my dear sweet husband

I have previously mentioned and will continue to mention my dear sweet husband in my posts and I want to make sure that there isn't any confusion as to what I mean when I use that term. I use that term sincerely, out of love and respect and never out of sarcasm.

Andy and I have been married for over 30 years; yes, longer than most bloggers have walked on this earth! Each day I am so thankful that he is my husband and consider myself blessed to be his wife. Andy has such a sweet spirit; it humbles me to be his wife. He has a servant's heart and without a doubt has the gift of service. He is incredibly intelligent but does not flaunt it over anyone. He is loving, caring, and very supportive. Andy is my best friend.

He has a way of making those around him at ease. He is almost "Yoda-like" as he convinces people to do things his way without ever saying a word. I stand back in those "Yoda" moments and smile as I know what's coming and the "targeted" person has no clue that they are about to be "yoda-ized".

Andy has patiently loved me while supporting and encouraging me every step of the way. We have been through great times and tough times. We welcomed four beautiful children into the world and mourned the loss of a fifth baby. We had great times with our parents/grandparents and together mourned as each individual passed away. I regret that I never got the opportunity to be around Andy's parents to learn more from them. They had to have been awesome people to raise such a wonderful man.

Andy has an incredible sense of time even though he rarely wears a watch and time means very little to him. Americans would do well to learn something about time from the people of India. We are always in a hurry and for what? We hurry from one appointment to the next so we can move on to the next task at hand in an effort to make it through another day. I think we hurry our lives away. Andy is still working with me on my problem with time!

Andy also has a great sense of direction even though I do not always want to believe him (I am a little stubborn). For example, I try desperately not to drive to our capitol city without him because I know I will get turned around and I will not know north from south or east from west. That doesn't mean that I don't think he's wrong when he tells me which direction to turn (even though he's always right).

He is a great listener. He listens to me ramble on and on, especially after work! We have a unique situation in that we both work for the same company, in the same building, and with the same hours. We drive to work together, share lunch around noon, and at the end of the day we drive home together. I think it is great!

I know that one should not refer to a grown man as "cute" but there is no way around it when I describe my dear sweet husband. Yes, he is very handsome but at the same time he is cute. I think it comes from his sweet and gentle spirit. He is cute!

Therefore, when I mention my dear sweet husband in future posts you will know that I am serious and I only use that description as a term of endearment.

AL, I love you very much.

goin' huntin' part 2.1

Make the score Mama Rose 2 Mooses -2 and possibly no tie!

goin' huntin' part 2

Last night I was in the kitchen as one of our daring little four-legged friends ran from one side of the kitchen to the other and escaped under the dishwasher. It was not a very smart move on his part because I then knew exactly where to set a trap. I am smarter than our four-legged friends who were dumb enough to move into my house.

When I woke up this morning my dear sweet husband told me that I had a present waiting for me in the kitchen. I was so excited! Now, before you get all uptight and think that it should be the husband's job to take care of the present, I am the more experienced moose hunter so I will take care of my victims.

Andy asked what I planned to do with my victim. I am not sure what he thought I was going to do with the little guy but of course I threw my little victim out in the backyard. I have to help the food chain; something will eat the little guy (I hope).

I looked at the trap and thought it had enough bait (peanut butter) so I re-set it and put it back under the dishwasher. Sure enough, when we got home tonight the trap had been sprung but no victim. I quickly decided that I should have put more bait on the trap this morning. I added more peanut butter and re-set the trap. I may move more traps to the kitchen if this trend continues!

Joe, I think I might need some help stuffing holes with steel wool this summer!

So the score stands: Mama Rose 1 Mooses -1 with a tie for the one that got away (this time).

Stay tuned for the continuing saga of Mama Rose v Mooses!

goin' huntin'

I am doing something tonight that I have not done in over 22 years; I'm huntin' moose! Now I know the thought of mooses freak out a lot of women but it is better to hunt them instead of just screaming or doin' nothing about them.

In case you haven't figured out by now, I am not hunting the large four-legged variety with big antlers. We don't have those kind around these parts. No, I am hunting the small four-legged variety; you know, the ones with the long tail. Sometimes they are blind, some run up clocks, some get their tails whacked off by the farmer's wife. Ya' know, mooses; I mean mice.

For as much as I love collecting the ceramic variety of these little critters (I have lots of really cute ones) I do not want the living variety scampering around my house. I have long stated that if the creepy crawlies (bugs, spiders, centipedes, mice) want to stay alive they had better stay outside and not come in my house.

My dear sweet husband (Andy) was the first to see our unexpected house guest. I finally saw the little guy the other night and decided it was time to take action.

Our current house guest is not as friendly as the one we had in our apartment in Kansas City. The little guy down there would come out after the kids were in bed and watch us watching TV. He was quite sociable! Our new house guest is not at all sociable. I sure hope he likes peanut butter!

Stay tuned for the further adventures of "Mama Rose against the mooses". A sneak preview...the mice do not stand a chance!

one nation under God!

This morning on the way to work I heard someone talking about the passage from Romans 13 in which Paul tells us we are to be in submission to the authorities. I know the topic was planned for today because of the inauguration but for some reason hearing that passage again made me really think about what God is asking us to do. No matter whom we voted for or whether we voted at all, now that the election is over and a new president has been sworn into office we are supposed to be in submission to this new government.

Romans is the only book written by Paul without a specific reason. He did not write Romans to a church or group of people as he did his other books or letters. Even with that in mind I feel today as if Paul wrote the first section of Romans 13 just for me, especially for today.

Most of us know that Paul tells us to pay our taxes which most of us do because we are law abiding citizens of this great country. Verse 5 states "Therefore, (or in conclusion) it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience." Paul continues in verse 7 to say, "Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor." NIV

I guess what I am trying to say is that no matter whom we did or did not vote for we are to show respect and honor to our leaders in office. We are a united nation under God.

Technology!

It seems no matter how much I try to resist changes in technology I eventually give up and for the most part embrace the change. This blog is the latest example of me being tossed into "advancing technology".

I clearly remember stating (not very long ago, maybe 25 years or so) that I did not need a microwave. Because I am not a very patient person I am really glad that my husband did not listen to my protest.

The next leap of technology was our first computer. I learned to type (in high school) on a manual typewriter (look under A for antiques in the dictionary) but I did not know the first thing about computers. My computer genius a/k/a my husband told me I didn't need the manual that I would learn better if I would just start using it. Now I am high maintenance when it comes to computers. I want then to work right and to be fast.

Then came my next stand of not needing a cell phone. I do not need a cell phone; I can use pay phones (also under A for antiques in the dictionary). Who did I think I was kidding with that statement? My newest cell phone is not just a cell phone, very few are these days. My cell phone is also my PDA which I use to manage my busy social calendar, write memos to myself, and of course send/receive text messages!

I not only use text messaging but I am also on Facebook and now I am blogging. Who would have thought it possible? What's next? Maybe I should be careful with that question! Seriously, a big thank you goes out to my family who have painfully endured my advancement into modern technology.

My hope for this blog is that the writings posted here will be entertaining and maybe even thought provoking but above all not embarrassing to those who know me best.