One Day

I will be published on more than the internet

I won't be terrified of lice

I will have arm muscles

I will go overseas with that man-o-mine

I will get caught up on my scrapbooking

I will have a TV that doesn't shut off willy nilly

I will successfully convince people to use the word bunk

I will have my own garden

I will drive a Karmann Ghia


I will laugh so hard it hurts

I will order room service in my hotel room because the book I am reading is too good to stop

One day.

Things I Like, Like: 'cause we were roomates in college

Friends- the show and my real ones

Saturday morning bible study

Coffee at said function, and anywhere really

My laptop

Worship time and the music that goes with it

Books in a series when it's a well written story

Quilts

How Addison shakes her leg to the beat of any Taylor Swift song;
it's more of a knee pop

Really amazing books that challenge me to be a better Christian and less self absorbed

The fact that I can say things to my friends and know that if they are judging me, they are trying not to and want to love me anyway

Thrift store finds- happiness

Acoustic guitar paired with good lyrics and a good vocalist aka Rebecca Brown

Mike Brewer.. I think we have been over this; try to keep up, people

Always Will Be Yours

This song reminds me of Hebrews 13:8 when we are reminded that God is the same God of yesterday, today, and the God that is to come. It reminds me of the reoccurring analogy of Jesus and his bride and marriage. It also reminds me of The Man. I like that guy. He isn't as obsessed with music and lyrics as I am, but I totally dedicate this song to him anyway. It's by a guy named TJ McCloud, who I totally dig.


As if you didn't know
As if I could ever hide what I'm feeling
You've got me reeling
I'm just so in love with you

Like some sort of fairy tale
Or a coin in a wishing well
This happy ever after,
It feels like it's coming true

From the first to the last
Every moment we'll ever have
I'll be there, you be sure

Cause I have been, I am
And I always will be yours
Every dream, every hope that I had
You're so much more
Cause I have been, I am
And I always will be yours

From the first word you said to me
I knew I was meant to be in your arms
Heart and soul, baby
I give my whole life to you

From the first to the last
Every moment we'll ever have
I'll be there, you be sure

Cause I have been, I am
And I always will be yours
Every dream, every hope that I had
You're so much more


Every smile, every tear
Yeah, this heart just won't beat
Without you being near

Cause I have been, I am
And I always will be yours

Looking back through all of this time
I've been waiting for your love to find me

Cause I have been, I am
And I always will be yours

15 Years of That Man O'Mine

Today, March 23, is our 15th wedding anniversary. We are celebrating with him in the Oakland airport flying home from Seattle the round about way and me on my bed homeschooling children. To make everything better, I bought a shirt that reads I HEART MY HUBBY. All is right with the world again. Or, it will be as soon as he gets here to see that I am an athletic supporter.

Additionally, I have compiled a list of things I like about that guy.

1. He is hot. Seriously. Not many girls can say that about their husbands after nearly two decades of being together.
2. He loves me for me. He doesn't care if I have hay-stack hair, make-up under my eyes from two days ago, or mismatched socks. He loves me.
3. He is an amazing father. He lets my kids crawl all over him, he sets an example of what a man ought to be, and he reminds them to be respectful to their mother. Because of who he chooses to be, my girls will know what it means to be loved properly, and my boys will know how to love their wives.
4. He will watch Twilight with me. It has less to do with the movie than the fact that he will watch a chickish flick with me without griping.
5. He will eat leftover chicken wings in bed with me. That may sound like a euphemism, but I mean it in the most literal sense.
6. He will eat leftover chicken wings in bed with me. I know that sounds delicious, but this time I mean it as a euphemism. Please don't ask me to explain; I couldn't even if I knew what it meant.
7. He works. Over the past thirteen years of being parents, he has been willing to work three jobs and do anything in his power to make it so I can stay home with my kids. Again, this is something many girls cannot say about their men. Take a word of advice boys. Hardworking men are a turn on.
8. He is an athletic supporter. He encourages me to take care of myself, finish school, and chase after my dreams. And he doesn't do any of these things because of what he will get in return. He just supports.
9. He can cook. True this wasn't always something he knew he could do, but I completely appreciate this new found talent. Especially when it is the form of garlic bread.
10. He misses me when I am gone. Maybe a lot of boys miss their girls, but he tells me. It only makes a difference when you know.

Back In Reno Sans The Man

Washington is truly a beautiful state. Well, the 30 mile radius we visited. Beautiful. We got to be a little touristy and visit the Pike(s) Place(s) Market(s)*. Most of it was closed, but it was amazingly clean. After living in Nevada for so long, I am not sure how I feel about living in a place with no nudity and no garbage strewn about. I DID have my picture made beneath the very first Starbucks sign ever hung, but the line was too long to get a drink. The sun even peeked through the clouds and shooed them away at one point. Beautiful. My hair was remarkably tame, but that may be false advertising. My favorite part was the endless chatting my friend No(dot dot) el is able to keep up with when we talk over coffee and blankets. I could have spent a week with her and not caught up with the last two years. Thank you friends for being the sort of people who can simply pick up where we left off being friends. Thanks for driving us around and letting us have a room at the Scofield Inn. And thanks for getting my jokes. You are a rare breed.

*I realize there are no esses on these words. That is my ode to Moses, the tallest man.

Why I Like Mike #28

He is taking me to Washington to see what it's like to smooch there, have coffee there, see friends there, and see how big my hair gets there. My guess is this.

See yas.

The Neighbor.. Again

I am considering making Dillan a regular on my blog. That kid is a hoot. Like a really funny owl. He knocked on my door when the kids and I were gone, and only The Man was home. Remember when Dillan is nine?

The Man: Hey Dillan; what's up?

Dillan: Hey. Can Eli play?

