Was Gonna Make a Joke . . . Oh Well

About the time you have stuff figured out . . . or you think you do . . . life, that is . . . something will shift, circumstantially or in your perspective of a circumstance.

I can’t figure out if these little shifts are good or bad.

Kind of like certain vegetables . . . yeah, not my favorite but the nutrients and minerals they contain are the seller.

Perhaps these shifts in life . . . change and unforeseeable roadblocks a long the way . . . are to remind us we don’t control our tiny little spheres of life; not one iota of it.

I read an article in the local paper just yesterday about a 2 year old little girl running along with her 13 year old sister in the back part of the apartment parking lot . . . they were on their way to start laundry.  A big Ford truck hit that little girl, killed her instantly, and drove off without hesitation.

Random.

Uncontrollable.

My boys, if they are fast enough, get out the door at times and are doing circles around our car before I can even blink.  I’ve pulled them out of our parking lot a dozen times or more . . . disciplined them . . . lectured them on the dangers of doing such . . . that 2 year old’s fate could easily be my boys.

The stuff I see shifting in our lives doesn’t even come close in comparison to what that girl’s momma’s facing right now, in the way of grief and doubt . . . not even close.

But I’m looking to God, something I should of be doing all along but life gets like that sometimes. Its gotta be His will.  Not to sound like a weirdo . . . but my idea of success is not money, houses and cars . . . my idea of success lies more in the region of the heart and the condition of the soul.  HE does know best and I trust Him with our destiny right now.

Thanks To Be Giving

I look back over the past year and it melds easily into the year prior.  I look at photos of Samuel when we first moved here to Salem, in 2007.  He was a baby, bald and beautiful and quickly learning how to walk and take over my heart.

I see the faithfulness of my God in our lives.  His protection, His grace, His love and abiding mercy blow me away . . . even when I prove so unfaithful, He still loves me . . . still accepts me back with loving arms.

Sometimes I lose focus of the good and zero in on the negative.  I find myself pitying my position and lack of moola that the school regime has left us in until Justin is done.  But, in reality, we are on the best ride ever!  My husband is not stuck in a wood mill . . . but is persueing, oh so diligently, a better future for himself and our family.

My boys are growing robust and inquisitive . . . full of life and questions.  I don’t dare take credit for their well-being . . . that thanks goes to God and His amazing grace.

So, here I am, standing on the brink of another Thanksgiving holiday and I’m in tears with gratitude to God and the graciousness of family and friends that has, and is, seeing us through this era of our lives.  I, everyday, learn to be more generous . . . more forgiving . . . more willing to give the benefit of the doubt; slower to judge.  And that is due to the example thats I’ve witnessed towards us.

Thank you, God!

Thankful to family and friends . . . you know who you are!

God bless your holiday and weekend spent with family and friends!!

HollyDaiz

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again . . . I can’t believe its Thanksgiving, again.  Didn’t we just take the down the Christmas tree from ‘08 and throwing out the boxes and wrappings?  . . . Saying good bye to family members that we didn’t know when we’d see again . . . probably the next year.  Sad.

And, tada, it is next year and I get to see so much of my family this year . . . happy!

Tomorrow evening . . . God willing . . . we will depart Salemland and head to the Tri-Cities in WA, where my parents now reside. Approximately half the siblings and their significant others will be present.  Yay!

So thats the excitement of the moment.

I don’t know there the cord is to this ‘puter . . . and its about to go dead . . . so see ya . . . I’ll write more on our return.

Blessings on your holiday weekend!!!!

More Rambling

Its Friday, if you weren’t aware.  Most people are.  I remember making a huge deal about fridays when I actually had a reason to look forward to one particular day that would be the last day of “work” and then two days of “not working”.  Life was surely simple at one time.  Ten years from now I’m gonna look back on these past few years and think “wow, that was sure a simple time.”

Maybe not.

But still . . . easier to look back and see the simplicity than find simplicity in the present.

At least for me.

