Bliss, Romance, Ecstacy and a Dirty Diaper Please

Five whole years of it.

Yep. Five years ago today, I said "I do" to the love of my life. I can honestly say that too, because unlike MANY people I actually KNOW this. Thank you. I remember how nervous I was, not about marrying him, not for one second. It was about the show we had to put on, you know that is all a wedding is is just a show, in the end. I'd have NEVER pulled it off without everyone's help either. So many people, even those I never expected, did things for us from decorations, or dresses, or parties and showers to cakes and receptions and hanging things. Oh gosh I swear I could go on and on. I felt like people believed in us that much, that they did not think twice about pitching in.

I was nervous for that door to open, for Mike to see me. My hair didn't look like I wanted, damn the weather, I was freezing to death, damn the weather, and well...I'd just envisioned this moment for awhile not as long as some do, but long enough to be nervous about the moment that door opened and all eyes were on me.

You'd think as much as I enjoy being the center of attention I'd enjoy being the center of attention, but...yeah not so much. It was nerve wracking having all those eyes on me and I couldn't even look at Mike until I got there.

THe most important photograph I wanted though is one of my all time favorites. I insisted on it, I cared about no other photo as much as I cared about this one. His face, when I walked through the door. (THat is also my very most important shot to get when I am shooting a wedding, whether the bride thinks she wants it or not, she does...).

I wish I'd have had some xanax or tequila to chll the nerves out just a tiny bit. See, once I got on the platform, I thought I was going to pass out. I was mortified. I started getting really really really hot and it was actually really really really cold. My head started to swim a little, I felt woozy, I had to work at standing up straight. I remembered us watching some video show that had people fainting at their wedding and MIke said, "You do that I'll leave you there and walk off." Now of COURSE he was joking, but don't think it did not go through my mind. How EMBARRASSING would that be???? Luckily I held strong.

He had the sweetest look on his face. He was so damn smitten with me. Okay yeah me too.

It was a great day and I was very overcome with emotion. I tried really hard to let every guest to see inside our relationship and really feel our emotion. I don't know about them, but I did. ;)

Anyway I love how people would look at us when they'd ask us where we met. Not at the grocery store, not at the gym, not through a friend or at Church. We met at a.... BAR! Not just any bar, but a Country bar. Those are presumably worse for relationships right? ha! Well, I doubt either of us was looking for what we ended up with that night, but slowly (per Mike's under-zealous approach to dating) we talked when we'd see each other and by the time we got to that first date, after that one issue with someone standing someone up and I can only attribute some higher power to pushing forward to allow a second chance, we have not ever left each other's side since. Obviously less some hunting trips, girls weekends and let us not forget the times the military intervenes to cause for a short break from one another. I came to the realization that our Grandfathers had to have a hand in this. I believe that likely could have been the conversation that made Mike decide his initial impression of me was way off base and we did, indeed, have several things in common - a whole lot that was not common too of course, but that one conversation still stands out so vividly. I could think back and imagine them both up in Heaven, in their coveralls nudging us toward one another. It was time. I needed him, he needed me. When we finally got a chance to talk, it was pretty fast moving from there.

Oh fast is such an understatement where Mike and I are concerned! ha! Obviously we did not get married a month later or anything, but in the scheme of things, we certainly waste no time moving right along with life.

Our relationship grew so fast, into so much, I don't know that I've ever in my life had an ounce of such an infestation of butterflies. He made my heart swell so often. Okay he still does. ha!

In five years time, we've gotten married, gotten pregnant a few months later and had a baby and then shockingly added another one just 22 months later, sold our house, moved to Merkel to that (shudder) house. We've lost loved ones, we've gained new friends, we've been separated for months, started businesses, changed vehicles, gone through our own personal tragedies and grown together as one damn fine family. Recently we've uprooted ourselves and move across the ocean to the other side of the world. I hear so often how that makes people grow apart, many have a hard time being somewhere foreign, away from their friends and family however, we have gotten closer. To be honest once the boys got here we didn't really have any time together at all. Mike worked two jobs while I was at home with the boys and trying to work my one job from home with the enormous job of keeping up with two small boys. Anytime Mike was able to be home, I had to go out and shoot and then I'd be up until the weeeee hours of the morning working while he slept. This is how we went on for a long long time. We might see him at lunch and on the weekends some, but that was about it. This whole FAMILY TOGETHER thing was just beyond our reach. Shortly before we left, I was still not sleeping and working as much as I could around the boys, but Mike went down to one job finally, which called for me to work even more. We wanted him WITH us though. So at least he got to spend some more time with the boys and we did get a good deal more time together than before, albeit it broken into bits but it was better than nothing.

