Dependence.

Once upon a time, there was a married lady with five children.

One day, the lady decided that it would be a good idea to get a head start on vacation and travel into these mountains (shown below) while her husband was joyously observing a UT Bowl Game in Nashville on December 30.

Alas, it was not a good idea.

For up on the mountains, there was snow.

Even though the weather was checked, and the police were called, and the lady was reassured that there would be no problems going up the mountains.... there were many problems.

Because of a large amount of traffic, the lady did not get up on the mountain until after dark. (problem one)

Then, up on top of the mountain, there was a long and bumpy driveway that was hidden by a guardrail that led to the cabin that they lady was supposed to be at. On the driveway (shown below) there was about three inches of snow and ice. (problem two).

The lady was not in a four wheel drive. (as shown below)

Only a front wheel drive (problem three).

It was dark. (problem four).

She is not a good driver in the best conditions. (problem five)
She slid back down the drive. (problem six)

She ended up sideways with tires spinning. in the dark. while her husband was joyously watching UT play football. four hours away. in the dark. with some of her kids. (that is a lot of problems).

At this time, all the lady could do is wish that her husband would drive up in his "white horse" and help her get out of the mess she was in.

But he was watching UT play football. And he was still joyous at this time.

So, she put on her big girl drawers, called a tow truck, the Gatlinburg police department and the 24 hour roadside assistance that is listed on the back of her insurance card.

And even though a nice man in a tow truck came and bailed her out,
all she wanted was to see this.


That is dependence.

Happy Birthday Super Dave.

I have to say a special Happy Birthday to Dave... today, he is 37 years old.

That is just three away from 40. We have some celebrating to do tonight. :) Woot!

Dave, father of my children, you rock! You are an awesome Daddy, Husband and BFF.

Thanks for putting up with my craziness, my whining, and picking up after me.

Thanks for helping me and encouraging me to get through school.

You are so good.

Ily.

Slacker.

I have sat down to write a new blog post about 15 million times, but I am unsuccessful in producing anything worth reading.

Spring break (for me) is here. I go back to school this coming Monday, but like always, when there is no school there is still SO MANY other things going on that I am still in my mini-tornado.

Take today, for example. I went and observed a neat First Grade class. The teacher invited me, and was expecting me, so I went for one hour. Then, I went to work. Then two hours later, I went to the post office, and I fell, like a big dumb idiot. It had been raining, and as I was coming out the door, I told a man (who was going in), "Boy, this is slick. Be careful and don't fall." Well, then I turned around and fell down the steps. I hopped up, praying that no one saw, and ran/hobbled to the van. Then, I called Dave, whined about my leg, ankle, and ring finger that got trapped underneath me. From there, I went and got Eli at school, picked Emma up, and met Dave and Tripper at the dentist. Emma and Tripper needed minor fillings (no numbing needed!) and Eli got a cleaning and a referral to an orthodontist for a jaw problem. His teeth are straight - looks like he already had braces - but his jaw has issues and his teeth are angle-ing in. So, then I had a sad, teary eyed 14 year old boy who was having visions of starting high school with a mouth full of metal.

So now, I am back at work. I have to get Eli's permission-to-ski papers notarized - he is going away for the weekend tomorrow. And I have to go pick Mallie and Emma up in 1 1/2 hours. Then, Eli has a soccer game at 4:30 in the next town.

See why I am in Tornado-land?

I am so happy that all I have to do is make a phone call - well, not even that - I have a sweet husband that helps with the kids, meets me at the dentist, takes a kid to school, and lectures a whiny 14 year old better than I ever could.

So, this has turned into a Thank You Dave letter.
I appreciate you and all you do!

Happy Birthday Super Dave.

Happy Birthday David.

I hope you have a wonderful day.

You are my most favorite.

And you are the oldest guy I have ever dated.

Remembering where I came from.

Yesterday, Dave and I were able to sneak off in the afternoon and head out to the lake WITH NO KIDS. Yes, you read right. We had NO KIDS.

Not only did we get to go to the lake, we rode the Harley. When we left, we started talking and realized that it had been two years since we had our last Harley trip.

