Charity Wrap

While decorating the office for Christmas the group of us decided that the tree in our lobby needed something more. While a co-worker went out in search of flowers and candles I hunted down some boxes to wrap and put under the tree. It was while wrapping a bunch of empty boxes that a couple of us came up with the idea to wrap presents for money. A few co-workers had walked by and asked if I would wrap their presents for them. Teasing them I responded that I would for $2 a box. :) We all thought it would be a great idea to have someone wrap presents for our pilots to raise money for our foundation. We all talked about for a time and went out separate ways thinking it would never come to pass due to lack of time to put it together.

On my way home from work I thought it through and decided that it sounded like too much fun to pass up. That night I put together a flyer and worked out some prices and made plans to send out a blast email in the morning. I love to wrap presents and in the past have wrapped numerous Christmas presents for my mom, including my own. For a small fee to the staff and pilots I would wrap their Christmas presents for them and donate all the money I made to our foundation. I provided 6 different types of wrapping paper to choose from and bows. People could bring me their presents in boxes or I would try and box it for them if I could; they could even bring their own wrapping paper if they preferred. I set a goal for $100 and hoped for the best. For three weeks I wrapped presents for my co-workers on my lunch breaks and loved every minuted of it. In the end I raised $150! The fact that I not only met my goal but surpassed it made my day!!! After the first of the year I will get the opportunity to present our foundation with a check of all the money I raised; I can't wait.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Book Smell

All through high school whenever I went out with friends we would usually end up in one of two places; a coffee shop or a bookstore. Call me a beatnik, I don't care. Yes, I used to write poetry and love to sit and discuss philosophy over a cup of a hot whole milk mocha latte, an Irish coffee, or a cappuccino. We thought ourselves to be so cool as we perused the isles of books always stopping to give a careful look in the classics section. Even my last 2 years of high school were spent working at the local library; doing everything from shelving books, dusting, and checking books in and out. I loved it, I love the women I worked with, I loved the regulars who would frequent the library to read the daily paper or peruse the DVDs. More than anything I loved the smell; quirky, I know. The smell that radiated the walls of the library, outside of the random bum who would wander in every now and again, was the smell of old paper and cloth bindings. The smell of books that held a history, a story, and a secret.

The women at the library tried so hard to get me to stay and get a library science degree at the local University but the need to get out on my own and make my own life pushed me to stick with my college of choice, 3 hours away from everyone and everything. Yet, even in college I ended up in the library working through my financial aid program. I spent one year in the Acquisitions department and one year helping to catalog. I loved it. I loved the people, I loved the work, I loved the smell.

After finishing an Education degree and teaching for a little over six months I knew I wanted back in a library. I wanted to be surrounded by books and by that wonderful smell. Although I love my job as an Executive Reference Assistant, where I spend my days cataloging, I miss being surrounded by books. Just last night I visited the library, a first in months, and I walked in with nothing particular in mind but just wanting to take pleasure in slowly walking each isle and looking at each book in turn. I inhaled deeply as I stood in the non fiction section taking it all in: the quite chatter of the library patrons, the little beep as a book was being checked out, the slight rustle of a page being turned or a book being opened, and the incredible smell of old books and cloth bindings.

I miss working in a library. Last night, more than ever, I missed working in a library. The people are always different and yet you always have a few regulars that can always make you laugh or smile. The opportunity to care for each book as if it were my own, shelving each one with tender care. Unfolding page corners or taping up a book cover so that it will last just a little longer.

Call me a nerd, call me a dork, I don't care. Bookstores and libraries are my happy place. They calm me when I'm upset and make me happy when I'm down. A quick trip after a long day can melt my stress away quicker and better than any bubble bath. It had been a long time since I had step foot in one before last night and that one trip made me yearn for my old job back in a library in a way I didn't know was possible.

I love being a cataloger but I miss working in a library.
I miss the smell of books.

Another Blog

As if I don't have enough to do in my daily life I have set forth to create and maintatin another blog.

This blog will follow me daily through the trails and tribulations of caring for my long and curly hair. There are so many people out there with so many ideas but I have chosen the most recent phenomenon; I am going to stop using shampoo. Following Lorraine Massey's method from her 2001 book Curly Girl I plan to document my findings, the products I use, and the method in which I care for my hair over the next 6 months to a year.

I do not plan to stop writing about Brandon and I's crazy antics, I just plan to also write about my experience about no longer using shampoo. It is my hope that a day to day walkthrough of this method will helps others with curly hair learn to care for their curls and hopefully make them healthier, shinier, and better looking. :)

Be sure to check it out:
The Daily Life of a Curly Haired Girl

There are no words...

Grand Canyon is...

