The best Christmas Ever!

It wasn't about the gifts...although they certainly were nice...lots of shirts for work, workout clothes to inspire me to continue to go to the gym, and almost everything you can imagine with the Chicago Bears emblem. Chris' Indianapolis Colts were given a nod with a Colts scarf and Colts cups from my mom and a Colts football from me to Chris.

The holiday was spent doing nothing more than relaxing and spending quality time with family. We played Dominos (yes, it is a real game), put together most of a mystery puzzle, and played a new board game called Therapy. We laughed, told stories, and laughed some more. Oh yeah, and we also ate.

The only moment that brought sadness was saying goodbye to Tim, my brother, who is leaving for North Africa for two years to be a missionary. I'm not one for lengthy goodbyes and I don't think Tim is either. I gave him a hug and told him I loved him. It was quite possibly the most heartfelt "I love you" I have ever given him. And then I walked out the door. I didn't want him to see me starting to cry. I will miss him but I couldn't be more proud of him.

An emotional Christmas indeed.

Long time no write

Or at least it feels that way. I have been putting off writing the Christmas letter but I decided that until it was written, I wasn't allowed to blog. I'm not sure why I do that to myself but it isn't the first time. Over the summer I decided I wasn't allowed to read any of my books until I took my licensure exam. I was THRILLED when it was over and I swallowed up a few books all at one time as soon as I had the chance.

The Christmas letter is written and Chris added all of the fun details to it such as a heading, watermark, and pictures. This is why you will see a picture of the Indianapolis Colts Superbowl ring in the letter. I tried to explain that a Christmas letter is to show recipients pictures of us, not of things they can see anywhere. He vehemently disagreed and you will see upon receiving the Christmas letter that he won. I still think it looks silly but oh well.

We are currently getting dumped with 8 inches of snow so we have a fire going in the fireplace, music playing, candles lit, and we finished making Christmas cookies. Chris is outside grilling us steak. Yup, you read right. He is OUTSIDE GRILLING!! Gotta love a dedicated grill master. :)

He just waved the finished steak under my nose. It smells delicious!! Gotta run. There is food to be eaten!!

Thanksgiving

It is early Thanksgiving morning and I have much to be thankful for. Unlike many friends, I have a loving husband and a good marriage. I have parents and siblings who care about one another and support each other. Chris and I are able to afford a cozy house filled with candles and music and regularly have food on the table. This is much more than many.

I spent months in a career crisis with no direction. I was unhappy with my current job but couldn't seem to land a job anywhere else. I was questioning my desire to practice social work. I finally landed a few job interviews and as the saying goes, "When it rains, it pours."

I was offered a position at a brand new beautiful hospital as the oncology social worker. I already work on call for the hospital one to two weekends a month. Then I was offered a job with the VA hospital where Chris works. Finally, I received a call from a well known attachment therapist who asked if I would join his private practice and eventually take over his practice when he retired in a few years. After talking with Chris, my parents, and God, I decided to accept the position at the VA. I start on Monday.

On a day when we are supposed to spend time contemplating all we have been blessed with and give thanks to God, He has made it especially easy this year.

Please pray for my friend

Chris and I found out that a close friend of ours was diagnosed with breast cancer today. She is just a few years older than me and has two young children. Chris works with her husband which is how we came to become friends with them. Without trying to put words to how this must feel for our friends, I would imagine that it is difficult for anyone else who hears the news and is close with this couple. For me, difficult doesn't come close to describing it.

Chris told me the news as work was ending and since then I haven't been able to stop crying and am grossly irritable. This dark cloud of sadness has encompassed my heart. Thankfully Chris had to work late so I can sit at home and process why this news is so devestating to me. For anyone who hears this news about a friend, your own mortality is considered. We all take some time to think about what it would look like if it happened to us. Regardless of my usual "I'm too sensitive" thoughts, I couldn't wrap my head around why this was having such a significant impact until a few minutes ago.

This news has been given to me before. I have been told I have cancer. I have been told it doesn't look good and that I will have to say goodbye to my friends. I have laid on the floor in despair listening on the other end of the phone while my parents listened to the doctor talk to them about how bad things looked for me. I have felt the feelings my friend is feeling. Although in social work we are always taught to never say "I understand," I DO understand what it is like to survive the day you are told you have cancer. It is a scary and lonely, and minutes pass that feel pregnant with hopelessness and despair.

A week later the doctors realized they were wrong and I was given my life back. That is where my understanding ends. That is where my love and passion for my friend will continue. Please pray for her.

