Ten Years Ago, A Letter to My Husband

Dear Husband,

Today I woke up a different person from who I was on this morning ten years ago. The 26 year old version of me was too distracted by the last minute details of that day's events to consider the days, months, and years that lay ahead. She bounced around the church hanging pew bows, setting out chocolate flower centerpieces, and worrying about the cake being delivered late. I am happy to say that she was, in fact, very grateful for the day itself. Having been in a car accident the day before, she was very much aware of how blessed she was to be able to worry about pew bows, centerpieces, and late cakes. What she didn't know was exactly how blessed she was.

Over the past ten years you, my dearest love, have taught that 26 year old version of me many things (some of which she thought she knew, but didn't really). Here are just a few of those things:

• First and foremost, I have learned that marriage is work, hard work, but oh so worth it when both of us are working together. 
• Love is many things, including a choice. We've had our rough patches. Times when we could have easily walked away, but chose not to. I am so glad we chose to work through those rough times. They have made our marriage and friendship stronger and deeper.
• I am weaker than I thought. It may sound crazy, but that is a very good thing. I don't have to take on the world by myself, it's okay to not only need help but to ask for it. In fact, in a weird way, it actually makes a person stronger.
• Sometimes, a lot of times, it is the small things that make the biggest difference. While the AS has imposed some physical limitations on me and I'm not able to help nearly as much as I would like, you constantly show me that the little things I can do to help you (like typing your notes for your Sunday morning classes) are still helpful in BIG ways.

There are so many other things I could list, but we have plans for today and I just don't have time to type them all up. Please know, as we celebrate our first 10 years of marriage, that I am so very thankful for God blessing my life by putting you in it. He could not have gifted me a better friend or husband to make the journey's of this life with. The 26 year old me didn't know that, but I do, and I can't wait to wake up next to you on all the days, months, and years ahead of us.

I love you.

*head bump*

My Crafting Conundrum

I love to craft. For me it's a great way to relax, unwind, and get rid of stress. Sadly, I haven't been doing much crafting lately. Really, it's been several years since I've spent any significant amount of crafting and several months since I've done ANY crafting at all. Which means I should really give up my title as being the "Craft Queen" (a title bestowed on me by a friend).

It's not that I haven't wanted to craft, or that I haven't had any ideas (because OH the IDEAS!). I think the biggest reason I haven't been crafting is because my current crafting area (and the majority of my crafting supplies) is located in the basement. When we first moved into our current abode, I thought this would be a great place for my crafting area. It was quiet, I could keep the cats away from my projects, and there was plenty of space.

However, even with those great things going for the area, it hasn't turned out to be a great place for me to actually craft in. The area isn't a "finished" area so it can get quite dusty, it's rather dark with bad lighting (a drawback on two levels: poor working light and not conducive to creativity), and bad air flow (which is how I almost killed myself & the cats one day). The biggest drawback though, is that it's all the way down in the basement. This wasn't an issue when we first set up the area, but since then I was diagnosed with spondylitis which can leave me quite worn out at times and can make it difficult for me to go up and down stairs (a problem if I need/want things from the first or second floor and I'm in the basement).

Life as a Dinosaur: B-9, It's better than bingo!

Monday's surgery went off almost without a hitch. I say almost because apparently Bert was larger than anticipated and had entrenched himself in my abdomen for the long haul. It took the surgeon an extra half hour to pry him out, but she was victorious in the end and both Bert and Ernie ended up taking a trip to the lab for biopsy.

Late Tuesday afternoon, the surgeon called with the biopsy results. Both cysts are benign. This was not unexpected, but having the answer for sure is a relief. The surgeon also stated that she had seen signs of endometriosis during the surgery. We'll talk with her more about that when I go back for my post-op exam in a week or so.

To Decorate or Not?

The Christmas season has always been one of my favorite times of the year. Ever since I was a small child, I have loved the lights and decorations. One of my favorite traditions was getting the bag of peanuts and candy after the church Christmas program, then driving around in the car with the rest of the family to look at all the lights.

The last few years TheHusband and I have either been very busy/out of town for much of the time right before Christmas, or I have not had the energy to do much decorating. This year TheHusband has volunteered to help with the decorating (in the past I usually did the decorating when he was at work). So I guess that means I need to decide whether or not I want to decorate this year.

