The feeling is familiar by now, but is certainly never comfortable. Will it ever be?
Is it possible to expand your comfort zone so much that it is all-encompassing?
(speaking only of good things, of course)
There is something so comforting about a routine, about friendly old habits; even dull repetition can be surprisingly fulfilling. But for me all it takes is a prick of uncertainty, a little nagging feeling, to wipe away those comforts and demand action. Faith is an action word, right?
Slice and I loved our little house from the start. The process that put us there left no doubt that we were there for a reason. And I’ve dragged my feet for months, not wanting to leave. Thinking of every possible way we could stay.
But the prodding never let up.
It’s amazing how quickly a home can become a house, and vice versa. I'm glad to go, now, excited for better living conditions and closer family. I'm grateful that things often work out much better than I could have planned.
Most of all, right this minute, I'm tired and missing Matt.
2.26.2009
2.25.2009
2.23.2009
Good Blog/Bad Blog
One of our English teachers asked for my help in preparing a lesson about blogging. So far I have compiled a list of "good blogs" to show the kids, to demonstrate the extensive possibilities as well as the importance of GOOD ENGLISH SKILLS in Internetting.
(I just made that a verb.)
The good blogs list was easy to come up with, but now I need a list of not-so-good blogs, and I'm not sure how to go about it.
Any suggestions?
Seriously, So Blessed is replete with errors, but they are intentional. Not really what I'm going for (except to say "kids, when you write poorly, other people make FUN of you by writing sarcastic blogs like THIS"). If I use personal blogs, how do I find bad ones? I'm trying to steer clear from people I actually know and might offend.
If you have any ideas - or better yet, bad blogs you can share - let me know, will you?
Thanks.
Speaking of good blogs: If you've never read Apron Stage, you should at least once. My favorite posts are here and here. And here. And here. I'll stop now.
(I just made that a verb.)
The good blogs list was easy to come up with, but now I need a list of not-so-good blogs, and I'm not sure how to go about it.
Any suggestions?
Seriously, So Blessed is replete with errors, but they are intentional. Not really what I'm going for (except to say "kids, when you write poorly, other people make FUN of you by writing sarcastic blogs like THIS"). If I use personal blogs, how do I find bad ones? I'm trying to steer clear from people I actually know and might offend.
If you have any ideas - or better yet, bad blogs you can share - let me know, will you?
Thanks.
Speaking of good blogs: If you've never read Apron Stage, you should at least once. My favorite posts are here and here. And here. And here. I'll stop now.
2.18.2009
The Lowdown
Have you heard?
Matt's leaving in a week and Tony's papers are in.
I have a new nephew. (Oh yeah, I already wrote about that.)
Raisin Bran Crunch is the best cereal ever. Last time we were in Ogden, it was on sale, so we bought TWO BOXES.
Dann and Angie just decided to move to Vegas, and Slice and I are moving into the upstairs of their house. We're trying to convince the bishop of the new ward to let us stay in our old ward, since it will probably be temporary. Ahem. DAD.
Slice's new baby is going to change our lives.....really. Hopefully our blogs, too.
And finally - I have a story.
Last summer I bought a CHI at our local Freight Damaged Furniture. It was $30 and looked intact, so I thought, why not? It's worth a try.
But the CHI didn't work. It didn't even turn on.
I read the warranty and wondered if the company would be able to fix it or refund my money, anything like that. I wrote a little note and mailed the flatiron to Texas with a $15 check (in case it fell under the "fixable" category) and my credit card statement - I had thrown away the receipt. They called me a couple weeks later. I tried calling back, but never got through; pretty sure I wrote down the wrong number.
A little while later my CHI came back with my check, plus a note that said since I didn't buy it from an authorized distributor, it wasn't under any warranty. Tough Luck.
I pretty much forgot about the whole thing.
So last night Slice called me to say that his camera had finally come (thank heavens! no more stalking the UPS man!), and he said, "Oh yeah, and you got a CHI."
"Huh?"
I ran home to find a brand new CHI - that I didn't pay for - packaged and shipped to me by UPS.
Guys, Farouk Systems, Inc. is the coolest company ever.
*Anyone need a straightener? Slice bought me a new one for Christmas....
Matt's leaving in a week and Tony's papers are in.
I have a new nephew. (Oh yeah, I already wrote about that.)
Raisin Bran Crunch is the best cereal ever. Last time we were in Ogden, it was on sale, so we bought TWO BOXES.
Dann and Angie just decided to move to Vegas, and Slice and I are moving into the upstairs of their house. We're trying to convince the bishop of the new ward to let us stay in our old ward, since it will probably be temporary. Ahem. DAD.
Slice's new baby is going to change our lives.....really. Hopefully our blogs, too.
And finally - I have a story.
Last summer I bought a CHI at our local Freight Damaged Furniture. It was $30 and looked intact, so I thought, why not? It's worth a try.
But the CHI didn't work. It didn't even turn on.