Sapporo Ichiban

Chris and I were at the grocery store this evening...and for the third time today I might add. Granted the second of three visits wasn't our fault. On the first visit, the pharmacy failed to actually put my medicine in the bag I didn't think to check prior to arriving home. When I called, they informed me that a second visit would be necessary. The third visit was when Chris realized we didn't have an ingredient for the satee burgers he was making tonight.

As we were looking for the hard to find ingredient, I came across a childhood memory. When I was a kid, my mom would visit the local Asian Mart and buy a large box of Sapporo Ichiban. It was a household staple and a favorite of everyone in the family. Sapporo Ichiban is a good tasting version of Ramen noodles. It is a bit pricier costing $.59 a package compared to $.13. $.46 never tasted so good!

When I saw it, I KNEW we had to buy it. Chris said he had never experienced Sapporo Ichiban so I couldn't wait for him to try it. And of course, in true "I have the best husband ever" fashion, Chris loved it.

Childhood memories are the best!

Halloween

Chris and I went to French Lick, Indiana for a Halloween weekend. We almost won for best costume. When we didn't win, we put put up for worst costume. We didn't manage to win that one either. Our costumes were simple. We made a white stick (stick with red on the bottom for blind people) and then used tape to write the date (10/27/07) across our chests. We went as blind dates. :)

Yesterday we had a Halloween hash. I changed my outfit since it wasn't as funny with only one person. Chris made me a pig nose and I made pig ears. I wrapped a blanket around myself and went as pig in a blanket. It was noted by friends that I think too hard for my costumes.

Tonight the kids come and my favorite part of the day begins...one for them, one for me, one for them, one for me.

And then I go to the gym. :)

Happy Halloween!!!

Weather excitement

Chris is gone and the weather is going a little crazy. We had bad storms last night which pulled siding off of our house. I was sitting on the couch this morning studying for the licensure exam I have tomorrow and heard a scratching noise on the house. I went outside and saw a piece of siding dangling. I pulled it off and noticed there was a second piece looking loose. I went the the gym in the afternoon and when I came home, I saw the second piece had fallen and there was a third looking loose. I called Chris and gave him to the news about the house and we tried to determine if this was something we needed to jump on today or tomorrow. He knows I hate dealing with this kind of thing so offered to make the necessary phone calls.

I just got home from my final marathon study session and flipped on the tv to see we are under a tornado watch. The wind is blowing and the cat is freaking out. I'm hoping the house manages to stay mostly together. I guess I won't know until I wake up tomorrow...

***A tornado warning was just issues for three parts of Indiana. Whew, this could be a long night before a long test tomorrow. Good thing I'm a sound sleeper.

Lonely thoughts

God knew I wasn't mean to live alone. God gave me roommates in college. He gave me apartment-mates after college. Then God gave me a husband. Never have I had to live alone. Well, Chris left this afternoon for Detroit. I promptly left with a girlfriend to watch the Bears game at a sports bar. I figured it was a way to take my mind off of Chris leaving. The Bears lost in the final seconds of the game with the Vikings kicking a field goal. Not a good start to the evening.

I got home and called my sister. Voicemail.

I called an old friend from Wheaton who had left a message two days ago. He and his fiance broke up.

I lit candles in every room, turned on music, and started cleaning. The dishwasher is empty. The dust is gone. The washing machine is running.

Here I sit...next to the cat who won't sit with me because he prefers Chris' lap to my lap. I think he misses Chris too.

Since I got home from the Bears game it has gotten dark. The music on my iPod all seems melancholy. The only light in the house is the glow of the candles and the computer screen.

I think I need a hobbie...

In the meantime, here are a few more pictures of our trip to Denver.

Job interviews

My life for the last two weeks has consisted of job interviews and therefore stress and anxiety. It can be challenging for someone who hasn't interviewed in a while to completely understand the emotional rollercoaster of interviewing. Gone are the days of one on one interviews where you have an opportunity to make a connection with the interviewer. Here are the days of being picked apart by 5-10 strangers at one time. Imagine walking into a room where every ounce of you is analyzed...what you wear, how you wear it, how your hair is styled, how much make up you are wearing, how nervous you seem, how much you smile, how little you smile, how many questions you ask, how few questions you ask, etc... And that doesn't even begin to address HOW you answer the interview questions. I have three of four interviews done, two of those were for the same position. One of the interviews was really rough and had triple and quadruple stacked questions. For example:

Tell about a time you had a problem with a team member. What happened? How did you handle it? How would we know when you are angry? How do you handle being angry?

