Tag Archives: love

Trophy Husband

Wow! Today David and I have been married for 35 years! That’s a very, Very, VERY long time.

I think David probably deserves some kind of a large trophy (other than me, hee hee ;-)) for putting up with me for so long (would that make him a trophy husband?) but I’m going to give him this list of songs that mean something over the years.

1. We fell in love at NTTC Corry Station. This is a place where members of all branches of the military were sent for MOS training after boot camp. Due to the average age of the residents, it earned the name Corry Junior High. We spent a lot of evenings there hanging out at the EM (Enlisted Members) Club socializing and dancing. We danced a lot to Always and Forever by Heatwave and it became our first song.

2. Our second song, in the next decade, comes from Motley Crue. While I love all of the lyrics in this song, the line, “Let me be me all along” is particularly important to me. Even if I wasn’t the strong, confident person I am today, he was still always my biggest champion. “Knowing someday I’d grow strong” even if I made him crazy in the process.

3. Nothing Else Matters by Metallica kind of typifies our life. “Life is ours, we live it our way.” We don’t live like other people do and you may have thought we were nuts when we decided to live in an RV in 2012 or any of the other wild and wonderful things we do. But if he wanted to go live in a box on a beach, I’d be right there beside him. And nothing else matters.

4. We knew each other for around three months when we got married. “They” said it wouldn’t last, we wouldn’t make it. “They” – many of them – didn’t make it “But just look at us holding on. We’re still together still going strong” and that’s why You’re Still The One by Shania Twain is on this list. When I first heard that song I thought, holy moly, Shania Twain wrote a song about us!

5. Nobody Does it Better by Carly Simon because, well, um, you know… the spy who loves me. 😉

6. Sister by The Nixons is about being separated. Which we are a lot. The line in this song that really does it for me is “Here we are again saying goodbye, Still we fall asleep underneath the same sky”. That thought brings me comfort when he’s so far away knowing that we look up and share the sky because half of me breathes in him.

7. Well, as you know, we now have the glambaby and we have a music CD in the car for her. When this song came on one time, David made a crack related to a particularly icky situation and now it’s an inside joke. Every time I hear this song, I laugh at the bad situation. Cool, no? 🙂

8. I’m a big jazz fan. When I hear I Only Have Eyes For You, I think I’d like to sing that to David. But he’d probably put his hands on his ears as he ran away. 😉 In 2012, my friend Cynthia sang this song for us at a club in Tulsa. She is awesome, the song is awesome, David is awesome. I’m going to include the Ella Fitzgerald version because Ella is awesome, too. (I’m not doing very well at using other words instead of awesome, am I?)

9. So? What ringtone do you have for your sweetie? I have Let’s Get It On by Marvin Gaye. The first time my phone rang like that, I was in a quiet, QUIET, clothing store. LOL! It makes me laugh every time I hear it. And it’s better than the dog barking he has for me. 😉

10. Happy is the last song on my list. I have heard about this song for months now but never actually heard it until a few days ago. I love it. And I am clapping. We are clapping because we’re happy. I was super excited to see this song as an option at Jib Jab because it seems like a fun way to share the last song on my list. 🙂 (I cannot get this video to stay centered for the life of me. I guess it takes after me. ;-))

So there you have it! The ten songs that remind me of our 35 year marriage. I want to wish David, the co-author of my life and the most fabulous husband a girl could ask for a very Happy Anniversary. Thank you so much for hanging out with me and not giving up when I was a crazy person. Thank you for the boys and the coffee you pour me every morning and for making me laugh. I love you beyond all reason. And that thing about living in a box on the beach above? Don’t try it, mister. 😉

Book Review: Rich In Love

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Rich In Love by Lindi Peterson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book! I was immediately drawn into the story of Ann, the daughter of a missionary, who never knew her father. After her father dies, she is called to Florida for a reading of the will where here life will change forever.

Ann learns that in order for her and her newly found sister to receive the inheritance from her father, she must spend a million dollars in a month. But the purchases can only be paid for by the debit card that Brett holds. It’s a great love story between Ann and Brett but, more importantly a love story between Ann and Jesus. As Ann is confused about what to do, here mother comes back from the mission fields and tells her to go after what she wants. And she does.

