Crazy weeks

Well, let me just say that it's really true: When it rains, it pours! Thursday the 12th of this month I started the day feeling fine but by the afternoon I had a headache that would drop a horse, Friday my throat started to hurt along with my head, and by Saturday I was ready to bury myself forever in the back yard...Mark carried me to the car and took me to the Doctor to find out my dear old friend STREP had come for an uninvited visit...UGH! ICK!! While I was sick on Friday, Karlie started to feel bad, too, only her illness came with vomit and diarrhea...woo hoo...and, of course, I got to clean all of that up because it was also Drill weekend for Mark leaving me alone with ALL of our children while hosting my lovely little bacteria party. Then on Sunday, after Mark left for Drill and the older children got themselves and the younger ones ready for church, my mom came to check on me to and discovered that our basement had flooded resulting in the need to pull up ALL of the carpet...UGH and GROSS!!! Poor Mark had just too much to deal with than what would have been fair.

Mark came home; started moving furniture, cutting up and removing carpet, sucking up water in the shop-vac, ripping up the stripping, while herding the children all over the place and putting out the little "fires" here and there...I felt so bad that I couldn't help. He ended up having to take Monday off of work to finish everything...I was so sick, Karlie was very sick, and our house was in serious need of urgent attention or we were going to have mold and mildew all over to make everyone else sick. Because of the problems there we had to go without internet which also meant we didn't have phone service because we use Vonage. It was crazy.

The next weekend, Karlie was still kind of sick and then Mark got sick while we were in Wyoming. I drove most of the way home because he couldn't hole his stomach and his head hurt. It sucked!

Blessedly, we're all better now and the house smells much bettter than when we had that old carpet...I think the flooding was a hidden blessing.

The Camping GOOD Story

CAMPING!! :o)
This last weekend we went camping as a great big family. I wasn’t sure if I really wanted to with Mykayela being so small and somewhat mobile. I was concerned she might be infatuated by the fire and want to get into it and several other possible traumas. In the end, we all went together anyway.
What a trial at first!! We loaded up the back of our vans and stuffed our children into them, half in each, and drove to Smith’s to pick up some fire wood and a few last minute items—everything was fine. We waited in our van—those of us in the van I was driving, and the boys went into the store with Mark—still fine. They all came out got into the van Mark was driving and then---NOTHING! Not a dang thing. The ridiculous contraption would not turn over, it just would not start. We were stuck in the grocery parking lot. Well, it wasn’t just warm out there, no, it was mind melting heat out there and out there we sat for EVER and a day waiting for something to happen with the van. Yeah, nothing happened with it and so we had to figure something else out.
We had to take two trips to the site; one trip to take half of the children and the things in the good van and then a second to get the rest of the children and things. It’s a good thing we have children old enough to legally babysit!
We got there and it was beautiful, peaceful, and quite simply wonderful.
Mykayela wondered around our area and never ventured toward the fire pit or even the area where we parked the van. It’s so nice to have angels helping!
I haven’t had real quiet peaceful time to do much of anything for a long time but while we were camping I was able to get into touch with my creative side. I painted a plaque for our family while we were up there…it was so nice, it felt good and it was quite fulfilling to hear all of our children tell me it was “really good”, “awesome” and “I can’t believe you did that”, and even “It doesn’t look like you painted it, it looks like a machine did it.”

OK, well, the cell phone pictures aren't that clear...what can I say?!!! lol
I brought body-art crayons, too. I painted little “tattoos” on the girls. It was so fun.

Whole Wheat Tortillas

Today I went to my friend Mardel's focus group at church on healthy living. Her mom, Muriel, was showing how to make whole wheat tortillas. Mmm!!! Mykayela loved them, too.

Some of the ladies brought some healthy snacks to try...I didn't think to bring anything...oh well.

We had some carrot and parsley juice...it was good; however, I like it best with apple and celery with it.

I tried a grain I hadn't had before; Amaranth...I really liked it. It's kind of like brown rice and cream of wheat.