Monday morning Brandon and I headed out for the Grand Canyon National Park unsure of what to expect. We knew it was going to be beautiful. We knew it was going to be on a large scale. We knew it was going to be completely unique. We never imagined what we saw. There truly are no words that would give justice to the creation of the Grand Canyon; beautiful, incredible, and amazing just don't sound good enough. As we entered the park and found a spot to park the car our view was blocked by trees. After getting out and walking to the rim we both just stood in complete silence and in awe of what was before us. Once the shock wore off we continued down the rim trail only stopping every now and again to snap a picture or two or watch as tourists stared out with the same dumbfounded look that I'm sure we wore more than once while there. Despite spending 3 days at the canyon, every time I took a moment to look out over it all I still could not take it in. Never in my life have I felt so insignificant to my creator and His plan or stood in such complete awe of something.

The Grand Canyon was not made over night. The fact that God knew what the outcome would be as each year passed and the beauty it would behold atounds me. Over thousands of years God waited and watched as His creation was molded; I imagine Him anxiously awaiting for the incredible reveal when it reached it's full potential.

It was during out 12 mile hike into the canyon, which I highly recommend to anyone who has the energy and time to do while there, that I am like the Grand Canyon. No, people don't flock to come and see my beauty (what little I have) on a daily basis but I am slowly being molded on a daily basis. Christ is axiously awaiting for me to reach my full potential and patiently creating me into something He finds beautiful; something He is proud to look on daily. My hope is that people will be drawn to me as they are to the canyon. The beauty they find there, although some don't know it, is Christ. I hope that others are drawn to the beauty of Christ in me too just as they are to the Grand Canyon.

My husband laughed at me all three days for "glowing". He just couldn't seem to get over how much pure joy just radiated out of me while we were there. Even after 10 miles of hiking, extreme heat and exhaustion, and 2 miles straight UP to go I still "glowed".

As I've said there are no words that would give justice to the beauty that the Grand Canyon holds. It has always been a dream to go and to hike down into the canyon and I couldn't be more content to have fulfilled that dream. The hike was nothing like I've ever done before. Although my husband may not agree, I found it to be well worth the pain and exhaustion we experienced. It was one thing to stand at the rim and look down, it was something completely different to be 300 ft. from the bottom of the canyon looking up at it's walls. To be completely immursed within the rocks and see the formations and cliffs up close; there is nothing like it.

DAM

After spending a night in Vegas, off the strip, we headed out early for Hoover Dam. The drive out was enjoyable and... flat. Despite being in the desert, I was shocked at how dry and hot it really was. Even the wind was hot; it was like a heater blowing on you.

Although Hoover Dam was not really something on my list of must sees I was glad Brandon had us stop. We took the Dam Tour, which is their most expensive and longest tour. It was well worth the extra money and we highly recommend it to anyone who has a spare hour while at Hoover Dam. The Dam Tour guides you through the original tour from when the Dam first opened; it's all glammed out with subway titles, marble floors, and brass elevators. We got to go through the maintenance tunnels, see how they measured the settlement of the cement, and learn that they OVER built the Dam by 70%; that's a lot of unnecessary concrete!

It was definitally an experience and we had a lot of fun. After doing all the Dam had to offer we headed out for Williams, AZ in search of our bed and breakfast. The drive was HOT and most of it I had to cover myself with a jacket to keep the sun from burning my legs and arms. It was incredibly windy and the car, a small economy rental, kept being pushed out of our lane. We actually had to slow down so the wind would stop blowing us off the road. Brandon was relieved when we finally got into the mountains and some of the wind died off. When we pulled into Williams, AZ we found it to be almost an exact replica of the town in Cars. The town was so old and cute you couldn't help but think of Cars.

Our B&B, The Canyon Country Inn, is on Route 66 which added to the ambiance of it all. The town was just too cute; however, we would not recommend anyone staying at the Canyon Country Inn. Our experience was not horrible it was just not what we would expect from a B&B. For example, the B&B had rules. You were not allowed to take a shower before 5:30AM or after 11:00PM. You were asked to conserve hot water because there was not enough to go around (?!?!?). Breakfast consisted of store bought muffins, fruit, yogurt, and coffee. Needless to say, we were NOT happy. The bed was very comfortable and we did have a fridge and microwave; that was really nice since we had plans to pack lunches. A major problem was if someone else was taking a shower you lost water pressure. The more people using the shower the less water pressure you got; at one point during the week the shower head was only dripping. If or when we ever go back to Williams we will not be staying at the Canyon Country Inn; we've also learned to ask more questions of a B&B before booking a room.

Vegas Baby!

For three months my hubby and I have been planning a trip to the Grand Canyon using the tickets we got at the Chocolate Dreams charity event. Finally the day came where we hopped on a plane and headed for Vegas.

