So a little bit of this, a little bit of that.

It’s been a crazy week…eer, couple weeks.  I leave for my solar client’s show in less than 1 week from today.  So yea, bananas.

But I’m thankful.  Ohhh am I thankful.

I’m thankful that I got to spend time with family last weekend.  Oh my sweet niece and nephew, they are such joy.  I love love love spending time with my family.  It is like food for my soul…and I was starved.

I’m grateful for the challenges of the past few weeks.  I realize that may sound odd, but these past few weeks may have pushed me hard, but with the support of my friends and family I haven’t let it shrink me, but expand.

I’m thankful for self evaluation and patience.  I pretty well stink at the ‘patience’ part, but the self evaluation has been helping me (slowly) realize when I loose my patience so that I can correct myself sooner rather than later.

I’m also thankful for humility.  I have even LESS of that in some respects, but with that whole self evaluation and practicing humility I’m able to be a better person/wife/friend/daughter.

I’m thankful that it’s just me and my cat tonight…it’s a nice chnage to just be able to relax quietly.

Meanwhile, I leave in less than a week.  Did I already mention that?  I’ve been working hard, but the boy has been wonderfully supportive.  I was afraid that he’d be angry with me for working so late, but his response was blessedly more concerned about my wellbeing.

I’ve been pushed and challenged, but it’s been good.  Dare I say I’m even enjoying myself?  Not that I’d want it to be perminently this crazy, but I suppose one of the things I’ve missed is a “busy time” that’s once a year, a cycle.  Mine is never ending, and so sometimes it’s a consistent stress level of 8 with no (or few) brakes.

But, I’ve been practicing some work life balance…so we’ll see.  And though I miss my friends and hanging out, I know that this is only temporary.

And now, it’s bedtime….sleepy sleepy girlie I am.  Sweet dreams everyone

The day did, in fact, turn around which was a blessing in and of itself. And now I”m finally getting around to my post.

1.) I’m thankful we were able to spend the weekend with Matt’s Dad and Stepmom.  A quick visit, but good none the less

2.) I’m thankful for our vet who got our boy Archie some meds and his tummy feeling better already.

3.) I’m super grateful for my friends, and all the stages of those relationships

4.) I’m pretty thankful and excited that while walking around Old Town yesterday (before the rain) we walked past a table of “free bottles of water, no strings attached” and that I went back and grabbed two.  Basically, it was a church that was giving away bottled water with a little slip of paper saying howthey hoped that this bottle of water would brighten your day and remind you that God cares about you.  The webiste and address was on there, so I checked it out last night.  Some people know that I’ve been searchign for a church, and I just don’t think that the Catholic churches around here are for me, but this one might just show some promise.  We shall see.

5.) I’m thankful that it’s Sunday, and as I finish this post up the boy and I will be cuddling on the couch watching movies.  Just too bad it’s not raining like yesterday.

1.) I’m so thankful that I was able to spend some time with my parents, brother and his girlfriend.  It sounds depressing, but I know that my parents are getting older (espcially mine compared to my friends).  Without being sappy I’m trying to spend as much time with them as I can.  And we had rockstar weather!

2.) I’m super thankful that while on Monday I was at the beach, by Friday I’ll be in the woods! YAHOO!  That’s right, it’s time for our annual camping trip.  We also happened to go in the spring, but we were pretty well rained out.  I’m so excited to hang out with friends by the campfire-pray for good weather!

3.) Yesterday was the 10 year anniversary of Hurrican Floyd, and it’s subsiquent floods.  I am so thankful for all I have now, especially that it’s dry.  On so many levels it still seems like a dream.  Loosing 99% of everything is scary, and even last night (before I realized it was the anniversary, how creepy is this) I was thinking about all those clothes I lost, and what it must be like for people who still have all of that stuff.  For the record, though it sounds glamourous rebuilding a wardrobe SUCKS.

4.) I’m thankful that Clarks is remaking my fav little black ballet flats and that I have another pair-woohoo!

5.) I’m thankful that waking up at 5:45am every morning is getting easier.

Have a great weekend-here’s hoping I don’t get eaten by a bear!

1.) I’m thankful for perspective, and for the ability to make an impact in someone else’s life and that God has granted me this opporutnity.  I’m working on a post right now about it, but it hits very close to my heart so I’m trying to write it carefully. 

2.) I’m thankful for the very difficult book my BF Andi gave me.  I won’t even go into the book itself b/c it will surely cause a fuss (one that I don’t feel like dealing with explaining) but reading a chapter last night it was talking about being joyful with your life AS IS.  Not if you have kids, or move, or get a new job.  And part of that is exercising the “joy muscles” which I’m working on.

