The Rest of the Story.

Well, the last post I wrote was on the heels of a weekend without the little ones.
They came home Saturday evening and life has been going, going, going.

I have spent the afternoon with them in our cozy little house. We did art projects and read books. I helped J. with his homework and I had to invent a pretend homework assignment for little sister. They are so serious about their 'assignments.' Very cute.

All the while, the Cowboys romped the giants in the background.
I guess, if I had to choose, although the weekend shop-stravaganza was nice - I prefer being near their warm little bodies and hearing all the inexplicably adorable things they think of.

Today, J. asked if we could glue butter to one of his art projects.
That is just so creative and funny.

I love, love being with them.
I am beginning to tire of all the extra home-owner and domestic engineer junk that prevents me from giving them every minute of my time.
I have all the work done now though.
Even the laundry is put away.

Tomorrow will be cuddles and snuggles for sure.
I can't wait!

What a great weekend!

I have had a glorious weekend filled with all things perfect!
The kids got to go spend time with my parents - which left me kid-less.
I got to hang out ALONE with La!
I went on a super romantic date with my husband to celebrate our anniversary!
Our meal turned out to be FREE!
I got to go shopping without 2 preschoolers! Even though my kids are wonderful, I think shopping alone trumps shopping with kids!
I got to hang out and go shopping some more with Crys!
I got to hang out with meems, cg, no_iffer, kj, and SEPH!!
Seph's one of us now! It was nice to get to SEE you!
Oh and by the way, no_iffer - thank you so much! I think I forgot to thank you profusely and tell you how much I love your super house (because of all the drama when I was leaving with my way-too-tired kids).
So Thanks a bunch! We had a really great time. You are far more brave than I was with a brand new baby! I loved your evening playdate!
All I can say is, I can't believe that it's only Saturday night!
I still have Sunday to look forward to - church and the Cowboys!!
What could be better?

and gwen, yes - I miss you too! I think we should make it happen (like say Monday or Tuesday)for sure!

bullets.

• The marriage seminar was cancelled. It that a sign? I have been trying to get to one for, oh 5 years, and for the first time, it all fell so perfectly into place... Go figure. I know there must be something terribly wrong for the speakers to cancel, so I have been praying for them.
• I had to do some 'professional development' course tonight. Blah. Blah. Blah. I work at a preschool. I don't understand why it's so necessary for me to listen to 3 hours of pool safety in November...
• I made this awesome spaghetti tonight. At the onset, I thought it would be disastrous. I almost never make spaghetti, but I bought a spaghetti squash. (Which I totally recommend) Then I realized that I didn't have any jars of sauce... So I ended up making the sauce from scratch. Now I'm hooked. I don't wanna brag but everything is better from fresh... :)
• I am soda-free today. OY! I just want a diet 'anything carbonated' right now.
• I was able to do something that meant a lot to me today. I lent my wedding dress to a girl who is pregnant and getting married. I cannot tell you how wonderful it was to see her face light up and to hear her say she felt like Cinderella. She said it took some of the sadness out of her big day - I may be one of the only people she could have said that to who completely understood what she meant. A girl's wedding day is supposed to be the most wonderful moment of her life - But when you are keenly aware that everyone is informed of your situation... The happy thoughts take a backseat to the shame. I just have to believe that my experience with those types of circumstances will add to whatever ministry I have. Today was really a good day because of that smile on her face. I am so thankful for that opportunity to, in some small way, minister acceptance to her. Thank you Father!

That's pretty much my day in nutshell.

Oh and - tomorrow is Friday!!

Thanks.

To all of you who wrote lovely posts, emails, called, came by my house - it really made me feel special.
I was taken to lunch by my parents. I got lots of hugs and sweet wishes from my students.
I was able to do something for my husband that I have been trying to find the time to do for over 2 weeks. I had been wanting to take his car and get new tires, which he needed so badly.
I got his tank filled to the brim. I got his car washed. I cleaned out the inside. Threw away a bunch of trash and detailed it myself. Well, I had the help of two very cute little people.
Then I took it back up to his work before he got off so he'd be surprised!
He was so happy!!
Also I got to hang out with my brother for a little while - he's been very busy lately, as have I, so it was nice to just 'chill.'
I got to roll around on the floor with my munchkins.
We went on a bug hunt in our front yard and that was tons of fun!
My friend, Wendy, came over and brought me a very cool and thoughtful gift.
I won't tell you what it is because it is so very thoughtful she might just want to do it again for someone else.
I read a book to my babies that I bought for them today called, "Hushabye Bearcub"
So sweet.
I skipped church because we are just plum tuckered out from our week.
All in all, it was a very ordinary, much-needed, low key day.
Thanks for wishing me well!

I, I, I, I, I - The I's have it.

