Movie Night

This is probably the first time I will flat out admit that I don't want to be updating this blog. Not because I don't care to update it, but more because me updating it means I am not home - AGAIN. After being home for two weeks straight (actually it was 16 days in a row and 17 nights in a row) being away this week is even harder than usual.

I really don't have a ton to say. I think we had such a nice weekend together and really finished the two weeks together on a real high note. so I won't bother re-hashing the entire period. I do know that I really hope my new boss will allow me to spend even more time at home. We'll see how that goes.

I came up with this weeks blog idea from that silly e-mail thread your sister sent out today. As I was trying to come up with my four movies for the list I started thinking about movies that reminded me of you. So I came up with my own Top 10 List of movies that remind me of you. Since I promised lots of lists, etc. when I started this blog over a year ago and haven't delivered that many of them this represents a move in that direction.

Criteria for the list includes: we saw it together for some memorable date, it is a great "cable movie" that never gets passed up, there are parts of the movie that remind me of you or the whole movie reminds me of you, it makes both of us laugh or you use the movie to torture me.

Top 10 Movies That Remind Me of Us (this list brought to you by IMBD.com)

10) Con Air (1997) - This one seems an odd addition to the list. It started our desire to fill in our "Action" movie DVD collection. We both really enjoy this movie. When it comes on cable we never turn the channel - ever. "Put down the bunny" is actually a phrase we say more than we really think we do.

9) The Family Man (2000) - back to back Nicolas Cage movies here. This is really a "me" movie. But it doesn't change the fact that every time I watch it I am reminded how lucky fate was to bring us together, give us our family and made sure we are part of each other's lives.

8) The Ring (2002) - I knew I needed a scary movie that made me hide my face. So I picked this one. Face it watching scary movies and hiding my face in a pillow and having you tell me to stop is a big part of our movie watching history. What better choice than one that you have the added benefit of knowing how TRULY scared it makes me?

7) Something to talk About (1995) - I am pretty certain this is the most classic cable movie we can name. To my recollection we have never "passed" by it with watching it to completion from wherever we caught the movie. We own a copy that has never been viewed. Add in that we both really like the movie and that completes its entry on the list.

6) Silence of the Lambs (1991) - Another one that scares me. But it is really on the list because you love it and you know how much the "tucking" scene makes me want to vomit. It is also the first academy award winner on the list.

5) P.S. I Love You (2007) - Seriously - I cried on airplane over the Atlantic Ocean when i saw it because it is as close to seeing someone love anyone as much as I love you as i have ever encountered. The movie instantly made me miss you even more. I picked up a copy and made you watch it the day it came out.

4) (tie) Drowning Mona (2000) and Nothing to Lose (1997) - These are as close to our own version of "cult classics" we have. Many people have never even heard of these movies, let alone know that they are so funny. We "discovered" them both by accident and laugh every time we watch them.. granted Drowning Mona is by far the funnier of the two, but both are our own discoveries.

3) (tie) Batman (1989) and My Stepmother is An Alien (1988) - Both great dates. The Batman story still gets told. "dunna dunna dunna dunna Bat Cow!" How can we forget. And the other might be the worst movie ever made, but frankly I don't even remember seeing it, their was too much going on at the time.

2) It's A Wonderful Life (1946) - No movie list for you is complete without this one. Add in that I now can claim to having seen it more than a million times and i guess it has to be on my list as well. A sure sign that your favorite season is upon us and all is right in your world.

1) The Accused (1988) - An academy award winner in real life and the overall winner in ours. The "date" that put us together forever. Since that date now almost 21 years ago today we have been together without interruption. It is the best day of my life, if seeing this movie happened on the best day in my life, then it has to top the list.

There you have it - am sure I missed few, but you know how my instant recall ability can be.

I love you - maybe we can watch a movie together this weekend. Who knows, maybe it will make the next list. We are still making plenty of memories together aren't we?

I love you more than anything the world.

Happy Birthday to you

Happy Birthday to you

Happy Birthday to you

Happy birthday dear my wife

Happy Birthday to you!

So there it is - today is your birthday. Your very special day. Seems odd for you to say that as I think you kind of approach every day as a very special day. Few people are like that.

