Momma Love

I blame Myndi for this!

2011-12-28T13:20:00.000-07:00

An amazing woman, upon whom I proudly pin 'bestie' status, has stepped up to the plate and it's time for me to do the same. That's right. It's New Years Resolution time. Don't freak out! Breathe with me. *hee hee, whooo. hee hee, whooo* Use that lamaze training. Good? Good. Now somebody slap me cuz I'm beginning to hyperventilate.
...
*5 minutes later...*
Shall we? Ok, let's get this over with.

ONE) I will be more active. Walking the dog, hiking with the family, dancing with my kids. Heck, even walking up and down the stairs a few more times each day.
Notice I didn't say the E word? That's cuz it's evil!

2) I will keep the kitchen sink free of dirty dishes. I admit it; I am not exactly the type-A, OCD, clean-freak kind of housekeeper I very much look up to. (Yes, Jamie, I'm talking about you.) I struggle with keeping up with the dishes and laundry about, um...99% of the time. What? Don't judge me! My fingers just like yarn better than dirty dishes...and my mind is too busy counting stitches to remember the clothes I put in the washer...yesterday. *clears throat while intently examining her slippers* Anyhow...while we're on the subject...

3) I WILL complete each and every crochet project I've started and abandoned. Honestly, this will probably be the hardest one...I've got about 20 blankets and a few hats waiting to be finished. Wait, can I take this one back? No. Emily, you will do this! Eeeeeeeee! *huff, puff, huff, puff* SLAP

Don't we feel better now? Sure, our knees may be shaking and our cheek a little red but it's out there and we can't take it back.

I need to go crochet something now.

Wax On....Wax Off

2011-11-01T23:26:00.000-06:00

Wax on...

The wind of autumn blows
some willingly accept the change
changed themselves
Brilliant fire in finite shapes

some resist
torn in time though stubbornly clung
flung down
reviled
damp and dirty

Heaven's lace
beautiful though brief
hold your breath
listen to the whisper

Wax off.

Eye of the Storm

2011-08-30T23:40:00.000-06:00

Yeah....I didn't want to title this one "Trapped in the Tornado" but only because I didn't want you to think I meant a weather tornado. Otherwise that is pretty much how I feel these days.

Warning: I am about to vent. Proceed with caution.....or just skip this one if you prefer.

Let's start with the beginning...cuz it's cliche and I want to.

Work. Ugh. That four letter word that can often be about as bad as the 'bad' four letter words. But let me qualify...quantify? Don't know...too late at night to care.

I enjoy my job. I have a wonderful job that allows me to be a SAHM. I do in-home care for an elderly couple. They are a wonderful couple and I truly enjoy being around them. The problem that I am currently having with work is not them or even what I do, it's a person I work with. There are several of us as this couple requires 24 hour care and well, I'm sure you get the picture. The person I am referring to seems to be a very friendly and sweet person, however she also seems to have a problem with asking for hours and then turning around and asking the rest of us to help cover quite a few of those hours. This is a mild inconvenience at first, a bit of a frustration after several such times, and the urge to bury my phone when I see her name pop up after several months of repeated 'schedule-adjustments'.
The clouds arrive.

Next comes a bit of non-communication that leaves me wondering just where my-last-week-with-my-hubby went that swirls those building clouds into a bumpy dark green opressiveness.

Then comes lightning and hail: my son is teething. So pretty that lightning when he wants to snuggle with mommy. Not so pretty is the hail when he screams the second I put him down because I'm drowing under a pile of unwashed laundry and dishes.

And finally comes last night. Like a funnel-cloud screaming down from the dark sky, we fight. A lightning bolt of finance breaks the last thread and it all comes crashing down. But this tornado has a twin and the two combine to sweep in the entire family.

11pm the storm seems to be moving past. We finally get everyone to bed and hope the damage isn't too severe.

Although the sun rises and life goes on it does not seem the world is washed clean; I yet see those same clouds on the horizon and sense the tingle in the air. Feeling as though my leaves are stripped away and some of my branches have been broken I can only pray the next storm might have some rain to settle the dust and soothe my weary heart.

Old Woman trapped in a (somewhat) young body

2011-06-19T08:31:00.000-06:00

My husband has begun to call me an old woman and I am beginning to believe him...not because my body is old but because just about everything else about me is. I crochet and knit, collect and decorate my house with antiques, vintage and otherwise second-hand items, even my clothing is bought at thrift stores. Yesterday I went shopping with a friend and we went to an antique store and a second-hand store, where I promptly became way too excited about a bunch of doilies. It was at this point when I realized that my husband was right...I really am an old woman, but I revel in my old-woman-ness.

New Place, New Look

2011-06-16T16:24:00.000-06:00

It's past time for me to change the look of my blog. Heck, it's way past time for me to start blogging more often again. (We'll just have to see how the later turns out)
Too bad blogger doesn't have any templates with mountains in them. Guess I'll have to settle for dandilions...we've got plenty of those too.

Zoey's Closet: the Hope Dress

2011-06-16T13:17:00.003-06:00

One of my bestest girlfriendlies (not words...I know) is doing an exciting new give-away with her adorable daughter.

Inkling Academy Owls: ZOEY'S CLOSET: the Hope Dress: "I dare to believe that the luckless will get lucky someday in You. You won't let them down: orphans won't be orphans forever. Psalm 10:14b ("The Message")

Please go check it out! Myndi Shafer happens to be one of the most talented rock-star-put-me-to-shame-moms I have ever met. This dress is a perfect example.

Now please pardon me while I go attempt to do....something crafty and inspired.

Nothing like a rock through a window...

2011-04-02T21:23:00.002-06:00

...to make a night rough.

A friend of ours spent the night last night in order to play video games with D until the wee hours of the morning but at about 1am their game play was cut short courtesy of a rather large rock shattering our front window (directly behind D's head) with a sound like a gunshot. The boys hit the floor and crawled out of the room, picked up the phone and called 911.

I woke up to the sound of TweeterPea just beginning to moan in her sleep (she was having gas pains that night and this was the 2nd time I'd gotten up) While in her room I noticed D's voice and became worried that he would wake up the kids. I went to the top of the stairs and, though I thought it very strange that the lights were all off, I whispered down to D. Our friend quickly crawled (kinda freaked me out) up the stairs and told me the front window had been broken. (I evidently can sleep though a gunshot-like noise but spring fully awake if I hear my kids)

I immediately started praying for our safety (we didn't know if it had been a rock or a gunshot at this point) and for the Lord to keep my children asleep. D also crawled up the stairs and he and our friend got out his shotgun and loaded it. Then we all sat at the top of the stairs with our friend (who is in the military) aiming the shotgun at the front door. (he may have been praying that the idiot would come through the door but thankfully my prayers proved the stronger!)

When the police arrived (impressively fast) our friend went into our bedroom and unloaded the shotgun. The noise was painfully loud and I tripled my prayers that the kids wouldn't wake up.

We discovered that a rather large rock had been thrown through our front window (probably because they could see the video game), and they had also broken the windshield and side window of our friend's truck.

The boys boarded up the window with a piece of plywood that D had; and I prayed again that the kids wouldn't wake up!

So now we're left with a broken window, which I'm sure will be expensive to replace, and a shattered sense of physical security but with a stronger sense of the Lord's protection and care as only the Lord is able to truly keep us safe and keep our children asleep with as much noise as occurred here last night!
Praise be to the name of God, forever and ever!

Hurting for Japan

2011-03-14T09:24:00.003-06:00

With everything that has been going in Japan recently I have been spending a lot of time praying for them and wishing that I could go there and help them myself.
I know that I cannot just pack up and go to Japan right now (being the mother of two and not being part of an organization that is prepared for such situations) but it certainly has gotten me thinking about getting involved for future.
Does anyone else out there feel the same way?

Retrospection

2011-03-10T12:28:00.001-07:00

I was just glancing back over some of the comments my lovely readers have left me and found one from TJ & Mark (GREAT people) on Frustration & Fears that got me thinking of that particular season of fear my beautiful daughter experienced. The truly odd thing is that she randomly commented on that recently as well!
As she is only 3 years old and it occurred over a year ago, I am quite surprised at the accuracy of her memory as well as slightly concerned about what really happened during that time.

Big Changes

2011-02-25T13:12:00.003-07:00

Wow, I cannot believe that it has been almost a year since I last posted anything. There have been some huge changes in our lives since last April.

We moved away from Hawaii at the end of May and spent the summer traveling and spending time with our folks. We had a large family reunion in northern Idaho (gorgeous!) where DaddyLove saw his first wild bear then drove through Glacier National Park (SO beautiful!) and picked out our very first home in Montana. Then we took another trip to South Dakota to attend my bro-in-law's wedding. And then another to Kansas to visit my family and then back to southern Idaho to D's parents' house. By the time we finally moved to Montana we'd driven over 10,000 miles.

So after six years in Hawaii we are finally experiencing a cold winter...and it is COLD. Montana has evidently been having the harshest winter in several decades. The temperature has been in the negatives quite often and even reached -29 this morning. I have honestly been enjoying all the beautiful snow and am kinda happy that this winter is so unusually harsh because it will make every following winter seem easy and mellow. ....I hope.

Much More Fun

2010-04-05T01:00:00.002-06:00

Occasionally at TweeterPea's bedtime DaddyLove will hide in T's bedroom so we can go in and find him. TweeterPea always loves this little tradition but tonight it led to a rather hilarious moment.

After Pea found DaddyLove we all cuddled on her bed and she started pretending to sleep. She would put her head down on D's chest the pop back up and start laughing. It was so cute that DaddyLove and I started doing it with her. She laughed so hard that D and I just had to crack up with her.

