A Tribute...

Today is our 3rd anniversary! It is funny to me to think that we have already been married 3 years and then again it seems that night was so long ago. We actually had a low key night-Brad came home early from work with a migraine, slept it off thankfully, and I stopped at PeiWei and we had an oh so romantic dinner on the couch before bible study. That's ok though because on Friday morning we are headed to LAS VEGAS for a long weekend trip-full of fun and excitement.


I told an assistant at work today(after getting gorgeous flowers) that Brad is a much better husband than I am a wife. I mean that in the best compliment toward him. He is the strongest person I have ever known. I call him my rock because he is the most constant and stable person. There is no wavering and in a world of grey, fuzzy areas, Brad is a crisp black and white. He is confident and secure never affected by what others may think of his beliefs. He doesn't make decisions on emotion but thoroughly contemplates every option. (Sometimes I question if he has any emotions other than toward the Cowboys winning or losing) He is calm when I am a lunatic, steady when I am unsure, and encouraging when I am down.


He constantly proclaims his belief in me and tells me I am capable of doing anything I want to do. He is driven and strives always to be a better person, leader, and husband. If we fight it always ends in, "I'm sorry, I will try to do better" when most likely the reason we are fighting is because I misinterpreted something and I know it is my fault. He would never do anything to intentionally hurt me and it hurts his feelings if he thinks he hurt mine. He gives me everything I need and want. I am not allowed to do the dishes after dinner-he always does that!!!! He will fill up my car with gas and then back the car in so that I can just drive straight out in the morning to go to work. He has even been known to turn on the heated seat and make sure the radio is set to KissFM for me too! We also have this long gutter that runs on the ground outside my window in our bedroom and when it rains it is REALLY loud (like a tin roof) He will go out in the pouring rain and cover it up with the lawn chairs to that the rain won't wake me up or keep me up all night! I mean who does that?? He really is the greatest! He always thinks of the smallest things-in fact he is always thinking of me-he is so selfless! (I really am not as high maintenance as this is all sounding, he just literally thinks of everything) The sweet thing is that all I have to do to keep him happy is to feed him! And he isn't even a picky eater-just so there is food to eat he is happy!


It's funny how our two lives criss-crossed so many times before we ever met...I have his signature in my NuNu pledge book, we sat in the same section of chapel for 3 years, and I even went to his parents church in Wichita Falls for a year before I met him. God knew the right time for us to meet...he knew the right time for us to fall in love and it wasn't immediately. God knew Brad was exactly what I needed and would be my mate. We balance each other out completely...we used to say that he was type A and I was type B, but somewhere along the lines we both just settled in the middle and balance each other out.


I am blessed beyond what I can type in a blog about the wonderful husband I have. I won't slather you with anymore drippy love nonsense about Brad-he will be embarrassed that I even wrote all of this. I pray that we have many more years together and will happily tell our kids and grandkids all about when we were young and in love! I am so thankful that God brought him into my life.

All I Wanted Was...

Well, congrats out to me for blogging 2 days in a row! Ha~don't count on this being a regular occurrence...
So many of you expressed your annoyances with Walmart over the weekend and so I decided to completely avoid that whole scenario. On my way home from work this afternoon, I made the daily call to Brad to check in and ask what he had for lunch. Now I am not trying to be an overbearing nosey wife, I am merely trying to meet his dietary needs for dinner-truthfully he just doesn't like to eat chicken if he has had it for lunch which really annoys me because all I really cook quickly on the fly is chicken. So, guess what...Chick-Fil-A was on the lunch menu which meant I HAD to come up with something else~Thankfully Brad mentioned he wanted crab legs. Ugh...no matter how great that actually sounded to me it meant I had to go to Sam's. Ok, Ok, I gave in and thought...4:30 go to Sam's...home by 5...be at the gym by 5:15-5:20ish...ok, that would work.

