Lookin' up

Things are looking up.

I've been doing a lot of praying lately.

Feeling better about things.

Had a great morning this morning.

Jamie and I actually got to spend some time together this morning,

before he fell asleep.

I have missed him SO much.

This swing shift stuff is getting old. Really, really old.

We normally try to have a date night once night a week.

But, our schedules have clashed really badly,

and we haven't had a date night in over 3 weeks.

Dang it.

But...

We are planning on spending a weekend in Chicago before school starts.

So excited!!

I booked our hotel today, and our train ride there, and bus ride home.

It is so unbelievably needed, and I am looking forward to some good quality time with my husband.

I love him.

Still praying for Nan.

She's still hanging on, but she is basically unconscious all the time now.

Luckily, all of the family have put their issues to the side to come together for her.

I'm proud of them.

We are all still just watching and waiting.

Finally changed my background. The other one was just too dark.

Off to finish planning our Chicago trip now!

♥

Bristol the Devil Dog

We are babysitting Holly's Dog Bristol today and tomorrow.

It's a good thing she's cute.

Because she's rotten.

I tried to go back to sleep after she got here this morning.

Ha.

She and Minnie love each other.

This is a 30 second excerpt of what happened the entire first 2 hours she was here.

By the way, this is where i was trying to sleep.

15 minutes after this video, she ran out the front door when I opened it, and ran around the front yard barking at the neighbor kids. I chased her in my pajamas for 10 minutes before I caught her.

Awesome.

Things have been crazy around here.

We were called yesterday after we got home from the hospital. I had dinner halfway made on the stove.

They took Jamie's Nan off her IV, because it was essentially a life-support device, and they are just trying to ease her pain before she goes.

We literally turned the stove off and ran out the door, to go back to the hospital to be with his family.

By the time we got home, it was 10:00. Jamie was supposed to work, but he had gotten to sleep late the day before, and got up early yesterday, and has been super sick. The combination of being sick and no sleep made him so weak last night, that he could hardly stand. I was freaking out, and just told him to go to bed. He collapsed into bed, and slept for 13 hours. And now he is napping. I am so sick of him working nights. This transfer had better happen soon. I don't know how much longer either of us can do this.

That on top of the knowledge that his grandma is going anytime has made this a really rough couple of days.

We just want her to stop suffering.

But, I need to end this with something positive.

I finished making chicken enchiladas after we got home at 10 last night.

They turned out awesome, even if they were a little too spicy.

I am just going to have to keep looking forward.

I am excited for Jamie to be off nights.

I am happy that when she goes, Jamie's Nan is going to be meeting Jesus.

I think she's ready.

My parents are getting their dog this weekend. A Schnoodle named Dexter.

I am so excited to meet him!

I am ready for some good things to happen again.

It's been rough.

♥

Boo you, homework.

I should be doing homework.

But...I'm not.

I leave for class in an hour.

I am so sick of school.

Dang it.

Minnie is in heat.

It sucks, we have to put a diaper on her.

She hates our stinkin' guts.

We are going to have her spayed as soon as she is done, because this sucks.

She does look a little cute though.

I made this last night for my husband and I

Beef stir-fry, and it was delicious.

I am failing miserably at only eating meat twice a week. I just need some better recipes, or it will never work. I think I am going to buy a new recipe book next week.

Can't help but be a little excited about that.

I'm drinking Pomegranate Raspberry Iced Green Tea.

Amazing!

Thank you, Misty, for teaching me to make good iced tea at home.

I love it.

Jamie is working 7 straight nights in a row. I have been off for 2 days, and I am bored to tears. I have cleaned everything.

I am so excited for him to have a normal schedule, which is supposed to be starting in August!

Yay!

Okay, but now back to homework.

Dang it.

♥

I ♥ Les Mis

This is what I saw while cuddling this morning.

Wonderful.

Makes me happy.

Minus Minnie's crazy eye. lol

I am reading Les Miserables, and I came across this passage last night.

"It can not be denied that one of virtue's phases ends in pride. Therein is a bridge by the Evil One. Jean Valjean was perhaps, without knowing it, near that very phase of virtue, and that very bridge... So long as he compared himself to only the bishop, he found himself unworthy and remained humble; but, for some time past, he had been comparing himself with the rest of men, and pride was springing up on him."

I have been thinking about this a lot. That while attempting to be more virtuous than the common man, the Devil creates a bridge that leads you into pride. But, as long as Valjean compares himself to the bishop (who performed the most Godly act toward Valjean that he had ever experienced,) or for us, comparing ourselves only to God, he remains humble, and therefore virtuous.

I love this. I plan on considering this more.

Jamie had a rough day, so we went to Hirosake, a japanese steakhouse in Avon. They have a special Sun-Thurs, two dinners for $20.

I think he felt better after. =)

But now he is at work, so I am going to make air-popped popcorn and watch Sense and Sensibility. What a lame life I lead.

♥

The 4th

Well, My 4th of July sucked big time.

I got 4 hours of sleep, and then went to church for rehearsal at 7:30.

Heard some stuff at church that makes me both really sad and angry.

I will just be praying over it, and for everyone involved, because it is just sad that the whole thing occurred.

Got into a fight with Jamie over a bookshelf.

We had agreed to put it into the music room where the couch is, and yesterday he decided he didn't want to put it in there, which made me feel like he didn't want me to invade "his" space. Then he complained about the clutter, which made me feel worse, because I feel like it's my stuff he's talking about. All he would say was "I can't change how you feel, but that's not what i mean."