Tell about a time you went above and beyond for a client. What did you do, what was the outcome, and why did you choose to do so with this specific client?

AND THAT IS CONSIDERED TWO QUESTIONS!!

Obviously with job interviews there are two possible outcomes. One is a job change which is great but even good stress is still stress. The other is rejection. This is the piece that is difficult. As much as you can convince yourself that it isn't true, getting turned down for a job is both personal and professional rejection. Someone (or many someones) don't want you. Either you aren't good enough or someone is better than you. Bottom life: You aren't it. You aren't wanted.

It is a tough position to be in and I can't wait for the interviews to be over. I am hopeful my interviews will result in a job change. A much as I love the kids I am currently working with, the politics, paperwork, insurance, pressure of productivity, and the parents who refuse to be a part of their child's life is burning me out.

I will keep you posted on either my rejection or new good stress.

Oh, and since I hate blogs with tons of words and no pictures, here is a picture of our summer trip to Denver.

Path of Sprinkles

My cousin, Liz Ann, started blogging not too long ago. It took me a while to check it out and when I finally did, I loved it. I just pulled her blog up again and read the entire thing from start to finish. (Good thing she hasn't been writing for too long.)

Anyway, her words are inspiring and her love of God is moving. I especially enjoyed the blog about how we are like cups in how we break. What kind of cup are you? Tea cup, Styrofoam cup, mug, etc...

Although I don't have the talent of expressing myself in the way she does, I can see so many similarities in our emotions. She is absolutely precious.

Check out her blog. It is worth the time...

pathofsprinkles.blogspot.com

Best husband ever...again.

All last year I wanted a Bears jersey but never really looked into it because they were so expensive. This year I decided I HAD to have one. I spent a few weekends looking on the internet for something that might be affordable. I found one last week but Chris said he thought he could find something less expensive. Instead of Chris taking the computer to find this so called less expensive jersey, he just sat on the couch and did nothing. I was frustrated but put the computer aside and decided I would ask another time and perhaps include some begging.

This morning I got ready for church and when I walked into the kitchen where Chris was making breakfast, he asked why I wasn't wearing my Bears shirt. I reminded him that the shirt is so huge it looks like a nightshirt so it isn't fit to wear. He threw me over his shoulder, carried me into the bedroom, and asked me to pull out the over sized shirt. In the drawer was my new Bears jersey he bought for me a few weeks ago and was hiding until this morning. He even went so far as to get a friend involved to make sure that when the jersey arrived in the mail, I wouldn't find it.

Just another example of how my husband is the best husband ever.

The joys of cats

I hadn't mentioned it previously because at the time, it was a bit too difficult. If you have followed this blog for any length of time you know that Moses, our black kitty, had many behavioral problems. We tried everything and when nothing worked, we put him down. It was a horrible experience and I never want to do it again. Needless to say it was a bit of a shock when we got home from the vet's office after doing the deed and found poop on the carpet from Moses' brother Mijo (pronounced Me-ho.) We freaked out but figured it was a fluke...I mean, certainly we didn't put down the wrong cat did we?

(pregnant pause for effect)

Of course we didn't!!! Are you nuts?? We knew it was Moses who was meowing all night long and peeing on the carpet. Sadly I think he taught Mijo a few tricks before the final trip to the vet.

Mijo has been what I call the "occasional pooper." He poops on the floor when the box isn't to his liking and I admit we have gotten a bit lax about cleaning it. With Moses, if it wasn't cleaned out by 4PM on the dot he would poop on the floor...and sometimes he pooped on the floor just because it was fun. We still clean it but probably only every other day since we are down to one cat.

Chris, being the wonderful husband that he is, deep cleaned it this weekend because our occasional pooper was up to his old tricks. A deep clean means Chris dumps the litter out, sprays the two litter boxes the spoiled cat has with a hose, uses a special cleaner for cats to eliminate potential odors that weren't eliminated by the hose of death, dries the boxes in the sun, and fills them with clean litter. The boxes have been cleaned daily since then.

Note that it is only Wednesday.

I got home from work today and I am not kidding, Mijo pooped on the kitchen counter. I took a picture but decided not to attach it in case cat poop grosses anyone out. If anyone is interested, let me know and I will e-mail it to you. How do I handle this? What on God's green earth posses a cat to poop on the kitchen counter...a place he already knows he isn't allowed?

I have scrubbed the counter down with bleach and lit a strong smelling candle. It still smells like poop.

