Who Needs Wings When You Have Dimples?

There are moments when life knocks you down and you are just too damn tired to get back up.  Yesterday was my moment.  We have been in this house for a year and for the entire year I have been sick.  We moved in October and not long after I was pregnant with Bennett and had my first hemorrhage.  As I have told you before, the pregnancy was very hard and I was sick the entire time.  After we lost him it took me two months to recover fully from the anemia and BAM I was pregnant again.  For the 11 weeks that I was pregnant with our fourth I actually felt pretty good.  But the loss of that baby resulted in so much blood loss that I was down again.  It has been four weeks since we lost our last baby and this weekend I actually felt almost human.

Doc and I had date day on Sunday.  We went to Nashville and watched the Titans game and ate lunch at the Broadway Brew House.  It was a lot of fun!  It was hot and we walked a lot, but I was up for it FINALLY!!  After the game we made a quick trip to Target and came home to our sweet girls for the evening.  We all went outside to play and Doc cut the grass.  At about 6 PM he got off of the lawn mower saying he was not feeling well.  We all came inside, I took care of the girls for the rest of the evening and poor sweet Doc spent the evening with what we at this point were classifying as an upset stomach.  As the night went on he got worse.  I sat on the sofa watching football and taking care of him as best I could, all the while praying that I did not get whatever it was he had.  There was absolutely no way that my body was ready for a stomach flu or any kind of food poisoning and that is what we were classifying this sickness as at 9 PM.  I went to bed and left Doc on the sofa under a blanket with water and the remote within reach.  I felt just fine and was so thankful!

At midnight all hell broke lose.  I got up knowing that I was in big trouble.  I walked to the other end of the house, grabbed a trash bag just in case I did not make it back, woke up poor sweet Doc who was asleep in the end room and told him his shift with the girls was on, there was no way I could help if they woke up.  I was right.  Now keep in mind folks that I just woke up a man that had been sick for 6 hours with food poisoning and told him to get up and take his two year old to tee tee.  The fact that I even expected him to walk was ridiculous.  But I had no choice.  I was down for the count.  There I was laying in the bathroom floor (you know the one that I hate) and praying that this would not last long.  7 hours later I quit throwing up.  So much for asking God for the little things.;)

I believe that everyone has a guardian angel, some come with wings, others with a money tree, mine happens to come with dimples.  Once again my husband proved to be the amazing man that he is.  I spent all of Monday completely useless.  Usually I bounce back pretty well.  When I was pregnant with Bennett there was a night that  I was sick for three hours and the next day I went into the office and helped Doc.   I made formula at 3 AM the night after my second D&C.  I am telling you folks, I am tough.  I don't know if it was the food poisoning or just the sheer fact that I had to spend another night in the bathroom where the devil lives, but either way I was not able to do anything all day on Monday.  Lifting my head was a chore and I was not willing to attempt it unless absolutely necessary. 

My husband got up Monday morning still sick, called and cancelled his entire day of patients, made the girls breakfast, lunch and dinner (which included some ridiculously yummy chicken soup that Scooter could not get enough of!) changed all of the diapers, cleaned the kitchen, fed me sprite and broth, and finished the day on the lawn mower completing the task that he had started the day before.  I ate the broth and drank the sprite.  Period. 

I have had the worst year of my entire life hands down.  But somehow, in the midst of it all, it has been one of the best years of my life thanks to a man that has strong faith, courage beyond comprehension, determination and a love for me that surpasses anything I have ever dreamed of.  Not a day has gone by that he has not made me laugh or loved on me when I really needed it and the truth is he has gotten his butt kicked just as hard or harder than I have and has not stopped for a moment to rest.  God only gives you what you can handle right?  Or maybe He gives you more than you can handle but someone to walk along side you and carry you when you give out.  At least that is what He has done for me.  In my heart of hearts I know that there is not another man in the world that could have made this past year seem survivable, much less wonderful at times. 

I am thankful for many things in my life and my testimony for my love of the Lord grows everyday with the good and the bad.  But I will tell you this, I did not deserve my husband.    He was a gift that only a Father full of grace and mercy would give to me.   And truthfully, my sweet Doc is the reason that I know that there is Father in heaven that loves me unconditionally and has forgiven me for all of my sins.  If there wasn't, I would be married to a stock broker.

xoxoxo,
Melanie 

Four and Fifty

Hello friends,

I hope you are all having a wonderful week.  This week I celebrated my anniversary!  I have been married to Doc for four wonderful years.  Last night we celebrated with dinner at Stoney River and dessert at Krispy Kreme (a Hall favorite!).  It was wonderful.  Isn't it amazing how much fun it is to eat without children when you have children?  I mean the fact that I got through an entire meal without being sticky, having to threaten Scooter with a trip to the ladies room, AND I got to chew my food was HEAVENLY!!  What a great night with the man of my dreams.  Thank you Janet for taking care of my girls so that I could go and enjoy myself. 

