8th Day of Valentine

"Funny Hats" August, 2001, Staff Meeting

HUMOR

I've already spoken of your outgoingness. And the line between the two of them is pretty fuzzy. It's hard to have one & not the other.



Did you know that I often didn't like to watch comedians? It took a LOT to make me laugh. Sit coms were boring. And the loud ones at parties, who usually got the chuckles? I thought they were just plain corny. I thought I was funny & maybe my sister, but not very many people tickled my funny bone.



Within are first few times of 'hanging out', you had made me laugh more than anyone I knew. Sometimes it was laughing at you, sometimes with you, & sometimes from you.



I probably haven't given you enough credit in this department, as I don't want to let down my humor guard... but let's just say, if humor is good medicine, I'd have a lot more health problems if you weren't around.
Sometimes, when you're at work, I'll laugh, thinking of something funny you did or said.



And I'll never get this out of my head: (what is now famously referred to as THE PAPER BLOCK)



It was August of 2001, we had been really good friends for several months, spending most of our time together. You were making your feelings more & more clear to me, but I was practicing restraint & being reserved about things.

You had shared with a girl we taught with, how you're never able to get close to me...that it seemed I always sat on the other side of the room, or positioned myself so that you left me alone.



In my apartment, I had -well - apartment furniture. Pier 1 would've been proud of the set up, as I used a single papasan chair in the corner & a double in lieu of a couch.

You told Jaime, "She always goes to that single chair first...I never even have a chance to sit beside her..."
She gave you the advice of, "next time you're with her, YOU go to that single chair first. She'll have no choice but to sit in the double. Then, in time, get up & sit in the double WITH her."



So, the night that could've been the turning point for us, I cooked us a would-be romantic dinner of chicken parmasean. You had your plan in place & headed straight for the single papasan. Just as if it were going smoothly, I headed to the double papasan. As I approached it, you were in such a hurry to beat me to the single, that you landed with too much velocity.

I still replay it in my mind... you hit the chair & tried to land as if all was well. But the law of motion didn't think so. Your arms windmilled as you s l o w l y went backwards...further...and further....and it seemed like five minutes had passed before you grasped the intersection of wall behind you like Spiderman. And then somehow tried to figure out how to pull yourself out of the situation.



We both had a good laugh. I didn't laugh as much as I felt like laughing, afterall, I knew you had a reputation to protect some pride.



But you still thought your plan would work. I could tell you were watching my every move. You had your next move calculated.

I did go to the double papasan, but your plan was FOILED when I spread out all my insurance paperwork around me which I had to turn it in the next day.



You shared this all with me a few weeks later, when we were "more than friends."



This funny scenario is one of the many. We're probably not as funny to other people as we are to each other. It's like our own language. We know where the line is with each other (I think it's the same line) & one of us whinces when the other tries a joke out on someone else & it goes awry. (which makes it that much funnier to the other person)



We've been through some situations in our life together that weren't fun. We still go through them. But I'm so thankful that I have someone to love & laugh with.



Thank you honey, for the gift of humor.

That's what she said.

Twinkle, Twinkle

Gabe is the youngest, he doesn't say much. For the most part, he tries to keep to himself (if you let him). Because of this, I think he sometimes slips through the cracks of my blog. Sorry Gabe. You are making your mark on me just as much as everyone else.

I'll prove it.

You love hats. If I put a hat on you when you wake up, you'd have it on at bedtime. And you can appreciate a good hat too.

That's going to help with the ladies, further on down the road.

You have dimples that could melt a polar ice cap.

That's going to help with the ladies too.

You are cute. And you're not going to need help with the ladies.

You look just like your daddy. And if you look like him now, chances are you'll like him later. Which is a definite bonus for you, because your daddy is quite the looker.

You don't say much, but you mean what you say. Today, your shirt had a stitched dump truck on it, and until you were certain we really, really saw it, you continued to point at it & say as clear as day, "TRUCK! TRUCK!"

Your favorite lovey is a stuffed friend, Pablo.

