What will your husband say??!

I have had to laugh recently as well as wonder about something that I have been hearing...

What will your husband say?? Don't call him!

I have had 3 different friends in the last year say this to me. Each time it has been in response to something I have done (or thought I had done!), and they immediately assume your husband will get angry so you better not tell him.

What am I talking about? ok, here are the examples of things I have done...and keep in mind that this has been over the last year! I'm not prone to vehicle problems ;)

1. I was driving our van and a friend was with me, as we were on our way to another friend's house for breakfast. I had to turn around at the end of a narrow street, with houses right on the street, and I accidentally backed into the corner of a wall and put a dent in the back of the van. For the record, I barely hit it and there is just a line in the paint on the bumper. But the first thing out of my friend's mouth was "I hope your husband won't be too angry with you!!" She then went on to try and figure out how we could fix it before he saw it. 

2. The second one was just in the last month. I was driving our van with another friend when we were pulled over the by transit cops. I hadn't done anything, but we were missing a sticker on our window that shows your registration, I couldn't find the registration paper in the van, and I ended up having to pay a fine.... Long story short, my friend again says "What will your husband say?? Let me talk to him and calm him down before you have to talk to him".  

3. The third example is from yesterday. I was at the kindergarten all morning with Brady for a mini-Olympics event and as were ready to leave, I couldn't find the keys for the van. I searched everywhere in my purse, even going back to the school to search the area. My friend was with me looking the whole time. I said I would just call Dallas to come, as he had another set of keys. "No way! What will he say that you lost the keys?! I will drive you home to get the keys so that we don't have to bother him". In the end I found the keys in the abyss that is my purse (between the liner that had torn).

All of these comments make me laugh a little, but then I realize that it's because I have a super husband who isn't bothered by these things. He does roll his eyes at me and say "Tara...." but he doesn't get angry about things like this. I know he doesn't think it's awesome that these things happened, but I never decide not to call him or tell him because of fear. 

I wonder if this is cultural and has to do with husband/wife relations here or if it has to do with specific marriages anywhere. In general, we have observed that there is less trust in marriages here, and this carries over into many aspects of marriage. 

But it's something to ponder and learn more about. 

The picture of the friend above is a great friend though, and Dallas has recently gotten to know her husband and we have enjoyed getting to know them as a family. Her son is Brady's best friend also.

At the event yesterday, the kids had to do all kinds of races. Here Brady is ready to run, and you can see his teacher behind him laughing about his pose :) 

Confessional Thursday

1. I havn't been sleeping very well at night lately and this mornin was trying to think of the reason. Has it been since I started putting the fan on me at night? Have I been staying up too late? Have I been thinking too much? Have I had too much to drink before bed making me have to make too many visits to the little girly room at night? Well....all of the above could be it. But I think I'm going to first try cutting out my nightly cup of coffee at 9:30 pm. Seems like a logical place to start! But I've never ever noticed any effects from it before! We shall see.

2. This is the first week that I've felt that it's really "summer".  So far it's felt like a warm spring. I'm feeling warm today, afternoon temps are now around 32 degrees. Growing up with 40+ degree summers in Paraguay and having 40+ degree summers in Delicias for the last 2 years...28-30 degrees for the last while doesn't seem so warm! Peeeeerfect weather.

3. I quit my weekly walking about a month ago b/c of being busy and can no longer drink Pepsi's and get away with it...walking partner...when are we starting again?? :-)

4. I said I'm feeling warm but am drinking coffee. My fault.

5. My head was feeling all over the place earlier this week, everywhere but right here. So glad I've got my head back in the game. It usually happens to me after visitors leave...I see that plane flying to Canada and want on it! Homesickness is not common in our house at all but it does come around...you know we love all of you who aren't here but amazingly to me, God has given us such contentment and peace here, something I've learned to trust Him for, no matter where I am, over the last.....18 yrs. Maybe I've been thinking too much about furlough this week, which is in a good while yet. When you're living in another country but are from a different country, it always feels like part of you is over there, no matter how beautiful this country is, how awesome the weather, how awesome the people, how content we are...it's just a fact that you're a person of 2 cultures! Making your kids "third-culture kids" :-) great book to understand MK's, by the way. And also by the way, when we moved back to Canada from living in Paraguay, I felt the same way but the other way around...that part of me was still over there. When we lived in Paraguay, my mind was never in Canada haha just b/c that wasn't my "home" to me at the time. So funny how now that is where "home" is. The key though, is that while part of you is of another culture, to put yourself as fully as you can into the culture and country you are in. I think if you can't see the place you're in as "your life" then it will be very hard to be content there...if you're always thinking your life is back there at "home" it will be hard to be right where you are. That being at peace with where God has you is something I've learned through moving to different places in the last 18 yrs, and while it's hard moving to new places, it has totally prepared me to have peace here, where I again wouldn't have expected to be! This is turning into a long #5!!

Once in a while I get contemplative and try to figure out why I'm feeling the way I'm feeling, which helps me see things from the proper perspective again. Plus a good while in the backyard on the grass with my Bible. Plus a good talk with a husband.

Shall we go back to the superficial?...

