How Do I Love Thee...Let Me Count the 40 Ways

Yes, that's right...my man is turning 40 tomorrow! Since 40 is such a LARGE number, I won't list 40 reasons that I adore my husband, but I'll do the top 10.

10- He's the son of a plumber. If there's a leak or a clog anywhere in this house, I can rely on him to fix it!

9-His financial conservatism. In an economic downturn, I'm so grateful that we have money saved, no unnecessary debt, and a man who knows how spend our money wisely.

8- How hard he works. Whether it's on the job or around the house, he gets the job done.

7- His thoughtfulness. He rarely asks me what I want for gifts...he just "observes," as he puts it, and gets me the things that I really want or need: a kitty, an iPod, framing the first (and only) article I ever published, a down comforter to keep me warm. (Just don't mention the piano).

6- He is a loving son and brother. He is always calling on his parents' birthdays and on other holidays and praying for them.

5- I can depend on him. When I was so sick, he was father, mother, husband, nurse, chauffeur, employee, and everything in between.

4- He's a splendid father. He takes the kids on special "trips" like the circus, fishing, and the Children's Museum. He also knows how to make them laugh, and I love their little jokes.

3- He's funny and makes me laugh. For instance, he knows my aversions to snakes, mint, and Tabasco sauce and uses every opportunity to tease me (in a loving way).

2- His faithfulness. Ever since I've known him, he does his home teaching and fulfilled every calling he's ever received. The quiet, faithful acts he does day after day are a consistent example of Christlike service.

1- He loves me for me. Whether I am up or down or a little whacked out, he is the consistent rock in my life.

I love you, honey, and am so grateful to know that you will be mine forever!

Happy Birthday, sweetie.

My Son is Nick Arrojo

For those of you who don't know, Nick Arrojo is the stylist on TLC's What Not to Wear. This morning, I was laying in bed like a slug (as I usually do on Sunday mornings), when Brandon crawls onto the bed armed with a comb or two and the announcement: "I'm going to comb your hair to make you/it beautiful."

He actually did a good job...no hair pulling or anything! It also brought back fond memories of when I would lay on my mom's bed and play with her hair.

Then, I took a bubble bath this morning, and Brandon kept smooshing bubbles on his hair and asking me to smell his hair. He also put mousse in his hair and asked me to smell that, too.

Being a stylist may not be my first occupational choice for my son, but hey, Nick charges $500 a haircut. As long as he doesn't compromise his manhood, I'm okay with it.

Although later today he took my temperature, gave me a shot, took my blood pressure, and listened to my heart with Alexis' doctor set. He has said on more than one occasion that he would like to be a doctor. Hmm, maybe that's my preferred career choice for him, after all.

Okay, Maybe I'm Feeling Better Now

I hate to whine, I really do, but I need to vent. I've been sick for two weeks now with an endless stream of maladies, including strep, a bronchial infection, etc. After two trips to urgent care, a trip to my regular doctor, two visits to an ear, nose, and throat specialist, and a trip to the ER to be re-hydrated, I am finally on the mend.

Unfortunately, I am not allowed to hug or kiss my children for the next four-and-a-half days to make sure that I don't infect them. It's amazing how much I miss their little love and affection. So be sure to give extra loves to your babies tonight.

However, I am so grateful to my most divine visiting teachers for their dinners and ceaseless babysitting vigils. I'm also grateful to my parents for helping me out so I could have someone come and keep the house from falling down around our ears.

I'm also grateful to my fabulous hubby who has been playing nurse, babysitter, maid, and chauffeur. Bless that boy.

My only goal now is to get well enough to post Halloween pictures before Christmas. :-)

Thanks for listening.

The upside of being sick

Okay, you must think we have spent the past six weeks standing wistfully on the porch watching the Masons drive on to a new life in New Mexico. Well, we have felt sad and do miss them, but as you can tell, they are well and happy and enjoying that which we Oregonians have very little of this time of year...sunshine.

(Although, I admit it was so nice to hear a diesel engine roaring at the back of the neighborhood this past week and realize that could be Mitch's truck since he was in town for a training meeting. It was also nice to have him borrow cleaning supplies and for he and Lester to go see Quantum of the Menace, or Solace of the Quantam or whatever the new James Bond movie is called.)

But when we finally pried ourselves from the porch, we enjoyed the most excellent October weather EVER, including Halloween. Pictures on that later, probably around Christmas time, hee, hee.

But lately, we have been sick. Not just sick, but super sick. The kids with strep and myself with strep and a bronchial infection. I will not describe the gory details, but seriously, there is a certain level of sickenss one sort of enjoys, you know, the kind that you can curl up on the couch in your plaid pajama bottoms and an old sweatshirt and sip hot soup and watch old romantic comedies. I was not at that level. But I am feeling better enough to tell you the positives from this experience:

1- My husband. It was the beginning of his weeklong Thanksgiving vacation. I'm sure he wished it wasn't. But he cheerfully did laundry and dishes, straightened the house, fed and cared for the kids, made beds, took us the doctor multiple times, became best friends with the Rite-Aid pharmacist, soothed my fevered brow, and otherwise rocked. You can't pay for loving service like that.

2- Alexis falling asleep under the piano and muttering in her sleep, "Go, Ducks, go." I think she was referring to the food drive at school between Ducks fans and Beavers fans. This, from the daughter of Cougar fans? Still, in the case of hunger, we can all be winners.

