Setting: our kitchen last night, eating a dinner of burgers, fries, and baked beans and actually sitting at a real table instead of perched in front of CSI: New York.
Topic of discussion: what to do with the extra money in my tax account after we pay the IRS. Since becoming an independent contractor, I have saved 30% of every paycheck and put it in an account to pay my taxes at the end of the year. It seems as though that percentage may have actually been a bit high, thus leaving extra.
Allyson: Well, there will be a sizeable amount of money left in the tax account and we've paid off my student loans, so maybe we could put it toward something fun.
Neal: Like what:
Allyson: Umm...like a hot tub on the back porch!
Neal: I was going to put in a security camera system. They have the really nice ones at Sam's for $600. How much is your hot tub?
Allyson: Uhh..a little more than $600. But...
Neal: We have a very nice garden tub in the bathroom and you have only used it once in 3 years.
Allyson: That's because it runs out of hot water before the tub is full!
Neal: Nonsense! I'll prove it. I'll take a bath in it.
Allyson: OK let's go! Show me..right now.
Neal: I can't right now.
Allyson: Why not?
Neal: Because I don't take baths on Mondays. AND I don't take baths after I eat hamburgers. So I really can't today.
Allyson: (who cannot seem to roll her eyes enough for this statement). WHAT?? I'm totally blogging about this.
Neal: I'm sure you will....
Still no hot tub...but no security camera system either. I'm calling it a draw...
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
This weekend turned out to be something of an emotional rollercoaster ride for me. It started with a low-key Papa Murphy's pizza dinner on Friday and ended with a labor-intensive surprise dinner from Neal on Sunday, but it was everything in between.
Saturday: every weekend we try to find one day that we can lounge in bed, watch CNN, surf the internet and read the Kindle until about 2. We know that once the kids start coming these lazy days will be just a memory...so we're taking advantage of them now. Usually it's a Sunday, but we didn't have anywhere to be until 2 on Saturday, so Saturday was bedroom bliss. Our only obligation Saturday was to assemble care packages for Military Missions, a Lexington-based, faith-based, non-profit organization that primarily focuses on care package donations, assembly, and shipment. I stumbled across the website and the woman in charge on the LexGo calendar of events and well, as they say, one thing led to another. We began exchanging long emails about what our previous experience with military support had been, she as a Marine's mother and I as an Army wife. We started seeing that our goals were very similar and that there was an opportunity for us to partner for the greater good. Beth had divided this assembly up into 3 days so there was only about an hour's worth of work to do on Saturday. The group is extremely organized, very friendly and very military-oriented. It was a comfort and a blessing and I only regret not stumbling across them 13 months ago. They have branched out somewhat into other ventures besides care package assembly. Yard Work for the Military has volunteers that go to the spouse's home during deployment and help with yard work or, in our case, fallen branches during ice storms. And Beth's ultimate goal is to develop a network of volunteers who either donate their time and expertise or offer it at a discounted rate, such as computer assistance or plumbing repair. This has been a goal of mine all along and I'm surprised to find that someone else has seen the importance and is moving in the same direction!
Saturday night: We watched Hotel Rwanda. All I can say about this movie is that I was too stunned to cry. In 1994, when the genocide began, I was a sophomore in high school. I was on the verge of 16, anxious to go to college, and eager to assert my independence all over everyone. I think maybe somewhere I heard about it, but it was just a news clip, a blip on my radar. Perhaps not even a blip. But now, almost exactly 15 years later, I think about all of those 15 year-olds right now who are actively seeking help for the victims of Darfur, who want to feed all the children of Africa. And I think: how do I raise that child? How do I raise a child that wants to think of more than just what is in their closet or on their plate; that not only catches a glimpse of the world from time to time, but researches and responds? I wish now that I had been that child. My heart is heavy for the people of Rwanda, for the people of Darfur, for the children of Africa, for the innocent in Pakistan, and the battered North Koreans. I wish for relief at the Mexican border and peace in the Middle East. We do what we know - write the congressmen, donate the money, and pray for a better time. It doesn't seem like enough. I need to find a high schooler with a dream and a desire to make it better.
Sunday: I attended the baby shower of a lesbian couple. God answered their prayers by blessing one of them with a baby. She is a beautiful mommy - glowing from the inside, out and her partner is so supportive and loving. As the KY legislators call an end to the session and with it, the temporary death of SB 68, forbidding same-sex couples to adopt children, I think what a fitting end to the bill, and to the weekend. I've been around enough couples to see what happens when the father is too busy at work, too involved with other thoughts, to be a presence in the children's lives. My friends will never raise an unloved child. He or she will be well-rounded, thoughtful, and purposeful. He or she will never judge as it will most likely be judged. This child may grow up to be the sophomore in high school who develops a plan to save Darfur or finds a way to finally end SB 68. Until then, children in foster care wait for that same chance that this child has been given - to be loved unconditionally by 2 parents, regardless of whether those 2 parents fit the, unfortunately, socially acceptable role of mommy and daddy. God bless your baby and your loving home.