This friend is a bean filled satiny blue guy. You got him for Easter last year. I wonder if the Easter Bunny knew how much you'd love him. You sleep with him every nap & every night. And on occasion, you're found toting him around the house (which I'm not as thrilled with, as I don't like 'the hunt' at bed time).

Today, I was prepping you for nap. I laid down beside you & started singing your favorite songs. My hands went up with "Twinkle, Twinkle" & you joined in the singing.

Except instead of raising your hands for the stars, you lifted up Pablo's & showed him how to do it.

7th Day of Valentine

On the 7th Day of Valentine, My true love gave to me,



The gift of being


MR MOM.



I can't imagine that too many moms, especially of a toddler & a preschooler, are completely, 100%, fine with leaving their kids with daddy.



But I am.



I do believe that God's given us Mommas a little something extra special, even after our lactating days are over, that is the one thing no one else has.

It's probably the same as my ability to look like the Pied Piper leading around the mice (picture this, while I'm on an important phone call, going from room to room in the house, all in an attempt to escape noise).

It's the same as when I go into the bedroom to fold & put away laundry. And even tho there is ASBOLUTELY NOTHING of interest in our room, at least not to the 4 & under crowd, they want to be in there.

BECAUSE I AM.

And usually that's endearing, but sometimes also annoying, as Gabe tends to mess up laundry piles.



And Jeff, even though you don't have that unspecified God-given gift, that instinct that is a cure-all in every situation (like I'm some kind of proverbial band aid for every proverbial boo boo), you do have a talent of caring for the kids, that almost matches mine.



When I have a night at the office, or an evening meeting, or a girls' night out, and I come home to find both kids, not only have survived the evening, but have so much fun they want to talk about it the next morning, it's reassuring.

You not only do the minimum to care for them, you work hard to make it a peaceful return home. When I walk through the door to silence & sleeping kids, and a clean livingroom floor, it doesn't make me feel guilty that I had to leave. It makes me happy that if I ever walked out the door & couldn't return (sad thought!), the kids would be well cared for by their daddy.

You remember Flynn's medicine. You change Gabe's diaper as often as it should be. You don't take chances with Flynn & there's never been an episode while she's with you.
It's harmonious when you're here with them, and I never call home to check up & hear distress in the background or a plea from you for me to hurry up & hurry back.

It makes me want to return the favor.

And take a trip to Mexico.

I love you honey. xoxo.

Oh, Snap!

I might try to talk a big game of being hip & knowing the latest styles & catch phrases. Sure, I try my hardest to make the group at church (KidsPoint) think I'm all that & a side of fries.
But the truth is, here at home, we're pretty far from talking the talk of youngsters & since Flynn's never laid eyes on a Hannah Montana episode, she's not that hip either.

So, imagine my surprise this morning when she & I, enjoying a rousing game of Memory, started getting competitive. I've never been one to let my kids win just because they're kids (heck, I take the opportunity to get some wins under my belt!). Right in the heat of the matching of Barney cards, I matched TWO IN A ROW.
It was clear, it was the turning point, and our eyes locked. I whinced, waiting for a cry of disappointment.
That's when she let out her unhappiness,
"Oh, SNAP!"

I was probably about as shocked as I would've been had a curse word slipped her lips.
"What did you say??"
"Snap."
Then, I had to collapse onto the floor on my side. Bursts of laughter (but careful not to mess up my Memory pairs).
"Where did you hear that?"
"I don't know. It's your turn Mom."

Days of Valentine - 6th way

This way is one of my most prized:

GOOD LOOKS

Otherwise known as:

• eye candy


• hot


• very attractive


• not-so-bad-on-the-eyes


• quite the looker


• gorgeous


• yummy


• cute


• beautiful


• sexy


• striking


• handsome

That's him alright. I wouldn't go so far as to say he's my trophy husband. But I would go so far as to say that I proudly wear myself on his arm when we go places and I've always been proud to introduce him to acquaintances he's never met.

