State of Obvious

Dear Josh,   I missed your sixteenth birthday.  I'm sure you recall - or maybe it wasn't so bad because you spent the whole day with your friend watching movies.  Godzilla and Guardians of the Galaxy, you've said.  It's no surprise to me that Godzilla was your favorite of the two.  That atomic green monster holds a special place in your heart. It was very difficult for me to be away from you when you crossed this threshold in your life.  I remember turning sixteen, being sixteen, and wondering when I would feel like I was actually sixteen.  When I was sixteen, I went and found my first job, I started driving myself around, and I pretty much felt like I was in the wrong skin.  I'm only now, at 37, beginning to feel in the right skin.  Or at least comfortable with the skin I'm in.  But you - well, you don't seem to have a problem being you.  I can't explain how very happy that makes me feel, how very reassured.  Because it ...

 I can't remember what it is like to turn nine years old.  From watching you turn nine, it must have been difficult because it seems like everything is either really, really greator really, really bad.  Some days I think I might get whiplash from the mood swings (and you're not a teenager yet!).   But overall, I think nine must also be really wonderful.  You seem to be full of joy, even moments after being full of woe.  It's as if the joy just pushes the other stuff out.  It practically oozes from your pores.  More than that, on the days you choose to be happy, the whole world sings with you.  People are infected by it, drawn in to your sweet smile and shining eyes.  Attracted like bugs to a light.  You shine, dear little diva, so brightly sometimes it's blinding. We just spent three weeks together in California, and I must have complained too much about your behavior because your dad believes we are oil and water right now. ...

This summer, instead of blogging (which, let's be honest, I haven't been doing much when it's not summer.  But, I digress), I have been: - Job hunting (found one!) - Having repeated teacher nightmares (one last night!) - Looking for free resources to use in my classroom (need more!) - Watching too much TV (an accomplishment given that we only have about five channels!) - Building an addiction to Longmire (hooray for Amazon Prime and Netflix!) - Not cleaning the house much (who cares!) - Visiting California (first world problems!) - Scrapbook shop hopping with my sister (charms ahoy!) - Wondering where Carly's next mood swing will take me (and she's not even a teenager!) - Freaking out about how tall Josh suddenly seems to be (holy cow!) - Questioning so many of my life decisions that they've all started to swim together into one (yikes!) - Reading too much BuzzFeed (see above!) - Eating an unusually large quantity of cinnamon gummy bears (I blame m...

Dear Charlotte, Carly was baptized on Saturday.  After some stress and movie trouble and programs printed wrong twice in a row, it went off without a hitch.  Carly wore a lovely white dress which you made and she positively glowed.  I've never been hugged so tight by the starfish child as when she came to me out of the font. When I took you to the airport, a most odious task I always dread because it means you are leaving, you thanked me for letting you participate in Carly's baptism and life in general.  It caught me off guard, I'm sure you noticed.  Because, I can't image it any other way.  If anything, I wish I had you more.  More tickling and laughing and comforting and loving.  Because you give all that you have so freely.  Because you make way and make time and make efforts beyond what's minimally required by ties of "family".  Because I cannot remember a time in my life where I have not admired you.  Although perhaps you ...

Married life is not what I expected.  Oh, there are some things that seem "normal" - you know, the kids, houses, dogs, jobs, worries, and all that.  But, I don't think anything can prepare you for what it is like to share your life if you're all in.  Because, if you are all in, you have to surrender.  Control, mostly.  You are no longer the only thing that matters. In the last sixteen years, we have: Moved four times. Welcomed two children. Had 3 dogs and 4 cats. Visited the Grand Canyon. Gone swimming in the Great Lakes and Pacific Ocean. Bought a house. Owned or leased 8 different cars (holy smokes!). Earned a master's degree and bachelor's degree between us. Had 10 different jobs between us. Stayed in really bad motels, slightly better hotels, and really nice hotels on various occasions. Been through: Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Iowa, Texas, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, California, New York, Pennsylva...