I woke up this morning to Tob crawling into bed . . . his ice cold feet being the first thing to draw me from the depths of dreamland in to the early morning now. ugh. He curled up and was quiet for all of 2 minutes . . . then his hand was a spider crawling over my face and then he asked to eat breakfast . . . “get up get up, breakfast time!”

No noise from Sam . . . he was still sleeping.  Angel child of mine.

Finally . . . after it was confirmed he could eat cereal for breakfast and watch Wally sometime today, I gave up trying to sneak a few extra winks and got up . . . bleery eyed and EXHAUSTED.

This has been happening a lot the last few weeks, a month maybe.  Just downright tired when I crawl out of bed.  I blame being under the weather and having my teeth pulled in the middle of being ill . . . just trying to recuperate, I believe.

Can someone fill in for me til I feel better?  . . . That’d be great. Thanks.

But . . . no, no one is coming, are they?

I just sat around after making breakfast . . . making breakfast, thats a laugh.  Pouring bowls of cereal and adding milk . . . hard job, it is. Actually keeping the cereal coming as fast as they can devour it is the hard part.  When did they start putting away so much food??!!

Anyway . . . just sat around trying to get the drive to be active and productive and all that.  Finally got my butt up and decided a workout was in order.  I managed to dress the boys, pack, load them up and get to the Kroc Center by 10:45am.  Not bad.

I thought Tob was gonna have a conniption fit over not getting to swim right away.  Instead I put both boys in child care, which they were both very excited about (weird), and went and worked out.  I guess I should of worked out longer cuz Tob was totally not ready to go when I came to get them for swimming.

Kind of weirded me out really.

So that was our morning this morning.  Now I have a diaper full of housework to do and I kind of want to nap.  That is unfortunate . . . the working out didn’t make me feel any more awake.  But we enjoyed ourselves.

Now the boys are sleeping soundly and I’m wasting even more time on here . . . I win!

Justin is at his clinical at Meridian Hospital, here in Salem, today.  I believe he’s with the respiratory therapist.  He was in the OR on Tuesday . . . he was putting the tubing stuff they use in the patient’s throats for operations, doing IV’s, administering drugs and all sorts of stuff. Wait a minute . . . maybe I should of gone to school for this stuff. Nah, I’m to air-brained.  I don’t want my spaciness to truly kill anyone. I make him tell me everything he did and saw when he comes home from these things . . . follow him around the house, stalking him really and ask lots of questions.  Sometimes a conversation with Justin feels more like an interrogation . . . me interrogating him, one question after another.  I told him I wouldn’t do that so much if he would just talk more and fill in the details . . . you know, before I asked.

It really is amazing how much I feel I have to say to him after spending a day with a 3 and 4 year old.  Just simple things.  ”I really gotta cut my toenails, they’re getting out of hand.”  ”Did you know Thanksgiving is next week?” (about the 20th time I’ve confirmed this with him in the past 2 days)  Then sometimes I just talk and talk and talk . . . kind of like I do on here . . . from one subject to the next . . . filling him in on family drama and non-drama . . . talking about anything and everything.  He doesn’t even pretend to listen and sometimes this annoys and offends me . . . but it doesn’t stop me from rambling on and on and on.

Something might be wrong with me.

Maybe I should be a hairdresser or a bartender.

Maybe I would be a really annoying hairdresser or bartender . . . and they’d just tell me to shutup.

Justin never tells me to shutup . . . if I stop and act offended he’s not listening . . . he tells me my dribble is distracting and weirdly soothing, to keep talking.  :)

Thats what it is for you crazies that read my blog . . . weirdly soothing . . . hahaha!

I have decided Fred Meyer has the best Whole Wheat bagels of all time.  Though Safeway does a stellar job too with their fresh bagels. MMM! I love a good bagel. And that whipped cream cheese, that stuff is from heaven above.  Ok, maybe I’ve seen too many commercials.

