And…We Talk

May 24, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

I won’t tell you how many times I’ve sat down tonight to try to write something.

Anything.

Then, thought repeatedly about not blogging tonight, which is really fine, but I know that it’s far easier to fall asleep if I’ve just spilled my guts. Or, my brain. (Really, who came up with that phrase…spill your guts…? It sounds like it should involve puking or something.)

Anyway.

Probably more than you needed to think about right now. Sorry about that. 😉

So it’s kind of been a roller coaster week.

Two trips to the doctor…we ended up going in for x-rays today because that darn limp is still there. Poor Mae. :( Thankfully, she doesn’t seem to be in much pain, but it’s frustrating to not have answers. The doctor we saw was nice, but he also didn’t really have anything earth-shattering to share with us. Just told us to watch her for another week or so.

I realized today that I like answers and knowing exactly what’s going on. That doesn’t typically fit my fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants personality…maybe I’m just that way when it comes to people I love. Anyway, that made the week not great.

Kinda hard, in fact.

But even though she’s limping, we’re going to have a good weekend. I’m determined. 😉 The pool is already warming up, and I’m gonna have to get in tomorrow, whether I want to or not, just to skim it. Lesson learned already? Cover. Absolutely. Necessary. 😉

There’s a parade on Sunday we’ll go to and then we’re having friends over Monday night.

Good times.

It’s been an emotional week for other reasons. I really try not to let emotions take over my days, but sometimes…

Well, sometimes there are just those days.

The kind that creep up and, at the time, seem unavoidable, and the only thing you can do is pray they’ll improve. The kind that make a twelve-hour nap while buried under layers of blankets seem much preferable to the reality that is cleaning and laundry and chasing an active-but-wonderful girl.

But I don’t really want to talk about those days too much.

Because I HAVE had some really good times this week…hence, the roller coaster. :)

Like…walks with friends and ice cream dates with my hubby and girl and swinging and water splashing and dollhouse playing and hug giving and…just lotsa smiles. I’m pretty blessed to have the girl I do. In fact, I caught myself re-writing some words to a song…

I’ve got sunshine…on a cloudy day.
And when it’s cold outsside, I’ve got a girl named Mae…

I was thankful this week for friends…and for friendships that continue to grow, which I think is so important. I was able to have a couple really good talks this week with people…deep stuff, things that I don’t just talk about with everyone. It made me thankful for listening ears and sisters willing to love without judgment.

We all need those people, and I am incredibly blessed with the friends God has given me.

:)

Tomorrow’s Friday. And I do love Fridays. :) Not too much planned, but that’s ok. I’ll take sunshine and my girl any day!

I’m pretty sure we’ll be able to come up with a huge list of blessings by the end of the day, too. Maybe I’ll even share it with you. :)

G’nite, friends. Thanks for being here.

Sig

Filed Under: being mommy, blessings, just life, Maelie, random, where I am

Caffeine, How I Love Thee…

May 8, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

Let me count the ways.

Ok, ok, enough. 😉

Tomorrow I’ll be serious again and write about why it stinks to hold on to a grudge…and how I’m learning to let go of some things.

But today, I’m just up for caffeinated chit-chat. We’ll see what comes up. :)

We were blessed with gorgeous sunshine for all of the morning and part of the afternoon. Though I have to admit that I didn’t necessarily feel up to it, I forced us out of the house, and Mae and I took a walk to the park. She loves the one that is close to us and, for the most part, the playground equipment is just her size.

She played happily for a good 20-30 minutes, and then we headed home for her favorite snack and a nap. T’was fun.

I’m dragging today…was up a bit later than usual last night thanks to my Monday night workout. Something about getting my heart rate going for so long that late at night makes it almost impossible for me to sleep before midnight on those nights, though I do think I crashed around 11:30 or so.

Still…ugh.

It was hard to find the energy to get up this morning. (Insert three cups of coffee.) Sigh.

So I’m kind of in a weird mood and spent the last half hour or so looking at old Indonesia pictures. (Well, not that old.) 😉 It surprises me how much the ache that fills me is so familiar…almost like the pain of missing it will never leave. It is just forgotten for long stretches, but when it returns…oh, boy. I had myself a good little cry, and then smiled.