6. I was secretly happy to hear yesterday that a neighbour freaks out at how messy her house is when we just drop by and is so embarassed. Happy b/c it makes me not feel so bad that my house has toys lying all over the floor when people just drop by.

Confession Friday

Is it supposed to be "Confession" or "Confessional"?...I keep changing what I call it.

Well. On to the confessions of today.

1. Carter and Logan asked me to play "family" with the this evening. I was to be the mom, Carter the dad, Logan the kid, and Brady the baby (Dallas is gone tonight). I attempted to play but I honestly do not get down and play make believe with the boys very often and I found it hard to get my brain into that gear!! So, I confess that I "make believed" that the mommy of the family had to wash the dishes.

2. I have a thing for reality shows.

3. I dye my hair. That's probably not much of something to confess since probably anyone that has known me longer than 5 yrs would guess dark hair is not my natural color. But I do think that some of the questioning looks I get from people here who look at my 3 blondies and then at me is quite funny.

4. I am an evening snacker. Horrible.

5. But I have gotten back to my pre-baby, pre-baby, pre-baby weight :-) so that means I can keep snacking right......?.....I should tell you all about my crazily health concious 5 year old son who tells me not to though...that will have to be a near future post.

6. On the topic of eating, since we're there anyways. I thought I should try drinking a glass of water before every meal because "they" say that makes you fuller and you won't eat as much at the meal. so I wrote the word "WATER" on my white board in the kitchen to remind myself. It does make me feel better just looking at that word and feeling like I accomplished something just by the mere fact that I wrote it down. How much water have I since been drinking? hmm.

7. I encourage the boys to wrestle and also to wrestle already with Brady {with me on the watch for him of course}. They think it's a hoot. And don't actually need much encouragement.

Confessional Saturday

1. I'm turning 30 tomorrow. Thirty. Treinta. 3-0. But the number doesn't bother me...I feel like we passed that decade hurdle almost 2 years ago when Dallas hit the big 30. But turning 30 is making me feel a little homesick....because I feel like I should celebrate with a bunch of family or with my twin brother or with a bunch of my closest girlfriends. But Dallas is doing an awesome job at making some{attempt at secret} plans and later this month another friend is having a b'day and next month another friend is turning 30 so there are at least some plans with them to get together later.

2. Carter and Logan are sitting on the floor coloring, and since I'm having trouble coming up with another confessional, I asked Carter, "What does mommy do that's just funny or weird?". He responds by grabbing his ear and saying "You bite my ear." hahahaha

I really am having trouble coming up with anything today! There are things I've started to write...and then erase as I don't know if I want to admit to those things :-) Sometimes I struggle with what I should or shouldn't write on the blog, since it's public and I really don't know who's all out there reading this. I start to write something, but then think, well maybe so and so that I know reads it will be offended b/c they're not like that and I don't want to come across as sounding like other people should do things a certain way......or come across sounding like I'm trying to say something to a specific person...sigh.

But..."Oh, how He loves us, oh how He loves us"....
Music playing the background. Playing music in this house just seems to settle things down, maybe it makes us all conscious of God's presence, even the boys seem more agreeable {most of the time}, or playing certain music when we're in great moods puts us in even better moods.

I was reading in my devo's this morning about how us as moms of little kids can make sure we're conscious of God's presence throughout the day since we most likely do not have 1-2 hours in a row every day where we can devote to sitting down and doing devotions. David when he became King made sure he had the Ark visible so people would be reminded of God's presence. Playing worship music was what one mother said she does to remind herself of God's presence.

I also try to find a quiet time when the boys are sleeping or playing nicely {huh?!} to sit down. Well right now I need to find a good half hour to sit down quietly since in our missionary ladies Bible study we're doing a Beth Moore study and the homework is a good half hour every day :-) I like guided studies though and it's just a matter of finding or taking the time to sit down and do it. If Carter's at school, around 12 pm is often a good time here b/c Logan and Brady nap most days at that time.

I guess I'm off of the Confessional Saturday theme by now.

Carter and Logan singing in the background..."Hosanna! Hosanna!"

Confessional "Friday"

I'm stealing..er...borrowing...this idea from my sis-in-law Dwylla's blog.

But it's called "Confessional Friday".  Today is Saturday.
oh well.

Confession #1:
I would wash dishes and clean my house any day over doing laundry. My loads of laundry end up sitting outside in the laundry room for a couple of days, even after they're dry, then end up sitting in the laundry basket in our room until we need what's in there and I put it all away.

Confession #2:
I drink way too much Pepsi. I would rather drink way too much Coke.

Confession #3:
I feel very special when Carter or Logan tell me my earrings are pretty :-) They tend to notice my earrings above other things and if I happen to wear my white skirt {rarely} I'm told I look like a pretty princess. But only on the bottom part of me.

Confession #4:
{Dallas told me to write this one}
I like to wear sweats at home if I don't have something up or if someone's not coming over. The typical mom, and in my defense...I see my neighbours in sweats all the time and some even walking their dogs and kids in their pj's. BUT I do my hair and my "face" first thing in the morning so at least all I have to do is change my clothes if I need to go somewhere.

All right, it's bed time. That's Confession #5. I stay up way to late when I should go to bed.