Nemesis
That darn closet! I love this place but this closet is my nemesis. The maintenance guys came over to fix it today. They obviously have no understanding of physics. Or they have no understanding of this closet fixture. Or they just want to come back again tomorrow and fix it for a second time. It broke right after they left. Once again my clothes are piled high on my bed because I have no place to hang them. I shake my head at them. But if this is all that I have to complain about you know that my life is pretty sweet. :D
I love my life!
Everything is Beautiful
I feel like singing and dancing...
and I do! I am all moved into my new place. I cannot tell you enough just how amazingly beautiful it is...I love it (as much as one can love a house).
So many things have been going just right for me. I have a "new" car that is working out quite wonderfully.
I have a job. And the terrific thing about it is that it is
not new, so I am able to learn from all of the things that I did wrong (and right) last year, I think that it is going to be an exceptional experience and I am looking forward to it.
I also have a new classroom (which I am being allowed to paint!!!!!). My old classroom was rather drab and boring and this room is going to be anything but! I am so excited about getting stuff all settled over there and I am looking forward to all that I have to work on. Summer is pretty much over for me and school is full speed ahead. But I might still sneak in a couple of swims before that becomes official.
I have a hew place to live, which as previously mentioned is amazing! I have my very own washing machine and dryer right outside my bedroom door and I don't have to dig through coffee mugs of change to insert quarters before I start each load. I
enjoy doing laundry! (this is a red letter day and will be referred to often in future posts with hysterical laughing as I question the sanity of the one who wrote that last sentence)
I have new roommates. Tom and
Lauren are awesome!
I have a new phone number. (If you need my new number leave me a comment and I will e-mail it to you) I am kinda sad about leaving my old number behind. I have had it ever since I moved from my parents' house, through all of my numerous college moves my phone number has remained the same until now. I guess that this is just one more reminder that I am not in college anymore.
One of my sister's roommates (and my roommate at the time) asked me a couple of days ago if I felt more like a "woman" or if I still felt like a "girl." That wasn't as hard to answer as it has been in the past. I am in no way trying to claim that I am "all grown up" and for that matter I don't know that I ever want to be...but I have been more content with my "adult" roles and I have been choosing to do without some of my more childish attributes. I still have a long way to go. But I actually enjoy my job (what teacher doesn't say that over summer break?) and I am looking forward to getting back into the schedule of it all.
I will have
high-speed internet very soon!
Life is sweet.
The Best Ever!
I live in the best place ever! Well, I don't actually live there yet...I am in the process of moving. The majority of my stuff is still at the old place...but I tell you, I cannot wait to get moved over.
Just as a warning...I will be without internet until the begining of August(or so). I won't have a phone for a while...but then I will have a new number and everything. I love new beginnings. And this is one of the best ever!
July 21
Of course my day was fantastic...don't even bother asking...
why is not important just know that it lived up to all of my expectations and I believe that says
a lot about it.
I got an amazing amount of packing and organizing done. I am moving tomorrow for the final time "this season." I talked to Kevin, an amazing man from Tampa Bay! And I bought all of my paint for my classroom and my bedroom...I just hope that Jordan remembers to leave me all the necessary painting supplies....please remember, please remember!
Life is good...I can't concentrate on this right now...more on this another time.
Wedding Gown Shopping
I went shopping with my newly engaged sister (Whitney), my other sister the maid of honor (Tina) and my mother. It was quite the experience let me tell you. We had a great time! Now in order to try on wedding dresses you need to have an appointment. Ours was made for 7pm. We arrived at the store about 40 min early so that we chould choose the dresses before so that she would have plenty of time to try on as many as she wanted. For those of you who may not know these dresses are big and heavy and they take several minutes to get in and out of even with the professional assistants. We were there until 9:30 the store closed at 9. oops.
We all really liked this one on her. I think that it was everyone's favorite. And true to the rule it was the second one that she tried on that night. She looked beautiful in it and we told her so...everyone told her so. She was glowing as all brides-to-be should. We were off to a great start.
NO
Tina made her try this one on. Tina is always trying to push the limits. This is the only dress that she could say "a deffinite no!" to. One down and about a hundered stores left to go.
Beautiful
Everytime she came out of the dressing room we couldn't stop saying how beautiful she looked. We never lied. She looked amazing in each and every one of them. I simply don't know how she will ever bring herself to choose just one wedding gown.
Not in Store
We didn't see this one in the store, which is a shame because I think that this embodies some of her very favorite qualities all in one dress.
Too Much
Her excuse for this one was that it had too much color...I personally think that she is crazy. But I still love her!
Red
She wouldn't even try this one on because it was red.
Whitney really liked this one. It took me forever to find it for her in her size. But happily enough I did and She tried it on and everyone thought that she looked beautiful...again. She is never going to be able to choose.
Bridesmaid Dresses
Just a few ideas to think about for a while.
Close
This is the one that we all liked, now if we can only agree on a color! ;) Although, Whit kept mentioning that something needed to bo done with the flower, but I liked it. We shall see.
