Marriage – Page 14 – Apron Strings for Emily

07 January 2009

Pie is Home

Pie is home … and people always come home.
– The Pie-Maker, “Pushing Daisies”

I don’t know why it’s taken me so long, but I’ve fallen in love with series “Pushing Daisies.” I’ve caught bits and pieces of the show, yet never saw a complete episode. But what I did see, I liked. Visually, it’s an amazing show. But as to the plot? I had no clue.

That is until Sunday. When, out of desperation for lack of TV viewing (still no cable and no good signal available for local TV), Hubby & I went to Target to get some DVD’s. Buy a TV show DVD, Hubby suggested. After all, I am known for watching marathons of “House” or “CSI” on the USA network. That, and it’ll probably get me through the week until the cable guy gets here. So hence the reason I’ve started watching Season 1 of “Pushing Daisies.”

Besides the incredibly saturated colors and equally quirky characters, the other incredible aspect of this show is the dialogue. It’s witty. It’s fast. It’s full of pop culture. And its dialogue so reminds me of another one of my favorite series of all time, “Gilmore Girls.” No … there is no comparison when it comes to story lines. Both shows are uniquely dissimilar in plot and characters. However, the quick and clever exchanges among the characters are very much alike. And I’m very much looking forward to watching the rest of the series … which, unfortunately has been canceled in the midst of its second season. (Total bummer …)

pushing_daisies But that wasn’t what I was about to blog about. Really, the subject matter (minus the “Pie” reference) is in the title of this post … which happens to relate to a line in one of the “Pushing Daisies” episodes. Home.

After living in our house for over 12 years and now living in a different location, I’m having a difficult time distinguishing what I should label as home. It kind of reminds me of when Hubby & I first moved into our suburban house after just getting married; when I would still call my parents’ place “home” even though I knew that my new “home” was with Hubby. I had to adjust to the fact that I was now making a “home” with my husband.

This is what’s been troubling me these past two days, as I’ve met new people in my new job. I can’t tell you how many people have asked me what area I was calling “home” these days. And I would respond by telling them which neighborhood I lived in. However, I would also find myself telling them that “home” was still in my old town.

1189477345_l What I realized yesterday evening after work, was the reason I struggled with calling my new place “home” … Home for me is not a physical location that could be located by GPS. Oh no, home was definitiely where the heart is.

And my heart is with my Hubby.

So until Hubby is officially by my side … I won’t consider this new place “home.”

04 January 2009

Unraveled

I knew when I decided to take on a new career path that I would be separated from him for at least two months. And I knew that we’d see each other on the weekends, as we both spent the time concluding business at our old place while moving into our new one. What I didn’t expect was that it would be so hard to say good-bye. Especially this first time.

Except it’s not good-bye. Rather it’s a “See you in 4 days.” But that doesn’t stop my heart from feeling as if it’s a ball of yarn unraveling as the distance between the two of us widens.

Since being married more than a decade ago, we have never been more than two days apart from each other … two and a half, at most. While I know many couples have survived in long distance relationships or cherish the time that they have on their own, we’re just simply not like that.

I’ve had it said to me that it’s “unnatural” that the two of us want to spend each and every moment together. That it’s strange that we enjoy all the same activities, or that we take an interest in whatever any hobby or activity that the other one decides to take up. I’ve even been told that perhaps his involvement in every aspect of my life is more of a “control” issue or a “possessive” streak in his personality.

The truth is that we’re just not a very sociable couple. Not to say that we don’t have wonderfully close friends or even closer family members. It’s just that we don’t tend to go out with other friends or couples a whole lot. Other than our hobbies and activities, we are very much homebodies. And we quite enjoy being as such.

So that is what makes this temporary separation much more difficult. At least for me; especially as I’m in a completely new and wonderfully strange environment. Because as excited as I am to be here, I just wish my best friend was by my side to experience everything with me.

11 December 200813 June 2015

My Hubby, My Hiro

Not to be completely cheesy here, but I’ve always believed that my Hubby is my own personal, honest-to-G*d hero. I’m sure part of it is because I met my Hubby during my sophomore year in high school and were friends first before starting to date the summer before starting college. And I’m not saying these things to put him high up on a pedestal. Simply put … he is my best friend and because of that, I place all my trust in him.

That song … the one by Enrique Iglesias … came out just before my laparotomy. This was the big surgery where I’d get my bikini c-section scar without the baby to show for it. The surgery to do some major clearing out of the endometriosis that was thought to be the reason I couldn’t get pregnant. (Little did I know then that it was also a combination of my “tricked out” hormones thanks to PCOS. Oh, how hindsight is always 20/20 … grrr.) And even though I had two previous laparascopies beforehand, the thought of this surgery somehow scared the living daylights out of me.

But it was that song, “Hero” that seemed to pacify my nerves. Perhaps it was because that particular song came on during one of the many tearful moments spent prior to the surgery. When Hubby held my hand while wiping my tears off my cheek with his other hand. All while Enrique would sing about kissing away my pain. And standing by me forever. So yes, to this day every time I hear that chorus, I think of that particular moment.

