Awesomes of Late

So again amidst the chaos, we must look for the good things. Life is a slight cluster...or maybe a large one....and people keep asking me how in the world I'm keeping on. This might be a case of avoidance--no lie, but it also might be a case of trying to focus on the many blessings and positives that do continue to exist even within the madness.

So what are some of the things I'm loving right now:

1) Keb Mo. He's awesome. And his songs make me want to dance. I hope they make you stage mini-dance parties in your kitchen with your dogs too:

2) A weekend pretty much spent with Tall D. Lots of realizations occurred and deals were struck. He and housemate G will be moving out by end of next week for real and Z will move in as planned. However Tall D and I had a great weekend together---happy hours at Old Chicago, drinks with our other old housemate downtown, a soak in the hot tub at Tall D's new apartment, movie rentals, sleeping in mornings, summer dreaming, errands (the most fun of which included a trip to Costco to get things for his new apartment and the mini-dance party we staged in the aisle of REI as I tried on backpacking packs), good food, good coffee, good drinks, and even a trip downtown to the Portland Farmer's Market for a biscuit breakfast:

We've tentatively agreed upon spending one day a week together to connect over the summer and we'll try to take a backpacking trip together over to Central Oregon for a long weekend. Summer has always been a good time for Tall D and me, so as much as he needs his space and time (we both do), I will definitely miss our regular adventures too.

3) Purchases! I know, I usually try not to spend, but folks I went a lil ballistic this last weekend and I bought the following awesomes:
a) My first official backpacking pack. Cut for a woman thank God! It should be arriving soonish.
b) Replacement Klean Kanteens. A larger insulated one for me and one of the 16oz ones for Tall D.
c) New summer sandals---potential sunny weather and travels? Yes PLEASE!
d) New/replacement Vibram toe shoes. Old ones are wearing thin!

4) This purchase deserves it's own number. 9 years after the first time I saw it and started pining for it....I finally broke down this weekend and purchased one of my dream art pieces. It's a painting by one of my high school best friend's dad and I've been in love with it all these years. I finally decided that if he still had it and would give me a reasonable deal....I'd get it. Check went in the mail yesterday! SO EXCITED to claim it this weekend.

5) Bro got his tattoo! Looks great :)

6) Tonight I gave the first of two finals of the week and organized my online courses. As of Thursday afternoon I hope to have this term wrapped (WHOOOSH! Huge relief) and next term planned out. I also plan to take a few vacation hours next week from the veterans position so I can actually enjoy a few days of true vacation.

7) I've started working out again. Sunday was Insanity (SO good to get my core busting its gut again), yesterday I ran 3.6 miles with the dogs and tunes, and today in-between jobs I seriously dripped and slipped in major sweat to another Insanity DVD. NEED TO KEEP WITH IT! I've also put my foot down about eating the delicious items the vets bring in to tempt me with in the center and I've been bypassing all the cakes, cookies, etc.

8) This weekend I'm headed to the parents. I have mixed thoughts as my hometown is where so many good memories of Tall D and I exist.....but Mom's retirement party is Saturday and it's father's day Sunday....and some salt air and friend time should be great for my soul too.

9) These chickens are just too much. a) First they got snarled at this morning by the dogs for consistently trying to steal dog food out of the bowls and they went hightailing it wobbling across the yard. b) How can you not smile at a chicken staring in the window at you?!

And that final picture is what I'll leave you with folks. Hope you're enjoying some great items of late also!

Some Pretty Great Things of Late

I've been noticing some of the good things that are coming in big and small proportions and just felt like mentioning a few of them here:

---I already mentioned the wonderful surprise of an extra paycheck!

---This evening I had my great almost weekly text check-in with my great gal N. She continues to indulge my text-rather-than-talk desire and I always enjoy our text conversations. I'm so incredibly fortunate to have her as a friend! :)

---Last night I also had a great check-in phone call with Granny. I haven't been as good about calling her as regularly as she'd like, but yesterday I made sure to touch base with her and it was a wonderful chat to boot!

---This evening also marked start of week 2 of P90X and I made it through the first DVD that kicked my butt on Day 1. That's not saying I could successfully do every exercise as demonstrated (especially since the abs-are-ON-FIRE!), but I'm in week 2--woot woot! (And I didn't fall over upon waking up this morning either!)

---Tonight I picked hub up from the MAX (above ground city transit/train) station after he spent the evening downtown having a good time with some of the vets from college. This is the second week he's met up with one of them downtown and it makes my heart happy to see him making some buddies! I also enjoyed picking him up as it wasn't too overly late. Plus the temp had dropped toward freezing and I was able to watch the steam rising up from the sewer vents on the drive.....and the foggy windows appear due to doggy faces riding in back with excitement to go for a ride. ;)

---And speaking of the Sorento....on New Years it just solidified how glad I am that I went ahead and got the vehicle when I did. For the second time this season, we threw the far backseat up and made the rounds picking up and filling all 7 seats on our way into downtown for dinner and back to celebrate. Wouldn't have been possible with the Honda and so I feel slightly less guilty about trading in the gas saver for the gas guzzler. In fact, I'm pretty sure I remember a shared smile and "pound" as we picked up the final two of our 7 and realized how awesome it is to be able to do so!

---Our landlords never cease to amaze me. Hub had found a coffee table they were storing in the shed among all the lawn stuff when he was rearranging. It's a thick tree slab that's been treated on the top for protection, but the stump on the bottom is untreated. Hub was afraid the bottom was getting warped as it was just covered with thin plastic (and it's BEAU-TI-FUL), so I emailed our landlords asking if they'd mind if we brought it inside and put it to use. (One thing you need to know is that our landlords are incredibly caring and open people, who already had offered us appliances, washer & dryer, furniture if needed when we moved in. They're just that nice, folks!) She emailed me back stating that she'd love if we'd use and care for it for the time being and now it's hanging out as our coffee table in the den:

Amazingly beautiful, no?

---Today was one of those work days when you really recognize that you're impacting the lives of the workers and students around you.....and in a good way. I'm fairly certain I've made the decision to go back to just my part-time teaching position for the 2012-13 academic year, but there are moments when I really think I'll miss this other gig. I'm so thankful for the jobs and supervisors that I have....and for the freedom to make decisions about these positions. However in leaving this summer, I'm also hopeful that I'm creating the right opportunity for someone else who needs it more than I.

