The OverAchiever

What else do you say?

2012-01-24T19:22:00.000-05:00

Saturday is my due date. Officially I will be 10 months pregnant. That's pregnant for a whole lot of time. Of course, I'm over it now. I'm ready to meet my little one and move on to the next phase. I've also opted to work until she comes to save as much sick time as possible to stay home with her. I knew that the stupid questions would come. I knew that people would say things to me that would make me want to punch them in the face. I know I've probably said some of these same things before to an overly pregnant woman. It still annoys me. Here are my least favorite things to hear from people, in no particular order:
1. "You still here?"
2. "You haven't had that baby yet?"
3. "When you gonna have that baby?"
4. "Are you excited?"
5. "It's almost over."
6. "She'll come when she's ready."
7. "Enjoy your sleep now."

That's all I can think of for right now, but I'm sure there are more. I did get snippy with one person last week and she she asked me #2, I responded with, "Does it look like I've had that baby yet?" Seriously, I work at an institute of higher learning and we can't come up with something less obvious. I would be ok with "How are you feeling?" over any of the above. I know, I know, it's just what you say. It's how people show interest. It may also be what pushes preggers over the edge and if she could reach her shoe, she would chuck at your head.

For now, we wait. I'm thankful for friends who will run interference for me so I don't have to answer the same questions 400 times a day right now. I'm still tempted to make a shirt or a sign that answers the typical questions so I don't have to keep repeating myself. Maybe I'll work on that tomorrow.

Foolish Boy

2012-01-05T18:04:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was final registration where I work. My job is basically directing traffic and making sure everyone stays in order of when they got there to see an advisor. I had 3 young men who are in the accounting program. Certain advisors only advise for certain areas. An advisor became available who did not advise for accounting, but because one these gentlemen had had him before for a class, they just wanted to talk to him. I asked him again if he was in the accounting program, which he agreed that he was. So I emphasized that he could not see this particular advisor. Then our conversation goes like this:
Male student: "What if my program isn't accounting?"
Me: "But you just told me it was, so are you lying to me or are you messing with me because I'm pregnant and I will hurt you?"
Male student with downcast eyes: "um...nevermind"

I told my director about it later and he laughed and said the student was too young to know what danger he was putting himself in. Silly boy...

It's the Final Countdown

2012-01-02T10:58:00.000-05:00

That's the song that keeps playing in my head...but only that part and very dramatically. I am now 36 weeks and have roughly 4 weeks till my due date. Like any other soon-to-be mother, I am feeling a range of emotions from excited to scared to overjoyed to thankful. I may not be communicating that well with the outer world though. Maybe it's all the attention...there's just too much pressure to be overly excited. Maybe it's the uncomfortableness of my physical being...there's just too much pressure to be overly excited. Probably it has more to do with the fact that I can't convey mulitple emotions at one time without my head exploding.

The anticipation of the next month may do me in. I'm not looking forward to this part of the waiting. Knowing that after this week, she can come and we'll be "to term," doesn't ease that nervous excitement. I'm very thankful for a healthy pregnancy with, so far, no complications, but now I'm waiting for her to make her move. While I want to meet her, I'm terrified of bringing her home and what our lives will be like after that. I know this is all normal and, thankfully, has not sent me into an emotional meltdown (yet). Four weeks...

It's a...boy?

2011-11-20T09:11:00.000-05:00

I don't know if this is the continuation or the beginning of the anxiety ridden dreams, but last night's wasn't too abnormal.
According to the ultra sound, we're having a girl, but my dream last night had a little boy in it. Maybe not so little as I think he was around 9-10 pounds. As I was trying to breastfeed him, I realized we didn't name him, have a birth certificate or a social security card, and I couldn't remember anything after delivery. I didn't know what else happened in the hospital or how long we were there. Then I also realized we didn't have any boy clothes or things for a boy.
It was eerily realistic. It took me a few minutes to realize that it was a dream.
Two more months...

Baby Heads

2011-10-27T18:54:00.000-04:00

Last night's dream consisted of me having the baby. However, it was only the size of my hand and 2/3 of it was head. The body was about an inch and it was doll like. Apparently this was normal though because I brought it to the college to show it off and everyone oooh'd and aaaahhh'd over it. I kept thinking something wasn't right, but never got to the fact that it was a giant head baby. Oh, I also had 2, which were the same size, but one was older and slightly larger. They weren't twins either.
Honestly, I think the early descriptions of how disproportionate the baby is has seeped into my subconscious and worked it's way into this dream. At least that's what I'm hoping...

Unsolicited Advice

2011-10-10T11:39:00.000-04:00

I was told this past weekend at least 3 times to enjoy my sleep because apparently I will never sleep again after January.
I know it's well-meaning.
I know it's true.
I also find it to be dumb.
My body is changing and shifting that prohibits consistent, restful sleep now. I do enjoy what I can get when I can. I know that my world will be drastically altered in a few months.
Why do we feel the need to tell people what to do? I also notice that every mother assumes I will be just like her in how I rear my child. Ok, not every mother, but a good chunk...especially those that I'm not particularly close with. Those are the people that really annoy me. We're not great friends. You don't know about my inner dreams and fears. I don't come to you asking for advice. In fact, I wasn't even talking to you; you overheard the conversation I was in and jumped in with your miraculous words of wisdom. In essence, this is about you , not me. You must want to enjoy your sleep more since you feel that I am not enjoying it now.
I know it's cliche...I know it's what you do. I also know that pregnant me has limited energy to suffer fools. I can't wait for those last few weeks of "you haven't had that baby yet?" I'm already forcing a smile when asked if I'm excited. If I wasn't so exhausted all the time, I would jump up and down for you.
I will finish with an apology for anyone that may be directly or indirectly in the line of sarcasm.

How to Kill a Dinosaur

2011-10-06T09:21:00.000-04:00

I don't think the pregnancy has any real effect on my already whacked out dreams, but every once in a while one does have to wonder if the excess of hormones impacts it at all. Like always, there are many facets to this dream that I cannot hope to include because they are so many and so random. But essentially, when it starts I am not me, but someone else. There is also a Raptor dinosaur running loose in what appears to be an in-home beauty salon. The Raptor is also eating people like "my" boyfriend and sister. Apparently the Raptor has eaten poison and bullets and that hasn't slowed him down either. So after finding out that he ate my sister, I decide that it's time to figure out a way to stop him. The other weird thing is Joe Montegna (aka David Rossi from Criminal Minds) is also there to help out. We decide that nothing will stop this thing except to starve it to death. I don't know much about the real Raptor, but in my dream it was only a little taller than me and I was stronger than it was. I seriously doubt that to be the case, but in my dream, I managed to catch it and clamp it's mouth shut with my bare hands. Then it's mouth and arms were duct tape shut.
The next scene is Dad and I (really me not whoever-I-am-in-the-dream-me) are going through some sort of large warehouse/storage unit. Did I mention this is where we're keeping the Raptor until it dies? On the way back out, I discover that it has loosened the tape from around it's mouth. Once again, I clamp it's mouth shut with my bare hands and try to get Dad to get Shirley (my dog) out of the room so it doesn't try to eat her as well. I remember distinctly looking in this creature's eye and thinking starving is an inefficient way to kill it, but didn't know what else to do since bullets and poison didn't seem to work.
And then I was so uncomfortable (both mentally from this weirdness and physically from my hips) that I woke up enough to realize how weird this was.
So...any guesses?

Weighing In

2011-09-27T09:53:00.000-04:00

This morning I had the irrational thought, "I should just see where I'm weighing at so Friday's appointment won't be a shocker." I was thusly reminded that pregnant women should never, ever step on a scale of their own volition. While my weight gain is not astronomical, it is more than the previous months. I fear I shall be chastised for my extra poundage. I have also spent some time reminding myself that I am 5 and 1/2 months along and weight is expected. But, to go back to the main point, I should not weigh myself for at least another year.

I'm also at the point of getting conflicting opinions within moments of each other. Yesterday, one friend told me I had really poked out over the weekend. Not an hour later, a well-meaning lady told me she couldn't even tell I was pregnant. Go figure. I know the comments will come, those comments that will make me want to punch someone in the face, but it's a little fascinating at this point the difference in opinions. I must work on my discernment so I only take in the ones that are helpful.

It's a Girl and I Can't Eat Peanut Butter

2011-09-01T17:10:00.000-04:00

We discovered on Monday that the fetus in me has "girl parts" (to quote our sonographer). But the even better news is she's developing perfectly and is healthy. Keith was busy counting fingers and toes and I was busy looking for a heartbeat. I may try to get a picture of the ultrasound scanned in here one day to share with the world, but I'm just too tired when I get home to go through the process. I even tried taking a picture of it with my phone to upload it, but it was always blurry. For now, you'll have to wait.

I also have determined that if I eat peanut butter, I need approximately 6 Tums to put the heart burn out. That's rather annoying when I'm craving a PB&J. But at this moment, I don't know that it's worth it either. I get heart burn on a regular basis, but peanut butter seems to really take it's toll. So sad...

The Daily Growing Fatness

2011-08-25T18:39:00.000-04:00

This is purely a rhetorical question: Why am I so much fatter and uncomfortable at the end of the day than at the beginning? It's like the baby doubles in size throughout the day only to shrink again every night. Or maybe it's just my bladder. I truly want a catheter so I don't have to get up 20 times in a 24 hour period. Maybe if I wasn't sitting for the majority of the day, I wouldn't feel so smooshed by 6 o'clock. But I don't think I could be on my feet more at this point.

Man, I'm whiny.

Hormones

2011-08-08T13:12:00.000-04:00

Hormones suck!

I almost feel that could be the whole post, but I'll explain a little more just for kicks and giggles. This past week, I have noticed this unexplainable need to cry. There's no reason for it, except when you count the Grey's Anatomy episodes, then there's usually a reason. But driving home from work one day...no reason. Laying in bed after a day of laying around...NO REASON. And yet, I know that the hormones have started camping out and building up reinforcements. I had read that this happens in the 2nd trimester, but it's still annoying.

1st Trimester

2011-07-21T14:19:00.001-04:00

Today is the last day of my 1st trimester. I'm happy to say it hasn't been a bad one. Thankfully, I've had very little morning sickness or other issues. I'm tired...but I'm always tired. Most of the time, I still don't feel pregnant. Besides being tired and feeling bloated, I can't feel the baby yet so it's easy to forget that there's a living being inside of me. When I get to hear the heartbeat, I'm reminded...and a little freaked out. I hope the rest of the pregnancy continues to go smoothly. Six more months and then life really changes.

Ecclesiastes 3

2011-06-22T08:24:00.000-04:00

The one thing I hate about all my travels, moves, experiences...the fact that those people who greatly impacted my life aren't here all the time. I've had so many wonderful experiences, developed so many friendships, learned so much from so many, been comforted and cared for when away from my family, and discovered more of who I was through interactions with others. I hate the idea that there are certain people who will only be in your life for a season. It's so hard to keep up with people on a day to day or even weekly basis because of regular ol' life. I feel I do a decent job of staying in touch and then I realize it's been over a year since I've talked to someone and feel horrible. I know that as you continue to grow up and have more "grown up" responsibilities, it becomes a lot more difficult to maintain that level of intimacy with so many people. And soon, it will become even more difficult for me with this next stage of life. I know the ones I do keep in touch with more frequently also keep in touch with me. It's a two-way street and that's what keeps us close. So while I wrestle with the fact that I've slacked off in my communication, so did the others. I know it's a natural waxing and waning of relationships, but it still saddens me to think back on our times together and not be a part of their lives right now (and vice versa). I do take solace in the fact that most of them I will see again and we will spend eternity together. But for now, my heart is missing them.

I Need More Details

2011-05-04T19:59:00.000-04:00

Through the process of being human and continuing to grow and learn, I have been asking God some questions. I think I have a pretty good plan worked out and if God would just cooperate with me, tweak a few details, everything would be just fine. However, even if I think my plan if fool proof, apparently God has other ideas. Before anyone tries to argue, I do agree that God knows better than me. I know that when God does His thing, my things are even better. However, before He works things out, I spend some time questioning what it is He's actually doing. I simply want to know what the plan is. If He would just answer some questions for me, clue me in on the time line, I would be a lot more willing to go along with it.

All this thinking made me ponder on Moses for a while last night. Poor Moses...he was just wandering through the desert, minding his business, not really believing in anything at this point, but lo and behold, a flaming shrubbery starts talking to him. We find him in Exodus 3 with God sending unsuspecting Moses on a mission.
¹⁰ So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”
¹¹ But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
¹² And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you^[b] will worship God on this mountain.”
¹³ Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”
¹⁴ God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.^[c] This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
¹⁵ God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD,^[d] the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’
   “This is my name forever,
   the name you shall call me
   from generation to generation.

I would have a lot more questions than Moses. I would want a well-structured plan. I'm a detailed planner, so I would be bugging God for a while. However, God only gives two answers in this dialog. "I will be with you" and "I AM WHO I AM". I understand that God isn't confined by time and He knows better than me. What I was thinking about is how frustrated Moses must have been to only receive two answers. Do you think he walked away from this mumbling to himself? I know, I know, he probably didn't walk away focusing on the little details. I mean, Yahweh just spoke to him in a very real way. I'm sure he was thinking more about that and not about the shell of a plan that God just laid out for him. But if we look at it from a logistical standpoint, I would be wondering how this is going to shake down. When are we leaving? What do we need to pack? What route should we take? How do we get in to speak to pharaoh? God did give Moses the tools he needed, but I don't know that I would have walked away from this interaction without some trepidation.

