Have you ever noticed that, if you happen to be a typically upbeat, peppy, perky person, other people don't know how to handle it when you have a not-so-upbeat, peppy, perky day/week/month? *Sigh* Come on, people, I can't be perky every day!!
The last couple of weeks were not really happy ones as I just passed what is, in my mind, a momentous birthday. You know how rounding works? Numbers ending in 1 through 4 get rounded down, and numbers ending in 5 through 9 get rounded up? Yeah. Well, I'm now in the "round up" category. Not so fun. This year's birthday was a difficult one for me to deal with. For two weeks prior to my birthday I was miserable. I think made a lot of people around me miserable, too. It's just that it was one of those birthdays that causes you to stop and take account of your life, where you are, where you've been, and where you're going. And in my mind, I just wasn't where I was supposed to be in life by this age.
By this age you're supposed to be a fully grown up adult. I don't feel like a fully grown up adult. And there are days when I really don't want to be a fully grown up adult. There are days when it's just too hard. I still think of myself as being young...younger than I am, anyway. I realize age is a state of mind. Obviously my mind needs some adjusting because I know in my brain that I am *not* old...but lately I've felt old. You know how cars just magically start breaking down when you get a few miles past the warranty limit? I think that's what my body is doing.
By this age I thought I would be through law school and in a successful law practice. Um, yeah...that hasn't happened yet. I still want it to. Will it? I don't know. Right now I'm torn between law school and doing a PhD. Which one will end up actually happening? Who knows...I want to do both. I'm so indecisive! Going to school is so important to me and is a huge part of my identity. I love the learning process. I can't wait to get started on that.
By this age I thought I would have a larger family. Um, yeah...that hasn't happened yet either. I have learned that some things are just completely out of my control. For a control freak, that's a hard lesson to learn. Do I like it? No. Am I good at accepting it? Definitely not. Am I working on it? Yes.
But, as a wonderful friend pointed out, I have a successful career, a wonderful and loving husband, and two beautiful, smart, fabulous, well-adjusted children. Really, it's probably selfish of me to want more. I need to work on being satisfied and content with what I have and where I am in life. I have been richly and abundantly blessed and for that I am truly grateful.
I went out with the Divas for dinner last night. There are four Divas -- three of my dear friends from my first job in Georgia and myself. We don't get together as often as any of us would like, but when we do we always have a great time. I needed that last night. These three dear friends of mine always make me smile and laugh and recharge my battery. They spoiled me with lovely birthday gifts and we even got free ice cream at the restaurant since we were celebrating two birthdays (mine and the birthday of one of the other Divas). I don't know if these three women realize how much they mean to me and how important our connection is. I have learned over the last several years that women really do need to have close female friends. They fill a need our husbands just can't fill, no matter how hard they try. We can laugh together, cry together, whine and complain, just be together, shop together, or just sit and talk and it always makes me feel better. So to the Divas, I send a huge hug and heartfelt thank you...you made this particular birthday special for me and I am thankful for you. I see a shopping/card making day in our future, and I hope it's very soon!!!
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
A Wedding MeMe...
This is from Lammy http://www.upsaid.com/lammyann/(love her blog...I know her IRL and I have somehow managed to follow her from Yahoo Group to Yahoo Group for our church callings...LOL...I hope she doesn't think I'm a stalker!)....
1. Where/how did you meet? We met in Anchorage at church. We got to know each other in the Young Single Adults (YSA) Sunday School class my Dad taught, and through the YSA activities that my parents often hosted. So much fun...I found some pictures the other night from one of those activities and they brought back so many fun memories.
2. How long have you known each other? 16 1/2 years, I think. October 1990.
3. How long after you met did you start dating? 6-7 months. He was busy with basketball seasons (story of our lives!) and I was dating someone else.
4. How long did you date before you were engaged? 4 months.
5. How long was your engagement? 4 1/2 months
6. How long have you been married? 15 years
7. What is your anniversary? A few months ago....
8. How many people came to your wedding reception? I don't even know! I know there were a ton in Utah...they started showing up about 30 minutes early and were still coming 30 minutes after the reception ended! Our reception in Anchorage was smaller.
9. What kind of cake did you serve? Our cake in Utah was yellow or white (can't remember!) with raspberry filling. Our cake in Anchorage was yellow with buttercream filling, I think.
10. Where was your wedding? Utah
11. What did you serve for your meal? Ice cream sundaes, cookies, nuts, mints, and punch in Utah...finger foods in Anchorage.
12. How many people were in your wedding party? We didn't do the whole bridesmaid/groomsmen thing. Our families dressed in the wedding colors and each helped in a special way with the receptions.