---Every once in a while I feel like the Big Man Upstairs sends me the same message over and over, hoping that I'll get it. I've been writing and reflecting some on where I used to be in regards to my view of the world and my belief about my duty within it. I also just started this book called Serve God, Save the Planet that a lot about these same issues and is reminding me of where my thoughts used to be and the life that I used to try to maintain. Then tonight I found this blog post by Jen Hatmaker, who is an incredibly beautiful individual in her own right. Generally speaking I don't like to read lengthy blog posts, but hers always speak to me, almost directly. Check her out.

---And last for today is this amazing item that hub picked up on his grocery stock-up at Costco this afternoon. Sin Dawg Bread by Dave's Killer Bread (check out Dave's story here). Local, organic, healthy-ish, and oh.so.delicious! You do NOT want to know how much of this I devoured by myself after hub left this evening (cough....over half of one bread roll!!), but I just couldn't help it's deliciousness calling to me from the opened package on the counter. LOVE!

Image from here.

Christmas Gifts

This year the exchange of gifts turned out different than I had planned or expected. Any long time readers still left of this blog know that it wasn't that many years ago that receiving gifts at Christmas left me in tears, as my needs were already met and yet so many others in the world go every day without. This is a sentiment that I still hold in my heart, but somehow the ways of the world have grasped me back in their embrace---partly due to marriage, partly due to time, partly due to changes in surroundings, etc.

Long time readers also know that usually hub and I do not exchange gifts for any holidays, etc. So imagine my surprise earlier this month when hub mentioned that he wanted our return to Oregon for the holidays to be like a new start and he wanted us to pick things up for each other---hmmm, but seeing that hub rarely likes me to provide any material goods for him, I decided that it'd be worth it. We have a bad habit of spending a bit more freely than we should and of purchasing whatever we need/somewhat want during the month for ourselves, so to help this process, we put ourselves on a "no real buying anything for ourselves" freeze. Ironically we both ended up buying each other a book that actually really interests and then rubber liners/mats for our respective vehicles.....plus one other thing a piece.

The other thing that I wanted to do this year was not buy any gifts at all---instead I was going to donate a much larger amount to charity. However as it got closer to Christmas I started feeling guilty about not having anything at all for my sister's kiddos or my brother's kiddos. I still feel that we all mainly have everything that we need however, so I decided that this year we would assist in the procurement of tasty experiences for my relatives instead. Thus a gift card for Burgerville went to my sister's family, one for Olive Garden to my brother & his wife, Sizzler for Mom & Dad, and a multi-diner-option to my brother's family in Colorado. Maybe not "things" but still a gift they can use to treat themselves at some other time. Hub's family and their needs are very different than my family's, so this year we actually set them up with a membership to Costco & a gift card toward groceries there. We also still donated---a larger check to the gospel mission, clothes for the sponsored family, items for the deployment boxes, money in the offering plate, but in a sense we donated to our families' joy as well. I guess in some ways I need to still remember that AND begin to settle it internally a bit more---that even when there is such a need in the lives of others, that it's still good to bless the lives of those that we love too.

I also feel like I did a better job of being gracious about the gifts that I did receive this year and the thoughtfulness behind the gifts did not go un-noticed. Almost all the gifts we got were based on thoughts toward our needs and happiness---hand-made earrings & a bottle of wine, a waffle maker (my sister's old one & something hub's been wanting) & an amazing looking organic cook book, Dad's usual standby gift of special calendars, a shirt a piece, bathroom towels (although there might be some regifting here.....:)), a hand made key chain holder, a special used book to help hub with anatomy, cash, and then a fun flying helicopter for hub......not so sure that was a need but it brought my parents much joy watching him fly it around all evening! While we might have failed at mailing out any Christmas cards this year---the thank yous will definitely be written and going out soon!

And so it appears that somewhere between who I was at Christmas and who I currently am---there's been a compromise, but it too feels like it's an alright place to be this year.

(Although the best gifts always are and will continue to be....the multitude of memory making moments.......)

December Gratitudes

Today I'm thankful for:

---Sunshine in the midst of winter flittering through leaveless trees

---Geese passing overhead en route to the South for winter

---A morning of working from home to finish some online tutorials

---Pay days and bill paying

---Playful doggies

---Reply texts from the hub

---Fuzzy socks and warm boots

---Two days of weekend

---Completion of the online course

This week I'm thankful for:

---Adorable pictures of "family" near and far

---Beautiful frosty mornings

---Quick defrost cars

---Efficient work days

---Fun and informative lecture evenings

---Preparation

---Burgerville's peppermint milkshake

---Two evenings of moments sharing with the hub

---New clothing combinations

This month I'm looking forward to:

---The end of fall term and grades inputted

---Christmas tree decorating

---Flexible work schedules and a few hours for "holiday"

---Weekend trips "home" to visit with family & friends

---Christmas music & advent in the moments of church attendance

---Stockings hung by the chimney with care

--Visits from dear friends

--Savings, savings, savings

What are you grateful for and anticipating this month?

Saturday Happy Items

So this post is about happy things cause right now I'm loving focusing on the happy, simple things in life....and honestly I need it in order to balance the craziness that the transition into the new job is making. ;) 

So props #1 to this weekend is that I finally figured out how to upload pictures from hub's Mac. Now there are three types of people in the world--those that like the new fangled tech stuff and are always on the cutting edge, those that accept the new things after they're proven effective, and those that transition because they absolutely have to. I fall somewhere in between the mid and last categories, hub lands in the first category. Hence after 2.5 years of marriage, I've finally figured out how to find pictures and upload them from his Mac into blogger. Woot woot for Saturday! ;)

So why do you probably ask is there a picture of green shorts in this post? Well blogger friends, if you're not an Army wife, then you must learn that this fabulous green invention is called Ranger panties. Yes you heard that right, the tough soldiers wear "panties." ;) Makes me chuckle every time! Anyway while hub's been gone part of this week I commandeered a pair to sleep in and let me tell you, they're amazing. Lightweight and silky so you almost don't notice that they are there. Definitely sticking with these bad boys even with hub on his way home.

