Good Friday, to you!

The only thing that could make this Friday better would be if I wasn't sitting at work staring at my completed to-do list, watching 5 o'clock never come.  I really should have been a school teacher, for more than the scented markers and spring break, but you have to admit that is a perk.  

I will say that I have been much more positive today than I normally would be.  My whole new "be positive" self is already starting to work for the best!  

On that note:

Dear Spring time,
There you are!  I have missed your warm embrace!  Welcome.  Please never leave me again

Dear Camera,
Get ready to be used a lot this weekend!

Dear Husband,
Okay, fine.  You won the Easter basket argument.  I made  you one on Wednesday.  I just need to warn you that it is actually an Easter bag, not a basket.  I refuse to pay seven bucks for something that I am going to want to throw away the following day.  Also, I had a very difficult time finding anything age appropriate for your Easter basket bag.  Most things at Target had Lightning McQueen or Hello Kitty on it.  Thus proving my point that adults shouldn't exchange Easter baskets.  But whatever.

 Dear John Sylvan (inventor of the Keurig),
Thank you for your invention.  You are a god among men.  I am forever indebted to you.  I do have one question though.  Back in 1997 when you ended up hospitalized for caffeine poising, did it ever cross your mind to just switch to decaf?

Dear Doughnut(s).
GET IN MY BELLEH!  That is all.


Happy Friday to you all!  Have a wonderful Easter with people that make you happy! 

I should be more positive

Is it just me or is this week flying by?   Tomorrow is Friday already (Holla!!).  The week may be flying by, but that last hour of work just seems to drag.  Any one else?

Something that I have noticed lately is that I am, in all actuality, a negative person.  I am not sure what happen to me that turned me into a spiteful little twat, but I am.  I complain about everything!  I complain about the weather, my job, my cat, my husband (who is wonderful to me and gives me no real reason to complain), the government, the cost of living, you name it and I am sure I have complained about it.

I can't pinpoint exactly what happen to me that made me turn bitter, but I am not sure if I would want to.  It wouldn't change anything.  I know that I have been through quite a lot in my 26 years, but that should make me thankful.  I should look back on my life and be proud that I am where I am today.

I may not be able to change the past, but I can change my attitude about it.  I think I say "I hate people" out loud at least 6 times a day.  The thing is, I used to be a people person.  I used to love hanging out with a big group of friends and just act stupid and giggle at everything.  Then life beat me up a bit, a grew up, and grew bitter along with it.

please excuse the uber bad quality.  It's a photo of a (already poor quality) photo

So, I have decided that I want to be a happy person again.  I know that I don't have a switch built into my back that I can just flip (although sometimes I think that would be awesome).  I know that this will take time. I understand that it is okay to have a bad day, and that there are frustrating things in life.  But I also have so much to be happy about and thankful for.

I have a car that will pass inspection on the first try for the first time in my life

I have a husband who rocks at the whole "in sickness and in health" thing

I have a job with benefits.  Even if they aren't that great, it beats working three retail jobs without benefits (like I did once)

I have both lungs.  I know that seems like a silly thing to add to this list, but when you are hospitalized with respiratory issues two days after your wedding, you can choose to be thankful for your lungs, or bitter that you missed your honeymoon.  I am done with the later, so that means I have to be thankful.

It will be a challenge, but I am tough.  BRING IT!

The happiest I have ever been.  

Cara Box Reveal

Remember when I mentioned that I signed up to do my first ever blog swap?  That's okay if you didn't because none of the juicy stuff happen until now. Well, other than developing friendships behind the scenes.  


The Cara Box exchange is run by the beautiful Kaitlyn at Wifessionals.  She is such a wonderful person who puts a lot of time into helping out smaller bloggers.  AND  she's going to be a new mommy soon!  I am so excited for her!  Thanks for everything you do, Kaitlyn!  You are awesome!

The way the exchange is set up, is that you are paired with two different people.  One person to send a box to, and one person you get a box from.  There is also a monthly theme.  This month it was "__ is for...".  Everything in the box should have something to do with the first letter of your partner's name.   I was paired with Katie from a heart consumed and Kayla from Green Mountain Couple.  K was a tricky letter for me, but I was able to get creative and send Katie some cool stuff (at least I hope it is cool).

