i'm feelin' it now.

Oh yes, the day after a car accident.
only comes in second in crappiness to the day it happened...
I'm sore. I mean I hurt...bad.
But only from my armpits up really, so there is an upside!
a run-down for those of you who might be interested:
-the inside of my elbows and biceps (I assume from absorbing the impact on the steering wheel)
-my shoulders
-my neck (oh and it hurts something serious...the two muscles that run down the front and the two that run down the back...oh man, oh man, they are sore.) Can't turn my head all that well...speaking of my head...
-my head. the back. it hurts. but eh, it's sorta normal in my life.

The rest of me? Feeling pretty good. After a nice hot bath and a fairly good night's sleep, I'm feeling pretty good.
Too bad today is freight day and I will spend approximately 8 hours unloading heavy boxes and putting out frames.
Awesome.

In better news, J (my friend you are praying for, yep, him!) is coming to dinner Friday night. I promised hamburgers so I better get started on what to make with them. In my personal opinion, I make a mean homemade hamburger.
I learned it from my mom.
Anyone want to make suggestions for what I should make with them?
Anyone?
How about my one reader from the Philippines from yesterday?
Or maybe the one from some European country?
You guys have to have some good food advice...
I love Google Analytics.

i've always known.

I knew it from the beginning...I've always known I married the right person.
He is amazing...he worries about me when I am in a car accident, he calls me 5 times to make sure things are working out and I'm having an OK day, he sounds wonderfully sympathetic when I almost burst into tears every time I talk to him.
It was a long day...and when I got off work and came home, it was sealed with sweetness and kindness. Chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven, a sink empty of dirty dishes, and a bathtub full of hot water and lavender salts surrounded by candles. He is wonderful.
I married the right man, I've always known.

not kidding.

Oh well...I didn't make it to the dentist this morning after all.
A car wreck got in my way.
Yes, I'm fine.
No, it wasn't my fault.
Yes, I hit the car in front of me but it was because I was pushed there by the car that slammed into the back of me.
Yes, I am testing out my new car insurance (they are going to hate me).
My car is drive-able but I am taking it someplace this morning to make sure that the rear end damage isn't going to hinder my driving (like my now-concave muffler, just for example.)
I'm just shaken and upset. I didn't get a ticket...bless the Chattanooga Police Department officer that responded. He was kind, pleasant, and understanding. He even said he might rather get in a wreck than go to the dentist too.
Funny man.

before I go.

Just thought I would write a quick one before I head to the dentist...ugh. I mean, I love having clean teeth but I just hate going, waiting, getting in a room, waiting a little more, having someone's hands in my mouth while they try to talk to me, waiting some more, a few X-rays, and then paying. Ugh. Thank you God for dental insurance.
And to top it all off, I have a headache. Yes, I have already taken medicine but I am completely weaned off my prescription for migraines and I just literally live in fear that I am going to have one and not take any Tylenol in time and be curled up on the bathroom floor like in the past. Let's pray against that one for this morning! I had big plans to go to the gym after my dentist appt. and before work but I can't go get my heartrate up with a headache like this...I can even imagine the throbbing!
Wish me luck.

oh yeah...

I meant to tell you, October 5th is my "blogiversary". Sadly, I will be in the woods and not blogging for almost a week but maybe I can get Chad to do a little Happy Blogiversary update for me. Any ideas on what I should do to celebrate?

car-full.

It is going to be a good morning...got up at a decent hour, have a car-load-full of stuff to take to Goodwill from this house, going to the gym, then work at 1. Did I mention that we are cleaning out? We've lived here a year and are still cleaning out. I mean, someone else has to do most of the cleaning out but I can surely deliver stuff to goodwill! Most of this load is kitchen stuff. Since there are duplicates (triplicates? quadruplicates?) of most kitchen things - don't ask me how that happens - we've been able to clean out a lot of stuff and send it on. I have tried to be very careful to make sure we kept atleast some things because I know we won't always live in a kitchen that is fully stocked like this was when we moved in. Either way, I'm pleased as punch to not have that car-full of stuff still in the house.
Did I mention that I am going on another one of these crazy hiking trips with 7th graders again next week? I convinced my boss that I needed another week off to go "teach skillz" in the woods but in all honesty, it is more enjoyment than work. I mean, it IS hard work...hard hiking, hard questions for the kids, teaching/explaining things like 20 out of 24 hours during the day. But it is totally worth it. And I get paid to play in the woods. Please God, hold off on the rain for a few days. I can't hack being wet constantly...I have to start making my packing list. This trip is one day shorter than the April trip so that will be nice (meaning the hike is one day shorter but we still do ropes course, etc.) I think it will be fun...I also managed to get the Saturday before and the Saturday after the trip off. I will probably go down the Saturday before (this Saturday) and hopefully hang out with my parents and bff Jess for a while and then I will have the following Saturday off to recover and enjoy my Chad for a day.

nice try.

We had big plans for church this morning. We picked out a few new churches we wanted to try...we've enjoyed the church that Chad's parents go to but it is all the way across town and 40 minutes to get to church is a little much...time-wise and gas-wise. We decided on a few and have plans to give each a few weeks and then go back to the ones we liked the best. I am still so attached to the church I am a member of in Columbus that it will be hard to find one that I feel so comfortable in here. We are also open to suggestions. So that was the plan...was. In past tense.
Then a call came in about 1:30 this morning. It was Megan...she was out with friends and her car wouldn't start (poor thing...car trouble has been her middle name these past few months). She wasn't ready to come home yet so I told her not to drive home (if she could even get it to start...the headlights wouldn't come on!!) and to call me back and I would come get her. 4AM came and she was ready to come home...surrounded by people who were...having so much fun...that they could barely tell us how to get to where she was. Thank God for a GPS. So at 4:30 this morning Chad and I were driving downtown to find Megan and pick her up.
So, no we did not make it to church this morning.
Bummer.
We are going to try to get some stuff done around the house today, take the dog for a walk at the park (I think we are all suffering from cabin fever because of the rain), and get to the grocery store (two weeks later...there is no food in the house!) and then hopefully get to the service at Chad's parents church tonight...
Google Analytics appears to be up and running...fun! More information than I ever knew I could get on you, my readers. It's so interesting. I might spend more time reading about my stats than blogging now (kidding! I would never do that!)

it gets weirder.

