Adellism's

Adelle does and says so many funny things that I have started to think of them as Adelleism's. Each child has their own personality and our youngest daughter, little Adelle has it in droves. This is her latest:

While braiding her hair after a bath tonight she told me "Mom, I like it when you smile - but I really like it when you put on your makeup and lipstick then, you're really pretty when you smile."

I am glad that at least she likes my smile whether I am pretty with make up or not. Heaven know I love her smile, it lights up the room.

Marriage

My youngest brother Paul is getting married in one week. I am so excited and happy for him and his new bride. Honestly when it comes to marriage I feel like it wasn't almost thirteen years ago that I took that huge step.

I am grateful that I was so young, just barely nineteen, when I did. I have "grown up" if you will, with Shae. He and I have learned to communicate, work together and accept each other for who we are. He has been patient and loving to me wanting only my happiness. While I can't say that I have always been as selfless I have also wanted his happiness.

In some ways it feels like that time has flown by. But in other ways of measuring so much has happened. Shae graduated from college, started his job, got his CPA and has moved up the work ladder with Wells Fargo. We have had three girls, moved from Utah to California to Missouri. I have been to school, and more school and more school, been the Mom and all sorts of other various jobs. I have had cancer. Two girls have had asthma. There have been many doctor and hospital visits. I have counted hours of sleep by how many half hours I have gotten in a 24 hour period. We have lost loved ones. There have been car problems. There have been house problems. There have been extended family issues.

Shae and I have managed to grow to love each other more through each experience. He has become my true best friend. I can and do tell him pretty much everything (although I am sure some of the time he wishes I would spare the details).

The idea of a new marriage makes me appreciate my somewhat older marriage. I am so grateful for the beginning years we had to grow. I feel like there is still so much to experience and learn, but I am glad that I have my best friend to do it with.

I think in writing this I am sending my wishes for Paul and Kiesha (my soon to be SIL) and any other couple out there taking the step towards a longer commitment. I wish them only happiness and love.

There will be heart ache, frustration, arguments, and stress. But the strength of the commitment will see them through. Communication is the key. Sometimes, no matter how hard it is, working out your problems and being truly honest with yourself and each other is what makes things work. Sometimes you have to agree to disagree. While it is hard to believe in a new relationship you would ever think differently about things, you will, and when the time comes, remember you were individuals first. Maintain that individuality. Remember that is what you fell in love with in the first place, the individual. It is okay to interests that are all the same.

And if I didn't say it enough already. COMMUNICATE. You may have to go to bed frustrated or mad, but make sure at some point to talk it out. From my soap box I can say the best, strongest and longest lasting relationships were due to the couples willingness to communicate, be selfless and loyal to each other.

Thirteen years ago I didn't think it was possible that I could love Shae more that I did when we married. People told me as time passed that I would. I don't know how much more it is possible to love, but I love him more now and am more in love that I can ever remember being. I hope that years from now when Paul and Keisha are thinking back about their beginning they will think of it as I do - with fondness, joy and love. I am continually grateful that I married such a wonderful man as Shae. I am even more grateful for all the lessons I have learned through my marriage to him.

All my love and best to all those in love.

Another quick list

Okay, so I have become a terrible blogger. It just isn't a priority. I will check my e-mail and then maybe update on facebook and then I am off the computer onto bigger and better things like homework, laundry, play practice, or general caring for my family. So here is another quick list of what is happening in my life now and why I probably won't be blogging again for a while. (I usually would blog in the evening but as you will see my evenings are pretty busy right now)

1) I am the lighting technician for the play "Diviner's" at school. This means I turn the lights on and off when I am told to. I am good at following directions and pushing buttons. This play goes on before Wizard of Oz so I am pretty busy every night up until the end of February between the two shows.

2) I am back in regular classes now. The semester officially started Jan. 26th. Thankfully my classes aren't to intensive this semester but that is good considering everything else I am trying to keep up with.

3) I am trying to continue to work out at least four to five days a week. I want to stay in tip top shape.

4) My little brother Paul is getting married March 13th to the most adorable, sweet girl. I am so excited for him and excited that it gave me and excuse to find these adorable shoes.

red shoes

5) The snow is finally melting but the dumb ole ground hog saw his shadow so six more weeks of winter, boo!

6) It is already time to sign the kids up for swim lessons this summer, that is making it harder to live with winter.

7) Our bathroom addition is going to get started, well....the first of January, maybe the first of February. I am hopeful we will get one in before the end of this year. (keeping my fingers crossed)

8)I have gotten brave and sang at open mic. night at Picasso's (a coffee shop). This is a big deal to me considering I have been going there every Thursday night for five months watching and enjoying open mic. night. I actually learned two songs and sang them last week. It was a blast. Now I just need another five months to get my courage up again.

