25 Things...

If you are on Facebook (also known as the world's worst time waster) you know that a lot of people have been writing a note called "25 Things About Me" or some variation on that theme. It got me thinking that I'd like to write 25 things I love about my husband. After all it is Valentine's Day week and he just got back from sea. I've had over a month to think about and miss all these things about him. So here goes:

1. He laughs all the time.
2. He thinks I'm funny (see #1.)
3. He loves my cooking.
4. He has a giving spirit.
5. He loves playing with his little boys.
6. We could talk for hours about anything.
7. He believe marriage is forever.
8. He is passionate. (OU football, theology, Cowboys football)
9. He is a hard worker.
10. He makes friends easily.
11. He's handsome.
12. And looks great in jeans.
13. And looks great in his uniform.
14. We like the same tv shows. (Well, not The Bachelor, but most other things.)
15. He has godly character.
16. He teaches our children scripture.
17. He prays.
18. He takes good care of me.
19. He's a great kisser.
20. He makes cute babies and even cuter little boys. (Although they seem to turn out somewhat rotten so I might need to look into this one further.)
21. He loves my family.
22. He leads our family spiritually.
23. He disciplines our children in love.
24. He genuinely misses us when he's away at sea.
25. He's my best friend and loves me in spite of all my faults.

Happy Valentine's Day! I hope you take the time to tell your spouse some of the reasons you love them this week.

Dinner In...

I mentioned that we aren't going to dine out for Valentine's Day this year. Tim just got home from sea and I wasn't expecting him home in time for celebrating. Since the holiday falls on a Saturday I imagine a call now to reserve a table would be met with a hardy chuckle on the other end of the phone line. And I want to do something special for Tim that I think he will really enjoy. No dressing up. No pressure. Just a romantic dinner in.

Our kids go to bed early and well. (I don't think I'd be a sane person if they didn't!) That means that we will have the television and house to ourselves around 7:30. My plan is to set up a picnic in the living room. I'll be serving Tim's favorite fondue. (Don't worry it's a very manly recipe that he always enjoys.) We'll have lots of bread and Lil' Smokies for dipping, along with some veggies. Then we'll watch our wedding video. I don't know if you have a wedding video, but we love ours. I recommend a videographer to all of our friends getting married. It costs a little extra, but we watch our video at least twice a year.

After the video we'll have chocolate fondue with fruit and angel food cake. It's the perfect plan for an evening in. We don't have to fork out money for the babysitter, drive to Jacksonville to find a nice restaurant or dress up. We can just be together and remember how it all started.

Having Valentine's dinner in works for me and is just one way I'm honoring my husband this week. Read more inspiring stories of loving our husbands at We are THAT family this week.

Love is in the air...

Dad's home! I mentioned it in my post yesterday, but Dad came home last Thursday. I intended to write about it earlier, but we had a whirlwind weekend. For a time we thought Tim was going to be changing boats and leaving again less than 48 hours after arriving home. Needless, to say there wasn't much time for blogging. The boys were thrilled though. This was the scene in Mark's room a couple of hours after he arrived home.

But thankfully he is indeed home for the next month or so until his first full patrol after he relieves and takes over his new job. We are looking forward to spending some time together as a family and as a couple.

I'll be posting several times this week about our Valentine's Day plans. We aren't going out this year because we don't have reservations or a sitter. I wasn't expecting Tim home so I didn't make any plans. And since the holiday falls on a Saturday this year that means we can eat dinner at 3:30 or 10:00 without reservations. (Or go somewhere and wait 3 hours!) No thanks! But more about that later. Today you can read all about our love story at Today's Housewife.

Spoon...

Tim's home from sea. What is one of the first things he does? He teaches Luke to use a spoon so that he longer wants to be fed anything by anyone else! Thanks Dad! On the upside, Luke moved the spoon to his left hand so he might be a lefty or ambidextrous like his Papaw GC. Tim's already hoping for a left-handed pitcher!

Sweets for My Sweetie...

My friend Sandra hosted a "Sweets for My Sweetie" party last year for Valentine's Day. It works like a cookie exchange. Every guest brings a dessert to share and a container to take home goodies. After some great fellowship, everyone shares their sweets with each other take home a sampling to their own sweetie. How fun!

We are doing a virtual Sweet Swap at Today's Housewife this week. We are sharing our best recipes for sweets in plenty of time for you to make one (or more) for your sweetie this Valentine's Day. Check out Tim's favorite cookie at Today's Housewife and come back on Friday to link up your own favorite recipe for your sweetie. That's when I'll be sharing my own favorite, "Heavenly Chocolate Trifle."

Why You Should Read Your Appliance Manuals...

Ever wondered what happens when you run over a spool of thread with your vacuum and don't pay attention? It winds around your brush many, many, many times capturing the fuzz from your new carpet each time you vacuum. And eventually your vacuum will start to make crazy noises that will prompt you to turn it over and discover this....

I wish I could tell you that I ran over the thread the last time I vacuumed, but I think it was before Thanksgiving (when I ran it over, not since I last vacuumed. We aren't THAT gross!) This whole experience has led me to share some wisdom with my readers.

My advice is two part:
1. Don't run over thread.
2. Pay attention to the manual that says to periodically check your brush.

Sundays are Hard...

I think Sundays are the days I miss Tim the most. The other days of the week just sort of run together. Tim would be at work all day Monday - Friday anyway, but Sundays are our family day. We try really hard to protect it as a day for worship and time together. No work, no studying, no outside activities for the most part. So, these are the days that feel so empty when he's at sea. Everything we do on Sundays makes me painfully aware that he's gone.

I get up and get everyone ready for church - alone. I get the kids and bags into Sunday School and checked in - alone. I sit and wait for Sunday School to start - alone. I find a seat in the sanctuary - alone. I stand and smile during the fellowship song - alone. I come home, make lunch and put the kids down for a nap - alone. It's not that those things are that hard. (Well, maybe getting the kids and bags all into church in one trips is kinda hard!) But I can certainly manage. We have our routine and I know what works for getting it done. It's just that everything on Sundays is a constant reminder of how much I miss my partner.

And today is the worst day we've had. I didn't expect it, but Super Bowl Sunday makes me miss him more than I have during this patrol. I think it might be because it feels like holiday only it really isn't one. If Tim were gone over Christmas or Thanksgiving, people would be sympathetic and invite us over. They'd say things like, "I'm so sorry that your husband is gone today. Do you have plans? You shouldn't be alone today." And even though today isn't a holiday, it's a day that makes me miss him terribly. If Tim weren't at sea we'd be having a fun dinner together and watching the commercials, er, I mean the game. It's not a big deal, it just would be nice if people acknowledged that today might be tough.

But that's enough feeling sorry for myself. It's just one more day closer to Tim coming home - whenever that might be. And after throwing this pity party for myself, I made Mark Garrett and I Crazy Nachos. Actually, it was my version of them. But they were pretty good anyway. Good enough to impress a 3 year old at least. And I'm still going to watch the game. Life goes on, right? I guess I'm rooting for the Cardinals tonight. Who doesn't like a good underdog story? Plus, I think Kurt Warner is a stand up guy along with my brother-in-law from Arizona. So there it is. Go Cardinals!