I always buy the same kind of creamer.  Vanilla non-fat.  I bought vanilla nut this past week . . . talk about gross. The fake nut flavor made me gag.  I bought coconut creme one time and could hardly taste the difference between that one and good ol’vanilla.  I guess my usual is my usual for a reason.

Life keeps going.  I feel really quite blessed . . . God just keeps providing and meeting us where we are.

Have a blessed weekend one and all!!

 

Two More Makes Four

We live in an apartment.  It is not small, it is not huge . . . its adequate in its 3 bedroom capacity to house our small family of 2 boys and a set of parents.

A couple of times a week I watch two more tots . . . same age as my boys, 3 and 4 . . . close enough that I can say that.  I think Jordan turns 3 in December.  Thats beside the point.

When you get 4 boys under 5 in an average sized 3 bedroom apartment . . . trapped indoors due to rain and hail and cold winds . . . it is amusing, trying and “I-should-be-documenting-this-for-some-reality-show-revealing-of-tot-behavior-whilst-trapped-indoors-for-hours” kind of feeling.

I’ll leave it to the producers to think of a shorter name for the documentary.

Perhaps

“Trying Times in Tot-Land”.

Or something stupid like that.

The boys I watch are fantastic kids.  The listen and help pick up when I announce those times.  They eat politely and are mostly nice to my boys.  They use the potty . . . without me reminding them too much.  They stay out of the garbage and leave the fridge alphabet magnets on the fridge . . . while and after playing with them.  They buckle themselves in their carseats . . . no help from me, just a bit of supervision.  They share, for the most part, and enjoy interacting with my kids.

Unlike some other tots that live here . . . that listen on when I get that tone in my voice and pick up if I’m standing over them.  I’m pretty sure Tob had his dinner plate taken away tonight for throwing carrots at Sam, across the room, so the eating politely thing is stricken.  I don’t think I’ll talk too much about the “being nice to others” bit . . . except to say that wrestling and rough housing is fine for a little while and then the boys were done . . . well, not my boys, just the boys I was watching. I hate poop . . . poop in the toilet!!  ”Didn’t I just throw that empty Wheat Thins box in the garbage, Tob? Huh? Why are you using it for a car ramp? And, no, you can’t have the lid off he discarded milk carton either!” Gross! The stove is not my favorite spot for the alphabet magnets to be sported. You know, hefting a 20 pound 15 month old in a car seat . .. oh, who am I kidding . . . 30 pound 15 month old in a car seat was a feat of sorts.  I do believe that constitutes as an all-body workout.  Hoisting a 45 pound 4.5 year old into a car seat that now sits in a 4×4 SUV. . . I think my back is out.  I don’t think Sam ever relinquished the highly sought after ‘Mac’ truck (from the movie Cars) . . . the one thats made of plastic that is missing half its parts, not to mention missing the trailer that attaches to it . . . piece of plastic crap.  ”Take my friends back,” Tob kept saying all evening.  I didn’t really comprehend what he was referring to . . . then Aaron decided to clarify . . . “I think he wants to you take us back home.”  So frickin sweet my kids are! Like merchandise . . . just take them back.  Hmmm . . . is there return/exchange for kids?

Actually I love my kids . . . no worries.

I mean . . . who couldn’t love this!

Two  . . . two is a good number.

~blessings

Oh, Hey, Its Me . . . We Live

It is November already and I can’t even get close to getting over how quickly this past year has flooowwnn by.  Blows my mind actually.

The boys are doing fantastic!  Tob enjoys school so very much . . . Sam is huge.  Huge, I tell you!  Yeah, he wears size 5.  5. Size 5.  Tob and Sam wear the same size in clothes and are about size apart in shoes. They are 17 months apart, right?

Just checking.

I hate rain . . . hate it.  I went out into it anyway today . . . walking and jogging (jogging used lightly) for Byron’s sake, really. Poor puppy dog, I think he misses summertime more than me . . . thats pretty bad.

