Martha Metzler.com

This Friday & Saturday, my lovefriend Ashleigh and I decided to spontaneously go to my family’s mountain cabin with our babes. It was amazing. The leaves were changing and crunching under our feet. There was a chill in the air, a fire in the fireplace, Octoberfest beer and s’mores in my mouth. It was heaven. I won’t lie, I’ve been a bit weary lately and it was like therapy being around my Ashleigh again. I never have to pretend around her and we can be completely ridiculous, candid, and honest with each other. We can go from crying with each other to laughing about what we call our son’s peeties.

Our boys are pretty much already besties and Ash and I kept looking at each other saying, “We have kids! This is so weird!”

I love having a friend that gives me a run for my money comedy-wise. Ash is beautiful and friggin’ hilarious. Our poor husbands seek shelter when the two of us are together. Here are a few gems from our conversations.

“I don’t ever want to hear you say value-pack and underwear in the same sentence.”

“Should we get wine or beer? I’ll just get both.”

“It’s just been a really hard year you know? With the deployment and Amy Poehler and Will Arnett breaking up.”

“I don’t have Twitter but I just really want to hashtag.”

“I’m serious, I need to hear you promise me that you aren’t going to buy underwear that comes in a plastic bag.”

“Get new socks, you look ridiculous.”

“The more meatballs the better. Period.”

“What do you call his… you know.” “Tallywacker. You?” “His jukebox.” 

It’s amazing what best friends can do for the soul. Here are some pictures, and yes- I took about 300 pictures of Bud in the leaves and I can’t get rid of a single one!

sweet Porter

So sorry I’ve been MIA this week. It was one of those wretched weeks because Bud and I got hit with a gnarly stomach virus. It wiped us both out and my folks were out of town. Can I ask you something? Have you ever had to care of a vomiting toddler whilst vomiting yourself? No? Well, I have. And it was the worst two days of my life. Like seriously, the worst. BUT we survived it and I think it was a rite of passage for mamas doin’ the care taking on their own.  It was a rough week and sadly since I was so sick, I had to miss a dear friend’s funeral which broke my heart.

sickies

I will say, weeks like these make me so grateful for our health. Every time I was getting violently ill I prayed for families who have to deal with this all the time. I’ll never take it for granted. Also- I realized how much I love having my mama around. She came back late Wednesday night and Thursday morning when Bud started to wake up, she met me at his door and told me to get my skinny-sickly tail back in bed and she’d take care of Bud that morning. I didn’t put up a fight one bit and just marched my way back to my bed for a much needed 2 more hours of rest. I woke up feeling totally refreshed and beyond grateful for her because I knew she must have been jet-lagged and tired too! Mamas are the best.

So on Thursday the sun came out and I was able to eat solids cotton candy so we went to the fair. And then… I made out with a camel.

oh hello camel, would you like some food?

no, my son’s hat doesn’t count…

oh cute camel, now take a picture with us. why do you have that look in your eye?

SON OF A B#$%98 BUY A GIRL A DRINK FIRST!!!

Well, that was the most action I’ve had in awhile….good news is, he looks satisfied.

Have a great weekend yall!

Congrats to Marilyn Rush for winning Erin’s earrings!!! I’ll mail them out so I’ll get with you and get your address! Thanks for everyone who entered!

In other news, my boy is WALKING. Like, a total walking machine. He is so proud of himself that sometimes he’ll just stop mid-walk and start giggling at himself. My heart literally bursts out of my chest.

Before you think I’m writing about child discipline, I am not. This is a little situation that happened to me about 5 minutes ago in my “haven”.

I was sitting in a coffeeshop enjoying some time sans Bud to write and work on my book. I’m sitting next to this cute, young college girl who is working on some really important homework Facebook. This man has come up to talk to her before but she keeps brushing him off (in a completely polite way) but he’s persistent in talking to her about not getting caught in the rain…. I’m serious.

Anyway, he comes up again and notices I have taken residence at the table next to her but I have my head down trying to get in to that writer’s world of focus that I keep hearing about…. I’m still searching by the way. And then this little magical interaction happens:

Man: “Do you go to college too?”

I look up at him…

Man: “Oh NO! You don’t! You’re too old.”

Me: ………………

Fresh-faced Polyanna next to me: “That wasn’t very nice.”

Meanwhile, if anyone needs me, I’ll be googling Botox injections and looking for the best white wine spritzer recipes.