Frustration and Fears

2010-04-03T01:04:00.002-06:00

My daughter is 2 and a half years old. She has recently developed a strong sense of fear.
There is a particular spot on her ceiling that she says she is scared of.
She says she sees ghosts and monsters in her room.
A shadow behind her curtain is a ghost; her comfy purple pillow is scary too.

Daddy and I do NOT know what to do anymore.

We have tried praying with her.
We have tried giving her a flashlight.
We have tried talking to her about her fears.

At first the flashlight worked; that was a couple weeks ago.
Tonight she has been fighting going to sleep (crying, screaming, even coming out of her room multiple times) for over an hour. D finally put her in our bed, which is unfortunately in the same room as her sleeping baby brother, but so far she has been quiet.

I am at the end of my rope and if she wakes up her baby brother I am really going to lose it. Please LORD, help us!

At this point I'm not even sure if she is truly scared or if she just doesn't want to go to bed.

Right Again!

2010-02-25T22:28:00.002-07:00

12 pounds 2 ounces, 23 inches long.
Am I good? or am I GOOD?!
Well, at least I make good milk.

LittleMan also got some shots today.
The nurse had the most shocked look on her face when he started shrieking.
Yeah, our LittleMan has an even higher pitched voice than TweeterPea. It was up into the range that only dogs can hear.
I felt bad for the poor little guy but I couldn't help laughing.
Actually, both D and I laugh pretty much every time he breaks out the 'squeal'. It's just too cute.

And speaking of that squeal...I'd better get going!

Ridiculous by now...

2010-02-24T02:06:00.004-07:00

I know, I'm a horrible blogger. I am sorry it has been so long but I will make up for it by posting a picture.

Meet LittleMan

He was born on Christmas day.
6 lbs, 11 oz. 18.5 inches long
He loves to smile and LOVES to eat.
He will be having his two-month check up on Thursday and I am VERY interested to see how much weight he has gained. I'm guessing.....12 lbs.

I will now strive to do better in the future.

Even More Overdue....

2010-01-28T20:50:00.001-07:00

Sooo, baby boy was 6 days late

Very Overdue Update

2009-10-19T01:16:00.003-06:00

Yes, I know... I suck at updating these days.

But I was right! We are having a BOY!

It was really the midwife who put the idea into my head when she told me that a significant difference in morning sickness usually meant a baby of the opposite sex, so I do have to give credit to her for planting the idea. But I was RIGHT.

Now let's just hope he makes his big debut just a smidge early rather than five days late like his big sister.

I Was Right!

2009-07-26T00:52:00.002-06:00

I really was!

Okay, it all started at my first appointment when the midwife told me that if the morning sickness is significantly different from the first pregnancy it usually means a baby of the opposite sex. (I'm sure you see where I'm going with this)

At first I thought perhaps the morning sickness wouldn't be nearly as bad as it was with TweeterPea. Then I thought it was going to be infinitely worse (which I was afraid would kill me considering how bad it was with TweeterPea). And then it was gone! (cue angels singing)

Yes, it was definitely different. It was almost uncontrollable (three different medications and it still didn't really take care of it) but it only lasted through the first trimester instead of half-way into the third! (can I get a big Hallelujah!)

Of course there were also other things that were also different. With TweeterPea I continually craved fish and steak...and more fish. With TweeterPod I've been craving fruit and chips with salsa...and more fruit.

You gotta love a midwife who knows what she's talking about.

Some Exciting News

2009-07-19T03:26:00.002-06:00

Hi, I'm pregnant.

I'm very sorry but I forgot to tell you. I was going to but figured it would be best to wait until I had at least told my family, then....I forgot. Let's just call it pregnancy brain.

Anyhow I'm going into my 19th week and will be (hopefully) finding out if the little kicker inside me is a boy or girl on Thursday. Just between you and me...well, me and the whole internet...I actually think it's a

Ha! Did you actually think I'd tell you? I'm too mean for that. Or I'm just afraid that you'll mock me endlessly if I guess wrong.

Anyone still here?

2009-05-21T01:04:00.003-06:00

Well, I'll admit that I don't post nearly as often as I used to, but WOW. That was horrible post to leave you all with. I think I scared away everyone except my father-in-law and eldest sister.

I am so glad to finally be done with that cold. I think I might be scarred for life. Well...maybe just until my faulty memory kicks in.

Wait, what was I just talking about?

Oh, well... time for bed anyway.

Warning: a whole lotta griping ahead

2009-04-28T22:21:00.003-06:00

You know that place?

That place where you cry.
That place where you cry even knowing it will only make the pain worse.
That place where even a white mocha peppermint latte can't help you feel better?
I'm in that place.

That place where your throat feels like it's being scraped by sandpaper with every excruciating cough.
That place where you head feels like it is being filled with concrete though your ears.
I hate that place.

I am stuck in the middle of that place. I've been stuck here for three miserable days and it has only gotten worse.

But you know what makes it better? I have no sick time left at work. I will next week. Next week I'll have plenty of sick time. This week? Nope.

Okay, maybe that question was a bit sarcastic, but can you blame me? I think I just coughed up a lung. I gotta do something...even it it's just griping about my pain to my unsuspecting readers. All four of you. (and that's counting my mother and eldest sister.)

Hey, at least I warned you first.

Now excuse me while I go cough up my other lung.

Ode to a Latte

2009-03-06T11:13:00.002-07:00

Heat that warms my tummy,
Sweet mint that tickles my tongue,
and the blessed caffine that drives the sleepies away.

Without you I would soon be found amidst a pool of drool on my desk.

Celebrating the Redneck in Me

2009-02-17T01:04:00.002-07:00

I dedicate this post to Tanis.

I was born in Iowa. Iowa Falls, Iowa.

I played with fish hearts as a kid. (Yes, the HEART)

I could gut and clean a fish in five minutes without batting an eyelash but FREAKED OUT the first time I had to clean a frozen chicken breast.(Yeah, thanks for video-taping THAT, Mom!)

Daddy taught me to shoot at about 10 years old...aiming at old beer cans of course.
Then took same beer can to school as show and tell

I grew up in Sedro-Woolley (Seed-row Wool-E)the "Home of the LOGGER-RODEO".

My choice for Senior spring break was a camping trip with Dad.

My husband knows how to butcher a deer. AND makes the tastiest deer-jerky you will ever know.

I ACED my hunter's safety course the first time I took it.(along with my sisters and mother...OF COURSE)

Kansas venison will ALWAYS be my favorite meat.

Oh, and my brother-in-law has killed ducks the DUCK COMMANDER way. (believe me, you do NOT want to know. It involves the duck's head and his mouth.)

Extended Life Verse

2008-12-19T11:04:00.002-07:00

I have lived in Hawaii for four and a half years. I have wanted to leave Hawaii for four years.

At times the desire to leave has been desperate, like being half-way stuck in a coat and almost unable to move. Claustrophobia, panic and disgust all mingled together until it is difficult to draw breath.

Other times it is simply an ache; dull, throbbing and ever-present. You just keep going and moving but the ache is always there.

So many reasons have kept me here in 'Paradise', or so I have told myself and others...but I have come to realize that one thing and one thing alone has been both the reason for my coming and the reason for my staying. That thing will also be the reason for my going.

That reason is God. He brought us here and HE alone has kept us here. I do not know why, but then no one knows why with God.

Over ten years ago I found what I call my 'Life Verse'. For more than ten years I have clung to this verse like a drowning rat to a bit of wood. Okay, perhaps more like a small child to her favorite bunny. (I hate rats anyway) This verse has comforted me though good times and bad. I have held to it's promise during the darkest times of my life (okay, not unlike a drowning rat).

One would think that I would have read the surrounding verses at some point during those ten long years. If I have, then I have never really understood them until now. But that too seems to have been the work of God.

HE has brought new verses into my life at this time...this moment of cross-roads. I don't know what they mean for me now, but they too have brought me comfort and for that I am grateful. No. More than grateful. They have pulled the coat from my struggling body and allowed me to breathe again.

4 This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. 7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper." 8 Yes, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: "Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. 9 They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them," declares the LORD.

10 This is what the LORD says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity. [b] I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile."

Jeremiah 29:4-14

I do not know when, or in what circumstances it will happen, but I do know this: God will bring me HOME.

Stoopid Plants

2008-10-30T00:39:00.003-06:00

Sooo, the black thumb is not so gone as I'd hoped. Guess I'm even more delusional than you thought, eh?

Although I am rather P.O.'d that none of my flower seeds grew. After all that I shaped and planted and watered...nada. Not a single, stupid little seed sprouted. So I gave up and planted a hydrangea that I bought at a farmer's market. It's doing well and hasn't died...yet.

Even down in the vegetable garden the only things of mine that have sprouted and survived the boar are my peas, which are producing wonderfully, and a few cherry tomato plants that are growing VERY slowly. I'm thinking they will produce some flowers around the new year and a couple small tomatoes about valentines day.

Oh, well. At least TweeterPea likes peas.

Is the black thumb gone?

2008-08-20T01:41:00.002-06:00

My husband takes great pleasure in teasing me about my Black Thumb Disease. I have had it for years and have killed many a poor defenseless potted plant in my day. But I seem to have found redemption. I've planted a garden. No joke.

D and I have been in our new place for about two months now and it happens to have a community garden. Because our landlords are that awesome. My first attempt at planting was a bit challenging, but I overcame as all good mothers do. Baby on hip. Check. Hands left to plant with. One. Shut up, I am NOT a redneck. Anyway, the most important part is that I managed to plant mini pumpkins, peas, green onions, and cherry tomatoes; which are ALL growing!

