The Boy's bike comes home

The Boy L.O.V.E.S. riding. Really, really loves it. He even dreams of racing someday. Mommy will be hiding her eyes supporting him the entire way. Both the Boy and the Girl very gratefully received new dirt bikes two years ago. The Girl is happily keeping hers for one more summer, but the time had come for the Boy to get an upgrade.

So, Mommy and Daddy packed up in the truck and made the trek to PA. Not, mind you, right over the border, PA, but deep into the underbelly of the backwoods, PA. Like, backwoods of Tennessee, underbelly of the backwoods. All of the houses that we saw were either in gated "communities" or had bleached out skulls over the doors. Literally. Upon seeing these... houses.... I realized that we had no cell phone coverage. At. All. It was a tiny bit nerve racking.

We finally made it to the house where we would be purchasing the Boy's new motorcycle, and I was pleasantly surprised and relieved! The owner was not at all like Michael Meyers after all!! *whew* He was, in fact, very kind and refined and definitely knew his motorcycle stuff. As an added bonus, there was not a single skull hanging anywhere on his house. Batman and the homeowner talked motorcycles and racing and motorcycles and racing and more motorcycles for a long time, then we loaded up the Boy's new ride in the back of the truck and headed out. On the way home, I realized we were in the Poconos.

*Note to self: DO. NOT, I repeat DO. NOT! EVER, under any circumstance, hop online and find a "nice cozy get-a-way" with one of those champagne glass hot tubs and heart shaped bed and tell yourself that it would be nice to rent it and go hide away with the hubby. DON'T DO IT.*

Hey, maybe those places really are a nice, romantic get-a-way, but my first impression of the Poconos wasn't fabulous, so I'd really rather just not go back. I'm just sayin'....

Back on the road, we started looking for gas stations with good prices and a snack. Spotting decent prices, we pulled in, filled up, and grabbed a picture or two of the bike so the Boy could enjoy it's journey home. Then, gas in the tank and snacks and coffee in hand, we were underway, headed home!

It was dark when we pulled in, but it didn't stop the Boy from flying out the door, up into the truck bed, and onto his motorcycle. Could you hear his delighted squeals at your house?? In the morning, the bike was brought in to warm up next to the wood stove (no, I am not kidding), where Crumb-Crumb checked it out, ensured that it was a Suzuki, and gave his approval.  It was then taken back out, started up, and the boys gave it a spin. Approval ratings? Quite high. Mommy went out in the cold to watch him climb on, but quickly retreated to the house so I didn't have to watch remembered a few very important things that I had to do to get ready for our guests that would be arriving later that evening.

The bike is now home, the Boy has new boots and a chest protector to keep him safe (just so you know, that was Daddy's idea) and the special oil to mix with his gas has been ordered. All we need now is a warm day.

How does he love me? Let me count the ways....

Batman is a great man. He is faithful, he is honest, he is trustworthy. He is a terrific father and he provides for us and cares for us. And let me just say, as husbands go.... W.O.W. Yep, he's pretty terrific.

This man can make me laugh like no other. Sometimes it's a giggle, sometimes a smile and a roll of the eyes, and sometimes the laughter is that deep-down, can't-stop-even-if-you-wanted-to belly laugh.

Batman makes me feel safe. I love the way my hand fits in his... Completely surrounded and covered. He makes me feel beautiful... That look in his eye and little smile he sends me, even when I feel rumpled and frumpy. I feel protected with him. I know that he always has my back and would do anything to make sure I'm safe. I love how tender he can be. People that know him some might scratch their heads at that one and question... Tender?? Absolutely. Time and a place for everything, and he absolutely can be tender, and it always makes me feel so cherished.

The one thing he always said he WOULDN'T do is dishes... He did so many when he was younger that he said he was DONE. That was one of the prerequisites for a wife. One that would do dishes and not consider it her hubby's job. Um... I'm a stay at home wife/mommy. Of course it's my job. But do you know what he is doing right now? I am curled up on the couch with the laptop and the flu (yay) - everything hurts. My fingers are moving and that is about it. He is in the kitchen doing dishes so that I don't have to. The one thing that makes him cringe he is in doing so that I can rest. It may seem like a small thing, but to me, that is huge. I never even asked. He just tucked me onto the couch and disappeared into the kitchen. Batman truly is a great hubby (he would be without the dishes thing, but seriously, that just earned him like a dozen gold stars!)

So, Batman, thank you. Thank you for your love and your tenderness and your humor and your hard work, and most of all today, for serving. I love you and appreciate you more than you can know. I am proud to be your wife.

