My Plane Has Landed

I made it! I'm here in San Diego. . and the past few days since I last wrote have been crazy, of course. I was glad to be able to . . have dinner with my aunt and uncle, lunch with AG, time with BF, a stop by to see the twins & their brother, and a chance to visit my friends & their new baby boy before I left.

Packing ended up being a bit harder than I thought. Yes, I did have the basics laid out (thanks to the Lucky manual), but then I kept throwing extras in and thinking of things I'd need over the next 4 months. Toward the end of the night before, I started to feel overwhelmed. My mom thought it was because I didn't know how to fit everything into 2 suitcases and a big carry-on. But it was more because I kept thinking of things that I might wish I'd have brought once I got there. Maybe in two weeks I'd really want to wear a shirt I didn't bring along. Still, I feel I made good choices as to what I packed.

My plane ride to Denver was pretty interesting. I sat next to a Latino who didn't speak a word of English . . ok, maybe five words . . seriously, he really didn't know any English. I thought this would be a great opportunity to practice my Espanol, so I asked him once we took off, "Hablas Espanol?" This began a 3 hour conversation in Spanish. I'm not fluent, so it was hard at times to communicate certain things . . mainly because of verb tenses. We'd have a few lulls in conversation because we couldn't think of what to say next . . and it was a bit of a workout for my brain. Once we got off the plane, he offered to walk me to my next gate, and even bought me lunch (geez, I felt bad). Then, he sat there with me til my next flight. It was so fun talking to him - we learned a lot about each other. He said that even though he's an American (born in LA, but moved to Mexico for 26 years), he always has to prove it to people. But I was thinking, "Well, guy, you don't speak English so perhaps that is why people don't automatically think you're American." Just a thought.

I bought a movie on my flight to San Diego, which was a treat. Once in San Diego, I got so excited seeing the palm trees outside. My first encounter wasn't friendly. Some guy at the airport got annoyed because I asked him where I could get a cart. He told me where I could get a car. I should've been the one annoyed. It was quite an ordeal pushing the cart around with 150 lbs of luggage and a bad wheel . . up one elevator, over the crosswalk, down another elevator, down the sidewalk to the Hertz bus. Once at Hertz, I couldn't find my ID and started to sweat because I didn't know what I'd do if I lost it. After searching through 3 carry-ons at least, I kid you not, 5 times, I found it! This is what prayer will do. I have learned my lesson, too - Put things back where they belong. Don't just throw them in your purse.

The drive on the freeway wasn't bad. . except that because of all the cars getting on the freeway, I almost missed my exit having trouble getting over. On the drive, I was just loving all the palm trees and . . everything, really. I've been here before, but I'm so glad I have the opportunity to live here for a bit. My apartment is great. Though my roommate is out of town til Tuesday, just from walking through the place I can tell a few things about her . . . she likes video/computer games (DDR and SimCity Civilization), is taking some hard classes in grad school, isn't very fashionable, and is a big fan of potatoes (the crisper is full of them). Most importantly, she's very nice. She left me a note on my bed that was very sweet.

I felt like total crap when I unloaded and it was all I could do to even take my pajamas out of my suitcase and eat a granola bar (since I was starving). Wait - I did force myself to go to the grocery store across the street to get the granola bar and a few other basic food items. I went to bed at 8:30 and slept 10 hours.

Today, I met some of my co-workers and we went to Disneyland. They're from all over the country - Alabama, Arizona, Delaware, D.C., Virginia, Minnesota. A fun and interesting bunch of people. One guy is a bigger clothes horse than I am and appears to have a very strong love for alcohol. He brought SEVEN suitcases/chests with him . . and was talking about getting a "real drink" at 11 a.m. before we even started exploring the park. Mind you, he'd already had a few Bloody Marys that morning. One of the girls is looouuud and veeery talkative, yet so far it seems more entertaining than annoying . . let's hope it stays that way. Today - "Ohmygosh you guys, I just had my first star-sighting! I saw Brian Austin Green and I was like, 'Ohmygosh, are you Brian Austin Green?' and he said, 'Yes' and looked really annoyed. Then I realized he was fighting with his girlfriend." I'm wondering what some of these people will be like in the office on Monday.


Anyway, Disney was fun and I went on some great rides. I was glad to meet everyone. To be honest, it's kinda hard already, because everyone is talking about going out drinking and sure, I'll go out every once in awhile, but I don't drink much. In fact, I've really considered not drinking at all anymore. And I know I'm the only one interested in going to church, yet it's a bit scary to try to find the place all by myself. We shall see. . . I hope that I can get to know everyone more and enjoy hanging out with them.

Counting Down

I woke up this morning and thought, "Laura, you have two days to . .

"More, more, more"

I’ve continued to make good use of my time this past week. . .and I'm going to warn you, this post recounts what I've been up to. . and it's kinda long!

Thursday night, my boss suggested we (my department) have a going-away dinner for me at Big Fred’s. I was so blessed by those who came to hang out and help me celebrate my new venture. Afterward, Shae & I watched “Dancing with the Stars” and I voted for Drew & Cheryl several times :). She gave me a CD mix of songs we loved in high school and into college. I love it! (The summer before college, we’d drive around and listen to her Salt ‘n Pepa cassette tape all.the.time, because she didn’t have a CD player. I love reminiscing about those times.)

Friday, I took the day off and got almost all my packing (of clothes) done! The Lucky shopping manual is my new best friend. It shows you the basics you need when building a wardrobe (ie: 3 pairs of work pants, one fun colored pant, one evening pant), so I just went through and packed those things (and some extras). I can’t wait to mix and match! The manual made it so simple to pack . . I don’t know what I would’ve done without it.
















Friday night, AG was celebrating her mother-in-law’s birthday with her husband’s family. Since I know (and love) their family, they invited me over. Between the 3 brothers getting together with their funny sense of humor and their parents telling stories about when they were younger, there were a lot of laughs, as usual.

Saturday, I went prom dress shopping with my sister and mom. We found the cutest dark coral dress with a ruched front and back and a gold sequined strip up the front and over the shoulders. I’m so excited for Alyssa. She’s going to look beautiful. After shopping, we both got pedicures . . something I haven’t had done in a few years.

That night, I went to dinner at Ruby Tuesday with AMC, their baby, their brother, his fiancée, and their little sister. Back at their house, little sister and I played Dance Dance Revolution and a few games of Memory. The great thing about hanging out with AMC is that it doesn’t matter what we’re doing. I don’t have to be entertained with them . . I can do nothing and not wish I was somewhere else . . and that’s not something you can say with everyone. They got me a “You’ll Be Missed” balloon and L gave me a very sweet notecard that I’ll probably read 100 times :). I’ll miss Baby Triston, too. He’ll be walking next time I see him.
















It's AMC!



Sunday, after church, I went to my favorite place for breakfast with BF. She & I both got one of their delicious potato casseroles. Mine had chicken, broccoli, potatoes, roma tomatoes, green onions, Monterey jack, and ranch dressing! Then we went shopping for the rest of the afternoon. Between Saturday and Sunday, I’ve gotten some great deals!

Mom had a family dinner last night, so my brother and his family and my two grandmothers came over for dinner and dessert and a game. I was sad to say good-bye to my niece and nephew knowing how much they’ll change in the next few months.




















Last night, Alyssa and I hung out. She came along for my spa appointment and we both got a wax :) I got myotonolgy, too, which was the weirdest thing I've ever had done (not that I've had much done). It's like a non-surgical face lift that uses electrodes and you can feel your muscles twitching. It firms and lifts your face - very cool. I know I'm not old, but AG recommended it, so I had to try! After the appt, we went out for Maggie Moo's ice cream. Now I'm a big Cold Stone fan, but I have to admit - Maggie Moo's has better cake batter ice cream, believe it or not. I convinced Alyss to get that, while I got Fresh Banana ice cream with brownies and chocolate syrup . . soo good.

Today was my last day at work and it was so strange leaving. It doesn't seem real yet that I won't be going back. My co-workers were great. I got so many emails from people saying they'd miss me . . I was so blessed. One of my work friends even bought me a generous gift - a bunch of Arbonne products!! Another brought cookies and cupcakes.

I had lunch with my friend, Cara, and she gave me a book that she's mentioned a few times in the 2 years we've known each other. Now I have something to read on the plane! I’m ready to go, but I know the next few days will fly by too fast. It’s so strange to think that just one week from today I’ll be at my new job.

I just found out that they’re having a company outing this Saturday . . . we’re going to Disneyland. I’ve actually never been so I’m pretty excited! It will be great to be able to meet the people I'm going to be working with. Less chance of me being nervous my first day :)

Last Weekend in Review

Aunt, Uncle & I at Remedy's (dancing)















Jenni, Lindsay, Sarah, me, and Micki at Sarah's b-day party (first three are my old roommates)
















"Yellow"
















Me & S (Shae)

Unprepared, but Entertained

I haven’t posted in a long time, I know. And it’s not like I’ve really been getting anything accomplished as far as leaving goes. My room is a disaster – I hate it and can’t wait to get organized, but it’s pretty overwhelming. I have a list of things to do and people to see, and I hope to somehow fit it all in. I do always underestimate how long it takes to get things done.