It's funny how some things seem like they were yesterday and other's like they were a hundred years ago.  I cannot believe that Doc and I have only been married for 4 years.  It seems like ten.  Now, I mean that in a nice way, not like IT SEEMS LIKE TEN!! ;)  We have just done SO much in 4 years!  We have gotten him out of school, moved three times, had three children, and started a business!  I mean seriously folks, we are not wasting any time here at the Hall house.  It has by far been the most stressful, taxing, difficult, fun, wonderful, amazing, blessed four years of my life, and I wouldn't trade a moment of it!!

I am so grateful for the husband that I have.  I an grateful that he is honest with me.  I am grateful that is strong and determined.  I am grateful that I can trust him completely without hesitation.  I am grateful that he works so hard to provide for us.  I am grateful that he loves me so much. And don't tell him, but I am grateful that he is careful and deliberate about EVERYTHING.  For those of you who don't know him, Doc is not impulsive.  At all. Ever.  And as frustrating as that is at times, I think that it is a wonderful trait in the leader of the family.  Now there are times when it just plain drives me nuts.  For instance, when he was in school he needed a back pack we looked at the same backpack three times before he bought it.  I mean we actually went to the store three different times, it was unreal.  By the end of it, I was like JUST BUY THE BACKPACK!!! Sweet, sweet Doc.  He just wants to be SURE and sometimes he misses out, or we do, but most of the time his patience pays off.  The truth is that I pretty much get everything that I want. So really if I am just patient, which I am, it always works out in my favor ;). 

I am going to be honest with you, I really don't even remember my life before Doc. I mean I do, but I don't.  Truthfully, most of the things that I did before him, I  remember with him there. It was always just so easy for us.  We were married very quickly, because it was just easy.  That's how I believe it should be.  Easy.  I am so blessed to have a husband that makes it easy, I realize that is not always the case.  Four years of easy and 50 more to go, what a great future I have to look forward too ;).  We have so much more life to live together. There will be joy and sorrow, trials and tragedy, and plenty of bumps along the way.  I rest peacefully in the fact that I have him to live it with and know that God is walking along side of us planning each step.  

Happy Friday my friends!

Melanie

How do you peel a cantaloupe?

It's Friday, I have made breakfast for Doc, cleaned the house, bathed Scooter and Clyde (her daddy's new nickname), given my blog a face lift, made a journal entry for each of the girls, talked to my mom, my brother and my dad. It sounds like I have been very productive, but the truth is I am standing here eating left over cheeseless pizza, listening to Miley Cyrus sing a ridiculous song while still in my pjs. Aaahhhh...the freedom that is the stay at home mom.

I love the weekends, live for them. I know that sounds absolutely ridiculous considering that I am home everyday of the week. I mean honestly, there are days that I wake up wondering if it is Tuesday or Wednesday. But Friday I know! Friday afternoon starts 60 hours with Doc and that my friends makes me very happy! ;)

Doc is what most of you would call a "keeper". A keeper means that there are more goods than bads, pros than cons, ups than downs, positives than negatives...okay yeah you get it, sorry I got a little carried away. He is by far the best man I have ever met which is why I agreed to marry him 6 months after we started dating. I am not stupid.

Now, I know everyone has things that they love about their husband. Maybe yours keeps the grass cut, buys you flowers, vacuums, is handy around the house, makes you laugh, maybe he washes you car, pumps your gas, maybe he knows that right flavor of ice cream to bring you on the worst of days, maybe he writes in his cards rather than just buying a lengthy one, maybe he helps change diapers, gets up with the babies, maybe he's just a really good dad, or maybe, if you are really blessed like I am, he does ALL of that AND since you have been married you have never had to peel your own cantaloupe. I know, I know, it sounds too good to be true, but it is.

I am telling you I am no dummy, I knew what I was doing when I dumped (he who will not be named) for my sweet Doc. The truth is I had already married the wrong guy, so I was really hoping to marry the right one this time. It took me a little longer to find him than I would have like, so I don't think we'll get our football team like we were hoping, but he sure makes pretty little girls!

Mignon McLaughlin, an American Journalists, said it perfectly when she said, "A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person". And she should have followed it with, "a good husband makes this a lot easier".

I am looking forward to my weekend with my chiropractor. I know that whether we are busy or not (which we are this weekend we actually have PLANS with people that live in TN!!) it will be awesome because he makes it so easy to fall in love with him over and over again. In addition to that, I have a ripe cantaloupe in the fridge ;). Can't wait to see you baby!!

Enjoy your weekend friends, I know I will!!
xoxoxo
Melanie

oh, p.s. I hope you like the new page! If you can think of anything I should add send me an email or a comment!

Till death do us part.