I can't help myself from wallowing in the details. I can't seem to remember that God has already been in and is in the details now. I can't seem to remember that God is working good into all my stuff. I can't seem to be content with the fact that God is and is with me...always. Why does that not seem to be enough? I guess it always goes back to "the sin that so easily entangles" (Hebrews 12:1), unbelief. Deep down, I don't believe that God is who He says; that He doesn't have time for my details; that He's not working it out. I need to repent...again.

The Little Things

2011-04-11T19:45:00.000-04:00

In our house, there are certain roles. I know that's true for every household. Whether consciously or unconsciously, we end up fulfilling those areas that need to be taken care of. In our house, we share the cooking (which I love because I would rather eat it than cook it), the vacuuming, the sweeping/mopping of our forever dirty white linoleum kitchen floor. But one thing that I do is the laundry. It's something Keith hates and it's something I don't mind doing. Part of that reason is because I'm insanely anal retentive about where things end up in the drawers and the placement of clothes in the closet. Doesn't everyone care that all those clothes are categorized by type, texture, and color? *crickets* No...ok then.

Yesterday while putting away a load, Keith expressed his appreciation for the fact that this is something I do. I don't know if he realizes how much that seemingly insignificant comment meant to me. To be recognized and appreciated communicates love to me. It makes me want to do more. It encourages me to try to be a better wife.
How often do we forget how much the little things matter? How often to we get so tied up in ourselves, that we forget about serving another? I hate to admit that way too often I am more concerned about my own glory and recognition than about being a servant. It's sad how quickly I can turn into a martyr even though I've done nothing more than what has to be done anyway. I think I'm entitled. This is definitely the opposite of how Jesus acted. He graciously served without expecting anything in return. He commanded that we be servant leaders (or leading servants). My serving Keith, or anyone else for that matter, should be what I do because I want to serve out of love. Sometimes I still need to work on that...ok, a lot of the time I need to work on that.

125 Point Check

2011-03-14T16:45:00.003-04:00

Over the last few months, Keith and I have sunk a chunk of money in a certain GMC Envoy. After the last little bit, we decided it wasn't worth it anymore and with gas prices as such, we should probably just go ahead and get another car. After searching the internet for possible deals, we headed to a couple of places in town to try a couple out. One place we went, which will remain nameless, boasted of doing 125 point checks on all the vehicles they purchased for resale. The first car we tried wasn't bad. Actually, if they would have given us more for our trade-in, we might have purchased it. The second car wasn't great. Our first red flag was condensation on the sunroof...inside the car. When the salesperson was asked about it, she responded that it hadn't been cleaned yet. Really? Because that feels like moisture to me. Anywho, the third and final car I wanted to drive ended up having a dead battery. I couldn't help myself at this point. If you know me, you know have a very limited filter and sometimes it's just non-existent. So after hopping out of the dead battery car I asked if the battery was included in the 125 point check. The reply was sometimes something gets left on and no one reports it. To which I exclaim/ask, "How long has this car been sitting here?" All in good fun, but still, I think it's a valid question.
As I mentioned before, they didn't offer enough for the GMC and we went back to another dealer that we worked with before. Now I have a shiny new object to drive which will hopefully need minimum maintenance for a while.

Kibbles N Hair?

2011-02-21T09:48:00.002-05:00

Perhaps I shouldn't be shocked when I find out what some dog food is made of. But when I find out what I've been feeding my dog for the last 7 years, I'm a little concerned. Shirley has decided that the amount she pees needs to be less now. (I know you all wanted to know about my dog's urinary tract:). She's been acting weird at night, not wanting to go out, and then taking forever and not actually doing anything. If you know my dog, you know this is weird. She pees all the time, multiple times a day. So I'm a little concerned. Well at the vet this morning we discussed the possibilities, one of which is the change in diet. The store was out of Kibbles N Bits last week and Amy had a coupon for Beneful so we made the change. Apparently Kibbles N Bits protein source is hair. The vet said sometimes you can pull it apart and find hair in it! So the Beneful is a great change. Now I'm wondering if I've been torturing my dog for the last 7 years. But then I have to keep in mind this is the same dog who likes to eat fossilized cat feces if given the chance...so can it really be that bad that she's had some hair?

Final thought: Is it sad that I don't have anything to say for a month and when I do it's about my dog's change in bladder function?

Charleston with my Mom

2011-01-18T22:14:00.016-05:00

My mom had never been to Charleston before, so for her Christmas/Birthday present, we took a little trip. Here are some pictures of our adventures.
Our $3 cupcake...yummy.

We met up with my best friend, Amy, and her maternal family to share the experience. This is her oldest daughter, who was a lot of fun to have around.

Communal Living

2010-11-16T08:18:00.003-05:00

Recently I've discovered Sister Wives on TLC. It's a fascinating show about polygamy, but it actually makes it seem appealing. Ok, let me rephrase that. It's not appealing in the whole sharing your husband business...that's just gross and weird. But appealing in the communal living situation. There are separate spaces for each "family", but they are connected. There's a trust amongst the sister wives that if anything was needed from the other, they would be there. They take care of each others' children. They are friends. I've joked with a few friends about living in a commune with them. If we took over a neighborhood or a giant apartment building, it was just be fun. I do also think this is more of a female thing as well. I'm not saying there are no men out there wanting to living in such intense community, but it seems more of a female desire to have friends so close, to do things together on a frequent basis, to share so much of life together. I know it's not realistic to think we're all going to join together and start a commune...unless the Left Behind books are true...hmmm.

Crazy Dream 5,302: The Cougar, the Hobo, and the ATV

2010-11-03T08:43:00.003-04:00

Keith and I had left a friend's house late at night and apparently were driving an ATV instead of a car. And whoever these friends were lived in the middle of nowhere because we were also on a long dirt road with trees on one side and a field on the other. As we were going, I saw an old man walking down the road, check a mailbox, and keep on walking. It was odd, but he didn't bother us so I wasn't worried. Then a cougar comes out of the woods, which does give me some alarm. Keith is also only going about 5 mph, for whatever reason. Apparently he either doesn't see the cougar or doesn't care. The cougar comes up behind us and is grabbing at my messenger bag, which I now use to smack him and try to get him to leave me alone. Then 3 teenage boys come out of the woods and start chasing the cougar, which at least gets him off me. Then a random hobo (not that he looked like a hobo, but I don't know a better word...maybe drifter) comes after us. He's got this huge blue duffle bag and is trying to get on to ride with us. I'm yelling for Keith to speed up while trying to push him away from us. Finally, Keith slows the ATV down, swings around and backhands the hobo, which sounds like a gun shot. Then we're driving backwards to make sure he doesn't follow us and all the other characters of this drive (including the cougar) gather around the hobo to, I don't know, maybe console him. They don't appear to be angry at us or coming after us, so I'm not sure what was going on w/ that little group. Then we finally speed off.

The End.

Trust

2010-10-12T09:16:00.003-04:00

Why don't you trust Me? Haven't I proved to you time and time again that I'm taking care of all the little details in your life? I see you living in fear of what has not happened. I see you focusing on all the possibilities of disaster, trying to plan for every possible scenario, and working yourself up into a frenzy. That's not what I want for you. That's not what your purpose is. You were made to rest in Me and be in my Word. You were made for My good pleasure. I want to take care of you and regardless of what you think I am taking care of you. I'm redeeming your past, blessing you in this moment, and taking care of your future. After all we've been through, why is it so hard for you to trust Me? Rest in Me, my precious child, rest.

Bahamas and Football

2010-09-19T16:25:00.010-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, Keith and I were able to go on a cruise and sail to the Bahamas. We stopped at Cococay (below) and Nassau (further below). It was very relaxing and beautiful. So here are a couple of shots of that.

For Keith's birthday, I got him tickets to an ASU football game. They were pretty good seats on the 30 yard line a couple of rows up. What I didn't count on was being directly in the line of the blazing hot sun late summer. Even though it's Boone, it was a bit toasty. Here are a few pictures of that.
They won...we left early in the 4th and it was 44-13.

Photography Class

2010-08-29T16:56:00.007-04:00

I am taking a photography class so I can learn how to use the manual settings on my camera (thanks to Keith for buying it and Jon B. for selling it). Yesterday was the 1st day of class (at least the 1st day I attended class...I love auditing!). So here are a couple of my favorites from playing around outside the college yesterday.

After Happily Ever After

2010-08-24T13:11:00.004-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, I had a girl in my office that I've known for roughly 4 years. She's a sweet girl, consumed with the idea that love is all you need. Mom and dad have done everything for her, and I mean everything. She's not sure how she got into college, she doesn't understand any of the college terminology like "transfer credit". Now she's 19 and mom and dad think she should be more independent and move out. Her solution is to move in with her boyfriend. Her only dream in life is to get married. When I've asked her about what she wants, she has no clue. She can't even narrow it down because all she's ever wanted is to fall in love and get married (all by the time she's 21, of course). As a counselor, I really had to bring some reality to the situation. Even before I was married I knew that my husband wasn't going to fulfill me. That line from Jerry Maguire, the "you complete me" line, is a load of crap. And I told her as much. Marriage is great. I love being married...but I also know that Keith has his bad days too and can't fulfill my every waking desire either. If you're not fulfilled without a spouse, you're not going to be fulfilled with one either. I tried to explain to her that the movie tends to stop at Happily Ever After. You don't see the dishes in the sink, his socks on the floor, or hear about how much he hates his job. You don't see the muckity-muck of every day after that happily ever after day. I know she heard "blah, blah, blah, blah, blah," but I can't in good conscience send her on her way believing that if she gets married all her ills will be gone. Sadly, in my position, I don't feel comfortable or able to prod for a more spiritual direction. It also sounds very cliche to say "You need Jesus to fulfill you", but essentially that's the answer. Of course, everything I said to her is also something that she'll have to learn for herself. Hopefully she's thinking through things, like what if he leaves you in 12 years, then what? But more than likely she's guided by a more primal instinct. I know she's guided by fear. Fear is what is driving the car right now. Fear is calling the shots. Fear is going to make some dumb decisions.

And Friends are Friends Forever...

2010-07-28T08:29:00.003-04:00

I must confess, I've become lazy lately. I get home from work, we eat dinner, and generally we watch TV. As I sit there I think, "I should call _______." And then I continue to sit there with no movement to my cell phone that is sitting just out of arm's reach. I can come up with excuses since we moved into the house that I have been painting and rearranging and unpacking, but the truth is we have spurts of those and then back to the couch. I still have time to call people. My other great excuse to make myself feel less guilty is "well, they're not calling me either" but that's just a cop out. That's not what my friendships are based on. I know we're all busy, but even when I was in the midst of seminary, I still talked to my friends. Someone said something to me the other day that chilled me to the bone: "you don't keep in touch as much after you get married." I think it bothered me so much because I have gone downhill in my chatting since we got married, but more so since we bought the house. I refuse to believe that my marriage has made me this lazy with my friends. But that could just be denial.

The other thing I've thought a lot about lately is the friends/people who are only in my life for a season and then I either don't ever talk to them or see the random update on facebook about their life. I've been blessed to know some pretty incredible people, if only for a short time. I hate that we have to live in so many different states. I know I'll be with most of those people for eternity, but right now I don't get to spend time with them and it makes me sad.

Anywho...I say all this because I refuse to allow the stereotype that married people lose contact with their friends to prevail. I will be calling soon...

What every woman struggles with

2010-07-12T08:42:00.002-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, I had the immense privilege and joy to direct a group of Counselors-In-Training during our conference jr. camp. I had 16 wonderful teenagers who were willing to serve and made me laugh a good chunk of the week. However, one of our boys also had to a learn a lesson in a very difficult way. I had them do a team builder called "Toxic Swamp." Most of the group had an injury of sorts and they had to help each other across the "swamp" by stepping on poster board (which was safe). This one kid, who is the epitome of class clown, was trying to be funny and before picking up another girl said, "you're tipping the scales." He wasn't being malicious; he thought it would get a laugh. The next thing I hear is "you made her cry!" I pulled her away from the group and try to explain to her that the kid who said it was being stupid, she's not fat, I know how she feels, every girl struggles with this, etc. All the while, I know that there is nothing I can say that will stop the bleeding that is going on in her heart. There is nothing I can say that will replace that message. She's a beautiful girl who isn't fat at all, but for probably the rest of her life that phrase will be on repeat in the back of her mind.

I pulled the boy who said it aside later and explained to him that I knew he wasn't being malicious, but every girl, no matter what she looks like, thinks she fat. What he said was like plunging a knife in her heart and ripping it out. He was amazed. The thought that she would take him seriously never crossed his mind before those words crossed his lips. He was just trying to get a laugh and instead he scarred this girl.

As I talked about it with the other directors that week and since thinking about it, I know exactly how that girl feels. I hate that I can't convince her of the truth. But the truth is we all come in different shapes and sizes. There is no perfect model for us to fall under. And sadly, girls will probably struggle with their self-image until the end of time. There are days when I'm happy with my shape and there are days I'm not. There are times where I compare myself to others. That is where the danger lies. Comparisons only lead to bitterness, pride, guilt, and envy. We're not all the same and we can't be expected to fit into that mold. My friends that are similar in clothing sizes, we're still shaped differently and those same clothes don't fit the same. We have to focus on something other than our outer shell, our packaging if you will, to what's underneath. That girl needs to know that her beauty comes from within. I need to know that my beauty comes from within. That will be the constant lesson.

Working it out

2010-06-09T08:25:00.003-04:00

If you know me, you know I HATE exercise. I hate the idea of exercise. I really don't get the concept of running. What are you running from or to, for that matter? The people I see running, I don't see a pot of gold or cooler of beer at the end. There's not even something on a string in front of them motivating them to run. So what's the rush? But I digress....I just hate exercise unless it's disguised as a game. I can be distracted and I'm ok with it then. But just plain ol' aerobic activity isn't my thing. I was conned into taking aerobics the last 2 semesters with a co-worker, but I still whined 3 days a week when we would have to go to class. And towards the end of the semester, convinced her more often than not that lunch would be a much better idea that getting sweaty.

