I try but I’m sure I fail to convey exactly how much joy my children bring me. You all know the story. I wasn’t supposed to have any. I’ve got cyst covered ovaries and consequently thought my body was too broken to provide me with children of my own. Yet here I am with two angels. Two miracles.

I’ve never laughed quite like I’ve laughed as a Mom when my kids say or do something funny. For example, my son knows that there are two kinds of pizza. There is pizza with “big pepperoni”…like homemade pizza, pizza you order for delivery/carryout or some larger frozen pizza. Then there is pizza with “little pepperoni” like the small personal pizzas that we keep on hand for the kids that are easy to microwave and quick. Gabe calls them “little pizza”. The pepperoni is chopped into tiny little pepperoni squares. Similar to what might be found on a Totinos pizza.

Well, my hubby being clever put some left over “big pepperoni” on one of the small personal pizzas before heating and serving to Gabe. At which point my 4-year old son exclaimed, “HOLY MOTHER OF PEARL! Big pepperoni on little pizza!” Mike told me about this while I was at work and I literally laughed out loud. My cubicle neighbor even commented because I got such a tickle out of it, so I had to tell her about it too.

I’ve never felt fear quite like the feeling when one of my children is critically ill.

Parental emotions are really overwhelming but the most wonderful part is the JOY. The overwhelming joy that I feel every day of my life because of my family and my beautiful, wonderful children. The joy that brought tears to my eyes as I kissed my daughter and laid her down to bed tonight and she says to me, “Aw woo woo Mommy”. Words that maybe only Mommy and Daddy can understand. Words that mean so much and I kiss her sweet little face, as a tear of joy rolls down my cheek and I say, “I love you too, Boo. Now get some…”

She finishes my sentence, “seep.”

Five plus years ago, before our children were born, we embarked on a mission to improve the home we’d been enjoying for a year or two. Small improvements…painting the living room and the dining room. This is the bulk of our floor space on our main floor. They are two very large rooms with a large arched doorway between the two. So, we decided it would be best to paint them together in colors that we knew would compliment each other.

So, we bought ALL of the paint and got started in the living room. That was our first painting experience and consequently it took a lot longer than expected. We did everything by the book and I was probably a little too cautious. We also chose a deep red color for the living room, which took a few more coats than expected to even out…since we didn’t prime first. Lesson learned. So, nearly two weeks after we started the project we were done with the living room and it looked fabulous. It was exhausting though and we needed a break before we took on the dining room.

Well, pregnancy and our first born came along before we ever started the dining room. Then when he was old enough to deal with while painting…pregnancy and the second child came along.

So, five plus years later we dug the paint out of the basement and last weekend we began to finish the project we started many, many moons ago. Since then we had a little issue with a window unit air conditioner and we had some water damage on the ceiling that we were eager to cover.

So, my brother-in-law and family came over to help us out with the project last Sunday. We got started before they arrived with the first application of KILZ on the ceiling. Well that was the plan anyway. Soon after starting to apply, the textured ceiling starting peeling and flaking off all around us. Now, we never liked the texture, because it was a dust magnet that was impossible to clean but we certainly thought it would be easiest to paint over it and call it done. We realized that wasn’t going to be the case…so we promptly changed our plans. With family coming over to help we knew it wouldn’t be prudent to remove the texture Sunday, so instead we decided to go ahead and get the walls painted and tackle the ceiling later.

We did just that. We got the dining room and the hallway painted Sunday night last week. I had Monday off, so I spent Monday working on the trim and a faux finish on a few of the walls. It turned out lovely, except for the water damaged, pocky, icky looking ceiling.

So, this week, we took that project on. Mike and I, but mostly Mike, spent all day Saturday removing the ugly cottage cheese texture. The house is so full of dust, it is absolutely absurd. Today, we got two coats of KILZ on there and soon we will get the nice and nearly smooth ceiling painted with the tan color that matches the non-faux walls in the dining room and will also match the ceiling and trim in the living room, pulling both rooms together as originally planned.

