Threatening Strike

I've threatened going on strike around here before, many times, and a few times did. I'm feeling a strike coming on again and decided to blog about it! I know I've posted many of these "setbacks" on FB before but don't think I've ever put it all down. But the funny part, oh.my.god, does this make me sound like my mother! Only when I was a kid, she would threaten to run away. I just want to throw my hands up and say I'm on strike.

Two times a month I have a cleaning lady come to clean the house and she brings a helper. I affectionately call them the maids but her name is Mary. Mary keeps my sanity. I love Mary. I fight for Mary. Constantly defend her around this house. Every Thursday before Mary comes a ritual of words spew from my mouth, If you don't put it away, the maids will. Find a place to put it, or the maids will. I pay the maids to clean the house, not to pick up after you. Seriously, if we had a parrot, HE'D at least have this memorized by now! But nope, I'd get just as much satisfaction talking to a brick wall (again, my mother!).

But alas, fallen on deaf ears, the maids pick up stuff and put things away that causes apparent lack of common sense and brain function. The maids don't pick up items from one room and move them to another room. They don't distribute your crap throughout the house in a weak attempt at hide n seek for your enjoyment. If things are left out on a counter or table or desk they will neatly stack these items and if its right next to a drawer where the stack can be neatly put in said drawer, they will put them there. But my family seems to think the maids are in cahoots with fraggle rock or something, hiding away precious items in a cave under the house.

They've been very lucky (or very wise) not to blame me for missing things. But I often want to ask if "the maids took it" excuse is getting tiresome yet, cause it certainly is to me. Today I said you know what, everytime you find an item that you said the maids took, I think you should have to call Mary and apologize! And I promise you 90% of the time, the lost item is sitting right there, if it was a snake it would've bit ya (again, Mom), when the maids get blamed. We've found missing hair accessories in the bathroom drawer with other hair accessories (GASP! I know!), a missing loaf of bread in the...wait for it...PANTRY in the kitchen! Work uniforms that were dirty and on the floor in the...laundry hamper! Seriously, she MUST be fired!! How dare the logic!

And it only gets better! What cracks me up, and something I love to tell others about, is how I'm the only one that seems to know the answers to these questions:
Where do we keep the towels?
In the linen closet where they've been for 3 years.
Do we have any more toilet paper?
In the utility room pantry, right where you helped me put it away last time we unloaded groceries.
Where's my hat?
I've never worn your hat.
The maids did something with my hat.
OY VEY - STRIKE!

My soulmate

During November this year I have participated in the daily posts on FaceBook about what I'm thankful for. Many times I've wanted to say my husband but kept changing my mind saying I'm going to save the best for last. Tonight I was about to post my thanks to him again and thought there's no way I can give proper sentiments in a FB status update. I mean seriously, I could write a book! Just today he forewent mountain bike riding with a bunch of guy friends because when they invited him he said sorry guys, I promised my wife I'd take her to church in the morning. After that we came home, he worked on the yard a bit while I tried to brush the dogs. Then he took me to lunch. After lunch I needed a nap so he went into repair man mode and fixed a slow faucet and a leaky shower head after a trip to Home Depot. Then we watched a movie. For dinner I heated us up some leftovers and then he went with a small grocery list to the store and to my parents house to pick up our dishes and camera we left over there. I mean honestly, I'd fight for this man to the death! And that was all just today! But let's back up...

When David and I first met I remember a conversation early on about why women choose the men they do. David had been on enough dates where he didn't feel valued as a good man and quickly decided nope, definitely not long term material. He said he had started to believe that nice guys finished last. Girls were smitten over the guys that paid them little attention and could act and treat them like jerks. Forgetting to call, being nonchalant about seeing the girl again, etc. For some reason girls would strive for the attention of men like that. And he had a point. I had found myself stupidly caught up in that same situation a couple of times. You get along with someone great, they say all the things you wanted to hear and then poof, distance. I'd find myself trying to will the phone to ring just to get that guy to talk to me or want to see me again. Even though I might not have been in love, yet, it was heartbreaking. Luckily I would come to my senses and move on, not all girls could do that. After dates with David he'd text me wow, can't believe how amazing it is to be around you. And I felt likewise, and I felt safe with this guy. He would say things like, I can't tell you all the things running through my head because I don't want to scare you away. He meant he genuinely had butterflies about being with me, talking to me, seeing me and couldn't wait for each subsequent time together. But he was afraid I'd be scared off by this and neither of us wanted to move too quick. But I told him, I know how to appreciate a good man. And a good man, no, damn great man, he is! I truly feel sorry for any woman that has not or can not open their heart up to a good man and appreciate him.

David cares about me, he loves me, I have no doubts about our relationship and he looks out for my well being. But he's like that for his family and friends too, as long as you don't try taking advantage of him, he can catch onto that pretty fast. Throughout this pregnancy he's been my rock, my motivator and encourager and at my weak moments my life source. I KNOW I can count on him for anything. From little to big, he can handle it. But best yet, he can handle me. I'm FAR from easy to put up with but I respect the hell out of this man and find it much easier to compromise with him than probably any other person ever. And he no longer feels like nice guys finish last.

So today, and every day, I'm thankful for my David, my husband, my world.