Which brings me to happy Saturday item #3, Smelly aka hub and Alpha dog aka Anna are on their way home. They left early Tuesday morning and hiked a 50 mile loop around the 3 Sisters Mtns in Central Oregon. He called me last evening to let me know they were done and to chat about our week's experiences, and it felt so good to talk to him. In our case, we're definitely a couple that needs time to take our own separate trips and I think part of that is due to the fact that it helps us recognize how much we appreciate the other in our daily lives aka absence makes the heart grow stronger. This week I've definitely felt more stressed not able to talk to him about the annoyances of the day, etc. I'm not one to usually complain about missing hub when he's only gone a few days, but I'm pretty excited to have him come home today all the same.

Item #4 of happiness this Saturday is the regular stand-by: Coffee! And isn't it pretty in my new mug (and thanks to Hipstamatic?!)?

Item #5 is actually from last night:

Image from Bartendings Finest.com

Now this also has a bit of a guilty story attached to it. Last night on my way home from work I stopped at Whole Foods to see if they had Purple Haze again (its from the only Louisiana brewery Abita, and it's one of our favorites). Well the beer was in stock and so I picked up a six pack and a bag of veg tamales (YUM!). The cashier distracted me via conversation about my bringing my own tote bag (finally remembered!) and it wasn't until I walked out of the store that I realized that the beer had been mis-priced in the register and I had walked out saving 8 bucks on the six pack. Now the good Samaritan in me usually would have turned around and had them fix the issue, but the selfish part of me after the long week of work won out and I walked back to the car feeling that maybe, just maybe God brightened my day just a bit with cheap, albeit delicious beer...... and I will say that the beer and tamales hit the spot last night.

Additionally last night I made it through the first 200 pages out of 300 in Crossing the Heart of Africa. I WILL get the book done before book club on Thursday (especially since I'm hosting!). I won't give away my thoughts on the book just yet. I definitely am enjoying it, but I'm not entirely sure it was the best book club selection aka book for everyone's interest. ;)

Alright now I'm off to pick up my bridesmaid dress, potentially check out chickies (I know it's late in the season!! but I suddenly feel another strong desire to get them), and meet my gal N for catch-up conversation! Other items on the agenda this weekend, fix fall term syllabi for my four courses and get organized for both jobs, if possible! Oh and hang out with hub! :) And head to church tomorrow night.....

Hope you all are enjoying happy Saturday moments and a fulfilling weekend!

Today....

....feels like a beautiful day.

Some things I'm loving:

--Finally sun-bathing on the back deck again yesterday afternoon.

--An enjoyable and fulfilling afternoon/evening conversation with hub yesterday.

--Coconut popsicles and Coconut coffee creamer (yes, I'm STILL on my coconut kick!)

--Saturday morning low-cost pet vaccinations from LuvMyPet and a new purple collar for Anna so people might actually know that she's a girl...

--The garden: A bowl full of marionberries, a handful of bush beans, bags of lettuce, hoards of rhubarb, tasters of blueberries, and the beginnings of zukes, squash, pumpkins, tomatoes, and other yummies.

--A Thursday evening out with friends at Montage (cajun food in the PNW). Food wasn't as great as we remembered, but the drinks and the company were perfect. In the bar after dinner, we half-participated in a game of hosted trivia, and dinner conversation covered everything from basic tid bits, to documentary reviews and suggestions, the current state of environmental and maternity affairs, sports debate, and hiking suggestions--making me so glad to be back amongst friends in the PNW. Friend's boyfriend is new to the PNW and hub and him got along well, so here's hoping the four of us can make a regular venture out for food and convo.

--Visits with cousins--an evening advice & catch-up session with one and an afternoon tour & chat with another at her home. Nice to spend a little time back with family.

--Checking off items on my to-do list for work and business.

--The sound and smells of the neighborhood: sprinklers in the evening and afternoon BBQs. The whistles from the high school football field with their summertime practices.

--Two dogs lazing next to the couch and a black cat curled up by my feet.

--A scheduled first Book Club meeting next month and the start of scheduling for the new public health discussion group.

--Completed professional observations (even if I did stress myself into sweaty feet, major cheek break-outs, and a few extra cortisol induced inches along my waist line...). ;)

--And the best thing of the month: hub constructed me a work space/desk out of a spare closet. It's the perfect amount of space for me and now I have a spot for passed course work, this term's notes, old text books, bills, etc. It's seriously perfect and absolutely wonderful---I love functional, simple gifts best of all...

Some things settling upon my soul:

--Excitement for babies, near and far.

--Five and ten year plans (in pencil)...

--Thoughts about how re-selfish I've become, mainly stemming from this topic:

     ---Famine in the Horn of Africa. Mercy Corps got ahold of me via an email plea the other evening, my heart broke, and my pinched wallet gave after a second "sign" came via a random mention of something similar in a new book I just started. Every once in a while, God cracks through my hardened soul in a new way or maybe by a remembered lesson. I've been giving regularly via a mission related to my Presbyterian background and actually was going to withhold this month since we're a little tighter on funds lately......but sometimes it takes a smack in the face to make me realize that what is "tight" to me is nothing compared to what is tight or non-existent for so many individuals on this planet. How frequently I take so much for granted, how frequently I fill my house with food, with clothes, with furniture, and most of it isn't even needed. I fill my life with extra possessions to fill "some void" when most individuals on Earth are just trying to survive. Makes me begin to take a hard look at how far I've come since my whole purpose of starting this blog....and so my heart and mind are opening (ever so slowly) and my wallet emptied a bit more to attempt to make even the slightest difference if I can.

A mixed bag of blessings, remembrances, gifts, lessons, appreciation, and determination added to a lil' bit of old fashioned hope. It's a great day to be alive.

Gratitudes...

It's been a while since I've listed some of the great things making me all-around happy, so it's about time that I do so. ;)

1) Granny volunteered hub's and my place to have a family BBQ last evening. She's missed preparing food for the family and since my parents were coming up, she decided that we ALL should get together. It was seriously awesome and wonderful to have the aunties and several cousins here along with a couple uncles, mom & dad, and the mighty matriarch Granny. House was awfully quiet after they all left. Hopefully we'll be able to do it again soon.

2) There is a potential wine & book club in the works that I am incredibly excited about. It'd just be a monthly, rotating gathering but I've really been wanting & needing to expand my social circle and this might be just the thing. Here's hoping it all works out! With books, wine, and gal gab time, I don't know that life could get much better.

