I really want to run away with this boy. We need a vacation. We need to be that couple you see in the photo. Just happy to be together, not caught up in stress. Isn't he adorable when he's not stressed out!!

The boy I married

I would have put up a better picture, but he's asleep now, so I don't want to go rummaging for old pics and wake him up! Even though it isn't even February yet, I'm getting the jump on celebrating God's gift to me of love and romance. We were so young. Dave was 21 and I was 20. We have grown together while we have finished growing up together. We aren't who we were then. So much has happened to us. We left some of our own dreams behind, as they were replaced by the dreams God had for us. We have been bless richly in experiences and probably have many more coming.

Dave is best described as a passionate person. When he works, he works hard. When he plays, he plays hard. He throws himself fully into all he does. He loves passionately.

Dave is the guy who bought a big suburban to drive neighborhood kids to Awana
He's the guy who rushed out repeatedly, in the middle of the night, to help my grandpa up off the floor.
He's the guy who will watch a neighbors baby without hesitation.
Dave is the guy who volunteers to drive to Caldwell and pick up my grandma for family get togethers.
He's the guy who has slow danced with me in the kitchen.
Dave is the guy who goes on school field trips.
He has always taken his kids to work when ever he could.
Dave volunteered to carpool other small kids to therapy when there transportation services were cut.
He took tender care of his mommy.
Dave sold his boat and bought me a bigger house.
He is never daunted by a confrontation, a hurt, a difference.
And he plays me love songs on the guitar.
Dave will get down on his knees and pray for anyone at any time.

Thank you Lord for this gift you have given me.

Washing the phone

Want a sure sign you are stretched to thin and need a mental break. I had that sign. A big, flashing, neon sign from God. Over the Christmas vacation, I did a lot of laundry, and I am meticulous about checking pockets. Missed my own this time. I pulled out the load to find my cute little pink cell phone. Later that same night, While removing another load, I found one of my house phones had gone through the wash in the pocket of my bathrobe. The next day, Game boy found in the dryer. I think there is a beach somewhere calling my name....

Want for Christmas?

We have this conversation often this time of year, so it's not surprizing that Joey brought it up last night at the dinner table. He goes to each of us in turn, and asks us "Want for for Christmas, Daddy? Want for Christmas Stine?" ect. He asked me a few times. The first time I told him perfume. The second time he answered for me and said I needed a vaccuumm.(anyone who knows him well knows this is really what HE wants)The third time he asked me it went like this:
Joey:Want for Christmas mom?
Mom:Umm..
Joey(very quietly)Some sewing.
Mom:I don't think I need any sewing stuff. I already have a sewing machine
Joey: Ummm...Mom want some blue
Mom: Blue what?
Joey:Want for Christmas soft blue sewing.

THEN it dawned on me!! Joey is taking Home Ec this semester! What a terrible mom!

Mom: you know I would love it if somebody made me a present. I really like the color blue. It's so cool when people sew presents.

He smiled so big. Poor guy was trying to feel out the situation as covertly as he could. I almost missed the boat! I am really looking forward to opening that gift. You may all see me sporting something blue. Don't know what it is, but I'll find a way to show it off!!

Robby's paper

I thought I'd share Robby's paper he wrote or school. He didn't like the topic(He said there was no way for it not to sound dorky), but I like the voice he writes in.

Wow!

There have been many times I have said “Wow” to something amazing. From the sight of the wilderness, or the sound of birds chirping, I’ve been amazed by these things time and time again.

The things that amaze me enough to say wow are most easily found in nature; manly animals and landscapes. There are too many amazing things in the world around us to count. Things like tigers, Niagara Falls, and the creatures living in the bottom of the ocean are amazing sights. Well, let’s face it the sea creatures are ugly and weird, but they’re still amazing.

Simple things can be amazing too, like a good book or movie. One thing to say "wow” to is a scene from the movie “Iron Man” when he flies in his prototype armor around the coast of California. Science class, or even an event in life can be amazing things. I’ve seen many things considering I’m a 12 year old, with a possible 88 years to go, I’m in for a lot more. Wow!

The amazing things in life are often overlooked, ignored, and trashed by people who don’t care or just don’t seem to notice these things. So open yourself up to the amazing things in life.

5th Grade Classroom Political Discussion

I'm going to share with you guys the email from my daughters teacher and my response.

Parents,

I wanted to give you a heads up on a discussion we had today in class so you can talk with your child about it.

I was given a wonderful United States map with all of the electoral votes on it, so today we were discussing the Electoral College and how the race is tightening according to recent polls. One student in our class mentioned Barak Obama is for killing babies and other students agreed and said that was abortion. I told all of the students this is a topic they needed to discuss with their parents. However during the third debate Barak Obama did say he was in support of adoptions and that led us into a wonderful discussion on adopting.

Your children have brought in marvelous discussion topics about the upcoming elections and are very excited about running the voting at Galileo for the rest of the school. I do appreciate all of the conversations you have had with them at home to help each of them understand our government system better.


Wow...fun for you. So I would not be surprised if mine was not part of the discussion. A few days ago she asked me to explain how abortion works and that lead to a history of abortion, and yes I did tell her some of the early history of planned parenthood which is not highly publicized because the founder had some very scewed notions about minorities and poverty that would turn your stomach. She asked what partial birth abortion is and also about born alive babies. We discussed that Senator Obama is very against life saving measures for aborted babies born alive, which is stark contrast for a bill he did support for premature care. Quality of life= desirable life?

Because of our family circumstances, with Joey, these things are close to our heart. We were told by the genetics clinic that we had a fifty fifty chance of a reoccurance of microcephaly. I had contact through support groups with families whose second child had a more severe form, and some who were profoundly affected and lived only briefly. Many passionate discussions there about termination. When we went to schedule a vasectomy for these reasons, we found out I was pregnant with Justine. Surprising considering the years of struggle and fertility drugs it took the first time. The boys were 18 months old at the time. When I announced this to the online support group(hundreds of families) many were adamant that only a crazy person would go through with this. Yep, Crazy in love with my children. At one visit, my OB smiled and said"This is that visit where I am supposed to legally tell you you can do that test I know you don't want" I said"That's why your my doctor, you know better than to ask." My daughter was probably the most heavily ultra sounded child ever! He checked her head and brain every visit almost. My doctor was extremely attached to her and requested I bring her in for many visits.

My daughter and my son, are both considered disposable by many. Too risky, too much trouble. What a sad world that so many will miss out.

And now they have found a liscencephaly 1 gene that they are 99% sure is Joe's issues. This means our chance of reoccurance is less than 1%. She is more than worth it. There are a lot of kids walking around (and many who can't walk) that should never be thought of as a decision.

So yeah, pretty near and dear...
Jen Bach

Human Trafficking

Argh!! I'm gonna spew here for a moment. I can ignore most ads that I have to put up with online but this one ticks me off. Ads on facebook for Asian girls to order as wives. That is human trafficking! Yeah, I know that they are "willing" but only to improve their lives economically. They know they aren't going to get Brad Pitt, but Scary Larry the probable peeping tom and possible pedophile. I guess I should feel lucky that our economy, no matter the recent problems, has never been so bad that my daughter would want to leave her family and market her self to the dregs of another country. Oh, I am sure there are a few lonely, shy, nice men who have successful found a long term wife this way, but how few and far between are the great relationships of a mail order bride once she hits the good ol USA? These girls are told they will get a DiCaprio husband and their life will be like the O.C. So, coersion and taking advantage of desparation are being capitalized on. Turns my stomach. How bout you?