No use in crying over something that was mostly pretty wonderful. And really, it was just a tiny slice of life in the grand scheme of things.

I’ve been thinking about that lately…about how each step leads to the present and how, though those steps seem important…and they ARE…they really are just a microscopic part of God’s plan for each of us.

I love where we are right now, and soaking up the blessings of being “home” is easy at the moment. But as we were driving home from Minnesota a few days ago, I let my mind go to this place that I hardly EVER go.

What if He asks us to go again?

Thinking that question usually involves a lot of head-shaking and eye-squinting and heart-reassuring that we’re here for good.

But I guess I don’t really know that.

It boils down to obedience…and keeping my heart in the place where I’ll listen to Him when He speaks. But I also know that my God gives good things to us when we desire His best, and He knows what I desire. So I trust that He’ll give me just that and let me stay.

I have no idea why I went on that little tangent, but hey…it’s life.

And my life is full of thinking and processing, so sometimes weird things spill onto the pages of this place. Hee hee.

😀

Speaking of giggles, I found a few fun pictures while browsing Indo-life…I thought you might enjoy them. I seriously smile despite the quirkiness of a couple of these. I’m so thankful for the five years of crazy and wonderful and mixed-up and blessed that we were given in the land of nasi and motorbikes and sweet people.

Aaaahhh.

It did my heart good to do some reflecting.

Ok, the pics. Enjoy. :)

I forgot we had these. Can we say CRAZY hair day? (Really, that’s what day it was.) But this was mostly Tobin, because I? Can totally rock the Princess-Leia-meets-polka-dots look any day. 😉

This paradise was ours for four days…seriously. We booked a hotel that was incredibly cheap because it had just opened and apparently no one knew about it yet. We stayed in this brand-new, five-star gem for around $25 a night and had the place to ourselves. Can we say Happy 5th Anniversary?!?! It was oh-so fun. :)

This picture completely cracks me up. One year on Indonesian Independence Day, August 17, our school hosted a community celebration with all of the traditional games. This one involved tying a string with a nail on the end of it to the back of your pants. Then, squatting, you had to get the nail into a glass soda bottle, pick the bottle up between your legs without the nail coming out, and run to the finish line. I am the second from the left (barefoot…big surprise!) and was the proud runner-up. Oy… 😀 

And this would definitely be included a perfect day…sitting on the beach. Preferably this Indonesian one. With some coffee and friends. :)

Just a few fun, incredibly random, memories…thanks for stopping by the blog today!

Sig

Filed Under: barefoot, blessings, friends, Indonesia, just life, random, remembering, where I am

I…

April 19, 2012 by · 1 Comment

…am listening to silence. Poor hubby, who was at work until 2:15 a.m. and had to be back at 7 a.m., is in bed. I don’t blame him a bit.

…wonder if it’s going to rain during my run tomorrow morning. Part of me really, really wants it to. I heart running in the rain but not what it does to my hair. 😉

…hear the gentle breathing of a dog, asleep at my feet. My sweet Andre boy turns nine tomorrow. Nine. What absolute love he brings to our lives.

…see purple walls. The next time I talk about them, one of you needs to come over here and force me to paint them. Though the purple is almost starting to grow on me. Oy…

…want this pair of TOMS that I really can’t justify. So I am not going to buy them. Someday, maybe.

…smile every time I see my daughter. I just love her so much…the way she laughs, repeats everything I say, finds JOY in everything. I want to be more like her.

…feel like it’s been such a strange paradox of a week. Some really, really low points and some pretty amazing ones, too. I’m still blessed. :)

…worry that I’m impacting my daughter in a negative way. In our Thursday morning Bible study we’re studying a parenting book, and we were challenged to think of the thing we need to change RIGHT NOW. I can think of so many more than just one. Really praying for wisdom…I want to be the kind of person she’ll want to emulate someday.

…cry when I think of the people I know who are hurting right now. I’m praying that God will hold them close and heal their hearts.

