Letters Of Intent

Hello Friday! It's time for Letters of Intent! Enjoy!



Dear Hubster,

I love you! You have been working really hard lately and I am really proud of you. Since you have been so busy I am willing to let a few things slide. I can forgive you for forgetting to take the garbage to the road (even though it was slam full and I am pretty sure half of it was diapers). I can for give you for forgetting to drop the mail in the mailbox (even though I put your keys and wallet on top of it and you drive right past it when you leave for work). I can forgive you for leaving your dirty clothes in the bathroom floor after your shower (even though I haven't moved the laundry basket). But my dear, I cannot forgive you for keeping me up most every night with your snoring. Who knew it was possible for you to learn how to side and stomach snore. I mean, the back snoring I get. At least then I can nudge you and tell you to roll over and it stops. Now it doesn't matter how you are laying! The worst is when you are facing me! That's really not good for me! I know you think I'm beautiful, but this beauty doesn't happen naturally. If I am not rested I don't have the energy to shower, dry my hair and put my make up on! And that my dear is when the magic happens! I am going to give you a little bit of a break. I know work has been draining and you are exhausted by the time we get to bed so I am willing to make you a deal. Once things get back to normal at work, in 2 weeks or so, we will see if the side and stomach snoring cease. If they do, I will continue to let you sleep in our bed. If they don't, I am going to set up a twin bed in the playroom for you! Now that we have that settled, can you please try to remember that every Tuesday is trash day?

Love,
The Other Adult In The House Who Would Enjoy A Good Nights Sleep

ps. Did I mention I love you?

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Dear Self,

Just thought I would remind you that when you don't pluck your eyebrows you look like you have two fuzzy caterpillars on your face. Not cute! Not even close. Plus, your feet are in need of some TLC. It wouldn't be hard to scrub them down and slap some polish on your toes. I know you are busy. I am well aware that you have 2 kids, a house and a husband to care for. All I am saying is you find time to blog......so...... yeah...... you get what I'm saying, right?

Signed,
The Woman With Two Fuzzy Caterpillars On Her Face

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Dear Food Lion,

I don't mind shopping at your store. I mean, you aren't my first choice, but you are just so close to my house! You are quite convenient and typically have pretty good sales. One quick question though, WHY ARE THERE ONLY TWO REGISTERS OPEN???? This is not just a once in a blue moon thing. I can't recall there EVER being more than two open. Ever. Do you know how hard it is to keep my 2 year old content when the buggy is not moving? Lets just say there are times when dental work would be more fun. Waiting does not rank high on a toddlers list of things they likes to do. If you would just open a few more lanes I think all of your customers would be happier! And could you teach your cashiers how to load my reusable bags please!!!! They act like I am Super Woman and pack all my groceries into 3 bags even though I brought 10 to the store with me! Just because they are bigger and stronger than plastic bags does not mean stuff them to the top! Okay? Sounds like you need to have a staff meeting!

Sincerely,
The Woman Who Is Going To Take Her Business Elsewhere




Head on over to Foursons and check out more Letters of Intent! Happy Friday!

I see

Right now I see (and I am thinking)

Books scatted all over the floor (I should really pick those up before Lula Mae gets up from her nap so that she can pull them all out again.)

The bill book on the kitchen counter (Why do I feel like it is staring at me? I can feel it judging me from all the way over here.)

A burp rag about to fall out of the swing (I better get that before Lula Mae does. She may try to wipe her nose on it and that would be gross.)

A new list of words on the board for Lula Mae to learn (I wonder if she likes getting new words? How does she learn these words so fast?)

One last swig of tea in a glass on the counter (I bet that fly has pooped on the rim of my glass. I better get a straw.)

A piece of tape wrapped around the light pull cord (How long has that been there? I didn't put it there, I can't reach that high. I guess it was Charlie. I wonder how many times I will have to ask him to take it down?)

A cobweb on the ceiling (Why did I buy a condo with vaulted ceilings, I am never gonna be able to reach that. Not even with my stool. I wonder how many times I will have to ask Charlie to get it down?)

A potty for Lula Mae's baby doll (Why is it that Lula Mae will pee and poop on her baby's potty but won't go on her potty? Even though it is in her diaper it is far more success than anything we have had in her potty. She can be so stubborn sometimes. No clue where she gets that from.)

I am sitting here because I have forced myself to. Not that I have to force myself to blog, but I have to force myself to relax. During nap I typically fly through the house like a chicken with my head cut off. I try to get everything I can done during that short window of time. Well today I am not. I have banished myself to the couch. Yep, banished! I am a very strict person, I can tell you that right now. When I approached myself about this earlier today I was intimidated! Not only that, but apparently I spit when I talk. Sorry to anyone out there who already knew that! So, here I am. Relaxing. Not doing anything. I must say, it feels kinda nice.