Did you know that before he knew me, I saw him & inquired about him? My niece Hannah was in third grade at the school which he taught at (which I later taught at). He taught second grade, two doors down from her class.

I took Hannah to school a couple of different occasions, late, & "needed" to walk her to her class. I tried to be nonchallant while getting a good 'gander' into his classroom. You know, it's not often that elementary teachers are men. And even more rare that they're worth a second look (let alone three, four, or five looks).

Later, I asked Hannah about him. She giggled & was excited at my interest. Before I knew it, she'd told one of her friends who supplied her with a bunch of "facts" (which weren't very factual).

He never knew a student's aunt was hot after him. And I don't think he actually saw me until a year later when I subbed next door to him. And even then I'm not sure he 'really' saw me (the monumental moment was a month later when I subbed for him).

How often do people get to marry someone who took their breath away at first sight? And even less often than that, those people continue to stay smitten with their spouse.

I'm glad I'm one of those few.

Days of Valentine - 5th Way

GODLY

When I was growing up, playing "M.A.S.H." & planning how many kids I'd have & what I'd name them, I doubt this was on the top of the lists when it came to character traits in a husband.
Hot
Rich
Drives a fast car
That's about the maturity level of my thoughts back in those days.

It wasn't until I was closer to reaching spiritual maturity that I realized that Godliness was something I'd want my partner to have attained.

Here's why:

1. Priorities. To keep them in the order God wants them, just happens to be in the order that a doating wife would.
2. Fathering. What God wants him to be, is most likely what the kids would want. Esp at this point in their young lives. Someone who's home when he can be. Spends time with them. Is 'present' when he's here.
3. Loyal to me & our marriage.
4. Eyes for me. In the world in which we live, it's so hard for men to keep their eyes on their prize.
5. Sharing a common interest with me. And that's Christ. (among several others)
6. Prayer. It's the first thing we do in times of trouble. It feels so good to have him pray with me each night before we go to bed.

So, thank you honey for following Christ & working hard to be like Him.

Song of Solomon 1:17 The beams of our house are cedars; our rafters are firs.

Let Me Count the Ways...Day 4

The 4th:

OUTGOING'NESS

This guy will do anything...anything he thinks sounds fun, looks fun, sounds funny, or that will help someone.

Kinda like when little pal Zach, suffering from cancer, needed a little spending money for eating out on those long days & weeks of treatments.
Guess who volunteered to have his wife shave their head into a faux hawk, all in the name of raising some dollars?

Who dressed up in a Spartan's cheerleader's costume, for the annual 4th of July bash?

Who has tea parties with his little girl, build snowmans in the front yard, and does 50% of the grocery shopping?

Who rolled up some old lady's fingers in our car window, when she exhibited a little road rage? Who tells the people at the drive-thru window, "it's TO GO", just because I tried to trick him into it?

Who did karaoke at my request, wore a tux in 93 degree weather because I wanted to get married outside, and held my hair back while I puked (many a time)?

Who played kickball with me & our students on recesses? Who has done many a 'chinese firedrill' (is that not politically correct?) with me at intersections? Who sees to it that about once a month, a carton of bubblegum ice cream 'falls' into the cart while he's grocery shopping?

Who played (& won) the Newlywed Game on our little cruise ship on our honeymoon, rode a "rascal" (motorized old people cart) across shop n save's parking lot (pretty recently) because I thought it would be funny (& it was, I pee'ed a little in my pants just watching from the car), & who enjoyed enjoyed a private Barenaked Ladies concert with me & thought it was great when I had each member of the band sign my big prego stomach?

And although the things we do now, all in the name of fun, have slightly changed since our wild & single days...
the idea stays the same.

Jeff doesn't care that his silliness might cross over into slightly dorkiness. That doesn't matter.

Hey Jeff, I dare you: Start singing, right now in your classroom, "You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman"....do it, double-dog dare you.

BLOG-JACKED

Check...check...check

Is this thing on?

Attention BLOGvillians

This blog is now under my control.

I will release it for...

1 billion dollars!!!