I look forward to reading this author again! 🙂

View all my reviews

Book Review: The Marriage Bargain

Love Rehab

Guest blogger at Oklahoma Women Bloggers

A new kind of love

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We’ve been waiting for so long and after a very long day of labor, our first grandchild, Aniston Lee, was born at 8:59 p.m on Monday night. She weighed in at 5 lbs and 15 oz and measured 20 inches long.

She is long and skinny like her daddy was when he was born.

The first photo I saw was so completely precious to me and I couldn’t quit looking at it.

And there I was: falling in love with a photo of my child falling in love with his child.

Amazing. I really have no words.

People have told me that being a grandparent is one of the most awesome things you get a chance to do. And I have so looked forward to this part of my life. But I never, ever knew about the incredible range of emotions you feel when you’re on the brink of becoming Glammie and then when you finally hold that sweet baby in your arms for the first time.

It’s nothing short of incredible.

Watching Nikki with her is awesome. It’s like she was born to be Aniston’s mommy. I knew she’d be a good mom and I wasn’t wrong.

Geoff is just so tender with her. Delighted is the only word I can use to describe the look on his face at times.

It turns my heart inside out to watch him be her daddy.

I love this new kind of love we are all experiencing. Even if I did cry for another four hours on the drive back to Little Rock. 🙂

Glammie Boot Camp

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I spent this last week in Texas at, what we dubbed, Glammie Boot Camp. My best friend Denise and her husband both had to go to meetings out of state on the same week and I went to help them watch their four month old twins “Lauri” and “Laurence”.

You know that I’m going to be Glammie very soon (February 13!) to little Aniston Lee. But it’s been many, many years since I’ve hung out with and taken care of a baby. I was up for the challenge.

The babies are so sweet and snuggly and I enjoyed every last minute I got to play with and take care of them.

My first confusion came in the area of bottles. They don’t make bottles like they did when I had babies. I mostly breastfed anyway so I looked at this multi-pieced contraption with much confusion. I tried this way, then that way. Finally, doh!, I looked at a used bottle that hadn’t been disassembled and was able to figure out how to put the bottle together.

I was down on the floor with the babies and playing with them, entertaining them, coaching them to roll over which they each did for the first time!

The first night, I laid down in bed. Early. I thought I would die. I hurt everywhere. I felt like I used to feel after pageant weekend was over and I’d been on my feet in heels for days. I slept well! I heard the babies in the night but knew the night nanny had them and went back to sleep.

Fortunately, during the days, the babies’ Grande was there and there were two of us taking care of them. I’m not sure I could have done it alone even if I were younger. 😉

I was able to check out the cool toys for Aniston.

I purchased the monkey ball yesterday. Wee hoo wheeeeeeeeee!

He’s currently in the back of my car having a high time. I’ll leave him with Nikki today.

I still need to get the Baby Einstein jumper.

“Laurence” loves that thing and spends hours in it running and spinning the tunes. “Lauri” is still such a tiny thing that she is almost swallowed up by it. She does like it, just not for as long.

I scoped out the cute clothes.

Glitter socks! I’ve already ordered these and they are on their way. I KNOW Aniston must have them. 🙂

All in all, it was a fun and special week. I love those little guys so much and feel so honored that Denise and Jason would let me take care of them.

It was hard to leave them. But I’ll be back to visit in a couple of weeks. I can’t wait! I think I’m going to bring them balloons. 🙂

Today, I am sad

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I learned last night that my friend Whitney had passed away. Her husband had told me that she was in the ICU at Baptist Hospital a few weeks ago and we’ve been praying since.

Whitney was another wonderful twitter friend that had turned into an IRL friendship. She was so sweet and I’m happy I had a chance to know her, even for a short time.

I am a strong believer. I do believe that I will see Whitney again in Eternity.

I just finished the book Heaven is For Real by Todd Burpo. His son, Colton, spent some time in Jesus’ lap and returned to tell his family and friends about his experiences. If we are to believe Colton’s report, and I do, Jesus was the first person that Whitney saw and that comforts me.

This incredible sadness I feel comes when I think about her husband, Stephen, and their little boys and the loss they will bear. They remain in my prayers for the peace and comfort that only Jesus can bring.

It’s sad to think of a life cut short at the mere age of 34. But the Bible says that we are not promised tomorrow.

Be sure to tell those you love that you love them. Cherish them. Now and every day.

Lauri Rottmayer

Catch the Rottitude!