work and marriage: synonym

Has anyone ever told you that marriage is work? As in genuine talk-it-out-when-you-don't-feel-like-it, choose-finding-a-resolution-over-a-decent-amount-of-sleep, sometimes-tears-aren't-bad, hard, but totally-worth-it work.

Well, if you're not married, I'd like to tell you -- it's work.

Unlike housekeeping (er... maybe exactly like housekeeping) or a traditional clock-in/clock-out job, the work is continual. Also unlike a traditional job the rewards of said work can be very frequent and life-affecting. Sometimes they aren't bi-weekly -- sometimes they're daily. Sometimes they're monthly. Still, sometimes they're even hourly.

I want to be willing to put in the work. I want to actually be willing to put some of myself on the line -- my time, my energy, my money, my attention -- for something greater. In our "liberated" society, nothing difficult stays on the table. It's hastily cast aside to be replaced by another thing -- perhaps something which yields those happy feelings and excitements that come with something new.

I don't want something new. I want something real. Something that maybe has been fixed over and over like that old microwave you were given as a wedding gift. The one you keep putting in the garage and replacing, only to bring it back in, fix it, and put it back to use when the cheapy, new one you picked up stops working for no reason at all. Perhaps it's because that "old" microwave (which you've perhaps referred to in such terms as "piece of junk," "old thing," "worn out," "outdated," etc.) was a real piece of quality equipment. Sure, it might not be shiny on the outside anymore, but that may be because you stopped cleaning it. Or maybe the turntable is cracked because you put it in the dishwasher when it clearly says "hand wash only."

A twisted parallel to marriage? Perhaps. But maybe not. It seems to me that sometimes the things we should handle with the most care and careful maintainance are hastily thrown into the dishwasher instead of being given the time and attention they deserve. Given a band-aid instead of real medical attention then carelessly broken or maimed over and over again.

I hope I can maintain the "old." Because I have no desire to continually search for the new. New does not always = better. Sometimes old = best.

I don't wanna spend my whole life askin'

what if I had given everything

instead of going through the motions

The Motions - Matthew West

teething, late nights, and, of course, photography!

We are up late tonight.

Micah is cutting his fourth (and final!) canine. This has been quite the battle. I'm inexpressibly glad it's the last one. He's still up and it's almost 11:30. He was in bed by nine but woke up feverish and feeling poopy. Poor dear.

For any of you who follow my new photography blog, I have taken lots of pictures recently but they've all been indoor and I'm not currently marketing indoor portraits, so I really don't want to falsely advertise.

So, my brother is no longer getting married... his ex-fiance broke it off (cruelly, brutally, and without notice... but that's a story for another blog). Aaaanyway. A handsome marine such as he will have no trouble finding a girl.

Back to happier things. Micah is almost twenty months old. Less than five months until birthday #2! I'm sure it will be Cars themed, since that's his current interest. Every night he asks for "Mae-Mer" (Mater a.k.a. To-Mater) and snuggles with him in his bed. As long as Mae-Mer and Dogggy are there, life is good and sleep is coming. :) What cuteness I get to live with!

Please ignore the girly-lookin' bedding... we are getting his Cars bedding soon.

Anyway, since I'm NOT falsely advertising, I'll show you a couple of the photos I took of Micah and Gavin (Mandi's baby for those of you who may not know) at my house, using my windows as both setting and lighting.

Gavin:

Micah:

Let me know what you think!

My Otha' Blog :)

My photography blog is up at last! There will be more pictures to come, but in the meantime, please come by and say hi!

http://vandeverphotography.blogspot.com

Sooo...

I know I've neglected this thing. :) I've been rather busy.

I ended up with an LG Shine phone, which doesn't suck, but I really think I want an AT&T Propel. We'll see.

BUT THE CAR... :)

This is our 1996 Honda Accord. I love it. It has a six-disc CD changer, a sunroof (or moonroof... I don't know the difference... do you?), keyless entry, leather interior, etc.

It is SO nice to have. I am not stuck at home all day now. :) We were able to plan well enough to pay cash for it, thankfully, so no car payment. That was a big goal of ours and I'm proud of us sticking to it.

Also recently, I had the honor of photographing this newborn beauty!

Samantha Grace

TINY, tiny feet.

Big sister had to give kisses!

Gorgeous girl!

Thanks for reading! Double thanks if you say hi! ;)

new phoneage

If all goes as planned I'm getting this phone tomorrow:

It's an AT&T tilt. My RAZR is about done-for. I think RAZR's are pretty hearty phones, actually, being as I got mine used from my Mom, who bought it used from someone else. And I've no idea if they bought it used or new. However, I'm an avid texter and pretty hard on phones because of that. I'm excited for this one because I wanted to get a smartphone. I contemplated the pantech duo and even had a purchased planned, but that didn't work out and I'm kinda glad it didn't... after reading more reviews and comparisons, this seems to be the better phone. Anywho... we also bought Jesse a BlackJack II on ebay today... after a mountain of issues with paypal. I used to really like paypal and now? Not so much. Moving on.