Coming over here, I am not working yet (just trying to finish up some unfinished business) and Mike only has his one job. His new position does call for a lot more hours but we are still together an awful lot and that is what we wanted so badly. I get to see my husband. I get to hear him and the boys wrestling and giggling all the time. The boys wait at the window most days for Daddy to show up knowing there will soon be a wrestling match or tickle fest taking place. They eat it up. Our weekends are all ours. We try to go do things outside as much as we can. We're planning trips and vacations (holidays) as a family. It is blissful.

Mike has been a wonderful thing for me. He is such a gentle soul, too gentle sometimes. He handles my "rough" nature very well most of the time and is patient and understanding when I am not -- vice versa. We are so very very different, but in most cases we compliment each others differences. Not to say that he doesn't drive me out of my mind half the time and I can only imagine how much I drive him nuts too. He appreciates my weirdness and I appreciate his silliness. I find it refreshing to be around someone who honestly has no idea how awful some people can be, how dark the rest of the world is. It is like we live in this sunny little patch of life and while there are definitely rainy days - there is a bubble where no evil can ever enter again. It is sort of a safety net for me, that I am never reminded of things that I used to have to be reminded of all the time. At the same time, I would do anything and everything in my power, to keep him from knowing those things, or seeing it. I think some folks might sometimes misconstrue what I say when I say that, but if you grew up like me and you marry someone that grew up like Mike - then you would understand. While I certainly cannot relate to his childhood and he most definitely cannot relate to mine - we try very hard to take into consideration our very different beginnings and make them into one hell of an ending.

I think back and remember how there was no way on earth I'd have ever in a million years foreseen my future going this way. Not at all. Is it what I expected that night I met him? Ha, far from it! I figured we'd date for a few months, go on about our separate business. I'd go on and move to Austin and he'd find himself a nice wholesome girl and get married and have lots of babies.

Well... I did move out of Abilene, he did marry himself a girl, wholesome isn't really any sort of word to use to describe me and we met in the middle on the babies. You certainly can't ever ever know where you'll be in a day, much less five years down the road. I'd never take back one second of it though. There are far too many women standing at the door waiting for me to croak! ha! I swear I don't believe I've ever heard so many of my dear loved ones, family and friends say that if I didn't work out, they love me and all but they'd be beating down his door. I suppose I should stay on my toes then.

I definitely got a good one. How I lucked out, well I'll just never know. He gives me something I only ever dreamt of, something I never ever knew was real. I just thought it was something people made up for songs and movies. I'll be damned, it IS real and somehow it smacked me in the forehead. So for once, I pulled my head out of my butt and snatched it up.

I've got that guy that, yeah...he leaves his dirty clothes on the floor and repeats the same story to me still to this day that he's told me 30 times. He also filled my heart back up when it was nearing the proverbial "E". He showed me another side of the world, where people are genuine and where they really DO love you...genuinely. There is no agenda - just the genuine article.

I'm a dork and you know that song by Keith Urban? "I Wanna Be Your Everything"?

I can specifically remember listening to that song and thinking there was NO SUCH thing as a man that wanted that. I remember praying sometimes, to find that, to just know that in my life, just for awhile even. I met him and I KNEW he was it. He was that guy from that song, the one for me. The one who really thought those things.

Still to this day, on just this evening, he hugged me for a moment and it was just as great, as the one I got when he came home from his first deployment away from me. It is still just as comforting and fulfilling now as it was way back then. I just don't feel as small in his arms as I once did, but hey I guess it can't ALL be perfect right? OH well.

Oh and P.S. my dirty clothes are probably laying right on top of his. However, since they are ON his, they are not technically ON the floor. Gotta word these things right!

Shortly after our engagement, which incidentally happened just shortly after his return from deployment.
One of our engagement photos - courtesy of Bandi Jones

One on the fateful evening, some five years ago today. Man...we've aged a lot awfully fast! ha



hahaha. This one just cracks my ass up. My first skiing trip. Or, as Mike calls it I think... The ski trip of Mike's nightmares. Hey, I wasn't THAT bad, I'm inventive to say the least. I now know my place is in the warm by the fire with hot cocoa. It is where I shall stay unless someone wants to buy me a snowmobile. hehe. I wanted real snow, I got it. Some blizzard blew in while we were up there on the mountain, well it seemed like a blizzard anyway.

It was fun and then I wound up pregnant a few weeks later. How'd THAT happen?

