Friday, July 24, 2009

Loving, honoring, and cherishing

Whew, these last few days have gone by in a hurry. Working, celebrating our anniversary, spending a day in the sun with some friends, working some more, having to call in sick for work after catching a nasty bug, and getting ready to leave for our road trip TOMORROW. We'll start with July 20, which was my favorite day of the year because it is the day I said "I do" to the most wonderful man on the earth. 8 years ago. Seems hard to believe. 8 years. We've been a couple for almost 11 years. In all the best ways to say this, I just really couldn't imagine life without my man.

Our anniversary started off with a great morning and afternoon with some out of town family, and then we dropped the kids off at my parents and went to dinner at Claim Jumper and saw Star Trek at the Mt. Hood theater. It was really a lot of fun. There's not a better date in the world than my husband. I'm telling you, after 8 years, and in what should be one of the most difficult times in a marriage (little kids running around and some extra pounds hanging around) I am truly more in love with this man than I have ever been. God has blessed us incredibly. I can honestly say that for richer or poorer, in sickness and health we have been able to love, honor and cherish each other. That's not the easiest thing to do sometimes. In fact, most times it really goes against our nature; to be unselfish, servanthearted, and to forgive. But that is the picture that God gives us of marriage. The Bible tells us that God created marriage to be a representation of Jesus and the church. He loved the church, served the church, and laid his life down for the church. I pray Dan never has to lay his life down for me, but I know without a doubt that he would in a second. As I would for him. It really doesn't get better than that, does it folks?

So today will be another crazy busy day of preparations for our trip down south. The kids will probably make 203 unnecessary messes and unpack their bag a few times searching for a lost toy. Ty might find the grocery bag of snacks I have for the car ride, get them off the counter and feed them to the dog. Jake may whine all day long that he can't have a Capri Sun until we're in the car tomorrow. And I may forget to pack the cold medicine that's been saving my life the past few days. But all is well here at the Stump house. Tomorrow we shall make it to California to be with family we've been missing. It's good to have some perspective sometimes when you're down here in the trenches.

Two things I won't forget are my camera, and a new package of Dramamine. So one picture you won't be seeing is of Ty's vomit filled car seat. Knock on wood.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

A letter to my blog

Dear Blogspot, I know I've been neglecting you lately. I'm sorry. It's not that I don't love you anymore, it's just that we've been having so much fun lately that I don't really want to sit at the computer and miss all the action. Well, maybe I would have liked to have missed Ty's Vomit Fest on the way home from the beach this last weekend (we did make it to the side of the road, and I pulled him out before the projectile began.) It was my fault really, Blogger, I'll admit it...I forgot to give him the ever-faithful Dramamine he needs after about 20 minutes in the car. Needless to say I gave it to him post-puke, and he made it through the Tillamook Cheese Factory before he crashed into a drugged coma the rest of the way home.

Oh, Blogspot, the beach was ever so much fun. It was too short, but fun. The weather was alright for the Oregon Coast. It was sunny, but let's be honest here, Blogger...this isn't Maui. The boys made it up to their chests in the ocean before I realized what was happening. I thought they'd get their toes into the Arctic waters and nearly pass out (like I almost did) but they barely blinked at the ice cubes floating by. I thought I'd have to carry them both back to the house due to frostbite, but they showed no signs of hypothermia. I know, I'm going too far with it. Sorry, Blogger. I know how you hate it when I exaggerate so.

In other news, I've been working more lately, which gives us some fun money and the boys some much enjoyed Daddy time. Working more has certainly not been boring. I left the ER to go on a field trip in an ambulance the other day. One of my patients had a massive brain bleed and needed surgery up at OHSU. His blood pressure was through the roof, so I had 2 different medications I was giving him to try to regulate it. Anyway, you don't care about the details, but I did get a mighty fast ride up the freeway while the paramedic and I tried to keep him alive. Yessir, my job is NOT boring.

What else do you want to know, blog? We've hosted a few friends for dinner here the past few weeks. Dan made some righteous burgers for our church small group, and then smoked some pork for sandwiches on Monday night. We had a great group of old friends over, and almost ruined some marriages by playing guys vs. girls Scattergories. The guys usually win, but they always cheat, so we know who the winners really are. Kale is a vegetable, not a color. I'm just saying.

Blogger, I can't wait until I can write to you about our next summer adventure. We're revving up for our road trip to northern California. We leave a week from Saturday. Viva la road trips! And I won't forget this time...viva, VIVA Dramamine.