Promises...promises.....

Before you read my post, you have to PROMISE not to steal my idea!  Okay?  I would seriously cry and be devastated.  Promise???? Good!  :D

I know that in my last post I promised to write more -but as you've hopefully realized, my schedule and I don't always see eye to eye.  It wins, mostly...I lose, mostly.  So when I told you about the challenge, I intended to be right back, but was stuck doing my schedule's bidding.  So enough of that -are you ready for my idea?

Remember last week when I posted about the Husband Challenge?  No -this is not a challenge to get a husband.  This is a challenge that helps you work on communication and loving language -allowing you to realize how wonderful your spouse is, even if it's difficult time in your lives.  Trust me -this was a God send!  We're both students, working 30+ hours a week, and the communication department was definitely losing out.  So my proposal is heart felt, honest, and serious!

I would like to start a blog that concentrates on healthy communication in relationships, problem solving, and story sharing.  It would be a lot like Two Of Us (which is a favorite website of mine), but using challenges to encourage us to keep working on our marriages, and stories from other women to help us, keep our heads up, and to make us laugh (and probably cry).

So you want to know how in the world you'll have time to do this (I'm asking myself this at this very moment, but I think I'm too excited to worry about that...)?  Easy -trade-offs!  Each woman has a period of time that she runs a challenge, or shares a story, or posts scenarios.  After that time, she passes it to the next woman, and so on and so forth.  It can be as involved or relaxed as you make it.

So -here's the shout out to all the good women out there.  Who's with me?  :D

E-mail me at br.priester@gmail.com!


Hope to hear from you soon!!!!

The Husband Challenge!

Photo by friend, JRD Photography!

Happy to September my wonderful bloggy friends!  :)  It is my belief that the BEST things happen in September...mainly my birthday.  This means presents.  Briana + presents = *squee!!*  (if you don't know me very well, I'm sure this seems very selfish.  If you do know me -then you know that I'm not kidding when I say that I LOVE presents.  No joke...).

So last time I posted (I won't even link to it...it was grumpy!), I griped about my lovely Mr.  He really is quite wonderful, but sometimes men are completely clueless.  Can I get an Amen?  Can I get a double Amen for their house cleaning cluelessness  {that sounds like: Amyamennnnn!  Just in case you were curious....}?  What I failed to tell you was that as he was unconsciously picking a fight with me, he was trying to relax from a stressful day, just like I was.  We all have those right?

Just today I was invited to do a brand new kind of challenge.  It's called the "30 Day Husband Encouragement Challenge".  When I first got the invite on fb, I had a little laugh to myself thinking, "I don't need a challenge to remind me of how wonderful Mr. is!"  But then I started reading.  And then I felt like a jerk.  And then I realized that this is EXACTLY what we need to help us make it through the Semester of Doom (we're both finishing up coursework and exams, and he's starting his dissertation!).  He's working as a bus driver, shuttle driver, and soccer referee, and I'm working as a care giver and soccer referee on top of both sets of our school work.  This doesn't leave very much time for us!

This life doesn't leave very much time for me to look for opportunities to tell him how much I appreciate him.  Now I have 30 days to do just that, and hopefully the rest of forever to learn to appreciate him as we grow together.

Who's with me?  I'll post more about the challenge tonight!

Keep on keepin' on!

Why cleaning the house makes me crazy.

Be prepared -you're probably going to laugh, and then feel sorry for me.  Let me just tell you that it's okay to laugh and not feel those things -he has it coming....

This was me three weeks ago (minus being amazingly
beautiful and being C Z-J...just sayin'
source

Three weeks ago....
Me:  (determined....)  You know what, babe-
Mr: No -what?
Me:  Even though school is starting, I'm really going to try really hard to keep our home a priority for me.
Mr:  What do you mean?
Me:  (enthusiastically)  You know -cleaning up, keeping things tidy, staying up to date on all the chores.
Mr: (nervously) Yeah?
Me:  (excitedly) Yeah!