…laugh when I think of praise team practice tonight. A special thank you to those who made it so entertaining and…um…oh-so-memorable. So thankful for friends, music, and Moroccan scarves. :)

…miss sleeping in on Saturdays sometimes. And then I think of the trade-off, and I don’t miss it anymore.

…say that I don’t drink as much coffee as I really do.

…dream BIG. I always will, even when people laugh at what I say. You know what? I really, really, really want to be a regular contributor for a certain blog out there. I think I’d be a good fit, and I’m not afraid to tell them that. :)

…try to go to bed early every night. (Early, as in by 10:30 p.m.) Almost every night, I fail. Miserably.

…am thankful for my hubby and how hard he works to take care of us. It’s one of the qualities in him that I admire the most.

…am praying tonight for a lot of things. A lot of people. A lot of hurts. A lot going.

…rest in His promises. Jesus, I am resting, resting in the JOY of what thou art. I am finding out the greatness of thy loving heart!

Sig

Filed Under: blessings, just life, random, where I am

Random in a Wednesday

February 8, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

aka: Possibly more than you need to know?

That’s ok. It will make me feel better to spout out random parts of my Wednesday.

Wednesdays are just kind of that day. On Mondays, Maelie and I usually have something to do. Tuesdays we make it a point to get out of the house to do something.  Wednesdays are hit and miss…today was a miss. But, really, it’s ok. We need to spend some days at home not running everywhere. :)

So tonight I was really missing my Mac…you know, my lovely two year-old laptop that bit the dust last summer? Yeah, that one. Tobin was able to borrow one for me from work for awhile, but it had to go back. Now if I want to blog I have to actually sit up at the computer and write instead of lounge on the couch. I know, I know.

I’m lazy.

And I AM thankful for our computer…it was a big blessing. So no more complaining. That, and Tobin scored the part he thinks he needs to fix my Mac for free (!) so it’s very possible that my computer could come back to life. That would be very nice. :) It would also be nice to not have to blog from my Kindle when we’re in Spain.

Yeah, do you think I could actually go nine days without the blog?

I believe we all know the answer to that one. 😀

So I was browsing some of the archives on my blog and noticed the formatting is all screwy. Please, please, please…don’t go looking for it. In a nutshell, wordpress is giving me fits. I’m not sure how to change it.

That will be our project for this weekend, maybe? So if things don’t look quite right on a post, It’s probably wordpress and not me. Just wanted to clear that up. 😉

So I’ve gotten a little lazy since September/October. (I know, I know! First I don’t want to sit UP at the computer, and now this?! Kidding.) Anyway, that would be the last time I wore flip flops? Yeah. I decided to give my toenails a break and not paint them through the winter…which is HUGE for me, folks.

It drives me craaaazy when they’re not painted, but at least in the winter I hardly have to look at them. However, all of that changed on Monday night when I went to my workout. We did some yoga.

Barefoot.

Gee, thanks.

And to top it off, I couldn’t find any nail polish in the house when I got home that night. I really only have maybe one bottle anyway, so it was time to splurge. And being the bargain shopper that I totally am, I scored some sparkly blue polish for about $1.50. I’ll take it.

I vowed that I would paint my toenails today. I haven’t yet, but I plan on it. Not like it really matters…it’s just the principle.

Anyway.

This could potentially win an award for the longest, most dramatically random collage of musings I’ ve e

ver come up with.

Goodness, maybe I should just hit the hay.

After all, I did pay for that coffee I had last night.

Wide awake ’til 1 a.m.

Yeah, I’m cool.

And so are you…for reading. Love you bunches.

Sig

Filed Under: just life, random

I Am…

February 3, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

…a procrastinator. I put off everything until the last possible second.

For a writer, this is particularly not-so-good, especially if there is no set deadline. Hence, my Patch article is still. not. done. Guess who’s staying up late tonight?! Sometimes I frustrate myself.

…a wannabe rockstar. Well, maybe not, but dude, this video is awesome. Watch it now. Don’t you just want to keep your guitar in your car so you can sing how many orders of fries you want next time you go through the drive-thru

? I do. Totally.

…having a sugary week. I’ve been really good…and I’ve only caved once or twice. But I. Want. Sugar. I have no idea why it’s hitting this week. On Sunday (my day off) I am totally baking my favorite cake. And eating it all. Mmmmmm.

