What Men Know That We Don't

Men, I have decided after many years of up close and personal observation and study, are not the same as women. I've gone back and forth, but this time I'm really sure. We are completely different. And from these differences I have learned something. A secret of  their species that for some reason women have not figured out. And I'm going to share it with you.

   Mike and I have been married for 4 1/2 years. And I would say we are extremely compatible. You know, all the mushy stuff is there: still holding hands, finishing each others sentences, texting a million times per day...and while the kids have radically changed the more intimate aspects of our relationship at least we have some fabulous memories to get us through when things get busy :) But, I digress.

   The point is this. We are super close. But there is this one thing that just kind of... Ladies, have you ever asked your man "what are you thinking" and they say "nothing"? I do that all the time. When we were dating and I would ask him, of course he always said something like "I'm thinking about you", or "I'm thinking about how hot you are", which is what I wanted to hear so that was the end of that. But I have this insatiable curiosity and I love to talk so I'm always asking Mike what he thinks. And while often it is me, or the kids, or sports (in no particular order), or fantasy football, or baseball...after 5 years I figure I'm really about to breakthrough into the mind of a man. Which would be earthshaking right? To really know what is going on in there. 
    
    But here is the thing. I don't think anything is going on, at least not all the time. Not that they aren't super intelligent. In fact, Mike is one of the most thoughtful, smart, intellectual people I have ever met. Nevertheless, sometimes he really isn't thinking about anything!

    How can this be? That's like a freakin vacuum of the mind. I have simply never been able to understand that. When Mike, or any other guy ever said "nothing" I assumed it was a lie. Like a cover up to some really interesting, personal, secret thing. And since I love a good mystery of course I have always wanted to know what it is. IT'S ACTUALLY NOTHING! 

    At 4 in the morning, after a year and a half of sleep deprivation compounded by the sleeplessness that accompanies sick babies, I got it. I was rocking Emma and realized I was awake- and nothing was going through my mind. No to do list, no ideas, no internal dialogues (I really hope I'm not the only woman out there that has entire conversations, including hypothetical variables, that may or may not ever actually take place), no shopping list, dinner idea, pinterest search, or scheme of any sort. Girls, it was blissful! 

    Maybe men are natures exemplary meditators. Its like a vacation. Relaxation, mental nap time. I'm pretty sure we girls don't do this enough... or ever. But I think we should. We deserve it! In fact, I think we NEED it! How men figured this out and we didn't I will never know, despite the fact that I've been trying to...oh wait. THAT is exactly why. But just because it doesn't come naturally doesn't mean anything. My hair isn't natural, that never stopped me. Point is, we can do this. And I think we'd enjoy it! I think our husbands would enjoy it! So CHEERS!

PS- My friend commented and gave me this link and I had to share it! Definitely funny- and true! 
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIxVY9k7EC4&feature=related

   

A dent, A fever, $250, and a Stranger

    Have you ever seen those Allstate commercials? The ones with the mayhem guy? I think they are funny, and they always make me think maybe I do want to spend more on insurance. But the thought always passes. Usually by the next commercial.  Well. We named our price on insurance. Yup. And after all the rain and storms this week this is the pic I got from Mike at work:

We are so glad that huge, heavy branch spared our hood. I don't even want to think about how crappy that could have been. So while we may be paying less for our insurance, I'm certain we have some divine angels that knocked that thing out of the way. I wish there was a way to thank them for that. We did get a dent on the top of our car. But I'm not tall enough to really see the top so mostly it just bothers Mike. I guess that's a blessing too. I'm feeling very blessed today :)