Bliss, Ecstacy, Romance and a Dirty Diaper Please

Five years ago today a door opened and from the cold outside where I stood with my Dad, I looked into a vast room warm and full of loving smiling faces. At the other side of this room stood the other side of my heart. The sweetest look I'd ever seen, smiling at me (I think I even saw his chest puffed out). At the end of this aisle, was my prize. I'd gone through all of the obstacles and through the trials, tribulations and losses. I'd done it all, I'd come out on top, victorious. Here was the ending of that life and the beginning of the new one. A re-birth. Looking back now, as I had cursed the weather for messing up my hair, making my freeze to death with my LITERAL cold feet, and thanking everyone that came out on that weather miserable evening to witness this event. It was like the award ceremony at the end of the season, the inauguration for the new President. It was my entry into happiness.

I can see now, that the weather, can metaphorically represent my past and the heart aches I'd been through. The awfulness that was my life, I stood there in the cold with my sister and my Dad, holding their hands and this door opened, to warmth, light and love. I was nearly frozen solid by nervousness, my gosh when have I ever had such stage fright? Hated being the center of attention? but I was actually kind of petrified for a moment and wanted to just run to the front so that everyone was at least looking at BOTH of us and not me alone.

I can still to this day, remember that look on his face, it makes my heart thump a few beats faster. No one has ever looked at me that way. Never. No one ever will again. That is a look I can only get from him.

Can anyone else just LOOK at someone, and let them know that they are so loved, forever safe, comforted, supported and always theirs to love? I get that from him, still. I catch him once in awhile when he doesn't realize it, and I am getting that look. Is there anything that can make you feel more special? Even after all this time? It means so much to me, to see him out of the corner of my eye looking at me that way.

I felt as though our wedding night was a huge celebration of life, love and future. It was celebrated and witnessed by so many people. So many people came together to help us put it together, to see us, to wish us well and let us know how happy they were for us. I never expected such a turn out, I've always felt like there was a special hand over the church that night. In that tiny town in the middle of nowhere Texas, on a cold, foggy rainy November night, so many made their way out through the awful weather to be there with us. Inside there was warm light, warm hearts and just a glow of happiness. It is almost dream-like now. The day itself was a whirlwind and never would have come together had it not been for SO many others. A few folks in specific of course! I could never pull anything like that off alone.

How little we knew that the whirlwind would never stop. Fast paced is an extreme understatement where Mike and I are concerned. Very much so. A few months after our blissful evening we found out our house would now be four, not me, him and the dog. We were blessed with our sweet little boy just 13 months after our wedding and much to our surprise, our second little bundle of wildness wrapped up in a beautiful baby boy a mere 22 months later.

In the grand scheme of things, when you sit and put 5 years on a piece of paper, it honestly is not that long. Five years and we've gotten married, had two babies, sold our home, moved to Merkel and then on to England! Who knows where on earth the next 5 years will take us, but I know I will not be bored.

We have been blessed. So very blessed from the first moment we met. Um, the OFFICIAL meeting, not the one someone swears took place before. hahaa!

Oh and where did this bliss begin? I love telling people this, because I love the line, "You can never meet anyone there." Well, I did. I am sure we're a special case but I'll take it. It was not the grocery store, not the gym, not even through a friend or at church and no, not online either. We met at a BAR! Not just any bar, but a Country bar because those are presumably worse for dramatic high class relationships right? (Think Urban Cowboy).

I'll never be convinced otherwise that there weren't a couple of worn callused hands working magic from above. See Mike was under one impression of me, but we began talking anyway, we went on a date, after someone stood someone up and beyond all reasoning a second chance was given. On our first date, I think the conversation that really got things rolling, was that of our Grandfathers. The similarities were uncanny and we'd both lost them to prostate cancer within a couple of years of one another. So I could only look back and imagine them walking about, whistling a diddy in their coveralls making sure we found each other and moved on together. From that one date, things grew insanely fast, so fast it was scary. Too good to be true, but sometimes I think he is. Just too good to happen to me, yet here he is, happening to me as are those amazing little boys. Every single day, they happen. The one that looks like me and the one that looks like him. The one that acts like him... (oh help me please!) and the one that well, just acts like himself with too many of my personality traits.

We are so different but compliment each other in just the right ways. We drive each other absolutely insane with nit picky little things but we laugh about it. We honestly never fight. We argue, we get a little huffy sometimes (i.e. I get pissy) but we've never screamed, called names, screeched the tires driving away in anger. Nothing.

I complain about his laundry or inability to find the garbage can right beneath the counter where he sat that trash. He complains about my incessant shedding of hair, how am I not bald seriously??? That's about the extent of it. Nothing that two people that live together wouldn't get annoyed with. We don't get enough time alone together, we're just now getting time as a family together.