3) I'm in the process of changing banks and have been waiting on checks from my new account. Now I'm not going to list on the internet who I'm switching to but many of you can probably take a guess and those that want to know can ask.....because right now I am singing their praises. They messed up and never put my check order in. I've been needing them to arrive this week for various reasons, and I called yesterday to see what was going on and to encourage them to fix their error on their dime. Imagine my happiness and surprise when today (less than 24 hrs after my phone call....) my newly printed checks arrived by UPS. Now THAT is customer service. Here's hoping they truly do reverse the rush check charge... ;)

4) Our landlords are fabulous. Really there's almost no way around it. I know we've only been in this house a little under four months but they're so positive and encouraging. It's my hope that our relationship with them stays this way, as they too continue to let us know how blessed they feel to have us as renters. To top it off our landlady even sent us a hike she thinks we would enjoy---now how awesome is that?!

5) I'm not the greatest always at knowing my role of maid of honor for my gal's upcoming wedding. When I was trying to figure out which invites would be the best for the shower, etc I sent out an inquiry to some of my much more in the know gal pals.....which led me to the discovery of this great site: Vista Print. Pretty well priced and fairly quick shipping for personalized invites! Definitely would encourage you to check it out if you need something provided by the site and in case you're like me and not too crafty these days....

And now we're down to some of the little things:
--Hub going out with his bud & cousin's boyfriend shooting
--Tasting Granny's blueberry and apple pies for the first time in 2 years
--Harvesting lettuce out of the garden
--Hub's soft spot for Lady even when he hates to admit it
--Tingling skin kissed by the sun's rays and warmth
--Running round the corner to a breeze and mist across sweaty skin
--Dogs following in footpaths
--Blooming roses from Poppa's garden
--The daily arrival of the mail
--Lazy mornings in bed followed by great coffee
--Homemade garlic toast
--Coconut...anything

Hope you all are having moments of happiness and gratitude wherever you are currently. Know that I'm grateful for each one of you, too!

Ho Hum The Week is (Almost) Done

This has been a week of lots of great joys, endings, and well, PMS and pity parties. ;) Poor hub has gotten to deal with my hot and cold emotions--oh the joys.

So some of the great things:

On Monday, we took the dogs on a 5.5 mile hike along a river trail and then I spent the afternoon at happy hour with two of my cousins:

ON TUESDAY, we drove down to Salem to pick up Mom & Dad's picnic table that Dad had driven up for us to house and use. We ended up going out for dinner with Granny & Dad and then stayed for hub to watch the basketball game with Granny. There's something incredibly pleasant about listening to 3 of my favorite people chattering in the room at the same time. The picnic table is the perfect size for our covered patio and will be absolutely wonderful for our next BBQ:

ON WEDNESDAY I gave my students their finals, corrected them, and inputted final grades. Spring term is over and its two weeks until summer term begins. Dreaming of camping plans and Oregon site seeing began.

ON THURSDAY we ran the dogs down to the dog park, completed another 2.5 miles to finish off the loop after they'd had time to play in the sun, and then came home to learn that the neighbor was having a tree cut down and wanted us to trim the apple tree in order to empty the yard debris trailer. So hub got to trimming and I got to dragging branches. Then we headed off to watch the softball game of one of my friend's 8 yo daughter. So cute to watch!

AND all week we've been eating out of this fabulously delicious watermelon: :)



This week we've hiked less even though the weather's been nice and my dreams of camping next week have been slow going in development. I've been having some pitiful moments of feeling like I need something to look forward to, especially since it's been harder than I'd imagined to reintegrate to the social circle I once had here--somehow it's so easy to forget that people move on and incorporate new interests and individuals. And it's really not fair to demand and expect for hub to be my sole entertainment, supporter, and listener at all times.  Add on to that the fact that three months back in Oregon seems to have turned on my overwhelming brain functioning, and I'm turning into a sniveling ninny. ;)

So in an attempt to get over myself today, I'm holing up this afternoon watching one of my never fail feel good movies (Catch & Release) and then I'm hoping to go for a three mile run. I figure a good night's sleep tonight and a BBQ and hiking tomorrow should hold me over til we can get out in nature together. Here's hoping!

Hope you all are enjoying a peaceful weekend!

Loving These....

Some things of late that I have just been LOVIN':

--Hosting hub's friends for the weekend. Getting to have hub surrounded by a few of his favorite buddies was absolutely wonderful and it's been great to be located close enough to attend events in support of some of his nearest and dearest.

--Hiking mileage with the hub. Everytime we get to be outdoors together, enjoying nature, working our muscles and lungs, I just feel so thankful.

--The new dog beds from Costco. While maybe not the 'greenest,' they definitely were large and cheap! The cover comes off for washing and they're stuffed with cedar which is apparently a natural flea repellent (?!--let's hope, poor gals had a nasty flea outbreak a week ago!). The last one they had was ruined in the wash machine and the sheep skin they liked to sleep on isn't washable....so hopefully these will be great alternatives and they LOVE them.

--Our azaleas and rhodies are FINALLY blooming and we had two legit back-to-back days of comfortable sunshine before the rain returned! Maybe, just maybe, summer might be near?!

--A quick trip back home for hub to attend his cousin's wedding and to spend a day with mom for Mother's Day. While fast, it was a great trip overall, and we're continually thankful to have my cousin and her boyfriend as ready dog/house-sitters just a few streets away!

--An afternoon digging up flowers in the aunt's yard to transplant into ours. Love getting freebies!

--Hub's dismantled the raised beds, now we've just got to get them rebuilt and get the dirt back in. Our starts are ready for some planting, but many thanks to hub for all his hard work!

--The kiwi tree is finally showing life. The landlords had drastically cut it back and we were afraid it might be a goner---thankfully it's looking like it'll be able to make it!

--Dreams of chicks. Got the book, got the kennel, got the chick feeder---just to get the lamp, feed, and peepers themselves!

--Potential neighborhood friends that live on the corner and all the friendly neighbors... Sometimes it's hard for me to be the engaging neighbor that I should be, but after reading this post I decided that next time I saw one of our young neighbors down the way I would engage them in conversation....which then led to them inviting us over for food that next day. Super sweet couple and an adorable lil girl to boot! Thinking about that post also keeps me waving and hello-ing the couple that live behind us and made me be willing to engage the lil' ol lady from down the road who came by to say hello....even if I wasn't wearing exactly the best "greeter" attire! ;) Community is important for us all however, and it's something I need to strive to attempt to encourage and maintain!

