Letters to Erry'body! =)

This has pretty much been how I've felt for the past week.

Dear Readers,

There are seriously no words to describe how grateful I feel for all of the encouragement you've offered me this past week.  In the past seven days, I've posted  1...2....3 really depressing posts.  And y'all left comments and sent e-mails and prayed for me & my husband.  Thank you endlessly...know that what y'all said to me helped.  And I promise this post is happy.  :)  Y'all are the best and even though my husband things I'm crazy, I'm so thankful for this community that I sort of stumbled into.

Dear Mr. Robinson,

I just love you.  It's been a rough week for us & I know I don't have to tell you that.  We've both felt some not-so-happy things.  But right now, in this moment, I'm just thankful to be on this journey with you.  There are lots of things on the horizon for us, perhaps even you becoming a Pastor someday, and it's exciting to think of all the possible adventures we could be starting soon.  I love you.  I support you.  You are the man.  I'm overjoyed to know that we will not let Satan win & that we are in this fight against him together - for better or for worse.  And also, I'm so glad (!!!!) this week is over.  Haha! 

Dear Momma,

I am pretty sure you don't read my blog.  But I've told you about it and given you a link, so it's possible.  Anyway.  Thank you for all you do for me.  Thank you for always having the best advice and for  being able to put me in my place by telling me when I'm wrong...because sometimes I' can't see it.  I love you & I'm thankful for you & the wisdom you speak into my life.  :) 

Dear God,

My prayer all week has been that you will heal my marriage, and now I'm praying that you will heal our church.  There is just so much going on right now - we are tired of trying to wrap our brains around something we may never understand.  We don't want Satan to win the battle for our church, and I don't want to give up on the souls within that church.  Maybe walking away from it all would be letting Satan win, but how can we stay associated with a church that's adding to the Bible?  Where is the line?  The victory is not ours to win... so I just pray that you'll guide our thoughts and actions so that we glorify You.  Your will be done, not ours..and I pray that You just reveal to us what You'd have us do in this incredibly difficult situation.

Satan,

Listen up.  You've been at my house, you've been at my heart, you've been at my church.  And you can take it somewhere else.  Do what you will to me, my family, the people I care about.  We will not stop serving our Father.  We will not turn from Him, because He is faithful and you are destructive.  You have nothing to offer.  I have no interest in you - I have no interest in entertaining you.  Consider yourself kicked out.  

Dear Church,

I have called you home for as long as I can remember, even when I was running from God I considered you my home church.  And I'm confused by learning things about you that I don't really think are very Christ-like.  There are so many things right now that I just don't understand.  I'm sure your opinion of me has changed.  I'm sure some of you think less of my husband and my parents.  But why?  I mean, how can you expect more out of us than Jesus does?    

 Dear Yoda,

You are turning out to be such a good dog!  I'm so happy we adopted you.  :)  You are slowly becoming house-trained, we are learning each other, and it's fun.  Your personality is so different from Zombie's.  You are very hard to photograph since you are solid black.  You have a fat tummy and you eat more than I would have guessed.  You're afraid of doors, which is weird.  You copy everything Zombie does and it's funny to watch.  It's fun when people compliment you - you have already been chosen over Zombie twice.  I think Zombie is a little jealous of the attention we give you.  Plus, you're really hyper and I think it gets on his nerves sometimes.  You're all puppy, and while that's fun...I do look forward to your "adult" years.  :)  A few things to remember:  mommy's a crazy driver & you're just going to have to adjust; stop taking Zombie's treats from him or you'll never be friends; stop making our home smell like really rank poo.  I love your floppy ears.  I love that you stay close when we're all outside.  You're a happy boy.  I'm happy you are ours & that we are yours.  :)  Welcome to the nut house family!  

Dear Zombie,

You'll always be my "first born."  We love you.  You get to snuggle at bed time and do things your little brother will probably never do.  I know you feel left out because of the attention Yoda's been getting.  But we love you.  You are enough - we didn't get another dog because you weren't enough for us.  You are!  But he needed us.  And I hope one day you like him!  =)

Dear Self,
Am I crazier for writing letters to you or for writing letters to two dogs?  The world may never know.  :)

Happy Friday Erry'body!

Oh, and I'm trying to do better about using Instagram to capture stuff since I've not been blogging as much lately.  So...if that kind of thing interests you, find me.  My insta-name is "KRob8fo3"  Kbye. 

Bike Rides

I made a comment in passing to my grandma about how I'd like to ride bikes down our 1/2 mile gravel driveway...we were just talking about exercising and being outside!  Well, she gave us two bikes!  =))  I've loved being outside and being active - all while admiring the beauty around me.  I especially love having my husband ride along with me instead of doing it alone.  I guess the only downside is that our eyeballs like to catch bugs.  Gross.  And after we've rode our bikes for several miles, we kind of walk like cowboys.  ;)  Enjoy some pictures we snapped along the way!

And then we got Zombie a basket!  :)  Mr. Robinson got tired of carrying Zombie after...oh...5 or 6 miles.  And the poor little puppy can barely run along side us for one mile.