I want so badly to have something to say.
I miss my sister.
I miss my la.
I miss being a stay at home mom.
I guess I'm fighting being bummed out.
That must mean I need to spend some time just crazy praising Jesus.
I'll get right on that.
Could I possibly type the word "I" a few more times in this post?
I have an incurable case of navel gazing tonight.

Silpada.

For any of you who are curious,
I will be hosting a silpada jewelry party for meems tomorrow evening (Tuesday) at my house.
The times are from 5:30pm- 7:00pm.
This is a come and go event.
Childcare will be provided.
You can come sip on hot tea and chat with some friends.
Can't wait to see you!

Uncle and a wire hanger.

Where does one begin?

I have had this day.
I think crystal rubbed her crazy week virus on me!

I went to work this morning, nothing too out of the ordinary.
I went grocery shopping after work, then to a voice lesson.
I grabbed the kids a Happy Meal. (Still vying for that "Mom of the Year" Award)
And proceeded to make a return to one of my favorite stores.
After that, we decided to walk to the other end of the shopping center and look for some cloth napkins and rings for my table.
I got some extremely cute stuff and paid for it.
When I replaced my wallet and grabbed my keys out of my purse,
I realized that there were NO KEYS.
(It would be valuable to note that there is ONE key to my van, which I had come to realize was safely locked in my van.)
I didn't even skip a beat.
We just schlepped our purchases down to the other end of the shopping center where we were parked, er, locked and made a few phone calls.
I thought I would have to call a locksmith, but my husband reminded me of his awesome brother, Jeremy, who is really good at lock-picking.
I called him and he came up to the store within about 30 minutes.
The kids and I sat in the parking lot. Lots of fun....
You have no idea how filthy parking lots are...
Jeremy got there and we strained ourselves for a good 20 minutes. Prying and tugging and shoving long, stick-like objects in through the tiny slot in my door jamb, but no luck.
He drove to the restaurant and got Chris' car and brought it back to me so I could get the kids home and in bed.
(By this point, it was a good bit after their bedtime.)
Then I realized that Chris wouldn't have a way to get home if I took his car and left mine locked up in the other parking lot. He was now afoot.
I was beginning to think about waking the kids up at midnight to go get Chris from work.
Those types of crazy thoughts should never enter a mother's mind.
Jeremy said we should give unlocking the van one last try.
We drove back over to the van.
There were several times that I just knew that window was gonna shatter under the pressure we were putting on it.
But Jeremy was determined and Voila!
It was like magic!! He did it!
Unlocked it with a wire hanger.
I was one happy momma!
Thanks Uncle Jeremy!

We got home and as I got unloaded after the fiasco, I set my purse and my purchases on the dining room floor.
I took two steps and began to barrel-roll toward the kitchen counter.
My feet had gotten wound up in my purse straps.
I could see what was about to happen. I couldn't stop it.
My head slammed into the kitchen counter on the mile-long journey to the floor.
A fitting end to this really irritating evening.

The weekend.

Alright, seriously.
Has this not been the craziest week in history?
Just think, I have 4 friends moving right now.
I have family coming in and out.
Almost everyone I know has been sick at some point in the last week.
Halloween. Thanksgiving. Food, food, food.
Birthdays. Anniversaries. Party after party.
Is there no end?
I am really not stressed out at all.
I'm just stressed out for all the people around me.
You poor, poor people. You know who you are.
Err... Maybe you don't know who you are. There may be too much going on...
If you need anything that I can help with, please don't be shy.
Consider yourself poked and prodded.
Please list any and all desires or needs in the comment section of this post.

Funny thought.

Today I saw my handwriting and was shocked that it did not even remotely resemble my blog font. I have grown so accustomed to seeing 'my writing' in post form, that my own handwriting looks odd.

5 years ago.

Part of me cannot believe that it's been five years.
Most of me, after taking a few steps back to see the broad spectrum, realizes that inside these five short years so much has happened.
SO much, in fact, that it feels more like a lifetime.
In the last five years, we have finished college, gotten married, bought a house, had a baby, dealt with a very sick child, been more broke than we could imagine, oops, had another baby, survived an impossible work schedule, remodeled a house, struggled through our marriage, sold that house, bought a new house, juggled two work schedules, raised two very sweet babies into preschoolers...
I really could go on and on. You know how life comes at you.
But through it all, there was a constant, we had each other.
Our marriage has not been filled with everything either of us ever dreamed of.
It has had a bunch of hiccups along the way.
We have been through more together than, I am sure, we even realize.
But here we are, after 5 years of marriage, by the grace of God, still together.
I ponder into what the future holds and I obviously don't know what is there.
But I can see fragments of it because of the foundation that we now stand on.
I think we are entering a period of time in our lives that is more fruitful than any time that preceded it.
I am excited about what the future holds.
I look forward to what the next five years have to offer us, or rather, what we have to offer the next five years, 10 years, 50...
I feel more equipped than ever to walk through this life with you by my side.
And to love you.
Happy Anniversary, my love.