Apparently, my Google Analytics (which I have been unable to load and tried again to load tonight into my HTML stuff, so we will see how it works...) thought that it was up and running. I had a huge surge in activity on Sept. 11 - the day I blogged about getting my Tennessee tag and title.
Just a few weird things about this one...it has no activity before or after that day (mostly because I never actually put the HTML in correctly so it never loaded...) and all 11 hits (up from 0 the day before and after, yes ZERO) were from Brazil.
Yes, Brazil.
11 hits from Brazil.
The internet is creepy.

counting.

I replaced my Stat Counter at the bottom of the page and started off with "0" again...I had like 12,000 hits (I was shocked...but admittedly, probably 3/4th's of those are mine!). I am curious where they are coming from and I can't figure out Google Analytics still sooo...I am trying another website that was much more user friendly.
Come back and visit often!
No, seriously, please!

weird.

Something weird is going on with Blogger...
when I added pictures to the last post, with the intention to explain what each was and organize them in a logical manner, it put all of them in there in computer language but when I hit "publish" it is ok.
I couldn't organize them, move them, give them captions, etc...it was all just written in computer language. Words but no pictures so I guess I will explain what they are...
Picture 1: It is a piece of "art" I made to hang above my shelves that I reclaimed from our closet. Chad cleaned them off recently. Again...free art! I covered a canvas in plain green fabric and pinned these three vintage brooches (that I bought a while back to put on purses that never got made...one day!)on some ribbons and stapled them to the top of the canvas. So this one sits on top of the shelves...you'll see it later next to a picture of Chad and I. One of my favorites.
Picture 2: My paper covered jars, idea thanks to Dani! I put all my markers, paintbrushes, and colored pencils in jars and then covered them with funky paper I had in my card making stuff/paper fans project left overs. So they are cute and add a little color to the shelves. On the top shelf is two boxes of jewelry/bead stuff and on the second one is a basket I had laying around upstairs that now houses all my paint!
Picture 3: More of the paint basket. The bottom shelf is a three drawer organizer I already had that has paper and glues for card making. The boxes to the left are paper punches and more stuff for card making. I still have a whole tool box (like full size tool box, for real.) of stamps and stamp pads that will probably live under the edge of the sewing machine table (which I will show you later. still a mess!)
Picture 4: A farther back picture of the top half of the shelves. You can see the "brooch art" and top shelf. On the right are all the sewing supplies (thread box, etc...all pretty much passed down from my mom. She's awesome.) On the left is ribbon tied packages of complete projects ready to put together. A messenger bag for my sister (so no, sorry Sis, I haven't started it yet. I will...soon. Really.) A laptop sleeve for myself. And a Christmas present for my sis (not the bag. that would be lame of me.) That's why you don't get a close up of this one.
Picture 5: The before picture of this corner. I know, it should have been first. Sorry. Sorta anti-climatic now.
Picture 6: A close up of the fabric on the two panels on the other wall that I did last night.
Picture 7: The two panels from last night's post hung together. They are in the opposite corner from my new/old shelves but have the same green color in them as the brooch art piece. I actually bought the fabric to go together at one point.

So that is all so far...sorry about all the scrolling up and down I know/hope you are doing right now! I love you even more now...

a photo update.

that's a joke.

No, I did not get up at 7:30.
That's hilarious.
Did I even say that last night?
I can't quite remember.
But yes, I did stay up until almost 2am working on projects/pacing, trying to decide where one project is gonna go, so 7:30 was far too little sleep.
I am up now though and ready to jump into high gear. I really hope I get everything done that I would like to get done today...
and I get to have a date with my hubby.
Any fun suggestions?

ugh.

I can't sleep.
Ugh. Big ugh.
I went to bed earlier when I said I would, I promise.
It is because I haven't been to the gym in so long and my body is literally so tired that it aches.
As I laid there sweating under a cat (she may be small but she produces a lot of body heat!), I had a eureka! moment like my mother.
I'm not sleeping, I might as well get up and do something.
So I did!
Project #1 is done.

I had some scraps of fabric that I love and a couple of canvases that I painted on forever ago, just playing around and I needed some new art in my life.
I just cut out rectangles big enough to cover the canvases and folded it over the edges and stapled it on to the back of the wooden frame.
I took pictures and I will show them to you tomorrow but I am typing on the Mac and it won't load up my pictures at the moment (something I am going to have to fix if this is going to be my photography computer!). For this particular part of the project, I did two diffferent sized canvases and hung the smaller one above the larger one to see how it would look. I really like them and it was free! Made from things I already had laying around! Free art! I have a couple more canvases that were sitting around gathering dust and a drawer full of remnants from HL and scraps from other projects so I will do a few more tomorrow. I hung these two in the dining room/craft area. Tomorrow I will also be buying another one of those 5 drawer plastic organizer things. If the dining room is seriously going to be my craft area, I am going to have to be able to organize it a little better. Shelves and bins or something...work on that tomorrow too.
Emily, you want to come over and organize? It doesn't pay anything...maybe cookies or something.

fake out.