My next excursion included my friend LiLi and a shovel (no baby this time). After digging up several large chunks of volcanic rock we managed to plant more peas and some mint. The peas are sprouting nicely but I've only found one mint sprout so far. No, I am not impatient and four days should be plenty of time to see results.

My third foray into horticulture included building and planting a flower bed along our front walk way. Because I rock the volcanic rock! ...and yes, our landlord are really that awesome. During this time I found out that a garden hoe and shovel seem to be much more effective than a kitchen spoon. Hey, I work with what I've got. LiLi, D and I finished this one in one afternoon because my enthusiasm is contagious and they may have realized it would have taken me an entire week to do it on my own. We planted lavender, cosmos, bachelor buttons, rock soapwort and johnny jump-ups. I haven't seen any spouts in the two days since we did it but I've got high hopes of seeing something soon.

Oh, and I also planted a few remaining mint seeds in a pot just to see if the black thumb was really gone. Again, nothing yet.

Then we planted some chives and cantaloupe down in the community garden. D did most of the hoe work on that one. I think I've infected him with my new disease. No sprouts there yet either. That wasn't yesterday was it? No...that was Sunday...I think. Maybe I should give that one another couple days. I'll check it again tomorrow, just to make sure.

My next plans include a sunflower mix but I can't decide whether to plant them down in the community garden or up by the house. I'm thinking of extending the flower garden along the side of the house and a row of bright sunflowers would be awfully cute. I would love to do roses but the selection is abysmal out here in Hawaii. Isn't that just a fun word? Maybe LiLi, TweeterPea and I will have to take a trip up to Waimea on Saturday while D goes golfing down at the Four Seasons. It's only about a 45 minute drive, and SO beautiful up there. That's only...gulp...four days away. I can totally wait that long. LiLi and I also started painting a couple garden decorations last night, that should keep us busy for awhile. Right? Maybe I'll take pictures of the garden tomorrow and post them so you guys can all (snort! ALL. Ha!) see the before shots. Well, kinda before anyway.

Sweet and Sour

2008-07-15T12:41:00.003-06:00

About a week ago TweeterPea finally developed a case of the dreaded SEPARATION ANXIETY. She has been freaking out pretty much everytime I put her down or walk away from her. Along with this has come the beginnings of the "pushing it" phase: pushing the boundaries, pushing the off-limit buttons, checking to see if we really mean "No". Ya know, the usual stuff.

This morning she was following me around as I attempted to get ready for work; sometimes playing but mostly crying because I wouldn't pick her up and carry her everywhere. Then when I was finally ready for work I picked her up and sat in the glider with her. She promptly laid her head on my chest and snuggled into my arms.

I spent the next twenty minutes rocking my sweet, cuddly little baby girl.

Long Absences

2008-07-09T02:12:00.003-06:00

I really am very sorry it has been two months since I last posted. I guess with everything that has been going on I just haven't had the time or energy. I do still love you! My very small group of blog readers whom I have probably lost by now. But what is even worse is that I can't even promise a change in the future. I will try though.

At least I can give you a quick update now before I hit the hay.

Still at the new job....only now I'm at the front desk rather than in the back office, which I enjoy more.

I worked out for the FIRST time since TweeterPea was born. Yes, almost an entire YEAR later I have finally done more than just walk around the neighborhood.

...which we are no longer in....the neighborhood....DaddyLove and I are finally roommate-less. After 4 out of 5 years since we got married, we are back to just the...um...three...of us.

Little TweeterPea is going to be a YEAR OLD on July 29th and such a blessing in our lives. DaddyLove and I are still needing to plan her birthday party (which is a huge deal in Hawaii).

DL is also on summerbreak (lucky school teacher-man) and is working the full-time Daddyhood gig (super lucky school teacher-man!).

I really would love to add more but my brain is about to fall out the back of my head. I just pray my body will still be willing to move in the morning!

Life Changes

2008-05-10T13:51:00.002-06:00

Yes, I am back. I am very sorry I have taken so long to post again. That said, I will pick up where I left off.

I called the next morning as planned and was told that they felt they needed to still interview the other applicants and that they wanted to talk to me the next day. I was confused because I thought I had already been offered the job but agreed to call again the next morning.

So I called Wednesday morning as planned. No answer. Okay, no biggie. I left a message. And no one called back the ENTIRE day. Um....confused much? Yah. But maybe they're just busy. I called Thursday morning. No answer. What the heck? Left another message. No call ... no call ... no call ... Are you kidding me???? 5pm. They call BUT they didn't actually realize they were calling me. Oh, that's a good sign. "We've been telling the other applicants that the position has been filled." Uh, do they mean by me? or by someone else? Is this confusing to anyone else?! Then they went on to say that they were still in the decision making process and they wanted to talk to me on Monday morning.

So an entire week after the initial interview and (I thought) job offer, I got my official job offer. But actually for a different position within the company. The original job I had applied for was a front desk receptionist position and the job I eventually got was a back office administrative assistant. It turned out that I was a little over qualified for the first position so they gave me a different one.

This past week was actually my first week. They delayed by start date because my mom was coming to visit and to also prepare the person I will eventually be replacing.

So after some (a lot of) confusion, I now have a new job and am really enjoying myself. But we have company over right now so I should really go be sociable and play the good host.

Holy Job Offer, Batman!

2008-04-14T20:37:00.005-06:00

Today is Monday.

Today TweeterPea went to daycare and I used the time to job search and do laundry.

This morning I looked through the classifieds in the local paper for job opportunities and called several places. I only reached one person and she scheduled me for an interview at 2:30pm this afternoon.

Today I got a job offer.

Tomorrow morning I will accept.

After the room stops spinning I will tell you the details.

...it may be a while.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Editor's Note: Author promptly went and celebrated above mentioned job offer by buying yarn at the local Wal-Mart. ...Author is clearly a dork.

Crazy Non-working Momma

2008-04-07T12:27:00.002-06:00

Sooo, it's been a while....

The Hawaiian Adventure hinted at in the last post never materialized, cuz we're boring and all that. In fact, so boring that I really don't have much to say at the moment. I pretty much just felt guilty for not blogging in so long.

Alrighty then, I'm gunna go take a shower and get busy with my Wii.

Lovin not Workin

2008-03-27T12:47:00.003-06:00

That's right, folks! Momma Love is done. No more hour long commutes, no more crazy co-workers and missing my baby girl (yes, MonsterPea has turned back into TweeterPea and we are very happy).

So, DaddyLove, TweeterPea and I are sitting here in our living room trying to figure out what to do today.

ML: What are we going to do today?

DL: What do you want to do? Cuz you're the woman.

ML: I'm the woman and I run everything?

DL: Yup.

Alrighty folks, looks like I've got some planning to do. Me thinks I see another Hawaiian Adventure in the works. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Happy Love Thursday, Y'all!

Heathen Drool

2008-03-24T20:34:00.003-06:00

Haven't you heard? We're heathens now. We didn't go to church on Easter Sunday. That's right, people! We did not take our little TweeterPea to Sunrise (or otherwise) Service on her first Easter Sunday. Oh, we were awake alright; just not to be counted among the living. Instead we spent Easter Sunday with a screaming, crying, squirming, blood-sucking little terror that looked very much like our sweet little TweeterPea.

This morning while I was getting ready for work (and when DaddyLove and she came out for lunch) my sweet little TweeterPea reappeared (and melted my heart into a little puddle with one sleepy-eyed look this morning); however I'm told the monster was back in residence for the rest of the day. I feel very, very sorry for poor DaddyLove and am praying that the MonsterPea turns back into TweeterPea very soon.

If not; DaddyLove and I will be found at the nearest insane asylum. If you would be so kind as to visit, please bring bibs and soft fluffy pillows.

Good Aloha Friday

2008-03-21T10:03:00.005-06:00

So today is Good Friday and my wonderful SuperHubby and darling TweeterPea are staying at home (and presumably in bed for as long as possible) today. I'm just a little jealous of that, but much more jealous of DaddyLove getting to stay home with TweeterPea all next week as well. Ya know, spring break and all. Maybe I should become a teacher too. hmmm...

So instead of crawling right back into bed with my lovies, I get to haul my groaning hiney off to work again today. However, today is not just any normal day at work. No. Today I get to do my exit interview with HR. This should be...interesting. More on that later.

Now on to the order of the Aloha Friday!

Of all the Aloha Fridays I have or ever will do; what better day to talk about PASSION than Good Friday? I mean, come on! Can you get any more passionate than Jesus? Um, me thinks not.

Have you seen the Passion of the Christ? If not. DO. Just make sure you have a big box of tissues and are prepared for the most intense movie of your life.

As a christian, I've always had the knowledge that Christ died for me; but how often do Christians really recognize what Christ did for us? Honestly... I think the main reason why is because we are ostriches (figuratively speaking, of course). We don't want to truly acknowledge what Christ did for us because it would require us to change the way we live. It would require nothing short of the sacrifice of our own lives. (How's that for extreme?)

Living each and every day for Christ alone, stepping out in faith, and living according to his will can be a terrifying thought and is an intense way of life. Passion no longer exists as a thought or a dream but as a way of life. PASSION. It's how Jesus Christ lived his life. It's how he calls us to live ours. It's how I want to live mine.

Lovin on my Baby

2008-03-20T14:23:00.003-06:00

Lucky me! I get to do some extra loving on my baby girl today!

This morning as I was taking TweeterPea to daycare the lady called to let me know that her son had a high fever. So I made a quick change of plans and after stopping to pick up a car full of baby junk, TweeterPea and I headed to work.

It has been an interesting morning so far; and even though I love having her with me and being able to spend more time with her, I am still glad that I don't bring her to work with me every day. After all, I'd never get anything done...well, no work done anyway. But who cares when I have me some TweeterPea lovin?

