Being a "Grown-Up"

What exactly determines when you are an official grown-up? In some cultures, it is your specific age...but does the age matter as much as the mindset of the person at that age?

I've thought about this question so much in the past 6 or 7 years and I seem to never have the answer entirely. At 26 years old, I still think "wow, this is such a grown-up thing to do" when I pay my rent, make dentist appointments, or grocery shop. It doesn't even have to be very specific to finances either, just simply putting gas in my car reminds me that I'm a "grown-up". I thought for sure I would feel grown up when I graduated High School....but I didn't. Then I thought I would feel grown up after I moved out...but I didn't. Okay, so for sure I would feel grown up after I graduated college...but I didn't. I'm engaged now with the wedding only 3 months away and I thought that for sure during this rite of passage (planning a wedding, starting a new life as someone's wife, etc) I would feel more grown up...but I don't.

Sometimes it just hits me that I'm technically a grown adult woman living my life and making my own decisions. But when did that happen? The thought is so startling somedays it's beyond how much of a DUH moment it is....like being ran over by a bus...I know, DUH you were bound to grow up eventually right?

Growing up, I was never in denial that being an adult was glamorous and very exciting. I knew that it was about the everyday mundane tasks and being responsible for your life choices. I knew that it was a lot of work and required sacrifices that are not always easy or least of all fun. Still, I guess at some point I just assumed that I would feel like a grown-up. But I really don't....most days I still feel like I'm in High School just goofing around. I guess that's what is meant when you hear that being in your 20's is about "finding yourself".

Truthfully, I guess part of being an adult is just faking it until you make it and pray that you are getting it right at least part of the time. At least that's MY plan....

You know you need time off when...

You know you need the time off from work when at 9:30am you start typing up your "Out of Office" reminders.

I have a confession...

I'm sad to say that I have broken the rule of Christmas....

1) DO NOT PEEK AT YOUR PRESENTS!!!

Haha, good thing I did though because it was interesting, confusing, and just plain weird to me. I'll keep it to myself for now in the event that it is part of another present and I'll understand later.

Not very "PC"

I hate that this world has become so politically correct that you hesitate to say something as simple as "Merry Christmas".

I never thought growing up that something so natural to me would be so offensive for someone else. I also never thought that I'd fall victim to hesitating at all before saying "Merry Christmas"....but I have. I can't believe it either...so very unlike me.

On the other hand, it brings the biggest smile to my face to hear someone wish me a "Merry Christmas" rather than "Happy Holidays". I'm not sure why, because no matter what the phrase is actually, it is the thought behind it that is truly touching. However, on two different occasions today, I've had people say have a great Christmas when I know that they do not celebrate Christmas. Not knowing exactly what to say in return, I panicked and said "you too". How much sense does that make?




Also this was along the lines of not being very "PC" either.





Its presented a little dramatically, but still proving a good point in my opinion about having to be careful with what you say to people these days


At any rate, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!!!!

Perspective

What truth....

A woman was out Christmas shopping with her two children. After many hours of looking at row after row of toys and everything elseimaginable, and hearing both her children asking for everything they saw on those many shelves, this woman finally made it out ofthe store and to the elevator with her two kids.

She was feeling what so many of us feel during the holiday season time of the year: Overwhelming pressure to go to every party, every housewarming, taste all the holiday food and treats, get that perfect gift for every single person on our shopping list, make sure we don't forget anyone on our card list, and the pressure of making sure we respond to everyone who sends us a card. Not to mention, getting the kids everything they ask for.

Finally the elevator doors opened--there was already a crowd of people inside. This woman pushed her way into the elevator and dragged her two kids in with her, along with all of her shopping bags of stuff.

When the doors closed, she let out a big sigh and decided she couldn't take it anymore, saying out loud, to no one in particular,"Whoever started this whole Christmas thing should be arrested and strung up!

"From the back of the elevator, a quiet calm voice responded, "Don't worry ma'am, I believe they crucified Him."

Relatives

I'm not too crazy about my relatives. I love my immediate family. But don't you look at your relatives, and you can't believe you're actually related to these people? I give blood four times a year just so I'm less and less related to these people.
-Brian Kiley

How many of us can relate to this?

Warning: "Extreme Sport"

I've posted before about how I get these "how to" web clips come across my gmail.... Well, this is the best one in a long time:

http://www.wikihow.com/Ride-a-Mechanical-Bull

Why did someone feel the need to write a "how to" article on this subject? Was it after some embarrassing pictures? Was it after a drunken night? Are there really people out there that need to know how to ride a mechanical bull?

None of it makes much sense to me.

Update: Wedding

By now everyone has ordered their dresses and hopefully they will be here as scheduled...thank goodness, I was paranoid there for a while some of the bridesmaids might wait too long to order their dress. Oh well, crisis averted for the moment I think.



I'm going this Saturday with my mom to the florist in Conroe to meet with the wedding consultant. Hopefully it goes better than it did when we met with the owner of the flower shop. She wasn't very helpful and had no clue about weddings or flowers related to weddings...wish us better luck this go around.



