Tuesday happenings

Yesterday we stayed home all day. I had a lot of Tastefully Simple orders to enter and I wanted to clean my desk and make a bunch of important business calls. I got it all done, which was fantastic!

Today I had a physical at my doctor's office in Norwood. So Ping didn't go to school today. We left at 9 to make the hour long trip to the doctor's. I had the works. I don't think there was anything left of me when it was all over. I was picked at, poked at, prodded, scraped here and there, gelled, etc. I got the works. Lucky me. I am still trying to recover!! I even got my flu shot. First time I have ever received one. Now that I am a mom, I wanted to make sure that I was protected. First of all, this little chick brings home every bug she can find and she is great at sharing it with me. Love the sharing part with some stuff, not so much with other stuff. Also, I didn't want to end up sick as I am her primary caregiver and she needs to get to school and such. So I succumbed.

I then took my responsible adult self into Boston:) I always feel like a big girl when I do it. Maybe it's because my dad always took me when he was alive. Maybe it's because I can't think of any friends in particular who will drive in on their own. I guess now that I think about it, some would, but most would not. My Notary Commision expires soon, so I had to renew that by mail. I got that back a few days ago. You always have to take an Oath in order to start a fresh 7 years. So into Boston we went. I was so pleased that Ping decided to sleep on the way in. There is nothing more frustrating than her choosing to have a freaking stroke when I am driving. Her fits are random. It could be because she dropped her daddy's sunglasses that she likes to wear upside down on her head every day. She doesn't care that they are not hers. She likes to hold the stuffed shark that I always used as a pillow for long drives. She also likes to have her hands available for chocolate milk, water and fish sticks. Fish sticks are goldfish crackers. She calls them fish sticks. Don't ask me! Sometimes she just wants OUT of the seat. She is also very bossy. She tells me daily which way to go. If I take a right, so yells "no, go THAT WAY!!!!!" When I tell her it's the wrong way, sometimes she starts screaming at me. This is usually a tired thing on her part. So I envision her having these episodes as I am driving into Boston looking at street signs and as idiots step off the curb in front of the truck. If Ping finishes her juice or crackers, she starts yelling "mommy, done!!!!!" So I immediately have to retrieve the snack or risk it being thrown at my head! She loves to choose exit ramps for this activity. So when she passed out, I did a little happy dance.

So I finally found the place. Took a little bit of time, but I did find it. There was no parking lot to be found anywhere near it. However, I went around the block and found one. So I parked the car, grabbed Ping and off we went. The place we had to be at was at the top of the garage and then at the top of a hill. I am talking major San Francisco STEEP ASS hill!!!!! Getting out of the parking garage was dangerous. It even scared Ping. There was no sidewalks, so you either walked up where the cars enter or exit. As you can see, I navigated fine as I am here to tell the story! She hated trying to leave the garage. She kept yelling "cars Mama." I kept telling her that nothing was going to happen her as I couldn't squeeze her hand any tighter than I was. Once we got to the top of the garage which was in the belly of hell, we took a left and went up the street to the building. Ping kept complaining she was cold. So I said to her, "remember I wanted you to wear pants hon????" This is why!!!!!" I was fine with the cold, it was the weight and my chest that was doing me in. I don't seem to have a cold or maybe I do. I have something. I have a cough and some chest thingie going on. A virus of some sort. Take that and add my cute figure to that and viola, you have hell! Thank god I had to walk slow for the wee one. So we get to the top and I am sure the lungs are going to burst. Have you ever exercised in the cold and it makes your lungs hurt? Well that is what was happening. Not a fan! So in the building we went. We had to put our stuff through the x-ray machine and of course I beeped. So I am trying to watch our coats, my pocketbook and the kid while I have a wand going up and down my bod. I am telling you, nothing was left unturned today!!!!!! Anyhoo, off we went to the 17th floor where I took the Oath and Ping got a lollipop and sticker. Now I am confused as I can be. I get the physical with all the bells and whistles and she gets stickers. I get to take the Oath in Boston and she gets a pop and another sticker. What the hell???? Does anybody want to give me something????? LOL. Ping was upset as her Dora sticker somehow tore, so she got a golden sticker at the Oath office. Pretty cool as they are not for anything but documents.

Some sweet memories for me today. Driving into Boston was something I always did with dad. He would always take me when I needed him to. I would drive to his work after leaving mine and park my car. I would jump in with him and he would lecture me all the way in. At the time I wanted to jump out the window. I would kill for a 2 minute lecture now. The lectures were always about bettering myself. So it was always a good lecture, but when you are young, you don't want to hear it. If I knew then what I know now. Going to the Oath office has been something I have done a few times. Dad wanted me to be a Notary. Thought it would be good for me. So going to this place brought back a familiar feeling. Sadly, a lonely one too. Strange that I went with him and now I take my own daughter with me. My dad died 11 years ago on November 19th, my mom's birthday. Dad, I so miss you and your lectures. The second part of the sweet memories was remembering how Bill, mom and I hiked into Boston to this building to have all of our adoption paperwork certified before going on to NY to be authenticated. I can remember the three of us hiking to this building in the same cold as we experienced today. It was 2 years ago at this time of year. I would have to check the documents to get the exact date, but I swear it was this month. It was frigid temps that day. We walked through Boston Commons. If I only knew that there was a parking garage much closer. I remember feeling so bad about making her hike in there with us. She hated driving into Boston with anyone. I am not sure why I even took her with us as I didn't need her. Maybe just in case I needed her or maybe it's because we had something else to do with her that day in the general area. That is probably the reason why. So now two years later, I am going there with my daughter. Where my dad once took me, where I took my mom for our Chinese documents and now where I take my daughter. Happy Birthday mom. I love you and miss you terribly.

After taking the Oath today, I looked up and there was a huge picture hanging behind the woman's head and it was a picture of a bunch of families at the White Swan in China! The woman says to me as she saw me looking "that picture is from China." I said "I know that too well, I was there 8 months ago. That is at the White Swan." It was so neat.

We were there only 5 minutes and then we headed back into the cold and down the long hill, back down into the belly of hell and out we went. $18.00 for 15 minutes of parking and another $4.00 in tolls. The Notary Commision is $60.00. However, looking back at everything, I guess today was what they call "priceless."

After driving on fumes for the last 10 minutes as we got closer to home, I pulled into the gas station to get gas and then we picked up McDonalds for lunch. It was 3 pm and she was so well behaved, I thought chicken fingers were in order for the day!!!!! After eating, she watched some TV and I took a little nap. Long day.

Very fitting day for this week. I didn't choose it purposely. However, looking back, it's like I had mom and dad with me today. I love you dad and mom. I will miss you every day of my life. I wish I could go back 12 years ago. Dad has been gone 11 as of tomorrow and mom 1 year as of Friday. 12 years ago I had both. I would love to go back, but I love having Ping, so I need to take Ping back with me or bring them forward 12 years? They should have known my daughter. They would have adored her. My dad would have totally ignored me and played with her all day. I think I would have loved that!!!!!

I am truly blessed for having such loving parents.

Mama Out!