Short update.....

for anyone who cares to know....

1. Became a US citizen this month. It still hasn't hit me that I have dual Canadian-US citizenship. My husband was there, in the gallery above, to watch me become a US citizen. I held back tears during the oath, when we were instructed to repeat the words "I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen." I still felt my eyes welling up even though I knew I would remain a Canadian citizen despite uttering those words. I have been a Canadian most of my life and it remains a part of my identity. Nevertheless, I am proud to be an American as well.

2. Celebrated 5th wedding anniversary with husband. I can't believe how quickly time flies. My husband and I have had our good times and our difficult times. But he is still my best friend, and I am his. And when I look at him, I still feel an overwhelming urge to hold him tight. He is still the only man I want to wake up next to every morning.

3. Felt, for the very first time, jealousy towards my daughter's affection towards someone else. I am not proud to say this but I was jealous at how my daughter preferred someone else over me. In fact, she told me to go away and asked repeatedly for this other person. I guess I took it for granted that I would be her number one person. Since she was born, she always called for "Mommy" first. To have her reject me and call for someone else really hurt me, although I know she had no malicious intent. I remind myself that I will always be her mother - no one can ever replace me - and mothers always have a special place in their children's hearts.

You're damned if you do and you're damned if you dont

Today's headlines portray Boston and its officials as overreacting fools. Read the comments posted on Boston.com regarding the Lite Brite ad campaign debacle and you'll find many Boston residents themselves mocking the police and government officials. I, for one, express my deepest gratitude to the police and city officials who reacted to the situation, all in the interest of protecting our city.

It's easy to point, blame and mock the police and officials today when we know all the facts. They are damned for reacting the way they did. Yet, if those now innocent looking objects turned out to be real bombs, they'd be blamed for not reacting fast enough. They're damned for doing something; yet, I'm sure, they would have been damned if they did nothing.