This past Thursday was Thanksgiving, and there's so much I have to be thankful for.
I'm thankful for my family. For Sean, for my parents, my siblings (and my new brother!), Sean's family, and my friends. Sean and I moving in together has been so seamless for the most part, and our families have been so great in supporting us the best they can from 300 miles away. Sean supports everything I do, regardless of how crazy it is. When I'm so frustrated I'm in tears, he helps me see the light. We've worked really hard to have an equal partnership, and even though we're both busy a lot of the time, we make it work.
I'm thankful for my job. Even though I had to work on Thanksgiving (and have yet to eat any turkey), I'm thankful I have it. So many people don't have jobs right now, or don't have jobs that make a difference. My job pays all of our bills, and, while money is a little short for food, we make it work just fine. My job isn't the best in the world, but it's a great place to start.
I'm thankful for Sean's school. He's so happy in law school, and it's definitely where he should be. He doesn't complain about having to read 200+ pages a week, or that his finals are 4 hours long, because he loves it so much. Plus, him being in school gives us a discount on the apartment and the student loans that help close the gaps so that we can live without a fear of starvation. I love that he loves what he's doing.
I'm thankful for our kitten. Ella is so well behaved, and it's so nice to have a loving kitten to come home to at night. She's our lovely foot warmer at night, and our cuddler during the day. I love having her, no matter what she costs (which thankfully hasn't been much yet).
I'm thankful that we're able to plan the wedding of our dreams. It's been a struggle to do it long distance and with no-so-eager family and friends (until now, now that everything is planned :P), but it's everything we've wanted. We've budgeted, we've worked overtime, and we've hunted for deals. Our parents are graciously helping us get the day of our dreams, and I couldn't be more grateful. Let's hope the day goes smoothly!!
This year has been a whirlwind of change for us for sure. I've moved twice in less than six months, I've had 3 jobs, and we're now living less than 100 miles apart for the first time in five years. Despite all of that, we're getting there. We'll be married in 42 days (the answer to life?). I'm looking forward to starting an MBA program next year, getting another promotion (hopefully), and going on our fabulous honeymoon. The next 3 years are going to be incredibly busy, but incredibly rewarding at the same time.
More than anything, I'm thankful that I have the opportunities that I do, and that I've met the love of my life, who is incredibly supportive of everything I do. Life may be hard, but it's going somewhere. You can't see the sunshine until you break through the clouds, and slowly but surely they're clearing away. I'm thankful for my life.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
On Becoming Suzy Homemaker...
Because I am. Seriously.
I make my own bread (usually every other week - and if we need bread before then, we don't hesitate to buy a loaf), I make my own waffles (and freeze them for later), and my own stews and roasts. We make chili for 12, and freeze 3/4s of it.
Why do I feel the need to spend my weekends in the kitchen?
I've always loved to cook. My family never did it often (I didn't know that cookies could be made without a "tube" of dough until I was in high school), so it was a novelty to me at first. It's stress relieving, knowing that I'm going to get something delicious out of the effort.
It's also cheaper. For me to make a loaf of bread, I need yeast, flour, honey, butter, and milk. 3 packs of yeast is about 60 cents, and I just picked up a 5 lb bag of flour for $1.68. The cheapest bread in KC is still over $2 a loaf, and I can easily make 10 loaves with this bag of flour. Seems like a pretty good deal, ya know? I'm sure wheat flour is probably more expensive (though healthier), but we'll stick with white for now - seeing as I have a brand new bag and all.
But really, there's one reason why I'm doing this. This is what memories are made of. I don't remember the countless microwavable TV dinners that my family made, but I do remember making christmas cookies with my grandma - and the last time we did that I was seven (I got yelled at for not using all of the sprinkle choices - I had my favorites). I remember making tuna salad with my other grandma, even though I hate the stuff. And one of my favorite memories of Sean and I is making a cake with powdered sugar instead of flour (we were bored at midnight, what can I say?).
It doesn't bother me that this is who I'm becoming, because I know the fact that I forgot to peel the carrots I put in the roast this morning is just another memory (and one that Sean will likely never let me forget). My future family isn't going to rely on microwavable meals. Hell, Sean and I don't rely on them (though we are guilty of frozen pizza). And if what I'm cooking doesn't turn out? I have no qualms about cooking up a pack of ramen or having cereal for dinner.
I make my own bread (usually every other week - and if we need bread before then, we don't hesitate to buy a loaf), I make my own waffles (and freeze them for later), and my own stews and roasts. We make chili for 12, and freeze 3/4s of it.
Why do I feel the need to spend my weekends in the kitchen?
I've always loved to cook. My family never did it often (I didn't know that cookies could be made without a "tube" of dough until I was in high school), so it was a novelty to me at first. It's stress relieving, knowing that I'm going to get something delicious out of the effort.