…enchanted by my daughter. In the last few days, she’s started something new. Repeating everything. And remembering what she says, which surprises me even more. Today in Target I told her we were going to find honey, and you’ll never guess what word she repeated throughout the store. She was looking at total strangers and saying, “Honey! Honey!” It was so adorable. :)

…glad it’s Friday. Though my days all kind of run together, at least weekends bring fun things like friends and church and praise team. Tomorrow night I am excited to go to the kick-off for my friend, Judah’s, new mission organization he’s starting. Two hours of praise and worship and hearing some of his ideas…I’m really excited. :) And, of course, the Super Bowl…yay for friends and food! And football, I suppose. 😉

…completely loving the show, Shark Tank. We rarely watch TV at night, but this show is good stuff. I love seeing the creativity and passion of people who want to see their products be the next big thing. If you haven’t seen it, you should. 😉 Friday nights at 7:00 on abc. My only other TV love is American Idol…which we may or may not watch this season.

…going to the grocery store. If I have to go, later on Friday night is the time to do it. So I won’t gripe and complain; I’ll just tell you that my list is short, and I may let myself have a little chocolate when I get home. :)

…wishing you all a fantastic weekend!

Sig

Filed Under: just life, Maelie, random

Just Curling Up Under a Blanket with a Diet Coke…after 11 p.m.

January 23, 2012 by · 2 Comments

Nothing new…

Really. This scenario is not all that uncommon as the amount of caffeine in a Diet Coke does not affect me. And I often consume it late at night, too.

But, note to self: Blogging must be done before the weekly Monday night workout.

Because once the post-workout socializing is complete, there is still the drive home, the obligatory long, hot shower, the inevitable snack to replace some of those calories burned…and by then it’s after 11.

Anyway.

True, I do work out on Monday nights.

(Actually, I work out a lot more than that, but this workout is different.) My cool, trainer-friend, Sarah, puts together a workout…one that could rival Jillian Michaels…for a bunch of us (there are usually around eight) that makes us sweat and hurt and limp around for two days after. Kidding, kidding…well, sorta. 😉 It’s one of my favorite parts of the week…I really look forward to it.

It was a good day, despite the fact that it started a little rocky.

For once, I got up early to run on the treadmill, headed downstairs…and five minutes into the run, I knew I couldn’t keep going. I’ve been battling runner’s knee, and it’s the strangest thing. It hurts at odd times…mostly when I’m walking down stairs, but if I try to run two days in a row…um, no. I’m almost not sure what to do with it, but I guess it’s to be expected since I’m a runner and I typically run more than the suggested 3-4 days a week. Ooops. Let’s just say ibuprofin has been a good friend the past couple of weeks. Really, I just need to rest, which I don’t do well.

But once I decided that the morning run was not happening, I went on with my day and played with my girl and then picked up the house while she was watching Elmo, the new fave.

(All I can say is THANK YOU to my sweet friend for the new stack of Elmo DVD’s…I could not sit through Elmo’s Potty Time one. more. time.!!!)

Then our friend came over, and we made lunch…which is becoming another Monday tradition. We both love to cook, so we’re getting a little creative and trying some new recipes on Mondays.

It gives us a chance to drink coffee and catch up, too. And makes a Monday a little more bearable because, let’s be honest, Mondays are still Mondays. Yep, they are.

(No matter how much caffeine we add to them. ;))

And now that I’ve shared all this glorious random with you…I think I’m going to hit the hay. I still have no clue how it got to be so late, but I need some sleep.

Tomorrow’s a big day. Well…it’s a new d

ay. And it marks a year of the blog…wowsers.

Hope your Monday was fabulous!

Sig

Filed Under: friends, just life, random

Random Realizations

January 13, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

Aka: The post Mel types really fast after being out late with friends.

:)

Some things I’ve been reminded of lately…

1. I stay up too late.

Unless I accidentally fall asleep watching TV, I am never in bed before 11:00.
2. I am also a star at sleeping ’til 7 a.m. Thank you to my fabulous daughter who sleeps ’til 7:30 or later most mornings.