--And really I have to say all the lil' moments with hub that happen inbetween....the last two months have had their own lil share of ups and downs but overall life has is so much better here. I feel blessed, I feel so fortunate, and I am so grateful for the man who decided to share this life intertwined with mine.

There are still some aspects that we are adjusting to here, mainly attempting to grow and engage socially, attempting to get plugged in to volunteer and job pursuits, and wanting to find some sort of fitting spiritual community....but all will come in time. For now, we're just continuing to enjoy what we have, love how we can, and seek out the great things that surround. Hope everyone reading is doing the same! Sending love and prayers out for each of you! Happy Sunday!

Steady Happiness

Happiness....one of many of my lecture topics during this last week. Happiness: a state of being we are so frequently pursuing and relishing in our daily lives. Happiness: an emotion, a meaning, a connection, and achievement. And finally....after a two year rocky start where happiness was experienced yet hard to maintain, we're finally landing in a period of steady joy....and it's a pretty great place to be. I'm not sure if it's the change in housing, social support, recreation, family, resources, jobs, freedom, or a mix of those and many others....but whatever the cause, I'm definitely glad that it's arrived. We're experiencing joy in the big and lil moments of life lately:

--A spontaneous trip to the family beach house finally exposing the dogs to the ocean. Roaring fires in the wood stove, replacement shopping at the outlets (hub has lost quite a bit of weight off his 6'4" frame leading to a need for better fitting clothes), a drizzly run along the beach, and breakfast at the quaint lil bakery in town.

--Arriving last evening at Granny's for a dinner with Dad and my brother and his wife. We arrived in time to help Granny prepare the meal and hub refilled some of her kitchen supplies. We had a great time chatting with and enjoying some of the fam, while the dogs snoozed peacefully in the truck.

--On Thursday my old high school buddy and his wife welcomed their second child into this world; a beautiful baby girl. While I didn't get to see them just yet, I did have a chance to run a blooming plant up to their hospital room while delivery was happening. Something that they can hopefully plant in their yard to enjoy while they watch their little one grow.

--The cats have started bringing us presents which luckily they have left outside the cat door on the garage stoop. Thursday morning we had a 3-4 inch mouse and this morning we woke to find a decent sized squirrel! Who knew cats could catch squirrels?!

--Hub received a phone call yesterday letting us know that he did get accepted into his other choice college. Now he has the opportunity to weigh his options.

--The tulips (my favorite!) are blooming!! And we've been able to spend some more time in the yard. The big compost bin is set up and we've started dumping scraps into it. More bushes have been removed, other bushes have been trimmed, the grass was reseeded in parts, more mulch has been shuffled around, and I bought some starts!

 (Blue bells and tulips!)

(Bushes ripped out on either side of gate. Climbing roses will be moved to those locations. Bed to left will be regrassed.)

--Lectures this last week went well and I'm adhering to a better work schedule, which makes work much easier to contain to a few days and parking much easier to find on campus. (Unfortunately public transport is not a good option for this term at least.) First pay check arrived and I'm feeling fortunate to know I have a course lined up for this summer.

--Hub found a great TV console off craigslist that completes the family room look. Wires are put away.

--We spent an evening at the Blazer game and I have never seen hub look so much like a kid on Christmas! It was the last home game of the season and while I always have mixed thoughts about professional sports, the joy from hub was contagious and it was so great to see him so happy and enjoying himself---definitely made the evening a memorable and fun one! And now the Blazers are off to the play-offs.

--And now I'm off to honor a great mentor of mine: my undergrad college advisor who is retiring. Mr Gallegos inspired me beyond words, pushed me toward an achievable future, and never failed to supply me with letters of recommendation for all my many scholarship and grad school applications. He was almost always a joy to be around, was amazingly passionate about social justice, and created and upheld the social work department's objectives at all times. After his retirement party, I'm headed to dinner with my gal (also a grad from the program and my dear friend who is getting married this fall) to finally catch up some more and then off to listen to a Michael Pollan event hosted at my undergrad institution.

These are some of the perks of late, but there are many more wonderful moments as well. We both recognize that this period of time of less work, more play will probably be full of moments that we look back on with fondness as at some point more work and less play is likely to occur. But for now we'll relish these moments and continue to look forward to more happiness in the future.

Closing Out an Absolutely Amazing Day

Today was a perfectly wonderful day...and really not for anything particularly out of the ordinary. In fact, it was a perfectly ordinary day, and I'm pretty sure that's partly what made it a pretty amazing day. So what awesome things transpired today?

Well, here ya go:

---We met my friend and hub for one AMAZING breakfast. I mean, amazing. The type of place that's so old school tiny diner with a lil bit of Portland weirdness thrown in for good measure. The type of place that even on a weekday mid morning there's a 20 minute wait in line outside and a waitlist via clip board at the front door. We ate at Stepping Stone Cafe in NW PDX, and let me tell you, the hub's Banana Nut Bread French Toast was absolutely amazing and delish! My Neo Bobcat Omelette definitely hit the spot. And catching up with (and introducing the hub to) a gal pal and her hubby I hadn't seen in two years was a pretty awesome way to start the morning.

---After breakfast, hub and I wandered around the NW 23rd area and then briefly stopped off in the Pearl District. Mainly we were looking at furniture stores--the types of places I generally use for inspiration and then find something similar at reduced cost....although I have to admit one of these days...I just might break down and buy a legit bed from the ol' PB (Pottery Barn). Though most the rest of the stuff in there made me hang my head in disbelief.....I'd feel way too guilty to outfit my home in true Pottery Barn: a) who actually wants to put your feet on a coffee table that cost over 1000 bucks and b) I'm pretty sure that 1000 bucks could provide plenty of meals, bedding, and warm clothing to homeless kids on the streets of the city...I'd rather spend my money for that cause over a coffee table any day.

---While in that general area, the hub and I went in Whole Foods---which apparently he'd never been in before. We both wandered around and it was pretty fun to see him checking stuff out and in disbelief that such a large store exists that's full of organic and local selections. (On a side note: um, my old soy yogurt is CHEAPER than the organic yogurt I've been buying now for the last two years.....might just have to go back to soy on this one..... ;)) I'm sure we're one of the most random couples ever cause we didn't buy anything....more so, we just went in to look and be in awe of the selection.

