Without a Connection

Tobin, Maelie and I spent the last few days up in small-town, out-in-the-middle-of-nowhere, Wisconsin.

The pros: fun people, games, good talks, (way too much) good food, coffee, beautiful house and location, laughs, new friends and old, too, 15-2 Brew…the list could really go on. Lotsa good. :)

The cons: not enough bathrooms, flies, an over-abundance of indoor taxidermy, and almost. zero. internet.ย 

For about a day, I thought a few of us, Miss Blogger Extraordinaire included, might die. Or at least suffer mentally. (I really hate to miss blogging, especially when I haven’t mentally prepared to actually NOT do it. I know I’m strange…get over it.) ๐Ÿ˜‰

Eventually I had to wrap my mind around the idea that we WEREN’T going to have internet, that if I HAD to get in touch with someone, I’d have to call or text (cell reception was also extremely iffy…did I mention that?), and that if I NEEDED to blog, I’d just have to wait.

You know, that thing I do So. Extremely. Well.

Eventually I (and a lot of other people) had to get over the fact that, for the most part, life outside would have to wait.

I found myself thinking about it less and less by Friday (even though I did have time to blog during the window we actually HAD a connection), and time was spent doing a lot of other things that were more fun. Cribbage playing, catch-up talks, cookie-devouring, horseshoe games (though I just watched), bocce ball, a late-night in-law chat (but there were out-laws there, too. ;))

It was SO good…kinda to the point where I thought, hmmm…what if I try to use the internet less?

Like, a LOT less?

I honestly don’t know what that looks like. As it stands, I’m currently organizing a 5k with someone who’s in another time zone, so I can’t stay disconnected completely. But all that facebooking that I think is so necessary?

I’m thinkin’ not.

In fact, I’m gonna try something…like staying off the internet in the mornings. That’s the chunk of my day that is concentrated most on Mae. I wonder what life will look like if I focus fully on her instead of dividing my attention between her and whatever thoughts are begging to be blogged or the magnetic pull online life seems to have on me.

I don’t know how it’s gonna go.

Really.

And I’m not making promises…just talking aloud. :)

But I do know that I’ve got a daughter to love on, and if I let her, she can easily fill up my mornings. Not to mention, our summer days are ticking down quickly, and I’ve still got coffee to drink and friends to chat it up with while Maelie entertains us.

I’m not sure the blog will see less of me in the weeks to come.

But my daughter will definitely see MORE of me.

Because there are other connections I’d like to make besidesย the internet.

Sig

New Blogs, Bear Shopping, Princess Jammies, and Bad Internet Connections

So did ya notice something?

Yeah, I took my birthday off.

SHOCKER. (Really.)

Actually, I had no plans to do that. During our drive yesterday to our four-day family reunion in Wisconsin, I thought through several fairly deep topics, sure that I’d have something wise to share with you all.

I amย 34, after all.ย 

๐Ÿ˜‰

However, beside the fact that we are completely in the middle of No. Where.ย with extremely iffy cell reception, the wi-fi at our rented house was completely out of commission. Therefore, ZERO thirty-four year-old wisdom to share…at least that particular night.

So, tonight, you get thirty-four and a day, which isn’t really all that bad, huh?

Like I said, we’re spending a long weekend up in Wisconsin with Tobin’s extended family. I think the total count is 40 people, and we rented a ginormo house. Yeah, it’s out in the boondocks, but it sure is cool. Tons of space, sand volleyball that has doubled as a huge sandbox for the kiddos, a seven-person hot tub, pool table, mini shuffleboard, the list goes on.

It’s like a vacation. :)ย 

I also discovered that one of my cousins-in-law (does that term even exist? It does now…) is a blogger! I know! Despite the fact that I’m being slightly over-dramatic, she really is a very good writer, and I’ve loved the bit I’ve read so far. I’ll have to link her up here sometime. That was a fun discovery. :)

Tonight, as we were waiting for dinner to be ready, I was chatting with Annie (also, the blogger) about the insane amount of stuffed animals (aka: taxidermy) inhabiting the house we’ve rented.

