Monday's Memory: The One With the Siblings

Without getting into a whole lot of family history, I never knew much about my siblings while I was growing up.

Didn't know they existed until I was in first grade.
Was told "not to tell anyone" that dad had other children.
And the first grader who was asked in class the next week how many brothers and sisters she had had NO idea how to answer. She had been taught never to lie, but any answer she could give was in some way a lie.

I met my brother a couple of years later.

I met my sister on a summer evening when I was in between 7th and 8th grade.
I found out the night before that she had stopped speaking to my parents when she found out my mother was pregnant with me.
Which is understandable, really. She was 16 when her parents divorced and I'm betting she didn't have a whole lot of counseling and help through it when her father moved away and eventually met another woman who he married. That was strained enough for her, but another child meant she and her brother might be "replaced"
And while I'm at the age now (28) that she was when I was born...I can completely understand that when someone hasn't worked out their own grief about that sort of situation, the response of no longer speaking to that father is a protective measure so that they aren't hurt again.

However, my 13 year old brain couldn't process that.
So I met this gorgeous, petite, skinny woman.
And she scared me.

It's probably no surprise that shortly after that was when my eating issues began.

Anyway.
The first time my brother and sister and I were EVER in the same room together was when I was 22. I had just graduated from college and my brother flew me up to Kansas City to visit with his family and get to know them since he was *also* not speaking to my father at that point.
(yeah...my family is interesting. this is only the tip o' the iceberg)
My sister came up from her home a couple of hours south of KC, and we spent a day together, the 3 of us and G's wife, Karen.
(my sister and I...wow I was young!)
(and my brother and I)


The second time the three of us were in the same room together was a mere 6 months later when our grandmother passed away. Both my siblings informed me that had it not been for me contacting them and forging relationships neither of them would have come to the funeral.

As it turned out our brother played the music for the service and it was beautiful.
My sister and I sat with our arms interlocked as we wiped away our separate tears

And it was the first time I ever felt like we were truly bonded as family.

More interesting things have happened since that day in February, 2004.
But sometimes I just need to pull out this picture and remember



Family.

I don't always claim them.
I don't always stay in touch like I should.
I'm not great at being a sister...after all, I never knew how to be.

But the bond...is undeniable.

It's a Great Day to Go to (Yet Another) Wedding

Happy Saturday everyone!
(go here to join the wordle craze)

and...



Off to Caitlin and Pat's Wedding!

I say "yet another" in the post title because since Anthony and I have been dating it seems like we have one of these every few months!

However, this is the first one that one of us is involved in. This is his turn--he's a groomsman. In the next wedding that we know of (May) I'll be a bridesmaid as well as singing in the ceremony. However, this wedding is here...that one will be in Indiana. Slightly more long-distance!

Thankfully (for the most part) I just get to show up and enjoy all the festivities--beginning with the shower a couple of weeks ago, including the rehearsal dinner last night, and culminating in the wedding today. Caitlin and Pat have found a great little apartment just a couple of miles from me, so that's pretty cool...and I've made jewelry just to go with the dress I'm wearing to the ceremony tomorrow that I'm super excited about.

I'll have to post new jewels on here soon :) I've been busy lately!

Happy Saturday!

told you i'd be more positive...

i watched grey's anatomy tonight, as per my usual
and the end quote struck me, as it often does
i've shared the wisdom so often evident in those final words
on other blog posts of mine (like here and here)
and this one had to be shared too.

as a wanna-be runner...these words can easily be applied to the hiking, jogging, and 5Ks that i do.

they can also be applied to my current state of mind.
and i have hope, that i'm still scaling the side of this particular mountain.

wisdom of grey's:

they take pictures of mountain climbers at the top of the mountain
they're smiling
estatic
triumphant

they don't take pictures along the way
cause who wants to remember the rest of it?
we push ourselves because we have to
not because we like it

the relentless climb
the pain and anguish of taking it to the next level

nobody takes pictures of that

nobody wants to remember

we just want to remember the view from the top
the breathtaking moment at the edge of the world

that's what keeps us climbing
and it's worth the pain

that's the crazy part

it's worth anything.

