The Story of Us Part 4 ~ the party

How it began ~

We actually 'met' about three times. (really) I'll start with the last one.... just so I can try to have this make some sort of sense for you.

It was around September 1999. All my friends were out of town camping. Except one. I was hanging out with her at her house downtown. We heard about an acquaintance of ours having a house-warming party that night and decided to crash it. What else did we have to do??? Nothing.

That is where it happened. We met at the house-warming party I crashed.

It was actually a very profitable party. I met another life-long friend there, and she met her husband there. Two marriages from one party??? That's a good night! ;)

At one point in the party, I admit it, I was getting bored. There were so many people, and everyone was having a good time, but I was tired of small talk. I just stood on the stairs for a minute surveying the people and the party. Then a mutual acquaintance came over and introduced me to Patrick. But I wouldn't end up remembering him as "Patrick". I remember meeting this 'guy who worked in finance' while I stood on the stairs. The convo did not last too long if I remember correctly.

Sad to say, but the first encounter I really remember wasn't all fireworks and stuff. That's okay. 
A few days later, I met this new group of friends from the party at a Japanese restaurant. Patrick was there. What I didn't know, what that he was trying to sit next to me. That didn't happen. He missed by a few seconds and two chairs. (awww... so close. I could totally see that in some romantic comedy script. Maybe you just had to be there....)
Anyway, I happened to walk to the restaurant - it was so close, and I'm a walker, so I figured why not??? What I didn't expect, was everyone going to an ice-cream shop downtown afterwards. Guess who I rode with?? uh-huh.... yep. He made sure we were in the same car. Then he came and sat at my table during ice-cream. Then, on the way to all our cars for the ride home, the girls jumped on the guys backs for a ride. Guess who I ended up with??? Shocking coincidence mmmm??? Or maybe a very clever young man made sure he was in the right spot at the right time. I was not 'aware' of what was transpiring. I was not yet the smitten kitten, but he was intrigued, and apparently a Liv Tyler impersonation I did on that drive home helped seal the deal! ;)

He 'planned' a seat next to me during church one Sunday. I was the only one in the group that was in the choir, so I was the last one to the seats. After that Sunday he asked for my email. (that's right - not a phone number. I guess email was just 'safer'.) I didn't expect anything for a few days, but he emailed within two hours. I didn't get it until Monday, as it was my work email, and we corresponded for about two days. It was then he asked for my phone number.

I remember running to the offices of my girlfriends down below mine and reading them the emails and saying, "What should I do??" in a high pitched excited voice and completely stumped. They just looked at me and laughed and said... "give him your phone number!!"

And so it began....

Well... sort of.... It still took me a little bit longer to get a clue. We had our first 'date' in Oct of '99. But, I'll save the story of that disaster for later.......

The List - Story of Us Part 3

Now, there is a certain amount of stigma that goes with hearing a girl made a list about what she wants in a husband. Sometimes eye rolling, a sigh of 'oh that kind of girl'... usually not a positive response to finding out a girl made a 'husband list'.

I was one of those list making girls. What is wrong with making a list???? I mean really. 
You make a 'list' when you buy a house: Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, two car garage, small yard, large yard, AC, close to town...
You make a 'list' when you buy a car: 4 wheel drive, leather seats, 5 passenger, large trunk, 6 CD changer, heated seats.... etc, etc.

So what, I ask, is so wrong about making a list of what you want in a husband?? You have the house and the car for just a small number of years. You are supposed to have a spouse - forever. And you aren't allowed to be specific about this??? Give me a break.

So the list.

I don't remember all of it. A couple of years ago while cleaning out our basement before construction began, I found my diaries - and THE LIST. I really enjoyed reading it. :) It is freaking amazing how many of them are 'answered', and the ones that aren't. I don't know where it is now, but I'll share a few I remember.