3. I drink far too much Diet Coke and not nearly enough water.


4. I worry about things I have zero control over.


5. I kinda like shoveling snow, especially if I can count it as my workout for the day.
6. I need to limit my trips to Target to one per week…or less.
7. String cheese is the new favorite food.

(Just so you know, I felt five years old typing that!) 😉
8. I haven’t been to a movie since Indonesia, and there’s a super girly chick flick coming out soon.

The Vow. I am thinking I’ll be dragging a couple lucky friends with me to that one!
9. My daughter is 19 months old.

Where did time GO? Seriously.
10. Naps are wonderful. Especially when they’re taken by both my daughter AND by me.
11. It’s Friday the 13th!

Well, for twenty more minutes…

G’nite, friends! And happy weekend…woo hoo!

😉

Sig

Filed Under: just life, random

Gotta Blog, Gotta Blog, Gotta Blog Blog Blog…

January 9, 2012 by · 1 Comment

I let myself get tot ally

distracted by things all day today.

Making jewelry (more on that later…), playing with Mae (though I’d hardly call her a distraction…), working out, ordering pictures.

Pretty much anything but blogging.

I feel kinda bad, but then I thought, wow, it’s been awhile since we’ve had virtual coffee.

Except it’s way too late for coffee so I’ll sw allow the l

ast of my post-workout glass of water and chat with you a bit. K? :)

So Tobin’s having surgery on Wednesday morning on his wrist. I think we’re both a little nervous but, honestly, more ready for this thing to be done. If you think of him, please keep him in your prayers. Surgery is at 11 a.m. And if you’re not doing anything from 11-1, shoot me a text or give me a call. I’m going to need something to keep me from worrying so much.

At least I’ll have my Kindle to keep me busy.

I’m reading Mockingjay, the third book in the Hunger Games trilogy. And though it’s good, it didn’t suck me in like the first book did.

(Ahem…the book I read until 2 a.m. Yeah, that one. ;)) And I started The Art of Racing in the Rain, and if I can just get past the fact that the dog is dying, I know I’ll enjoy it.

Several of you have told me I will.

:)

What’s on your reading list? Any recommendations?

So Tobin and I were finally able to finish our bedroom. (aka: buy bedroom furniture, hang things on the walls, that kind of thing…) It’s almost done…and I love it. Pics to come. 😀 Next up? The front living room, from which I’m currently blogging. I decided on dark blue for three of the walls with the tv wall painted cream. Then we’ll hang our two flower paintings from Bali on one of the walls. I love finally having a plan for the purpleish room that has driven me crazy since the day we moved in. :)

Another plan I have? Is to declutter this place.

I decided that if it’s in our house and we haven’t used it in the last year and a half, we don’t need it. Enough said. I have a feeling that cleaning this place out and donating a good chunk of our things is going to be liberating. And I’ll be able to walk through the basement without tripping over anything. 😉

This past weekend was a happy one. It was our church’s Cantata, and I love that it happens after Christmas. It kinda gives us all an excuse to sing Christmas music into the first week of January. Anyway, it was a blessing…and the music was really fun to sing. And when it was over, I was kinda like, Awwwww…can we do it again

? Not sure two certain people would share those same emotions…but yeah. It was really good.

So I wrote a little last week about our anniversary trip.

Long story short, Tobin and I have had a bunch of frequent flyer miles just sitting there from the multiple trips we’d made between the States and Indonesia during summers. If the trend continues as it has in the past two years, we figured that the longer we let those miles sit there, the less value they’d have over time.

Plus 2012 is our 10th so we figured we should just look.

I mean, what’s the harm in that, right? :)

We had a few different places on our list: Rio de Janiero, Hawaii, London…and in the end stayed true to form and went with the craziest of all…Spain, Morocco, and Paris, all in nine days. (Paris was an added bonus that came up as we were planning with the ticket agent.) And I’ll talk more about the trip later…it seems so surreal right now.

Well, since it’s so close to midnight and I haven’t yet pushed the publish button, I should probably end this. Maybe tomorrow we’ll have real coffee. That is, if I blog before 10 p.m.