13. Are you still friends with them all? N/A
14. Did your spouse cry during the ceremony? He got a bit teary-eyed.
15. Most special moment of your wedding day? Sitting together in the celestial room after the ceremony...and the sun coming through stained glass windows of the sealing room during the ceremony. It was a gray, overcast day and the sun popped out at the perfect moment. It was beautiful.
16. Any funny moments? At our wedding luncheon (after the wedding) my brother introduced himself as "Steph's Sister"! We still laugh about that one (well, everyone but my brother!).
17. Any big disasters? No, but we almost had one because my Dad thought he put all of my luggage on top of the wedding flowers in the van. Fortunately the flowers had fallen on the floor so they didn't get squished.
18. Where did you go on your honeymoon? Hawaii.
19. How long were you gone? 6 days
20. If you were to do your wedding over....I wouldn't get married in the middle of winter!
21. What side of the bed do you sleep on? As you look at the bed, on the left
22. What size is your bed? Queen
23. Greatest strength as a couple? Strong family/religious values
24. Greatest challenge as a couple? Finding/making time for each other. We really need to work on this.
25. Who literally pays the bills? I suppose both of us do. Mostly me.
26. What is your song? "Everything I Do (I Do it For You)" by Bryan Adams.
27. What did you dance your first dance to? We didn't dance at our receptions.
28. Describe your wedding dress? Very early 90s...Queen Anne neckline, long sleeves (leg of mutton, I think is the style), very fitted bodice and straight skirt, long detachable train...tons and tons of lace and beading. It was actually quite heavy because of all of the beading! Though it's hopelessly out of style now, I really do love my dress. I felt beautiful in it.
29. What kind of flowers did you have at your wedding? In Utah, silk roses, stephanotis, etc...in Anchorage, fresh roses and stargazer lilies.
30. Are your wedding bands engraved? No
31. How old were you when you got married? I was 19, he was 25.
You're all tagged!!!
1. Where/how did you meet? We met in Anchorage at church. We got to know each other in the Young Single Adults (YSA) Sunday School class my Dad taught, and through the YSA activities that my parents often hosted. So much fun...I found some pictures the other night from one of those activities and they brought back so many fun memories.
2. How long have you known each other? 16 1/2 years, I think. October 1990.
3. How long after you met did you start dating? 6-7 months. He was busy with basketball seasons (story of our lives!) and I was dating someone else.
4. How long did you date before you were engaged? 4 months.
5. How long was your engagement? 4 1/2 months
6. How long have you been married? 15 years
7. What is your anniversary? A few months ago....
8. How many people came to your wedding reception? I don't even know! I know there were a ton in Utah...they started showing up about 30 minutes early and were still coming 30 minutes after the reception ended! Our reception in Anchorage was smaller.
9. What kind of cake did you serve? Our cake in Utah was yellow or white (can't remember!) with raspberry filling. Our cake in Anchorage was yellow with buttercream filling, I think.
10. Where was your wedding? Utah
11. What did you serve for your meal? Ice cream sundaes, cookies, nuts, mints, and punch in Utah...finger foods in Anchorage.
12. How many people were in your wedding party? We didn't do the whole bridesmaid/groomsmen thing. Our families dressed in the wedding colors and each helped in a special way with the receptions.
13. Are you still friends with them all? N/A
14. Did your spouse cry during the ceremony? He got a bit teary-eyed.
15. Most special moment of your wedding day? Sitting together in the celestial room after the ceremony...and the sun coming through stained glass windows of the sealing room during the ceremony. It was a gray, overcast day and the sun popped out at the perfect moment. It was beautiful.
16. Any funny moments? At our wedding luncheon (after the wedding) my brother introduced himself as "Steph's Sister"! We still laugh about that one (well, everyone but my brother!).
17. Any big disasters? No, but we almost had one because my Dad thought he put all of my luggage on top of the wedding flowers in the van. Fortunately the flowers had fallen on the floor so they didn't get squished.
18. Where did you go on your honeymoon? Hawaii.
19. How long were you gone? 6 days
20. If you were to do your wedding over....I wouldn't get married in the middle of winter!
21. What side of the bed do you sleep on? As you look at the bed, on the left
22. What size is your bed? Queen
23. Greatest strength as a couple? Strong family/religious values
24. Greatest challenge as a couple? Finding/making time for each other. We really need to work on this.
25. Who literally pays the bills? I suppose both of us do. Mostly me.
26. What is your song? "Everything I Do (I Do it For You)" by Bryan Adams.
27. What did you dance your first dance to? We didn't dance at our receptions.
28. Describe your wedding dress? Very early 90s...Queen Anne neckline, long sleeves (leg of mutton, I think is the style), very fitted bodice and straight skirt, long detachable train...tons and tons of lace and beading. It was actually quite heavy because of all of the beading! Though it's hopelessly out of style now, I really do love my dress. I felt beautiful in it.