Stalling and Gaining (Weeks four, five and six)

Oh. Lord. Ack. Dear Father in Heaven, HELP. Amen. Let's just say the last three weeks have not exactly been... productive... in the weight LOSS department. If I was her, I'd get excited... She should now be ahead in the pound-for-pound challenge. By how much? Well, week four, I was at a stand still. Same with week five. Six, on the other hand.... Yeah...... Up 4.2 pounds. Grrrrrreeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaat. I'd love to say it is because we went out on a date. I'd love to attribute it to pizza. Or being tired. Or a multitude of other things. But I need to be real. Yes, those things happened, but I can't make excuses. Those things are just life. I need to be able to follow through even when "life" happens. Otherwise it will just be a yo-yo forever. So, back to square one. Twelve pounds to go. What do you think, E? Can you gain 12 in the next seven months? Ready, set, GO!

Catching up and such

Once again, I've disappeared. Not for an insanely extended amount of time or anything, but long enough for Batman to begin to worry that all our faithful readers will disappear. Ha.

I've just been laying low for the last week or so, feeling very tired. And no, not because the pregnancy epidemic has spread to our house. Rest assured, it has not. I've just been quite pooped. A visit to the doctor (you know, that once-a-year kind. *shudder*) has verified that everything is hunky dory. Weight (*scoffs*), blood pressure, general health... And the normal blood work results to tell about cholesterol and all the other nonsense very important blood level readings - lovely. Every last one of them is lovely. Yay. So why I am so utterly exhausted is still in question. Answers will be forthcoming, soon, we hope.

In the meantime, what I really wanted to say was this:

I love my hubby.  Now that I've said that, allow me to grant you a little window into why:

Growing up, my daddy not only showed my mom how much he loved her, he never hesitated to show me. I grew up with the knowledge that little girls (and grown-up ones, too) are to be cherished, and every Valentine's Day, my dad would do something special for me. The most memorable Valentine's Day for me is February 14, 1997, just four months and three weeks before our wedding.  My dad came in to the house and gave me a bouquet of flowers (don't worry, mom got one, too, and hers were always bigger ;) ). I remember tears in his eyes. I know there were tears in mine. He gave me my flowers and told him they would be his last Valentine's Day present to me. The next year my husband would get to take over.

Batman has done a great job. Not only does he shower me with love, but he has carried on the tradition of showering that love on his own daughter as well. I firmly believe that a large chunk of a little girl's feelings of self-worth stem from her relationship with her daddy. I am so thankful that my little girl is cherished by hers. Both The Girl and I are immensely grateful that Batman knows the way to our hearts.

One for each of us. He's a great man, I tell ya.  No, I'm not sharing.  Well, ok, maybe just one.

What I WILL share is this: a post about another race, one about the adventures of a motorcycle, a weigh-in, even though I'd really rather not, and maybe a few others.  Stay tuned!  I will be back! :)

What is that sound?

A few days ago, I was driving down the road with The Girl and The Baby. I had errands to run and couldn't very well leave The Baby at home, so he had to tag along. For the sake of a quick trip, The Girl joined us so she could sit in the van and occupy The Baby while I ran into the bank. As I drove, I heard the sweetest little baby belly laugh. Every parent and big sister or brother or aunt or uncle out there knows the one. That darling, infectious, innocent laugh. All The Girl was doing was playing peek-a-boo with The Baby, but he loved it, and giggled with pleasure.

Today while visiting my parents, we were all in the kitchen talking about a kitchen.... mishap... and the laughter started. Something silly and random was said, and the three of us just laughed and laughed.

This laughter prompted a thought: How much laughter is in your home? Is laughter a normal sound or is it foreign to your ears? I realized how important laughter is and how, sometimes, we might take it for granted. Laugh a little today, even at the simplest and smallest things. While you laugh, remember the Source of our joy. Even in the midst of a tough day, we have that joy and laughter.  Remember, the joy of the Lord is our strength.

Psalm 126:1-3

A song of ascents.

When the LORD brought back the captives to [a] Zion,
we were like men who dreamed. [b]
Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
"The LORD has done great things for them."
The LORD has done great things for us,
and we are filled with joy.


Job 8:20-22 (New International Version)

"Surely God does not reject a blameless man
or strengthen the hands of evildoers.
He will yet fill your mouth with laughter
and your lips with shouts of joy.
Your enemies will be clothed in shame,
and the tents of the wicked will be no more."