Tuesday, November 28, 2006

First day back after 6 off

Man that was tiring! Finally dragged my butt into work and logged on to my computer... to find what?

285 unread emails.

When I left on Tuesday, I had one read email in my inbox... One... 1... One email. That I had already read. Daunting doesn't even begin to describe!

Anyway, it took me the better part of the morning just to sort through it all and figure out what had been taken care of and what was still outstanding. I was exhausted after a few hours! Jen (the temp that they hired on to work with me through the holiday season, YAY me!) was great. We had a little refresher course and I sent her off with her own contracts... she did some and I did some and we actually caught up! I am loving having another me around... hopefully this position might be made permanent!

Life at work is going as usual... hate it some days and like it others (well tolerate it). On the other hand... Adam's business is blowing up like gangbusters. He is working with a new lawyer who has really taken an interest in him... he keeps him busy and full of work and he even offered some office space... my husband with his own office... forming an LLC... how very adult is that! Anyway... I don't want to go into all the details but know that things are moving and the business seems to be the direction we should be going... God just seems to be laying out the brick path before Adam, day by day. It's fun to watch!

I hope all is well out there and that everyone is gearing up for Christmas!

Sunday, November 26, 2006

Yeah yeah... I suck at this game.

I have been off for 5 days in a row so far and this is my second post... sad, I know. Honestly... I used to have so much more free time but with Danielle back and Josh and Heather next door (NOT complaining about either FYI) every night seems to be filled! Between games, movies and outdoor events... blogging takes a backseat!

Anyway here I am... What a great break this has been so far. Adam and I completely rearranged the storage in our apartment yesterday. We moved all the storage bins of my moms clothes to an accessible place and stored all the 'long term' stuff away. I realize that doesn't seem like a lot but trust me... it was back breaking, time consuming and thought provoking. Now a picture of my moms clothes... Count them (go ahead, I dare you!)


13 storage bins... ridiculous right! I love my mom but good gravy, that's a lot of clothes! In her defense, there are shoes and some of my clothes in a couple of them but for the most part, moms clothes. I can see that going through these will take a while. And talk about the worlds largest quilt! I think I will have more than enough to make quilts for my kids as well (and quite possibly enough for a small nation).

Thanksgiving day was a good time... We met up with Adam's dad for brunch in Annapolis which was better than the original plan... having dinner at Adam's stepmom's brothers house. Since Adam's dad and stepmom are separating... meeting for brunch out was a much better idea. I have to say, this is one 'separating' that I am happy about. Those of you that know the story... Adam's stepmom and I didn't exactly get along like BFF's. More like a 'tolerable' relationship. I honestly believe that with her gone, we may be able to spend more time with his dad. She was a good part of why we stayed away... and if you think I am over reacting or being mean... you should hear the whole story ;~)

Anyway, after brunch we went to a friends house but not before cuddling with the dogs (Scout and Riley) for a half hour on the couch (literally, all 4 of us on one couch... we were adorable). We had a good dinner and good conversation at our friends house... Sarah and Demetri can really do Thanksgiving dinner!

We left there and came home because we knew that Josh (aforementioned neighbor, who is officially at 'little brother' status with Danielle and I) was home alone... his wife had to work the late shift so we wanted to make sure he had someone to hang out with... as it turns out, Heather got off work about a half hour after we got home and joined us... and Danielle came home around the same time so we all sat around and played Trivial Pursuit Pop Culture Edition.

All the dogs were here as well which made for some fun mayhem... Let me go over the cast of characters, they are:

Layla - the 3 month old pug who goes and goes until she passes out and then 20 minutes later is ready to go again;

Scout (left) - the 4 year old mutt who doesn't have an off switch and who's life has meaning when there is a rawhide around, and Riley (right) - the almost 10 year old beagle who is turning into a crotchety old man who needs to police ANY fun that might be had.