- Grey's Anatomy, 2010

Thursday's Ten: Reasons I Suck

No excuses tonight, just a very real list of very real suckage



1. I haven't blogged for nearly a week
2. I'm having trouble with actually eating 2 full meals a day lately. Not on purpose. My schedule has imploded, my days and nights are confused, and I often get to 3 pm and realize I missed lunch. So that means dinner plus a heavy unhealthy snack. This is clearly not making my weight-loss goals happen any faster
3. I have slacked off big-time on exercise. But I did hit the greenway tonight and plan to go again tomorrow if time allows and Saturday if it does not. And both if life turns out perfectly!
4. People around me are hurting and I can't be there for them like I'd like. This includes my boyfriend and his family, who are amazing and wonderful to me...
5. My cat may be sick (she keeps wheezing) and I am worried about the vet bill. On a positive note, she hasn't wheezed at all since Tuesday, so I'm hopeful that whatever it was has now passed.
6. I have a wedding to be in early May and I haven't bought my dress yet because I can't even pay my freaking bills...how can I justify over $100 for a dress?!
7. My temporary job (which I have been sooooo grateful for) ends this week. So I'm stressed to the MAX about what I'm going to do for income. I know that I know that I know that God provides, but I'm still worried. Even though the past year and a half have taught me so much about reliance on Him and that money is not as major as it seems.
8. I barely managed to get a jewelry order done in time for a friend even though I've known about it for months. Thankfully it turned out beautifully and she is grateful (and has no idea that I...forgot about it...for forever).
9. I lost a contact last night and literally spent hours crawling around on the floor and looking under sofa cushions for it. Never found it. Am concerned about how much an eye exams+new contacts will cost...and am literally down to my last one now.
10. People have said (online and in person) this week that they admire my positivity and good outlook on things through this whole unemployment bit. And most of the time, they're right. I've remained pretty positive and stayed on the happy side of life, but there are times like today that I feel anything but. And clearly, that's coming through in this blog post.

I hesitated about posting this, truly. I try to stay positive here and not be a whiny crybaby...but it's my blog and I'll cry if I want to. I promise to make the next post back to the normally scheduled program of cheer :)

(on a very positive note, I start teaching private voice lessons in early April. and there's a possibility of a nanny job from end of April-August which will take me right into the school year. I'm going to either be teaching in August or nannying for a friend, so I know if I can make it through the next month and a half...I'll be ok.)

So, uh, I'm not mcklinkying this. If you want to create a list of reasons you suck, let me know and I'll visit you. If you want to create a list of why I suck, please don't let me know ;)

It's a Great Day to Completely Forget About my Blog...

(go here, join in the fun)

and

Did a truck run over me?

Yeah...I did a 5K this morning (48:05, mostly walking). But considering that I've had an average of 3-4 hours of sleep per night this week I just feel *awful*. I need to start sleeping! It's not by choice, I promise
:-/

However, I have new makeup to experiment with, polish for my toes, and a french manicure to perform on myself here in the next couple of hours--all prep for our Oscar party tomorrow. I'm babysitting a sweet bulldog right now, so I'll wait until she goes to bed...don't need her ingesting anything and believe me she'd try!
:-D

You Can't Make This Stuff Up: Volume 9

A nudist church.

I really have no words...just...let the video speak for itself.

article and video here

Thursday's Ten: Oscar's Edition

So we're totally having a Red Carpet party for the Oscars this weekend...complete with dressing up. SO, I'm asking you. If you were actually walking the red carpet...or if you're like me and fake-walking the red carpet...what 10 things would be high on your list to get ready?