My New Favorite Word is B.o.B

2008-03-19T16:34:00.003-06:00

Whoot, whoot! Let's get this party started, baby!

I found this on in my comments today:

Congratulations!!! You have been nominated for a 2007 Best Of Blog Award!! Especially designed to bring attention to lower profile bloggers, The BoB’s as we like to call them are currently taking nominations in over 20 different categories. To find out more about how your site has a chance to become one of this year’s Best Of’s and how to nominate other bloggers, visit us at www.thebestofblogs.com. Remember voting begins April 14th so make sure you pass the word to your friends, family, and faithful followers.

Sincerely,
Bill Beck
Project Mgr.
The Best Of Blog Awards

That's right, yours truly has been nominated for a B.o.B award! Pop the champagne corks and let the bubbles tickle my nose. *snort, sneeze, snort* Okay, maybe no nose-tickling bubbles for me.

I'll hold the teary-eyed-four-hour-long-acceptance speech for after I win; *cough*yeah-right!*cough* however, I do feel the compulsion to acknowledge and love on my sneaky little friend WeirdGirl. That's right WG, I totally snooped around and found you out, so now you are gunna get yours!

She is the one who introduced me to the wide, wonderful world of blogging. Well, that and the greatest list a future mom should ever read.
She is hilarious, witty and a total fasionista with her sassy high-heels.

So...Thank YOU, WG, for nominating me. And I love that we will be competing against each other for the award.

Ah Vanity...

2008-03-14T15:13:00.002-06:00

...is a slimy, slippery slope.

(Normally I prefer to refrain from posting about my work, however...) At this very moment, two of my female co-workers are in the bathroom 'trying on' oh-so-gently used Louis Vuitton purses that a co-worker's wife's friend is selling at (gasp) half-price. I am fairly snorting trying to contain my mirth at the ridiculous extent to which their vanity has taken them.

From the (relative) safety of my desk I can hear them twittering about which purse they like for them and which purse works better for the other. On the surface it is simply two frivolous women debating purchasing yet another over-priced handbag to add to their status collection; however, if you listen closely, you will hear the dangerous jealousies and selfish desires bubbling just below the surface.

Of course, when I suggested contacting my hair-dresser friend (whom they both go to) about the bargain (since she is also a LV devotee), one of them promptly snarled at me, "Back off!" At which time I quickly fled the scene, terrified I would either burst out laughing, be bitten by the rabid beasts...or possibly both.

Passion Baby

2008-03-14T10:03:00.004-06:00

My baby girl is passionate, well...about a lot of things but, this morning she is passionate about wind. She often likes wind and it doesn't really matter where from. Natural wind, fans, mommy and daddy blowing in her face....it's all fun to her.

This morning, early this morning, TweeterPea decided she was done sleeping. It was about 2am early, so mean old Mommy and Daddy made her go back to sleep. Well, actually just Mommy since Daddy never woke up. So she tried again at 3-something. No dice. Mommy just changed her diaper, fed her and put her back to sleep again. Okay, how about 4:30? By this time Mommy was over it and beat Daddy till he woke up then gave TweeterPea to him while she took an early shower. So sleepy/mean Daddy gave her gas medicine and put her back to sleep. No wait, Daddy made Mommy give her the medicine and then Daddy took over.

When Mommy got out of the shower, Daddy had just managed to get TweeterPea quiet so Mommy laid back down with them to reclaim the 20 minutes of sleep she deserved. Of course by the second time the alarm went off Mommy was firmly wedged in dreamland and debated going to work a couple hours late. However, she hauled her groggy butt out of bed and got ready as quietly as possible since TweeterPea was still sleeping.

But that only lasted another half-hour because TweeterPea just didn't feel like staying asleep. So Mommy took her out to the living room to play in her excersaucer while Mommy had breakfast and indulged her blog addiction. But TweeterPea still wanted something more... So Mommy blew in her face, several times. Each and every time TweeterPea gasped and grinned. She does like her some wind; even morning-breath scented wind evidently.

Late Love Thursday

2008-03-13T19:15:00.004-06:00

You know what? I don't even know where the Love Thursday tradition started. I simply saw it on several of the blogs I regularly read and decided to hop on the bandwagon.

Today has been a slightly odd day for me...not because of anything that happened...but I've just been in a rather odd mood. Quiet. Introspective. Just kind of...still...inside.

At least one of my co-workers thought I was either in a bad mood or having a bad day because I didn't feel much like talking or smiling.

~

I read something today that rang quite true for me: 'writing is not good or bad, just interesting.' (or something like that)

As the author of a public blog, of course I want my writing to be read. I've thought at various times about what might make my writing better, but now I see I just need to make it more interesting. Ha, good luck with that one.

My immediate thought after reading the above quote was that what is interesting to one person is blow-your-brains-out boring to another. I've noticed recently how the different blogs I read seem to have very different regular commenters (excepting the main bloggers that seem to read every blog on the internet...except mine). Of course it goes without saying that what one finds interesting says a lot about a person.

So what do the blogs I read say about me? I'll give you my take and you can give me yours. I'll list a few of my favorite blogs and tell you what I love best about them and you can give me an amateur psycho-analysis.

The Pioneer Woman - Romance (have you read her real-life love story!?!), photography, humor, ranch life in the Midwest.

Redneck Mommy - Sarcasm, wit, humor, redneck Canadian (need I say more?), bawdy and a bit over the top (she writes things I wouldn't dare say out loud)

Noble Savage - Humor, interesting articles, fun memes, she often responds to reader comments

TJ & Mark - More ranch life, sweet SWEET people

(believe me, there are many more but I just don't have time to list them all)

I think the thing I love the most, about all of the blogs I read, is getting to see other people's lives.

With some blogs it's like watching a family interact from the outside the living room window. It's entertaining; for at least as long as the crazy continues. But with others, it's as if the family opens the door an invites you in. "Come, be a part of our lives and we'll be a part of yours." It makes me wish I lived next door to them and really could walk through their front door.

S.T.R.E.S.S.

2008-03-11T23:48:00.003-06:00

Soooo....I've got 14 days left at my old job. And I don't have a new job yet....and I've been really busy at work trying to finish stuff....trying to find a new job...trying to simply survive...

Yeah, I know they're all lame excuses for not posting; but with all that and Anna struggling with teething and painful diaper rashes, I've been rather stressed out lately. Oh yeah, and Anna woke up crying about ten(thousand) times last night.

I love my husband, but he has this habit of not waking up at night even if Anna is screaming. As much as I'm tempted to smack his head and (maybe) wake him up; it's just easier to get up myself. Especially since I wake up every time she twitches.

Let's hope tonight is better. She did go down incredibly easy. That's a good sign, right?

Aloha Friday

2008-03-07T17:40:00.004-07:00

Aloha Readers!

I have decided to start a new blog tradition. In the tradition of Love Thursday and the spirit of the islands, I now present for your reading delight...Aloha Friday!

And since we actually want this new tradition to have more of a theme than a common title or label...PASSION. Why? Because Aloha Friday is all about escaping the drudgery of the work week and doing the things you really want to.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Earlier today I had lunch with one of my co-workers. Among the many things we talked about she asked me what I wanted to do next. Not in the, "so what's your next job going to be?" but the "what do you really want to do with your life?" kind of way.

"You know, the old 'what would you do if you had a million dollars' question."

I smiled and immediately said, "stained glass."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My first experience with stained glass was with a lady who owned a little shop in a nearby 'tourist trap' town. She mostly did scrap-glass pieces. It was there in her little shop that I made my first two scrap-glass wall hangings with her. My first was an abstract piece that consisted of blue and clear glass of various patterns, textures and shapes. It was a fairly small piece, only about 12x15 inches, but I was hooked.

It was magic. Simple, crazy magic. The bright sunshine poured in through the large window, illuminating the countless stained glass pieces and scattering brightly colored splotches on the floor. There I stood, a silly young teenager with sun bleached hair and blue glass sunglasses, tossing oddly shaped glass together. I wore an over sized, coarse blue button-down shirt over my clothes to protect them from the dirty water in the grinder.

I can't remember the lady's name or even what she looked like, but I remember the smell. The smell was warm sunshine and sweet incense with a dash of coffee and a pinch of mechanic's workshop thrown in. It was the smell of the soul's creativity unleashed. The smell of passion discovered.

Love & Marriage

2008-03-06T13:20:00.003-07:00

...go together like a horse and carriage. Yet another meme I'm 'stealing' from Noble Savage. Ya know, since it's Love Thursday and all.

1. Where / how did you meet?
We met fall 2001 (I think August or September) at the get-to-know-all-your-schoolmates outing our college took us on. I was a freshman, he actually went to a different college about 2 hours away but had gone to B.College the year before and tagged along to see his friends. He was talking to a mutual friend of ours and I said to myself, "Oooo, I want that!". So I went and got that.

2. How long have you known each other?
6 years and 7 months (approximately)

3. How long after you met did you start dating?
As mentioned above; he went to a different school but transferred back after the first semester and we started dating shortly after (about Feb'02)

4. How long did you date before you were engaged?
This one is a bit more tricky because we actually started planning the wedding before we were officially engaged. But I'd say about 4 or 6 months, depending on what you'd call engaged.

5. How long was your engagement?
Again, tricky. Either 9 or 11 months. Take your pick.

6. How long have you been married?
Our 5 year anniversary is coming up May 26th.

7. What is your anniversary?
May 26th, 2003

8. How many people came to your wedding reception?
Ooo, I think around 300 people. Not sure, but about 95% of them were Dusty's family and friends.

9. What kind of cake did you serve?
Yummy cake. (yes, my memory is pitiful) We actually had a friend of a friend (or something like that) do the cake. It was beautiful and delicious and not nearly as expensive. It was white cake with white frosting, three layers and had sugared fruit on top.