It was a nice night and I came away with some more great ideas for yummy good food. :o)

Good Hubby/Bad Hubby

I just have to say: I'm very blessed to have the husband that I do!

This weekend while camping we had such a nice time. He was so incredible and wonderful as he always is.

I was reminded of what a decent human being he really is; what a wonderful and honorable man he is, and how happy I am to have him as my eternal partner.

In the middle of my sleep that last night in the camp area, I was awaken to a couple arguing in their tent--our nearest camp neighbors. I cannot say how it all started because that all happened while I was happily sleeping. What I can tell you is that the woman was defensive by the time I was alert enough to understand the exchanges, “…you haven’t been up with him all night like I have…” the man said something like, “so what” and a bit more; she said, “this is stupid, I should go home and come get you in the morning” (now I’m also hearing one of the two little boys they had with them; he’s wide awake witnessing everything they’re willing to visually and verbally display for him) the Dad/Husband/JERK tells her, “…just lay down and SHUT UP!”

There was more to this encounter and I was really uncomfortable having to hear such garbage and degenerate behavior…seriously, we have TEN children and those two—mostly him from what I could hear—was worse than all of them! I FELT like going over there and telling him to take his crap to the bathroom (you know, something in the realm of ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!! Be Quiet and HELP with the children you’re fathering, you brat!) I looked over to my right where my BEAUTIFUL husband was sleeping and quite loudly said, “HONEY!” and to his response I--just as loudly--said, “THANK YOU FOR NEVER SPEAKING TO ME LIKE THAT!” These people were only 20-25 paces away from us, I KNOW they heard me and as soon as I spoke those words their voices dropped several decimals and within 5 minutes they were completely silent.

Morning came and as I was milling about our site I could see their area—it’s an unobstructed view, and Mr. "Lay-Down-and-Shut-Up" was busy making pancakes while his little family was sleeping. I'm not sure if this is something he regularly does when they camp or on Saturday mornings, but I found it interesting considering the events a few hours prior. Every time he walked to the “bathroom” he had to pass our site and he’d kind of give a sheepish glance my way.

Whatever! Don't be embarrassed for ME, he should be embarrassed for his wife, for his son, for his parents and the impression his behavior shines on them...not for ME.

I LOVE that my Husband's normal behavior is what this little brat was doing to “make-up” with his woman. He blesses our home, our children, and me every day with his attitude, his words, and his actions.

And WHY she’d let him get away with that is beyond me…ESPECIALLY in front of their children.

I’m so happy that I was able to see Mark’s attributes and allow myself to be blessed by them. Why does anyone need to act like that? My husband is such a Man! He’s a Man’s Man--what a man should be: strong, sexy, smart, gentle, a Daddy 100%, a complete and total PARTNER with integrity and confidence…he has no time or need to act like a 2 year old having a melt down.

I'm also glad that I was a big enough girl to expect the best! I guess it's true: You get what you're looking for!

I Love Mark!!!

I suppose the lesson here is to look at what blesses you when you experience what vexes you or others; therein you'll find blessings to count and again feel abundance and gratitude.

July 3rd

Today we woke up to find flags flying in our front yard with a letter and a Thank You card from our local Scout Troop for Mark. As a member of the military, having served in Iraq, our scouts placed 3 large American flags in our front yard in honor of Mark's service.

It was nice...very touching. I took some pictures of the flags waving in front of our home.

Sometimes I think I need to make a special flag of service to put up for Mark in honor of all he does for our family.

I truly have the most amazing, loving, service oriented, and helpful husband around. He inspires me. I'm so grateful to have him in my life.

Mark is my best friend, a teacher, the perfect lover, my biggest fan, my counselor, my play mate, my muse, he's my EVERYTHING!

I'm so profoundly thankful for him and his love.

Just by a simple touch he makes my pain, stress, and any frustration melt away in an instant.

I love him!!!

...and Honey, Thank You for all you do for us as a family, for me as your wife, and for our country; You really are my HERO!