So, some basic remodeling that was 5 years in the making will be done this week and I can get my house back together, because it is driving me crazy…but it is looking so good!

test

The city health department has been called. Wish us luck on resolution.

Several years ago when we moved into our home we noticed a neighbor’s yard that was in terrible shape. It wasn’t just in needs of some clean-up…the brush and the weeds had taken over and were waist high. We discussed calling the city and I was planning on doing so but just never got around to it. That particular neighbor we’ve grown very fondly of over the years. In fact he just may be the only neighbor that we like. His yard is well maintained these days and we found out that around that particular time, he had open heart surgery and was unable to care for his yard.

If we knew that then, we never would have considered calling the city. In fact we probably would have done what we could to help. We didn’t have children at the time, so that would have been possible.

I remember thinking that I would think twice before ever considering an action like that again because you never know the circumstances.

Well, I’m thinking twice and I think it is time to make a call. The neighbors on our bordering property are terrible neighbors. They always have been. It isn’t that they aren’t nice, I suppose they are nice enough…but they don’t maintain their property at all. One of them is a convicted child molester. They have littered the neighborhood with cats that they don’t care for let alone spay or neuter. A few years back they tried to sell the property and someone I know toured the house. He claims it was roach infested and terribly run down. This didn’t surprise me…in fact it confirmed my suspicions. Every now and then we’ll see a roach in our home or outside our home. We don’t “have” roaches. In fact we can go several months without seeing them…but yet we still see them occassionally. I always thought a home nearby must be infested.

In addition to the roach issue, we live on the edge of the bluffs and have a problem with poison ivy growing in the yard. It is a problem that I think would be significantly less if our neighbors took better care of their property…but they don’t so it makes it nearly impossible to ever get rid of the poison ivy. This is a big concern because I don’t want the kids around it and Mike is terribly reactive to it.

Right now, their yard is in particularly terrible shape. I’m sure the city would respond with haste if they were called. But here is the catch. The man that lives there that does the yard maintenance and probably any other necessary maintenance was taken to the hospital. Even though they are terrible neighbors that buys them some time. Especially after the situation mentioned above with our neighbor, John.

But last night…the absolute most disgusting thing ever happened. We had some nice steaks to grill. Our grill sits near the fence line of our property. Mike went out to start the grill, removed the cover and 4 roaches go scurrying along our patio. 3 more roaches were taking cover on the side shelf of the grill and the grill cover was full of them. It has been less than a week since we used the grill, so that happened in a few days. Their yard is completely over grown and I’m sure the interior of the home is in terrible shape.

I think this warrants a call to the city? What do you think?

I set out to find the perfect greeting card for Mike for Father’s Day. There are so many cards but none of them say enough. I know I’ve mentioned many times before how desperately I wanted to be a Mom. The evolution of that thought has been an interesting one. In my childhood years, I was certain I would have a black baby. I even had the cutest little black baby doll that I cared for. As a teenager and even a young adult I wanted to have a baby all on my own. I was young and jaded. I was sure that all Dad’s left and the ones that stuck around weren’t any good, so I thought I would just do it on my own.

As I grew into a woman, I realized that the color and sex of child did not matter. I didn’t just want to be a Mom. I wanted a family. I wanted to marry a man that would love me and my children selflessly. I wanted a stable family. I wanted to give my children two parents that loved each other and wouldn’t leave each other or them.

I have no idea how I got so lucky, but I got that and more. I couldn’t begin to thank Mike for all the sacrifices he makes for our family. He works so hard and he sleep so little. He manages to care for our children every day after just a couple of hours of sleep. He cares for me. Not a day goes by that he doesn’t ask me how my day was at work and he isn’t just asking. If I don’t have a story to give him about the day, I think he gets concerned. He really wants to know. He wants to be my sounding board when I need it.

