Aw, she melts my heart

My brother and mother are in town for a bit and we’ve been off doing things everyday. Today was no exception. But let me share it from Beans’ point of view. She got to cuddle with Grammie this morning, play outside, watch a movie, go bowling for the first time (where she was only 4 points from winning), have friends over and watch another movie and eat Puppy Chow.

As she climbed into bed tonight I asked her what her favorite part of today was…. I expected to hear bowling or maybe having friends over. She melted my heart with her reply, “Hugging [Chickie] when she got home.”

Another thing to make you smile

Sorry to post two videos in a row but this is just too great not to share it with ya’ll. Be sure to check out his website and if you have the time it’s worth watching the videos in the “About Matt” section.

Slinky cat

Because everyone should see this:

Celebrating

We have had an awesome weekend celebrating our 10 yr anniv.  My hubby planned the whole thing…(almost).  I can’t even really pinpoint a favorite part either… it was all so great!

Friday afternoon we farmed out all of our kids to friends’ houses for sleepovers.  I swear you could hear crickets chirping in the empty – and very quiet – house.  So peaceful.  Too bad we didn’t stick around.  We kicked off the celebration with dinner at O’Charley’s.  I was daring and tried something new that is now my absolute favorite meal… penne pasta with sundried tomato alfredo sauce, prime rib, mushrooms, bacon (mmmm bacon) and asparagus.  I am excited about leftovers for tomorrow!

After dinner we headed to the bookstore to kill some time.  Picked up a new Stephen King short story collection.  Then headed over to the movie theater to catch Fireproof.  Before I get to that…. have you seen the preview for Marley & Me?  I am still laughing over that dog.  Anyway, back to Fireproof.  I didn’t expect stellar acting – just a good storyline and this movie delivered.  It was probably even better because we were in a small audience of people that talked back to the movie.  There’s a scene in the movie where Kirk Cameron’s character realizes he was disrespecting his mother.  One of the audience members called out “MmmHmmm, that’s right boy, you shore did!”  I guess maybe you had to be there but I spent half the movie just laughing at the audience.

The plan had been to sleep in this morning but unfortunately we didn’t farm out the furry people and they woke us up early.  At least I got to take a long hot shower without anyone coming in to say “I have to go potty Mommy!” *FLUSH*  My hubby said we had plans at 10:00 so we hustled out the door to my mystery appointment.  I ended up here:

I will admit that I started thinking mean thoughts when I found out I was the only one getting a massage.   See, I have some anxiety about new environments – new experiences.  I have never had a massage before and I was not thrilled about doing this unexpectedly.  Silly me.  It was wonderful.  All 60 minutes of it were heavenly.  In fact, I think that I should do this every month.  To get over the anxiety you know. 

After lunch I had my own surprise.  We hopped on over to Star City Tattoo.

Do you get it?  Roman numeral ten for ten years…. a star because I like stars…. My hubby designed this all on his own and I love it!  We ran out of time (and money) but this guy is amazing at shading and the plan is to go back and have him fill in the star on my lower back.  Including my own roman numeral ten.  Can’t wait!

That was our weekend.  It was hard letting my hubby surprise me – even harder still to trust his judgement on what I would enjoy but it was so worth it.  I loved every minute of it!

can’t type… laughing too hard

My five year old daughter just waltzed in my bedroom… put on a baseball cap sideways… pounded her chest twice with her fist and then flashed me the peace sign while saying “Word.”

Falling into place

I love it when things just come together… when things fall into place.  You know that God has lined up the pieces and everything clicks into place.  Little things have been changing that makes the big picture easier to see. 

My hubby got a new position at work.  I don’t even know the name of the team he will be on.  It’s some acronym blah blah blah.  All I know is that he will have a set schedule!!  His fluxuating schedule was like those tension headaches that creep up on you and you don’t really realize how tense you are… then as it fades you realize how you were uncomfortable.  We dealt with his schedule, thankfully it was only for a season.