Fast forward to tonight:
Allow me to set the mood.  He's freshly showered from a soccer game and eating dinner.  I'm sitting on the sofa trying to learn two more songs so that I can pass my guitar exam (we have to memorize almost 50 songs.  For someone who's strictly a music person -not words -this is the hardest thing I've ever done....).  He asks about an important meeting I've had, and then responds to my statements with his unrequested observations.  Sometimes this is helpful, however, I'm not asking for help -I'm studying.

Get the picture so far?  He's asking for it...right?

Me: gets up from sofa and stomps into kitchen and proceeds to bang dishes and slam drawers (not like -really slam, but make noise so that his Fox news -that he's leisurely watching -is drowned out by my poor complaining kitchen).

10 minutes and a clean kitchen later (yeah...I'm that fast....)...

Mr: Thanks for cleaning the kitchen, babe.
Me: *dirty look*
Mr: It looks really good....
Me: *dirtier look*  (you see, he didn't even get off the sofa....)
Me again: (very irritated) So -do you have free time tomorrow?
Mr: (wryly...) I suppose....
Me: Well -don't let me interrupt your schedule, but can you please go through your things and determine what is necessary to be save and what can be put away?  (because he's got massive stacks of stuff that is spread all over my house.  Books, magazines, not to mention two double basses that are currently living in MY living room.)
Mr: (exasperated and annoyed sound) Sure (now he sounds curt...like I care...)
Me: Great -because the hard wood floors are going in soon, and we need to move everything this weekend.
Mr: Fine.

Me now -except maybe a little more crazy looking....
source

Ok -so you would think that after all of the psychology and counseling courses I've taken that I would know how to get what I want, right?  How to word questions and phrase demands so that I end up with the desired result...?  Well -this is the same every bloody time I go to clean the house.  Maybe this is why I never do it, and then get upset because I have a filthy place to live.

This makes me want to laugh myself into hysterics.  Then cry.

This is why cleaning the house makes me crazy.  Feel free to laugh at your leisure.

Wedding fever....

"Matron of Honor" is a hefty title.  This means that you do things like plan insane bridal showers and choose wedding music for someone else's wedding (you know who you are...).  These things are done with love and the best intentions, and I hope that Diva H enjoys the process of planning her wedding, with just 5 weeks to go!

To you, my sister...Diva H, I am proud to belong to you, and happy to fulfill my hefty title.  Hopefully it will overflow and not be half empty!  *giggles*

To you, my bloggy readers, here are some pictures of my first fulfilled duty: the bridal shower, shabby chic style.  Enjoy!

Diva H -she looked so beautiful!

Cupcakes -strawberry, almond, and lemon!

home made place holders from the proud momma!

centerpieces made by yours truly!  Let me just tell you -I was excavating cedar splinters for a week....

drink dresser that was lovingly carried down two flights of stairs.  no biggie -it was only like...150 years old.

{Missing from the above photos is the proud momma.  Her picture wasn't cooperating so I'll have to get one up later...sorry, momma!}

So -here's to the beautiful sister who is on her way to marrying the Mr!  (*giggles*  I crack myself up!) Love you tons and hope that I can be the best MtOH you'd ever hoped for!

First Day of School....

Today was the first day of school...for my last semester as a student for a few years.  I've been here before -knowing that I'm ready to embark on my new life, my new chosen career.  What is surprising for me, however, is the feeling of finality I'm experiencing along with this first day.

Looking towards the future reminds me of where I've been.  Looking back through my posts is an education in and of itself and I just can't believe how much I've evolved.  I'm not a particular fan of Darwin, but he sure got it right -we change when we need to.  In just a year, I've changed in so many wonderful ways.  I'll share my immediate list, and I hope that some of these remind you of some of the good things that you are too!  :D  Because as part of my blog, I hope that my posts bring you a sense of peace too!!!

I have become:
patient
a listener
a better fighter (not like...ring fighting or mud wrestling...just...less drawer slamming and "loud discussions" if you know what I mean....)
a better partner for The M
a better musician
a stronger thinker
settled
more calm
regularly happy (as is true to my real self!)
peaceful

I started this blog to help in my process of growing, documenting the journey of my young adult life.  I realize that it hasn't always been pleasant, but it's real, and that's all I can promise (and sometimes funny -I hope!).  Today marked a milestone for me -the first day of the end of the beginning.