I was approached a couple of months ago by someone in the grocery store when they asked what my blue star necklace meant. When I told her it was because my husband is in Afghanistan she replied, “I thought the war was over. I didn’t know we still had anyone over there.” I tried my best to explain that there was indeed still a war going on therefore justifying the amount of candy corn in my hands. I know she did not mean any harm but my heart was so heavy. My heart was heavy not only for all war wives who are fighting their own wars at home trying to keep the pieces together but also for the soldiers fighting. They should know they are being rooted for, prayed for, and recognized back home. So, I’ve been working on this for awhile and I’m finally just going to hit “publish”. Feel free to share…

Dear friends known and unknown,

Most of me wants to forget this year apart from my husband ever happened. But, I’m still living it and I can’t help but remember every minute, every day. But my friends, we need you to remember the war is happening too. As war wives, when our lay our heads1 down at night, our thoughts aren’t about our to-do list for tomorrow or the laundry we didn’t do. Those little things have been catipulted into perspective. Instead, our thoughts are consumed with our helpless and weary voice begging our God to protect our husbands. Any resemblance of composure I’ve maintained by the end of the day is drowned out by a cry to the angels surrounding my husband to not grow weary and continue to protect him as he goes on another mission or meets with another Afghan official or trains another local.

We remember every day, not just on 9/11 or Memorial Day. Please let it affect you the way it affects us. Please let the war into your dinner conversation as it is the elephant wedging its way into ours. For we know that the elephant is an invited guest in our home because of our voluntary service. But we pray that you invite that conversation into your homes because you are why we do this. We are your neighbors. We sit next to you in church. We stand behind you in the grocery line. We wave you in when you’re merging into traffic… most days. We are the ones who are probably laughing a little too loudly in the movie theatre because it feels so dang good to laugh. And we are probably the ones that look like we haven’t slept well in 9 months because my friend, we haven’t.

You will not hear me complain about our situation this year because it is our joy and ministry. But someone once told me the quickest way to lose a battle is to never admit you’re in one. I know I’m in one, my husband is in a real-life one, we are all in one. And we need our battle buddies. It might not be your family member over there, but it is your neighbor, your church member, your grocery store buddy, or your road companion. We are all living in this thing. Resist the urge to only tune into the part of the news about Tom and Katie or the exposed too-tas of Kate Middleton. But when the tiny bit of coverage comes on about Afghanistan, don’t turn your heads. It’s messy, it’s unpopular, but it is happening. We have to come together as a family, and as battle buddies.

Love to you,

Martha, a war wife

Hey yall! My sweet friend Erin has started her own jewelry line and it was WONDERFUL!! She makes beautiful pieces that are perfect for every day wear or an adorable accent piece for that hot little outfit.

She sent me this bracelet which I think I have worn 500 times since I got it. I can’t step out without getting TONS of compliments on it.

She has given Softer Side of Strong a pair of earrings to give away to one of yall!! YAY!!!

To enter:

1. Leave a comment letting me know you want that piece!

2. Like Erin Jo’s jewelry page on Facebook.

3. Share this giveaway on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog! And let me know you’ve done so!

I’ll give you credit for all entries so you’ll have triple the chance of winning! I’ll pick a winner Friday at 9pm Eastern time. Good luck!

Happy Friday yall! Break it down! Seriously, Bud and I have some major dance parties and my mom captured one in motion… it’s not pretty but it’s friggin hilarious. I can’t look at this picture without cracking up.

Enjoy and live hard this weekend!

Hey yall! I’m back from Canadia-land! I’m getting in tons of snuggles from my boy who I missed like CRAZY! Seriously, 5 days = way too long for this mama. He has a pretty decent cold (or its his pesky canine teeth coming in) but either way, he’s adorably pitiful which means lots of cuddle time.

I had an amazing time in Canada meeting my beautiful niece Talia. She’s adorable and totally easy… like no crying at all easy. They aren’t exactly what I call “morning” people so Dad and I got in lots of fun before heading over to their place each day around 11. We got up early, went for our 3 mile jog along the most beautiful sea wall, and then ate Lee’s Dougnuts at Granville Island… best morning ever. We also took a floatplane tour of the island and rented a boat one morning and went exploring all over the place.

We really lived up our vacation and it was so fun to be around Nomi and Graham but I was really ready to get back to my boy. Prepare yourself for picture overload!

Talia!! I love her!

I love them!

Brodder

Nomisan!

Proud DooPops

adorable little girl

Here is another video from the women’s retreat last weekend. My character is “Gidget” a co-host on a talk show and a seriously desperate housewife who decides to train for the Olympics.  I’ve already tried to prepare Bud for a lifetime of embarrassment. Poor schmuck.