I Love Boys

These boys . . .

We’ll ignore the constipated look on Byron’s face . . . he was mad cuz I made him stop bouncing incessantly  and sit down for the photo . . . at least he obeyed, which is more than I can say for Samuel.

I am amazed God trusted me with these two beautiful human beings . . . I, at times, want to slow the clock a bit.

I, at times want to just take a nap.

But I know how blessed I am . . . no matter the outcome of life circumstances . . . I know I am blessed.  Thank you, Jesus, for my boys!

Ok, Byron still looks concerned he’s being told not to move . . . but a tad less constipated. Still couldn’t get uncooperative dog and child to look at the camera.

Blessings!

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!!!!

Life As It Happens

I don’t make a lot of plans. I just don’t, at this juncture in our loverly lives but I did make plans for yesterday.  I had planned to join my aunt, uncle, and sisters in Eugene for a pizza eating, visiting and all around good time.

Friday night Justin starts talking about how the van has been acting up to the point it shut off on its own whilst driving on the freeway, starting right back up, but it was enough that it dissuaded my determined self from driving the 110 mile round trip to Eugene.  Something about being stranded on the side of the freeway with tots . . . and no hubby . . .  just did not appeal to me, at all, notta.

I was bummed but, if anything, I’m learning to be flexible and to not lose it over little things that I can’t control anyway.

My aunt and uncle live in Eastern Washington, and it worked out they were travelling home right after the luncheon and had time to stop by.

It all worked out!   Always does, even if I don’t understand why its going down the way it is.

Had a great visit, caught up a little, and Rick left me some home-roasted coffee that he himself roasted.  Talk about scoring the goods! I’m sipping it now . . . it is oh so fabulous!

We went outside for a jog yesterday morning.  Yeah, you heard me.  The sun came out enroute and the boys ran themselves ragged at the park half way through.  Oh, it felt so good! I miss jogging outdoors . . . lately I’ve been running indoors more than out.  My friend and I were discussing, just last night, how nice spring sounds! But I think summer is even more coveted, in my personal opinion, here in the Tucker house.

Justin is on shift today, so I’m holding down the fort by my lonesome.  Well, lonesome with two tots. Not completely lonesome.  At all really.

Speaking of . . . I should disband and go watch some active boys.

God Bless your Sunday! . . . wish I was at church.

Christmas This and Christmas That

Plans change . . . constantly around here.  Justin had shift yesterday.  I had that tid bit of information logged away in me brain and I prepared myself for it and dealt with it just fine.

Today was suppose to be ‘catch-up-on-sleep’ day . . . for Justin that is.  Being on shift, Justin doesn’t sleep much, if at all.

Then, either he jumps out of bed, happy as a lark . . . ready to take on the afternoon and we go get ourselves . . .  what they are calling. . .  a Christmas tree.  Or we take it easy . . . hang as a fam and make dinner together.

Uh, yep, none of that happened because he decided that doing some make up shift work was a task for today and today alone.  So he is still at the fire station . . . going on 39 hours.

Alright . . . I know he’s being responsible . . . sometimes that helps, knowing that . . . sometimes it doesn’t.  I just want him home! 

Ok, so he is coming home tonight.  Lovely day! . . . or night, in this case.  And because he’s coming home by 11pm, he will get adequate sleep to be drug from bed by 10am and out the door to get a CHRISTMAS TREE! I need a Christmas tree!

I am quite demanding sometimes.

I do have good news.

Justin passed Anatomy and Physiology 2.  He swore he bombed that test, but he didn’t.  He managed a B+!  I prayed that whole morning and was so disappointed (not with Justin, just in general) when he came home discouraged and sure that he had failed his final.  He got his grades yesterday and did a B on the test.  Thank you, Jesus!  He did good in all his classes! It was a very very hard term for him . . . lots of homework, if I hadn’t made that clear already.

I am continuously impressed with God’s goodness and faithfulness to us and for us!  He astounds me daily! I love HIM so!

Hmm, nothing else really all that new around here.