It is awesome and amazing and I feel...what's that? Yeah I'll say it again. Blessed.

I am indeed blessed to have found the love of my life, to marry him and have babies and make a life.

"I've waited all night for this moment

To watch the day kiss the darkness goodbye

And I barely remember falling asleep

But the minute I opened my eyes

Every dream comes true

When I look at you

I see heaven

I see an angel

Lying here next to me

Bringing out the best in me

Hearts entangled

Wrapped in forever

This close together

Me holding you,you holding me

You opened my eyes,baby

I see,heaven"

Emerson Drive

So, I raise my imaginary glass and toast to us. Is that arrogant? To another amazing five years! Who knows what on earth we'll get ourselves into with that much time, but I'm sure interested in finding out!

I love you baby. Thank you so much for finding the other side of me that got lost such a long time ago. I am so lucky to have you and thank my lucky stars always for the day we finally got together and had square dominoes pizza, great conversation and a Kevin Costner movie.

(Now dear Lord! Someone fly over here and babysit so we can go on a date!!!!!!!!!!).

hahahaha!

Okay but seriously

I actually started to blog to post more photos, but then I got off on my tangent and it was just silly to add photos to it. Not to mention, I spent too much time ranting about absolutely nothing to delete it too.

So... now I don't even remember what all I have to load. ha!

Oh okay, now I remember! Geeeez.

This past weekend, we decided to go into Norwich, I've been dying to go, I've heard the shopping was killer - not that I had 10 pence to spend (hehe) but we just wanted to go. We had intentions of finding the castle ruins and having a picnic there. Well... wouldn't ya know, that TomTom has suddenly gone completely stupid on us and can find nothing further than the TOWN. Who's idea was it to name it after a guy? I mean for REAL, think about it? So we could NOT find anything. The boys were asleep, so we basically drove around a little bit and headed back home. Sad huh? Well, perhaps but Mike took the back way and scenic is just an understatement. I tried to take some shots of the landscape to share, but as I've mentioned before I am REALLY lame at landscape shots! REALLY lame. I have absolutely no future in stock photography. I will never be Aimee Ansel Adams. Not happenin. It is okay, while it is hard for me not to be awesome at EVERYTHING, I suppose I can take a hit once in awhile. My ego still stands strong. ;)

Anyway. Here. haha. It is rare so far, at least where we live to find anywhere you can SEE for very far. There are 8 foot tall hedges EVERYWHERE! It is evil and makes a claustrophobic person feel really really cramped and add to that night blind and it is ten times darker outside too. Regardless, you have no clue what is out there and you are damned if you want to take a photo of the English Countryside to share with your friends and family online!!!!!! Argh!

However, on this route, there were fields with no hedges, just open rolling fields with lovely little villages off in the distance and then on the way home, that sweeeeet light fell across everything between the cloud cover. If only I'd have had an engaged couple or wedding party or teenager there needing a photo session. THEN it would've rocked! ha!

Somewhere between here and there. I can't even name the village we were in, or the one we're looking at in the distance. (That you can't actually see anyway).

Is it weird to pull off on the side road, not paying a bit of attention, on a whim and find yourself standing on Milestone Lane? Does it MEAN something? Hmmm....

Ugh. I swear. I suck.

I just thought this was cool because of the clouds. THey looked like they were rolling right out of the ground.

This, well it is just a very English looking house. haha

It was so dense and misty and it really does do neat things with the light every direction you turn

Some English Countryside Bovine

So, on our way home, of course the boys are awake by then, Kade is upset because we did not get to see a castle and we're driving through bits and pieces of forest so he keeps asking if we are going to go to the forest. He loves it. So, just short of our house is a little spot that we've never stopped in. As you get out of the car, and walk in there is a 3 way split. There are 3 different trails to choose from.

Trail #1 nice, easy and open.

Trail #2 still open and easy looking, but perhaps a little more dense.

Trail #3 very dense forest and obviously pretty rough.

My little man got to choose and he chose trail #3! THAT'S MY BOY! Mr. Nature.

So, perhaps my landscape shots are pitiful, but hey...at least I can shoot some good fungi right? *sigh*

This is what it looks like when you let Kade loose in the outdoors. He LOVES it!

Brave as he can be...

Even though around every tree, shrub or leaf pile, there could be monsters. He's sure of it.

We're brave though because it is just too much fun to NOT go into the forest! Monsters or not!

On our way to school Monday. That is the day that Kade goes and Co stays with me. (He's wearing CODY'S sweater here...)

So, while Kade was at school, Co and I went to Thetford to the towne centre to get Kade his prize for doing so good with his recent potty issues. We also had to search for some hats and gloves because my boys are COLD! (Not that Cody will let a pair of gloves anywhere near him...)