I'm looking forward to a year of more blogging.....  We'll see.

Love to you all!

Counting My Blessings

It has been months since my last post.  I'd like to say that I've been too busy.  But that's only half of the truth.  I've been busy coping with life; that thing that always seems to pop up when I'm completely unprepared for it.  But tonight, as I'm laying in the my old bed, at my parents home nestled in the beautiful mountains of Virginia, I find myself freed of that frenzied feeling life brings on.  Perhaps it is the mountain air; or maybe it's not having to worry about the dog, cat, and my other favorite pet -the husband (*wink wink*).  Yes -the lawn probably needs mowing, the Mr. most definitely needs a hair cut, and there's probably something smelly in our refrigerator, but you know...it's quiet here and so am I. All of that quiet leaves my brain with lots of extra room to think.  A VERY dangerous process.

I was looking through the 16th birthday present my grandmother gave me.  It was a very professional looking scrap book and I remember the first time looking through it, I was afraid to touch the pictures.  Since then, some of the people in the pictures have passed on, and every time I come home I find myself drawn to tracing the lines of their faces and telling them how much they were loved.  I'm not sure how, but one of my 18th birthday cards from the BEST great-grandmother anyone could ever hope for slipped out of the back, right into my hand.  I laughed thinking, "I was just thinking about you today, Grammy!"  I was saying goodbye to the Mr. when she just popped into my head -she was laughing, of course, and I remember smiling and telling him that we'd call when we reached VA.

I've been so busy managing life that I'd forgotten completely about that silly birthday card.  And so -what else have I been neglecting?  As I'm laying here, I'm counting my blessings.  All of the wonderful things I have in my life, starting with my family, my freedom, and my faith.  My big dreams, and the little ones too.  Walking hand in hand with the Mr. being a good partner and helping HIS dreams come true too.  That I can truly say that I love my job, and my hobbies too (because who DOESN'T LOVE a Kindle??).  That we are finally settling into a "swing" in Bloom, and we are healthy and safe.

My blessings are big and plentiful, and I'm hoping that I can remember this when my troubles seem many, and my shoulders are heavy.  Maybe next time it won't take a birthday card to help me remember.

Keep on keepin' on.

Simplicity Photo Challenge: Flowers and Leaves

So as I was closing up shop tonight on the blogging thing, I came across

I have ALWAYS wanted to enter this photo challenge, but have never had a photo "good enough" (I'm a musician...this causes me to have astronomical standards by default!)!  I think I finally do!  Hooray!  I hope you like it as much as I do.

The story is that I was out on an adventure on the campus of St. Mary-of-the-Woods College during a cancelled class and decided to take some pictures for a school project.  This is one of the really fun ones!

Hope you enjoy and have an awesome Tuesday!

Self Care, take 1

Remember my last post?  About this self care project?  Well, if not -go read it!  It explains a lot!  :)  So since I have to turn this in for a grade (lucky me!), I decided that I should blog it, too!  Just because blogging makes me feel better.  So here is self care journal entry no. 1.

Self-care.  What a concept!  So easy....  Except -it’s not.  I created my menu of self-care things thinking, “I really like these things and they relax me.  They would be perfect for self reflection and introspection.”   No, actually.  I actually tried all of the things on my menu with little self-care success.  Taking a walk was too hot; baking something new (granola bars this week...) went excellently until I opened the oven and was greeted by a face full of black smoke (who knew oatmeal burned like that!)!  Playing my trumpet was the only successful activity in the whole lot until my face became tired from disuse.  

So I was stuck.  Here it was -Wednesday morning and I didn’t have my self-care project completed.  Needless to say I was feeling stressed out.  How is it that I am such a failure at self-care?  My husband would tell you that it’s the “southern woman” complex the women in my family seem to have.  It’s this: if you haven’t done everything you possibly can as perfectly as you possibly can, then you’ve failed.  I realize that this is unrealistic, but southerners are known for their hospitality so the logical conclusion to this would be that currently, I am not a southerner and this rule does not apply to me.  But -I’m also not necessarily a logical person.