No, but seriously

I will attempt my first blog takeover.

Before you proceed, please mind the thought my wife is an unmatched wordsmith, in which my word slinging pales in comparision.

Now, normally my thoughts are as deep as a frisbee. I usaully talk about soccer or something dumb one of my students did. My ability to communicate again pales in comparisin to Amy's. As a matter of fact I had to hand-write all of this before I posted it.

As I read what more gorgeous wife writes about me, I find myself having to re-read certain parts to make sure that, yep, wow she really loves me that much. After all, this is all documented so it cannot be retracted.

Not even in my "perfect life dreams" did any vision of the perfect life I have now ever cross my mind. It is as if my envisioned perfect life was not as perfect as God planned.

It is like God said, "Yeah right, you have no idea what I have in store for you. I have a plan for your life that includes the two greatest kids on earth. In your life I will also give a masterpiece of a woman, the finest I have made. She will show you the way to me. She will be an incredible mother to your children. To your life she will bring the ability to share humor, joy and most importantly she will share her love. That love for you will be way beyond anything you have ever imagined.

And she will be smokin' hot!!"

Come on, "beer goggles" I know I can see just fine and what I see is just fine.

Whew I'm spent. You can have this blog back.

I need a nap.

I

love

Amy

3rd Way, My Valentine

Hey, did you know this is in lieu of a present?

Just FYI, don't want you getting your hopes up for nothing...

It's the 12 Days of Valentine my love, and for the 3rd day of 12 DOV, I give to you,

COMMITMENT.

110%.

Did you know I wanted a honeymoon baby? I hoped we'd have us a spring baby nine months after our wedding. It didn't happen that way. As a matter of fact, it didn't happen how I wanted it to at all. It took a lot longer than I wanted and wasn't easy by any stretch of the imagination.

Nothing about the first pregnancy was easy. And when I was put on bed rest, it was the nail in the proverbial financial coffin. We had decided to not renew our teaching contracts that year but we picked a rough year to do that. Missouri did major budget cuts in education & not only were teachers not finding jobs, they weren't being replaced.

While I laid in bed 23 hours of each day the last trimester, Jeff worked two jobs so we wouldn't have to start selling the shirts off our backs.

Then Flynn came along, early, and wasn't healthy. We had to tearfully watch her isolette get loaded into an ambulance, twelve hours old, and leave us to go to a critical care hospital.

That night, Jeff held me, sobbing...we missed her so much.

Until I was released, which was postponed due to a fever I couldn't get rid of, Jeff spent days with Flynn, then would return to my hospital at night & show me video of the baby girl I so wanted to hold.

I remember when we came home - without her. I cried as we turned onto our street. I thought that the next time I would come home, it would be with our new baby in the back seat. I still remember, like it wasn't 50 months ago, he looked at me surprised at my tears, but just as sad as me, "Oh honey."

Then, when we were blessed again - this time with a baby we'd never meet; we once again leaned on each other. I remember laying in bed the night I lost the baby, and Jeff holding me until I fell asleep. He never thought I overreacted, he never tried to get me to stop crying, he just loved me.

There were several similar instances that followed in our parenting days...

my crazy medical issues...

surgeries...

seeing me in very vulnerable positions.

He never appeared to be annoyed at what he had to put up with. He never cast it off like the problems were mine.

He was always right by me.

It took a while to get used to, but once I did, I never felt safer in my life. To have someone love you, take care of you, and to know: This person will never leave me. Ever.

When he pulled his weight plus mine. He never grumbled. When he took care of a 2 year old & a baby, while his wife was in the hospital for days, undetermined when she'd be released, he never panicked. He never complained. And never whinced.

Instead, he delivered the small amounts of milk I pumped - to nurse's refrigerators. Then toted them home in a cooler, and fed them to a hungry six month old.

He never wonders, 'What if?'. He never says, 'I wish.' He never gets frustrated because he can't watch soccer on our old tv that only gets 4 channels, not one of those carrying his favorite sport. He doesn't sound off that there are things around here that he can not fix, or add, because we don't have the money.