I just got off of the phone with one of my closest and dearest friends. She and I grew up together and her family is like my family. I was talking to her about the hell that is going on in her family right now, both of us trying to understand why things happen. I just imagine the people that she and I both love trying to understand what it is they did wrong or what they could have done differently and all I can think to do for them is pray.

I don't really understand the thought process that goes with abandonment. I mean seriously how do you wake up one day and decide that you don't want to live with your kids? With your spouse? How do you justify throwing away your time, your memories, your love? I think of the sea of excuses that people use; money, lust, happiness, midlife crisis, addiction, career I am sure there are many more I have not thought of. Truthfully, I cannot come up with one excuse good enough to walk away from my babies. Not one.

Now understand, I get it, I do. I get that relationships end, marriages crumble, love dies. I understand that if ignored long enough, anyone can/will look for the attention they need elsewhere. I get that all relationships take work, attention, tenderness, and respect and without these things they are sure to fail. I am aware of the boundaries that must be set in order to protect my family, my marriage and how inconvenient those are at times. What I do not understand is how when you realize that your marriage is in jeopardy, why do people seem to turn away from one another rather than towards each other?

Think about it, if our best friend is in trouble, we take their hand and walk through fire with them. If our child is in danger, we risk our lives to save them if we can. If our parents are sick we put our lives one hold for weeks to tend to them. So why is it that if our marriage is in trouble, in danger, or sick, our response is to turn away from our spouse? This is the ONLY relationship that we vow too in the presence of our Lord. Should this not be the one that we work the hardest for? Sacrifice the most for? What does the Lord tell us about marriage?

Ephesians 5 tells us:
Wives submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife as Christ is head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her. In this same way husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, noone ever hated his own body, but he feeds it and cares for it....

I Peter 3 tells husbands:
Husbands be considerate as you live with your wives and treat them with respect...

Titus 2:5 tells wives:
Be self controlled and pure, be busy at home, be kind and subject to their own husbands....

Malachi 2:15:
Has the Lord not made them one? In flesh and spirit they are His. And why one? Because He was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in spirit and do not break faith with the wife of your youth.

This is it friends, clearly spelled out for us in His word. He tells us exactly what we need to do to make it work. He tells us to submit, to be considerate, to respect, to have self control, to be gentle with one another, to be kind and not to break faith. Sounds to me like this is a pretty good recipe for a healthy marriage. As usual He just proves over and over again that He knew what He was doing when He created us. Marraige was His idea, not ours. He knows what it will take to make it work.

As I sit here and write I think about all of the failing marriages. I think about the ones that have been over for years, the ones that are ending now and the ones that are crumbling beneath themselves as I write. I pray and beg for them not to turn away from each other. I ask you friends to treat your marriage as you would your child, your parent, your best friend. Who quits on their best friend? I urge you to turn to your Lord and let Him remind you what it takes to make a marriage work. Yes, it will take everyday and no it will not always be easy. But my dear friends, keep in mind that He created marriage and isn't what He created awesome? ;)

Reaching the hedges.

Hello friends, Oh how I have missed you!! We have been so very busy here at the Hall home in good ole Franklin TN. The weekend was wonderful with all four of us home for the first time in a while. Lots of time with daddy for the girls, we loved it!! We spent Saturday morning at the Loveless Cafe and Saturday afternoon was spent napping and doing yard work. Okay, I admit it, I was doing more napping than yard work. Truthfully, I don't do yard work. Yard work for me is right up there with lists. I hate it. But, like lists, I have accepted that it must be done, there is no way around it and therefore I married a man that will do it for me ;). What can I say? I know how to pickem'.

Poor Scooter, she is terrified of all lawn maintenance appliances. Is that what they are called? Appliances? You know, mowers, weed eaters, hedge trimmers, blowers. Okay so, Sunday we went to The Home Depot. Obviously, again not striving for the Parent of the Year award, I sent Scooter in with her daddy to buy a blower and a hedge trimmer. I know, I know, I really did not think this one through. There I sat in the car with sleeping Presley, and out comes Doc with Scooter. Apparently, she was not even able to make it down the blower isle so he had to bring her back to the car to finish shopping.

So I am standing there buckling our traumatized two year old into her seat, assuring her that everything is okay and there is no reason to be scared of the 200 blowers that we just exposed her too in the world of terror that we call The Home Depot, and Doc is telling me about our choices. You know the drill. Some you plug in, some you don't, some are 50 dollars some are 300. A 300 dollar blower? I don't think so folks. Anyway, you get my point. So I laugh and I tell him, "don't get the ones that you PLUG IN, I encouraged him to spend the extra 30 bucks and just buy decent NOT ELECTRIC appliances. I mean after all he will probably be blowing leaves and trimming hedges for a few more years seeing as we can not afford to hire a lawn man and unless a certain really hot place gets really cold, I am not doing either.

