Breakfast

Today's Jozzie Blog Challenge is to blog about our favorite breakfast food.

This is always a tough one for me. I have to pick one??? My preference then would be a huge buffet with at least 100 choices - the kind where you have to go in wearing something with an elastic waistband!!!

This morning my dad made pancakes for us. Actually, the recipe he used called them griddlecakes. They were so yummy. And of course he made a Mickey Mouse shaped one for Evan. =)

Mastication

What a word that is. Masticate... Today's blog challenge by Jozzie (on STM) is to blog about "you are what you eat" so what would you be. At first I thought about posting a photo of a pig. Right now I am stuffed beyond words. But it's not as bad as you think. I was trying to donate platelets and packed red blood cells this morning, so I drank more liquid than you can imagine for the first 4 waking hours of my day. They told me it would help. I've also been slamming iron supplements with OJ (iron needs natural Vitamin C to be able to absorb into your body), ate Cream of Wheat (fortified to be high in iron), and raisins. But again, my iron count was below acceptable. =( One point. Anyway. Trying again Monday!

So that's why I feel like a pig. Plus, I do eat quite a bit of pork! =)

But, the thing I've been really downing lately, requires the mention here.



That's right. I'm a Smartie. Take it as you wish! =)

My Daddy...

Today's blog challenge by Jozzie is entitled "Who's Your Daddy?". She challenged us to write about the man in our lives and said if there isn't a special someone, to blog about another important male in our lives.

Well, I've been unlucky in love... So, my "daddy" is literally my Daddy!!!

My dad has always been there for me. I was an only child until I was 8 years old. I was disciplined, but also spoiled. My dad wanted to give me everything he could and I think he probably hoped I'd be a boy. I've never been made to feel like I wasn't the right gender, BUT, I was the only girl I knew who had a full-size model train set, a race car track, and a motorized electric car in 1972... At the same time, I had every Barbie I could ever want. And my dad built me Barbie furniture to match my own bedroom - painted with the same paint and all. (My mom sewed the bedspread and canopy for the bed.)

But more than the material, my dad has always supported me. This was never more obvious to me than the past couple of months. I was trying to make a tough decision of whether or not to move to South Carolina. I kept this secret from most people because I didn't want any influence from people who I felt might pressure me with their own opinions. The very few people I told were those who would just listen to my thoughts, present a few points that I might not have considered, and support me when I made the decision ON MY OWN. My dad was one of those people. At the same time, he made sure that I knew that if I needed more time before moving I could stay with them. And once I moved and felt like it wasn't the right place for me, he talked to me whenever I needed to talk, and let me know that I was more than welcome to come home and stay with them as long as I needed.

I know my dad doesn't agree with all of my choices. But I also know that he will always be there for me. And that's what's important.

BUT... as much as I love my dad, I will admit right here and now that I would love to have a chosen "Daddy" to blog about!!! =)

Seasons

Today's challenge is to blog about our favorite season...

There are wonderful things about each season. Fall makes me smile because of the leaves changing, bonfires, football, soups and stews, harvest, and pumpkins. Winter is bitter and sometimes hard to love but I LOVE running during the first evening snow. So peaceful... Spring brings new life, colors, and the promise of summer. Which brings me to summer... My favorite season of the 4. I love the warmth of the sun. I'd much rather be hot than cold!!! Fresh summer fruits, fresh veggies from the garden, being on the lake, in a pool, sitting outside on a warm, breezy summer night. Absolutely fabulous.

About me...

Today's Jozzie blog challenge on STM is to "Define YOU".

Me.
Good question!
I'm happy
friendly
funny
crazy
creative
open
innovative
strong
loving
stubborn
flexible (in mind and soul, NOT in body!).

But sometimes I'm
uncertain,
full of questions,
afraid.

But you know what?
That's ok!

A guru of mine once told me that the unknown is, ok, I forget her word, but along the lines of stimulating, exhilarating, exciting! I sometimes have trouble believing that, but I know she's right... =)

All I know for sure is that right now,
in this moment,
I'm happy,
I'm free,
and I'm looking forward to the rest of my life.

tfl.

Strange days...

This past week has been so strange for me!!! Tomorrow will be a complete 7 days that Kevin and Lisa have been gone and I've been here alone. I can honestly say that this is the first time in my life I've ever felt so alone. It's not a bad thing. (I could almost hear a chorus of "awww" after I typed that!) It's just weird. Different.

Four more days until Kevin and Lisa return! It's going to be here before I know it! I've got a stack of books I'd like to finish, a couple of movies to watch, and a few things left to take care of with my packing! I've packed away my stamping and scrapbooking supplies. So no more of that until I get back home.

Tonight I watched the movie "Akeelah and the Bee". What a great, inspiring movie. There was a quote in the movie that I loved. I knew I had heard it before, but wasn't sure where it was from. So, thanks to Google, I learned that it comes from one of Marianne Williamson's books. I also learned that the quote was incorrectly attributed to Nelson Mandela. Just a fun bit of trivia. Here's that quote:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?" - Marianne Williamson

I like that, a lot. It gives you strength when you read it, doesn't it?

I've been feeling some fear lately. Fear about moving back to Effingham. I had a nice conversation with a special person that had me asking myself a lot of questions about the choices I've made in the past couple of years. It led me to ask a lot of "what ifs". Previously, I would have said that "what ifs" are never good. But now I don't agree with that idea. Asking myself "what if I had done this or that instead?" has taught me some things I don't want to do in the future. I am learning from my mistakes. Actually, I'd rather call them missteps. I am learning from my missteps! =)

I am excited about my life, my future! I don't know what it holds. But I know my goals and my dreams. And I know that I am going to enjoy the journey, and I'm going to BE!

I Remember...

I remember this day five years ago.