Business Time

This is a link to youtube showing Flight on the Conchords, a band from I don't remember where. New Zealand perhaps? Anyway, it is really funny and worth checking out.



Mijo has checked it out already and for him, it is Business Time.

Couch

For the last few months Chris has been complaining about our couch. He seems to think it sags in the middle and swears it would be better if we had gotten a shorter couch. We even looked at couches at Costco today. Of course it isn't in the budget and won't be for a looong time. Chris hates the couch so much he said he would torch it and pee on it if given the opportunity. That is severe dislike for an object if you ask me...which you didn't...but it is my blog so I can write what I want.

Anyway, we overturned the cushions on the couch looking for something earlier today. It was then that we noticed a broken board. More accurately, make that a board snapped in two. Chris and I then started to recall a particularly delightful evening where we took the advice of Uncle Rob, the wonderful man who married us. As Chris and I were driving off to our hotel the night of our wedding, Uncle Rob told us that the best cure for a bad headache is... well... ...ya know... um... ...sex!!

No wonder the couch has been sinking for the last few months. Oops. But what a memorable night that was. Of course Chris and I kept asking each other why we didn't look at the couch the night we broke it. I reminded him we were a bit preoccupied.

My parents broke a bed. We broke our couch. We are official!

The results are in!

The doc called this morning and gave me the thumbs up. Praise God!!

Am I invisible?

Doctors have proven to be a challenge lately. I'm sure everyone has their story about a lousy doctor they have had. I seem to have several stories and the stories haven't stopped coming.

I had a less than fun procedure two weeks ago and the doctor and nurse were well aware that I was anxious about the results. After specifically asking, I was told the results would be back in a week. Since the procedure was done in the afternoon, I decided to wait a week and two days before calling about my results. The triage nurse was very nice and explained that the doctor was out in surgery that morning but would return to the office in the afternoon to see patients. She said my lab results were in but she couldn't tell me what they were because the doc hadn't reviewed them yet but that "she would be sure and attach a note stating I had called and was concerned about the results." Then I waited. I waited until 4:27 because the office closes at 4:30. I spoke with the same nurse who said the doctor had been very busy the entire afternoon and hadn't had time to review my results but that she would put another note on my chart stating I had called back. That was last Friday.

I didn't call on Monday because I wanted to give the doctor a fair shot. She didn't call.

I finally called Tuesday afternoon and spoke to the same nurse who informed me the doctor had been busy all Monday and was out of the office all day on Tuesday. She all but promised me I would get a call on Wednesday with my results because the doc would be in the office all day. She also said she would leave a third note stating I had called and would put my chart and results on the top of the doctor's desk.

I guess the results got lost. Or the doctor got busy. Or the doctor is too busy for me. Or the doctor doesn't seem to think this matters to me. Or the doctor thinks the results are so bad she doesn't want to call. Or I am actually invisible and don't really exist and this entire thing is a figment of my imagination. There are a variety of reasons no one called me today. The longer it takes to receive the call, the more my imagination has time to create a variety of horrible things.

I guess I will call again tomorrow. Hopefully the doctor didn't decide to take a vacation day tomorrow or call in sick due to a painful hangnail.

It has been a bad day. :(

Birthday shoes

I love shoes. I loves shoes a lot. There is a feeling of fullness and satisfaction that comes from purchasing a great pair of shoes. I have that feeling right now times three. I went to my favorite shoe store, DWS, and used the birthday money my mom and sister gave me to find three amazing steals. I spent the entire time in the clearance section of the store and couldn't believe my luck. (Clearance is such hit or miss.) I found a pair of cute black dress flats since Chris isn't crazy about heels. I found a pair of Teva's to replace the ones that Chris had to glue back together before our rafting trip and had to be rescued from the river after they fell off of my feet. And I bought a pair of Born sandals which are usually so expensive I wouldn't dream of owning a pair but the sale was irresistible. They are all super cute!!

Happy birthday to me and thank you to Mama and Jill!

It's my birthday today

And the question of the day is: Are we supposed to say, "It's my birthday today." Or do we say nothing? As kids it was easy. We simply announced to everyone we saw that it was our birthday and proudly shared our new and oh so important age. As a kid it felt great to hear people tell me happy birthday. So why does it seem so weird to say it to people now that I am an adult? It still feels good when people tell me happy birthday but it seems awkward to be the person informing them of my birthday. It's almost like I am asking them to say or do something nice for me.

I went to the gym this afternoon and decided to announce that it was my birthday with the group of friends I attend a weight training class with. They were excited and told me happy birthday but they were also disappointed because I hadn't told them earlier and given them time to plan something.