What I have done:
1. Bought a webcam/microphone so BF and I can still have face-to-face conversations :)
2. Bought speakers for my laptop since I obviously can’t bring a stereo.
3. Bought space-saver bags for my suitcase (they’re amazing!)
4. Bought a new pair of fun glasses (needed to use my insurance while I’ve got it)

There’s a theme here. Yes, going away is a great excuse to go shopping.

Instead of getting things done, I’ve been having tons of fun with my friends.

Friday, I went out with S for a delicious dinner at Firebirds and she treated me to a drink at a new martini bar. We stayed up late chatting and deciding what she should wear for her date the next day.

Saturday night, I went dancing with the Kickers at a bar in my own town and had a blast! We danced for 7 hours and it was the perfect end to months of dancing with them. The band was awesome! I couldn’t sleep that night, though, because my feet were throbbing.

Sunday, I went out to eat with my family and that night went to a friend’s surprise party. It was so great to see a bunch of people I don’t see often and won't see for awhile.

Monday, I ate dinner at A & M’s and we went to Coldplay!! They were just as amazing in concert as I imagined. But, next time I’ll pay more for better seats. I was so annoyed with how many people were moving around during the concert, and no one around us wanted to stand up . . . it’s a concert, people! Our friend said people in front of him got in a fight over the stand up/sit down thing. If I pay $70 for a ticket to see a band I love, I think I should have to option to stand up . . . am I right? AG said it was better than U2 (which we saw two months ago), but I’m hesitant to go that far. It’s hard for me to really compare the two because they’re very different. For me, both were equally amazing and I'd go again in a heartbeat.

Last night, I hung out with Jenni (my old roommate). I was so glad to spend time with her before I leave, because just as I'll be getting back, she and her huband will be moving out to Colorado.

I have only 3 days of work left, because I'm using the two floating holidays I've accrued to get things done. I'll post pics of my weekend soon!

My Great Adventure Begins

I can finally announce the big news. After about 6 weeks of phone calls and a lot of waiting, it's finally a done deal. I'm going to San Diego . . for 4 months. And I'm quitting my job so I can do it. I gave my two weeks notice today and booked my flight for two weeks from Friday. Wow.

I wasn't looking when this opportunity presented itself to me, but it came at the perfect time. I was growing tired of what I was doing, but I was comfortable and didn't know what kind of a job I would really look for. My cousin out in D.C. gave me a call and let me know about a temporary job opportunity out in San Diego. He didn't have anything to do with this particular project but his company did. So he put in a good word for me (which helps since he's a partner) and gave me the name of the guy to call. Long story short, I'm going.

It may seem crazy to quit my job, especially since I just got promoted to the position I've wanted for 9 months, but this is such a great opportunity. I knew I didn't want to go any further with this company and even after a change in position, I still wasn't really satisfied.

This temporary job will give me great experience, look awesome on my resume, and get me out of my comfort zone. The scary part is not knowing what's going to happen after 4 months is up. Will I come back jobless? I hope not! One of the reasons I'm taking it is to be able to network and see what's out there and I hope, I hope get more of an idea of what I would really enjoy doing.

It's also an adventure. I've never lived more than an hour from home and to be honest, I've never really wanted to. I love my friends and family and I'm happy here, but at the same time, I don't want to be complacent. I have a desire to do more and perhaps this will somehow lead to that "more". And, I'll be able to experience living away without having to completely move. They are paying for my nice apartment, a rental car, my food, my gas, and other expenses. Plus, I'll make twice what I make now.

I'm not gonna lie . . I'm really nervous. At the same time, I really feel as though God has opened this door for me. No matter what lies in store, He will take care of me.

So, here I go on this adventure. And, if you read my blog often, my guess is you're probably going to get to know me really well these next few months, because this is going to be the one familiar thing I have out there.

There's a lot of unknown yet to be discovered. Will I make friends fast? Will I cry a lot and be homesick? Will I love it so much I won't want to come back? Will I discover, at least in part, a little more of what I want to do? Will I have as much fun as I hope to? Will I find a church I enjoy attending? Will I get the best tan of my life?

You & I are about to find out . . so stay tuned . . . .

BIG

I have big news. BIG. Hopefully I can share by the end of the week.

Girl Time

Last night, I ate at a delicious Greek bistro with 8 other girls. I’ve eaten there before a couple times and enjoyed it, but last night was better than ever. We ate at the new location (the other one is very quaint and intimate down in an old part of town) and had an area all to ourselves. We all sat in a huge booth surrounded by pillows, pillars, and curtains . . great atmosphere. We started out with a hummus sampler and lavash for appetizers and a bottle of Pinot Grigio. Four of the girls were pregnant but a couple still sampled the wine. CS had a little less than half a glass and after everyone else had taken a few sips of theirs, she said, “Wow, that was good” and we looked over to see that she had just downed hers. I guess you had to be there, but it was funny. I ordered the special of the night which was a chicken breast covered in melted Havarti cheeses and a spinach and artichoke cream, with garlic mashed potatoes and steamed peppers. Dessert was vanilla crème brulee. A-ma-zing.

It’s getting a bit harder to be the only non-married person there, not to mention that all but two of us have kids. Usually it isn’t that big of a deal, but last night the subject of husbands and kids seemed to be pretty common – it’s only normal. I’m just totally not at that place, not even close . . at least I don’t think so. . and I don’t have a problem with that . . it just means I can’t relate.

Nevertheless, there were still a lot of laughs and I had a great time.

9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1

9 lasts:
1. cigarette: not ever
2. beverage: Water
3. kiss: XB, three months ago
4. hug: my friend, AnneG
5. movie seen: Brown Sugar
6. cd played: World Mandate 2002
7. song listened to: Keith Urban, I’m Gonna Cry
8. bubble bath: probably a couple years ago
9. time you cried: driving home after I watched “End of the Spear”

8 have you ever
1. dated one of your best friends: yes (maybe not BEST, but very good friends)
2. skinny dipped: Yes.
3. kissed somebody and regretted it: Ew, yes.
4. fallen in love: Yes
5. lost someone you loved: Yes.
6. been depressed: Yes
7. been drunk and threw up: No.
8. ran away: No.

7 states you’ve been to:
1 Alabama
2. Florida
3. Delaware
4. Kentucky
5. Arizona
6. West Virginia
7. California

6 things you’ve done today
1. Took a shower
2. ate a smoked turkey sandwich from Panera
3. Listened to the KAT 103 morning show on the way to work
4. got paid
5. read some blogs
6. worked

5 favorite things in no order
1. food
2. music
3. quality time with friends
4. shopping
5. the lake

4 people you can tell [pretty much] anything to in no order
1. God
2. Mom
3. Micki (BF)
4. Joy

3 wishes
1. I wish some of my friends knew the Lord (that don’t already)
2. I wish weekends were 3 days long
3. I wish I could go on vacation right now

2 things you want to be when you grow up
1. Someone who reaches their potential and, in doing so, brings God glory
2. A good wife, mom, and friend

1 thing you regret
1. Being complacent too often

Four

4 Jobs I’ve Had:
1. Movie theater
2. Nanny
3. Beer Shack girl at a golf course
4. Outside sales rep for a stone veneer company

4 Movies I could watch over and over:
1. Anne of Green Gables
2. How to Lose a Guy . .
3. Love & Basketball
4. My Best Friend’s Wedding

4 Places I’ve Lived:
1. Dorm in Lincoln
2. Apartment full of girls - Omaha
3. With a married couple - Omaha
4. At home in F-town

4 TV Shows I Love to Watch:
1. The Cosby Show
2. Law & Order
3. (used to love) Newlyweds
4. O’Reilly Factor

4 Places I’ve Been on Vacation
1. Washington D.C.
2. 3 islands in the Caribbean
3. Austin/San Antonio
4. San Diego

4 Websites I Visit Daily
1. http://www.hotmail.com/
2. my work website(s)
3. http://www.luvthislife.blogspot/.com
4. http://www.lindsayblake.blogspot.com/

4 Words I Love
1. Hola!
2. True
3. Boodut
4. Badonkadonk (ok, not really)

4 Things I Love to Eat:
1. Wheat Thin Chips
2. Chicken sandwiches
3. Lasagna
4. Ice Cream

4 Places I’d Rather Be:
1. on vacation, pretty much anywhere
2. shopping somewhere (that is, if I had money)
3. out to eat
4. on a couch watching a movie

4 Books I’d Read Over and Over
1. Bible
2. Enjoying God
3. Desiring God
4. Anne of Green Gables series

Baby Birthday and Bowling

Yesterday, I woke up feeling better than ever and decided to be productive. Bad idea.

