You Know ...

... it's going to be a long day when you get up thinking, "I can't wait until tomorrow when I can sleep in!"

Great Week End!

Friday night Michael and I went out with Gabrielle and Quincy. We went to eat and then went to a movie. The kids went to one movie and Michael and I saw a different one. Nice time. Kevin spent the night with a friend.
I can't even remember what I did Saturday morning. Michael did get my van fixed for me. YEA! Saturday evening we went on a progressive dinner with the Sunday School class. Had a wonderful time! I love going to other people's houses and seeing how they decorate and seeing pictures of their families. The food was to die for and the fellowship was definitely repeatable. I even got kissed by a goat. A very fun, clean goat.
Then today my family was invited to the home of friends and we were treated to a marvelous meal. The table was set so beautifully and the meal was great. Then we got to play Taboo. Now we are at home vegging because we are so full.

I am so thankful for such a great week end and the ability to share it with neat friends.

Teddy Bear

My Gabrielle got the sweetest Valentine gift! It arrived via UPS in a box with an air hole. It is a Vermont Teddy Bear! He has a black velvet vest and hat and he came with a violin case that is holding a red rose. Around his neck is a huge white cloth tag with Happy Valentine's Day! Love, Quincy, stitched on it in red. Just adorable. She was giggling like a little kid.

I immediately went on line to see what all they had. About choked when I saw the expenses! I told Michael that I would love to have one of those bears but I'd kill him if he spent that much money on one. :)

I was very happy for Gabi. I was also very satisfied with the long steam red rose, miniature box of heart chocolates and the perfect card that I got from Michael.

My Valentine

Kina, @ A La Kina suggested sharing how we met our husbands. I thought that would make a really nice post, though those of you that know me have heard the story at LEAST once.

I was working at McDonald's. The one downtown where the kids would always cruise on week ends. I loved working on the week ends. I could flirt, visit, earn money and be safe all at the same time. One night about closing this very thin young man in holey overalls came in. We were introduced and cut up for a second or two. Then after we closed he pulled through in his white 1965 Mustang fast back. We spoke for a few minutes and he was off again. That was the first time I had ever seen him. I saw him every week end after that. Some times he would come during the week. I would hear his car before I saw him and call back his order so it would be ready for him. Then one week end night he cut into the drive thru line, which is a huge no-no. I was just a fussing because we were busy and we didn't have time for such nonsense. When he got to the window he handed through a hand picked pink rose for ME! He would learn my schedule and come by at quitting time and sit with me on the curb and visit. He finally got the nerve to ask me out. Our first date was watching TV at his house. Thus began a 4 year on again off again relationship.
He likens our relationship to that of Jonah and the Whale. HUH? See Jonah was told to go and take a message to the Ninavites. He did NOT want to do this and ran, thus being swallowed by the whale. Michael used to pray and ask God to bring him a wife. God I'm ready to get married who can I marry. He says that every time Robin (me) would come to his mind. But God... he'd say. Michael wasn't swallowed by a whale, he joined the Marine Corps and when he came home from boot camp I was still there. .
We were married July 6, 1987. Michael is still saying But God?! ;)

edited!: We were not married in July, it was June! Now before you give me a hard time, know that Michael proof read this with me before I posted it. Scarey, huh?

I know the man loves me. I am so loved. He is tenderhearted and giving. I'm glad he listened to God. I'm sure he still does when I'm not harping or crying too loudly.