So again, what is birthday etiquette? To tell or not to tell. That is the question.

Self care

I am sitting at the kitchen table thinking about how I really need to be studying for a license exam that is coming up. I have a few minutes before I leave for my 8:30 doctor's appointment and think I will use the time wisely by pulling out my review material. I have taken a bunch of sample tests but haven't spent much time actually studying which I am guessing might help me on both the sample test and the real exam.

Sadly, the computer seems to be crying louder for my attention than my exam material so here I sit, still not studying but writing which I find much more enjoyable. Isn't that self care? Isn't that what my boss is always talking about? "Don't forget self care Torrey. I don't want you burned out." Then again, I also consider checking people.com once or twice a day to be self care. Self care is very important.

Perhaps when I am done with my self care I will start to study...

Self care might take a long time.

A good reminder

I went for a run after work today and as I was finishing up, I decided to walk to one of my new favorite spots about a half mile away from the house. I changed my iPod from my "workout" mix to my "favorite" mix which is basically a hodge podge of random songs. My ears perked up when "I'll be there" by Steven Curtis Chapman came on. It was the song Joey and Missy, two dear friends of mine from college, sang at my wedding. I was suddenly overwhelmed with emotion. For the last few days I have struggled between being irritable and being incredibly sad. Of course there is no reason other than just because.

I turned around to walk back to a beautiful stream that runs across the walking path and sat down next to it. I listened to the song a second time and began to cry. I thought about how much I love and appreciate my husband and started to pray and give thanks for the gift of him. When the tears stopped and the song was over I felt refreshed. I walked back to the house and thought about what is important and what to never take for granted.

For me, it was a good reminder.

Prodigal Son Returns Part III

I reserve the right to retract and/or modify my previous statement of "it works like a charm." Of course I am referring to the anti-depressant/anti-anxiety meds we put Moses on.

I choose to modify.

It worked like a charm for the first two weeks. Moses has now returned to pooping on the floor next to the litter box and throwing up on the carpet. Thankfully the meowing has still been kept at bay. If we hear one little peep (or meow) out of him around 4 in the morning, he is off to Tails A Waggin.

To be continued...

Oh, and pictures from our Denver trip are coming soon.

Prodigal Son Returns Part II

We took Moses to the vet and poured our hearts out. We talked about everything...the poop, the throw up, the terrible meow, and the fact that although we couldn't quite manage to give Moses away, we weren't able to live like this anymore.

The vet had an easy fix. He said it would either work like a charm in two weeks or it wouldn't do anything and we might have to cope with giving away Moses.

The answer: (May I first say that I don't share this information lightly. I mean come on!! We are both social workers for crying out loud! Why? Why us? It is like having two teachers with a learning disabled child...or two lawyers with a child in jail. Instead, we are two social workers with...)

...a cat on anti-depressant medication.

And I must say, it works like a charm. :)

Prodigal Son Returns

As you know from previous posts, Chris and I have mixed feelings about our cats. Unfortunately most of the negative feelings are directed towards Moses and not Mijo. Moses is the one who meows like he is dying each and every morning around 4:30 because he wants to be the the bedroom with us. Since I am allergic to cats, my allergist gave us strict orders to keep the cats out of the bedroom...no exceptions. Moses is also the one who will poop on the floor if he doesn't get his way. Oh, and the throwing up on the carpet a few weeks ago? All Moses. Chris has searched the internet to find a solution. We have grilled the vet with questions only to be told Moses is healthy and everything he is doing is behavioral...figures since Chris and I are both social workers. Anyway, our last resort before shipping Moses off to the humane society was to see if he could become an outdoor cat. That way he could do his pooping and throwing up outside and it would increase his chances of remaining in the family.

Moses did well for over a week. He would go outside mostly when Chris and I were outside. He always stuck close to the house and never ventured off. Then one day he disappeared. He was no where to be found and it created a mix of feelings. There was no poop on the carpet. There was no time spent scrubbing the carpet from throw up. And each morning upon opening the bedroom door, there quietly sat Mijo. Other than the concern for Moses' well being and hoping he hadn't been eaten by a dog, Chris and I were a content one cat family.

That was then.