• A couple inches taller than me.      This one sticks out the most to me right now because it was answered so literally, and yet... what was I thinking?? Patrick is exactly two inches taller than me. I listed this because in my teen thinking, thought, "well, I sure as heck don't want to be the 'tall' one, and anyone who is like, 6'4" would be hard to kiss". I figured we'd be kissing a lot, so this seemed inconvenient and uncomfortable. However, with him just 2" taller than me, I find I can't wear too many heels...... suddenly I feel very Katie Holmes.
• Plays the piano.       He does! And well too. He plays piano like I sing. It's like this; when he plays (and he plays by ear people!) he plays really, really well. But when other people are around, suddenly he has music amnesia. I understand. I sing a LOT better when it is just us, then I go out in the world and sound like a sick wet cat trapped in a trashcan. I wanted him to be musically inclined. He really is. Patrick has a much better ear than I do when it comes to pitch, tune, and key. So I really like it when he says I'm a really good singer! ;)
• He can sing.      Patrick can sing. He's no Michael Buble, or Josh Groban, but he can and does sing. And unless he's doing his 'goofy exaggerating' voice I enjoy listening to him. I like singing duets with him. I like that part of marriage.
• Went to ORU.     This is by far the STUPIDEST thing to list. I had a fascination with the college and thought marrying a guy who went there sounded cool. What kind of crackhead thinks that?? The college is fine and all... but why didn't I list Yale or Harvard or something??? hahaha PS: Patrick did go there...
• Is kind, gentle.      This sounds obvious, but I knew I'd need to marry a softie and not one of the 'ape' men out there who don't have a clue. I'm emotional and 'delicate' enough to know I needed someone like that for a life-long partner. I got it.
• Romantic.       Patrick sure is. I don't want to make all the ladies out there jealous... so I'll only list one thing here: I got a great back rub or massage about every single night for the first two years of marriage. I still got them after that of course (still do) but not quite as often. He plans romantic things, and scores pretty big on gifts too. I'm a lucky, lucky girl.
• Is from any state in the union except Texas.     Again... another dumb one. This one God has a sense of humor on. I'm sure you can guess why. Out of all of the states in the nation - Patrick is from Texas. Haha God, very funny. That's fine. At least he lost his accent before I met him.
• Has that Southern gentleman-ness.      He does. Maybe being from TX helps that?? Maybe his Southern mama does? I don't know... but after some time spent with 'southern gents' at ORU one trip, I fell 'in love' with they way those boys were different. It then made the list. ;)
• Has good fashion sense.      I love a guy that looks good. I'm sure all women do... but obviously there is a lack of definition on this out there....    Anyway.. Patrick does have a pretty decent sense of fashion. The biggest problem with this is the life/job he's had at any given time (required dress, etc.) and the huge lack of funds to buy the clothes we both really want. But, with those obstacles in play, he still generally looks pretty hot in his clothes.
• Blue eyes, brown hair.      Well, he does have blue eyes, but the hair is barely brown. He used to be a blond kid. But the hair color just wasn't enough to keep me from marrying him! (wink) :)
• And of course, be a lover of God.       He is. :) That is the most important one anyway. Everything else is just gravy.

The list had like... a ba-gillion things on it I'm sure. These are mostly the things I remember writing and reading about. What is amazing to me, is how God takes care of each of our little wants and hopes and desires. He doesn't have to be so specific with all the chaos going on in the world, but He cares just that much! And obviously even God has a sense of humor about it all. It makes me love Him just that much more!

The Story of Us part 2

So... now my 'first love' Worm Poop is history and I turn...I don't know... 16, 17?? Not sure when it ended exactly. I liked many boys over the years, some were short crushes, and some were long loves. And there were several boys who liked me too. Some I had no idea how much - thanks to my naivety... but my friends filled me in. ...Eventually. (ahem)

Basically, looking back on the teen years, I'm glad I don't have to do them again. I would definitely do some things differently, but I wouldn't volunteer to go back. I'm settled now. In a good way. Day in a day out I have a husband who loves me, adores me, I tick him off, he ticks me off, and we kiss and make up. We are there for each other. It's secure, and fun... and definitely not boring. (mostly because we have four kids! hello!)

But before him, there was Brian. (Unfortunately Brian didn't have a nickname, so we will have to use his actual name. Brenna - is there anything I should know here?? Did he have a nickname I can use in future stories??) heehee

When I was 20, I had this independent streak where I was going to this other church by myself for awhile. But...the irony of it, I was in their choir, but loved my 'family' church, so I was attending two churches every Sunday morning. I would race from one building to another. It was super exhausting. I did this the entire time we dated. (Brian was at the other church)

I have to admit, breaking up with him was really freeing because I could finally just go to one church again. This was 1998. Little did I know that the very next year I would start dating my husband.

As for the break-up, I played the role of "the man afraid of commitment". Brian was talking about marriage, and where we'd live, and holidays and this and that... and we were only dating for about six months. Totally freaked me out. Then one day I realized I was freaked out about a future with this guy. I was in my mom's kitchen putting away dishes with my sister and was dreading the thought of marrying this guy and spending my whole life with him.

That's when I got a clue.

So, not wanting to hurt him, (he was a nice guy) I broke up with him in a way to made him think it was his idea. And it worked too. (really) For months his roommate would come up to me and say, "don't worry, Brian and you will get back together..." like he was trying to console me, the 'broken hearted' one. (!) :0)

That was the most serious relationship I'd had prior to marriage.  But it wasn't even that fun. A few of my crushes were a lot more exciting than this was. ;)

So, moral of the story... don't marry just any 'ol nice guy.  Oh, that, and... be sure to at least look forward to a future with someone!

