My Love

Photo taken by Jansson Photography

This week's Monday Listicles theme is love. Appropriate, apt, fun, and easy. I decided to use this as an opportunity to make a list of all the reasons why, after twelve years of marriage, I am still ridiculously in love with Elijah.

1. He still makes me laugh. A lot. Mostly at him, which he never seems to mind, but not just that. No matter how much I have mocked his sense of humor, he has never stopped trying to make me laugh or smile. I find this adorable.

2. He may not excel at anticipating what I want or need, he's a terrible mind reader, but he will complete a honey-do list without complaint. Even if it means staying up late to do a mess of work after putting the kids to bed on a weeknight. If I write it down, it will always get done.

3. He never fails to have a card and gift laying out for me when I get up on special days. And he doesn't mind that I suck at doing stuff like that. Seriously, the man is better at Valentine's and anniversaries than I am. (I would feel bad, but I'm better at making babies so I think we're even.)

4. Speaking of our babies, Elijah is a wonderful father. I think he actually enjoys playing with his kids. He's the outdoor parent, the indoor jungle gym, the parent who wants to go and do. I'm the one who doesn't want to get out of my pajamas.

5. He pulls his own weight. It's a struggle to keep things up with both of us working and my odd hours. Elijah is more than willing to do what needs to be done, which is better than me because taking out the trash is man's work!

6. He encourages me to do things that I love. Whether it's getting away with friends, going back to school, or making time for long runs, he has always been supportive of the things I need to do in order to keep sane.

7. He never complains about how much I spend. Ever. He may not understand why cutting and/or dyeing two inches of hair can cost up to $200, but he doesn't complain. He might think that the kids have enough outfits for the next six years, but he'd never suggest I stop going to Gymboree. He has never made me feel like I don't have the right to spend our money in whatever way I see fit.

8. He cooks. I mean, really cooks. Not in the way that I cook, which is just to keep us from starving. This man makes meals, and desserts, and he enjoys it. One Valentine's Day he made me a rack of lamb! He learned how to make baked fudge since I love it so much. He feeds me delicious food and enjoys making it almost as much as I enjoy eating it. Almost.

9. He encourages me to sleep. This may sound bizarre, but there are a lot of days that I don't want to sleep. I hate spending an entire weekend day in bed because I worked the night before. But he realizes how important sleep is to my mental and physical health and he nags me if I get up too early. He'll take the kids out so I have nothing to stay up for. He sends me to bed early and lets me sleep in, even if it means he never gets to. And as far as I'm concerned sleep = love.

10. He reads my blog. He doesn't comment, or question what I've written. He is supportive and encouraging in his silence. He'll tell me if he enjoyed something, but I never worry about him passing judgement on anything I've put here. He respects this space and has never made me feel like I should censor myself. Plus, he's saved me a ton of work this Valentine's Day by stopping by to read this for himself! Happy Valentine's Day, hon!

So there you have it. Ten, long winded reasons for why I'm still with the man I married all those years ago. 

Soundtrack Of My Life

Today's topic is ten songs that would make up my life's soundtrack.

1. Absolutely (Story of a Girl) - Nine Days

Because if we're going to start my life off with a theme, it might as well be one of tears. Yes, I was a girl tortured by being perpetually in the friend zone. As far as my formative teen years go, I remember heartbreak and angst and longing, and not really much else. Cue the violins.

"This is the story of a girl, who cried a river and drowned the whole world."



2. 32 Flavors - Alana Davis

I've always been struck by the dimension of people. Especially now that I'm older. I realize that people are rarely as they appear.  As I posted earlier I am often defined by my roles as mother, wife, nurse, daughter, sister, but there is so much more to me than the various hats I wear.

"I am a poster girl with no poster. I am 32 flavors and then some."




3. Talk Tonight - Oasis

This song reminds me of the sweetness of finding yourself in the middle of a long, comfortable conversation. Whether on the phone, or in person, watching the sun rise with someone you've shared a bit of yourself with, counts as some of my favorite memories.

"I wanna talk tonight, until the morning light, about how you saved my life."



4. Torn - Natalie Imbuglia

I remember when this first song came out I identified with it completely. The feeling of being so broken it wouldn't matter who came to rescue you. Even as a grown woman I've still felt this way many times in my life, not hopeless, just torn.

"You're a little late, I'm already torn."



5. Broken Road - Melodie Crittenden

Being an awkward, perpetually lovesick, young woman, I was more than relieved to be married at twenty-two.  I finally felt like I could direct all that energy I'd been wasting worrying about being loved into something far more productive. This song describes how all of those heartaches and mistakes brought me to my present.

(I threw in the Pacey & Joey YouTube edition because who doesn't love Dawson's Creek?)



6. Little Wonders - Rob Thomas

Regardless of the fact that this is found on the soundtrack to a movie that I've never seen, it's a brilliant choice for my own personal soundtrack. The song reminds me that the past is gone and it's living in the present that will reveal the true joys life.

"Let it go, let it roll right off your shoulder. Don't you know, the hardest part is over?" 



