I am SOOOO in love.
yah yah, of course I love Will. And the kids. And my progressing kitchen with the gas stove...
But, really, I am unequivically IN LOVE with school. I really can not express how happy I am to be learning things I've ALWAYS wanted to learn, trying things I used to pretend doing with REAL equiptment and not Fischer Price toys. I get super excited over my nursing courses, and am, somewhat surprisingly, enjoying the communcations and biology courses too. Perhaps, most surprisingly to those who know me best, the class I am liking the least is my English composition course. (which, I have taken before, but they STILL don't have my transcripts.) I'm an "english" girl, but this course--- BLAH BLAH BLAH. And honestly, when I have a patient/client with an issue, I highly doubt that my knowing how to write in APA format will come in handy.
I feel like a thirsty sponge-- LOVING the things the teachers are teaching, and wishing I could jump ahead a few years and just START. Let's all be grateful that I'm NOT, as I'm sure you'd like me to have a bit of further knowledge before I try being your nurse, hey?!
It has been a major adjustment in the house--
Will and I don't get a lot of 'us' time anymore. It feels like we have to physically SCHEDULE time to spend with each other, and I'm usually the one to blame. And really, how 'special' are...ahem..snuggles when they're planned EVERY. TIME?! With homework and a million books I need to read for class, by the time the kids get into bed at night and I get my work done, I'm absolutely exhausted physically and mentally and just ready to crawl into bed. My poor muffin is getting the raw end of the deal, with me not home to prepare meals every night and up and out the door before the kids are even up. He's left to do the early-morning seminary driving and the lunchbox duties, and, like this morning, he's in charge of finding winter coats and boots and gloves that match.
We got our first 'snowfall' today. Thankfully the roads weren't brutal, and the snow was polite enough to remain on the grass.
The drive is about 45 minutes, depending on weather and how many dumb trucks I'm stuck behind. I have been spending the drive there listening to scriptures, thereby doing my own "early morning seminary" like in the highschool years. On the way home, I'm mentally going back over the day's notes and lessons, singing Wicked songs in the process. Although I stress about getting home and fulfilling the other 'jobs' of taxi-cab mom, chef, maid and psychologist, Will and the children are usually very self-sufficient and have often made my job easier.
Although I feel like the old-lady in class (which, surprisingly, I am not even CLOSE to the oldest student in nursing), I am happily finding my grove and LOVING the courses.
Now, to figure out how to add more untired hours into my day to spend with Will. :)
Showing posts with label Will. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Will. Show all posts
Friday, September 17, 2010
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
If Someone Had Told Me It'd Be Like This.....
What Anniversary are you Celebrating?
Our first! The premier. The maiden. The initial. The Foremost. The Ichiban.
What Will You Be Doing To Celebrate?
Um. That's kinda personal! LOL No, we're headed into 'the big city' to eat dinner. Funny enough, Will's sister called us this morning while we were still groggy and in bed to sing the "happy anniversary" song to us and asked us if we're going to do anything special. He answered, coyly, "we're doing it!" Funny, she laughed and said goodbye quite quickly after! LOL
What Significant Thing Happened This Year To Make You Fall More In Love?
Honestly, when it's the first year, EVERYTHING is significant, because everything is the 'first'. First Christmas. First fight. First trip. First funeral/wedding. (no, not at the same time, obviously) I'd probably venture to say that our trips to the states to buy appliances was a big one for me. We had no 'plans'. No time schedules. We were JUST US, and in love and it recharged me immensely.
What Do You Wish You Did This Year As A Couple?
Well, finishing the house woulda been nice, but we had sooo much of 'life' happen that I wouldn't want to miss those moments either. We talk about going away... FAR AWAY... somewhere hot, so maybe we'll get to that this year?
What Was The Biggest Fight You Had and What Was It About?
We had probably three good ones that I can recall. I mean, when you ask what they're about, it's not usually just about ONE big thing. For us, it's usually stemming from a series of misinterpretations and assumptions and hurt feelings that bottle up and then somewhat explode. One was about a sweater I owned. One was about Jeremy not going to bed. And one...sadly... is about something I can't even remember. It has a soundtrack, though, and two of our kids witnessed us being absolutely childish. Sad day.
What Did You Learn About Your Spouse That You Never Knew Before?
LOTS!!!! I mean, I go back to the whole 'first year' thing. Bathroom habits and eating preferences and which lights of the house to leave on and what NOT to say at certain times....
But, for the first time in BOTH my and Will's married lives, we told each other our 'deepest, darkest secret.' Something neither of us had ever told another spouse. It was a very scary moment, opening up a recessed corner of our pasts so vulnerably. But maybe that's why our previous marriages didn't work so well-- maybe we didn't let the other person have enough dirt on us to scare us into NEVER leaving for fear of blackmail!? lol
What Was The Biggest Challenge You Faced Together?
Raising our children.
What Would You Have Changed About This Year?
I would have changed nothing-- I am happy about where I stand today, and I am happy about the progress personally and as a couple we have made financially, emotionally, intellectually and especially spiritually. I look forward to the next year as a tough, busy year, and would want NOTHING to change about what I see. So, if changing one thing made anything else change, I don't want it.
What One Specific Thing Do You Love About Your Spouse Today?
One???? As if! Alright, alright, I'll play along. I love that he makes my happiness come above his own.
So, if someone had told me it'd be like this, I would have done it a million times over. And so we shall.
Our first! The premier. The maiden. The initial. The Foremost. The Ichiban.
What Will You Be Doing To Celebrate?
Um. That's kinda personal! LOL No, we're headed into 'the big city' to eat dinner. Funny enough, Will's sister called us this morning while we were still groggy and in bed to sing the "happy anniversary" song to us and asked us if we're going to do anything special. He answered, coyly, "we're doing it!" Funny, she laughed and said goodbye quite quickly after! LOL
What Significant Thing Happened This Year To Make You Fall More In Love?
Honestly, when it's the first year, EVERYTHING is significant, because everything is the 'first'. First Christmas. First fight. First trip. First funeral/wedding. (no, not at the same time, obviously) I'd probably venture to say that our trips to the states to buy appliances was a big one for me. We had no 'plans'. No time schedules. We were JUST US, and in love and it recharged me immensely.
What Do You Wish You Did This Year As A Couple?
Well, finishing the house woulda been nice, but we had sooo much of 'life' happen that I wouldn't want to miss those moments either. We talk about going away... FAR AWAY... somewhere hot, so maybe we'll get to that this year?
What Was The Biggest Fight You Had and What Was It About?
We had probably three good ones that I can recall. I mean, when you ask what they're about, it's not usually just about ONE big thing. For us, it's usually stemming from a series of misinterpretations and assumptions and hurt feelings that bottle up and then somewhat explode. One was about a sweater I owned. One was about Jeremy not going to bed. And one...sadly... is about something I can't even remember. It has a soundtrack, though, and two of our kids witnessed us being absolutely childish. Sad day.
What Did You Learn About Your Spouse That You Never Knew Before?
LOTS!!!! I mean, I go back to the whole 'first year' thing. Bathroom habits and eating preferences and which lights of the house to leave on and what NOT to say at certain times....
But, for the first time in BOTH my and Will's married lives, we told each other our 'deepest, darkest secret.' Something neither of us had ever told another spouse. It was a very scary moment, opening up a recessed corner of our pasts so vulnerably. But maybe that's why our previous marriages didn't work so well-- maybe we didn't let the other person have enough dirt on us to scare us into NEVER leaving for fear of blackmail!? lol
What Was The Biggest Challenge You Faced Together?
Raising our children.
What Would You Have Changed About This Year?
I would have changed nothing-- I am happy about where I stand today, and I am happy about the progress personally and as a couple we have made financially, emotionally, intellectually and especially spiritually. I look forward to the next year as a tough, busy year, and would want NOTHING to change about what I see. So, if changing one thing made anything else change, I don't want it.
What One Specific Thing Do You Love About Your Spouse Today?
One???? As if! Alright, alright, I'll play along. I love that he makes my happiness come above his own.
So, if someone had told me it'd be like this, I would have done it a million times over. And so we shall.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Today is Two's-Day
I like the number two. Even in reference to 12-year-old boy mentality conversations about bathroom duties. (haha, duties. Doodies. HAHA. See? 12-year-old! ooooh, it never gets old. Reminds me of THIS Friends episode. ROFL!)
I really do miss my dayhome sometimes. Most days I think about those kids in some way or another. I think about how much more I got done around the house-- for who knows WHAT reason. I think about the money. I think about the friendships I still have with their parents. I had so many kids at different ages, but two-year olds are my favourite. They are spunky and fiesty and terrific. They say funny things, they do funny things, they eat really funny things... they are just fun fun fun.
(Jeremy at 2 years old)
We have two hands for holding.
Two lips for kissing.
Two ears for nibbling.
Two arms for hugging.
Two legs for ... um.. nothing G-rated comes to mind so let's skip this one, shall we?!
Two eyes WITH PERFECT VISION!!!
And two cheeks..
er...
cheeks.
Two is awesome.
Two, as they say, is better than one.
I am glad to have my second chance, too. My number two is my first choice!
I really do miss my dayhome sometimes. Most days I think about those kids in some way or another. I think about how much more I got done around the house-- for who knows WHAT reason. I think about the money. I think about the friendships I still have with their parents. I had so many kids at different ages, but two-year olds are my favourite. They are spunky and fiesty and terrific. They say funny things, they do funny things, they eat really funny things... they are just fun fun fun.
(Jeremy at 2 years old)
We have two hands for holding.
Two lips for kissing.
Two ears for nibbling.
Two arms for hugging.
Two legs for ... um.. nothing G-rated comes to mind so let's skip this one, shall we?!
Two eyes WITH PERFECT VISION!!!
And two cheeks..
er...
cheeks.
Two is awesome.
Two, as they say, is better than one.
I am glad to have my second chance, too. My number two is my first choice!
Friday, July 16, 2010
How do you number the Stars, the Sands of the Seas, or the Possibilities
Last night, Will and I drove into town and had an impromptu date-night. We headed to the movie "Prince Of Persia".
