Our anniversary~

Yesterday was our two year anniversary. I took Abigayle and Amelia with me to pick up a card for Derek, (sorry Punkin, I'll get it out of my car for you soon and give it to you!)

I was in the sappy, lovey- dovey section of the cards when Abigayle brought over a ginormous card that  said in all caps on the front "HOT SEX TONIGHT"-- with a cartoon couple all tangled together-

Abigayle: Punkin will like this one,not sure what it means but the people look happy

Me: uhhhh, probably not Abigayle

Abigayle: Why, what does ssssseeeeexxxxx mean?

Me: okay! I'm getting this one, let's go! ( as I half finish reading the one in my hand about soul-mates and best friends)

Abigayle: sex

Me: Stop it

Abigayle: sex, sex, sex

Amelia: Shexxxxy

Me: Knock it off! (in a low growling whisper)

Amelia: Mommy's get Shexxy legs


Next year- I go alone for an anniversary card!

I was lucky. . . .

Grandma~Today is your memorial service at Nelson Place, all of  your friends will be there and tomorrow will be your funeral at your church. These will be two very hard days, but I must remind myself. . .I was lucky.



I was lucky I had you all of my 37 years. You and you alone taught me to love God when I was a child.That love planted in me a faith and trust in God that has been given to my children, and I thank you for that.


I was lucky I grew up right next door to you. You were the first person I thought of when I woke up every summer morning and I couldn't wait to run over to your house and ride my bike and have you tell me I was Speedy McGraw. I couldn't wait to swing with you on your back patio, I couldn't wait to run through your sprinklers and eat strawberries or cucumbers from the garden with you.

I miss you everyday Grandma and it hurts. Even though I can't just stop by your apartment anytime now to see you, I can close my eyes and I am flooded with wonderful memories. Every single memory is a happy one~ you were and are amazing. If the world had more Mama Marshmellow's in it, it would be a more wonderful place.


Thank you for being my Grandma, my friend, my helper and for loving me. Thank you for being the mother you were to my mom as well, not many people have the bond that you two shared and I was lucky to be part of that.


Until we see each other again, I love you Grandma, with all my heart~

Easter

Today, I thank Jesus for giving his life to wash me clean of my sins. The temptation life throws at us daily is unmerciful at times and knowing that when I fall, even though no one else may know, except God, I am forgiven- and that to me, is everything.

I also thank Jesus for giving me my babies, Abigayle and Amelia--  they have taught me the kind of  love that God has for me-- unconditional, never-ending, everlasting. All else in this world can come and go, but the love a mother has for her children is  infinite-- barely describable --  it can only be rivaled by the Love that God has for us.

I am truly blessed to have such love in my life and am thankful for days like Easter that  remind me of this.

I still can't believe that in 7 months I am going to be the mother of THREE children. THREE!!!

Yesterday, Derek and I went and looked at baby stuff-- after going through this twice I wouldn't have thought I would get excited about bassinets, playpens or baby clothes, but the more we looked the more I envisioned myself holding a teeny tiny baby again, snuggling and caring for it. Maybe part of it is because it's Derek's first and just knowing how exciting it will be for him makes me excited.

Looking at our life right now and knowing that our house is going to be even more cramped, the schedule is going to be grueling at first with me getting 4 people ready in the mornings after Derek leaves for work, the lack of sleep, starting all over again with diapers and breast feeding, giving up some of the freedom that we gained as the girls got older-- it will all be worth it! If we were to wait until we were in a bigger house, had more money, had more time, and all of the other excuses that come up, we would not be anticipating the birth of a wonderful baby right now, daydreaming about the wonderful family we are creating.

We are truly exited!

Oh the questions they will ask

Have you seen the Van's billboard around town? The one with a filthy, muddy  car and someone has written in the mud "I wish my wife was this dirty"~ Well, Abigayle saw this the other day on our way to school and said " What does it mean when you wish your wife was this dirty?"