I met with my friend Amber right before Thanksgiving since she was in town from New York. We talked a lot about the invitations, programs, etc. She said she was going to start working on them as soon as she got back home. The sample one she made was so pretty and very special since she's doing it all by hand. I just need to pick out some paper for the programs and some for the favors. For those of you that don't know, I'm making these sour cream containers for favors and I'm going to fill them with some kind of candy and a little thank you note. My Stampin Up Demonstrator, Bev, offered to have a little workshop at her house for all of us to make them together. I guess I do have a little bit of a crafty side...just as long as I have a goal in mind. :)



Other than that, not a whole lot of things going on right now with the wedding. Scott is going to be out of town for work most of February so I might try to schedule my bridal portraits then. We had decided to take engagement pictures sometime in January but I'm running out of weekends already.... The majority of the pictures will be outside so I can only hope that the weather cooperates for whatever day we pick. He's narrowed down the resort we are going to for our honeymoon. I'll let you know when it is all finalized. I don't want to jinx it by saying too much since I did that with the Sandals Resort in Antigua and we are NOT going there now unless we win the lotto. The place he found is very nice and looks soooo relaxing, it will be great!

Happy Belated Thanksgiving

Happy belated Thanksgiving...man did it go by fast. Seems like November flew by and now we are only 3 weeks away from Christmas!!! Our Thanksgiving was interesting...lots of people crammed into my Dad's house for 3 days.

I need a break from the break...haha!!!

The food was good but it's just a lot of work to cook, clean, etc, etc. I truly look forward to the day when I can have holidays at my house. We came home on Saturday, took a nap and went out to eat. Sunday we went to church and then came home, took out all the Christmas decorations, then went to eat, then took a nap, THEN started putting everything up. I haven't put up decorations in almost 4 years and I couldn't believe I had sooooo much stuff. The tree is finished but I need to finish up the decorations for the table, fireplace and mantle....

I'm hoping that things will start to slow down for the next couple of weeks before Christmas...I really need it. Yeah right!!!!!!!!!

Update on funeral

Just wanted to give a quick update about how everything went with the funeral. Scott's grandmother (mom's mom) passed away on Sunday morning. We left for the services at lunch on Tuesday and made it there just in time for visitation at the funeral home. Everyone was pretty upset but handled it well I thought, as best as they could I guess. The funeral was yesterday afternoon with the church giving the family a luncheon right before the service. It was really very sweet. Scott did ok for the most part until they started talking about Grandmom being up there with Terri (his mom)....it was a nice thing to say and probably supposed to be comforting but it was just too soon to talk about it I think.

We finally got into Houston about 10:00 last night and made it to bed just before 11:00. I'm looking forward to getting into bed early tonight if possible... Thank you for the kind words and prayers for Scott's family, we appreciated it very much.

Again?

Yesterday Scott got a phone call that his maternal grandmother had passed away. It shouldn't have been such a shock to me since I knew that she was very sick, I just didn't expect it to be so soon I guess. I feel like we just went through all of this with my grannie and his mom... I guess it's just life... Not that losing people you love is ever easy, just losing them so close together makes it really lousy. Blah!

Mooning

Although I'm not much into celebrating Halloween, I usually get a lot of great pictures of decorated pumpkins.

This one in particular seems to be a favorite among forwarded emails so I thought I'd share it with everyone.

Several things

Just some random notes:

One of my brother-in-law's wedding down....one still to go. We are flying out early Friday morning and being picked up in Little Rock for the 2 hour trek to the lodge. I'm looking forward to getting to see some family of Scott's this time around since I've been through the stress of meeting them already.

Scott and I have been "playing house" for over a week now. He had no where else to stay since his brother and two other people are in his one bedroom apartment. It's been a nice taste of what I imagine our daily married life will be like I hope. It's a huge relief to know that he is so helpful. I can already tell that if he didn't help out I'd be stressed.

I went to vote yesterday. My coworker and I looked up the closest place for early voting and stood in line for about 30-45 minutes I guess. Not too bad, but I remember it wasn't nearly that long four years ago. I felt a HUGE sense of pride knowing that I did what so many women died never getting to do. It was great...

I finally had the chance to use a gift card from my birthday at Old Navy and bought 3 shirts. I only had to make up a difference of $0.34!!!! Woohoo, go me!

This cooler weather has put me in the best mood. I've had my a/c off for 2 days now and just sleeping with the window open in the bedroom. It's been perfect... Riding with my sunroof open on my car is a big deal too since that opportunity rarely happens in Texas. I LOVE cold weather!

A very dear friend of mine attended a Women of Faith conference this weekend. She said it was phenomenal and told me that I need to try to go next year (which I plan to do). She was also sweet enough to buy me a book/cd combo by Mandisa. She was American Idol a couple of years ago and the book tells of her journey before that and how God used her experience to change her life. It's a good book (Idol Eyes) so far and the cd is fantastic!

Okay, I've hit all the highlights I wanted to share...

Finally

Finally, I sent out my save the date cards on Saturday. I included a sticker on the back of each one with our wedding website so people could take a look if they were so inclined. I thought it was a cute idea and hopefully people will take a look. At any rate, I've checked yet another item off my "to do" list.

Woohoo!!!!!!!!

A twitch...

We've all had them...those lovely eye spasms that make you feel like the whole world notices your eye moving erratically. I used to get them a lot but that slacked off over the years.

Now I'm sad to report I feel like a first class reject because my eye has been twitching intermittently for almost 4 days. When I can, I've tried to catch myself in the mirror and SEE the twitching...so far, no luck. I keep interrupting my poor friends yelling, "can you see it, it's twitching RIGHT NOW".