It's a good movie- you will probably like it if you like either romance movies or action flicks or fantasy films. Or maybe all of the above.
But, after our movie and a stop to play at my parents' home, we went for a walk, admiring the fact that it was one of the first nights that the wind was warm enough to keep us at a comfortable temperature without the mosquitoes getting at us. The stars, way off in the sky, mirrored the infinite possibilities of our course of life from that moment on.
A few days ago, we talked about how all the events in our separate lives have truly led us to where we are; together. How two very opposite youths, two people separated in a million ways, could possibly have found each other at the precise time that it was. Any other time in our lives, we would have never even met, or never have fallen in love, and possibly, never have wanted to.
Is it "destiny"? Is it just part of "The Plan"?
If it IS destiny, then, perhaps, no matter what OTHER choices we had made, we still would have been on THIS spot today? That, somehow, God (or whatever force you believe in) would have moved us pawns into our exact spots, no matter what 'force' played the other half of the board. We were meant to be standing in this path, this square in the proverbial chessboard, at this moment.
If we could really turn the sands of time backwards, where would we take our lives to? What point would we revisit, hoping to transform what happened into something new? What would we be willing to 'change'?
Because, in reality, changing one little thing could make very serious repercussions and consequences. The butterfly effect. There may be no children. There may be less knowledge. There may be different careers. Different loves. Different perspectives. And, for me, the only thing I would change would mean that I couldn't be married to Will... and the prospect of that makes me realize that, instead, every tear that was shed was worth it. I can't go back in time to change something 'bad' that brought so much good. Will and I talked about what we could and would change for his life. There's a few things, yes, but there were essential lessons to be learned from that which have enabled OUR marriage to succeed. Together, we learn from our individual pasts EVERY day.
He once said that there are just so many 'What Ifs'. But, I concluded that, while there are one MILLION What Ifs, the What IS is one in a million.
It's a good movie- you will probably like it if you like either romance movies or action flicks or fantasy films. Or maybe all of the above.
But, after our movie and a stop to play at my parents' home, we went for a walk, admiring the fact that it was one of the first nights that the wind was warm enough to keep us at a comfortable temperature without the mosquitoes getting at us. The stars, way off in the sky, mirrored the infinite possibilities of our course of life from that moment on.
A few days ago, we talked about how all the events in our separate lives have truly led us to where we are; together. How two very opposite youths, two people separated in a million ways, could possibly have found each other at the precise time that it was. Any other time in our lives, we would have never even met, or never have fallen in love, and possibly, never have wanted to.
Is it "destiny"? Is it just part of "The Plan"?
If it IS destiny, then, perhaps, no matter what OTHER choices we had made, we still would have been on THIS spot today? That, somehow, God (or whatever force you believe in) would have moved us pawns into our exact spots, no matter what 'force' played the other half of the board. We were meant to be standing in this path, this square in the proverbial chessboard, at this moment.
If we could really turn the sands of time backwards, where would we take our lives to? What point would we revisit, hoping to transform what happened into something new? What would we be willing to 'change'?
Because, in reality, changing one little thing could make very serious repercussions and consequences. The butterfly effect. There may be no children. There may be less knowledge. There may be different careers. Different loves. Different perspectives. And, for me, the only thing I would change would mean that I couldn't be married to Will... and the prospect of that makes me realize that, instead, every tear that was shed was worth it. I can't go back in time to change something 'bad' that brought so much good. Will and I talked about what we could and would change for his life. There's a few things, yes, but there were essential lessons to be learned from that which have enabled OUR marriage to succeed. Together, we learn from our individual pasts EVERY day.
He once said that there are just so many 'What Ifs'. But, I concluded that, while there are one MILLION What Ifs, the What IS is one in a million.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
In Point Form- July
- Chris took the kids this weekend for the next week, camping with his family. I am a bit jealous-- only because his Mom and I are really close and the campsite is a great place to camp. I am lucky to have great (ex)in-laws, great in-laws and great parents. Seriously. All three of my sets of parents would do anything for me, and anything for my kids and Will's and my happiness. With the kids gone, I have been able to throw out a bunch of broken toys they were too attached to, and hopefully get ahead of the laundry and the cleaning. Not if I spend too much time blogging, though.
- Will and I took the two oldest kids (Big Guy and Em) to the Calgary Stampede on Saturday. Sucked, though, as it rained really hard and we were cold and wet. And, after a few rides and one too many handfulls of cotton candy, we also had horrible tummy aches/headaches. The last ride we went on literally made ALL of us queezy, so it was a good thing we saved it for last.
- It was Will and my 1-year Anniversary on getting engaged on Sunday. (See THIS POST if you forget our awesome day). By going to the Stampede, we were able to walk to the same spot where it all happened, and show the kids. It was really fun to 'relive' that amazing moment.
- We spent a day in Waterton, with his parents and the two big kids.
- The boys spent last night until 9pm working on the house! :) Only, it is super cold today (JULY, MY BUTT!!) and because they took out a door to the outside, our home is really cold now! :( Hopefully, they'll get it insulated and drywalled quickly (today???). The pantry is also on its way to being ready to actually HOLD my food! YAY! Soon I won't need to worry about mice getting into it! :(
- I'm such a cool step-mom, I CLEANED Em's room (no small task) and tonight we're painting it PURPLE!! Yep. Cuz purple is a happy colour. She's seeing things much differently lately, and we're talking a lot about stuff. I am glad that she is doing so much better lately! :)
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Our Greatest Lessons In Life Come From The Journey, Not The Destination
It is simply amazing how "life" gets in the way of truly living. How, for so many days and weeks and even months, Will and I forgot that. How we remember and remind each other that we need to have US moments, but we never seem to MAKE them happen.
Dating was so easy before.
And when REALITY sets in, I tend to believe that in ANY marriage, dating is harder. Which is sad.
So, we finally changed it. We took off for the weekend without any of the kids. We were REALLY going down to the USA to buy appliances at HALF the cost they charge in Canada(THANK YOU YANKEES FOR HAVING A RECESSION!!!) for the house here. So, why not make a mini-vacation out of it?
We drove out through the most beautiful road I've been on yet! You're driving on the side of massive mountains, literally a FOOT away from sheer rock cliffs and driving off into certain death. It was amazing! Beautiful waterfalls and rivers and rock formations, snow and glaciers and wildlife. I sat there, just wanting to see over the side, LOVING it. 
When Will asked me later, once we were back home, what my favourite part of the weekend was, it was honestly the drive. The time in the van together, just talking or reading to each other. The views. The laughter. The in-depth conversations about who we are and what we want to be separately AND together. The feeling that we didn't HAVE to be anywhere, we could stop whenever we wanted, and we could go as fast as we liked. Like they say, sometimes it's not the final destination that matters, but the getting there.
When Will asked me later, once we were back home, what my favourite part of the weekend was, it was honestly the drive. The time in the van together, just talking or reading to each other. The views. The laughter. The in-depth conversations about who we are and what we want to be separately AND together. The feeling that we didn't HAVE to be anywhere, we could stop whenever we wanted, and we could go as fast as we liked. Like they say, sometimes it's not the final destination that matters, but the getting there.We got into town really early, where we looked for appliance deals, checked into our hotel, took a nap and then grabbed some supper.
Famous Dave's is soooooo yummy. We stop and eat there everytime, and LOVE it. The company is pretty yummy too. Just sayin'! ;)
It's crazy- after eating to the point of OHMYTUMMY!!! we went to a 10 o'clock movie, and we got out of the theatre at 11:45. The theatre was PACKED!!! What in the world? Turns out, they show movies that START at 11:55 pm! We were sooooo close to just hopping into another movie, but decided to head back to the hotel instead.... After all, we're old. (And we had better things to do! ;) )
The Fourth Of July wasn't anything really special. I mean, on TV you always see American cities and towns all decked out and patriotic, but really, we could hardly tell that it was even a holiday! Nonetheless, we had a wonderful day. Just being together and playing and not having to get ANYTHING done was sheer perfection.
We found a place where they were lighting off fireworks, and we spent a great evening partying with thousands of strangers.
Fireworks were going off EVERYWHERE-- something Canadians can't appreciate unless they've seen it before... because we do NOT all light fireworks off in our front yards. At least, not at the magnitude the Americans did. Too fun.
Fireworks were going off EVERYWHERE-- something Canadians can't appreciate unless they've seen it before... because we do NOT all light fireworks off in our front yards. At least, not at the magnitude the Americans did. Too fun.Another night and morning WITHOUT waking up to fighting children or someone needing to pee, we grabbed our appliances and headed BACK down the Going To The Sun road on our way home! 
We are sooo refreshed. We are so rejuvenated. We are so in love and gushy again.
Why can't we just do this every week?!
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Six Word Saturday-
All the kids are shipped off!
(for more 6WS, visit Cate at www.showmyface.com and play along)
Em is at a graduation party that started last night and went ALL the way through the night. Good thing I am related to the hosts, as I wasn't worried about her moral safety! She only fell asleep a few minutes ago (maybe 6 in the morning?) so she's pretty much done for the day. And, it's a Saturday. And she's 15. So, the likelihood of her accomplishing much more than sleeping today wasn't really EVER in the plans, was it?
LL is in a parade with her Brownie/Guide group today down in Warner. She won't be back until dinnertime. I have never seen a girl SOOOO excited to be walking in a parade of a town of LESS people than here in Mo-town! No matter, it's giving her something to do. Maybe she's more excited that I spent hours last night sewing on all of her newly-aquired badges (patches, for all you Americans) and she's thrilled to SHOWOFF her fully-bejewelled sash!
Bear is doing his usual Saturday thing- fishing with "Grandpa Paint." The two of them LOVE fishing, and are found on the lake EVERY week. Like usual, Bear catches something. He's a good fisherman and always has been.
And Mimi? She's here. But she was up so late last night, watching movies and then sleeping in the fort-o-blankets the kids made that her and Em will be content to just chill on the couch all day.
So... that leaves Will and I.
We may go for a 10k run.