Micah has been sick... none other than teething again. My poor child. I kid you not when I say he's got the worst teething experiences I have ever. seen. EVER. He just can't get through it. Poor kid. They started early and they're staying late. Stupid canines. Yes, that was an angry Mommy moment. I'm entitled. Shush. :) He's better now, or so it would seem.


So we filed our taxes and received our return already. We paid the extra fifty bucks to get the two-day return, which is technically a loan, but what the hey, ya know. :) Anyway, that is why we're getting semi-new (a.k.a. used) phones. Ours are about done, and we wouldn't normally splurge on higher-end phones (smartphones) were it not tax time and it's a much-needed splurge. Which, I guess, is not a splurge at all. Eh, it's late.


Anyhow, we may be getting a car this weekend. That's where most of our tax return is going, but I'm really excited about it. If we get the one we want it will be a '96 Honda Civic. Yeah, far from new, but I don't care. I'm just extremely thankful to be getting a second vehicle, plus, it's a really good deal, so let's just pray for God's will in that situation. I kinda hope I know what His will is. :) We'll see.


So I guess after this I'm going to officially start the job-hunt. There's just one major hold-up to that and I probably shouldn't blog about it. It's going to require some prayer and thought, but God knows what is best. And hey... if He could work it out where I don't have to work at all and can just stay with Micah, that'd be perfectly fine with me, let me tell ya.
Well, perhaps I should blog while thoroughly exhausted more often; the words just seem to come easier. Maybe it's because I'm too hazy to self-censor and check my spelling and grammar. :)
Night, ya'll.

It was a fun snow day

We ended up going to Paula's house for our snow-day. It was an enormous amount of fun and Micah played till he was asking to go in. He loved her dogs and eating the snows -- the two highlights of his day.

By the time we got back to our apartment, which is a five-minute drive, he was out. Poor baby.

(mobile photo):

Having fun is hard work. :)

Real snow... NOT ICE!!!

I hope I can do Micah's pictures in it tomorrow before it's gone! Yaaaay! I've waited so long for this!

Craigslist... ROCKS!

Amidst multiple moves... every six months for nearly the past two years, in fact... We've had to downsize multiple times to keep the costs of moving down. This left us replacing things a lot.

I'm so tickled pink because thanks to Craigslist we got a computer desk, kitchen table with chairs, and a very secure baby gate for a grand total of eighty dollars! What a steal, right?

Anyway, I don't know if that was blog-worthy but you must love a deal. :)

I kinda like blogger...

It's not xanga, it's not facebook, it's not bebo, myspace, or any other social networking site. It's simpler. And I like it. I don't know why -- perhaps it's the blank palette. Something about it gets my creative juices flowing.

Well, at last we are moved. After four months of "limbo" staying with the in-laws home-hunting we are settled into our apartment. We really love it. It's "us." And today at last I finally got my long-awaited high-speed internet service. When you're home-hunting somehow high-speed internet (or internet service at all for that matter) just falls right down to the lower end of the list of priorities.

So surprise of surprises... (or no surprise at all... depending on how perceptive you are), my little brother the big, bad marine is getting married. :) Most likely in August sometime, if the USMC will let him take leave. Hopefully he will -- I know any longer and he and Honestie will be going crazy to see each other. I know it has to be hard to be so far apart... countries, continents apart, literally. But you can tell they're happy and some people are just better together. :) They seem to fit.

I'm super happy for them.

And what in the world is a blog without a picture of my baby? Well... just almost not worth it, that's what. :) And since I couldn't decide which one, you get two.

Can you say cute with a capital Q? :)

House-Sitting

So I'm at a friend's house "sitting" it for the holiday weekend and enjoying it immensely. There have been delays in the apartment hunting since we moved back and so we're still at Jesse's parents. I'm ready to get moved and have my own kitchen and living room, not to mention a bedroom ALL to me and Jesse and Micah in his own. I love his company but the one room does get pretty crowded.

Our Christmas is only about half-done. We have yet to meet with my side of the family, which we will be doing when Mandi, Nate, Gabby and Clarissa arrive. Aaand they're on their way! We'll be meeting at my parents' tomorrow then my Grandma's in the afternoon.

Well... this is short but I'm missing an intriguing episode of House and my son wants to be snuggled. :)

Happy day-after-Christmas!

December Twenty-Fifth

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.