8 years ago today, I married.......

..........a stranger. I remember calling my older brother to tell him I was getting married and his exasperated response was, "To who? Cesar?" {the guy I was dating before}. It'll remain a mystery if he really didn't know who my current boyfriend was or if he was making a point. But after 3 1/2 months of dating, 2 months of engagement...he was all mine. Thank goodness that the both of us apparently have a knack for picking strangers.... who would end up being an impeccable companion? I'll take it.


I was thinking back to "the beginning" and felt myself getting a little embarrassed at the immaturity of the relationship, our shallow understanding of the inclusive definition of marriage at the time. I recognized the progress we've made since then. I think in doing that, it sparked an 'ah-ha!' moment...it wasn't immaturity per se all those years ago, it was simply the starting line. If I looked back and didn't feel a comparative sense of immaturity and shallowness, THAT would be a problem. Because it would hint at a lack of growth. And that's really my goal in all of this...growth, slowly pressing forward toward a better me, a better us. So there's absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about! It's not so important our current stationary point on the graph, but rather the direction we're headed.  I think the path we're on has us moving upward and- with no comparison necessary- that leaves me satisfied.  That, and the fact...that he's definitely no longer a stranger.

{PS Doesn't it kinda look like Yosh is coming at me with a windpipe or something?!!}

{PSS You're not getting sick of this sweater yet, are you?}

 FORWARD MOVEMENT, PEOPLE...THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT!
Of course we'll be celebrating. At home. With 4 kids. And cereal and milk. Unless one of us has a baby-sitter and surprise up their sleeve. I don't. But Yosh, you still got time...!
OH YEAH, AND HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO US!

Puppy Love

                                                                   Yosh: "Oh I love this girl."

                                                                   Me: "A lot or a little?"

                                                                   Yosh: "A lot," all sultry like.

                                                                   Me: "More or less than Kaia?"

                                                                   Yosh: ..................................

                                                                  ...........................................

                                                                  ...........................................

                                                                  ...............*silence*................

I'm in a losing battle, folks.

Does the puppy love ever wear off or is it here to stay?

Remembering

Spontaneity always seems to be the secret ingredient that elevates normalacy to the higher level. The addition of this guest was definitely a sponataneous decision.

It's been a long time since I've spent Thanksgiving with Grandma Alby. Circumstances were such this year that last minute, she rode up from New Mexico with my mom to pass this Holiday with our family- such a special gift for all her grandchildren. And I don't think she quite realizes that.

Last night as I went to help Alby inside the house, I looked at her face, trying to read her thoughts.  But as I opened her door, she eased any worry with what has become her signature greeting..."Well, gabey, this old gray mare isn't what it used to be." She followed that with her classic head-shaking laugh before she embraced me with a hug. She has just come off a super hard week- maybe one of the most emotionally-draining ones to date- and has been consumed with sadness. Yet once again, my grandma reminded me of an important principle of life- happiness is a choice. Something I've always admired in her as I've watched her face the lemons life has thrown at her. She has chosen happiness.

I want to be like her.

 I'm so thankful for the relationships I have in my life and the examples they serve to me.

Yosh, at some point your boys are going to not only want to be like you, but want to know how to become like you. And your little baby girl- she's going to wonder who this man was as her young dad and want to know why she needed to steal your heart and keep it clutched in the palm of her hand. And I don't want to deprive these kids of those treasures. So today I'm going to write about you. Because recently YOU are who I have really been thankful for.


I've been thankful:
~As you have stopped at the grocery store to pick up 'a few things' because you noticed we were running low.
~As you've pro-actively jumped in to help get the kids ready to go out the door or go down for bed.
~As you've made a concerted effort to tell me how beautiful I am- and then told me again until I listened.
~As you've turned everything with an on/off button to off, to spend time with me- whether playing Boggle {and getting your booty kicked. Well at least sometimes!}, helping on a project, or- probably a personal favorite- just talking. You're showing me I'm more interesting than anything else for a few minutes.
~As you've wrapped your arms around me more and paused- really paused- to give me a genuine kiss. Making me realize that I more often push away than let that little extra love in my life. You're teaching me to slow down for moments that count.


Boys, here's a secret about us ladies...it's the small things that make us happy. Why? Well, because you can gift us these small things every single day. The big things are great, too. But those only come every now and then. We want to remember to fall in love with you more often than just every now and then. And your dad is giving you more and more of an example of what the small things are.


And baby girl, I owe you a lot. Your dad is without question the main male influence in your life. And not just because he is your dad- it's because you have appointed him as such. Every time he walks in the room, you twist your sweet little head with a smile in place until your eyes connect with his. And if needs be, you scoot your little self over to him until you find his feet and can force that same smile on him. He is your role model because you want him- and no one else- to fill that role. And you know what? Because you have stretched his heart more than he thought possible, he in turn is loving me more, so that you have the example of what it means to really be loved. He loves you that much. And I love being loved!
Thankful for the man in my life.



Happy Thanksgiving.

Lost in Translation- sometimes it's better

Oh the Brazilians came. And they are just as exotic as "Brazilian" sounds. Beautiful people who "adoro" everything. (No.....Les adoro a Uds.) I haven't seen my husband this happy in.......wait....ever? Whoa that's a little bit weird. Anyways I'm rarely on the other end of the language barrier issue and I'll tell you what, it was definitely a blast from the past to those first weeks as a missionary in Uruguay. The three of them talked a million miles a minute in Portuguese but when I was around they were ever so polite and we did the best we could without a common language. We fumbled around in a Portuguese/English/Spanish rotation and laughed when there was no sense that was going to be made of whatever was just said that we didn't understand. Comprende? 

But sometimes we did make sense of what we just misunderstood...and that was funny. Like when we were kicked back after eating way too much meat at the Churascaria. I asked Rafa if they do exercise at home cuz it only seemed appropriate to talk about how in the world we were gonna get off the extra 10 lbs we just put on. Rafa flashed me that beautiful Brazilian smile, politely said, "Yes," and in less than a millisecond was already staring her husband dead in the eye, begging for support. I quickly turned to mine as well. "She thinks I said something embarrassing," I whispered wide-eyed.  Support she got as Fogo offered an answer without skipping a beat, "Yes we make sex at home......and we make sex in your house!" Seal that in with a laugh and a wink and ain't nothing more to be said.  Oh yes, the Brazilians came!