Favorite
This one was my fav to wear. It was so fun!
primer
most of the classroom is primered. by "most" i mean that all four walls are done except for the edging because i did not have a ladder that was tall enough. so close. I should be able to paint tomorrow. that means that i should choose my colors tonight. i am still thinking about it. i know that i am leaving one of the walls white...the rest is still up for grabs...all suggestions are welcome. ;)
found
i found my old journals in all of this moving and packing. they were a joy to look back through. i love the life that i have lived. it has been so full of so many things. not particularly noteworthy to anyone; but to me they are precious. my past has been found, i have read through it all, i feel like i can see the future. i am walking on sunshine.
sick of jumping
he said "jump." i said "how high?"
we played by those rules for quite some time. frankly i am sick of those rules.
he says "jump." i am sick of jumping. i went swimming instead.
Bank
TCF Bank is stupid and I hate them. And they are obsessed with charging me $33 over and over and over again.
Cat
We are not supposed to have pets at our apartment. It is explicitly stated in the lease. I have lived in these apartments for 2 1/2 years. I have had my cat for about 1 1/2 years. I am moving in six days. Today my apartment fines me $100 for having a pet.
I just paid cash for a car...I am moving into a townhouse in six days...I just paid a $100 security deposit so that this pet can live at the new place...I don't have an extra $100 lying about. *darn it all* I was so close. This is my low point!
School
Today was an official workday at school. That means that many well meaning volunteers descended upon the school intending to "help" in the BIG move. My classroom was #3 on the list of things to do. Today they took all of the stuff that was being stored in my new classroom and gave it a new home (i.e. the hallway) so that only "my" stuff is in "my" classroom. The rest is up to me.
Today I spent three hours creating an island of all of my furniture in the middle of the room so that the walls are exposed and ready for the next step.
First I need to scrub the walls with TSP-SF, then rinse with warm water. I can then spackle the random damage from previous teachers who got a little carried away with sticky dots and gummy tack. Then I tape off the edges, ceilings and baseboards. Remove outlet covers. Kiltz the room. Paint it(color as of yet undecided). Return outlet covers to their original positions. Then all of the furniture can be moved into place. I need to scrub the ceiling vents and fluorescent light fixtures.
This all needs to be done before Friday. Friday I need to help move into the townhouse. I am really excited. It is all a lot of work but I am going to have one fantastic classroom at the end of it all. Which is good since I spend all of my time there from August (or as it seems July) to May.
Car
I refer to most vehicles as "cars" no matter what make or model they are. I am not very good at identifying makes or models. I do know my colors...but that's about the extent of my car knowledge.
the point of it all is that...
today, I bought a car!
actually it is a Ford Explorer. Charcoal Grey. And I think its fantastic.
As I drove it home today I couldn't stop smiling. I have a car that runs! I have a car that looks pretty. I have a car with power windows! Life is good. I cannot tell you how good life is. I have a job. I have a townhouse. I have a car. This is my high point.
Wishing for a Cell Phone
For the first time
EVER, I wished that I had a cell phone on Friday. There wasn't a car accident, a crime scene, or any other "emergency" instead it was a very ordinary comment that made my heart break.
On Friday I went to pick up my "littlest" brother from his first week-long camp. It was a four hour drive each way. As we were driving home he said, "I can't wait to see the sign!" I knew exactly what he meant. My mother had made several of them for me and my siblings over the years...they are bright and colorful banners that she hangs up over the kitchen cupboards just inside the doorway that proclaim "Welcome HOME!" or "We Missed You!" Everyone helps to color the giant bubble letters and write their own messages or drawings. Sometimes we use paints other times crayons or markers...we have even used the computer to generate these greetings. The banners are big and special...for birthdays or welcoming home. And he was excited to see what his
first welcome home banner would be like.
I felt sick and wanted a cell phone. I knew that my mom had left for work before I started my journey and that she wasn't likely to be home before we got back. I knew that there had been no sign when I left. I wanted to call and tell them to make the biggest and best banner ever
right now...but I had no way to get in touch with them, and I knew no one was home. That drive home became excruciatingly painful. Each mile coming closer to the potential let down. Each turn drawing us nearer to his disappointment. I wanted to stop. I wanted to turn around. I wanted to somehow prevent what seemed inevitable. I wanted to protect him but I didn't know how. I wanted to prep him for the possibility but I didn't have the words. Everything seemed so shallow and empty "too busy"... "all gone"... "at work"... "holiday weekend"... "didn't remember"...it all seemed to yell..."YOU DON'T MATTER!" so I was stunned into silence and I prayed. I held out hope that maybe someone would remember.
When we got home not only was there no banner but no one else was home. There were no shouts of greetings, no hugs that felt like football tackles, no songs, no jumping and no one to grab the suitcases and sleeping bags from his arms. The house was silent. The cupboards were bare. And there was no one to welcome him home. I don't think the hug I gave him made much difference. We still cried.
