Marriage and children...

As we approach summer every year I look back and reflect on the last nine years. On August 5th, I will have been married for nine years. Now that may not seem like long for you married for forever grandmas and grandpas out there, but to a 29 year old that is is third of a lifetime. I tell him all the time that I wouldn't trade him for the world (...I would only trade the kids to a homeless person after an hour with them at Wal-mart in the late afternoon). We are doing the whole "almost 3-0" stuff like increasing our life insurance and buying a run down boat to toodle around the lake in with the kids (see above pics). Of course I already explained the whole birthdays thing in a previous blog so I won't go into that, but geez, like my students say, "you are WAY OLD, Mrs. Reger!" Yet, I am still young. I look at AC all the time and say, "7 year old, who are you and where did you come from"? (And that is not because she used a permanent marker to do her math homework sheet and it bled through on the kitchen counter...) My children are growing like weeds, which most of the time is WONDERFUL, because I REALLY hate dirty diapers. I think that is why I love three year olds best- they are pretty much potty trained, but lack the Hannah Montana/ HSM attitude! You should see the dramatics the kids can put on when asked to help with laundry or make their bed or such. (Kid throwing herself against the couch... "But mom, I am having growing pains in my leg...I hurt my toe...My head hurts...I am hungry..." The list goes on. It is hysterical up until they get a spanking for wallering all over the living room.) Amazing how spankings clear all sorts of health woes nowadays! Anyway, in my "old age" I am coming to appreciate more, like my mother and father for putting up with me and Temae for giving me books to read to take me away from it all. I have never particularly LIKED living way out here on a farm, but the food is delicious (we plant corn, all sorts of veges,and watermelons and Sherre's muskidine(not how you spell it-how you say it) wine and jam is the best!) and there is nothing like being able to send your kids outside to play and watching them romp with the dogs and holler about how their HERO dog, Charter, scares the HOGS away. You just would miss out on those stories if you lived anywhere else(...I know, no comment necessary and yes, I did say HOGS. For real, I almost wrecked the other night coming home trying to dodge the hog litter (Do hogs/pigs run in litters?) crossing the road. They are staying mostly on the new pipeline that has been cut about two miles from our house, so not to worry, but they are the biggest, meanest looking, black hogs I have ever seen! I bet they would make the best bacon!) Anyway, overall I am busy and happy, and I might have a free day to myself in maybe, say 25 years... Brings a much greater meaning to the song Taylor sang at my wedding, "Grow Old Along with Me". Gotta love my rugrats!