As I was leaving to drive to school, I grabbed my camera.  It was on a whim, and my thought was, “I have free time today, maybe I’ll wander and take some fun pictures!”  I hadn’t been all the way around the SMWC campus, so I formulated a plan.  It was time to meet the Alpacas! 

We all hear rumors about spitting and of course biting, but they were actually very friendly and curious.  They thought I brought food, which for anyone, would be a little disappointing, but eventually they left in search of something more tasty.  

After meeting them I made my way over to the stables.  I was sweating and hot, and as I was walking I heard myself say, “this is such a beautiful day.  I’m so glad to be exploring.”  I actually stood still in the middle of the road (not that it was a busy road...but still).  I am not the type of person to be happy while sweating.  Or being hot...or tired, really.  But something about this situation was uplifting.  Perhaps it was the animals, or perhaps I managed to create a calm mental space for myself.  This mental calmness is exceptionally rare and is usually brought on by an eerily quiet environment and nothing to look at.  

The meditative “click” that my camera makes is calming.  It gives me the sense of capturing something living and having it in my memory forever.  My photos may not be perfect or professional and they certainly aren’t perfect (another thing that I seem to constantly strive for in every aspect of my life).  But there is something in them that allows me to remember that quite moment where I am still and uplifted.

************************************

I just finished the shoot for my second self care journal entry that I'll be sharing with you later this week! It's of things in my kitchen!  :)  Hopefully you'll like them as much as I do!



I hope you all are doing wonderfully!

Self-Care! :)

Hello, dear blog and blogging friends!  I have missed you all so much -I'm really glad to have time today to stop in to my own spot in cyber-space.  :)


Besides telling myself that, as a non-new years resolution, I would blog more (You see how far that non-resolution-resolution has gotten me!), not much has really changed!  Still in school, driving 3 hours a day, with the hubs still working right along side me with is degree too.  Haven't done many crafts, but have taken a few excellent pictures with a new friend who did a 365 picture blog.  I'm hoping to make some progress on the crafting in the next month, but....we'll see!  :)  I'm also hoping to sign up for softball (ha!)...but, we'll see about that one too!  


 My current inspiration for this blog post is an assignment that I'm having to do for school.  It's a self-care assignment that will turn into research for a Music Therapist.  I'm basically a willing guinea-pig.  Joy!


Here's how this project works.
First -you create a self care menu of five activities you will do.  These are intentional activities that you can do to help you focus on how you're feeling.  

Mine are:

-Bubble bath

-Meditative walk

-Playing trumpet

-Paint my toenails

-Bake something new

Once you've decided on your list, you pick a accountability partner.  Mine is a friend from school since this is a school project, but -once a week, you're supposed to "journal" about your chosen self-care activity and submit it for a grade.  This can be every day, but at least once a week.

That's where my blog comes in!  FINALLY -I have something to write about besides how busy my life is, and I can share with you all some of the excellent things I've baked.  ;)  So hopefully, we'll be seeing more of each other!

I'd love to do it with y'all if anyone wants to take 30 minutes once a week to do this with me!  :)

I hope everyone's having an excellent Monday!  See you soon!

This is...

a fly by post.

School has started -I'm running around like a maniac....and I might just lose my mind!  :)  Just kidding about that last part -that'd be bad for a music THERAPIST....lol.

Just wanted to drop in and say that I've missed you!  I hope everyone has an excellent day!

xo

Glass Half Full: 10 January, 2011

Happy Monday, everyone!


It's time again for Glass Half Full!!!  I'm hoping that I can stay on the ball this semester.  Don't get your hopes up too high, but I'm going to do my best for you!  :)  You know the drill (and if not, you can hop over here to read all about it!

Here's my story for the week:

After Christmas, I posted this.  Do you remember (if not, I still love you -promise!)?  I said goodbye to my "year of judgment."  I really did.  This is how I know.

I started back to school today, and I had all of those "first day of school" excited feelings without all of those "first day of school" expectations.  I'm not sure I understand exactly why this is, but it is, and I'm happy about it.  I also had no desire to do my normal nervous eating, like I usually do on the first day of school.