7. Suddenly, I See - KT Tunstall

The woman depicted in this song is strong, captivating, and alive.  She's all the things I'd like to be admired for. I guess you could call her my musical role model.

"Suddenly, I see, why the hell it means so much to me."




8. How to Save a Life - The Fray

It's no surprise that I love Grey's Anatomy. I even written about how I don't have any hang ups when it comes to medical dramas and working in the medical field. This song inspired one of my favorite posts and totally makes me thrilled about my career.





9. Sleep - Melissa Etheridge

This is the song. The one that perfectly describes how I feel about my husband and our life together. The only video I could find of it is awful...please don't judge the song based on what you see. In fact, just listen with your eyes closed. Yeah, do that.



10. Closer to Fine - Indigo Girls

The perfect song to end with. A song describing the search for something more, something bigger than what we are.

"Well darkness has a hunger that's insatiable, and lightness has a call that's hard to hear."

Promises, Promises

The first Monday Listicles topic of the year was submitted by A Mountain Momma and I love it! It's a twist on the normal New Year's Resolutions that we all feel obligated to make.

Here is my list of 10 New Year's Resolutions I will never keep:

1. Get more sleep. This is impossible. Aside from my crazy overnights at the hospital, there is no way I could nap any more than I already do and still keep the house and family somewhat organized. Also, how would I find time for my bloggy and twitter friends if i slept as much as I should.

2. Spend less money on take-out and fast food. Sometimes ordering pizza, rather than rummaging through the cupboards trying to round up a home cooked meal, is the only highlight of my day.

3. Drink less wine. And more beer?

4. Wear "real clothes" more often than pajamas. Okay, maybe I'll do this if I'm leaving the house, unless it's just to pick up dinner...otherwise I don't see the point.

5. Stop nagging. Because I want to pick up, put away, and clean everything in 2012?!

6. Keep my car clean and wash it regularly. As much as I hate the fact that my mom-mobile looks the part, having random toys/snackfoods hidden between the seats has saved me several times.

7. Control my Gymboree shopping habit. Thus ruining my children's future social life by not dressing them like they walked out of a catalog. Isn't it bad enough that their mother only wears pajamas?

8. Have the TV off more than on. With one child this was easier. Amelia, however loves "watching something" and frankly, so do I. Watching her dance along with the Wiggles is just too adorable to deny myself this year.

9. Fold and put away clean clothes as soon as they come out of the dryer. If there isn't anything on my DVR I can't possibly be expected to fold laundry, right?

10. Keep my bedroom clean and organized. Ha! I could totally do this at the expense of all the other rooms in the house. After picking up everyone else's crap you can't possibly expect me to have the time and/or energy to pick up my own!

I'm so excited to have a list of 10 Resolutions I'm not expected to keep.

I think it's the perfect way to start off 2012.

2011 in Review

My family is still recovering from Christmas Day and I'm still recovering from working last night but I couldn't NOT post a short and sweet list.

Here's our best of 2011.

1. We flew to Florida on our first full length family vacation.

2. I transferred from Med/Surg to ER.

3. We finally got the living, dining, guest, and Amelia's bedroom painted.

4. I read more books than I can even count, accomplishing my book reading goal for the year.

5. Convinced my husband to get rid of that awful handlebar mustache.

6. I took a long overdue girl's trip to Vegas! Ate at Bobby Flay's and Tom Colicchio's.

7. Bought a new mom-mobile all by myself.

8. I went parasailing for the first time.

9. Got another tattoo.

10. Received the official "MissMarinaStar.com" for Christmas!

Marchin On

Today's Monday Listicles comes from Amanda at Lilahbility. She asked us to talk about our hometowns. Since I don't really have any ONE specific hometown, I thought I'd make a list of ten places I've lived throughout my life. Feel free to chime in if any of these places are familiar to you.

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1. City of Orange, California - Yep that's right, I was born in the heart of the O.C. I don't remember anything about this place though since I was only born there, but it's totally my claim to fame so that's where I'm starting my list.

2. Covina/San Dimas, California - While my parents were still married, at least until I was six or so, I lived in the town made famous by Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure!

This is pretty much how I remember Hesperia
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3. Hesperia, California - After my parent's divorce, my four brothers and I lived with our father in a three bedroom home. This is the first home I really remember. I was a latch-key kid so had quite a bit of freedom to get acquainted with the neighborhood. These were some pretty wild times.

4. Hemet, California - At the age of 13, my father's third marriage brought us to Hemet. I spent almost five years there, moving after my junior year in high school. I went to Hemet High School which counts James Lafferty of One Tree Hill and Coralie Simmons of the 2000 U.S. Olympic Water Polo Team as some of their graduates.

5. Orem/Provo, Utah - The summer before my senior year of high school my family moved to Utah. I graduated from Orem High School and went on to BYU. That's right, I was raised Mormon, go ahead and pick your chin up off the floor. Interesting note: I was at BYU at the same time as Heather Armstrong, a.k.a. Dooce, I'm sure she remembers me.