Haha, and of course, they could never see it. I guess they couldn't see movement because either A) the movement is so fleeting, or B) the movement is extremely subtle that no one notices it.

So again, after many interruptions in my day, I'm sitting here feeling like a retard because no one (not even me) can see the stupid eye twitch. And even though no one can see it, all you have to do is say that you have an eye twitch and everyone says "ohhhhhhhhh, I HATE those". Well, at least I'm not alone right?

In case you are wondering, the top rated causes of eye twitching are:

• Fatigue or lack of sleep
• Over consumption of caffeine
• Physical or emotional stress
• Anxiety or phobias
• Brain damage or other neurological disorders
• Associated with temper tantrums (especially in children)
• Eye stress associated with extended viewing of the computer screen
• Epilepsy
  

Wonder which one of these is the culprit this time? Ummmmm....I'll guess more than one given the recent events of my week.

Poodles

I'm not a fan of poodles, never have been, never will be. I don't care how smart the breed is or how great it is that they don't shed. I just don't care for them.

Therefore I thought this joke was funny:

What do you call a poodle with no legs?

.

.

.

.

A sponge!!!!!!!!

Hahahahaha

A "depends" moment

I had to sit through two hours of training this morning which resulted in a LOT of daydreaming.

The attorney giving the first half of the presentation kept giving hypothetical situations in which we were to think about how the scenario should be handled. On multiple situations, he kept saying, "well, you're right, that depends...."

Finally after several of those comments, he just started answering, "well it's a depends situation...." All I kept thinking of was the actual product Depends and the commercials saying this or that was a "Depends moment"....

Strange sense of humor I know, but when you don't really understand a whole lot of what is going on, you tend to find humor in the mundane.

Great dinner

I had a great dinner last night with a sweet lady.

I used to work with her but she's moved on to greener pastures. And man are they green!!! She gave me some really valuable insight to her career moves financially and I was comforted to know that even at the young age of 26, the pennies I make now will only increase. Duh right? I mean, I always assumed that, but I guess it was just nice to hear that I can (and will) make much more money during the course of my career...it's just a matter of finding out who is willing to pay it. :)

She also gave me the best compliment. Even though she never had any children of her own, she said I would be the perfect daughter and that if she was able to hand-pick one from heaven, she'd look for someone just like me. Awww, sweet huh? I was completely flattered, and told her thank you, but that I'm sure that my own mother would disagree seeing as how she was with me during the dreaded teenage years.

It was a great night to unwind and catch up. Great food, nice peachy margarita, and wonderful conversation about the good, bad, and ugly of life...how better to get a jump start of the weekend?

Winnie the Pooh

I absolutely adore Winnie the Pooh and all the characters. I used to watch the old cartoons over and over until the tape was nearly worn out. My mom said when I was a baby my room was decorated with Winnie the Pooh stuff and I guess that's where the fascination started.

I remember my dad used to quote lines from the cartoon to us like "Happy Wednesday Pooh" or whenever it rained he'd sat "Tut, tut, looks like rain". I find myself still saying that every once in a while.

Anyway, while looking for a new signature line quote for my email account, I ran across a couple that I thought were funny and very true:

*If the person you are talking to doesn't appear to be listening, be patient. It simply may be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear. ---Winnie the Pooh

*It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words, but rather short, easy words like "What about lunch?"

Poultry Festival

This past weekend marked my annual trip to the big town of Center to attend the Poultry Festival. Every year since I was a little kid I can remember going and seeing all the rides light up the town square. I was in awe of all the choice of carnival food. Cotton candy, candied apples, homemade ice cream....you name it, you can buy it.

The festivities start off with a parade and end on Saturday night with an auction for the biggest chicken raised. My cousins both participated in raising chickens competitively this year, but unfortunately, neither of their pen's made it to the final cut.

As I understood it this year, there were 70 pens and only the top 50 make it to auction. Hayleigh (our veteran chicken raiser) placed 51 and her younger brother Daylon, was also after the cut off. Oh well, you win some, you lose some. The competition is extremely tough and tight-lipped about their feed secrets. But, I think everyone learned some valuable information for next year so I'll hope to see them make the sale.

Scott was a newby to the Chicken Fair and probably didn't share my excitement but he had a great time. It's a very nostalgic thing to go to every year and even though I don't live there anymore, it's something that just reminds me of "home".

What is that smell?

All morning I was rushing around my apartment and I kept smelling something very fragrant.

I thought maybe Scott had sprayed air freshener...nope.
Then, I thought, oh well it must be the fabric softener in my shirt...nope.
Ohhhhh, I know, it's the Bath & Body Works plug in...nope.

Do you know what it was?

My deodorant!!! Haha, I changed to another brand and I guess I didn't notice the scent that I bought...man is it strong!

Quick, break out the sweaters

I love living in Houston Texas...really I do.

I love how the minute the temperature drops below 70 everyone breaks out the sweaters, snow shoes, and heavy parkas.

There are usually (maybe) two months out of the year where these items are necessary in Houston Texas....October 2nd is not even close.

A fancy restaurant

A man is dining in a fancy restaurant and there is a gorgeous redhead sitting at the next table. He has been checking her out s ince he sat down, but lacks the nerve to talk with her. Suddenly she sneezes, and her glass eye comes flying out of its socket toward the man. He reflexively reaches out, grabs it out of the air, and hands it back.