Ok, so I am gonna blog after all...my shows are over and I am about to go to bed but I thought I would give you a preview of tomorrow. I am off work (frankly, this day off is hard earned, well deserved, and much needed. thank you Hobby Lobby.) and I have big plans. I am going to get up with Chad. Ha. Ok, here is how our mornings go...no matter what time he has to be at work, it is always earlier than me. Even though now they have gone back to their "winter" work schedule (where he only works an 8 hour day but he has to work Fridays again...bummer) and he gets up at 6:30 and leaves the house about 7:30...he still gets up before me. Now most mornings that I have to open I am atleast up and in the shower by 7:30 but I get that extra half hour of sleep.
Worth it.
Totally.
I should get up and hang out with him but he walks the dog, eats breakfast, etc...none of which I am really interested in watching him do.
I know.
I should.
But I don't. Sorry.
So anyway...he has this cute tradition (please, please don't tell him I told you!) that he comes and snuggles with me for like 3 minutes before he has to leave.
Yes, fully clothed. And I struggle to stay awake (but only so I can remember what he talks about later in case he asks but he usually doesn't talk because he thinks I am asleep).
Please insert a huge "Awww..." and a "gag me." here.
Thank you.
Now that we are back to reality...and I am getting up at 7:30 on my day off like a crazy person, after my morning snuggle with my sweet husband...
here is what I am going to do tomorrow...
1. Clean up my craft stuff in the dining room.
2. Clean up someone else's pile of crap...I mean, lovely belongings...in the dining room.
3. Work on a craft project that should take minutes but hopefully will satisfy my desire to cheaply redecorate for a while. A day. Or a minute. Maybe both. Hopefully longer but we can't always get what we want now can we...?
4. Go to the gym. I miss it. I can feel my muscles atrophying (is that a word Dani?). Oh good...I made up a medical term.
5. Cat to vet in the PM. She is still making gross coughing/hacking/gagging noises though (thankfully) I have seen no evidence of the results (which is actually more worrying. Hairballs are normal. Hacking with no results is not.)
6. Grocery store. Things are getting desperate in our fridge. And pantry. I could barely make a legit lunch for work today. And that's sad because my favorite food is peanut butter and crackers. And sliced cheese. But not together. Ew.
7. Hang said craft project. I will show you.
8. Put up pictures of before and after in dining room. I will show you the hidden wedding gift for Dani and Ryan. It is the part I made. The rest has to come in the mail. No, Dani you can't see it in the pictures. Just the edge of it. I think it is so darn weird and cool that I might make one for myself. It's edgy. Ok, not so much. But cute none-the-less. I just like to believe I'm edgy. Some days.

Don't you love my "To Do list" posts? They are my favorite.
Almost like you are holding me accountable for getting all that stuff done.
Ha!

Don't tell her I told you but my mom's birthday is tomorrow.
What did you just say?
Oh yeah...she is one of my three blog readers so she already knows I told you.
Darn it.
Well I called her today because I thought I forgot her birthday and I was in tears (because of that and other stuff but mostly that...).
She kindly informed me that it is tomorrow, not yesterday.
And I wasn't so upset.
Until she told me that my dad's birthday was yesterday.
And now I feel like a crappy daughter.
I can't ever keep those two straight...so
Happy Late Birthday Dad!
Happy Early Birthday Mom!
Sorry I am such a bad daughter!
I will make you handmade cards and send them in the mail.
You should frame them.
At Hobby Lobby.
Support my habit (no, not drugs...buying more craft stuff!).

Oh by the way, are you praying for J? Cause I am.

sorry, nope.

We are watching Bones and Fringe.
No blogging tonight.
I tried.

it's coming.

I will blog tonight.
I promise.
Ok, maybe not promise...I will try.
I have to go to WallyWorld and the grocery store after work so don't get your hopes up.
I know...you were waiting.

Please keep my friend...we'll call him J...at work in your prayers. I feel seriously burdened for him. I talked to my Bff Jess last night and she made a good point that guilt is not from God but knowing that I am burdened for him and being willing to literally go into battle for him is from the Holy Spirit. Please, please pray with me today as he might cross your mind.

there is this song...

There is this song that is constantly playing on the Christian music station that I listen to here in Chattanooga...it is basically the only station I have found worth listening to, although they do play too many commercials for my liking. (I just want music...give me the Jesus music!!) Anyway, this song has a chorus that ends with "Child, you're forgiven and loved." - I don't know who sings it or what it is called but it has so struck a chord (no pun, sorry.) with me the last few times I have heard it that my eyes get so blurry I almost have to pull over.
Child...that's me, a child of a very alive and living God. A God that is full of grace and mercy and beauty on the bad days.
You're forgiven...how simple. I am human, thus I sin. I hurt people who love me, I hurt people who don't love me, I am selfish, hard-hearted, and fuzzy-minded - and that's all on my good days. Come on..we all are. But guess what...I'm forgiven. Wow...
And child, you are loved. Me. God loves me. Other people love me (even those people that I constantly hurt and take for granted...they still love me.) I am loved. It doesn't get any better than that. Love is the only thing in the world that heals hurts. Love is the only thing that will create world peace and convince nations to lay down their arms...turning their swords into shovels, to plant and create a better world for us all to live in.
Child, You are forgiven and Child, you are loved.

There is this younger guy at work who shared a little part of his life with me yesterday and basically broke my heart in two. His story, one of pain, hurts, and generational curses, is so unfamiliar to me - I am so blessed.
He is the reason I am at Hobby Lobby.
It took a year of me wondering and knowing that God's plan was bigger and deeper than my plan.
But he is the reason. Being his friend, sharing my life and my family with him, basically loving on him (in the God-sense) is the whole reason I am there. I know it might sound "hokey" (my mom's word, love it.) but I truly feel like the past 24-hours I have spent in desperate prayer for him is the entire reason that I work there. So, no, my time there isn't up yet. I think I understand so much better now. I can see clearly now...I know I have been vague but I don't think it is appropriate here to tell his story but please, please be in prayer for him. Pray that the strongholds in his life will be broken and He will be able to see how much HE is a child who is forgiven and loved.

by request.

