Wheaties or Wood

From the time we moved into this house, my DH has been obsessed with finishing the basement. Little did I know his plan to turn this obsession into reality would begin last week. I mean, heaven knows we need more space for the two of us!

It all began a little over a week ago. A loud beeping sound, like a truck backing into my driveway, sounded from outside a little before 8a.m. Sure enough there it was. A truck with enough wood to build a whole house was parked in the middle of the street right in front of my house. Luckily I had been given a little notice about this delivery, or I probably would have run outside with my wet hair, no makeup, mismatched shoes, sporting the first thing I could grab to wear, and frantically yelling that he was at the wrong house. To my DH credit, he had given me a little over 8 hours notice, so I was expecting the delivery....late that afternoon. Go figure. When you want them early, they can't possibly do it; and when you want them late, they'll be there at the crack of dawn.

Now, seeing how much wood was being plopped onto our driveway, I really would have panicked if it had been the DH who placed the order. You know the kind. More is better. Yeah, that's him. Anyway, he had some help from our newly adopted son and good friend, (thank you, thank you, thank you) who helped him figure out how much wood we needed. Still, it looked like a TON of wood (no pun intended).

I ask you, my friends, does a pile of wood excite you? I mean does it give you that "high" you're looking for? Does it contain some sort of "manly booster" in it? What is it? I need to know! Seriously, its effect was immediate. It caused a surge of adrenaline. It caused excitement. It caused a flow of creativity. It was amazing. One problem. It was on the driveway and it was going to rain. And we're not talking little drizzly raindrops. We're talking big bucket sized, wood warping raindrops. Big problem.

Solution: Move wood from driveway to garage.

Question: "Is the garage big enough?"

Answer: "Of course."

Question: "Are you sure?"

Answer: "Have I ever lied to you?"

Answer: Blank dark stare.

Problem: It's 9:30 p.m.

Problem: It's still 350 degrees and humid outside.

Question: "Is it really suppose to rain?"

Answer: "Yes."

Problem: Move wood from driveway to garage.

Solution: Suck it up and move wood from driveway to garage. Must eat more Wheaties.

Problem: Wood is heavier than it looks (to me at least)

Solution: Carry less, make more trips.

Solution: The DH is still having an adrenaline rush. He can carry more.

Question: "Isn't this why you have sons?"

Answer: "Don't worry, you don't have to help."

Problem: Now you look like a weak and whiny female.

Solution: Just keep moving. Maybe you'll sweat off a few pounds.

Solution: Wood moved. It only took an hour and a half.

Problem: You are soaking wet (and not from rain) and haven't lost an ounce.

Question: "Hey, did you lose any weight?"

Answer: "Yeah, FOUR pounds."

Answer: Blank dark stare.

Solution: The smell of the wood in garage increases effect of wood on DH.

Problem: All the wood needs to be carried from garage into basement.

Question: "How are we going to get the wood into the basement?"

Answer: "Don't worry, you don't have to help."

Answer: Soaking wet, blank dark stare.

Solution: Re-think possibility of hiring it done.

Problem: The DH has his heart set on doing it.

Problem: He doesn't have all the equipment he needs in order to do the task.

Problem: Should never send DH to Lowes and Home Depot when on a "wood high".

Solution: More is better. Nail gun, nails, compressor....better than Christmas morning.

Problem: Wood must be moved from garage to basement.

Problem: Wife is weak and whiny. Refuses to eat Wheaties.

Solution: Re-think possibility of hiring it done.

Problem: Have tools. Can't part with tools. Better than Christmas.

Question: "Don't you think I can do it?"

Answer: Blank stare...."Of course, I have all the confidence in the world in you."

Problem: Have tools. Can't part with tools. Better than Christmas.

Problem: Have weak and whiny wife. Throws out box of Wheaties.

Problem: Still on "wood high". Wife is the Grinch. She steals Christmas and Wheaties.

Solution: Pay to have it done.

Solution: Done.

One problem from this phase of the project remains. The scrap wood and sawdust in the basement needs to be cleaned up. I don't know if I can handle a man so susceptible to wood.