I used to run through this park along the water.
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6. Larchmont, New York - After my short stint as a Mormon college student, I spent a year as a live-in nanny with a lovely family just outside of New York City. It was one of the most amazing years of my life. NYC is everything people say it is...only better.

7. Monterey, California - At 22, I joined the USAF, and started language training at the Defense Language Institute. There I met my gorgeous husband and convinced him to marry me.

8. San Angelo, Texas - I spent six months finishing up my language training here. I didn't have a car and only took one trip to Dallas, but I was introduced to one of the best restaurants ever and The Peasant Village is still going strong today!

9. Pasadena, Maryland - After living in an apartment for a year or so, we bought our first home, a three story townhouse. My father grew up in Pasadena, California so it was neat to be living in another Pasadena back East. We brought our son, Asher, home from the hospital to this house and lived here until April of 2005.

10. Moore, Oklahoma - Once Elijah and I were discharged from the service we moved to Oklahoma. Elijah had been raised there and I really wanted to have Asher grow up with lots of family nearby. Amelia came home to this house, but we moved shortly after her birth to Texas, where we are now and will NEVER move again!

Looking back over this list, and there were some moves that I left out, I'm realizing why I hate to move. I like to be in one place, get comfortable, make friends, grow old, and then die. I'm not interested in bouncing around from place to place. We can travel if we need to see more of the world!

All I Want For Christmas Is...

I'm back again with Monday Listicles! It took me a while to get this up because I've been sleeping all day, but you still have time to make my Christmas wishes come true.

1. The perfect pair of brown leather boots.

2. A clean bathroom.

3. A ginormous TV over the mantle so I can watch A Christmas Story in front of the fireplace.

4. All of our home flooring completed.

5. To find that Amelia's completely potty trained and finished with diapers.

6. Dozens of frosted sugar cookies, picture perfect, not baked by me.

7. A weekend escape for Elijah and I with nothing planned but watching TV and eating takeout, just like we used to do before we had kids.

8. Snow. Just over Christmas Eve/Christmas Morning. (Note: It should be melted by the time I head for work that evening.)

9. To find that those pesky last ten pounds had finally disappeared for good.

10. The ability to keep the sweet Christmas memories alive year round.

Two Baby or Not Two Baby

Today's Monday Listicle is super awesome! As someone who has vacillated extensively between "our family is complete" and "wait, are you sure you don't want another baby?" I have spent a lot of time going over both sides of the argument. That's why I chose to write BOTH lists! Yippee - today's listicle gives you two for the price of one!

10 reasons why I think we should have more children:

1. I'd love a house full of family for the holidays, or really any Sunday dinner. I imagine my children, their spouses and my grandbabies coming home, gathering around the table, sharing stories of their childhood antics and fighting over who was the favorite!

2. We already have a vehicle that can accommodate eight people so we wouldn't have to buy a new car, even if we were blessed with multiples.

3. We make beautiful babies. Seriously. We should get some sort of award for the adorableness of our children.

4. Our house has plenty of room for another nursery.

5. I always wanted another baby boy, and I never got to use the name I've already chosen for him.

6. Being pregnant would make it so much easier to quit smoking!

7. A 50% increase in Trick-or-Treat candy!

8. Turning the guest bedroom into a nursery would make it impossible for my MIL to ever move in.

9. Another child would give us better odds at having someone to support us when we're old and decrepit.

10. It's the easiest way to lose eight pounds in one day!


10 reasons why I think we should NOT have more children:

1. I don't think my my body nor my self-esteem could handle losing the 60+ pounds that always seem to accompany my pregnancies.

2. I'm really enjoying sleeping at least six hours every night and can't imagine going back to two hour sleeping intervals.

3. We're almost out of diaper land!

4. I'm quickly headed into the "high risk pregnancy" area.

5. Travel is one of our favorite hobbies, and five plane tickets is substantially more than four.

6. Having been the middle child, it makes me sad to think I'd be moving Amelia from baby girl to middle child.

7. We're currently dealing with a two-year old...'nuff said.

8. Elijah's motto is "never let your pets, or your kids, outnumber you."

9. Although having a third baby wouldn't tax our budget much more, the cost of alcohol we'd need to raise three kids would be enormous.

10. Therapy for our two children is already going to be more than we can afford. I don't know how we'd pay to undo the damage to the third one.

So there you have it! Two lists, both with valid reasons, or at least OUR reasons for having or not having any more children.

Back in High School

I'm participating for the first time ever in Northwest Mommy's Monday Listicles. This week's topic is about High School. Here goes!

1. My family moved the summer before my senior year.

2. I never had a steady boyfriend.

3. I was a choir nerd. I was in the original Glee type show choir for my high school.

4. I ran the 330m hurdles and lettered in track.

5. I was set up on my Homecoming date by one of my teachers.

6. I wore sweats to school, a lot. I was a total fashion disaster so #2 wasn't a shock.

7. I held the banner while marching in the Rose Parade with our band.

8. I am still close to one of my best friends from high school. Hi Mindy!

9. Lost my bathing suit top after diving in at a pool party.

10. I cut my hair often and at one point it was shorter on one side than the other. (#2!)