Two years ago we were living a completely different life. We were on a military base, we had a built in community that we had nearly everything in common with. Now…..

Now we are back in Michigan. We live in our old neighborhood. I work a full time job. I have different friends. I thought for some reason that all the friends I left behind would be the same that they were when we moved. If you ever want a strange experience, move from your home of 5-15 years. Be gone for 27 months. Come back and live 2 blocks away from your old home. It’s strange. That’s where I am. Strangely enough, my weight is the same within 5 pounds despite working out like never before. I drive a different car now that’s almost the same but just a little different. That’s how my life is now. I’ve changed a little but not a lot. The changes are subtle but noticeable.

I’m in a different climate. Two years ago I was in sunshine about 299 days a year. It’s ice outside right now. Ice. That’s not even a typo.

I think I’m a little at odds with my life versus two years ago. I wish I could combine the best of Tucson with the best of Michigan. I love being near my family and feeling like we have a place no matter what. I miss my friends, I miss the good food made with real ingredients. I’m thankful that my parents get to be so close to their grandkids. The job that my husband has is something that most people with his age and time in grade wouldn’t normally have. He is amazingly successful and I am so proud of him.  It’s exciting to see him do so well. I love that he has a job that he loves and that he enjoys going to.

My kids are at the school my son started at. They are both comfortable. But, they are comfortable virtually anywhere. Really. They are so resilient. I’m even impressed with their ability to stretch thin and then bounce back. They are amazing. Two years here or there do not seem to confuse them, they look forward to the adventure. They handled the transition better than I have.

I cant really define how exactly I am different than I was two years ago.

Places you’d like to visit?

 

New Orleans, New York City, New Zealand……

Nantucket

Cape Cod

Scotland

Disneyworld

Disneyland

San Fransisco

North Carolina

South Carolina

Tennessee

Martha’s Vineyard

Nantucket

Australia

Krakuzia

Jamaica

Bermuda

Bahamas

Key Largo

Montego

Cuba

It’s not like there’s anywhere that I don’t really want to go.

If you could have any job in the world?

You’re looking at it baby!! If I could have any job, I’d get paid to write. And I don’t mean paying for those classes and then “selling” my work in a photobucket type forum. No way. I’m all about going big or going home. I would want a book or a magazine or something regular where I got to talk about how awesome my opinion is and why everyone should agree with me.

I’m lucky that I don’t need a job, but… I think a job should be fulfilling, I think it should foster the traits that you like about yourself and I think it should provide well for you. You shouldn’t feel stuck at work. Some of my favorite work experiences have been the volunteer times, where I’m able to focus on things I’m passionate about.

If I couldn’t be a write, I’d love to make stuff out o paper anyway. Scrapbooks, cards, birth announcements, and party favors. Those things are fun and celebratory. WHo wouldn’t want to do that for money?

Views on religion

Wowee…. Well. I was raised in a Christian home. We went to church religiously. And also Easter and Christmas. My dad was a little over zealous about everything. So sometimes we went without a TV so that satan didn’t have a portal into our home. My sister collected those little troll dolls with the wish stones in their bellies. For years. She saved up her kid money and bought a big soft one like a cabbage patch kid. For some Holy reason, my dad decided the dolls were a sin, they were idols. Rather than having my sister give her little sin idols to someone else to worship, my sister had to burn them. She and my dad burned those plastic and rubber environmental hazards in our tumbleweed pile one Saturday morning. She had to get up early to burn her trolls. Because Jesus.

My mom was obedient to her husband, and we honored our father and mother. When I was in high school I began to follow God in  more relaxed and enjoyable fashion. I was part of a school club that worshipped on Friday afternoons in a classroom. I was on the worship team at our family church. We started a youth group at our church and went to God-fests and did 30 hour Famines. I had my own faith based on things I’d seen and understood and things I’d learned.

I am now what the Bible calls a luke-warm Christian… we don’t go to church and havn’t introduced our children to that world. We think about it, we talk about it, we don’t know when the right time will be.