Along a completely different, but relevant line (I promise...), a long Christmas break is hard because we get off schedule, but this break has been good for me.  It's allowed me to determine what's truly important to me and what's not.  What type of relationships I want to have with everyone/thing in my life, and the types I want to avoid.  I truly came back from break renewed, which isn't something I can say about ANY of the other breaks so far in my life. 

So by now you're probably asking yourself why this matters -what makes this story a "glass half full Monday" post, right?  I don't blame you.

Here's the point:  Mind over matter.  I've started playing this positive -"live life, no expectations" tape in my head, and it's working.  Working REALLY well.

I hope you all have had a great Monday!  :)  If you did, share it with me, and then hop over to My Thoughts and Treasures for
and share your story with my friend Chantel!

Keep on keepin' on!

Briana is.....

Posting her very first post from her very first MacBook Pro.  Be excited, y'all.  Be REALLY excited.

Actually -I'm not sure how excited YOU should be...but I'm so far beyond excited, it's really quite....well...exciting.

Happy Sunday, y'all!

Remix: NYE

New Years Eve is magical for everyone, whether you're tucked in at home, or you're out on the town.  I was out on the town.  Murphy works for Pittsburgh Opera, so he was able to get us tickets!  The best part?  Two FREE tickets so my new friends Helena and Kurt could join us.  You'll hear about that in a sec.  I think I should tell you how the whole night went down.

Earlier that day Murhpy and I are exploring.  YAY.  That's really all we did.  We drove around looking at neighborhoods.  I LOVE to look at houses, except, "babe!  Look at that one!"  Response: *grunt....snort....sniffle*  Oh -yeah, that's a nice one.  Want to know who was which?  I was the very tired number two.  Poor Murphy....

After that thrilling adventure, Murphy takes me to dinner at Bahama Breeze.  Anyone know what that is?  It's like Cheeseburger in Paradise...?  It was okay -too overpriced, if you ask me.  Anyway...Closer to the gala I'm getting ready.  I did an excellent job.  I got my make-up AND hair done in an hour and a half, and  am ready to put my dress on.  Before I tell you how this goes down, just know that I love my husband, and he really is a great guy.

This is us:



I'm holding onto the wall -it's not a stripper pole, I PROMISE.  Murphy's using the bed for extra leverage... 



This is what we're saying:

Me: Okay, babe.  I'm ready for you to zip up the dress!

Murphy: Mkay -are you sure?

Me: Yeah ...why?

Murphy:  becasue you can't go to the bathroom after I zip you...

Me: *sigh* I'm fine.  Just zip.

Murphy: *starts zipping until half way* *starts grunting at half way* Geeze babe...I dunno....

Me: What do you mean, "you don't know"? 

Murphy:  it feels a little too small....

Me: excuse me?  (Getting angry now...you know....)

Murphy: you know the zipper...it  just...it's not moving....*throws up hands in frustration*

Me: is it stuck? have you tied the bow yet?  (Now I'm the two P's of death: pissed and panicked...)

Murphy: *ties bow, starts zipping, and resumes grunting*  Sheesh....oh man....uhmmmm....

Me: JUST ZIP THE DRESS

Murphy: I CAN'T ZIP THE DRESS

Me: WHAT DO YOU MEAN??  *desprately starts grabbing at fabric...*

Murphy: oh...that helps..

Me: *exhales*

Murphy: *zips dress* WHEW!

Me: *evil stair of death*

By this point, I'm complete sweaty and have little bits of hair falling down from the super awesome hair-do that took me 40 minutes to create.  But hey -a little hair spray, and a look in the mirror, I'm doin' okay.  The dress wasn't THAT small....  *cough*
...
So since he's working, we get there at least 30 minutes early.  I'm just sitting...waiting...he's doing bassist-stuff.  So finally it's getting closer to time.  It's the day I've been waiting months for -tonight is the night I get to meet my new friend.  Seriously though -we've been blogging buddies for a year, and she tells hilarious stories.  You'd be pretty excited too! 

