The Rookie Wife Diaries

It's a...Foot?

2012-02-15T04:39:00.003-05:00

So we had our 20 week scan yesterday and the butterbean was uncooperative when the ultrasound tech tried to get a good profile picture, BUT we did get an excellent picture of the baby's foot. :) Fortunately the baby was more cooperative when it came to finding out the sex and it turns out we're having a girl! I couldn't be more excited! So is my family...we have been dominated by boys for years so when they got the news yesterday, there were celebrations galore.

The husband is still insinstant that he doesn't want to know what we're having so I have to sneak things into the house and hide them in the baby's walk-in closet. We'll see how long he holds out. :)

I give him a hard time but honestly, he's the best husband a girl could ask for. He's so patient and sweet to me and I know I picked the very best person to not only be a strong partner but to be a father to my children. Who would have ever guessed 13 years ago that this is where we'd be?????

5 Month Mark!

2012-01-29T10:07:00.004-05:00

It's funny how things can seem like they've gone by so fast....yet took so long. I guess it's because I never thought the days of my head in a toilet would ever be over and now that they are (for the most part), everything else is zooming right along.

I'm excited to say I have a nice little belly now and I have to admit, the best thing about this part of being pregnant is not having to suck it in anymore! As a woman, I've been sucking it in for as long as I've known what "sucking it in" meant! You girls know how it is....

Things have been going pretty well now that I'm feeling better and more like myself. That first 14 weeks or so I was pretty much down for the count...it was AWFUL. I was always throwing up, sleeping and feeling like I had a monster case of the flu. I didn't even cook the whole 3 months because just the smell sent me running to the bathroom and since the husband doesn't know how to cook....we ate a lot of sandwhiches. I've told the husband if he wants anymore kids....we're adopting!!!

In about 2 weeks (on Valentine's Day) we get to find out what we're having!! Correction, " I " get to find out what we're having...the husband is insistant on being surprised and I'm just as insistant that I need to know. I've never been one that's good with surprises, nor do I have the patience for it...plus the planning nazi part of me HAS to know. Of course I've had my fair share of people giving me a hard time and lecturing that it's so much better to be surprised and I find myself getting REALLY annoyed. As far as I'm concerned, the decision to find out gender is a personal choice...they made their choices and they should respect that I've made mine instead of laying on the lectures and voicing obvious discontent.

The husband respects my need to know and I respect his wish to be surprised, so I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure he gets his wish. I'll be keeping the gender quiet from most everyone (except you of course....he doesn't read my blog) and I'm planning to get the basic part of the nursery done within the next 2 months so he can help me and then I'll do the final decor by myself with the touches of pink or blue (the lecture from the naysayers was why can't I just do the whole thing in neurtral....and my retort was...because I DON'T WANT TO! Sheesh.

For the most part I think we've got the names down. For a boy it will be Ethan Harris. And for a girl we are leaning towards Lily Spring (Spring happens to be my middle name and I was having trouble coming up with another middle name to match Lily that didn't sound totally country.) So now I'm just counting down the days until I find out which name the Butterbean will get!! I'll post the ultrasound pic and stuff for you as soon as I get it....can't wait!

Hello Second Trimester!

2012-01-04T14:56:00.003-05:00

Today I am 14 weeks and 1 day....which means I'm finally in my second trimester...I just hope the Butterbean gets wise to the news soon.

I have been one of those unlucky folks that has been sick ALL THE TIME and if I hear one more person say, "Well I was never sick..." I'm going to punch them...hard.

Friends neglect to tell you about the projectile vomiting or simultaneous peeing on yourself as your facedown in the toilet and yes, I have to carry a bucket in the car because apparently I suddenly can't drive 5 minutes down the road without throwing up. Oh there are looooads of fun things I am learning about each day.

BUT, last week I got to see the Butterbean kicking and squirming across the ultrasound screen and suddenly.... it all seemed worthwhile.

You Can Call Me Mom

2011-12-03T08:45:00.003-05:00

Well now I guess I can tell you the real reason I've been MIA.

On July 3rd I will be a Momma. :)

We're just about 10 weeks now and according to the doctor, everything is going perfectly. Little Bit has arms, legs, fingers and toes and a good strong heartbeat so we are immensely relieved and happy.

The only downside is that morning sickness has been the devil. I cannot tell you the number of days I thought I was going to die or have a permanent indention on my face from the toilet. One of those pesky little things your friends don't tell you is that you have to start carrying a bucket in the car with you. Ugh. I finally got the doctor to phone me in some meds for the worst days but hopefully I will only have a couple more weeks of this misery. I'm ready to get my energy back!

Anywho, so that's the big mystery. I've felt like poo and have had a hard time doing much of anything these days....but all for a greater cause. :)

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

2011-11-07T19:06:00.012-05:00

Oh how time flies.

I'm still here. Just been busy channeling my inner domestic goddess.

Wanna see?

Chicken N' Dumplings (A Southern staple )

Mini Chicken Pot Pie (I boo booed up on the crust a bit but no matter.)
Chili Topped Fritos.....Mmmmmmmmmm

I realized that I had turned a corner when the number of things I made right on the first try, outweighed the things I dumped in the trash and remade before the husband got home. :) AND it all tastes good.

That's progress peoples!!

The Semi-Domestic Goddess

2011-09-20T19:13:00.008-04:00

Guess what I did Sunday?

No wait...you'll never guess.

I, Lindsey...former spinster, spent the entire afternoon cooking, portioning out and freezing meals for me and the hubby.

I can see that you're in shock. Wordless even.

Who would have guessed that I'd turn out to be so domestic? I'm sure you all recall the cookie dough debacle of 2009 when the mixer ran amuck and splattered gobs of dough on the cabinets, counters, fridge and me.

I've come a long way baby. :)

Well, I say that but with all my leaps and bounds, sometimes my landings are still a bit shaky.

For instance, during Sunday's cooking marathon the first meal up was chicken pot pie but I realized I didn't have any unsalted butter. After much desperate digging around the fridge, I discovered I didn't have any butter whatsoever, salted or unalted, which was bad because I needed it for something else too. Certainly this new bombdiggety domestic goddess had not failed to pick up a much needed item during the morning's grocery trip? Hmmm. Ok, no worries. The grocery store is just a block away so I kept my cool and scooted out to the store. Disaster averted.

