Clone is moving up in the world..or at least in our house

Clone doggedly insists he is my favorite child.  No amount of discussion can sway him from this conviction.  Even relegating his artwork to be displayed only in our bathrooms all these years has not persuaded him otherwise. 

So I have finally given up my non-verbal cues against his insistence and have now prominently displayed his artwork in my entrance hall.  You can't get more prominent placement of your artwork than just inside the front door.

I just hope he won't gloat in his perceived victory in this matter and be unbearable to live with while visiting or his head be so big  he is unable to get back out that front door when its time for him to head to Japan.

Innovation

Sunshine does not like to chop onions but she does love to be helpful in the kitchen.  Recently while I was making a pot of soup, she was her typical self, eagerly offering her assistance. When I asked her to chop the onions, I was met with the expected reluctance.  However, her enthusiasm to help soon overcame her fear of the teary eyes which are a given when one chops onions.  She dashed out of the kitchen and returned minutes later with a pair of swim goggles and cheerfully got to work, once again being my little helper.

Have it your way...really

Finding decaf coffee over here can be a challenge so I decided to take the plunge and buy, gasp, instant coffee for our travels.  I know, I know but caffeinated coffee and I are no longer on speaking terms and well, tea over here is great, but its.just.not.coffee if you know what I mean.

I did buy organic fair trade coffee if that helps!  Anyway, today I made a coffee for a test run...why pack it if it tastes like mud? (It didn't. It was actually pretty good.)

Even if it had tasted like mud, the chuckle I got from the directions was worth the price of the coffee.

Here they are in their entirety:
 

How to Make a Perfect Cup of Coffee

This is how we do it: Always use fresh water. Boil and leave to cool for a minute before pouring over coffee.  The rest is up to you.

True Love

You know you are loved when you announce to your man that you are pretty sure there's a dead mouse somewhere in a closet that you want him to take care of when he gets home and he replies, "that's not for 3 days, its gonna really stink"

And you reply, "I've got Febreze and I don't care. Its been a tough couple weeks and I'm tired of being the adult and I don't want to take care of anything messy anymore."

To which he replies, "I'm ready to be home and will be happy to take care of it for you when I get there."

I am indeed a blessed wife.

Choosing to be thankful

Some days you just gotta CHOOSE to be thankful because some days you just don't FEEL it.  Especially on a rainy, cold day on one side of the Atlantic Ocean while your lovely, talented daughter is on the other preparing for her junior piano recital that you are going to miss.

So today I choose to be thankful for this military life in spite of the distance...and the ocean... it places between my Swan and me on such an important day for her.

I am thankful for this life that has grown a strong marriage for MWC and me through all of its new beginnings, trials, and adventures.

I am thankful for this life that has enabled me to see much of the world.  I have been in 14 countries and 40 states.  Not all of these have been related to our military life, but I can assure you that the list would be
SIGNIFICANTLY shorter without it.

I am thankful for this life that has helped us to be a close knit family.  We've relied on each other through thick and thin and have always had each other when we've had to say good-bye to everyone else.

I am thankful for this life's contribution to my older children's independent, responsible characters.  They have faced hardships, challenges and adventures and grown into self-sufficient, capable young adults of whom I'm very proud.

I am thankful for this life and all the wonderful people it has caused me to meet and love over the years.

I am thankful for this life because it is so awesomely suited for MWC's talents and gifts, and has enabled him to serve our great country happily, proudly,  and well.

I am thankful for this life because it has provided us with a financially stable life with job security in a time of such economic hardship for many others.

I am thankful that MWC is able to be there for Swan so she has at least one parent for her recital.

And mostly I am thankful for this life because it has caused me to continually look to the Lord for my joy and contentment, when my real nature would without a doubt seek those things in the temporary things of this world.

So today, I CHOOSE to be thankful.

Homesick Mom, Happy girls

So today I was making a meal to take to an ailing friend.  I wanted to take a special treat and planned to bake some chocolate chip cookies.  However when I went to the cupboard for the chips, there were no chocolate chips but 3 bags of butterscotch chips.

Why did I have 3 bags of butterscotch chips? I'm not sure, but it probably has something to do with Oatmeal Scotchies being Frog's favorite cookie.

So I baked Oatmeal Scotchies and took some to our friend, and saved a few for us.   While eating them in the kitchen tonight, I commented that eating them made me homesick for Frog and asked Sweetness and Sunshine if it had the same effect on them.

No! they both said cheerfully.

Why?

Because he'd eat them all!! 

Good thing I have 2 bags left..one batch for Frog when he's home and one batch for the rest of us to share.

Ode to my home state

After countless hours of dealing with the Maryland MVA over our daring to take our cars out of the state and country and insure them elsewhere with the tags still on them (and following the receiving locations laws) my frustration with the bureaucratic hassles of moving are at an all time high this week. 

So here's My Maryland Song

 

Born and raised, ne'er moved anywhere,

Maryland my Maryland!*

Many loved ones still live there,

Maryland my Maryland

However, with bureaucrats galore

I desire to live there nevermore,

They lost me in an MVA war,

Maryland! My Maryland!

 

Having no roots is not fun

Maryland oh  Maryland

When thoughts of retirement have begun.

Maryland oh Maryland

I know that God has a plan

We'll be safely in His hand

I just hope *there's* not His command

Maryland! Not Maryland!