Love you all.

:)

Sig

Filed Under: just life, random, travel

Mel + Tobin Put Their Words Together, Part 2

January 7, 2012 by · 1 Comment

Several of you told me that you enjoyed reading this several months ago.

Therefore, on a night when the words just aren’t there…I bring you, Part 2 of Tobin and Mel Finish Each Other’s Sentences.

Hee hee. 😉

I hope you enjoy! 

aka: I hope you don't run screaming!

I’m in bold.

Tobin’s not. :)

Today has been one of those when I wish it was snowing.

Someday this week I’m going to take a nap. A really,

really long one. That is, if my daughter sleeps so I can take that nap.

I think the best way to spend an afternoon is watching the Packers win a playoff game.

The Christmas tree is coming down, and I am sad. Thankfully our neighbors still have their twinkly lights up. I will survive.

The thing I love most about Tobin is his hair.

When I grow up I want to huh? Really?! When I grow up? I cannot even answer this.

:) But I can make him answer it….

When I grow up I want to travel the world on an elephant.

The first thing I did this morning when I got out of bed was the laundry. Really.

I am most annoyed by bad drivers. No, it’s bad grammar. No, it’s rude people. Wait…no, it’s people who don’t pick up their dog’s poop in the park.

No, it’s the lack of snow this winter.

Yeah, that’s it.

My favorite thing Maelie did today was spin while holding a long piece of styrofoam. What a talented daughter I have… she made it look like artistic ballet.

I am excited because I might get to clean the basement tomorrow.

If I could give any animal a hug it would be a koala. I have always wanted to hold one.

One place I still want to see before I die is Antarctica. I know it won’ t happen, which is why I probably wan

t to see it.

The biggest thing I’ve ever seen in my life is the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur?! Maybe. At any rate, they’re definitely worth seeing.

The end.

😀

Sig

Filed Under: just life, random, Tobin

The Post Where I Actually Talk…

December 19, 2011 by · Leave a Comment

Sorry for the  lack of words the past few days.

Though by the end of this, you may wish that I had kept w ith

my current trend of posting photos…

Anyway, it’s been busy.

I’ve been tired.

Christmas is practically here, and I feel like it completely sneaked (snuck?) up on me.

(I hate that word…I honestly don’t know which is corrrect, and I’m too lazy to go to dictionary.com to look it up. ;))

Yesterday we invited some neighbors over for our 1st Annual Neighborhood Christmas Party.

Translation: a chance to say hi to and chat with those people we live near but hardly ever see in the w

inter. :) It was fun…a mix of different ages, some people we know well, some people we don’t know at all…and it worked. It was really good. (And really sugar-filled.) :) And I was sad when everyone went home.

Tobin is home for two weeks (thank you, Judson U) and that’s nice. M ae

and I had a playdate this morning, he met us for lunch at the mall, then we each had to get some things done before going home.

Once Mae went down for her nap, I went for a nice, 3-mile run (really, it was nice ’cause it was 45 out) then it was home to make dinner.

I was impressed that I ran the whole thing after not running for two weeks… though I was definitely huffing and puffing by the end!

I really love my Christmas tree…and, well, Christmas in general. I mean, I know the reason for Christmas…and that’s what the season is to us. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get excited to put up the tree every year. Then, decorate it.

White lights…always white lights. Then ornaments, the number depending on the year and the mood we’re in that day. 😉 The ones that are special to us, a few extra, and then all the UNbreakable ones within Maelie-reach.

And then, I really, really love to just sit and look at the tree.

I’ll sit and look at it every night until Tobin makes me take it down… probably early January.

The one thing about Christmas I don’t enjoy is wrapping gifts. I put it off every year…I’m sure I will be wrapping them on Christmas Eve, just like always. My hubby is a very gifted (HAHA!!!) present-wrapper…too bad he can’t wrap his own gifts! I suppose that would ruin the surprise, huh?

I should wrap this up before midnight. (Did I SERIOUSLY just write that

? I’m rockin’ the puns tonight!)

I better end this before I can’t stop. 😉

‘Nite, friends.

Sig

Filed Under: just life, random
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