For the first time in a couple of years we have TWO RUNNING VEHICLES (not to mention a 3rd vehicle up on blocks and a 4th vehicle hiding under a carcover).  TWO!  That means we don’t have to constantly line up our schedules.  That means I don’t have to drive him to work and he doesn’t have to bum a ride home.  Or ride his bike.  I don’t have to take him to work at the crack of dawn because I need the car.  My friends no longer have to pick me up for coffee.  Is my excitement coming through??  Let me share some history on our new 2nd car.  When we lived in AZ my hubby was the designated chauffer for my great-aunt.  Any family event required my aunt to be picked up because she is paralyzed.  My hubby took great honor in driving her and he was by far her favorite driver.  Her car is a modified Buick Roadmaster.  Hot car, right?  The passenger side seats have been configured into a chaise lounge to accomodate my aunt.  Awhile back my aunt fell and broke her hip which has since ended her independence.  She is now living in a care home and no longer needs her vehicle.  There have been several very good offers made for the car but she insisted that my hubby gets to have the car.  We had it transported out here and it arrived last week.  My hubby loves to drive it.  In fact, he loves the new nickname his co-workers have given him…. Griswald.  He wants to figure out how to turn the wood paneling into wood paneled flames… oh yeah baby.  We haven’t had time to reconfigure the seats so for now I get to ride around like a queen in the chaise lounge will the kiddos ride in the old-style rear facing back flip-up seat. 

Some of my committees at work have gotten a lot accomplished.  The preschool committee just wrapped up revising the policies & procedures manual as well as completing a mandatory training meeting.  Whew!  We’ve also kicked off some exciting preK events: a thanksgiving tree – which is looking mighty fabulous and a birthday party for Jesus next month.  The children’s committe finally agreed that our Sunday night programming needs to go away.  Not to name any specific program but…. awana’d it to go away for awhile now!  I’m not knocking the program but it was not a good fit for our kids and it was draining our budget.  Starting in January we’re kicking off a New & Improved ThriveLIVE! on Wednesday nights.  I am so excited about what this is going to look like.  I’m attempting to line up new musicians (have any to spare????) to bring some energy.  All good stuff.

The final piece that still kind of linger out there is my application to Radford University.  We’ve been doing this back and forth dance for a while …. here’s my application ….  thank you but can we have your transcripts? …. here’s my transcripts …. thank you but what have you been doing since 1997? …. i got married and had three kids …. and this is where I’m waiting for their next response.  I’m hoping this all gets wrapped up by January so I can start in the spring semester.  That is if I can figure out how to pay for it!

So that’s it.  All these little things that are falling into place to give me an idea of what the bigger picture looks like.  At least for now.

1998

Dear Babe,

Today we celebrate 10 years of marriage and 11 years of togetherness.  These 10 years went by in a flash and at the same time these 10 years contain an eternity.  I can still feel the butterflies of standing in the foyer with my dad…. waiting for the music to cue our entrance…. that long walk down the aisle – smiling at you the whole time… your eyes held mine….

Our time together includes 3 houses, 2 apartments, 3 dogs, 1 chinchilla, 2 cats, countless fish, 4 rats, how many cars??, 1 cross country move, 1 foreign country, several theme parks – including churro stealing seagulls, extended family issues, 3 baptisms – including yours, secrets, 4 churches, ‘only two more weeks’, volleyball, debt, gunracks, dancing, lots of different facial hair, tattoos, pregnancies, 3 beautiful children, and a promise to love.

We have been through a lot babe.  Some bad but most of it good.  And it’s getting better and better.  I love being married to you.  As sappy as it sounds, you complete me.  You are my constant companion.  My creative consultant.  My honey-doer.  My safe place.  My cheerleader.  My support.  My love.  My partner in crime.  You make me laugh.  You get me.  You put up with me. 

I cannot wait to see what the next 10 years bring.  I cannot wait to grow old with you.  (except for the thought of a naked old man sharing my bed!)  Thank you for being who you are.  Thank you for 10 years of marriage.

I love you.
Me

Happy 5 7/365 Birthday!

Happy Birthday Beans! 
I know your birthday was on the 1st.  This letter is late.  Which is a little ironic seeing as how you were obsessive about this birthday.  It started all the way back in February asking if it was your birthday yet.  You’re the last one in our family to have your birthday and it just eats at you that you have to wait and wait and wait. 