By special request of my mom, I guess I will give you guys a post.
She said I must have had such a nice weekend that I didn't have time to post but in truth, I had time and chose not to post. I decided that my time with Chad is so limited and precious that I would spend the whole day Sunday just hanging out with him and enjoying his company.
Which I did.
We drove around town and looked at some houses that we saw online and thought we liked (no, we are buying soon just getting an idea of what's available and price ranges). Some we marked off the list as soon as we drove up (the words "as is" in the description should have given us a clue. And who paves their whole front yard!?). We ate good Japanese food, watched far too much TV (but I do love NCIS!) and just veggged out in general. Chad got a ton of stuff done around the house while I was at work on Friday and Saturday - he is always embarrasingly productive on his days off while I tend to do a load of dishes, read a good book , and call it a day. He's wonderful.
It has been raining for days here...I mean days. I am watching Gwendolen and Wooby drive each other crazy and even though they aren't outside animals they seem to have a little cabin fever - maybe there just hasn't been enough sunshine but they are either sleeping or chasing each other around in circles. We need the rain but our yard is becoming a swamp and the ditch beside our road could probably be used to go kayaking. Are those class 2 rapids or class 3?
Both my parents have birthday's coming up in the next week (don't tell that I told you) and my mom actually gets to do something cool for hers...well actually, it isn't for her birthday and it actually falls on my dad's birthday I think but still...it's cool. She is going on the Honor Flight to Washington D.C. with a veteran from our hometown. Basically, a bunch of veterans and their children (or someone else's children, or cousins, or nieces, etc. Family in general.) spend the day - leave in the AM and be back that night - and fly to D.C. and tour all the major memorials, see the changing of the guard at Arlington, cry together, laugh together, tell stories to each other, and remember people they loved and some they lost. I am so excited that she will get to go - her travel buddy is a 93-year old gentleman from my hometown so I think she will have a great day, both of them honoring someone else or each other. So, have fun mom! She seems to be a regular frequent flier now that she is happily retired. I love you!
Not too much else to report this rainy morning...I am going to go fold the 3 loads of clothes that Chad washed over the weekend (he is wonderful but he thinks that is half the work. He thinks that sorting them and putting them in the washer then moving to the dryer is a lot of work so I should have to fold them. I told him I wanted to trade next time. I really dislike folding clothes. Ask my mom.)

its a good morning.

We came home after dinner last night (where I had a really good salad...I mean really good. I love salad and this one was gooood.) and watched Thursday night's Fringe episode. It was good but confusing, as always. I think the producers really just don't want you to figure out what is going on!
This morning I got to sleep in (until almost 9am...wow!) and then we have been hanging out watching NCIS. It is a lot of TV for two days, especially for us, but it is still rainy and gross outside and we have been enjoying just veg-ing out together. I love my husband and I really love being able to just hang out with him and have his undivided attention. We can talk and laugh and just enjoy being together. Weekends are amazing.
Gotta go to work now and close by myself in the framing dept. Wish me luck!

whoa.

It's date night at the Irwin house.
What did Chad plan?
Dinner with his parents.
Wow.
and then?
"Whatever you want to do."
Whoa.
He's a planner.
Dork head.

Here is how our most recently conversation went...
paula: I just feel like I am watching better news because they have accents.
chad: it's just the BBC.
paula: hey, it's just better!

Gotta love it.

Going to eat dinner with the in-laws.

sad face.

I really dislike going to work on days that Chad has off.
Like today AND tomorrow for example.
I don't mind it most other days because there isn't anyone at home to hang out with anyway but on days when I know I could be hanging out with him, I just really don't want to go.
And add to that I will be working in the framing dept. by myself all morning today and all afternoon tomorrow, it could be a bummer kinda weekend.
A bright spot, you ask? I open today so I get off at 5. Megan is taking the GRE this morning (say a prayer for her please!!) and then they are going to a movie with their parents (something I am not all that interested in seeing) and then she is going out of town. What does that have to do with it, you ask?
Everything.
We get the house to ourselves for another weekend. Just the two of us (no, not making castles in the sky.) and the dog and cat (so I guess it is just the four of us...making castles in the sky.)
I told Chad that I didn't care if he stayed in bed all day and didn't do anything but he needed to actually PLAN something for the two of us to do together tonight. I don't care what or when, I just want to hang out with him and have his undivided attention for a while. This is the man who proposed by saying "So, do you want to get married or what?" so I am not expecting roses and a candlelit dinner but he gets to make the plans this time.
I have to go dry my hair and make a lunch...hope your weekend is wonderful!

nightmares.

I have nightmares about things like this happening...our cable (TV maybe?) won't work.
Bones came on 20 minutes ago.
Fringe comes on at 9.
I can't watch either of them.
I have waited months, literally months, to watch these two season openers and now I can't.
I am about to cry.

and for today.

I am off work.
I am so excited...I needed a day off and Thursday is a good day to have off. I would rather have Friday off because Chad is off and we could have hung out but he hopes he will be able to get off work at 1pm today so atleast we will be able to hang out this afternoon.
Meg and I have big plans for some shopping and hanging out today...I did some research online and found a little store here in town that sells one of the things that I want to get Dani and Ryan for their wedding present (yes, I know. I should have given them their gift already but I am both forgetful and desire to give people fun, unique presents but still things they can use. I know, new sheets are wonderful - I've said so myself - but let someone else give them wonderful new sheets. I want to give them something more personal, mostly because I like them so much!). But obviously, I can't talk about what I am getting because Dani reads my blog (she is one of my three readers!!) but just know that I am going to pick it out today but probably won't be able to pick it UP today.
So we are going to do a little shopping and hopefully the only thing I will buy is their gift because I don't need to be spending money willy-nilly for no reason. And then we are going to get some lunch at a fun little North Shore place (haven't picked yet...will let you know) and then she has to come home and study for the GRE (which she is taking tomorrow morning!) and I can do some work around the house. I have a little craft project planned for Dani and Ryan too so hopefully I can finish it in time to send it with the thing I am getting today. Whoohoo...

yes, i would.

For clarification, yes, I will eat an Oreo Klondike bar with a dog hair on it.
After removing said dog hair of course.

Story:
I was eating a Klondike bar. The fabulous Oreo kind.
I kept the bottom half in the wrapper so it had a handle (doesn't everyone?).
I was sitting on the couch using the computer (here...) and my ice cream fell out of the wrapper.
On to the table.
I promptly picked it up.
It had a long white Stinky Sweet hair on it.
I ate it anyway.
After I pulled off the hair.
Is that gross?
No, Oreo Klondikes are just that good.

struggling...

Not really struggling with life but mostly just with a blog topic...we all know how it went last time I asked for help (thanks Chad...) so I think I will just work on this one for myself!
My cat likes lettuce. Are cats supposed to eat lettuce? Is it ok?
She stole some off the counter and ate it.
And apparently enjoyed it because she came back for more.
Interesting.