Hello!!!! How do you answer that one VANS???? Getting creative in my old age I told Abigayle it meant that the person wanted his wife to go outside and get muddy, play in the dirt, be like a boy. Satisfied, there were no more questions.

At dinner last night, Abigayle announces they are memorizing the ten commandments at school, and one only pertains to adults but wasn't sure what it meant-- "You know mom, the one about not committing adultery-- what does that mean?"  I though to myself-go ahead dear husband of mine, you answer this one. Derek not offering any help, I again depended on the wisdom of my  old age "You know how mommy and Derek are married? well committing adultery would mean if he went out and kissed , hugged or loved another woman." and while I had EVERY ONE'S attention I added "even if Derek were to even ever think of another woman he would be committing adultery and be breaking one of the ten commandments." Again,  satisfaction!!

I can't wait for the questions to continue :)

Christmas at the DeBoers

~A sneak peek of our house at Christmas time~

A happy snowman to light the way~

A silver seashell tree to remind us of the beach :)

Our short and little Christmas tree full of favorite ornaments~










One of our favorite ornaments, a chocolate covered strawberry, mmm, yum!

A jolly santa watching over

Miniature stockings from the dollar store :)

Santa on the bathroom door, making sure Abigayle and Amelia are being good~

Pretty ribbons on the shower curtain

Santa waiting to clean everyone's hands.















Our nativity scene in the living room window~

Another nativity scene

Amelia's pink tree

~And the stockings are hung in the basement with care hoping Santa Clause will soon be there~

~Merry Christmas from us to you~

Bunions or Bahama's?

You probably all know the answer to this question by now~ obviously I chose the Bahama's, but only after long deep  thought.

I have been cursed for many,many years with old lady bunions. Thinking back, I remember these nasty bony growths since the fifth grade, when I tried everyday to wear my sister Marie's, three size too small, blue dock shoes. I just had to cram my hooves into these shoes and pretend like they fit. Upon blowing out the sides I took thick white yarn and sewed them together leaving bulging gaps for my feet to ooze out of. Why? til this day I can't answer that question-- perhaps it was being able to say that I could still fit into a size 2 shoe, when in reality I was wearing a 6? Perhaps it was teasing Marie-- blowing out her favorite pair of shoes? Looking back, I must have made a wonderful impression on the teachers at my elementary, they must have thought "poor, poor, family, they can't even afford shoes!"


The next year, sixth grade, I read about Chinese women wrapping their feet so that they wouldn't grow, so that they would have delicate, tiny feet-- I was well past that stage with my now size 8 clod hoppers, bulging with aching bone spurs and bunions-- what had I done? Darn boat shoes, Darn Marie and her stupid shoes.

Through the years I have managed to pack my extra wide feet into some of the most excruciating, painful shoes known to man all in the name of "looking cute"-- which has recently came back to bite me in the junk in my trunk.

The last visit to the podiatrist left me with a scheduled double- bunionectomy, because of the intolerant pain and daily charlie horses in the arches of my feet, the waking in the middle of the night writhing in pain from these bunions which have now multiplied and are now growing on the outside of my  feet as "bunionettes"-- not painting a very pretty picture am I? And that is part of it too-- who wants to have old lady feet when you're not an old lady?

So a few weeks after scheduling the surgery I was talking with my friend Cari and we decided to plan a winter getaway-- to the Bahama's. You know that $2,300 deductible I was going to have to pay for my bunionectomy? Ha! I love my bunions, my hallux valgus- for you medical people-- I love the pain they bolt through my calves and ankles, I love the red throbbing growths on my feet, I love that after a day of wearing pointy shoes I have to elevate my feet and wrap them in a warm "boo boo buddy" just to get them to stop cramping and spasming,  I can live with this pain-- in fact they aren't that bad looking, and in the right flip flops no one even notices!!!

Bahama's or Bust-- the bunions can wait!!!!