The spot where I park to go in is pretty neat. There is a river running through and a 3 way bridge. One part goes to the parking area, the other one to a park and the other to the shopping area. Opposite the car park is this park. Mike and I had lunch there on our adults only day and since them it has simply DROPPED a ton of giant leaves everywhere. So after our hurried shopping, we went to the park for a look around.

He wasn't so sure he wanted to play with the leaves rather than go jump in the river and chase ducks, geese and swans.

"Wook! Wook MOMMY! A WEEF!!!"

Then he's done with me. You can start to see a trend eventually...

Wading through the ocean of giant leaves.

His shy photo pose.

Oh, that is..."I'm TWO and I WANT TO GO TO McDONALDS!!! YOU SAID McDONALDS!!! STOP TAKING MY PICTURE IN THE LEAVES AND TAKE ME FOR MY FREAKIN HAPPY MEAL ALREADY!!!!!".

In case you can't tell, that is not a look of love, it is pissed off. It is the fact that I MENTIONED McDonald's and it is not there in front of us magically.

And then the farce. The, "I'm up and not screaming my head off. I am fine Mommy, let's take our time and walk to the car and you will be oblivious to the fact, that I am going to have a full grown COW when you try to put me in the car. I will throw my hat on the ground and run away from you and then flop on the nasty ground in the parking area in front of the public restrooms and roll around on the wet disgusting asphalt screaming my head off. Then when you pick me up kicking and screaming, I will slap you a few times and rip up all the giant leaves you collected for Kade and I to do crafts on at home. Good luck finding your keys in all of this..."

This is a pretty house on the other side of the little river in the pretty little park with the pretty little orange tree.

Cody running away from me. Just the other side of THOSE trees is a ROARING river, where water from somewhere drains from under the bridge and it is absolutely huge and ROARING! Yeah. Kid gives me 10 heart attacks a day.

More weird stuff growing from the ground that looks better than any landscape shot.

Oh look...Cody running away from me again. Toward the bridge over the ROARING water.

Okay, and this goose just had the SWEETEST little eyes. There are several up by the big bridge, but this small bridge back behind everything is pretty quiet. This goose and one other were there and it was just so sweet, patiently floating beneath us waiting for some morsel that I just didn't have. Poor thing. Isn't it just cute? Also, there are LOADS of Canadian geese here, is that weird?

That concludes my manic blogging for the day. I swear there has to be an easier way to load photos to this blog. I need to research.

Have a great Hump Day!!!

I wish I were a REAL crunchy granola bar

Well...how is everyone doing in the post-voting euphoria? I have no comment about voting. I'm disappointed. Not about our President elect, but my voting issues. Very disappointed. Not as disappointed as I'd be if it had been Hilary though. Granted, I'd have been rallying and talking her up, sorry but she was the best candidate in my opinion and NO not because I'm a feminine feminist, THANK YOU. I do have more substance than that! Ah well. I have yet to understand though why so many, like basically EVERYONE I heard from said they were not overly happy with either candidate, so then WHY wasn't Hilary up there instead????
Maybe next time love...maybe next time, you just keep your chin up girl! haha
No seriously, I hope everyone was able to vote and do their part. I honestly don't have super strong feelings one way or the other. I'm too new to all of this. WHAT??? Yes, I am 30 years old and I'm new to it. I'm trying to sort of "grow up" if that is what you want to call it. Politics and me are not all that great of friends. Just not. I'm a damn hippie. I swear I'd grow my own food, make my own electricity and sew my own clothes if I knew how. haha! That would show the over sized companies a thing or two! Yeah? You want to live in your mansion and scoff at those less "fortunate" than you? While your overpriced utilities and oil puts people out of their homes? Yeah well I just won't buy it! Because MY measly little bill would hurt SO BAD! Well, it would make ME feel better anyway. ha!
If I weren't so lazy, I'd be all sorts of crunchy. Well... except for food. There are some processed foods I simply can't survive without. Namely...the heavenly process of reese's peanut butter cups and dr. pepper. I could live on it, I have lived on it. It is sorta healthy-ish. There's some dairy and some water and some protein and stuff....
Okay and my children would attend school and get medications at the dr. and I'd still own a car albeit a hybrid no doubt! :)
Anyway. That is just me on the inside, the outside me is just too damn lazy and otherwise invested in day to day life to put so much effort forth on the downing of big business and antibiotics in my milk and the slaughter of defenseless animals. I had a small stint as a vegetarian, but with all of my food allergies, it is just too limiting for me. So then I only ate white meat, which I still don't eat much in the way of red meat, but...then I think if you were to ever go and WORK cattle, you'd see how limitlessly STUPID they are and no matter how much you wanted to protect and cuddle them, their stupidity would piss you off so much you'd sit down and have a steak right there.
Seriously. They are SO DUMB it annoyed me enough to go out and EAT one of them. I'd leave smelling to high heaven and go order myself a big ol' steak. Regardless, as far as meat goes, chicken is my main staple and I really do NOT want to hear about the treatment of chickens and the conditions etc...
I will put my fingers in my ears and start off with an unending version of "Laaaalalalala- LALALALALALA-lalalalalalala!!!".
I can do it for days. I feind ignorance so I can EAT SOMETHING okay?!?!?!
NOw leave me alone. Oh...and your tofu is nasty. Your hummus has olive oil in it, which I can't eat and apparently I'm allergic to soy milk also, oh and seriously...granola???? Ick. I love finding that stuff out the hard way.
Hmmm.
Weird pointless tangent anyone???? The kids are at school and I should be doing something else instead I sit here with too much time on my hands so that I may rant about things I really don't put forth the effort to do. I suppose this would be a good time to SHUT UP!