Now I've been both a rejected and rejectee. Time to move on again - but little did I know how close around the corner new love was!

The Story of Us Part 1

It is the end of the year and I 'should' be writing about our family Christmas or New Years or something seasonal, like my overindulgence in food or whatnot.

But, I have been wanting to write about this for some time, so I'm starting it now.

I want to share and write about how Patrick and I became us. Our story. But first, to really appreciate 'us', I'm going to start with some background.

The story of Worm Poop.

I just love that name. I hated it a long time ago, but I love it now. Fond memories. Thanks sis!

It is the story of my first love. That's right. I said it. I loved other guys than Patrick. My first love is someone my sister referred to as Worm Poop. And I will use that name too, just because I like hearing it. (haha)

It was maybe four... three/four... years of my life that I was totally in love with him. We used to work at church together on Sunday mornings with the kids. We did this for two years together. Man! How did I look forward to Sunday mornings!! :) We worked in the same class and every time he was with a kid and being sweet I thought about how he would make a great dad.

(Yes, I really did think that far ahead...)

We were in youth group together, and I would sit so that I could see him every week. He would run his fingers through his brown hair and I would melt! He smelled sooooo good. A good smelling guy just really gets me, and he smelled good. I know, I know, nobody likes a foul smelling guy. That's not what I mean... I mean whatever product he was using - it was intentional... not like the millions of other guys out there with no smell.
Enough about smell.

He had blue eyes, a great build and I just LOVED him. I remember him driving me home from church some days in his big old car. We were driving down Powers Blvd, which at that time had a speed limit of 45 or 50, and we would be going about 70. I never told that to my mom, sorry mom... now you know... But that was so fun. It felt dangerous and grown up... and fun.

Oh, and by the way, as I'm typing this, I'm reminded I have three daughters and I'm already terrified of the teenage years... oh crap.

Anyway, I was head over heels. We were gonna get married, live happily ever after and my dear sis, she wasn't feeling the love and thus the lovely nickname. You should read the diary I was keeping at the time. Oh man is it ever funny and painful. The teen years are sooo dramatic and emotional. Sheesh.

"He said 'hi' to me. He loves me. I know it. He didn't have to say Hi, so I know it must mean he was thinking of me all day. I bet he said it in front of the mirror practicing all day...." That is not an actual quote people. I'm just basically conveying the idea of how ridiculous the diary is. Especially on the days I was ticked off by him. Or by Brenna calling him Worm Poop.

But, most first loves fall by the wayside, and this one did too. I think of him sometimes, just as a human being of course... like how is he? How did he end up? Married? Does his sister-in-law refer to him as Worm Poop too??? But basically, I just look back and laugh. I was totally completely in love, my heart broke, and would break a few more times.... but that is just what we have to do (most of us) on our journey of finding our mate.

He was mine... but I'm glad it is just funny stories now, and the distant, distant past!

From the hands of babes....

Last year I bought the Little People nativity set. My kids want to touch and feel and move and 'play with' nativity scenes (so it would seem since they do that with mine), so I bought them this. They can touch and play with it all they want. Very user-friendly. (smile)

This is what it looks like:

I walked past the nativity a couple of days ago and saw this:

A lamb was put in the place of Jesus. I wanted to reach over and 'fix' it. But then it struck me.

Whoever did this, though probably accidental, really drove home the Christmas point. There was Mary and Joseph, with the Lamb of God with them in that barn. A Lamb had come to be slaughtered (eventually) for you and for me.

So, when you look at the nativity, see the baby Jesus and the cuteness and wonder that infants bring. But, also look closer and see the Lamb. He didn't stay a baby for long. They never do...

He came as that cute baby - so you would live with him in eternity. That is the wonder and miracle of it all!

No language barrier here

My precious, precious one year old just told me.....'no'.

And so it begins. As of this point I only have had three of the four children telling me no. Now the last one has become an 'official child'... and everyone can officially 'talk back'.  Merry Christmas to me! (haha)

Admittedly, it is cute coming from her... but a sign of life to come.
(Are my kids allowed to talk back to me?? Of course not!! No. No way. But do they sometimes?? You bettcha! All kids do at some point. I don't think there is a child on this planet who hasn't talked back to a parent - even if it was just under their breath...)

Here's what happened. We just had breakfast an hour ago. I'm at the base of the stairs, and Talia comes over and yells down, "Mooooommmmmmmmm!" (this is a new way to call me) "apple. apple. apple. apple" jumps of glee at the very tip top of a stair case, "apple. apple."