10. Where was your wedding?
Ste.Chappelle Winery It was a gorgeous outdoor wedding on a lawn underneath huge cottonwood trees.

11. What did you serve for the meal?
We did not serve a meal as the wedding was in the afternoon.

12. How many people were in your bridal party?
Eight. Myself, D, my three sisters, his brother and two best friends

13. Are you still friends with them all?
Yup, can't really get away from my sisters *wink* or his brother (dang it!), and we still love his (now our) friends.

14. Did your spouse cry during the ceremony?
Nope

15. Most special moment of your wedding day?
Uh, getting married. Duh.

16. Any funny moments?
Hooo boy. Yes. I kinda forgot my bouquet when I walked down the aisle. And the lawn hadn't been mowed recently, which made for a very lush carpet of ankle deep grass. While my dad and I walked up the aisle, the runner kept moving backward. One of the groomsmen even tried stopping it with his foot. Plus the aforementioned cottonwood trees were in bloom and I got a little cotton fuzz stuck on my nose during the ceremony. Thankfully that (major nose wriggling) and the missing bouquet helped me stave off the waterworks.

17. Any big disasters?
Not during the wedding but D sprained his ankle badly the day after.

18. Where did you go on honeymoon?
Jamaica. We don't recommend it. But we do recommend flying with a badly sprained ankle if you have to go through customs (Not really) because a nice gentleman sat D down and took me past all the monstrously long lines. I was done in less than a minute and didn't even have to talk.

19. How long were you gone?
Little less than a week.

20. If you were to do your wedding over, what would you change?
I'd try to remember my bouquet. and I'd get someone to mow the grass.

21. What side of the bed do you sleep in?
standing at the foot, the right side.

22. What size is your bed?
King

23. Greatest strength as a couple?
We help each other grow.

24. Greatest challenge as a couple?
Health problems.

25. Who literally pays the bills?
The Big D. He's really good at it too.

26. What is your song?
Um...song?

27. What did you dance your first dance to?
Uh, we didn't have dancing at our wedding. Cuz we're prudes like that.

28. Describe your wedding dress
Ivory satin ballgown with dark cream bands inset with lace at the bust and hem.

29. What kind of flowers did you have at your wedding?
Fake ones. Pretty fake ones. Except for my bouquet. It was made of deep red roses. Yeah, the one I forgot.

30. Are your wedding bands engraved?
Mine isn't but D's is. It says FOREVER. Ya know, just in case he forgets how long he's stuck with me for. After all, my dad did tell him there was a "no return policy" on me.

Um, Eww!

2008-03-05T15:18:00.003-07:00

We all know that winter is the 'sick' season. Kids and co-workers pass germs around like they are going out of style. So why, oh WHY, would someone take a drink from my glass?

Yeah. My glass. Sitting on my desk. Nobody around.

How do I know? Because I hadn't taken a drink yet. Because it was a clear glass. Because it was a chocolate diet drink (really gross by the way). Because there was lipstick on the rim. And, of course, my co-workers all denied having done it.

Normally, I wouldn't freak out about someone I know taking a drink from my cup. But this was just TOO weird. Maybe a lipstick wearing, chocolate loving ghost slipped a quick sip while I was away from my desk. Or maybe one of my lipstick wearing co-workers stole the sip and were too embarrassed to admit it.

But it's okay; because the joke is on them.

Unspoken

2008-03-04T16:19:00.002-07:00

*This post was inspired by Noble Savage, who got it from someone, who got it from someone...*

This is a list of 15 things I have left unsaid to various people in my life because of shyness, shame, hurt, fear of making someone angry, not having the words, or simply knowing better than to say it *wink*. So here we go!

1. Put some clothes on, for goodness sake! You look like a hoochie. (this would be aimed at quite a few people)

2. Uh, you should NOT be wearing that outfit. You seriously need a stylist. (this one too)

3. Get your dirty hand out of my popcorn!

4. No matter how hard I try, I just can't read your signals. Just tell me already!

5. I used to think you were nice but, because of your actions, you have really lost my respect.

6. Stop obsessing about finding a spouse. It is a huge turn-off.

7. You can be the most arrogant jerk I have ever had the misfortune to meet.

8. I know you're busy, but I really wish you would make time for me.

9. I understand that things can be overwhelming at times but, right now, you are overreacting. Get a grip.

10. You have a heart of gold and a great capacity to love; stop trying to pretend you are tough and uncaring.

11. You may think that you are showing leadership qualities, but you are actually just being a bossy, snotty brat.

12. I don't know why you didn't like me for so long, but I am so glad that you like me now!

13. I am so sorry. I wish it had never happened.

14. You will never know how much you hurt me when you killed our friendship.

15. You were one of the strongest and best influences in my life. I miss you. I love you, and my heart bleeds for your pain.

(This actually took me much longer than I anticipated but, WOW, it felt really nice to be able to articulate some of these.)

Freaking Out Friday

2008-02-29T19:35:00.002-07:00

Holy scary, Batman! There's a mongoose in the kitchen!!!

Did you hear that shriek about 5 minutes ago? Yeah, that was me. I encountered a big furry rat, otherwise known as a mongoose, in the kitchen of our office. I encountered it as I was going into the kitchen to get something from the fridge.

I hate rats. And mongooses are now big, furry rats to me. They used to be kinda cute...when I would see them from inside a car driving past. I am so going to have a nightmare about big furry mongooses with sharp teeth and beady little eyes.

Our security guard helped me chase it out because I was (of course!) the only person in the office at the time. At least I think it's out. I have got to get out of here. Freaky little rodent.

TERMINATION!

2008-02-28T11:48:00.004-07:00

Yesterday I was given 30-days notice of termination by the company's HR person. I already knew that corporate was shutting down our division but had been told my end date was scheduled for March 31, 2009. Recently they decided to move it up a year; they are now terminating my position as of March 31, 2008.

After hearing about it, one of my co-workers called me to ask how I was doing. My response? "Are you kidding me? I about to break into song!" That's right, people. I am 100% THRILLED. I can't stop smiling. No, I'm not having a mental breakdown.

I have wanted out since before having Anna. and now. I. AM. FREE!!!!! Well, I will be in a month. I'm quivering with excitement. You know that saying, 'When God shuts a door, he opens a window.'? On this one God is shutting a dirty little peep-hole and opening a set of french doors. Okay, I may be exagerating just a bit; work isn't always that horrible. but it's pretty darn close. I am still planning on finding another job, but my next job will be down in town. No more hour long commutes for me!

I think the only thing I'm a bit dissapointed about is missing the breakfast they feed us at the quarterly meetings. But that always came with a snooze inducing lecture on how the company was doing anyway. Man, I feel sorry for the poor saps I'll be leaving behind.

HAPPY LOVE THURSDAY, Y'ALL!

Not for the faint of Heart

2008-02-27T00:10:00.005-07:00

I was reading this post over at The Ranch on Salmon Creek and was inspired to (over)share of bit of my own Adventures in Ick.

And it's late so my mush-brain posting may be a bit sporadic.

I have three sisters. We are all married. My father, two of my brother-in-laws and my husband all hunt...avidly. *some more than others, but that will become evident I'm sure*

My dad likes hunting, but LOVES fishing. I grew up fishing. I also grew up cleaning my own fish. Pulling it's guts out; not washing it with soap and water. (told you this would be gross) But even before I was old enough to be trusted with a knife I still got to play with fish innards. Why? Because I was curious. because my dad caught lots of fish. and because I stuck to him like a tick on a dog.

But I didn't play with just any fish organ. I went straight for the heart. Anybody else hear that song? no? just me? Moving on. I liked the heart because it would often still be beating when I got my dirty little hands on it. Holding that little triangularish heart in my hand, I would watch it beat until it stopped. It always amazed me that it could still beat even after being cut from the fish. Until one of them squirted blood all over me. I wasn't so keen on them after that.

I gotcha now

2008-02-22T17:37:00.004-07:00

I SEEEEE you! That's right, lurkers, *I'm talking to you, OldFart* your days of sneaking around my blog unseen are OVER. I got me a sitemeter and I knows how to use it. Sorta.

So it's time to crawl out of the woodwork and let yourself be seen. It is Momma's un-official De-Lurker Day!

PS>OldFart is TweeterPea's grandpa and Momma Em's father-in-law. Please feel free to poke, mock, and generally abuse him anytime your fingers start itching. (you'll need his permission to hug, kiss, or love on him)

Trendsetting Momma

2008-02-21T16:05:00.004-07:00

That's right, I'm a trendsetting Momma! Who knew. Certainly not the kids at my high school...or college. But as a Momma, heck yes! Stop sniggering. I am not delusional. At least not at the moment... I have actually started not one, but TWO trends. Whoot whoot! It's mah birthday.

My wonderful trends? My hairstylist & my daycare. Yup, I'm pretty proud of myself for picking the most wunderfee women for the two most important decisions in a young mother's life. After all what is more important than your hair? Oh, yeah...and the person you trust your child to.

Okay, real story?

Hairstylist
My best friend is the most awesome hairstylist to come out of S.Cali since... forever. What? I'm not biased. And it may have taken me almost an entire year to convince my co-workers to try her out but now they worship the ground she walks on (ok, only one of them does. But she does call her the "hair-goddess"), plus through them, even more people are jumping on the hair-wagon. *sigh* If they had only listened to me earlier, they wouldn't have wasted an entire year on bad hair.

Upside: My best friend gets the rep she deserves and makes mucho moonay. (my evil plan is working!)

Downside: My best friend is too busy to either do my hair or hang out with me anymore. (Dang! My evil plan backfired and pooped on my poorly coifed head!)