We may go gopher hunting (don't knock the country girl in me- I tried it for the first time just recently, and have a GREAT shot. So, if you mock me, prepare for me to shot you and cut your tail off! :) )
We may head off to 'the big city' to shop.
We may head to the USofA to pick up appliances for the kitchen reno.
We may head off to the mountains to fish.
We may not even leave the bedroom, ifyouknowwhatImean! ;)
But never fear, we WILL be enjoying the day sans kids!
(for more 6WS, visit Cate at www.showmyface.com and play along)
Em is at a graduation party that started last night and went ALL the way through the night. Good thing I am related to the hosts, as I wasn't worried about her moral safety! She only fell asleep a few minutes ago (maybe 6 in the morning?) so she's pretty much done for the day. And, it's a Saturday. And she's 15. So, the likelihood of her accomplishing much more than sleeping today wasn't really EVER in the plans, was it?
LL is in a parade with her Brownie/Guide group today down in Warner. She won't be back until dinnertime. I have never seen a girl SOOOO excited to be walking in a parade of a town of LESS people than here in Mo-town! No matter, it's giving her something to do. Maybe she's more excited that I spent hours last night sewing on all of her newly-aquired badges (patches, for all you Americans) and she's thrilled to SHOWOFF her fully-bejewelled sash!
Bear is doing his usual Saturday thing- fishing with "Grandpa Paint." The two of them LOVE fishing, and are found on the lake EVERY week. Like usual, Bear catches something. He's a good fisherman and always has been.
And Mimi? She's here. But she was up so late last night, watching movies and then sleeping in the fort-o-blankets the kids made that her and Em will be content to just chill on the couch all day.
So... that leaves Will and I.
We may go for a 10k run.
We may go gopher hunting (don't knock the country girl in me- I tried it for the first time just recently, and have a GREAT shot. So, if you mock me, prepare for me to shot you and cut your tail off! :) )
We may head off to 'the big city' to shop.
We may head to the USofA to pick up appliances for the kitchen reno.
We may head off to the mountains to fish.
We may not even leave the bedroom, ifyouknowwhatImean! ;)
But never fear, we WILL be enjoying the day sans kids!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
What's Really In Our Heads
*disclaimer- this is a long one.*
The biggest thing to deal with in a new/second/subsequent marriage isn't the blending of families. It's not traditions, or menu planning differences. It isn't which side of the bed you sleep on, or which sink is yours in the bathroom. And when you argue, it isn't even walking away to save yourself from delivering an unwarranted tongue-lashing or staying put and planting your feet while you yell it out. No talking to death. No silent treatments. The biggest issue isn't about how to parent your children, or how to parent THEIR children. These are all variables in every relationship.
But in EVERY relationship, there is always one constant. In some way or another, everyone has 'the other'.
The Ex Factor,
or The One Who Stole Your True Love Away,
or perhaps The One Who WANTS To Steal Your True Love Away.
Don't we all have at least one of those? But what do you do when both partners in the relationship realize that ONE outside person embodies ALL of those people above?
I had determined not to talk about Sarah on this blog. THIS blog was for my new life. Daisyhalos had to deal with it, but NinePeas did not. Truth is, NinePeas is a blog about *MY* life with Will. And by having Will as part of that equation, Sarah comes with it. She is The Ex Factor. Not because we invite her in, or because we need her there, or because we want her there. The simple truth is that she *IS* there... in person...or in remnant... or in shadows of our children's hearts.
You see, after everything that happened last year, Will and I both took a step back, and realized how much pain she had caused us individually. In his case, there was love once. But the prominent feeling leftover from his relationship with her is not joy. It is not peace. It is hurt and manipulation and deceit and mistrust. This is something that, as a couple, we've had to work through because those traits in past relationships sometimes carry over-- even when they are uninvited. I have my own trust issues leftover from my relationship with Chris, and Will has to deal with that too. And so, because I am somewhat dealing with 'retraining' Will on how to have a productive argument, how to deal with disagreements reasonably, and how to express yourself without resorting to name-calling and such, this is where we feel Sarah fits the description of The One Who Stole Your True Love Away. Will had been broken before meeting Sarah, and we kinda feel like she then stole further parts of him that she shouldn't have. And I'm lucky enough to be in a position to be able to 'steal back' the real Will while leaving the hurt Will behind.
It isn't, and hasn't been, an easy road. We were both so hurt. And we only know one surefire way to deal with that hurt; by giving it over to someone else. So, we've done what we thought is best- from the moment we were married, we have spent every night on our knees, together holding hands, praying to love her. Praying for her happiness. Praying for ourselves to forgive.
It's tough for me to write things like this, because, in spite of her promise to me that she would stop reading the blog, she has never stopped. She currently reads it on a nearly daily basis. Which, believe it or not, is fine with me. I don't talk about you on this blog, Sarah, because I don't want you to think we hate you. Or that we spend hours thinking about how we can hurt you back. Sure, I want to vent sometimes, and the natural instinct in a defensive being is to attack back, but that's not who I want to be.
The other problem with this situation is that we believe that she also fits a bit of The One Who WANTS To Steal Your True Love Away. We don't fear of her achieving this, but we are aware of it. In fact, apart from Sarah, there are no other people who know her, who do NOT believe this to be the case. Well, the people we talk to, anyways. She has no further ties with Will. No children, no property, no necessary connection. Will walked away from their relationship when she kicked him out for the umpteenth time, leaving everything, and everyone behind, in pieces. He is passed done. So, she is the only one who sees a need to stay in his life. And she does this through his children, using them as a way to get him to communicate with her. She sent a message recently to Will that asked if he would let her take the kids for a week or so in the summer. WITHOUT Will. And, obviously, without me. The answer, understandably, was no.
If she had only realized that Will comes as a package deal with those children. If you can't love the father, then you don't get the kids. (by love, I mean in the Christlike way) And as of last September, Will is now a package deal with me and my children. The NINE PEAS IN THE POD are just that-- together, and as one. WE are the package. And Will and I would honestly love to have a friendship with Sarah that is new and respectful- and, surprisingly to some perhaps, we would have seriously considered her invitation were it for the entire family.
The thing is, Will's children loved her dearly. She was a GREAT friend to them. But even they admit that she was not a 'mother' to them. She had the title, but did not claim the role. They did not live with her. They did not see her at her worst. She complimented them. She made them feel like she loved them. But she didn't discipline them. She didn't put their needs above her own. She chose to stay close to her Ex's family over moving closer to her NEW family, where her import-children were. She chose her Ex over her spouse under the guise of her daughter's needs. And in doing that, the import-kids felt less important to her than her own biological children... something that mirrors what our daughter Em is realizing with her new StepDad: blending families doesn't work when you pick some children over others. There is no "MY kids are going to be like this, even if you guys aren't!"
In conversations lately, Em is also realizing that Sarah has not finished grieving her past relationship with Will, and possibly her other 3 husbands. And she is still hurting. And, for what it's worth, our hearts grieve for Sarah's pain. We understand it. We were there once. We were sooooooo blessed to have the chance to heal faster than we expected. We found a love unlike ANYTHING else we've ever felt. I honestly can't be anything but somewhat thankful to her, even though it meant that my happiness came at her expense.
The kids of ours didn't get closure. They didn't get to say goodbye to Sarah. It is like a death to them. Only, the ghost isn't gone. And, once again, Sarah has chosen her own needs over the needs of these children-- they need closure.
Closure (klo'zhur)
I have encouraged Em specifically to contact Sarah if that made her happy, but we have all witnessed how much more UNhappy Em has become since doing so. Sarah claims to love her, and I think she truly does. But, real love is unselfish. And Sarah continues, perhaps unaware, to twist the dagger in Em's heart. Having contact has not brought her closure- not in ANY sense of the above definition. And it pains us to watch Em stuck in a teenagers mind, unable to figure out how to get rid of the pain without losing the love.
In this, I am reminded of EF, from my previous blog. (EF was the 'estranged friend' who had the affair with Chris). I LOVED EF. I really did. And, truthfully, I still do. But I realized that moving on in my life meant I would have to release that pain completely. Sadly, there are times when you need to remove the good along with the bad- like when a weed is wrapped around a flower. Sometimes they both have to go. I had to say goodbye to someone I loved, so that I could feel TRUE love again. Not that I don't still think of her, or wonder where she is or how she's doing... But I am now able to feel JUST the love, and the pain, slowly but surely, fades away.
And so, we teach these lessons to our children. Because, as we've been taught by OUR goodly parents, and by our ecclesiastical leaders, and by our own hearts, we know that being a teacher is our biggest role as a TRUE parent. As a mother, it is my job to love, nurture and teach. And, just as a mother bird sometimes has to watch her chick endure some pain as he is learning how to fly, sometimes we will have to be there to watch our own children deal with their pain, if it simply means we're giving them the power to use the wings they already possess.
The biggest thing to deal with in a new/second/subsequent marriage isn't the blending of families. It's not traditions, or menu planning differences. It isn't which side of the bed you sleep on, or which sink is yours in the bathroom. And when you argue, it isn't even walking away to save yourself from delivering an unwarranted tongue-lashing or staying put and planting your feet while you yell it out. No talking to death. No silent treatments. The biggest issue isn't about how to parent your children, or how to parent THEIR children. These are all variables in every relationship.
But in EVERY relationship, there is always one constant. In some way or another, everyone has 'the other'.
The Ex Factor,
or The One Who Stole Your True Love Away,
or perhaps The One Who WANTS To Steal Your True Love Away.
Don't we all have at least one of those? But what do you do when both partners in the relationship realize that ONE outside person embodies ALL of those people above?
I had determined not to talk about Sarah on this blog. THIS blog was for my new life. Daisyhalos had to deal with it, but NinePeas did not. Truth is, NinePeas is a blog about *MY* life with Will. And by having Will as part of that equation, Sarah comes with it. She is The Ex Factor. Not because we invite her in, or because we need her there, or because we want her there. The simple truth is that she *IS* there... in person...or in remnant... or in shadows of our children's hearts.