It's also cheaper. For me to make a loaf of bread, I need yeast, flour, honey, butter, and milk. 3 packs of yeast is about 60 cents, and I just picked up a 5 lb bag of flour for $1.68. The cheapest bread in KC is still over $2 a loaf, and I can easily make 10 loaves with this bag of flour. Seems like a pretty good deal, ya know? I'm sure wheat flour is probably more expensive (though healthier), but we'll stick with white for now - seeing as I have a brand new bag and all.
But really, there's one reason why I'm doing this. This is what memories are made of. I don't remember the countless microwavable TV dinners that my family made, but I do remember making christmas cookies with my grandma - and the last time we did that I was seven (I got yelled at for not using all of the sprinkle choices - I had my favorites). I remember making tuna salad with my other grandma, even though I hate the stuff. And one of my favorite memories of Sean and I is making a cake with powdered sugar instead of flour (we were bored at midnight, what can I say?).
It doesn't bother me that this is who I'm becoming, because I know the fact that I forgot to peel the carrots I put in the roast this morning is just another memory (and one that Sean will likely never let me forget). My future family isn't going to rely on microwavable meals. Hell, Sean and I don't rely on them (though we are guilty of frozen pizza). And if what I'm cooking doesn't turn out? I have no qualms about cooking up a pack of ramen or having cereal for dinner.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Drowning
I am drowning under a pile of invitation crap.
Who the hell ever thought that addressing envelopes is remotely easy? It sucks.
I've gotten like...20 done? Go me? Only 80 more to go?
*sigh*
Who the hell ever thought that addressing envelopes is remotely easy? It sucks.
I've gotten like...20 done? Go me? Only 80 more to go?
*sigh*
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Crash.
Three weeks after I turned 16, I wrecked my car. That earned me the nickname of "Crash" in my family. Friday, my brother totaled his car, and has now assumed the nickname.
It was 9:00 pm on Friday night. He had two people in the car with him, but one of them had a headache so there wasn't any talking or music. They hadn't been drinking or doing any drugs (my brother doesn't at all - and the tox screens all proved that). He just...didn't see the car. He hit a car at a red light going 40 miles per hour. He has no recollection of the 10-20 seconds before the crash. Apparently the kids in the car were yelling at him, but he didn't hear it. Thankfully, no one was severely injured (though the airbag burns make it look like someone tried to slash his throat). The other driver was even able to drive their car away.
Needless to say, my brother is undergoing some testing. Right now, they think he might have epilepsy, with absence seizures (you space out, and basically lose consciousness). He had an EKG on Saturday, and gets to review the results with a cardiologist today. He has an appointment with a neurologist on Wednesday. It's crazy. Other possibilities that he'll have tests for are diabetes and ADD or ADHD, both of which can cause loss of consciousness in severe forms. Thankfully, all of these are easily treated, it's just a matter of what (if any) he has. They're working really hard to find a solution to the situation.
It also makes me really thankful for my "new brother." J has been living with us since April (his parents kicked him out, and he had been living from couch to couch - my parents took him in with the stipulation that he finishes high school). Since he's a good friend of my brother, he's been able to tell us a lot more about how much he spaces out and when. It's been a real help to the doctors, and J has been going to as many of my bro's appointments as possible.
It's a crazy situation. Hopefully they find out what's going on soon, and work on solution.
It was 9:00 pm on Friday night. He had two people in the car with him, but one of them had a headache so there wasn't any talking or music. They hadn't been drinking or doing any drugs (my brother doesn't at all - and the tox screens all proved that). He just...didn't see the car. He hit a car at a red light going 40 miles per hour. He has no recollection of the 10-20 seconds before the crash. Apparently the kids in the car were yelling at him, but he didn't hear it. Thankfully, no one was severely injured (though the airbag burns make it look like someone tried to slash his throat). The other driver was even able to drive their car away.
Needless to say, my brother is undergoing some testing. Right now, they think he might have epilepsy, with absence seizures (you space out, and basically lose consciousness). He had an EKG on Saturday, and gets to review the results with a cardiologist today. He has an appointment with a neurologist on Wednesday. It's crazy. Other possibilities that he'll have tests for are diabetes and ADD or ADHD, both of which can cause loss of consciousness in severe forms. Thankfully, all of these are easily treated, it's just a matter of what (if any) he has. They're working really hard to find a solution to the situation.
It also makes me really thankful for my "new brother." J has been living with us since April (his parents kicked him out, and he had been living from couch to couch - my parents took him in with the stipulation that he finishes high school). Since he's a good friend of my brother, he's been able to tell us a lot more about how much he spaces out and when. It's been a real help to the doctors, and J has been going to as many of my bro's appointments as possible.
It's a crazy situation. Hopefully they find out what's going on soon, and work on solution.
