Riding into the Sunset

Last week Jim and I said farewell one of the most amazing men to have ever lived, my grandfather Richard Charles Jackson (Rich). Jim likes to call him the last cowboy. There is not a better term I could use to describe this man whose love of adventure, the West, and Oklahoma is only dimmed by the love he extended to his family.

As a child my grandparents where always present and always available to their six grandkids. They only had two girls so my family provided four of their six grandkids. Even though they are gone they still remain a shining example of how wonderful life can be when lived with love, commitment, and hard work.

When my grandmother passed away I remember Rich saying, "Those in heaven aren't going to know what to do with my beautiful Enola." If you ever had the privilege of meeting my feisty and beautiful grandmother, you would understand why that was both accurate and amusing.

Rich was not only a father to my mom and a grandfather to me, but he was also the closest thing my father had to a dad. He took a special interest in making time for my dad to go fishing, hunting, and other excursions. Everything he did in life, was done with humility and compassion.

He was a luminary for his time and upbringing. Even after he became a successful engineer, he would still don his boots and cowboy hat to go plow the field at his beloved Flying Circle ranch or fix fence posts. Rich taught me to bait a fishing hook, ride a horse, shoot a bow and arrow, and gave me my first driving lesson before I could reach the pedals.

His obituary is a wonderful Cliffnote version of his life, but still doesn't do the man justice.

Up until a year ago he was still riding horses, fishing, and tinkering in his shop at 88 years young. Over the last year his health continued to decline. On one of his last days in the hospital he looked at my mom and asked for his sunglasses. My mom was puzzled, and asked him why he needed his sunglasses inside. His response, "Cause I'm about to ride into the sunset."

Marathon Training Part Deux

Last year I swore I would never train for another marathon. I would especially refrain from any long term training commitments until I was out of grad school. I made Jim promise to never let me consider something so foolish again. Following my successful completion of the Baltimore Marathon last year I promised to resign my future running activities to anything under 13.2 miles, because 26.2 hurt...A LOT!

Now it's one year later not one race was entered and finished by the Azzano household in 2013. So why on Earth did I think it was a good idea to sign up to run the 2013 ING New York City Marathon on November 3, 2013? I am still in grad school. We are still trying to adopt. And apparently I have yet to learn my lesson.

There are two reasons:

1. I have always wanted to run the NYC marathon. It is on my bucket list and I hope I scratch it off in 1.65 months (Right now that .65 is important).
2. I'm doing it to raise money for the Epilepsy Therapy Project. Every year Jim and I create a team for the National Epilepsy Walk, to support Jim's brother with epilepsy. This year I'm just adding a faster paced 26.2 to miles to that walk.

I wish I could say I'm confident on the training and fundraising front, but I'm starting to feel the time pinch to get both done. If you read this and want to help please donate here:  https://epilepsytherapyproject.myetap.org/fundraiser/2013NYCMarathon/individual.do?etapCacheBuster=1376939252394&participationRef=189.0.588347433

Harley Quinn and Hermione Granger

This is an epic battle for total control and domination. One is brains the other is brawn. One has tricks and strategy the other uses her cuteness for misdirection before she pounces. This may sounds like the most amazing claymation special or celebrity death match ever, but it is unfortunately the epic dilemma of our two dogs:





Harley Quinn

and

Hermione Granger

While I love them and they are my babies, there are times I have envisioned taking them to a nice farm somewhere and letting them terrorize some farm animals for all eternity. I'm afraid though that they might cause an "Animal Farm" style uprising that would then divide into two nations each ruled by one of them. Eventually an iron curtain would form between the two of them. How would we fair with a canine style Cuban Missile Crisis? I'm not sure what to do about their epic love hate relationship. Their interactions makes the Fraiser Ali rivalry look like a Village People  reunion. One day hopefully they will both let bygones be bygones and share the couch, their food, chew toys, our undivided attention, and home in peace. Please little ones, I'm begging.

Perspective from a family on the path to adoption

I recently saw this story on NPR: “How Evangelical Christians Are Preaching: The New Gospel Of Adoption”. The following is my response to it. 

The recent story on “How Evangelical Christians Are Preaching: The New Gospel Of Adoption” begins in a way that may seem innocuous to most people, stating, “We're used to thinking of adoption as a way for infertile couples or single people to start a family or take in a child in need of a home.” While I cannot argue that many people maybe “used” to thinking this way about adoption, statements such as these perpetuate a way of thinking that places adoption in a second class tier of family ties.

Adoption is as beautiful and caring of a way to bring a child into a loving family as any other means. You would never say this is my son who was born via cesarean section, or this is my daughter who was born premature, because it only describes how they came into your family. Likewise “adoption” only describes how a child came into a family, and should have no bearing on how a family’s relationship is viewed.