You see, after everything that happened last year, Will and I both took a step back, and realized how much pain she had caused us individually. In his case, there was love once. But the prominent feeling leftover from his relationship with her is not joy. It is not peace. It is hurt and manipulation and deceit and mistrust. This is something that, as a couple, we've had to work through because those traits in past relationships sometimes carry over-- even when they are uninvited. I have my own trust issues leftover from my relationship with Chris, and Will has to deal with that too. And so, because I am somewhat dealing with 'retraining' Will on how to have a productive argument, how to deal with disagreements reasonably, and how to express yourself without resorting to name-calling and such, this is where we feel Sarah fits the description of The One Who Stole Your True Love Away. Will had been broken before meeting Sarah, and we kinda feel like she then stole further parts of him that she shouldn't have. And I'm lucky enough to be in a position to be able to 'steal back' the real Will while leaving the hurt Will behind.
It isn't, and hasn't been, an easy road. We were both so hurt. And we only know one surefire way to deal with that hurt; by giving it over to someone else. So, we've done what we thought is best- from the moment we were married, we have spent every night on our knees, together holding hands, praying to love her. Praying for her happiness. Praying for ourselves to forgive.
It's tough for me to write things like this, because, in spite of her promise to me that she would stop reading the blog, she has never stopped. She currently reads it on a nearly daily basis. Which, believe it or not, is fine with me. I don't talk about you on this blog, Sarah, because I don't want you to think we hate you. Or that we spend hours thinking about how we can hurt you back. Sure, I want to vent sometimes, and the natural instinct in a defensive being is to attack back, but that's not who I want to be.
The other problem with this situation is that we believe that she also fits a bit of The One Who WANTS To Steal Your True Love Away. We don't fear of her achieving this, but we are aware of it. In fact, apart from Sarah, there are no other people who know her, who do NOT believe this to be the case. Well, the people we talk to, anyways. She has no further ties with Will. No children, no property, no necessary connection. Will walked away from their relationship when she kicked him out for the umpteenth time, leaving everything, and everyone behind, in pieces. He is passed done. So, she is the only one who sees a need to stay in his life. And she does this through his children, using them as a way to get him to communicate with her. She sent a message recently to Will that asked if he would let her take the kids for a week or so in the summer. WITHOUT Will. And, obviously, without me. The answer, understandably, was no.
If she had only realized that Will comes as a package deal with those children. If you can't love the father, then you don't get the kids. (by love, I mean in the Christlike way) And as of last September, Will is now a package deal with me and my children. The NINE PEAS IN THE POD are just that-- together, and as one. WE are the package. And Will and I would honestly love to have a friendship with Sarah that is new and respectful- and, surprisingly to some perhaps, we would have seriously considered her invitation were it for the entire family.
The thing is, Will's children loved her dearly. She was a GREAT friend to them. But even they admit that she was not a 'mother' to them. She had the title, but did not claim the role. They did not live with her. They did not see her at her worst. She complimented them. She made them feel like she loved them. But she didn't discipline them. She didn't put their needs above her own. She chose to stay close to her Ex's family over moving closer to her NEW family, where her import-children were. She chose her Ex over her spouse under the guise of her daughter's needs. And in doing that, the import-kids felt less important to her than her own biological children... something that mirrors what our daughter Em is realizing with her new StepDad: blending families doesn't work when you pick some children over others. There is no "MY kids are going to be like this, even if you guys aren't!"
In conversations lately, Em is also realizing that Sarah has not finished grieving her past relationship with Will, and possibly her other 3 husbands. And she is still hurting. And, for what it's worth, our hearts grieve for Sarah's pain. We understand it. We were there once. We were sooooooo blessed to have the chance to heal faster than we expected. We found a love unlike ANYTHING else we've ever felt. I honestly can't be anything but somewhat thankful to her, even though it meant that my happiness came at her expense.
The kids of ours didn't get closure. They didn't get to say goodbye to Sarah. It is like a death to them. Only, the ghost isn't gone. And, once again, Sarah has chosen her own needs over the needs of these children-- they need closure.
Closure (klo'zhur)
- The act of closing or the state of being closed: closure of an incision.
- Something that closes or shuts.
- A bringing to an end; a conclusion: finally brought the project to closure.
- A feeling of finality or resolution, especially after a traumatic experience.
I have encouraged Em specifically to contact Sarah if that made her happy, but we have all witnessed how much more UNhappy Em has become since doing so. Sarah claims to love her, and I think she truly does. But, real love is unselfish. And Sarah continues, perhaps unaware, to twist the dagger in Em's heart. Having contact has not brought her closure- not in ANY sense of the above definition. And it pains us to watch Em stuck in a teenagers mind, unable to figure out how to get rid of the pain without losing the love.
In this, I am reminded of EF, from my previous blog. (EF was the 'estranged friend' who had the affair with Chris). I LOVED EF. I really did. And, truthfully, I still do. But I realized that moving on in my life meant I would have to release that pain completely. Sadly, there are times when you need to remove the good along with the bad- like when a weed is wrapped around a flower. Sometimes they both have to go. I had to say goodbye to someone I loved, so that I could feel TRUE love again. Not that I don't still think of her, or wonder where she is or how she's doing... But I am now able to feel JUST the love, and the pain, slowly but surely, fades away.
And so, we teach these lessons to our children. Because, as we've been taught by OUR goodly parents, and by our ecclesiastical leaders, and by our own hearts, we know that being a teacher is our biggest role as a TRUE parent. As a mother, it is my job to love, nurture and teach. And, just as a mother bird sometimes has to watch her chick endure some pain as he is learning how to fly, sometimes we will have to be there to watch our own children deal with their pain, if it simply means we're giving them the power to use the wings they already possess.
Friday, May 7, 2010
T. G. I. F.
TGIF= Thank goodness it's Friday. So that I can be DEAD tired from the rest of the week. And so I can have my kids come home after a half-day here (each Friday in Motown, school is out at 1 pm). TGIF so I can watch other people's kids. That one I really AM thankful for-- I've really missed having a dayhome, and although it's only one or two kids every week or so, it's something that brings me a bit of "me" again... the me before "Motown Me."
TGIF= The Gift I Favour. Mother's Day is three days away. I thought I'd give a heads-up into what I want the most! ;) Well, who are we kidding-- I want a LOT of things! Nothing really that earth-shattering.... you know-- a computer that doesn't have viruses. A house that magically renovates itself. Kids that don't fight or cry or yell or make messes. But mostly? Yes, mostly I want these!!!!! Maybe not pink, but then again-! 
In actuality, I've thought a LOT about these, but still can't bring myself to do it. They so dang ugly. I love me a Sketcher, but this is a bit outta my comfort range.
In actuality, I've thought a LOT about these, but still can't bring myself to do it. They so dang ugly. I love me a Sketcher, but this is a bit outta my comfort range.TGIF= Totally Gorging. I'm Fat!! I am glad the show is over for another reason-- I can start running at nights again. I know it's better for me to run in the mornings, but, frankly, I watch Mimi all day, and my nighttime runs relax me and help me wind-down from the daily chores. I haven't started running again, like I thought I would this week. But hopefully the next few days do NOT include the massive amounts of snow and I won't have to wear parkas and mukluks just to run around town.
TGIF= The Guy I Fondle. haha.
TGIF= The Goal Is Forever. Being married takes work-- that's not news to anyone. But this marriage, albeit new, has so many 'olds' in it, that we're working on making the 'olds' part of our "new", all the while, ditching others. It's a delicate balancing act to ask the questions that are bothering you, but to ask them in ways that don't offend or fear the other person. When Will or I are afraid of our pasts coming back to hurt us, oftentimes we instill that fear into the other person, just by saying those thoughts. It's really hard to be able to balance the right amount of therapeutical talk with things that just should never be said. Our fears over adultery and faithfulness sometimes drive our conversations into dangerous territory of "what ifs" and "would you evers". They stop immediately, because I firmly believe, in learning from my last marriage, that true love doesn't have time for "what ifs" or "would you evers". I had wayyyy too many of those talks with Chris, and, maybe there's some truth to The Secret, in The Law of Attraction being justifiably proven. When you are really, surely, honestly in love, there doesn't need to be those talks, because in reality, you both know it's not going to happen. Perfect love casteth out fear.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Curtain Called
So, the costumes are washed and hung up, the lights are off, the stage is demolished, and half of my kids STILL have not seen the "original" Sound Of Music on TV yet. But, the play is done. :)
In talking with most people now that life is back tochaos normal routine, there's always the question, "do you miss it?".
Do I miss having no clean laundry? no!
In talking with most people now that life is back to
Do I miss having no clean laundry? no!
Do I miss not ever seeing my lover, Dyson vacuum? no! (well, KINDA-- I mean, I'd like my floors to stay clean WITHOUT needing to do the WORK of vacuuming)
The play was fun. I made some really great friends. Will and I were part of the party scene where the kids sing "So Long, Farewell" as dancers and party guests. I even got to put makeup on him EVERY NIGHT! tee hee.
Do I miss never tucking in the kids at night? No!
Do I miss being absent for every dinner? No!
Do I miss chalking my face up with war paint stage makeup every.single.day. and drying out like a prune? no.
Do I miss playing so much "catch up" during the day that I was away from all communication from my friends and family, feeling like a lonely goatherd, and out of touch with the rest of the world? No.
Do I miss being away from my home for 6 hours a night, crashing into bed, and never snuggling connecting with Will? NO NO NO!!! ;) I mean, how can love survive like that?!
(LATE one night, still both in our makeup!)
Do I miss watching my late-night TV with Will and Em? no
Do I miss my favourite things: friends? ABSOLUTELY!!!!
It's been sooo nice to be back home. To know that I don't have to go out later on. Or make dinner by a certain time in order to make things easier on Em. I loved having time to get organized again. Even though this house is FAR from organized lately, at least my mess is now in proper "I'm a mess" piles.
(A month or two ago..although lots has happened since then, this is pretty much my life lately!)
Night times, we gather in a circle for family prayers and the sound of music fills the house. It's awesome. I missed that.