Tasty pot pie filling expertly crafted and tucked way, I got to work on the mexican soup...one of the husband's favorites, not to mention that it's his mother's recipe. And ya know, at first everything was going great. The sausage browned nicely, the veggies were tender and I was just getting ready to add the second can of Rotel when it hit me. Holy shit. These were both supposed to be original flavor but this one was CILANTRO AND LIME!! (Would not work with this dish at all.) You have got to be kidding me!! I took a deep breath. Ok...well let's just try this with one can and see how it tastes. No...nope. Shit. It NEEDS the second can.

I cuss, I throw the kitchen towel, I stub my toe...cuss some more and then finally tell the hubby to keep an eye on the stove. Back to the store I go...for the THIRD time today. I run in, grab the Rotel (original flavor thankyouverymuch) and made sure I found a cashier that I hadn't already had that day. Then I dashed home only to find my way blocked by fire trucks, ambulances and a little man waving me left for a detour.

This is bad.

I just moved here. I DON'T KNOW ANY DETOURS!!

I turn left...grudgingly and stare at the long stretch of road ahead of me. Then a brilliant idea strikes me. My phone!! I start up google maps and tell it to find my location. It stares back at me unblinking. I hit the button again. MY LOCATION. No change. I shake it violently and let loose a string of choice words that would make even a sailor blush. I was just contemplating how much satisfaction may be gained from throwing it out the window and watching it smash against the asphalt when I noticed a car coming up behind me. Ohhhhh. Maybe HE knows where he's going! Casually I pulled off to the right and pretended to read something. As soon as he passed I pulled forward and tailed him all the way to the main highway, some five miles away from the house.

Sigh.

Oh well. At least I knew where I was now.

A grand detour and a lot of cuss words later, I made it home and the second can of Rotel really made the soup. The husband was happy and the mother-in-law's recipe was not tarnished...so all in all, I guess it was worth it. But it just goes to show...linny spinster has not left the building.

Couponing: How To

2011-09-10T03:19:00.039-04:00

I've had several people ask me how couponing works and whether it's worth it. Let me assure you, if you are someone who could benefit from saving A LOT of money...then YES it is completely and totally worth it! You would not believe all the stuff I get for free every single week. It's rediculous, honestly. Now, if you ever watch the show Extreme Couponing, you've got to understand that's a high dramatazation of how couponing works. The vast majority of couponers do not save 90% or more on their regular weekly grocery shopping, that's more of what you should expect to save on health and beauty items. Saving on groceries is harder due to the lack of coupons for things like meats and veggies so the realistic goal most of us shoot for on our regular grocery bill is a savings of 50-60%. For me personally, since there is just me and the hubby we were spending around $80.00 a week on groceries...now I spend around $40 and I come home with 3 x the number of stuff as when I was spending the $80!

Couponing is super easy and just requires some extra time when you first get started and are getting yourself organized. I usually spend an hour or two every weekend clipping new coupons and organzing them in my coupon binder and taking out the expired ones. Then I go do my regular shopping like normal...I just have my binder with me. (I'll do a another post showing my binder and explaining that more.)

How much money you can save varies by what stores are in your areas and what their coupon policies are. You'll get your biggest savings at stores that double coupons. Doubling is when a store doubles the face value of a coupon...for instance, you have a .50 cent off coupon and they double it making it $1.00 off. Which stores double and up to how much is totally up to the individual stores so call your local shops and find out what their policies are but keep in mind there are some areas that don't have stores that will double at all. In my area the stores will double any coupon with a face value of up to .50 cents, anything above that is just taken at face value.

Now the trick to saving the most money isn't just buying something with a coupon. You wait until an item goes on sale (typically hitting it's rock bottom price) and THEN you buy it, combining it with your coupon to maximize savings. Ok, I'm a visual learner so here's some pictures to help you understand some of the basics.

When a store has a Buy 1 Get 1 Free sale...keep in mind you do NOT have to buy two of the items to get the deal! What they do is simply slash the price of the item in half. For instance, Publix had Bugles and Chex Mix on sale B1G1. Normally they're $2.59 but with the sale they are $1.29 each. I happened to have a .50 cent off coupon and since my store doubles...they took $1.00 off, meaning the cost was only .29 cents!!!!

Stacking coupons. Most stores that have their own store coupons will allow you to use one store coupon in conjunction with a manufacturer coupon. (Again, check your store's policy.) This is an awesome way to maximze savings. Here CVS had shave gel on sale for $1.99. I was able to use the $1 off manufacturer coupon from the sunday paper AND stack it with the $1 off store coupon I printed off CVS' website. This made it FREE!

This was a fun find during the summer. My store had an unadvertised sale where the frozen lemonade was on sale for $1.00. (On 10 for 10 sales you do not have to buy 10 items to get the deal...each item is just listed at $1.00 whether you get one or five.) I had a .50 cent off coupon which doubled up to $1.00 making this FREE!

My husband's favorite soap. Normally $1.99 for the 2-bar pack, it was on sale for .88 cents. The store doubled my .35 cent off coupon making it .70 cents off, which made the soap only .18 cents!!!!

It's super important to always check your clearance racks and bins! These Proglide razors are usually $8.49 but they were on clearance for $4.16. I happened to have a $4.00 off coupon which made them .16 cents!!! (Clearance sales are a reason why you should ALWAYS bring your binder with you.)

In this case I did not have a manufacturer coupon but Target has store coupons on their website. Lo and behold there was a $1.00 coupon and these cat treats happened to be on sale for .99 cents. You know what that means....FREE! I nabbed a couple to add to my box of pet food that I'm donating to the local animal shelter next weekend.
My store was running a great sale which made men's bodywash $1.99 (normally priced at $3.99). This makes it at it's rock bottom price so I used my $2.00 off coupon and it made them FREE!!

Super great sale b/c these things are normally super expensive. These were the large bags normally priced at $7.49 but were on sale for $4.99. I had a $3.00 off coupon which made them $1.99 each!!!
Hopefully this has given you a basic idea of how it all works. I buy my Sunday papers on Saturday afternoon (here they offer an early edition, it's probably available in your area too.) So the day before the sales I'm able to go through and clip my coupons and get them organized and in my binder. Then I go through the sales ADs and match up my coupons for the best deals. Keep in mind that it takes a couple of weeks to really get going and start saving the most because you have to build up a stock of coupons to use and eventually you'll be able to build a nice stockpile of goods at home and won't have to go out as often or buy as much.

