Trophy Husband

What is a Trophy Husband?  

The term "Trophy Husband" is gaining in popularity and stems from the well-known term of "Trophy Wife."  A trophy wife is usually much younger than her spouse and very attractive.  She is "arm candy" of sorts to her companion.  But, what is a Trophy Husband?  This label can be a bit harder to define, so I will share my definition...

Trophy Husband - adj. commonly used to describe amazing husbands who not only know their way around the boardroom, but also the laundry room.  He can plan a romantic night out, and he can cook dinner for an equally romantic night in.  He listens to his wife and validates without trying to "fix it."  He takes the early-morning baby feedings so his wife can get some much needed rest.  He can be depended on and his word is good.  He can fix anything with gorilla glue and duct tape.  He's not afraid of any creepy, crawly, slimy thing that may have found its way inside the house.  He looks to the Lord for guidance and keeps his family involved in church.  He never spends more than $300 without consulting his spouse first.  He calls his wife his "Beautiful Bride" and means it.  When he makes mistakes, he asks for forgiveness and learns from them.  When he's wrong, he says so. He makes his wife feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

I am honored to be married to a Trophy Husband for two years now.  And, what does a girl get her amazing husband for an anniversary gift?  Well, traditionally the second year's gift should be cotton.  Much like a good marriage, cotton is known for its durability and versatility.  This year, my Trophy Husband will be sporting this...

And, if you know my trophy husband, then you know he's gonna love it!  Happy Anniversary TH!

Luck o' the Irish

Sam's new trick is putting his hands up on the sides of his head, and just my LUCK, I got a picture of it! In my mind, I imagine him saying, "Mom, does this mean all the girls (and my teachers) are gonna kiss me all day at school?"  I sure love this kid...  Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!

Books for Babies

We did a fundraiser at school to raise money for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.  This organization sends every registered child born in the state of Tennessee a free book every month from birth to age five.  With children having access to multiple books in the home, literacy rates and interest in reading is of course higher.  Sam is a member of this program, so it is near and dear to our hearts.  

Anyway, back to the fundraiser...  Each teacher brought in a picture of themself as a baby or a young child.  We also brought in a copy of our favorite book when we were little with a short written explanation of why we liked it so much.  All baby pictures, books and write-ups were displayed in the trophy case of the front of the school.  Then students would go and look at all their teachers as babies and young children and pay $1 to vote for a teacher in the following catagories:

• Most Athletic Baby
• Biggest Head
• Stinkiest Diaper
• Cutest Baby
• Baby of the Year

All the money raised went directly to our charity.  So, to promote the program, I offered my students a "Reading Log Pass."  I don't give homework, but I do make the kids read 100 minutes independently each week.  For $1 they got a free 100 minutes!  They could vote for any teacher in any catagory, JUST DONATE!  For a week, my students and all 700 other students in the school voted for their favorite (or least favorite) teacher in all the catagories.  And...by the time the contest was complete, I had won not one, but two catagories!  Are you ready to see the photo that won Cutest Baby and Baby of the Year...

What was my favorite childhood book?  I had several, but I settled on Green Eggs and Ham.  And this is what I wrote about it...

When I was a child, I loved Green Eggs and Ham.

Perhaps that's the reason I named my son Sam.

Not on a train, or a plane, or in the rain would Sam eat,

This strange but quite tasty green eggs and ham treat.

'Til one day he tried and what did he declare?

He loved green eggs and ham and would eat them anywhere!

Sam Snapshot: 5 months

One way or another, Sam and I find a way to spend the day together on his month-birthdays.  This month we both stayed home from school because Sam had a stomach virus and could not quit throwing up.  Wonder what it will be next month...

Sam has learned a lot of new things this month, like:

• How to roll over both ways on his own
• How to scream in a high, shrill voice that closely resembles a dying cat.  No, not when he is mad, but ALL the time.  He thinks it's fun.
• How to spin around in his circus-saucer so he can put all the toys in his mouth
• How to eat baby food (just bananas and sweet potatoes so far)
• How to touch his toes and try to eat his feet (which is hard to do when you are this...fluffy)
• How to sit up without any help
• How to reach and grab just about anything he wants

Here's a five-month photo of Smiling Sam (as we call him), please notice the line of drool that begins at his mouth and streams all the way down to the play mat...good hydration I guess!

Little Boy Blue Likes Bananas

Well, it's been an eventful week in the Burtram house.  With Michael working out of town a few days a week, God likes to test my faith when he's away.  And, I must say, parenting is much easier with the unshakeable truth that Sam is God's boy, and God does not make mistakes.  I certainly leaned on that truth this week.  

Michael flew out to Houston on Tuesday morning, and by the afternoon he was calling my school to tell me, "Sam has turned blue at school today...twice."  At hearing this news, this quick-to-freak-out mom remained surprisingly calm.  I called the pediatrician who recommended I bring him in immediately.  I left school and went straight to the daycare where Theresa had Sam striped down to a onsie.  She said she wanted to see that baby's limbs at all times.  His arm and face had turned blue while sleeping, and she was pretty shaken.  On my thirty minute drive to the daycare, I called all my parents and asked them to pray.  I began to pray myself that Sam would be found to be completely healthy, that whatever had caused him to turn blue would be miraculously gone.   

As soon as we arrived, Dr. Sam sent us across the street to the hospital for a chest x-ray.  It was clear almost immediately that this was going to be a long wait in the hospital waiting room.  In fact, it was a three hour wait...past closing time for my doctors office.  But, when I called to tell him we would not be finished before he closed, he said, "No problem.  I want to know what's wrong with Sam.  I will wait on you."  Did I mention we love Dr. Sam?  Anyway, by 5:45, we were back with Sam's radiology report, and...turns out he is the picture of health for a 4-month old.  His heart is healthy and strong.  His blood/oxygen levels are strong.  Is my God good or what?! 

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7


By the end of the week, we had moved on to more important things...baby food.  We gave Sam his first taste of baby food today.  Dr. Sam suggested bananas, so bananas it was.  And did he like it?  Well, the photos say it all...

Yup, he likes bananas!