Well folks, she�s come and gone. She left her calling card all about the place, - downed trees, leaves, small branches, standing water, and oodles of families without power.
My firm is on back up generator power so we have lights, PCs, and A/C. You�d never know we had a major weather incident here in �Fair Maryland O Maryland�.
Soren*, the kids and I went to the Macaroni Grill to celebrate my 4.0, Dean�s List and Honor Roll. Yep, that�s right � all of the sleep deprivation and hard work materialized itself into a 4.0. We ate some absolutely delicious food and finished an entire bottle of Chianti. I need to make a mental note to stick with Vodka. Chianti does things to me.
I didn�t sleep well at all. Boo clung to me all night and absolutely refused to sleep in her, own bed. So every hour she�d awaken, and in a whispered scream marked with panic and hysterics she�d utter �Auntie M which sounds more like Auntie Em, we are in the DARK, I can�t see.� Each time I�d whisper that we are okay, it�s going to be fine, I�m right here and you are safe, go back to bed Pumpkin.� You know one of these days I�m going to be up for nomination for �Mother of the Year� and I want you all to vote for me. Remember these little moments where I�m telling you how patient and loving I�ve been, even when I�ve been kicked every-which-a-way. I dreamed all night on and off that I was at summer camp and that Boo and I were in the same camp group and I was still a grown up.
Now how can a 32 year old play ring around the roseys with a group of giggling, sometimes screaming and shrieking 7 year olds and none of them realize I�m way older than they are, and that I�m way taller than they are?...See what dreams may come when one drinks Chianti? Well I suppose dreams of 7 year old summer camp are far better than Hannibal and Fava Beans and a friend for dinner (literally a friend, for, dinner).
While the trees bent, we ate, later the kids and Soren* talked with Mr. Cooper, whom, they are affectionately calling �Uncle�. Lordy, save me. The kids are way too cute for their own good. Rotten little charmers that they are, they asked him if they can do Christmas with us in Miami, Uh hello, did anyone think to ask me? Nope! I didn�t know he and I were going to spend Christmas together�So what Auntie M, just go with the flow, it isn�t all about you�Anyway while they were on a roll, they asked if they can come and be with me at the finish line when he does the Hawaii Iron Man Triathlon in 2008. And you know what he said? �Yes, absolutely.� Lord please, I know you are really busy with floods and what not and dealing with wayward old Isabelle but jeez Louise already! the kids are charming the pants off of �Uncle� with such ease. To top it off Boo flirted with him mercilessly for more than 17 minutes, on the phone, and he giggled like a school boy. Don�t worry I was taking notes, I�ll need these new skills when I go to Miami in 19 days to celebrate my 33rd birthday with him.
After laughing way too much and just enjoying ourselves to the maximum, our charming, handsome waiter who took such primo care of us, stopped by and had a 30 minute conversation with us. Luis* - whoo baby - talk about smart, and attentive and *f-i-n-e* in that Antonio Banderas sort of way. Anyhow, he talked to us about his dreams and his goals. This little guy is on his way, he is going to be somebody and I mean that in all sincerity. He�s from San Salvador and his dreams are HUGE! It was an inspiration to hear him talk with such passion about his poor upbringing and how he feels that in America he has a chance to be anything his heart can dream up. I was nearly in tears. We sat attentively and listened to him. He knew instinctively how to take care of us, how to talk to us, and how to captivate us. He took the crayons from the table and drew on the paper table cloth to show us what his dream would look like when it became a reality. He wants to own a deli restaurant. They will have chicken roasted on a spit, in the center encased in glass, then side orders similar to Boston Market�s set up, as well as a dining room for patrons who want to dine in. On the other side of the building there will be a small store, which will retail spices and other wares with which patrons can make their own Salvadorian culinary delights. I tell you what, I kept whispering Tequila Bar and he nodded. He said that initially they would serve no alcohol but later after they generated enough profit they would have a Tequila and Sangria bar. Okay eventhough he was sharing his dream with us, I was so ready to go and eat there. How I could just picture my hips being a permanent fixture in that place. He described the smells, the d�cor, the live music the ambience. Oh I think I went to Salvadorian Heaven, courtesy of Luis.
When he got quiet and said he was so humbled by the life in America, he dreams big because all he has are his dreams. You know we just wanted to take him home with us right?!...He dropped the bomb on us. He owns his own house, he referees soccer games (5 per week); he gets compensation for his referee work and he does side work to make money. And in addition to that he has a luxury sports car which is paid for in FULL and he is a proud daddy of a little 5 year old cutie pie. His girlfriend and daughter live with him, and they are from his home country. He said "I don�t know what you call what we are doing, but in my heart she�s my wife."
Okay he had me at the word go, but I really had to look away from him. At the point where he said wife, he inhaled so deeply and said "I love her and my daughter with all my heart. They are my reasons for wanting to be a decent man and to work hard to make them happy and give them everything."
Oh dear God, I was about to fall out.
Not only is he�s the stuff all romance novels and movies are made of, he's a real man, living and breathing, humble, honest, passionate and hard working. I never thought I'd say this but Luis is "poetry in motion". Literally. I can't adequately describe what a spiritual experience it was to be in his presence, to have him looking so intently at each of us, then have him profess his love for life, his wife, his daughter, his family and this country. It was absolutely beautiful.
I just wanted to hug him and squeeze him to bits.
That conversation, his care and attentiveness, the food, the wine, our moods, the occasion, the company � it was all simply perfect.
Bad assed Isabelle couldn�t dampen the flame Luis lit within our hearts.