So I'm sitting -staring at the door like a creeper and all of these beautiful, slim, done up women are walking in and I'm thinking -oh no -their dresses fit, they're SO going to know that I'm an imposter!  I'm a size 14-16 and they're going to know!!!!!  So I decide that watching the door was only damaging my psyche and picked up my phone to do important stuff.  Like facebook....


So I'm facebooking for a bit, until I'm self conscious again -I was the only one on my phone too....  Just as I'm plummeting towards the tunnel of despair (I have serious self consciousness issues, if you can't tell...and maybe some drama ones too...) I see them!  After a brief pep talk ("briana -you WILL not scare them...you will not scare them....) I went over to say hello!  She and her husband were SO wonderful and friendly.  It was seriously the easiest time I've ever had making a friend.

So after visiting for a few minutes, we went into the hall, talked a little opera, and watched the show.  It was excellent.  Lots of Diva's, you know.  I LOVE the opera; I could seriously listen to it every day for the rest of my life and be content.  I'm not sure why I started loving it, and maybe it loved me first...not sure.  Anyway -the show went on (had some meow-ing too!) and we heard some of the patrons participating too!  There was a snorer in the back (really funny -grunts and grumbles in all!), and then a very drunk and confused diamond-&-kimono pants suite-wearing patron came and plopped into someone else's seat, was kicked out, and then sat elsewhere.  It was HILARIOUS. 

After the performance came the party.  I LOVE parties.  This one included deserts (chocolate mousses, cakes, custards, cheeses, and tortes.  I got so excited I spilled my champagne all over the place (and probably on Helena too -she just wasn't going to admit it.  Sorry...)!  We danced for a bit, heard a marriage proposal, and danced some more. 

I was having some serious hunger issues, so we busted that hot-dog joint for some tasty Steak & Shake (most belovedly called Stake & Wait...)!  At this point, it was easily 1:30.  At S&S we talked about books, and crafts, sex shops and jobs while our husbands politely discussed careers, school, and music while shooting us dirty looks.  It's nice to know that our husbands like each other, right?  I also suppose that it's good that they KNOW they married chronic oversharers and to just ignore or redirect us.

After we'd exhausted ourselves (read: the husbands were getting too sleepy...) we hopped over to borrow some books (YAY for trashy romance novels!  ;) hehehe....), said goodbye and went our separate ways.

I admit -I was sad to leave Pitts on Saturday, but am looking forward to going back!  :D

Happy New Year, y'all!  ;)

Keep on keepin' on!

A Saturday Post??

Yep folks -I'm doing it...a Saturday post.  I never did them when I worked that desk job, and then I didn't do them when school started because I was doing my new job, but since I haven't started back to school or work yet (that's coming on Monday....*sigh*), I thought I'd clean up a few things for you! 

First of all -if you've never been around Priester's Peace, THANKS for stopping by!  I'm here with my cup of tea and hope you are too (mine's Chai...)!  I've recently joined 20 Something Bloggers, so if you're here from there, give me a shout!

Warning: this MAY be a long post...but will also probably be funny....since I haven't written it yet, I can't make any promises....

  

New Years was SO WONDERFUL.  I know I told you about my husband, but I really didn't tell you about me, which, as we all know is SO much more entertaining!  ;)  Just kidding, though -I'm not that egotistical...really!  But you'll have to wait for a different post, because I want to do it justice.  My gf Helena's already written about it here.  It's HILARIOUS.  Seriously.  You'll cry happy tears.

After New Years, we've basically been transitioning.  And reapiring my car.  Right now we're spending time with my in-laws, which is really nice.  They're taking care of us too.  I'll be sad and lonley when we have no one to take care of us.  That means I'll have to become...a real adult again!  Gahhhh!

Blog transition is almost over.  JOY!  I just need to double check and re-edit some stuff, and she'll be ready to go!  Glass Half Full WILL be back on Monday!  Stay posted!  Get your story picked out!!  :)

Now -on to the good bits.  *clears throat*

Fact 1: Some of you know I'm a "do-over" student.  This means that I have one degree, but am back in school to get a different one. 