Chris and I returned late last night from a vacation and as we were driving into our housing complex, I made a joke wondering if Moses would be waiting for us. No joke. There he was, sitting on our front porch meowing his loud meow. Who knows where he was for the past 2 1/2 weeks. We were tired so we let him in, fed him, and began our struggle of what to do. Mijo doesn't seem thrilled to have him back and Chris and I were up in the air about it until the meow of death began around 4:30 this morning. We finally caught up with our neighbor who discovered Moses two night ago. She showed up the bird Moses brought home and had been feasting on. After seeing the bird and giving it more thought, Moses is now back outside where he will remain until we determine his fate...

If only Moses weren't so cuddly. Anyone know of someone who wants a cat?

Life's little frustrations

I am sitting on the couch slightly less frustrated than I was about an hour ago. You see, an hour ago I returned home from having my car towed only to see that my soon to be dead cats threw up on the carpet for the second time in two days. I'm not talking just a little bit of throw up either. I'm talking they walked around the room and thought it would be fun to see mom clean up the entire carpet insead of just a little part of it. One day being on my hands and knees scrubbing was bad enough. Two days was over the top.

Oh, and did you gloss over the part of my car needing to be towed? Yeah, that is how my work day ended. I was on my way to a meeting and the car started jolting. I was on the phone with Chris at the time and he could hear the jolting over the phone. I pulled over and thank the GOOD LORD that he was still at the office. He picked me up, called the Saturn dealership, and we were told the car wasn't safe to drive. We aren't sure what is wrong with it...although Chris thinks it is the transmission...and I am due to drive to Chicago Friday for a convention. Chris is on the phone as we speak trying to determine if our insurance will pay for the tow and if they will cover a rental car.

One more thing. Our dishwashed died two weeks ago. We just got a new one late last week. Gotta love the joys of life. :)

Brownie bites

Christopher and I attended a Cinco de Mayo party Saturday evening and we were told to bring a side dish. Since both of us are sugar addicts, I made yummy peanut butter brownies. Chris had to go to work that day so he left at 5:30 a.m. and didn't get home until 5:15 p.m. After he got back home, he napped while I attended another party thrown by my fitness instructor. Since I knew I wouldn't have time to make the brownies in between parties, I made them before the first party and let them sit while I was gone. However, fully cognizant of our cats predilection for baked goods, I covered the brownie pan with a dish cloth. I was proud upon arriving home from the first party to discover they didn't eat the brownies. Instead, Christopher informed me that they stepped on the brownies.

At least it gave us an excuse to cut out the stepped on pieces and eat them before leaving... :)

Spring is here...again

The birds are chirping, the sun is shining, and it is warm outside. I'm hoping we won't be fooled again since we have already had one spell of warm weather followed by freezing temperatures and snow. I'm thinking this is the real deal though...and since it is almost May, isn't it time? Although we can reason out why the temps have been changing so severely, our trees and flowers are really confused. We have three trees that are beautiful in the spring. Two bloom purple and one blooms white. All we got was a smattering of color before it froze and the flowers and leaves died. Now it looks sad and pathetic. :(

Chris and I are still enjoying the weather though. We had six yards of mulch delivered Friday and we managed to get it all spread and cleaned by before the night was over. We even had enough left over to mulch Kim and Wayne, our wonderful neighbor's, back deck.

We have started working out outside and even managing to hit the running trails on the weekends...a sure sign it is getting warm.

Soon, the hashing as Rear Admiral and Rear-End-Id will begin again.

Ah, spring...

Easter in Chicago

There is something special about spending Easter Sunday with my family in Chicago. For many, Easter isn't a big deal. It consists of the Easter bunny, chocolate, and hunting for eggs. For us, it is about celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In my opinion, no one celebrates like College Church in Wheaton. The banners are beautiful. The sermon is meaningful. The children are adorable. And the singing, oh the singing. Every Easter our church breaks out the entire orchestra and everyone sings the Hallelujah Chorus. Even though I can't hit the majority of the notes, I make my joyful noise to the Lord and I feel so happy that I'm convinced I have beams of light shooting out from my fingers. And yes, we still have the Easter baskets and chocolate, and colored eggs. What a wonderful holiday!

Blogging

I have been complaining to Chris for about two weeks that I need to blog but I wasn't having any grand ideas. Once I did have a grand idea, I always forgot it or failed to make the time to write. Tonight I had a few minutes and decided to pull up my blog to write a new entry regardless of my lack of ideas. I then saw my previous entry...the entry about our new tv. Now I know why I haven't blogged for almost a month. Sad...very sad.