And then it was Monday.
Saturday: every weekend we try to find one day that we can lounge in bed, watch CNN, surf the internet and read the Kindle until about 2. We know that once the kids start coming these lazy days will be just a memory...so we're taking advantage of them now. Usually it's a Sunday, but we didn't have anywhere to be until 2 on Saturday, so Saturday was bedroom bliss. Our only obligation Saturday was to assemble care packages for Military Missions, a Lexington-based, faith-based, non-profit organization that primarily focuses on care package donations, assembly, and shipment. I stumbled across the website and the woman in charge on the LexGo calendar of events and well, as they say, one thing led to another. We began exchanging long emails about what our previous experience with military support had been, she as a Marine's mother and I as an Army wife. We started seeing that our goals were very similar and that there was an opportunity for us to partner for the greater good. Beth had divided this assembly up into 3 days so there was only about an hour's worth of work to do on Saturday. The group is extremely organized, very friendly and very military-oriented. It was a comfort and a blessing and I only regret not stumbling across them 13 months ago. They have branched out somewhat into other ventures besides care package assembly. Yard Work for the Military has volunteers that go to the spouse's home during deployment and help with yard work or, in our case, fallen branches during ice storms. And Beth's ultimate goal is to develop a network of volunteers who either donate their time and expertise or offer it at a discounted rate, such as computer assistance or plumbing repair. This has been a goal of mine all along and I'm surprised to find that someone else has seen the importance and is moving in the same direction!
Saturday night: We watched Hotel Rwanda. All I can say about this movie is that I was too stunned to cry. In 1994, when the genocide began, I was a sophomore in high school. I was on the verge of 16, anxious to go to college, and eager to assert my independence all over everyone. I think maybe somewhere I heard about it, but it was just a news clip, a blip on my radar. Perhaps not even a blip. But now, almost exactly 15 years later, I think about all of those 15 year-olds right now who are actively seeking help for the victims of Darfur, who want to feed all the children of Africa. And I think: how do I raise that child? How do I raise a child that wants to think of more than just what is in their closet or on their plate; that not only catches a glimpse of the world from time to time, but researches and responds? I wish now that I had been that child. My heart is heavy for the people of Rwanda, for the people of Darfur, for the children of Africa, for the innocent in Pakistan, and the battered North Koreans. I wish for relief at the Mexican border and peace in the Middle East. We do what we know - write the congressmen, donate the money, and pray for a better time. It doesn't seem like enough. I need to find a high schooler with a dream and a desire to make it better.
Sunday: I attended the baby shower of a lesbian couple. God answered their prayers by blessing one of them with a baby. She is a beautiful mommy - glowing from the inside, out and her partner is so supportive and loving. As the KY legislators call an end to the session and with it, the temporary death of SB 68, forbidding same-sex couples to adopt children, I think what a fitting end to the bill, and to the weekend. I've been around enough couples to see what happens when the father is too busy at work, too involved with other thoughts, to be a presence in the children's lives. My friends will never raise an unloved child. He or she will be well-rounded, thoughtful, and purposeful. He or she will never judge as it will most likely be judged. This child may grow up to be the sophomore in high school who develops a plan to save Darfur or finds a way to finally end SB 68. Until then, children in foster care wait for that same chance that this child has been given - to be loved unconditionally by 2 parents, regardless of whether those 2 parents fit the, unfortunately, socially acceptable role of mommy and daddy. God bless your baby and your loving home.
And then it was Monday.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Hot Flashes THEN Baby, for me...apparently
If you have talked to me at all in the past month or so, I have told you the story about the crazy-bitter-wench of a woman (who also goes by the title of "doctor") who basically suggested that I was going to need God's good grace and the luck of the Irish to have 3 babies after the age of 30. I realize that my body is not in the prime baby-making condition that it was 5 years ago. I'm even aware that it's not in the same quick-recovery condition that it once was. One night of tequila shooters will tell me that! But I cannot help it that I didn't stumble across Neal's hotness until the age of 27 and that he did not finally meet me at the end of a sandy boardwalk until I was 28. Likewise, I cannot help it that when Uncle Sam calls, you don't say "just a minute. Can we have about 18 months to work on this? Thanks." So, here were are. It is somewhat gratifying to know that my mother had me at the age of 30 and I turned out relatively OK. But what we're looking at is me plus 2 and apparently that is what floored dear old Dr. GYN.
