Am I There, Yet?

This isn’t really worth the time it takes to listen, but I’m in the Christmas mood and thought I’d treat all of you to some Christmas music.  Enjoy My Elves!

If you trust me (after that sorry song) check out the updated version of crazy Christmas lights.

Merry, Christmas, again.

We are out of here.  You won’t be hearing from me until after Christmas, so I thought I’d treat you all to a re-run of It’s A Wonderful Life (bunny style).  Enjoy!

Merry Christmas!

I owe my mid-west relatives an apology.  Recently I blogged about the horrible weather they have to endure and wondered why people live there.  Well…since then something extremely odd happened.  Our temps dropped below the temps in the mid-west.  It is currently 14 degrees (f) here…feels like 6.  Yes, friends, it’s all my fault that the weather has been so extreme here.  It’s because of my pride.  So, mid-west relatives, I am sorry for making fun of your weather.  And local friends, I am sorry for being so prideful.

I just measured 13 inches of snow on my back deck.  Josh just came in from shoveling the driveway for the 3rd time today.  This is insane…

Yesterday was our 10 year wedding anniversary.  We had a fantastic day.  It was a lot of fun to spend the day with my best friend and lifetime soul-mate.  I’ll tell you what, though…it was extremely difficult to pick out a hot outfit to wear in 14 degree weather.  I think I pulled it off…at least Josh thought so. 

One of the things I’ve noticed about being married for 10 years is this…we need another wedding shower!  Everything is falling apart!  I burnt out the vacuum cleaner motor this week.  We’ve had to replace our coffee maker, dining room table and couches.  I still need to replace my pots and pans.

At least our marriage isn’t falling apart.

Oh, I almost forgot, I got two fantastic gifts for my anniversary.  Josh gave me a gift certificate for a hot stone massage and a hair cut.  I love that he knows me so well!  And, (Carrie, this is for you!) gift number 2 is the discovery of losing 4 pounds this past week!  Yeehaa!

Don’t we make a cute couple?

Luvya, babe!

Happy Anniversary to us!  Today is our 10 year anniversary.  I asked Josh last night if these past 10 years have gone by fast and he said, “Not really.”  I won’t read into that any more than I should.  J

A 10 year mark of anything is a good time to reflect, so here’s a brief timeline of our romance:

September 1994—Josh and I meet for the first time.  We were at Bible College .  I was just beginning my sophomore year and he just arrived, fresh from the Marine Corps.  I was intrigued by him from the beginning.  I was actually dating high-school-not-so-sweetheart at the time we met, but for some reason Josh caught my eye.

November 1994—I watch Josh leave campus on a date with Blondie.  They were headed to the Marine Corps Ball and he was dressed in his dress blues and he looked hot!  I had an epiphany that night.  Why in the world was I dating high-school-not-so-sweetheart and hoping and praying and thinking he would change and mature some day when there was already a man out there with all of the characteristics I desired in a life mate that doesn’t need changing?  I knew that Josh was interested in Blondie, but I also knew that if I didn’t break up with high-school-not-so-sweetheart that I would never know if I had a chance.  I made a decision.  I called high-school-not-so-sweetheart (long distance) and broke up with him and never looked back.

December 1994—Josh and I started to spend more time together over the Christmas break.  I think I caught his eye when I gave him a plate of Christmas cookies.  J  Everybody knows that’s the key to a man’s heart, right?  J  He invited me to a get-together he was having for New Year’s Eve, but I picked up that Blondie was going to be there and I refused the invitation because I didn’t feel like competing.  Besides, there’s nothing wrong in playing heard to get.

January 1995—Josh asked me out on our first date.  That was the first of the last.  Neither one of us has dated another since.

April 1995—I got sick…scary sick.  Josh took really good care of me.  He took me to the hospital.  He picked up items I needed at the store.  I knew from his actions that he would make an excellent husband.  Later that month I had a dream about a little toddler boy running around.  When I woke up I knew it was Josh’s and my son.  I still remember that dream so vividly.

June 1995—School is out and Josh leaves on a singing, promotional tour for the college.  (Did I mention that he can sing?)  We’re separated for 2 months and spend a lot of time on the phone and writing letters.

August 1995—Josh gets back from his tour.  Apparently the time away showed him that he didn’t want to spend another moment away from me because he wasted no time in picking out a ring and planning his proposal.  I said, “yes!”

December 1995—We didn’t was to waste time so we got married in December right before the Christmas break so that we would have a few weeks off together before starting school again.  We got married in a cute little church in the hills with stained glass windows and a huge Christmas tree and lots of candles.  It was a lot of fun to see so many friends and family all together.