I tried to clean my room, not realizing that so much activity would really wear me out. After organizing for less than half an hour, I just wanted to take a nap (and I'd had a lot of sleep). I was determined to go to Triston's 1st birthday party so I popped a few pills and headed for the Big O. By the time I got there I wasn't feeling any better. I wanted to crash on the couch, but that wasn't an option. I tried to have conversations with AMC and members of their families . . and a couple other married couples I knew that had come over. . . but I could barely move my mouth to properly form the words. I mean, I could, but it didn't feel very good!! Later on, L told me that her cousin thought I had a hangover . . . nice.

AMC asked if I wanted to go bowling after the party (with several other couples we knew). And, you guessed it, I couldn't say no! I had planned to leave early and go home for a movie, but when something fun was presented to me, I just couldn't pass it up. That's "Miss Memory Maker, Queen of Fun" for you. What's wrong with me!?

On the ride there, I was sleeping (and probably drooling) in the back seat. Once we arrived, the place was packed. They said we'd have to wait awhile for a lane. At this point, I was wishing I had stayed in the car to nap. There were video games and pool to play, so I decided to go for a game of pool. And guess who wanted to play? The Grrrlfriend and her sister. After losing really bad, The Grrrlfriend asks me "Are you drunk?" Grrrrr.

Once we got settled into our lanes and I got some soggy french fries and a few more pills into my system, I started to feel better. They started up the cosmic bowling after our first game and L & I turned into dancing machines. I was glad I had gone bowling and I knew I would be. I always have fun with that gang.

As I was getting ready to leave, The Grrrlfriend walks up to me and says "Next time you hear a noise, you can call me since 'Simon' won't come." (Referring to the other night when I got scared and called him.)

I thought: "I didn't ask him to come over. And, if I had, he would've come if you weren't such a controlling, jealous . . . person that God still loves and I need to love, too. And why would I call you when, after a year, I still don't know you very well?"

I said, "Oh . . well, I don't have your number."

"I'll have to give it to you. Then you can call me if you hear any noises."

I thought: "No offense, but it wouldn't exactly make me feel better to have you come check things out. In fact, I'd probably be more scared. Not to mention, how often do I house-sit? I don't think this is going to happen again."

I said, "Oh, I didn't hear any noises. I noticed the door was shut though I didn't shut it and Jewel was growling at something outside all night." I walked away.

What D said I should've said, "Grrrlfriend, if I wanted 'Simon' I could've had him a long time ago." Tempting, but I'm glad I didn't say that.

I understand being a girlfriend and not wanting your boyfriend to go over to another girl's place . . that's why I didn't ask him to come over! I just wish we could all be friends and he could act like my friend still. I want to like her, folks, but it's not easy.

Excerpts

I loved what I found on Dove Eyes:


"we are more inclined to think about Jesus inviting us to his house but Jesus wants to be invited...Jesus never forces himself on us. unless we invite him, he will always remain a stranger.""even after he has taken much of our sadness away and shown us that our lives are not as petty and small as we had assumed, he can still remain the one we met on the road"

[Jesus has always been such a gentleman with me and he often has great impact in my life on the road- when i decide to take a walk with him but i don't think i have ever really invited him into the hospitality of my home. he has been over before but i am a terrible host and i don't think he has ever felt welcome]

"we have to be able to say more than 'this is interesting'. we have to dare to say, 'i trust you; i entrust all my being, body, mind, and soul to you. i don't want to keep any secrets from you. you can see everything i do and hear everything i say. i don't want you to be a stranger any longer. i want you to become my most intimate friend. i want you to know me, not only as i walk on the road and talk to my fellow travelers, but also as i find myself alone with my innermost feelings and thoughts. and most of all, i want to come to know you, not just as my companion on the journey, but as the companion of my soul"

"our fear of being completely open and vulnerable is equal to our desire to know and to be known"

"my deepest desire is to love and to be loved, and that is possible only if i am willing to know and be known"

-henri nouwen (with burning hearts)

Little Life Update

I've been so bad about blogging lately . . as if I've had better things to do. Today was Day 2 of laying around after getting my 3 wisdom teeth out. I didn't realize how limited my food choices would be . . . somehow thought there were more mushy foods out there. But I'm stuck with jello, pudding, applesauce (why does this house only have unsweetened?), mashed potatoes, and ice cream. What I want is a nice, juicy burger! I rented some good movies I've been wanting to see . . "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" (even though I'm not a fan of Brangelina), "Flightplan", and "In Her Shoes". My favorite was movie #3, even though I love action and suspense. My jaw is still pretty sore and the ibuprofen just doesn't seem to do the trick. However, I have no headache today which is what I most care about. Last night it was terrible, and I was trying to fall asleep, while my dad is snoring/moaning/making any number of strange noises down in the living room. I shut my door, turned on the radio and still heard him! I was so desperate to fall asleep and not feeling well, I started to cry. You know that feeling when you're so tired yet you're wide awake and sleep just seems hopeless. Finally I woke him up, as I was on the verge of tears, and begged him to go to his own bed! The sleep that followed was deep and amazing . . I awoke with no headache! I'm hoping I'll be up for cleaning my room tomorrow . . we'll see. I'm sure I'll be up for AMC's little boy's 1st b-day party, though!

My sister and brother made a trip to Indiana today to pick up a furnace to be installed in my brother's new home. I wish I would've been up for a road trip, because I would've loved to have spent time with my siblings and to have seen my cousins. No fair that they get quality time and I'm stuck on the couch at home! Although, 12 hours in a pick-up truck doesn't sound that fun, no matter who you're with.

It's been awhile since I've mentioned the mysterious "opportunity", but the door has still not been shut. I got a call yesterday when my mouth was stuffed with gauze-perfect timing! (I definitely didn't take that call.) Fortunately, they were understanding, and I sent an email and called back today. It should only be a matter of days now before I know for sure either way what's going down. Then I'll be free to share!

On a similar, yet different note, my new position is going well. However, I have no free moments to check on blogs or write quick posts to my own, which is good and bad. Good, because I'm being more productive . . bad, because I get lazy and don't want to write once I get home, either. I'll just have to try to be better about it. . .

Micah & Lala

My 80s Heartthrob

Your 80s Heartthrob Is

Scott Baio

Who's" Your 80's Heartthrob?

LoveTheseThings

For the sake of my blog name, I’ve decided to occasionally list five things that I love.

I love going coatless in January!

I love Cookies and Cream granola bars. . amazing!

I love the hot tub!

I love that my sister misses me even though I’ve only been gone a few days.

I love Fridays!

Grrrrlfriend

L (of AMC) has a brother who we’ll call Simon. I met him just a few days after I met AMC. I actually worked for AMC a year and a half ago, and so did he. Hence, he too, became my friend. He lived with AMC so every time I would hang out with them, he would, too. It was awkward when I realized he liked me and he tried to pay for my meal a few times, etc. I just played dumb. This went on for quite awhile. I tried dropping hints and even saying something to AMC (I knew they were hopeful). Eventually he got the message and we carried on as friends.

And then he met her. Actually he’d known her for a long time, but she had been married. Not anymore. And she wanted him. So she went after him and got him. We all knew this was a bad deal. We asked him about her and she didn’t have the same values he did. They didn’t see eye-to-eye on the most important thing. But he dated her anyway. And ever since he hasn’t been as friendly or as talkative to AMC or I. She’s not friendly either. She hasn’t made efforts to get to know his family or friends. Yet he doesn’t like her friends, either. One night we had a get-together with a group of friends and they completely excluded themselves. And then there’s the jealousy factor. On both sides. They’re both so paranoid about each other. They once got in a fight because she saw that he had called me (to tell me he wouldn’t be at Choir that night and to tell our director).

Sooo, when I called him last night . . five times in a row . . that probably didn’t go over too well. Hehe. But I was scared. I was alone in AMC’s house, which hadn’t bothered me all week until last night. Last night it was sooo windy and Jewel kept growling because she thought she heard something. I thought it was just the TV. When I let the dogs outside again, I noticed that the sliding screen door was shut. And I did not shut it . . . I was positive. The movie I’d just watched had me a little anxious so I was probably extra paranoid. But sometimes I think you can never be too careful. So I called him. He’s the only guy I know who lives close by. I knew he wouldn’t answer. I knew I’d have to keep calling to get him to see the urgency of the matter. So I literally called five times. Then he called me back . . finally. He sounded really annoyed. I explained the situation and he told me the wind probably blew the screen door shut. This made me feel better, but I was still a little nervous. I knew he’d really be ticked if I asked him to come check the place out, so I just made him stay on the phone while I went into each room. But he sounded so inconvenienced by the whole thing. I mean I could’ve died. I almost wished someone would’ve been in the house just so he would feel bad. He was never this rude before . . never. In fact, he would’ve offered to come over if it hadn’t been for HER. I was tempted to make some smart-mouth comment to him on phone, but I refrained. I want to be happy for him, because he’s my friend, but he’s really gotten himself into a mess. I hope he comes to his senses soon (but it’s been a year already).