Until that happens, my helpful tips would be to make sure you go shopping for your deals early Sunday morning before everyone else gets there and the shelves are empty and if you do happen to find a deal that's sold out....get a rain check! Also make sure you've found out your local stores coupon policy (I even keep copies in my binder) because more often than not, the cashiers are not properly trained and will sometimes tell you they can't take a coupon when they really can. Also, I highly suggest finding a good coupon blog to follow. This is especially helpful if you're a newbie. They do a lot of the work for you, finding match ups and posting them along with which coupon you need. I follow The Krazy Coupon Lady (http://www.krazycouponlady.com/) and they have a good beginners section there which will probably explain things better than I did. Happy Couponing!

The Week in Deals

2011-09-01T06:02:00.019-04:00

I've got a post planned for this weekend but in the meantime...I'm still couponing like crazy and am so proud of my stockpile! Not only have I cut my monthly grocery bill more than in half but I get tons more stuff with less money AND I was able to send 5 grocery bags worth of goodies to my sister and brother-in-law who just recently moved back from Florida and are on a really tight budget. Here are the really good deals I got this week:

3 Febreeze warmers with covers and 2 Neutrogena facial bar soap.

Retail cost $13.00 and I paid...ZERO!!!!!!

4 boxes of pasta, 4 men's body wash, 4 travel packs of dishwashing tabs,

2 pocket packs of Advil and 2 puppy nursing bottles

(being donated along with a bunch of cat food).

Retail was $34.00 and I paid ZERO!!!!!

Scored a bunch of Gillette Fusion Proglide razors (normally nearly $9.00)

for .16 cents each after coupon!! My husband loves these and I was able to

score enough that we won't have to buy razors for MONTHS!

Just in time for cold and flu season. I snagged 6 boxes of tissue for $1.74

and 4 bottles of Advil (2 of the 40 count and 2 of the 50 count) for FREE!

Back to Work

2011-08-20T09:49:00.006-04:00

My energy is coming back and I finally feel like getting back to reality. I really want to get back to writing so I'm taking baby steps and continuing with the movie reviews for my local paper and currently I'm working on an article to submit to one of my favorite webistes for consideration in a series of articles they are commissioning. I did my outline this morning and hope to have it finished by tomorrow....keep your fingers crossed that it'll get picked! I don't really care about the money, I just like seeing my stuff in print. :)

I'm off to get this sucker knocked out but I'll leave you with my review of "The Help" which was published in yesterday's paper. The paper is a small, local one so they have us on super word restriction so we can't get as detailed as we'd always like...but that is my regular challenge and I love it! :)

"The Help" 3 out of 4 stars

Whenever a novel strikes a nerve with a large number of people, its big screen counterpart is generally met with both anticipation and trepidation. In this case, I think director Tate Taylor did a respectable job of bringing "The Help" to life while trying to stay loyal to Kathyrn Stockett's 2009 novel of the same name.

Based in the 1960s Mississippi, "The Help" is the story of black maids working for wealthy white families at a time when the Civil Rights Moment was still in its infancy, and segregation and abuse were still the norm. Some of the stories will break your heart while other stories make you laugh out loud but most importantly...they make you feel.

The truth isn't always easy, nor is it always pretty but as they say, "The truth shall set you free."

Heading for the Light

2011-08-02T19:33:00.003-04:00

Well, I finally had the physical miscarriage over the weekend. For those of you who have never had one...it is beyond awful. I can assure you that the doctor's briefing on the topic was not at all sufficient for the reality of the process. Had an especially traumatizing experience at the doctor's office this afternoon when they checked to make sure I'd had a 'total miscarriage' but I'll spare you the gory details.

I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.

But on the plus side, they said that we could start trying again in two months so that is the little piece of light I've been holding onto.

The husband and I are leaving tomorrow for Indianapolis. He has a convention and I'm taking a much needed break from everything familiar. I am so looking forward to this...dreading the 9 1/2 drive but it will all be worth it!

Sad Day

2011-07-22T17:53:00.002-04:00

It's a sad day for this former spinster. We went back to the new doctor for another ultrasound today and found that I had indeed had an early miscarriage at 7 weeks. Physically I haven't had the actual miscarriage yet (I've been told it will happen within 2-4 weeks) but they're certain...there is no longer a heartbeat or growth.

We are deeply sad and disappointed. I just keep thinking about how happy our families have been...how they've been bragging to everyone.

Sigh.

Thanks for sending us your happy thoughts. Keep them coming...we're gonna need them.

Bedside Manner

2011-07-16T03:07:00.003-04:00

Or should I say lack thereof.

Ever since I found out I was pregnant, it's been a series of back experiences with the nurse at the OBGYN office. Over the last 3 weeks we've done weekly labs and every week she calls me to tell me that she unhappy with the results and we're likely in the early stages of a miscarriage but she never brings me in for an ultrasound which is more accurate than labs alone. So we pull strings and drive an hour north to get a scan elsewhere, where we find that so far everything looks normal.

Fast forward to this week where I get the now regular "your labs suck and it's bad news" phone call. But this time she says that she consulted a doctor in the practice whom I've never seen in the 10 years I've been going there (my regular doctor is retired from OB) and supposedly he said that based on my labs this isn't a viable pregnancy and I need to schedule a time to come in so that we can set a timeline for "how long I plan to let this go on." #1 Who says shit like that? # 2....why would you say that when you've NEVER seen me and you still haven't done an ultrasound??!

I flat out told her I wasn't doing or speaking to anyone until we had a scan so she brought me in yesterday. I was sick to my stomach the entire time and was so terrified but as soon as the tech turned on the machine...there was not only a baby...but there was a heartbeat. I stared at it, just watching it flutter away like crazy. We were so happy. They were wrong yet again.

But then the nurse from hell comes in and glances at the little picture I was holding so proudly and says off handedly, "That's not normal. You're going to meet with the doctor." So again I get my feet kicked out from under me and have to meet the doctor who was so quick to write me off. He proceeds to tell me that the news wasn't good and frankly he was shocked they were able to get a fetal pole much less a heartbeat. Said the baby's heart beat isn't as fast as he feels it should be at this gestation and it will take a miracle for it to survive. Said I should expect to miscarry within the next 2 weeks.

Needless to say, I'm devastated and scared but trying to stay positive and hope for the best since they've been wrong both times before. I've also switched practices and have an appointment with the new doctor Tuesday afternoon so I am praying that maybe there will be a positive change by then. You know, I've not done a whole lot of praying since I was little and when my Dad died...I was angry with God for a REALLY long time. But as I sat in that waiting room, more scared than I have ever been...I rested my hand on top of the Bible that was on the table next to me and prayed my little heart out. I just hope he heard me.

Update

2011-07-01T21:14:00.002-04:00

First, thank you everyone for your well wishes! They mean a bunch.