3.) I’m so excited that I get to go to the beach and spend time wiht my family.  I’m sad the boy isn’t joining me, but he and the “kids” will get some quality time together

4.) I’m thankful for good and loyal husbands for my friends

5.) I’m super thankful that we go camping next weekend!! WAHOO!  It’s a lot of fun stuff which means I need to work twice as hard not to fall (further) behind at work, but that’s ok.

There is certainly a lot to be thankful for in that statement alone!  What else am I thankful for, why let me tell you.

1.) I’m thankful that the boy lobbied for the dog.  Sure it’s a lot of work, but oh my goodness how that little guy makes me smile.  I cannot wait to upload photos of him in his spiffy new #18 jersey…even if he hates it

2.) I’m thankful for Facebook that let me reconnect with two HS friends who I was able to visit while in Phoenix on a site this weekend.

3.) I’m thankful that I made it through yet another round of layoffs. As of yesterday I think that makes 6.  And to boot they are actually following through and lightening my workload (I was doing the job of 1.5 ppl, no kidding).  I’m worn out from this year, but really hopeful for the future.

4.)I’m super thankful that I get to see my parents, older brother, and  his girlfriend at the beach in about a week…AT THE BEACH PEOPLE!

5.) I’m thankful that after several years of looking I finally found the “name” for the volunteer program I heard about when I first moved up here.  It’s called being a cuddler, and it’s just that. My friend Cynthia P. told me about it, and said “It’s like rocking crack babies” and if you know Cynthia you’d know why that statement makes me giggle.  Anywho, it’s just that, cuddling NICU babies to help them thrive, or calm down or whatnot.  I’m not sure that I’ll be able to get in, I’m guessing they fill spots the min they open, but still I’m excited.  I’ve been trying to do some stuff for me, stuff that I might like, that’s not work.  So we’ll see.  Fingers crossed!

And b/c today is such a good day

6.) I’m thankful that I ended up at our friends/neighbors end of summer BBQ last weekend.  We finally met all sorts of neighbors that are our age.  Most have kids, which is a bit surreal, but fun all the same

Happy Weekend!

1.) I’m thankful for my sweet husband and the fact that we were able to go to Boston to celebrate our 1 year anniversary!  Even if it did kill my feet   And I’m thankful for his sweet gift I’ve 99.999% decided ot keep.  That sounds odd, but you’ll understand when you see it.

2.) I’m thankful for my newfound sense of perspective.  My job can be pretty stressful and busy (one of my clients who is looking told me she’d never work for us, b/c we do too much ).  But, for every stressful moment I have, and for every time I think “I wish I worked in such and such a field so I wasn’t so stressed”  I know that there is someone out there wishes they were me.  Sure, my life is bannanas and frankly they work us probably too much, but I try to remember that whatever it is will pass, and that there’s someone else out there more stressed out than me.  Just like at my old job when I thought I was busy there….HA!  Besides, one day this might just be the ‘good ole days’!

3.) I’m thankful for some really great blogs I’ve been reading that give great perspective, espeically NieNie and C Jane Enjoy it.  I wish I could be more like these two sisters, and though I strive to I’m also learning that I am a flawed human, but that’s ok.  Still, their take on life and motherhood is pretty amazing.

4.) I’m thankful again for the boy, but this time I’m thankful for him holding me accountable.

5.) I’m thankful that it’s almost football season   Yea, I said it.

Plus, the office across the hall is dark now.  It was “home” to my friend Jenny.  More on that below though. For now, I’m eating my way through the day (should make tonights weigh in interesting) and counting the minutes to head out.  Oh yea, here’s my thankfulness….

1.) Despite being miserably sad that she’s gone, I truly am so thrilled for my friend Jenny who’s boyfriend if FINALLY home from a long 2 year working stint in London.  They are moving together to Charlottesville so he can go to Darden at UVA and get his MBA.  Add to that that he’s no longer her boyfriend and now her FINACEE and I’m doubly excited

2.)  I get to see my She She tomorrow, which always makes me happy.

3.) Tomorrow is also Friday, which is good.  Though I don’t knwo that I’m doing anything all that great this weekend…may have to remedy that.

4.) My doggie.  I’m thankful for my doggie.

5.) I’m also thankful for lawn people.  The type of people we will hopefully hire to help us with our disaster of a yard.

Someone needs an attitude adjustment huh?

1.) Having the week to myself.  As if I didn’t say that already, that’s a good thing.  Don’t get me wrong, I was a stressball on Monday especially when our boy escaped on Monday morning.  It has, as we knew, forced me to prove to myself that I know what I’m doing.  Up until this point I’ve relyed on the boy more than I should.

