Two of my most favorite people...

My daughter Isabella Zara, and my husband Thomas "snuggle-cuddling" while watching tv together last night.

Isabella.....The Bella.....Bellerina....My Bellaboo....my third and long-awaited child. I had to wait so long for you to come into my life, and you've far surpassed all my hopes and dreams. You are so beautiful with your head full of curls and those green-green-green eyes you got from Daddy. The sound of your laughter is so infectious that surely world peace could be achieved if only everyone could hear it. I love how when you really smile, you crinkle up your nose just like me. Your skin is so fair as to be almost translucent, and yet so impossibly baby soft still and more fragrant than any exotic flower. I love how you give me "ten kisses, plus one more for good luck". We taught you the Kissing Game to work on your counting, but the "one more" was entirely your creation. I love how all you know of life is love. You are still so innocent to the harshness of this world, and although some day you will be hurt by it, I can rejoice that you have first had a firm foundation of love, affection, and unconditional acceptance. I love how music transports you, how it invades your soul, and propels you to dance. Watching you at your first ballet class nearly made my heart explode with joy and pride. I love your enthusiastic boldness for all things new and unexperienced. I love how you still think I have all the answers and can fix anything that goes wrong. I know that won't last so I am savoring every last drop of it now while I can! I love how your temple smells the sweetest, and I can feel your pulse with my lips when I kiss you there.....

...apparently Daddy knows this too! You are just my Princess and are adored as such. Some people say we "spoil" you.....but they're just morons who don't know nothin' 'bout nothin'!!!! It is too perfectly acceptable to buy you every Disney Princess thingy that comes down the road!!! Hello? It's for The Bella!!!!! Duh!!!

And then there is my husband, Thomas. Husband, best friend, soul mate. You make me laugh every day, and in marriage that's a pretty effective tool for keeping a gal around!! You dazzle me with those green-green-green eyes you gave our daughter. Your strong arms make me feel more safe than anything, and I know you've been trained to kill to protect those you love. As the wife of a soldier I get to mess around with government property, and that never fails to thrill me!! I'm so proud of the work you do, and how even though you have to leave for a year at a time, repeatedly!, you are making history in preserving freedom around the world. I love watching you shave in the mornings; making faces at you in the mirror and how you pretend to be angry with me for doing it. I love how when I say, "Thomas, honey....I was thinking....", you just smile and really listen to me, and never roll your eyes at whatever hair-brained scheme I've come up with next. I love how having you in my life makes the journey an exciting, unexpected adventure instead of the "same ole, same ole" that others suffer with. I love how you smell so good and just so manly, disgusting flatulence excepted of course, without ever needing cologne. I love how you will go clothes shopping with me, while never letting it show that it's sucking your will to live. I love to watch you and Isabella play together; to see that overwhelming love in action. I love how you understand, or just accept, that yes, I really do need yet another pair of black pumps, kitchen gadget, piece of jewelry, box of stationary, workout video, purse, cross stitch kit, coffee mug, etc, etc, etc without a single upraised eyebrow or sarcastic comment. You are a man who understands that retail therapy is just something a woman needs sometimes. I love how you picked me, and me alone, above all others, to be your wife, to have and to hold, to love, honor and cherish, till death do us part.

My Favorites!!

So these are the things I think about when I have mornings like today. Mornings when you BOTH are acting like total brats and need just one good finger-flick to the forehead to help you snap outta your whiney, bratty moods. You are both too old for temper tantrums and y'all really make me wanna pull my hair out when you act that way - and first thing in the morning, when you know I'm not a morning person to begin with!!!!! GRRRRRRR!!!!!!!! Please stop making be that person, that red-headed biotch who laser-eyes you and gets so mad she can't even remember your name! Don't make me angry! You won't like me when I'm ANGRY!!!!!

*cleansing breath*

*refocusing*

*all that mumbo-jumbo-new-age-yoga crap I don't really believe in*

A-hem......yes....that is when I mentally step back and remember how much I love you, how much you bring to the table of our lives, how empty my life would be without you both. So no matter what, I will love you....more than the sun and the moon and the stars, forever and ever, amen!

But just so ya know, you guys can really work my nerves!!!!!! Jus' sayin'.