“March forth!” my older, wiser, friend hollered, as I pocketed my chip and headed out of the meeting…

A few days ago I celebrated one year sober.

And, as my buddy noted, March 4th is a great day to have to celebrate, because it’s not only a goal, it’s also a command.  A wish.  A plan.  So, that’s what I am going to do.  Will you join me here?

I can honestly say I am a different person than I was a year ago.  Maybe you will read that in my words here as time goes on.  Maybe you have seen me and experienced it.  Living by the principles of a 12-step program is extremely challenging, but ultimately so rewarding.  Hopefully not just for me, but for the people who encounter me as well.

Thank you for all your support over the last many months.  Even when I wasn’t posting I felt you all pulling for me.  I plan to spend more time here at Fannfare, too, so stick around!

Coldplay, God Put A Smile Upon Your Face

Hi! Miss me?

I feel a bit like Rip Van Winkle — then again it feels like I left yesterday. Had a fairly profound experience the last 28-odd days. I just wanted to pop in here and say hello, and express my appreciation for all the support, prayers, positive vibes, letters, cards and flowers that I received while I was away. My sister said she thought I would get more mail in 28 days than I had in the last 28 years, and I think that proved to be true. I am spoiled with love — I have soft little fruit-bruises all over me from the places you all touched me. Thank you.

There’s no soft re-entry from such an adventure — so I am back in the thick of it. Forgive me if I don’t get right in touch with you — I am trying to ease in as much as possible. I can’t wait to see and talk to every one of you and squeeze you right back.

If you leave a comment here, that’s a sure way to hear back from me. How’ve you been?

Elton John, Your Song

There have been lots of folks checking in with me regarding my surgery. That link is one to a site that explains a procedure that I have wanted to get for a long time, one I promised myself that I would undergo if I maintained my 160-pound weight loss for more than ten years. In March of 2008, I had done that, and started researching doctors all over the country to find the most skilled and competent one. I think I found him, and even scheduled my surgery for May 14th (this was more than six weeks ago).

In the meantime, I realized that it was just too soon. While I made myself a promise, there is no hurry to get the surgery done. I really have to be in a great place emotionally and spiritually to go through something so major. I have to have all my ducks in a row regarding support for the kids, recuperation support for me, support for Shaun. I have all those things in spades — it will just take lots of coordination. And, my sobriety and the maintenance of my family’s every-day takes up all of my time and attention right now. That’s as it should be.

So that’s my big-ass news.

Shepherd is walking, and Ruby is still taking names. Somehow a jellybean made its way into the house the other day, and Ruby really wanted it. She said to her dad, “If you give me that jellybean, and I eat it, all of my dreams will come true inside of me.”

Oh that it were that simple, mydear. Mama’s about 1,000,029 jellybeans in!

Peter Murphy, Cuts You Up (or not, as the case may be)

Shepherd Alexander Fanning, born 21 April 2007 at 5:54 AM.

7 lbs., 11 oz., 22 inches, tastes like chicken!

Thank you for all your good wishes. More soon, when I rebuild my reserves…

Led Zeppelin, Thank You

So…

I sent this email yesterday:

Hi friends!

Big news on the Fanning front. After many months of number-crunching and soul-searching and fire-breathing (unrelated)…we have made a decision.

(cue confetti)

We are not moving to Colorado.

There are scads of reasons…how much time do you have? I am happy to share them with any and all of you. Most importantly, though, is that I have learned a lot about myself, and the bottom line is this: I need people! I need family! I need YOU. As for Shaun — he would love to move out west, and there will come a day when we will do that.

Ruby loves her preschool, her friends, her family, her parks and Starbucks and Safeway and museums and the National Mall and Aunt Carrie down the street and Congressional Cemetery and and and and. We had a great time this summer in Colorado, but this is home. And it is indeed where our hearts are.

I would LIKE a bigger house. I would LIKE to live at the foot of a mountain. But no amount of square footage or natural beauty can take the place of warm friendship and community — and we have those in spades in DC.

We will be at [our current address] for another year or so — probably until BFII starts walking and we just POP out of this tiny place. Then, we will look locally in what will hopefully be a more reasonable market.

I hope you’re as happy as we are about this decision. I know it was hard for you to imagine “I’m never going to move” Amy uprooting and heading out to the Rockies. Turns out I couldn’t imagine it either.

See you ’round town!
Love to all,
Amy Shaun Ruby Moose and BFII

I am glad to have made the decision — it’s a big relief. I have started nesting, and needing to “settle” into whatever place I will be when this baby comes. The uncertainty of the Colorado thing was killin’ us.

I’m happy to be staying in such a great city, surrounded by love love love.

To celebrate? I’m just going to go listen to some tunes. What the!?

Joan Baez, Please Come to Boston

It’s Love Thursday again. I like the routine of consciously thinking about love every week, and showing a way that I feel it. I do a lot of it, but most of it is without thinking.

For instance, I continue not to think about how many of these I ate:

Take a bag of mini-sweet peppers from Costco, stuff ‘em with Alouette cheese, roast ‘em for 10 minutes or so, and you’ve actually made love. At least it feels that way if you are me. Of course, I might actually eat a fish head stuffed with Alouette and feel the same, such is the love.

Easier to identify is this kind of love:

I made the peppers for Ruby’s godfathers, who came over to see her after our summer away. Click, Clack, Moo, Cows That Type, a big green stuffed animal, and Hollis and Foster? That’s love too.

I wanted to introduce you to Fitch Heiges !!! who was born at 1:30 this afternoon. I didn’t get up to the hospital yet, so I don’t have a pic. He’s the brand-new son of these folks, two of my favorites. Wendy was wiped out but I hope to see her in the morning and meet the little soldier. Heck, it’s all about Love this Thursday!

I wish you love today.

Barbra Streisand, Evergreen

That’s right, folks. Amy Fanning and her Mom and Dad, Amelia and Lynn Alexander, are in the final 750 puzzlers to go for the top prize of coffee for life in the Starbucks Ultimate Crossword Challenge. At least we think we are…according to the rules as we understand them. We got together in person at lunchtime, hammered out our final answers to the six previous puzzles, logged on at the appropriate time, answered the question and got to the next step. An hour later, we had to call in with everyone else with yet another answer to get to the final stage, which is actually a new puzzle tomorrow. We got through and were recorded, and told that we will get a call tomorrow telling us where to find the next challenge. Then it becomes a “fast fingers” contest as we have to be the first to call in with the right answer for the win.

It was almost as exciting as scoring tickets by phone to every single Prince show up and down the Eastern seaboard when I was, what, 18? Philadelphia, Baltimore, Fairfax, Hampton Roads, Greensborough. Bam, bam, bam. My fingers were flyin’.

We’ve had such a good time together getting to this point. My mother was nervous, and Dad was focused and on task. I was just so excited to have them both here — and to be staring an endless Americano in the snout.

They bought me a decaf triple grande skim mocha to celebrate.

Tune in tomorrow, people.

My brother Roger’s wife Keren is having a baby! And it’s Roger’s too!

Since finding out last night, I’ve been so rocked about being an Aunt. All of the tiny-baby-shopping and none of the sleepless nights! Except for the ones I volunteer for on visits so that they can get some sleep. They are bringing another Libra into our midst in October. What wunnerful news.

I still remember Baby Roger Alexander coming home AS A BOY. My sisters’ and my reaction (until we got to know him, of course)? Euw.