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| Pop and Baby Danny 11-2012 |
There are six great men in my life. These men have taught me many things. Things that are good, bad, funny, necessary and even heartbreaking, but all very worthwhile and important to the woman I am this day.
I'm only including the men that are alive. While I could include my Grandfathers and a Step-Dad, I'm not writing about them today. Today is for the living.
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| Me & Pop - 1970 |
Starting with Pop. My Pop is in the photo above. He's holding my nephew, Daniel - Danny to me and forever. This was taken yesterday, 11.3.2012. Pop taught me how a woman should be treated. He taught me this by not only treating me the way a woman should be treated, but by treating me the way a woman should not be treated. He didn't do anything immoral with me - don't go there! LOL YIKES!! I'm a total Daddy's Girl, but he was young and made plenty of mistakes with parenting. I love him all the same. Pop and I have a crazy telepathic bond. I kid-you-not. Pop just knows when I need him and I never fail to call, just when he is thinking of or needing my shoulder. I'm a smart cookie and I don't sugar coat, I know he's a rascal of all kinds, but he's my Pop. When I have cooking questions, depending on what I'm making, I'll give him a call. If I need someone in my corner, I call Dad. If I'm crying and heartbroken about my mother, his first wife, I call him. He is the only other person on earth (besides my Auntie) that knows her like I do. Actually, I don't think my Auntie knows her the same way Pop and I know her, but she knows LOTS. Anyway! My Pop - the first man I ever fell in love with - the only way a Daddy's Girl can fall. He'd sing me to sleep and give me butterfly kisses. When I had a nightmare, I'd go to Dad. He became Pop when he stayed with us for a while - we needed a different title for him, for the boys. Pop it is!
Matt. My hubby. He taught me that just because we argue - doesn't mean that someone has to LEAVE. That's what I learned from my parents I guess.... every time they argued, Mom would leave. Matt taught me to stay. You hear the phrase, "Real men don't leave." Well, yeah, okay, but what about women? Strong women know when to stay, when to leave and when to get her "Black-Chick Swag" on and take off her earrings!! LOL "Don't make me take off my earrings!" Matt treats me like a lady. Matt treats me with love. Matt is AWESOME!!! He loves me in my
Love Language (acts of service). That means he takes out the scary, smelly garbage when it's dark and scary outside. That means he will help me with things when I'm too tired or hurting. Take a bullet for Matt? Drink poison for him? Wash his dirty underwear? YOU BET!!!
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| Me & Mario - 2009 |
Mario. My little brother. Mario taught me all about nature vs. nurture. Mario and I, at most, have had approximately 10 months of our lives in which we have lived together. We are so alike! It's a crazy and creepy kind of thing! I mean, I don't mind people knowing that I'm alot like my brother, but I bet he isn't so crazy about people thinking he's like a girl - even if it is his sister! LOL When Dad had Mario with Claudia. I didn't want to be with my mother,
I wanted to be with Dad and my little brother. It broke my mother's
heart. At the time, I'd drink poison for him. Now, I'd just
SLAP it out of his hands and say, "What the
FUCK are you doing!?!?!! That's
POISONED for crap sake!!! Don't drink that!!" LOLOL
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| Rick, Mario, Benny - 2009 |
My sons, Rick and Ben. I knew that I would love my children, but I did not know that I would fall in love with my children. I never knew that I could love another being as much as I love my sons. I love my brother alot - and I would have taken a bullet for him. Then I had children. Before my sons were born I didn't know I could love someone even MORE than I loved Mario. Then along came Rick and Ben. I didn't know I was capable of that much love!!! I'd take a bullet for my boys. I used to say I'd take a bullet for Mario, but now that I'm a mom, I'd just shove Mario out of the way and duck myself. LOL My boys though - I'd lay my life down for them.
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| Mario and Baby Danny - 2012 |
Then! Along comes Baby Danny. I have yet to hold him physically in my arms. It's all virtual. I'm all about Auntie tears and tons of love. How can I love one tiny little man so much without holding him in my arms??!!! Baby Danny is teaching me all about loving someone that really isn't mine, but is related. Baby Danny made me love my Sister-in-Law more than I ever dreamed I could love her. I mean, if Mario loves her, that's enough for me - I love her too. Unconditionally. It's just that now she has expanded my family. Family is everything to me. She has given me a gift - the gift of being an Auntie. I ADORE my Aunties! I never thought I'd be an Auntie. I was my parents only child until I was 13 years old. I'm a big sister and I love Mario with everything a sister who lives 1500 miles away can give. Now he has made me an Auntie!!
I didn't know, growing up, that I could love with such ferocity. I didn't know I could love so unconditionally. I didn't know I could love. I was loved growing up. I am a loving person and always have been. I've worn my heart on my sleeve my entire life, but these six great men have stretched my heart in ways I never knew existed.
Thank you guys - I love you.