Josh continued college and I started working full time.  We couldn’t afford for both of us to finish school at the time.  He also worked “full time” as a youth pastor/custodian at a small church and part-time at Pizza Hut on top of school and drills (he was in the Marine Corps reserves at that time.)

June 1998—Josh graduates from college and resigns from his youth pastor job.  We spend the summer looking for a full-time youth pastor position while continuing his other job at Pizza Hut.

September 1998—We move to another town where we know nobody and start our new jobs.  Josh was a youth pastor and I continued working in the real estate business (title and escrow…did I mention my job earlier?)

June 1999—We bought our first house…very cute.

January 2000—We find out we are pregnant after trying for 3 years.

October 2000—Our precious daughter joins the world.

October 2002—Our precious son joins our little family.

April 2003—Josh starts his new job…same church, different position.  He’s now the pastor of adult ministries and discipleship.

October 2004—We sell our cute little first house and move into a tiny little duplex while we built a new house.

April 2005—We move into our new house.

What are missing on the list are the vacations, trips and romantic dates we’ve had over the years.  We’ve also had painful times in our marriage, but never pain that we have brought on the other, but pain that we’ve endured together.  For example, last year when my dad found out he had cancer and that it spread too far for surgery and/or radiation, we had each other to comfort.  When we tried for three years to get pregnant and didn’t know if we would ever be able to have children, we had each other to comfort.  When our jobs became extremely stressful, we had each other to comfort.  We’ve always made it a priority to spend time together.  Josh enjoys spoiling me.  He enjoys buying me gifts and taking me places.  Just this past month he surprised me by planning a weekend away, even making arrangements for a friend to watch the kids.

Tonight my parents have offered to take the kids overnight.  We’ll be going out to dinner at my favorite restaurant and then we’ll probably go catch a movie.  I fully plan on cheating on my diet tonight.  J  We’ll exchange gifts.  I got him the wrist GPS device for running.  I think he’ll like it, especially since he’s been hinting around about it since this summer.  It’ll be a fun evening.

Happy 10 years, baby!  I love you!  Thanks for a great decade and I look forward to the next.  XOXOXO

***You Belong in London***

A little old fashioned, and a little modern.
A little traditional, and a little bit punk rock.
A unique woman like you needs a city that offers everything.
No wonder you and London will get along so well.

What City Do You Belong In?
http://ynr.blogthings.com/whatcitydoyoubelonginquiz/

In case you hadn’t heard, this movie opened last Friday.  No spoilers here, I just wanted to recap our experience with this movie.  Last Thursday night we had the privilege of going to a special premier showing.  A local businessman made arrangements to have the movie shown in a theater ahead of the scheduled release time and gave away tickets to other business owners and pastors in our community.  It was an interesting mix of VIPs of the Christian sub-culture.  It was very country-club…a place to see and be seen.  There were people working the crowd…running up and down the line to see who was there and who wasn’t.  I guess I didn’t get the dress code memo because I wore jeans when many of the other women wore dresses.  The joke’s on them though, because it was below freezing outside…literally taking my breath away as I exited the theater.

There was a strange tension in the crowd.  Maybe it was just me, but there seemed to be a large pink elephant in the room that nobody wanted to mention.  What I mean is this…our community has an unusually large number of church hoppers, for some odd reason.  Maybe it’s because this is a retirement community and people are in the age of “serve me…I’ve done my time.”  Maybe it’s not…I’m just guessing.  But, here’s Pastor A from such and such a church.  He’s recently lost church members to our church.  And then there’s Pastor B from this and that church.  We’ve recently lost church members to his church.  Then there’s Pastor C from the largest church in town.  Over there is Pastor B from…well, you know…that church.  LOL!!!    Anyways, it was a bit uncomfortable.  It’s sad, because none of us are in competition with each other.  We’re all on the same team.  I think people have a hard time not comparing and a hard time not taking it personally when a church member leaves ones church to go to another.

Once inside we had free chocolate, live music and an MC.  We even got a free book at the end of the movie.   