:)

Things that make your heart swell

Just a quickie because it is um, really late and I should be in bed, but you know how it goes.
I was gonna do another full posting, WOW! Two in one day with photos and all? However, I've spent so much time pretending I know what I'm doing working on this computer that I'm up too late and about to fall over.
I just HAD to add though, one of those sweet out of nowhere things that comes out of an almost (NOT YET!) 4 year old's mouth.
It wasn't even directed at me, but it was just so precious...


We were all in the living room and I was dressing Kade in his pj's and he looks at Mike then back to me and says, "My Dad, that's my Dad. He's incredible."
I said, "Well yes he is. That is so sweet Kade!"
He says, "Dad...you're incredible. You are my hero."
Awwww tell me that did not make Mike's Daddy ego just explode! :)
Mike says stuff back to him and Kade says again.
"My Daddy, he's my hero. Daddy, you know you're my hero?"
Awwwwwwww.
So sweet that boy.


Who knows where it came from, what he was thinking, what brought it up. It was just precious though. He might be a Mama's boy, but he sure does love that Daddy of his... He's got a great one though, so it's no wonder. :)

However, sometimes he might not express it in quite the same loving manner.

(he was really just showing Daddy his boo-boo but we're deranged and kept making him show it so I could take a picture of him innocently and unknowingly giving his Dad the bird). haha

Although come to think of it, he seems to get an awful lot of boo-boos on that middle finger and none of the others, or he doesn't seem to care about those other fingers. Hmmm...perhaps it is not so innocent??? ha! Perhaps Mike and I are not discreet enough when we jokingly flip each other off sometimes. Let's hope that it is just an odd coincidence of middle finger boo-boos and nothing more. :)

3 British Peacocks, 2 Turtle Doves and a Hedge Hog in a cut down TREEEEE.....

Well, two out of three isn't bad.
Seriously. It is crazy. I'm bewildered by some of the free roaming animals here. It doesn't bug me at all, I find it really interesting and sort of exciting actually. I need to find a spot where I can get pictures of these mini-deer and of course, the giant moose that are confused thinking they are deer. Then there's the male pheasant that hangs out around here, usually chillin with the male peacocks. This whole peacock thing is just odd to me. ALL the dudes hang out together and all the hens tend to stick near each other, but when they hang out, they ALWAYS fight. I mean for real. There are at least 3 different hens with chicks and if more than one set happens to be in the yard at once, they are bitching and fighting with each other. Ugh. Chick drama...

So I've wondered, but as of this morning, it is official. I have spoiled the peacocks. I really thought it was just their normal routine to make their way through our yard in the mornings looking for morsels of bread I might have tossed out or some fresh bugs etc... There is one male, unfortunately no matter how hard I try you cannot tell them apart so I can't name them and it drives me insane, that I think is the same one and I call him "nosey" b/c he is just that. He's always looking in the windows! Tell me it wouldn't scare the crap out of you to walk in the bathroom and there is a big ass peacock standing there staring at you...especially when it is on the 2nd story!
So this morning, the boys are having breakfast and I am standing against the counter watching them and visiting with them. I notice that the hens have made their way in the yard for their morning inspection. THey make their way up on the patio and nose around, pecking about here and there. Not paying attention I look again and there the three of them stand. Staring at me through the door. Just...staring. Waiting. "Bitch...where's the damn bread at???? We're hungry!". So, of course, i went over and got them the rock hard remains of our french bread and tossed it out. They stayed out for about an hour devouring it. JUst as happy as their little peacock selves could be and went on their merry way.
Now, is it going to end up being some creepy thing and I have peacocks at every window in the mornings, staring, waiting... Stephen King, I think I've got your next book idea!
Spoiled peacocks. Leave it to me.