A Facebook Post

Charlie not going on this deployment was a big deal to me. After writing about it the other day, I felt humbled. Although, I did not realize what not going on the deployment might do to my husband. I guess I thought that he would be 100% for staying home. Then I read this on his Facebook:

"I have been in the Army for 10yrs, I have seen stuff that I hope others will never have to during my two deployments overseas. But the saddest thing I have ever witnessed was standing in the grass this morning as the sun rose with a couple hundred others waving good bye to over 100 people that I care about. Never really thought about how hard it would be to be the one not on the bus.

See you guys soon.....Take care"


And then I read the comments that followed:

• I believe your Army friends would appreciate this statement. Spoken from your heart.
• I always knew you were a big softy on the inside, just like Dabo is on the outside. I will send you a picture of my new temporary home soon.
• Im super sad too Charlie. Tough not going even though I'm thankful.
• I cant imagine what u guys go thru. I want to say THANK YOU to u and all the other service men and women that protect us all. May God bless you all.
• Everyone will be in my prayers - we really do appreciate you and all of the service men and women who sacrifice so very much for our country! Love you - brother.
• That's really nice Charlie Bell...and thank you for how you have already served our country!
• yes, thanks to all men and women. Be careful.
• very touching charlie. love ya!
• I thought of you and I could not imagine how you felt...but I know how I felt. So burdened for them, yet so glad that you did not have to go again. God Bless them all. We pray for their safety and pray that they ALL return. Love you Charlie!
• I sure do love you babe! I am so grateful to not have to spend this year away from you! Me, Lula Mae and Jayce sure do love having you around!

I am very aware that I am a selfish person, but I did not realize how selfish it was for me to think Charlie didn't want to go overseas as badly as I didn't want him to go. My husband is not one to show emotion. He is not one to dwell on things or hold a grudge. I never thought about how hard it would be for him not to go on this deployment. He is a very loyal man and he loves his job. He has more integrity in his little toe than most people have in their entire body. Now I realize that I owe my husband one big thank you. I think if it weren't for me having Jayce 9 weeks ago, he would have been on that bus and I would have been the one waving from the grass. I think he would have gladly given away his "stay behind" slot to someone that he thought was more deserving. I never thought that not getting on that bus would be so tough for him. God gave me an amazing husband and I love him more than words can ever say. He has done a lot for me in the past, but this takes the cake.

I love you Babe.

Did That Just Happen?

Today I am linking up with Once Upon A Miracle for True Story Tuesday! Head on over and fill up your laugh tank! Happy Tuesday everyone!



The other night, while I was washing cups and bottles for about the millionth time that day, I realized I hadn't mixed any formula for the next day yet. So, I politely asked my husband if he would mix some up for me. Well I thought I asked politely... perhaps I was wrong...

The formula should be in this container...

Not all over the floor!!!!!!

Or all over my shoulder!!!!

Or all down my back!!!!

Or in my hair!!!!

Or in my right ear!!!

I was minding my own business, washing bottles quietly at the sink, when all of a sudden... POP!!!! I was covered in smelly, warm formula. Not only that, there were still undissolved chunks of formula all over me too. I must mention that Charlie was standing a mere 2 feet away from me at the time of the explosion. I'm not sure what I did to deserve this, but you can bet I won't be asking Charlie to mix anymore formula while I am in the kitchen. Oh, he says it was an accident. "You made the water too hot and it built up pressure! How was I suppose to know it was going to explode?!?!?!?! Ummm I think you have a little something on you Babe." Really? Where? Oh, ALL OVER ME?????? Thanks Babe! I probably would have missed it had you not pointed it out. As I stood at the sink, in shock of what had just happened, all I could do was bust out laughing. We stood there together, in the middle of all that terribly smelly puddle of formula, and laughed, and laughed, and laughed. We could not breathe we were laughing so hard. The explosion came out of nowhere so it really caught us off guard. It took a good 30 to 45 seconds for either of us to even move or look at each other. There are certain things that just only seem to happen to me and Charlie. We have some of the CRAZIEST stories, but I wouldn't change it for the world! There is never a dull moment when we are together. Once we finally stopped laughing, I finished washing the bottles and then was off to take a shower. That would not have been so bad had it not been 11:00 pm. I can't complain too much though. It may have been a late shower, but at least I got to take a shower without an audience for a change! What an end to an already long day!

Monday Mugs

Well, hello Monday! Seems like you rushed to get here this week... any reason in particular??? Well, since you are here it is time for....