When we got to the houseboat, I was sad to find a collection of very small diapers in the bathroom. Along with the diapers, there was a collection of small swim diapers. Guess what that means? Well, the last time we went to the lake, Tripp was a baby and Emma was a toddler. I guess we have been having so much fun at home, we forgot to visit the lake for the last three or four years.

It was nice to be back. We hung out, I got some sun, read a book and drank several cold, cold bottles of water. Later on that afternoon, we went for a boat ride.

This takes me back to many years ago. Dave and I had our first "official" date (see, Waffle House doesn't count) at the lake (well, following Red Lobster) and we went swimming at the dam about 2 a.m.

As I sat in the sunshine- on a boat- in the middle of the lake- I remembered our life pre-small children. I thought about how we used to spend the summers on the water, leaving Friday after work, and not coming home until Sunday at dark. I thought of all our midnight conversations out on the water, our trips to the A-Frame to karaoke, the obscene amount of alcohol that we consumed. I remembered how quiet the lake gets at night. I missed it all. Well, not all. Not the alcohol. :)

Sometimes in life, I get so busy that I forget to stop and take a deep breath. Thanks, Dave for yesterday. I had a blast.

A depressing week.

Well, it has been a long, depressing week so far... lots of death, illness and sadness all around.

Dave's distant cousin passed away from cancer. She was young - only 28 - and she had a 2 year old. That is a sweet baby that will never know it's momma. That is a child without a mom to be there for all the important things. And that leaves a set of parents who have lost a child at just 28 years old.

Others in our area have passed away recently, too. Just last week, a girl from high school died after a long bout of cancer. She was only 35. She never got married, had babies, or got to do any of the stuff I take for granted. It was difficult to go to her funeral. There are so many woulda, coulda, shouldas.

I think because I am a mom that I tend to focus on the parents of these people who are not living very many years. I can't imagine what my life would be without my kids - and I don't want to ever have to. I can't fathom what losing a child is like.

Oh, well. I have got to change the subject.

On to other news -- let's see... I have been working all week during spring break. Dave has been at home with the kids.. I left early yesterday and went with my sweet husband to a grand opening/ribbon cutting ceremony of a new factory here that grows hydroponic lettuce. I hope this is right. It was neat to get out for 2 hours without kids - but, as he was schmoosing around, I just stood back and observed all the people. There were all sorts there. Lots of men. Not very many women at all. So I started checking the men out. I am happy to report that my husband had the best hiney in the area. I looked at all of them. (Sorry this is a bad subject. I need some happy thoughts, people). Seriously. I looked at his. I looked at another. And then another. He won everytime. I guess lettuce that grows in water makes you bored like that, huh.

Our anniversary is this weekend. I am also happy to report that we have survived being married 2000 years. That is 1999 longer than Dave expected. Whew! What an ordeal. It has been tough, but he has hung in there.

Church is tonight. Then my next days are filled with 2 funerals, a possible basketball game, 2 tests at school tomorrow *not in that order* and maybe some sushi. After 2000 years, a girl deserves sushi, right?

A new blogger!

Look who has been pressured to be like all the other kids...

Welcome, sweet daddy, to the world of blogging!

Prom Night.

This is a very important picture in my life.



It was taken on September 18th, 2004. Dave and I were both in a wedding. Since we did not start dating until we were a little older (not in high school, which seems to be common in this area), we missed the prom together. So, when we were in this wedding, I called it "our prom". Got the hair done, nails done, shaved the legs AND the pits all in one day. Whew!

At the time that this was taken, Dave was whispering sweet nothings in my ear. I remember exactly what he was saying to me.

This picture hangs in my living room surrounded by pictures of me and the kids. Dave had a collage made for me as a Mothers Day gift a couple of years ago. I love that framed collection. It is one of my most prized possessions.

I guess why I am thinking about this is that our anniversary is coming up in March. I love to think about the day that we got married. I love to think of all the people who went to Vegas with us in support of our love and dedication to each other - or the ones who just went to gamble and go on a weekend trip. :) I won't say who is who - you know who you are. I will say that there are more people gathered on one side than the other. :)

What I am saying is that this picture represents when Dave and I really began our lives. I look at this and know how far we have come from this point. A turning point. A milestone. A symbol of what were are. We were discussing last night of what our family is. Where were we five years ago? Ten years ago? Everything has changed. It is just so good.