(images of past Christmas decorations)

Maybe if I look through enough pictures of how we decorated in the past I can get my Christmas spirit in the right place to do some decorating.

Honey Mustard Barbecue Chicken

We have a special treat this week! We have a guest chef! And it's THEHUSBAND!! That's right, give it up for TheHusband!

At least once a week TheHusband takes over in the kitchen and whips up something delicious. It's usually some form of chicken and his Honey Mustard Barbecue chicken is one of my favorites.

I have to tell you, this is a recipe he's been using since before we met and was the first meal he cooked for me. I also have to be honest and tell you that his chicken is so tasty that I don't even like to make chicken anymore because my pales in comparison. I hope you enjoy his recipe as much as I do!

ICE CREAM TRUCK!!!

The neighborhood ice cream truck.

errr, I mean ICE CREAM MINI VAN!!

Every year I await the sounds of carnival music in the neighborhood to announce that spring/summer has truly arrived. Today was that special day. While brushing TheDexter this evening I thought I heard the much anticipated sound, but I was certain it was just wishful thinking. Besides, that cat was purring pretty loud (he LOVES to be brushed) and I was certain I was wrong.

But, no, there it was again! So I turned to TheHusband and said "Is that what I think it is?"

He, being the excitable guy he is, merely replied, "What? The ice cream truck? I think it's a bit optimistic."

But optimistic or not, there it was with 15+ kids gathered around. By the time I got outside to snap this picture it was down to about 8-9, but all were eagerly waiting their turn for that oh so sweet summer treat of ice cream (or push ups, or popsicles, or . . . ohh, you get the picture).

And so begins another six months of TheHusband having to put up with me screaming "ICE CREAM TRUCK!!!!" every time I hear the sound tinny carnival music rolling down the street. Yeah, he loves me.

This is what happens . . .

When TheHusband says "You can't take a picture of me."

Yup, I take a picture of his feet, which were moving at the time.

I'm sneaky like that. =)

Tator Tot Hotdish

So while perusing some of my favorite blogs I came across a post about tator tot hotdish. Now this is a dish that I L.O.V.E, but have never made. That's right, NEVER. So i figured if The Mothership's Galley can serve up some of this not so healthy fare, then I could too! So I was off to the internet in search of recipes, but couldn't really find any that seemed to suit my tastes, so I took the original recipe from The Mothership's Galley and made a few changes (which is something I love about hotdishes/casseroles - you can easily adjust them to suit your tastes or needs).

To My Husband

A couple of years ago TheHusband made a comment that he was surprised I haven't given him more poems as gifts over the years. And I suppose he has a point, I mean I do claim to be a writer. However, over the years, I've found that I just can't express my love for him (or how much I appreciate his love for me) any better than I did in the poem I wrote for him for our first Valentine's Day as husband and wife. So to remind him how I feel, here's that poem again.

I love you because...

. . . If you're going to be chicken, you better be cheesey chicken.

I love you because...

... tonight, when you got home from work early, you didn't even hestitate to turn right back around to go pick up dinner when I asked you to. Even though you were really tired you put my needs ahead of yours and you took care of me by getting dinner. Thanks for being the best darned husband EVER!!!

I love you because...

... you not only made "juice" the other day, but you did the dishes as well. Not only that, but instead of calling attention to your helpfulness you totally let me find it myself instead of "demanding" credit for it. Love you and your helpfulness, Sweetie!

I love you because...

... you are humble and don't take credit for things you didn't do. Just last night I asked if you had put the dishes away. Your response was "I was going to do the dishes but I didn't have time", when you easily could have taken credit for my thinking you had cleaned up in the kitchen (as it turned out it was only me hallucinating).

I love you because...

. . . you pick up the slack when I get lazy about taking care of Kitty.

She says "Meow", btw.

I love you because...

. . . you agree with me when I say things like "I'm Brilliant!" or "I'm Funny!"

I love you because...

. . . you are okay with letting your silly side out.

I love you because...

. . . a couple of weeks ago, when I found out that I had lost enough weight to go down two pant sizes, you were happy for me. Not because I had lost weight, but because I was happy.

I love you because...

. . . you were nice enough to install all my computer games after you finished doing stuff to the desktop (even though I was being cranky at you at the time).

I love you because...

. . . you ask for my help with stuff.

I love you because...

. . . you want me to be better and not in pain.