This translates to Layla running after either Scout or Riley and biting them (did I mention she is fearless?) and Scout and Riley warning her to lay off or playing right back... If Scout and Layla are playing, that means Riley runs behind or between them and barks (LOUDLY) which then drives the humans (at least me) batty because Riley's barks are head inducing. All in all, complete mayhem and complete fun.

That has been our life for the past few days... the 5 of us get together for breakfast some days, dinner and games some nights and black Friday shopping on the day after Thanksgiving. Good times!

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

The most awesome dog in the world...

Today is a happy day for me...

I am off work for the next 6 days. You can't even imagine how happy this makes me!!!

Adam and I have some loose plans throughout the holiday weekend but for the most part... it's all about what we want to do! For the actual turkey day, my dad has gone to visit his family in NY, Adam's mom and stepdad are off on her brother's yacht somewhere between here and FL (rough life, I know!) and Thanksgiving at Adam's stepmother's was cancelled (well at least for this part of the family... which makes me pretty darn happy too!) So Adam and I are going to meet his dad for a Thanksgiving brunch somewhere and then head over to the Poulos' (friends from bible study) and have dinner with them.

As for the rest of the holiday weekend... what I want to do most of all... is go through my mom's clothes. I saved almost every last piece of her clothes and it is currently in plastic bins stashed around my house. For those that don't know... my mom had a LOT of clothes so there are a lot of plastic bins! Also, one of the things that we loved to do together is shop so a good portion of these clothes, I was with her when she bought... not to mention the memories I have of her in some of the outfits. I have been asked several times, why don't I wear them... she was 5'4" and a size 0 or 2 petite... ain't no way folks. No way my amazon self is fitting into those bad boys! I am also asked why I don't give the away... while in theory this sounds like a good idea, there is no way I could. I have too many memories of her clothes and I couldn't bear the thought of someone else having them. As I carted her clothes around from apartment to apartment I came up with the perfect plan for me. Make a patchwork quilt from her clothes. Then I can keep it with me always... my plan is to also make quilts for my children so they have a piece of their grandmother as well.

Anyway, I thought about this alot (for almost 2 years now) but never acted on it... I needed the time to be right... I mean we are talking about cutting up her clothes... that is going to take some willpower to do... not only that but just going through them in the first place. Oh it will be tough! But I think I am ready. It's been 2 years and I think that I have healed a lot... don't get me wrong. I would die on Friday if it meant that I got to spend Thursday with her but I know that I can't make those deals so I say that I am healed ;~) Back to the timing... I was waiting until the time was right...

Enter Suzi... I saw a long time friend of mine at church this past Sunday and somehow or another we ended up talking about my idea. Low and behold, she makes patchwork quilts... seriously, I had no idea! We talked for a little while longer and she really wants to help me with this project which just happens to be fantastic because I need lots of help with this project! We have a plan to meet in the beginning of Dec to chat and get the materials together so my plan is to get started now! And it just so happens that I have the next 6 days off to do it... and that folks is how I tie a story together ;~)

Peace out and sorry it's been so long... I will try not to let that happen again ;~)

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

2 years and 2 days

It's been 2 years and 2 days since my mom died. Sometimes it seems like yesterday and other times it feels like its been decades. I feel older and wiser now... like I am privy to a world that a lot aren't. There is nothing like losing immediate family to really jar your life and change you forever.

I miss her a lot... she really was my best friend.

I planned on spending the day being mopey and sullen... I wanted to leave the 12th open for me to be sad... but then it turned out that Danielle was moving back into the neighborhood, for good, on Nov 12th... then a couple things surfaced for that day and I realized that it could only be God saying that He didn't want me to be sad and full of self pity... that here on earth, there is a lot to be happy about and a lot to look forward to. So I embraced it.. and that is what I have learned in the past 2 years and 2 days... to make the clear decision to live without anger, sadness or regret. Don't get me wrong... I don't always get it right but life is too amazing not to try.