Oh, thanks for the decoration ideas!  I ended up hanging the stockings on the wall near the couch . . . pretty cute since they are kinda big . . . and there are 4 of them. Weird.

I do have Ficus Tree, I think anyway, and I have lit that sucker up (with Christmas lights) before too!  It didn’t really care for being used though and kinda dropped a lot of leaves . . . finicky thing!  Finicky Ficus, isn’t that what they call them?

Just to be clear, I know the true joy around the holidays . . . the Christmas tree . . . ok, I’m kidding.  Jesus is the reason, to coin a cliche phrase.  And my family is everything after that . . . and we’re all together, happy and healthy!  Again, God is so unbelievably good to us!

Blessings this holiday season!

Another Day

I always pop in here after the boys are asleep . . . whether it be in the middle of the day at nap, or at night . . . they’re asleep and I’ve gotten the things done around the house and stuff to the point I feel comfortable leaving it to wait . . . another day.

Sometimes my house has to be spic and span clean . . .  everything in its place before I can relax . . . unwind, which takes place zoning into this thing and reading my Bible.

Sometimes I put away perishables (most of the time) and clear the floor just enough to keep me from tripping and killing myself pre-coffee the next morning. Like a snow plow on the highways . . . snow is still there . . . but its not threatening your life . . . just mounded along your trail from your bed to the coffee maker.

And, yes, I can still unwind when the house is a mess.  And, yes, I can still go to sleep knowing that all the dishes weren’t cleaned and will be waiting slime-ensued the next morning.

But I love to wake up to a clean house.  So I’ve spent the evening cleaning up what I didn’t get to throughout the day.  Which wasn’t much cuz I had my nephew visiting today.

I’ve decided I really do like my new arrangement of the living room . . . I really do! My couch faced away from the window before and now I get window view from my couch . . .that now faces the window.  Not that I have much of a view . . . but we have some nice landscaping here . . . lots of trees.  I try to ignore the garbage area across the parking lot . . . and the amount of foot traffic it attracts.

We made cupcakes for no good reason today.  I ate more frosting than I should have . . . way more . . . and the boys had two cupcakes. Not at the same time but it was one too many.  The remainder went next door to tempt them the rest of their cupcake lives.  I’m not big on cake . . . so I’m not tempted by the cupcake themselves . . . just the frosting.

My nephew, B, came over for about 5 hours today.  It was good to see my sister, Kelli and B!  The boys always play so well together!  Toby loves him!

So I think I glanced the sun . . . too bad it made its appearance well after 6pm.  We still got out a lot today and played, overcast and all.  We did a short walk, to run an errand, this morning and it was chilly. Weird. My mom keeps bragging about their 90 degree temps down in NV and how they’re living it up in their pool . . .blah blah blah!  Bums!

Justin is already a busy bee.  He’s going to get busier now he’s a second year student.  He already has one – twenty four hour shift a week . . . it rotates.  Starting with summer term he’ll have a 2nd – 24 hour shift at Woodburn.  This is his internship and he’ll get paid for this one.  But its still another full day away from us.  I’ll get used to it . . . I just miss him a lot this week!

He leads a different shift than he was a participant, as a first year.  So he does the shift change this week.  His old shift . . . the last one, is today.  The shift he is captain of, that he is required to be at, starts Friday.

Busy week . . . stressful but worth it.

God’s favor has been all over this from the beginning . . . HIS grace will be sufficient for me! . . . and for our boys.

God Bless and good night!

Standoff-ish

1 Corinthians 7-8

For who do you know that really knows you, knows your heart? And even if they did, is there anything they would discover in you that you could take credit for? Isn’t everything you have and everything you are sheer gifts from God? So what’s the point of all this comparing and competing? You already have all you need. You already have more access to God than you can handle.

How good to be reminded that all good and perfect gifts are from God.  I know that any good in me comes from my Maker and I prove this theory by walking on the opposite side of the street sometimes . . . distant from HIS comforting hand and face.  Just long enough to catch brief glimpses of the rage, bitterness, self-pity and self-produced angst that awaits me without HIS constance in my life.  There’s another verse that (Stacy paraphrased) says that he chooses the simple things to confound the wise . . . Oh, hey . . . I found the actual verses.  I am reading out of my Message Bible, explaining the modern speech.