But also hate that my clothes are snugger than they used to be. I hate that my metabolism is slowing down, not that it was ever fast to begin with. Keith is also of the need-to-do-something-to-lose-weight mentality as of right now. So he's doing the P90X dvds...and I wish him well with his endeavors. I did say I would do the Wii Fit whilst he's upstairs doing his crazy workout. Wii Fit is a level I can work with, b/c like I said before, I hate exercise. Now my challenge is doing the strength building exercises and not just the balance ones. The balance games are so much more fun. See, it needs to be a game for me to be coerced into doing exercise.

The other issues is food. I love food. I love greasy, carb-filled, sugary food. I could live quite happily on a steady diet of sweets. I do eat salads. It's not like I'm opposed to eating healthier options. But if it's a battle between a salad and a Little Debbie cake, I can tell you who is going to win. However, I am trying to be supportive of Keith as far as the food part goes. We bought much healthier stuff at the store the other night. I can't called it the "D" word b/c then I'm set against it and will thwart it's meager attempts to reduce my caloric intake. But if it's not in the house I'm less likely to eat it. So I'm trying...but I'm not happy about it.

The Joys of Home Ownership

2010-06-02T12:32:00.003-04:00

It's been about 2 and a half weeks since we became homeowners. What have I learned during this time? I'm glad you asked...
1) Best Buy gets kudos for mis-pricing the fridge we picked out, honoring the price we paid, and getting a fridge to me on the day it was needed. Good job Best Buy!
2) Paint is stinky. Painting is a long drawn out process. But painting makes things look better.
3) My definition of clean is drastically different from other people's definition of clean. And my mom rocks b/c she cleaned my kitchen probably better than it has ever seen in it's life...except for under the stove.
4) No matter where I move, the dryer connection is never the right one.
5) Electricity is something I don't understand.
Keith decided to go ahead and switch out light switches to match what was in the kitchen and living room and get rid of the brass plates that were in the dining room and hallways. Thus began Keith's education in electricity and wiring. We also bought a new hood for the stove b/c the current one wasn't working and a new light fixture for the dining room since we didn't like the present one. The hood has become Keith's nemesis. Thankfully we have 2 brilliant fathers who know how to do random home repair type things. No matter how Keith reconfigured things, the hood would not work. My dad comes down last night with his special meters and figures out that there's power, but it's not going where it needs...and we don't know where it's coming from. So Keith and dad climb up in the attic to have a looksie. Dad comes back down and asks about a light switch which turns on the light above the kitchen sink. As he turns that on, guess what else comes on. That's right, Mr. Hood. However, we hear Keith coming back in and dad tells me to turn off the hood real quick. Then he asks Keith if he tried turning the knobs on the hood. To which he reaches over and turns on the hood light. Keith's face was priceless. If I had thought about it and it wouldn't have given things away, I would have taken a picture. We don't know who wired our house, but that's just one of many things we've discovered in this process. Thankfully, I think all we have left right now is more painting. You can go to facebook for pictures of the updates...or come by and see me.

Homeownership

2010-05-17T14:15:00.002-04:00

As of 10:00 a.m. today, Keith and I became homeowners. We just signed our names 30,000 times and chuckled at the absurdity of all the forms with the lawyer. Then I came to work and began another day. It's interesting that I feel like I do a lot of giant life moments all together and then pause for a year or so. Like the month Keith and I got engaged...I moved one weekend, got engaged the next, and started a new job the next. This past week, I saw Amy's 3rd child coming into the world and 4 days later bought a house. These seem to be monumental occurrences that if I sat back and pondered for very long my head might start spinning around by itself. At any rate, I continue to be very thankful for so many things in my life. I really have no complaints.

Now who wants to come help paint and move my stuff?

Moving...again...

2010-05-03T08:49:00.003-04:00

So we close on the house in a little under 3 weeks. I've moved before...a few times in fact. Ok, I've moved pretty much every year since I went to college save a small layover in Wisconsin and the phat apartment in Hickory (that's right, P-H-A-T). So it's not like I'm ignorant of what needs to happen next. I have done this so much that I don't get rid of boxes. So this weekend I pulled out every box I stored from moving into the Manor. I like to delude myself into thinking we don't have that much stuff, but I know as soon as I start pulling this out, I will be mistaken. Granted, it's not like "Hoarders", but I have a good deal of books and a lot of randomness (but I think I've contained that to one large blue rubbermaid trunk). At any rate, why am I now debating about how long it's actually going to take me to pack? I know that I really have 2 more weekends to get stuff done, but I also feel like I've got plenty of time to throw stuff in boxes so we can move them about 5 miles down the road. Maybe that's what annoys me more...why do I have to pack it all up to move it less than 15 minutes away? Can't I just toss it out a window into a truck and have it hauled down there? Who needs to do this stupid packing business?

"I just need my flag removed!"

2010-04-21T09:02:00.004-04:00

The last few weeks at work have been a bit overwhelming. Last week we finished registration, which I wasn't expecting to be bad because it's summer registration and we don't have as many students. However, it was still insane. It's always a refining process to make registration more streamlined and I think we're heading in the right direction, but there are still those same students who wait to the last day of early registration and proclaim with great whininess "I just need my flag removed!" To which we have to tell them (for the 3rd time), "No, you have to be advised before your flag can be removed." See, our college cares (at least on the surface) about making sure our students take the classes they're supposed to take. We want them to succeed and so we make every resource available that we can. Even in the class I'm teaching, I basically give them the answers before we take the test. And yet, they don't take advantage of the help. I still have students who make C's. We have students who have never set foot inside the academic support center. And we have students who all but cuss out our administrative assistant for telling them they have to be advised before they can register for classes. They claim they never got the email sent to their student email (mostly because they don't check their email). We do all we can to help and still we have those that struggle, whine, stomp their feet, and demand to have their way.

If I'm honest, I fall into this category quite often. I want my way at the time I want it. It doesn't make sense that I should have to wait or take the proper steps to get there. I hate whining, but I know I do it. I have been known to stomp my feet (yes, even as an adult) when I'm frustrated or feeling pressured. I have had many conversations with God about how my plan seems perfectly rational and would work if He would just get His act together. I know He gently pats me on the head while he shakes His. I'm thankful that He puts up with my shenanigans. I'm thankful that even when I fail to take advantage of all He does, He's still there waiting to walk with me. Even when I pitch my fits, He waits for me...He meets me where I am...He walks with me from that point to where He wants me right now.

Why I like my blog list

2010-04-01T09:24:00.002-04:00

You may have noticed in the last week that I added a blog list and took some links away from the link area. I find this to be a fabulous addition if for only one reason.
I no longer have to go to people's blogs to see if they've updated them.
This has saved me a lot of time in the mornings as I gear up for the day. Not that I mind going to people's actual blogs...but let's face it, some of you are horrible at posting new blogs. And yes, I realize that when I point the finger, I've got 3 pointing back at me. Sheesh, take a joke, why don't you.

Happy Easter!

Bigotry and Night of the Living Dead Chicken

2010-03-24T09:49:00.003-04:00

My disclaimer for this post: You all know me and my penchant for weird dreams...and so I give you

Night of the Living Dead Chicken (if I had a scary font, it would be more dramatic...so just read it again w/ a big booming scary voice)

First of all, Keith was married to me and a tiny Asian woman (sadly, that's not the weirdest part of this dream). I wasn't happy with the arrangement, but I guess was resigned to it. Well, I got up to get ready for work like normal. I went into the bathroom and in my sink was a large pink glob w/ 2 beady dots crawling out of the drain. It freaked me out and I went to get Keith to figure out what it was. I didn't go back in the bathroom...that's just creepy. He identified the pink blob as a deep-fried chicken (not the whole chicken, just the breast) come back to life. Why there were eyes and crawling out my bathroom drain is anyone's guess...of course, this is a dream about a deep-friend chicken coming back to life, so I guess reality is a moot point.

We also apparently had some foster kids (teenagers). One of them was to dispose of the quasi-living chicken breast. It was on a plate, now covered in the breading that was missing before. I was telling the people who like to hang out on our porch that they didn't have to leave, but the probably wanted to move away from the door. The kid who was going to just throw the chicken out was chasing me around. In the process, he dropped it on the floor...I don't know if this killed the chicken or if Keith had killed it earlier, but it didn't move anymore. But there was chicken at one place and all the skin/breading in another now and it was REALLY greasy...like puddles of grease on the floor greasy. I went to get some cleaner and paper towels and explain to Keith was foster kid was doing. I came back and now my mom is there wanting to help clean up, which I inform her that she can't b/c I know she'll do it all for him and he has to learn he can't just chase people around with greasy quasi-living chicken breasts and not have any consequences. I'm such a good foster mom:).

Ok, so anyone else a little freaked out at this dream?

Contracted

2010-03-15T10:07:00.002-04:00

Well, the hunt paid off and we are now under contract. We have made that oh-so-pivotal step into adulthood and purchased a house. We're still waiting out a few legalities (like a home inspection), but we hope to close on April 30th. Then we hope to put some color on those walls before we move in...tan on tan on tan furniture makes for a dull room. So you'll just have to wait to see pictures.

A Huntin' We Will Go

2010-03-08T10:12:00.004-05:00

I don't know who knows this (not many since I don't think I've shared), but Keith and I are looking to buy a house. Now, if you have seen previous posts, you know that we've been able to rent a fantastic house. Many have asked if we could buy it...and apparently we could. I always thought it was WAY out of our price range...I still think it's out of our price range...but according to my financial husband, we could pull it off (on paper at least). However, we don't feel comfortable pushing our limits. I don't think it's wise to try and pull that off, especially with so many unknowns in the future. But renting in our little town is just as expensive, so we could buy a house and spend the same amount we would have spent on rent. So now we're looking. We found a couple yesterday that we like. Both have their pros and cons. I'm trying not to freak out about spending this kind of money and making this kind of commitment. I'm very thankful for Keith and his head for figures. I'm glad he understands all this and leaves me to organize our household goods. I don't know if either will pan out and that also leaves a few months in question for double rent, but I think this is the right step. I didn't freak out quite as bad yesterday as we looked at houses and thought about the reality of what we were doing. I'm hoping that's a good sign.

Professionalism

2010-02-17T11:19:00.001-05:00

I took the National Counseling Exam (NCE) on Saturday and passed. Thank goodness for that because I don't see another $185 appearing anytime soon to pay for another round. Everyone's asked me what this means now...am I changing jobs?...am I going to get a raise? The answer to both is no. I don't want to change jobs. I really enjoy what I do and the people I work with. I work for the state so, heck no, I'm not getting a raise. Apparently we're in a recession or something stupid like that. I'm still not convinced though...have you been out to shop or go eat lately? There's still full parking lots and waiting lines...I see no recession. But I digress...Essentially, passing the NCE and finishing my supervision will mean I can get my professional counseling license (LPC) and that makes me more marketable. God only knows what's going to happen in the next few years for Keith and me. I hope to be able to use my skills in some volunteer capacity or maybe part-time at a practice. So we'll continue down our path and see what opens up.

In other randomness, I think my ipod is alive. I just noticed a playlist I didn't create. I also noticed that I don't know how to spell mellow. anywho...

New Favorite Thing

2010-01-28T09:15:00.004-05:00

It seems that our Network Nazi (hi, Dad) has terminated the ability to interact with Facebook at work. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the crazy viruses floating around on there or the fact that nobody who is paid to be here does anything else during the work day. So what's a girl to do when she's run out of real work? That's right, find other random stuff on the internets. For instance, my new favorite blog: stuffchristianslike.net/
I actually found this a couple of weeks ago, but was still intrigued with other things so didn't get into the meat of it. But now with that pesky Facebook thing out of the picture, I was forced to delve a little deeper into my bookmarked pages to see what I could find. What I've found is hilarity. So feel free to check it out as well. It does hit a little close to home for those of us who live in the Christian worldview and know those that don't believe there is another worldview to be had anyway.

The Book of Eli

2010-01-25T09:52:00.004-05:00

For the 3rd time since Christmas, Keith and I went to go see the Blindside. And for the 3rd time since Christmas, we were told it was sold out. I'm still determined to see this movie because it must be flippin' amazing, but now I've seen 3 other movies that I may not have seen. Now the 1st was 2012, which frankly I could do without. There's 3 hours of my life I'll never get back. The 2nd time we saw Sherlock Holmes, which was actually pretty good. Nice action/mystery flick that you don't realize how long it is b/c it keeps your attention. This past weekend we ended up seeing The Book of Eli. I will fully admit that I was already super disappointed that Blindside was sold out again and not in the mood to see whatever actiony thing this was going to be. I didn't really know the premise of the movie, just thought it was another gory guy film. So I got Keith to get me some popcorn and some chocolate covered raisins so I would have something to snack on during the torture. To my surprise, this is actually a really thought-provoking movie. It's hard to talk about without giving too much away, but I'll try.
It's set 30 years after a war with some nuclear action b/c there's no greenery, everyone is scraping for anything they can get, not a lot of water, not a lot of people. You don't find out till the middle of the movie, that Eli is carrying a book on a mission for God. He was commanded by God to carry this book on foot to the west and he would be protected. Meanwhile, there's another guy, Carnegie (I think), who wants this particular book. He's the "mayor" of this little town and wants to expand. Most of the people can't read (I guess such things weren't as important after a nuclear explosion) and he knows that what's in this book can be used as a weapon. Eli ends up passing through Carnegie's town and Carnegie figures out he has this book. So the rest of the movie is Carnegie's maniacal drive to obtain the book.
That's all I can give you. But I walked out of the theater very reflective of a lot of things that came out of this movie. It's interesting to me that at our basest instincts, in the midst of sheer desolation, no water, no real order to speak of, we would revert back to caveman ways (at least in this movie). Women were used for sex and service, powerful men beat up whoever they want, those who were smart enough abused the power they had, and those who were desperate would kill, steal from, eat those they could overtake. As Keith and I discussed this, I would hope that even in the most desperate of situations I wouldn't come to the place where I would forget the sanctity of life. In a place where it was kill or be killed, would we forget that people are human and need help? Would we stop helping people in the attempt to serve our own needs? But maybe we're not as evolved as we think we are. Take away our technology and we're just as lost as we were thousands of years ago.
The other thing that jumped out to me, the town in this movie looked a whole lot like India. Granted, there weren't as many people, but the thrown together tarps, trash, etc. to make a shelter, looked a whole lot like where we were in India. I started thinking once again, we have no idea what real poverty looks like.
There's a lot more about this movie that I would like to discuss, but you need to see it 1st. My big warning though, it's gory and graphic. There is some language, but not a lot. The gore may be more than it needs to be, but at the same time there are very few places where it distracted from the film as a whole. Definitely a good one to watch.

