GratiTuesday

It's Tuesday so you know it must be time for me to give that Lord and his crazy sense of humor a Big 'Ole Shout Out~ Holla if you hear me!

So lately I've been trying to find good even in the things that don't seem so fun. Like, I don't know, my job. If you know me at all you know I've been overwhelmed and struggling with everything that's happened at work lately.

I tried to find the many blessings in the fact that I have employment while others struggle to find a job. I just couldn't do it anymore; I was about to admit defeat.

I pulled up the driveway after a terrible day, with tears in my eyes, I saw these little heads peaking through a specially carved window in the fence. Their tails must have been wagging so furiously because their heads were moving! I could almost see their smiles!

Bruiser

Divita

The blessingright now isn't my job after all. It is the "something" I come home to.

I'm still praying for this other job that I really want. Feel free to join in. In my mind's eye it would be a much better fit for me. If God see's fit, I sure would like to have it.

I'll keep you posted.

Guess who's coming to dinner?

Me & Mikey

Carl's going TDY (read: on a business trip) for a week or so in November and Michael's coming to keep me company. Military wife rumor mill get started.

He's my best friend in the entire freakin' world and I can't wait. We're like one person when we're together. He's actually going to stamp camp with me! Agh!

Do I have the best husband in the entire universe or what? Such a tolerant man.

Love you, babe.

Funny Friday

My friend Nikki sent this to me the other day in an email. It was so funny I asked her for permission to repost it here.

So with her blessing, I present to you:

Life with Dad



I took my dad to the mall the other day to buy some new

shoes and we decided to grab a bite at the food court.



I noticed he was watching a teenager sitting next to us.



The teenager had spiked hair in all different colors:

green, red, orange and blue.



My dad kept staring at him. The teenager would look and

find him staring every time.



When the teenager had enough, he sarcastically asked,

'What's the matter old man, never done anything wild in your life? '



Knowing my Dad, I quickly swallowed my food so that I would

not choke on his response; knowing he would have a good one.



And in classic style he did not bat an eye in his response.



'Got drunk once and had sex with a peacock. I was just

wondering if you were my son.'

A lil confession to make

I love hair and accessories. Make up and glitter. Nails and Shoes.

I'm sure you know it too.

Did someone say accessories? Or shoes? Okay, so speaking of accessories, check out my cute new Naughty Monkey Ballet Flats! Cute, right?!



Back on task.

I have a little confession to make to ya'll.

I haven't had a good haircut since I moved to California.

That's right.

Me.

Bad, crooked, chunky, over processed hair = me.

There are a lot of stories, good gossipy stories leading up to this, but I'll spare you because yesterday I met Jessica.

That's right. Jessica single-handedly made my hair beautiful (for a cost I have no intention of sharing with my husband.)

I spent FIVE hours with Jessica picking out various shades of honey, caramel and chocolate (I picked them all) to low, mid and hi light my hair with. Then she razored, snipped and sang her way through my hair cut.

I love her and I will be signing over whatever remains of each paycheck (you know, after the furkids are done with it) every month for her to gloss, snip and whatever else she does back there for me to end up with this.

What do you think?

Oh, and I'm hoping we can reduce the five hour thing to about 2.

My Little Monkey Is All Growed Up

I'm not her "REAL" dad, so I could never begin to understand what it's like to see her all grown up, but I miss this cute little monkey.

This cute little nugget of a being came into my life when she was four little years old. That's the day I met K.

Her mama, K-Czeck is my best friend. K is a single mama and I used to watch her little ones on occasion when she was just too sick to take one more step. While I love both of her little Nuggets with the same passion only a "fill in daddy" could, Nugget 1 and I stayed closest through the years and distance. We talk almost everyday.

Isn't she adorable???




What happened? She's still so beautiful but now she's all grown up. I've got to admit though, K did an EXCELLENT job as a parent. These are the best and brightest kids I've ever known. I'm flying Nugget 1 out to California next summer to visit for a bit. I miss the little thing, so we're gonna hang out and do stuff friends do (is that what cool people say these days?) We're driving to Solvang to eat chocolate at Mortenson's, we're gonna have Spa day in Santa Barbara and go shopping, and anything else she wants to do.

Cause I miss her.

Hugs kiddo, from your "fill in dad".

Engagement Celebration

Prior to our marriage, not only did Carl & I manage a very long engagement, we managed to break off that engagement over 5 times in 8 years.

That's called commitment, people.

So the other night we celebrated the anniversary of the very last time Carl proposed. You know, the one we ultimately celebrated with a wedding? We celebrated that milestone in our lives by watching the sun fall off the West Coast.

The sunset was beautiful.

First, let me say watching a sunset seems wrong in so many ways. You aren't supposed to look at the sun. Right? I know this. You probably know this. My brilliant husband Carl, however, told me that it was entirely okay to look at the sun as long as I used a CD. Remember this guy? The one with the Master's Degree? Who knows what they were teaching him at that school, but I tried it . For an entire minute I started directly at the sun through the center of the CD until I started crying. Only then did he tell me I was doing it wrong. I was supposed to do it like this:

Silly me.