Daycare
It took some doing to find good daycare for my baby girl *read-calling lists of people only to be told they had no infant spots open. Then nurse practitioner at Pediatritians office (and friend) tells us of great daycare lady*, but it was worth the effort (luck!). TweeterPea loves her (NOT more than Momma, be quiet!), and so do D and I. Recently a co-worker started using the same daycare lady, and just today another friend said they were going to call her about their toddler.

Downside: Okay, so I wasn't the reason they decided to go with my daycare lady and I really didn't have much to do with it. (I did provide a reference for the co-worker and encouraged the friend).

Upside: They can't steal her!

Twilight Magic

2008-02-20T22:03:00.004-07:00

I laid on my back on our bed and you sat on my tummy. The sun had set but I left the light was off. Through the twilight of the room we stared at each other. Your dark eyes twinkled like dancing fireflies and your rosebud mouth opened in a grin of pure delight.

You bobbed and weaved, bouncing forward and backward in your excitement. Ten minutes passed and still we grinned at each other. Silly Momma, silly baby. We played airplane and peek-a-boo til it was almost too dark to see.

I love you, TweeterPea.

Happy Love Thursday!

Today's Assignment

2008-02-18T19:30:00.004-07:00

Humor me on this one...

Go here and read until you get to "...let us go forth, throw away the rule books, forget what other people think and enjoy family life and all its joys and woes." (and the list below it)

Then come back and tell me what you think.

I'll be waiting.

Lazy Sunday

2008-02-17T23:34:00.003-07:00

So after being so incredibly adventureous yesterday, we spent the entire day doing...well, actually stuff. Granted, neither of us took showers or even changed out of our pajamas. *what? TMI for you? At least you aren't close enough to smell our stinky bums* Regardless of our colletive stench, both D and I were fairly productive. Pretty impressive considering we were planning to impersonate slugs today.

D spent most of the day....no, wait....ALL DAY working with his new baseball cards. He recently bought several large lots on Ebay and is now sorting and reselling most of them. *Just between you and me, I think his 'business' is really just a cover for expanding his personal collection.*

I spend the entire morning *you are never going to believe this* COOKING! First, I made the King of all omletts for D and I. Then I made stew. or soup. never really sure on the difference there. Anyway, I'm told it was good. ...Personally, I'm still rather dissatisfied with the results but, since it was only my second attempt, I'll settle for edible.

My first stew had a tomato based broth and this time I tried for a more beef broth. Only I had no beef bullion. There were beef chunks in the stew, but no beef bullion. I thought the broth was lacking in flavor but D said it was good. I'm thinking either my tongue stopped working or his turned silver. Anyhow, if you have any good suggestions (no bad suggestions please) for a deeeeelicious beef broth, please enlighten me.

TweeterPea also had a busy day today. Her schedule was full of squealing, squeaking, laughing, crying, screaming and shrieking. She also managed to squeeze in playing, napping and even some cuddling with Momma. *Heaven in a hug, people.*

The squealing, squeaking and laughing is generally a good thing with TweeterPea; however, today she mixed it rather liberally with the crying, screaming and shrieking. The result...two very confused parents and proof of a strong set of lungs. Do they make bi-polar medicine for infants? No? That's okay, the combination of teething tablets and a bottle seemed to work. Who knew.

Saturday Adventure

2008-02-16T23:39:00.008-07:00

Well, I told you we were going to enjoy this island and I meant it. So today D, TweeterPea and I went for a wittle dwive. Ops, sorry. I tend to slip into baby talk randomly. Everybody does that, right?

We got up early this morning *thanks to TweeterPea* and after fiddling around the house for awhile, finally decided to drive south to the Punaluu (pronounced poo-na-loo-oo) Bakery for some sweet bread. Because Hawaiian living just ain't Hawaiian without the sweet bread, braddah.

So we dragged our tushies to the car and headed south. It took us a little while to get past the towns and more into the country but it was fun seeing scenery we weren't used to looking at every day. Well, actually neither D nor I had even been south of town in over a year. (We usually head north whenever I can convince D that I will die if we don't do something fun.)

We were meandering along and saw a sign for Hookena and decided to explore a bit. After following a very twisty and poorly paved road for about two miles, we found an awesome black sand beach. It had soft, thick black sand gently sloping into the water with dramatic cliffs in the background. It was niiiiice. Palm trees swaying an' warm breezes playing, baby. We didn't stay long but I'm sure we'll go back before too long.

This is D throwing TweeterPea in the water.

It took a little while to get to the bakery and both D and I were hun-grrr-y. We got a couple cheesy burgers and had the most deeeelicious bismarks for desert. We played around in their garden a bit and then headed back.

TweeterPea's first encounter with the green stuff. Look at those chubby legs! Hers, not mine thank you.

Oh, yeah. We also stopped to take a picture of a zebra.

Tick Tock, Blogger!

2008-02-15T17:19:00.004-07:00

It would be really nice if blogger actually updated my page a little more often so it would, ya know, show my new posts when I post them. But no, instead it takes a couple days before they show up.

I have been trying to post more often. I even have aspirations of posting every day. Ah, the irony. Now stop laughing. But why bother when no one would even see my brilliant *snort* words for several days anyway?

So let's try a little experiment. I'm posting this on February 15 at 2:30pm (Hawaiian time of course). Let's see just how long it takes to actually appear on my blog. I'll be taking bets on the side for all you psychic people that know I'm writing this before it is actually posted.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

UPDATE:

It actually took Blogger just under 24 hours to get this post online and the next one I wrote was actually added immediately. I almost fainted from the shock.

My Valentine's Day Soapbox

2008-02-14T17:06:00.004-07:00

Dear Consumer Girl,

Valentine's Day.
I am getting rather disgusted with the prevailing female-orientated consumerism that has taken over. It seems that everywhere we turn, we are constantly bombarded with the idea that Valentine's Day was created solely for the purpose of a man buying a woman some silly gift. Big, small, cheap or expensive. Chocolate, flowers, diamonds. And just to make sure he does...what does the woman (and the consumer-driven world in general) do? Guilt. Nag. Whine. Plead. Rage. Pressure. All but hold a gun to his head.

When did Valentine's Day become the offical day women take over the world and the men duck-and-cover as best they can? Now don't think I am bashing women. After all, I am one. But when did it become okay to terrorize the men in our lives if they didn't 'get it right' on Valentine's Day? That's just not right, Princess, and you know it.

I love the basic idea of Valentine's Day (a day to celebrate love) but I am completely fed up with women who think they are owed something special at the cost of a man. Get it through your greedy little head! Love is not about what others give you, material or otherwise. Love is selfless. Self-LESS. So get over yourself already. And guess what? If you cheerfully, and honestly, GIVE love instead of demanding it, you may just find what you've been missing out on. And so will your someone special!

Now get out there and love on somebody!

Love,

Bossy Momma

Torn and Confused

2008-01-24T23:02:00.001-07:00

D and I took Anna for a short walk last night. (It was great to be able to get out of the house and take a stroll around the neighborhood again after being laid up for several weeks.) We were talking about moving back to the mainland and jobs and such when D dropped a bomb on me.

Lil'bit-o'historee: D and I have talked about moving back to the mainland from Hawaii for a couple years and were fairly sure it was going to happen this year.

So we're out walking and talking and...BAM! D hits me with a big, fat, cold water balloon of news: it looks like we probably won't be moving back to the mainland this summer. Sure, he's been talking more and more like it may not happen. But this...this was more like 'yeah, it's not gunna happen.'

Now I've been trying very hard (recently)(what? I have!) to enjoy living here, and had thought I'd convinced myself that it would be okay if we stayed here another year. Then last night I realized that I was really torn on this issue.

No. Ya know what? I AM really torn on this issue. I have wanted to get off this island for three years. (You popsicles may think I'm crazy but it's true; HI isn't paradise in everyone's book) For three years I've been focused entirely on the stuff I don't like about Hawaii. But you know what that's done for me? It's made me miserable. It has effectively blocked out all the enjoyment I could be getting from this place.

Last night when D told me; I was blind-sided. I truly had expected that we would move. I wanted to move. I thought it would happen. Now that the dream has been all but plucked from my grasp for another year...I'm not sure how I feel. I don't want to be discontent anymore. I want to enjoy this place, I want to enjoy my life. NOW. Not in five years. Not next year. Not even next month. I WANT TO ENJOY IT NOW. And I will. I will haul my chubby bum off our couch and do something fun. I will. (I'm still trying to convince myself, obviously)

You just see if I don't.

Much Better Now, Thank You

2008-01-21T12:50:00.001-07:00

Yay! My hip is better, so much better!

I can actually walk. Yay!
I can carry my daughter. Yay!
I still kinda limp and look funny doing it, but that's okay!

Quick back story for the curious: Two Hawaiians in the snow on a four-wheeler = OUCH! I landed on my right hip. The ER doc said it wasn't broken but thought it was probably a torn or strained ligament.

I'm thinking it was just strained instead of torn. Well, maybe more hoping that's all it was/is...whatever. I'm just glad it is so much better. Now if my eyelid would only stop twitching! But that's totally unrelated....I think.

Happy Tuesday!

Too Late

2008-01-18T13:46:00.001-07:00

I just read an article that made me want to cry and hold my daughter as close as possible.

The article was about a babysitter on trial for the murder of a 1 year old boy she was taking care of. The mother of the boy had noticed bruises on her son but had not been concerned enough to stop sending her boy to the babysitter. She thought the babysitter's son was simply playing rough with her son. Her son died in the hospital with a fractured skull.

Now, of course, I don't know if the babysitter in question purposefully did something to hurt the boy or if a horrible accident occurred; but why, oh WHY did that mother not DO something when she first started noticing the bruises?

