Giving Thanks

I love this town. I love good design. When I moved back here from NYC I knew I would have to settle for a job. Afterall, I left a nearly perfect position working with really fun people in the greatest city in the world. I never thought I'd really be able to make a living doing that same thing in the greatest small town in the world.

My college roommate and I have fretted and dreamed about opening a retail store someday. We used to send each other emails with ideas for store names. She wanted to buy a letterpress, I wanted to have fun and make people laugh. She lives in Minneapolis. I live here. We realized along the way that this was merely a dream and that we are both too invested in our lives to take on that kind of risk. She has branched out and worked so hard to have her dream job and I have been blessed to work for people who are willing to take the risk. The risk of opening a beautiful retail store full of charm and vintage urban awesomeness. A risk that affords me the opportunity to have fun, creating beautiful things inspired by our small part of the world.

Thanksgiving is next week. I am grateful, thankful, blessed and honored.

Showered in Pink

The last few weeks have been a bit of a blur between working full-time, weekly check-ups at the doctor, jury duty, and the everyday craziness of life topped off with some family "stuff" that makes me sad. All of a sudden we're in the last full week of being a family of three. The time has flown and I haven't really taken it all in, or relaxed enough to relish the fact that this just might be the last time I am ever pregnant. We've received some girly pink gifts here and there but all in all there hasn't really been the hoopla or build up of anticipation as there was with Luke. I know that's part of what happens when you have subsequent children, there just isn't as much time to "anticipate" when you're chasing a toddler.

Today, though, today I was pleasantly surprised. My lovely coworkers (www.designtramp.com why can't I create a link!! GRR!) threw us a shower in which John helped with the guest list. I was expecting to arrive at a Halloween kid party and as we walked in I saw my nephew sitting in his Elvis costume at a coffee table full of pink packages and ribbons galore. Mrs. Potter and my mom represented the East End well, I certainly didn't anticipate that they would be part of the afternoon. It was a great day with great friends and great food. I am so blessed to have these people in my life. When I left NYC in 2002 all of my coworkers at the time thought I was making a mistake, that clearly there was no creative life outside of Manhattan. They all questioned what I would do for work in Glens Falls? I am so proud to lead the life that I do and to be part of such a fantastic group of creative, and compassionate people.

I'm so excited to meet you Ellie Grace and let me tell you, you're going to be one stylin' little lady:)

Hey, I put some new shoes on and suddenly everythings right...

Ahh. It's amazing what new shoes can do for the sole. HA! I'm feeling a bit cheeky and silly today. Life is changing, things in our little family are better than ever. New jobs (um yeah, it's been hard to contain my excitement on that!), new plans, new goals, Luke is discovering a new world. I feel like I can breathe for once. I haven't seen John so relaxed, happy, and so much at ease since we met 5 years ago (almost to the day, we met on Feb. 12, the date is burned in my memory!) or during our honeymoon. He deserves it all so much, we both do. Are the Universe Gods going to strike us with some tragic news now? Cynical much? Sorry I will do my best to ignore those feelings.

This morning John was getting ready for work and gave me a fashion show of his new darkwash Gap jeans paired with a crisp white dress shirt. Honestly the jeans are pretty sweet, but his confidence and stature is what put the whole package over the top for me. Quite the difference from the banker suits and half-smile he was sporting for the past 3.5 years. It's pretty standard fare for causal-dress, regardless he looked not just handsome, but hot and I told him so. My heart was aflutter.

A few minutes later he says in all seriousness: "Do you think I should change? I think I look too sexy in this outfit..is it too much? Do you really think it's appropriate for work??"

"Umm..." *snicker, snicker* "don't think so highly of yourself!"

OMG it was funny! He has moments of self-doubt like we all do, but this morning apparently he was feeling pretty swanky and uber-sure of himself. We had a good laugh as he planted his feet and ego back on solid ground, I'm certain he is the best looking Traveler today, hopefully he doesn't get warned to tone down the hotness.