1 Corinthians 18-20

Don’t fool yourself. Don’t think that you can be wise merely by being up-to-date with the times. Be God’s fool—that’s the path to true wisdom. What the world calls smart, God calls stupid. It’s written in Scripture,

He exposes the chicanery of the chic.
The Master sees through the smoke screens
of the know-it-alls.

Ok, so one thing I could never claim is the character traits of smart, savvy, genius . . . etc.  I’m not even chic . . . I know some of you were totally duped into believing I was cool . . . but I’m not.  Shocked, huh?

But I have found an acceptance in an ever-present and loving God that I can’t explain really.  And it sounds so elementary, really it does.  But my faith, my life, just keep coming back to the simple truths of Jesus, giving HIS all for me in my wretchedness . . . coming back to life and leaving with me HIS Holy Spirit . . . “me” meaning man-kind.

A love, truth, and peace that just blows my mind if I ponder it for long periods of time.  Which, blowing my mind is a good thing . . . that thing never stops thinking and bringing up stuff, truth and lies and gray areas.  The only time I feel at rest in my mind is when I’m close to God, reveling in HIS presence and staying abreast in HIS word.  I frequently think that, without God, I would be mentally deranged. I do not have the strength or tenacity to withstand this world and it’s pull without God.  A daily miracle . . . a life-long miracle that I claim, sanity.   And I will never walk clear of God’s covering . . . never. I am ruined for HIM.  How can you know the peace and joy resulting in a true relationship with HIM and walk away long term?

So, off the subject cuz I’m boring you . . .I can tell.

My boys are still sick.  Fevers and all . . . now hubby has it.

AWESOME!!

I’m praying they’re better by Sunday cuz their classes won’t let you bring them (like I would anyway) with a cough and fever. Doy! This seems obvious to me but they actually have signs posted.

I’ve become  quite good friends with my neighbor, A.  Nice to have a friend so close . . . about as close as you can get without living in the same apartment.   My upstairs neighbors have been on vacation for well over a week.  Its been so quiet I will have to get used to them all over again when they return.  Loud, they are. Grace growers.

I absolutely adore this March-type weather we are getting in June.

Again, AWESOME!

I’m going to end this rambling post.  I know, you’re sad . . . or is that sleepy?

Samuel . . . snot, slobber and all. He’s getting so big! 2 in September! Holy Carp!

God Bless!

Saturday All Around

Yep, I figured out what day it was yesterday . . . Friday.  Which makes today Saturday.  Just in case you were confused. Glad I could clear that up.

Justin is pulling the third shift of the week today . . . 3rd.  He’s only required to do one.  But he missed last week altogether and . . . well, that explains 2 of them . . . and today, I’m not sure why he’s there. But whatever. He’s got officer oral presentations on Wednesday . . . he’s nervous but it’ll go fine. That will weed out 2 or 3 people from the running. Leaving, something like, 12 or 13 people left.  He’ll do fine, I’m sure . . . and if not, well it wasn’t in the cards, and it won’t be for lack of trying and hard work.

That said, I really do miss him today.

We’ve been on a walk this morning already . . . the weather is beautiful! Kinda hazy but warm.

I think my kiddos have low-grade fevers today. Ugh. They’ve been fighting a relatively mild head cold, runny nose, nastiness but now they seem to be even crankier (I didn’t know that was possible) and they’re warm to the touch. Of course I might want to feel their foreheads before they run around and play outside . . .

I’m not one that likes to shop.  Never have been much into it.  It takes a lot of energy and time.  I do like to use up energy outside though.  But last night I had had enough of the inside (and outside) of my adobe, so I left when Justin got home/boys went to bed and ended up at Target.  All I bought was a toothbrush (yes, see previous post) and coffee filters (necessary paraphernalia for severe coffee addiction), yeah, thats it . . . toothbrush and coffee filters. But it was nice to wander aimlessly without the chasing and managing of chitlins.