2.) I am so thankful for good friends.  The boy only travels for work about once a year, and it was this week.  He comes home tomorrow night, but I leave tonight.  We had some struggles with what to do with our boy and kenneling is out b/c of the kennel cough (he’s only 99.99% over it so they would have to quarantine him).  There was a lot of stress invovlved but I had a ton of people step up to try to help (and even more since I mentioned this whole ordeal but already have a solution), and it has just been so awesome to know we have good friends to lean on.  I’m ESPECIALLY thankful for our dear friends Lina and Dave who have not only been a great source of information and comfort but they are taking our boy for the night.  I feel so relieved!

3.) I’m thankful the boy’s week away is almost done.  It’s been tough on him, so send your good thoughts his way to get the rest of it over as quickly as possible.

4.) I’m very thankful that some of my girlfriends get to go to a Women’s Conference this weekend.  I, however, am totally bummed that I have to be in CA and can’t go, but I think it’ll be awesome for them and they deserve it.

5.) I’m thankful for my moms…I had great chats with both of them last night.

Tonight I fly to CA.  Please wish me luck–it’s sure to be an intense site, and I’m spending 10 out of the 48 hours in the air.  However, I’m thankful that I’m on Virgin America and get internet in the sky so watchout for blogging!!

1.) A great onsite with the most fabulous team.  Both my client and the hotel staff made this past week just awsome!

2.) That AA still lets you fly standby withOUT extra charges which means I got home 2 hours early!

3.) Rainstorms–last night I didn’t get home until 9pm and was in a SOUR mood thanks to the rain, being in late meetings, sore feet etc.  The result was our power was out from the time when the boy came to pick me up at the metro and when we came home.  That meant we had to sit in the dark and eat dinner and TALK.  Really just spend time together. And it was great.

4.) Surprises….but that’s all I can say about that today

5.) Trashy judge shows I get to watch on my day off

Have a great weekend people!

Today I am thankful for:

1.) Sleep.  Sweet, uninterupted sleep.  It’s ironic that I had to go onsite to get it, but I’m so glad it’s got

2.) My sweet pupper, and so very thankful that the new meds are kicking pnemonia’s butt!!  Take that sickies!

3.) So very thankful for my Vet Dr. Hall who is just a rockstar.  He is so patient with me, and he actually cares.  As the boy said, he took one look at Archie and how sick he was and took on the challenge with gusto!

4.) My husband.  I’m often thankful for him but espeically this first week with Archie boy.  I know there was some talk about if I’d be on my own (which is for a later post) but let me just be the first to tell you how amazing he has been. 

5.) My cat Tea.  Just b/c she’s been so good at adjusting bless her little heart.

ARCHIE NEWS

So our boy went from a bad case of Kennel cough to pnemonia.  Thank goodness we took him back to the vet “just in case” (aka b/c I’m an OCD worrier who wanted to make sure he was on the mend before leaving for Tucson) only to find out that his temp had gone back up (though not quite as high) and he had pnemonia.  No Good.  Dr. Hall gave us a different antibiotic plus something to help with lung expansion, and kept him on the cough supressant. 

According to the boy, our little guy is on the mend now even going so far as to say he’s a bit “hyper”, and apparently a pig since he ate 2 bowls of dinner   Then the next thought entered my mind.  Everyone has been telling us that we haven’t seen the “real Archie” b/c A.) he’s sick and B.) he hasn’t settled in yet.  So last night I also asked Matt if he was “fun hyper” or “oh holy crap hyper”.  Apparently he hasn’t suddenly turned into Satan’s dog so we’re still good.

Meanwhile…
I’m in Tucson for the week with one of my group’s.  It’s blessedly small and easy to work with and is the perfect summer relief.  It’s hot here, but it’s Arizona so what do you expect?  The JW Marriott Starpass is breathtaking and has the signature JW service, so I cannot complain.  Plus they have a kick butt terrace with firepits and the yummiest margaritas!  Oh, and did I mention that every day at 5:30pm they have a tequila toast?  Oh yea

On other fronts, my friend Erin is due on July 22nd and is anxiously awaiting the baby’s “evacuation of it’s incubator” (she’s a scientist, can you tell? )  As am I–Erin and I don’t talk or see eachother nearly enough, but she will forever hold a very special place in my heart and I am so excited for them.  Plus, one the kid gets here I’ll know what the monogram needs to be.

My work friend Jenny is also onsite this week in Denver, and then she head’s off to Italy and London to bring her sweet boyfriend home perminently!  Brett’s been living and working in London and will finally be residing back in the States, now going to get his MBA at UVA.  While I’m terribly excited for them, Jenny will be leaving our office to work from C’Ville.  It’s of course the best decision for them, but I’ll miss her terribly.  However, we’re alreayd wroking on plans for the boy and I to come down for a football game-SWEET!

On a less than stellar note, my dear friend Andi’s uncle finally passed this morning.  So (as she says) if you’re the praying type I know they would welcome the prayers.

Otherwise I’m trying to get some work done today.  It’s hard to believe that at this show last year I was counting down the days until the wedding…crazy wild.