And he's never pressured me to return to full time work before we're both sure Flynn is ready; even though I know the lure of less debt & buying extras has to be singing loudly in his ear.

I know I'm hard to live with. Sometimes I get on my own nerves. I'm bossy & neurotic. Kinda like Erma Bombeck meets Rain Man. Seriously eccentric & just plain old odd.

It's been a roller coaster ride since the day we said, 'I do.' And it continues to be a ride.

But he just keeps raising his hands & wanting to go faster.

Love you babe, thanks for stickin' around.

Good Fences

It wasn't so long ago that I was awakened in the night. And the same thing happened last night.

Let me go to the beginning in order to re-cap our misfortunes with our neighbor...

About 2 years ago, the original owner (builder) of the home moved. He was nice. A couple in their 50s bought the home, for their daughter to live in while she finished up college. They figured that was better than paying apt rent.

She was fine living next door. Not my idea of the perfect neighbor, but she didn't bother us. She had parties every once in a while, but nothing like now.

6 mos ago, they put the house on the market. It didn't sell. What SEEMS to have happened is that they took it off the market & their daughter still lives there, along w/ another girl her age (they don't look over 21).

Also living there (or staying there 90% of the time) is some guy, in an 80s honda del sol. It races thru the cul de sac, which doesn't thrill me, but rt now that's the least of my worries.

Then, you know what happened last month.

Since then, it's been a party a weekend. We called 2 more times. A week ago, we called because it was 10:30 sunday night & we could sing along to the music in their house it was so loud.
After the cop left, she walked out on her porch & yelled at our house (our homes are in the circle & are aimed at each other), "Gees People!!!!"

Let me also back up & say that we have about 5 cops in our subd. None of them seem to care about any of this. One is single & my age & lives 3 houses down.

Well, Superbowl, he pulls up into the next door neighbor's driveway, gets out, in uniform (in his cop car), and starts talking to the girl, her roomie, & this del sol guy. He hands del sol a beer. Did I mention, he's in uniform?

Then, about an hr later, he shows up again. No one else is home but the girl (owner's daughter). He leaves cop car in the driveway, running, while he's INSIDE for AN HOUR & A HALF. Car, running.

Okay, that's about enough to burn your biscuits, but seriously, it's none of my business.

But, then, last night, we hear Flynn cry out at 1 am. We usually just lay there to see if she's awake or having a night terror. Then we hear it: Loud yelling, sounds like drunken bantor, it's in the street. So, we jump up & faintly see a group of guys. They're just all having a good time getting out of their cars & walking up the neighbor's drive.

At the advice of some law officer friends/family, we'd decided to start calling as soon as their parties kick up. And call. And call. Until it's as quiet as it should be in the middle of the night.

So, I immediately picked up the phone & called the police. They got my name, number, reason for calling. And said they'd send someone out.
Meanwhile, Jeff is looking out the blinds & says, "I think that's the cop who lives down the road, and he's out their in the driveway!"

And minutes later, the police show up, there's two of them in the car. They get out of the car & go up the drive. They greet Neighbor Cop & Owner's Daughter. Neighbor Cop introduces Owner's Daughter to them. They chat for a bit (gee, so glad I could arrange a playdate), then cops go home. Neighbor Cop & Owner's Daughter stand on the stoop to finish their cigarettes. She's clearly mad as she makes her way to the edge of the stoop & yells at our window (where I'm SURE she sees Jeff looking thru the blinds), "Call who you F***ing Want! Now we're friends with all the cops!!" (so ridiculous, it sounds made up)

This INFURIATES Jeff, who picks back up the phone & reports to the dispatcher that NOPE, that didn't end the disturbence & then Jeff just basically unloads on the guy (who probably didn't care) all that we've seen.

I'm up for good now. I was mad at Jeff for sharing all that with a DISPATCHER - as I am sure it's a matter of hours until Neighbor Cop catches wind that we're tattlers.

