Ten Years

Ten years ago today, I married my best friend. Three kids, five houses, four states and many jobs later, we're still here. Amazing! How is it possible that I love Mike more today than I did 10 years ago? Happy Anniversary, Honey! I love you!!! Here's to the next 50!

One Year

Today marks one year since Mom left. I still miss her every day. I still think about her every day. The urge to call her has become an every-now-and-then thing, but it still happens. The kids still talk about her like they just saw her yesterday. I've finally gotten past her last visit in my scrapbook (it only took me a year). But, life goes on...

God arranged a very busy day for me today. He knew I'd need a Bible Study, so He made sure I had one already lined up for this morning. I'm waiting for the plethora of calls, that I know are coming, telling me to get my behind to the church for it. The girls from MOPS and Bible study would like to take me out for lunch but the first graders at Daniel's school are having "Rabbit Day" and would like me to bring Ruby in and talk to all of the classes about her around noon. How's that for timing? Jacob has baseball and the others have TKD...all around the same time. I should have plenty to do to get me through the day...bottom line, if you'd like to talk to me today, call the cell (that would be the new one -with the same phone number -that Mike bought me last week...more about that later).

I still miss you, Mom.

Nine Years

Nine years ago today, I married my best friend. It's been quite a ride that's given us 3 children, several different jobs, and taken us to 3 states (besides Illinois). I love you honey! Happy anniversary!

Happy Hump Day

First, I need to apologize for not posting this yesterday, but a big (late) HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to Bobbi and Ed who celebrated theirs yesterday. I really didn't forget!

I've decided that what makes somewhere...anywhere...a nice place to live is the friends you make. I hated, HATED, Iowa because I had no friends. That's not to say that I didn't know people, because I knew a lot of people, but I didn't have anyone to lean on if I needed to. Virginia was filled with friends. We had a neighborhood full of people who really cared about us, as well as friends scattered around the area. It wasn't unusual to get phone calls from friends asking if we wanted to meet at the mall because someone needed to get out of the house and they figured I did too. I could always count on the occasional call from Michelle asking if I wanted to meet for coffee. 9 times out of 10, I'd run into someone I knew at the store, and usually get sidetracked chatting (for some reason, we could never talk and shop at the same time!) Or I'd get a phone call from a neighbor, late at night when Mike was out of town, because they saw my lights on and wanted to make sure I was doing okay. Virginia was a very special place and I made friends there that I will have for the rest of my life. That's one of the reasons it was so hard for me to leave (it also didn't help that it was so darn beautiful there!).

As soon as we moved to Virginia, it was instantly 1000 times better than Iowa because I had nothing there. Moving here, I compared everything to Virginia (and still do) and it's a hard place to equal.

Things are definitely looking up. My MOPS table is full of such wonderful women that I can see becoming strong friends with. We've already started a weekly playgroup and are planning a couple's night out soon. The way we've clicked is much like how my playgroup a few years ago just clicked (you know what I'm talking about, Sara). I love that!

With the addition of the MOPS Bible Study every other week, I'm able to meet women at the other tables as well, and they're all becoming good friends too. Yesterday at our MOPS meeting, they did a spoof on the game show The Price Is Right...they called it The Mom Is Right. Shanna (our MOPS Coordinator and she sits at my table too) brought up 4 girls from different tables to answer some questions for prizes. One of the girls she brought up was Bree. Bree is a riot. I found out at the last Bible Study that she's from some suburb of Chicago (Naperville or Downer's Grove, I think) and we were chatting a lot about the area. Well, here's what went down yesterday...

Shanna: Our next contestant is Bree
Bree: Whoooo!
Shanna: Bree...tell us where you're from
Bree: CHICAGO!!!! WOOOOO!
Shanna: Do we have any other Chicagoans in the audience today?
Bree: (pointing to me) BARBARA! I know you are girl! WOOOO!

Now, for a second, I'm thinking "really, I'm from Peoria and not Chicago, but the boys were born there." What came out of my mouth was this...

Me: (arms up in the air and pointing back to Bree) YOU KNOW IT BREE!!!
Bree: WOOO!