The Man: No, sorry. He isn't home right now.

Dillan (pauses): Are you guys moving to Washington?

The Man: Well, it's a possibility.

Dillan (with the straightest face EVER): Like, how much? What's the percentage?

The Man (stifles giggle in the face of the most serious 9yo in the world): Uhm, I can't really say, Dillan. We just have to wait and see.

Dillan: Why don't you guys move to Sacramento? At least if you move to Sacramento I can see Elijah when I visit my grandma in the summer.

The Man: Well, I have applied there too; maybe we'll get lucky.

Dillan: What are the chances? Can you give me a percentage.

The Man (clearly bested by a child): I just don't know, Buddy.

Dillan: Why are you guys moving anyway?

The Man: Well, I lost my job. I got laid off. So, I have to go somewhere that can give me a job.

Dillan after a VERY heavy sigh: See, this is why I hate the government.

The Man: Me too, Buddy. Me too.

The Things You Learn

Through all of this lay off crapola (yes, it is a word. Look it up. If it isn't there, get a new dictionary.) I have realized a few things about myself:

I do not like to exercise or keep to my schedule (hence my load of laundry, my list of books read, and my once again chubby belly. BAH)

Also, I am an emotional eater (hence, my chubby belly and the ever growing pile o junk food)

Finally, I use hence more often. hence.

To stick to my plan of yelling (in my mind) SUCK IT SATAN as often as possible, I am going to continue training for this half-marathon. Today, I am attempting five miles. This is ambitious in a way I cannot clearly convey because A) I run like Phoebe (please see above) 2) I haven't done more than a mile at a time in the last month and D) Running is boring. GAH!

UPDATE: I ran a mile and my treadmill broke. Great. Awesome. Stupid.

BAH

I do not sleep well when my husband is out of town. My mind goes a gazillion miles per hour and no longer coincide with my body schedule the second The Man leaves the city. Yesterday, he and some other boys drove to Nampa, Idaho to test for their fire department. I made my kids tuck me in for a change of pace and read Water for Elephants until my eyes were bleary. About three hours into the middle of the night, I awoke and couldn't go back to sleep. I turned my side table lamp on and finished reading. That's making lemonade out of lemons. It was truly happiness. In addition to finishing my book in about two days, I came up with this list of nonsense beating down my proverbial door:

• Make a list; keeping this stuff in my mind is making me crazy
• Pick up nonsensical degree verification form from University of Phoenix
• See if Whole Foods accepts food stamps, cause I really like their pop tarts and salmon
• Get boxes
• Pack master bedroom closet- after heavily junking most of it
• Plan songs for bible study worship time
• Practice song for Sunday, communion
• Get fingerprints fingerprinted AGAIN and mailed out
• Compile application bits and mail out for WA teacher certification
• Fill out applications for teaching next year in about ten different school districts
• Return the pile of books I seem to have accumulated from Pastor Lou
• Find a new book to read, 'cause this one is almost finished
• Update calendar
• Shower (yes. I put it on my list)
• Switch the laundry before it goes rank
• Send No(dot dot)el my itinerary for our trip to visit her
• Send a reminder text to weekend babysitter
• See if anyone wants to be entertained by one of my kids for the weekend
• Send encouraging texts to The Man
  
• Send out a newsletter for Hands of Hope Missions
• Make a few phone calls for student sponsors for HOHM
  
• Sleep, I think my sleeper is broken
• Fix alarm clock, it's still blinking from our power outage
• Plan menu for the week
• Work on homework
• Grade papers
• Update online grading system for my students
• Trade lives with someone with a smaller list
  

Dear Brian

Jayehs. Now I am on top.

Neighbors

Sometimes you hear horror stories about neighbors. We certainly have our fair share of weirdos on our street, the least of which is one neighbor with an uncanny resemblance to Kirk from Gilmore Girls. But, this week, I was reminded why neighbors can be awesome. The following conversation took place between me and the 9 year-old-oh-so-innocent boy next door. I love him, and I will cry if we have to move away from him.

Me: Hey, Dillan, come on in. Eli is almost done with his school work. You can go upstairs to his room and play, or you can work on any homework you have here at the table.
Dillan: I finished my homework last night. I think I will head up to Eli's room and practice my recorder.
(SIDE NOTE: yes, Dillan uses phrases like "head up to.")
Me: OK
Three minutes pass and Dillan is again downstairs.
Dillan: Uh, Ms. Shontell? I can't practice my recorder because my A hole is clogged.
Me: (splutter, choke, gagging back laughter)
Izzy: AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAHAHAAH choke. die.

Nuhm-bers

2 The number of m's on Taco Bell's "Coming Soon" sign. Sigh. It's as if they hate me.

3 The number of Gilmore Girls episodes I watched in bed yesterday

1 the number of papers I wrote this week (all in all not many)

2 the number of newsletters I am supposed to write and publish this week

10 the number of random things that keep bouncing through my brain at 6:30 am because I keep forgetting to do them

2 the number of needles my sewing machine ate as if to say "in your face loser."

10 the number of cold piggies attached to the end of my feet

61 the number of degrees my city will be tomorrow :) I am excited.

10 the number of days until my man and I fly out to Seattle

5 the number of kids we will be leaving behind for said trip

11 the approximate number of minutes The Man has been on hold with Southwest Airlines to change his return flight

5 the number of kisses I received (along with hugs)after having a much needed mommy break

2 the number of days a week I am tutoring a middle schooler

62 the number of times Erin Harrison and I had to lift boxes of IKEA furniture to get them delivered securely to Ellen Egan's condo. Please keep in mind there were only four boxes. There were also 2 elevators and about a gazillion floors between her car and her front door. Also a ramp, or as I like to call it, my nemesis.