We love our daycare lady, but if I ever found a bruise on my little girl I would make sure to find out EXACTLY how it happened. And if it happened more than once-in-a-blue-moon or I started to feel uncomfortable about it, there would be no measure of how fast I would take my baby out of that situation.

It breaks my heart to think of that mother, or any mother, losing her child like that.

Bad, Baaaaaad Day

2008-01-11T22:39:00.001-07:00

Today was a stressful, horrible day.

In fact, this whole week has been that way. Since injuring my hip two weeks ago I have been unable to do anything. I can't take care of my daughter, I can't clean the house...heck, I can barely even take care of myself.

I am so frustrated with my stupid crutches that I want to throw them off a cliff. I hate having to ask everyone around me for everything; it makes me feel like a heel. I can't even carry a glass of water much less pick up my daughter and carry her.

By the end of work today, I was so frustrated and upset that I actually cried in the parking lot at work. I was tired and hurting and trying to carry two bags to my car when I dropped first my water bottle, then one of my crutches. I just stood there and cried. I wanted to scream and....and just walk; without the crutches. I want to be able to take care of my daughter again. Just me and her.

The Unexpected Moment

2007-10-27T12:10:00.001-06:00

It was 4am when I sat rocking you. I had woken up at 3am with mastitis again. You had woken up just a few minutes before, fussing about gas. Neither were particularly happy reasons to be awake but those few moments were so precious.

As I held you in my arms, your big beautiful eyes lit with a soft luminosity from the night light. You gazed up at the dark ceiling, your perfect little mouth puckered into a small 'o'.

You looked like a perfect china doll. Your skin so soft and warm.
So innocent and sweet you almost glowed from the inside.

Moments of Memory

2007-10-25T12:47:00.001-06:00

The moments of memory that I wish to capture and hold forever
They linger in time and are gone in a flash
Your smile and coo
Your stretch and yawn

You look at me - absolutely priceless
So innocent. So ironic
I don't know how you do it

You hold my heart in your little hands
Your sweet, soft little hands
Tight little fists one moment
Finger spread wide the next

Tuck them close under your chin
Hold them high above your head
They will change the world
They have changed mine

I will hold you close, protect you
I will let you fly

My heart will break
But not yet...not yet, darling one
For now, I will store up these precious memories

Such a Big Girl

2007-10-24T14:40:00.001-06:00

Darling daughter,

You are now three months old and I can hardly believe how much you have grown and changed in such a short time.

When you were still inside me I liked to call you my 'crazy child' because of how active you were. I still remember the sense of wonder I felt each time you decided to do some kick-boxing or yoga.

Then you were born and my wonder and amazement increased ten-fold... You lifted your head high off my chest mere moments after being born. You may have been able to keep your head up for only a second but it was a herald of things to come. Ever since then you have always wanted to hold your head up and look at the things around you. It shows just how tired you are if you actually lay your head down.

And then the legs... Ah, yes, the legs.

The little legs that kicked and pushed so mercilessly inside me. As soon as they were free of my body's constraint they stuck out straight as could be from your little body as if they were glad to finally be able to fully stretch. And true to form, they often straighten and flex as if reassuring themselves that they really are free.

From the very beginning you often flexed them while laying against my body; even then your little legs were already strong enough to support your lower half. With all that exercise it was no surprise to your Daddy and I when you were supporting your full weight on them at two months old. Now one of your favorite things is to be standing or sitting up with us. Even when someone is holding you, you still flex your strong little legs as if you wanted to be even higher.

Such a big girl. I love you so!

Baby Love

2007-09-07T21:08:00.002-06:00

Gorgeous. Adorable. Absolutely Perfect.

How the heck did I get this lucky?

She will be 6 weeks old on Sunday and I am so in love. I also feel a little guilty that I haven't blogged in so long...but hey, what do I to be guilty about? There are probably only about zero people who actually read this blog regularly anyway. Okay, maybe a few more but hopefully they will be forgiving...or at least understanding. After all, I did somehow manage to squeeze a human being out of my body.

Yeah, still can't believe that...

Okay so I will TRY to start blogging again soon, after all I have a ton of things to say. And yes, it will probably all be centered around my beautiful new baby girl. Can you blame me? She's B.E.A.U.TIFUL!

But for now I really need to go take a shower...It's been waaaay to long! Stinky me!

Momma-To-Be ~ The Dork

2007-06-29T13:54:00.001-06:00

So I've got baby-ants-in-my-pants and am only a little excited...and crazy.

D and I got our travel system (picture below) recently and it's all set up and sitting in our living room. And of course silly little momma-to-be me can't seem to help walking over to it occasionally just to rock it back and forth and say in a rather happy/pathetic/goofy voice, "It needs a baaabbyyy!"

Yes, I am a dork. And yes, my husband is fully aware of this. He usually just laughs at me and reassures me that there will be a baby in it very soon.

A Wii for Me and a Mii for my Wii

2007-06-26T19:39:00.001-06:00

So my wonderful husband did yet another wonderful thing and bought me a Wii for my birthday!

Now the ironic thing is that D has been trying to get me interested in video games for years, even buying a Nemo game for his Xbox in the hope that I'd like it.

Uh, not so much.

And then a friend of ours got a Wii. A tennis friend of ours.... Let me just say that watching a group of 'experienced' tennis players play tennis on a Wii is rather...amusing. (okay, hilarious)

In fact, watching anyone of any age play anything on a Wii is pretty darn amusing. Particularly if said persons are....shall we say...high-strung? (looking forward to introducing my mom to the Wii just a weee bit)

Tennis and bowling happen to be my favorites of the included sports games. So, imagine little (big-bellied) me who has only ever like Super Mario Bros suddenly quite (obsessed) interested in a video game. Of course, considering that I hardly ever stand for long periods of time (um...30-45 seconds is long, right?) I pretty much just sit on the couch and flick my remote around for the tennis game (now thems some skillz).

But that's not all folks! My wonderful Wii has a wonderful feature that lets D and me buy games directly from the internet and download them to the Wii. Not just any games, mind you, but the original games from the original Nintendo! Yes, that means that I now have Super Mario Bros on my Wii. HOW AWESOME IS THAT!?!

LKF (little known fact) to follow:

I happen to glory in the fact that I am the kind of person who loves the feeling of maturity and sophistication I get when sipping wine with dinner just as I love the feeling of immaturity I get when sneaking a few minutes of Super Mario Bros before leaving for work in the morning.

Hmm...my train has been sidetracked to a few of my other 'quirks', but I'll have to save that for a different post. Maybe I'll have to combine a LKF post with a WH (wonderful husband) post.

NAH...I just can't help spouting about my wonderful husband with all the randomness of my pregnant brain. Last night I came home and my WH, who had just finished his first day of (temporary) construction work, gave me a big hug and asked if he could make dinner for me!

Oh how I love my WH! I am so incredibly spoiled by him!

Oh, and dinner? Awesome!

Good Mommy

2007-05-04T19:17:00.001-06:00

Getting into the wonderful new "spirit of things", and how appropriate considering that Mother's Day is just around the corner, I am delighted to declare that I am confident I will be a good mommy!

Why? Because of my Mommy!

She is the one who has taught me (and my three sisters) how to be a good mother. She is the one who loved and guided us and filled the house with her wonderful momminess.

She is my best friend. She taught me how to do laundry and cook and clean. She taught me to how to love my husband and grow as a Christian. She is the one who taught me how to make homemade pizza, how "three is an artistic number", and how to learn from my mistakes. She taught me through her words, through her love, and through her example.

I will always remember the wonderful times I spent with her while growing up. I will always cherish the memories of the past and look forward to the memories of the future because she continues to teach me in everything she does.

Thank you, Mom, for showing me how to be a good mommy!

To All The Belly Touchers

2007-05-03T15:06:00.001-06:00

A certain matter has come to my attention recently due to my new situation that I feel needs addressing. It is the matter of the Pregnant Belly.

Polite society universally recognizes that a person's body is private property and not to be randomly touched, fondled, caressed, or even remarked upon (unless the remark is unquestionably positive and respectful) by strangers or general acquaintances without express permission. However, for some odd reason, this generally understood rule is all too commonly thrown wantonly out the proverbial window when it comes to pregnant women.

As a woman who is decidedly pregnant (28 weeks and counting), I find this quite disturbing!

I fully understand that many people are enchanted by the miracle going on inside a pregnant woman (and yes, it is truly a miracle), however I do not feel that this enchantment entitles the enchanted to touch other people without permission. Frankly, it is quite rude!

Regardless of whether or not a miracle is happening inside a person, that person's body is still VERY much private property. Is is really too much to ask for the general public to ask permission before touching? And to not be offended if the pregnant woman declines being touched?

Believe me when I say that you will never offend a pregnant woman by being respectful of her body and personal space.

And for those of you who choose to persist in believing that a pregnant woman's body is public property, ask yourselves these two questions:

1. Would it upset me if random (and possibly creepy) people caressed my belly?

2. Am I willing to be physically mauled for touching an extremely hormonal woman's body?

If you happened to answer "yes" to the second question, don't be surprised if I pull out a baseball bat and proceed to beat you with it when you try to touch me without permission. (after all, I already warned you about the hormones)

Crazy Child

2007-03-28T12:54:00.001-06:00

Oh, the wonders of pregnancy... or should I say, the weirdness of being kicked from the inside!

23 weeks and I have long been certain that this little girl is crazy. First there was the 'loser' sign she gave D in her 18 week sonogram, and then there is her favorite hobby of kickboxing, and the newest item she has added to her resume of insanity... explorer.

Twice now I have felt her kicking so far over on my left side that she was practically touching my back. I didn't even know my uterus went that far over! And if that wasn't enough; after the second time that she was over there I suddenly felt her crawling back over to the right side. That. was. weird.