28 Candles, 28 Memories

Today she is 28 years old. As I look back, it is hard to believe how fast time has gone. She was born two days early on a bright summer day in August. Having an August birthday meant she would start school when she was four and graduate at seventeen. Of course, I didn't think about any of those things at the time, I had years before I would have to worry about any of that. Little did I know how fast those years would pass. So in honor of her 28th birthday, I'd like to share 28 memories. Oh, the places she's been and the things she's done. It seems like before I knew it she was:

1. Rolling over, crawling, walking, and talking early. She seemed to do everything early.
2. Taking her first steps at 11 months old while we were vacationing at Island Park.
3. Attracting attention everywhere we went because of her big blue eyes and VERY blond hair.
4. Being called "Tweedy Bird" because of those big blue eyes, and showing her fun personality to everyone.
5. LOVING her yellow silky blanket.
6. Calling her blanket her "birdie". (We never did figure that one out)
7. Going to pre-school and becoming very independent.
8. Singing with her sister whenever and wherever she could. She could sing in front of an audience at 3 years old, and discovered the hairbrush microphone about the same time.
9. Starting Kindergarten at four years old and making it known right away that it was not at all too soon.
10. Loving everyone, and everyone loving her (friends and teachers alike).
11. Coming home crying because some mean boy made fun of those big blue eyes which she then tried to squint and make smaller. This brought out the mama lion in me. Good thing I didn't know who this mean little boy was.
12. Breaking her arm while playing on the sixth grade playground when she was only in the third grade, and then learning to write cursive with her left hand instead of her right.
13. Starting a new school in a new state when in the fifth grade, and making it a very easy transition.
14. Deciding to run for class president as the "new kid" at the school and surprising me by winning. I don't know why I was surprised. I showed up at the assembly so there would be at least one person clapping for her.
15. Getting mad at mom and dad because they said "Robyn likes to read" in the Christmas family newsletter. She thought it made her sound boring next to her sister who was dating and driving and doing all kinds of fun teenage things.
16. Proving that she is anything but boring by becoming involved in everything she could possibly become involved in. (Vocal music, Tall Flags Drill Team, academics, and friends, friends, and more friends)
17. Starting high school with a great group of young women who would nick name themselves T.R.A.K.S. (Tricia, Robyn, Amanda (Mandy), Katie, and Stephanie). They helped keep each other on track. What a blessing to have such good friends.
18. Acquiring the nickname "Tomatae" given to her by her Spanish teacher Mr. Garcia. She got this name because of how easily she turned red when he teased her. When he met me, he called me Mrs. "Tomatae".
19. Having fun in high school. Early morning seminary, basketball, cheer leading, vocal music, boys, and friends. All those things and enough homework to keep her up too late to want to get up the next morning, only to wake up at 5 a.m. and begin a new day. Miraculously, she was able to finish early morning seminary with perfect attendance.
20. Begging to be allowed to go to Sadie's when she was 15 because it "was not a date", and then getting the most terribly broken leg while jumping on a trampoline at the pre-dance dinner. Needless to say, she ended up not going to the dance. A terrible experience which would turn out to be quite a life-learning experience for both of us.
21. Determined to perform in PRISM to sing with her sister and friends. This meant numerous trips home during the night to change her clothes. We couldn't do it at the school because she had to lay flat and I had to remove her clothes very carefully to not hurt her leg. Nothing short of a miracle, we were able to find the humor in the situation and make it through the night.
22. Having her best friend Mandy break her leg too and ending up in casts up to their hips together. With Robyn crying, standing on crutches over her good friend on the hospital gurney, the doctor entered the room (the same doctor as Robyn) and said he had honestly never had something like this happen before. Michael still loves the fact that our two families were able to get into the opening night of Apollo 13 without having to stand in line with everyone else. We did get a lot of funny looks that night.
23. Winning a scholarship to be an exchange student in Japan for 6 weeks. Realizing there's a big world out there and she'd like to see it all.
24. Being accepted to BYU! Win a trip with roommates to Mazatlan, study abroad in the Dominican Republic. Continue the study of the Spanish language. Continue making life-long friends.
25. Deciding to go on a mission. Receiving a call to serve in FINLAND! Loving every minute of her frozen time there.
26. Returning home changed forever for the better.
27. Meeting the man of her dreams and marrying him in the right place and the right time.
28. Becoming a wife and a mother, and creating memories of her own.

Of course, if you read between the lines, there's so much more. She has done a lot in her short 28 years, But....Oh, the places she'll go! Her story has just begun. I'm just thankful to be her mom.

I love you Robyn! Happy 28th Birthday!!