102 (105) things- part 3

I better start this one off with why I love being a stay-at-home mom, since I started off the last one with reasons why I missed working. I don't want to give the impression I would rather be there than here, because there is no where I would rather be than at home with my kids (sort of, see #s 71-80).

61. My little boy can now enjoy the luxury of "stay-at-home days" more than once a week and can stay in his footie pjs until noon on cold days if he feels like it.
62. No more brown-bag lunches. I hate packing lunches!
63. The only tantrums I have to deal with are coming from my own son, and I can simply shut the door to his room if I can't take it any more. Not so with other people's kids.
64. No time clocking mocking me each morning with 9:03, 9:07, or at the end 9:18, reminding me and everyone else that I can't seem to get in the door by the required 9:00.
65. There is no one looking over my shoulder to catch my mistakes or analyze my every move. If I screw it up with Andy and Rebecca before lunch, no one else has to know!
66. If Andy has the urge to ride his bike or play in the sand or go to the park or watch Movie Time Monday, he can do it that day instead of having to wait until Thursday and squeeze it in between errands.
67. I don't have to share the squeezy hugs and squishy kisses with anyone else.
68. The only noses and bottoms I have to wipe belong to my son. Still yucky, but not nearly as much as when you aren't sure what germs you are dealing with!
69. If I don't make it into the shower until 10, no one has to know (unless I post it on here. Huh.). In fact, having the option of not taking a shower until 10.
70. Peace. Not silence, but inside, knowing I am exactly where the Lord wants me to be, even if it isn't always easy.

10 Places I want to go in 2009 before we hopefully leave Georgia to a cooler northern climate. We probably won't make it to half, but at least I have options!
71. Disney, while Lenna is still young enough to believe in princesses and fairies but old enough to ride splash mountain.
72. Sea World and Busch Gardens while it is still free for the military and only a days drive away.
73. Alaska in the summer time, because Andy is going fishing with his grandpa on a boat and he isn't going to let me forget about that promise.
74. Savannah and Hilton Head Island, because it would be a shame to be this close and never make it there. And I need a Salty Dog Cafe T-shirt, because everyone else has one.
75. Northern Ca, during fair week so my grandparents and other family can meet Rebecca and so my kids can experience a tradition from my childhood.
76. Camping. Because my children have never slept in a tent or eaten food burned, I mean cooked, over a campfire. And everyone needs to do that regularly.
77. The beach. Any beach is fine. Just need sand and sunshine.
78. Maryland, so Rebecca can meet the other half of her family and Mike can hang out with his siblings.
79. Smokey Mountains, because we need to see the other south up north while we are here. Because it's pretty and I imagine the bugs aren't quite so big if we go camping in the summer or we can see mountains in the winter with snow, and my kids need that, too!
80. Home. Wherever that is!

5 things I love about my husband:
81. He took the kids errand running today for 3 hours while I slept with the baby, and returned just before dinner time with pizza.
82. He doesn't complain when he has to load the dishwasher, wash his own laundry, or wade through a toy village to find the couch because his wife is too tired or busy to do housework that day, or week.
83. He still surprises me with romantic gestures. Even when I am still in my pjs at noon, and despite the fact that we are coming up on our 9th wedding anniversary and could be tired of each other (not yet, thank goodness).
84. He can make me laugh, even when I am in labor and want to die.
85. As he pointed out to me earlier today, "Guys holding babies are sexy."

5 things I love about my kids:
86. Lenna is very sensitive and tries so very hard to keep anyone from hurting.
87. Lenna is a kindred spirit. We have so much in common, we have the potential to be best friends as she gets older, if I don't mess up and make her hate me instead.
88. Andrew is already in possession of several great man qualities- he is loyal, funny, protective of the women in his life, athletic, hungry, works hard, and "Jesus is my example". Now taking dowry offers for an arranged marriage in about 2026.
89. He gives the best hugs ever. Even when I am in a bad mood or forget to cut his pb&j into triangles or "make him hurry up too fast".
90. Rebecca finally tucked her chin so she could move out and I didn't have to have a C-section. Thank you my dear!

5 Reasons why I write on this Blog:
91. Because I can talk to myself as much as I want and no one thinks I am crazy for it.
92. Because when I have no one else to talk to, I know someone out there has a few minutes to listen.
93. Because I am too lazy to write in a paper journal about what we do every day and wanted a way to record it for future reference when one of my kids becomes famous and I have to write a book about raising the next great someone.
94. Because I have always liked the idea of writing a book someday and thought this would be good practice.
95. Because my extended family is huge and far away, and I wanted a way to tell everyone at the same time what we are up to, so they can feel included and connected in our lives.

5 Things I have learned about myself this year while writing on this blog:
96. I am a lousy typist. Thank goodness for spellcheck, even tho it still doesn't catch all the reversed letters.
97. My kids are funny. And I love them. And I wouldn't trade all our little adventures for anything! And they are much funnier three months later!
98. I am good (subjective, I know) at narrative writing, telling people what is going on around me. I am not very brave when it comes to looking inside myself and writing about what is there. Or maybe I just never have any "deep thoughts" or insights to write about.
99. There are actually a few people out there who care, or at least take the time to read, what I have to say. Even if I have to force them to by dropping it right into their in-box.
100. Writing is therapy. And I need lots of it. So stay tuned for the next 100 posts!

5 things I am proud of:
101. My husband- he amazes me with his strength and intelligence and dedication.
102. My kids. They are great.
103. My temple marriage.
104. My brain. The world needs more un-apologetic smart girls.
105. I finished this post. It might be the only thing I actually got to finish today but it is something!

So there you have it. 105 sort of random things from me. Hope you enjoyed. Now back to real life!

Jannet