Audrey Lauren

2010-01-07T18:28:00.007-05:00

Auntie Heather

2010-01-04T16:05:00.002-05:00

Currently, my brother's wife is in labor with their first child. While I've donned the "auntie" title for quite a few years now with my friends' kids and got a few through Keith's family, this will be the first niece via blood relation. I'm excited for them. I know Dan and Ashley will be great parents. However, I've got a cold and don't think it would be wise to take that to the hospital. I don't think the hospital would even let me in if I did go. Hopefully, I'll have pictures of Audrey Lauren soon.

Why I'm a bad pet owner...

2009-12-19T14:12:00.008-05:00

For the first time I can remember, it's snowed in December.
It snowed, it sleeted, it iced over. So this morning, I had to take Shirley out. There's a layer of ice over the snow. Shirley is light enough that it only breaks sometimes. What makes this really fun, is she never knows when it's going to give way. So she's walking around with paws spread out as much as she can, clawing to any possible traction she can cling to.It made me laugh a lot. So as we were coming back inside, she was lingering to smell something and all of the snow gave way underneath her, which left this giant imprint in the snow.

No, it's not a giant shoe print, it's where my dog's body impacted the snow. It was really funny.

On a brighter note, here's a picture of our Christmas tree this year.Merry Christmas!

Under-utilizing

2009-12-10T11:18:00.003-05:00

I've had a Palm Pilot for about 5 or 6 years now. I got one basically so I wouldn't have to re-pen birthdays, addresses, contacts, etc. into a new day planner every year. It's been handy in my current job because it (usually) syncs with our email domain and my boss can see what's on my calendar. Of course, it's had its malfunction here and there. Last year it decided it didn't want to show me February anymore and if I tried to force it, it would simply shut down and make me do a reset. So with the help of a tech guy, we wiped it clean and started again. Now, once again, it's decided it doesn't want to sync with my email/calendar anymore. This really isn't that big of a deal...more annoying for me than anything else because I prefer everything to be in its perfect little place working the way it should. But other than that, it's not like there are 4 other calendars floating around me that people can check to see what I'm doing.
However, in my attempt to correct this problem, I'm considering formatting the thing again and starting over. I'm not ready for a new phone at this point, but I'll probably go to a smart phone when I do. That said, I feel I under-utilize my various devices. I don't use the document application on my PDA. I don't use the calendar option on my phone. I don't use my phone to check the internet, download email, or anything else for that matter. I don't use my ipod to store photos. There's a part of me that rationalizes that if I have this smart phone that I would utilize more things, but the other rational part of me realizes that I would probably do the same things I always do. There are just too many options.
There are so many gadgets available that can do amazing things. We're so mobile and interconnected...yet we're also very distracted. I see people (not just teenagers) walking around campus texting and talking constantly. They get out of class and they're on the phone as soon as the teacher dismisses them. Now there's a law to keep people from looking at their phone and writing messages while they are driving a 2,000 lbs. box of steel. Are we missing the point on what's really important? I'm the first to admit I like new shiney things, but I also hope that I can tell the difference between a need and a want. Hopefully, while I under-utilize the gadgets in my purse, I'm not under-utilizing my relationships and connections with others.

These are a few of my favorite things...

2009-11-16T14:20:00.015-05:00

From India anyway. As promised, here are some of the things I loved about India (with pictures too).

1) The few trash cans I did see said "Use Me" on the front of them, which I especially liked...better than "Thank you" or "trash".

2) Pastor Ackshay. We got to visit his church and Keith actually spoke. He's an amazing man of God who appreciates our prayers more than anything else.
3) Amazing sites...Taj Mahal, Fort Agra, all the architecture, etc.

4) My team was amazing. I am so thankful for this team. We all got along splendidly and enjoyed our time together. I miss being with them everyday now.

5) Random wildlife (that wasn't pooing in the street where I walked). It was very cool to see monkeys and camels...but the monkeys are very intimidating as well. Very aggressive and territorial. We were told not to look them in the eye.

6) Chocolate Banana Pancakes and Open Hand restaurant. The pancake became a staple of my diet. Open Hand is a free trade business where we could go to relax and find some real rest. It was a great atmosphere and seemed quieter than anywhere else (even the hotel room).
7) Henna tattoos...very fun. These girls were some helpers at the pink house and they did a fantastic job with the henna. Apparently it's just something you learn over there.8) Of course the kids...they are amazing. Here are a few of my favorite pics.
This is Keith and Mahima. She's about 2 and was just about a precious as they get. I loved throwing her up in the air and hearing her laugh.

This is Betsy with Bown, Rahul, and Sunjai at the care center. Bown is 4 and Rahul is 5. They were so sweet and were so happy to be with us.
This is Sonny. Words cannot express how precious he is to me and Keith. Last year he told Keith he wanted to come back with him and sing and dance at our wedding. When Keith told him he didn't have a plane ticket for him, he said he would be ok and ride on the wings. I'm thankful to have met Sonny this year, especially as he prayed for us before we left.

Please say prayers for these people. They are so needed.

Back from Beyond

2009-11-03T11:07:00.003-05:00

It's been a week since we've been back from India. It's was an amazing trip and also very hard to put into words. I'm very thankful for the opportunity to go, but I'm more thankful to be home. Some things I'm grateful for:
1) traffic laws...India's traffic is madness...complete bedlam...You basically are playing chicken with every other thing (b/c there's cars, trucks, bicycles, auto-rickshaws, cycle-rickshaws, mopeds, motorcycles, pedestrians, cows...) on the road. It's especially terrifying at night when all you see are headlights coming at you.
2) stoplights...I never thought I would be thankful for stoplights, but after you live through their traffic circles, you praise God that at least most people in America stop when there is a red light in front of them.
3) my bed...I love my bed. I love the fact that there are springs and more than 2 inches of foam between me and a piece of plywood.
4) food...I love food. I love greasy food. I love meat. I love things not made in curry. Everything still sounds and tastes amazing...even Hamburger Helper.
5) English...I learned very few words in Hindi and I still butchered the language with the southern accent attached to it. But to be able to understand everyone in the room (for the most part) is very nice.
6) trash cans...it's good to know that we don't believe plastic will automatically go back to "mother earth" and that there is an appropriate place for trash and it's not on the ground.
7) fences...I'm so glad that livestock doesn't run free here. I'm happy to not have to dodge the cow patties whenever I walk anywhere.
8) clean air...between smog, curry, feces, etc. the air is so clean here. I'm not afraid to take a deep breath.
9) education...As much as people complain about going to school, we still value education and expect everyone to get a little.

I'll post more later about the things I loved from over there. There are pictures posted on facebook if anyone is interested in them. We're also talking about our experience at church this Sunday at 6 if you want to hear that.

Let's all applaud David Letterman's fornication

2009-10-05T16:38:00.002-04:00

I'm sure you've heard about David Letterman's acts of indiscretion this weekend. He announced Thursday night on his show about how he was being blackmailed for money. As I listened to the clip on the radio, I heard the audience applauding as he joked about fornicating with co-workers. Is this really an act we should be applauding? How far down this immoral spiral have we gone that someone admitting to cheating on his girlfriend/wife is applauded? It makes me sad. I'm not surprised by his previous behavior or even the fact that he's openly discussing it on his show. But a group of people listened to him and in essence said "right on, Dave...you keep hittin' dat". (So they turned a little ghetto during this speech.) I know we're an immoral culture, but I wish we, as a whole, could still have some standards.

So tired of driving....

2009-09-14T14:08:00.004-04:00

This is an odd statement for me to make since I generally don't mind being in my car that much. I mean, I lived in Boone for a year and worked an hour away. And now I live 25 minutes from work. I went to a graduate school for 3 years that is over an hour away. I dated a boy who lived an hour and half away from me. This kinda time does add up, but it was never so bad that I just wanted to pitch a fit. So when I say I'm tired of driving, I'm almost to the point of wanting to cry. I think on a normal day, I wouldn't be so annoyed with it, but this morning I got to drive to work twice.

That's right...twice.

I actually got to work a little early. I got to my office and there's a call from Keith telling me he thinks he left his car keys in my car last night. Sure enough, there they were. So I drive them back to him and then back to work. No biggie...it happens. It's not the end of the world and I've done much worse.
Now in addition to the normal driving, which has slowed down quite a bit since the wedding, we've been going to Greensboro every other week or so for mission trip meetings. We knew we'd be committing a lot for this b/c we are the outsiders now, but it's getting old. Then today I get a call from our team leader. She can't mail our passports off for our visas because I haven't signed my passport. AARRGGGGHHHH! So now I'm driving 45 minutes to meet up with her tomorrow to sign my stinkin' passport so we can get visas. Granted, she's meeting me halfway, but still, another hour and half in the car when I could be in my glorious house. I think I'm more annoyed with myself b/c I didn't sign the passport and I believe it's been pointed out to me before.

I'll get over my little whiny spell here in a minute.
*breath*
Ok, so it's not that bad. It's all good.

Random

2009-09-09T10:55:00.002-04:00

Just some random fodder for Wednesday.

1) My new favorite websites to check on a daily basis:
peopleofwalmart.com *note, this is not always a kid-friendly site
www.passiveaggressivenotes.com *probably not this one either
www.thereifixedit.com
2) My windshield got a crack in it Sunday night and now as grown to over a foot long. I'm waiting for the glass people to call me to fix it.
3) I got shots for India last week and tomorrow I get my prescriptions for Typhoid, Malaria, and my anti-nausea meds. Some of the Malaria meds cause very intense, crazy dreams...like I need my already intense, crazy dreams intensified.
4) I've been told that football season starts this weekend. Welcome back Sunday afternoon naps!
5) And just so you can be in the know, this week is National Suicide Prevention Week. Just say no.

Those Crazy Lutherans

2009-08-25T11:20:00.002-04:00

Apparently the Lutheran church has decided that marriage is some legal mumbo-jumbo that doesn't matter anymore because they've declared that sex is allowable in relationships that are based on "social trust." So as long as you're in a "committed" and "loving" relationship, go ahead and get it on. I'm at a loss for words.
Here's the article, you read it and see what you think.

My Twilight Issues

2009-08-24T15:05:00.003-04:00

I guess my issues aren't so much with the first book, or any of the books for that matter. My issues are with Bella. I'm trying desperately to finish the final book (mostly so I can FINALLY read Amanda's blog entry), but this book is taking forever. But I digress...Bella is a moron. She is a whiny, self-involved, bratty, short-sighted teenager. First, she doesn't want to marry her vampire soul mate b/c she's 18 and marriage at a young age is bad. I would have focused on the whole eternity that you would be with him as opposed to the opinions of others. Perhaps the focus is all wrong anyway since she's becoming a vampire, which is so much more accepted than marriage apparently. Then, she manages to spawn a half-vampire child and then discovers the joys of motherhood (which isn't given as much drama as the whole marriage thing). But my biggest beef with the girl-wonder is her complete lack of insight. She automatically jumps to the worst conclusion and stops there. She doesn't consider any other possibilities which are much closer to the truth. It drives me insane. The books are ok, but I like Harry Potter a whole lot more.

I am a C clap, clap

2009-07-29T11:17:00.002-04:00

I just read this on Relevantmag.com:

Camp for Burgeoning Atheists

A summer camp in Great Britain has begun offering a "godless alternative" to the religious camps often hosted by church or other groups in the country. Dedicated to furthering critical thinking through philosophical tools, the camp also has an ongoing game where the prize is a 10 pound note signed by Richard Dawkins. Popular camp songs include "I am an A / I am an A-T / I am an A-T-H-E-I-SSS-T" ...

Of course, I giggled at the song, which inspired me to blog a little. I love camp. I miss going to camp. This was a huge part of my life and reason why I went into ministry in the first place. It's not like all camps are Christian-based though. Do we really need a camp that is anti-God/religion? This type of camp perpetuates the idea that Christians are mindless fanatics who blindly follow the status quo. Theology is very philosophical...why do we think we need to separate them into pro-Christian and anti-Christian. This further illustrates for me that non-Christians are much less tolerant than Christians are. "We will not tolerate these Christian folks and their quirky camp song parodies." But then again, I know there are people who are extreme on both sides of the issues. Why are they the loudest ones? Why do we not hear more from the people who are balanced and passionate? Well I will continue to be passionate and open to conversation with whomever (or is it whoever?). In the meantime, "I am a C-H..." Now try and get that song out of your head today.