The upgrade

Chris and I have received teasing from multiple friends for having exactly four channels on our television and that is when our rabbit ears are turned just right. The last straw came when we were watching one of our favorite shows and our really really sad tv kept cutting in and out. Chris did some research and we are the proud new owners of a 37 inch LCD tv and tv stand. It is incredible!! The tv isn't cutting in and out anymore and the fuzz we had on our old small tv is now even bigger on our new big tv...we are still waiting to get cable. We did see the excitement of our new tv when we put in a dvd and watched a movie. Whatever are we going to do with 800 channels?

...more snow

here we are, we got about 4 more inches of snow on top of the foot we already have. but thank goodness, we have....the snowflake hunter?!?!

V-Day

Valentine's Day is easy to hate when you are single. In fact, it is almost COOL to hate it when you are single and a woman. By hating it we pretend the lack of gifts, attention, and love doesn't really bother us when in fact, it really really bothers us. I used to be one of those woman...and then I met Christopher.

I now love Valentine's Day. It has nothing to do with the flowers, jewelry, or chocolate and everything to do with the date on the calendar. Feb 14, 2004 was the day I knew I had met the man I was going to marry. I arrived at Christopher's apartment and there was a red and pink construction paper heart on the front door. In blue crayon was written that after walking inside, I would discover all the things Chris loves about me. I opened the door and found that the room was full of candles. Under each of the 25 candles was a smaller heart. On each heart, written in the same blue crayon, was something Chris loves about me. It was the most romantic gesture anyone has ever done for me.

I told Chris last night over dinner that three years ago when I was reading those hearts, I knew I was in love with him before I reached the final heart. I also knew I wanted to marry him.

I'm not sure why Chris and I have been blessed with such a wonderful marriage but I thank God every day for it.

I love you Christopher.

Indianapolis Blizzard of '07

We were supposed to get 3-7 inches. We figured they overestimated. They always over estimate. We were wrong. We are currently at a foot of snow and are supposed to get another 4-5 inches before the night is over. The wind is also supposed to pick up to around 40 mph so the drifts should be impressive.

Indy certainly isn't Oswego, NY but Indy also rarely has snow. That means that when it does snow, it is a HUGE problem for the city. Chris and I braved the roads this morning and I was promptly scolded from my boss after arrival since my boss knew that the snow was much more significant in the area I live. I worked for an hour before my boss told me to go home. I got all the way home before getting my car stuck directedly in front of my garage. My car was blocking the street so I ran around to neighbors to locate a shovel.

For those who are interested, Target doesn't carry shovels and plastic shovels from Meijer break easily.

I was able to dig my car out of the snow and create a path up the driveway into the garage. Thanks to my dad's good teaching, I thought to lay down kitty litter in front and in back of my tires for a bit of tread. I managed to make it into the garage on my second attempt.

Chris stayed at work until noonish before he called it a day due to cancelled meetings and an inability to make visits to his clients. We have spent the day making cookies and watching movies. Here is what our cats have been doing while we have been home...




P.S. Pickett, hope you are enjoying warm Kenya while we are freezing our tails off in America!

Superbowl XLI continued...

350 to 3. Not good odds. Even worse odds when you are part of that three. That was me the day of the Superbowl.

Chris and I decided to go to Bufflo Wild Wings to watch the game. He likes the big screens and I was convinced it was one place that there would be at least a handful of Bears fans. We were worried about being able to find a seat so after going to the early service at church, we scarfed down some food and headed to the restaurant. We arrived around 12:15 with a deck of cards and in good spirits. We knew it was going to be a long afternoon since the game didn't start until 6:30. We arrived and the place was already half full. We made friends with those sitting around us and I was appropriately abused by all of the Colts fans. The gentleman next to us informed us that he was actually a Bears fan. It was difficult to tell with the screaming blue jersey he was wearing. He said he was wearing Bears boxers. I opted not to see them.

The restaurant was a sea of royal blue and there I sat with my Bears hoodie and hat. I was told by many that I was brave. I partially agreed. Thankfully many found me acceptable since I was actually a Chicago native. That is how I was dubbed in church when I was pointed out in the middle of the service. Chris was kind enough to tell after the service that he knew I had been embarrassed due to the three shades of red my face turned. And I thought it was due to the heat that was radiating off of my body when the entire congragation turned around and stared at me. But I digress...

The beginning of the game began with me screaming and jumping up and down after Deven Hester scored a touchdown. I figured that since I was the only one (the other two Bears fans were no where to be found) I needed to be loud and proud and make up for the small number that I was.

Note: I did have a girl come up to me wearing a Bears shirt and she gave me a high five. My excitement lasted about 10 seconds when she informed me she really didn't care who won and cheered for whomever had the ball. Dumb girl!