Here is what Kayla put in my box....

Yay for happy mail!

There was a cute card explaining how happy she is that we are friends.  That made me smile.  Who doesn't love new friends!



This fantastic yellow key fob is from her Etsy Shop!

If you love this she has a promo going on use code GrandOpening13  for 10% off $5 or more until March 31, 2013

Kayla asked me what my favorite kind of candy is,  Truthfully, I am not huge on sweets, but I love white chocolate, or anything filled with caramel .  Since she couldn't find a white Kit-kat bar or caramel kisses, she sent me some Ghirardelli Milk and Caramel squares (G for Gootee, my last name).  Good call, Kayla!

Yes, it's open.  I couldn't wait...

Another fun Key chain because I love keys!

Last but not least, my favorite thing of all: a homemade kite wall hanging.  One of my favorite memories from my childhood is kite-flying with my mom at the local high school.  For Kayla to make me something to remind me of that is so sweet.  Something a real friend would do.

I already have it hanging by my bed.

Confession: This picture is really for Kayla.  Yes that is a .22 in the background.  Little Miss Prepper wold be happy to know I own a fire arm.

I was a little apprehensive about meeting new people via the internet, but I am so glad I did.  I enjoyed getting to know Kayla and Katie so much.  I can't wait for April's match ups!

If you want to join in on the fun, you don't even have to be a blogger!  Just head over to Wifessionals and sign up!

Husband bragging

I don't like being overly emotional or mushy about my husband.  I love him, of course, but it is just not my thing to brag about him in every other post.  But today I must.

Not only did he have dinner ready when I got home, the kitchen was clean as well!  Then he suggested that we get out there and enjoy the spring like weather (yes, 42 is spring like in Rochester).  So, we walked down one of my favorite streets in the city and got some frozen yogurt. On the way back we ducked into one of the charming little shops. He even bought me a new mug.

Chicken purse anyone?

Who else read the Roger Hargreaves books when they were younger?

You are now entering Laughter Land
Smiling
Laughing
Chuckling
Giggling
PERMITTED
By order of the King

And then, the best thing of all, he redesigned my blog for me!  I was complaining that I was frustrated with the header I had and that I was half tempted to pay for a designer to do it for me.  He says "show me what you like and I will see if I can help"  So I did, and now I LOVE what I have (both the husband and the blog).

I love happy nights. ♥

Is it wrong that I love Mondays?

I love Mondays.  There I said it.  I know that completely goes against the norm, but I never really called myself normal.  My type A personality just loves to have a schedule and be busy.  Tuesdays are really the day I contimplate calling in sick while my alram is blaring in my face.  Tuesdays are less busy and lack structure.  I hate that.  Anyway...

I thought about not doing another one of the "weekend recap" post because I realized that my weekends are usually extrememly boring AND I forget to take photos. I know, that makes me a horrbile blogger, but people keep reading so I guess not.

So, for those of you that are holding your breath and dying from suspense, you can relax.  Here is what I did this weekend:

Friday, I completely forgot about putting dinner in the crock pot, so I suggested we go out for dinner.  We ended up at great Norther Pizza Kitchen (Dean's idea not mine).  That will be the last time the Gootee's step foot in there.  Boo!  I ended up stopping at Wendy's for more food because I was still hungry.

Satuday, was a normal saturday.  I slept in.  Cleaned like a mad woman and acidently threw out almost all of my mose rings in the process.  Not cool, Katie, not cool!   The bright spot of my day was going grocery shopping with Dean.  He never comes with me, and I remembered why when our bill was about $40 more than it should have been.   Home to more cleaning and watching "30 Days" on Netflix. I love Netflix, I seriously don't know how I went a whole year without it.

Sunday, We went to our new church for the third time now.   That's a big deal.  I love Jesus, but often times I feel like we would be better off without the institution of christiananity.  However, we both know that fellowship with outher Jesus lover's is healthy, so we keep going. And we actually have enjoyed it.  We went out for coffee with some of them after.  It was great.  Then after Dean's nap time we did laundry

And that is my weekend.  Not  that exciting, but hey, it is what it is.