Anxiety

2009-07-24T11:16:00.003-04:00

Maybe it's the time of the month...no, not THAT time of the month...just towards the end. The end of the month is always a little more stressful for those of us who get paid on a monthly basis. Anyone who knows me knows how money (or the lack thereof) can stress me out like nothing else. But right now I don' t think it's just money. We're going to get to move next weekend and so there's the whole packing issue. I should get a medal for this as much as I do it, but the lack of order messes with my OCD issues. I can't put things away, I can only put them in boxes which sit in the middle of the floor and in corners and in front of other things that need to be packed/moved. Good thing we're moving on up to a much bigger place.
So in lieu of moving, we have a weekend that is pretty open. But we don't have money so our options are limited. Do you see the vicious cycle I'm in? Maybe my bigger problem is I'm in my office and can't leave to do something productive with my excess energy.
Must go focus...

Moving

2009-07-21T16:36:00.002-04:00

Soon and very soon, we'll be moving into the new house. Just in case anyone is wondering, no, we haven't bought a house. God has blessed us with a mac daddy (that's right...MAC DADDY) house to live in for a while. Now the question will be where to put things...hmmm...organization. I am in nirvana. It will be great to have a place where people can come over and be comfortable. We'll have room to both be in the kitchen at the same time and not worry about running over each other. Shirley will have a back yard to play in. I hope to have a small garden next year. And I leave you with 3 words: screened in porch.

There're NO jobs...

2009-07-01T09:06:00.003-04:00

My work is very rewarding...most of the time. I help people figure out what they want to be when the grow up (regardless of actual age). So most people walk away from me feeling pretty good.* However, just because I can help them figure out what program to study or field to pursue doesn't mean that there are jobs out there. My county has a 15% unemployment rate (and that's just the people who are receiving unemployment, not the one's who have extended all their benefits and are just making it now). I also have to work within the parameters of a certain government program that helps these people go back to work.

I got a call yesterday from a lady I had helped. She decided on Medical Office Administration. There is growth in this field according to my information. Her problem when she called me was that other people were telling her there are no jobs in that field...one in particular was a man at the ESC. He basically told her that of course the college would tell her there are jobs because we want her in the program. Nevermind the fact that our programs are overflowing with people and there probably won't be enough seats in classes for the amount of people who are planning to come here this fall.

She told me that she asked him where there were jobs because she'll get training for that. To this he responds, "I can't tell you because you need to figure out what you're interested in." Um, I'm thinking that's what she did already. She decided to stay with MOA and felt a little better when I got done talking with her.

The point of this is there are no jobs. I actually spoke to another lady at the ESC yesterday (trying to make sure that I wasn't making stuff up about MOA having job availability) and she confirmed that the majority of jobs on their website are for Medical Office in hospitals. Neither of us could figure out what the other guy was talking about. The whole process is annoying and there's a lot more I could say about this, but it'll just get me all worked up and I have to help someone else figure out what they want to do.

*All comments to that statement better be clean...Caison:).

"My word, those pants are snug"

2009-06-18T18:41:00.002-04:00

That was the quote that came to mind for my 1st appointment (and if you are a true Friend follower, you will appreciate the thought). I actually had a walk-in right before that. In fact, I've had 5 walk-ins today on top of the 5 people who had appointments. It's been a busy day. Not that I'm complaining, mind you. I would much rather be busy like this than praying the minutes will tick by faster. Now I'm upon my last 15 minutes and instead of updating a powerpoint for a college/career session next week, I thought I would update this.

Good news for those who haven't heard: Keith got a job. We're both very relieved that he has somewhere to go for 8 hours everyday AND they pay him to be there. Not to worry, I'm still getting my meals prepared for me when I get home. I know you were worried.
Other good news, we'll get to move soon into what I've lovingly termed "Pack Manor." Actually I should give credit where its due, that was the brilliance of my administrative assistant. This house is just a big fat hairy blessing from God. I can't wait to move.

The 30 year cruise was fantastic. I have pictures on Facebook, but I'm pretty sure everyone who cares has seen them. It's silly to think that anyone else would see this that isn't already friends with me.

Well, let's call it a night and go home to eat. :)

Limitations of Counseling

2009-05-21T14:36:00.003-04:00

This morning I had an appointment with a lady for career counseling. She had been laid off (like a billion other people in this county) and was deciding whether to go back to school or not. We did different assessments and chatted some about life. She finally came to the conclusion she started with. I explained the admissions procedures for the college. In the middle of this she asked about classes and how they are schedule. Her reason: "the guy I live with is super jealous and wants to know where I'm at all the time and it's just better if I'm in class while he's at work." WTF!?!? I wanted to say to her, "Um, you know that's abuse, right? You know that's an unrealistic expectation and completely unhealthy for both of you...right?" But I also realized that at this particular point in time, I didn't have a relationship to point this out to her. She, also, wasn't ready to hear it either. So I simply told her she could pick her schedule to what would work for her.

Sadly, this isn't the first time this week where I've had that reaction. I'm teaching a class about self-esteem for some of our basic skills students, which means I have a room of low self-esteem, low self-worth, low self-image people (mostly women) needing to find a different path. After reading a couple of their journal entries, I was just so thankful that my husband actually likes me and wants to spend time with me. My heart breaks for these people who don't realize that the life they live is so wrong. They think this is the way it is. This is it. He doesn't beat me and he's got a job, what more can I expect? Nevermind the fact that what he does do is mentally and emotionally beat the crap out of you on a daily basis.

But again, I have to reign myself in. It's not for me to flat out tell them (at this point) how messed up their situations are. They have learned to cope and they are just now realizing that maybe what they thought was normal really isn't. My boss and I talked about these situations this morning and he reminded me of Plato's allegory of The Cave. That is what I'm finding. A bunch of people who think the shadows are real and that that's all there is to life. To expect more seems silly and unrealistic; fanciful even.

Now armed with this knowledge and a very short amount of time, I am left to slowly start shining a light on what they thought was real and introduce them to a much better way. The problem will be that this way is also very hard and will change their lives, including the relationships the currently hold. They may not want to risk those relationships (no matter how unhealthy) for something better because it is all they know.

But this is true of all people, not just my class. We all are in some form of this. Some of us have been set free and can look upon the True Light, but many of us still find it to be too bright for our eyes. Maybe this will help me to also adapt more to the Source.

Mission Trip

2009-05-11T09:59:00.002-04:00

You can all say a prayer for me and Keith because in October we're going to go to India. This is the same trip Keith did last year, but I'll be accompanying him this time. I've prayed about it and I'm not getting a clear yes or no, but I do know that all my excuses add up to my inconvenience and not about God telling me no. I'm nervous, but I'm not nervous. I'm scared, but I'm not scared. I know there is definitely a risk in going over there because Christians are not looked upon with much regard, but I also know who God is and He is much, much greater than all my fears.

New Chair

2009-05-06T13:36:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, a co-worker showed me her new chair. She even let me try it out. This special chair also helps you strengthen your abs as you sit. You can't help yourself...it's just the way it's made. Now on first glance, one would not think of this as an office chair, but I sit here before, er, you (if you will) and tell you in makes an excellent office chair. It's much more fun than a regular office chair. It bounces...it rolls...it swivels (kinda). It's pretty fun. Wanna see?

That's right it's an exercise ball. Who would have thought this would work for an office, but it's actually a good size for where my keyboard is. It's a little low for the desk, but at the same time, I have to use my abs to stay on it and I can't really slouch either. Good for posture, abs, and ergonomics.

Bless Her Heart

2009-04-27T10:39:00.002-04:00

I've been a little mean this morning. Not as mean as I could have been, but that's just a rationalization. A lovely, dear, sweet co-worker who, I've determined, is way overpaid for what she doesn't do, is one of the most computer illiterate people on the planet. I know most of you are thinking, "well, you haven't met _____". Doesn't matter...I know this one. Let me say now, I really do like this lady. She would do anything for you and is very genuine, but there are moments when I'm left wondering what kind of blackmail pictures she has to have to hold this position.
Anywho, so this morning she came to me to get help with the computers in our advising center. She just wasn't sure what buttons to push. After looking at the black screens I commented, "yeah, those power buttons are tricky." I totally admit that I should have kept my mouth shut, but what's done is done. The problem: the monitor power button wasn't on.
THEN, a few minutes ago, she told me that her computer crashed and she's working on a loaner which isn't networked to her directory, etc. She wants to do a memo..."where would I go for that?" So I walked to her office, made sure that she just wanted to print a memo out (not post it anywhere and use the email), and then clicked on Start and pointed at Word.
Voila! Am computer genius! Why aren't all problems that easy?
All I can say is bless her heart.

The Joys of Work

2009-04-24T08:53:00.004-04:00

I have an appointment this morning with a man who wants to enhance his current skills.
Fine...I can appreciate that.
Well, he's been trying to get his transcript to me all week so I can see if anything will transfer.
This really doesn't make any sense to me because I'm a career counselor who does a little advising, not an enrollment specialist or transcript evaluator. But whatever, I'll look at the transcript and see what I can find out for him.
When I do get a transcript it only has continuing education classes (which don't transfer to curriculum, btw). Then I find out that it's not the right person's transcripts, which just annoys this guy even more. But at the same time, I don't know what to tell him because it's not our fault his previous college can't get us the right transcripts.
Then he tells me what he wants to do...which is puzzling because my job is to help people figure out what they want to do, but since I do some advising I'll let it slide. However, what he wants is not what we offer. We have nothing that will fit for this guy...not even continuing education classes. But there are other local colleges that have something closer, so I try to explain this.
This morning I came to my office and his real transcript is here. So my new problem: it's from 1980. Granted, we still count credits even when they're 30 years old...however, they may not actually translate to anything because of how the system has changed. So out his whole associates degree we will count 1 class. ONE! It should be a rather pleasant experience explaining this to this guy.
All this to say, I'm not looking forward to my 10:30 appointment.

Update:
The man ended up calling in the middle of my 1st appointment still wondering about his transcripts. I explained that only 1 class would transfer and we (still) didn't have any classes that fit what he was looking for, but I printed information about the local colleges that might. So he ended up canceling his appointment with me and I just left his stuff with our poor records lady to have to deal with him.
yeah annoying people!

The Married Woman Hair Cut

2009-04-14T22:17:00.004-04:00

In the grand ol' fashion of pretty much every married woman I know, I have chopped off my hair post-wedding gala. I will admit to having a 2-fold purpose in this though. I haven't cut my hair in quite a few years thinking of donating my "luscious locks" to Locks of Love. Then when Keith came along with a marriage proposal, I knew I should wait till after the wedding to cut it all off. So today, I got it cut.

Oh, it's short. But I like it.

Wedding Nightmare #3

2009-03-30T08:54:00.005-04:00

It happened again this weekend...another wedding nightmare.
This time, I was getting married in a hotel.
Problem: so was another couple.
Bigger problem: Most of my guests were already there and I think our wedding was after this other couple.
So Amy and I went to the lobby to find out what was going on. Well the lobby was like Grand Central Station complete with benches and tons of people. A lady from my church had already been asking what was going on. I'm yelling at her across a large bench about what time the other wedding is and she keeps responding about the issues with the flowers. I was starting to get really annoyed b/c we're doing the flowers and there was no issue with the flowers and this lady wouldn't answer my actual question. I finally just walk around the large bench to talk with someone at the main desk. She then tells me that we need to go to "room 6025. It has pink stripes and there's a lady there who can answer your questions." So off we go (after I tell church lady what was said and call her by her last name instead of her first...mostly b/c in real life I remember her last name better than her first...then I felt bad in my dream about calling her the wrong name). Amy and I run back in to where the guests are, but most of them are gone. I don't know where they all went, but they're gone.
Did I mention that I'm not in my wedding gown, but some blue 50's style tea-length dress? So we run through a big, up-hill concrete courtyard to get to a floor to find 6025. I remember that we went past the elevator in the lobby, but apparently it didn't matter b/c we only went to the 2nd floor anyway. On the way there, I asked Amy if I wore a dress for the rehearsal (b/c I can't remember and I also realize I'm wearing a dress now). I don't think I did, but I can't remember the rehearsal anyway so I guess it doesn't matter at this point.
Meanwhile on the 2nd floor, we're frantically searching for 6025. It still looks like Grand Central Station but laid out like Rankin (the Science building at ASU where the numbers mean nothing. Just b/c it says your class is in room 255 doesn't mean it's on the 2nd floor). There is no rhyme or reason to the lay out of rooms and we cannot figure out where this room is.
And that's where I wake up...searching for a mystical room where apparently the Oracle of weddings lives. 5 more days.

Cracked Out Corn Pops

2009-03-17T09:41:00.003-04:00

So in my usual perusal of websites for the morning, I was checking CakeWrecks and there was a reference to corn pops. She then linked up to their website and made a comment about them going around the bend. So I decided to check it out to see and oh my goodness. There is a build your own story website including a weird little kid and a cracked out monster. Totally worth looking at.

I've been shot

2009-03-11T09:19:00.005-04:00

And the weird dreams continue. At least this one wasn't about the wedding, but I've definitely been to too many showers of various kinds recently. So...

My dear friend, Alice, was pregnant (possibly with the same twins she had last year). But apparently she had gotten into some trouble with a mafia type group. Well, she asked me to go deal with it. I knew that I was going to get shot, but I still went anyway. So I go to meet this greasy stereotypical mafia guy at a stereotypical mafia type restaurant that he owned. And sure enough, as I was walking in front of him, he shot me. The funny thing was, it didn't really hurt, it didn't explode, I didn't bleed a lot or at all...I just knew it was going to kill me...eventually. So I went back to this church camp-type building, where we were getting ready to have a baby shower for Alice. I couldn't tell anyone I got shot, even though there was a small hole in my shirt just to the left of my stomach. Alice knew, but we couldn't tell anyone else. I was just waiting for it to move around in my system, cause a blockage, and kill me. We were getting ready to cut the cake, which Alice wanted me to have the first slice since she knew I was going to die soon, but I insisted she do it b/c it was her shower. Then I wandered to a bathroom to continue to contemplate my very imminent demise some more. And that's where I woke up.