Had a bit of a scare yesterday (first time pregnancy is scary in and of itself but throw in the levels that aren't of the norm and arrggg. Get outta here.) Anyway, so to just put our minds at ease, I had an ultrasound today and they were able to see the yolk sac and that the lining is thickening (sorry boys). Still too early to see the baby or a heart beat as they think I may be barely 5 weeks along but in about 3 weeks or so we should be able to have another scan to check for all that so that we can breathe a final sigh of relief. This was a very positive vist and the new doctor I saw was very reassuring and said at this point everything looks right on track!

Hooray!!!

So while the butterbean is gonna do some growing...momma is gonna do some sleeping. I'm exhausted!

Unexpected News

2011-06-29T06:56:00.003-04:00

So, I have news.

I'm pregnant!

Quite frankly, I'm still in shock but the husband is beside himself with excitement. If all goes well, we'll have company around February 23rd.

There's a hitch though and that's why I'm writing this post. All may not go well.

My bloodwork showed my HCG levels rising but not quite doubling as they would like and my progesterone was a little on the low side but they started me on prometrium to help fix that. There is a great chance that everything will be FINE, especially with my doctor being proactive and starting the prometrium BUT there is also a very large chance that we didn't catch it in time and I could lose the baby.

This is has been my one place where I could be totally honest and because of this I feel comfortable telling you that I am TERRIFIED. Scared shitless. There is a sweet little baby growing inside of me and I am doing everything within my power to ensure that it continues to thrive. But I guess what scares me the most are the things that I don't have control over. Not a whole lot I can do about those things except hope and pray for the best.

I have to go back on Monday for another round of blood work so we'll know more then. PLEASE keep us in your thoughts...

The Year That Was

2011-06-18T10:48:00.003-04:00

One year ago today I was crammed into a too small room in the corner of the hospital, staring off into space as the doctor told my family there was nothing more they could do. I remember the sensation of losing all feeling in my body as I stared at the doctor's moving mouth and wondering why I could not longer hear him.

One year ago today...a piece of me died.

Death causes a sticky kind of pain that clings to your insides with ferocity. It's an overwhelming kind of pain that takes you by surprise and creeps up at moments you least expect. It's a hurt that I've learned to live with.

There aren't enough words to express how much I miss my Daddy or what I would give to have one more day.

Just one more day.

A Sneak Preview of the House

2011-05-28T09:51:00.011-04:00

I know you're anxious to see the inside...good thing I've got pictures!! These were taken while the previous owners were still living there so none of the furniture is mine but I told them they were welcome to leave it all. :)

Formal living room and dining room. I've never really been a fan of the duel formal and informal rooms but seems like every house we saw had them and at least these were open and warm vs. all the walled off rooms we'd see elsewhere.

So one of the main things I'd been looking for in a house was an open floor plan. Seems like every house we went to was nothing but a bunch of boxy rooms and I hated it...so this was a breath of fresh air when I saw it. It's hard to see but there's also a little breakfast area in the kitchen. And on the opposite side of the living room where I was standing, there's a fireplace and the stairs leading to the 2nd floor.

Master bathroom...LOVE this! There's a big garden tub to the right, seated next to a window (hope there's no neighborhood perverts), straight ahead is a double vanity and the toilet is in a little room with it's own door...lol. To the left is a humongous walk in closet.

This is the master bedroom and it's very dramatic b/c when you walk up the stairs...the first thing you see is are these two door thrown open to reveal this huge bedroom.

Now THIS is one of the main reasons I fell in love with the house. Off the master bedroom...there are two french doors that open up into this BEAUTIFUL office complete with fireplace. I have always wanted an office, a quiet place for me to write and think...and now I finally have it. The hubby got a spare bedroom. :)

The half bath downstairs. There are 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and the office. Just over 2,700 something square feet.

Bonifide Homeowners

2011-05-25T18:27:00.003-04:00

Allow me to introduce you to our new house.

We finally go it!!!!

More to come later but just wanted to share the good news!

First Big Grocery Trip

2011-05-18T06:32:00.008-04:00

I decided to try my hand at a couponing trip for groceries this past weekend and actually did pretty good I think for a first time. Everything you see here plus 5 bottles of body wash and fruits and veggies.

Retail was $133.56

I paid $58.03 for a total savings of $75.53. :)

Favorite deals of the week: $.97 for the Purex laundry detergent, $.13 for Colgate toothpaste, $.13 for Colgate toothbrush, $.79 total for TWO boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios, free Scotch tape (3 rolls that are tucked away into my wrapping paper box), free body wash and Lowrey's marinade for $.49.

So all in all a pretty good weekend but definitely shooting to do even better!!! Want to get that bottom line down even lower. I likes a good challenge, I do.

Gettin' There

2011-05-10T06:06:00.005-04:00

Had to show off my week 2 attempt at couponing. Getting better! Still have to work on saving on food items so a friend is giving my sister and I tips on stores that are friendly to price matching and taking competitor coupons so maybe in the coming weeks I'll have that down.

In the mean time I'm saving on health and beauty items which we won't have to pay for on upcoming shopping trips for quite awhile. Wait til you see how I did this week!!You are looking at 3 packs of heating patches (for the hubby), 5 packs of razors, 5 packs of girlie liners and a 3 bar pack of soap which retail for $60.50. Guess how much I paid. Go on...guess!

N-O-T-H-I-N-G!!

I got them all FREE!

For $60.50 worth of stuff...I paid a measley .70 cents in sales tax! :) Woohoo!

For the Love of Coupons

2011-05-05T20:21:00.004-04:00

Thanks to the husband's unexpected surgery, Uncle Sam and home buying, the husband and I are, for lack of a better term...in the hole. So, to make the most of our pennies I jumped on the coupon band wagon and now I wish I'd started this ages ago!

For the record, let it be known that I'm not one of those crazy people who buy 93 bags of croutons or 114 bottles of Excedrin PM. I buy only things we will use and I'm courteous to other shoppers and get only what we need to get us by for a good bit instead of clearing the shelves.

I warn you...it's addictive though.

The rush when you score a super good deal.

The absurd happiness that comes from watching to total go down down down down.

All the FREE STUFF!!

These are a few of the things from my very first venture last week. The retail price for everything came to about $71 and after coupons and sales prices...I paid $29! Not too bad for my first time out but wait til you see what I've got planned for next week!!

Can I Borrow a Pointy Boot?

2011-04-24T07:57:00.000-04:00

Trying to buy a home is going to be the death of me. I’m sure of it.

But then, keeling over before I’ve had a chance to reap the rewards of our hard won victory would be tremendously rotten luck.