August is a busy month in the T house.  Carly's birthday comes first (as noted), followed quickly by Josh, followed even more quickly by our wedding anniversary.  Quick fact: Joshua came home from the hospital on our first anniversary.  Fourteen other quick and dirty facts about my firstborn: Photo by DeAnn Payne thesipproject.blogspot.com -  He loves Godzilla. -  And Bigfoot. -  His long standing nickname is Chibby.  He earned it by naming his toys "Chibby" when he was playing pretend.  At one point, he requested that we stop calling him Chibby and start calling him Shredder instead.  That didn't really work out. -  Other nicknames include, but are not limited to: Chibnasty, Chibster, Joshy Boy, Joshy Boshy, Joshuweta, Joshy, and Bug-a-boo (though that last one is rather antiquated these days, sigh). -  Josh has a secret and special nickname assigned by his Aunt Charlotte which I shall not reveal. -  Josh love...

Tonight I am acutely aware of the tender mercies of the Lord. In my life I have an amazing capacity for getting distracted.  Distracted by jobs I need to do, errands to run, money, grades to improve - both mine and not mine, people to talk to even though I really rather wouldn't ever make eye contact with anyone except my computer, emails to read and delete, money, food to prepare, sleep to lose, money.  Did I mention money? Tonight we watched a short video about the Widow's Mite .  First, let me just mention that I never realized what a clever play on words that is.  Second, after the video we talked about what God requires vs. what we can provide.  And we came to realize those are the same things, and not just in terms of money.  He asks only for all that we have to give and no more.  Sometimes that seems like a real lot.  Especially when it comes to money.  No, He doesn't want all my money.  Or yours.  He asks me for 10%....

We are so fortunate to be friends with an amazing (and now local!) photographer.  She was inspired to create the S.I.P. (Service is Painless) Project.  The SIP Project is basically a pay-it-forward, she takes beautiful pictures of you for free and you pay-it-forward with a service project of your choice.  I can't say enough about this project - it's brilliant and wonderful and inspiring.  DeAnn, the SIP creator, took pictures of my kids way back in October.  We finally got our end of the bargain completed and the final results can be found by following this link .  You can help this project out in two (or three) very simple ways:  First, follow her blog.  And second, leave questions or comments for her.  Third, if you're local, sign up for the SIP Project.  You won't regret it!

A break for the book meme to talk about the other things in life - It's the last week of school for me (other than finals).  My first year back is almost over!  I am relieved, happy, excited (to be done), proud, and did I say relieved?  I forgot what a grind it can be, how much pressure it can be, and how much fun.  I do like it, although I'm not a big fan of my commute or waking up early.  I've changed my degree plan (yet again) and I think I'll be able to finish in two more years instead of three.  I'm going to take one online summer class, because I'm crazy, and then it'll be back to the books this fall.  -  Carly is finishing up kindergarten.  A friend of mine posted a picture from way-back-when Carly was a little bean, and I didn't even recognize her at first!  I'm amazed how much she has grown and changed.  Such a lovely, crazy, energetic, sassy, sweet baby mine. -  Joshua is finishing up with seventh grade.  SE...

Life's a blur, much like this picture that I artistically altered for your viewing pleasure.  Or displeasure, either way. Carly graduated for preschool today.  It was kind of a big deal.  Cake and music and diplomas.  The mayor of the town the preschool is in declared it Carly's day.  Officially and all, along with the rest of her graduating class.  The kids didn't care, but it set the adults a-flutter.  There was a giant, inflated bouncy thing.  (That's a technical term right there.)  There was very sweet punch and camera flashes that put the Oscar red carpet show to shame.  I managed mostly fuzzy pictures myself.  The fancy camera aludes me and the non-fancy camera is broken.  All I'm left with is Picnik altered paraphernalia to mark the day. That and a tiny graduate that insists on growing up.

Pstttt.  Psssst.  Psssssssst! {I'm the featured contributor on MMB today.}   Better check it out quick before they realize what they've done and take it down!

That I will make my kids to stop fighting with each other.  By hook, by crook, or by duck tape, the bickering will end. That I will have less clutter in my life, less stuff to mess it up.  I will set aside a special bin for Eric's junk to accomplish this difficult, but rewarding, goal. That I will spend less money.  No more presents for anyone but me.  Sorry in advance. That I will not let the good things around me go unappreciated.  I will be sure to thank myself each and every day for being so dang great. That I will multitask so that I can be more efficient with my time.  I will drive faster to get to places and I will use my cell phone while driving in an effort to keep this resolution. That I will only read things that uplift me.  So if you want me to keep reading your blog, you better get more funny and only sell me good junk.  See above if you're not sure why I am rejecting your bad, man junk. That I will eat less.  Less he...

don't come in shiny packages, they don't have bows or tape to seal them shut. May your Christmas be blessed with the kinds of gifts you can't buy and the peace only love can bring.