I read the warranty and wondered if the company would be able to fix it or refund my money, anything like that. I wrote a little note and mailed the flatiron to Texas with a $15 check (in case it fell under the "fixable" category) and my credit card statement - I had thrown away the receipt. They called me a couple weeks later. I tried calling back, but never got through; pretty sure I wrote down the wrong number.
A little while later my CHI came back with my check, plus a note that said since I didn't buy it from an authorized distributor, it wasn't under any warranty. Tough Luck.
I pretty much forgot about the whole thing.
So last night Slice called me to say that his camera had finally come (thank heavens! no more stalking the UPS man!), and he said, "Oh yeah, and you got a CHI."
"Huh?"
I ran home to find a brand new CHI - that I didn't pay for - packaged and shipped to me by UPS.
Guys, Farouk Systems, Inc. is the coolest company ever.
*Anyone need a straightener? Slice bought me a new one for Christmas....
2.17.2009
I just have to say
Valentine's Day is a million times better as a married person. Even if you don't do anything to celebrate but sleep in, watch TV, eat, sleep some more, eat some more, and work on a puzzle. Or maybe because of that.
Also, I've held the title for Most Dramatic High School Experience for years now (doesn't everyone think that?), but it seems my sister is coming into her own. I was privileged to witness the most hilarious V-day scene yet - in my parents' very own kitchen. If she will ever let me write it, I totally will.
Keep 'em coming, Ki. I just can't get enough of relationship drama.
Especially now that mine is (mostly) gone.
Also, I've held the title for Most Dramatic High School Experience for years now (doesn't everyone think that?), but it seems my sister is coming into her own. I was privileged to witness the most hilarious V-day scene yet - in my parents' very own kitchen. If she will ever let me write it, I totally will.
Keep 'em coming, Ki. I just can't get enough of relationship drama.
Especially now that mine is (mostly) gone.
2.13.2009
Days of our lives
This is my 100th post, and my nephew was born just to celebrate! How cool is that??
Pretty cool, I think. He's a cutie.
Now, let's talk birthdays. These two share one:
and I was lamenting the fact that I don't share my birthday with anyone that famous. I mean, Blake Lively is a day younger than me, Hilary Duff is four - so I turned to my good friend Wikipedia for comfort. I discovered that a lot of bad things happened on my birthday.
(Mount Vesuvius erupting, pillaging of Rome, Magna Carta declared invalid, Jews massacred, White House burned down, the Panic of 1857 beginning, just to name a few...)
On the flip side, William Wilberforce was born. And Robert D. Hales.
Pretty cool, I think. He's a cutie.
Now, let's talk birthdays. These two share one:
and I was lamenting the fact that I don't share my birthday with anyone that famous. I mean, Blake Lively is a day younger than me, Hilary Duff is four - so I turned to my good friend Wikipedia for comfort. I discovered that a lot of bad things happened on my birthday.
(Mount Vesuvius erupting, pillaging of Rome, Magna Carta declared invalid, Jews massacred, White House burned down, the Panic of 1857 beginning, just to name a few...)
On the flip side, William Wilberforce was born. And Robert D. Hales.
2.11.2009
The List
A while ago I gave a Beehive lesson on marriage standards, the classic one where the girls write down "what I want in a future husband." Giving the lesson was even more fun for me, because I found TWO of my old lists and shared them with the girls.
And I laughed at what I used to think was so important.
For example, all growing up I was sure I would marry someone who didn't like video games. They wouldn't have to hate them as much as I do, but at least a healthy dislike would do. With the TV, as well.
Ha.
I was pretty sure I would marry a musician - ballroom dancer would be nice - but any other athleticism was basically unnecessary. I don't care much for college or professional sports, and I especially didn't want to be watching sports on Sunday.
Not too bad.
I also planned on putting my future husband through school. He would be an intellectual type, always reading, always fueling my desires to pursue academic success.
Well....
I didn't plan on marrying a great chef, a sports pro, a man who would rather be playing with the kids than conversing at the adult dinner table. Or someone who would be right all the time (I'm the one saying "you were right" 9 times out of 10). OR someone who would rarely let me drive the dang car.
But it works out, you know?
Slice fit every criteria I had on my list. Good thing I always knew what was really important.
And I laughed at what I used to think was so important.
For example, all growing up I was sure I would marry someone who didn't like video games. They wouldn't have to hate them as much as I do, but at least a healthy dislike would do. With the TV, as well.
Ha.
I was pretty sure I would marry a musician - ballroom dancer would be nice - but any other athleticism was basically unnecessary. I don't care much for college or professional sports, and I especially didn't want to be watching sports on Sunday.
Not too bad.
I also planned on putting my future husband through school. He would be an intellectual type, always reading, always fueling my desires to pursue academic success.
Well....
I didn't plan on marrying a great chef, a sports pro, a man who would rather be playing with the kids than conversing at the adult dinner table. Or someone who would be right all the time (I'm the one saying "you were right" 9 times out of 10). OR someone who would rarely let me drive the dang car.