The play was fun. I made some really great friends. Will and I were part of the party scene where the kids sing "So Long, Farewell" as dancers and party guests. I even got to put makeup on him EVERY NIGHT! tee hee.
(Will and I as 'party guests' during the play)
Will scoffed at the whole thing at first, but, although he'd vehemently deny any part of enjoying it, I have confidence that by the end of it, he had a good time. Cuz really, how many times does a man get to kiss a nun? 
Now we'll have time to take trips with the kids to Waterton, trying to climb every mountain. Now we can finish the house. We can plant a garden, filled with daisies and roses and edelweiss.
No, I do not miss the play. But I do look forward to the next one! ;)
Monday, April 19, 2010
There are worse places to be left behind!
Just a quick note.
Back to 'borrowed time' on a computer, as the one we recently purchased was seriously a piece of junk. So, it's BACK at the store, and a new one is on it's way. Again... I sit at home, computerless and out of touch with the world and blogosphere. Hopefully none of you are deathly ill and waiting for my witty comments to brighten your day. (cough. Right)
Will turned 40 last week. :) He IS pretty cute for an old man! ;)
And I start acting in The Sound of Music this week. If you want tickets to see Will and I dance on stage, and me in a nun's habit, lemme know! ;) I'll try to remember to take some photos for this once in a lifetime experience!
Anyways, off to be a mom. The kids are home from school... and, lookie here, I'm NOT! oops! Good thing it's Motown, where, when your 4 year old daughter is left at church yesterday, a random stranger to me will drive her home. Um. yah. I don't even know who the lady was, but apparently she knew Mimi was my kid, and knew where we lived.
Just so you know, I did not LEAVE my child at the church-- she kinda ran off. I would NEVER leave a child somewhere--- my parents did it to me MILLIONS of times, and I learned the hard way what that feels like! ;)
(kidding. Love you Mom and Dad. I turned out alright. (cough). And Happy birthday to my wonderful father, too!)
Back to 'borrowed time' on a computer, as the one we recently purchased was seriously a piece of junk. So, it's BACK at the store, and a new one is on it's way. Again... I sit at home, computerless and out of touch with the world and blogosphere. Hopefully none of you are deathly ill and waiting for my witty comments to brighten your day. (cough. Right)
Will turned 40 last week. :) He IS pretty cute for an old man! ;)
And I start acting in The Sound of Music this week. If you want tickets to see Will and I dance on stage, and me in a nun's habit, lemme know! ;) I'll try to remember to take some photos for this once in a lifetime experience!
Anyways, off to be a mom. The kids are home from school... and, lookie here, I'm NOT! oops! Good thing it's Motown, where, when your 4 year old daughter is left at church yesterday, a random stranger to me will drive her home. Um. yah. I don't even know who the lady was, but apparently she knew Mimi was my kid, and knew where we lived.
Just so you know, I did not LEAVE my child at the church-- she kinda ran off. I would NEVER leave a child somewhere--- my parents did it to me MILLIONS of times, and I learned the hard way what that feels like! ;)
(kidding. Love you Mom and Dad. I turned out alright. (cough). And Happy birthday to my wonderful father, too!)
Monday, March 29, 2010
My To-Do Lists
For Will (aka, the "honey-do" list)
-Finish taking apart my kitchen, including removal of the kitchen sink.
-purchase Costco-size bag of disposable dishes so I don't end up doing my dishes in the bathtub
-Replace missing sink with NEW sink in NEW location
-Move existing plumbing (via basement ceiling) to NEW sink location
-buy NEW sink that will be put IN new location
-get the electrician to actually SHOW UP one of these days
-ensure that there is no mess to clean up!
-continue to love me in the seriously best way I've ever been loved, put up with me more than anyone ever has, and make me think that, 5 pounds heavier or lighter, I'm still absolutely beautiful.
-take out the garbage. It's Tuesday tomorrow and I ALWAYS forget :)
For Em (the teenager)
-clean your room. As in, use some sort of disinfectant... ie: bleach? Peroxide? How about Fire?
- remove all my contents from your room before starting said 'disinfecting fire'.
- apply same procedure to downstairs bathroom.
-reapply same procedure to downstairs bathroom... let's be serious... it's pretty bad in there!
- put your laundry away
-practice your piano
- teach me how to be wayyyy cooler than I know I am. (*note to self, how was I so much awesome-r BEFORE I had a teenager?!)
-attend singing lessons, as you're a GREAT singer.
- stop slacking in school. Your mother's gonna think I don't care about your grades!
- call those two boys who gave you their phone numbers this weekend! Esp. the one I have the "cougar-crush" on!
- be absolutely gorgeous, as you always are.
-*ahem* lose the 18-year old boyfriend.... it seriously stresses your 4 parents out!
For Myself (aka: the lists of the lists list I'll never finish!)
-finish the LIST for the insurance chick who needs EVERY. SINGLE. PIECE. OF. THE THOUSAND. STOLEN. THINGS. from the van written down with distinct and very deliberate recollection of its origins, colour, price, sexual orientation, race...blah blah blah
-finish the list for the Burnaby Police station where the vehicle went missing from of said things above.
-finish the list for the Coquitlam Police station where the vehicle was FOUND of said things above because, well, quite frankly, the two don't communicate and I'm getting the run-around of who's in charge of what files and who's registered for dealing with the insurance adjuster and who's on first.
-finish the laundry. (hahahahahahahahahah. Oh, I funny)
-help Will finish the renovations. (hahahahahahah! I even funnier!)
-pick out the granite for the countertops.
-Travel to Calgary to see samples of said granite.
-pay for said granite.
-sell right breast, and possibly left ventricle of heart in order to PAY for said countertops.
-be thrilled for losing 5 pounds of breast tissue. Hey, if that's the ONLY way to lose weight lately, I'll take it.
-go for a run. Seriously. Until Thursday. Non-stop.
-stop eating like a cow.
-attend play practice for "The Sound Of Music" where I play a nun. yah. laugh it up, guys. *I* play a nun!!!
- look into getting into school/ a full-time job
-look into restarting a dayhome, as I am currently already watching kids 3 days a week.
- buy a new computer so I can blog MUCH more often and feel like I'm not completely cut off from the world.
-sell left breast to pay for said computer, as money is unlikely to crawl out my butt anytime soon.
-Submit taxes to accountant to be filed for 2009.
- rejoice in tax season totally screwing Will and I up this year and making it LOOK like we have a LOT more money than we really will this year.
-learn how to eat mice.
-call gramma, who probably has the recipe. And for those of you who think I'm kidding-- you don't know my gramma!
-jump up and down with joy over Chris' new job...with less child-support.
-remember there are hidden blessings in so many things.
-look into selling my spleen so I can celebrate Will's *40th* birthday in a few weeks!!!!!
-look into taking a trip in September with the kids to be sealed in a temple? (Salt Lake? San Diego? Vancouver? Guatemala?)
-love more. Pray more. Read more. Teach more. Exercise more. Clean more. Work more. Save more. Play more. Listen more.
-argue less. eat less. sleep less. criticize less. judge less.
-Finish taking apart my kitchen, including removal of the kitchen sink.
-purchase Costco-size bag of disposable dishes so I don't end up doing my dishes in the bathtub
-Replace missing sink with NEW sink in NEW location
-Move existing plumbing (via basement ceiling) to NEW sink location
-buy NEW sink that will be put IN new location
-get the electrician to actually SHOW UP one of these days
-ensure that there is no mess to clean up!
-continue to love me in the seriously best way I've ever been loved, put up with me more than anyone ever has, and make me think that, 5 pounds heavier or lighter, I'm still absolutely beautiful.
-take out the garbage. It's Tuesday tomorrow and I ALWAYS forget :)
For Em (the teenager)
-clean your room. As in, use some sort of disinfectant... ie: bleach? Peroxide? How about Fire?
- remove all my contents from your room before starting said 'disinfecting fire'.
- apply same procedure to downstairs bathroom.
-reapply same procedure to downstairs bathroom... let's be serious... it's pretty bad in there!
- put your laundry away
-practice your piano
- teach me how to be wayyyy cooler than I know I am. (*note to self, how was I so much awesome-r BEFORE I had a teenager?!)
-attend singing lessons, as you're a GREAT singer.
- stop slacking in school. Your mother's gonna think I don't care about your grades!
- call those two boys who gave you their phone numbers this weekend! Esp. the one I have the "cougar-crush" on!
- be absolutely gorgeous, as you always are.
-*ahem* lose the 18-year old boyfriend.... it seriously stresses your 4 parents out!
For Myself (aka: the lists of the lists list I'll never finish!)
-finish the LIST for the insurance chick who needs EVERY. SINGLE. PIECE. OF. THE THOUSAND. STOLEN. THINGS. from the van written down with distinct and very deliberate recollection of its origins, colour, price, sexual orientation, race...blah blah blah
-finish the list for the Burnaby Police station where the vehicle went missing from of said things above.
-finish the list for the Coquitlam Police station where the vehicle was FOUND of said things above because, well, quite frankly, the two don't communicate and I'm getting the run-around of who's in charge of what files and who's registered for dealing with the insurance adjuster and who's on first.
-finish the laundry. (hahahahahahahahahah. Oh, I funny)
-help Will finish the renovations. (hahahahahahah! I even funnier!)
-pick out the granite for the countertops.
-Travel to Calgary to see samples of said granite.
-pay for said granite.
-sell right breast, and possibly left ventricle of heart in order to PAY for said countertops.
-be thrilled for losing 5 pounds of breast tissue. Hey, if that's the ONLY way to lose weight lately, I'll take it.
-go for a run. Seriously. Until Thursday. Non-stop.
-stop eating like a cow.
-attend play practice for "The Sound Of Music" where I play a nun. yah. laugh it up, guys. *I* play a nun!!!
- look into getting into school/ a full-time job
-look into restarting a dayhome, as I am currently already watching kids 3 days a week.
- buy a new computer so I can blog MUCH more often and feel like I'm not completely cut off from the world.
-sell left breast to pay for said computer, as money is unlikely to crawl out my butt anytime soon.
-Submit taxes to accountant to be filed for 2009.