Just Me & the TV

This week, AMC’s big widescreen TV has sucked me in. I only planned on maybe watching for a half hour/hour tops each night. I never watch TV, so I thought I’d treat myself. Monday night, BF & I Tivo’d “The Bachelor” and watched for two hours. I’m hooked again and I plan on watching religiously all season. What’s not to love? The pretty girls, the crazy girls, the catty girls, and how they all try to convince Mr. Right that they're the one for him . . it really is pathetic, but oh so fun to watch. The bachelor’s even pretty good-looking – more so than most of them have been. Tuesday night I watched the best “Law and Order: SVU” episode I’ve ever seen. My eyes were glued to the screen. Last night, I curled up on the comfy leather sofa to see what was on and I ran across “Lost”, which I’ve heard a lot about. I got sucked in within the first 10 seconds! I loved it. I’m going to be so tempted to watch it on Wednesdays now. Maybe this is the reason I stepped down from Choir. After “Lost” I found “Karate Kid” on! It’s has to have been over ten years since I’ve seen that movie. It used to be my favorite when I was about 10. I can remember being torn between buying “Land Before Time” and “Karate Kid” with a Christmas gift certificate.

The question is now: What’s on tonight??

R.C. in looser fitting jeans!

It's finally here . . a picture of R.C. And now the world can see why Sweet Sarah's worries about his mojo are wasted on me.

*Either I was doing a different dance in this picture or I hadn't quite caught on yet. Doh!

Out They Go

I finally heeded the advice of my dentist . . the advice he gave me at least three years ago . . "You need to get your wisdom teeth out." I've been in denial ever since. In high school, he once mentioned that they weren't moving and may never present a problem. . buuut he changed his story a few years later and I just didn't want to believe him. Lately, I've noticed some sensitivity back there and have even felt a molar surfacing . . unevenly! Even if there was zero pain, I don't want my other teeth crowding to make room for these intruders. . I didn't have braces twice for nothing! Over the holidays, my cousin had hers out and told me a story about a girl my age whose teeth had surfaced and taken root so deep that she lost all feeling in her bottom front teeth . . for good! I think that was my breaking point . . it had to be done.

Today I met with my oral surgeon who ended up being very personable and even funny (and, may I add, good-looking). He made me almost look forward to coming in again, even if I will be incoherent for the whole procedure. I was in a hurry to get it over with, so I'm scheduled for a week from tomorrow. I'm not looking forward to having my whole weekend shot . . especially since I was hoping to go snow tubing. On the other hand, it will be nice to have a few days of yummy shakes and smoothies and lots of good movies. BF needs to get hers out, too, and ideally we would've liked to be able to veg out together all weekend, but I doubt she'll be able to schedule an appointment on such late notice.

'Til next week, I'll be looking forward to being free of the impending inconvenience.

This morning I made a very unimportant observation about myself . . . I am 24 years old and I still believe that donuts with sprinkles taste better than donuts without. If there had been 10 other donuts without sprinkles, I wouldn’t have even wanted to eat one.

Bound4Life

This morning in church, they played the "Can I Live" music video. It was a great video. They asked those of us who felt led to commit to praying for the unborn and for people who will protect the lives of the unborn to be put in places of leadership in our country.

Can I Live?
Nick Cannon

Yeah just think, just think
What if you could just, just blink yourself away. . . just, just wait, just pause for a second
Let me plead my case
Its the late 70's huh
You seventeen huh
And having me - that will ruin everything huh
It's alot of angels waiting for their wings
You see me in your sleep so you cant kill your dreams
Three hundred dollars - thats the price of living - what?
Mommy, I dont like this clinic
Hopefully you'll make the right decision
And dont go though with the knife incision
But it's hard to make the right move when you in high school
How you got to work all day and take night school
Hopping off da bus when the rain is pouring
What? you want morning sickness or the sickness of mourning?

[Chorus]
I'll always be a part of you
Trust your soul, know it's always true
If I could talk, I'd say to you
CAN I LIVE, CAN I LIVE?
I'll always be a part of you
Trust your soul, know its always true
If I could talk, I'd say to you
CAN I LIVE, CAN I LIVE?

[Verse 2]
I'm a child of the king, ain't no need to go fear me
And I see the flowing tears, so I know that you hear me
When I move in your womb, that's me being scared
'Cause who knows what my future holds
Yo, the truth be told, you ain't told a soul
Yo, you ain't even showing, I'm just 2 months old
Through your clothes try to hide me, deny me, went up 3 sizes
Your pride got you lyin', sayin' it ain't nothin' but a migraine
It ain't surprisin' you not tryin' to be in WIC food lines
Your friends look at you funny, but look at you mommy
That's a life inside - take a look at your tummy
What is becoming, ma, i'm Oprah bound
You can tell he's a star from the ultrasound
Our spirits connected, doors open now
Nothing but love and respect
Thanks for holding me down
She let me live...

[Chorus x2]

[Nick Talking]

Its upliftin' for real ya'll
I ain't passing no judgement, ain't making no decisions
I'm just telling ya'll my story
I love life
And I love my mother for giving me life
We all need to appreciate life
A strong woman that had to make a sacrifice
Thanks for listening
Thanks for listeningMa
Thanks for listening

Good End to My Week and Start to My Weekend

The first week of my new position went well. I like it so much more than what I've been doing for 9 months. However, I still haven't fully transitioned and will be doing a little of both for a couple more weeks. Ugh! Although I enjoy it more, I still wonder if I'll grow restless again soon. I want to be a part of something I have more of an interest in. I want to reach my potential and I just don't see that happening here . . . but I know that it takes small steps to get there. This will be really good experience for me and I'm very thankful for that.

I'm happy that the weekend has arrived! Tonight I had the Fresh Start appreciation dinner. The food was delicious! It's so wonderful to hear about all the things God is doing in Fresh Start. It's not only being introduced to a great majority of the States, but it's also been introduced to 14 countries. So many people are learning how they can become whole and free in Christ and experience healing in their relationships and truly forgive others. I love hearing people's testimonies!!

AMC has asked me to dog-sit/house-sit for them this week. It won't be fun packing up my stuff to stay all week, but it will be very fun hanging out with the 3 dogs, using their exercise machines, their hot tub, their Tivo and HDTv, and their king sized bed. I'm also excited to have a lot of alone time to spend with God, pray, etc. I think it will be very refreshing. And I'll save a lot on gas being closer to work.

Pant Dilemma

I hate deciding what to wear in the mornings. I stand there, freezing in my icebox of a room, donning my pink furry slippers and an oversized t-shirt . . maybe pajama pants if I wasn’t too lazy to put them on the night before. I stand, just staring at my shelves of clothing, closet of clothing, and piles of clothing. “First of all, what looks easy?”, I ask myself. What isn’t wrinkled and doesn’t require ironing or even ‘fluffing’ in the dryer? The answer to that question is probably less than half of what I own. I vow to myself each morning that on that very evening I will come straight home for the sole purpose of organizing my stuff and maybe even camping out in front of the TV and just ironing anything that needs it. Hard to believe I hate messes, because it seems that my room is the epitome of messiness. But really, I can’t stand them. That’s why, other than sleeping, I easily spend less than 10 minutes a day in there.

Anyway, back to my morning wardrobe dilemma . . . First, I select a shirt/sweater. . something I feel that I could pull off pretty effortlessly (“pull off” as in slip on and look decent in). Then, I decide which pairs of pants would look nice with that shirt. Mind you, I can’t have worn these pants yet that week, which makes the decision harder. If the only pair of pants that looks good with Chosen Sweater is the pair I wore two days ago, I have to pick a different sweater. This morning, the pants that I knew would look best were wadded up in the bottom of a laundry basket in the utility room. Super! I got to iron today. But, it wasn’t as simple as that, because The Pants were of such a material that they had to be turned inside out and ironed on low heat. Low heat just doesn’t cut it with these pants. They’re difficult. They’re made of thick material. Not to mention that they’re tailored cargo pants, so ironing the wrinkled pockets from inside the pants is a real chore.

After spending a good fraction of the time I’d allotted for getting ready that morning ironing, I went back to my room to put on the outfit. Other than the fact that my pants are about a millimeter away from not fitting around my waistline, I had no shoes to go with them! This is pretty amazing considering how many pairs I do own. The problem was that my pants are not long enough to be worn with heels and I don’t have any brown flats. Yet, I was in such a hurry that I am now wearing these pants with heels . . and, let me tell you, folks, I am embarrassed for myself. It could be worse, but it’s bad enough that I’m just not comfortable walking anywhere . . especially since I have mules on and my pants have even risen high enough to get stuck under my foot. If only I would’ve had another pair of pants that looked good with this sweater!

