{9.29.06}

hanes his way

When I asked Brenner what he wanted to be for Halloween this year, he responded "I want to be UNDERWEAR BOY!"

{9.26.06}

sleeeeeep

All I can think about at this very moment is SLEEP, I need it, I want it. This week won't stop beating me down, I'm tired, no lie AND it's only Tuesday. Yesterday was my first day back at the Chamber. It feels good. It feels like home. I like that feeling - knowing exactly right where I'm supposed to be. I have my job back, my goldfish, Oscar, my morning mochas from Local Grounds and all my members supporting and welcoming me back. Sure the pay may not be the greatest but waking in the mornings and looking forward to another work day - PRICELESS! I foresee some over-time to get the books in order and the necessary collections made before the next membership mailing that will go out in two months - my left arm goes numb just thinking about it. On top of adjusting to my new/old job Adam put his house on the market this morning. The house we (more me) fell in love with was taken by another offer the day before we decided to make ours. We still made a "back-up offer" in case the first falls through. So the search continues...

Brenner continues to do well in school, however; he brutally informed me tonight that he doesn't like when I ask about his day(s) at school. Can you guess what I told him? "TOUGH, I will continue to ask until the day I die, so get over it!" He said, "Uh, ok Mamma." Poor kid is going to need therapy before he reaches middle school.

Be The Change:
Challenge an assumption you hold, and serve whatever truth you find in the process.

{9.24.06}

things

Things that annoy me:

•   Embellishers.


•   Brenner old enough to bring home HOMEWORK.


•   Mulch slivers.


•   Curling iron burns.


• 
  
    Whining.
  
  


•   Commercials during DHW.


• 
  
    Construction stops in town. Focus people.
  
  

Things that perk me up:

•   Finding my dream home, small and cozy.


•   DHW, love and missed dearly.


•   Iced mochas...and more iced mochas.


•   Comfy AND cute shoes. Score.


•   Alouette & Wheat Thins...holy yum.


•   Lunch with crrrrrazy Jamie Fox this week.


• 
  
    Finishing Adam's back yard.
  
  

Be The Change:
Practice letting go of what you think you "know" sometimes, in order to let true wisdom arise.

{9.22.06}

last day

Today is my last day at the bank, hooray!!! I will miss the peeps but not the job. This morning the staff surprised me with a yummy raspberry cheesecake and a bag full of Bath & Body lotions. I couldn't finish reading the card without my eyes filling with tears.

Tomorrow Adam and I have an appointment with a realtor to tour a few homes in Redmond. We have decided to put Adam's house on the market as soon as we get a few things completed - mainly his back yard. So while he finishes the stairs and landscaping I'll be super cleaning his house. I'm going to bribe Brenner with moo-lah to help me. He's a pro with a swiffer mop I tell ya. So hopefully his house will sell quickly and we can find our home before the wedding. That way we can get his things moved then slowly move my things in as the time gets closer to June. And in case you are wondering, we don't plan to live together before we are married.

I'm off to lunch with Chad...his treat, of course. ;-)

Goodbyes suck.

{9.19.06}

the results are in

This morning I had the pleasure of starting this one fine day by going to the dentist. For those who don’t know I HATE GOING. As a child I had most all my baby teeth pulled prematurely to make room for my permanent teeth that had no desire to wait their turn. On top of that I had two oral surgeries to extract teeth that God misplaced and two sets of braces to correct them. Imagine this if you may…a 12 year old girl, body changing, in braces with a headgear and wearing glasses. Yep, I was a smoking hottie.

The outcome of this mornings visit:

• I need to floss better, dah.


• I need to brush better, dah again.


• I need a crown, cha-ching.


• My bonding is turning yellow from coffee and I should stop drinking it. Riiiiiiiiiiight…take away the air I breathe first, please and thank you.


• Jenny, the receptionist is on crack. I love her.

{9.16.06}

reasons

Why is it that planning a wedding is so stressful? Shouldn't marrying the person you love be a blissful celebration? I would hope so, but apparently it is NOT. I'm seriously at the point of calling our wedding off. Not because I don't want to marry Adam but because of the stress and guilt over the cost. I'm too tired to deal with petty details that won't matter a year down the road. Oh well, I guess Vegas is our only "budget" option at this point. Fun and SO romantic.

Today I shopped with Jen until we dropped, literally. What a great day. Tomorrow I'm helping Heidi paint her kitchen...I can't wait to see what color she picked. Fun.

Reasons I miss Brenner:

•  The way he combs my hair in the mornings.


•  His fabulous hugs.


• 
  
   His UNCONDITIONAL love and acceptance.
  
  


•  His excitement for chocolate milk.


•  The look he gives me when he wants gum.


•  I just do.

{9.13.06}

first day of kindergarten

{9.12.06}

a couture dress

Just before I picked up the phone to call Bella Brides to order my dress yesterday I received an email from Adam, the subject read: Wedding Dress! READ ME!!! Apparently his co-worker has a couture dress from the MCSignature Bridal Collection that she purchased, never wore and she wants me to have if I love it. I just received photos of it this morning and I CAN'T WAIT to try it on tonight. It's currently in Adam's trunk in a canvas bag so there is no way he can see it unless he peeks, which if he values his life he won't.

Tomorrow is Brenner's first day of school. I'm a wreck. I just hope I can keep it together and hold back the tears until after the classroom door closes and I'm in the car.

It's slow at work today, scary slow. I think we've had one or two customers and it's already 11am. I'm looking for things to do and already cleaned out my desk. I did get an email from Heather informing me of a typo in my email signature...apparently I've had the Chamber's phone number listed for quite some time now. Ha, I guess it's meant to be.