Here's mine:

Oscar Prep List

1. A killer dress
(or a cheap dress. I found one at Goodwill for less than $10. Yes, there will be pictures)
2. Hair in an updo
(this one will be difficult for me. shall have to experiment)
3. French manicure
4. fresh pedicure
(both of these will be done by me...just not in the budget for me to go to a salon)
5. great little evening bag
6. awesome shoes
7. an eyebrow wax
(I may go to the beauty school to get this done on the way cheap...IF I get around to it)
8. smokey eyes. just because I've been waiting for an excuse to try this.
9. a loss of approximately 50 pounds. I'll settle for 2 for this party since it IS in 4 days.
10. and finally...great lipstick!

Pictures will be forthcoming. What are you doing for the big night?

Link up if you will...

I Heart Faces: Hilarious Outtakes!

This week's theme is hilarious outtakes. They might only be hilarious for me--but here's a few funny pics I just HAD to share.

My friend Angie and I having cookies and milk...
...just the looks on our faces...

love this one
Izzy had just bit Anthony's hand
and it TOTALLY reminded me of that "Chahlie BIT me" video

same night, same baby
smiling for a picture with mommy
and all of a sudden, burst into tears

my friend Jean was having a birthday party
complete with a feather boa
which she dramatically slung over her shoulder
and I caught the picture immediately after...
...with a feather up her nose...

and finally
a friend's wedding
her twin nieces had fallen asleep during the ceremony
were less that thrilled to be awakened for photographs
and were terrified of that big white dress


click on the camera above all the pictures to see other hi-larious photos!

Monday's Memory: The One With the Blog Swap! (introducing Janet, of Out of the Extraordinary!)

Hey all! I'm guesting on Janet's blog today, so she's posting over here! She decided to follow my regular format and post a Monday's Memory, and I followed my norm and took chaos to her blog! :)

Please visit her and give her some love!

-L

Monday Memories - BFFs

Hi there! Lora and I have switched blogs today, isn’t that fun? I am so very blessed because she has an AWESOME post over at my place, Out of the Extraordinary. I do hope you’ll stop by, I dusted and everything. :o) I’m really having a great time doing Be My Guest Monday so be sure to let me know if you’d be interested in being my guest as well!

In honor of Lora’s blog, I decided to do a Monday Memories over here:

(That’s me on the left)

Today’s memory is my BFF, yes that’s right, my Best Friend Forever. My BFF and I have been together since the first day of 2^nd grade, shortly after my family moved into the neighborhood. Which was, oh, 10 years ago. ‘Cause I’m totally still 17.

But really we’ve been best friends for over 20 years. We met on the bus stop. She lived on a house in a cul-de-sac, and I lived about 2 houses up the road from there, and the bus picked us up right on the corner. So yes, we were those best friends who lived almost next door.

The really funny thing, as I think about it, is that first day of 2^nd grade was the only time we ever took the bus. We had this great location where we were just barely on *this* side of the line for the bus. So we barely made it for High School, but we had to walk to grade school. Oh well, we were like eight. Walking a mile when you’re eight is like nothing. (Seriously, if you had to walk a mile to work now, you’d totally complain about it, wouldn’t you?)

My BFF and I only took one class together in our entire 11 years of Grade School, Jr. High and High School. I guess they thought that 2^nd grade was enough, eh? I don’t recall being a disturbance or anything. I mean, yes, I did give her the answer to a test once. But come on, we were best friends. How could I not help her out? I didn’t even realize it as cheating (which is highly ironic given that we had to put folders up around our desks in order to protect our test papers from roving eyes). But I suppose after that they determined we would be inseparable enough outside of school. Which we were.

We’ve stuck together in spite of different interests, a sometimes too-similar taste in boys, and different college experiences. Except for a week in high school when I refused to talk to her because she asked a boy to a dance that I’d planned on asking, we’ve been tight almost our whole lives. Amazing, isn’t it? We still talk on the phone as often as we can, and I had Thanksgiving at her place last November. I love my BFF.

So what about you? Are you still friends with a childhood bff? How did you meet?