Me, "do you want an apple??" She actually wants a tangerine, but other than "mananas", all fruit are "apples".
More jumps of glee and huge smiles all teetering on the edge of the stairs. I dash upwards. "Not right now Talia. We just had breakfast. You have to wait til snack."

And then it came. "Nnnooooo!" She ran to the kitchen telling me 'no' over and over.

One year olds..... :)

She is just the cutest! Goofy. Crazy. But cute.

Come again????

You know that Taylor Swift song Love Story??

Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone,
I'll be waiting all there's left to do is run,
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess,
It's a love story, baby just say yes

Weelllllll... that's fine and all.... but when my four and five year old girls sing it the last two lines come out:

You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess,
It's a long story, baby just say yes

That is funny to me on many levels. Hope you enjoy - and some of you married-longer-than-newlyweds just might 'get it' too. :)

PS: I've told them the correct lyrics, but they just laugh and say something akin to "yeah right mommy!" haha

I got to wear it!!

We went to the Rock Ledge Ranch Christmas celebration this last weekend. They are a historic site in town which has three houses from an 1860's homestead cabin, to an actual farm house from 1880, and a house from 1907 that one of the founders of our city built.

They have 'docents' that dress up in period clothing in each house and show you what Christmastime was like back then. I love this event. I think it is really good for the children. I love them seeing the un-elaborate Christmases of years gone by. The simple trees and decorations. The very few packages under the tree wrapped in just simple brown paper and tied with string.

At the homes they also make the food that would have been eaten. The cabin had popcorn. The farmhouse had Christmas sausage (it smelled a-mazing!) and something else... and the Edwardian home had scalloped potatoes among other things.

In a November post called Here's me being crazy, I talked about my love of full skirts. Well... what better event to wear it to???  I really don't have something to cover the slip - yet - so I used a Victoria Secret terrycloth swimsuit cover up. The slip was peeking out, but I think it worked okay.

First of all, I was warm. Score. Second of all, I didn't have to walk around out there in my snow pants to accomplish that warmth. Score again. And... lastly - I have to say, it just looked good. ;)

One of my favorite parts of the evening by far (personally) was when we were walking out towards the parking lot, and some family coming in (it was way dark) said, "Hey look kids, there's someone dressed up! Say hi!"

Of course I smiled and said hi. Loved it. haha... it's the simple things that make your day. :)

Not sure why Avalon looks pouty in these pictures, she had a great time. Really.

our Christmas tree

Usually I'm very "Monica Geller" about our Christmas tree.  ...this ornament here and this ornament there... big ones on the bottom, no two same ones together, small ones on top.

We have a simple tree. It is filled with special ornaments of Patrick and mine, special kid ornaments - and then the usual 'crappy' kid ornaments made from pipe cleaners, foam, stickers, glitter glue, popsicle sticks and what-not. We don't have elaborate themes, or big ribbon garland (this year), or all of the other 'model tree' stuff. But it's our tree, and here in person, it looks amazing.

This year... I had the BEST time decorating. I just let the kids do all the work. I mean, every single stitch of it. And this is what it turned out like:

Oh, I'm sorry, can you not really see it??? Just to be clear here.... the ornaments.... all of them... are on the bottom two feet of the tree. Cute. But not that cute.

I could only take this so long people. I had to change it.

This is what it looks like now.

Merry Christmas to me!

(I like to think there's a little bit of Monica Geller in all of us. And that's okay.)

Me? Supergirl??

Well... maybe. I seriously think I just might have the ears of Superman.

Here's the thing. I can hear my daughter coughing in her room. I can hear my husband calling me from the basement bathroom for toilet paper. I can hear my husband calling me from any bathroom in the house for a towel. (apparently he goes into that room rather unprepared...)

I can hear my son telling his sister not to tell on him for whatever he just did to her. I can hear everyone of them calling me all the time. I can hear them if I am in the kitchen with the dishwasher running. I can hear them when I am in our walk-in closet. I can (usually) hear them from our laundry room.

Can they hear me??? Oh no. Heaven's to betsy no. Can they hear me in the freakin' middle of the house screaming my brains out?? Is our house just too big??

I dare to offer two potential situations.
1. All of them - all five of them - must have some type of hearing deficiency.  But that can't be possible. What are the chances??? I mean... if it was just one of them, I'd wonder. But all five??? Not possible.

2. I have the ears of Superman. That is the only reasonable solution or plausible reason why I can always hear them, even in soft voices, while they seem to be deaf to my calls and needs.

Well folks, that's all. Obviously I have super powers. Just thought I'd share. I mean... it's not everyday you realize you are part human, part Supergirl.

Have a good night...
What?? What was that??? I heard that!!