Really.

I cannot even begin to describe to you how CrAzY is is to be stared down by a mountain lion or to be greeted by a bear when you walk through the front door.

It’s sorta creepy.

I was sharing this with her (and she agreed), and Maelie heard me say that I thought the bear was “shocking”.

A few seconds later, she looked at Tobin. “Bear shopping! Bear shopping!”ย 

Haha…I suppose it DOES make sense. It gave me a good laugh, anyway.

๐Ÿ˜€

After a busy (and napless) day of playing in the sand and running everywhere and swimming and even decorating a cardboard playhouse, Maelie had HAD it tonight…and we experienced the worst temper tantrum from her we’d had EVER.

Gosh, it was bad.

Lesson to be learned: Mae will always want her princess jammies. Always. Therefore, even if she is NOT dressed IN her princess jammies, she does not need to know this piece of information.

Either that, or we need multiple pairs of princess jammies.

OY.

Despite temper tantrums and cell reception that hates me, it’s good. Nice to be away for a few days and spending time with people we haven’t seen in a long time. (A few we hadn’t even met yet!)

Good memories.

I should go be social…g’nite, friends!

Sig

See Ya, 33…

Big day tomorrow, I guess.

You know, July 19th.

National Mel Day, as my hairstylist dubbed it tonight.

Or, maybe, not. quite.

I like my birthday…who doesn’t? Really. If we’re being honest, we ALL like a day that gives us a little extra love. ๐Ÿ˜‰ I’m planning to spend the morning at the splash park with my girl and some friends. I even baked myself some birthday cupcakes ’cause that’s just what I do.

:)

Then in the afternoon we’re headed to Wisconsin for a few days for the big family reunion. (So blogging may be slightly sporadic. We’ll see…)

I got to do my celebrating a few nights ago. My hubby totally got me.

I am so stinkin’ hard to surprise, and he managed to pull it off. I thought? We were boppin’ across the street to take some birthday ice cream bars to Jonny.

Nope.

Surprise, Mel! (Kris got a good picture of the actual moment. I look very confused…it’s slightly comical.) :)

Anyway…it was a great birthday surprise. Exactly the way I would have chosen to spend my birthday…with people I love. :)

We had dinner, DQ cake, and then played a couple rounds of fishbowl, my favorite go-to-when-I-want-to-laugh-a-lot game.

Sweet memories with my hubby, daughter, and some amazing friends.

A few pics…we didn’t get a ton, but that’s ok.

You know how I loooooooooooove cake? I love DQ cake even more!

Yeah, he’s a good guy. :)

Ok…so, yeah, this is what we’re really like. I have no idea what led to this photo…possibly a conversation about a bottle of ketchup? FYI, I did have permission to post it. Mostly. ๐Ÿ˜‰

Yeah, this one is good enough to post twice. Love these two.

Hello, 34!

It’s gonna be a great year. ๐Ÿ˜€

Sig

An Answer to Prayer

I was just thinking today about life two years ago…

…about how Mae was so teeny-tiny.

…about how we were packing up our lives to move here and begin a new chapter.

…about how Illinois felt more foreign than Indonesia.

…about how scared I was that I’d never find friends.ย 

One of my sweet friends from Minnesota told me that she was praying extra hard for God to send me one or two close friends. I’m sure I prayed that off and on, too…in between diaper changes and feedings and naps and coffee and episodes of Little House on the Prairie. ๐Ÿ˜‰

But I knowย she prayed it…often.

And God answered that prayer…beyond what I could have ever imagined. And these two beautiful women, Kris and Alison, are a big part of that answer.

Friendship is such a gift…and I am so blessed.

This pic was taken at my surprise birthday party the other night. Will tell you all about it tomorrow. :)

Sig

Don’t Eat All the Mac ‘N Cheese…You’ll Be Sorry!