You know, I don't want any trouble. When people were buying the homes around us, building, moving, I prayed, "God, bless us w/ good neighbors. Families & couples we can befriend & love." Now, I'm not just sad that this is no one we'll ever hang out with, I'm very worried for my home, the safety of my kids, I'm scared to sleep as I'm afraid someone will do something.

Not to mention, these people are our neighbors -- Neighbor Cop included. I don't want any trouble. I want to take walks & play in the circle with the kids and not worry about who will come outside & say something or yell at us.

We've wanted to move for a while now. Until I'm working a while full time, that's not bound to happen. And I doubt these neighbors are going anywhere. They're in the FRAT HOUSE for crying out loud.

But God can do anything. And He looks the biggest when we're feeling so small. Miracles happen. And sisters, I'm waiting for one.
Can I get an amen?!!

Any advice is welcome, and prayer is much desired...
Because egg is really hard to scrape off of siding.

Rock the Vote

After picking up Flynn from preschool, I explained to her & Gabe that we'd be stopping by our polling place on the way home.

"Are we going to play at the school? Are we going to stay there?"

Well, this led into a lengthy explanation about voting, democracy & why we were voting on this particular day.

"We need to vote for a new president, President Bush's turn is almost over."

"What's the prezdent?"

"It's like the boss. The boss of our country. We're voting & making our choice of who we want to be the new boss."

"But Mom, you are the boss."

PERRY for PREZDENT.

Cute Monogrammed Sweater

http://livingamomslife.blogspot.com/2008/01/monogrammed-roll-neck-sweater-adds.html
Clickety click for a chance at winning a free monogrammed sweater.
I'd love one of these with Gabe's name across his chest.

I love my kids' names -- and with them being uncommon, it's super hard to find things in their names.

Stalked by Celery

I'm working REALLY hard to promote healthy eating in my kids. The truth is, I'm a HORRIBLE eater & I don't want them to have the struggles I have. I also don't want them to have the tastes & preferences I have.

In my futal attempts to instill a love of all things green, I have started telling them what the healthiest thing on their plate is, and why. So, tonight, when I asked Flynn what the healthiest thing on her plate was, she shouted, "Celery!!" Then, she picked up her chicken & said, "Protein!!" So, at least I know she's listening.

Here are some facts about celery...

Health Benefits
Celery contains vitamin C and several other active compounds that promote health, including phalides, which may help lower cholesterol, and coumarins, that may be useful in cancer prevention.
Rich in Vitamin C
Celery is an excellent source of vitamin C, a vitamin that helps to support the immune system. Vitamin C-rich foods like celery may help reduce cold symptoms or severity of cold symptoms; over 20 scientific studies have concluded that vitamin C is a cold-fighter. Vitamin C also prevents the free radical damage that triggers the inflammatory cascade, and is therefore also associated with reduced severity of inflammatory conditions, such as asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. As free radicals can oxidize cholesterol and lead to plaques that may rupture causing heart attacks or stroke, vitamin C is beneficial to promoting cardiovascular health. Owing to the multitude of vitamin C's health benefits, it is not surprising that research has shown that consumption of vegetables and fruits high in this nutrient is associated with a reduced risk of death from all causes including heart disease, stroke and cancer.
Potential Blood Pressure Benefits
Celery's potential for reducing high blood pressure has long been recognized by Chinese medicine practitioners, and Western science researchers may have recently identified one reason why.
Celery contains active compounds called pthalides, which can help relax the muscles around arteries and allow those vessels to dilate. With more space inside the arteries, the blood can flow at a lower pressure. Pthalides also reduce stress hormones, one of whose effects is to cause blood vessels to constrict. When researchers injected 3-n-butyl phthalide derived from celery into laboratory animals, the animals' blood pressure dropped 12 to 14 percent. Of course, injection of a celery extract into laboratory animals is very far from food consumption by humans, and the researchers participating in this as yet unpublished study cautioned against overindulging in celery until clinical trials could be conducted with food and humans. But the potential helpfulness of this already nourishing food in lowering blood pressure seems likely, and it doesn't hurt that celery ranks as a very good source of potassium and a good source of calcium and magnesium, because increased intake of these minerals has also been associated with reduced blood pressure.
Celery has a reputation among some persons as being a high-sodium vegetable, and blood pressure reduction is usually associated with low-sodium foods. So how do the benefits of phthalides compare with the risks of sodium in celery? There are approximately 100 milligrams of sodium in a full cup of chopped celery—that's about 2 stalk's worth. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Daily Value for sodium intake is 2,400 milligrams, the equivalent of about 24 cups, or 48 stalks of celery. Since two stalks of celery only provide about 4% of the sodium DV, most individuals would be able to include 2 or even more stalks of celery in a day's diet while keeping their total sodium intake below the DV by sticking with other low-sodium foods. The exact amount of celery needed to achieve the blood pressure lowering effects found in animals cannot be determined until clinical trials are conducted on humans using the food itself.