UNTIL...dun...dun...dun...I am quickly filling up my cart at Sam's with pork tenderloin, steak, bread, everything one needs in bulk, and I hear this...
"Attention Sam's Members. We have currently lost our phone service and can only accept cash or check payment. No debit or credit cards will be processed." UGH...I never carry the checkbook anymore...it stays in the drawer and comes out only on Sunday morning for the contribution. So, I put all of my groceries back and head to the freezer section to get my crab legs. Great deal by the way...2 lbs Russian crab legs for only $10.88!!! Superbly delicious...thankfully, I had the $20 cash from Saturday that Brad's dad didn't let me spend since he bought my lunch and movie ticket! Whew! I'm safe there. I checked out and went on my merry way.

I thought, well, I'm right here, let me run into Walmart and grab a few things and be done with all this...I quickly grab a cart and rush around grabbing groceries again and actually make it to the deli and order my SaraLee Honey Roasted Turkey sliced very thin and then I hear it...
"Attention Walmart Customers!" OH NO- You've got to be kidding! "We are currently only able to take cash and check. Our phone lines are down and we cannot process debit or credit transactions. I am sorry for the inconvienence." I just couldn't believe it...so I told the deli man to scratch that order-I would have to come back another day. I put everything back on the shelf and decided just to get the salad that I knew I had to have for dinner, paid thru self-check-out and got out of there as fast as I could!

As annoyed as I was, it helped me get a better workout than I might have otherwise and our dinner sure was good. I highly recommend the Sam's crab legs if anyone likes to eat them. Super deal compared to any seafood restaurant and they only take 4 minutes in boiling water! Might be a little difficult with kids, but I will babysit if you want a romantic, quite dinner at home one night!! :)

Now, no good meal would be complete without ice cream, so Brad and I are going to now top it all off with our favorite, BlueBell Triple Chocolate! He'll be in heaven eating that and watching Monday Night Football! Hope y'all have a good night!

P.S. On a good note, we had a Lunch-And-Learn with the OralB rep today and we each got free electric toothbrushes. Mine didn't work (or so we thought) so she gave me another one but it was different. Come to find out, I messed with it and got it charging so now both are gearing up to clean my teeth after my ice cream finale! I will try them both out and let you know which one I think you all should get~as your person online blogging dental hygienist, I vow to bring you the latest and greatest in dental health news and products! You know I want you all cavity-free!

Recommendations...

I know, I know! I am a terrible blogger and you are all sick of seeing Reid pop up on your screen but come on-you know it gives you a little laugh every time you see it!

Brad left yesterday afternoon for a guys weekend just outside of Canton. I was thrilled to have some alone time, but yet none of it ended up being alone at all. (Except of course my sleep~no crazy men came over!!) My family met up at my sister's house last night for dinner-it was delicious-thank you Festive Kitchen (with a new store opening in McKinney next week and with the BEST cookie dough EVER)-and several of our second cousins came over, too. That was a blast to see them and their kids! Their kids were amazing-so well behaved at ages 7, 6, and 3. They ate their dinner (even ate spinach salad), had impeccable manners, and played so well with all my nieces. Hats off to Ben and Rachel for raising such awesome kids. Ben is in seminary and said that they have been reading the book Sheparding A Child's Heart by Ted Trip. After hearing him talk about the book, I wanted to go out and read it to be prepared. You may all know about it already but just in case, go get it! It sounds like a great tool to help raise strong Christian kids!

After the party was over, my parents, Todd and Laura, and I all played Farkel! If your family is into playing games and you have never played this dice game...I HIGHLY recommend it! Super easy, fun, and a great way to pass the time over the holidays! We can play forever-it has even replaced Mexican Train as the #1 game in our collection!
After my victorious win, I headed home to crawl in bed, watch the recap of Fashion Police Emmy's 2005 (Halle Berry takes the award!!), and fell asleep around 11:45. It was the BEST night of sleep-I didn't even stir until 7:07 am~that's what happens when Brad is gone~no talking, snoring, or whistling and I sleep great! Sorry Brad!


After getting out of bed at 9, I called Brad's parents because they always go to the movies on Saturdays. Before I could even invite myself, they invited me and we saw "An Unfinished Life" with Robert Redford, J-Lo and Morgan Freeman. (and the cute hunk from Sweet Home Alabama??) It was extremely good-very Shawshank Redemption/Legends of the Fall type movie! A huge surprise for me because I really just wanted to see "Just Like Heaven".
What a great day! Unfortunately, Brad's golf weekend got rained out thanks to Rita, but they had a great time and were home before I got home from the movies!