- rejoice in tax season totally screwing Will and I up this year and making it LOOK like we have a LOT more money than we really will this year.
-learn how to eat mice.
-call gramma, who probably has the recipe. And for those of you who think I'm kidding-- you don't know my gramma!
-jump up and down with joy over Chris' new job...with less child-support.
-remember there are hidden blessings in so many things.
-look into selling my spleen so I can celebrate Will's *40th* birthday in a few weeks!!!!!
-look into taking a trip in September with the kids to be sealed in a temple? (Salt Lake? San Diego? Vancouver? Guatemala?)
-love more. Pray more. Read more. Teach more. Exercise more. Clean more. Work more. Save more. Play more. Listen more.
-argue less. eat less. sleep less. criticize less. judge less.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Xie Xie, Mr. Chow Mein!!
So, yesterday was Valentine's Day. And I spent it with Will, doing WONDERFUL things! :) And after we rolled out of bed, it was a good day too! LOL. *kidding CC!* (here at CC's house, I sleep in a room beside my parents...with thin walls! :) )
Actually, yesterday, it was also Chinese New Year's. Year of the...some animal. Oh, the Tiger. Year of the Tiger. grrr.
In fact, I celebrated Chinese New Year AND Valentine's Day AND A birthday for my niece, Tiny.
Saturday night, Will and my parents and I decided to go for dinner at a Chinese Restaurant. It was super packed, as we didn't remember that it was New Year's Eve. Upon arriving outside the establishment, with the rain coming down in true Vancouver style, Will saw a piece of paper in the gutter and picked it up. That's just what Will does-- he's always picking up random stuff and somewhat 'treasure hunting' whereever he goes. If he's on a beach, he's picking up shells and coins and anything shiny! He finds cash and jewellery and coins and everything. He's super lucky that way.
So, he picks up this piece of paper, and unfolds it. The brittle paper nearly rips in his hands, as it's soaking wet, but he manages to discover a BLANK CHEQUE!!! Signed, dated, and made out for $100.00!!! Turns out, upon further investigation (aka. Google), that the Tiger is known as a 'lucky' animal... always full of luck and good fortune.
The owner of the cheque is, presumably, Chinese. (last name seems likely Korean or Chinese, but outside the restaurant, we're making an educated guess) So, maybe Mr. ... ( Chinese last name??? Um. Woo? Is Woo Chinese? Well, let's not offend anyone in case it's not, and we'll stick with something SAFE). Maybe Mr. Chow Mein left that cheque there as a 'personal red envelope' for some lucky fellow? Although, do Chinese give red Envelopes at New Years? I know the Japanese do.
Hey man, I'm full white-meat, so this whole Chinese culture thing?? Yah, not so eloquently versed by me. All appologies and olive-branches extended.
I digress.
Maybe Mr. Chow Mein doesn't even know that his forgetful son, Mushu, didn't cash the cheque a LONG time ago when he should have and accidentally dropped it and has been looking for it all day?
Maybe there's no such person as Mr. Chow Mein, and Buddah left that cheque there for good fortune for the person who finds it?
Maybe Mr. Chow Mein is soooo rich, that when Will returns the blank cheque to him, he'll say that it was just a test, and reward Will for his honesty and pay him thousands and millions of dollars and camera crews will pop out of nowhere and Oprah will be there and we'll be featured as one of the only few honest peoples left in the world and I'll totally be discovered as some ingenious writer and we'll get book deals. And we'll adopt little chinese babies and have the most adorable story ever and Branjelina will be sooo Last Year of the Ox!
And, if I go back to my "motto" for 2010, it's CHARITY. So, maybe Will and I need to give the money to some local charity and 'pay it forward'? ORRRRRRR, maybe Will and I ARE the Charity! Maybe it's a donation to our 'update our kitchen' fund?!
And maybe it won't matter anyways, because he's already put a stop-payment on the cheque.
Pfft.
Dang Mr. Chow Mein ruins EVERYONE'S fun!
*before anyone gets their Chang Pao in a tangle, don't worry-- we're not cashing the cheque.
Actually, yesterday, it was also Chinese New Year's. Year of the...some animal. Oh, the Tiger. Year of the Tiger. grrr.
In fact, I celebrated Chinese New Year AND Valentine's Day AND A birthday for my niece, Tiny.
Saturday night, Will and my parents and I decided to go for dinner at a Chinese Restaurant. It was super packed, as we didn't remember that it was New Year's Eve. Upon arriving outside the establishment, with the rain coming down in true Vancouver style, Will saw a piece of paper in the gutter and picked it up. That's just what Will does-- he's always picking up random stuff and somewhat 'treasure hunting' whereever he goes. If he's on a beach, he's picking up shells and coins and anything shiny! He finds cash and jewellery and coins and everything. He's super lucky that way.
So, he picks up this piece of paper, and unfolds it. The brittle paper nearly rips in his hands, as it's soaking wet, but he manages to discover a BLANK CHEQUE!!! Signed, dated, and made out for $100.00!!! Turns out, upon further investigation (aka. Google), that the Tiger is known as a 'lucky' animal... always full of luck and good fortune.
The owner of the cheque is, presumably, Chinese. (last name seems likely Korean or Chinese, but outside the restaurant, we're making an educated guess) So, maybe Mr. ... ( Chinese last name??? Um. Woo? Is Woo Chinese? Well, let's not offend anyone in case it's not, and we'll stick with something SAFE). Maybe Mr. Chow Mein left that cheque there as a 'personal red envelope' for some lucky fellow? Although, do Chinese give red Envelopes at New Years? I know the Japanese do.
Hey man, I'm full white-meat, so this whole Chinese culture thing?? Yah, not so eloquently versed by me. All appologies and olive-branches extended.
I digress.
Maybe Mr. Chow Mein doesn't even know that his forgetful son, Mushu, didn't cash the cheque a LONG time ago when he should have and accidentally dropped it and has been looking for it all day?
Maybe there's no such person as Mr. Chow Mein, and Buddah left that cheque there for good fortune for the person who finds it?
Maybe Mr. Chow Mein is soooo rich, that when Will returns the blank cheque to him, he'll say that it was just a test, and reward Will for his honesty and pay him thousands and millions of dollars and camera crews will pop out of nowhere and Oprah will be there and we'll be featured as one of the only few honest peoples left in the world and I'll totally be discovered as some ingenious writer and we'll get book deals. And we'll adopt little chinese babies and have the most adorable story ever and Branjelina will be sooo Last Year of the Ox!
And, if I go back to my "motto" for 2010, it's CHARITY. So, maybe Will and I need to give the money to some local charity and 'pay it forward'? ORRRRRRR, maybe Will and I ARE the Charity! Maybe it's a donation to our 'update our kitchen' fund?!
And maybe it won't matter anyways, because he's already put a stop-payment on the cheque.
Pfft.
Dang Mr. Chow Mein ruins EVERYONE'S fun!
*before anyone gets their Chang Pao in a tangle, don't worry-- we're not cashing the cheque.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Year At A Glance 2009
I was supposed to post this on the last day of December, and kinda did. For those few of you who noticed, Daisyhalos had a new post on December 31, as I had semi-finished this meme and preposted it so that I'd have it done by that day. Obviously, I forgot about it, and it showed up, half finished, on the blog. So, after deleting that one, here's the REAL one.
TOO MANY! I have almost a song-a-day kind of life.
Definitely "Fire Burning" by Sean Kingston, as it was our 'family' song and the song we heard most of the time being together, "I've Got a Feeling" by The Black-Eyed Peas, because it was the song we came out of the chapel to, dancing. And "Have You Ever Been In Love", by Peter Cetera..Will's and My song that we danced our first dance as a married couple to.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? happier
ii. thinner or fatter? a bit fatter. The past 3 months have put on a new 10 lbs that I plan to eliminate soon.
iii. richer or poorer? richer in life, my pocket book's a bit lighter though.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
working out, playing with my kids, travelling, eating healthier, camping, journal writing, blogging, taking pictures
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
I felt so busy this year, I don't know what I could have done LESS of. Maybe staying up so late.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Well, 2009 Christmas was spent in a million places. Christmas morning was spent at home, with all the kids and Will's parents, opening stockings and presents. 2010 Christmas could be spent anywhere, as we don't have the kids this year, so maybe we'll save up and go away somewhere.
22. Did you fall in love in 2009?
Yes. And then some. I've fallen in love in ways I've never fallen before. And, most excitingly, this one is for the last time.
23. How many one-night stands?
HAHAHAH. Seriously!? This questions makes me laugh every year.
None. I only dated Will, and Will alone. And there were NO one-night stands. There were a few nights where there was no SLEEPING, but I wasn't standing up. (at least, not the WHOLE time! :O )
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Survivor and Flash Forward, shows that Will and Em and I watched weekly. I was definitely a fan of Russell from Survivor.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No. I don't 'hate' people. I only STRONGLY dislike one person but naming her is redundant.
26. What was the best book you read?
I didn't read many books this year, but I did read the Twilight Series. So, they'll do.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Secondhand Serenade was introduced to me by Will.
28. What did you want and get?
Personal clarity to find happiness, a happy relationship, a home closer to my parents.
29. What did you want and not get?
marriage in the LDS temple
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
Out of this list I haven't seen many films of 2009. FAVOURITE?? UP. I absolutely love the humour in that movie, but above it, I love the "love story". I teared up in that movie. I have seen: The Proposal, which comes in a close second place. District 9. Final Destination 4, Couple's Retreat, Law Abiding Citizen, This Is It (Michael Jackson), Bride Wars, The Hangover, Shorts
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I trick-or-treated with the kids. Then we went over to Kay and Jim's house, where we played some games with another couple. I turned 29.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Really, there is nothing.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
I don't know that my style changed much. Will and I bought some clothes for each other, but in general, I'm about the same. I did add Crocs to my shoe pile. *grudge*
34. What kept you sane?
My friends. My family. Will.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
i don't like celebrity/public figures like that. But Michael Jackson's passing sure made me appreciate how incredible of a performer and musician he was.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
I think the recession is something we've ALL been directly 'stirred' by, in one way or another.