I have lifted this info from The World's Healthiest Foods dot com.

Stay tuned for more healthy tips.

Maybe if I write them, it means I believe them,

and before you know it,

I'll be eating them.

VDay Giveaway

http://belovedmama.blogspot.com/2008/01/beloved-valentine-giveaway.html
Click above (for some reason I couldn't hyperlink it), for a fun giveaway!

It's 74 Degrees

Take THAT!, Groundhog!!

Let Me Count the Ways.... day 2

For the 2nd day of the 12 Days of Valentine, I present to you:

PERMANENT BEER GOGGLES.

Doesn't sound too romantic. And the truth is, Jeff has never had real beer goggles for me. But it's a metaphor I use quite frequently to explain how he sees me in this strange dilluted way. He really thinks I'm pretty -- like for real (totally to the max).

If I didn't have a mirror, I would think I was hot. That's how he makes me feel. The way he treats & handles me, I'm all, wow, I must totally look like Eva Longoria. Then, I walk by a mirror, see my image, and am quickly jolted into the reality of Rosanne Barr.

And it's not just lip service he's paying me. I think he really thinks that. He still acts smitten when he sees me 'diddied up' to go on a date or for something special. We still dance in the kitchen when a slow song comes on. And our kids don't even think it's weird that we're constantly kissing, they've never known anything different.

If I were an artist, I would create a picture to show how I see this. It would have a really large pair of specs on Jeff, so large & off his face that 'we' could see the image he's seeing through his glasses. But, we could also see me standing before him, in the 'real' image.

We would see some bombshell through his glasses, then, in 'real time', we'd see, well, me.

Sometimes I wonder why. Or, what's wrong with him. He comes home most days, from being in a workplace full of teenage girls, who no doubt put hours into their appearance before coming to school. They haven't a wrinkle or a post-baby body. And, being the Godly & decent man that he is, doesn't give a second thought to that but I still think, "Um, surely there's a subconcious comparison going on."

And then, I think of how long I waited & prayed for Jeff. And maybe he was praying for me. Or maybe his mom was praying for his future wife. And I think of the nights I laid in bed alone & wondered who God had designed for me. And the weddings I'd go to, or sing in, and see happy couples & wonder when I'd be blessed. I stayed faithful to God through rough times & just prayed that my blessing would come.

And it did.

And I can't help but think this might be one of them. I don't care if you think I'm pretty. Or that you wonder why I still haven't lost the 'baby weight' from Gabe. Or if you think in your mind that I should probably change out of my pj pants before Jeff gets home.

What I do care about is what he thinks. And that he looks over at me, on the way to church after I put the final touches on my make up, and he shakes his head in disbelief. Sometimes he says, "oh, those lips." Sometimes he just squeezes my hand & asks me how he got so lucky.

I guess it's love.

Solomon 1:15 How beautiful you are, my darling, how beautiful! Your eyes are like doves.

How Do I Love Thee? Let me count 12 ways...

It's the 12 Days of Valentine. And I'm going to lavish my love in gifts of words.