---From downtown, we came home and spent a bit just relaxing together on the couch. Hub watched another season of his new favorite show available on Netflix instant (Dexter....I avert my eyes 50% of the time), while I poked around online on the laptop. Then, since the weather had cleared up, we decided to leash up the gals and take them down to the dog park for the first time ever, and I have to tell you that we were both pretty impressed. We let them in the "all dogs" section and they all did great! It was pretty entertaining watching about 13 mid-large size dogs running around sniffing each other, some fetching balls, and another third just running in circles. They loved it! It was great to let them socialize and they enjoyed finally getting to walk around the new neighborhood.

---After the dog park, I got distracted by picking up the yard and cleared another trash can of leaves and debris. I finally discovered some clippers, a lil saw, and the shovels in the shed and so I was able to remove a few shrubs and cut off some wayward branches from the bushes we do intend to leave. There are still a set of bushes to remove, but it felt great to get an hour in the yard!

---By the time I came inside, hub had the dough for our pizzas going in the bread machine and I got the itch to go for a run. We laced up our shoes and headed out on our three mile loop.....and this time around, it felt great! We ended just as a slight drizzle started down.

---An evening of homemade pizzas with some great local beer while hub finished watching a March Madness game and I had a couple great text conversations with gals back in Louisiana......

....and yep, folks, nothing overly special to most....but an absolutely wonderful day to the two of us. In fact, this regular ol' day is one that I'd probably have to rank in our top ten. Always amazing that sometimes "nothingness" can have the most significance.

Hope each of you has a great weekend ahead!

A Home, A Home

So I'm a lil hesitant to post about this as it's never 100% official til we sign the rental agreement and fax it back tomorrow............BUT we're pretty sure we have a home to head toward! Many kudos to my aunt for asking for suggestions from her contacts, as it was one of her contacts who happened to have a home that needed to be rented out in the coming months. (Additional proof that it's 90% who you know rather than always what you know. Additionally, her email message may just connect and fill the need for another housing situation between two contacts--so it's sort of the inquiry that just keeps on giving!)

We feel incredibly fortunate for the flexibility being demonstrated with this rental agreement and are now able to breathe a sigh of relief and feel much more enjoyment at the upcoming return to Oregon! It feels so great to be honest about the number of pets and the upcoming financial situation and still get a positive and trusting response.

Through conversation with the home owner and pictures posted by my cousin, there are so many perks about the home that are amazingly perfect for us, even if the blue carpet may clash slightly with our red sectional. ;)
--The primary blue carpet is one they're wanting to replace so while we'll continue to be vigilant with the dogs and wipe their paws before entering on bad weather days, it is less of a headache than worrying about the dogs on brand new carpet.
--The backyard has both a covered patio and a wooden deck for entertaining.
--The square footage and space in the home will easily hold all of our furniture without having to store anything (unlike some of the other homes we'd looked into).
--Already in existence in the backyard are: raised beds (at waist level so the dogs can't get into them either!), a grape arbor, a producing kiwi tree, a compost pile, and a clothesline. Can hardly believe just how perfectly those components are for us!!!
--The home has two fireplaces to help with those cold winter months.
--A huge dog park is within easy walking distance.
--There's a cat door for Major to get into and out of the garage.
--Two aunts live within easy walking distance for those moments when I need some family involvement.
--It's a 15-20 minute drive to the campus where I'll be instructing, making for an easier commute.
--The swimming pool is within walking distance and there are a wealth of outdoor opportunities, parks, community events, and farmers markets easily accessible.
--Organics to You delivers on Thursdays.
--And the price is well within our budget!

The best part is really just the relief of having some place to head to finally, and we'll be looking forward to getting situated, reconnecting with family and friends, and hopefully getting that garden going to boot! :) Whew, a return to the community-minded, organically focused, and nature loving PNW is less than one month away!

Shout Out for a Week

It's been a week of moments, some good, some frustrating, but such it is in a normal week of this thing we call life! This week has reminded me of the generosity of strangers and the love and support that can be so evident through family & friends. The hub and I have been covered in positive thoughts and prayer from individuals I've never met and from many who so deeply know just what it is that we need.

So this evening I want to give a few shout outs:

To my brother and his wife, my dear undergrad gal, and my cousin for investigating, photographing, and exploring potential housing options.

To my aunt for contacting friends who are involved in the rental market.

To my coworkers for listening to me moan and groan when I was at my wits end Friday morning.

To my texting friends and family, who have responded to my questions, encouraged me through my disappointment, and supported me from afar.

To my parents for agreeing to cat-sit for an extended while if necessary, even when Dad just might be allergic.

To the dogs who never fail to greet me with a smile and a wag of the tail and a million tons of energy.

And to my husband, who seriously carried the larger burden of contacting SO many potential opportunities throughout the last week, who has begun to join me on trail runs, who has been much more available the last several weeks, and who continues to love me even though my melodrama has been reaching new (or maybe old) levels.

I am blessed, I am humbled, and I am hopeful. Here's keeping fingers crossed and prayers lifted....

Glorious, Slow Morning

Today I woke up just plain thankful to be alive. You know those mornings when you wake up and everything just feels like it must be right in the world? You could go for some more sleep, but you feel rested by the hours of snooze you did get? You feel that it's a day where the sun just has to be out....and let me tell you it is!

The day is starting off with THAT feeling. I contine(d) to lay in bed relishing the extra moments and waking up slow. Any movement in the morning's sheets, prompts the dogs to gleefully come investigate, pushing their snauzes up on the bed and wagging their tails. Soon after I let them outside and let the cats in. Major, per usual, came barreling in through the back door running into the dogs legs as they scrambled to get outside. His demands for food began the moment his paws crossed the hearth and Lady took up the tune from outside the front door until I could let her in too. Both cats ran straight for their food bowl and I dutifully scooped nuggets into the two dog bowls, while still allowing the dogs some time outside to relieve, play, and catch up on the neighborhood patrol gossip from their furry buddies down the street.

In another ten minutes I'll get out of bed for real this morning, turning on the retrieved Ipod that finally made its way back to the bedroom docking station last night and listening to music that will just make me continue to feel good. I'll wash the face, put on the make-up and clothes for the day, and start preparing my dishes for the potluck style brunch I'm hosting for some of the wives late morning. Most the legit cleaning and nesting was completed yesterday, so today I just need to bake and put out utensils and dishes for use. What's on the agenda on my end: German Apple Pancake, box cranberry-orange muffins, mimosas, and coffee---sort of an equal attempt at cooking and baking with some liquids thrown in.