I think the biggest problem for me is the simple lack of control over things now that we have lobbed the ball into the bank‘s court. Yes, it is possible that I may be inclined to exhibit a few Type A tendencies on occasion, (okay maybe a fair few) but the people at Citi Bank are suffering from something far more serious. They have a severe case of…Thumb Up The Rear.

I’m told it’s a fairly common ailment for people who work in this particular field and that the only cure is a swift kick in the ass. Fortunately for them, I am a medical professional and am willing to offer my services. Anything to help the cause.

Anniversary

2011-04-17T09:04:00.000-04:00

It's hard to believe that one year ago today I was fighting with the idiot florist, safely navigating guests to a destination in the middle of nowhere and praying that my little white dress still fit. Marrying that man is the best decision I ever made in my life.

A Funny Thing Happened...

2011-04-14T21:48:00.001-04:00

Well, see…

What had happened was…

It’s really a funny story…

Oh to hell with it.

Remember my husband’s post coital back injury? Yes, well…it actually turned out to be a herniated disc. So while I joked about breaking his back…turns out I really did.

In reality, he had actually been having moderate pain off and on for quite some time and we just weren’t smart enough to realize there was serious trouble a brewin’. I think our little romp that night was just the final nudge the disc needed to proceed with throwing a wrench in everything.

So, while I had every intention of being a diligent blogger and getting back to my writing…I got waylaid. I’ve spent the last month plus; being a nurse, taxi driver, personal assistant, insurance specialist and moral support. But now, post surgery, I am happy to say that he is all better and seeing as how things are getting back to normal…looks like I can get back to being a blogger.

Be careful what you ask for. :)

Serenity Now

2011-03-28T19:14:00.004-04:00

As the manager for our medical practice, it is my responsibility to deal with our less than savory patients. You know, the ones that complain about everything. Who refuse to fill out paperwork, who tell you what they will and will not pay, who want to tell the doctor how to run his practice.

The ones you hate.

Yeah, I get those.

On St. Patrick's day there was a particularly vile, roly poly of a man raising hell with the staff so I stepped in between them. Right there in the front office, he and I had a little "Come to Jesus" meeting and I let him know what was and was not going to be tolerated and if he wanted to be seen, he was going to play by our rules. He backed down more quickly than expected...so much so that I was left walking back to my office perplexed. Then I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror.DAMN.

When Playtime Goes Awry

2011-03-09T18:52:00.005-05:00

For the last two days the husband has been laid up on the couch with a heating pad and standing by his claim that I injured his back.

Funny thing is, instead of being grumpy... he's unusually happy. I'm talking ear to ear smiles and as much attentiveness as an immobile man can give.

Well, we didn't break the bed this time...but we may have broke his back. :)

What can I say? It's been a good year.

Here There and Everywhere

2011-02-24T20:12:00.002-05:00

Wow, I didn't realize how long it had been since I posted last! Whoops.

In my defense, I have been non-stop busy. Doing what you may ask?

House hunting.

Yup. We've spent nearly every weekend for the last two months searching for the right house. We found A LOT of wrong houses...but I'm excited because I think finally, we found THE one. We put in an offer this morning which was accepted by the sellers this afternoon buuuuuuuuut, it's a short sale which means we have to wait for final approval on the bid from their lender. So keep your fingers crossed.

Getting ready to head to the mountains tomorrow so I promise to write again soon. Have lots to say. In the mean time, let me leave you with this:

If you work with hot peppers...no matter how thoroughly you wash your hands after...you MUST resist the urge to scratch any itch below the equator. TRUST me.

The Fluff War

2011-01-27T19:37:00.001-05:00

There is a fluff war going on in my house and I’m not sure if I’m winning.

I took a look at the old decrepit scale the husband always complains about and decided that we needed a new one of the digital, easy to read variety. I would be putting you on if I said that I wasn’t a little apprehensive about what number was going to appear…I knew the old one had been lying to me, I just didn’t know how deceitful it had been. I thought surely it couldn’t be more than a mere 3 or 4 pound difference…..yeah, right. What if I tell you that my shiny, new scale has informed me that my weight was underestimated by a whopping TEN pounds!

T-E-N!!!

Well shit.

It’s at moments like this when you’ve got to stop and ask yourself if the truth was really worth it. Is honestly really the best policy?

In the long run I suppose it is. You can’t get where you’re going unless you know where you’re coming from.

But...geez louise.

Fluffy

2011-01-14T07:25:00.002-05:00

I don’t think I can avoid the truth any longer.

I wanted to deny it but my too tight pants threatened me with a public split of monstrous proportions if I didn’t come clean. So here are the cold, hard facts.

I have gotten fluffy.

Geez. There…I said it!

I wish realizations of truth such as this were gifted by removal of said wobbly bits but alas, my wobbly bits are still…wobbly.

Sigh.

Nothing to be done now but to get on with it.

Pass me the sneakers and watch the fluff go poof.

Fake It Til You Make It

2011-01-12T09:27:00.002-05:00

I’ll go ahead and state the obvious.

It’s been a long time since I last wrote. There are a lot of reasons, chief among them was that my heart just hasn’t been in it. This is literally the first time I’ve picked up my lap top in over a month. Then the damn thing wouldn’t start up. I think it was holding a grudge…angry at feeling neglected.

Not that I blame it. I haven’t blogged, I haven’t written any movie reviews…nothing. It’s as if all interest in writing has been sucked out of me…which you should know is, for lack of a better term…really weird. But in my defense, I’ve not had anything interesting at all to write about. My life as of late has been one big HO HUM and who wants to read about that? But at your urging, I promise to buckle down and give it the old college try.

What’s the phrase?

Fake it ‘til you make it.

Well honey, I can fake it all day long. Pass me the tuna sandwich please, I’ll have what she’s having.

Pear Shaped

2010-12-09T18:09:00.004-05:00

Every day the husband asks me if I'm going to write and every day I give him the same answer.

I don't know.

I just haven't felt like myself lately. To be honest, it kinda feels like being stuck in a bowl of jello. Everything's a little wobbly and nothing feels right.

I worry that it will never feel right.

People keep telling me that it gets easier and over time it hurts just a little bit less but I want to make someone put it in writing....give me a date...something to work towards. I want to know WHEN the hurt will go away.

You know, I'm fairly certain that when my Dad died, my heart died with him. But then I think...if I don't have a heart anymore...then how come I hurt so much?

One of life's great mysteries I guess.

Sigh. This is why I haven't written. I don't want to be known as the person responsible for depressing the whole Blogdom. Sorry guys.