This bring me to the second story of the good but daft doctor. While doing some light filing in my office, I came across some paperwork that she had given me during our first visit. It looked like a photocopy of some Journal of Medicine article about Vitamin D. OK..fine..maybe you can't tell by the impending case of melanoma that I've got going on from years of bathing in baby oil on the beaches of Hilton Head, but I'm definitely not skimping on my Vitamin D. All the same, I folded it away and stuck it in my purse. There it stayed until today when I took it out, unfolded it and realized that it wasn't just about Vitamin D, it was about Vitamin D and pre-menopausal women!! Since WHEN did the age of 30 qualify a woman as being pre-menopausal? There is something odd and troubling when I have to wash down my pre-natal vitamins with my Vitamin D for pre-menopause. Yes, I now have a few gray hairs and some wrinkles across the forehead, but I'm pretty sure I'm not pre-menopausal. Although looking back, maybe I wore my bathing suit around the house a little too much last winter....
This bring me to the second story of the good but daft doctor. While doing some light filing in my office, I came across some paperwork that she had given me during our first visit. It looked like a photocopy of some Journal of Medicine article about Vitamin D. OK..fine..maybe you can't tell by the impending case of melanoma that I've got going on from years of bathing in baby oil on the beaches of Hilton Head, but I'm definitely not skimping on my Vitamin D. All the same, I folded it away and stuck it in my purse. There it stayed until today when I took it out, unfolded it and realized that it wasn't just about Vitamin D, it was about Vitamin D and pre-menopausal women!! Since WHEN did the age of 30 qualify a woman as being pre-menopausal? There is something odd and troubling when I have to wash down my pre-natal vitamins with my Vitamin D for pre-menopause. Yes, I now have a few gray hairs and some wrinkles across the forehead, but I'm pretty sure I'm not pre-menopausal. Although looking back, maybe I wore my bathing suit around the house a little too much last winter....
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Who says our name hasn't been sold??
Last week, Neal came in with the mail. Then I heard hysterical laughter. Hmm..what could this be about, I wondered? Then he showed me a piece of mail for me from the American Massage Therapy Association and a piece of mail for him from the Reserves Officers Association. Wow. I always knew that we were for sale, but you would think they could be a LITTLE more subtle.....
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
And to Brooke
I'm still trying to find the cord to download the pictures so that I may write the "interesting mail" blog...may peace be with me....
More Neal-isms
I love my husband and someday he's going to get really tired of me posting these, but until then....
Last night we were full-swing into our nightly routine: Neal flosses and brushes his teeth, irons his clothes for the next day, I'm watching CNN and may or may not floss my teeth, depending on how much energy I have....waiting for him to finish in the bathroom. After he climbed into bed, I was in the closet, putting away clothes and heard him commenting on CNN to...somebody...presumably me. So, I hollered a big redneck, "HUH?" To which he says, "if they're so worried about the prisoners from Guantanamo, what about the multi-killers?" I think for a second..."Multi-killers?" He quickly corrects himself (probably for fear of ending up as the topic of a blog post) "SERIAL!! SERIAL killers!" Too bad I hadn't had a chance to take off my makeup yet. I smeared mascara all the way down my face, I laughed so hard. If, in the future, I hear a rap about multi-killers, I'm sure I will wet myself.
Last night we were full-swing into our nightly routine: Neal flosses and brushes his teeth, irons his clothes for the next day, I'm watching CNN and may or may not floss my teeth, depending on how much energy I have....waiting for him to finish in the bathroom. After he climbed into bed, I was in the closet, putting away clothes and heard him commenting on CNN to...somebody...presumably me. So, I hollered a big redneck, "HUH?" To which he says, "if they're so worried about the prisoners from Guantanamo, what about the multi-killers?" I think for a second..."Multi-killers?" He quickly corrects himself (probably for fear of ending up as the topic of a blog post) "SERIAL!! SERIAL killers!" Too bad I hadn't had a chance to take off my makeup yet. I smeared mascara all the way down my face, I laughed so hard. If, in the future, I hear a rap about multi-killers, I'm sure I will wet myself.
Monday, March 23, 2009
That's the Army for Ya
I've decided to start using Twitter as my main source of news (besides the steady stream of CNN 24-7, of course). I follow Politico, the Huffington Post (although someone, somewhere said they were going to get sued for the type of reporting they do), Bluegrass Politics, Rollcall, and several other news sources. I also follow the Army. I didn't follow them because I thought I would get any state secrets or actual truth from their tweets, but more as a source of mild humor at best. So, when I log in, I scroll down the list of news stories and, cafeteria-style, pick and choose what news to read. This brings me to last Thursday: Army will phase out stop-loss. REALLY?? We are in 1 war, headed into a second and with all the cable chatter about Pakistan, I'm wondering if there will be a third. Short of instituting a 2nd draft, I don't know how the military could sustain this sort of deployment without continuing stop-loss. But wouldn't it be nice? To think about a military that isn't stretched crepe-thin and military spouses that aren't single-handledly raising the next generation....I guess time will tell if the Army will stay true to their promise, but considering they are the ones who enforced the idea of stop-loss to begin with, I won't be holding my breath.
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