Those of you who follow my blog or know me, have probably heard my philosophy about “giving chairs” from the movie Phenomenon. If you don’t get it, I suggest watching the movie, that will explain it more than I can. Mike buys my chairs all the time and he always has. Just one example: I love animals. One of my passions is backyard birds. Pre-children, I had many different kinds of bird feeders for the birds and squirrels. I have my binoculars so I can check out the ones that are too far away. I’d love to see them in our back yard. I especially love seeing new birds that I can’t identify at a glance so I can figure out what they are. Mike participates in my love and fascination of birds. Many times, he’ll call me away from what I’m doing to look out the kitchen window and see a bird or squirrel. He’s even sent me pictures at work of birds that he’s seen in the yard.

He’s indulged so many of my fleeting fancies, like Stamping or Gardening.

He tolerates my OCD and sometimes even caters to it.

He loves me and his children selflessly. He is absolutely the best husband and dad we could ask for. I’m so thankful and so blessed.

I just took Mike a glass of ice water. He was picking up toys and debris from the yard that was left there by the kids. He’s been hard at work in the yard for the past hour and there is still more to do. It made me think of one of my favorite songs in the entire world and it is the song that I silently dedicate to my husband every time I hear it.

You go to work
I know that’s what a man’s supposed to do
But sometimes you’re so tired when you get home
You’re not much fun to talk to

Saturdays,
you kick that old lawn mower till it starts.
Then patiently you turn it off and on,
Dodgin’ toys in the back yard
You smile, when you pass the kitchen window

And I, I think you’re beautiful.
My world would be an empty place,
Without your touch, without your face.
And I see the man you are,
An’ everything you want to be,
And how you love the things,
That mean the most to me;
I think you’re beautiful.

You don’t mind,
When my sister calls me every Friday night,
About the time we turn the movie on,
Just to talk about her love life.
And your little boy says one day he’ll drink coffee just like you.
You say it makes you better knowing he,
Watches everything that you do.
Sometimes you don’t understand me but you try, and…

And I think you’re beautiful.
My world would be an empty place,
Without your touch, without your face.
And I see the man you are,
An’ everything you want to be,
And how you love the things,
That mean the most to me;
I think you’re beautiful.

And I’m not sure why I deserve this life.
But I’m so thankful that it’s mine.

I think you’re beautiful.
My world would be an empty place,
Without your touch, without your face.
And I see the man you are,
And everything you want to be,
And how you love the things,
That mean the most to me;
I think you’re beautiful.

I think you’re beautiful.
Beautiful.

In another installment of “Kids Say The Darndest Things”…

Every so often we have “breakfast” for dinner. Tonight happened to be one of those lucky nights. I always start by frying the bacon. After I fried a few pieces, Gabe says, “I smell something.”

So, I asked him, “What do you smell?”

Confidently, he replied, “It’s bacon.”

Knowing that he likes bacon and I like it when he actually eats his dinner, I asked if he wanted bacon for dinner, sure the answer would be yes.

He replied in the most matter-of-fact tone, “No. I want bacon in my hand.”

:grin::grin::grin:

The best part is that he was dead serious. While his Dad and I were laughing, he was looking at us like, “Why isn’t there bacon in my hand yet?”

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

On rare occasions, usually around Valentine’s Day, our anniversary, or your birthday, I’ll sit in front of our keyboard staring vacantly at a blank document on the monitor. I try to put together words that can adequately describe how I feel. Sometimes, I’ll get a paragraph or even two out. But invariably, I fail.

And I will again today.

But I’m going to try anyway.

It’s not enough to say that you are my best friend. But you are my best friend.

It’s not enough to say that in a thousand lifetimes, I couldn’t find a better mother for my children. But there is no better mother for my children.

My limited vocabulary doesn’t contain the words that would express my gratitude for all you do for our family and my appreciation and awe at the sacrifices you have made. But I am so very grateful for the struggle and sacrifice you make for our marriage and our family.

It’s not enough to say “I love you.”

But I’ll continue to sit in front of my blank document. I’ll continue to hammer away at the keyboard failing endlessly to find the words that are enough. Maybe someday I’ll get lucky. Maybe someday, I’ll find the words. But until then, just know…

I love you.

Thank you for being my best friend. Thank you for being such a wonderful mother to our children. Thank you for everything you do for our family.
Happy Mother’s Day, Jenifer.