"Oh my, I am so sorry," the woman says as she pops her eye back in place.

"Let me buy your dinner to make it up to you," she says.

They enjoy a wonderful dinner together, and afterwards they go to the theatre followed by drinks. They talk, they laugh, she shares her deepest dreams and he shares his. She listens.

After paying for everything, she asks him if he would like to come to her place for a nightcap and stay for breakfast. They had a wonderful, wonderful time. The next morning, she cooks a gourmet meal with all the trimmings. The guy is amazed. Everything had been SO incredible!

"You know," he said, "you are th e perfect woman. Are you this nice to every guy you meet?"

"No," she replies. . .

Wait for it. . .

It's coming. . .

The suspense is killing you, isn't it?




She says: "You just happened to catch my eye."

Not as fun as I thought

This past weekend Scott and I decided to work on our registries since we are running out of free weekends for the next couple of months. Honestly, it was not as much fun as I thought it would be. Maybe I am guilty of over-thinking it, maybe it was just too overwhelming, but whatever it was it was not fun.

I thought long and hard about choosing a variety of items in varying price ranges, things I wanted versus things I needed, and most of all taking Scott's preference (or lack of) into account. We sailed through picking out china patterns, stemware and flatware with ease. Unfortunately it was the more fun items like sheets, oven thermometers, and toasters that proved too much for our patience. At any rate, we've finally finished the bulk of the decisions and our selections can be found online at Bed, Bath & Beyond and Macy's.

I think being engaged is fun, and I'll no doubt think getting some of these gifts will be fun, but I cannot wait to settle down into a comfortable routine of marriage! All the planning and the stress that comes with it is just annoying some days.

Religion & Politics

I used to hear that in mixed company you don't discuss religion or politics. I guess those just weren't polite conversations to have with people that you didn't know well. At any rate, I didn't really understand until I got older and then....WHAM!!! I finally had a truly shocking conversation with a dear friend that was beyond bewildering about Republicans and Democrats. She was beside herself that I leaned towards more Republican tendencies than Democratic. This was the beginning of my pea brain understanding why you don't (normally) discuss such topics with other people.

On the other hand, as I "grow up", I realize that religion and politics are not always the only off limit topics. It varies from person to person, but I've had enlightening conversations about marriage, child-rearing, finances, and careers that I don't care to ever experience again. Truly, I suppose that some people will argue that in most situations any topic can be discussed if people are open-minded, respectful and empathetic to the opinions of others. However, the only thing I would argue is that discussions of like are better left to real friends. :)

New Hobby

Before the mad chaos of Hurricane Ike, I found a new hobby in being creative with Stampin Up. My friend Amber has been involved in it for a while now and she makes the greatest stuff. Mostly I get cards from her but on her blog you can see many kinds of creative creations she's made. I don't know how to completely describe it other than it is similar to scrapbooking but not always involving pictures/photo albums.

So, after looking at the products online, I located a Demonstrator of Stampin Up in my area named Bev. Take a look at her website: www.bevvictory.stampinup.net I didn't know how much interest I would have at first but after the September monthly meeting, I was hooked. I wanted to buy the whole catalog and start making cards. Bev is really organized and showed us how to use different techniques using various products and we ended up making 3 cards. I was so pleased with my creations that I decided to take a leap and start buying some craft supplies. Who knew that I could get so involved in something as simple as paper, ribbon and glue? Needless to say, I'm anxiously awaiting my order and I cannot WAIT until the October meeting!

Hurricane Ike

By now, things would seem to get back to normal after Hurricane Ike, but it is SLOW to happen. The truth is, many people at the office are still living without power and everything is anything but normal. I am very blessed to have had power since 9/15. Living so close to the Galleria helped matters apparently because the shopping giant was open 2 days after the storm. I don't know, it's really hard to tell the rhyme or reason to what is going on.

My family is still without power and the lack of electricity, crammed living space, and the small fortune they are spending on gas for the generators is wearing on them emotionally and physically. I continue to pray and do all I can to be there for them but I know it is still hard. Hopefully the weekend will bring nice weather AND restored power to many.

"THE" dress

Well much to my surprise, I have found THE wedding dress of my dreams. I'm convinced that it is perfect for me and is exactly what I had always imagined. It completely took me off guard that I had that feeling of "just knowing" when I saw myself in the mirror, but I did! It is a great feeling and I'm so hapy to have that behind me now. Of course the dress had to be ordered and won't be in for another 4 months but that's ok by me... The dress has actually been discontinued and as fate would have it, the warehouse listed 2 in stock. One of which was my exact size and color! Woohoo!!!

Side note on the size...the consultant ordered me a SMALLER size because she said the one I tried on was just too big. I almost kissed her... LOL, it's the little things!

Interesting "how to"

Most everyone has seen and/or used Wikipedia by now. Although it is written by everyday users, some of the information is very helpful. However, the "how to" section leaves much to be desired. For a good laugh, just randomly select a subject and browse through the many, many how to lists.

My personal favorite today was: How to be Laid Back

http://www.wikihow.com/Be-Laid-Back

I didn't think being "laid back" required instructions...but to some, I guess it does. :)

Nuns???