I never really title these things until after I write them because they always go a different direction. This blog is just my list of recommendations for the day!

Another Laugh...

I feel since I lead a rather uneventful life of cleaning teeth and don't really have super exciting stories to tell of my sweet children who say such funny things, I will then have to live vicariously through my most precious nieces.
There is this long standing tradition in my family of my dad wearing goofy masks around Halloween or dressing up in Jams and coconut bra's to "streak" my mom's friends at parties like Bunko and then there is this Wilma wig. Laura wore this one Halloween when she was Wilma Flintstone. We periodically put it on random people like my grandma or poor innocent children.
Here is your introduction to Reid! She really is the cutest thing - happiest baby ever - and honestly this is the most hair she will have for several years...babies in our family tend to be bald until about 2!
Have a great weekend!

To Go or Not To Go???

I have been posed with the dreaded question of "Mere, are you going to Homecoming?" This truly has been something I have avoided the past 3 years; however, I have legitimate excuses each year. Three years ago October '02, we had just gotten married a month earlier and were finally getting to move into our own house after shacking up with my sister for the first weeks of marriage-oh which really wasn't that bad-We actually all had lots of fun! October '03 was then Laura's turn to get married and we happily decided to attend her wedding in Maui instead of going to stinkin' Abilene... Last year I thought for sure I wasn't going to get out of it because it was Brad's 5 year reunion, but low and behold my big sister came through for me again and up and got pregnant and gosh if her first baby shower wasn't planned for that Saturday of Homecoming! Another three hours each way avoided!! BUT oh what to do this year...it is technically my 5 year reunion...even though I am a proud graduate of MSU they still include me in all of the ACU propaganda for the Class of 2000...but I really don't have an excuse NOT to go this year...other than that drive! (I'm sorry, I am not a ride in the car for any length of time person)
Truthfully, I should probably go to put on my purple and white and put my paws up...I should wake up at the crack of dawn and go to Kojie breakfast to cheer on those NuNu's while throwing bisquits at them. I should stand in front of Nelson Dorm where I lived on the 3rd floor Room 322 and watch the floats go by remembering the hours we spent stuffing that chicken wire. I should wait to see what the "Gob-Mobile" is this year and watch those Subbers beat their pledges down the street! I should flood into Moody to attend homecoming chapel and sing "The Lord Bless You and Keep You" and laugh thinking that I honestly thought that was the ACU alma mater until I attended Welcome Week my freshman year. I should go to support the tradition of Christian Education that has been long standing now for 100 years. Most of all though, I should go because I do love ACU and the memories and friendships I made there. Maybe all my decisions weren't the best and I know I didn't take advantage of all ACU had to offer, and maybe I have lost touch of friends along the way, but to remember that each experience I had led me to where I am today is such a blessing. God has directed me to exactly this place, this marriage, this family, and this life and for that I am grateful.
So, to answer the burning question, yeah, I think I will go to homecoming this year...If for nothing else, to see James and Leslie-we will have a LOT of Alias and Lost to discuss!!

A Labor Day Laugh...

For several trips to the lake now, we have been trying to get Mallory on the jet skiis but to no avail. This is actually quite ironic because she is super tough and really is never afraid of anything whereas her sister is the biggest chicken you'll ever know. My dad, BobBob, even calls them Fearful and Fearless because Abby is afraid of everything and Mal isn't. Well, a few weeks ago, Mal actually got on the jet ski and had such an exciting time...This happened each time she got on-after about 10 minutes she was OUT! You might have to click on the picture to really see her napping! I hope everyone has a great Labor Day weekend!

Speaking of Alias, (and no this will not be the theme of my blog) Michael Vartan has been kicked off Alias because Jennifer Garner feels too uncomfortable around him! All this courtesy of Kellie Raspberry's Showbiz Top Five on Kiss FM...www.kiddlive.com Publishers say it isn't true...