In case you haven't gathered, I'm totally nuts about my hubby. He doesn't do much wrong in my eyes & speaking of my eyes, he's totally easy on them.

Mmhm.

So today, the 12th way that I love Jeff (kinda like a top ten, but there's 12 & they're all about how wonderful Jeff is):

Number 12 means never having to say you're sorry.

What's that mean exactly?

Well, it means, as wrong as it would be, I'd probably never have to say I'm sorry. It means that's how forgiving this guy is.

Last night, we were at a staff party, and our game was to write on an index card, a trait that you admire in 'that' person. So, when I came to him, I wrote FORGIVENESS.

I don't think I'm cocky when I say that I don't do much to him that would merit an apology. Am I perfect? No-sirree-Bob. Not even close.

But, outward actions to hurt him.

Almost non-existant.

Do I underappreciate him, take him for granted sometimes, boss him too much, and expect too much from him?
Yes-sirree-Bob.

Does he get mad at me over those things? Maybe. Does he demand an apology? No. Does he forgive me without me even asking him to?

YES.

Have I sat in awe & admired watching him being wronged by different 'friends' & family members, then watched him be hurt, or mad... then having that offense wash away, down the drain like the bathwater? Yes. And I LOVE that about him.

There are people who have hurt him who don't even know it.

And they never will.

He's so like Christ when it comes to that.

And he doesn't get passive-aggressive. Or hold a grudge. Or act one way to their face & another to their back.

As a matter of fact, sometimes I bring up one of those offenses (sound familiar, like the serpeant? Are you calling me satan??!)...and friends, HE DOESN'T EVEN REMEMBER IT.

Poof! Just like that! In the 'sea of forgetfulness.'

I like that about him.

I love you Honey.

xoxoxo

Okay, Alright, You Think He Looks Like Jeff

And so do I. Totally. He'll walk down the hall and look back at me & he's the spitting image of his Day-dy.
But sometimes he reminds me of Papa. And I watched a home video the other day, from when I was a baby, still bald, and he reminded me of me. But then I got curls on my head, and poof!, the similarities disappeared.

The voting has ended. Day-dy blew me out of the water on this poll. For Flynn's poll, it ended up 50/50. I agree, she favors my side of the family (my sister esp.) as much as Day-dy.

For mommas of wee ones...
do you ever wonder what your kiddos will look like as they grow up? who will they favor? what color will their hair be? will it curl? will it be long? will they be tall, short, skinny, or wide?

This leads me to a conversation Flynn & I had the other day. I've been prepping her for the strong possibility of me returning to the teaching field soon. She was able to tell me that Day-dy teaches kids all day. I reminded her it was middle school & it was science. When I asked her what I did, she said, "teach the kids at church." Yes, sweetie, partially right. I told her that I find teachers for church & helpers, and remind them that they serve on Sunday & help them be ready to teach & get new things for the kids to be comfortable & taken care of. And that I try to help families at church feel welcome & happy that they're worshiping with us.

Then I asked her what she wanted to do when she gets big. She said she wants to cook things. I'm all over that. I can totally see the girl having a cooking show. She does have an entrepreneur's spirit.

Gabe will be an interpretor. He will be trilingual. He will work for a large corporation, and will be completely indisposable.

Funny tho, how life ends up. In all my "Growing up, School Days" books, I always put that I wanted to be a teacher. I even put this in my senior memories book, that I predicted that ten years from then I'd be a second grade teacher. Guess what I taught in 2001? You guessed it, 2nd grade.

But it's funny how life works out.

Depeche Mode - Just Can't Get Enough

I can't get enough of YOU Depeche Mode!! I miss you. Please come back.
PS This is what I paied homage to in the title of my last post. A little sad that no one knew that (or admitted to it, at least).

Just Can't Get Enough...

Now, if this isn't the finest snowman you've ever laid eyes on...

How you doin'?

Hiding from reciprocating snow balls:

Proud snowman-builders:

Yo Mick! (why does he always look like Mick from Rocky, everytime he wears a stocking cap?)