This pant dilemma today caused me to remember a conversation I had with BF the other day right outside the Banana Republic fitting room. We were shopping the fabulous indoor sidewalk sale and I found the cutest black pants in my size. . only to learn that BF had them already! Ah! I don’t want to copy, but it’s not like we’re together very much so no one would know but us. She said I could get them, but I’m still not sure if she really meant it. It’s just something you say because you know it isn’t that big a deal, but for some reason it kinda matters to you. You want to be an individual. You’d like to believe that you’re the only person in town with those pants - at least the only person you know. For some reason, when she said, “What are you trying on?”, I was almost nervous to turn around and show her for fear she’d say that she had them already. After I’d tried them on and they fit like a glove, she asked if I was going to get them. If you could’ve seen the inner struggle that was going on inside of me . . . I want to be sensitive to BF, but perhaps she really doesn’t care. After all, it is just pants, not a unique shirt or shoes. I think I made some comment to the effect of “I just knew you’d say you had them. You have so many pairs of pants”. To which she responded, “I could never have as many pairs of pants as you, Laurs.” Let’s just stop right there, because it makes no difference BUT that statement is completely untrue. I even was pathetic enough to try and list off my different colors/styles of pants just to prove I didn’t have that many pairs. BF said,

"I don't even have a pair of khakis."

"Yes you do; that darker khaki pair. I don't have a pair of corduroys."

"Neither do I."

"Yes, you do, the blue-gray pair."

You see, the difference between BF & I is that I announce every time I go shopping and make a purchase. She just shows up wearing something really cute or I see it hanging in her closet. So, it would appear that I have more, but I really don’t. I bet BF would've had more than one options to go with my sweater this morning.


By the way, BF, I love you . . . and I love your new Frye mules ;)

And I don't care how many pairs of pants you have.

Celebrating another baby boy

Today was J's shower. The hostesses with the mostesses (as J called them) did a great job of decorating, etc. It was beautiful. A good number of people came and we had a lot of laughs.

We each got a chance to guess what Baby Boy's name was. I had two guesses (knowing the first letter of his name) and she said that one of them was right, but she wasn't going to reveal which one. Later on, we (in the above pic) were staying after chatting, etc, and as we're headed down the sairs, J saw Baby Triston's sweater and said she needed more sweaters (meaning for Baby Boy). Her good friend, one of the few who knew Baby's name, said, "You mean, for _____?" Doh! She clapped her hand over her mouth and started saying how sorry she was, while the rest of us stopped and kinda fell down/sat down on the stairs laughing and in disbelief. I mean, it was supposed to be such a suspenseful thing and then, boom!, we all knew. J said it wasn't that big of a deal to her, but I'm sure she was a little disappointed. It was funny, though.

M brought her little boy along, so he and Triston stayed downstairs with their daddies while the shower was going on.

Here's a shocker. Triston (L) is going to be turning 1 in two weeks. Benjamin (R) is 6 1/2 months old. Now, which baby looks bigger? All I know is they're both adorable!

Movin' On Up

I wrote a post last night, but removed it 9 hours later. I want to write about it, but it's just too risky.

What I can say, though, is that I got promoted yesterday. It was a big surprise, but a pleasant one. I've wanted this position since I started with this company 9 months ago. I had to wait 6 months to apply for it. I applied after 8 when it became available and they hired externally - (I didn't get that, because you have to know how everything works in order to do this job and heck, I still don't know how everything works). BUT, they're hiring another person for the position and they just called me in and asked me if I was still interested. Yay!

With this job comes a nice pay increase, some travel, and a nice change of pace from what I have been doing. And I won't need much training before stepping into it. In fact, I start on Monday. It really is perfect timing, because I was starting to get a little burnt out with what I was doing.

Now I know I mentioned an Opportunity in a previous post, but this position isn't what I was talking about. That's all I'll say about that right now.

I've gotta get to bed. I really want to make it to church tomorrow morning and if I go to bed now, I can make the 11:30 service. After that, I have another baby shower for one of my friends. I'll know quite a few girls there, so it'll be really fun. . Can't wait!

It must be another result of the Curse

Is it just me or are women not supposed to be able to grow a mustache? I, for one, don’t even think we’re really supposed to grow hair in our armpits, but I digress. Dark hair anywhere other than the human head . . . is definitely a masculine thing. Last time I looked, I was still a female . . AND I was still a blonde. I don’t even like mustaches on men let alone myself!

Perhaps I’m exaggerating about the mustache thing, but several dark hairs most definitely make their home on my top lip. And they are not welcome there! Keeping this a secret from the rest of the world has become one of the greatest inconveniences of my young adult life.

My first attempt at keeping it under wraps was buying bleach sold for the very purpose of hiding those pesky dark hairs. But the only thing worse than a few dark hairs is an entire lip full of bleach blonde hair! I’m not going for the Paris Hilton look on any part of my body.

Some may not understand the complexity of the situation. Why not just buy one of those do-it-yourself at-home wax kits? I, for one, am not brave enough to inflict pain upon myself. . . I have to pay someone to do that. It’s not even as simple as dropping by a random salon and letting any esthetician take care of the problem. There are different prices, different products, and different techniques.

My favorite esthetician EVER is also the least expensive, because aside from managing a salon, she also does it out of her home and only charges half price. BUT, in addition to managing a salon, she’s also a nurse, an Arbonne rep, and a single mom. And when the ‘stache comes, there’s just not time to try to schedule an appointment with her. I can’t wait that long! But, oh, she uses the best wax, the best strips, and the best technique. She squeals with joy each time she rips the hair from my face. “Look! Look at all those blood bulbs. We ruined a bunch of follicles!” At first, the word “ruined”, in association with my skin, gave me a big scare until I realized it meant those hairs were gone forever!! But, believe it or not, only SHE has been able to ruin my follicles with her awesome hair-ripping technique.

My second favorite esthetician, who works at a well-known chain salon here in O-town, was actually recommended to me by my beauty-conscious cousin, Joy. (Joy, however, only needs her brows waxed . . no fair!) I like this girl because she’s such a perfectionist and feels strongly about having no hair left behind! She’s also very sweet and talkative and, as all women know, your hair dresser and esthetician just HAVE to be conversational. But, when it comes to ruining follicles – no-can-do.

The last wax appointment I had was an emergency appointment. When I couldn’t bear to look at myself in the GAP fitting room mirrors, I walked straight to the nearest salon across the way at the outdoor mall. I met the cheeriest, most stylish esthetician ever and I thought our relationship could be promising. It being the same chain salon my SFE worked for, I figured the price would be the same. . . Not only was I wrong about the price – it was 6 dollars more, making it $30! – but she gave me the Orange County Choppers wax! Do I look like I have the mustache of Paul Sr.? Then WHY would you wax that part of my face?? It looked so odd for the longest time. (You know when your good friend is saying, “What’s on your face? It looks wet” because there is no hair there, you have a problem!)

It has suddenly grown back and the last several days have been extremely painful. Having dark hairs scream at you day after day doesn’t do much for your self-esteem. Who cares if my make-up is done and my hair looks nice when I’m bearing such a strong resemblance to my father!

I need to make an appointment and FAST!

**Update 1/14: I have an appointment today with 2nd favorite - yay!

Raunchy Cowboy

Sweet Sarah showed up not long after I did. We stood by the door and waited for RC (Raunchy Cowboy) to get there –our dance instructor. I’m calling him Raunchy Cowboy (RC) because that’s the name of his favorite line dance where he gets to move his hips around as much as is humanly possible. Sweet Sarah once told me, while blushing, “I thought RC stood for Rosy Cheeks, not Raunchy Cowboy”. She is the mother of the really bad dancer who, by the way, hasn’t come since then. Darn!

Each week, she comes up to me with The Look – it’s a look I’m no stranger to – it’s the look that says, “I want you to be my daughter-in-law”. The Look makes you feel extremely flattered, yet slightly uncomfortable, while occasionally wanting to scream “Leeet goooo; it's not gonna happen”. She always mentions her son and fishes for something, anything from me that she can go tell him to encourage him to come back, because "he thinks you don't want him to come back". I try hard to not make any comment that if relayed to him would ever prompt him to return.

This week, Sweet Sarah said she had something she just had to tell me. It was about RC. She said she was worried sick about me and couldn’t sleep this week. She said RC was living with another girl in the group, but liked to get around. “I’ve never met anyone like him in all my 61 years.” She’d seen four marriages fall apart throughout the course of a couple years and every one of the women had had a fling with RC. Some of them stopped coming; some still came, seemingly unbothered that RC went on to the next woman.

“How could they keep coming? Wouldn’t they feel awkward?” I asked.

“It’s the power of the dance,” she whispered. “I just wanted you to know. I want you to be careful.”

I could tell there was something about RC. . the way he spoke, the way he moved, and the way he’d walk by and put his hands on my hips to move me aside and “excuse himself” . . ew. I knew he was a womanizer. I love dancing with him, because he’s so good at it . . and a great teacher. . but that’s it!

I laughed. “You don’t have to worry about me, Sarah. For one thing, he’s OLD (as in probably early 40s). And he’s not attractive. And he’s not refined! I don’t know how he gets so many women.”

She leaned a little closer to me and whispered again,

“It’s his mojo”.

Chilly/Chili Night

Last night I passed up the extra $20-30 bucks I would’ve made had I stayed after for a work meeting. It wasn’t mandatory and my co-worker said she’d take notes for me and since she loves taking notes so much, I didn’t want to rob her of that. Plus, I just wanted to go home. I didn’t know what I’d do when I got there, but I just wanted to go home.
And I’m so glad I did, because I had such a great night.