I put his rain coat on . . . thats why I bought it.  A bright yellow rain coat made for Byron’s size.  We get home, I take it off and the underside of the “raincoat” was damp.  Whats the point if its not waterproof?

Anyhow . . . then my loverly friend, Jalaine, brought Taebo Kick-My-Butt over and, well, kicked my abs really.  Buns are tomorrow . . . I know you’re thrilled. Maybe I’ll actually start making a dent in the 10 or so pounds I put on through the past 6 months . . . grr.

We did get a membership to the Kroc Center, thanks to Tob’s preschool, its a brand new fitness club, pool and community center not a mile from my house.  That has been the biggest blessing!  And in the nic of time, this stinkin’ cold winter weather limits the old outdoor time, for sure. The pool is super cute, made for kids and the boys have loved every second.  Mom loves the workout facility and daycare so I can actually USE the workout facility.  Nice!

Justin is in the thick of the Paramedic Program . . . he has started clinicals, about 2 weeks ago, and next week that ups to clinicals three times a week, plus school, plus studying, etc.

Holy Crud . . . and thank ya, Lord . . . all at the same time.

We do get to make the trip to Washington for Thanksgiving with my parents . . . yeah, they are currently residing in the Trij-Cities, if you didn’t know.  Much closer than Vegas. Justin has the weekend and I’m so looking forward to the family time!!

Tob has taken to calling us different kinds of animals.  He has settled on me being a rabbit, Justin being an elephant, Sam being a turtle and himself being a frog.  Its been this way for a month . . . he reminds me of our animal kingdom names every few days.

Myron . . . that is what Tob decided Byron’s name was today and there was no telling him otherwise!  Myron, kinda cuter than Byron.  Hmm.

The imagination of a 4 year old boy. I won’t talk about the smartelic remarks that come from the same beautiful face.

So, here’s to living . . . my life is really not very exciting so I haven’t written very much lately.  Just wanted to pop in here and let ya’ll know we still exist . . . our hearts are still oxygenating blood and pumping away . . . though Justin has informed me after the billionth time of listening to my heartbeat over the course of the last few months that I have an irregular rythm every once in awhile.  I asked if I was going to die, he said no, so I think no more of it. The heart has its own electricity . . . I love learning this stuff and making it my very own . . . how freakin awesome is that?  And I’m not tested and graded . . . much funner!

My wisdom teeth were pulled out, all four of them, on Friday.  Awesome, cuz the two bottom ones were rotting.  Painful, it has been . . . but apparently very normal healing process. They feel like giant holes in my head . . . my friend informed me the grow together, in other words the holes go away over about a month’s span of time.

Cool . . . hurry up about it!  I love almonds and almonds are IMPOSSIBLE to eat without getting the little almond crumbs in those gosh darn holes.  grr.

The hardships of life.

Justin was at school all day . . . now he’s at the gym . . . he’ll be back anytime now.  I better go for now, I suppose. I might need to go to bed as well.

Huh.

Well . . . have a loverly week!  Happy Veterans day, for Wed., I surely appreciate whats been done for me and mine, including my country!!

 

Ginger Snaps

Just cuz their low cal/low fat does NOT mean eat the whole box.

Oops.

Life keeps going.  Actually it keeps getting busier but, hey, isn’t that how it roles.

Justin came home a tad early . . . 7, instead of 9pm . . . and we made dinner, hung out, laughed, and talked . . . then he went off to study drug cards.

I feel like all I hear about is medical this and medical that . . . Justin eats, sleeps and breathes it.  Geez, I had no idea the intensity of the program . . . and geez, I thought the Fire program was intense.  I was wrong.

But we are doing good.  Daily recognizing the sheer miracle of us being able to ride this ride and to see it through . . . financially, spiritually, emotionally, and all other ways.  Hard to do with two youngins at home and bills to pay.

Tobias, we are finding, is a very active child . . . information I was already aware of and now is being confirmed by his preschool teacher(s). But such a good kid.  I didn’t realize sending him to preschool would increase the love and understanding I already had for him . . . crazy, I didn’t know it could increase anymore.  And he is smart . . . I had no idea how much I was underestimating him. Hmmm.

