When the transmission blows...Laugh it wasn't the engine!

For those of you who know me, I'm a pretty optimistic person. Last year, my transmission on my 3 year old car went and I struggled through the process of $4,000 in repairs and thought, I need a new car. 9 months later when the same transmission backfired, the warranty was expired since I drive 10,000 miles a day. This time, the mechanic suggested I sue Nissan and sent me on my way. After a nice sleepover in Warwick this weekend and then another sleepover in the Berkshires, I headed home singing in my car on the top of my lungs with a great running car. Tonight, I wanted to make a special dinner for my great friend Norma's Mom who turned 81. As I raced up Rt. 280 with 3 kids in tow, WHAM, the transmission slipped and I was banging on the hazards. I pulled over, thought it over and realized, damn, 2 miles away. My son Noah stated he was praying and I told him, keep praying. We started to chant, "come on baby, come on baby" as we coasted in neutral down Eagle Rock Road. What an adventure! Our energy made that car go!!! We made it to Norma's. I cooked, we laughed and Norma's mom Catherine, gave me her car to drive back home. I reached out to my friend Lynn who has a truck I wanted to buy and she says, "I will leave the keys tomorrow, take it."

Love always saves the day and there is no one I know more grateful for the love in my life and the people around me.

Love rules. Happy Valentine's Day!
Jordan

Trust your instincts, mostly your best friend!

I was reminded today about love. Almost a year ago, it was around my birthday (March), I wanted a puppy desperately to add to our new addition of a crazy ass pit bull hell dog rescued from Brooklyn. My husband was hell bent on getting Matilda and I relented. Soon after, I knew, she needed a partner. I emailed, facebooked, blogged, everything I could to find a puppy (pit bull) to join freak, crazy Matilda. Finally, I received an email from Ramapo Refuge in Oakland and they said, "we are expecting two pit bull mix puppies, please come and take a look." Alone, I drove to Oakland and when I arrived, the woman at the desk said, "I'm so sorry. The woman with the puppies won't release them." I was so disappointed. I gave them my cell number and asked them to give it to the woman with the puppies. I went home feeling she would call. 5 days later, the shelter called and said the woman brought in the puppies. A male and a female puppy! I was so excited, I drove directly to the shelter. Once there, I saw two puppies... One was yapping and yelling and jumping all over and the other was calm and sitting and so sweet looking. I knew instantly he was mine. I held him and took a picture and my husband felt he didn't look like a pit bull so I forwarded the picture to my best friend Caroline and she said, "Jordan, that is your dog."

I will never forget it. She was certain. I trusted her and I said yes to adopting him. Today, reminded by love is because, Frankie, my dog, is amazing. He is loving, trustworthy, sweet, reliable, gorgeous and loves my kids.

I am grateful for intuition, I am grateful for shelters, I am grateful for best friends!

What? This is my life???

Many of you know, I am a mother to 5 children. My 2 step-children do not live me with physically although they are with me full time emotionally and I adore them. My 14 year old daughter was a competitive gymnast for 7 years. 6 days a week, constant travel, constant heartache. Last year she declared she could not continue another day with gymnastics and I obliged. 2 weeks after leaving gymnastics, she asked if I would take her to this gym in Fairfield for competitive cheerleading. I knew nothing, but wanted her to continue in her training in some degree. Day one, she loved it, they loved her, a new sport was upon us. Fast forward a year... Catherine is a level 5 open Cheerleader (level 5 is the highest) and her team has won every competition so far this season. We just got home from Atlantic City, where they won another first place. The responsibility and obligation for parents is amazing. We recently spent 4 days in Charlotte, this weekend in Atlantic City, next weekend Connecticut, upcoming, DC and Virginia Beach.

I love my children, I love myself. It's a fine line sometimes to carefully thread through what we feel as parents to be supportive and what is just too much. Instincts are our key!!!

Rock on Parents!
Sometimes say yes, sometimes, say no...