I just finally feel like I've found a direction here and that makes me so happy. Give me another 1 1/2 years (our average time in any one place) and I probably won't want to leave here either.

It's My Blog-o-versary!!!!

I started this blog one year ago today, so it's my Blog-o-versary! LOL! Here's to another year of blogging my heart out!

Anyhoo...

Grey's last night. What can I say? A lot. First, though, I was listening to the Rocket and Teresa Show this morning on the radio on the way to take the boys to school and they were talking about Grey's. I missed the first part of what they were talking about, but they clearly liked the episode and were saying good things about it. They play the clip of Meredith begging Ellis to have the surgery for her and Ellis looks at her and says, "you look just like my daughter." They all sigh and talk about how depressing that was. Before they go to commercial, Ponch, another personality on the show, yells:

"That's it! I can't watch Grey's Anatomy anymore! It's like a bad relationship! I'm done giving my emotions to this show!"

I was laughing so hard I almost ran the van off of the road!

Mike proclaimed this episode the best since the bomb episode last season. He says that this episode will keep the series from being cancelled. LOL! I know his favorite part was when Izzy, Meredith and Cristina were tag teaming with the toxic patient. That was really cool.

I love the fact that I wasn't all stressed out about catching Grey's before the kids went to bed. The only thing that made me mad (and I can't believe this happened...I'm still laughing about it)...I had decided that I wouldn't even try to watch until the kids were in bed. (love that I can watch the episode from the beginning even while it is still recording!) Jacob and I were upstairs reading when we decided it was bathtime. I look downstairs and Mike's watching Grey's! Out of courtesy, he changes the channel and we start to get the kids washed. Daniel was showering downstairs (don't ask) and I come upstairs for a minute and Mike had flipped the channel quickly. I didn't believe that he was seriously watching and I'll admit that I was wrong. I was mostly in shock that he was so into it. LOL! I know I'm not properly describing it and I'm quite sure that Mike will set the record straight in the comments section.

My favorite line came from Cristina...when both Burke and Derek collapsed in the OR, she simply says, "that's not good." LOL!

Last week, Mike had said that he would be disappointed if Callie accepted George's proposal because it was done out of grief, and I agreed. So, WTF (and we didn't talk about this last night)? They got married?!? I loved Izzy's line, "small diamonds are good because no one will steal it." Poor Izzy just hasn't been herself this season!

I felt bad for Ellis until she told Mer that she was ordinary. And then, to rip into Derek for making her ordinary...Derek's such an ass for taking that out on Mer. That's the one thing I hate about his character - he's so susceptible to what others tell him. It drives me nuts!

Burke and Cristina...big shocker (sarcasm) that she said yes. Of course she did. I can't believe she handed that beautiful ring back, though. Wear the freaking ring, Cristina!!!!!

Alex and Addison...you know those cartoons where there's a bear and he's crazy hungry...LOL! Seriously, though, I really had high hopes for them. And then Addison had to go back to Mark. That really pisses me off!

I loved the scene with Mer and Ellis where Mer is telling her why Ellis needs to have the surgery. I haven't seen Mer that pissed off and upset since Derek called her a whore! (Flashback in the stairwell - Derek: "who's next? Karev? 'Cause I hear he likes to sleep around." Mer: "You don't get to call me a whore! ... I make no apologies for how I choose to repair what you broke. You don't get to call me a whore.") I wanted to burst out into tears. As Mike says, Ellen Pompeo is much better in scenes where she's upset rather than those where she has to laugh.

Okay, so I'm confused about one thing...Webber told Mer that he would not tell Ellis that he wished he'd left Adelle and run off with her because it wasn't true. Then, he goes and tells Ellis that they could have had a great family (more siblings for Mer) and even describes the house they would have lived in. They laugh about who would have become chief of surgery and they share a touching moment. Did he tell Mer that just to spare her feelings? Did he say that to Ellis because he knew that her lucidity was fleeting and she would soon forget? Did he say that to Ellis because that's how he really felt and if he'd known Adelle would leave him in the end, he would have chosen Ellis in the first place?

Upcoming episode looks to be a three-parter...and it looks awesome!!!

Happy Anniversary...To Us!!!

8 years ago today, I married the love of my life and best friend! I love you honey!!!