Year: 2015

Queen of the Juggle > 2015

Saturday full of errands

Posted on by Sherri

Today I was woken up by a little man asking daddy to watch College Game Day at 7a.  God bless that little man for getting daddy up.  Daddy was a trouper after spending another late night with me.  I have terrible insomnia,  so I watch stuff late.  Chip tries to do both.  He got up and did the commitment with no response.  I laid in bed an extra hour or so before getting up.

Not knowing when the Michigan game started today, I went about my business.  Guided the kiddos to clean up their crap and be self-sufficient.  It halfway worked…on a good day.  I stumbled down and took my thyroid meds, which means I can’t eat anything for 30 mins., which is hard when you wake up hungry and you have a bit of cobwebs from the night before.

I made a batch of Zucchini muffins too. Used the last of the garden zucchini.  They turned out great!  Recipe to follow.

I ask the boyos who wants to go with me to run errands and Gary chimes in that he does.  I’m surprised for sure.  I have a bunch of crazy shit I need to do.  Amazing that any of my children want to come along.  He had no idea what kind of day he was in for.

First we head to Walmart to replace his camera that he’s managed to beat up on and hasn’t worked for half the year.  Of course that cannot be done easily.  I need to contact Kodak or the extended warranty company.  But of course it isn’t easy.  Gary was the one most disappointed.  Interesting  because I think the rest of us have to walk through the crap to get it done and we are conditioned that way.  Sad really.  Regardless, getting in and out of Walmart on a Saturday was relatively painless.

Off we went to our next stop at Michael’s.  I dread that place for sure.  The checkout process is just awful.  They never have enough people checking.  Hunger was creeping up on me, so I decided to make a pit stop at Jalapeno’s.  This little dive of a place that has true Mexican food, but it’s not great.  It was a solo trip for Gary and me and I think he thought it was super cool to be out with me alone and get to pick what he wanted, get his own chips and choose his salsas.  It was fun to watch him.

 

IMG_6717

 

Off we went to Michaels.  So much fun!  I stayed way too long and Gary and I enjoyed looking at all of the Halloween stuff.  Little did I know that Daddy was at home and the house was a shambles.  Adding insult to injury, Michigan lost the game at the last minute.  Even worse?  The TV was buffering, so he didn’t get to see it.  UGH.  He wasn’t happy.

 

Meanwhile, I made my stop at Smith’s, the liquor store and Ace Hardware.  Gary trekked along with me.  Good little dude.  We are lucky.

15 Years and Counting

Posted on by Sherri

Today was the day that Chip and I celebrated 15 years ago that we had initial contact.  I say this because it would be at least a week or two later that we would even be able to have a date.

I had put a profile up on Yahoo personals because I really didn’t know what else to do.  I had these two little girls and a full time job.  I had no interest in finding someone in a club, nor was there anyone at work that really struck me.  There was also no goodness to come in dating someone from work.  My goal was to meet someone and see what happens.  There is so much craziness in Vegas that you don’t just go hang out at a bar and see if you meet someone.

I had dated a really nice guy from Michigan for a few months that I met at Yahoo.  He was a sports loving writer.  We had a good time and enjoyed each other’s company, but I think we both knew it was nothing long term.  He never met the girls and that didn’t seem uncomfortable to either of us.  B moved back to Michigan and although sad, I tried to move forward.  Forward to have someone in my life to share it with.  Then along came a message that would change the game.

Chip may not want me to share, but this was his first message to me:

Mon Oct 16 2000  03:34
Hi slpfrihse,

Yes, I think I am up for the challenge. Your ad made me chuckle. 🙂 Anyway, I think you described me to a T.

Let me give you the straight stats first: I am 28, 6’1″ tall, 195 pounds, brown hair, a full-time professional, graduate school education, homeowner.