I am exhausted tonight...8 hours solid of unloading, unpacking, and putting out framing freight. It is heavy, fragile, and dirty work and I am tired. Instead of just my feet hurting, now my hands and my feet hurt pretty bad. I am sure I will feel it tomorrow but it is my day off so I can sleep in and go to the gym at my leisure. I think I will swim tomorrow...I like to swim so much that it never feels like a work out - just feels like fun. So, thank you God that I have hands to use and legs to stand on even though I wore them out today!

happy!

Yesterday was my awesome friend Dani and her sweet husband Ryan's 1 month anniversary...happy anniversary (month-aversary? is that what you called it? perfect!). Wow...what a reminder that time flies by. Cherish those little milestones...!

So much has changed since Chad and I had our one month-aversary. We were both unemployed at the time, livin' on love as they say. We thought we were gonna move to VA and then that didn't work out but we got married anyway! (we decided that was a little far from our families and the job Chad was offered wasn't worth the hassle...). How things have changed...

headed to the gym then work. I work the odd 11-7 shift today and my M-I-L S. said she was coming to see me to get some things framed. No pressure or anything. Please keep my parents in your prayers as they are still traveling about up north...

so far it's working...

Here's today's update for my part...Chad's will have to wait.
Work was great today. Even though the lead framer (and the only other person working today) was still home sick with a stomach thing (ew.) and I was there by myself from 9 tp 5, it went great. People were patient with me, I got everything done that needed to be done, and the customers were also really pleased with the work I did and things I finished up for them on the spot today. I am feeling a lot more confident after my day alone, knowing that I can handle it on my own when I have to. I had to text the other two girls a couple of times with questions (mostly about the mat cutting machine that is computer run and disagrees with me sometimes on the finer points of mat cutting!) and I was unsure of some measurements on one order so I got a second opinion but all together I think things went really well. Whew...sigh of relief. I know it all doesn't seem like that big a deal but feeling comfortable and confident is really important to the caliber of job I feel like I can do so it was a good day.
Chad, on the other hand...I don't think his was quite the 180 degree turn around that mine was. I talked to him on my way home and he was still at work and expected to be there a couple more hours. So much for pampering him with home cooked dinner and some NCIS...there was something about a double-wide trailer. I think they were helping to move said double wide but there is always the possibility that there is just a double wide in the road and he is stuck up on the mountain for a while!
More later I suppose...

a request.

I have two things I share with you, with the hopes that you will be in prayer for Chad and I today...you guys are part of our community and today, we need you. Chad would be super embarrassed that I am sharing it with you but he doesn't read my blog and doesn't have to know! :)
I will do mine first since it is quicker...I am a little stressed out about work today. I open up in the frame shop so at best, I will be by myself until 1pm when my "relief/help" comes in BUT she is the lead framer and called in sick yesterday. So, if she doesn't feel better today, I will be myself all day. Yikes...I am nervous. I know I can handle it but I have such a desire to NOT make mistakes or make customers unhappy that I am really nervous about not having backup for questions I don't know the answers to or things I don't know how to do.
Second, please, please be in prayer for Chad and his work situation. He believes that he has decent job security but he dislikes his job so much he has considered quitting. There is a lot riding on his job around here (our insurance being one of them) but I told him that I would support any decision he makes. He knows that it is nearly impossible to find employment in this current economy and if nothing else that will keep him where he is but I don't want him to come home so unhappy every day. We would be OK without that income but it would change a few things about our lifestyle and ability to save the money we have been able to save over the past year. I believe that daily happiness is more important than money in the bank (which won't be an issue, thankfully) but I also know that God puts us places where we aren't always comfortable for a reason. Please just pray that he will either stay where he is and find a little more happiness or that something else will turn up in all the jobs he has applied for recently. I know that we both desire God's will for our lives but sometimes that patiently waiting game is very frustrating, especially when we see friends graduating from college and immediately getting jobs they desire and enjoy...please pray that we will both be content with out current circumstances and listen to the heart of God to make changes.

a re-read, do-read.

I am reading "The Irresistible Revolution" by Shane Claiborne.
Again.
For the 4th time.

I have never, ever in my life read a book four times and still enjoyed it.
But I am. Enjoying it, that is.
Loving it really...the first time I read it was in India, my team passed it around for weeks so I sped through it trying to get it to the next person. I immediately bought it upon returning to the US and have since read it two more times and loaned it out to a few people who I thought might like it...one didn't give it back (really ok with me though, it's that good but it means I am on my second copy.) It was probably a good thing that I read it the first time while in India because I think my heart and my head were working really good together during those days and were really open to the new, amazing, perfectly sensible ideas.
I hope they still are.
This time, I am highlighting my favorite parts. It's time. I tried not to before because I was loaning the book out and I hate to "push" my favorite parts on people who haven't read it before but I think I am done loaning it out for a while so it is safe to mark and share my favorites.

So, for the next few days I think I will share with you some of my favorite parts, just quotes for you to think about really. If you are interested, you should just go get yourself a copy and read it (sorry, you can't have mine. I am reading it!) I can't even sum up the book for you in a few sentences but basically he is using stories from his life to explain how "unconventional" (by today's standards) Christianity needs to make a comeback, how communities need to take care of each other a little more, and how love needs to be our guide. There is a quote by Gandhi that goes something like "I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians, they are so unlike your Christ." That's really what this book is about...how as Christians, we should give up worrying about what to call ourselves and worry more about living like Christ.

The part I was highlighting today (reading while on the bike at the gym...I do love to doubletask)...was about injustices happening in the world. People always question why God "allows" bad things to happen, or injustices, or evil, etc...but the better question that Shane asks "You tell me why we allow this to happen. You are my body, my hands, my feet."
Whoa...sorta turns things back around to face you...if we are the hands and the feet of Christ, we have control over how people are treated (or mistreated), how people are loved (or unloved), cared for (or ignored). How will WE live is the question?

oh monday.