37. Who did you miss?
My 8GVs. Friends in my old ward in Cranston. Dayhome families.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Will. Without question.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.
What happens in our lives is probably 90% because of what happened in someone else's.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
To Get Me To You- Lila McCann *click for YouTube version*
Well I, I still can remember times
When the night seemed to surround me
I was sure the sun would never shine on me
And I, I thought it my destiny
To walk this world alone
But now you're here with me
Now you're here with me
And I don't regret the rain
Or the nights I felt the pain
Or the tears I had to cry
Some of those times along the way
Every road I had to take
Every time my heart would break
It was just something that I had to get through
To get me to you
To get me to you
Well I, I still can recall the days
When I had no love around me
Makes me glad for every day I have with you
And I, I look in your eyes and know
I'm right where I belong
And I belong with you
Always belonged with you
And I don't regret the rain
Or the nights I felt the pain
Or the tears I had to cry
Some of those times along the way
Every road I had to take
Every time my heart would break
It was just something that I had to go through
To get me to you
To get me to you
And if I could I wouldn't change a thing
Wouldn't change a thing baby
Because your love was waiting there for me
Waiting there for me baby
And I don't regret the rain
Or the nights I felt the pain
Or the tears I had to cry
Some of those times along the way
Every road I had to take
Every time my heart would break
It was just something that I had to get through
To get me to you
To get me to you
And, in previous years, I've done this meme and it's always fun to look back on. Next year could be fun to see too.
1. What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before?
Got Divorced
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't make resolutions. Every day should be a new attempt at being better, not every year. A few goals that I DID make throughout the year didn't come true, and a few ones DID. Like, I didn't ever run a marathon, let alone two, but I did find true happiness and I did figure out what I want re: religion.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
At my age, EVERYONE is giving birth. Amazingly, it was a year where NONE of my siblings gave birth. I have friends who did, and I love them (and their darling babes) to pieces, but no immediate family members. Interestingly, having babies has been a conversation Will and I have entertained, but with a sort of "If We Won 100 000 000 000 Dollars, Let's Talk About How We'll Spend It" type of mentality. It's fun to imagine, but highly improbable.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
luckily, no. Not that I recall. I think only Will's Aunt, whom I didn't know.
5. What countries did you visit?
Canada and the US.
6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
A finished home with Will. With an uncarpetted kitchen, of course.
7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
LOL.. Well, OBVIOUSLY September 7, my wedding day. And June 5th, Will's divorce day. June 12th. January 26th (day I met Will)
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Marrying a man who loves me what feels like as much as I love him. Starting a life I knew I wanted to have.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I'm not sure, but I would venture to say that sometimes I've treated someone unfairly, or I've gotten angry or bitter. Not often, but it is definitely a trait that I would like to further overcome. Sarah's been a constant struggle for me, because of how hurt I felt, but I'm working on that slowly. Will and I have had some aruguments that I would like to go back and 'edit', but thankfully we're both learning how to better deal with our emotions from our previously hurtful relationships.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
nothing big, no. A few colds don't count.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Bought? Wow. I don't think I've bought much worth sharing. My wedding shoes. I know, you're all tired of them, but they made me feel sexy and sassy and I love them.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My children's. All 7 of them have been good to each other, been accepting of each other, and have welcomed the new dynamics of our family with fairly positive attitudes. We still struggle individually and as a team, but on the whole, they're well-adjusted kids who have had to deal with so many things and are still amazingly stable, given the circumstances.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and/or depressed?
Sarah's. My own.
14. Where did most of your money go?
To the wedding, mostly. And second place is clothing. Christmas wasn't too cheap either, but thankfully the Deer Incident wasn't more costly.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Marrying Will. Duh. :)
16. What song will always remind you of 2009?TOO MANY! I have almost a song-a-day kind of life.
Definitely "Fire Burning" by Sean Kingston, as it was our 'family' song and the song we heard most of the time being together, "I've Got a Feeling" by The Black-Eyed Peas, because it was the song we came out of the chapel to, dancing. And "Have You Ever Been In Love", by Peter Cetera..Will's and My song that we danced our first dance as a married couple to.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? happier
ii. thinner or fatter? a bit fatter. The past 3 months have put on a new 10 lbs that I plan to eliminate soon.
iii. richer or poorer? richer in life, my pocket book's a bit lighter though.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
working out, playing with my kids, travelling, eating healthier, camping, journal writing, blogging, taking pictures
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
I felt so busy this year, I don't know what I could have done LESS of. Maybe staying up so late.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Well, 2009 Christmas was spent in a million places. Christmas morning was spent at home, with all the kids and Will's parents, opening stockings and presents. 2010 Christmas could be spent anywhere, as we don't have the kids this year, so maybe we'll save up and go away somewhere.
22. Did you fall in love in 2009?
Yes. And then some. I've fallen in love in ways I've never fallen before. And, most excitingly, this one is for the last time.
23. How many one-night stands?
HAHAHAH. Seriously!? This questions makes me laugh every year.
None. I only dated Will, and Will alone. And there were NO one-night stands. There were a few nights where there was no SLEEPING, but I wasn't standing up. (at least, not the WHOLE time! :O )
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Survivor and Flash Forward, shows that Will and Em and I watched weekly. I was definitely a fan of Russell from Survivor.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No. I don't 'hate' people. I only STRONGLY dislike one person but naming her is redundant.
26. What was the best book you read?
I didn't read many books this year, but I did read the Twilight Series. So, they'll do.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Secondhand Serenade was introduced to me by Will.
28. What did you want and get?
Personal clarity to find happiness, a happy relationship, a home closer to my parents.
29. What did you want and not get?
marriage in the LDS temple
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
Out of this list I haven't seen many films of 2009. FAVOURITE?? UP. I absolutely love the humour in that movie, but above it, I love the "love story". I teared up in that movie. I have seen: The Proposal, which comes in a close second place. District 9. Final Destination 4, Couple's Retreat, Law Abiding Citizen, This Is It (Michael Jackson), Bride Wars, The Hangover, Shorts
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I trick-or-treated with the kids. Then we went over to Kay and Jim's house, where we played some games with another couple. I turned 29.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Really, there is nothing.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
I don't know that my style changed much. Will and I bought some clothes for each other, but in general, I'm about the same. I did add Crocs to my shoe pile. *grudge*
34. What kept you sane?
My friends. My family. Will.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
i don't like celebrity/public figures like that. But Michael Jackson's passing sure made me appreciate how incredible of a performer and musician he was.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
I think the recession is something we've ALL been directly 'stirred' by, in one way or another.
37. Who did you miss?
My 8GVs. Friends in my old ward in Cranston. Dayhome families.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Will. Without question.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.
What happens in our lives is probably 90% because of what happened in someone else's.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
To Get Me To You- Lila McCann *click for YouTube version*
Well I, I still can remember times
When the night seemed to surround me
I was sure the sun would never shine on me
And I, I thought it my destiny
To walk this world alone
But now you're here with me
Now you're here with me
And I don't regret the rain
Or the nights I felt the pain
Or the tears I had to cry
Some of those times along the way
Every road I had to take
Every time my heart would break
It was just something that I had to get through
To get me to you
To get me to you
Well I, I still can recall the days
When I had no love around me
Makes me glad for every day I have with you
And I, I look in your eyes and know
I'm right where I belong
And I belong with you
Always belonged with you
And I don't regret the rain
Or the nights I felt the pain
Or the tears I had to cry
Some of those times along the way
Every road I had to take
Every time my heart would break
It was just something that I had to go through
To get me to you
To get me to you
And if I could I wouldn't change a thing
Wouldn't change a thing baby
Because your love was waiting there for me
Waiting there for me baby
And I don't regret the rain
Or the nights I felt the pain
Or the tears I had to cry
Some of those times along the way
Every road I had to take
Every time my heart would break
It was just something that I had to get through
To get me to you
To get me to you
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Another Way to Count Time
First Blog of 2010. Okay, and before we dig into the meat and potatoes, might I just say that I absolutely LOVE typing 2010. Honestly. Try it right now. It makes me smile. If even just typing it makes it a better year, then I'm already a step ahead.
But we all know (er, at least, *I* know) this year is going to be better than just being able to smile when I type 2010. *tee hee, smiled again! :) 2010 2010.
I have about 5 to-post blogs in my head, and no time lately to post. Today was the first day since getting married and living in this house that I TOTALLY cleaned the bathroom. Yes. I got married in September.
I know.
Gross.
But, today was my day to 'get er done'. I have ALMOST accomplished all my jobs of the day, minus BLOGGING and laundry, but that'll be done later tonight. And no, laundry is NOT my code word for nookie. No, nookie is NOT my code word for snuggles. And yes, thanks to Kare, snuggles IS the code word for sex.
During the holidays, Will's family likes to play a lot of cards. I learned how to play Rook and Canasta *NOT to be confused with Canesten.... trust me, vagina cream is NOT a card game. I only got laughed at a LITTLE bit when I mixed the two up._.jpg)
Now, Will and I have spent HONESTLY 5 hours straight playing cards at the kitchen table. This same kitchen table that sits in the middle of an unfinished room with walls half-down and carpetted floors. They'll still be there tomorrow, but playing cards with Will was worth another meal in that setting. I have never 'dated' during the day. I am TRULY developing a relationship with Will that I've NEVER had with someone I've even merely dated.; I am becoming honestly content to spend days at a time with him. Oh, don't get me wrong, we still need our space. And even when I'm angry at him or he's annoyed with me, I still find myself wanting to be near him. Because in the midst of the momentary downside, I am still honestly madly in love with this man.
We've also started reading The Blind Side together. Last week, we had no kids for a few days, so we drove down to the USofA to do some shopping and touring. Will and I had 7 hours in the car together each way, so I read out loud to him. We hope to finish the book together this week so we can catch it in the theatres this weekend. It's not something that Will has ever done with a spouse, and Chris didn't want me to read to him either, so this new 'bonding thing' we've started is really sweet to me.
We went cross-country skiing with my family this past holiday, where Will and I had a while to ourselves to ski in the beautiful mountains of Waterton.