I live in Houston (a cultural melting pot supposedly) and rarely do I see strange things that make me go hmmmmmmmm. But lately on my way to work, I've been seeing a nun. Yes a nun. She is always standing at a Metro bus stop dressed in a solid white habit. The first couple of times that I saw her, I thought maybe it was a nurse uniform. After a closer look (I actually changed lanes to see her) I confirmed that she was indeed a nun.

So this raised several questions:

#1) Where does this nun live?
#2) Are there more nuns close by? Do they share a house/apartment?
#3) What kind of job does she have that she takes the bus?
#4) Why is her habit white and not black/white?

I'm not Catholic so I don't know much about nuns, priests, etc, but I just thought it was a strange occurence to see on my way to work periodically. Maybe one day I'll pull over and just ask...

Wet weekend

This past weekend my Aunt and her 3 kids came down from the small east Texas town, Center, and we went to Schlitterbahn Galveston. I've been wanting to go for a while now, ever since it opened actually and never made it until Saturday. Man was it wet...duh right? Well it was especially wet since it RAINED on us the entire time we were there. I was pretty bummed about it but the kids didn't really miss a beat and since we were at a waterpark anyway...what difference did it really make? On the other hand, I must be getting old because my feet were killing me by the end of the day and on Sunday I was having some serious muscle pains in my chest/shoulder area. I can only imagine that pain was caused by us trying desperately to hold on to the other kids' tubes while we floated on the "lazy river". BTW, it's not very "lazy" if you are trying to hold on to kiddos the whole time...it's more work actually. Nevertheless, we had a great time in spite of the rain and I look forward to going back...

Anniversay date

Yesterday Scott took me to the Aquarium Downtown. About a year ago, we met for our second date and spent a rainy day walking around. I was completely taken aback that he knew so much about all the fish and/or habitats. Why I was surprised is a little stupid since he has a Wildlife and Fisheries Science degree for A&M. At any rate, it was a good way to end the weekend with talks of what we each thought of the other person a year ago. It was the end of my date a year ago that had me calling my mom saying I was going to marry Scott....and yesterday, I still felt good knowing that my initial reaction to him was true. I can't believe I got this one right on the money. How blessed am I???

Wedding plans

So far after being engaged for less than 3 weeks, we've set the date, booked the venue and retained a photographer. Yea for being organized!!!

We have set a date for April 4, 2009 at htp://www.burkeshireplantation.com/. The pictures on the website don't really do it justice because the property AND the house are absolutely gorgeous. The director was more than courteous and helpful which makes for a less stressful process. I can't wait to see it all come together.

The only major decision I'll be making is about my dress. I plan to shop for that around October. Not to my surprise, bridal salons request anywhere between 4-6 months for order and delivery. Oh joy...as if a bride really wants to be on pins and needles for that long.

I'll keep you posted as things progress but all in all, the planning is going very smoothly and I couldn't be happier.

Closure

This past weekend Scott and I went to his grandparents house for his mother's memorial service. I was expecting a lot of sadness and had really prepared myself for how emotional everyone might be. However, other than the actual service, everyone seemed really calm and at peace with Terri's passing. I'm glad that the service provided the closure that everyone needed.

I do have to say it was a different experience to me since I'd never known anyone that wanted to donate their body to medical research after their passing. It's strange how death and dying is not only different in each family but all over the world. I guess the differences are what truly makes the world go 'round.

On the more positive side, I got to meet a lot of the Landon's that I've only heard about. Everyone seemed to know a lot about me though! One of the aunt's commented on how long my hair was versus the picture she had in house...um, what picture would that be? :) Oh well, it was a great time and I'm told that the card games, dominoes, and remembering everyone's name is just part of the initiation process.

Experts

My definition of an expert in any field is a person who knows enough about what's really going on to be scared. - PJ Plauger

This seemed so fitting to how I think about others. :)

I know why

Being at my place of employment has allowed me to understand why people drink alcohol in the mornings.



Oh why can't I win the lottery?

I'm engaged!!!

This morning Scott came over to my apartment with a bouquet of flowers, a card and a great big smile. After waiting for Stacey to leave, and telling me to leave the flowers alone for the 10th time... he pulled a ring box out of the bouquet and got down on one knee and proposed....Of course I said yes while I cried.

In true Saturday morning fashion, I was wearing a t-shirt and pj shorts, no makeup, messy hair, unbrushed teeth and he still asked... He must really love me huh? :)

I'll post a picture of the ring when I figure out how. :)

Weeks of sadness

Alright some of you may or may not know where I was for 2 weeks during 6/13-6/29, so I thought I'd fill you in....

6/13 - Scott and I leave after work for a small family reunion in Center, Texas with just my Grannie's kids (all six of them plus their kids).
6/15 - On our drive back to Houston, we get a voicemail from Tom (Scott's dad) about Terri being really sick and put on a breathing machine. The Michigan vacation trip was cancelled so we changed flights and went to Chicago to be with her.
6/16 - Our flight lands in Chicago and we go to the hospital to visit Terri. She's heavily sedated and not getting any better.
6/17 - Scott's brother is called and told to get the next flight to Chicago as things are getting worse.
6/18 - After Jamie visits with his mom, Terri is taken off the breathing machine.
6/20 - Terri passes away early in the morning before me, Scott and Jamie could get to the hospital.

Meanwhile all this is happening with Scott's mom, my Grannie is getting worse and worse.