And a little more:
I like to stay in shape, and work out regularly (usually 3 or 4 times per week). I’m not a he-man, muscle man, gym rat, or anything though… I am an avid hiker, going to the usual places around here: Mt Charleston, Red Rock, the Wetlands Park, etc. I also like to play tennis and racquetball, although I haven’t had a chance to play since moving to the area in January. I love cycling too – used to ride quite a bit in Oregon, but haven’t had the right company here yet to make it worthwhile here.

I love going out to restaurants, the movies, and taking weekend trips to scenic places. I don’t smoke, don’t gamble, don’t do drugs, don’t chew, and drink only occaisionally, always limited to a microbrew or two at a time. I also like to spend quality time at home
cuddling in front of a fire, talking, watching DVDs & making popcorn – being romantic in general 😉 I’ve been known to bring flowers often, and I’m just hoping to find a woman who’s going to appreciate the little touches of romance like that! 🙂

So heck yeah, I can love and cut loose and show my romantic and sensitive side. Now I’m just hoping I can find a woman who can appreciate it! Is that you? It sounds like it might be… 🙂

I’m a good conversationalist and I’m told I have a good sense of humor – I like to laugh and smile. I’m often complimented by women on my smile – I’m hoping that’s a good thing! 😉 I’m not much into dancing, but maybe that’s because I haven’t met the right woman yet
to make dancing fun.

I am a cat person – I have two cats that I spoil rotten, but they are very playful and great fun, not loaf around the house fat cats…

I listen to all kinds of music, although I don’t care for rap very much. I’m not a couch potato – I hardly watch TV at all, unless it’s to watch a movie. I do follow football and hockey, but I don’t let it dominate my weekends like some guys might, so don’t worry about that… And I don’t mind treking around the mall – it’s actually pretty fun if the company is right!

I guess to sum it all up, I am a good, honest, open, intelligent, professional, romantic, fun-to-be-with man that wants to share his life, feelings, and love with a similar woman. I am looking for a partner, the other half as you put it, and I am tired of immature, phoney, plastic women that lie and cheat in a relationship. I hope you decide to write back to me – it sounds like we’re looking for similar things and have a lot in common!’

And from there it went.  Yesterday I posted the following on FB.

It was 15 years ago today that yahoo personals brought me a reply to my posting that would change my life forever. Back in the day when it was free to list, this broken and a little bit bitter single mother received a message in my inbox from a gentle man who had as many convictions as I did. Whether it was sports, having a good time, music, passion or nerdiness. There was something about that message that took me in. I was scared to say I had kiddos, but did it anyway. He had hesitation but did it anyway. It would be almost 2 weeks until we would meet in person, but dayam we had amazing email and phone call marathons. By the time we met he knew I didn’t need a baby OR a sugar daddy. The attached song was an anthem of sorts for us because we were (are) both nerdy and met on the “internets”. I love this man more than I ever thought I could. We’ve done more together than I ever fathomed I would do alone, let alone with the person who is my soulmate. Neither of us are without flaws. I have bigger thighs than ever and have not even 1 college degree to his multiple, but he loves me crazy amounts anyway. We are us. We are meant to be.

A taste of the good, great, bad and ugly…
– were recovering from a shitty thing called divorce
– great travel to places East and West we never thought we’d see
– bought homes
– had foreclosures
– bought a business
– had failed businesses
– made it through infertility
– are raising multiples
– lost loved ones
– have seen blessings be born
– shared live music that we love
– have seen our gardens grow
– been unemployed

I could list so much more…I am blessed beyond belief. No matter what. My heart is full. Even on a hard day I’m grateful to the universe for bringing me my Chip. A Maryland boy for this Alaska girl. A beautiful heart that I get to be next to for the rest of this life. I love you dear…with all that I am. Cheers to many, many more.

This is how I really feel.  I am beyond lucky.  There is nothing that I’ve held back from this man.  Good, bad and ugly.  Sometimes it has been ugly because I don’t have the most impressive track record.  I have an interesting family life with my extended family.  I have weird baggage.  I married someone I should not have simply because I was pregnant the first time around.  Not a good decision on my part.