Fact 2: I LOVE my toshiba notebook.  It's lasted me FIVE long and healthy years.  It'd last me longer, but I won't, if you get my drift.

So, knowing those two facts, I've been dying for a MacBook.  I don't care -toooo- much which type of MacBook it is, I just want one.  It's got amazing music software that would be excellent for clients and is really integrated so that I am able to keep all of the stuff together.  Well, over break Murphy has been complaining about my computer.  You, of course, know what my solution was!  BUY A NEW ONE!!!  heh-heh-heh....  He's not into that, he's more into you know....living within our budget and means, and making toshy (my toshiba...get it?) last as LONG as possible.  He's impossible...and that's impossible seeing as I'm this close *holds up fingers* to tossing it out the window. 

*clears throat*

So.  Since then (about two weeks ago or so...) I've been working my powers of persuasion.  HA!  For me, it's noting sexy or feminine.  I've been reasoning him to death. 

 Yep -that's how he likes it.  JK!  *giggles* 

I finally broke through the guard!  Last night Murphy took me to the Apple store in the mall.  We had a Mac-dude answer every silly question I had.  Seriously -they were like, "can I make a website?" and, "how do I write papers?".  He was really nice. 

So after an hour and a half -Murphy's hooked.

I'm getting a MacBook...

A MacBookPro.

*REALLY happy dance*

 Happy Saturday!!!

Keep on keepin' on!

Check, please!

  I started off posting two days ago feeling so...zen.  After the car fiasco yesterday, and some of the projects I have up today, my zen bubble has popped.  It's so popped it would blow your mind.  *sigh* 


Check for an order of zen, please!


If I showed you what I look like now, you may just cry.  All of my real life things are busting back in.  You know that disgusting feeling you get when you're coming off of vacation and submerging back into real life?  That's what I have -grossness.  *head nod*  I have requests to do this and that (and if not done fast enough, even more requests...), schedule concerns, work hours, session documentation, already not having time to Jazzercise every day like I planned, and that twisting feeling in my gut that I thought I'd lost.

The UPSIDE to all of this is that I realize it, did some Wii boxing yesterday, and am SO ready!  *play Rocky theme music*


Keep on keepin' on!





PS -I owe you a bunch of crafty photos!  Now they're on my computer, and I should have time to upload them, but ...don't keep your fingers crossed!  :0

Under Warranty

I love that life is so unpredictable.  Just like you can sit down to have a cup of coffee with a friend and see another old friend, or in this very specific case, you can be driving your car, just like normal, and hear a sound similar to that of a landing airplane.  Even more specifically, like the plan is landing on the roof of your car. 

This happened while we were in Pittsburgh.  Today, I took the car in to find out that it needed a new wheel bearing.  Michael and I were sweating it -that's a major expense for us...$1000.  *cold sweat*  Just a bit ago, I called to check in (read: "Am I REALLY going to have to pay $1000?!?!).  The very nice man told me that it was under warranty and that we owed NO money.  *swoon*

Just when you're not looking for those sweet moments in life, she surprises you and blesses you with what you truly need.

Cheers to your small (and big!) blessings! 

Under Construction!!

Just like my life, my blog is getting a make-over that I hope to have completed this week...sometime.  Please be patient with me!  Hopefully it's transformation won't give you the same headache it's giving me!  :D

xo-

Glass Half Full, 2011

 I realize that I haven't posted this linky party in AGES, so I'm just going to tell you a story with no expectations!  My hopes are to start this up again for uplifting tales for me AND for you, but for today, just enjoy my story, okay?  ;)

My husband and I are living the college life.  *cough cough*  The MARRIED...broke...college student life.  He's been having every sort of imaginable trouble with his program, and is handling it with such amazing Grace and Faith.  I however...have not.  I've been angry, justifiably so, and have been telling him how I feel about the whole thing.  "SOMEONE needs to cut you a break!"  "They OWE you a meeting...you're PAYING them to HELP you...."  Etc.  Get the picture?  There's SO much more to this story, but it's rubbish, and there's no point in flaying that fish right now.  The point is, I've been adamant about SOMEONE giving my husband some bloody help!