And since it is a crime to have a blog post with out a photo, here is a picture of a garden tea party I attended two summers ago.  Two of those friends moved away, and three of them had babies.  Yeah, I was the token "single gal" friend for a while.

Sunday Social

So, I am going to try this whole "Sunday Social" thing.  Why not?  I am in the mood for change - as you can see.  Yeah, I changed my blog name.  I really didn't like "Enjoying Life's Little Surprises".  It was way too long. I also really wanted a more fun Blog layout.  I still don't like what I have, but it is better than it was.  So I will take it.  

Anyway, on to the Sunday Social Questions:

1. What is your favorite thing about Spring?

Spring cleaning, wearing flip-flops, and my birthday.

2.  Favorite flowers to grow or receive?

I LOVE Gerber Daisies!!

3. What is your favorite nail polish color? 

I don't really know the name of any thing.  I like pastel colors for the spring.

4. What is your favorite out door activity?

I love sitting out side just after dark, around a camp fire, with good friends, laughing.  Oh and being barefoot 

Of course, I can only find an especially unflattering photo of the two of us

5. Do you have any fun spring plans?

We are going to have a little celebration for out wedding in May.  I guess a perk of "eloping" is being able to celebrate with people multiple times.  

Friday Letters! 3.22.13

Happy Friday, everyone!  I know that someday Fridays will not be as awesome to me because I will be a mother.  Let's face it, mom's don't get weekends.  So I better make the most of it while I can.

Dear Rebecca Black,
You and your annoying song are pretty much the only down fall to Fridays.  What were you thinking, really?

Dear winter snow storm happening outside,
You are late.  Sorry, you have to leave.  You are not welcome back until Christmas.  Tootles.

Dear incredibly awesome hair and face day,
You have topped off my Friday.  What can be better than going to work with a much needed confidence boost?

Dear Pot Roast,
I completely forgot to put you in the slow cooker until right now.  Whoops.  I guess that means it's a date night (good thing I have awesome hair today) .  We'll eat you tomorrow.

Please enjoy this picture of my cat that has nothing to do with anything.

As Always, linking up with The Sweet Season blog

Yeah, I am just a hot mess over here

I have been trying to write a post about the really unusual way I met my husband's extended family but, it's just not coming out.  It's a really good story too, well, minus that fact that it involves a death in the family (sorta).

I keep getting distracted and going on major bunny trails. Then I thought I would just post that I hopped on the BlogLovin' boat (which is true), but I don't understand some of it still and I don't have the patients to figure it out right now.  I just don't understand what is wrong with me today.  I know I did a post like this not to long ago, but this is all that is in my head today.  Sorry (not really). 

Like nude nail polish?  Why would you bother painting your nails if they are going to look unpainted?  I am sure there is some fashionable explanation to this but, I just don't understand.

source

I really don't understand half of the people I work with.  This one girl told me we were out of coffee cups.  I told her there were more (like two grosses, or gross, or what ever term is proper) in the bathroom closet.  She came back with one cup for herself.  Really?  Or how about the lunch room conversation I walked in on?  I won't go into details because they were talking about bodily fluids found in the bathroom.  While people were trying to eat their lunch.  Oh and  I really don't understand is the individual who used to sit next to me.  This person (let's call them African Queen or AQ for short because there are bound to be more stories) has a bad habit of cluttering the work area they are given.  It annoys me because it stretches into my spot.  Or well it did until AQ's work space was moved. Can some one explain to me why you need skis, golf clubs, an extra computer, and a Christmas snowman on your desk in March?  I really don't understand that!

 

Really?!

I don't understand this weather.  I know I am not the only one.  I know that I live in Rochester and I should plan for snow on Easter, but I don't understand why yesterday was the first day of spring and I saw geese flying south.  That is simply upsetting.

I am still trying to figure out if I am an extravert with introvert tendencies or a introvert with extroverted tendencies.  I am pretty sure it is the latter.

What I don't understand more than anything today is: Why am I still awake!?! Why is there no cupcake in my mouth? and why on earth is my coffee cup empty?  Seriously, these issues need to be addressed!

Something I did understand today:  It  is a bad idea to post a picture of me right now.  Hot mess doesn't even cover it. Whew!  Glad I caught that one!

I Confess...