6/21 - My Grannie Reba passes away in the afternoon.
6/22 - Scott, Jamie and I fly back to Houston. Scott and I re-pack, change clothes, eat and take a quick nap and then start driving back to Center for the funeral.
6/23 - Visitation services for my Grannie.
6/24 - Funeral and graveside services are complete with family feuding commencing.
6/25 - Scott and I go visit my Grannie's mom because it is her 90th birthday. My dad is still there so we say our goodbyes and start the drive back to Houston. Barbara, Rene, and Jessica come over to help me get organized and finish up last minute packing.
6/26 - I have to wait for the cable company to pick up their modem. After waiting all morning, he finally shows up and go pick up the keys to the new apartment.
6/27 - Movers show up and finally get my stuff unloaded without any major issues. My mom comes over to help me unpack at the new place. Meanwhile Stacey is helping with a few things and Scott gets off work early.
6/28 - Scott and I go get more odds and ends and make an attempt to clean a few things for the inspection.
6/29 - We load up the last piece of my stuff and lock the door!!! Finally, all moved out.
6/30 - Queen's Carpet shows up to repair the carpet at the new place, cost = $162. I turn in my keys at Three Fountains and do a final walk-through with the office girl. After having a serious crying attack on the way to work, I get it together and join the daily grind of confirmations.

Seriously, I've never been so excited to go to work in all my life. It was a rough 2 weeks and I'm very glad that it's all over, but it really brought me closer to Scott and his family. Unfortunately I think it made the divide with my family even greater. I'll have to continue to pray for healing and understanding because we all need it.

50 Reasons to thank God - #24

#24 - I am thankful for God has shown me that I have wrong impressions of others. The old saying about not judging a book by its cover is easier said than done sometimes. I'm guilty I have to admit. Fortunately for me, God has shown me that people are not always what they seem. Thank goodness...no telling what first impressions I've probably made on people.

50 Reasons to thank God - #23

#23 - I am thankful that God provides clean drinking water for me on a daily basis. There is nothing more refreshing than a tall glass of ice water. I just thought about how blessed I am that water is so available to me.

50 Reasons to thank God - #22

#22 - I am so thankful that God brings rain. I know that it doesn't do the best thing for my hair but it cools off the Summer heat like no other. And besides, without the occasional raindrop, I wouldn't appreciate the sun!

50 Reasons to thank God - #21

#21 - I am so thankful to have my aunt in my life. She is my dad's youngest sister (baby of 6) and with only 11 years between us, she has been a great source of comfort. Anjanette has always been close to my heart since living with us after she graduated high school, but since I graduated, she has been almost like a sister. I love her very, very much!

50 Reasons to thank God - #20

#50 - I am thankful for the chance to go on vacation with Scott and spend time with his family. We don't get to see them that much since his parents live in Chicago. This week-long trip to Michigan is going to be a great opportunity to get to know them and relax at the same time!

50 Reasons to thank God - #19

#19 - I am thankful to have been blessed with a sweet little niece. Alexis Nicole turned 4 yesterday and I love her more and more each day. She is truly a reminder of children can bless someone's life. She just brightens my day...

50 Reasons to thank God - #18

#18 - I am thankful for my car. I drive a 2007 Honda Civic and I love it! I never thought that I'd be so blessed as to be able to afford a brand new car. Almost every time I drive it I am reminded that there was a time when I had a vehicle with mechanical problems and at one time no a/c. I am very blessed with my new car.

50 Reasons to thank God - #17

#17 - I am thankful to not be an only child. I have one sister and one brother. Even though we don't live close anymore, and sometimes don't talk, it is a comfort to know that I have them in my life. God has also reminded me several times that they are just as important to me as I am to them.

50 Reasons to thank God - #16

#16 - I am thankful that I have a true mentor in regards to relationships. I've had the blessing of being friends with a Godly woman that I admire very much. She has/is teaching me so much about relationships and the ways of marriage. I look to her for encouragement, prayers, and words of wisdom on how to have a Godly marriage someday.

50 Reasons to thank God - #15

#15 - I am thankful to have my eyesight. I take my eyes for granted more often than I even realize. I am blessed to have experienced wonderful colors and beautiful surroundings each and every day. Being blessed with sight, I'm also thankful that I can experience these things without glasses or contacts.

50 Reasons to thank God - #14

#14 - I am thankful that God has blessed me with finding a new apartment. I really hate where I live now and I've had so many problems. Timing is everything and all in HIS hands.

Lost

Excuse me.

Have you seen my motivation?

I seem to have dropped it somewhere around here...

50 Reasons to thank God - #13

#13 - I am thankful that God has given me the ability to be a strong woman. I have been blessed to overcome things in my past and learn from them. I was told by a friend that she wishes she was "strong" like me. The truth is, without God, I wouldn't be strong at all.

Thoughtful or Forgetful?

In the restroom at work there are 4 stalls. The closest to the door is the one I go to normally (not sure why, just usually do). Earlier, I walked in and on the seat was a perfectly laid out toilet seat cover. The middle was still intact and it obviously hadn't been used yet.

My question is why? Why was it there? Did someone try to be thoughtful and leave another one for the next person? Or, did someone change their mind about using it and forget it there? Either way, it seemed very odd. So, what did I do you ask? I did what anyone would do, I walked out and chose another stall without disturbing the seat cover.