I know that of every post I do, I want my kids to someday be able to take a lesson from that particular read. Or at least just laugh at what was going on at this time in our lives. So, kids take this lesson. I want you all to have what I have. I want you to have the kind of life that I have. So, remember, don't settle. It is out there.

Last Night.

This is last night. Dave had fallen asleep with Emma. Tripp decided to go lay on them. I got this shot at about 11 pm. (Yes, I know that my kids should be in bed by then. We had been playing.)

I love my husband. I have a serious fasination with him. Seriously. And, this has become worse in the past week since we moved. I really figured out that he and I work well together. Maybe I just like the way he works. :)

When I am stressed out, he is able to fix it with calmness. For example, when I bought this little, nifty (so I thought) clothes basket that held three different varieties, and I couldn't get it together, I SCREAMED. He is so cool, that he walks into the room and puts it together. Just like that. No stress. And, I love how handy he is with a hammer. I keep telling him all the things to put together, and he does it. Just like that.

And besides all his house handiness, he is an awesome daddy. He is a quick cuddler, boo boo kisser, hugger, and a player. He laughs with the kids. He talks to them. He is so much fun.

I pray that my boys will be half the daddy that Dave is.

Where have I been?!?!

Ah, I love my Internet service. Sad to say, I have been without since last FRIDAY (!). How does that happen, you wonder? Well, WE MOVED (!). I am so happy to be in a different, larger (more mine) home. I love the yard, I love the character, I love the fact that it is different.

Whew!

So, I have spent the weekend packing, unpacking, packing and unpacking. We did have minimal help that included Dave's friend Pat and my brother Chris. Yet, we survived. We wrangled the kids as we moved furniture and boxes. We explained to a sleepy three year old that we CAN'T go home - we are home.

My sweet husband has lived in the house we left for 23 (!) years. So sad to leave, yet now, I think he is OK. In fact, probably more than OK. I think once we finish the other addition, add him on a grillin' deck for the summer, and get everything situated, he will be as ecstatic as I am!

(!) - Just felt like sharing how excited I am with the move (!)

I have lots of stories to blog about, once my Internet is back to functioning.

Good to be back (!)
Mel

The Hair Triangle

This picture was taken on a Sunday morning last September while we were all trying to get ready for Sunday School.


Don't they look like that man and woman with the pitchfork standing in front of the house?




Notice Eli's sarcasm toward Dave?



Anyways - I took this because I saw how Eli had grown recently. Dave is a little over six feet tall. Eli was about 5'7 ish ( a couple of weeks ago). I am sure it has changed from then to now.


We have had an ongoing love/hate triangle in our house for a long time. It is between Dave/Eli/Eli's hair.



Dave would love for Eli to have the flip (if you are not familiar with the flip - it is the flip of Dave's hair he has had since, oh, about birth). Eli rejects the flip. Dave tries to overcompensate for Eli's flip rejection by brushing the hair over to the side. Eli settles for the side-brushed hair - until we are out of site. Then, the hair mysteriously changes to a brushed down front look that all young boys are going for.

You know, this story is not really going anywhere.

Due to unfortunate circumstances, the hair has been cut recently. Needless to say, the hair drama still goes on. Does it look right? Is it shiny enough? Does it smell good?
Who knew teenage boys cared so much?

I Love this Picture.
I have to say that this is one of my favorite pictures ever taken. This was last June, and Dave and Emma were going to the Cinderella Ball. They had a date planned, and boy, was she ready. Emma loves going on dates. Especially Daddy Dates. Since she was little, he would take her on these outings, whether it be to the Dollar Store or just to the Shell Station to get Bug Juice after work.
When she was smaller, she would dress in her Old Navy "I LOVE MY Daddy" matching shirt and baseball cap. And, she always had the biggest smile on her face. Her Daddy is her first love. What a beautiful relationship he has with her. Everything he does sets the tone for what she looks for in future relationships.

So, what are they talking about in this picure? I have no idea. I like to imagine she is telling him about her gloves - how she loves that they come all the way up to her elbows. Or maybe she is
asking him about all the things they will do - the dancing, the singing, how many of her friends will be with their daddies. She just looks as if she is explaining something so important, and he is listening to her so intently.

Thanks, Dave, for being such a good daddy. They all love you so much. And so do I.