DUDE! Does anyone have a copy of the Wednesday Aug. 23 Albuquerque Journal? Because I'm totally a GUEST COLUMNIST in it! RIGHT HERE . And if you click on my name, you can send me 'tips' for news articles! OH MY GOSH. Okay, so it was really a letter to the editor, OP piece. That blog about the State Fair tweaked a little bit to suit a newspaper. (Poor kitty didn't make the cut.) But DUDE! (Sorry, I just can't think of another word that matches my enthusiasm here!) I'd just like to thank Pam for the idea of sending it in, and the State Fair for sucking so bad, and Josh's teacher who read the article and told Josh she liked it (because I didn't even know it was published!), and my parents for giving me life, and like isn't the world wonderful? (Seriously, we need not only the sarcasm font but the funny-voice-giving-acceptance-speech-font.) p.s. I really don't have an actual copy so if you just happen to have one, please let me know! Especially sa...

We had: But not many pictures taken. Because I was too busy being buried in the heaps of love . p.s. If you were there and you took pictures, pretty please email me a copy

We mailed back our closing documents today. By Friday we should officially be funded homeowners. Yay us! The other good news of my day: Cute Pam just had her gazillionith girl today. Ok so it was only number five but when all five are teenagers at the same time, I'm betting it feels like a gazillion. Anyhow, congrats Pam! Little Eliza Rose has serious old lady face - funny how newborns all do look like shriveled old people but in a cute new baby kind of way. I'm really quite sad I won't get to see Eliza grow into a plump, squishy baby (except through pictures and blogs, but that's just not the same) . I feel a bit of melancholy today - what with babies and the certainty of signed documentation. I was looking at the trees, so many here, green and glorious in the variety and I already miss them.

1. I need to hop in the shower. That's right, it's 2:22 pm and I have not yet gotten dressed. In my defense, I am sick. Sick like I need to go to bed toot-sweet. The non-shower stank is secondary to this sickness. 2. Only 7 people voted on my poll. That was disappointing. I mean, 2 of the votes were from Eric and I! I chalk it up to 1 of 2 things: People don't like reading a wall of text OR People don't like reading my blog. Either way, Tamyrn's story won and so I'll be focusing some attention on her. Probably. A resounding vote of 6 is less motivating than you might think. 3. I have fallen off and am chasing after the "NO TO DP!" wagon. Since the Super Bowl it has pretty much been straight downhill. I am blaming it on the intense amount of stress I am currently under. (I also blame the stress for the ill I am under.) On the upside, my DP consumption is way down in comparison to pre-quitting so I am happy with that for now. And I haven't given up c...

I have 8 followers! {flex} And! Mary's back !

2008 a year in review. this year we: flew, drove, swam, moved, got a puppy, blogged, cried, loved, learned, dreamed, shared, complained, visited, gave, received. this year we visted: new mexico, new york, ohio, arizona, california, disneyland, grandma’s, great grandpa’s new place, el morro, michigan’s u.p. we loved seeing: the beach, cousins, aunt nancy, uncle george, aunt mary jane, grandparents, long-missed gerhart relatives, the country through our car windows, big california mountains, cha-cha’s new house, friends in new mexico, picture rocks national park, escanaba, fall colors. we lost some who we love: great grandma and grandpa, uncle jim. we did some other things: eric won employee of the quarter, sarah sang in a concert choir, josh joined the lego league, carly flipped and sang and danced. we all got older: eric turned 38, sarah turned 31, josh hit double digits – 10, and carly turned 3. we met some goals and fell short of others, we plan to try again in 2009 happiest of days ...

If you're Mormon you know exactly what sealing is, if you're not it is a little harder to explain. In our church we believe that the family relationship can last much longer than "til death do us part." In fact, the whole purpose of life on earth is to come, learn, create family relationships and then return to Heavenly Father after death. After death there is no vision of harps and eternal floating on clouds. Oh, no. This little journey to earth is but a blip on the screen. After this, who knows? Adventures await! I like to think that when I die there will be a whole gaggle of people just waiting to grab my hand and pull me through. Today at 2 p.m. we took that long awaited, necessary, joyous step of sealing Carly to us forever and ever. And much beyond that. Today, Carly is ours in the eyes of the law, in the eyes of God and bound to my heart with unbreakable ties. This has been an amazing Christmas. Having Charlotte here was our first wonderful gift. H...