Happy Anniversary!

Happy 32nd Anniversary to the two best parents a kid could ever ask for!!

Really Bob Vander Plaats? Really?

On Sunday over at Mommy's Recess I went out on a limb and wrote Marriage is Between a Man and a Woman...and Bob VanderPlaats. Writing this was scary and refreshing for me. I risked making friends and family angry at me. But I needed to say it. I needed to be honest with myself and my fellow Conservatives.

After I posted it, GOP candidates started refusing to sign it. Now I'm not saying that it was MY blog that made them not sign it....just that I was relieved others had the same opinion as me. When the vow debuted, The Family Leader, led by Bob Vander Plaats of Sioux City, has said it won’t endorse any candidate who doesn’t sign the vow.

And that's just lame. Withholding an endorsement because they won't sign your pledge? Come on. Bob, I was impressed that you and your campaign ousted the State Supreme Court judges. But I'm afraid that gave you too big of a head. Sorry, Bob, but you are not the end-all-be-all spokesperson for Conservative Republicans in Iowa.  Believe it or not, we CAN think for ourselves. I still respect you, I do. But you're starting to lose some rank in my book. Bring it down a notch, Bob.

This morning I read VanderPlaats say, “I never have given much weight to endorsements,” Vander Plaats, CEO of the conservative non-profit The Family Leader, said Friday. Now, he was saying that in response to an article calling him a influential supporter. Maybe he's eating some humble pie? I don't know. Threatening you won't endorse people and then saying you don't put weight in endorsements? You can't have it both ways, Bob.

The "Vacation" Week Begins

I told my husband a few months ago, "you know, you should take a week of vacation, sometime in April, just so you can see all that I do every day."

And you know what? He agreed. I'm excited because this means I can get caught up on work, things I want to get done around here etc. etc. He, on the other hand, doesn't seem that thrilled it is finally here. Why do I say that? On Friday night he updated his facebook to "Started my vacation a few hours ago, haven't killed any of the boys (yet)." 

Heh. Welcome to my world.

That being said, our oldest (5) had to spend some time in his room yesterday when my husband had "had enough!" of the constant whining about when dinner was going to be served. Keep in mind this was 30 minutes after lunch.  


Since I knew ahead of time that this was going to be "the" week I would have help, I scheduled 3 dentist appointments and 3 Dr. appointments (two will include shots) for this week. Plus Sean turns 2 on Wednesday, Liam has to take snacks to school on Tuesday....add in the typical Chiropractor appointments, School 4 days a week, I have a school board meeting I need to attend on Monday...along with my usual work requirements....AND making it to see the Easter Bunny at some point at the mall. Hubby is going to be glad to go back to work next week. Hopefully I'll get a little more sympathy when I'm exhausted at the end of the day. 


Maybe at the end of the week, hubby will end up like Liam did on the Easter Bunny's lap when he was two.

That bunny was pretty scary...but running after the three Bow-sons can be scary too!

Valentine's Day...What it's like for a former Army wife

I believed that all I was going to get this Valentine's Day was a new tire. No, really. My van blew a tire last week and rather than a cheap $10-$15 patch, it required a new tire.

So that's what we had decided would be our Valentine's Day present. But I was surprised this morning. My wonderful husband decided to go and get us doughnuts. And he brought home a rose and a chocolate cake for me. The best part? The cake had a heart that said "E-mail me". He knows me.

On days like this, I remember what it was like when he was deployed. The Valentine's Day he was in Iraq, he made sure a dozen roses was sent to my work. He also had his dad obtain a giftcard for a massage for me. While it was a nice gesture, I would have given almost anything for a hug from him that night.

And I remember that. So while most women would scoff at a tire, I'm thankful for it. Because I can give him a hug at the end of the day. And that's worth more than all of the roses in the world.

Four Years...

Four years ago on Thursday, David and I married. Since then, we've moved three times, survived a year long deployment to Iraq, had a total of 5 job changes and added two little boys to our family. What a crazy four years!

I do recall how I felt on our first anniversary. Dave was in Iraq and I was trying NOT to remember that it was our anniversary. I watched football with my sister in laws and tried to keep my mind off of the fact that my husband was thousands of miles away, in danger, and he'd be there for many more months. If you want to read that post, feel free.  One Year Anniversary Post

This year was different. While he still had to work, I didn't have to worry about mortars, gunfire or roadside bombs. I knew I could call him and he'd answer. He brought roses home after work and since the boys were in bed, we actually had a chance to talk in peace.

I think that our first year was our hardest. Surviving that deployment was so hard, but it made us stronger. I don't take it for granted that he'll be next to me when I wake up...because for a year, he wasn't.

It's been a great but busy four years...and I look forward to the next forty.