Jenners Tagged Me

 

To answer some questions! 

I would be happy to!  I am already in the mode from my “Ask me anything” stint!

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What’s the most played song on your iPod? (or CD collection if you’re old school) 

          I am sadly old school (cheap school?) and have no ipod!  I am stuck listening to a lot of kids music- but other than that, I would say for cds “Dixie Hummingbird” by Captain and Tennille!  My mama raised me right!

On Youtube, it is “Someone like You” by Adele

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What do you miss most about your childhood?

   How carefree it was!  Not a worry in the world!  Especially how all my meals were provided.  I wish I could have appreciated that more!

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What is your favorite poem?

  Ugh.  I am such an uncultured swine!  I can’t think of a single one! I don’t read poetry, I am ashamed to admit!

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Without thinking too much, what are 5 of your favorite books of all time? (Just list them as they come to you … don’t think!!!!!)

How Green Was My Valley, Babycatcher, Still Missing, The Help, My Name is Mary Sutter.

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What was the last book you read? Tell me about it in 5 words or less.

The last book I read was one I won from Jenner's giveaway! It was called Confessions of a Tiger Mom.  Chinese parenting controlling educational real.

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Can you define irony and give an example? (This is self-serving as I’m struggling to do this with my son. I will so steal your answers if appropriate.)

Oh man.  I have no idea the correct definition-  I use it when something goes the opposite way that I wanted it to happen.  Like if I have been trying to find the sour cream all day to put on my tacos for dinner, and only find it the next morning after the tacos are in the trash and I am looking for the missing BUTTER or something.  But, that could be incorrect.

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If you were forced to change your name, what would you change it to?

I have often wished that I go by Kate (Cait?).  Such a pretty, cute name!  I would name my daughter that (short for Kathryn) if it wasn’t the first half of my name!  Only one person I can think of (hi Suzy!) has ever called me Cait with any regularity.

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What author/TV show/movie/book/celebrity, do you have absolutely despise and avoid at all costs?

I have never actually seen anything with the Kardashians in it, but I am repelled by them on principle.  What is there purpose?  Here on Earth and in the media?  Why do I have to see them and their fake eyelashes EVERYWHERE?!

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What movie was actually better than the book is was based on?

So rarely does this happen!  I would have to say that I actually like ‘Water for Elephants” the movie better than the book!  And I did actually like to book too!

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Beatles or the Stones?

Beatles, but…barely.  Would you still be my friend if I told you that I didn’t really listen to either one?  I am a product of my childhood and am more of a Journey/Chicago/Neil Diamond/Billy Joel kind of gal!

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What is your favorite quote?

Biblically:  “Do not fear, for I am with you.  Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you, surely I will help you.” Isaiah 41:10

Other: “Contentment is destroyed by Comparison” I don’t know who said it but it is a quote my mom has up on her fridge.

 

Your Questions Answered: Last ones!

 

 

Anonymous asked me:  “What are your dreams for your boys?”

My biggest dream for my boys is that they will be happy.

That’s it!

Just happy!

Of course I have a lot of sub-dream-specifics, like I hope they are successful in their field of work, that they are Godly men, that they find wonderful women, make me beautiful grandbabies, and live right down the street!

But, mostly, that is just because I think those things would make them happiest.

If Joseph decides that he wants to be the guy that I saw outside our apartment yesterday whose job was to empty out the porta-potty?  Because maybe it has great benefits and he gets more time to work on his golf swing?  Then go for it Joseph!  If they are happy, I’m happy.

Also, I would like for them to never ever grow up!

But mostly to be happy.

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Lisa (my wonderful sister-in-law) asks:

What are the best and worst traits that motherhood  and wife- hood have brought out in you?

Oooh!  Good one!  I am going to tackle motherhood first. 

Motherhood:

   BEST:  It has made me infinitely more selfless. 

When I think of all of the time I had before kids to do whatever the heck I wanted?  WOWZA!  So much time to better myself and pursue my hobbies and watch shows that didn’t involve talking animals! 

Having children has made me have to put someone else first. All. The. Time. 

Even when I am away from them, I am thinking of them and wondering if they are sad? warm enough? taking their vitamins?

It is an exhausting and beautiful thing.  I am truly a much better person for having my children.

Funny because I just had to stop writing that post about how selfless I am to go into the boys’ room to comfort Isaac and give him a “Big Hug.”  Also he had ripped off almost every flap from his Blues Clues book.  But I didn’t even mind because I am seeeeelflessss!  (actually I told him “No more calling Mama!”)

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WORST:  I am a bit controlling.  I think it is because the kids are my business, all day every day, so it is hard for me to step back when someone else (*cough* Brian!) comes into my zone. 

I have to bite my tongue from saying “Why are you feeding them that?  Where is their vegetable?  Why are you giving them water?  Did you take Joseph to the potty before bed?!”  etc. etc. etc. 

Except I don’t really bite my tongue that well.  Whatever, that’s why it is my WORSE trait.