I was at work.
The first thing we heard was that an airplane
(the news reports weren't certain
what kind of airplane it was yet)
had crashed into one of the skyscrapers
in NYC.

I felt such sadness.
But I had no idea.
No idea how big this was.
How much it was going to change
the world
life
me.

Then the news came in of the second plane
crashing into the other tower...
Then the reports of terrorism.

I don't remember the order of events after that.
The plane crashing into the pentagon.
The plane crashing into the field in PA.

I remember seeing pictures and video of
the people trying to escape NYC.
The desperate people jumping from the towers.
And then.

Then the first tower fell.
The second.

I wanted to go home.
I knew that life as I knew it
was gone.

I worried for the people who had loved ones on those planes,
in the buildings that were attacked.

I felt sadness, anger, and fear.
I cried for the innocents who had lost their lives.
I cried for the people who lost those loved ones.
I cried for America, and for the world.

New Beginnings

Today
I got off my ass
and started going through my things
yet again...

I'd really like to be able to see
out the back of my SUV
as I'm driving
back to Illinois. =)

Then again,
I am already missing
some of the things
I no longer have.

Just sometimes
though...
not enough
to get them back!

Anyway,
just trying
to be
sane

with my packing
and throwing
and keeping
and tossing!

That said...

I came across a couple of pages
of notebook paper
where I had written
something from Grey's Anatomy.

Isn't that the best show???

If you're not familiar -
at the end of every episode,
Meredith Grey spews forth
the smartest things you've ever heard.

It's a voice over
after all of the drama of the hour.

I don't know what episode this is from
but it struck me enough to
rewind
and write it down:

"You just have to know
and when you don't know
no one can fault you for it.
You do what you can
when you can
why you can.
When you can't
you can't.
Who gets to determine
when the old ends
and the new begins?
It's not a day on the calendar,
a birthday,
a new year.
It's an event
big or small,
something that changes us.
Ideally it gives us hope.
A new way of living
and looking at the world,
letting go of old habits,
old memories.
What's important is that
we never stop believing
we can have a new beginning.
It's also important to remember
that amid all the crap,
there are a few things
really worth holding onto."

Wow.

Forward

Can't believe it... T minus 11 days until I leave for home! So close to single digits!!!

Tonight Lisa and I went to a cute little Mexican joint in Lexington, Baja Grill. They have phenomenal nachos, so we've gone there a few times. Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday nights, they have karaoke in the bar area. So, tonight Lisa was craving Mexican food, so we decided to head to Baja and hear some karaoke! It was fun. We had our dinner first, then moved to the bar area and heard 4 or 5 songs before leaving. One of these days I'm going to do some serious karaoke! I sang once in a group of 8 girls. Our choice was Lady Marmalade. Let me just tell you I laughed WAY more than I sang!

Anyway, as we were sitting in the bar waiting for the first song, I said "I am really looking forward to my life." It just came out of my mouth. And I felt this great sense of peace. Lisa told me that that was really cool, and then asked me why, and what am I looking forward to about it. I thought about that for a while, because the statement was really only backed up by a feeling. Then I told her that I am just really looking forward to the possibilities, the choices, everything that I can achieve. It's up to me. And that feels good.

Slogan

Today's blog challenge is to choose a t-shirt slogan that describes you.

I actually have several t-shirts with slogans, but one of them really sticks out for me.

"Define Naughty."

This describes me because I do love to push things to the limit, and if you set boundaries for me, I wanna know WHY. What is the reason behind the boundary? I don't mean to be rude, but I like to understand the why behind everything! "Because I said so" doesn't cut it for me. =) Never has, never will.

The Waiting Game...

Today's blog challenge on STM is to write about how we handle anticipation. Do we like to wait?

Well, this is a good one for me. (Way to go Jozzie - always making me think!!!)

Up until about a year and a half ago, I was THE most impatient person you'd ever meet. Not so much in a bad way where I'd drive you crazy, but I would get so excited about things and it would make ME crazy! But the past year or so of my life has taught me so much patience. But do I like to wait? Generally, no. But I've learned how to put my mind at ease about things and focus on something else until I get my answer or whatever it is I happen to be waiting for! And for the times I can't put my mind at ease, I have a friend or two I know I can call for some advice and distraction. =)

I do love waiting to get something in the mail. In fact, I prefer mail order to shopping at stores because it's so much fun to get something in the mail. And there are times when I basically forget about what I'm waiting on, and when it comes it's almost a surprise!!! Love that!

One kind of waiting I do not love is waiting for medical test results!

But overall, waiting for good things can be fun.

PS - Today is T minus 12 days before I head home. But I may end up staying one extra day now. But that is by choice, so it's ok!

Achievements and Goals

Today's STM Blog Challenge is to list our accomplishments for August and then goals for September. I'm in the process of setting my goals for the next few months right now, so my focus is a little bit further into the future at the moment. But I can do this!

It's hard to think that I'm achieved anything in the past month because I've been in a sort of limbo. But that's so not true!!!

I turned 38! That in itself is quite an accomplishment, now isn't it???
I sorted through all of my belongings and decided what was most important to keep.
I spent time with my family.
I made a few new friends.
I drove all the way from IL to SC by myself!!!
I realized what's important to me in life.
I started charting my goals for the rest of this year.
I strengthened my relationship with my parents.
I got back in touch with a few of my cousins and am continuing to renew those relationships.
I joined the STM site and am getting to know some GREAT people!

See, this list could go on and on. =)

Now for the goals for the next month.

Move back to IL (9/17 or 9/18).
Continue to build relationships with my family.
Continue to chart goals for the rest of the year and track those goals.
Continue to explore the spiritual side of life.
Participate in all STM challenges for September.
Decide if I can submit to the STM TDT Challenge and subsequently do so if applicable.