I found my sister home alone, starting to make chili in the kitchen, and decided, since it wouldn’t be ready for awhile, to go for a jog. . . something I hadn’t done since . . crap, I don’t even remember. Temps were in the 30s so I needed to dress appropriately. I dug through my drawer for the Cuddle Duds. Yes, the Cuddle Duds. I feel so attractive when I wear them. In fact, one of my embarrassing moments involves them. In college, I loooved winter time more than usual, because I got to walk around campus in sub-zero temps and then roast once I got to class (definitely being sarcastic). It was so cold that I was actually excited about finding the Cuddle Duds in my stocking one Christmas. I wore them countless times to class. Usually they’d be under sweatpants and a sweatshirt, but one particular day I wore them with jeans. My professor was handing back papers and I lifted up out of my seat and reached forward to grab them only to realize that my sweater had risen above my pantline and my high-rise Cuddle Duds were there for all the class to see! (if anyone was looking). I felt my cheeks flush and I got warm all over. I wanted to stand, turn around, and make a public declaration that “I, Laura ________, do not wear granny panties with an elastic waistband!” But I do wear Cuddle Duds. And last night I also wore the only stocking cap I could find, which is literally from the 70s and has one of those multi-colored balls on top. . . Kinda cute in a retro sort of way.

Jogging felt great . . so refreshing. When the chili still wasn’t ready after I got home, I pulled out my Ball and did the entire sheet of recommended exercises that filled up about half of my living room. I finished my workout by putting in The Firm DVD for abs that I’ve done once since buying it almost a year ago. It says you’re guaranteed visible results in 10 workouts and I plan to put it to the test.

I ended my night by renting “Must Love Dogs” which I hadn’t seen yet. It was cute, but is it just me, or do movies lately seem to skip over the whole relationship development thing? It’s like, “We laughed together once and you said something sweet to me on our first date and I’m crazy attracted to you, so let’s have sex, because this must be love.” I just love the movies where you feel like you got to kinda watch them fall in love a little bit.

One of my favorite lines from the movie, though, was: “He’s emotional and he likes to talk . . .This is a mythical figure, Sarah.” I’m not sure why I liked it so much; I’ve dated a mythical figure myself.

****************************************************************
Work sucks. I’m always such an optimist about work, but we have a new program we’re using and none of us are big fans of it. Plus, I’m thinking about that opportunity I wrote about last week. I just need to find out what’s going to happen. I’ve been biting my nails like crazy - I couldn’t even open the shampoo lid today in the shower. I don’t want it to happen if it’s not going to be a good thing, but I really hope it could be a good thing and happen!! I want to break out of the ordinary . . at least for a little while.

Change is in the air

I did end up going to Lincoln Friday night . . and having a great time! The band, Blackwater, was so good. We were planning on staying ‘til 11 (because of the hour drive), but lost track of time and didn’t leave ‘til 12:30 a.m. “We” meaning my uncle and I. I’ve been going with him to all of these events. He’s really good at two-stepping, which we (sadly) don’t do on Tuesday nights, but did a lot of on Friday. Seriously, the Kickers are like a big, happy family. Everyone dances with everyone . . . and everyone is willing to teach the person that hasn’t caught on yet . . .namely, Me, because everyone else has been going a lot longer than I have.

My Saturday was a very eventful day. I had my cousin’s graduation party, and it was fun to see some people there that I hadn’t seen in awhile. I’m so excited for her; she’s graduated early and is headed to Bolivia for a few months to go to language school before starting college. I often wish I would’ve done that.

I got to see two pregnant friends Saturday who I’ve only talked to since they’ve been showing. It was so great to be able to see them so far along. One friend is due next month, and I went to her shower and was able to see her home and the baby’s room that they’re having painted with a Noah’s Ark theme.

That evening, I went out to dinner with the two girls I’ve been friends with the longest – my old best friend, and first Christian friend, Kristen, and our friend Sarah, who I met in junior high. Kristen is six and a half months along and looks adorable. Sarah and her husband just celebrated their one year anniversary and bought their first home with four bedrooms and three bathrooms! It’s fun, yet crazy, to watch my friends grow up and start their own families. Because I’m not at the same place yet, it’s strange to imagine being there. I told them I’m having so much fun just being single and doing things I probably won’t do when I’m married. They just smiled and told me I won’t care about doing those things once I meet “him”. It’s true, but who knows when that will be, so I may as well live it up while I can. . .

At church, it seems the theme has been newness and change, and I do have a sense that this year will be a big year. I have no idea what that means for me. I am sometimes hesitant to dream big, but then I remember that if I love the Lord, it’s He that places the dreams in my heart and He that most wants to see them come true. And if I dream for anything that doesn’t happen or happens differently than I had hoped, it will only be better.

“. . Then you will know that I am the Lord . . those who hope in me will not be disappointed . . “ Isaiah 49:23

I Keep on Kickin' It

Last night, I went with the Country Kickers to do a demo for a large group of mentally handicapped kids. And what an audience! They, of course, loved our performance, and some of them would get up and come dance amongst us, while their peers cheered them on. Each time one of them would come up to meet one of us, they would be sure to wish us a “Happy New Year”. Very cute. I love watching their childlike joy. I love how some of them just get up and dance not caring what others think. Something I think many of us would like to be able to do.

As I was dancing a couples’ dance with another Kicker, a very large boy came up and grabbed ahold of my arm with a very firm grip and attempted to drag me away to dance with him while professing his love for me. Normally I wouldn’t mind, but he was a little frightening . . ok, he was very frightening! He was like a scruffy, drooling, leering ogre (a nice ogre, I'm sure, like Shrek :) and had two footlong hairs growing out of his chin! It made me feel bad for him and think to myself . . . Why don’t his parents/caretakers help him out a bit in the cleanliness department? I mean, how hard is it to just cut those hairs, trim that “beard”, wipe the leftover mustard from the corners of his mouth? But I really cannot make statements about “how hard is it” when it would obviously be an enormous challenge to care for someone . . . something that I know nothing about.

It was really fun doing the demo, though, and watching everyone enjoy it. It was a great first demo, because I probably only remembered a couple of the dances, but no one cared that I was staring at everyone’s feet and turning around in circles most of the time. I really don’t want to see the video of that!

Afterward, we went to Country Cosmic Bowling and I kicked everyone’s butt with my score of 119 . . don't know how, because I never bowl! One of the songs we dance to started playing, so a bunch of Kickers went to the back and danced. They drew quite an audience, too. People were taking pictures with their camera phones and everything. They’re a fun group to hang out with . . . they know how to have a good time.

I may be putting on my boots tonight, too, and heading to Lincoln with everyone to go to Coyote Willy’s. Didn’t really expect to be getting so involved in this line-dancing thing . . . but I’m lovin’ it so far!

One down

I'm proud to announce that one of my resolutions for 2006 has already been accomplished . . but it had nothing to do with my own determination or self-discipline.

My resume looks good. . . as opposed to looking like crap as it has for so long (at least according to Me, my biggest critic).

I received a phone call yesterday about a great opportunity and, after talking to a couple of people, learned I'd need to send my resume . . today!! I panicked. I immediately contacted the one person I knew who actually enjoys putting a resume together and offered her $50 to fix mine. I was desperate! Fortunately, she couldn't do it . . because I ended up e-mailing to my cousin in Florida and she made it look great . . for free!

So regardless of what happens with this opportunity, I have just saved myself a lot of guilt over procrastination and a lot of time that I would've spent trying to fix it myself to no avail . . and when all it needed was a few tweaks and a little re-formatting.

One goal down, nine to go!

Good-bye '05, Hello '06

I was so excited to go be social on New Year's Eve, but it didn't turn out quite as I had hoped . . . however, I'm not at all disappointed.

After reading about Girl's filet mignon, I was really craving steak and determined to treat myself . . I just didn't have anyone to go with. Fortunately, after an afternoon spent playing games with "Indiana cousins", Uptown Grandma announced that they were having steak for dinner. Since it was nearly 6 o'clock and I was still wearing no make-up and an oversized sweatshirt, I decided to just stay and enjoy my cousins a while longer . . . and some delicious free food. Dinner was so yummy - steak, salad, baked potatoes, jello w/ bananas, and garlic bread. My cousins are so sweet and so much fun. We all went around the table to shared 2005 highlights and desires for 2006. I'm so glad I stayed.

BF went down to the French Cafe in the Old Market in Omaha for an elaborate meal with her family, but agreed to meet up with me for dessert at Melting Pot. It was sooo good. We got the Milk Chocolate S'mores fondue. We stayed and chatted and welcomed in the new year, toasting with our refreshing ice cold waters :) We, too, reflected on highlights of this last year and shared our hopes for this year.















After saying good-night to BF, I went over to T's with S and her sister, but T was in a bad mood after facing a little "girl rejection" that night, so he wasn't his usual self. And there weren't too many other people there, so we called it a night around 2:30.


