The Unexpected

I wrote before about all of the wedding planning bloopers that have come up during our 9 month engagement.  Well, there've been more, but they're all inconsequential if you really think about it.  Not all of them are directly wedding-related, but it's sh*t you don't expect when you're trying to plan "one of the happiest days of your life".

Two weeks ago, I was let go from my job.  It's still sinking in and all of the emotions start swirling around in my head every night as I try to fall asleep.  It was unfair, unwarranted, and completely unexpected.  They did it on Monday morning of the week we were supposed to close on our new house.  Which, if you've ever bought a house before, is not a good thing.  It ended up working out okay, but we did have to extend our mortgage term, thus increasing the interest rate.  But, we still qualified and that's what's important.

So, we bought a house last week!  And it proved to be a pretty good distraction to keep me from thinking about being unemployed.  This weekend, Austin's mom came to visit and I hardly even thought about being jobless.  But now she's gone, and Austin's back at work, and it's easy to start feeling awful again, wondering what I'm going to do with my future.

Of course, luckily, I have one other small distraction, the wedding and our honeymoon!  I'm just worried that I'm not going to be able to fully enjoy it all because I'll be freaking out about all the money we're spending in just a few short days!

I've always struggled with looking at things in a positive light.  It's something I'm working on, though.  Perhaps God just wanted to give me a little break.  I'll admit, it's nice having a bit of time to get unpacked and settled in our new house.  Also, now I'll be able to go to my parent's house a few days early and straighten out all of the last-minute wedding details.

Everything always works out for the best, and I know this to be true.  Sometimes my mind likes to play tricks on me and convince me that I'm just a huge failure and always making a mistake.  I'm not.  I try my best every single day to be successful, and I'm going to make it.  And my future husband?  He'll be right there beside me.

Three Cups of Tea

Tuesday night's splurge left me with a gross, unhealthy feeling.  Not exactly surprising, since we ate chips and salsa for dinner.  With beer for Austin, cocktails for me.

It tasted great while I was eating it, but it did not accomplish the same full and satisfactory feeling I get after a healthy dinner.  I'd eaten a couple snacks earlier, but I just never achieved the satisfaction of a real meal.

Too much over-indulgence led me to realize that I need to start exercising more self-control.

Yesterday's eats were much healthier.  I started out the day with a piece of toast with jelly and a smoothie with Amazing Meal.

The Pomegranate Mango Infusion was an interesting addition to my smoothie.  It had a "healthy" taste and that made the mildy strange-flavor it worth it.  It was also very filling.

Lunch was a delicious salad with a ton of stuff throw in it: romaine lettuce, spinach, carrots, broccoli, tomato, avacado, artichoke hearts, salmon, and croutons.

For dinner, I made spaghetti.

I used 1 lb of ground turkey, 1/2 chopped onion, 2 tsp garlic, 8 oz mushrooms, 2 sliced zucchini squash, 3 sliced tomatoes, and a can of pasta sauce.  Served with whole wheat spaghetti and parmesan cheese.

Looking for a giveaway?  Go here.

After dinner, I finally got a chance to finish reading Three Cups of Tea.

This book is about an inspirational man, Greg Mortenson, who spends his life building schools in Pakistan.  It is a great story about the challenges he faces.  He has difficulty raising money, he encounters resistance from leaders, and he has to build a bridge to the city before he can start building a school.  It is amazing to read about his sacrifices, being away from his own family for months at a time so that the young girls in Pakistan can have an education.  It is also interesting to read about the impact that 9/11 had on his institute.

I have to admit, this book took me a lot longer to read than most.  It was, of course, non-fiction, but I don't think that's what slowed me down.   There was a lot of foreign vocabulary intermixed in the story, and it lacked momentum, or a true climax. 

I was discussing this book with a friend, and we came to the conclusion that this book could've been written as a magazine article, and the story would have been told just as effectively.

I would definitely still recommend the book, though.  This man deserves to be recognized for his accomplishments.

Who inspires you?

I am always inspired by books and movies.  I am also inspired by my mom!

To My Mom

In honor of my mom for Mother's day, I'd like to share a little about the wonderful lady who brought me into this world and raised me to be the person I am today.

I can still remember writing a poem about my mom when I was in elementary school.  We had to write about a specific theme: our hero.  I vividly remember using the word selfless to describe my mom.  At the time, I barely understood what that word meant.  Looking back on it now, I know that word has never been used more appropriately.

My mom is brave.  She has endured many surgeries, a dog attack, the loss of her own mother, and so much more that I couldn't ever imagine myself being strong enough to handle.

My mom loves her family with every fiber of her being.  She encourages my family to get along because she wants us all to be together.  She will never leave us or give up hope.

My mom shows her love by baking me treats, cooking healthy meals, e-mailing me, calling me on the phone, coming to visit me, helping me move, bringing me souvenirs from her trips, and giving me hugs.

My mom believes in me.  When I doubt whether I can accomplish something, I always remind myself of my mom's confidence in me.  She always encourages me with sweet notes on important days.

My mom is always there.  She attended all of my basketball games and track meets, she organized celebrations for both of my graduations, she took me to all of my doctor's appointments, she was beaming with pride when I received scholarships and awards as a student, she moved me into my first college dorm, and she is always thrilled to have "girl weekends" with me whenever I want.

My mom is fun.  She has a wonderful sense of humor and a sarcastic wit.  She is downright silly and loves to laugh.

My mom is a hard-worker.  She volunteers her free time to give to people who need help.  She is always in the kitchen cooking something delicious.  She keeps every square inch of her house clean at all times.  She is very successful at her job.

My mom is a friend.  She makes the effort to call her friends even if they don't call her back.  She tries to give everyone a present for their birthday or Christmas.  She shares her joy with every person she meets.

I know in my heart that I would be a heap of misery without my mom.  I always share the best of news with her, so I can hear her excitement and pride!  I also share the worst of news with her, so she can give me her encouragement, empathy, and advice.

I love my mom more than anything in the entire world.

How did you celebrate Mother's Day?
Since my mom is currently out-of-state on vacation, I celebrated Mother's day by doing something she would love!  I went tubing on the river and ate at one of her favorite restaurants.  I called her on the phone and enjoyed telling her about my day and hearing about her trip.

Jack Russell Terrier

I always had a lot of pets when I was a kid.  We raised a rooster, chickens, a pot-bellied pig, two German Shepherds, a dachshund, a peek-a-poo, beta fish, hamsters, and several cats.

The first pet I've owned as an adult is my Jack Russell Terrier, Dozer.  My boyfriend gave me Dozer for a Valentine's Day present!  He is "our" dog, and I couldn't ask for a better pet.  He is obedient, energetic, friendly, and can always make me smile.  He is two years old, but acts just like a puppy!

This post is an illustration of just how fun a Jack Russell Terrier can be.  As you can see, we've taught him how to balance food and other objects on his head and hold them there until he is given the command "free".

I cannot imagine a day without Dozer.  He is my constant companion - I take him on walks and runs with me, and I cuddle with him on the couch in the evenings.

Is there anything in your life that you don't ever want to live a day without?

I can't imagine a day without coming home to greetings from my precious pup and my wonderful boyfriend.