Nothing really all that new to report, really.

Samuel’s current favorite movie: Finding Nemo . . . it came back out of the “Tucker Vault”.  :) One of those we wrote off as destroyed after I found it, sans case, buried in a toy bin.

I’m here, with my boys, constantly.  It amazes me what the get away with that I never see.  I don’t go to sleep while they are up playing . . . I don’t zone out into tv, you gotta have tv to do that . . . where was I when the permanent marker was liberally scribbled onto the bedroom door? Huh? Where?

Anyway . . . Finding Nemo, it skips really bad in two spots but otherwise plays great.

Great.

Tobias can’t get enough Shaun the Sheep.  If you haven’t seen those cartoons, haha, you gotta . . . too cute!

Yeah, Shaun the Sheep is still new to the household, so I still find it cute and funny and non-obnoxious.

Today we . . . that would be my friend, Jalaine, her son, Jordan, myself and Samuel . . . went on a walk after our two eldest boys went to preschool.

Um . . . rain or shine . . . pick one!! . . . just don’t change your mind in the middle of our walk/jog! For heaven’s sakes!

Beautiful patchy blue sky on our way out . . . half way, downpour.

AWESOME

Strawberry milk tastes like Pepto Bismal . . . or vise versa.

It was for the kids anyway.

The strawberry milk, that is.

We found out this past week that Justin’s aunt and uncle recently moved not 2 miles from us, here in Keizer.  Thats exciting . . . and random.  And thats all I gotta say about that. Random

I think its time for me to go snuggle up to my hot hot hubby in the other room . . . in other words, go to bed, get some sleep, so I feel refreshed and ready to hit the day with all I’ve got.

Did I mention I have a head cold . . . I have for 3 days now.  It is zapping all energy cells from my body. Help me, Rhonda, would ya?

Alright . . . taking myself to bed now.

And, no, I’m not drunk . . . just chatty.

Blessings on your week!

Happy Sunday

Actually it was a really mellow and sorta boring Sunday.

I found time to do some cleaning that I’ve put off for some time.  Organization . . . NOT my strong suite.

I finally rinsed . . . well, actually cleaned the stringy pumpkin guts . . . from the many many many seeds and roasted them (the seeds) up.  We had carved pumpkins a bit early, as in last week, and the seeds were waiting for me.  They turned out fine, I suppose . . . it was more for Justin than myself.  He likes them.  They’re suppose to be good for you . . . ok, I looked it up, cuz I was curious.  They are much like nuts in their nutritional content . . . not that shocking considering nuts are seeds, just bigger. Well, in my tiny little world they are. hehe  Anyhoo . . . for a cup they are almost 300 calories and 12 grams of fat . . . though a cup would be A LOT of seeds! 12% Iron . . . not shabby.  The texture and taste remind me of roasted soy nuts.  Good but super filling.

I’m not sure why I needed to rattle all that off on here.  Thats what 2 hours of my afternoon consisted of, perhaps thats why.

Quit laughing at me.

I picked the last of the squash, beans and tomatoes from my plants today.  I nearly cried.  Surely gardening isn’t suppose to last until mid-October but it did.  I also cut the last of my sunflowers to decorate my house. So uplifting to have them about.

The boys and I walked to the grocery store . . . a whole .7 miles from my house.  That is POINT 7 miles . . . as in less than a mile. I think its 1.4 miles, round trip.  :) I packed what I could and came home.  I really do enjoy walking to accomplish stuff, like grocery shopping.  I loathe when the weather turns rainy for months on end . . . makes it a bit more of task to get outside.

Other than school engulfing Justin to the max . . . 7 days a week . . . and my rather irritating adjustment into that world again . . . everything is as it has been.  But less than a year!! . . . thats consolation to me. That and the grace of my God, good friends and family.  Clinicals, for Justin start this week too.