Also, I want a pair of these...

{9.11.06}

remembering

I'll never forget the morning of September 11th. Brenner was not quite 5 months old and I had just walked in the door at work. Everyone was gathered around the TV in silence. I literally dropped everything I had in my hands to cover my mouth. I couldn't believe what I was watching. I remember to this day exactly what outfit I dressed Brenner in, his beautiful big blue eyes gazing up at me while I nursed him, and the goodbye kiss I gave him on his sweet little forehead before handing him to my Aunt. From that day forward I look at things a little differently, not in life altering ways, but in the little every day ways.

This weekend was super productive and fun. Saturday, I picked up Lauren in Adam's fancy ride to go WEDDING DRESS SHOPPING. First we hit Macy's in hopes to find some great bridesmaid dresses, we found only one that we liked but I'm not keen on the color. After a quick stop at the MAC counter we were off to Bella Brides for my 2pm appointment with Alicia. While she was helping another customer Lauren and I hit the racks pulling off any dress that tickled my fancy. All fifteen of them. I wasn't nervous until I walked into the dressing room and was surrounded by all the beautiful gowns. I thought to myself, "How in the world am I going decide on just one?" After trying on the fourth dress Alicia handed me one that was not in my dressing room. Before she could finish lacing the corset I knew it was THE ONE. We finished our shopping day with drinks at Anthony's to celebrate.

We promised Brenner that if he had a green day on Saturday we'd take him to Sun Mountain Fun Center on Sunday to bowl and play games. As you can see from below, he earned his green day. We had so much fun bowling, riding go-karts (I came in last) and playing video games. Man, can that kid go through the tokens. Whoa. After I cleaned the Chamber in record time we met Jen, Jake and the boys at Papa's for dinner. It was fun to catch-up and see the boys. I adore how Cohen says my name; REESA. Good times.

Words of Wisdom: Honesty is telling the truth to ourselves and others. Integrity is living that truth. --Ken Blanchard

{9.10.06}

a day at sun mountain fun center

{9.8.06}

going back home...

to the Redmond Chamber of Commerce, that is. I gave my resignation to the banking world today. September 22nd will be my last day and I can't wait. Sometimes you need to remove yourself from a situation to appreciate and be appreciated. I will miss all the wonderful people I've met and worked with but my heart belongs in the community. I was offered more money to stay but it didn't matter, I'd rather be poor, content and happy than to be doing something that my heart wasn't into. After all, what is the point?

Last night I went over to Heidi's new house to help paint her bedroom. She is incredible with colors and I can't wait to take her shopping with me to pick out the new colors for Adam's living room (soon to be ours). The mustard-baby-poop color MUST go. Bad, so bad. And it's all my fault, all. I wish I had my Mother's talent and creativity; just a little would have been groovy. I must be color blind. No lie. I wear colors together that Adam questions often. Really, there is no rhyme or reason to my selection. I see it, I like it and I buy it.  And my Mother wonders why I wear so much black and white. And maybe that would also explain why I have a ridiculous number of decorative pillows I get home from the store and dislike only days after buying jammed in the storage closet in my garage. P-A-T-H-E-T-I-C.

Happy Friday to all. Have a spectacular weekend!!!

{9.7.06}

devotional reading

"The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water." John 4:14

The picture our Lord gives is not that of a channel but a fountain. "Be being filled," and the sweetness of vital relationship to Jesus will flow out of the saint as lavishly as it is imparted to him. If you find your life is not flowing out as it should, you are to blame; something has obstructed the flow. Keep right at the Source, and - you will be blessed personally? No, out of you will flow rivers of living water, irrepressible life.

We are to be centers through which Jesus can flow as rivers of living water in blessing to everyone. Some of us are like the Dead Sea, always taking in but never giving out, because we are not rightly related to the Lord Jesus. As surely as we receive from Him, He will pour out through us, and in the measure He is not pouring out, there is a defect in our relationship to Him. Is there anything between you and Jesus Christ? Is there anything that hinders your belief in Him? If not, Jesus says, out of you will flow rivers of living water. It is not a blessing passed on, not an experience stated, but a river continually flowing. Keep at the Source, guard well your belief in Jesus Christ and your relationship to Him, and there will be a steady flow for other lives, no dryness and no deadness.

Is it not too extravagant to say that out of an individual believer rivers are going to flow? "I do not see the rivers," you say. Never look at yourself from the standpoint of - Who am I? In the history of God's work you will nearly always find that is has started from the obscure, the unknown, the ignored, but the steadfastly true to Jesus Christ.

{9.5.06}

lies at the alter

Adam and I have been reading "Lies at the Alter: The Truth About Great Marriages" that was loaned to us recently. While driving to the coast we took the quizzes in the back of each chapter to learn more about each other. We laughed, we pondered, we agreed and we agreed to disagree. I would recommend this book to any couple. This particular section sparked my interest and thought I'd share...

Closing The Exits:

• Do you or your partner zone out in front of the TV every evening?


• Do you or your partner spend long hours in computer chat rooms when you are home together?


• Do you or your partner regularly get your emotional needs filled outside of the marriage?


• Do you or your partner spend long hours on the phone when you are home together?


• Is your idea of relaxation drinking alcohol that leaves you dozing in your chair by eight p.m. or zoned out emotionally?


• Do you avoid talking about your day with your partner?


• Are you like ships passing in the night, not stopping to hug or touch each other?


• Do you or your partner walk away when you're uncomfortable with a conversation you're having?


• 
  
  Is giving or getting the silent treatment a regular part of your marriage?
  
  

{9.1.06}

dude shoes

The shoes Brenner HAD to have for school