Wife-hood:

BEST: I have to accept that my way is not always the best way.  I am not always right.  Sometimes my spouse has a better idea, or a better plan, or is correct in assuming that I just need a good night’s sleep to see things clearer.  

It has been a struggle to come to this conclusion, but I am the better for it!  Not only do I have a partner in life, I have someone to bounce ideas off of and to plan my future with who isn’t just along for the ride!  It makes things a lot more exciting.

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WORST:  Sometimes it is hard for me to continue to be selfless in my time with Brian.  After wrangling the kids all day, sometimes all I want to do is sit on the couch with my OWN bowl of popcorn and watch Sister Wives or The Notebook or Twilight!  And Brian, very reasonably, wants to share the popcorn and watch something together. 

So, I find that I am still struggling with being selfish in our time together, because it is so often also my free time.  I’m working on it!

 

That first night.

 

(in the taxi from LaGuardia to our hotel in Manhattan on the night we arrived)

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While I am packing up a box of bathroom supplies right now (Saturday), I am imagining what my “homecoming” to Oregon will be like.

I am imagining myself running, slow-mo style, towards my dad for a hug.  Then, bursting out of the double doors into the fresh cool air with my arms spread open.  Lastly, I will twirl around with my arms out and roll in the grass like a spring pony!

Or…something like that.  There is a good chance that I will actually limp towards my Dad, covered in bodily fluids, lollipop stickiness, and sweat, and mutter “Let’s go.  NOW.”

But, I’m hoping for the twirly-pony thing; aren’t you?

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Anyway, my point is, as I am looking towards this transition, I can’t help but think of my first night on our move HERE.  To New York City.

Want to hear about?

Well, you’re in luck, because I want to tell it and this here seems to be a blog named after me!

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When we landed in LaGuardia, I craned my neck to see out the window.  No luck!  We were in the back seat of the plane, and the only window was the next aisle up.  No breathtaking first glimpse of the big city for me!

We deplaned and waited in a crowded terminal for our luggage.  Already I was in the presence of more “minority groups” that I had been for the previous 3 years we spent in Idaho.  I couldn’t help but notice that Joseph was staring at a few.

Did I mention that we had no one to meet us at the airport?  So, while Brian was hauling our huge suitcases off of the turnstile, I was looking around and thinking- “I know NO ONE in this city of six million people.”

We loaded suitcases onto our stroller and maneuvered our way outside into the muggy September air.  Already I could hear horns honking, Hollywood-style.  And it smelled like…a city.  A BIG BIG city.

Making our way over to the taxi cab area, we noticed that there was NO WAY all of our bags and car seats were fitting in a normal taxi.  We had to wait while hundreds of taxis circled through the pick up area until we could flag down a wheelchair accessible van-taxi.

Then, we headed into Manhattan. 

I had never seen so many people or buildings in my life!  Just person after person after person and huge apartment building sky scrapers sandwiched next to each other.

The horns were louder now, and some of them were coming from our own taxi driver as he muttered about others on the road.

I glanced over at my sweet, innocent little Idaho babies, who were staring out the window wide-eyed.

Brian pointed down a row of buildings towards a bright day-time glow. “That’s Times Square” he whispered back to me and stretched to see the glare of so many neon lights that they boggled my mind.

We arrived at the hotel, and unloaded our luggage into the room. (I remember looking around and thinking- what am I going to do with the boys HERE for a month?!) (PS: It ended up being two)

Then, we set off walking down the dark city streets to find ourselves some dinner.

I had Isaac strapped to me, and I couldn’t help but feel that he was my little shield, my security blanket, as we passed by hundreds of people; no two alike, and many looking like nothing I had ever seen before.

The sidewalk was pockmarked with old gum, and just when I was looking down at them, I felt the sidewalk rumble.  A terrorist attack?  An earthquake?  I looked up to Brian who smiled reassuringly and said, “That’s just the subway” just as a blast of hot stagnicity blew up from a vent into my face.

A few moments later a cockroach (the only one I have actually seen during our stay here- although I didn’t know that then!) ran across the street and into the subway grate.

And the noise! So much noise!  People and music and cars and yelling and…while I felt the buzz of excitement from the city, I couldn’t help but look at my little family and think

“What in the world have I done?”

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It got a lot better after that first day, and, other than going a bit crazy in a hotel room for so long, I really did enjoy my stay in the city. 

I would not wish that first night on anyone though.  It is even hard for me to look at the picture.

That feeling of being so foreign and that gut-turning suspicion that you might have made a mistake.  That maybe you don’t really belong here after all!

Which is why (along with the pain in the you-know-what that is packing/sorting/moving), God willing, we will settle in Oregon for the rest of our lives!

The End.

East Coast Adventure

 

 

As our time here has drawn to a close, I decided a little recap of the past year and a half was in order.

Ready?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Not pictured: Uncle John and Aunt Erin visit- sadly I have strep throat)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Not pictured: Brian’s 26th Birthday because he was having his

gallbladder removed)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yep, I’d say that pretty much sums it up!

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

Thank you East Coast!