To pay back all the people that have been so so generous through this season . . . I can’t wait!!

Anyhoooooooo . . . off to bed I go.

Blessings on your week!

One of the fiercely BEAUTIFUL Sunflowers from me garden.  Uh, yeah, they just grow that way.

I Got a Bomb in Me Pants

Sorry, we’re watching Wallace and Gromit . . . A Matter of Loaf and Death.  Gromit says that about the bomb in his pants bit.

Um, now that I over-explained that.

Summer is almost over!!  What happened?? I was driving the other day, cuz I do that once in awhile, and noticed some of the loverly green trees turning colors . . . colors such as blood red, gross orange and death yellow.  Ok, very pretty to look at but its also the official announcement of summer’s end . . . death to sun and only cool, rainy and more cold in the near future.

I just thought I’d share some of my summertime photos.  The boys and I had such a great summer!  We made new friends and spent tons of time out of doors . . . even got to visit the zoo and the coast.  But mostly just a lot of time, locally, at the parks playing in the water.

Samuel at the downtown, Waterfront Park, playing in the water.  One of  three water-feature parks that we frequented this summer. Kept the hot hot days from being too hot.

Minto-Brown is another favorite . . . no water features . . . but a huge dog park, walking trails galore, and the coveted black berry bushes.  The boys, dog and mom and dad, all get worn out with this outing.

Riverfront Park.  Tobias tumbling.  If you look close enough at the dude sitting on the ground beyond Sam, you’ll see the python (or Boa, whichever) hanging out on his neck.  Uh, ok.

Picnicking at Riverfront . . . same day, same snake guy sitting behind us.

Waiting for the movie in the park to begin; Samuel.

Tob and Dad . . . watching the movie in the park.  

One of our squashes with the bloom still on.  The garden has been one of the highlights of this summer, for me!

Tobias starts preschool tomorrow and I’m a bit nervous about this new venture  . . . kind of another milestone and I feel like those milestones are whipping by at lightning speed.  Hey . . . at least I didn’t refer to the time flying bit.  Give me some credit.

Anyhoo . . . I’ll have new photos tomorrow evening of that event.

God bless your week!!

Does Anyone Have a Mallet?

I forget the last time I wrote . . . maybe I should’ve checked that out before rambling or repeating myself.

Oh well. I’m lazy.

A month ago Justin bought me hanging baskets.  HUGE ones. Two Lotus and two Fuschias.  Someday I’ll share photos. I’ve missed being able to play with my photos and post them. Anyhoo . . . those gorgeous flowers are in my line of vision right now and they make me smile . . . and make me feel good. Sometimes I’m blown away at the love and companionship I’ve found in Justin.  A big dorky dork like myself finding someone that loves me unconditionally.  He’s human, no worries, but he’s an incredible human. And he’s mine! See what flowers can do? hee hee. 

I brought up the flowers for a reason.  I did, really . . . besides making you puke with sentiment. 

A Humming bird has made a regular appearance.  Being drawn by the brightly colored blooms, no doubt.  I have a Humming bird feeder but he’s not interested in that . . . just the flowers.  The first time he came around . . . yeah, I decided at some point he was a he . . . not a she . . . anyhow, the first time he came around I was still watering and kept thinking “man, thats one big bee!!” . . . when I turned around it was the Hummingbird.  Kinda cool . . . kinda old lady to think its cool . . . but I’m not young, so I guess that makes me oldish and so its ok if I think of having a Hummingbird friend as cool. 

I also find myself doting over my flowering hanging plants . . . doting, perfect word.  I dead-head them and fertilize and bug spray them . . . oh, I hope that doesn’t hurt the Hummingbird! . . . I hadn’t thought of that. Bug spray and Hummingbirds. Yikes. Hmm, I might not spray the next time.

Anyway . . . I might be getting old . . . thats really my only point, if I had a point to begin with . . . besides sharing about the Hummingbird.