It's bad to the real world today...ugh. I was really enjoying my Sunday off with my sweet.
I close at the HobLob today and it should hopefully be my first day officially in the framing department, meaning that they won't call me up front to do stuff or send me to fabric just because. They will have to deal with it without me. Woohoo! I can finally learn how to do stuff that I will actually need to know how to do when I am left alone back there (As of tonight, for atleast an hour and more tomorrow...eeek!)
Megan and I went to the gym this morning and it was awesome to finally be back to doing some cardio after taking about a month off (accidently...no reason but laziness!). I haven't been sleeping all that well again so getting back in the gym will hopefully clear all that up (if that cat will leave me alone at night I would also be much better off!). We came home and did our ab workouts at home so we could use the exercise balls here that aren't covered in germs...

My mom and dad left this morning for Iowa, by way of Chicago, so say a little prayer for them as they travel. They are going to see some of my dad's family that they haven't seen in a while but in all honesty, dad isn't that great of a traveler. Between bad knees/other health problems and a what-shall-we-call it...shorter tempter?...I am hoping they have a good trip. Mom is pretty versed in dealing with him after all these years so I am sure they will have a good time.
My day off this week is Thursday (yes, I have to work two Saturday's in a row which is probably my lot in life now...ugh) but I am already looking forward to all the things I am going to get done (including sleeping in!).
Gotta go jump in the shower...and tame the unruly hair beast.

three's a charm.

There is this little saying that goes something like "third time's a charm"..I'm sure you've all heard it. Well, that was my day at the HobLob today. When I got to work they told me that they needed me in fabric until the next person came in at 1 so then I went to eat lunch and came back and immediately got on the registers and then got sent to framing and fabric and framing and fabric the rest of the day. Like the run-on sentence? Me too. That's how I felt all day...like a really bad run-on sentence.
I'm tired. End of story.
We are all at home (the fabulous four) talking about what we are going to do for dinner...The Terminal sounds good to me.
Chad is out for his long run today (14 miles?) and then we are going to eat...nice, relaxing night.
I can't wait.

nothing going.

Our time alone has come to an abrupt end...Megan and her parents came home last night (we sorta weren't expecting them until Sunday) so we are back to having lots of other folks in the house. Ok, by "lots" I mean Megan (and Jay coming today) but still one more makes it seem like a lot.
Yesterday was lovely though...finished everything we needed to get done except the folding laundry part. I guess Chad was right...I do really hate to fold laundry and he knows that!
Wooby has a little cough thing going on so the vet gave her some antibiotics and hopefully it will clear it up...sounds nasty and I am sure she doesn't feel good so I am hoping those meds work fast.
Not too much to say...going to work. It is my last day working with someone in the framing department so I am pretty nervous. There is SO much that I still don't know how to do so hopefully we can review that stuff today so I can atleast take custom orders and stuff while I am there by myself.

so good.

I know this is three today but bear with me...
atleast they are more normal than those few a couple of days ago.

I wanted to share some good news...I think it is ok to share because I truly don't think that ANYONE who reads my blog will care than I shared this good news and not the originator of the news (meaning there isn't really much life cross over...people know me and her but no worries...).
All through high school, I had three best friends. Jess, Jen, and Beth. Towards the end of high school and into college I added on Dani and I truly believe that I have 4 best friends. It's normal! Jen and Beth got married about three years ago and Jess and I were in both of their weddings. Dani just got married a month ago and I was in her wedding too! (this is just a catch up for those of you not keeping up with my life quite as well...)...and yes, that means Jess is next. More on that later...anyway, now that we are almost finished marrying off the gals, it is time to start with the next life step (oh come on...how many times did you ALL hear these questions in the following order...1. When are you getting engaged? 2. When are you getting married? 3. When are you having a baby?
So, one of the gals and her sweet husband have decided that they are tired of question number 3 and they will just be able to say oh..."sometime in April" now! Congratulations Beth and Kris...she called me today and says she is pregnant and could not be more excited (and me, I'm just plain grinning for her!). God is so good...

all done!

Finished with most of the errands! We had a very successful trip to the emissions place, I passed! Then we went to the courthouse to get the title transferred over and the new Tennessee tag. I had everything I needed in a little folder and the lady even said that it was the easiest, quickest, and smoothest transaction she had done all day. That makes me feel both proud and organized! I was missing a second proof of residency because I didn't know I was going to need one but conveniently I had my voters registration card in my wallet so it wasn't a problem. Go us!
I already put the new tag on so I am offically a Tennessee resident...a year later! Although, I am a little sad because I did lose my ability to drive crazy and change lanes whenever I want because I can pretend that I am not local! (ok, I didn't really do that but it was always a good excuse...'I'm not from here! Sorry!"

Taking Wooby to the vet and doing a little drive around town...fun days off!

on the books.

The plans for today (oh did I forget to mention that Chad and I are both off work today, enjoying a day of getting things done together??)...
-go downtown and get the title for my car transferred to mine and chad's name (from my dad's name)
-go get the emissions check done on my car so I can get a Tennessee title and tag (pass emissions! important!)
-go to the tag office and get my registration and tag for tennessee (I'll be offical!)
-take Wooby to our vet for her post-op check up (she's mine, all mine...but I wouldn't have said that at 5am this morning when she was complaining in the bathroom)
-do three loads of laundry (and crack down and make myself fold them and put them away instead of letting them sit there and hang out)

Chad just started reading over my shoulder and made a rowdy outburst "That's a lie!". He says there is no way that I am going to get all that other stuff done AND fold three loads of laundry. Fine...he can fold.
(Then he says "that's usually how it goes". He's a turd head, making insane claims.)

now He is calling me a potty mouth. Oh whatever.

I am going to put real clothes on and get going if I have loads of laundry to do along with all that other stuff...

speedy.

