Paris

Being loved

I am thinking back to before I got married and all the whirlwind of emotions and adventures leading up to that amazing life changing day...
I had four showers and it was so surreal being THE BRIDE at them this time.  Each one had a different flavor but all were so amazing.  My friends, family, and co-workers all gathered to celebrate with me!
I got to be the one being dressed in tissue paper, and trying to answer questions about my husband-to-be, and opening lots of fun gifts!
Then there was the bachelorette dance party where my friends helped me pick songs for the reception and gave me great marital advice.

I didn't know how to cut the guest list and I am glad I didn't have to, it was so wonderful and almost overwhelming to have people that have been there throughout my life there on my big day to share in my excitement.

The evening that Earl brought me 3 long stemmed roses and a card for my birthday and we talked in his car until late; I saw him catch a glimpse of how lovely I am and the way God sees me, I like to say that he saw my glow.

The day we were snuggling and I burst into tears; 

"I never knew this is how it felt to be treasured."

Earl just held me and said, "I am sorry you have never felt treasured."  

I melted.

Overwhelmed

How do I put my swirling thoughts into words?
I feel overwhelmed by so many people to see and care and pray for and so many things to do and just not enough time to spread me around!
How do you choose?
I could choose a life of solitude and only work on my health and my marriage and my random scattered project ideas....but I would feel isolated and lonely after a time and I would have burned all my bridges with people by kinda pushing them out for a season and then can't expect them to just jump right back in eagerly.
I could choose a life of helping and serving and loving and compassion and giving....but then I would get burnt out and exhausted and need me time and possibly wreck my marriage and health in the process.
Maybe I need God direction for this new season?

Words of wisdom

Words from a wise man:

Just thought of this motto:  Never put off to tomorrow, what you could have done yesterday. 

The thinking here is that here you are sitting, thinking about whether to start your plan today or tomorrow.  What you should be thinking is that you are in tomorrow and thinking about what you did yesterday, and how proud you are of yourself. 

Just a thought.

:)

My heart

This girl is so close to my heart, she is a huge part of what has made me who I am today.  So many crazy, fun memories from before she was born to the young woman she is now.  I am so blessed to be a part of her life.  I LOVE being crazy Aunt Becky :)

My Niece

When she was still in my sister's tummy, she would kick and roll like crazy when she heard my voice; that was fun to watch! (I always knew I was the favorite! )
When she was a baby I got to watch her and make her giggle.  I have seen many episodes of Barney with that lil booty dancing in front of the TV to his songs.  (Mine may have shaken a time or two with hers also).
Hanging upside down from the coffee table, swinging high on the playset, oreo drool, dragging her Elmo doll around, the monster chair at grandma's, races, cheesy grins, Odyssey One and Dollar Store trips together, playdates... 
She was the subject of my pix for my high school photography class.
I'm not sure who cried more when I left for Africa...She had "jetlag" and cereal at 2am with me when I returned from Africa. 
She made me a Valentine in school, so precious. 
I moved to China not knowing when I would be back - that broke my heart.  I got some awesome packages, letters, pictures and emails while I was there.  I bragged about "my kiddo" to everyone there.
I am giggling and have tears in my eyes just from writing this.
Then this little girl somehow turned into a teenager, but still liked having me around so I let it happen.
Then she grew taller than me - not a huge feat, but a milestone none the less. 
There were shopping trips and dresses and dances and boys and friends and birthdays and the day she outgrew the Dollar Store. 
At her high school graduation I had flashbacks of her preschool graduation; how had that much time flown by?!  This young lady was strutting the stage and getting her hard-earned diploma. 
Smart and beautiful, kind and fun, full of adventure. 
Very witty, she would have to explain some jokes to me.
She was into makeup and super good at it, so good I had her do mine a few times. 
Then she turned in her sippy cup for a beer mug!  Oh my, really?  My baby niece was an ADULT! 
Not long after this occured, I got engaged.  I always knew that when she outgrew being my flower girl I wanted this amazing girl to be my Maid of Honor.  So I asked and she was very willing to take up this role in my life.  She threw me a wonderful and fun bachelorette party - it was so me! 
And she stood by my side as I finally got my dream of being a wife!  And she made the most amazing and sweet toast at the reception.  Oh this little lady is my favorite for sure!
Here's to you meeting your someday to be cousins and being the "Aunty" to them.  I know they will look up to you and admire the woman you are becoming and already are. 
You fill my life with joy and my heart bursts with love and pride for you.  I love you Princess. 
     




      

Call me granny

Techie Trials

Computers and internet.

Bah - I get so frustrated and angry when I can't get them to do what I want, when I want.

They are tools for me to use to make life easier...right?
Sometimes I want to revert back to a good old pen and paper; then I remember writing cramps, all the scribbled out words and thoughts, and white out and pen marks on the side of your hand...

On the other hand, I love how you can erase or rewrite a thought and even rearrange things so cleanly on a computer.  Oh and I am a pretty good at grammar and spelling but spell check is a nice little handy dandy tool.  Those red and green squiggle lines are wonderful! 

All this is grand, however, waiting for the internet to move or connect and the constant error messages...not a fan. 

Hats off to techies...I love knowing you so that I can always have someone to go to when I am totally lost and I love, love, love the quick shortcut tricks you never cease to teach me along the way! 

The people who love to dink around and figure out how a program works and can take the time to make everything look awesome are super smart in my eyes, I bow to them.  My hubby is one of them, and he enjoys it.  And my friend who made this cool banner for my blog too!  My Boss can find her way around any program with ease…Oh yea and of course my niece and sister are always helping me learn cool things about my phone!  Sometimes I feel like it is smarter than I am!  It is fun to have the internet at your fingertips to look up things like: who sang that song, or how far away is this city, or to find a fact and prove that you were right in an argument, or my favorite - GPS! 

Oh what an awesome friend for someone who thinks north is always in front of her!  Ha-ha I am so directionless, getting better but GPS has definitely helped me out so many times!  I used to get knots in my stomach when I was driving somewhere new because I would get nervous that I would make a wrong turn or miss something and get totally lost.  I was known to stop not only once at a gas station for directions but I would stop at another to double check that I had it correct.  But now with GPS I can just type it in and follow with ease and not worry if I couldn’t get to my turn across 4 lanes of traffic I would just head over that direction and wait for her to redirect me.  She is so calm when I miss my turn she just reconfigures and finds the next best way to get there, even if it is making a U-turn.  Whoever invented GPS is brilliant! 

As they sing in Napoleon Dynamite, "Yes, I love technology....always and forever."