I am linking up with Catalyn from Confessions of a Northern Belle to bring you some of my deepest darkest secrets of the week or something like that.

I confess...
 That I can eat a whole block of extra sharp cheese in one sitting.

I confess...
I hate it when bloggers use the word "blate" (blogger-date).  It ranks up there with "totes" and "cray cray" for me.  Just don't use it.

I confess...
 I spray Lysol on the toilet seat at work before using it.  Call me OCD if you wish, but I work with some sick people. 

I confess...
I love watching The Bachelor.  I am so sad it's over. (but so happy he picked Cathrine!)

I confess...
That I have had to type this while holding the Shift key down because my CAPS lock key is stuck. 

Your turn to spill your guts!  Link up with Catalyn and confess it all!

I'm an adult?!?

Last week a co-worker looked at me and said "because, Katie, you are an adult!".  I immediately let out a huge cackle and said "okay, sure".  I laughed it off because the comment was related to making chocolate covered strawberries. 

I am not really a Grey's fan, but I love this quote

But then, my over-analytical head started running a million miles a minute.  I don't think a day has passed that I haven't briefly thought of that comment.  It isn't that her comment was offensive at all, it was more that it was something that made me think.

I didn't have one of those picture perfect childhoods with two parents and family dinners at 6pm. Now, I know I am not the only one out there that comes from a broken home.  But it wasn't until I was much older that I realized the effect it had on me. 


By the time I was 21, I had dropped out of college, was living on my own with a roommate, and working three jobs to make ends meet.  If my car broke down (like it often did) I was up the creek.  I couldn't call my parents and ask for a loan because they didn't have it.  There were lots of times that I actually lent my mom money. 

I have been living in this little bubble where I am still a kid in my head.  I know I am pushing 30 now (wow, that looks worse in black and white), and married, and saving for a home, but a part of me still wants to believe that I am a kid.  Not a child, but a fun-loving girl in her early twenties. But I am an adult.

But that doesn't mean that I can't be a fun-loving grown up.  Just because I have a husband, a "real grown up job" and an investment account title "house fund" doesn't mean I can't have fun.  Last I checked, there was no age limit on fun. 

The Groundhog is Fired!

So, Punxsutawney Phil is getting up there in age.  I know he has been predicting the weather pattern for about 125 years now. So maybe, just maybe, he should retire.  I say this because I am tired of getting my hopes up about an early spring, only to have to wear snow boots to church on Easter Sunday (this happen two years ago).

As you can tell, I am a little displeased with the snow that I see falling out side.  So, in the spirit of ground-hog failure (of whatever you want to call it), I have compiled a list of things that we should do away with (along with our old pal Phil).

1. Jeggings

I'm sorry, leggings are not pants. Even if you print a jean pattern on them.

2. White Crayons

I know there may be some Pinterest Diva out there that can make a use of them.  But to the average 6 year old, they are useless. 

3.  Cell Phone Charms.

Please.  Some one explain it to me?  If you are not a 12 year old girl you should not have one of these things hitting you in the face while you are on a call.

4. Glow in the Dark Suntan lotion

I think this speaks for itself.

5. Fake flowers in your outdoor beds.

Really?!?  I have no words for the tacky-ness.  You are not fooling anyone.

Someday and Today

Someday I will have a large home big enough to have friends over for dinner.

Today I will go to other friends homes and still enjoy their company.

Someday I will be able to be a stay at home mom.

Today I will enjoy the freedom and flexibility of not having children.

Someday I will have a dog.

Today I will enjoy my cats and play with other people's dogs.

Someday I will not have to work.

Today I will be thankful I have a paycheck.

Someday I will have my dream kitchen with a double oven and fancy gadgets.

Today I will be thankful that I at least have food in my cupboard to cook on my stove with two working burners.

Don't let your dreams for "someday" rob you of the memories you can make today.

Just my two cents for this St. Patrick's day.

Liebster Award

Kayla from Green Mountain Couple has nominated me for the Liebster Award (and just so happens to be one of my matches for this month's cara box exchange)!  I don't think it is possibly  to be more flattered.  I will warn you, this is a Crazy long post!