A quick update...working today, off tomorrow, and work again Saturday.
I am ok with it since I will be off with Chad tomorrow and he will be teaching for the Red Cross on Saturday (he checked my schedule first to make sure it wouldn't be my Saturday off before he committed to it...what a sweet guy!). I am still in framing this week, I didn't run a register but a couple of times yesterday when they really needed me but I opened and put out ALL of the framing department's freight. It is a good way to learn where everything goes, what it looks like, and generally what we have available but I feel like I could be learning that stuff anytime. I really wanted to spend this week learning the basics of the department and as of right now I only know how to put a hanger and wire on the back of a picture frame (Although I did use the staple gun a couple of times yesterday...good times. Terrifying but fun. I will let you know when I hurt myself...). Hopefully today will be full of information and my brain can retain all of it! The two girls that already work there are so accustomed to not having to explain things as they do them (take orders, put together frames, etc) that I think it is a little hard for them to teach me how to do it. It is easier for them to just do it themselves but it doesn't help me learn how! I am working on reminding them that "um...can you explain that as you do it?". I am a visual learner so hopefully that will help...and me asking 1,001 questions.
Not too much going this weekend...A and I went out after work last night to celebrate her last day at the HobLob. It is a little bitter sweet but we will still hang out so it's ok.
Chad and I have big plans to do a lot of nothing tomorrow (and by nothing I mean take the cat to the vet, check on his parent's cat across town since they are still out of town, get the title to my car transferred over, get insurance on my car and I am sure I am leaving something out. sounds like a lot of nothing huh?).
Excuse me while I go pry the cat off the back of a chair...more later.

Oh H.

Discoveries about my "new computer"...
the "H" button does not really work all tat great. it takes me about tree times to get it to type out and put an "h" were it belongs.
seriously.
tat was a real sentence.

so eiter i will start just leaving te "h" out of my words or i will take tree times as long to type a post.
you don't realize how many times you use an "h" and how funny words sound witout it.
I find myself typing really really HARD to make the button work.
And changing words so that I won't have to use it!

So work. The new store manager moved me to the framing department. Yes, I know.
Framing.
I'm cool with it.
I get to learn something new, I will get certified as a framer (a useful skill in the real world, I am sure of it.), and I won't have to really run a cash register much, unless they are desperate (which I hope is never...).
I started back there yesterday so it is public knowledge so I guess I can talk about it now.
My hands hurt. I know, that's weird but all I did really was put paper and wire hangers on the back of like 20 frames. So my poor little fingers are hurtin' today.
He also moved a ton of people around to new departments. Mostly they were already in those departments but he split up responsibilities. That is the easiest way to explain it...until now, there was one person who was the head of two or three departments but then they had to have two other people help them order and put out that freight. Now, those two or three other people are going to just be the department heads for those departments so it is less responsibility for the original people and more responsibility for the people who were doing it anyway. Atleast credit will be where it is due and there will be less stress in general.
We need less stress in that place.

Going to the Dr. this morning. A checkup for the migraine meds. I have been on them 6 months and I think he hopes to wean me off...we will see how it goes. Please pray that we have "broken the cycle" like he hoped and I can move on without taking the meds every single day, just when it is needed.

hand-me-down.

I am currently using my new (to me) hand-me-down computer.
I am a PC.
I am a PC user, lover, believer, and friend.
But currently I am using a Mac (PowerBook G4 to be exact).
It is a hang-me-down from Meg. She got a new one when she graduated in the spring and got a friend to clean off her old one and gave it to Chad and I. it is a little newer than my Dell (not by much) but I have heard great things about the Mac and how it is used for digital photography. Since I have all my photography stored on an external hard drive, it should be easy to use this one to edit pictures and blog, etc. I have a LOT to learn about the operating system, what keys do what, etc but I think it will be wort my time.
Currently though, the battery is dying and I don't know where the charger is.
Help!

feels like...

After three hundred somehow feels like new territory...not too much is gonna change around here but it just feels a little different...like maybe I am somehow gonna stick this out a while.
We'll just have to see...

It has been an absolutely wonderful, fabuolouso weekend. Chad and I have just hung out around the clock, doing stuff we wanted to do, needed to do, and just did just because. We finished the strawberry jam (I ate some later after it being refridgerated for a while...you guys might not see any of that stuff. not because it is all that great but it is um...thick? I mean seriously unspreadable thick. What did we do wrong? It tastes great but is pretty much borderline concrete. Jam concrete. It's new!). We canned tomoatoes today...went well but I think we could have stuffed more in the jar. There is quite a bit of extra space now that they are finished....hm. Ponder that for next time.
We started sanding the adirondack chairs...now that the lovely pressure treated green color has been bleached out by a summer in the sun, we are sanding and sealing. Not changing the color with a stain but just giving them a little better waterproof defense against all the other weather they will encounter. We cleaned up in the kitchen something serious...moved stuff around, boxed up two full boxes (plus some) of wine glasses. No lie. And we don't even drink wine. Remember us? Stinky Sweet Brewery? Yes. We are beer folks. The kitchen looks amazing. I can actually see countertops everywhere and after moving stuff around in the entryway from the living room it looks so much more open and organized. I didn't get around to our closet and bedroom but I've enjoyed spending time with my husband which is far more important. Closets and folding clothes can wait...
Some interesting changes at work. I got pulled into the new manager's office on Friday before I left and we talked about some changes for me. Nothing bad but not going into specifics until it is finalized because he asked me not to and I don't really know who reads my blog. I do know that there is a new front end suprvisor (which is what I am...offically a "customer service manager"
so there will be some shifting around to accomodate old folks in new positions.) I will let you know as things progress....
Going to finish doing the dishes and cleaning off counters and then we are going out for dinner so we don't have to clean the kitchen again!
Happy Labor Day...I hope you all got to spend good quality time with your families like I did (minus a few folks but family none-the-less).

300.

This is my 300th post.

Whoa.

Seriously.

I mean, I did post around 14 times yesterday but that was an attempt to explain the insanity that is a Friday night at my house.

Today, however, is much more normal.

Chad and I did this...

Made strawberry jam...and canned it.

Woohoo!

4 jars...there might be some lucky recipients out there!

And then we will be doing this...

Canning tomatoes...

and green beans.

But right now....there is a lot of this going on.

Please note that there are three of them...dog on left, boy in middle, and cat on right.

Oh wonderful Saturdays

Paper was on sale at HL this week so I added a few more fans to the wall in the dining room.

I'm thinking about going across the top of the window to the left and down the next wall so the fans sorta surround the window...might be a little much but it might look cool.

I'll let you know.

I think Meg is going to Gaitlinburg with her parents (the inlaws) for a few days so we might have some quality time...that would be awesome!

he is so weird.