**************
I'm glad to see 2005 go. It wasn't a bad year, but not one of the more significant ones I've had. I'm hoping 2006 will be a bit more eventful. However, 2005 was a good year.

For one thing, the Lord completed a wonderful work in my heart at the beginning of the year which meant I was able to enjoy this entire year feeling totally alive and whole again. Thank you, Jesus!

This year was a year of dancing . . not just in my heart, but literally, as well. I wasn't happy to learn, two weeks into the spring semester, that I hadn't really just graduated and needed one more credit to get my diploma! But, it turned out to be a blessing, because I signed up for Social Dance class and had a great time learning many ballroom and latin dances, as well as lindyhop and jitterbug. I even performed for over 500 people at the Qwest Center! And I'm now line-dancing into the new year with the Country Kickers and having so much fun!

This year, I took my first "real job" and moved home at the same time, which is pretty ironic. Both have been great experiences, though. I've met some great people at my job and learned what field I'm not really interested in. I'm hoping to find something I'm much more suited for this coming year. I've enjoyed being at home with my family and living a little more of a slower-paced life not being in Omaha. I take back what I said about not ever wanting to live in F-town again. I think it will be tough to leave, because I'm pretty sure this time it will be for good.

I gained some new family members this year - a sister-in-law, a nephew, and a niece, as well as a couple of cousins. Something I never imagined happening a year ago.

I loved my trip to Table Rock Lake this summer. It was so refreshing! and the only vacation I took this year, which was a big jump from seven trips in 2004! I hope to do a lot more traveling this year.














Of course, being involved in Fresh Start has been great and I'm looking forward to starting another group of teen girls in about a week.

I've decided to take a break from church Choir indefinitely. It's been great being a part of such an awesome choir, though. I can't wait to be able to hear from the audience again!

Most importantly, this coming year, I just want to grow closer to the Lord. It may sound cliche, but I mean it. I want to experience more intimacy with Him and have more of His heart in me.

Here's to 2006! May it be full of life, passion, and purpose!

Christmastime!

Christmas was lovely and couldn’t have been better in my opinion. Everyone seemed to love the gifts I gave them. I was especially glad to see that my brother loved the shirts I bought him. I usually do have a good eye for what would look good on someone. And it was so adorable watching my nephew, Micah, open his and Sophia’s gifts. Have you ever seen a 2-year old get excited about clothes!? He does. His eyes light up and he exclaims “Mine!” and proudly shows his parents. I’m glad he can appreciate a good-looking piece of clothing when he sees it. He does look so cute in the little Gap jacket I bought him.

BF and I exchanged gifts on Christmas Eve, as usual, and I was relieved that she liked her gift, too, because it took quite awhile to make it. I thought it turned out just as well as I had hoped it would. Here is a pic:



















I *loved* what she gave me, too . . a framed picture that she took of a door in Jerusalem, Israel. Yay!-now my art collection is officially started.














Time at Farmtown Grandma’s went fast! The highlights were the delicious smoked turkey and playing Disney Scene It! which is so much easier than the regular version of the game. Grandma was pretty excited about her bird tree. If you want to get her a good gift, just find something with a bird in it. I, for example, got her cardinal earrings. She was in such a good mood, she pulled out the accordian.




















Uptown Grandma's house was a great time, too. Instead of having a traditional sharing time, we instead drew names and would bless or encourage the person whose name we drew. It wasn't mandatory, but everyone over the age of 8 wanted to participate and it was such a wonderful time! Lots of smiles and a few happy tears. I love my family!!! It's so amazing to have an entire side of the family that loves Jesus. Even little Jake who is 2 1/2 said he wanted to bless someone when we jokingly asked. We asked who and he said "Jesus" . . good answer :)

Grandma got all the girls warm pajama pants this year. Last year it was furry slippers.















Here's one of my favorite gifts . . a jewelry armoire . . can't wait to get organized!





















Some of us, cousins, went ice skating the day after Christmas and it was a blast! . . no blisters or sore feet!

Christmas Meme

Yesterday I took the day off to try to catch up on shopping, baking, etc. It was such a productive day, which is something I can usually never say about days off. Finally, I've purchased all my gifts (including a few more for myself). It feels good to finally be done, even if it is only a couple days before Christmas.

In celebration of the eve of Christmas Eve, I've decided to do the Christmas meme I found on Cady's site:

1. egg nog or hot chocolate? neither . . . how about water or milk, because that's all I really drink

2. does santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? puts them under the tree. the elves wrap them.

3. colored lights on tree/house or white? white. when i was little, i would've said colored, but now i prefer white

4. do you hang mistletoe? no, but if I had it, I think it would be fun to hang it up

5. when do you put your decorations up? the day after Thanksgiving

6. what is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? my aunt's casserole or chicken tetrazzini

7. favorite holiday memory as a child? i vividly remember getting my first cabbage patch dolls when i was 3 (i think) and naming one marjorie (after uptown grandma) and the other barker lance (keeping his real name)

8. when and how did you learn the truth about santa? i asked my mom a logical question about the tooth fairy and learned she wasn't real . . . and then the wheels started turning as i stood there in silence and finally exclaimed in a very disappointed voice, "Does this mean that Santa and the Easter Bunny aren't real, either?" I think I cried. (It was the next worst realization to learning about sex.) But, then I thought all the kids in my class who still believed didn't have any common sense

9. do you open a gift on christmas eve? i exchange with BF at church and then go over my aunt & uncle's for dinner and exchange with my cousin, Joy

10. what kind of cookies does santa get set out for him? Oreos, of course . . america's favorite cookie

11. snow! love it or dread it? it's very pretty, BUT i don't like getting the bottoms of my pants wet or feeling like driving somewhere is dangerous.

12. can you ice skate? yes but i'm not that great at it, because i'm scared of falling down and having someone run over my fingers

13. do you remember your favorite gift? hmmm, i do remember really loving my gameboy and, of course, every pair of doc martens i got

14. what's the most important thing about the holidays for you? getting to see all my family that lives out of state (IN, TX, DC)

15. what is your favorite holiday dessert? hopscotches with chow mein noodles, marshmallows, and butterscotch

16. what is your favorite holiday tradition? i love the whole thing . . . christmas eve church and then dinner at aunt & uncle's . . . christmas morning w/ my immediate family . . . christmas midday at farmtown grandma's . . . and christmas evening at uptown grandma's with sharing time, which is where everyone shares about the past year (good times, bad times, God's faithfulness) and what they're anticipating for the next year . . . it's especially cute when the little kids want to share

17. what tops your tree? an angel, but i prefer a star

18. which do you prefer giving or receiving? the only thing better than that wonderful feeling that someone was thinking of you and was kind enough to bless you . . . is knowing that you could make someone else feel that way

19. what is your favorite christmas carol? oh come all ye faithful, o holy night

20. candy canes! yuck or yum? i love the fruit flavored ones

Shuffle to the Back

Well, things with This Guy went well. I was dreading telling him my thoughts and as he began to say “nice things” I didn’t know if I would be able to. I was sitting there, thinking “S*&%, S#$&, S%@&” and then decided that rather than mentally swearing, I should probably pray about it. So I did, and it ended up going very, very smoothly . . at least for me. And in the end, I’m still glad I’m a girl, because I think ending something is a whole lot easier than starting it.



Last night was my fifth time line dancing with the Country Kickers. It’s my “new thing” and so much fun! Everyone there is so extremely nice and welcoming . . . and old. In fact, other than one other guy my age, I’m the youngest by probably 20 years. But it’s so great. I met a nice, older couple (M & S) in their late 50s who told me that I just had to meet their 29-year-old son and that they’d try to get him to come so I would have a dance partner my age. After talking a bit, I had quite a lot of reason to believe that he was a Christian. And his mother said he was very cute. And he’d come dancing before quite a few times so he should be familiar with some of the couples’ dances. Could it be that I would have a nice, young, talented dance partner and that he would be cute?

No. Neither. I mean I didn’t expect both to be true, but neither?? Not only can he not dance, but his mother is very biased. I could’ve easily overlooked his average looks if he could dance, but he was tripping over his feet and mine the whole night and his arms were more like the angel hair pasta I’ve been craving than those of a man who can lead. Even the simplest of dances had him stumped. With a last name like “Tucker” I expected him to be tearing up the dance floor like nobody’s business. Hey, if you’re country, it should be in your genes.

But, he was nice. And geez, most of the time that’s all I can say about single, Christian guys I meet. “Well, he’s really nice.” Not he’s cool or he’s funny or he’s such a godly man. He’s just nice. And I don’t want a “nice guy”. I want someone “who could be wicked, but wouldn’t” (Anne of Green Gables). Know what I mean?

On my mind . . .

1. How hungry I am . . and when is R going to announce today's desserts? We're having dessert every day this week leading up to Christmas and yesterday was R's delicious banana pudding, some chocolate walnut cookies, and store-bought Pepperidge Farm Pirouettes in french vanilla and chocolate . . . yummm.

2. How am I going to get everything done before Christmas? Like buying gifts for 9 more people and wrapping them all and finishing a "project" and baking a dessert for work.