The above description was the man I met for sure.  Some days I feel life I’ve drug him down  and not let him live his potential.  Other times it is justified by this everyday life we have with lots of kiddos.  Who knows.  Regardless, I’m a lucky woman to have him.  We’ve endured a ton and I’m ready for the next 15 years and more.  Absolutely.  Without question.

 

Happy Mother’s Day

Posted on by Sherri

Happy Mother’s Day Mom!

IMG_5314_edited

Happy Mother’s day to all of those I love…I have a lot to say.
This is a long one…about Mother’s day. My thoughts are deep and emotional.
My mom started her mom journey at barely 16 years old. She turned 16 in January and I was born in March. I cannot imagine. I can’t. But she persevered. She did. Two more girls followed. By 21 she had three.

The following is entirely my perspective and no one else’s…
How do you raise children when you are almost a child yourself? How does that work? Somehow it did. Somehow someone walks into your life and accepts you…kiddos and all. And then they did. They make a house, a home a family…as dysfunctional as it may have been. And it was. Dysfunctional. BUT, along each line there was a little something that made it good. Collectively good when individually it was rough.

As I grew through the years it was not easy. There were fights, friends and foes along the way. One thing that was consistent was a family element. I’m not sure that would have been there had the circumstances been different. I often say that if Gary wasn’t in my life I would never be what I am. That much I know is true, but it wasn’t without my mother and her family either. They were all fierce about valuing family.

I have seen quite a bit from my parents. A huge desire to have control of their own destiny. Buying, selling and always working privately. Living simply. Making life the way that they wanted it. I hated it. I really did. I could never be a cool kid. I was just so stuck with the stigma that was me. Poor. Inept. Chubby. Couldn’t quite ever fit in. My heart was in the right place but I wanted to just be normal. That I know now. When you’re 13 it doesn’t matter. As much as I had wished it had.
As time has moved forward and I’ve made it through a bad marriage and had 2 beautiful girls. Those girls are crazy amazin’. In that time my dad has passed and I look at my ex and wonder how he deals with what he does. That’s his problem. My dad’s haunting recommendations are still there. I wish I had heeded them, but I didn’t.
Beyond that I see my mom working and doing everything by herself now. Not easy and I don’t recommend that either. She hasn’t had a choice. Despite that she presses on. Some bad decisions and some not. I cannot imagine. I can’t.

She works hard…really hard. Makes it work even when it seems that it won’t. That woman never gives up. I’ve learned that from her. It’s some serious shit to see her fight it all. I’m amazed. I have my fight and compassion because of that.

Speaking of compassion, I’ve never seen such compassion as my mom has for the people she serves every day. The way she stood up and served my dad when he was sick. The way she is a force for those she takes care of now. I was busy growing triplets so I didn’t get to see it but I’ve felt it 100 times over. My mom is tough. She’s hard and she’s soft. She’s giving and also takes when she needs. She cries when she needs and still drops fbombs like a boss.

I honestly think that many don’t “get” my mom. They don’t. I’m not going to try to explain it because she is who she is. It’s not up to me to define it. What I will say is that she seems softer than I can ever recall. She has more compassion and helpyouedness than I’ve ever seen. She helps people have dignity every day as they live out their later days of life. She says how she never wants those she loves to have to experience relying on others. Brings me to tears.

It also makes me so happy to share with my mom when I create stuff in the kitchen that she has taught me to do. I feel so lucky to be able to do that. I know some that read this don’t have their moms to call on the phone or write a FB message to. If you don’t I hope that you’ll take a moment and smile as you think about your mom today.
So this Mother’s day I encourage all to take a little look back. Take a look at your mom…flaws and all. Notice the feelings she has or had for you. See what, from her, has become you. My love to all the mamas out there.