Daughters Will Love Like You Do

We proudly welcome Jersie Elizabeth Treuthart, the most recent addition to our family brought to us by Dominick's cousin Jessica and her husband, Chad, in Arizona. As you can see, Jersie is just cute as a button and we can't wait to meet her in person!

Happy Belated Birthday Jersie and Congratulations Mom and Dad!

Baby I've Been Here Before - I Know this Room, I've Walked this Floor

This weekend was one of those that come and go, seemingly normal, but forever changing our perspective. Saturday was spent advising at a new student orientation - interacting with students on the brink of their lives. These sullen, misunderstood young adults arguing over AP credits will be our doctors, historians, therapists and teachers. This part of my job will never get old, and will always well up that slightly-misty sense of hope and purpose.

We continued on with dinner with our good friends Irene and Dave. Irene and I met when she became my boss...but she has become so very much more in the past 3 years. They have two phenomenal children, Conner and Meg, that are already such beautiful reflections of the strength of their parents. Upon entering the house I got the once-over by Meg (4) and we started a fascinating conversation about marriage. The highlights:
I think that we decided that Dom was nice and it was acceptable for me to be married to him like mommy was married to daddy
Meg concluded that the shiny ring on my toe was from when I got married and that my red toe nail polish was particularly fabulous
But Meg was VERY concerned about why I didn't live with my sister and who would be staying with her while Dom and I were at dinner? I assured her that my sister lives in far-far away in Spain where she has many friends, but this was unsatisfactory. "Yes, but who is WITH her?" I don't know who it disappointed more that I didn't have a good answer to that question....but it was a sort of beautiful insight into the love that she has for her brother and their connection to one another.

Today, we attended a wake for our friend Stephanie's father who passed away very unexpectedly. Our hearts ache for Stephanie, Mike and their family as they grieve and begin to contemplate life without their daddy. But in the love and life that was celebrated today in the stories, photos and tears - it was clear that the family will have mountains of treasured memories to sustain them through the especially trying times.

It was a strange juxtaposition of witnessing the beginnings and endings of life...and everything in between. And somewhere in the middle, we decided that it was time to find new perspective closer to home. In the philisophical sense, we have been realigning ourselves over the past month - and I find that this often finds very tangible and physical outlets and manifestations. Our most recent victim? The livingroom! Here's a before and after:

If you look really closely at the "after" photo, you can see Tugger sleeping in the music room. He is such a ham, manages to get into almost every photo! And don't worry - we didn't nix the television (my dad would never visit again), it is just off-camera on the left. My favorite Friends quote:

"You don't own a TV? What's all your furniture pointed at?"

We'll Have It Good - We'll Have the Life We Knew We Would

It has been in the works for a few weeks, but I am now officially the Assistant Dean for First Year Students. It is a role I take very seriously and am enjoying so much. The balance in my life has allowed for me to be present in a way that I forgot I could - and we are making the most of it! Making dinner together, visiting with loved ones, and tackling house projects that have been too long ignored.

When we moved into 94 Rodney, the previous owners had tiled over the brick fireplace, and in the process covered up a section of the mahogany border in the floor. If this weren't enough, they laid the tile directly to the brick with mortar - and the tile was pink. Everytime I looked at it I felt like I should be brushing my teeth or....well, nevermind.

Suffice it to say it would have been more appropriate surrounding a porcelain throne than a vintage fireplace!

So this weekend Dominick and I set about the process of sledge-hammering and chiseling off the tile. We began on Saturday at about 9:30pm until we realized that our home does not have a sound barrier that protects our neighbors from our strange schedule - so we worked on it most of Sunday after getting a few initial licks in. Now begins the slow and rigorous process of removing (TRYING to remove) the excess mortar.

For now we are satisfied with the "deconstructed" look - it's very now, it's very happening, it's very Boston loft. Ok, so it looks unfinished but I am in SERIOUS need of a massage and it's just going to have to wait! Completely by accident, I also managed to capture Tugger watching animal planet in the foreground there.

Hope you are all surviving this steamy summer in some relative comfort - and if your travels find you in the New Brunswick area, please come by. We are always looking for a reason to spark the grill and pop open a cold one!

Hey Shorty, It's Ya Berfday

The big 2-6. Nothing too remarkable, just a quiet evening with my parents, husband and adopted big brother Mike Rudy. I even earned a phone call from Spain (miss you MK!), Florida (shout out to my Stanzione family!), fairy Godparents, and a few other loved voices.

Here are some classic pictures of birthday pie (WAY better than birthday cake!) courtesy of Daddy's cell phone.

It has been an amazing ride so far and I look forward to many more adventures. In many ways my birthday is like no other day: I'm about to crawl into bed with my gorgeous husband and adorable puppy, count my blessings, and thank the Lord for my life. Tomorrow, I will get up and haul my tired buns to work, still hungover on ribs and chicken. But on this day, 26 years ago, the love of a young man and young woman (not unlike my husband and I) created a life - my life - and it is they who are owed the praise and credit. I am a product of their love, their faith, and their strength; they have inspired me beyond my capabilities and encouraged me through my darkest moments.
So on this, my 26th birthday, I thank you Mom and Dad, and promise to continue to live a life of testament to you and the values that you have instilled in me.