Stranger Danger

2010-11-18T21:55:00.003-05:00

I think I must have one of those faces. The kind that says, “I’m open to being approached by oddballs, weirdos and lunatics. Send me your worst.”

Of course leave it to the Universal Powers That Be to make this the one time they actually decide listen. Typical.

I’m fairly certain that you could drop someone who…(well let’s just say they may not be the brightest light on the tree) into a crowded sea of people and they would inevitably suction cup themselves to me.

It’s the face. I’m telling you.

My insides shriek, “Stranger danger!”

My face says, “Welcome.”

It’s a pretty poor combination, I must admit.

Last week I stopped by the store for some girlie things and as I made my way to the front of the line I was greeted with a smile and a “How are you this morning?”

“Fine thank you.”

As I dug in my purse for my debit card, the cashier says, “Girl…you can’t tell me you fine. I see what you’re buying.” With a knowing look she nods towards my girlie things. “There ain’t nothin about you today that‘s fine…believe you me. I can tell already, you gonna have one of them days.”

I glanced uncomfortably at the line of people behind me and thought to myself, well if my face is going to let me down, maybe I need to at least start practicing the angry eyes. That could be promising….

Shrinking Conspiracy

2010-11-11T19:23:00.008-05:00

I think my clothes have shrunk.

Being that it‘s been colder than a well digger‘s butt lately, I finally got around to hauling my winter clothes from the depths of the closet and spent the whole morning getting everything washed and sorted when a curious thing happened.

Nothing fit.

Hmm...the Shrink Fairy must have visited my closet. That or that sneaky little washer has been shrinking my clothes again. It happens from time to time. I think it has some sort of vendetta against me. A missing sock here, a shirt shrunk there…I’m onto it now.

It’s just a shame that my entire wardrobe had to fall victim to wicked fairies and a washing machine with a grudge. I mean, obviously it’s just a stroke of rotten luck…it’s not like I put on a few pounds or anything. That would just be silly.

Although….I haven’t exactly weighed myself in awhile. But that’s mostly because scales are vile, evil devices. I had the misfortune to run across one at a doctor’s office that actually talked.

In FRONT of people!

Completely unaware that I was about to visit hell, I stepped onto the scale and promptly fell off with a start when it began shouting my weight to everyone within earshot. Yeah….I don’t go there anymore.

At any rate, it’s too cold to walk around naked so I guess a shopping trip is in order. Maybe I’ll even pick up a scale while I’m at it. I hear the fairies are scared of scales…

Out of Order

2010-11-04T20:05:00.004-04:00

I’ve decided that I need to get a car that runs on alternative fuel. Selfishly, this revelation has not come from environmental awareness but from a strong personal desire to avoid the universal powers that be.

As I was pumping gas into my car, I caught sight of a man walking purposefully towards me. I turned my gaze back to the screen and squeezed the pump handle harder, silently willing it to pour faster as I muttered, “Please don’t come over here, PLEASE don’t come over here.”

He came over there.

He smiled warmly and said, “Could I give you something to take home and read?” I glanced down at the booklet in his hand and broke out into a relieved grin as I realized he was not intending to preach or lecture me as is most common in these situations. So yes, gladly I accepted the booklet and bid him farewell.

It wasn’t until I looked more closely at the glossy cover that my smile quickly faded away. There, amidst a vast amount of nothingness was a lone figure followed by the title, “Lonliness…How You Can Cope.”

Wait a minute.

I glanced up to see if the people nearby were being offered the same paper but to my dismay, the little messenger had returned to his car and pulled away. Upon second thought I realized he hadn’t approached any of the others before me either. So what....do I have a big “Out of Order” sign emblazoned over my head? Or maybe it says, “Maintenance Required.”

If I were still single, this would have been one of those cosmic signs that would make me want to go home and slit my wrists. There are those who choose to assume that if you’re single, you are inherently miserable and lonesome. God forbid you are single and fabulous! (I’m a recently reformed spinster…can you tell I’m still bitter? Lol.)

But this brings us back to the matter at hand. Apparently I’m lonely and need guidance on how to cope…which is funny because I didn’t know I was lonely. I wish someone would have clued me in sooner because really, I’ve been playing the bit quite poorly. Jetting away every weekend for fun and adventures with family and friends and waking up next to an awesome guy every morning. How careless of me. I’ll do better tomorrow.

Peeking Over the Hill

2010-10-30T19:35:00.008-04:00

We’ve established that I work in an office but for the sake of this story, it should be noted that most of the girls I work with are in their early to mid-twenties, so at 33 I am the oldest of the bunch.

That being said, we’ve got this young guy whose had to frequent our office on a pretty regular basis here recently and he’s notorious for killing time by leaning across the counter and flirting with the receptionists. On the days he calls instead of coming in, he lays on the ‘charm’ by referring to the girls not by their names but as, “Sweetie…Honey…Darlin.”

Be still my heart.

My sister was the lucky duck who took his call the other day and I giggled as she rolled her eyes and pretended to gag. Come to think of it, at one point I think she did actually look a little green but in an act of true professionalism, she persevered and dutifully jotted down his message before passing it off to me to deal with.

When I called him back a short time later, I braced myself for the barrage of idiot pet names that he normally subjects the girls to. But as I finished up my little schpeel, do you know what he had the audacity to say to me? “Thank you…ma‘am.”

Ma‘am?? MA’AM!!!!!

That was the moment it hit me.

Oh my God….I’m OLD!!

I’m the girl they call ma’am!

When did this happen? Someone should have given me some warning! It’s not as if on your birthday you’re issued a new driver’s license labeled, “Over the Hill“ instead of “Under 21.” I mean, sure I may go to bed a little bit earlier than I used to and maybe my ass is just a wee bit wider that it once was…but so what.

When I got home I threw myself face first onto the couch next to my husband and whimpered, “There’s a young guy that flirts with all the girls in the office except me. ME he calls ma’am!”

My husband laughed and rubbed my back. “Aw, Darlin…That’s just because he isn’t old enough to know what a real woman is. It’s the difference between a boy and a man. Let him have his fun with the little girls, I’ll take you over them any day.”

Have I mentioned that my husband is pretty awesome? With that kind of sweet talk, peeking over the hill doesn't seem that bad at all.

The Devil Wears Brown

2010-10-14T21:35:00.004-04:00

I work for a company that gets daily UPS deliveries. And by a stroke of luck, it just so happens that my office is where the boys in brown choose to plop their packages before literally sticking their little signature pad in my face without regard to whatever else I may be doing. God forbid I’m on the phone or in the middle of writing something because then comes the dramatically loud sigh or the vigorous clearing of a throat…plainly signaling me drop whatever I’m doing at all costs so that they may have my undivided attention.