So then let me add still yet another animal. I had no idea that hedgehogs ran wild here. I saw a few odd "things" dead on the road that looked very much like a hedgehog but nah.... Those things were a hot commodity in the states here a few years back. At least until I think everyone figured out they were nocturnal so not much fun to watch and overall pretty boring. I'm sure if not for the numerous predators in Texas, there would be an over-abundance of wild hedgehogs there as well.
Anyway, I asked Mike and he said they were indeed plentiful around here. I guess they come around more as it cools off. You notice the road kills changes rapidly here. It went from nothing to tons of pheasant and now hedge hog. I'm afraid to know what will be next on the list. I'm not morbid at all.
Anyway. Night before last I went downstairs to close up shop and have a last smoke for the evening. (Hush...I guilt myself enough for it thanks though). I shut the garage door and a disgusting nasty cat was in there. Scared the hell out of me too. Blech! Seriously those things need to be kept inside or chained up or something. Yeah they do gross me out more than anything, but... have you ever seen (speaking of) that Stephen King movie with the cats? They freak me out too to be honest. I never understand people being afraid of horses, I mean how much sweeter of an animal is there? Cats though... how are people NOT freaked out by them? All staring and licking their chops, just waiting for the right opportunity to gang up on humans and try to take over. Creepy damn things.
ANYWAY, I then stepped out the back and there was a bag for the recycle bin just out the door. I heard rustling and thought it was another damn cat, so armed with a broom I got out, but...there is nothing there? Yeah, see? Creepy! I hear it some more and suddenly around the corner comes this fat little hedge hog. Completely oblivous to me being there. So I ran in to get my phone because seriously, how damn exciting is it to have a WILD hedge hog come up on your patio at midnight??? However, that did not work because it was too dark to SEE where to take the picture at.

Well...yes, of COURSE I ran up three stories to get my camera, that little fat fart was fast! Let me tell you they might appear slow, but they are not. They are the cheetah of the little critter world apparently! I thought I lost him, but armed with my huge camera, a flashlight and traipsing around at midnight in my foggy pitch black soaking wet backyard in my socks...I found him again!
He was not too happy with me for shining a light on him, much less the camera flash but most certainly not when I tried to get him to move so I could get a better shot of him. Geez, if only he knew it was his modeling debut, he was being shot by a pro and he'd be seen worldwide. Silly animal!
Well...he was finally so scared he had all his little pricklies up and his eyes shut tight, so I thought I'd be nice and leave him be...not to mention it was pretty damn cold out there in my jammies and wet socks. ha!
The words of my cousin so very long ago to me, as she caught me cutting up worms came to mind and I heard her voice once again saying something like, "Aimee, how would YOU like it if some giant was shining a big light in your sensitive eyes and nudging you with their foot and shooting off that bright flash at YOU? You wouldn't, you'd be scared..."
Ha! Yeah I was like 5 or so when she gave me the speech about the poor sectioned off worms. However, it stuck with me and is where I learned...empathy. Oh quit freakin laughing and the rest of you that's what you get for taking a drink when you read my humorous antics, now wipe off the computer screen before you blow it up.

P.S. I think I should work on finding a new word to begin paragraphs with. This whole blogging thing has led me to realize how badly I need to go back to 5th grade language class.

Ya know...life IS good.