So, Here is what you do with the Liebester Award:

11 Facts about myself

I am going to do my best to keep these as original as possible. Speaking from experience, random facts are hard to come up with

1) I am probably one of the most shy people you will meet.  People that have known me for a long time won't agree with me on this, but ask my husband.  People scare me, especially new people.

2) I was raised my a single mother who was a drug addict (or a recovering drug addict, depending) the majority of my childhood.  This really shaped a lot of who I am today, and truthfully, I wouldn't change any of it.

3)  When I first met my husband, he was engaged to someone else.  No, I wasn't the reason they broke up, but I will admit I was pretty excited when I heard the news.  We started dating about 2 and a half years later.

4) I think the color of a green traffic light is the perfect shade of green.

5) When I was a child, I was always trying to start a tradition in my family.  If we made a gingerbread house one year for Christmas, I would insist that we would do it every year because we were making it a tradition. Now, I could care less about traditions.  Maybe when we have children I will care.  

6)  I am a Bible School drop out.  I made it through three semesters before calling it quits.

7)  Dean and I barely agree on children's names.  Because of this, we have picked out 2 boy names and 2 girl names that we both agree on.  I am still not completely thrilled with the boy names, but I am sure I will love them when there is a child to claim them.

8) I have a freckle (or a beauty mark or mole or whatever it is) on my bottom lip.  I hated it when I was younger, now I often forget I have it.

9) Only two of my four bridesmaids were able to make it to my wedding.  That's what happens when you toss your "plans" out the window and decide to "elope"

10) I married an extreme gamer.  No, not Halo or whatever Xbox game you are thinking of.  He plays RPGs (Role Playing Games) such as Dungeons and Dragons or Call of Cthulhu.  I tried twice, I will never get those 10 hours of my life back again.  He goes on Wednesdays and I pretend he is playing poker.

11) My tiny oven in my less than 400 square foot apartment, doesn't really work properly.  Therefore, all of  the meals I make I make on the stove top or in the crock pot.  That also means I only make no-bake cookies at home, or I use a friend's oven to bake.  yep, it sucks.

My 11 questions from Kayla and Dan:

1. Why did you start Blogging?

I originally started a blog when I wrote my list of 101 things to accomplish in 1001 days.  Life didn't really go as planned (does it ever?) and that list got left in the dust.  However, I did enjoy writing and I needed an out let.  So about a month ago I started over again.  

2. How long have you been Blogging?

At a good normal rate?  Only about a month.  I am a baby!

3. What is your opinion on "Prepping"?

I think it is a wise choice to be prepared as much as possible for any type of disaster or what have you.   Unfortunately, I don't live in a home large enough for me to work on a stock pile.  This is something I would like to have though.  

4. How many states have you been to/in?

Oh boy quite a few (although not as many as others).  Here is a list (in alphabetical order no less!):

Connecticut

Florida

Illinois

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

New Hampshire  

New Jersey

New York

Ohio

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

Tennessee

Vermont

Virginia

5. Do you have and tattoos? If yes, of what?

Not yet, I have plans for one on my foot though.

6.  Favorite color?

This changes all the time.  It is currently yellow.  But a good stand by is always aqua blue.

7. Favorite Holiday?

Fourth of July.  Not that I am overly patriotic or anything, I just really like fireworks and summer time.

8. Favorite Board Game?

I really enjoy Blokus. It's simple, but involves a lot of strategy.  My kind of game.

 9. How many siblings do you have? If you do, are you Oldest, Middle or Youngest?

Technically I am an only child.  I have actually been thinking about writing a blog post about my crazy family dynamic, I think I will within the next month.  I do have an "adopted" little brother named Sen.
  

10. Have you ever broken a bone?

Yes.  I broke my face during a Superbowl party in 2006.  You can read about that here.