Some days I’m tempted to offer them a lozenge from the depths of my desk. Of course I’d have to pry it from the bottom of the drawer but surely it’s still good. It’s only been there since last Christmas…or was it the winter before that?

No matter.

Pluck off that bit of lint and they’ll be none the wiser.

If they choke on it…even better.

Nevertheless, most of the time I do stop to sign the proffered tablet just so I can rid myself of them. Though between you and me, I’m not even sure why I bother. Before I’ve even gotten past the first three letters of my name, their hands are already snaking towards the tablet, fingers visibly trembling with the desire to snatch the thing right out of my hands.

The pressure to write faster than I can blink has become so great that I’ve taken to sneaking from my office when I realize they’ve entered the building. On the days when my warnings come a bit late, it’s admittedly less like sneaking and more like hurling myself out the door. Though of course not every escape attempt is a successful one. I once ran face first into the UPS man’s chest, nearly knocking us both over. Imagine my disappointment when instead of reaching out a hand to steady me, he handed me the tablet.

Always the gentleman.

Personally, I think they take great fun in watching me scribble my signature with tortuous speed. Maybe if I sign as, “Asshole” next time they’ll get the picture.

Toot Toot For the Home Team

2010-10-09T11:01:00.009-04:00

Alas, baseball season is nearly over.

Evenings spent drinking beer, eating peanuts and cheering and cursing at the field have always been a favorite pastime of the husband and myself. I’m even keen on a lively round of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” though halfway through I always find myself lamenting over that I did in fact, forget to buy cracker jacks.

This generally results in a silent, doe eyed plea cast in the hubby’s direction until he heaves a heavy sigh and makes for the concession stand, appeasing his wife and helping himself to a beer for his troubles. It’s win-win, see.

Now, I’m a firm believer in supporting your home team. Paint your faces, wear your jerseys, wave your giant foam fingers until your arm hurts! But…exercise caution if you are a fan in enemy territory. Many a rowdy, brash, drivel for brains rival fans have passed through the gates at Turner Field. The ones that made it out, left with a healthy appreciation for the passion and depth of home town loyalty.

Now, I say this with the utmost innocence. After all, what would a sweet, southern girl such as myself know about devious behavior? I’m as pure as the new fallen snow.

…Until you are a Philly’s fan standing behind me for the better part of an hour, cheering far too loud and far too long for any call that went against my Braves. Then a lady may just have to forget that she is a lady and come to her team’s defense the best way she knows how.

By letting rip a toot-aimed right at the Philly loving little bastards.

Manners be damned!

These are desperate times and call for desperate measures.

The heat that flooded my face after the assault wasn’t me having the grace to feel abashed…it was pride. Pure, unadulterated satisfaction washed over me as I spared a glance over my shoulder and found the enemy in full retreat.

The Braves may have lost that night. But I took home a victory.

September

2010-10-02T10:31:00.004-04:00

I like to refer to last month as, “The Great Funk of September.”

From beginning to end, I was pursued by my own personal little rain cloud. No matter what I was doing or where I went, you’d see a teeny, gray puffball hovering patiently nearby. If nothing else, I can at least say the damn thing was loyal. It had eyes for no one else but me.

The offenders responsible for my shadow had the misfortune to make their debut at the same time I found myself consumed by the overwhelming sorrow of “Life After Dad.” I’m not sure why it’s affected me more profoundly this month than any of the others, but with everything compounded together, it’s been like a hammer blow to the chest over and over again. I just couldn’t catch my breath.

Loss is like a deep, gaping wound that leaves us with a profound pain and a fear that it will never heal. But loss is also a lesson. And sometimes lessons are hard learned. A few days before my father passed away, we had a big pool party at my parent’s house. My dad was manning the grill in between his cannon balls into the pool…it was a typical family weekend for us. At the end of the afternoon I was in a hurry to get back home for some stupid reason that I can’t even think of now, and I told my mom goodbye and asked where Dad was. In typical Dad fashion…he’d snuck off for an afternoon nap and being that I was in a rush, I bypassed his room and instead chose to head to the car…after all, I’d talk to him later, right?

I’d made it as far as the garage when I heard my Dad calling my name behind me. He’d gotten up and chased me outside so that he could give me a hug and our standard, “Love ya bye.”

That was the last time I ever saw or spoke to my father.

To this day, I live with the intense shame that I was in such a hurry that I couldn’t be bothered to stop and tell my Dad goodbye. I don’t know that I could have lived with myself if that day had ended differently, if he hadn’t chased me down and given me that hug.

Lessoned learned.

His loss has also brought about other lessons for me:

* Life is too short to have people in your life that don’t have your best interests at heart. Time to treat life like Facebook and hit the “End Connection” button on the friend list. Purge the negativity.

*Life is too short to be miserable.

*Life is too short…take a risk…make big goals.

*Life is too short…stop rushing. Enjoy the ride.

I can’t explain it, but there was something about October 1^st. Nothing special happened in history and it’s not a national holiday…but for me on that day, the weight that had been bearing down on my shoulders and crushing my spirit, magically disappeared and with it…my little rain cloud.

I’m free.

But what do I do now?

WHOSE Bright Idea Was This?

2010-08-26T19:14:00.009-04:00

So you know how I mentioned that I signed up for that beginners writing workshop? Well let me be the first to admit that writing because you have to is not nearly as easy or fun as writing just because you feel like it. God help me, I just thought it would be easier for me than it is.

Part of the problem is me. Trying to find the time to write when work requires that I’m up early and back late. And in the time after, I’m trying to balance cooking dinner, some sort of quality time with the husband and then work on the writing assignments. And hell, who feels creative after a long, crazy day? I don’t.

But I can’t blame it all on work. There have been times on the weekends when I’m completely alone in a quiet house…an atmosphere where you’d think would find me writing up a storm, but oh no kimosabe. Instead, I spend FOREVER staring at a blank screen. So then I get tired of staring so I’ll get up and wash dishes and then come stare some more. Play solitaire, then stare some more. Go grocery shopping…then stare some more. Are you getting the picture?

I don’t know WHAT my problem is. Why can’t I focus and knock this stuff out? I should be good at this! I THOUGHT I’d be good at this. Apparently I was wrong.

Sigh.

Our upcoming assignment will involve writing a 500 word piece…but I have yet to decide on what. What do I want to write about? If I’m struggling to write a 100 word description of a lit candle…how am I going to manage 500 words about something else????!!! Stand back people…I’m freakin’ out!