I on the other hand am sporting new shoes, literally and figuratively. I'm excited and happy and feel all flush with the wonderment of new beginnings in our career lives as well as our life at home.

and thanks to Paolo Nutini and his New Shoes tune! See I've got fun music in me, not just the sappy, teary country stuff:)

Ditch-Day

John starts his new job next week (yay for him!) so to celebrate this new chapter, we're taking Thursday off to fulfill his "ditch-day dream". Seemingly, the adult version of Senior Skip Day, but we're not literally skipping work, just checking out of our routine for eight hours.

Every morning he asks me in the same dry tone, "you goin' to work today?"

"yup" I say, "you?"

"nah, i'm heading to Crossgates to catch a movie..."

Every. Morning. For the past four years.

So this Thursday it is. We're actually heading to Crossgates to catch that movie, but I get to call lunch, so we're classing it up a bit with Ravenous on Phila Street in 'Toga town. I'm sure there'll be some obscure stop along the way.

"The question isn't what are we going to do today? It's what aren't we going to do?!"-Ferris Bueller

The Untied States

I was reading an article in HOW magazine a few years ago about major typos in publications. The author had read an article entitled "These Untied States", hence the title of this blog. We've all made mistakes, it happens. I met with an advertising sales rep for a local business journal this week. Their rates were a little out of my budget. As a non-profit I am always begging for cheap rates, printing discounts, any help is appreciated as my budget is extremely small. His rates were on the high side, like really, really high, especially for someone in my position. I asked about non-profit rates and media sponsorship. He said I needed to send him a form or paperwork that states that we truly are a non-profit, because you know there are some "non-profits" that claim to be, but really aren't. We're a non-profit, obviously right? I mean we're an art museum, a historic place, we're not a business, we don't sell, or make a product. And it's not like I was having a phone converstation with him, he was sitting in our conference room, he walked through the museum doors. But, Okay. Whatever.

So he emails me today with the information that I asked him for.

His response: "I talked with the publisher and we can offer you a non-prophet rate of......"

I was giggling uncontrollably as I read it. NON-PROPHET!

PROPHET?!

God bless these untied states.

A Charmed Life

So I was chatting with a co-worker the other day about my life as a working mom. We from time to time regale each other with the ups and downs of our lives, commiserating over holiday snafus and family duties. She asked what our daycare situation was. I explained how lucky and spoiled we are at the moment. A family friend and former childhood neighbor (who's full-blooded Italian and married to one as well) who now lives two blocks away from us offered to watch Luke, and insisted she do so at our house not hers. It would be the best thing for the baby she said. We didn't have to ask, she begged. So every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday morning her husband drops her off (they're both retired and have one car), or on sunny days she walks. She and Luke have the absolute best time. When she walks in the door he lights up, smiling so big his eyes squint. She sings, and plays, and walks him all around the neighborhood to meet and visit with her cronies. Plus! She cleans out our fridge when it starts to get funky, organizes our kitchen cupboards, does our dishes, and on occasion brings us soups, stews, and yummy treats.

The coworker was like, huh, you have your very own Magda (you know, Miranda's Polish nanny from Sex and the City). I was like, OMG I totally do! Then said coworker says "wow, you really have a charmed life Amy. The angels are certainly looking out for you (meaning our two deceased fathers). You do realize that? You have so much support and love all around you."

I was taken aback. She was completely right. This was the same girl who was complaining about how her parent's were visiting for the weekend from Long Island and something about her father helping her boyfriend with some house projects. She was really annoyed or upset for some reason, I can't remember why, but I remember telling her how I would give anything, ANYTHING to have my father help John around our house. She shouldn't take it for granted. While taken aback at first by my honesty, she later thanked me for saying that.

So thank you Angels. I know you are watching over us. We hear you smiling too. In fact I'm certain Luke hears you, he's always smiling.