Your days are special because you have those girls you love so much. The 3 of you make every day so cool between you. The three of you have your fun little games, inside jokes, hugs and snuggles. They make every day pretty special for you. Your relationship with them is like the gift that keeps on giving.

It seems odd not giving you a gift today. I lost some sleep over it. It kind of bothers me that we aren't. We tried to think of little things, but outside of some chocolate almonds we couldn't. We tried to think of some big things, but the girls quickly reminded me of the pending Christmas dilemma. Then it hit me (at like 3 this morning). I'll count the girls as my gift today. Isn't it the gift you kind of always get every day?

So here goes.

First I give you a 15 year old. She is very pretty. Very Smart. And incredibly funny. Most times she is going to be like looking in a mirror for you. Her wit and sarcasm are traits you clearly share. She will also be just like you and question everything that doesn't make immediate sense to her. She can be surly at times, but for you she will always crack a smile. She will always give you that long hug you both so desperately need at that moment. She will always have your back. She doesn't share much, but sometimes even without saying something she will reach out to you for comfort. Because she knows that you will always be there for her. She will help you with housework (in spurts) and always remind you to do things you may have forgotten to do (dr. appts, hair appts, etc). Her smile is amazing and her beauty is more than skin deep. In so many ways you are the same person, but in so many ways she has much to learn from you. Trust me that in 20 years she will be calling you every day to find out how you are and how your day went.

Second I give you an 18 year old. Also very pretty and smart. This one is so much different than you, but still very much the same. She is so self-confident and self-aware. She will charm the pants right off of you. She makes people happy. People love to be around her. She is going to talk a lot (and I mean a lot) and as mundane as much of what she says is - you will hinge on every word. She gives the best hugs and always knows the perfect time to give them. She is very much a creature of habit and loves that you make things routine for her. She is a dreamer of sorts and never seems to be satisfied with her "status-quo", well except her "status-quo" with you - which provides her all the safety and comfort she will ever need. The amount of beauty she has is immeasurable - both inside and outside. She will make you so proud one minute and so mad the next, but you will so look forward to the next minute to come.

The three of you make an amazing trio. I just love watching you together (even if the dinner conversations are weird). You are so lucky to have what you have with them. So for you birthday I give you the reminder of what they are to you. There couldn't be a better gift, could there?

I love you sweetie - Happy Birthday.

A full year of this blog.....

My goal was really to not post while I was home. However, being home for two weeks and with your birthday coming up I felt like I should add something to remind you how much I love you. I'll try to keep it simple and brief, but as you know I am quite the "rambler".

I can't believe it has been a year since I started this blog. By my count there are 51 posts since I started. This makes 52. At first I wasn't sure how you would take to this or whether it would work as a gift. However, I think over the past year it has really been everything I hoped it would be for you. Frankly, I still get excited when i know you are reading what I posted the night before. I hope you look forward to them as well.

So now you are about to turn 39. I want you to know honestly that you seem so much younger than 39. Not only in your near child-like approach to life, but in the way you seem to connect with your much younger daughters. It really speaks to the "you are only as old as you behave" mentality. While you behave with maturity you do it with an energy that really attracts people to you. So if you want to call the birthday "21 R" you can without anyone questioning whether it applies. Although, you may opt to go with "25 N" so that the girls births are firmly behind you in your "repetitive" birthday counts.

So this year we don't have a big trip planned for your birthday. No San Antonio or Kohler. I am truly sorry about that. There is not extravagant gift planned that you know about. I know you jokingly made some reference to some gifts you wanted (or "re-gifts" as you stated them), but that really isn't fair. We will have our family back together this weekend and you get another full week (just confirmed I am home all week) of me! You can un-wrap me if you would like.

So now I will get on to the more serious nature of my post. I will call it "sleeping wife".

I just left our bedroom. It is about 8:30 or so and you have fallen back asleep. God you are beautiful. No one sleeps with such peace. No one looks more comfortable and safe when they sleep like you do. I stood there for about 5 minutes watching you. You had that "smile" on your face. It is amazing. You look so warm cuddled in all those blankets.