Okay … so really, this wasn’t supposed to be all serious here. What I was actually getting at was how Hubby & I have loved watching the TV show “Heroes.” When we first saw previews of the series two years prior, we both knew this was a show we wanted to watch. I mean, really … we’re talking about two people that have traveled as far as San Diego for Hubby’s love of comics! So to have a TV show based on poeple with “special powers”? Yeah, totally up our alley.

"Heroes" character, Hiro Nakamura — “Heroes” character, Hiro Nakamura

For those of you that have never seen the series, one of the major characters is an Asian with the power to “bend” time. Of all things, his name is “Hiro,” which is pronounces just like the word “hero.”

While Hiro’s power is cool, the thing that has made him our favorite character is who he is as a person. In the beginning, Hiro is this typical Japanese character who works in a boring office setting feeling as if he’s destined for greater things. When he learns about his power, he immediately relates it to his best friend, Ando as having special abilities just like in one of his favorite comic book series, X-Men. Among a series of events, Hiro and Ando find out that their “lives” are being depicted in a comic book written by another person with special powers. By reading this comic , he comes to the conclusion that it is destiny to use his powers for good. And throughout the past two seasons, Hiro and Ando have managed to get into difficult situations but have always managed to come out of the scrapes together.

My Hubby, My Hiro … Like the Spidey tee he’s wearing?

So, I’m sure you’ve probably figured out why I’m giving you this whole schpiel. First, the “Hero” song. Then the TV show “Heroes.” And finally the Asian character on the same show, “Hiro.”

Obviously, this all relates back to Hubby and how he is literally my Hiro. Let’s just say that not only are there character similarities between Hiro and Hubby. Well … see for yourself. Don’t you think Hubby could kinda pass for Hiro too?

Seriously though. Seeing Hiro’s character reminds me of some of the reasons I love Hubby. The Asian thing. The sense of responsibility to do what’s right. Even the whole comic book lover thing. (Yes, I’m serious!) But what gets me the most is the like Hiro, Hubby has this incredible loyalty to those he cares for the most. And that despite everything that we’ve been through together , he has managed to stand by me forever. And every day, he continues to take my breath away.

23 November 2008

Show and Tell: Ring Exchange

showandtell Ugh. This … whatever it is, is kicking my butt. Instead of feeling better, after two days I’m feeling worse. Methinks I need to hit my primary doc’s office tomorrow. Anyhoo …

Today’s Show and Tell item is a photo from my cousin’s wedding in London, Ontario this past October. The ceremony was held at the Chapel at Windermere on the Mount, which is a retirement residence not far from the University of Western Ontario. However, prior to becoming this the place was once an all-girls Catholic school, serving also as the convent for the Sisters of St. Joseph. And prior to THAT, the location was actually the Motherhouse for the London Diocese since the mid 1800’s and also served as an orphanage.

The current chapel was built in 1953 and the decor clearly reflects this. Lots of stained glass, lots of nouveau Art Deco pieces. Oh, and lots of gorgeous tile work and woodwork, too. But what was most beautiful about the chapel, in my humble opinion, was exactly how the sun hit the the center of the altar at a particular time. At my cousin’s wedding , the sun decided to shine as the wedding rings were exchanged.

Lucky for me, I was able to capture it on film.

Well, kiddies. I think that’s it for this episode of Show and Tell. If I were feeling a little better, I might have been inclined to show you more. But alas … these cold medicines have been fogging up my brain.

Make sure you check out the other Show and Tell blogs this week!

22 November 2008

Love Actually

I’m in the midst of finally catching up on much blog reading, after having called in sick yesterday. That cold turned out to be another bout of bronchitis, methinks. I’m actually down to some 20 more posts I need to read (most of which are yours, Pam … sorry! I just thoroughly enjoy reading your posts leisurely, as they are so poignant and beautiful).

And as Hubby (who coincidentally was working at home yesterday) and I flipped through the channels last night, we stumbled on the movie “Love Actually.”

Perfect, both of us thought. As coincidentally we had talked about when we should watch that movie this year. It’s been a yearly tradition for us to watch it around the holidays, as it’s listed as one of my most favorite movies of all time.

I love that it’s a myriad of different love stories that are weaved together, almost seemingly. And that it isn’t just the typical romance love story centered around the holidays. It’s certainly is a story about love during the holidays … but a variety of different loves. From unrequited love, to love lost, to love despite language barriers, to the love of friends and family.

The reason I love to watch this movie around the holidays is not only because it manages to get the childless infertile me into the holiday spirit, but it manages to remind me about what love is supposed to be about.

Not the romanticized version of it … not the one where a person wakes up and suddenly realizes that they can’t live without the other. Or the one where the two stars … despite the all that happens throughout the movie … finally get together in the end.

The love that this movie reminds me about is the every day kind of love. The love that endures the hardship and pain. The love that survives despite the every day things. And the not so every day things.

And for me, this movie reminds me about the kind of love that can survive infertility.