It's always discombobulating to have these types of dreams...well really, any of my dreams leave me that way in the morning. Stupid mind trying to work things out in my sleep. Why can't it just sleep too?

Surprise!

2009-03-09T15:02:00.002-04:00

Today I was chatting with the administrative assistant for my department, Vickie, when Ashley (who sits at the front desk) came by to ask a question. In the process she looks at me and says, "I'll only be able to stay for a little while at your shower tomorrow." At which point, I looked at Vickie and Vickie looked back and said, "Surprise!" Ashley felt horrible b/c she then realized that I hadn't been informed of said shower. I did have my suspicions though. So I wasn't totally shocked...I just didn't know when they were going to do it.
I will say it's totally weird to be in this position of being "showered". I'm all about being the center of attention, but this is too much for even me. I'm used to being the one throwing the party so to have the "hot seat" (which everyone likes to call it that) and have everyone watch you open presents is a little overwhelming. But just a few more of these things and it'll be wedding time. 25 more days actually.

Money, money, money, money, money...MONEY

2009-03-06T09:19:00.002-05:00

You know how hard it is to make a title using a lyric without singing it. I hope you all get the reference.
Nothing stresses me out like money...er, rather the lack thereof. Right now everything's good, but in a month a major change is coming. In that major change there is no guarantee of a second income. I know people who do this and do it well. I know there are ways, but my brain does not compute numbers. When I try to do numbers I'm either way over or way under. (Makes you feel good about all my years balancing a checkbook, huh?) I KNOW this is God nudging me to trust Him once again. I KNOW it, but it still scares the crap out of me. Because I don't see the solution (or at least one I know is going to happen) I get very anxious. I'm a planner by nature...I need to know what's happening, when it's happening, what my part is in it happening, etc. I need details. God doesn't like to divulge such information though. So in lieu of details I get anxious and worry and wake up at 4 in the morning unable to fall back asleep and circle the airport of crazy that are my thoughts.
It's interesting as a counselor I teach people how to deal with worry and anxiety. But counselors aren't great at taking their own advice. Well I guess that's not completely true...I am writing it down trying to get it out of my brain.
This is the time to rely on what I know, which is God is still God and I am not. He is who He said He is and He is taking care of me, my future husband, and our finances. That is what I have to focus on and not the details I don't have.

Nervous Nuptials

2009-02-26T14:40:00.004-05:00

With the wedding so close now, I'm getting the "are you getting nervous" question a lot more frequently. Honestly, right now, I'm not nervous. I'm sure there's a good possibility that I will be that day. I'm sure that the OCD monster that lives inside me will make an appearance the day before and remain until I get on the plane for the honeymoon. I'm kinda expecting such things. But today as I answered this question, the lady responded, "You will be." Gee thanks. I'm wondering why people think wedding = nervous breakdown. I see the potential for emotions to run high. I agree that I probably will get nervous and anxious and annoying and...you get the idea. But at the same time, I'm hoping that I can keep the bigger picture in focus. I'm getting married. I'm starting a marriage. This is a ceremony, albeit important, but it's going to last a few hours and then I have a marriage to focus on. The wedding is such a small part that I don't want to get worked up over it. I don't see the need to freak out, so I don't know why others are trying to encourage a mental breakdown. So for those of you who do talk with me on a regular basis (aka bridesmaids and family), just help me keep looking at the bigger picture and not the minutia of the ceremony.

Before my brain implodes

2009-02-20T09:07:00.003-05:00

Sometimes I want to stick my finger through my eye and twirl it around.

They're doing catalog updates at work. You know, if you had a title change or you earned a degree, etc. Well I've had both of those things happen in the last year, so I emailed HR with my title change and my new degree. The administrative assistant for HR calls me a few weeks ago and asked when my titled changed.
"Um, well, in September." You know, when you sent me a new contract to sign.
Then she asked if they had transcripts on file.
"You should. I had them sent last summer, after I talked to you about the need to have updated transcripts." Why don't you walk over to the file cabinet and check my file?!?

So that little conversation was annoying. I mean, how lazy do you have to be to not walk 15 feet to check a person's file? Well this morning I get another call.

HR: "I just wanted to let you know that I talked with [VP] and I can't change your title as you requested. We have to leave it as what's on your contract."
I'm trying to figure out what I "requested" exactly. So to clarify:
"Is this for the catalog?"
HR: "Yes. You told me your title was Counselor, Career and Advising Dept. But on your contract it says Career and Admissions. So I have to leave it as that."
Brain starting to leak out my ear now.
I then try to explain that I wasn't requesting a title change and praying to God that my VP knows I'm not an idiot. I don't care what department they say I'm with. I was just trying to make sure the catalog got updated.
HR: "Well I just wanted you to know that I have to leave it with what's on your contract."

I guess I should be glad that she realizes there's a contract at all, but seriously?!?! It was one word. ONE WORD. We couldn't make some assumptions that perhaps I just mistook one word for another that is very similar and still what we do in this department? I know it's dangerous to make assumptions, but I didn't think this would bring the powers that be into the conversation. I must learn to clarify better and check my facts before sending such silly ideas on to HR.
Ok, trying to breathe normally again and make my eye stop twitching.

I wish I was making this up...

2009-02-16T14:55:00.003-05:00

Part of my job is maintaining a bulletin board in the hallway of my floor. I usually put up awareness information or inspirational information. Generally it's something to encourage or help our students. How do I decide on the monthly themes, you ask? Well I go to a couple of different websites to check for monthly observances. Did you know that November is National Impotency Month? Or that January is California Dried Plum Digestive Month? How about March's Adopt a Rescued Guinea Pig Month?
What?!? You didn't know that?!? How could you possibly miss such earth shaking, monumental events. I mean, there's a whole month dedicated to the awareness of digesting California dried plums. In the midst of our economic melt-down, I would think you would take more notice of such important observances.
But wait, there are also weekly and daily observances too. That's right, my friends. You could basically make up anything, add national to it, put it on a website, and apparently there are people who think they actually need to do something about it. Take Doctor-Patient Trust Week or Consider Christianity Week. Or What if Dogs and Cats had Opposable Thumbs Day...how are our lives not better just for knowing that there's a day dedicated to the questioning of lack of appendages on our domestic pets? I think we need to have a "Do you think babies think Day". Who's on board? Who wants to help promote this momentous occasion?
Yeah, me neither.

Wedding Nightmare Part 2

2009-02-09T09:00:00.005-05:00

It happened again. The second wedding nightmare.

So I was looking for an extension cord (eventually I plugged it into a keyboard). But people were already filling up the church and I'm running around looking for a cord. I finally found one after going into a cafeteria of some sort and asking the housekeeper that works in my building. I head back to the church (luckily, all these building were on the same campus) and plug in the keyboard. I then notice that the guests are moving forward in the church. They are filling up the pews starting with the front row. Well, that just won't do because grandmas need a place to sit. So on my way to put my dress on, I find an usher (who is, btw, a random non-groomsman that I can't identify) and tell him people need to be moved back and leave the front row open. He then tells me that this chick I went to high school with (who never talked to me, but now wants to friend me of facebook) said we needed to leave room for the latecomers. Well, my grandma needs a place to sit, so people better move back.
I then go on in to put my dress on. I'm getting the undergarments situated (ladies, you know what I'm talking about) and I come out to find Amy in some kind of green dress. It's definitely not the one that she picked out on "bridesmaid dress day" and it's not the same color green I chose. It's more a mossy green and it has HUGE sleeves. The kind that come down to the bottom of what must be a sweater-type dress...the kind that has no waist or shape to speak of and stops above the knee. I think it was made of Jeresy knit (which is a no-no, but explains the weird shade of green). She just asked if she could wear that instead and again, at this point, I really didn't care. Mom was helping me get into my dress. As I'm stepping into this, I'm thinking there's something kinda off. As I get it all the way on, I realize, this isn't the dress I picked out. This dress has more of a "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" vibe. It's got big, puffy sleeves and bows on top and some sort of purple accents.
Thankfully, that's when I woke up and realized that this dress doesn't hang in my old bedroom at my parents house.
In other wedding news, I've got shoes! I got $20 shoes too:). Now to just print out these address labels and get to stuffin'.

As an aside, people should ask Amy about her wedding nightmare she had for me. Maybe we're taking turns. If so, it's your turn again, my friend.

Grandma's Barn

2009-02-04T10:38:00.003-05:00

My grandma's barn burned down Sunday morning. Thankfully, everyone is ok and their house wasn't damaged. The wind was blowing the "right" way. However, they lost a lot. They lost 10 horses, a bunch of barn cats, my step-grandfather's truck, his saw equipment, and my great-grandfather's tractor. Here's a little news story and some pictures:
http://www.newswatch50.com/news/local/story/Hammond-fire-kills-six-horses/14OiiIMzJUmy2RFuLJ_p4g.cspx
It's weird to think that barn isn't there anymore. That's a huge piece of my childhood memories. When we would go up there, I would "help" my grandma with chores...which means I would wander around the barn while she milked the cow and/or cleaned the horses. I would throw out dried corn for the gaggle of geese that she had. When I was older, I would actually help her clean the horses.
If you think about it, say a prayer for them. The riding stable and Arnold's saw equipment were their sources of income. The neighborhood has really rallied for them, providing food and other services. It's just hard, but it could have been so much worse.

All things political

2009-01-29T17:22:00.002-05:00

As I was driving home last night, a song came across my ipod that I find to be fitting for the times that we are going through...politically speaking.

"You can always trust the devil and a politician
To be the devil and a politician"

~Derek Webb, "Savior on Capitol Hill" courtesy of The Ringing Bell

Too true.

Wedding Nightmare

2009-01-19T18:32:00.004-05:00

Last night I had my first wedding nightmare.
It was my wedding day. My dress was now the color of chocolate milk. There was no rehearsal. We didn't decorate the reception hall. There was no cake. There were no flowers. And to top that all off, most of my bridesmaids weren't the ones I ask to be in the wedding. Amy and Mere were there, but then it was random girls from Wisconsin and some old guy (yes, an old guy was one of my bridesmaids). Did I find this odd in my dream? Yes, I did. But I was so overwhelmed with the fact that nothing else was done for my special day that it wasn't at the top of my list to get freaked out about. So it's my turn to go down the aisle. Apparently there's a jazz band playing for the wedding...which probably wouldn't be bad, but they were playing very beatnik jazz...not nice wedding jazz. I then realize I can't go down the aisle without flowers. Meanwhile there's a girl who's supposed to be helping direct (also not the girl I asked), but instead she's wrapping up large Yankee Candles for some other lady (b/c now there's a shop at the front of the church...which is, by the way, not the church I had scheduled for the wedding, but the church I grew up in). I then see a boutonniere that wasn't used. I grab that, take the pin out, and start sprinting down the aisle. I'm sprinting b/c the song the jazz band played is now over and I think they're getting ready to start a new one. I get to the front of the church where someone has decorated with potted plants...like a sea of potted plants shaped like a triangle. There's no good way to get to the preacher and the groom. So I jump over some plants, get to the pastor, and find my groom to be my friend, Chris Hall, not Keith. Then the jazz band starts playing another random loud song, but at this point I'm thinking, "I'm getting married, it doesn't matter." Then I start to think, "If Chris marries me, Natalie will be without a father. I don't want to be her step-mother...that would be weird."
Then I finally realize that I'm in a dream and wake myself up. It's funny how a dream affects you. I would wake up randomly reliving my dream for the rest of the night...mostly wondering where in the world that came from. I hope this isn't the beginning of the weird wedding dreams.

Every day!

2009-01-15T14:35:00.003-05:00

I'm a creature of habit. And this is probably more than you want to know, but I typically need to use the ladies room between 2 and 2:30 most days...at least most work days. Well, this is also the same time that our housekeeper cleans the 1st floor restrooms...every day. My office building is set up like a square within a square which houses student services in a continuous effort. So there's no direct route to get to said restrooms. You have to go around 1/2 the square to get there. It's like a maze...a simple maze, but there are those little twists and turns. So I go out one way to get to the restrooms, realize she's cleaning and have to book it back to the other side of the building to get to the stairs (the elevator is just too slow) and then back to the other side of the 2nd floor to get to those restrooms. One would think that after months of this scenario, I would remember to just go to the 2nd floor. But every day I forget and repeat this pattern. I guess I could at least say I'm getting some exercise.

What are these big buildings for exactly?

2009-01-12T09:10:00.004-05:00

In the process of planning the wedding, I've had to look for other churches as mine is not large enough to hold the onslaught of people who are to be invited. I knew there were churches that didn't allow people to use their facility if they weren't members. I completely understand that there need to be rules and regulations for the use of buildings. However, in the process of calling churches, I was getting pretty disgusted with fact that there are so many that don't allow "non-members" to use their facilities.

I worked for a church in Wisconsin that did allow non-members to use the church building. In the process of getting married there, they had to meet with our pastor and have pre-marital counseling with him. This in turn led to a relationship being built and usually that couple to start attending church with us because of that relationship. By us allowing non-members to use the church, we had an outreach ministry where the people came to us. This was a powerful ministry based on a relationship and not a "you gotta get saved" mentality.

Even though I already had a church family (which actually helped me get the churches I'm using...yes, churches...long story), every time I talked to a secretary/administrative assistant who quickly (and some snottily) shot me down, my heart broke a little for all the other people who don't have a church family and desperately need one but because of our desire to control our buildings, will have one less chance.

Because that's really what it comes down to, isn't it? We want to be able to control the building, the pastor, the new people who might come in. "You need to do it this way." My dear friend, Alice, said it best, "We build these huge buildings so we can use them once a week and that's it. We spend all this money heating and cooling them for one day...maybe 2." We wouldn't want someone coming in and tearing our building apart.