So- that’s my take on religion.

Only five? How on earth will this work?  I dislike so much in such an open way.

First, liars. People who lie get under my skin. For example, anyone who stands before a judge with their right arm in the air and swears that I am someone who makes them afraid for their life is a downright liar. And that person is a pet peeve. Anyone who asks if they can do some “favor” for my child and is told no and then does it anyway and then announces that they have done this business is a pet peeve. You know who you are, lairs, and I do not like you.

Second- Drama queens/kings. For some reason there are people living on this planet who are legitimately convinced that their life is fffaaaarrrrr worse than anyone else. Sometimes I am acquaintances with these people for a short time just to giggle at their flair.  This is usually a short lived relationship because I can only bite my tongue for so long. If you have been through the same thing as me, and you didn’t come out of it missing a limb, with a scar that’s bigger than mine, with your outfit torn, chances are our experiences were remarkably similar and you are just unable to cope well with any reality and we can’t be friends because you are a pet peeve.

Third- Waiting. I don’t think I should have to explain this. I’ve never met anyone who was like “yay!! I love waiting”. I am pretty sure those people are all locked up somewhere being evaluated. When I apply for a job/grad school/fill my grocery card up and then I have to wait to see if I am referred to the hiring offial/accepted (sorry UofM, but waitlisted is just the nice way of saying not at this time but if someone we REALLY want says no, we will still be happy to take your money)/stand in line because of the 14 cashier stands you have 2 open, no thanks.

Fourth- Tooth pain. I’ve recently had a life change which involves I have a cracked tooth. It was “fixed” by my dentist of 11 years. Somehow when she fixed it it was not fixed but got worse and now I’ve been referred to an endontist and in the mean time salad causes an electrical storm in one tooth.

Fifth: That there are only 5 peeves in this blog post. I could complain about so many, many, horrible things.

You day in great detail:

Whooo doggies, I hope you’re sitting down for this. First off, my husband gets up for work at about 5:20. AM. So. I woke him up, kneed him gently but forcefully in the kidney until he was out of the way, out of bed. I luxuriously went back to sleep until the boy woke me up to let me know it was 7:00 and then again, that it was 7:30. So, I got up and had my two favorite things, toast and black coffee. It sounds so boring, but honestly, the black coffee is an attempt to suck the fat from my blood stream. The toast with butter is my warm reward for suffering through that other business.

Then at 9:30, I figured it was prime business hours for everything so I took my 6 and three quarters year old and my nine year old and we rode to the secretary of state where I attempted for a second time to get a Michigan Drivers license. It’s more difficult than you’d think. First, I can’t actually prove my residency. The bills all come to my beloved. Second, for whatever reason my Arizona license shows up in zero systems. It seemed to be inactive. In fact, when I was pulled over two days ago (yes, fo realz) the officer said he should give me a ticket for not having a valid drivers license and that my MI license is expired. This is how my life is right now. We were, however in and out of the Secretary of State (it’s how Michiganders say DMV) in a record 27 minutes flat. BOOM!!!!

Then we went to get my mom to “run errands” which is one of my actual favorite things to do. My mom rarely goes to the grocery store. She goes shopping for food. Which means we get to go to Whole Foods where they have stuff like Crème Brule French Toast and fancy cheese and wine. And then we go to Trader Joes where my husband pays for me to buy beautiful flowers and other fancy stuff like carrot spirals and cold brew in a can (YUM).

In between these two places we went to exchange my Easter dress. Yes my mom bought me an Easter dress. Bless her heart she bought me an 8. HA!!! So. If you have never taken two children into a store with $80.00 sweaters and mannequins, you haven’t really lived. While I was either “no pants just shirt like Winnie the Pooh” or topless, my mom and children were doing fartleks through Ann Taylor Loft brining me tops that matched a light Barbie pink mini skirt (yes I bought it, and today I have it on. Just kidding. I did buy it but I’m in yoga pants and a LLR Randy) or brining me skirts to match the tops they just brought me. I cut them off at 26 tops a piece and 3 bottoms each. You math that out. Then we went to PF Changs where I had their new house blend white which was delicious. The children were given cups of sprite (this grandma and my mom are two different people in the same body. To be fair, she did ask first). We also split lettuce wraps and Pad Thai.