Not A Good Day

It got off to a wonderful start. Kevin got to school on time and I got the van to the repair shop on time. I was told it would be about an hour so I sat with my book. Happy to have some reading time, but then I was looking forward to coming home and doing some cooking with my Gab. After a little better than an hour the nice lady came to me and said the wrong tire was ordered. I commented that a call would have been nice, since she did realize it yesterday. I didn't mention the fact that it was ordered a week ago. So then I asked about the brake pads, were they in? I had been told that they would be ordered so that if they were needed they would be ready to go. See I had already showed up to get my tire at 0900 (on a previous day) like I was told to be and the tires never arrive until ~1500. Why I wasn't told that at the time so I could plan accordingly was beyond me. Since I was nice but irritated the man volunteered to me that he would order those brake pads for me. Thank you that is ever so kind. OK, back to this morning. The brake pads were not in and he had no recollection of having told me he would order them. Folks, I lost it! I raised my voice to the point that she told me I needed to calm down. To which she got my pointy finger telling her that I did not need her telling me what I needed to do! Then I called my husband, walked out the front door and started bawling like a baby. I calmed down, went back in to apologize for my behavior and burst into tears again. At which point this thing hugged me and walked me back out the door very quickly. was there any thing she could do for me, no as I pushed her away. I was very embarrassed and angry. Michael arrived and sat beside me. I told him that I was the one that got ugly, not her. I
just knew he was gonna go in there feeding off my emotion to save the day. He did not. They saw him and told him to just take the van and get.
Then he brought me home and listened to me wail and complain. He told me that they were rude. That my anger was my own sin. That I went in there expecting something and didn't get it and it made me angry. He is ever so right!! Course if I'm told that there would be new brakes and a tire waiting for me, I don't think my expectation was unreasonable. I kept telling him I did not feel well. Physically. I still feel really bad. Not bad enough to want to go to bed, but bad enough to want to just sit and cry because it felt good to do so. Finally I went and called the doctor. Mean while Michael is in the piggy band counting out quarters. He took me to lunch. Remember I don't feel good and I have just had one heck of a cry so going out to eat wasn't my first choice. But it was something he could do to make me feel better. Out we went. While there the doctor returned my call. I have to submit another sample and see him at 1000 in the morning. Now my husband wants to go to the PX and look at the protein mixes. We can't buy any until payday because I did not manage the budget very well this month. Which incidental is why Michael was raiding the piggy bank for lunch. I want to look at him and ask what part of I don't feel good don't you get? But I smiled and said sure. Then I realized that I still had to take Gab to town and pick up Kevin, which means I have to stop at the bank and get gas as well. So Michael suggested that I take his car. His car had gas so that cut out two stops.
I dropped him off at work and went to the Naval Hospital to leave a sample. As I walked through the halls I reflected on the morning and was trying to figure out how to keep some humor and perspective on the whole thing, esp for when I blogged about it. As I looked down I realized I was wearing a sweat shirt that has WWJD stitched across the front of it! Oh Yea. I think it will be burned! It is very comfortable but every time I wear it I do something very stupid!

Which reminds me of an e-mail that will be a fitting close to this blog:
A man driving down the road had to make a sudden stop at a stop light causing the woman in the car behind him to also come to an abrupt stop. The woman was not happy and proceeded to rant and cuss and flip off the car in front of her. Next thing she new there was a police officer at her window asking her to step out of the car. He took her to the station, mug shot, finger printed and put her in a cell. After a couple hours he came to her and said, Ma'am please accept my apologies. See I was behind you when you were ranting and cussing and flipping off that man, and since on your bumper I was reading all these Honk if you love Jesus, WWJD, and God is my co-pilot I naturally thought you had stolen the car.

Thank goodness there was no cop present, I did not cuss and My Michael was available to come save me from myself.

Life

Last week I got in the van to pick up Gab from some where. My Taxi Cab hat gets more wear than any other these days. As I left the driveway, I thought the van felt funny, so at the next street light I got out and walked around the van. Sure enough the tire was flat. So I drove it home. My wonderful husband put on the spare, which thankfully isn't a donut. Sure enough my short little drive on a very flat tire ruined the tire. We had to order a new tire and tomorrow when they replace the tire they will check my brakes which are squealing. We should have bought stock in the brake company as fast as I go through brakes! I have been driving on the spare for a week now, that's why I am thankful it isn't a donut. ;)
Then this past Sunday, my honey went to the store for me and when he came out the battery was dead! He spent the day taking care of the battery and he bought jumper cables. We have never owned jumper cables. I am thankful for two things. One we have the $ in savings to cover these unexpected expenses and most important that it happened on week ends when I was home and my husband was available. Gab and I spend a LOT of time on the road. I am a big girl, but having a dead battery 2 1/2 hours from home would not have made me a happy camper!

Can you top this? I was in the check out line yesterday and this is what the man in front of me said to the check out clerk: I love you and God loves you and there ain't sh*t you can do about it. Now is that a statement or what?! I wasn't sure if I should laugh or cry.

How about this: I'm in the dining room at the computer desk trying to iron out some details and needed to ask Gab a question. What did I do? I picked up the phone and called her on the cell phone. Is that lazy or what?! Those of you that know where I live know that we live in a very small house. She was not amused, but I thought it was hilarious.

Time to put on my school teacher hat.

Emotions

In an earlier post I stated that I never learned to manage my emotions, just vent and spew them. Well, I said as much to my mom in a recent conversation and she assured me that I was indeed taught to manage my emotions. So, then I asked her when exactly I forgot that good teaching. After I was married of course. Imagine that?! I guess my assumption of the filter getting spewed was correct. I don't think my mother reads my blogs but I thought for her sake I'd clear up any confusion or concerns you may have had about my emotional up bringing.

If any of you have reason to encounter the way my beautiful daughter can some times manage (or not) her emotions, I take full credit. Feel free to blame it all on me and teach her any thing you can that is Biblical about how to handle her emotions. Me? Just take cover, silently pray and calmly tell me to breath.