But it works out, you know?
Slice fit every criteria I had on my list. Good thing I always knew what was really important.
2.09.2009
nine days down, twenty to go
My actual writing on this blog has been shameful lately, I guess because I've been busy reading (finally finished, whew!), New Beginnings-planning, traveling, and waiting for a new nephew, among other things.
Also, because
it's been a week since we gave our landlord notice - we are moving out at the end of the month. We're not sure where to yet, but we both know that it is time to leave. That knowledge makes it only a little easier.
(Eight months is the longest I've lived anywhere in the last four years.)
So in the meantime, I expect we will be quite busy....doing whatever it is that we need to do.
Joy!
Also, because
it's been a week since we gave our landlord notice - we are moving out at the end of the month. We're not sure where to yet, but we both know that it is time to leave. That knowledge makes it only a little easier.
(Eight months is the longest I've lived anywhere in the last four years.)
So in the meantime, I expect we will be quite busy....doing whatever it is that we need to do.
Joy!
2.06.2009
Girls ask the guys, it's always a surprise
Yesterday one of our aides came in with a stack of heart-shaped sticky notes that he had pulled off his car. He was trying to unscramble the letters and make a name...but (I figured out within seconds) he was missing a couple letters.
Oh the dangers of asking someone to Sweethearts!
One year my friends and I decided to go to Sweethearts as a group. Instead of pairing off, we asked several guys and all went together, saving everyone involved some unnecessary stress. (Well, except for me, because it was my idea and I did most of the planning - and we ate at my house.) We even made kind of generic posters to do the actual asking.
Jackie and I had this genius idea to decorate the last guy's car while we were all at a band concert. She asked around beforehand to find out what car he drove, so as soon as the last song was over, we flew out to the parking lot with the poster and bags of Valentine's candy in hand. We ran around the dark lot (in heels and long skirts!) for a while before we found the car, threw the stuff on it, and hurried back to the gym. Hardly anyone noticed that we had left.
So the waiting game began.
At school the next day, I wondered why people were talking about me. There were at least three other names on that poster; how did everyone know that I was the mastermind??
At lunch time I was finally informed that we had decorated the wrong car. Not just any wrong car, but the car that belonged to the new kid in school. A new kid I had never talked to. And now all he knew about me was that I had wrongly asked him to Sweethearts! Nice to meet you too, J-Nelly.
I let the word be spread that the new kid could come with us if he wanted to, because we weren't going to be evenly matched up anyway....but I received word back that he had declined. (I don't blame him.) So I was left with the task of calling the boy we tried to ask in the first place - I think Jackie and I 3-way called him actually - and he declined as well.
Awkward!
He wanted to come with us, he said, but he was going out of town for something. Still awkward.
In the end, we had a great party (of course) at my house, where we had a scone-making contest and took pictures on the couch before going to the dance. All four boys and what? Six girls?
I can't remember exactly. I don't even remember the dance.
Oh the dangers of asking someone to Sweethearts!
One year my friends and I decided to go to Sweethearts as a group. Instead of pairing off, we asked several guys and all went together, saving everyone involved some unnecessary stress. (Well, except for me, because it was my idea and I did most of the planning - and we ate at my house.) We even made kind of generic posters to do the actual asking.
Jackie and I had this genius idea to decorate the last guy's car while we were all at a band concert. She asked around beforehand to find out what car he drove, so as soon as the last song was over, we flew out to the parking lot with the poster and bags of Valentine's candy in hand. We ran around the dark lot (in heels and long skirts!) for a while before we found the car, threw the stuff on it, and hurried back to the gym. Hardly anyone noticed that we had left.
So the waiting game began.
At school the next day, I wondered why people were talking about me. There were at least three other names on that poster; how did everyone know that I was the mastermind??
At lunch time I was finally informed that we had decorated the wrong car. Not just any wrong car, but the car that belonged to the new kid in school. A new kid I had never talked to. And now all he knew about me was that I had wrongly asked him to Sweethearts! Nice to meet you too, J-Nelly.
I let the word be spread that the new kid could come with us if he wanted to, because we weren't going to be evenly matched up anyway....but I received word back that he had declined. (I don't blame him.) So I was left with the task of calling the boy we tried to ask in the first place - I think Jackie and I 3-way called him actually - and he declined as well.
Awkward!
He wanted to come with us, he said, but he was going out of town for something. Still awkward.
In the end, we had a great party (of course) at my house, where we had a scone-making contest and took pictures on the couch before going to the dance. All four boys and what? Six girls?
I can't remember exactly. I don't even remember the dance.
2.04.2009
Darn it all
I've predicted everything that's happened so far in the book - and I'm 2/3 done with it.
Somehow I've got to stop over-thinking everything I read. This isn't the first time I've ruined my own surprises.
Somehow I've got to stop over-thinking everything I read. This isn't the first time I've ruined my own surprises.
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