After I gave up I started snapping pictures and you know what? The sun is beautiful when it falls off the end of the Earth!

Okay, truthfully, I should have put down the camera and stuck my nose in the CD because when the sun finally when down I was upset. I missed the entire thing. I missed it because I was so busy yelling at my camera because the "action" button didn't work the way I expected. Then I yelled at Carl because everything that doesn't work like I expect it to is his fault. Well and anniversaries just aren't anniversaries unless there is yelling.

That is how you make a marriage work.

Love you C1.

Wants Vs. Needs

I don't mind a little confrontation. Actually, it's like my morning coffee, I need it to get me started in the morning.

That being said, please know that is not my intention with this post. I don't normally go all political or religious on this here little blog because my mama told me never to discuss politics or religion with anyone with whom I intend to maintain a friendship.

Therefore, we won't discuss.

I'll talk. You just listen and know that I'm not meaning to delve into anybody's political business.
I'm just spilling what is in my brain. Brace yourselves sometimes it comes out all jumbled up.

First, let me say that this whole economic mess makes me really uncomfortable. I watch the dow plunging and my stomach gets all woozy.

Not only does the financial condition of our country seem to be plummeting, but it seems to be plummeting under conditions that are unprecedented.

The thought that keeps coming to me, however, is that we are getting what we deserve. What did we expect?

Before you get rowdy, know that I am including myself in that "we".

I know several people who are living in 5000 square foot homes but are struggling to pay their electric bill.

Friends who have 75 cents in their checking accounts at the end of each month are driving Hummers.

A family going on a two week luxury vacation with no job to return to when they get back home.

I even have a friend who just bought herself a new Escalade and put rims on it while her house is being repossessed.
I couldn't make that up.

I've made stupid purchases myself. Mountains of clothes with tags still on them hang neatly in my closet. Never worn.

We have money in the stock market and it has been scary. Like, hide in fetal position under my bed kind of scary.

We don't try to live above our meants. I know that we didn't set out to live that way. In fact, I feel that by the world's standards, we live very carefully. But why are we affected by this financial disaster if we aren't living above our means?

Hungry Husband and I have been revamping our budget over the last few months and it has not been fun.

We've had to cut things that are pleasant.

House keeping service? Bye Bye. (Weeping and gnashing of teeth.)

Gym? See ya later.

Mani/Pedi? Only monthly now.

Eating out? Once a week, thank you very much.

Dry cleaning? Might ought to wear things twice.

We are not in financial crisis as much as we are preparing to live more responsibly.

Look at that list of things that we are letting go. I mean, seriously. Each of those items is something that I was letting someone else do for me.

Not one of those things is bad.

I have enjoyed each one immensely.

Immensely.

In no way am I judging anyone who partakes of any of those things.

I am just saying that for our family, at this time, those are not things that I need. They are just things that I want.

Our world has gotten needs and wants really confused.

Do we even know what we need anymore?

I don't know about you, but for the past few years I have felt the urge to simplify my life.
Get rid of stuff. Choose to be involved in things that matter as opposed to the fluff that fills time.
To live richly with less.

However, as our budget analysis has proven, I have a long way to go. I am thinking that I haven't really even started.

I'm wondering about you. Do you have those same thoughts? Have you been overwhelmed by the direction in which our world seems to be heading? Not politically so much, but materialistically?

Oh, and I don't know if you've heard, but I enjoy confrontation if you were thinking you wanted to bring it. You just can't do it today, cause my mama said.

GratiTuesday

It's Tuesday so you know it must be GratiTuesday, time for me to give a little shout out to the Lord for something which I am eternally grateful.

Today I'm grateful for my JOB!

Yesterday my boss quit. When you work directly for someone and they quit, well you start to wonder what you'll be doing.

I started to panic that I might be let go. I'm not sure why I worried, but I did. I received a call later in the afternoon that my job was secure and that the SVP would like me to stay on the project.

I need to remember that I chose this. I don't have to work, I WANT to work. I could walk away at any moment and stay home. We would be okay. Maybe not as many dinners out. Maybe not as many Coach Bags or Naughty Monkey shoes. Maybe not as much Stampin!, but we'd make it.

I'm sure in days to come I'll be overwhelmed by the work left behind. I'll be frustrated and angry. I'll cry and stomp my feet (yes, I still do that).

Today I will find grace and peace in my work (before it kicks my ar$e), but I am grateful that I am able to work and that I have a job in this economy and okay, okay you caught me...I'm grateful that I have....no boss!

Can I ask for a little help?

Ya'll listening?

I'm a little nervous.  I really don't like to fly, you see, and I'm leaving for NY on Thursday.

I'm flying all the way to NY from California (Yes, all the way across the country - wah).

