where did i go?!

Yeah yeah, I'm not blogging much. Well, in case you weren't aware, I have a four-year-old. I think that should be excuse enough, but I will add more because I am a giver: I am planning a wedding that will take place in two-weeks-plus-one-day, I am making space for the husband and his stuff in our wee condo, I am still working half-time, and Rob arrived (his final move here!) in Bozeman yesterday.

WHOO WHOO! Imagine me raising the roof while saying that, because that is how I feel. It's all very exciting, as Blake and I would say.

I have a number of ideas for posts, each of which would take thirty to sixty minutes to whip out and make presentable with funny bits and no misspellings. I do not have such time lying around, though finishing with the 500+ almond tartlets does help. Of course, now that I'm done with those, I have some pinwheels to cut and assemble (with help). And so it goes.

With Rob here, fully intending to help, I have actually lost a little of my momentum, since I just want to be where he is, sitting quietly and reading or cuddling or doing, er, something that we can't do yet. But we got RBedford Productions licensed to operate in Bozeman today. We're getting our marriage license today. We're getting our shot list to the photographer today. We've sampled the rehearsal dinner pulled pork and decided it is worthy of our familys' high standards. We've set up the enormous flatscreen (anyone need a nice big regular old television?), Wii, and Blu-Ray. We're unpacking clothing into the closet and armoire, and I'm trying to be sacrificial in giving up certain clothing items or shoes I don't wear often enough to warrant the space. We're planning a menu for the next two weeks that I'm about to go shopping for, and we're making sure that each of us has a tanning package so that we can look like something other than the pasty white Montanan folks we are.

See? I'm working very hard, momentum notwithstanding. And I will try to be better about posting, because otherwise the little moments that I use this blog to remember will pass me by, and I will forget them forever... And I've got some great ones:

• More "that's what he said," because the kid doesn't stop talking, and it never stops being funny.
• My church shower, which including an acrostic of "Addie's Bliss," lots of amazing women, some tears, and some lovely, lovely things said to and about me.
• Things I've learned the hard way (still compiling this list).
• Rob being in Bozeman for good.
• The friends who have made the wedding possible and kept me sane and how they have done so. It's kind of a public thank-you, but don't worry, Mom. I'll still write them notes!
• Thoughts on being married again.
  

i love nostalgia

"There are Rocks in My Socks!" Said the Ox to the Fox is quite possibly one of the best children's books EVER. I've been looking for it in Barnes & Noble when I think of it, but was mistakenly remembering it as a Dr. Seuss. It is not.

Mom found our circa 1979 copy on a dig through the garage, and I read it to Blake tonight. Dad reminisced about reading it to me as a child, liking the rhymes, then liking that I recited it to him because I'd memorized it, but not liking that the memorization meant I'd catch him when he tried to turn two pages at once. "Dad, you missed a page."

"Oh, yes." (grumble grumble)

Well, I got done with the walk down memory lane, and Blake said, "Mom, that is my new favorite book when you read it to me."

I can't wait to hear it recited. Blake is especially good at rhyming words, and I am especially sneaky about turning two pages at once.

that's what he said

B: (to Aunt Bethany) It's important to share, but it's my turn right now.

*****
B: I have to go potty.
A: (hollering, as he was speedy) Do you want more asparagus?
B: (hollering back) I'm a' serious! I have to go potty!

*****
M: (trying to gauge B's interest in the wedding) Anything coming up that you're looking forward to?
B: (thoughtfully) Well, I get to have pizza for dinner.

*****
(at 3:00ish in the morning, when B was sleeping on the floor of my room in Spokane)
B: (sniff)
(ten to three hundred sniffs later)
A: BLAKE. You need to stop sniffing. I'm trying to sleep. You can blow your nose.
B: No, I like to sniff. I sorry mom. I'll try to sniff quieter.

*****
During corporate confession, the congregation reads a passage from the bulletin aloud together.

Everyone: That we would be transformed into..."
B: (standing quickly from where he was playing on the floor, excited) TRANSFORMERS?!

no surprises up my sleeve

It's been very busy around here, as I'm sure anyone who knows me could guess. I tend to overdo it in normal circumstances, and "planning for a wedding" hardly qualifies as normal for me. It's been a while since I've really updated anyone on my life, but it seems to either revolve around wedding stuff (and I don't want folks feeling like they've already been-there-done-that before April 11 arrives!) or things that are personal enough that I don't care to share them because they involve Rob to one degree or another.

Tellingly, the name of HIS blog (where he is, as in real life, somewhat quiet) is Because I Had No Idea.

A truer word was never spoken, eh?

What I will say is that right now almost feels like the honeymoon, in one sense. He's working in Spokane, I'm working here, we are in near-constant communication via chat or our phones... the really lousy part is the long distance and no sex. Yep, that's where my honeymoon analogy falls flat.

HOWEVER, once he gets here, Rob will be effectively unemployed*. We'll be stuffed into a condo that I've filled to the brim with enough things that I'm honestly puzzled about where to put certain things we've registered for (not the awesome stereo that Rob added... things like coffee mugs, that I added!). Our bedroom will also be his office, since we don't care to move Blake in with us to free up the B's room. Nothing truly earth-shattering or traumatic, but things that have me feeling a little wary about how Little Miss Crabby Ass here will react to her world being shaken up.