What are you doing to stay active this spring?!  It's SO gorgeous outside!! 

My Ugly Cry Face

Last night, my husband left me.  

Well, kind of.  He had to go upstate for training and since the drive took over 3 hours, the company he works for put him in a hotel for the night.  He'll have to do this several times this month, but to be honest ... I was kind of looking forward to him leaving and giving me some alone time.  Before he quit his job, I was accustomed to him leaving for work before me and coming home after me.  I got boo-koodles of alone time.  With his new job, that alone time has hit the pavement and he's there when I leave and he's there when I come home, with few exceptions.  I was missing my alone time, and was looking forward to catching up on it while he's away at training!  He'll be spending several nights away from home this month and I was excited.  

Until it was time for him to leave.

I was sobbing...clutching to him as we laid on the floor.  I have an ugly cry face.  He said he was flattered.

My face was all red, my nose was all swollen, and I had snot coming out of my nose.  Quite unflattering, yet he felt flattered.  After he left, Zombie did something cute and I calmed down.  

Then, we snuggled and watched The Backup Plan for the first time.  It was SO good!  Except that I was already emotional for my husband leaving for the night, so I cried over a romantic comedy...like a baby.  And then I realized that I still miss him when he's gone.  I really didn't want him to leave and I really didn't need the alone time I so desperately missed.  I love him!  This month will be full of changes for us, and I hope that watching him leave for work gets easier.  But then, I kind of don't.  I hope I never become numb or immune to missing the man God created with me in mind.  I love being with him and even though we drive each other crazy sometimes, at the end of the day I want to be with him.  

And when that's not possible, I make an ugly cry face.  

Surprise Panties!

It sounds naughty, but it's not!  I am actually thrilled to death because this is the first time that my husband has spontaneously surprised me.  He's given me presents and stuff....and he's surprised me...but this is my first "for no reason" gift and it deserves a post all to itself.  Especially since the post earlier this morning was about our usual fights.  (Click here to check it out!  It's pretty amazing, if I do say so myself!)  (And don't forget to click that lil' button on the left side bar to sign up for our Color Run Team & Blogger Meet Up in Charlotte, NC!!)  Moving on...   

We drove to church separate on Wednesday night because the plan was for Mr. R to attend his men's Bible study after the service.  However, the service ran late and the guys decided to postpone their meeting again.  However, we still had two cars at church.  So after I finished talking to everyone, I got in my car and went home.  I noticed in my rear-view mirror that my hubby was talking to my parents.  I thought it was odd, but figured he was just checking out their new car or something.  Whatever, I head on down the road towards our house.  Once I'm home, I get on the computer and start poking around.  Shortly after, he walks in the door and starts throwing these small little packages at my face.  These little, tiny baggies are flying all over the living room and I was confused.  Did not understand what was going on.  

I picked them up.  I opened one.  They were panties!!  :)  And not just panties, Victoria's Secret panties!!  And not just VS panties, San Francisco Giant's VS panties!!!  Let me explain my excitement...

You guys remember Zombie, right?  Our pet chihuahua?!  :)  

Zombie's favorite snack is...you guessed it...my dirty panties.  He has no use for clean panties.  Just the worn-ones.  And apparently, he prefers my really, really cute ones.  Slowly but surely, my stash of cute little panties have turned into dinner and I'm stuck with a drawer full of granny-panties and holy panties that used to be cute.  I've been saying for months now that I'm going to buy some more panties.  I just haven't done it, yet.  Remember...money could be getting a little tight soon with Mr.'s new job.  I didn't want to be selfish...I didn't want to buy something unnecessary because, as unattractive as my panties are, they are still functional.  New panties are not necessary.  I also have expensive taste, so if I'm going to buy something...I'm going to buy what I want.  Anyway.  So that's the story about why I have ugly panties.

Also, my husband is a HUGE SF Giants fan because of their pitcher, Tim Lincecum.  (Mostly because he thinks they looked alike when my hubby had long hair.  I'll let you be the judge...)

(Left:  Mr. Robinson, Right:  Tim Lincecum)

Thus was born....the surprise panties!  :)  I love my sweet hubby and the little ways he brightens my day!  The panties are super comfy, they're a style I haven't tried before but they look pretty awesome on my boo~tay.  :)  Also, they're the hubs' favorite team.  We are all pleased, ;)  Except, maybe, for Zombie...who will never get his grubby little puppy paws on these undies!  

He gave me one other pair, but they aren't showing up on the VS website and I'm no super model, so those won't be appearing on the blog.  :)  I just love him to pieces...he's such an awesome provider for our family in both big and small ways.  :-D

Appreciate The Small Things

It is so important to appreciate the small things in life, isn't it?  One thing I love about blogging is that it gives me the opportunity to document the small things and receive "small things" in comments that  brighten my day.  I came across this story on Facebook this morning and had to share it with you guys.  It really made me stop and think... goosebumps will do that to you.
...