    Emma. Our crazy, spunky, fearless little munchkin. Did you know she's walking?! Yeah, she sure is, and she loves it.  She will be 11 months old tomorrow, I don't know how its gone by so fast. But anyway. She has been sick for days, almost a week. At first it was just a stomach bug (at least we thought) and by Sunday night we thought she was doing better. But Monday rolled around and she was worse. As if Mondays need any help being the worst. Nevertheless, she spiked a fever and was crazy hot (103+) all day. That night she (as well as Mike and I) barely slept.  Its like she was in agony, and hot, and uncomfortable even when we were holding her. Tuesday was worse. She alternated between sobbing and crying to listless and limp. I don't even know which was worse. All day, even with Tylenol, her fever was 102.7 or higher. In the evening she got really bad, glassy eyes, couldn't hold up her head, wouldn't eat and the little she drank came right back up- you know the kind of stuff that scares moms to death. Being that we only brought one car to Georgia, and Mike is gone at work from 6:30am to at least 6:30pm (remember that Atlanta traffic I mentioned), I have never driven around and explored out here. I don't have a Dr, know where a hospital is... shoot. Oversight. I meant to have that all figured out by now. Like it would have mattered. What was I going to do without a car? And then I got that awful feeling. You know the one? The one that means something bad is going down? So the instant Mike got home we booked it to the nearest instacare we could find.
   We have had insurance our whole marriage. And in 5 years we have used it (other than routine baby checks and delivery) almost never. And wouldn't you know it, our insurance cards are not here yet. Of course. And we actually needed them. Since we have no cards to show it cost $120 just to walk in the door. And while everyone was nice and the PA seemed very competent, she had rock red spiky hair and thorns in her ear. Imagine my confidence (and you should have seen Mike's face!) as we handed our hot, sobbing baby to a girl who looked like (to quote Mike) "a 17 year old punk rocker". To sum: they couldn't find the source of her infection and recommended we take her to the ER for IV fluids if the meds they gave her didn't work within a few hours. While they thought the cause was likely bacterial, they didn't know so all they could do was give her zofran (for the vomitting) and tylenol (for her fever). So of we went to Walgreens. And wouldn't you know it, her prescription was $230. Plus we needed tylenol. And I know this sounds so cheap, but we decided not to get it. Until 2am when we realized her earlier dose had worn off and we were desperate.
   Blessed husband that he is, Mike went to get it. When the lady there rung him up she was surprised at the price as well. So she found two coupons for us and got out total down to $95. Isn't it funny how relative things are? Compared to 230 that seemed like such a deal! A dose of that every 4 hours and tylenol has brought down her fever, and she has kept liquids down all day. Its a miracle. And I don't mean that lightly. That silly girl means everything to us, and her health and happiness are priceless. (Sure, I know we were cheap at first, but we came through right?) I have no idea who was working at the Walgreen's pharmacy last night, and she didn't know us. She has no idea that we just moved 2000+ miles. Or that we are trying to buy a second car this week. Or that we have to pay 6 month rent upfront to get the lowest price. Or that we did that so we could put a down payment on a house this spring. She has no idea what infertility and adoption cost us, or the two babies we can't imagine our lives without. She couldn't have known that Mike was working 2 jobs and full time in school, and that even then things were tight. I'm pretty sure there was no way she could have known any of those things. I'm pretty sure she gets paid no matter how much she charges us. But despite the fact that she didn't know that, she gave us some breathing room in our account this week. Thank you stranger who did something kind at 2am. Thank you thank you thank you. 

Meeting Georgia

Au Revoir Dear Utah

Today marks two whole weeks here in our new Atlanta home! TWO WEEKS! Its flown by in that crazy fast way that time seems to do when you really just want to slow it down. Anyway. As I'm finally getting around to starting our blog it is pouring rain outside (one of my favorite things in the whole world), and the leaves on the trees are turning vibrant shades of orange, red and yellow (another one of my very favorite things).
  To recap the move- it was gravy baby! You would think moving two toddlers across the country would be a fairly awful experience, and indeed that is what we anticipated. However, once the torture of saying goodbye was over and we were driving, it wasn't bad at all. Mike and I listened to a book on tape and the kids played and slept like angels the whole way. Basically, it was a miracle.
  Having never been to Atlanta before (if you don't count a layover on the way to Paris) I was so excited to see what this new adventure would bring. And wouldn't you know it, we love it here. There are only a few things that are really different here.
*Its super humid, but the heat is giving way to the occasional fall breeze. Its beautiful and green. While I expected the humidity to wreak havoc with my already unmanageable hair, it has not. In fact, my hair is amazing and the softest its ever been. While apparently the trade has cost my a slight facial breakout, I'll take it as the hair is totally worth it for me. Besides, while my face has a few new polka dots, both Beckett and I have rid ourselves of overly dry skin everywhere else. WHOOT!
*Southern hospitality is FOR REAL. I mean it. Its incredible how thoughtful and kind everyone we have met is. Think I'm exaggerating, even the people at Taco Bell were ultra well mannered and nice. "Mr. Mike, your order is ready". "MR MIKE. Cute huh, and very polite.
*There are no green onions to be found. Weird because I am sure they have to be somewhere, but we have yet to find them. And also, guess I took Idaho spuds for granted because potatoes are much more expensive out here and they do not compare to good ol Idaho's taters.  
* Everyone has the most adorable accents. Why on earth do we not have a cool Utah accent. Someone should get on that. I just love listening to that soft southern drawl. At the risk of sounding judgmental however, it must be pointed out that people talk a lot slower out here. You know that quote from Sweet Home Alabama "Just cuz I talk slow doesn't mean I'm stupid", well...I can see how that may need to be pointed out for some folks. I guess I'll probably get used to that, but I sure enjoy a more lively conversational pace. Anyway, things in general just move a little slower here- ever heard rumors about Atlanta traffic? Its nuts.
*Last but not least I just have to say, moving 2000 miles across the country was an act of faith. Leaving all of our friends and family behind was no small deal. But. Thanks to prayer and a Father in Heaven who is watching out for us, we knew exactly where to take out little family, and we are happy here. We are home.

Home Sweet Georgia Home

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