, and while Ruby was on my chest & I was rubbing her back & simultaneously rubbing Matty's stomach... he whispered to me "This is exactly where I want to be right now, right here with both of you"
mom4ruby: ARE YOU SHITTING ME?
mom4ruby: OMG!
mom4ruby: I do love him so much... I can't believe I told him I loved him tonight. I said it just like that 'Matty, I'm so in love with you it's silly... I can't help it...'
mom4ruby: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH OMG!
mom4ruby: and you wanna know what he said to me in return, "I love you too Amy, and I can feel how much you love me, I know you do baby... I know"
mom4ruby: HOLY JESUS H. CHRIST I COULD CRY MORE I'M SO DELIRIOUSLY HAPPY!
mom4ruby: oh yes, and because I KNOW you're thinking it , yes we made love in my room with the door SHUT
mom4ruby: yes Kat & Arianna were out cold in Rubys room also with the door shut
mom4ruby: and
mom4ruby: YES, Ruby was in the living room, HAPPILY watching Maisy with Bear.
mom4ruby: (and she has no clue how to actually open my bedroom door)
mom4ruby: OMG
mom4ruby: omg
mom4ruby: omg
mom4ruby: OMG
mom4ruby: OMG
mom4ruby: I am a mess right now... call me later!
mom4ruby: -Me

2nd Annual Pajama New Year...

...starring: Ruby Cate, Bear & Momma too!
(holy crap, is my hair REALLY that LONG?!)


This year's P.N.Y. was a BLASTY BLAST!
*thanks Dane!*
Arianna & Kat are out COLD in their beds & it isn't even midnight yet. LOL
(party animals...)
hehehehe

You know, I've been doing P.N.Y. for 4 years running now,
but it's absolutely crazy to think that this time last year, was our very first
P.N.Y. together as Mother & Daughter.


(we were cute then too!)
hehehehe


So, here's to all of you, our readers, our friends, our family...

...here's to a WONDERFUL NEW YEAR FULL OF
LAUGHTER,
LOVE
&
HOPEFULLY
(if we're lucky...)
LOTS OF CHOCOLATE TOO!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!!

All Our Love,

-Amy & Ruby Cate
(& Bear too!)
XoXoXoXoXo

Best Friend Kisses...

...& Momma Kisses.

Life is good.

Boston Pink Sox?

Who knows, someday there could be an all girls asian team...
...& if there ever is,
MY GIRL
is gonna BE THERE!
(with pink sox on...)

hehehe

Magical...

...Mother Nature.

Man, it just keeps getting better...

mom4ruby: hey cutie
Ning: got letter??
mom4ruby: YES!!!!!!!!!!!
mom4ruby: =)
mom4ruby: I can't understand a damn word in it BUT I LOVE THE PICTURE!
Ning: the pei mu's foster mom got my letter yesterday
Ning: she is soooooooooo happy
Ning: she call me
Ning: and cry
Ning: i will traslate for u when i in holiday
mom4ruby: AWWWWWWWWWWWW
mom4ruby: REALLY?
mom4ruby: what did she say?
mom4ruby: did she LOVE THE PICTURES?
mom4ruby: I'm SO HAPPY!
Ning: she said she is sooooooo happy and peimu grown up
Ning: wish u could visit china in 2008
mom4ruby: awwwww can't afford to visit then but when Ruby turns 10, we're coming!
Ning: yes she love those pictures very much
mom4ruby: I'm already saving for that trip!
mom4ruby: awwww I'm so happy!
Ning: and said the letter is great
mom4ruby: did she like the letter?
mom4ruby: GOOD!
Ning: the letter u write is sooooooo good
mom4ruby: awwwwwwwwwww
mom4ruby: I am so happy that she loves it
mom4ruby: she is a very important woman to us, VERY important! I hope she knows that!
Ning: she said she miss pei mu very much
mom4ruby: awwwwwwwwwww
mom4ruby: that is so very sweet!
Ning: she thank u love pei mu so much and take care her very nice
mom4ruby: I love her to China & back!
mom4ruby: I tell her every day, I love her to the moon and back
mom4ruby: to the sun and back
mom4ruby: to the stars and back
mom4ruby: and to CHINA AND BACK!
mom4ruby: and she smiles & kisses me.
mom4ruby: It's heaven... *smiling*
mom4ruby: did you ask her how old Ruby was when they took that picture of them together? The one you sent me?
mom4ruby: I can't figure out how old she is in the pic, I am guessing like 9 months or so...
mom4ruby: I do have one very important question I want to ask her at some point...
Ning: sorry i forgot to ask
Ning: she afraid ruby forget her and don't wnat to know her when her grow up
mom4ruby: Ruby does remember her, but she gets upset when she sees the photos of them together... I don't know why but I think that maybe she's afraid that she could be taken away from me like she was taken away from Wu Mu Hua...
mom4ruby: it's sad. =*(
mom4ruby: but don't tell her that because I don't want her heart to break.
mom4ruby: I honestly don't know why she's sad, I just know that she can't even look at those pictures without getting very upset so I don't show them to her really. When she's older & I know she can handle it, then I'll show her...
Ning: yes
Ning: and she want to know another girl's information in america, ask if u do u know her
mom4ruby: once you give me the translation of that letter I will be sure to try & locate every one of those girls mentioned!
mom4ruby: I can't make any promises but I'm absolutely happy to try!
mom4ruby: =)
mom4ruby: Can you do me a favor? Next time you talk to her, could you PLEASE find out one thing for me?
Ning: yes?
mom4ruby: Ruby absolutely HATES machine sounds, like the vaccum or the dishwasher or any type of motor sound and she is TERRIFIED OF ELEVATORS!
mom4ruby: won't even go IN ONE without having a screaming fit! And I'm just curious if she knows ANYTHING AT ALL about where Ruby was found because if I had to guess I'd say it was near a loud machine sounding thing or perhaps in an elevator because she's so scared of those things now!
mom4ruby: =*(
mom4ruby: makes me sad for her my poor little girl...
Ning: ok
mom4ruby: Thank you Ning.
mom4ruby: You're our Angel in China!
Ning: yes
mom4ruby: It snowed here today, it's pretty!
mom4ruby: does it ever snow in your part of China?
mom4ruby: http://rubyinherowntime.blogspot.com/
mom4ruby: I just put pics of the snow on the blog
mom4ruby: took them from right outside my bedroom window, it's so pretty. =)
mom4ruby: Listen, I'm gonna boogie, you have a wonderful day & I'm sure we'll chat more later. Please give our best to Wu Mu Hua and tell her that we are thinking of her & her family every day.
mom4ruby: *hugs* from Boston to China!
mom4ruby: XoXoXo
mom4ruby: -Us
Ning: sweet dream

Jersey has Landed...

...X's 2!

(Aunt Kat & Arianna landed safe & sound today here in good ole'Bean Town)
After a lovely dinner of risotto & a fabulous dessert of some Alden Merrill Strawberry Cheesecake, my two adorable house guests are enjoying some much needed 'story time'.
All is right in my little corner of the world...