The rest of the day should include reviewing the seminar slides I will be giving in the morning, hopefully working on an application package for a new job I discovered, and I wouldn't be surprised if some sort of walk or run with the dogs gets thrown in there too.

Regardless, here's hoping this beautiful feeling stays the whole day through....for me....and for you! ;)

Thinking about Veterans

Today I'm thinking about veterans.......


Since I work with individuals separating from the service, their family members, and/or individuals that already are classified as veterans, then this probably comes as no surprise to any of you that are regular readers.....However sometimes even I get caught up in the daily grind and forget just what it means to be a soldier/veteran in today's society.


Now don't me wrong, we work with some interesting individuals at times, but in our particular office we operate by Teddy Roosevelt's quote "A man who is good enough to shed his blood for his country is good enough to be given a square deal afterwards," and based upon that we believe in providing services and attempting to meet the transition needs of anyone getting out of the service for whatever reason.


But some days it hits me and tears come to my eyes as I drive to work across our installation, just how many of these individuals I'm driving past will be put in harms way in order to serve alongside their comrades and to serve their nation, regardless of whether or not they themselves necessarily 100% believe in the war effort.  Many of the soldiers I talk to, work with, interact with would gladly deploy again in a heartbeat in order to help aide and protect their fellow soldiers.....and many do.


Today I'm in awe, of those who consistently put upon themselves to do, that which I know I could not do. 


Today I'm in awe of my client who deployed 4 times in 7 years and while he sustained his own combat injuries still performed CPR & first aid on 7 other fallen comrades during the same ambush. He wasn't even a medic and was one of the most modest souls I've met.


Today I'm in awe of my client who is a 20 year retiree and is a complete joy to assist. This particular client never complains, she consistently has a positive outlook and a smile on her face. Personally I am in awe of any woman, who managed the Army during the 1980-90s and is still coming out with a smile and bubbly personality after 20 years of service.


Today I'm reminded of all the homeless vets I used to talk to on the streets of PDX, offering a smile or a word of encouragement.


Today I'm in awe of the veterans who after years of being in the service, can come to any of us in the office and voice their apprehension and worries about reintegrating into the civilian world. And of those same veterans who after 20-30 years of service and a partial retirement check, still want to work and contribute to society.


Today I'm reminded of the individuals and families who constantly support and deal with absences of their spouses and parents. Who pack up every couple of years to a new duty station and transition into new friends, new schools/work, and almost entirely new lives.....for some of these individuals and families.....its a lifetime of their own service. 


So while we're still a few weeks away from veteran's day, I do encourage you to take a look around you and remain cognizant of the war that is going on and of the individuals who are out there fighting. If you know a spouse or family, support them in whatever way you can while their loved ones are deployed. If you know a veteran, let them know how much you appreciate them (although I will say that frequently the best way to do this is as quietly as possible....). If you are a praying person, keep our soldiers (both past and present) in your prayers. And please, keep in mind that frequently we're all walking alongside individuals who have been to war, even if they may not look the part when you walk alongside them in the grocery store.......


Because I don't know about you.....but I couldn't do what they do....

The Ol' San Antone

A Lil' Weekend Trip to Ol' San Antone...

I haven't done much traveling in Texas, but have an old childhood friend who's lived in San Antonio for years. When I discovered that my good buddy from high school would be in the city for a conference this week, I decided to head over to see both her and him over the weekend. What an amazing time and I actually was impressed by how beautiful the countryside was on the drive!

She and I enjoyed dinner on the Riverwalk, checked out two of the old missions on the Mission Walk, ate brunch at the old Guenther Mill House, and ended the day in the Mexican Market area where I finally got to utilize my Spanish for the first time in about three years!  After 19 years, it was an incredibly wonderful time catching up together! The city impressed me beyond belief as well--it has so much history, so much culture, and so much incredible food! I spent early Saturday morning walking around the city checking out many of the old historic buildings: city hall, Spanish Governor's Palace, The Alamo, etc. Beyond the site seeing, amazing food, and good Texas brew, it was also great just to interact and spend time with people more on my own page....overall a wonderful get away! Plus my buddy, his friend, and I hit up my first ever flea market, when we got distracted by it on our way to a historic town outside the city. 

I scored a great deal on a nice hotel via Hotwire--saving over 44% and staying in a place with some great ammenities. Always nice to discover a new budget option--definitely will be hitting up Hotwire next time I'm traveling and can book in advance. No traffic jams the entire way even though I had to travel through Houston---definitely felt blessed. And although our new GPS messed up on the way there and died on my way back, the old school paper map saved the day! Two and a half tanks of gas, two nights at a great price in a lovely hotel, two new indigenous masks purchased from the Mexican Market, a new hand-carved necklace from the flea market, and a handful of meals and beers.....and it was a great time at a pretty decent price overall! Moments spent with friends and exploring new territory are often worth every penny....

2-8

Today marks the 2-8 and I'm celebrating it up in the perfect style:

--Up at 7:15 and loved on by furry companions. Brewed my cup of coffee and starting with a slow, easy, solo morning while everyone else is still snoozing.

--No work today because MOM AND GRANNY ARE HERE! We're taking them on some short day trips today and then we'll do a tour of New Orleans starting tomorrow so we can hit up all the sites Granny has been itching to see.

--My parents had sent a package with a new pair of simple earrings and our favorite Wasabi potato chips only found back home. DELISH! Two shirts for the hub and some gluten-free products for mom. And the dogs are sporting faux pearls and ribbon necklaces....beautiful. ;)

--There's a homemade cake in the fridge produced by the hub. (I'm pretty sure it's carrot cake which is one our favs and only makes me all that more impressed!)

--And yesterday my coworkers surprised me with lunch at work since I wouldn't be there today. They ordered Chinese with stirfry for me because they know I love it and it's not the hub's favorite so we rarely eat it here.

The most beautiful of birthdays to me are the simple, easy ones when you're surrounded by family and/or friends. I feel so blessed to have hub with time off, mom and granny safely here, and our furry companions all here offering smiles and love. This day has been far from my mind in terms of being my birthday and more on my mind in terms of the presence of my family--for they are my greatest gift of all.

....And here comes Granny, poking her head out and declaring its 8am (6am their time!), with the dogs so happily greeting her too!

A beautiful and blessed day to each of you!

