I gave up on making New Year’s resolutions somewhere around the time that I realized I was saying the same thing year after year and not much was changing(sometime around 6 years ago). For example, how many years in a row did I say I would write in my diary every single day only to still be using the same diary today that I started four years ago?
This year I’ve decided that I’m going to try again to give myself a few achievable resolutions/goals. Besides, if I write it here maybe someone will keep me accountable.
* sew a full-size quilt
* become a better photographer
* finish blogging about Daniel’s wedding and all the events leading up to it
* practice piano more
* make time in my schedule to cook, bake, sew and read more
* learn to decorate cakes and cookies well
* go on vacation with Katie, just the two of us
* write in my diary every single day at least three times a week
I reserve the right to add to and amend these goals to at any time.*
A few months ago I was attempting to teach my friend, John, some self-defence moves. He thought it was laughable because being in the Army reserves he “knows all about it” already. Clearly he wasn’t open to learning new things. Anyhow…I told him about if someone is looking to steal your wallet to throw it *insert large hand motions here* away from you as far as possible. If he really only wants the wallet, he’ll leave you to get it. Then you run(preferably in the other direction).
He has yet to take my advice seriously.
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We all know that what appears in your inbox is total truth so when I got this last week, I all but shouted “I told you so!”. And I quote:
“If a robber asks you for your wallet or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you. Chances are that he’s more interested in your wallet or purse then in you, and he will go for the wallet/purse.”
I seem to be the person who doesn’t mind doing or going to what most other people don’t like. For example, two of the biggies are graduations and jury duty. I have been waiting my whole life (alt est the last 10 years of my life) for jury duty. I don’t know when or where I got the idea that jury duty is “fun” but ever since I heard of it, I wanted it to be me that decided where how many years bank robbers got, and what happened to the big-time criminals.
I had a high romanticized version of what happens at our local courthouse.
So anyway, I have finally been called to do my civic duty and report for jury duty in November. We all know that I most likely won’t be needed(how can they even think of being so heartless when I’ve waited all these years?)but who knows? Maybe I’ll actually get to sit on a real jury and decide what happens the guy who scribbled all over a stop sign.
In the meantime, I’ll be studying my Jurors Manual and finding out all the important details such as ‘what should I wear?’ and ‘if there is an emergency, the judge will decide whether its real or not’.
That last statement is sure to make the judge alot of friends.
I love this song. Some might say ‘oh, this song is used so much now that there’s barely any meaning left to it‘, but I just love it and find the words and music so uplifting. I think one of the most encouraging parts of the song is the line that says:
“There is no life-no life without its hunger
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly”
So many times we can feel like we’re the only ones with problems. We look at others and think ‘why is their life so perfect and mine isn’t? How can they always have their ducks lined up perfectly?’ . Even though it can sometime be so hard, if we look beyond ourselves, our self-pity, our desire to have it all, we realize that what we’re going through can help others, sometimes even help those who’s live are “so perfect”. If you know the overwhelmed feeling that comes from having a mother suffering from cancer, don’t you think you’ll be able to help others in the same boat in atotally different way then someone who’s never experienced it? Often times we can lift ourselves up by encouraging others.
I guess I could have just said that last sentence without the rest of the paragraph!
“You need to be aware of what others are doing, applaud their efforts, acknowledge their successes, and encouragement in their pursuits. When we all help one another, everybody wins.” Jim Stovall
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Of course, there are little things that can make us smile and encourage us by just seeing them. For me, some of these are bright and happy Gerber daisies, getting a letter in the mail from my bestest friend, seeing a laughing baby, getting a hug when I’m feeling down, and taking a walk on a sunny day.
He’s a cute little 16 week old puppy rescued from Saint Louis. His ears are oh so shaggy and his paws oh so soft.
Meet “the real” Mason.
A 16 week old puppy who has now been added to my responsibility list via being adopted by Lauren’s family.
Today was the first day I watched him and Lauren. I barely made it home alive.
Don’t get me wrong: I think puppies are(generally)adorable balls of fluffy and I love babysitting. But when you add babysitting a very active child on a very hot day with trying to keep track of a very active puppy(again, on a very hot day), you just might have a glimpse into my afternoon.
I now stop by their house before picking Lauren up at camp to take Mason outside for a few minutes. If only it stayed that simple…For over an hour and a half I pulled stuffed animals, papers, pens, remote controls, backpacks, boxes, the slipcovers that go over the arms of chairs, couch cushions, rugs, towels, and shoes out of his mouth. Then I had enough and he was banished to the place referred to as His Cage. We took him out a while later for a “quick”(the understatement of the century)walk. I don’t think we’ll be doing that again for a while.
On the upside, I learned a very valuable lesson today: I now fully understand why Mom never let us get a puppy when all five of us were little.
I even called her up and told her so.
Edit: I forgot to say that I do not like my feet being licked by dogs. Mason has a hard time understanding that one.
Wife, mother, laugh-er at very inopportune moments, and matchmaker. I am an excessive user of commas and exclamation marks. I once won March Madness despite knowing nothing about basketball, and I know how to find all the best Dunkin Donuts coupons. Clearly my talents are just endless.
Meet the “in the picture” Mason. 