But no matter how far my little girl wanders in her exploration she always comes back to her favorite spot. That's right, the exact same little spot she has enjoyed kicking since I first felt her move at 17 weeks. Hey, at least I know she'll always come home, right?

Weird Dreams and Wonderful News

2007-02-16T13:22:00.001-07:00

Okay, so I know that I have not posted in a VERY long time, but I have a very good reason. I am now 19 weeks pregnant!

For those of you who are good with your mathematics, you will notice that during my first trimester I was not so active in the blogging world. Well....to be honest....I wasn't really active in any world. Unless the toilet counts as a world? Ick. and thank goodness for pills.

Anyhoo. I feel MUCH better now. Thank goodness.

In other pregnancy related news (non puking I promise), I have been having some really strange and vivid dreams. I know vivid dreams quite common for pregnant women, however, one particular dream that occurred awhile ago was kinda funny.

Of course, I call it funny because things that happened during my day kept popping into my dream. So maybe it wasn't so much funny as odd? Whatever.

Pat Sajak and Vanna White, my sister Marcy, me being pregnant (yes, in the dream) and mountain biking. Throw in a few pickles, mead (no idea where that came from) and a random older couple and you have a rather interesting dream.

Actually, I have been having quite a few dreams recently that include variations of things that occurred during the day. hm...

More interesting baby news: We are having a girl!

D is already talking about chasing the boys away with his shotgun. Oh boy. He's very excited about his little girl, although he is also still hoping that I'll let him dress her in baseball gear. Hopeless. but cute.

Oh, and this little girl...already showing the attitude. We even have a sonogram picture of her looking straight at you and what is she doing with her hand? The loser sign. Yup, that's right. Not to mention the fact that her recent hobbies include yoga, kickboxing and generally abusing my bladder. (and yes, I know, "Just wait until she gets bigger!")

Adorable and crazy as all get out.

The Valley

2006-10-23T17:55:00.001-06:00

It is filled with difficulties and hardships, from which you may learn many things, and become a better person for; but the pain and sorrow you must endure exact a bitter toll.

And at this moment in my life, I am teetering on the brink of yet another of these valleys.

I say, yet another, because I have been through many valleys in my life; and, in fact, there is one particular valley from which I have not yet entirely escaped. It seems, instead, to go on and on ahead of me, broken only occasionally by bright hilltops of relief; and it is from the edge of just such a hilltop that I now contemplate my life.

I know I have progressed far along this valley for I have learned much along the way. I look back and see clearly the right and wrong turns I have made; I look ahead and see only the darkness of uncertainty in this valley at my feet.

Neither the past, nor the future can I change from where I now stand. I can only learn as best I am able from my remembered experiences and strive to make better decisions on the road ahead.

There is, however, one part of my future that I see... I see it as one sees through a frosted window and then only from a great distance. Between myself and this bright future the only certainty I see is a midnight haze, in which anything and everything in this life will happen.

I see the window clearly when I am on the hilltops; it shines brightly upon me and gives me glimpses of hope. Of comfort. Of my King.

When I am down in the valley it shines upon me still, but I do not always attend. Too often, I am distracted by the muck and mire that suck at my feet and slow my progress. Too often, I sit and flail about in the swamps, bemoaning my life and whining like a spoiled child.

But now... now, I wait. now, I tremble

I look ahead and all seems dark; I do not know how deep or how long this valley may be, but my Lord bids me step forward in faith.

I lift up my heart... I let fall my life... I tremble... I step.

A few of my favorite Black and White Photos

2006-10-17T20:29:00.001-06:00

Thank You for the Door

2006-09-13T20:27:00.001-06:00

You know the saying, "when the Lord closes a door, he opens a window"? Well, He did...and it just happens to be in the same development!

When our current roomates decided to move back to Kansas we decided to get two new roomates and stay in the same house. We found the roomates and talked to the landlady. She gave us the greenlight and everything looked good. (Although I have to admit I was a little disappointed that we would be staying in the same house because I wanted to move)

Then, just a couple days later, the landlady called us back and told us that she was giving the house to a different family. Not good! One of our roomates was coming from the mainland and had already shipped several boxes to the house! Yikes! So I started praying.... I prayed, and prayed, and then prayed some more and asked others to pray too.

I talked to my parents and asked them to pray. I left a message on my sister and brother-in-law's answering machine asking them to pray. I also asked my home group from church to pray for me as well.

I think it worked.

A few days later my husband called me at work and told me we had gotten a house (to rent) in the same development. The other house just happened to have the exact same floor plan and the exact same rental price, but (wait for it!) it also happens to be furnished (yay!), and regularly bug sprayed (double yay!).

So we are now planning on moving this Saturday. Holy cow, this happened fast.

Needless to say, I am VERY excited about having a furnished and bug free house. Plus, it's looking like moving day should be fun as well. A group of our friends have graciously volunteered (no forcing involved, I promise) to help us move. In fact, we might have so many people helping that everyone can take one or two items and we'll be done! If only.

Isn't God wonderful? I think so, he's given us a bunch of new friends and an even better house to live in. Oh, and did I mention that I'm LOVING working with the youth group? Yeah, that is another new and unexpected blessing in my life. I just love it when God surprises me with these wonderful new adventures. ...(a little hint of more to come!)

The King Size Bed

2006-09-08T19:27:00.001-06:00

Oh the joys and trials of a king size bed....

As any married couple would know, the size of a shared bed is of significant importance. Particularly when it is hot.

Too small of a bed means getting occasionally kicked, elbowed and pushed (although the kicking and elbowing may be unintentional, the pushing is usually very much on purpose!); not to mention the sweating. Ugh, sweating in bed is the worst. Of course having a small bed when it's quite cold outside is wonderful because then it is nice having a personal heater; but when it's over 80 degrees you just don't want your heater of a spouse anywhere close to you.

But then there is the other side of the coin. The king size bed... Holy cow this thing is huge! I've already woken up several times in the dead of night and stretched as far as I could just to see if my husband was still in the same timezone as me!

And then when you do want to cuddle it's not just a roll and squeeze kinda thing anymore. Oh no, now it requires scootching rather ungracefully across the huge expanse of mattress separating you from your hunny.

However, with such a large bed it means that both of you get to sprawl as much as you like without all the kicking and pushing, and that is a definite plus!

Washington Park

2006-09-01T14:48:00.002-06:00

I drive past the ferry exit and through housing developments; countless houses filled with people who, like me, love this place of wind and water. As I pass, I imagine what the inside of some of those houses might look like. Cutesy decorations, beachy themes, dark cozy lofts, and bright airy rooms flit through my mind as quickly as the houses fly past.

The houses thin and then disappear as I drive through the gate, past the parking lot and into the woods on a small, one-lane black top road. The dark, cool forest embraces me and welcomes me back.

Off to the right a large pine tree leans out over the calm waters of Puget Sound. The bark is worn where countless people have climbed out on it's trunk and branches. A little further on the road wanders across the edge of a small outcropping of rock covered only in the graceful ripples of grass. A park bench beckons from the center of the small grassy hill, but I continue on.

The small road turns back into the woods and begins to meander back and forth as it climbs steeply upward. The pines and brambles beckon to me; they whisper of beauties yet unseen hidden within their depths but a stronger yearning calls me onward.

Anticipation makes the road seem long, and every turn and crest of hill increases the longing within me. Like a painting, the scene plays through my mind once again. My impatient foot presses the pedal a harder as my hands grip the wheel. Then I glimpse the blue of the sky through the trees ahead and the car comes to the stop in the warm sunshine of a soft spring day.

Staring straight ahead, my eyes rest upon a gnarled old tree. Most of it's branches are barren and it looks to be dead, except for one small branch to which coarse green needles still cling. It's bark has been polished to a silvery sheen by the rough ocean winds. Like a lone sentry the tree sits upon this bluff overlooking the sea.

As I study the wind-sculpted branches, my body relaxes and the thoughts flying through my mind begin to slow and become clear once more. I open the car door and step out into the wind. The fresh salt air mixes with the scent of pine and brambles from the forest behind me.

Below the land slopes sharply down to the sea. Here it is barren and harsh, but even so I still feel the stillness of the wood behind me as a soft blanket. My fingers trace the contours of the old tree and I quiet myself before the Lord; for it is He who I have come to see, and He alone who speaks to my soul.

Here, in this place of solitude my spirit is refreshed and it is this place to which my memory takes me time and time again.

Welcome to Compulsively Crocheted!

2006-08-30T20:40:00.001-06:00

I love afghans. They are warm and cuddly and perfect for naps. I love all soft blankets but I love afghans in particular because I can make them. For some reason my hands get fidgity without something to do. I can't seem to be without yarn in my hands.

I've made beanies and scarves in the past and have even had passing thoughts of making clothing. Passing is the key word. I very firmly believe that blankets are the best; you can cuddle with your hunny underneath a blanket. It wouldn't work so well for two people to try cuddling in a sweater, assuming that proximity does not always equal cuddling.

I also believe bigger the better when it comes to blankets! Which is a point I tend to overkill, albeit unintentionally most of the time.

The first afghan I made for my mother was just such a catastrophe. The width turned into the length and the blanket ended up being about 10' by 3'. It became a lap blanket for everyone on the couch. Then after serving in that capacity for several years it evidently decided to make a career change. My darling mother informed me that it now perfectly fits her king size bed. Strange happenings are afoot!

At least she still loves it. I hated it by the time I was finished. Okay, maybe I was just very annoyed that it was being so disobedient. I'm still rather suspicious of it's transforming powers. Perhaps Lion's Brand yarn is really made out of fuzzy spandex.