So I spent the day watching the 2 year olds in second service, chatting with friends after service, grocery shopping the heck out of Safeway with my awesome husband and helping Danielle and Adam put together a very cool computer desk. It was a good day, one that I can look back on and know that I did it right.

Now I leave you with an image of my awesome mother...

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Updates!

This is what Adam found when he was getting ready to leave the apartment...

Seriously folks, you don't get much cuter than that! We have always known that Riley prefers to sleep with our clothes but here he takes it to the extreme.

So Adam and I went to see James Lovell last night and what a great time! He is so interesting (hovering around the moon will do that to you apparently) but more than that, he is funny. He has a great sense of timing and humor as well as relaying the drama of what he went through. Very very cool.

One point that I thought was especially poignant came when someone asked him what the moon looks like up close... he gave a brief description (all shades of gray and dusty) but then he said that what was more outstanding to him was the sight of earth from out there. How all you could see was the blue of the water and the white of the clouds, there was no NY City or Baltimore, no black or white... its just a piece of matter in our solar system rotating around the sun and we are all just people aboard. I thought that was a particularly awesome statement.

So before we went to see the speaker Dad, Stacie, Adam and I went to get some ice cream and play some scrabble at a coffee shop in Baltimore... here are some pictures!





Friday, November 03, 2006

Our Troops

Regardless of any feelings that I have toward John Kerry, good or bad, his statement was one of the most crass and insensitive comments ever made.

He does have the right to think what he wants, no matter how elitist it may be but he doesn't have the right to generalize an entire group of people that fight for our freedom day in a day out, at the sacrifice of life, love and family. Team morale is one of the hardest things to build and maintain and statements like his can crumble that morale in a split second. These men and women need to believe (and hopefully know) that their sacrifice is worth their effort and all that they have done hasn't been in vain. Say what you want about the war... I am not convinced we should still be there but I am convinced, without a doubt, that every soldier no matter the education level or salary level is entitled to be lifted up and revered and not to be told that they are stupid and that they somehow deserve this life because they didn't work hard enough. Plenty of men and women joined because at one time or another wanted to make a difference and this is their contribution. That shows more courage and gumption than any degree that can be earned.

I believe that these soldiers may enter the military out of high school and don't get the 'book knowledge' that Kerry apparently holds so dear but I also believe that these soldiers are smarter than any of us can ever imagine. They have seen more, done more and lived more than most people who went to college can ever imagine. Their experiences have taught them more than a classroom ever could.

To Mr. Kerry... here are your stupid and your poor... enjoy your freedom.

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

In the little things...

I love when I see God in the little everyday things...

Yesterday was a rough day at work... really strenuous and difficult... on top of that I am not feeling well and I am tired because I am not sleeping well... even with all that I ended up staying at work an hour after I should have (and yes, I am putting that on the timesheet!).

My loving husband decided to skip his regular meeting and stay home with me (such a nurturer) and this is a huge deal because he RARELY ever misses this meeting. So I get home and our neighbor is outside with his new little pug, handing out halloween candy. I stop by to say hi and pet the puppy (and I mean puppy, she's 10 weeks old). We chat for a couple seconds and I head in to the house. Once I was in the house, I felt the need to go back and out and chat some more... so Adam and I took Riley out (as well as the candy to hand out) and joined Josh and Layla. We ended up chatting with Josh for at least an hour or so...

Now for the God part... we were talking about people relocating to 'slower' states (east coast being too busy for some people) and I mentioned that a lot of couples in our bible study just relocated to North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia... they all seem to be leaving the craziness of Maryland. What Josh heard was that we are part of a bible study and that we go to church... as it turns out, he and his wife have been looking for a good church around here. And to top it off, they are interested in going to our young married bible study... so they are coming with us tomorrow night!

I love how God can take a crappy day and remind me that it isn't about me... it's really about Him and doing his will.