3- I lost EIGHT pounds in FIVE days. I know when I inhale Thanksgiving dinner, however, all those pounds will return....each bringing a friend, I am sure. Sigh.

4- Darilyn who called to see if I was going to our ward's monthly potluck for mothers with noisy kids. When she discovered I was sick, she asked if I need anything. I asked if she could pick up some OJ. She cheerfully arrived with two huge things of FRESHLY SQUEEZED ORANGE JUICE. She even wouldn't let me pay her back. Darilyn, you rock!

4- Visiting teachers who have already over-served me. But, at one pathetic phone call from me, delicious dinners arrived at our doorstep last night and tonight, with HOMEMADE BREAD. Bless you, Sarah and Diana.

5- Two worthy priesthood brothers coming last night to give blessings to our entire family. When they entered and during my blessing I could feel the Spirit so strongly. Thank you, Julie and Brenda, for lending your wonderful husbands to us on a Monday! I am sooo thankful for my membership in the Lord's true church.

6- Finally, I am thankful I am feeling well enough to feel thankful that I am getting better, if that makes any sense.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my dear friends and their families!

Good-bye, Mitch and Mahina...and Nani, Kale'a, and Kawena

It was with great sadness that I saw Mahina's Chevy Tahoe go up the hill away from our house yesterday afternoon for the last time. She was followed by Mitch in the super-loud diesel truck that hauled their fifth-wheeler.

Ever since Mahina welcomed me to the ward and neighborhood four years ago with a basket of fresh fruit, we've been good friends. The joy and convenience of having a close friend just up the hill (and what a hill!) has been amazing. It got to the point she'd just say "hi" on the phone and I'd know who it was. We did so many spontaneous things together, and had countless play dates and babysitting swaps with our kids (who fought only a few times a week).

I've cried with and laughed with and teased and confided in Mahina, which should be Hawaiian for "loyal friend," instead of "moon goddess." Personally, I think she made the "moon goddess" definition up, but don't tell her that. :-)

I will miss you, Mahimas.

PS: Don't ask me what the sex of the baby is, because I don't know. Believe me, I have tried many tricks to find out, but that girl is too sneaky for me!

7 Weird/Interesting Things

My friend Tonya tagged me and said to list 7 weird or interesting things about myself and then to tag other friends.

When I told my husband I couldn't think of anything, he laughed and laughed and reeled off five things that, really, only fit in ONE category, which I will list first.

1- I hate, no, ABHOR, anything mint-flavored and anything related to oral care. I hate mouthwash, toothpaste, breath spray, mint gum, etc. Don't get me wrong, I brush my teeth twice daily and floss (with non-mint-flavored floss). I just don't like it. And when it comes to brushing my kids' teeth...ugh!

2- I hate food that is sprayed on. I can tolerate non-stick cooking spray. But when Lester sprays fake butter on his veggies, I have to shudder.

3- I have written a book. It is a young-adult romantic comedy that took me five years to write. Now I am editing it to submit for publication, which is a whole other journey. But it has been a fun book to write.

4- My nickname when I was a child was--blush, blush--"Buff." When things would get hard and I would whine, or if I wanted to do something I couldn't, my dad would say, "Tough stuff, Buff." Isn't that sweet?

5- I am starting to like classical music. That may not seem like such a shock, but I truly am an '80s music girl. However, I have been spending a lot of time behind the wheel, and I find listening to classical music is very calming. I think I am more cultured than I thought I was. :-)

6- I love anything with a tomato base: salsa, catsup, spaghetti sauce. But my favorite is GUACAMOLE (even though that has nothing to do with tomatoes)!

7- I'm with Tonya on the hubby thing. I LOVE my husband. He has been at my side through a lot this past year, and there is nobody I love more in this world. He makes me laugh and accepts me for who I am. I, too, have seen the hand of the Lord in bringing us together.

I tag my friends Ashley, Bridget, Brenda, Chelle, Melissa, Sarah Cook, and Sarah Smith.

The Ultimate Irony

As I mentioned in an earlier post, our car was among the victims of an apparent attack on inanimate objects in the Dimit household.

I was without my beloved Maxima for nearly THREE weeks. Special thanks to my good friends Bridget, Brenda, and Sarah for helping with preschool carpools during this stressful time.

Finally, I get word that the car has been fixed. Lester is in Japan, and my wonderful aunt Deslie has flown in from Utah to help me out for the week. So Deslie, Brandon, and I cram our bodies into the Talon for the ride to Forest Grove to pick up the car.

At the corner of Rigert and 185th, the Talon dies. On my way to pick up one newly fixed car, the other one quits. It doesn't sputter, it doesn't lurch, it just stops running. After turning the engine over thirty times, it finally roars to life and off we go on a wing and a very fervent prayer made at the stoplight of Farmington Road and 209th.

Deslie says she should drive the Talon ahead of me on the way home to make sure she isn't stranded in case of a breakdown. I heartily concur.

We arrive at the auto body shop in Forest Grove only to be told two things:
1- The Maxima needs a new battery...NOW. The mechanic had to jumpstart it to bring it from the back.
2- While the Maxima is idling, the mechanic informs me it needs to be filled up...NOW.

So instead of safeguarding Deslie in the Talon, she is my wingman, making sure I arrive at the gas station and Les Schwab's without incident.

Three hours after starting out, we arrive home safely with both cars and our sanity intact (sort of).

I really despise inanimate objects.