Then we came home, I started dinner. Before I could light the grill which I do even though it’s 34 degrees and breezy my mom called and asked to take the kids to see “the Sound of Music” at the Henry Ford Museum (GO THERE NOW!!!) which started in 74 minutes so they needed magic dinner/leftovers. So, my beloved and I went to the gym and busted out a mile and a half on the treadmills (I nearly died) and then got me a QDOBA salad bowl and he had some Panda Express. Call me un-American but I don’t enjoy that place. We watched Friday Night lights. The kids came home at 11:00 (SO LATE!!! But it’s spring break, so I’ll allow it. Last year they slept on the floor for 5 nights at our friends house and rode in a car with back seat seat heaters.) and we all went to bed at the same time.

Scene-

What a year it would be if I wrote consistently in (at?) a blog. For the month of April, at least, I can promise intimate access into my thoughts as I complete a monthly blog challenge. To date, we’ve made it through 31 days of dresses in December. January saw 22 day yoga challenge, February was a capsule wardrobe and March was that time when I made 31 different meals for dinner and did 50 push ups daily. April will be kind of different. I’m participating in  a 30 day drawing challenge, a book of slow appreciation and then a blog prompt everyday. To be honest (TBPH????)  Access to a keyboard makes it all the easier to ramble and this is my first blog post in about 2 years. I did have a blog through blog spot, with 4 followers, but that kind of fell by the wayside.  I’ve only taken a few art classes, most were photography related. Before I do my 50 pushups for the day and fold equal amounts of laundry, I figured I’d make my mom proud and start a blog.

My blog challenge for today is to write some basic info about myself, so….

I’m 37, married to the love of my life (but I really am), we have 2 kids. I was in the Army. I can do anything I want to make me happy. Seriously, there are no rules. I live in Michigan. My dream jobs are being a writer (the kind who gets paid)

Or

Being a professional scrapbooker, or both.

We have 2 kids. Which is more than enough to try something out to see if you like having something and would be good at it. Both kids were planned. Both pregnancies were –eh–eventful in their own way. My husband and I are role model responsible people AKA we’re a real hoot at parties. That end at six. And serve alcohol. But only with dinner. We’re mosly boring. Unless you count stuff that happens around us.

I have a Master’s Degree. I work part time. I long to use my degree. I’m totally not. I work for my friends dad. It’s pretty liberating to not need a job.

 

Probably that’s it.

 

So. Here’s April first. I don’t see the val

Write about you current relationship status:

 

Ha!! I’m married. I am married to the love of my life. The very second I saw him, time stopped. I am not even messing with you. He didn’t really notice me. But I was so in love with him. And then, I got to know him and he was even more spectacular. He has this amazing attitude where he believes that nothing can keep him from doing what he wants to do.

We date for five zillion years and then he got down on one knee ( he really did) and proposed. With a beautiful ring. It’s fantastic. I still love to stare at it. And then we had a tasteful wedding with a lot of friends and family. We got married before the invention of Pintrest. We could totally have a fantastic wedding now. So crafted.

Being married is fun/scary/frustrating/adventurous/exciting. Sometimes my beloved  brings home the dumbest ideas. And I pretend to agree with him while planning arguments against his silliness. It takes some time. But… the other times, being married is fantastic.

My sweet love supports my stupid ideas too. He encourages me to try new things, to figure out what my goals are, what my bigger picture is.

He’s also a great fantastic father. I knew he would be a good daddy. But. I didn’t know he’s be the daddy that he is. He loves our children. He provides for them. And he wants to spend time with the kids. He likes hanging out with them.

What are 10 likes and 10 dislikes?