In terms of the rest of the game, I don't want to talk about it.

If any other team in the NFL had to win besides the Bears, I am glad it was the Indianapolis Colts. It has been fun seeing the city celebrate their win. It is also nice to see my husband so happy. And yes, I took down my Bears flag and Chris has three days to celebrate with only his flag flying from the house.

It isn't easy being a Chicago Bears fan in the heart of Indianapolis but it has been a great football season.

Kinda creepy

Not too long ago I was trying to figure out what key words I could use in Google to get my blog to pop up. In case you are interested...none. Or at least I still can't figure it out. Anyway, while on my search, I discovered another blog. What is a bit odd is how much we have in common. First, we share the same name which is a bit unusual. Not only is it the same name but it is spelled the same way. Second, we are both counselors. She is an admissions counselor and I am a mental health counselor. Granted it isn't exactly the same thing but pretty darn close. We are both 28 years old and I discovered her grandparents live in the Chicagoland area. Crazy!!! I wonder if she is a Bears fan too? Last...and I swear I am not stalking her but I simply looked at recent posts on her blog, we have the exact same toothbrush. Coincidence? See for yourself. Her blog is torreysblog.blogspot.com.

She is a much more dedicated blogger than I. Maybe she will inspire me to write more than twice a month... :)

Superbowl XLI

We are officially the house divided.

Of course the Bears are going to win but I won't rub it in...much.

Vegas

I spent the first week of January in Las Vegas working at the Consumer Electronics Show. Being that I never attended camp as a kid or worked as a camp counselor, living with four other women and spending a large quanity of time with about 25 other women was quite the experience. The weekend was full of drama, backstabbing, gossip, and the occasional racial slurs. If I hear, "Because I'm from Hollywood" again, I think I might hit someone.

In the limo on the way to the convention the first day, a few of us were talking about how old we are. I asked the girl sitting next to me who was obviously younger than yours truly, how old she was. She was the first to inform me that, "I'm from Hollywood and we don't say how old we are." I told her to get over it.

Another girl yelled at and disrespected our agent's assistant. When she was approached by our agent, she denied doing it even though there were multiple witnesses. The next day she decided to quit, refused to leave the condo we were all staying in, and wrote a multiple page letter saying how she was "verbally terrized" by the agent's assistant.

It was quite the weekend.

Thankfully there were some good points to the week. I managed to make a bit of coin and also made a few new friends along the way. Hannah, a good girlfriend of mine that I have mentioned in previous posts, and I shared a room and a bathroom. She helped me keep my sanity.

I am not much of a gambler but I did throw away $2. I spread the $2 over the course of two days and came away with nothing. In this picture is Breana and Janay, both of whom I got to know over the course of the trip. This evening started off as a walk to get a bit of exercise and ended in the Flamingo where I spent one of the $2.



The only other night I went out was quite an adventure. A group of us be-friended a very kind dancer who was hired to work the same booth at the convention we were working. He seemed to know everyone in the city and was considered a local. He invited us to Studio 54 in Vegas and promised us free admission as well as VIP access. I laughed at the initial invitation since dance clubs are not my scene. I am more of a homebody and like to go to bed early. I have to admit it was quite a rush to go to the front of the line to get into Studio 54. We were given dirty looks from the 40 people in line, especially when we didn't have to cough up any money. We were given more dirty looks when we walked through the club and made it to the VIP section. This is a picture from the evening. I had a great time and even made it to bed by 1:00am.



The best part is that the check I earned should be arriving soon and will help to pay for the roof we are having put on next week.

Update on potty training

When Chris and I moved out of our townhouse, we discovered the cats had been peeing on the carpet. $500 and an irritated apartment complex later, we moved into our house. I swore that if our cats didn't get it together in the peeing department, they were on their way out. We laid our a tarp under their litter boxes and hoped for the best. Mistake. Big mistake.

The first step in potty training is to move the litter box (now one instead of two) to the bathroom. If we want them to actually use the toilet, we need to get them to start going the bathroom in the bathroom. In moving the litter box to the bathroom, we pulled up the tarp in the office which where their little box used to sit. Gross. Disgusting. Horrendous. Alright, it wasn't quite that bad. Nothing beats the smell that seeped from the carpet when we pulled up the tarp at the townhouse. But nevertheless, this is MY house. We are no longer renting and I really really really care about what happens to the carpet. And now, thanks to Moses and Mijo, the office has a twinge of cat pee odor.

I can't decide if I should make mittens out of them or if I really need a new scarf...

Decision, decisions.