Maybe the sex will help. Also, start praying for Rob now!

On the up side, I get to have a husband, team member, and lover who promises to cuddle me at night and keep me warm and lead our family. And we will drown out the drone of his three or four hard drives with a nice little room fan... or a jet engine.

I wonder where I'd register for one of those?

*Addendum
I should note that Rob's been making all kinds of business contacts here. I do not believe his unemployment will last very long simply because he's talented and hard working. While I envy his down time, he envies my regular work schedule. We'd trade in a heartbeat. And neither of us believe that God would have thrown us together so thoroughly simply to let us starve to death.

context is everything

(from Bunko night)
R: How big is it?
A: I'm going to need some context here.
*
A: (after an inadvertent brush) Hey! Watch my boobs! (the entire table stopped to obey)
*
N: I don't have to see it. I trust that it's there.
A: I'm going to take that out of context and put it on my blog.

(I'm becoming "that girl." The one people have to watch what they say around because they know I'll put it on the internet. As if MY internet presence wasn't embarrassing enough. Now I'm adding you!)

*****
BB: I've got a frequent licker's card.
(laughter)
I DO! That's what it's called!
A: That doesn't make it right!

*****
BB: Keep fondling it. That's cool.
A: I love taking things out of context. You sound really dirty.

*****
B: Dad, look at the truck I made! Here's the windshield, here's the engine, and here's the back where all the people are.
R: Oh, it's the perfect border crossing vehicle. Are you running Mexicans?
B: Sure!

*****
B: Mom, I had a wet dream.
A: WHAT?! I mean... what's a wet dream?
B: Well, you know, a dream where I peed my pants.
A: Oh. (with relief) That will mean... something... else... when you get older. (hands pressed to face)
B: Yeah, and then I'll get bigger and have a wet dream.
A: (groan)

photo time

Blake's time in Billings the last time I visited Rob. Grammie & Papaw put a culvert in the backyard and dumped dirt over it. Now all they need is a bunk house for all the little boys that want to live there.

Then it snowed, and he decided to roll down the hill every which way. At least he's not eating the dirt this year.

King of the Hill! Grammie said the flag was his little buddy all weekend. She put it inside once the snow fell, and he asked her to bring it back out for him.

Rob and I got dressed up and went to a gala. He cleans up AWFULLY nicely...

... but is still ornery, no matter what the duds.

The Teipes gave Blake Madagascar 2 for his birthday, and this was his face almost the entire time he watched it.

Blake, doing push-ups, and Ellese, doing crunches, voluntarily showing me how hard they exercise.

Uncle Bing made Blake a pirate's sword this summer, and it was put to good use, punishing the snow.

Guess which toe I brokeded a week ago? I screamed in pain and hit the floor after I walked into the chair leg. Blake was washing up after going potty and came running into the living room, terribly concerned both for me and for whatever I had hurt myself on. He was worried that it had been one of his toys, and I would like to think that it's because he didn't want THAT to be the cause of my pain... not that he was scared I'd broken his toy.

The Weather Channel interview set-up. No word yet on when it will air, but don't worry. I'll tell you.

that's what he said

Hey, Mom, watch my fancy moves.
(posing and cutting eyes over to me while holding said pose)
Is that a fancy move?

*****
B: Hey, Mom, I was upside down on my head.
A: You were?!
B: Yeah, I was so brave for doing that.

*****
A: Take a good nap, and when you wake up, we'll go to Ashley and Parker's house.
B: (gasp) Hey wait, Mom? Um, is Parker a gril or a boy?
A: He's a boy.
B: (gasp) Hey wait, Mom? Um, is Parker a kid?
A: Yes.
B: (gasp) Hey wait, Mom? Does Parker have toys at his house?
A: Um, yes.
B: (gasp) What kind of toys does he have?
A: We'll have to go to find out!
B: (gasp!)

He's really figuring out which questions have the most important answers. I'm so proud. Also, in case you hadn't noticed, Blake mispronounces the word "girls." I replicate it here because it's funny, and attempting to correct him yields "No, I don't want to say it like that. I say it like this: 'grils.' Okay?" Trying to correct the way he pronounces some (but not all) of his "th" sounds gets the same results. And I have to admit that hearing "Look at that! Over der!" is pretty funny and cute, right up until he sees the speech derapist.

greased lightning

Today I got the laugh I desperately needed. While driving past the mall on Main Street, I saw a man on the right side of the road running while wrestling himself out of his underwear.

FULL MOON!

And then, in the rear view mirror, with my mouth wide open, I see that yes, he is in fact nude, and he's flipping his socks off to continue running like the devil's on his heels.

I think he was high, because it was 1:00 in the afternoon, and I can't think of a better way to spend a lunch hour: dine, partake controlled substances, blind drivers with white backside and/or bouncy undercarriage.

my heart hurts

Bozeman blew up today.

And suddenly, any wedding stress seems pretty dang small. I think I need a hug.

after five days apart

Blake saw me come to the Frosty Freez in Big Timber, and his face nearly split in two because he was grinning so widely. Throughout our (deliciously unhealthy) lunch, he was as close to me as he could be without being in my lap, and we were on two separate chairs. Today, I have heard "Mom, I sure like you" a number of times, unprompted, followed by dear, tight squeezes.

I'm just saying...

I really love that kid. He kind of makes my world go 'round.