9) I am getting old. I actually told a 20 year old to "grow up" last night. I was mostly just joking, but isn't that what old people say?

10) Shae is amazing. He is ever supportive and helpful, especially when I am gone for multiple nights at a time.

11) Life is busy, but I LOVE IT!!

Sleeping Beauty

Dressed up to go out!

Cora is my dancer. She loves everything about dancing. She has even choreographed a dance to one of our Wizard of Oz songs, that she does for us here at home. It was such a wonderful experience this week for me to take her to the Russian Ballet performance of "Sleeping Beauty". We got dressed up, went to a nice dinner and watched three hours of ballet dancers. It was great. Cora said a couple things I don't want to forget. First: "The boys look really funny in their tights." (yes, they do) "Someday, that will be me dancing the part of Sleeping Beauty." (yes, it will) I love Cora my sweet little dancer.

Deep Sleep

I laid down to take a nap this afternoon. It seemed like the perfect timing. Shae was home, the girls were playing somewhat quietly and dinner was cooking in the crock pot. I had no worries. I thought I would try to sleep for an hour or less so that I could sleep tonight. I asked Shae to wake me at 5:30 so that I could finish dinner preparations. I laid down and fell immediately asleep. At 5:30 Shae came in and told me the time. I was so confused, and from what he tells me apparently I told him I was confused and asked him why he was getting me up at 5:30. I thought it was a.m. He smiled and kindly reminded me that it was Sunday and I had just been taking a nap. After I asked a few more questions, none of which I remember I was finally convinced that it was indeed Sunday afternoon. Once I got moving and working on finishing dinner I felt awake and energized. While Shae and I were visiting later he commented about how confused I seemed after my nap and said I must have really been in a deep sleep. I believe I was. Then he said, thinking back he should have told me that I was just coming back from the future and it could be a little confusing or I just came out of the Matrix and it takes some time to readjust. What a funny guy he thinks he is, well I think he is too, but seriously I am glad he didn't try and trick me. It might have taken me that much longer to figure out what was going on. I did have a very good sleep, the problem is that it was so good now at midnight I'm not tired. *note to self* take short naps that aren't so intensive, then I can sleep in the evening too.

My two loves

My two loves are sunshine and music.

I have to say my true love is Shae. He knows me so well that he got me the perfect Christmas presents. I know that it is a little past the holiday but I have been enjoying these gifts so much that I needed to take a moment to brag about him and them.

Shae noticed that I have been a little blue lately (as in sort of depressed or down). He also noticed that it seemed to be when it was cloudy and cold and I hadn't been in the sun for a while. He told me he had been recognizing this pattern of the last few years - winter would start to come, it would get cold, I would get sad and start to hibernate, sleeping and feeling exhausted and not motivated to do much aka being grouchy and not happy or fun to be around. I read Kirsty's blog last year about SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). I didn't think much about the fact that I might also have it. She recently posted here about it http://momedy.blogspot.com/2008_12_07_archive.html (please copy and paste it in your web browser).

Shae hadn't read her blog but started doing a little research on his own and decided that I must have SAD. (I happen to agree with him wholeheartedly). When I opened my presents from him Christmas morning I was thrilled. I had gotten a SAD light. He started to explain very quickly what this apparently odd light was and why he bought it. I already knew what it was, thanks to Kirsty, and was thrilled he bought it. I love my light. I read with it most mornings and it really has made a difference. It is very hard on me when the sun isn't out and this light really helps.

My other amazing gift...an ipod nano. I am so excited to have one. I love to listen to music whenever I can. It is such a perfect present and it will be wonderful for my runs, when I get back out there. (I just can't run in the freezing frigid weather and I don't have a treadmill). I use our elliptical trainer and stationary bike in the winter. And Shae would like me to give his punching bag another try, we'll see ;)

*GUSHING* Shae is truly amazing and loving. I am grateful to have such a wonderful loving husband who takes such good care of me.

A boy would know...

Today after another successful trip to the dentist, Cora and I headed to meet Shae for lunch. On the way to his office a very nice looking car pulled up next to me and then got in front of me in my lane. We were in pretty slow traffic so I had lots of time to check the nice vehicle in front of me out. I was trying to figure out what kind of car it was. In my head I pronounced what I saw on the trunk of the car as Maz- are- tee. What kind of car was a Mazaretee? Then I laughed out loud. Duh, a Maz-oo-ra-tee actually spelled Masarati. Well, give me some slack I hadn't ever seen one in real life and it took a minute for it to sink in. After all weren't we taught to read phonetically when we don't know a word on sight. I guarantee Shae would have know right off, what boy doesn't know his cars? I would be hard pressed to guess, since obviously I can't read either.