Chad has these weird bug bites on his leg. I keep telling him NOT TO SCRATCH them.
He said...
"There have only been 13 reported cases of scabies in Whitwell so I'm not worried yet."

That just came out of his mouth.
Yes, I am married to him.
No, he does not have scabies.
That would be gross.

edited.

Chazzzz (he said "please put lots of z's. extra z's to go around...z's for everybody. cause i'm cool like that") says to please ignore all the typos in the previous post. (that was NOT a typo)
He didn't say the typos.
My fingers did.
Trying to keep up with the confusion.
And please read it with an accent.
Also reading aloud the punctuation marks. Including the ellipses. Which he called "comma, comma, comma Carmelina" (meaning carmelion). No relation to Carmen. (hey A, give "Chaz"...which is apparently a new name for himself...he has a job for you since you quit HobLob.)
Oh dear.
And we haven't even been drinking the first homebrew. (actually, that's a lie. we each had a sip and it was gross so we poured it out. It wasn't a Stinky Sweet. We didn't make the crappy beer.)
I think the possibilities of a three day weekend is making us giddy.

pet your friends.

You can pet your pets.

And you can pet your friend's pets.

But can you pet your friends?



Chad picked the blog title cause I told him he could.
And then he wouldn't give me any information about what it meant.
So that is what I came up with.



What follows is literally the conversation when I let Chad write my blog...word for word, stream of consciousness...the italics are my thoughts interjected, trying to figure out what in the world he is talking about.

This is my weirdest blog ever.



"Ok, Today's lesson class...

::pregnanant pause (no i'm not pregnant, the pause is...)::

We return to the early-mid-nineties.

For those of you that missed out on a little song called "counting blue cars" by dishwalla...you should check them out because they are amazing and they will change your life. They are right there with...oh fudge...
::singing, trying to remember the name of the band to compare with::

they are a classic 90's song...right up there with Blind Melon's song "No Rain"...and if you haven't seen the video for THAT song, you gotta go watch it. You have missed out! If I ever dress my dog up for Halloween, it will be like the little girl in the video, shoes and all. Better luck next time Wooby.

Not that we don't love you kid.

And now, as with every blogging....what do you call them....(paula says "post")...post, we come to the time in our class for the homework assignment. Tonight it will be to go to surfthechannel.com or your local video store (which if they are worth their salt, they will have this movie) and if they don't you need to find a new store. Strongly recommended. You need to rent the movie "Where the Buffalo Roam" ::oh my gosh, were were really leading up to this? He wants me to promote a movie that I HATE on my blog? Possibly the stupidest, weirdest, I-only-made-it-20-minutes-in-movie?!?:: It is the first of what will soon be three movies. Now I must warn you, you must go into this with an open mind. And expect to get absolutely, utterly completely, positively, diabolically nothing out of 99.9% of this movie. Or its other two counterparts.

However, for those of you who have the constitution ::did he just say constitution?!:: to see it through there will be one part, no matter how short, that will be utterly profound and quite possibly life altering. ::utterly?:: (Paula asks...what part? are you gonna finish?) Chad says...I can't tell you that part, that's the homework assignment!

And lastly, for the vast majority of you that do not like this movie ::atleast he agrees::, you'll see the bats soon enough."



That was our conversation.
And then he proceeds to say "we are watching that this weekend".
Crap.

sweet and sour.

If Gwendolen is Stinky Sweet, then Wooby is Sweet and Sour.
That is her new nickname.

so here we are...

Chad feels better enough today to go to work but not great...knowing that today is their short work day and he will be off by 3 makes it a lot easier to bear.
Me, on the other hand, I feel worse. Much worse. Am I going to work, you ask? Yep. Do I work a full day. Yep. Do I have to work tomorrow? Yep.
It sucks.

yuck.

Wooby's surgery went fine..she is offically ours now. But now she is just left feeling yucky for a few days. Her incision looks great...really clean and well done but she also looks freakishly skinny. I mean, I realize they went in and took stuff out but seriously (!!) how much did they take?!? I also know she hadn't really eaten anything in about 24 hours so I am slowly giving her handfuls of food so she won't eat it all at once and make herself feel worse.
Speaking of feeling yucky...Chad and I were discussing the beginnings of sore throats last night and this morning we are both in full blown grossness. I feel terrible...like it hurts to swallow terrible and my voice is starting to sound funny. Chad is already there (maybe he was a day ahead of me, meaning I got it from him and can somehow place the blame for this one!) and decided that bed was a good place for him today. He is calling in sick but I am scared to...I know how it would look to a new manager (unreliable, etc.) so I am going to go to work sick (probably a mistake because I will feel worse and I am probable contagious. Sorry Hobby Lobby folks but I can't risk NOT going). I will atleast make my boss aware that I don't feel all that great so if I need to call in tomorrow it will be more legit.
Dani and Ryan's wedding pictures are up online...and they are fabulous. I mean truly fabulous. Lindsey, once again, did a great job of making us all look great when in truth we were hot, sweaty, and exhausted (plus a little rain!).
Going to dry my hair. And sweat.

her big day.

If the time/date stamps on my posts were right (and I think that they are not), you would notice that I am blogging at 6:38 am.
Yes, in the morning.
What, you might ask, are you doing up and blogging at this wee hour?
Today is Wooby's big day!
Sorry, yes it does involve a little painful surgery and a few days of healing and being calm (will that even happen in our house?), but she gets to be offically adopted at the end of the day!
She will finally become an offical member of our household...no more of this "we are just fostering until we can adopt her" business!
She will offically be Wooby "The Woobster" Irwin.
Oh, Joy!
The only really sad/crappy part about the whole thing is that she has to be dropped off between 7 and 8 am (no problem, as I am closing today and don't have to be at work till 1 again) but she has to be picked up between 4 and 5 this afternoon. Small problem seeing as how Chad and I will both be at work...Wooby's Aunt M will pick her up but still, she will sign the adoption papers instead of me or Chad. Small bummer.
It's ok though because at the end of the day she is ours, all ours, to love, love, love.

Oh, and I got up an extra hour early to hang out with Chad while he got ready for work. It is the only quality time we will get today. And the same for most days.
Small sacrifices that are totally worth it.