The theater was packed so we didn’t get the usual elbow room one normally gets inside a theater.  The pastor and wife from my grandmother’s church sat right next to us.  I tried to make eye contact and be friendly, but she apparently doesn’t want to know anybody else in town, because I got no reciprocation.  Then, here’s the shocker (ooooohhh…I feel as if I’m gossiping!)  She uses her cell phone to apparently call her house.  She leaves a message saying, “We are at the movies, call me as soon as you get in.  My phone is on vibrate so I’ll know that you’re home.”  I’m thinking, “O.K.  I guess it’s O.K. for her phone to be silent…not a big deal.”  Well, apparently her phone vibrated because right in the middle of the movie I hear her dig out her phone and say, “Are you home?  Good.  I’ll call you later.  I’m at the movies.”  WHAT????  You didn’t just answer your phone, did you?!  Come on, lady!  Don’t ruin it for me and your other neighbors.  Couldn’t you just feel the vibration and know that your child is safely home???  Can’t your child just leave a message?  Anyways, I got over it and focused back on the movie.  About 45 minutes later, SHE ANSWERS HER PHONE AGAIN!!!  All of a sudden I hear a very loud, very irritated whisper saying, “STOP CALLING ME!  I’m in the movies.”  WHAT?   Again????  If you would turn your phone off you then your child couldn’t irritate you by continuing to call.  Grrrrrrr….. 

So, here’s the moral of the story.  If the movie theater asks you nicely to please turn your cell phone off, then please TURN YOUR CELL PHONE OFF!  You are NOT that important.  Moral #2…you just may actually run into a lion, a witch and wardrobe while seeing this movie.  (Did I say that outloud?)

Anyways, it was a great movie and I’d really like to go see it again.  I don’t think my kids are old enough to watch it, yet.  They’ll have to see it on DVD later.

Speaking of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, I thought this post was funny by the fugly girls. 

Now that I’ve shown you what I’d like to get you for Christmas, I thought I show you a list of things I will not be getting you for Christmas (no matter how much you beg, bribe or threaten!)  Are you ready?  Here they are:

Health and Fitness:

Richard Simmons Slim Away DVD Pack

Gripmaster Hand and Finger Exerciser

Books, CDs and DVDs:

New Kids on the Block Greatest Hits

Disciplines of a Godly Woman (Don’t ask…just don’t read this book!)

Audaz y Bravero (a musical western in Spanish)

50 Self Help Classics

Items for the home:

Velvet Reagan Painting

Pinky the Clown Throw Pillow

Macrame Owl Hanging (Sorry, girls!  I’ve spent too much time on knitting…I haven’t got the time to learn how to macrame!)

Chia Bart

Clothing:

Penguin Christmas Sweater

Jesus is My Co-Pilot T-Shirt

Misc:

Tattoo Supply Kit (Please, please, please leave the tattooing to the professionals!)

Jesus Bobble Head Doll

Food:

McDonald’s Gift Certificates

and…last but not least…you will not be getting this from me:

Old-Fashioned Fruit Cake

Rest easy, girls.  You won’t be getting any of these things from me!

I was thinking about Oprah’s Favorite Things and I was thinking about how much fun it would be to buy all of my favorite things to give out to all of my favorite people.  None of my friends are materialistic and would never buy any of this stuff for themselves.  So, I went “shopping” and picked out items that I love.  I’m throwing a pretend party and all of you are invited and all of you get to go home with one of each of the following:  (O.K.  Not really…but, can we pretend?)

Bath, Body and Beauty:

Philosophy Cocktail Party (3-in-1 body wash, shampoo and bubble bath)

Clinique Simply Body Butter

LipFusion lip plumpers

Le Couvent des Minimes Lavender and Acacia Night Body Creme

Cashmere Bath Robe

Fuzzy Slippers

Books, DVDs, CDs and other forms of entertainment:

The Chronicles of Narnia

Audrey Hepburn DVD Collection

Chris Botti Holiday Gift Pack

The Barbarian Way

Strip Chocolate Board Game (Only to be played with your husband!!!  )

Food items:

Ghirardelli Holiday Tower

Jelly Belly Gift Basket

Home:

Faux Fur Pillows

Mikasa Goblets

Dessert Excuses Plates

Gold Canyon Candles Baking Collection (Banana Nut Bread, Creamy Peanut Butter Bars, Sugar Cookie and Warm Apple Crisp)

Clothing and Accessories:

Stunning Details 3 Strand Necklace

Black Suede Boots (Every girl needs a pair of sexy knee high black boots!)

Pink Velour Track Suit

Black Cashmere V-Neck Sweater

Pink Pashmina Shawl

Sequin Belt

Electronics:

iPod Shuffle

Digital Video Camera

Merry Christmas, Friends!!!  Enjoy the gifts I really can’t afford for you! 

I ran across this post on a blog recently and it was so good I had to copy and paste it.  I couldn’t pass it up.  In the deepest darkest part of my heart I’d love to email this to about everybody that I know…but I won’t.  I’ll just post it on my blog.   

Closer?