A man stood in a metro station in Washing DC playing a violin on a cold January morning.  For 45 minutes, he played six Bach pieces.  During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that about 1,100 people went through their station - most on their way to work.
Three minutes passed.  A middle-aged man noticed music, slowed his pace, stopped for a few seconds, and hurried off.  A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip by a women who threw the money in without stopping.  A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him play.  He looked at his watch, realized he was late for work, and shuffled off.  The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy.  His mother was rushing him along, but the child stopped to listen.  The mother kept pushing the child to walk.  Several other children tried to stop and listen while their parents forced them to move on.  
In the 45 minutes while the violinist played, only 6 people stopped.  About 20 people gave him money, but continued to walk their normal pace.  He collected $32.  When he finished playing, silence took over and no one noticed that the music had stopped.  There was no applause or recognition.  
Nobody knew, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the most talented musicians in the world.  He had just played one of the most intricate and difficult pieces ever written on a violin worth $3.5 million.  Two days before playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where seats averaged $100 each.

This is a real story.  Joshua Bell playing incognito in a metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste, and priorities.  The goal was to determine if, in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?  do we stop to appreciate it?  do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?       

One possible conclusion from this experiment could be... if we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing some of the best music every written, what else are we missing?

This story gave me chills...I hate to think what all I have missed.  What extraordinary moments have I overlooked because I was busy?   It's the little things, guys.     It's a sleeping puppy sticking the tip of his tongue out for no reason...

It's a really good lunch.
It's waking up in the morning.  
What are your little things? 
I'm linking this post up with the Wish Out Loud Blog Hop!  {You still have 4 days to link up and make a wish!}  My wish is that I stop letting the little things pass me by...I wish the same for you.  

Friday's Letters

Dear Friday,  I am so happy to see you.  You don't even know.
Dear Amber,  I have read every single one of the "Share Your Story" posts you've featured.  Every Friday, I learn something new or meet somebody new.  Thank you for doing this!
Dear My Nail Lady,  Thank you for making my nails fa-reaking adorable yesterday! 

  Dear Kale,  I learned some pretty cool stuff about you today from Christin when I read this post and this post.  Come to find out, you are packed full of anti-cancer stuff AND a chemical that helps boost DNA cell repair.  That's pretty awesome.  I plan on buying you next time I'm at the grocery store.  
Dear Zombie,  I'm sure you think that our visit to the vet this morning was made because I hate you.  I swear I don't.  I love you.  And you are a fat, healthy, good boy!  You weighed 7.7 pounds!  You got a clean bill of health!  You didn't whine or cry when you got your shots.  And it only cost us $232.00 for the visit + 6 months of pet-meds!  So, I guess that means we'll both spend our day pouting.  
Dear Healthier Lifestyle,  You are working!  It's so much fun loosing weight!  :)  I've almost lost 10 pounds...if I could lose this last pesky pound I'd be able to say I've lost 10.  When I get there, I'll only have 30 more lbs left to drop!  :)  I've enjoyed eating healthier...I've enjoyed the extra energy!  I'm loving that I am starting to fit into some of my old clothes again.  I can already tell a difference in my  body & in my self-confidence level.  If I could get back to where I was in 2007, I would be unstoppable.  

 
Dear TreadClimber,  I haven't been on you since I was in the 11th grade.  That was about 6 years ago.  Today, when I get off work, we meet again.  Let's try to play nice and be friends, okay?  :)  This is my first day working out in a super long time, so I know I might look like a stranger.  But I promise, you'll recognize me soon if you just go along with it for a while.  
Dear Husband,  We've been off-beat lately.  I don't like it.  I love being married to you, but sometimes I miss being wooed, and sometimes that makes me cranky.  A cranky me usually starts arguments.  Please put those pieces together soon...
Dear God,  We have so many prayers.  We are praying for Mr. Robinson to find a job he enjoys, we are praying for guidance on the mission trip to Kenya, we are praying for our marriage, we are praying for so many things.  Thank You for all of the blessings You've already sprinkled on us.  Thank You for saving us.  Forgive us if we aren't thankful enough.  
Dear People Looking For Jobs,  STOP coming into MY OFFICE on my LUNCH BREAK.  I'm eating.  Does it look like I want to hand you an application?  No!  And while I'm at it, I could care less what position you're applying for.  I could care less that this is a factory.  Do not come in here to ask for an application  like this: "Yo, y'all hirin'?  Lemme get a app-la-cation."   
Dear New Blog Layout,  I like you a-lot!
  What's on your mind this beautiful Friday?  :)   

Zombie

Meet Zombie, The Chihuahua!

We are some of those crazy people who think that dogs are people.  Sorry.  Zombie is just so funny and weird and quirky.  Also, I tend to call him Zombie-Girl because...well...he acts like a girl sometimes.  And maybe we paint his toenails.  In any event, he's a great snuggler and source of entertainment.

This is what he looks like when he poops.  & no..we don't know why.

We are just one happy, little, quirky family!

If you don't understand or if you think we're weird, that's fine.  I think people with lots of kids are weird.  The Mister & I don't really care for kids a whole lot but are HUGE dog lovers.  Take it or leave it.  We think Zombie is just PRECIOUS and hope to get him a doggie-brother or sister or lover real soon!  XO's!