Em is ME spelled backwards...

So I'm going to talk about myself now because this is my blog, and who doesn't like to talk about themself? and maybe if I don't have something interesting enough, I'll make something up.

Four jobs you have had in your life:

1. Gymboree
2. "cook" (or rather a food preparation specialist)
3. waitress
4. Trapeze Artist

Four movies you would watch over and over:

1. Wallace and Gromit, Curse of the Were Rabbit
2. Pirates of the Carribean
3. Count of Monte Cristo
4. Clueless

Four places you have lived:

1. Goteborg, Sweden
2. St. Louis, Missouri
3. Somewhere else in Missouri
4. Clinton, New Jersey
5. Medfield, Massachusetts
6. Houston, Texas
7. Provo, Utah
8. Annapolis, Maryland
9. Charleston, South Carolina
10.Groton, Connecticut
11.Silverdale, Washington
12.Chesapeake, Virginia
13.Houston again
(sorry, I couldn't resist)

Four TV shows you love to watch:

1. Malcolm in the Middle
2. America's Next Top Model
3. Alias
4. Dora the Explorer (by force)

Four Places you have been on vacation:

1. Cozamel
2. Hawaii
3. Puerto Rico
4. Madagascar

Websites you visit DAILY:

1. www.hotmail.com
2. www.oscarson.blogspot.com
3. www.ask.com
4. every blog in my fam and my own to see if anyone likes me

Favorite dishes: in no particular order

1. Filet Mignon cooked medium with cheesy potatoes
2. Pizza
3. Chicken Fetuccini Alfredo
4. Russian Chicken and potato casserole

Favorite desserts:

1. Ben & Jerry's Oatmeal Cookie something or other
2. chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and orange sherbet
3. Mrs. Smiths Dutch Apple Pie with caramel sauce and ice cream
4. cheesecake with yummy toppings

Places I would rather be right now with my sweetheart if you have one:

1. Ben & Jerry's (does that count?)
2. Hawaii
3. European art history tour
4. I love being at home at night in a clean house, doing not much.

I got the Black Lung Pops...

So I developed a slight upper back pain on Monday evening that quickly turned into an excrutiating back pain within a couple of hours. I couldn't breathe all of the way in or out and I couldn't lay down--that is sometimes a problem when one is trying to go to bed. So after much debate, pacing, some tears and some repremanding, I drove myself to the Emergency Room at 3 in the morning. Have you ever heard the comedian, Brian Reagan do his bit about driving yourself to the ER? It's quite humorous.
So anyway, I don't have the Black Lung but I do have Pleurisy. I have found that I can take only one of the three medications that they gave me and feel pretty good--but I do have a little muscle relaxer cocktail before bed because, why not?

Nice Coconuts!

My family recently returned from a week long vacation. My brother and his new wife MADE us go to Hawaii...the nerve. Their wedding was spectacular, the week was relaxing and exciting. Here are some of the highlights...
A perfect day and a beautiful wedding...

Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona

Hiking through rain forest to Waimea Falls

Watching the sun set on Waikiki Beach

Snorkeling in Hanauma Bay (tons of fish and an octopus!)

Cultural awareness, Maori tattoos and a Luau at the Polynesian Cultural Center (Mia can't say we never took her anywhere...)

The Pali Lookout...I don't remember much of the view but I know it was a lip smackin good time...

A couple of lunches at Kua Aina for a burger with fresh avocado or grilled pineapple!

followed by trips to Matsumotos Grocery for shaved ice

The unbelievable view from the back of the house...and the ocean a mere 50 yards away.

Great company...

and coming home...

Thank you Mo and Dad for an unforgetable week with my favorite people!

The Stud

This is for you, and all others who want to know this inigmous stud that I call my husband. He really does drive submarines. He's in the United States Navy and we are proud of that. He makes me happy and he makes me laugh. You know that "happy place" we go to imagine total peace and relaxation? He is there with me. He is confident and strong and very smart. Sometimes that gets on my nerves but mostly I love it. He is an incredible Dad. He rough houses and plays but loves to cuddle and tell his girls how beautiful they are and how much he loves them. I am not always patient with him but he is usually patient with me. I love his sense of humor and his desire to do what is right. He isn't perfect. He throws his socks into the dirty clothes bunched up and leaves his shoes all over the place but he is a good person who would jump at the chance to do something for someone else...and frequently does. I miss him every minute that he is not with us. He balances out my weaknesses and helps me to be a better person. He tries really hard to care when I talk about stupid things. He thinks that our family is the most important thing in the world just like me. We don't always see eye to eye. In fact we are very different people with more differences than similarities. It takes us more time to work through some things but it is always worth it to see something in a different light than you did before. I don't like to idealize things that aren't perfect. Some women claim to be married to prince charming who couldn't do anytning wrong. I prefer to walk down the path with someone who has room to grow, like me. We can grow together. I don't mean to say that we can grow closer together. We grow at the same time, and the result is that we do grow closer: closer to each other, closer to our children and closer to the Lord. I am grateful every day for the companionship of a man who sometimes uses my towel and then leaves it damp on my side of the bed. And he's darn cute.