I'm not saying there shouldn't be rules and regulations. I know the man-power is scarce to take care of the upkeep. The man-power is even more scarce to take care of hurting people. I realize that because of a few people there are all these strict rules and by-laws. But how are we meeting people where they are? How are we reaching out to people who need to know God's love in a real way? How are we building relationships with people in a way that Jesus would want us to? It proves the point that most times it's all about the numbers and not about the people. It's about the reports we generate to a board than it is about discipling those around us.

Not all churches are this way. Some of them really do care about reaching out to people. But all of us, at one point or another, in one way or another, fail to care for those around us and subtly get sucked back into the numbers game. It's like fighting the current in the ocean. You start having fun and then lose track of where your stuff is on the beach. Before you know it, you're 100 yards away and having to fight to get back to center. Maintenance of a perspective is hard work (tacking onto Amy's blog). We reduce it down till it's really all about me.

The Break In

2009-01-03T15:30:00.002-05:00

This afternoon, as Keith and I left to find tuxes for the wedding, I noticed that my car had been broken into last night. Granted, I forgot to lock my doors, but still, that's not an invitation to rifle through my stuff either. At least there's not much of value in my car...except for the spare key. So now I get to have my car rekeyed lest they come and steal the actual car. Why they didn't do it last night, I don't know. My theory is no one in this little gang of hoodlums could drive a stick. It's not the worst thing that could happen...just annoying.

Biltmore House

2008-12-15T19:33:00.006-05:00

For my graduation, Keith gave me tickets to see Biltmore House. I held out till Christmas so I could see the decorations. They've opened up a lot more rooms than what I saw when I was 12, but I still have that urge to go behind the roped off sections I'm not supposed to. But there's always the behind the scenes tour.

I feel like I just left...

2008-12-12T08:14:00.003-05:00

Since I work for student services, I have to work late one night a week. There has to be coverage for the different departments Monday through Thursday. And since I'm the newbie, I got Thursday night because that was what was left. No big deal...I've worked a out a nice deal where I usually work 12 hours on Thursday and can leave at lunch on Friday. Anywho...There are about 4-5 other people who work Thursday nights as well. Since I've started this job, I've started to notice a trend on Friday mornings. The lady from financial aid who works Thursdays with me (who I really like, she's very interesting) comes in on Friday mornings and almost without fail will say this to me, "There's Heather...are you awake yet?" My response, "Nope." She continues, "I feel like I just left, how about you?" My response, "Yep." I realized this morning that this happens pretty much every Friday morning. Maybe it's just a way for her to cope with the fact that it's only been 12 hours since we left work. Maybe she really doesn't remember that we did this same ritual last Friday. Maybe she doesn't realize that I feel like this every morning. Regardless, I just find it amusing.

There's a (Slight) Chance....

2008-12-09T08:24:00.004-05:00

I Might Be Going to Hell is the book I just finished. Granted, I bought it just for the title with hopes that it would be a great book. Sadly, I was left disappointed. There were a couple of funny parts. The author had moments of literary brilliance with her descriptions of things, but overall, it moved slowly and ended weirdly. The point of the book is Maye and her husband move to a small north-western town where there used to be a big sewer pipe industry. Because of that there is a Sewer Pipe Queen pageant. Maye is having trouble finding friends in her new town (doing stupid things like pretending to be a vegetarian and getting caught eating meat by the president of the group...hence the title of the book), so she enters the pageant to make friends...b/c when you're the queen, people will want to be your friend. She has to have a former queen to be her sponsor and thus finds Ruby who had her crown taken away because the town believed her to have set some fires 30 years ago that destroyed some landmarks, all the while it was her best friend Rowena. Ruby is now liquored-filled and constantly smoking. *spoiler alert...b/c I'm sure you're all going to go read this book...So when things go awry for Maye at the pageant, Ruby shows up to her defense and then she disappears...POOF...nothing but ashes in the wind. That's it...that's the end of Ruby. Apparently she evaporated. While I was reading this, I started thinking maybe the whole thing is a dream...there could be fiction in the fiction. But no, that's how the author wanted it. Needless to say, I'm a bit disappointed with this book. Fair warning to anyone else who picks it up.

Copy Cat

2008-12-04T08:38:00.003-05:00

I am using the BASE method for my blog today...Borrow And Steal Everything. I was inspired by my dear former roommate to add some festivity to my blog (thank you Mandy Lou).

I believe I am almost completely done Christmas shopping. I just need a few giftcards and a couple more stocking stuffers and my Christmas shopping will be complete. Now don't be hatin' on me b/c I'm super anal and get things done early...it's just my way...as is using slang that I'm way too white to be using.
I wish I had something deeper to blog about, but it's still early in the day and my life isn't overly exciting right now...maybe I'll be inspired later to enlighten everyone, but for now, just enjoy the new background.

Did I stutter?

2008-11-25T13:54:00.003-05:00

Shirley, my Schnoodle, has a slight seizure disorder. So to help slow down said disorder she takes a small dose of phenobarbital twice a day. I tell you this to explain my last two experiences at the vet getting her refill. They usually staple the receipt to the print out of services, which I then take off because I'm anal like that and file these things separately (yes, I file things like receipts). The last two times, the person checking me out has asked me if I want the receipt stapled to the print out. I have replied both times with a shake of my head and a no. Has this prevented them from stapling away anyway? No. Even though they asked for my preference and I shared clearly my preference, they still do what they want to do. I didn't realize until today how little my opinion matters. I'm sure that will incite some comments. :)

The Messiah

2008-11-17T08:46:00.003-05:00

My high school years included chorus. I love chorus, at least I did the first 2 years because of Mr. Cogdell. What's special about Mr. Cogdell is the fact that he not only taught me, but also 3 of my cousins, my dad, 2 of my uncles, an aunt, and at least 1 or 2 great-uncles. He retired after my sophomore year and chorus was never the same...but I digress. About 4 years ago, there was a reunion chorus of all Cogdell-taught students and we sang parts of The Messiah. Well we're doing it again this year (on Dec. 7th in case anyone wants to come hear us). We're doing 6 choruses from this incredibly long oratorio. If you know nothing about music, Handel was a madman. Granted, I think this is some impressive music, but the runs in "For Unto Us a Child is Born" are ridiculous. You get an ab workout from trying to pull this off. But it's so great to sing again with other people who (1) know how and (2) enjoy music as much as you do. At the risk of reaching ultimate cheesiness, there is something about the harmonies that fills my soul like nothing else. I wish I could do this more often and maybe I will be able to find an on-going choral group in the next few years. I heard a rumor of one in the area. But in the meantime, I will enjoy reuniting with my choral buddies and family to sing.

Being a couple

2008-11-10T08:42:00.001-05:00

This weekend, Keith and I got to hang out with Amy and Caison. Last weekend, we got to spend some time w/ Keith's brothers and sister-in-laws after his sister's wedding. Both times, I think it's occurred to us that this is one of the 1st times we've been a part of a couple at these types of gatherings. I never felt that I was the 3rd or 5th wheel when I was with my friends and their significant others, but it did sometimes remind me of my single status. So now, to be able to hang out with friends and also have a significant other too is pretty fun.
I'm not writing this to rub it in anyone's face either...God knows I've been there too. Honestly, I felt I needed to write something to get the toilet water post to not be 1st:). Hopefully soon, I'll have something better to write about.

Toilet Water

2008-10-22T10:05:00.004-04:00

The bathrooms in my building at work are odd to begin with. They are made of some of the cheapest materials they could find. Seriously, the mirrors aren't even real mirrors but that fake mirror stuff you would find on Barbie Dream House furniture. And the only stall that has room is the handicap one. The other 2 you have to wedge yourself between the wall and the toilet to be able to shut the door. Which if you're using the 1st stall is pointless anyway since there's this 2 inch gap for everyone to watch you do your business. It has been deemed the Observation Room. But I digress...back to the toilet water. I've noticed on many occasions that the water in the toilet is moving of its own accord. It's kinda swaying back and forth in the bowl...not like the water cup in Jurassic Park, more like the building might be moving and the water's the only indication that we're on a ship. I can't figure out why the water moves. It's not every time I'm in there either, so I don't think it's my movement creating waves. But I've never seen toilet water move before with a flush preceding it. It perplexes me.

small update

2008-10-16T09:09:00.002-04:00

This will probably be pretty random because I only have a few minutes, but I wanted to give a couple of updates. Keith and the team made it safely home from India. Thanks to everyone who prayed for them during this time. I will try to encourage him to blog about his experiences because there are some amazing stories from this trip (not the least of which is Todd getting gored by a bull during a prayer walk...he's ok, btw). At any rate, the trip was good and they are adjusting to being back in the eastern time zone again.
The movie quote I put up last week was actually from The Graduate. Go figure...that's what made the whole quote that much more fascinating. I don't know how many of you have seen this movie, but I remember why I hadn't watched it all the way through before. It's just odd...there's just so much wrong with this movie from sleeping w/ a woman going through a mid-life crisis to taking her daughter to a strip club to then falling in love with said daughter after one date to then deciding to marry said daughter without talking to her to then stealing said daughter from her wedding (after being pronounced man and wife) and running away on a bus and not speaking, hugging, kissing, or looking at each other. My life is no better from seeing this movie, but it's one of those I felt I should see...kinda like The Shining, but that at least had redeeming qualities...but that's another blog:).

Movie Quote

2008-10-07T21:35:00.002-04:00

I was watching an old movie this evening that I've never seen all the way through. While watching this movie, I heard a great quote:
"This idea sounds half baked." "No, it's all baked."

In copying Tracy, any guesses as to the movie?

India Update

2008-10-06T12:30:00.003-04:00

I just talked to Keith a few minutes ago. Everything is going well, but he's exhausted. It could be because of the time change...it could be because of the slight cold he has...or it could be because he had to get up at 4:30 this morning to start the day (when I spoke with him it was around 9:30 p.m.). That's his schedule for the next few days. They fly back to Deli on Friday. Keep praying for them.

India

2008-10-01T09:04:00.003-04:00

I got a call from Keith this morning. Their group made it to India yesterday. There's a 9 1/2 hour time difference, so keeping track of this is difficult...but he called me at 6:40 am and it was 4:20 pm in India. Of course, the quote I keep thinking about (for whatever random reason) is "Don't worry about the world ending today...it's already tomorrow in Australia". Anywho...thanks to everyone who is praying for his trip. They fly again on Friday to Varanasi. Thanks again.

The Last 10 Minutes

2008-09-24T16:51:00.001-04:00

I've decided that the last 10 minutes of the work day are the hardest and longest. Even though I like my job, I sorta shut down around 3:30 and it's just a matter if I can find things to keep my focus for the next hour and half. But 10 til 5, I'm really done...to the point that I'm just puttering around on my computer to look like I'm really busy and yet waiting for the clock to get closer to 5 so I can shut down my office for the day. It's rather sad, but it's the realization I had today and writing this blog soaked up a few minutes of that last 10.

Wedding realizations

2008-09-17T09:11:00.003-04:00

Last night my glorious best friend, Amy, decided to point out a little post I did about a year ago. I made various claims (which I still maintain are true) about what I wanted for a wedding...basically a cookout and a pretty dress. I still want that wedding...just now that there is reality facing me, I don't think I can pull it off. With the amount of people that will be invited, I have realized that more planning is necessary. However, I don't feel that I'm diverting from my original plan too much. Yes, the bridesmaid will wear actual bridesmaid dresses and the ceremony will take place in a church, but I still want the reception to be low-key and outside. Although, grilling out probably won't happen now, but I'll get over it. I still want lawn darts:). Apparently I'm eating a lot of my words from years past...and doing it happily since it means I am in the relationship I am in.

Church

2008-09-08T08:25:00.007-04:00

The last few weeks have been an absolute whirlwind. Three weeks ago, I moved into my new place; 2 weeks ago, I got engaged; and last week, I started another job...kinda...I'm still working my old one too to help out while they rehire. But in the midst of the last few weeks, I've also had opportunities to experience different worship services. Of course, my own small church...which is really an enigma in the midst of the AC circle because by AC standards, we're on the larger end of the spectrum. It's not until someone calls 150 people a small group that reality snaps back. Last week, I went with Keith and his family to a Catholic mass in Asheville. It was his grandparents 60th anniversary and the priest prayed a blessing over them. Yesterday, I attended Keith's church in Greensboro, which by my standards is a mega-church, in reality is about 2,000 people (so I'm hoping there are more out there that see that number and think mega-church as well). When there is a production crew for the services and numerous amounts of theaters, etc., it's a mega-church.
So in the midst of all this, I've been pondering how we do church. I don't think that any of these ways is the right or wrong way. Each of them brought alive very different concepts and focused on God in very different ways providing a different view. The Catholic church is very static, lots of chanting, etc. However, there is something very comforting about repeating the same steps week after week. There was something very sacred about how they approached worship. Granted, there was a lot of bowing and holding books to the alter, etc., but there was a reverence as well. The priest gave a decent sermon...the main thrust being upon Jesus and how we don't get out of our comfort zone to talk to people about Jesus. Yes, the emphasis was on works, not necessarily grace keeping you in God's hand, but you find that a numourous churches week after week as well. The whole process of the Eucharist was fascinating to me as well. When my church does communion (and I've seen this done a number of different ways), there is some solemnness to it, but there was not the reverence that comes with the Catholic church. This whole process seemed to take forever, but the fact they do this over and over again, maintaining the same orderliness and reverence reminded me that most of the time I do not stand in awe of God, but treat Him more like a buddy.
Yesterday's experience was quite different. Keith is going to India in a few weeks with 5 other people from his church for 16 days to work with the railway kids. These are kids who have been kicked out of their homes or ranaway and they come to this railway station where they can get food, etc., and hear about Jesus. So Keith's church was commissioning their group and a couple of others yesterday. The church is still growing. There is more space inside that wasn't filled...it hasn't reached Willow Creek standards yet:). They are offering really good classes to reach out to people. The musical act of worship was done very well. The leader yesterday incorporated the doxology (which I don't know that I've done in a large church service like that before). It was the same tune with some verses I've never heard and a chorus. The pastor has been speaking on marriage for the last few weeks, which I should probably go back and listen to:). They are very cutting edge. They even had World Vision set up with a program called "Step into Africa" which we walked through during the second service. We have also "adopted" a little boy named Brighton from Africa. Anywho...all that to say the church experience was good.
What I noticed yesterday (and I know this comes from the fact of what I'm used to doing for church) is how easy it is to be lost in the crowd at this church. Granted, the numbers aren't the only thing that keep someone lost in the crowd. I fully admit I've spent the last few years being somewhat inconspicuous in my own small church for various reasons. I know there are small groups and ways to plug in so you are not just another faceless member of this church. Yet, there was something scary about being with a congregation that large. I'm not saying I couldn't adapt to it, but it did make me miss my little church. I'm definitely not saying my church has it all together. Far from it...there are plenty of things I would like to rearrange at my church as well (like the meet and greet every Sunday morning or as I like to call it, "Let's smile and pretend we like each other" time...I'm not bitter). I liked the type of musical worship at Keith's church...I liked the reverence at the Catholic church...I like the small community feel and inclusion of my church. I don't believe there is one way to do church (which is probably a sacreligous thing to say...do church). I know there are all these different types of services to reach a lot of different people where they are at. I suppose I'm just trying to process the experiences of the last few weeks.
What I finally concluded yesterday is that what really matters is my motivation for coming to church period. Am I going to get what I need or to worship God and fellowship with my brothers and sisters in Christ?

