A Charmin Moment

Yesterday I came home from work and was greeted as usual with boundless enthusiasm by Maya and Chelsea. Little did I know that they were keeping a secret from me, as I got down on the floor and greeted them and wrestled with them for a minute before heading over for our traditional after-work treat.

I suspected that something had been going on when I glimpsed pieces of tissue on the floor in the living room, but didn't give it much thought as #2 dog has been know to sneak into Gerry's office and pull put letters or sweatshirts - really anything that she can get a hold of.

After I gave the girls their treats and they were off munching on them, I looked down the hall toward the bathroom and I couldn't help but laughing out loud! There, dragged all the way down the hall, in bunches and shredded in places, was the end of the roll of toilet paper!

It looked like the girls (read: Maya) had a lot of fun yesterday afternoon, and their fun spilled over on to me by giving me a great laugh. I left everything as it was so that Gerry could have a laugh when he got home as well.

The laughter set a great mood for the rest of the evening. I'm tempted to have some toilet paper fun of my own the next time I feel stressed!

Celebrating today!

Today Gerry and I are celebrating our wedding anniversary! This morning before we got up, we reminisced about the past ten years and all the change that they have brought. There is no way we could have predicted where we would be today! Though I'm one who likes my routine, I am so thankful for the twists and turns we've taken together. Our life together has been anything but dull!

What a treat it was this morning to stay in bed for a few extra minutes and pray, and talk, oh yes, and open my anniversary gift! Something sparkly! He gave me a beautiful anniversary band to wear with my wedding and engagement rings!

This picture was taken almost two years ago when we were moving away from the city we had both lived in for about thirty years. (Notice the blonde hair I had before we moved to the rainy land of the Pacific Northwest! But that's a story for another day!)

Have a wonderful April 24th, everyone!

Thankful Thursday

I've got to confess that I've been feeling down in the dumps lately. Today, I'm going to battle that blah feeling with gratitude, which is one of the best blah-busters that there is.

So......today I am thankful for:

• Despite many staff cuts, pay freezes, no more 401(k) match, more work, fewer people, I am very thankful for my job and ever-so-optimistic that Gerry and I are still on our five-year-plan.
• My new Himalayan blue poppies. I can't wait to see those babies bloom!
• The crack in my windshield. When we went to visit the kids in November our windshield got a huge crack in it, which we repaired when we returned home. Well, during our last trip in March....guess what....another huge crack and multiple dings! We haven't repaired it yet, and so every time I drive I am reminded of our last visit.
• The community of writers and bloggers that I have been acquainted with. I have, and will continue to, learn much from you all!
• My husband, who showed up at my office yesterday with flowers for me! It's our wedding anniversary tomorrow!
• My dental appointment this morning. I will come out of there with bad hair, and that odd dentist-face that seems to happen, but I'm thankful that I have a dentist (and all the staff) who takes such good care of us and who are all so much fun to visit a couple times a year.
• My writing class this afternoon.

I feel better all ready! What are y'all thankful for today?

The Grill Sergeant...and other spring phenomena

Oh it was a happy day in the Hoye house yesterday when Gerry got a brand new barbecue! My husband is one of those men who never talks about things that he wants for himself and so when we do purchase something that is technically his, I love the happiness that it brings him! He spent some time in he afternoon setting it up and getting to know the new grill. The pork chops we had for dinner last night were excellent!

We also went to the local nursery yesterday. I love the array of color that can be found there! In addition to lotsof ideas and plans we brought home a few plants, among them a blue poppy which I am very excited about!

On the negative side I have contracted a spring cold. Stuffy nose, sore throat, all that kind of thing. I'm not sure if the periodic waves of heat that come across me these days are fever or hot flashes!

Enjoy spring whatever you do today!

Character

We have been going through a difficult time at work and many amazing people are losing their jobs. Amidst all this chaos have emerged people with integrity and character. Would you expect the person losing a job to comfort the individual delivering the bad news? How about someone who was just told they were losing their job, to return to their desk and do the best job that they could for as long as they had remaining. Character speaks volumes.

On another note, I've been reading Kim's new book The Unbreakable Child. My heart breaks for the child Kim, but I am in awe of the character of the adult Kim. She's a class act as well.

In difficult times, character is what rises to the top and remains.