Hey, friends.

So it’s amazing how time slips away on Monday nights. Really.

And even Iย am saying it’s too late for coffee. So this is a water and protein bar date.

Mmmmm.

Or, not really.

Long story short, I learned the hard way last week that I should definitely not eat before I work out at night. So tonight, I didn’t. I really, really, REALLY didn’t want a repeat of last week.

And then I stayed after workout to do some 5k planning with a couple friends, and by the time I walked in the door, it was 10:15 pm, and I still hadn’t eaten dinner. And by then, it was too late to make anything, and I was totally kicking myself for pulling the mac n’ cheese card on Tobin and Mae ’cause there’s never enough left over. (Or any at all if you happen to have two golden retrievers.) At the time, I never care…it’s always at that unreasonable hour that I suddenly wish there was some left for me. (Side note…really, would it KILL those people who sell mac n’ cheese to make the boxes just a little BIGGER?!)

Golly.

So, when it comes down to it, it’s Kraft’s fault that I had to eat a protein bar for dinner. Yeah.

I seriously love how I came to that conclusion…I’m really quite proud of it. :)ย 

Though if I am being fair, I did have a handful of Cheez-It’s, too. You know, to balance out all that protein.

I think maybe I need sleep…soon. Because that story just took way. too. long. to tell you all.

And, it was kinda dorky.

I had these grand plans tonight to tell you about weddings and surprise birthday parties and some pretty amazing people, and, well…maybe my words would be better used afterย I sleep. Being serious here…the words are starting to swim right in front of me. And, I’m misspelling things, which I hardly ever do, and putting commas in the wrong places and spacing twice after a period.

Horrors. ๐Ÿ˜‰

Time to crash.

Thanks for letting me tell you all why mac ‘n cheese deserves a bigger box. :)

G’nite!

Sig

Love Never Fails

Sig

Little Blessings (Pt. 43)

:) My daughter, the unofficial, West Dundee Target greeter. Today we were picking out a birthday card near the front entrance, and as a family walked in, she looked at them and said, “Hi, people!”. With a wave. Golly, I love her. :)

:) Wedding tomorrow and plans to see friends we haven’t in a long time.

:) Coffee and a good chat on the back patio with my dear friend.

:) Family walks up and down the street.

:) My Mac is still going…granted, I haven’t used it much, but I’ll take it! (It’s honestly weird to have my own laptop again. Really.)

:) Cute, $7 white skirts. (Did I just use the words “cute” and “skirt” in the same sentence? As a blessing? WOW, Mel…) ๐Ÿ˜‰

:) Surprise e-mails that make me smile.

:) Early morning running when it’s NOT already 90.

:) Painting…I love my latest one. It’s a gift that I’m really excited to give, but I not-so-secretly want to keep it for myself. Thinkin’ I might try to do another for me. :)

:) The Psalms…I’ve spent some time reading several of them this week. So thankful for the encouragement found there.

Sig

Sometimes there are just those days.

No words.

Definitely emotions but no way to adequately express them.

Gwen died this morning.

My heart aches for her family. Her boyfriend. Her friends. Everyone who loved her.

It was so quick…the evil of cancer took her faster than any of us could have imagined. And for that reason alone it feels surreal.

She’s at peace, though…with her Father and Savior. I wonder what it’s like…I’m sure her smile is even bigger in heaven than it was here. I can still hear her laugh…and it must just be music there. I know one thing…she’s incredibly happy.

That thought alone will comfort a heart tonight.

My friend, I’m so glad this isn’t the end, that this is a see ya later and not a goodbye. Someday there will be another hug, a chat, and probably another bagel with LOTS of cream cheese. ๐Ÿ˜‰ Thank you for the blessing and privilege of knowing you, loving you, and calling you a friend.

Sig

A Tale of Two Friends

Once upon a time there were two girls, M & G.