Whether you bring your child into your family the traditional way or by other means, every story is different and precious to that family. Undermining one form of “bringing a child home,” because it does not conform to “tradition,” is a disservice to all families. 

The V Word...

... Vegetarian. It is amazing how visceral and different each person's reaction can be to that word. I never thought it was I big deal until Jim and I decided to leave meat behind.

We have been vegetarians for a few years now, but before that I could probably have held my own in a hot dog eating contest and had a hot and heavy love affair with Ray's Hell Burger. Diablo Burger with pepper jack cheese and extra jalapenos? YES PLEASE!

Jim and I were meat free for a few months when our friends finally found out. We were out at dinner ordering food, and this is how the conversation went between the six of us:

• F1: I think it would be best to split two pizzas. The Black and Blue with steak is great. I also like the carnivore.
• F2: I really had my heart set on prosciutto and and pineapple pizza.
• Me: You guys go ahead I think Jim and I are going to get the veggie.
• F3: (jokingly) Why would you guys do that; what are you vegetarians now?
• Jim: Actually, we stopped eating meat months ago, I'm surprised it hasn't come up yet.
• F1-4: Awkward silence.
• F1-4: Extended awkward silence.
• F1-4: Continue extended awkward silence.
• F4: Are either of you sick or dying?

The last line maybe mildly exaggerated, but it sums up the general tone and implications for the rest of the conversation during dinner. Jim and I did get our own pizza, and for some reason our friendships were forever changed. Maybe it was because I could no longer hose a filet mignon with the best of them or maybe it was because I would never again make my famous queso with sausage. The world may never know, but while Jim and my vegetarian coming out opened us up to quite a bit of ridicule among some (see www.vegansarevil.com for more evidence) we found a safe haven in our extremely vegetarian friendly neighborhood. Our Chinese delivery even offers everything on the menu with vegetarian alternatives.

People always talk about their dislike of obnoxiously preachy vegetarians, and I completely agree with their assessment of anyone who preaches about the superiority of their dietary choices. Meat is delicious, and if you want to eat it mazal tov. I don't want someone up in my plate about what I'm eating, so I won't get up in your's. However, if you feel the need to defend your dietary decisions by ridiculing mine, I will politely tell you where you can stuff your turkey.

I love food and the hardest part about becoming the V word was learning to cook healthy meals that were still delicious. Periodically, I'm going to try to post a new recipe that I have discovered during this journey. This week it's cold where I'm at, so here is my recipe for roasted garlic soup:

• 1 potato
• 1 head cauliflower
• 1 red bell pepper
• 4-5 garlic bulbs
• 1 onion
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 4 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
• 1 sprig fresh thyme (remove and discard the stems but keep the leaves)
• 1 sprig fresh sage  (remove and discard the stems but keep the leaves)

Directions: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Chop the first to ingredients and place them in a metal roasting pan and toss with 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil. Cut the pepper in half and remove the seeds and pit. Clear a space in the roasting pan and for the pepper halves and place them with the outside skin facing up, and set the pan aside. Take the four garlic bulbs and cut off the top quarter of the garlic so that the roots remain on bottom an the tops of the cloves are visible. Divide the remaining olive oil evenly and sprinkle it on the tops of the exposed cloves. Wrap each garlic bulb in foil and place them and the roasting pan in the oven for 40 minutes. When there is only 20 minutes left pour the vegetable broth in a medium sauce pan on the stove and heat on high until it starts to boil. Cut the onion in half remove the skin and roots and add to the boiling broth. Once the potato, cauliflower, bell pepper, and garlic are done set the garlic aside, and place all the other ingredients in a food processor or blender. Unwrap the garlic from the foil one bulb at a time carefully squeeze the bulb from the bottom until the roasted garlic begins to come out of the top. Note: They are hot be careful. Place the roasted garlic that come out in the blender and discard the rest. Turn on the food processor or blender and combine until smooth or at desired consistency. Serve immediately.

Why I Started a Blog...or...A Creative Outlet Using the Least Creative Platform

I finally decided to start a family blog. There are so many reasons why I have decided to add one more thing to my already over flowing plate, including:

1. I'm insane and struggle with saying "no" instead of "yes" to new tasks;
2. Friends and family are scattered across the country and I have so far failed at regular texting, emailing, calling, etc; 
3. I think Jim and I are more interesting than you likely will; and 
4. Sometimes a creative outlet is needed but you aren't creative enough to come up with anything better than a blog.

 Jim doesn't know about it yet, but I am hopeful he will contribute as my better and definitely funnier half.