Old, cuz guess who’s birthday is this next week?  Ok, a lot people’s birthdays are this week . . . my sis, Amy . . . my bro, Billy . . . my hubby’s, Justin . . . one of my good friend’s, Kacy . . . I’m sure I’m forgetting someone I know.  Well, Sunday, the last day of the loverly month of May is also my birthday.  I get a new car for my birthday . . . just kidding, sorta. 

I’ll be 29 . . .

 . . . ok, I lied by 3 years.

To update any and all who care.  Justin is at the paramedic program interview as I type.  If all goes according to our grand plan, he’ll be starting that program in the fall.  He did look snazzy walking out of here with his suit and tie on!! Hmm, yummy snazzy.

He’s been doing cooperative work experience at a Clackamas County fire station twice a week . . . thats been a new adjustment for us to deal with at the end half of a busy and stressful term.  But, in the long haul, it’ll be very very good!  Just trusting God with it all.  Justin might pass out from exhaustion but we keep praying and trusting.  Its not a paying position and it takes him nearly an hour to drive one way . . . did I mention he’s there twice a week?  24 hour shifts.  Its draining having him gone so much . . . so he’s full time at school, part time work study and now cooperative work experience 48 hours a week (minus class time, if he’s got class the day of shift). 

Well, that makes me feel lazy.

Maybe I’ll take a nap for him today . . . in his honor. 

I gotta crack jokes or I crack up . . . don’t rightly care if anyone else laughs.  

I plan to send Tobias to preschool this fall . . . shall I delve into all the insecurities that brings up?  Yeah, I’ll spare ya.

But I think, overall, it’ll be really good for Tob.  The school picks up right out here, in a small bus, and I can ride with him . . . Sam and I both can ride with him whenever and hang out in class with him whenever we want.  That’ll be good, especially getting him adjusted at first.  

I think I’m gonna stop talking about that for now.  

I was given a bag full of books lately.

Ok, I was given a bag full of books this past week, cuz my closest Salemite friend moved to another town!  My friend, Anne, the one who lived just a few doors down in our loverly apartment complex, moved.  I am saddened and stuff by this upheaval.  She better come visit me . . . and often! Her friendship has seen me through some of the most stressful times of my life.  . . .I know she peeks in here every once in awhile . . . 

Anyhow, I’ve been reading and reading and I forgot, sorta, how much I love to read.  I had aspirations once to write a novel . . . or ten.  I had binders and binders full of stories.  Then our family home burned down and there went the binders of stories, not mention everything else we lost.  hee hee, someday perhaps.  I also wanted to be horse vet, a horse trainer, a rancher, a missionary to Uganda, and a bizillion other vocations.  So . . . with a grain of salt, eh.

I still have dreams and as I get older they are tempered with reality but I think it is good to dream . . . 

Maybe I will write a novel.

Boys are getting big.  Sam will be 3 in September.  Just a few short months off.  But he’s nearly the same size as Tob.  He weighs the same and wears the same size, except for the length in pants. 

Tobias talks and talks.  I love it. Well, I love everything but the bossiness. 

I remember my brothers when we were younger.  The bantering and the slight obsession with farts, burps and the like.  I thought it was something they picked up later in life . . . caught on to my dad’s subtle jokes and figured that these normal bodily functions were comical in every way.  Sometimes they turned into contests . . . but I’ll stop there.

My boys, as young as they are, think burps and farts are hilarious.  This was, surprisingly, not egged on by yours truly.  I don’t think twice about a 2 year old tooting . . . much less laugh about it.  And burps are the same.  But one will burp or toot and proceed with “ewww . . . thats gross!” and laughter will erupt.  At the table I curb it, come one, we can’t be without manners . . . and away from the table, I don’t encourage it but I kinda laugh inwardly.  It makes me nostalgic for my brothers . . . their bantering now isn’t nearly that innocent now, so I know to enjoy the innocence while it lasts.

So time keeps ticking.  Life keeps rolling.  And I’ve gotta do something besides sit on this thing.  

God Bless!