Would you kind folks mind saying a quick prayer that I get to NY safely and without any, you know, loss of luggage (or breakfast)?  I kinda, um, get motion sickness and stuff when I travel.

Also, if you could throw in a quick prayer for my Divita (cause I'm even more worried about this part) I'd be really grateful. 

She's just fine but she has that darn Addison's Disease and stress (i.e. Mommy leaving for a week) could have very fatal consequences.  If you could just ask your God if Divita could be stress free and without worry or concern during her mommy's absence I would be extra grateful.

Now I've got to get some rest, because between now and Tuesday, with all my stress, I'm going to try to find something to be really grateful about and that's going to take some serious thinking!

Funny Friday - More Ironic

Nature is never in a hurry, yet things are always finished on time.

Autumn, for instance:

GratiTuesday

I typically remember that it’s Tuesday after I post, which means that I forget that I can do a GratiTuesday post, a post where I can give a big old shout out to God about something going on in my life.

For some reason, I'm having a hard time being grateful today. I have a wicked migraine (again) and the "new guy" at work is making me crazy. I feel helpless and overwhelmed as well as full of anxiety and frustration. I'm trying hard not to lose it.

So today it’s for mercy and grace that I’m extremely thankful, not to mention God’s excellent sense of humor. When God says that He’s got it, I'm sure He does, even if I can’t see it.

Fun Things

Here are some fun things you can do on a weekend, you know, if your husband is busy watching football and you are bored.

1. Go to your craft room and create a fun card for your Brother-In-Law's 25th birthday.  Try not to think about the fact that he is 25 and will not appreciate the time and effort you put in to the card.  Cringe when you realize he will likely throw it away since there won't be any money in it.

2. Start to clean out your hall closet.  Then become obsessed with labeling and organizing the closet until it looks like this:

3.  Shop online for hours ordering anything and everything that appeals to you knowing your husband has credit card use notification programmed on his BlackBerry.   Smile when you realize hungry husband will begin receiving messages on his phone regarding said shopping and will immediately want to spend time with you.

I live in a Fishbowl

If I've learned one thing about living on a military base with other military wives it's that I NEVER want to do it again.

Maybe this is my punishment for being popular and nasty in High School.

Gratitude - on Thursday

After a year of normal 65-70 degree Central Coast days, last night the marine layer came in very heavy and damp. I thought we were finally going to get some rain over here!

The increasingly dark clouds that rolled by my window reminded me of how much I loved rainy days. Just like with cold winter weather, there's something about threatening weather outside that makes me feel warm and peaceful inside.

Oh how I miss weather.

I was pondering why I was so delighted by the dark dampness rolling in as I cleaned the dinner dishes and I think I finally figured out what it is: bad weather days are rare opportunities to fully appreciate the simple gift of shelter.

Here in wealthy America it's easy to take for granted how easily and lavishly our basic needs of food, water and shelter are met. With the first two, I find that there are more frequent reminders: every now and then when I walk into my grocery store I'm able to take a step back and see the almost unimaginable abundance that is available to us, and when I return home after walking the furkids to the park on a summer day I occasionally remember to be grateful that I have such easy access to clean water. But how often do I really appreciate simply having a sturdy roof over my head?

It usually takes a power outage to remind me. Here on base I occasionally feel a pang of envy at the McMansions in the neighborhoods of Santa Barbara or even Santa Maria enjoying their daily power . We live in the oldest houses in our immediate area with the power lines stretched all over base, and sometimes as I drive home I think about how nice it would be to have a newer house with some grand layout that included a spiral staircase, lavish deck, designer kitchen and most importantly underground infrastructure! But then, when I see a lawn chair tossed across the yard by the wind, I instantly feel thrilled that I just have a stable, sturdy house that keeps my family safe. Even when the fog gets so thick that I can't see the back fence and the power goes out for the zillionth time this month, not a single drop of rain touches the heads of my furkids; and even as the screens rattle loudly as the wind gusts get more powerful, we don't feel so much as a single puff of air. Here in our semi-carpeted, temperature-controlled little fortress, even in the midst of a raging winds we are not only safe, but we are comfortable.

Anyone else love a good rainy day?

GratiTuesday

It's time for a little shout out to the Lord, so you know it must be GratiTuesday, where I can be vocally thankful for something in my life.

Over the weekend Carl & I went to the private beach on base.

We went with our friends Don & Laura. Turns out Don is a LOT like Jeff Corwin, minus the silly shorts. Even though Carl & I had been to this beach many times before, we never found the things we saw with Don.

We saw a starfish, a sea urchin and an anenome (I will call him squishy and he will be mine).

I didn't really want to touch it, you know, in case it bit me.

Look what else I found. It's my hubs.
So today I am thankful for good friends - all of them. They are hard to find and harder to keep.

I'm also thankful to have these pictures. Laura took them and sent them to me. See, I fell in the sand and broke the camera (who does that?) so these are my only photographic memories of that day, courtesy of good friends.