11.  Ultimate Goal for 2013?

Move to a bigger home.  It doesn't even have to be a house or the place that we will be permanently   Just a place that can be "ours" and have a little room to grow (if you know what I mean)

MY 11 nominees:
Okay, truth is, this was the most difficult blogging tasks I have faced yet. Finding a blgger to nominate is hard enough, but then every time I thought I had the perfect nominee, I realized that  they had more than 200 followers and that made them eligible.  On top of that, not all of them have a "contact me" button, so I am not sure how to contact them to let them know I have nominated them.  Maybe it's just cause I am new at this, maybe because there really is no way.  So I may have possibly bent the rules a little bit.  They may not have less than 200 followers, but they don't have as many as I think they should. And I probably didn't contact them (or you)  So here you go:

1) Amanda from Where there is Love there is Life
2) Kaity from (Bee)autiful Blessings
3) Lauren at FAITH AND MACARONI
4) Brittany at Blissfully Britt
5) Jamie from Things in YOU
6) Megalin at Turquoise Lollipops
7) Samantha at It's all in the Details
8) Whitney at Black Little Button
9) Ashley from Raising our Little Devil Pups
10) Becca from Faith Love and Babies
11) Christina at Dream on, Lovely

My 11 Questions:
1) What is one goal you would like to accomplish in your lifetime?

2)If they made a movie of your life, what would it be about and which actor would you want to play you?

3) When you were little, who was your favorite super hero and why?

4) What’s the ideal dream job for you?

5) What is the weirdest thing you have ever eaten?

6) Tell us something you hate doing. Why?

7) What is that one thing which makes you different?

8) What's the funniest pick up line used on you?

9) If you turn into your partner for a day, what would you do?

10) What's the naughtiest thing you have done in school?

11) If you could have an unlimited storage of one thing, what would it be?


I am looking forward to reading all of your answers and getting to know more blogger friends!

Sometimes, you are sad

When I was younger, I was always the bubbly, smiling girl who let things roll off her back like it wasn't a big deal (even though those things were sometimes a really big deal).  Then... well, life happen.  I am not sure if I could place my finger on an exact moment or situation where I grew biter or stopped being full of "sunshine and cheer", but it just did.  I stopped wearing a mask and pretending all was well.

Recently I have been feeling pretty darn guilty for not not being little miss sunshine all the time. I think a lot of that has to do with becoming a wife.  Heck, I am married now shouldn't that solve all my problems?!?!? Oh, right.  I am the one that has to choose to be happy.  At least, that is what I keep telling myself.  

After crying in the shower this evening (for the third time this week but who's counting?), I came to this simple, yet profound realization (at least for me): it's okay to be sad. It's okay to be disappointed.  However, you can't let that define you.  

I have had a particularly rough week. I am sure that my raging hormones didn't really help.  Every time that I cried, or got frustrated with something or someone, I would feel guilty for it.  I called a good friend of mine to vent about how "wrong" I was for feeling this way. (and felt guilty for subjecting her to my woes).  You know what she said to me?  "it's not so much wrong.  those are your feelings"  That's when it all clicked! (thank you Lord for wise friends!)  God gave you emotions for a reason and there is nothing wrong with them.  It's what you choose to do with that makes the difference.  

So for now, I will be sad, because I have things to be sad about.  But I won't sit here in self pity forever, I won't let the sadness define who I am.  I am sad that I lost a friend, but I won't allow myself to become "the friendless one".  I am sad that my hair is thinning rapidly because of my medication that I am on because of two blood clots they found in my lung two days after our wedding.  But I refuse to become "the sick, balding bride".  I am sad that we live in an apartment that is less than 400 square feet.  But I am thankful that Dean and I have our own place and don't have to spend the first year of marriage in his parents basement.  

My circumstance will not define who I am, my reaction to them will.  

How I got a $6 nose job

Yup it's true, I had a nose job.  But not in the Ashlee Simpson kind of way.  Sadly, it's much more painful than that.  It was actually a reconstructive surgery because I broke my face.  Yup, my face.  My nose was broken in 6 places, I fractured my left cheek bone and needed 5 stitches between my left eye and nose.  

How you ask?  I tripped in a crack in the side walk.  Yup, I am the world's biggest klutz.  I was at a  Superbowl  party (it was for my former youth group so, I was completely sober).  I needed to use the rest room so, I left the heated garage and "scurried" my way across the walkway. Except, well... I didn't make it all the way.  I tripped and just so happen to be at the perfect angle to smack my head on the cement porch step.   Next thing I know, I am in the back seat of my friends car while my other friend is holding a paper towel to my bleeding head.  Three days later I had reconstructive surgery.  My insurance covered all but a $6 co-pay for the follow up visit.   Most people that I meet now, have no clue my face once looked like ground beef.  I am going to show you a few photos, so if you are squeamish, look away at the second one.(consider your self warned)

This was all I could find of me before.  Classic MySpace photo.