All this time, he's been working for every orchestra in the state of Indiana trying to make money for us to pay bills, while also traveling three months out of the year to Pittsburgh to play in the pit for their opera orchestra.  He's been a long term sub there, and very recently someone raised a fuss about him not being on contract.  Our immediate fear was that he was going to lose the job and what those ramifications would be for the rest of his career -teaching AND playing.  A true nail-biter, let me tell ya'.

We were there for New Years Eve.  The Opera has a gala, and so they hired him to play for it.  It was wonderful -singing, dancing, and desserts!  We even got to witness a marriage proposal!!!  So romantic.  This whole time, I'm worrying about his contract and job.  At the end of the gala he tells us (we're with some new friends!!!) that they've offered him a contract, and he'll become a full section player!!!!!!  YAYYYYY!!!  *insert all sorts of happy dances*

It was in this moment that I realized my dear, patient, respectful husband had received his break; and from the least likely place.  His unyielding faith and personal responsibility allowed him to persevere and win himself a job.  A REAL job.  I also realized that I wanted him to have some sort of forward progression so that I could move forward too.  That his door could open my door so we could move forward together.  The good news is that this is now possible.  The bad news is that I need to make peace with all of the bad things that have happened to him on his journey.  The second peace of good news is that this happened to HIM instead of me for a reason.  I'm not sure what that is yet, but I have faith that I'll figure it out.  That's the good thing about believing -you know you don't have the answer...YET.

 Happy Glass Half Full, friends!  I hope you have a Monday full of wonderful things!

Keep on Keepin' on~

2000-What?

 Dear Bloggers,

I write this post with a joyful heart, and with a little guilt too!  It's been since OCTOBER since I last posted, and honestly...I miss you!  I must admit, though, that this post is mostly selfish, so I'll get right to the point.

I titled this post 2000-what?  because 2010 is a year I am not proud of (mostly...).  I started this blog so that I could vent.  I'd lost my whole support system and was (and still am) living in a place I don't consider home.  Well, even though I haven't posted in months, I still consider my blog to be vital to my life, and in many ways, a "home."  I realize that my blog isn't important to you in the same ways it's important to me, BUT, as a fellow blogger and woman (I know there are men in blogland...just most of you are of the female nature...), I know you understand WHY I need this "home."  So....  I was inspired to write this post after meeting new friends for New Years and old friends for a nice long chat.  I am reminded of what my life is to become and what it has been, and I refuse to remind myself of the things I'm leaving behind by choice, or residual icky 2010 baggage.  I'm saying goodbye to 2010, and am thanking it for it's opinion, but...no thanks.

I said goodbye to a bad job.  I said goodbye to friends (some by choice, some not so much...).  I said goodbye to some bad familial relationships.  I said goodbye to the me that let people make me feel bad.  I said goodbye to lots of pride.  I said goodbye to cable tv (BEST choice ever...just sayin').  I also said goodbye to some of my faith (not necessarily by choice...).

PEACE OUT 2010.

This year, I am resolving not to resolve.  I am being honest with myself.  Why make promises to myself that I'm honestly not going to keep?  I am living my life with high goals and NO expectations.  I am loving my family, even if they can't love me back.  I am being a true spouse to my husband (because we all know he WAY deserves it).  And I am not going to be afraid of what I don't know.  God hasn't left me -I just need to remember keep my eyes open for him.


My friends and family lovingly reminded me that it's alright to not know; that it's alright for there to be a question mark in my life.  They reminded me that a past is the past and that a journey requires one step at a time (take a small bite of the elephant; it's not much, but you're still a bite closer...).  My family reminded me of unconditional love and compassion.  My husband shows me what I cannot show myself, and allows me to be what I am -good, the bad, and the ugly (although, according to him...there is no ugly!  HA!!  We'll see how he feels in 20 years....).  The family I work for shows me that life comes in all forms and it doesn't matter if you're not perfect.

Welcome, 2011.  I am embracing you with open arms and a free mind.  Give me your best shot, I dare you.



 Keep on keepin' on~