29. What kind of flowers did you have at your wedding? In Utah, silk roses, stephanotis, etc...in Anchorage, fresh roses and stargazer lilies.
30. Are your wedding bands engraved? No
31. How old were you when you got married? I was 19, he was 25.
You're all tagged!!!
Monday, March 26, 2007
Time Goes By...
Oh my, has it been a week already? I guess it has!
Last week was busy...as all weeks are. That's life in our family...always on the go.
Friday night DH and I actually went on a date. Wow -- the first in AGES! We went out to dinner and it was pretty good. Then we went to Bass Pro Shops to buy one of his birthday gifts. Two of my coworkers love Bass Pro Shops (really, it's quite unhealthy how obsessed they are with all things fishing) and I had heard grand tales of the mecca that is BPS. Aside from being surrounded by all things camouflage (yuck) and more fishing poles, fishing lures, and camping gear than I ever care to see again in my life, I have to say that the store wasn't that bad, in terms of visual interest. There is a huge fish tank in the center of the store and that was pretty cool. The landscaping around the outside of the store is nice, and the store was definitely decorated in a rustic way. The layout of the store, however, was confusing and left much to be desired. But it really doesn't matter -- I don't plan to go back! I'm so glad my husband isn't into bass fishing...
B had a soccer game on Saturday. She played well (considering she's much, much younger than anyone else on her team or the opposing team) and had lots of fun. We all got sunburns despite the glorious 83 degree temperature. Now, flash forward to September and add about 15 degrees plus humidity to the temperature...fall softball season is MISERABLE for spectators!
A and I went to the YW General Broadcast at church Saturday night. It was really good. I was sad that the turnout was so low...only 6 girls from our ward and 4 from the other. I'm hoping the other girls watched it at home since it was shown on DISH and DirecTV. It was really, really good. I loved Pres. Hinckley's remarks. He gave the girls a "recipe" for life, with just four ingredients:
1. Pray (personal prayers and family prayers)
2. Study (scriptures and get a good education)
3. Pay tithing (no-brainer!)
4. Attend church meetings
One of the men at church was there for part of the broadcast and he talked about this and said, "I can do 4 things!" I, too, can do 4 things. I need to resolve to do better and some of these things. Some I do pretty good with...but some others I really need to work on. But I *can* do 4 things!
Last week was busy...as all weeks are. That's life in our family...always on the go.
Friday night DH and I actually went on a date. Wow -- the first in AGES! We went out to dinner and it was pretty good. Then we went to Bass Pro Shops to buy one of his birthday gifts. Two of my coworkers love Bass Pro Shops (really, it's quite unhealthy how obsessed they are with all things fishing) and I had heard grand tales of the mecca that is BPS. Aside from being surrounded by all things camouflage (yuck) and more fishing poles, fishing lures, and camping gear than I ever care to see again in my life, I have to say that the store wasn't that bad, in terms of visual interest. There is a huge fish tank in the center of the store and that was pretty cool. The landscaping around the outside of the store is nice, and the store was definitely decorated in a rustic way. The layout of the store, however, was confusing and left much to be desired. But it really doesn't matter -- I don't plan to go back! I'm so glad my husband isn't into bass fishing...
B had a soccer game on Saturday. She played well (considering she's much, much younger than anyone else on her team or the opposing team) and had lots of fun. We all got sunburns despite the glorious 83 degree temperature. Now, flash forward to September and add about 15 degrees plus humidity to the temperature...fall softball season is MISERABLE for spectators!
A and I went to the YW General Broadcast at church Saturday night. It was really good. I was sad that the turnout was so low...only 6 girls from our ward and 4 from the other. I'm hoping the other girls watched it at home since it was shown on DISH and DirecTV. It was really, really good. I loved Pres. Hinckley's remarks. He gave the girls a "recipe" for life, with just four ingredients:
1. Pray (personal prayers and family prayers)
2. Study (scriptures and get a good education)
3. Pay tithing (no-brainer!)
4. Attend church meetings
One of the men at church was there for part of the broadcast and he talked about this and said, "I can do 4 things!" I, too, can do 4 things. I need to resolve to do better and some of these things. Some I do pretty good with...but some others I really need to work on. But I *can* do 4 things!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)