When we would ask you what you wanted for your birthday you would reply, “Whatever you want.”  The only thing you were specific about was your cake.  You saw a cake at Sam’s Club that had black frosting, tombstones and orange frosting pumpkins.  That was the cake you wanted.  Even after seeing other girly cakes… it was the Halloween one you wanted.  The cake was huge so we didn’t get that one for you.  Instead I found a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting (the other requirement) and bought pumpkin sprinkles for you.  You told me you loved your new cake… even though it wasn’t the one from Sam’s Club. 

This year has been so much fun with you.  Your vocabulary is growing and you’ve added funny new phrases to your daily conversation.  You throw in “Oh My!” at every chance.  “That tree is big.  Oh my!” or “It’s getting dark out.  Oh my!”  … always adding it at the end.  The other phrase you like to use is “Momma mia!”  …sometimes in conjunction with Oh My!  “The bus is coming!  Oh my!  Momma mia!”  …sometimes that’s the only response you’ll give to something – just Momma Mia! 

Very recently you have also started sticking your butt out at family.  You do it all in fun and you usually giggle while pointing your little rear.    If asked to dance you stand and shake your heiny.  I’m hoping that you outgrow this facination by your teen years.

This year has also brought preschool.  Oh how you love school.  I can see how much you’re learning.  Of course you never tell me what you’re doing in class… it’s always “We did the same thing Mom!”  Oh well.  We had your teacher come over to the house for our parent/teacher conference.  I don’t think you said more than 4 words the whole time she was here.  She didn’t have anything negative to say about you – only positive.  That you’re a good listener, you follow directions, you put away your materials (wish you’d do that at home) and that you get along well with your classmates.  You’re following in your siblings footsteps.  I am so proud of you.

You have friends at church that you love to play with.  There are two boys you really enjoy playing with – we’ll call them Thomas and McQueen for their love of those cartoons.  I think you would go to their house every day if I let you.  There’s also a little girl that you like but you never ask to play with her outside of church.  You don’t ask to play with any of your school friends either.  I wonder why that is?

Every night at bedtime you ask me to sing you a song.  For a long time it was ‘Jesus Loves Me’ or ‘You Are My Sunshine’ but lately it’s been kind of random.  You like to lay in your bed listening and before I get to the end of the song you always close your eyes and pretend to sleep.  Sometimes you keep them closed and do fall asleep but usually you’re up and out of bed before too long.  You are such a night owl that bedtime can be a real battle.  After getting up early and have a very active day I’m surprised that you don’t pass out but you’re full of energy.  On nights that you really can’t settle down I’ll sit on your bed and rub your head.  You have never been able to resist that.  You’re eyes start to droop and before long you’ll fall asleep. 

You are such a joy.  I pray that you keep your joyful spirit, that you continue to enjoy school, that we can keep cuddling, that you explore your world with wonder, that you keep your crazy sense of humor and that you stay true to who you are.

I love you!
Mommy

Whee!!! Wii!!!

The hubby and I aren’t big video game fans.  Sure they’re fun but it’s just not our thing.  I had an old Sega Genesis that died and that was the last gaming system I had until my sister gave us her daughters’ old Nintendo 64.  We carted that around from house to house and never bothered to unpack it until we moved here.  The Boy has discovered Mario Cart and became instantly addicted.  He would play it every single day, all day long if we’d let him.

I have been content to let him think that’s the end-all, be-all of gaming.  No PS4000 or whatever number they’re on now.  Even the Wii didn’t entice me much.  I thought the concept was cool but not cool enough to get me to plunk down my bank card – if I were to be lucky enough to actually find a Wii in the store. 

Until.

One of my girlfriends here bought one for her family – along with the Mario Cart and Wii fit.  She bragged on it for awhile and finally got me to try it this morning.  O!M!G!  First, I had to make a little mii and then it ran through the whole body fit thing.  Apparently my fitness is something like a 42 year old.  Wow.  I knew I was out of shape but that’s just ridiculus.  Enough about the exersize stuff…. back to the fun.  After all the set up stuff I attempted the balance games.  Heading soccer balls while dodging flying cleats and panda heads was quite the aerobic workout and I don’t think it was supposed to be!  It was so much fun.  It is definitely on my Christmas list… maybe I’ll even let the kids have a turn. 

So if you haven’t already…. go find a friend with a Wii and give it a try.  Watch out for the cleats.