They went to the same college, and, though they knew each other somewhat, they weren’t really friends during their first year.

But then…

Sophomore. Speech. Class.

…happened.

M was deathly afraid of it, G not so much.

And so it was that the one who didn’t mind so much helped the girl who could possibly have fainted on the spot…survive.

And a friendship happened.

It was a good one…the kind that brought on deep conversations because they were both thinkers and writers. A few times there were trips to the laundromat when they were both desperate for clean clothes and didn’t want to wait at the end of the long list of girls who thought ahead and actually signed up for a time slot.

And, usually, those trips to do laundry also resulted in a stop at a local bagel shop, the place where they’d have a bagel to go with their cream cheese. They’d talk, laugh, and just enjoy the friendship.

At the end of the year, G graduated and moved on to what was next for her; M stayed to finish her degree for a few more years.

They lost touch until several years later when Facebook swept the world and reunited them, at least online. Though they wouldn’t see each other again in person, there was the occasion birthday wish, note, status-or-photo like. A small connection still.

Last month G found out she had cancer, and treatment options were being explored and discussed.

However, things were far worse than imagined, and the doctors soon told her treatment was not an option…her condition was terminal…and she began to deteriorate very quickly.ย  The best thing they could do was keep her comfortable in her last days.

Tonight my sweet friend, G, is in her last days…possibly hours. She is surrounded by her family, her boyfriend, and many who love her. From an earthly standpoint there is nothing that can be done, but G has a Hope…and she knows Who is waiting to welcome her Home. I ask you to pray for aching hearts being forced to say goodbye to their dear daughter, girlfriend, friend…far too soon. I’m sad that I will never hug my friend again on earth, but I, too, have that Hope…and it makes heaven seem just a little sweeter tonight.

In your own words, G, Toodles, my beautiful friend. I will miss you.

Sig

Grass that Crunches While I Sing Veggie Tales

No, not really.

I’m just in one of those moods…you’ve been warned.

๐Ÿ˜‰

This barefoot chica experienced a summer-first today. I would rather wear flip flops than go barefoot. Yes, indeed-y, the grass is sooooo very un-rained-upon that running over it barefoot can be compared (almost) to running over needles. OUCH.

So much for barefoot frisbee.

In my mind there are only three…count ’em…ways that raisins are EVER acceptable. 1) Chocolate covered…preferrably dark, but any will do; 2) In trail mix, but only if salty peanuts are also included because the salt coats the raisins, thus making them far more appealing; and 3) in Raisin Bran.

And if you put them in cookies? Shame on you. ๐Ÿ˜‰

Certain items in the Target Dollar Section should be outlawed. Like, packs of Sesame Street Matching cards. How many times have I picked them up in the last two hours?

We won’t go there. Tonight, anyway.

Veggie Tales songs have an unwelcome tendency to stick in my head for, I don’t know, EVER. However, I did sing (perfectly, I think!) the songs, “It’s Laura’s Fault” AND “It’s Lenny’s Fault” from Larry Boy and the Fib from Outer Space.

In Maelie’s mind, I think that made me cool. :) (Should you want to watch a clip, both of the songs are found here.)

Weird, but true, I always have a backup pair of sunglasses. That’s because I break at least one pair a year. I usually buy them on clearance at the end of the season for the next year…just in case. You know, so I have a pass if I actually sit on my currently-being-used pair. Which almost always happens.

My daughter climbs. Like, really climbs. She tries to climb on top of her play kitchen and a few days ago tried to scale the side of the swimming pool. She also jumps. Everywhere she goes. Perhaps my favorite? She hangs from the little kitchen island-counter we have. Yep…can we all shout, Little Future Gymnast, together now? 1, 2, 3…

OY.

One of my favorite things ever is spending the day with a friend and my girl. Got to do that today…I seriously love friends, coffee, chatting, and all things Maelie. T’was wonderful. :)

I love the random of a day.

๐Ÿ˜€

Sig