Well, I can ramble with the best of ‘em, so I’m going now.  Just thought I’d drop a note to say we’re still alive and kickin’ over here in Tuckerville.

God Bless!!

what day is it?

Being at home . . . a lot . . . I tend to forget what day it is and what date it is. Believe it or not I keep track with Justin’s schedule . . . shift was Wednesday so today must be Friday? Is it? I don’t know. I’ve even gone as far as hanging 2 . . . 2 calendars within the living and dining room to help me out.  I tend to reference them every other day or so. Most of the time I forget they’re there.

And since being that my day in and day out routine does not alter depending on the day . . . or date, for that matter . . . it is not of great importance to my tiny little world right now.

Why did I bring that subject up? I don’t know. I was just thinking perhaps I should title my blog the day of the week and then, for the life of me, couldn’t figure out what day it is . . . without referencing the calendar in my living room or googling it . . . which both would have taken less time than explaining my insignificant dilemma. Thats kinda what happens when you don’t have a whole lot to write about.

I took my dog out to go pee this morning, bright and early (around 10am), and the boys locked the door behind me.  Yeah, I didn’t have my keys. Thankfully it was a weekday (I wasn’t completely sure at the time) and the office staff were in.  But I still had a mild panic attack regarding.  I have never seen them operate the lock in our door, now I’m aware.

I was a giddy school girl with the sight of sunshine today!! Yay sunshine!

I saw the wild roses had blooms on them this morning . . . they’re in the apartment flower beds.  Very loverly! I will get pics soon.

The Pansy at the top of my blog is mine . . . nice, huh? They’re fun cuz they’re so dramatic in digital macro. (note: blog header changes frequently so this paragraph will soon be obsolete.)

I understand the invention of toothbrushes a bit better.  I lost my toothbrush in the midst of our overnight stay in Harrisburg last week and I’ve been using my finger and my fingernails . . . um, gross #1 and #2 the bristle invention, much better technology. I will be replacing my toothbrush today for those of you who are concerned about the health of my teeth and gums.  And I might brush 5 or 6 times a day for a few weeks. I have the analogy its like doing dishes without dish soap . . . just a wet sponge . . . not really cleaning, nope.

I want Justin to graduate and get a decently good job, so we can buy some little crappy house on about 3 or 4 acres and have us a couple of horses and cows . . . maybe a chicken or two.  A garden would be nice.  They talked about doing a community garden on the property here at the apartments but apparently it fell through, bummer. I think a few years, or 5, will pass before any of the above happens . . . well, excluding the apartment plans for a community garden . . . they can do that anytime they like.  Ah well, I have patience, sort of.

Alright, this lonely old lady is going to stop rambling now and find something productive to do . . . like catch up on everyone else’s ramblings.

God Bless!

One of the loverly Pansies I captured whilst the kiddos ran around rampant at the playground. I need photoshop . . . badly.  I don’t like the white specks all over it, which I’m sure is pollen or something, just distracting.

Tall?

Ok, Tobias turns three in about 2 weeks. Which is blowing my mind to think I gave birth to him almost 3 years ago! Weird . . . anyway thats off the subject.  About 6 months ago T finally outgrew all of his 2T clothing . . . especially pants.  We were blessed with some hand-me-downs that were actually SO cute . . . clothes I would have bought brand new if given the opportunity. That said, he has about 6 pairs of jeans/pants, size 3T.

Lately I’ve been glancing across the room and noting in my pea-brain how tall he seemed . . . his face is changing too . . . he can reach the banister! . . . crap, time to move all the breakables. Anyway, its not my imagination . . . his 3T pants are starting to inch of the floor . . . creeping into the high-water zone. Um, he’s not 3 yet! Don’t I have like 6 more months before I need to by 4T . . . and speaking of . . . do they make 4T clothing? Or do you start in on the little kid clothes sizes?

So, I think some shopping is in order. I think his feet grew too.  So fast, the grow up!!

I forget what he was up to when I snapped this photo . . . adorable, if I do say so myself.