Gratitude for Consistency

So yesterday I left a comment on another blog about how sometimes we just have to get away to clear our minds and still our souls.....yet the more I thought about it, I also realized how much the consistency of routine and individuals can serve a similar purpose.....

I'm just going to put it out there, the last year definitely wasn't an easy one. I love my husband unconditionally but it was an adjustment learning how to be married, how to live with someone new, and in reality getting to know the man I had married. It was challenging relocating to someplace so incredibly different, where my values and morals are at times hard to express and act on--nothing I haven't done before, but also more difficult this time because I'm in my native country. Moving here was socially, mentally, and emotionally uncomfortable--without educational community groups, no employment for six months, with friendly but young potential friends without much in common, and without the presence of my dearest friends and family.

So I'm not going to lie, last August I did take off on a road trip to visit old friends from high school and to get away from here long enough to clear my mind and still my heart. I also made myself and sometimes the husband too get in the car some weekends for a day trip to see something new and different. After years of being surrounded by family and friends, I'm used to spending a great restorative weekend at Granny's, an afternoon on the beach, or heading out to a friends house for a change of scenery and a glass of wine. Being here, I take what I can get and sometimes day trips or a larger road trip are what are needed!

However, as much as those occasional outlets have been great, what has really pushed me through the rough patches are many of the incredible individuals in my life--no matter how distant they may be from me. So I want to express gratitude to and for those who have gotten me through a difficult transition to here...sometimes the consistency of the little things really do create the greatest impact.

My granny, who sends a weekly letter to me and who I used to visit on a regular basis, expects a regular phone call from me. I'm not a huge phone person but Granny also deserves to hear from me, so regardless of whether I've wanted to talk, I have called her once a week or every other week. Each call we report on the previous weeks experiences. Simple enough....but even in the roughest spots, the consistency of calling helped keep my head on straight. Granny laughed with me, heard my sadness and frustrations, and reminded me of the fundamental values of our family.

I have been blessed with extraordinary females who have consistently been present in my life over the last year. Two of these gals are friends of mine from different college programs and who have already been rocks for me in previous settings. This year they shone. They both consistently sent me texts or online messages almost weekly and have never failed to allow me a few moments of phone time when needed. One even requests that I actually talk to her on the phone on a regular basis! Two others are my cousins who have become dear friends in their own right--who never fail to send questions and thoughts...and some cards in the mail too! I am forever cognizant that people play key roles at different times, yet will forever appreciate these gals who have helped me along without my needing to ask or say too much. I only hope that I can be half the friend that they have been to me...

At the risk of sounding like a country song, I'm thankful for the consistency of my dogs. While the initial transition to being a dog owner was not exactly pleasant, the best thing the hub did for me in those first months was to adopt a dog.  Something that needed me to establish a routine: to get up to let it out, to feed and love, and to walk outside on a regular basis. With the hub having the car all day and everything being quite a distance, Anna was my first steady companion for about six months. Our routine together kept me sane, healthy, and able to express emotion. She and another furry companion helped two of us dog owners meet---the other owner being my first actual friend around here.

I'm also grateful for online visitors. As weird as it might sound to some, at times having consistent online communication brightened my day and made me feel a sense of social support in its own right. So I have to give a shout-out to Kathie over at Two Frog Home. She has been a constant visitor as time allows (she has lots of great blog friends), sent a package, and emailed me some wonderful insight at a time when she sensed that I could need it. I will forever be in awe of such a fabulous woman.

I am grateful for so many individuals and really can't name them all here, but these consistent moments kept me grounded throughout some difficult transitional months. For the constancy of those individuals, I am forever appreciative and grateful.....their continuous presence has been the most amazing gift to me. While new explorations have been fun short-term fixes, I know that my best long-term support has come from continuity of moments and individuals. To ALL those that blessed my days during last year, I offer a big thank you!! The smallest acts truly can account for so much!

Moving Past Frustration

It's sunny outside but its just one of those days when a stockpile of hormones and emotions land. These types of days for the most part are far and few inbetween--at least I like to think and hope so.

I've felt the emotions coming on for the last week and was hoping to negotiate an extra afternoon off from work just to process, enjoy a bit of extra freedom, and have time to take care of a few errands that needed to be completed during work day hours. Unfortunately the extra time wasn't available due to needs at work and we're headed into a pretty busy two month stretch. So its no surprise that this morning I've felt in a bit of a funk.

My thoughts and heart have been all over the place the last week and 24 hours. Breaking for coworkers and close friends who have sent/are sending their loved ones off to war. Guilty frustration at working full time, with hub's crazy schedule each month, and at even feeling guilty frustration when we're so blessed to have the opportunities we do. Apprehension at the four years ahead as we transition back to Oregon-what that means financially, socially, occupationally, in marriage, and many other things. Sadness at changing friendships, lack of local social support, and not wanting to burden those who do care with concerns that really are so minimal in the larger scheme. Physical annoyance at having daily afternoon headaches and off/on fever for two weeks, varying hormones as the body still adjusts to contraception, and decreased running motivation due to the heat. And I'm sure there are other tidbits that aren't worth sharing here. ;)

BUT....nothing frustrates me more than being frustrated when I know that I am so blessed. Compared to 90% of the population on this planet, I really don't have much I should feel frustrated by. My housing and health care are provided. I have a job that I actually love. I have amazing family and fabulous friends, even if there is distance between us. I married a man that I unconditionally love and who I am continually in awe of his capacity for hard work and duty. This man who married me somehow loves me through all my frustrations. I had the opportunity to be educated, to choose if/when I want to reproduce, and I have never been forced to try drugs, have sex, nor really do much that I didn't want to do. I have a reliable vehicle and two functioning legs/lungs to get where I need to go. My debts are minimal and manageable. I'm staring at a closet full of clothes, the kitchen is full of food, entertainment options are endless, and laying next to me are three furry creatures who want nothing more than to get and give love.

So I am focusing on other coping mechanisms besides complaining. Several uncommon text exchanges with my mother let me shed a few tears and then end on humor as our family is so prone to do. This honest blog posting exposes my heart and processes my thoughts. Appreciation and focusing on what I do have stills my soul. Good music on Pandora and a stiff drink. A few pats and scratches for the animals. A note to Granny to brighten her mailbox with love. And now staring at my closet and weeding out items that will fill the work clothes need of a dear friend back home who is feeling financially strapped.

Maybe not the most cheerful post ever...but authentically and simply....me...and really there's not much else I can be.