We have spent entire days in bed watching Lady Gaga serenade us to Bad Romance. *by the way, that is now Mimi's favourite song to watch on YouTube! lol*
In a month, we'll be on our way to work at the Olympic Winter Games held in Vancouver, Canada. For 2 weeks, with my Will beside me, I'll be taking in the greatness that Vancouver AND the Olympics have to offer.
We've been married for almost 4 months, or 17 weeks, or 121 days, or 2904 hours, or 174 240 minutes or 10 454 400 seconds.
But now matter how you count it, it's been nothing but a speck of time in the awesomeness that is to come. 2009 was a pretty amazing year, but 2010 ( *typing smile) is gonna be awesome!
But we all know (er, at least, *I* know) this year is going to be better than just being able to smile when I type 2010. *tee hee, smiled again! :) 2010 2010.
I have about 5 to-post blogs in my head, and no time lately to post. Today was the first day since getting married and living in this house that I TOTALLY cleaned the bathroom. Yes. I got married in September.
I know.
Gross.
But, today was my day to 'get er done'. I have ALMOST accomplished all my jobs of the day, minus BLOGGING and laundry, but that'll be done later tonight. And no, laundry is NOT my code word for nookie. No, nookie is NOT my code word for snuggles. And yes, thanks to Kare, snuggles IS the code word for sex.
During the holidays, Will's family likes to play a lot of cards. I learned how to play Rook and Canasta *NOT to be confused with Canesten.... trust me, vagina cream is NOT a card game. I only got laughed at a LITTLE bit when I mixed the two up.
_.jpg)
Now, Will and I have spent HONESTLY 5 hours straight playing cards at the kitchen table. This same kitchen table that sits in the middle of an unfinished room with walls half-down and carpetted floors. They'll still be there tomorrow, but playing cards with Will was worth another meal in that setting. I have never 'dated' during the day. I am TRULY developing a relationship with Will that I've NEVER had with someone I've even merely dated.; I am becoming honestly content to spend days at a time with him. Oh, don't get me wrong, we still need our space. And even when I'm angry at him or he's annoyed with me, I still find myself wanting to be near him. Because in the midst of the momentary downside, I am still honestly madly in love with this man.We've also started reading The Blind Side together. Last week, we had no kids for a few days, so we drove down to the USofA to do some shopping and touring. Will and I had 7 hours in the car together each way, so I read out loud to him. We hope to finish the book together this week so we can catch it in the theatres this weekend. It's not something that Will has ever done with a spouse, and Chris didn't want me to read to him either, so this new 'bonding thing' we've started is really sweet to me.
We went cross-country skiing with my family this past holiday, where Will and I had a while to ourselves to ski in the beautiful mountains of Waterton.
We have spent entire days in bed watching Lady Gaga serenade us to Bad Romance. *by the way, that is now Mimi's favourite song to watch on YouTube! lol*
In a month, we'll be on our way to work at the Olympic Winter Games held in Vancouver, Canada. For 2 weeks, with my Will beside me, I'll be taking in the greatness that Vancouver AND the Olympics have to offer.
We've been married for almost 4 months, or 17 weeks, or 121 days, or 2904 hours, or 174 240 minutes or 10 454 400 seconds.
But now matter how you count it, it's been nothing but a speck of time in the awesomeness that is to come. 2009 was a pretty amazing year, but 2010 ( *typing smile) is gonna be awesome!
Friday, December 11, 2009
Some Guys Have All The Luck
So, it's that time of year again.
You know, the time where you get all excited. Where you make a special trip to visit the jolly old man, take off all your clothes, and prepare for the ultimate in feeling exposed?!
You know. My yearly visit to the doctor. The routine 'maintenance and oil check, complete with dipsticks?!' I mean, although Santa may ALSO see me when I'm sleeping and awake (and showering?), I don't recall him donning latex gloves (fur covered or not) and going THAT far south.
I had my first physical/girl check-up with my new doctor. Funny, my new doctor is also my Stake President. And funnier yet, he also lives a block away. Funniest of all, I'd still prefer that doctor over my doctor from Calgary, whom I didn't particularly like AT. ALL.
So, wanna know the BEST part of this whole story? *evil laugh* hee hee hee
I also booked Will in for his first physical in years. MUAHAHAHA. WITHOUT HIS KNOWLEDGE! tee hee.
So, you'll have to find the humour when he tells me "I'm not looking forward to this, you know, some old dude putting things up my butt". HA!!!
"NO one looks FORWARD to it!", I reply, a bit of a dirty smile on my face. My heart bled for him. I've had some old dude sticking things up inside me for years. Boo hoo.
So, at the office, I did my thing. I'm laying there, in all my birthing glory, when the special light breaks. Um. awkward. While the doctor tries to fix it, I just... well.. lay there, stare at the ceiling, and, well, wait. Not like I can go anywhere. Make small talk? Somehow, "pretty cold out, eh" just seemed like a wrong thing to say at that moment. I giggle, thinking, maybe Will thought the same thing over in HIS appointment.
Now, although this whole POST is TMI, here's added info you didn't ask for: I have a difficult-to-locate cervix. Lucky me, right? So, use your imagination when I tell you that EVERY SINGLE YEAR I am not only duck-billed, but I'm VIOLATED as they poke and scoop and twist around that speculum trying to locate my inners. And, although I warned him that it was hard to find, I have to take their word for it when they tell me what it looks like; I didn't recall ASKING, but thanks for the late-breaking news flash.
So, finally, once I'm done for the year, and things that need to be tested will be tested, etc, I met up with Will, who's done his appointment right about when I am.
I, admittedly excitingly, ask him how it went 'in there'. he he he
"Was it everything you'd hoped for?" *sly smile*
He tells me that he didn't have to be man-violated.
WHAT?!
Lucky bum.
You know, the time where you get all excited. Where you make a special trip to visit the jolly old man, take off all your clothes, and prepare for the ultimate in feeling exposed?!
You know. My yearly visit to the doctor. The routine 'maintenance and oil check, complete with dipsticks?!' I mean, although Santa may ALSO see me when I'm sleeping and awake (and showering?), I don't recall him donning latex gloves (fur covered or not) and going THAT far south.
I had my first physical/girl check-up with my new doctor. Funny, my new doctor is also my Stake President. And funnier yet, he also lives a block away. Funniest of all, I'd still prefer that doctor over my doctor from Calgary, whom I didn't particularly like AT. ALL.
So, wanna know the BEST part of this whole story? *evil laugh* hee hee hee
I also booked Will in for his first physical in years. MUAHAHAHA. WITHOUT HIS KNOWLEDGE! tee hee.
So, you'll have to find the humour when he tells me "I'm not looking forward to this, you know, some old dude putting things up my butt". HA!!!
"NO one looks FORWARD to it!", I reply, a bit of a dirty smile on my face. My heart bled for him. I've had some old dude sticking things up inside me for years. Boo hoo.
So, at the office, I did my thing. I'm laying there, in all my birthing glory, when the special light breaks. Um. awkward. While the doctor tries to fix it, I just... well.. lay there, stare at the ceiling, and, well, wait. Not like I can go anywhere. Make small talk? Somehow, "pretty cold out, eh" just seemed like a wrong thing to say at that moment. I giggle, thinking, maybe Will thought the same thing over in HIS appointment.
Now, although this whole POST is TMI, here's added info you didn't ask for: I have a difficult-to-locate cervix. Lucky me, right? So, use your imagination when I tell you that EVERY SINGLE YEAR I am not only duck-billed, but I'm VIOLATED as they poke and scoop and twist around that speculum trying to locate my inners. And, although I warned him that it was hard to find, I have to take their word for it when they tell me what it looks like; I didn't recall ASKING, but thanks for the late-breaking news flash.
So, finally, once I'm done for the year, and things that need to be tested will be tested, etc, I met up with Will, who's done his appointment right about when I am.
I, admittedly excitingly, ask him how it went 'in there'. he he he
"Was it everything you'd hoped for?" *sly smile*
He tells me that he didn't have to be man-violated.
WHAT?!
Lucky bum.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Things We Do For Fun
Oh, welcome back to another tour of Mo-town. Mo-town isn't just ANY Mormon Town. Nope-- Mo-Town has a LOT to offer.
Like, free family skating. I don't even LIKE skating, and have found myself enjoying it more and more each time we go. Will loves skating, and, if I didn't know he was currently working right now, I'd expect him to be outside babying his backyard hockey rink. He's BORN for the ice. Me... not so much.
But, Bear is just like him. Heads outside in ANY weather, and wants to be JUST LIKE Will. Even cut his hair like him recently.
LL and Mimi don't skate as proficiently, but in just a few tries, Mimi will let go of his hand for a few minutes. To pick her nose, but whatever.
I personally think she just would rather skate with Daddy Will because Mom-- well, Mom isn't that helpful! :)
And Em skates well. She's USUALLY with her friends who just so happen to MAGICALLY show up (by themselves during FAMILY skate time) and distract her. Not that I hate that.
But, either way you spell it, family skate time is one of those things that us Mo's enjoy here in Mo-Town. Not because it's pretty much the ONLY thing to do, but because we actually like it.
Like, free family skating. I don't even LIKE skating, and have found myself enjoying it more and more each time we go. Will loves skating, and, if I didn't know he was currently working right now, I'd expect him to be outside babying his backyard hockey rink. He's BORN for the ice. Me... not so much.
But, Bear is just like him. Heads outside in ANY weather, and wants to be JUST LIKE Will. Even cut his hair like him recently.
LL and Mimi don't skate as proficiently, but in just a few tries, Mimi will let go of his hand for a few minutes. To pick her nose, but whatever.
I personally think she just would rather skate with Daddy Will because Mom-- well, Mom isn't that helpful! :)
And Em skates well. She's USUALLY with her friends who just so happen to MAGICALLY show up (by themselves during FAMILY skate time) and distract her. Not that I hate that.
But, either way you spell it, family skate time is one of those things that us Mo's enjoy here in Mo-Town. Not because it's pretty much the ONLY thing to do, but because we actually like it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)