50 Reasons to thank God - #12

#12 - I am thankful that God encouraged my mom to pick up 2 abandoned stray kittens four years ago. Without her picking up a sickly looking gray cat, I wouldn't have my sweet cat Frodo. He's mischievous and downright moody sometimes, but I think he's a great reminder that we all need to practice patience loving other.

Bacon

Q: What did the pig say at the beach on a hot summer's day?

A: I'm bacon!

I think this little joke sums up Houston weather so far this month. Whether you're on the beach or walking to your car, a heat index of 103 feels like you're "bacon".

50 Reasons to thank God - #11

#11 - I am thankful for flowers. I am lucky enough to receive them occasionally from Scott and they make me smile. God created such gorgeous plants and I am thankful that I get to enjoy them as often as I do.

50 Reasons to thank God - #10

#10 - I am so thankful to have forgiveness from God. I am not perfect and sometimes say and do things that are wrong. Thankfully God forgives me for these things daily.

50 Reasons to thank God - #9

#9 - I am so thankful that my parents took us to church when we were younger. God had a place in our life from a very early age and I am blessed to have had that. Some of my best memories come from going to church when my parents were still married. It was a constant part of our lives for many years and I hope to continue that with my own children some day so that have that same foundation.

50 Reasons to thank God - #8

#8 - I am thankful for Summer because even though I complain about how hot it is here in Houston, I love to go swimming!!! I had a chance to swim with my little cousins recently and watch them play popular pool games that I haven't thought of in years like "Marco Polo", "Sharks and Minnows", and "Who can hold their breath the longest". It was a lot of fun. When we lived in Odessa growing up we played "Little Mermaid" in our swimming pool. It was really hard to swim with our legs together like mermaids...

50 Reasons to thank God - #7

#7 - I"m thankful for my big fat gut. Yes I admit that I'm constantly trying to figure out a way to lose it, but the truth is that my gut is fat because I'm able to eat and properly digest my food. I can actually taste it and enjoy it. I watched my grandmother lose the ability to do this over the weekend. I am so blessed to have a working stomach.

Payday

I couldn't remember if when our Friday payday falls on a holiday if we got paid on Thursday or Monday, so I asked out loud. (Keep in mind that I sit on a trade floor with lots of people and no privacy.) Everyone is not in the same department, has different supervisors and other rules regarding pay structure, etc.

The following is the true conversation involving my work neighbors you might find humorous in response to my question:

Neighbor #1: It doesn't matter because it won't be on the 15th or last day of the month

Me: ...we get paid different though, every other Friday though

Neighbor #2: Well, I don't know, but if it falls on a weekend I thought we had to wait until Monday

Me: Oh, you get paid like Neighbor #1 then?

Neighbor #2: No, i get paid every other Friday like you

Me: Oh, ok

--Then she said it again a couple of minutes later. So I finally said what we were all thinking.

Me: Um, if you get paid every other Friday then it NEVER falls on the weekend

She didn't say anything else and I thought you know, this is like a "here's your sign" moment!!!

50 Reasons to thank God - #6

#6 - I'm thankful God allowed my Grannie to be at my college graduation. It meant a lot for her to be there. She may not be around for my wedding but being at the graduation was really special.

50 Reasons to thank God - #5

#5 - I'm thankful for my boyfriend, Scott. I prayed many, many times for a man who loves the Lord and understands me...someone who loves me with all his heart and wants to spend his life with me by his side. I've found that man in Scott. I am truly thankful, blessed, and reminded all at the same time that God answers prayers in HIS time.

50 Reasons to thank God - #4

#4 - I am thankful for the financial blessings AND hardships that God has seen me through in my life. Without these, I wouldn't understand how to manage my money and appreciate hard work and perseverance through the good and bad times.

Most popular sport

I've been meaning to blog about this for a while now but I keep forgetting. On my shampoo bottle there is a trivia question with the answer on the conditioner bottle and vice versa.

The trivia question is: What is the most popular sport played at nudist colonies?

I already used all of the conditioner but the answer was...................volleyball.

Haha, how funny is that? And why, of all trivia questions, would Herbal Essence put that on a shampoo bottle? It makes me giggle every morning just because it's so absurd. :)

I already used all the conditioner but that trivia question wasn't as funny.

50 Reasons to thank God - #3

#3 - I am thankful for the wonderful group of friends and coworkers that are in my life. God has blessed me with the exact kind of people I need in my life to lift me up and encourage me all the time.

50 Reasons to thank God - #2

#2 - I am thankful to have two working legs. Not everyone has the blessing of legs to take them places, dance, or ride a bicycle. I am blessed to have them everyday.

50 Reasons to thank God

Ok so I'm taking a cue from another friend's blog and posting at least 50 Reasons to thank God. I think maybe I'm missing out on thanking HIM for the little things in my life because I'm too focused on the big things I don't have. So, over the next couple of months, I'm going to find at least 1 thing to be thankful for...this should be an easy reminder for the blessings in my life.

#1 - I am thankful to have had the opportunity to grow up knowing both of my parents. I have several friends that lost a parent at an early age or never knew them at all. I honestly can't imagine, as tough as things can be with my parents, never knowing who they were. So, I am thankful that even though I have days when I don't particulary want to know them, I am blessed to have known them all my life.