Monday, November 8, 2010
On being a Confirmation Sponsor (otherwise known as one long Catholic post)
Tonight, my cousin Alex will be confirmed in the Catholic Church. And I'm her sponsor.
Confirmation is a pretty big deal. It's the 4th sacrament that the average Catholic child receives, and it marks you as an adult in the Catholic church. The first sacrament is Baptism. It happens in the infancy of faith, which is generally in your actual infancy, but occurs later for people converting (obviously). Reconciliation and First Communion (the first time you receive the Eucharist) usually happen in second grade, and then Confirmation is in 8th grade. The reasoning? Confirmation only happens when you are a consenting individual - it is a choice. There were 2 or 3 people in my grade that year that chose not to be confirmed, because they weren't sure if the Catholic faith was for them. I know one has since been confirmed, but I don't think the other two have. Baptism generally happens without choice; you become a Catholic then. But confirmation is something that happens because you choose to it.
Confirmation marks the time when you accept the Holy Spirit to become a soldier for Christ. Basically, it states that you accept Catholicism and all of its beliefs, you choose to live in the Catholic lifestyle, and you choose to treat others as Christians - and inform others of the Catholic faith if they wish to know more.
My job as a sponsor is to help guide my cousin through her faith. We've had discussions on how I live day to day, keeping in my faith (though not shouting it from the rooftops). I'm much more of a service based person - I show faith through helping others, like doing Habitat for Humanity. It's my job to be a good role model for her too (which considering she's a mini-me who plays volleyball instead of an instrument, that's not too hard). I'm really excited about it. She's just chosen her high school (Rosati-Kain), and she's growing up so fast! The public schools in Kirkwood are awful, so private was a given for her. Rosati is where my grandma went, and is literally across the street from the Cathedral. It's like Catholic central in the Central West End lol.
One thing that is strange to me though? She's getting confirmed in her parish church, Ste. Genevieve du Bois. It's weird to me, because one of the big things about getting confirmed in my church was that it was at the New Cathedral (yes, StL has 2). I suppose it makes it less of a spectacle and more of a small, intimate affair, but I learned so much history in preparing for my confirmation. Here's where I was confirmed:
Here's Ste. Gen, which is quite pretty.
Confirmation is a pretty big deal. It's the 4th sacrament that the average Catholic child receives, and it marks you as an adult in the Catholic church. The first sacrament is Baptism. It happens in the infancy of faith, which is generally in your actual infancy, but occurs later for people converting (obviously). Reconciliation and First Communion (the first time you receive the Eucharist) usually happen in second grade, and then Confirmation is in 8th grade. The reasoning? Confirmation only happens when you are a consenting individual - it is a choice. There were 2 or 3 people in my grade that year that chose not to be confirmed, because they weren't sure if the Catholic faith was for them. I know one has since been confirmed, but I don't think the other two have. Baptism generally happens without choice; you become a Catholic then. But confirmation is something that happens because you choose to it.
Confirmation marks the time when you accept the Holy Spirit to become a soldier for Christ. Basically, it states that you accept Catholicism and all of its beliefs, you choose to live in the Catholic lifestyle, and you choose to treat others as Christians - and inform others of the Catholic faith if they wish to know more.
My job as a sponsor is to help guide my cousin through her faith. We've had discussions on how I live day to day, keeping in my faith (though not shouting it from the rooftops). I'm much more of a service based person - I show faith through helping others, like doing Habitat for Humanity. It's my job to be a good role model for her too (which considering she's a mini-me who plays volleyball instead of an instrument, that's not too hard). I'm really excited about it. She's just chosen her high school (Rosati-Kain), and she's growing up so fast! The public schools in Kirkwood are awful, so private was a given for her. Rosati is where my grandma went, and is literally across the street from the Cathedral. It's like Catholic central in the Central West End lol.
One thing that is strange to me though? She's getting confirmed in her parish church, Ste. Genevieve du Bois. It's weird to me, because one of the big things about getting confirmed in my church was that it was at the New Cathedral (yes, StL has 2). I suppose it makes it less of a spectacle and more of a small, intimate affair, but I learned so much history in preparing for my confirmation. Here's where I was confirmed:
(source)
The mosaics make up the largest collection in the world, covering over 83,000 sq feet. it is definitely one of the most awe-inspiring, beautiful buildings in the world. It's open to the public too - even if you're not Catholic, it's definitely worth checking out.Here's Ste. Gen, which is quite pretty.
(source)
In any case, I'm so excited that I get to be Alex's sponsor. I can't wait for this evening. :)
Thursday, November 4, 2010
I will not...
I will not peek at my registries before my bridal shower on Sunday.
I will not peek.
I will not peek.
But it's so hard!! I'm so excited!!!
I will not peek.
I will not peek.
But it's so hard!! I'm so excited!!!
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