Seven Random Things About Me..

1. Whenever I wash dishes, I only allow one dish at a time in the sink. It drives me nuts when I go to someone's house and there is so many dishes in the sink at once. I feel that dirty dishes deserve one on one attention. Weird, I know but I totally live by it in my house.

2. I feel like my cat is my child. I love her so much... it almost hurts. Don't get me wrong I love my dogs too, but I think I am so protective of Ginger because she lives in the house with me. I can't get enough of her.

3. I don't mind being alone. I think growing up an only child has a lot to do with this... But I actually enjoy being alone sometimes, and I have no problem entertaining myself.

4. I can never really stay mad at anyone and I hate confrontation. I usually get over things fast, and would rather be getting along then fighting...

5. I prefer salty things over sweets. I'd pick potato chips, or pickles over chocolate cake.

6. I have learned as I've gotten older not to let people take advantage of me. I used to let people push me around, but found that I am capable of nicely getting my point across... and it is great.

7. Sometimes I wish I lived in "Little House on the Prairie Days". I love to picture myself running, and picking flowers on rolling hills, wearing a dress with a bonnet, and helping ma, and pa make homemade butter, and riding to town in a horse and carriage.

Kids are The Greatest!

Tonight we babysat my little cousin Noah. Let me tell you.... he is so cute, and so smart... and I am not just saying that. He really is smart. He learns things so quick, and already knows so many things. I know this has a lot to do with how much his parents play and interact with him. Tonight he brought over a new game to play called "the PU game" Let me tell you some of the smells were gross... but it was a fun game. We played, Noah won, Cory came in 2nd, and you guessed it Ginger came in third, ha ha no I came in third... but Noah knew the whole game, and if we hadn't read the directions he would have easily told us how to play. He is a joy to be around. Cory said he was going to mow the lawn, and Noah jumped in and offered his services,and helped Cory. It was so cute. I love that little guy.... and it took him awhile to be comfortable here, just because he has such a structured life, and he was loves his mama so much... but now I think he enjoys his time here... although he might not be ready to admit it... anyway kids are great...and when you are my age you realize how short of a time kids are kids... they grow so fast! Whenever I am around kids I always think back to when I was a kid, and I just wanted someone to pay attention to me... I try to remember that... because it isn't long before it is too late. I love you Noah!

You've Got Mail... Probably an email...

How often in this day and age do we get a handwritten letter? Not very often! It seems that computers and emails have taken away that cursive, handwritten treat in the "old fashioned" mailbox that stands near the fence in the front yard.

I remember when I was little, around the age of of 11 I had a pen pal. Marianne did not start out as a pen pal. In fact she started off as the woman who lived across the street from my grandma on Yucca street. She was a delightful woman. Marianne was married to a truck driver named Steve. Although I remember hearing about Steve I only remember meeting him once, as his job had him on the go all the time. Steve probably never knew the kindness and joy that Marianne brought into my life and the lives of my two cousins Donovan, and Dawnelle. But she was really special, and as I type this I am taken back to my youth, when I met Marianne, and her zest for life kept me going for more. She was funky, and cool, sweet, and generous, and really smart.

Steve had two sons from a previous marriage. The boys used to come visit in the summer season. When they went back home to California where they lived with their mother, my cousins and I would take their place, and visit Marianne. I am sure that there was more then one afternoon when Marianne probably didn't care for the company of three kids, who were full of questions and energy. Though this may have been true, she always answered our knocks at her door and welcomed us in. She let us ride her horse in the front yard, let us join her for walks with her dog, took us to the library and introduced us to a variety of books. She occasionally took us to Church and took us to the laundromat with her, offered us snacks, and treats while we sat in her living room. There were days when she piled us in her car and took us to the school swimming pool, and she listened to us, and was our friend. She was simply wonderful.

Marianne was from California. One day she let us kiddos in on some sad news. Marianne was moving.... back to California. We were so sad. One day when I was down in the dumps, Marianne let me in on a secret plan. She said "Brianna, don't be sad. Give me your home address, and I will write you letters to keep in touch. Then you can write me back, and we can be pen pals!" Still sad that she was leaving, I was excited to have a pen pal across the miles. We exchanged quite a few letters, and I enjoyed receiving her pretty stationary in the mail, with her neat cursive that told me what she was up to. I am not sure exactly why or how the letters came to a stop,but it may have been due to the fact that I grew up into a silly teenager. Whatever I thought was important then, was probably not as good as getting Marianne's lovely letters. Somehow we lost touch.

My point is at the end of this long, drawn out story is that I loved getting Marianne's letters in the "old fashioned" mailbox. Well, okay so I didn't really have a mailbox in my front yard, but I did get excited when my mom and I drove to the post-office, because I knew that there might be a letter for me in that little box among many boxes, and it was just for me. Just for me, from a wonderful person, who took the time to write a little girl in a small town a letter, that would get read over, and over again. A letter that would be shared with her cousins, and her grandma.

So though emails are great, fast, and to the point.... a letter in the mail, with neat, sloppy, curly, or beautiful penmanship is still better. I wish that I knew where Marianne was, so I could write her a letter.... I'd have so much to say, to fill up her "old fashioned" mailbox.

Aiming For Organization...

I noticed that I feel kind of bad when I haven't updated this blog- but then I stop to remember that the reason for my absence is because I am living my life... and this blogging world can sometimes take away a lot of time that could be used productively somewhere else. It comes down to a matter of priorities. Should I get on line or use the time I have to read the bible, or to get something organized that needs organizing, finish that book I started two months ago, or go visit someone who could use my company.