So I sit and wait and wait and wait while imagining my sweet, frugal, thoughtful husband standing there deliberating over which blower and hedge trimmer to buy and how much they cost. Finally, out he comes, I pop the trunk he puts them in quickly so as not to put Scooter through anymore horror and off we go. A few minutes later I ask what he got. He proceeds to tell me that he did in fact buy a blower as well as a hedge trimmer. Awesome! Now he can do everything he needs to do to maintain this massive yard that is not ours for the next year. Then he says, "I did get the ones that you plug in". I laughed and looked at him knowing full well he was kidding. You see where this is going don't you? Yes, he bought the blower AND the hedge trimmer that you plug in. It took him a few minutes to assure me that he was not kidding. I looked at him like he was nuts and said, "How do you expect it to reach all of the hedges on the property". He replied, "I bought 200 feet of extension cord". And there you have it friends.

The other woman.

Dr. Hall works 45 to 60 hours a week. He gets up before 7 AM and home after 6 PM and those are his short days. By the time he gets home the girls are usually fed and bathed and sometimes already in the bed. Our bed time here at the Hall house is 7:30 PM. I personally think that is perfect. That gives me about two and a half hours after they are down to tie up lose ends and take a break and still get enough sleep to recharge for the next day.

For a long time those two and a half hours were spent with Doc, catching up, hanging out, making out, whatever we wanted to do with that time. ;) Now that time is spent with me on the computer and Shawn on the lawn mower. I am not kidding you, it is 8:15 PM and he is outside with the headlight on the Huskee mowing the grass.

Now in all fairness I have to tell you that we rent a house on 5 acres and we are responsible for 2 of them. We agreed to this upfront when we rented the house. However, once lawn care season began we quickly realized that neither Shawn nor myself knew how big 2 acres was. You may laugh, but I ask you, do YOU know how big 2 acres is?

It is clear that Shawn and I did not grow up on a farm or for that matter even on a large yard. That was made even clearer by the fact that the only lawn mower we had when we rented the house was a 7 year old PUSH mower.

Quickly we realized that we had two choices and two choices only: 1) We could pay someone to keep the grass cut or 2) We could buy a lawn mower. So, we priced both and what we learned was that the going rate to cut 2 acres of grass in Franklin TN is $65. I know what you are thinking, $65 twice a month...it may be worth it just to save the time. I thought the same thing. Then we realized that the people on our street cut their grass twice a WEEK. Seriously, do the math, $65 times 2 is $130 a week for lawn care at a house that we do not even own. I think NOT. So I went out and I bought a brand new 46 inch Huskee riding mower aka "the other woman".

- The Bitch

This is when the saying "time is money" applies at my house. Had I known that Doc would be spending his evenings with "the other woman" over the next three months rather than with me, I can assure you that I would have justified the $130 a week. But my friends, it is too late, she has consumed him and I am no match for her. So as he continues his love affair with she who will not be named, I will be with you sharing my day over a cup of hot chocolate and watching what decent TV I can find on the four channels available to me. Yes, I said 4 channels. That is a story for another day.

Is there a doctor in the house?!?

Shawn is an upper cervical doctor. That is why we moved to Franklin, so that we could start a practice and a life here. Being married to a doctor certainly has it's perks, I haven't personally gotten to experience any of those just yet, but I know they are coming. ;) At this point in our lives being married to a doctor equates to lots of debt, long hours, and a stressed out husband. Not exactly a glamorous life, but the one that I agreed to and would agree to 1000 times over again.

There are all types of husbands, good, bad, funny, handsome, ugly, mean, sweet, quiet, loud, obnoxious, you pick an adjective and I can find you a husband that fits it! My husband has four main adjectives that describe him in no particular order: devoted, hilarious, anal and beautiful. We have been married for almost 4 years. Some would argue that 4 years is plenty of time to know the ins and outs of your spouse and be settled down just enough to realize that the "honeymoon period" is over. However, our honeymoon has yet to end. We are crazy in love and he is my very best friend.


(The never-ending honeymoon;))

I tell you this not to brag, even though it is something to brag about. I tell you this because I think that people don't talk about GOOD marriages anymore. Think about it, when is the last time you were sitting with a girlfriend and she said "I gotta tell you, I just LOVE my husband!". I mean seriously, that does not happen much anymore. Usually, in my world, if someone is talking about their husband it is to either complain about something that they forgot to do or something that they have done that was a bad idea.

So, I have decided that when I write about my husband, I am going to write about the good stuff. Now, understand we are not perfect, he is not perfect and I by no means intend to paint that picture. However, I think everyone needs to know there are good marriages even in homes that are full of everyday stress just like mine and yours.

In addition to that I intend to stay in the "honeymoon period" as long as possible, and focusing on the good stuff has to be a good start to that right!?