Yes, I look stoned.  this was less than 24 hours after I broke my face.  I had a lot of pain killers in my system.

Cuddles from the best dog in the world will make any one happy.  Even if you have a cast on your face. 

And that is the story of how I got a $6 nose job, alternative title; "proof that I am the world's biggest klutz"

What happen to the weekend?!?

Can some one explain to me how it is already Monday?  And Monday afternoon at that.  I no sooner put on Pj pants and turn on an episode of The Wonder Years and BAM! It's Monday.   Let me just tell you, my weekend did not go as planned At. All. and I am still trying to not be disappointed about that.

Friday

I was off my game pretty much all day.  I got a pounding headache as soon as walked into my cubical and it didn't go away until after lunch.  When it finally did leave, nausea came and took it's place.   That's when it clicked and I realized I had a migraine.  I suffered through the rest of the work day popping some Advil every 4 hours and was out the door at 5 sharp!  I hit about 7 or so stop lights on my drive home, I puked at 3 of them.  I rested while Dean went to a friends house to do laundry, meaning I didn't see him for more than a half hour on Friday.  That makes for a sad wife.

Saturday

I slept in way later than I had planned, but I was sick so I don't feel guilty.  Dean finished the laundry and then came home to sleep.  I forced myself to put real people clothes on and buy food for the week.  I was able to drive to grocery store with the windows down and than made me smile.  I am so ready for winter to be gone!  When I got home Dean was up, so we cleaned the house and vegged for a bit.  Next thing I know we are having one of the most serious conversations of our marriage thus far.  I won't go into too many details (at least not at this point), but suffice to say we both were a little shaken and decided that we needed some quality  time on Sunday.  We made plans to go to breakfast before church and then Dean would take a short nap before heading to a couples game night.

Sunday

Well our plans for breakfast didn't work out for a few reasons.  For one, I didn't set my alarm clock correctly thanks to the stupid time change.  Also, Dean wasn't back from work when I did wake up an hour later (the time we should have been leaving)  I checked my phone to discover that he was stuck at work because his shift release never showed up.  The poor guy ended up working from 10pm to 11:30 am.  I have no clue how he manages over nights.  He still wanted to go to the game night (mainly cause we had the group game every one decided on).  So he managed with only two and a half ours of sleep.  The game group went much longer than planned meaning our "quality time" was the 10 min car ride there and back.   I was so disappointed, but I am learning to let it go.  No one has anything planned for this evening, so I have him to myself!

Linking up with Sar at Life of Love

(Not so) Happy Friday

It's Friday!  Normally I would be pumped about this, but I was thinking the majority of yesterday was Friday.  That made this morning's alarm even more unbearable.  To top off that disappointment, everything has just been annoying me.  Not that anything horrible has happen this morning, it's just that I am easily agitated for some reason.  Let's blame PMS.  Bring me some chocolate, would you?  While you're at it, my coffee cup is empty. 

Dear headache that I received as soon as I walked into the office,

I know it is Friday and not Saturday, but can you tough it out for a bit more?  I have given you water and Advil, what more do you want from me?

Dear co-worker who came to work with the stomach bug,

Really?  I know our company is not exactly generous with the PTO, but I have no desire to look at the bucket you brought from home.  If I get sick because of you, we will have words.  Not nice words.  Also, I don't care if you dislike the smell of Lysol, I will spray everything you touch today!

Dear CFO of our company,

I just watched you pick your nose and examine it.  Gross!  Have a little professionalism!  Or at least close your office door.  That is not an enjoyable way to start Friday.

Dear sail boat shirt,

You make crappy days a little better.  Thank you for always being an easy stand by.  You have been the best $4 clearance shirt in my life!  I would post a picture, but I really don't feel like it. 

So, I can get through this day for sure! Only 7 hours, 30 minutes, and 32 seconds until it is over.  Not that anyone is counting.