Some blogger I am - I haven't posted anything in a month and a half! So, while I sit on hold trying to fix a client transaction, I will update!
We have had quite a few changes in the last month or so. First of all, I have changed jobs! I now work for Tammy Weyandt who some of us go to church with at PC. She is so sweet, the office is new and close to home, and I love the rest of the staff. It is great to be in a new place~I was on the high road to burnout. After Leslie left and moved to Abilene, I was MISERABLE at work. Not that work was good anyways, but at least Leslie and I could talk about Jennifer Garner all day!! I am working there 3 days a week and then I also am working at Drs. Williams and Sivie's on Fridays...they are the most incredible dentists who pray every morning at staff meeting and the office team is the best! It makes such a difference to be in two Christian offices! Now, you have a direct online blogging dental resource available to you anytime.
Last Friday, Brad and I got our FOURTH niece! Emily Marie was born at 3:34 weighing 7 lbs. 1 oz. She is so cute and Chad and Allie say she is a great baby. Right now she is sleeping, eating, and making dirty diapers...sounds like a good 1 week old to me!
As for my other nieces, Abby is growing up too fast. She called me last Friday and said..."MereMere, Allie is having her baby today, Call me when the baby comes!" I just melted when I heard the voicemail...Then she wrote her name in baby Emily's book at the hospital and it was so good and legible I couldn't believe it. She is only my niece and I can't imagine what you parents are thinking about each day with your own kids...
Well, I was going to give you a funny photo of my other niece, Mallory, but Brad just admitted that he deleted the email...I will retrieve it and send it on next time! Have a great holiday weekend!
P.S. Has anyone started seeing the LOST and Alias previews on ABC yet...I am SO excited TV is almost back!!

Seven Things...

Seven Things I want to do before I die...
1. Have a baby and/or adopt from Honduras, Guatemala, or China
2. Travel to Europe, Australia, & all 50 states (Oh and I want to go to Austin, TX-I've never been there and I have lived in TX my whole life)
3. Raise happy, healthy, Christian children
4. Grow old with Brad-my grandparents have been married almost 73 years!!
5. Have grandchildren and be as fun as my parents are with theirs
6. Have enough money to always be able to help others
7. Laugh every day and pass it on to others

Seven Things To Do This Year...
1. Build my Arbonne business
2. Save enough money to do InVitro next year
3. Get in the habit of working out in the morning before work
4. See Celine Dion in concert...that will happen in October
5. Be more positive and encouraging to others
6. Be a better wife, sister, daughter, and friend
7. Learn to Sew!! (I have had a sewing machine for 2 years and still don't know how!)

Seven Things I Can Do...
1. Eat ice cream every day
2. Clean teeth all day with bleeding gums but also faint at the eye doctor
3. Handle emergency situations with the help of Brad and 911
4. Love on all 4 of my nieces unconditionally all the time
5. Cook a delicious pork tenderloin thanks to my dad
6. Faux paint anything
7. Make a mess out of anything that's clean

Seven Things I Can't Do...
1. The splits...although I have dreams A LOT that I can
2. Eat bananas or nuts
3. Run far, catch flying objects, or jump high
4. Manage to catch the boiling water from always boiling over and burning the stove
5. Understand how technology works like the internet, phones, TV, etc...
6. Pay full price or pass up a bargain
7. Sleep when Brad is talking, snoring, or whistling while he sleeps

Seven Places I've Traveled...But Remember I Haven't Been To Austin, TX
1. Honduras
2. Lithuania
3. Guatemala
4. Cabo San Lucas
5. Cancun
6. Maui
7. Kauai

My Seven Top Favorites...
1. My family especially playing Farkle or Mexican Train in Colorado or at the Lake
2. General Hospital-I know but I can't help but PVR it every day
3. Blue Bell Chocolate Chip Ice Cream or Braums Lime Sherbet Freeze
4. My black flipflops especially after a pedicure
5. NutriMinC RE9 and Clear Advantage skin care from Arbonne
6. Heated Seats in my car
7. An hour long massage (preferrably in Hawaii, but anywhere now is good)