rambling

I was just looking back on some of my previous blog posts and realized I have really been slacking over the last couple months with updates. I am going to try to be better, because personally I like to look back and see what we were doing a year ago, or two years ago etc. I like to see how the kids have changes and how CJ and I have changes etc.

So, let’s see… this past Tuesday was New Years Day – 2008! The Ingram family didn’t do anything very exciting on New Year ’s Eve. Both CJ and I had to work on Monday so we ended up just hanging around in the evening. We did a bit of painting (the bit at the top of the stairs from the basement) and all went to bed early. I was perfectly happy with that.

Since my teenage years, I have never really liked New Year’s Eve. It is always hyped up as this big evening when everyone gets all dressed up and parties. I have always hated getting dressed up and even more I fear going to big parties where I don’t know many people. As a teenager I would go out with my friends (because I couldn’t possibly stay home with my parents) and I’d end up hiding in a corner wishing I could go home. Then midnight would roll around and all the popular/cool kids who had boyfriends and girlfriends would kiss each other and I would turn bright red and wish the ground would swallow me up while I waited for things to return to normal. As I got older things got a bit better…. But I still am not a big fan of New Year’s Eve.

This week we had an open house on New Year’s Day. The Woocks, Woods, and Um’s came over in the afternoon. It was actually a really nice afternoon. CJ and Dave spent most of the time watching football and hockey on TV; the ladies sat around the kitchen island, drinking wine, nibbling on munchies and chatting. And the kids all played together and entertained themselves. It reminded me a little bit of Seattle… but not quite the same….

Our friends in Seattle are family. When we all get together, I always feel comfortable and happy and accepted. I still remember walking into Jo’s a few days after I had met a bunch of CJ’s friends for the first time (at the Wheeler’s for Thanksgiving 2000). Dawn was sitting on a chair by the wall on the right and called me over to sit with them. It was such a warm welcome and made me feel so good (a far cry from the painfully awkward moments of high school). In any case, being welcomed into that group so warmly and openly almost 8 years ago is still one of my most cherished memories. Thank you all. I have felt very nostalgic for Seattle lately. Some of the memories that stand out in my mind are:

1. Dancing at Jo’s to the Cousin Phil playing “Song Without Words” with the whole place full of people I knew and love - Sam, Rachel, Dawn, Darwin, Nabila, Steve L, Hadley, Pete, Steve B, Andy, Tim, Deb, Tom….

2. Tom…. I have thought about you a lot lately. We were just becoming friends. I think that in a way you thought I was taking your friend CJ away from you. I remember talking with you a few weeks before you “left”. You said you were feeling really sad. I didn’t know at the time how serious those words were. There have been so many times I have wished I could rewind back to that moment and offer you an ear, a hug and tell you that you were so loved.

3. Going to the hospital to meet Gabriella Wheeler for the first time. She was the splitting image of Darwin. I can still remember thinking that it was uncanny how a little baby girl could look so much like a grown man (and not in a weird way – Gabby was then, and still is now a gorgeous little girl).

4. Our trip to the Oregon coast with the Lacey’s last year. Nabila and I going to the winery and tasting wines while Jasmine slept in the car… tee hee. Oh yeah, and coming back to the beach house with 18 bottles of wine and 5 days left to drink them. Being so excited to see Sam and Jess arrive J

5. The time that Sam, Jess and I went to the Oregon coast. It was in May of 2001. Jess was 3. CJ and I were just recently engaged and living in an apartment in Magnolia. Sam, Jess and I drove to Oregon for a long weekend. Sam gave Jess so much candy on the way down to keep her occupied. But it worked. J It was so fun – flying kites on the beach, making sand castles and spending some quality time with Samantha.

6. The day the Lacey’s told us that they were pregnant with Jasmine. I was blown away. We were so wrapped up in the arrival of Sebastian that I really wasn’t thinking about anyone else having another baby. Then the Lacey’s told us that since we were having 2 they decided to have 2 too (I know that’s not the real reason, but it was cute that they said that). I was so overjoyed that there was another baby coming into our group.

7. IMing with Rachel when she and Steve first got together. I have never seen Rachel so giddy before. It was wonderful. Rachel is one of the most kind, down to earth and sincere people I know. It was so fun to see this more light-hearted happy side of her.

8. Playing pool. Ha ha. Now that our pool table is almost here (it’s being delivered tomorrow) I have been thinking about all the times we played pool in Kirkland. I remember how fun it was playing at Joe’s. We’d be on that table all evening long. Especially DW. DW is/was an awesome pool player but so DAMN COMPETITIVE!!! I loved the odd time when I beat him cause I could tell it really pissed him off.

9. The Wheelers telling us they were moving onto our street. I thought it was a joke at first. In fact I didn’t really think it would happen until they were moved in. How cool is that to have your best friends living on the same street as you. I really miss that. A LOT!

10. Sarah with our kids. She has always been a bright light. I love how she lights up a room when she walks in. I loved watching her with our kids. She could bring a smile to any child’s face. I remember when Sarah was our nanny for the first few months of Kenzie’s life. I loved seeing the pictures that Sarah took of Kenzie with Ethan and with Montana. I loved hearing about how they spent their afternoon outside looking at leaves and flowers, about how they went on a two hour walk and the babies fell asleep in the fresh air. It still makes me smile when I think about the time I told Sarah that I saw Kenzie walk for the first time. Sarah acted all surprised and happy, but there was something behind her expression. I later realized that it was a “knowing” expression. She had seen those first steps already. But she didn’t tell us so that we would “experience” the first steps ourselves.

11. My friend Karen. When we first met through Hadley, we just hit it off. We are pretty different people – Karen is open and friendly and chatty and high-strung. I think I am more the shy, calm, kinda boring type. But Karen made me laugh. It was so fun going through those early days of parenthood with her. I miss our daily phone calls on my way to work. I miss Karen barging into the house, talking non-stop about the latest thing that completely stressed her out (e.g. Ethan flushing her wedding ring down the toilet) – her getting so wound up that I just have to laugh. I miss her terribly.

12. Ladies night out – Dawn, Hadley, Sam, Karen, Rachel, Christy. Sometimes it was all of us, sometimes just a couple. But I have such fond memories of going to Newport Bay for Happy Hour appetizers and cosmos, or way too many lemon drops.

13. Andy – falling asleep. Anywhere. Everywhere. All the time. J

14. Getting together at the Wheelers house after on September 11th, 2001. Everyone was there. We were all in shock. We cried, we talked, we laughed, we hugged.

15. Darwin telling me that it was okay to cry after Tom took his life. I felt like I didn’t deserve to mourn because I wasn’t as close to Tom as the rest of the group. Thank you Darwin.

16. George’s. Going to George’s was always fun. It was the first place that CJ and I took Mackenzie out when she was a baby. She slept in her car seat on the bench while CJ and I enjoyed some lunch. Hadley came by and chatted with us and gave us some much needed advice about taking turns sleeping at night. I remember many other time’s at George’s – a group of us being there for brunch on Sunday after a wild night out – all hung over and eating greasy food. Phoebe’s birthday party – the place was FULL of people for her party. Those Mangouras’s sure know how to entertain.

So there you have it. I guess I got a bit carried away just now. But it was nice to walk down memory lane. So, although we are developing friendships here, it’s just not the same as what we had back in Seattle. I admit I am feeling kinda homesick for Seattle. I definitely think that a trip to Seattle is in order in the near future!