 

Likes:

1. Chocolate- I like/love chocolate. Milk, dark, even white which I know isn’t really chocolate. I like how it goes well with mint, oranges, bacon, potatoes (chips), pickles, peanut butter… It brings out the best in so many things
2. Coffee: I love the ritual of sipping a cup of coffee. It makes getting up early not so sucky. It makes sleeping in even more luxurious.
3. Writing, i.e., this blog
4. Reading: Which I love more than writing but only a tiny bit more. I love how relaxing it is.
5. Scrapbooking: The first scrapbook seller really did a great job selling me on the idea of how important it is to capture moments and display them. 70 years from now, those memories will be parts of someone else’s story.
6. My friends. I have a special group of go to people. Someone told me once that I was closed off and didn’t let people in. It occurred to me that she thought the way I am with her is the way I am with everyone. It made me sad for her because she could totally be a great friend to her, but…. I just don’t get along well with her. My friends, I love them. I know who I can go to in times of need, like in  the event of an emergency. They are the people who hold my hair back in illness, who hold my hand in sadness, they hold me up when I can’t pull myself up on my own. And they are the people I would do the same thing for without a second thought.
7. Car rides: Like a puppy. I like to go places and see new things, and go back to places I have good memories of
8. Disneyland: When we went a few years ago, I was more excited than my kids. It’s so much fun.
9. Running… just kidding. Toast: Yeah, it’s basic. It’s plain. But, it’s crunchy, it comes in different flavors and textures. It’s just great.
10. Music: It takes you back. I love that listening to Jars of Clay or Counting Crows takes me back to high school. Genie in a bottle takes me back to the chow line in the Army, “when I look to the sky” takes me back to our wedding day. Harry Belefante reminds me of times with my family.
11. Uh… there’s no way to not use numbers. So, 12-22 will be my dislikes, so get ready.
12. Liars: There’s nothing worse than someone who can’t be bold enough to tell the truth. Lying about someone is the greatest indicator of a coward. Liars are insecure and destructive.
13. Not enough sleep. I don’t know if there’s enough sleep. I have two children. One of whom tricked me into breast feeding her until she was 18 months old.
14. Bell peppers/onions: They’re the same horrible vegetable.
15. Unavailable cars: Why have one you can’t use? It’s just a tease.
16. Electricity when it goes out.
17. Running: I hate sweating, running makes me feel slow and tired.
18. Being cold. I feel like I’m in pain when I’m cold.
19. Weight gain: who likes it? Only Olympic weight lifters like weight gain and they don’t care if their middles hang over their waist bands.
20. Staying up all night. It makes me feel horrible the next day. It makes me angry that my husband just sleeps and sleeps by my side.
21. People who will say something about you but not to you. Changes are very high that if I’m going to say something about you, for example “that’s not a good lipstick color.”, I will say it to you.
22. Loud: I don’t like loud sounds, big groups, loud concerts, crowded rooms, the sound of fireworks (although they are beautiful to watch), thy are loud. The sound of the shipping package air bags, cars backfiring, nope. Do not expect me to participate without discomfort.

Where would you like to be in ten years?

If only there was one answer that is simple. I’d like to say I know where I’ll be, or even where I’d like to b, but I have learned that that’s just not even a thing. Two years ago I was in warm sunny Tucson, we were house shopping. Two years before that, we were living in what we thought was our forever home. I was a stay at home mom.

In the last two years, I’ve moved back to Michigan, I was a coordinator of a MOPS group and a stay at home mom. Now my youngest is in first grade and I’m employed. In the last two weeks, we had both of our vehicles totaled as we watched from our dinner table and have learned that the driver had no insurance. Isn’t life crazy?

Life is. That’s why it’s impossible to predict my future, or even productive to guess. I love where we are in our lives. I love that my husband has a wonderful career that lets us adventure together. I love that we have resilient children who also love road trips and exploring. I love that both of parents live close by. I am very happy in my life now, and I was happy three years ago planning our future in Tucson. So much happens unexpectedly.