I suck.

Better Late Than Never

2010-08-19T19:35:00.022-04:00

Ugh. I hate Blogger...it's giving me fits and won't let me type anywhere above here unless I type in blue underlined writing. I tell you what...I've had more problems posting lately than I ever have! But I digress, we just got the pictures back from the photographer so I wanted to share some of those with you!

Our wedding was a very laid back, southern wedding and because we didn't have much money, pretty much everything you see here was homemade by me and our families...down to cakes, centerpieces, favors, food...you name it and we pulled it together. The reception was in his Aunt's backyard (some backyard right?) and all the posed pictures were done at his grandparents farm. Hope you like them as much as I do.

I started a creative writing class this week and am really excited about it. I'll try to work on a proper blog post this weekend so never fear!

The Definition of TWO Rooms

2010-08-06T18:06:00.018-04:00

I have a confession.

I am a married woman sleeping with three men.

I know you're thinking...WTF?!

Well, it's a funny story....

Oh who the hell am I kidding. No it's not.

My husband had a convention in Indianapolis this week and I came along so that we could get some 'away time' and explore a new city together. A couple of his friends were also attending the convention so one of them volunteered to take care of booking the rooms for everyone.

So on Wednesday after a 9 hour drive,the husband and I checked into our hotel room and then headed out to grab dinner. When we returned to our room a short time later, I stretched out on the couch....grateful to be free of the confines of the car when my eyes fell on a suitcase sitting in one of the chairs. I thought we left ours next to the bed. Didn't we? A quick glance to my right confirmed that my suitcase was indeed next to the bed. WTF? Only then did I begin to notice other things around the room that seemed out of place.

"Um, Jess...that's not your suitcase." He glanced at it and then turned his attention back to the TV. " Nope, it's not. Mine is in the bedroom." I spared him an exasperated look and said, "That's my point...why is THAT suitcase in OUR room?"

I could almost hear the comprehension registering in his head, "Ding ding ding ding ding!!!!!" He whipped out his phone and within seconds we are clobbered upside the head with a "Are you fucking kidding me?" moment.

The long and short of it...his friend is an idiot.

When the trip was orginally planned, the hubby said to his friend, "Ok so you got two rooms right? One for you and your buddy. One for me and my wife?"

"Oh yeah yeah. It's all taken care of."

Now, to most of us...'two rooms' would mean just that...two different hotel rooms. Be they next to each other, down the hall or on different floors even. However you want to spin it, the end result is the same...two seperate living quarters.

Little man's definition of two rooms: One hotel room equipped with two sleeping areas (ie: a fold out couch situated around the corner from a bed.) In case I have been unclear: IT IS NOT THE SAME F'ING THING!!! Oh-was-I-mad. So much for any privacy or easily attained vacation nookie.

Instead, I'm sharing a shower with a bunch of strange men...and before you say it...no, it is not a woot woot kind of situation. It's a 'wear your flip flops in the shower' kind of deal.

Only me....

To Toot or Not to Toot

2010-07-29T22:34:00.003-04:00

Women toot.

We do. This is a fact.

Let us observe a moment of silence as this realization sinks in.

…………………you okay? Good.

I know there are a lot of men out there that prefer to live in the fantasy land where women are soft and squishy creatures that smell sweet as rose water and frolic about, completely oblivious to any call of nature (if you get my drift.) But I am here to say…I may be soft and squishy in all the right places…but honey, it ain’t all roses. Not ALL the time anyway.

Now with that being said, I think there is a distinct difference in the manner in which men and women answer the call.

Men have no shame or embarrassment in this arena. They are happy to trumpet away without regard to location, present company or the potential lethality of their flatulence. Now, there may be a modest few who blame the surprise toot on the ’chirping spider’ that has magically taken residence in the house but I have found that more often that not, men not only take pride when they let a good one rip…but they take great humor in it as well.

Ladies….Dutch Oven. Need I say more?

Women on the other hand, are more what I would call opportunistic tooters. Common decency usually prohibits us from partaking in the happy-go-lucky release the men so enjoy. Though there is the exception of the occasional escape toot…but even then we generally have the decency to blame it on a squeaky floor or noisy chair.

In our quest to be discrete…women have mastered the art of the silent toot. And if it backfires on us (no pun intended), and threatens to rat us out…we are resourceful enough to initiate ‘Operation Crop Dusting’ in hopes that the distribution will weaken the evidence and work in our favor.

Antics aside, I suppose in the end it boils down to this…perhaps the truth is that we really don’t want you to know we toot anymore than YOU want to know we do it. So for now let‘s just agree that it’s time to head back and smell the roses…

Married Lesson # 1- He Doesn't Think Like You Do

2010-07-22T21:36:00.004-04:00

Why? Because he’s a guy.

Well no shit Sherlock. Like there aren’t thousands of books out there waiting to inundate my brain with lectures on his Mars and my Venus.

I’m a hip girl.

I’m down.

I paid attention in class when they warned us that if our boyfriends had the emotional range of a teaspoon…it was perfectly normal. And I never questioned it…because boys are boys and that’s just how they are.

Fortunately for me however…I didn’t marry a boy, I married a man. Given a little time on the vine to ripen and mature…a man’s emotional range can extend beyond the measure of household kitchen utensils. Though that is not to say that he thinks like me anymore now than he did before but the difference is that now he at least TRIES to understand and relate.

And following suit, I try to be understanding of where he’s coming from…which in our household tends to be a much less emotional place. Jess is of the “It is what it is…so just let it go and move on” school of thought. Whereas as I take things to heart and have a hard time moving forward without some sort of resolution.

We lovingly refer to these differences in our personalities as the duck and the sponge. He has the enviable waterproof duck feathers that allow everything to roll right off of him, while I soak everything up like a little sponge. Understandably, the combination of the two can sometimes be a recipe for frustration or hurt feelings but as we are learning…marriage is about work , love and forgiveness.

And it’s also about trying to meet in the middle.

So for now Jess is floating along, valiantly hoping for a little water retention…while I bask in the warm sun, trying to dry up.

Now that’s love.

A Work in Progress

2010-07-15T21:46:00.003-04:00

I have just gotten my laptop and am awaiting the networking wizardy of a friend so that I can access the internet from home.

This is blog is still a work in progress so don't freak if it looks cruddy. I am slowly tweaking it and making changes and as promised...I should be doing some actual writing soon. :o) Assuming married life is as interesting as single life. *wink-wink*