I bent over to kiss you and I could sense how sweet you smell. You still smell like pancakes. It is wonderful. Your face was warm, but not hot. When I kissed you tweaked your smile just a bit as if you knew I was doing it. After all these years, I could still watch you sleep anytime. You are at your most beautiful when you are asleep in a comfortable bed. Thank you.

Well that is about it my love for this last post before your birthday. I love you so much. I hope after a full year of this you still want me to continue and still appreciate this blog. I think it has been a nice gift and will keep giving forever. Happy Birthday.

You are the angel of my life. I love you.

Spending Some Time Together

Good morning baby.

I am really looking forward to this upcoming weekend. With all the hustle and bustle of the past few months, I see this weekend as a real opportunity for you and I to spend some time together "just being married".

Some simple things I would really like us to do:

• Home cooked meals. I love them. I love it when you cook. I love to cook for you.


• Going to get coffee. I really have cut way back on coffee, but I also really like getting up and going to get coffee with you on weekend day mornings. We can sit in the Starbucks, read the paper and people watch.
  


• Maybe we can run some silly errands. I am pretty sure that we have something we need to return, or some small home project we have ignored that we need to pick something up to accomplish.
  


• Watch a movie. You know I think we have a pretty good scary movie waiting and then we could always watch "Iron Man" with the younger daughter.
  


• Go get ice cream
  


• Rub your feet (yup you have my commitment in print)
  

I know most of those things are small, somewhat insignificant things to look forward to doing. However, they all involve us spending time together just "being married". Just me spending time with the one person I want to spend time with the most. Just think there won't even be any sports on TV for me to watch now, so you have my undivided attention.

Then I am pretty certain that I will be home for all but 1 day of the next 2 weeks. Then we can get even more "normal".

I know this is short this week, but hopefully you can see how excited I am for this upcoming weekend with you.

I love you sweetie. Spending my time with you is all I really want to ever do.



All my love is with you.

Home vs. Away

Sounds like this should be a sports commentary huh? Home vs Away. But it really isn't. You commented several times this week that we seem to get along better when I am away than we do when I am home. That you think that makes me very sad.

I don't think it is true. I think what has happened is a lot has changed in our lives. Probably more has changed in your day to day life than mine, but both of our lives have changed. We essentially misplaced a family member and we really have not had a normal weekend in months. All of that puts a lot of stress on both of us.

So happens happens when we get stressed? Well that stress always seems easier to be released on someone you love. Someone you know will still be there after the release. In a way it is kind of nice. People can vent a little towards the one person they love and trust the most and know that there are little repercussions for the venting. That person isn't going to leave. They will still be there tomorrow and the next day. They will still love you the same way they did before.

The saddest part is that maybe we don't realize that we are somewhat stressed. I think we are. When was the last time we had a weekend where we didn't have to drive to Madison, rush to the airport, fly somewhere or entertain some friends or family? It has been over a month and maybe even longer than that.

This past weekend we had our oldest daughter home for the first time and our youngest daughter with a sudden homecoming event. Then I left on Sunday and the older daughter had to be driven home late.

The weekend before that we had a trip to Texas and a late night round trip to Madison.

The weekend before that we trekked the younger one back and forth to Madison. Even on our big night alone together we found ourselves exhausted.

Before that we had homesick daughter on her first weekend alone in Madison we opted to visit on a spur of the moment.

Before that rude friends from Atlanta.

Before that trip to Madison to move our daughter into her new life/dorm.

Before that trip to Texas.

See what I mean? Very little time spent in a "normal" life for us. Who knows this may be normal for us, but if it is it will take getting used to over time.

So this gets to why do we get along better when I am away? We sadly that may be the most normal thing we have going. You have no idea how much it pain me to type that, but it may be true. I don't think we really "get along better" so much as we know what to expect. We have our routines with me being away for work and when I leave they continue. It is more normal for us.

I'd give anything for a few days of dinner at home followed by some couch time watching our favorite shows. That is normal. I'll even cook (although it is really better when you do that) and while on the couch you can expect some foot rubbing. It will be nice and normal.

Of course I guess we have to wait a week or so for that - we have company this weekend. Oh well. Like I said before, neither of us are going anywhere. We'll always have each other. Time will eventually allow us to have some "normal" time. When it comes it will be wonderful.

I love you sweetie. You are the best part of my life. You always have been.