Ah...it is one of those days. I feel better. After an adorable evening last night with my adorable little Mr. Incredibles, a good night's sleep, a nice laid back day around the house less the never ending laundry (damn this tiny washer!!!), and a lead into a lovely relaxed evening. I am letting my mind swim lazily around and thinking on all of the great things.
Someone had made a comment one day about a bottle of wine. It was a 2007 bottle and they jokingly said, "It was a good year..." to which I thought, "No, it wasn't at all actually. It was one of the worst years of my life, which isn't say much nice about it."
Now I can look at 2008, it is drawing closer to an end and even though some major things have happened in our lives and in the lives of some of my most loved ones...good and bad, it has still been pretty damn good.
My boys are finally starting to get a better grip and acting a lot better making my days much better i.e. MOMMY has got a better grip (thanks to a lengthy discussion with my fellow almost 4 year old moms) and is dealing with the preschooler/toddler-preschooler bit so much better and much more calmly. FINALLY.
I am much more calm. I think, even though we were in our home and "settled" we still were not settled. We're still not in many respects, but Mike is getting more settled in at work and into the routine there, I'm sure that has to be a bit to get used to, especially with all the new responsibilities he's taking on with his new status with rank etc... The boys are getting into the groove, I am sure I am sort of. ha!
I have been a little more in the mood to talk on the phone, which you know is something I LOATHE, but I miss my people and I do love y'all so I guess I'll talk on the phone...
The other day I got to talk to Kris and she did something I didn't think she'd do in a million years, that made her feel good, thus making me feel good. Happy for her and hope she keeps it up! I talked to my sister and Ben is having a better time in school, Ally is doing fantastic in school and Heather well...she made it out of her wreck without a scratch and is safe and sound albeit on foot....again. (I can't help but give her a hard time now.)
I've heard that Renfro (yeah a nickname. hehe) is doing awesome at football and of course Ash is doing great and Shea and Bo talked to Kade on the phone the other day, he was so excited about that.
I've gotten to talk to Frankie more via online b/c well she's laying around being lazy at home for a few days.
Frankie? Well, I won't say she's being lazy. I could never say that, with five kids I doubt that is possible anyway. She's awesome, I should update y'all on the status since I know several of you are aware of what was going on there.
The baby is HERE! Let me just say that Frank can grow some BIG healthy babies! haha! I don't think hers were that big even?!?! Anyway, Baby M made her arrival on Wednesday and weighed in at 9lbs 13oz and 21.5" long!!!! I was, as you likely know, SUPPOSED to be there to shoot the maternity and then back for the birth. So sad I missed it all! However I did get to see a few pics from the hospital and oh man...the looks on Mom and Dad's faces was enough to make anyone's heart swell! Frankie did one very amazing thing! Everyone was doing so good they were out of the hospital in less than 24 hours! So M and K are at home with their brand new baby girl and Frankie is now home probably chugging some beer! So proud to call her my friend. Selfless, loving and just giving. Giving is such an understatement, that gal's got one huge huge heart.
(If you might possibly be confused one of my very best friend's was a surrogate for her friends).

Tracy gave me a great report and update on her Mama. As of right now, there is NO TUMOR! So she has been living well and getting out and enjoying life, as she well should and her scan was totally clear this last time! Thank God!

Then today I spoke to Jayne. I read some of her blog updates and it was so touching, thanks for being so open J! ha! I know it is difficult. I just needed to SPEAK to her though after reading, so I got to chat with her on the phone. SHe sounded great! I went from thinking back to that call I got at almost midnight a few months ago, that sickening call... to hearing her today and it was so great to hear her sound so good. I think a big part of me has been in Houston for a few months just sitting there with them. It is the only way I could be there with them, and I desperately wanted to just BE there but it was not possible. If I were still in Texas, I'd be in Houston right this moment actually. Tonight is the benefit for Emma and I am so thankful that there are people there working so hard for them and doing so much. Praying for an enormous turn out and lots of generous people. (Get em drunk! People always get more generous when they're hammered!). No, the report on Em was pretty darn good. NOt the MOST PERFECT NEWS EVER, but certainly not bad at all.
She got the results back from her MRI and there was a small spot still, but it was not where the tumor was, it was a little bit lower down and they feel it is just some blood debris, a blood clot or scar tissue left over from the surgery. They will, of course, watch it closely but its a wonderful sign! Especially after one round of treatment. THere is a big update on her blog, if you would like to view it.
I guess, as it all starts to unfold, there really has been a ton of stuff on my mind for awhile. All those things though, seem to be letting up on those I love some. As everybody in the world it seems like, is beginning to fall on hard times, it's even rough over here too, there is still so much to be thankful for.

This evening though... it is cold out and pouring rain, we are warm in our lovely home. Our bellies are full. There is a roaring fire in our fireplace. My children are happily devouring Halloween candy on a huge blanket I laid out in the living room. My husband is kicking back with a cup of coffee praying that I can figure out SOME way for him to watch the Longhorns play! I am sure it is killing him to miss this season! I'm missing getting to watch too, especially since some Quarterback decided to pull his head out of his derriere this year!

So you see...while in general I am an optimist in a pessimist's clothing, I do sometimes like to come out of the closet and share the greatness that is...living. I have to be thankful and say thanks that things I prayed for, have been answered. Obviously that does not often happen, but man in these cases...I was really hoping to get a thumbs up this time. Phew!

Anyway, pretty good reports all around. It sounds like just about everyone is doing great and that is a big relief for me. :)

Love to all...I've got to get this figured out for my Mikey! He'd be one HAPPY camper if he got to see his boys play in the morning.