Mayonnaise

2008-08-29T08:33:00.002-04:00

This week while I was making my sandwich for lunch the next day, I had to open a new jar of mayonnaise. So this is my question: Why can new mayonnaise be left out of the refrigerator, but the opened mayonnaise has to be refrigerated? I understand there are eggs in there, etc. which need to be refrigerated, but wouldn't it make more sense to always have it refrigerated? I feel like there are more foods that fall into this category, like Ketchup, but the mayonnaise (b/c of the egginess) bothers me most of all.

Not hypothetical anymore

2008-08-24T15:38:00.006-04:00

Yesterday, Keith and I went to Beacon Heights. I took a book and we laid around on a blanket and enjoyed the view. It would have been nicer without the random chatter of some college girls and a tour group, but they weren't there the whole time.
After the noisy girls left, I was still reading A Year of Living Biblically (which is very much worth the read). Keith tells me we're going to play a game and to pick either 1, 2, or 3. Even though I used my best tactics to get him to tell me what 1, 2, or 3 meant, he wouldn't budge. So I picked 2. I got a list of things he loved about me. Then he told me to pick another number. I picked 1. He had written down our story starting with our brief relationship in college and summing up the fact that God needed 7 years to prepare us for each other. Then he told me to pick another number. I picked 3, which was apparently wrong b/c I was told to pick another number. 1 was the right number. He then pulls this out of his pocket and asked me to marry him. I obviously said yes, even though that was the question he got most often as we called people to tell them we were engaged.
So as of right now, our goal is to wed April 4th. Of course, today I realized that the question we will receive most often now is "not April 1st?" No, not April 1st. I know it would be funny and seems like something I would do, but it's not on a Saturday and there are too many people to invite to this shindig.
And for those of you familiar with friends, I quote Monica Geller: "I'M ENGAGED!!!! I'M ENGAGED!!!!"

Moving

2008-08-18T14:08:00.005-04:00

I moved again this past weekend. I am now in a townhouse which is proving a little challenging to figure out where to put things, especially in the kitchen. I've moved enough that you would think I could remember to check things like how big the cabinets are before I sign a lease. Not that I regret moving into this particular unit. It has a double carport and most of the furniture can stay downstairs. Putting together the puzzle of kitchenware is a bit stressful for us who are a bit OCAR (obsessive-compulsive-anal-retentive).
I was very fortunate though to have lots of great help moving in. So thanks to Bobby, Meredith, Shane, Keith, Dan, Lucas, and my daddy. I've also decided there is a special place in heaven for my mom. Not only did she help move me, she cleaned the heck out of my kitchen and bathrooms, including putting in shelving paper. She is an amazing woman who is way too willing to clean for me:).

Rick Rolled and a New Job

2008-08-12T08:47:00.003-04:00

As I was doing my usual perusal of internet fodder for the morning, I came across this little gem. There is a fabulous mash up of Barak doing "Never Going to Give You Up." Well worth the time to watch it.

Second on the agenda: I accepted a new position yesterday. I am now a Career/Academic Counselor at the college. Now it's a matter of figuring out how this transition is going to work. Since I'm still on campus and my co-worker is leaving as well, I feel I need to help out my other co-work while we look for replacements. Plus, I really would like a chance for closure with some of my students. I really will hate not working with them, but the extra money is helping me cope. So now we all need to pray my new place is ready for me to move into this Saturday.

Argh, I be a pirate, argh

2008-08-05T20:50:00.004-04:00

Yep, my brother, the Pirate. I call him the pirate because of his mad skills with the computer programs. Dan has helped me convert some of my favorite Scrubs and Office episodes to a mp4 format for my trusty ipod. So to thank him for getting some videos on a dvd for our recent trip with the kids, I got him this pirate patch at ECU. He sports it well. Hats off to ye, matey.

No Men in New York

2008-07-21T14:01:00.013-04:00

We just got back from NY with 6 girls from the program and here are some of my photos from this fun trip.
I'm not sure why there was this sign on this door, but it struck me funny. Since we did take 6 females and no males, the girls thought it equally hilarious and we took many pictures of them in front of this door in a side alley in Chinatown. These kids are surrounding a bucket full of frogs. Yep, live frogs. We then got to discuss the joys of frog legs and why a person would buy live frogs in Chinatown. Just like tiny chicken legs.
We did a myriad of things during this trip. Here's a run down:
-Walked from Battery Park to Chinatown
-Saw Phantom of the Opera (Fantastic, btw, especially since I got tickets for $25)

-Times Square and Empire State
-Columbia University tour
-Ate large slices of pizza
-United Nations tour-Grand Central Station
-5th Avenue
-St. Patrick's Cathedral

-Rockefeller Center
-Scholastic, Inc.
It was a whirlwind 3 days, but very fun. I've learned how to hail a cab and how to haggle in Chinatown. That was actually very fun and a little addictive. If I had more money that could have been dangerous. It's these types of trips w/ the kids that make me love my job even more.
However, with that said, I may be making a move to another position for Career Counselor. Say a prayer as God pulls things together.

Florida for the Fourth

2008-07-08T10:14:00.007-04:00

Keith, Todd, and I drove down to Florida this past Thursday night/Friday morning. I say that b/c we didn't roll into Chris and Allison's until 3 am, but it was all totally worth it. It was a great weekend hanging out with lots of friends. All of Keith's buddies from college came into town so I got to meet them and he got to meet the Hall-Hall's. I also met his brother, Steve, and family which completes the meeting of the immediate family. Everyone was very nice and quite entertaining. I learned that you can fortificate during the game of Risk which apparently leads to mulitplying. Very educational all the way around. I also got a nice sunburn, which means I'm finally getting some color for the year. I really don't mind seeing as I haven't had one in a while and I feel it's just part of the summer. We celebrated Natalie's 2nd birthday at the park.
This is Natalie at the end of her opening present extravaganza. She put this bathing suit on over her clothes, did a little dance (which worried Chris and Allison...of course, we know that Chris probably taught her how to shake her shoulders like that), and got a tricycle which is why she's wearing this massive helmet. Of course, this outfit is just par for the course.
I will say I am very impressed with Chris' chef skills. He spent all day Friday in his "She married me for my cooking" apron, baking cupcakes, making homemade icing, and decorating this cake. Who knew he had so many talents? It was a very good cake.
This is my new friend, Nicole. She is fabulous, mostly b/c she poses like this for pictures. But we discovered we are kindred spirits and enjoyed bantering for the weekend. This final pose is Natalie and her Auntie Heather. Speaking of great outfits, I came to the kitchen that morning to Natalie in tennis shoes and her diaper. I mean, that outfit will work on so many levels and so many occasions. Since she's in the middle of potty training, they put her big girl pants on her because we don't pee on the monkeys. Those are words to live by.

Ode de Skunk

2008-07-01T10:51:00.005-04:00

So I got home last night around midnight from Greensboro, took a shower, got ready for bed, and took Shirley out one last time as per our ritual. Well since we're at mom and dad's I didn't put her leash on. We go on the back porch and I tell her to go pee. She points at something in the woods, which should have been my first clue, but what can I say, I don't normally have to worry about such things. I again remind her to go pee. Then she takes off into the woods. She runs around a tree and the next thing I know there's a skunk charging towards me. You wouldn't think a small furry animal would strike such fear into your heart, but realizing the smell that could emit from this thing, I flip out and run back inside the house. Well, the skunk goes down the sidewalk. Shirley comes back on the porch for a second where I tried to get her to come in, but as soon as I open the door again she takes that as her cue to hunt down the skunk. So she takes off...I try to find some shoes and a flashlight and subsequently her...all while trying to be quiet b/c mom and dad are definitely asleep by now. A few minutes later she comes back to the house will yellow dots above her eyes where she has been sprayed. So I throw her in the bathtub (before she runs into mom and dad's room) and rinse her eyes out...the left one was all puffy and dilated. Then I had to wake mom up to help me clean her. So mom gets this mixture of peroxide, baking soda, and dish soap together and we slather it on Shirley, which thankfully, did help. However, the skunk must have sprayed right behind the laundry room b/c the rest of the house on my end stunk. So we set out bowls of vinegar to absorb the smell. All in all, it was a much more eventful night than I had planned on. So I called in and slept a little longer this morning...but not that much longer b/c at 7:30 I found a tick crawling on me. Not the way you want to wake up. So here's to hoping that vinegar and fabreeze air freshener work.

The Vending Machine God

2008-06-30T11:49:00.002-04:00

Last week, we took 38 6th graders to Lees-McRae for a mini-college. Our goal is to get them to enroll in college after they graduate and we try to get them excited now and realize what they have to do throughout high school to get there. Of course, we have the normal problems of text messaging and taking the free snacks we brought and hording them. We also had to keep a watch on the vending machine. I decided there must be some sort of god living in the vending machine that the kids felt compelled to worship by giving it money. It didn't matter what time it was, if we were getting ready to have a meal, just finished a meal, or if it was 11 o'clock at night...they HAD to get something from the vending machine. By the last day, I realized that there was a god in there controlling their minds and making them give it more money. We still had a good time with the usual things to do. I got to spend most of Thursday outside playing volleyball and frisbee. It's those days I'm reminded why I love my job so much.

Meet the Family

2008-06-24T08:51:00.004-04:00

So this past weekend I journeyed to Asheville to meet Keith's family. This is quite a momentous occasion as I have never before met the family of a boy I've been dating. Of course, I usually don't make it this long in a relationship either, so I guess it makes sense that I haven't had this experience before. Thankfully, everything went really well. His family was very welcoming of me. However, I think I made a bigger impact on the Cracker Barrel waitress Sunday morning who told me I had "kind eyes" and told Keith to hold onto me. To which we both replied "I'm/He's trying."

Just FYI for anyone else out there I don't talk to regularly...I've decided to move back in w/ my parents for a month or 2 (but no more than 2). If I do get another job elsewhere, it's just easier to leave mom and dad's rather than get out of a lease. And if I don't, then I'll just rent again in Hickory for a while. So say a prayer for me.

The OverAchiever

What else do you say?

Foolish Boy

It's the Final Countdown

It's a...boy?

Baby Heads

Unsolicited Advice

How to Kill a Dinosaur

Weighing In

It's a Girl and I Can't Eat Peanut Butter

The Daily Growing Fatness

Hormones

1st Trimester

Ecclesiastes 3

I Need More Details

The Little Things

125 Point Check

Kibbles N Hair?

Charleston with my Mom

Communal Living

Crazy Dream 5,302: The Cougar, the Hobo, and the ATV

Trust

Bahamas and Football

Photography Class

After Happily Ever After

And Friends are Friends Forever...

What every woman struggles with

Working it out

The Joys of Home Ownership

Homeownership

Moving...again...

"I just need my flag removed!"

Why I like my blog list

Bigotry and Night of the Living Dead Chicken

Contracted

A Huntin' We Will Go

Professionalism

New Favorite Thing

The Book of Eli

Audrey Lauren

Auntie Heather

Why I'm a bad pet owner...

Under-utilizing

These are a few of my favorite things...

Back from Beyond

Let's all applaud David Letterman's fornication

So tired of driving....

Random

Those Crazy Lutherans

My Twilight Issues

I am a C *clap, clap*

Anxiety

Moving

There're NO jobs...

"My word, those pants are snug"

Limitations of Counseling

Mission Trip

New Chair

Bless Her Heart

The Joys of Work

The Married Woman Hair Cut

Wedding Nightmare #3

Cracked Out Corn Pops

I've been shot

Surprise!

Money, money, money, money, money...MONEY

Nervous Nuptials

Before my brain implodes

I wish I was making this up...

Wedding Nightmare Part 2

Grandma's Barn

All things political

Wedding Nightmare

Every day!

What are these big buildings for exactly?

The Break In

Biltmore House

I feel like I just left...

There's a (Slight) Chance....

Copy Cat

I am a C clap, clap