It was ugly.

Had to go to work instead of any 4th celebrations.

As soon as I got to work, was told I had to change both sides of the marquee in 98 degree weather.

Thanks, boss.

Was called a bitch by a customer.

Yes, this one was pleasant. She walked up, handed me a movie, and says "it's late, and i want the fee waved." I asked her why. She says "because money is tight, and I don't want to pay it." I tell her, "It's only $2.59, and you don't have to pay anything on it today, you can wait until whenever." She says "well, I want it waved, or I'm leaving." And I say "Well, I'm not waving it just because you don't want to pay it. I have customers come in every day, who gladly pay their fees because they understand that it's their responsibility. If you car had died, or something had happened that you couldn't get it here on time, I would gladly wave it. But I will not wave it just because you order me to." At which point, she leaves, and when her 6 year old kid cries for his movie, she says "Well, you can't have it because that lady is a bitch."

I will say that I cannot stand that sense of entitlement, and if she had been polite, and nice and ASKED about the fee, I would have waved it. But I am not her slave, and I will not wave a fee, especially one of only $2.59, for someone who wants to treat me like that. I'd rather her not come back.

My boss is probably still going to be mad when she finds out though, that i didn't kiss her butt.

Oh well.

Then, at midnight when i finally got home, I thought the day was finally over, and then as I was going to bed, I realized that my phone was missing. I ended up having to drive back to work at 1 AM and get it.

OKAY. enough venting.

I made myself find some positives in the day last night. Here's what i came up with:

Singing with Misty, and making some awesome harmonies at church.

My nap before work.

My lovely husband having a fire and smores waiting for me when i got of work. That wasawesome.

I also made vegetarian baked ziti for myself! I used broccoli instead of beef.

It tasted wonderful.

Well, today is another day, and I am really hoping that it is a better one.

Sorry about the long vent session, but I feel better now.

♥

It Came!!!!

I LOVE this show!!!! And our steal of the day the other day at work was the entire 35 episode first season on sale for only $11!!!!! and it finally came!!! I am SO pumped!!

It may be totally dorky, but i laugh hysterically every time i watch it. =)

And for someone who doesn't have any TV at all, it is glorious.

♥

garage (not)sale

Agreed to help Jamie work the garage sale.

The garage sale that he didn't give me any time to prepare for, and just told me we were having it this weekend. And then he had to work.

awesome.

I have had a whopping 2 people all morning. One person bought an ancient star wars puzzle, and another took something out of the free box.

I think we are going to have another one, with plenty of time for me to prep and advertise.

That would probably be better.

oh well, I can't help but love him.

I have also learned that Minnie is not a good garage sale dog. She thinks she has to protect mommy from the people. =)

On a more positive note, I had a great time last night at the Indians game with my family, even though they lost, which they do every single time I go to one of their games. We stayed for the sweet fireworks show that they had afterwards, and it was really nice to get to spend some time with my family.

I was also really excited about the fireworks, because I have to close at work for the second year in a row on the 4th of July tomorrow, and that really, really sucks. Especially since Jamie has it off for the first time in two years, and will most likely be playing blues at the old union celebration. I would really like to be able to be there and see that.

lame.

I also work a 9 hour close today, so I will probably be pretty tired of work by the time the week comes along.

I guess I need to look on the positive side, and that is the awesome paycheck that will include holiday pay.

Interested to see what happens at work. Both of my managers (store and district) announced that they were relocating to southern Indiana, where we are doing a lot of growing. So, we will only have an assistant and a regional for a while. They have a guy who they are starting to train for the District job, and then once he's in place, we will get another store manager. Plus we are getting three new hires in the same week. Absolute madness. Oh well, I am just going to try and stick it out and see what happens!

On a completely random note, I am bored with my background, but I can't find another one that I like as much, or that the red words stand out on as much. I guess i should explain that the reason I put certain words in red is so that when I am down, I can skim through this, and see all of the positives in my life. It may be dorky, but it makes me smile. It's a great pick-me-up when things aren't going so well.

Made an appointment to get a haircut. Probably going to cut it shorter than it has been in a really long time. I am excited and nervous, but it will be a nice change, and then I will probably just grow it back out long over winter. I will definitely post pics.

Well, going to go cook dinner for Jamie and I (his for home and mine for work). Baked ziti. yay! I love this dish. I am excited for church in the AM, and getting to sing with Misty! I just have to get through a long work shift first.

♥

Happy!

I have had a beautiful week!

Wednesday I had a great time with Misty, we went for a walk in the park and drank iced tea.

It was wonderful.

I meant to take a picture, but forgot.

Then I worked hard on a surprise fondue dessert for Jamie! Fondue is kind of our special date thing, so it was great! And I was really proud of myself for the way it turned out!

Thursday, I had a lovely day, despite having class (which got out an hour early)!

Then Jamie and I went to Rehearsal, ended up having a long, nice chat with Bill and Jacob, and then I had to go to a midnight meeting at work.

Crazy, crazy changes are going on at work.

I don't really know what to expect. I guess I will just stick it out and wait.

It could get wild.

And then I had to open this morning after our midnight meeting. Sweet.

I am so, so, so excited to get to go to the Indian's Game with my family tonight!! Andy and Carie won't get to be there (sad) but my sister and parents will, and I am pumped to get to spend the evening with them. Pictures to come later!

♥