I find that if only I took the time to actually organize what I really need to do verses doing what I want to do, my life would be a lot easier. I have always had a problem with being organized. My elementary teachers were constantly telling my mother the same thing at parent- teacher conferences " Your daughter is very bright, she has a lot of potential. However she has a little trouble being organized, and she likes to visit a lot with the other students. And have you considered getting her a planner?" A million planners later, I am still trying to figure out how to get my life in calm order!

Sometimes I feel like I have it together. The house is spotless, the fridge is stocked, Cory's underwear drawer is full enough for two weeks.. and then suddenly I feel so overwhelmed with all the tasks that seem to have snuck up on me. For instance right now these are the things that I really need to get done: Clean and organize my closet and drawers. I need to get rid of some clothes, and other stuff that is causing me clutter. I have been planning on it, and have yet to do it! I need to make a menu for dinner so that I can have our dinners planned so that when I get home from work, I already know what I am going to make. This would give me more time to exercise, instead of not being able to work out, because I got out of work to late, and now I have to figure out what to feed a hungry husband, and by the time that is done, I ran out of time to work out... unless of course we want to eat at 7:30 or 8:00... which we don't.

I have also been wanting to make myself a chore list for the longest time. For each day I want to schedule something that needs to be done, so that when Saturday rolls around I don't have to spend half the day doing laundry, dusting, cleaning toilets or vacuuming.

Then there is all the hobby stuff that I would like to do. These are things like: crochet, which is important because there are lots of people that I want to make a blanket for, but unless I crochet... it ain't going to happen. Then there is sewing, which I need to work on if I ever want to get better at it... because it seriously intimidates me. On to reading which I love. I cringe at the fact that my reading habit has gone from always reading, sometimes reading 2 0r 3 books at one time... to reading if I am lucky 1 book in three months. I credit the reading of my youth for the love of my writing, which has ceased to grow, because reading fueled my imagination for writing. I have so many books that need to be read, but sadly they sit, alone, and without the attention of my eyes and mind.

There is so much to do, all of which I know I am capable of doing. Yet I am frustrated that I have not successfully managed all of the things that make up my personality. What hinders me?? To answer honestly... Television and the Internet. My free time seems to be consumed by those two things, and I can't deny it. And those two things do not bring glory to God, do not enhance the gifts I was given, and do not make me feel proud.

I want to be a productive person. I have moments of great productivity. When I get my house spic, and span, when I make a delicious dinner for my husband, when I do something that can benefit someone else. Yet I still find myself wasting time.

One night Cory and I were chatting. I had my legs lazily slung across the couch, and I said "Do you think that I am creative?" He looked at me, and answered " I don't know, what do you do that is creative?" My heart hurt a little, because the fact is... is that I know that I am creative, but my husband may not because I have not really shown him by my actions. What an eye opener. At first I was shocked that he could ask me that, but when I stepped back to look at myself, I could honestly understand why he didn't really know.

So my frustration boils down to my lack of expressing myself in the ways that I know I can. Maybe it is turning 30 that has made me realize all of this. I thought it was nothing new turning 30. But maybe, it has forced me to see that I have a chance to do my thing, but if I don't do it... it is my loss and no one elses. I also think that all of this is also conviction from the Lord. He wants me to excel as he intended. He doesn't want me to spend my life watching TV, and evaluating other people's lives, he wants me to live my life. And I want to know that at the end of the day I will have done at least one thing that God would be proud of.

I don't want my life to be a crazy girl running out the door for work, having to turn around, and run back upstairs to get her cell phone because she forgot it, and then almost kill herself running back down the stairs, because she is rushing, to finally get to work in the nick of time to only realize that she forgot her lunch, and now she has to buy a greasy burrito from the trailer truck down the road, because there is nothing else close by.

I crave the skill to be organized, and ready. I strive to get there... hope I do, with all my heart I hope I do!

Heartache

Geez I have been sappy today... for some reason everything is touching me, almost to the point of tears. This morning at Breakfast Cory was telling me a story of his friend at work that was sharing his experience of losing his son... I got choked up. Later driving to the mall to get some jeans altered, I was listening to the radio, and was just thinking of all the people I love, and know, that have been through sad things, and I wished that I could make everyones "hurt" go away, and I got teary eyed. Then I started thinking that it is probably the occasion that is here. Easter. On Friday, is when it really began when I was thinking about how much pain Jesus went through. I can't even fully imagine it. I stopped to think that maybe I have really never thought about the events of Good Friday. The day when Jesus gave it all for me, and everyone else. So I think that it is where my mood of compassion, and love is coming from. Tomorrow is the day we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Aren't we so lucky that he didn't forsake us then, and that now we still have him. He is still loving us, even though we are sinners. Wow... here I go again. Get this girl a kleenex.

Turning 30

I did it... I turned thirty! At first I was a little shocked anticipating the actual arrival of my birthday that would take me from 29 to 30... but the day got here, and I had a great birthday! I spent my Birthday with my wonderful husband who makes every day special, and my friends Chad and Linda. It was so fun.







I went shopping at the mall, ate pizza at Village Pizza (So good), went bowling, and had some Martini's. Linda and Chad gave me a beautiful set of Martini glasses. I love them.

Sunday my mom, and Dave came over to visit me for my birthday. We had tacos, which were yummy, and later for dessert we had Ice Cream with warm brownies.

So I thought I would have something more profound to write about after turning 30, but the truth is, I am still me. I don't feel any different, but I do think that it is awesome that Cory and I are both 30 together. He is my bestfriend, and we are in this boat together. So goodbye twenties, you were young, and fun, but now I am in my early thirties, still young, still fun... and I'll let you know what else I find out about this new age. For right now, it ain't to bad!