PYC Summer

The Summer of 2005 I was a camp counselor at Penn York Camp.  It's really not as glamorous as it sounds.  Watching Salute Your Shorts when I was younger gave me false hopes of leisurely days spent by the pool.  In reality, I was a  babysitter most of the summer.  One week in particular was the most grueling. 

I was without a CIT (basically a helper) for the first 3 and a half days of camp.  This left me responsibly for 9 little girls ages 6-8 all by my lonesome.  To say it was a challenge would be an understatement.  On day one, I went to get that evenings snack.  I told them not to leave the cabin under any circumstance, and if there was an emergency to get help at the cabin next door.  I was gone for may 5 min max.  When I can back, they had toilet papered the inside of the cabin.  Not just with toilet paper, but with gauze from the first aid kit, and ribbon and yarn from the craft bin.  It was a mess, not even a hot mess, just a mess. That night one of my girls begged me to let her sleep in my bed, I eventually caved.  It was the night she wet the bed.  Awesome.

This event was followed by one of the campers attempting to put pudding in another camper's hair at lunch.  This still wasn't as bad as our attempted to go canoeing.  That was a nightmare.  We had the option of canoes or peddle boats.  The canoes had a limit of 3 people, and the peddle boats were maxed out at 4.  This poses a problem for a group of 6 that would like to boat together.  Their solution?  Act like they were obeying their counselor at first by taking a boat of four and a boat of two out to the middle of the pond.  Then, jump out of the two person canoe and into the peddle boat.  The thing about children is that they often times don't understand why the rules are they way they are.  These girls learned quickly when their boat started sinking because they had to many people in it.  Another counselor and I had to swim out and get it.  Let's just say that we didn't go boating anymore that week. 

That still doesn't top what happen during my hour long break that week.  I was on my way to the counselor's  area to get some laundry done.  All of the sudden I see this camper come running out of the woods, down a path that no one ever really used.  He looked at me with terror in his eyes and said "where's the nurses station?!"  I pointed him in the right direction and he grabs my arm and says "come on we have to hurry!!"  I drop my laundry (thankfully it wasn't clean yet) and take off running towards the nurses station.  When we get there he, very hurriedly, spits out "we need you at the cedar cabin stat!"  The nurse glaces at me expecting some sort of explanation. Don't look at me, "I was just trying to get some laundry done".  I end up staying at the nurses station while she took care of the situation.  About 4 min later a CIT comes running in shouting "I need pepto bismol!  I need Pepto, now!"  I hand it to him, a little confused about an emergency needing pepto.  I was even more confused about 3 min later when his counselor came running in need of neosporin.   Long story short, the kid that needed the nurse apparently had a bit if a tummy bug and didn't tell anyone all week.  His, uh... cheeks were raw because of it, and to top it all of, he got the other side stuck in his zipper.  Poor kid, he went home that night.

It was one of the most challenging summers of my life, but I would never ever trade it for anything. It was that summer that God showed me that I did have something to offer. I will never forget the sweet tears of one of my campers as she poured out her heart to me. A puddle formed in the dirt beneath us as she told me about her father. For the first time in my life I was able to use my hurtful experience with my Father to encourage a child going through the same things I struggled with. I started to see that I had not experienced disappointment in vain, but that I could use my experiences to encourage others. To see the relief and peace fall on the child during the week was priceless, a gift that only God could bless me with. 

It was also that summer that God romanced me. I discovered that I was beautiful. I remember one evening that I could not sleep. I was feeling discouraged and I decided to go for a walk to talk with Jesus. I walked through the woods in a skirt and flip flops. In was warm but a cool breeze was gently blowing, and I could hear it rustling the tree tops above me. I made my way up the path to the open field. The camp ground is in a very rural county in Northern Pa, so there was almost zero light pollution. The stars seemed to go on forever. I stood on the hill top, under the huge full moon, with the wind gently blowing my skirt and hair. I was in awe of the beauty of God's creation. I stood there gazing for a while and then I felt the Lord speak to me and tell me that I was not just looking at it, not just surrounded by it, but I was apart of it. I was apart of his beautiful creation. It was that summer that I learned that I was captivating. 

Would I ever do it again?  Absolutely not!  Was it worth ever bug bite, sun burn, mud filled sneaker, sleepless night, and head cold?  More than you know.