Head on over to Oswald Cuties for more Monday Mugs! The theme this week is feet. I have to apologize for the obscene amount of photos I am about to show you... I have a thing for feet. Especially baby feet! *sigh* Be still my heart!

Jayce's feet. Thanks again Casey for this adorable shot! So angelic!

Another shot of Jayce's sweet little feet. I could eat those toes!

My terribly swollen feet that my husband felt the need to photograph. Sorry to anyone who has a weak stomach, I should have warned you about this one! Childbirth is tough on EVERY PART OF YOUR BODY! Even your feet. Ankles? Where did you go? I assure you my feet have gone back to normal now and look much cuter. I am now the proud owner of ankles, yet again.

Lula Mae's tiny little foot in her Daddy's hand. This one makes my womb shiver!




Lula Mae's feet now. Much bigger, faster and smellier. Still precious though! She has my weird habit of curling her toes under. If she can't look like me, at least she acts like me!

Happy Monday everyone!

The Emotions Are Mixed

Today. What can I tell you about today? Well, for starters, I can tell you that I have about 365 things to be thankful for today. Today should be the last day I get to see my husband for a year. His unit, which I obviously can't tell you much about for their safety, is deploying today. Today is the day.

Last night should have been the last time we sat together to eat dinner. It should have been the last night I got to lay in bed and feel his warmth beside me. I should be sleeping alone tonight. I should be feeding the kids, giving them their baths and tucking them in alone tonight. But I'm not.

Tonight I will get to hear his car pull into the drive way, hear his keys jingle in the lock and hear him come through the door with his normal "Heeeeeellllllllloooooo!!!". I will get to see his face, hear his voice and feel safe in his presence. Instead of hearing Lula Mae say "Mommy, where's Daddy? He at work Mommy? When he gonna be home Mommy?" I get to hear her say "DAAAAAADDDDDYYYYYYYY!!! HELLO!!!!!!!" just like any other day. I get to see her come around the corner running as fast as she can and jumping into his arms to hug him and lay her head on his shoulder so sweetly, laughing out of excitement that her Daddy is home. I could just as easily be seeing her stand at the door, calling for Daddy with tears streaming down her face because she doesn't understand why Daddy is not home. I could just as easily be holding her, wiping away her tears and trying to comfort her the way her Daddy does. I can't be her Daddy. I don't look like him, act like him, sound like him or smell like him. My arms are not big enough, my voice is not soothing enough, my words are not silly enough, and my presence is not comforting enough. She loves me and needs me, but she needs and loves her Daddy just a little bit more.

By the Grace of God I don't have to be her Daddy. He gets to stay behind. He gets to come home each night and be with his family. We need that. I need that. I need my husband, my best friend, my partner in crime and my right hand man. I don't have to wonder if Jayce will be afraid of his Daddy when he returns because he is a stranger. I don't have to wonder if Lula Mae feels like it is her fault that her Daddy abandoned us. For the next 365 days I will be thankful to have my husband by my side instead of half way around the world.

We know we are lucky. No, not lucky, blessed. We are very aware of how blessed we are to be able to say that he is a stay behind this time. It is proof that God answers prayers, even big ones. Since we heard about the deployment I have prayed and prayed and prayed that he would not have to go. While praying for him to stay home, I felt guilty. I should be praying for God's will, not for what I want. So I did. I prayed for both. I told God that if he had to go, he had to go. I told Him that I knew He would get us through it if that was the case. Then I prayed that He would just let him stay. Never in my wildest dream did I think God would bless me this big. This is HUGE. Bigger than any blessing I think I have ever received (aside from my children). I owe Him big time for this one. Big time.

God is my strength, my joy and my life. God is showing me every single day that I need to be grateful for everything. The good things, the bad things and all those things in between. He is showing me that I really can give Him all of my fears and problems and He will take care of them. His grace is amazing! I have an awesome God who loves me and takes care of me. He is molding me into a better person with each passing moment. My heart is forever changed and focused on Him. I hope my children look back at this and realize that God was looking out for them. Their lives would have been changed forever if their Daddy would have had to go overseas for a year. What if he didn't come home? How devastating would that have been to all of us, but especially to Lula Mae and Jayce?

We could have gotten through the deployment, we have done it before, but I am grateful that we don't have to. There aren't really words to explain just how grateful I am. I am happy and sad today, all at the same time. Happy for us, but sad for the other soldiers that have to leave today. Please pray for the others in the unit who were not as lucky as us. The soldiers are leaving behind wives, husbands, fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, friends and family. Each one of them will forever be changed by the year ahead of them. Pray for their safety, strength and courage. Pray for their loved ones back home.

I will continue to pray for God's will in our lives. I will also pray that God will help me not to take this amazing blessing for granted.