Dreams

I have the strangest dreams sometime and I can almost always find an explanation later. It usually has to do with something I saw on tv, read about, or talked to a friend about. It took a friend pointing out a previous conversation to explain a dream I had last night. I guess that goes to show that my subconscience was really working overdrive!

Much easier indeed

It's so much easier to suggest solutions when you don't know too much about the problem. - Malcolm Forbes

I'm moving!!!!!!

I'm moving at the end of June and with everyone getting out of school, taking vacations, and attending family reunions, I thought I'd send out an email (early) with my new apartment address. It was just a simple FYI email that I thought people would file away. WRONG!!! I can't tell you how many emails I've received that went along the lines of:

"OMG, are you engaged?"

"Are you moving in with Scott?" "Is he moving in with you?"

Or my all time favorite:

"Why?"

All of these questions puzzled me. I can't imagine why on earth people wouldn't just take something at face value. Oh well, I'll just interpret it as people being genuinely interested in my life. :)

25 no um, 26

Recently I was asked my age. I automatically said 25. Nope, wrong. I'm 26 but that was just the first time I had been asked my age since my birthday in April.

Sheesh....denial much?

Bad Workout

I had a really bad workout tonight. Not the kind where I wasn't pushing myself or goofing off. It was the kind where I literally left the trainer's side crying. He kept asking me what was wrong with me. Why wasn't I putting forth my best effort? Did I eat enough today? Was I sick? Did I have a bad day? Any/all of the above I guess... I don't know what in the world is wrong with me. I felt so frustrated and defeated leaving there. Sheesh...

How true it is...

I was watching Grey's Anatomy last night when Meredith said:

"Don't wonder why people are crazy, wonder why they aren't."

How true that is on so many levels.

Most people who know me have heard the stories about my crazy family. What they do, what they don't do... And, like myself, often they wonder why I didn't turn out as crazy as them. Divine intervention? Common sense? Genetic lottery? All of the above in my opinion. Don't misunderstand, I'm not saying I'm better than anyone by any means. I'm just simply stating the facts...

P.S. I Love You

Recently, I mentioned to Scott that I wanted to see the movie P.S. I Love You with Hillary Swank. Much to my surprise he bought it for me several days later! :) On Sunday afternoon, after the 5 hour drive home from Dallas, we decided to relax and unwind and finally watch it. I was already feeling a little emotional given the recent drama with family members and the looming pms. I knew better...yet I still couldn't help myself. I cried and cried and cried. Did I mention that I cried? It was extremely touching and mushy with some really good points. I won't spoil the movie for those that want to see it, but I will warn you. If you are feeling weepy, be careful that the waterworks may follow shortly into watching the movie.

Check out the website for other great information about P.S. I Love You:

http://psiloveyoumovie.warnerbros.com/

And I thought I had bad luck...

I'm sitting here finishing up my morning routine and something on the Fox News tv catches my eye... A lady has been struck in the face by a diving pelican while swimming in Florida. Now, I'm constantly thinking how bad luck finds me, follows me, and even laughs at me. But this poor lady...I mean, really, what are the odds? 20 stitches later on her left cheek. Can you imagine? I mean, how do you even explain that injury to someone. It sounds like "my dog ate my homework" or something just as far-fetched. I'm just at a loss for words. (Rare, I know!!)

You can read the story for yourself if you are just as intrigued as me:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,354882,00.html

Comfort

Maybe it's just me, but I seem to run the other direction when it comes to comfort. I don't mean comfort as in my bed, sofa, or desk chair (which sucks by the way). I mean emotional comfort. Obviously I'm willing to admit that I turn to food for comfort, but I can't really say that I turn to people very much. I see myself more as "venting" to my friends but not really seeking out comfort from them. I almost just need an ear to listen more than the physical closeness of being comforted. (i.e. hugs, etc.) This drives my boyfriend absolutely insane. His immediate reaction is to swoop me up and surround me with hugs, kisses, etc. My immediate reaction, on the other hand, is to just take some time, process everything around me and then seek out comfort. I have been told that because I'm so independent I'm just naturally like this, but I think it has something to do with my lack of trusting others.

Hmmm...

Who needs therapy, when I've got a blog?

Three

You know how the old saying goes? Deaths and births come in 3's. Well, lately I am starting to believe that. Honest to goodness, within hours maybe days, I hear about multiple deaths or births. I should do some research to see where this saying originates. Maybe it's just a thing in the south? I don't really know but it's kind of starting to freak me out.

Breakfast/Lunch

I had an egg-white omelette this morning for breakfast and either I was really hungry or it was really good, because it tasted so yummy and I could have easily eaten 2 more. Of course, that wouldn't help out the dieting situation because it kind of defeats the purpose to gorge on food.

Now it's lunch time and everyone around me is either eating food from home or take-out and it all smells so good. I must be more hungry today than I thought! Sheesh...

Definitions:

Workplace:

Firedrill-everyone in a panic (having their panties in a wad) over something usually not that serious.

Drunk Monkeys (stealing this one) - those that cannot/will not make sure that their work is legible and/or coherent thus making them act like a monkey that has been drinking alcohol.


Today, I've had several firedrills with drunk monkeys and it is still early.

I caved.

The bottom line is that I caved. I honestly have been resisting the urge to start the life of a blogger, but today I caved. At some point all the suggestions just seemed too appealing and my curiosity got the best of me. So, ta da...my blog was created. Thankfully caving in this instance is a good thing. :)