3. How I am going to tactfully tell This Guy today over lunch that we should "just be friends" and how I hope he'll realize that I really mean "acquaintances" (as in people who have met but never really talk).

4. How lazy I am and how I should be ashamed of myself for always reading blogs and writing on mine on the clock. (I really do have a good work ethic and can't stand those who don't . . . I just have to maintain my sanity.)

BACK TO WORK!

The Sweetest Thing

My State?

I took this "State Test" that I linked to from Abra's site. First, it said my state was the "State of Greed" and I was a little bit confused, because I thought it was supposed to be one of the 50 states. It is supposed to be an actual state, but they tricked me! They gave me a trick question! Is it a crime to think you make a decent living? Anyway . . . So I retook it and ended up with the State of Oklahoma, which is pretty accurate since it's only two states south. Here's what it said:

After overcoming a terrible tragedy in recent years, you have shown the ability to really shine through adversity. You've renovated your home, picked up the pieces, and built things all over again. Meanwhile, you seem uncannily drawn to the classic board game Twister, though it doesn't always lighten your mood. Despite all the hardships, you're one of those quirky folks who simply breaks out into song at random times in life. Ultimately, you just want people to know that you're O.K.

The only thing true in that paragraph is the part about breaking into song . . but I only do that sometimes in private.

I kept re-taking it to see if I could get Nebraska and it took me 4 tries. Instead, I got Kansas, Wyoming, and Iowa. It wasn't until I was honest and admitted to being a procrastinator that I ended up with my home state.

Take the quiz.

Aaah!

It's been so long since I've posted. I've been training people this week at work, so there hasn't been much time for an update.

This week has been an "aaah" week. For one, I gave This nice Guy my number a couple weeks ago not because I was interested in him or attracted to him, but just because I thought "Why not? I'll be open and just maybe go out once . . After all, I should be open to getting to know new people . . expand my horizons, etc. . .or if I decide I don't want to go before he calls, no big deal - I'll just tell him. .". But, oh, it's just not that simple, is it? Because when This Guy calls, he doesn't call to ask you out . . . he wants to talk . . about nothing important . . and for long periods of time. And when you say you've gotta go, it doesn't end there. It's like, "Oh, what are you going to eat?" or "What store are you going to?" and that can lead right back into more conversation! And he is just so eager to go on an official date, whereas I'm a much bigger fan of "hanging out", because if I don't like hanging out with you, then why would I want to sit down and get to know you? Now, of course I wouldn't mind this all so much if I was interested in him, but I've already determined that I'm not. Sometimes it doesn't take long to make a final decision.

Though I already knew I wasn't really into him, I thought I should accept his invitation to lunch and just be able to say I gave it a shot. Then I would have more grounds for telling him we should "just be friends". BUT, before even going to lunch, we were discussing what day I would be free and I said Thursday was it. I was busy every other night. And then, he said it. . . . . .

"Well, the U2 concert is that night-

-"What did you say? Are you going????"

And then . . .

"Yeah, do you want to come?"

"DO.I.WANT.TO.COME? I would love to!!"

So he explains that he has basically a free pass . . . all he has to do is check ids and give out wristbands for those who want to drink. But after that he can go to the concert . . he doesn't have to miss any of it! He can see the whole thing . . for free! And I can come with! And I can bring a friend!

Suddenly I'm very very glad I gave him my number. I wondered if I should feel bad going along when I knew I wasn't interested in him, but in one of our *many* conversations this week, I was able to explain where I stood . . . not where he did. This made me feel much better about going "as friends" - yay!

So we went last night and OHMYGOSH, it was amazing! I was doubtful that it could compare to their "Elevation" tour, but I dunno, it was so awesome!! We had great seats. . . totally lucked out [were blessed], because we didn't have assigned seats. I was so happy to have AG there with me, too. (She and I had been looking online for tickets, but of course they were so freakin expensive!) We were dancing and jumping and screaming and singing and swaying the entire time!!! They played for 2 1/2 hours! And I was so excited that they played a few of the songs I'd wanted them to play at their last concert, but they hadn't. Ie: "Mysterious Ways", which is one of my faves! It's a miracle I have any voice left today. I do feel a bit hoarse.

I have a full weekend, which does not include attending the Christmas party This Guy invited me to. He really made me feel bad when I said no, and I do not like being pressured. I had already made plans Saturday night and, like I said before, I barely know him and I prefer getting to know someone in a more comfortable setting, as friends.

I'll post concert pics later.

Deck the Halls

So much family fun tonight. It was annual decorate the tree night at Uptown Grandma's. We first sat down to bowls of chili and/or potato soup with some yummy bread (perfect for weather in the single digits!) . Oatmeal cake for dessert . . pretty good stuff.

It's so fun to hang our favorite ornaments and see which new ones G-ma has gotten this year . . I accidentally broke one-whoops!

After some laughing and pulling out atrocious ornaments from various boxes, I overheard Grandma saying, "The girls better not get silly tonight or I'll be upset" (because this dec-the-tree stuff is very serious business). Isn't the fun part supposed to be hanging the big plastic apples that Grandma no longer likes all over the tree and when she complains, hiding them in the back of the tree so the neighbors can look in the window and think we're tacky?

Plus, I don't think it's possible for Joy & I to get together, along with my sister and not laugh and be silly. Here's an example:














And again, I make those I love brave the cold for a cool picture (this time in the sleigh):















Grandma always comes in at the top when it comes to Christmas decorations at the lake, though there doesn't seem to be as many lights this year . . . (that's a big Santa on the balcony):















Not to be cheesy, but it really IS beginning to look a lot like Christmas :)

The Boots Made Me Do It

Well, this whole don't-buy-myself-anything-this-Christmas-season-thing isn't exactly working. I was so sure this would be the year I stayed strong and resisted the temptation to buy gifts for myself. And if I hadn't found these boots, I think I would've been fine.

The day after Thanksgiving, my small town of about 25,000 people has a little lights festival where all the downtown shops are open for people to browse and drink cider and cookies and listen to the carolers, etc. I wasn't planning on going, but hadn't been in years, so I called up my parents (who have a tradition of going with their friends each year) and asked if I could meet up with them for maybe half an hour. I hoped to maybe run into people I hadn't seen in awhile and get into the Christmas spirit.

We met up at one of the coffee shops downtown and headed down the street to one of the large antique shops my town is "famous" for. I immediately felt odd hanging out with my parents and their friends . . . especially when I found them near the shall-we-say "romance" section of the coffee shop library, reading up on how to basically have a better sex life. They were a little embarrassed when I walked up. Sorry guys, didn't mean to cramp your style.

The antique shop had everything one could imagine and when I wandered over to the western section, there they were. Justin cowgirl boots. They looked like they'd never been worn and they were only $40. I've been wanting some for years, but just couldn't bring myself to spend over $100 on something I would rarely wear. So how could I pass up this "opportunity"? I couldn't.

The problem is that this totally ruined my don't-feel-like-shopping streak, which never usually lasts very long anyway. Since then I've added a few more items to the list of what I've bought myself this season. It's not bad, but it's also only December 8th.

BF and I decided we were in the mood for the Cheesecake Factory last Friday night and spontaneously made the 2 hour drive to Des Moines, IA just to eat there . . and shop J. Crew and a few other stores we somehow haven't managed to get in Omaha yet. I ended up getting a very cute vintage t-shirt from Fossil and a super-warm vintage-y hoodie uniquely stitched and slightly frayed. And just yesterday I found the nicest black leather planner for 2006 with so many different features . . and only $10 at T.J. Maxx!

Today I'm making a list of exactly what I'm getting for people and when I go to the store, I'll be "on a mission". Go, buy, leave . . no browsing! The only problem is . . I still don't know exactly what I'm getting everyone . . .

Let it Snow

Sad News

I heard the news last night . . can't believe I didn't find out sooner.

Nick and Jessica split.

I'm really upset by this. I really thought they could make it. At least longer than three years! She said she was serious about keeping her vows.
I'm a Jessica fan, though I have been really disappointed by her the past few years. It's amazing what fame can do to you. I used to admire her for maintaining some modesty, saving herself for marriage, and seeming like a sweet, wholesome girl . . not to mention the fact that she is beautiful and has a great sense of style!

When I watched "Newlyweds", though I loved the show, I wondered how Nick put up with her. She acted spoiled, selfish, ultra-materialistic, unladylike and lazy. Perhaps she was putting on a show much of the time, but what kind of a way is that to start a marriage - acting for a camera, trying to get fans and publicity at the expense of your marriage?! And her videos kept getting more and more scandalous. Poor Nick didn't have much of a career anymore, so that couldn't have done much for his ego, not the mention the fact that his wife seemed too into herself to care. This is not to say that he didn't contribute in some ways. Of course no one knows what went on behind the scenes, but plenty went on for all to see that could lead anyone to see that marriage had to be tough.

I can see how so much publicity and fame could hurt their marriage . . I'm just disappointed that they didn't do whatever it took to keep it together.