After a short stop in Chicago we landed in LasVegas, NV in just under 6 hours. After picking up the rental and making sure to get directions and a map to the hotel we headed out ready to check in and hit the strip. We followed the directions Enterprise gave us and found ourselves hopelessly lost in the middle of LasVegas. Luckily, my freakish organizational skills came in handy as I pulled out the LasVegas city map I had brought along. After looking at the map I realized that the road we wanted was actually split up into 3 different sections that did not connect. We, of course, were not on the right part of the road and it was ridiculous to get to where we needed to go. Using the map I was able to guide us straight to our hotel and we were able to check in. For those that know me, I am HORRIBLE with directions and was glowing with pride when we pulled into the hotel parking lot!!! I was so proud of a job well done I texted my parents to brag about my success. :)

After checking in we took a shuttle down to the strip and spent the day perusing the casinos and shops on LasVegas Boulevard. I must admit I was not impressed in the least. I always hear how great and impressive Vegas is; I found it dirty, smelly, and boring. Not being one to drink excessively or gamble I guess I would. The architecture used to draw people into each casino was fun and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the fun decor of each casino; however, the smell of each casino and the hooker cards that littered the streets were unnerving. I found myself very uncomfortable the entire time we were in town. I'm glad we went and took the opportunity to see it but I doubt that we will ever go back or want to.

One thing I found amusing while there is that people in Vegas dress for the occasion. Everyone thinks they are hot simply because they're in Vegas; men sit on the side of the street watching as the women parade by. When I walked by a guy pointed at me and stated: "She's dressed for comfort." I was in a pair of green cargo pants, a veggie tales t-shirt and had my hair in a pony tail; we had just got off a plane and I'm not one to primp. Well, I guess I disappointed him. LOL.

Despite the sleaze; we did take some time to put some money in a slot or two and made sure to stop and watch a few rounds of roulette and craps. It was an enjoyable stop on the trip; however, we all to happy to move on the next morning.

Tiko

I would like to take just a moment to give a shout out to my dog, Tiko Mann. I've had a few asking questions so he's the whole story on how this little joy came into our lives.
Tiko was adopted from the Frankfort Animal Shelter. From what we were told his mom was brought in pregnant and gave birth to a litter of 5. Almost as soon as they could be separated from their mother 4 of the pups were adopted. Tiko, polka dot then, although not the runt of the litter remained. Day after day no one came to claim the last puppy. The shelter fell in love with the little guy so much he quickly became the shelter's favorite and soon was free to roam about as he pleased; becoming their mascot. The oldest dog in the shelter was grumpy and hated to be around any of the others; however, she would allow Tiko to visit her. The shelter found this anomaly to be strange but over the weeks they were able to socialize the older dog and in the end that socialization helped to get her adopted!

We spent 2 weeks searching online and going to local Louisville animal shelters looking for a puppy to adopt. While in Winchester one weekend we stumbled across Tiko's picture and made plans to take a day to go visit. When we got there he was much older than his picture, 3 months older, but for me it was love at first sight! I knew in my heart there was no way we were leaving with out him. We took him for a walk, played with him the the fenced in area, and decided to fill out the paper work. Despite Brandon's hesitance, he wanted a younger dog, I convinced him Tiko was the one. We filled out the paperwork and watched as the shelter gave him a tearful goodbye.

We were shocked to discover that Tiko did NOT like riding in the car; we thought all dogs like riding in cars. Being so young he had not quite figured out how to balance himself and often was tossed around. He was small enough to fit in my lap and so he remained there the whole way home. It took us over a month to get him to climb in the car on his own. He does enjoy sticking his head out the window; however, you can sense that there are times where he is still uneasy in the car. Although he was scared to death when we took him from the shelter he was eager to explore and soon found his nitch at our tiny little apartment.

When we first got Tiko we called him the million dollar dog. We spent more time at the vet than we did at home; Tiko had kennel cough and mange. He looked so pathetic with bald spots and red swelling everywhere. For a while he was on a every other day bath regime. He did NOT like it and to this day you can ask him if he wants a bath and he will run!

Tiko is a very lovable and a very social dog; he loves to be around people and other dogs. Every now and again we used to take him to Pets Marts doggie day camp. While there he coaxed a dog who had been attending for over two years to play with him. Supposedly, this dog was super shy and for two years would not play with ANYONE; she would sit in a corner and entertain herself. The day Tiko came to town she was running and playing with all the other dogs and socializing in a way her owner had NEVER seen before. The owner actually waited for us to pick Tiko up so she could meet us and say thank you!

He is often very in tune to people's emotions. On more than one occasion he has shown that he understands the emotional situation that he is in or around. He hates it when Brandon and I are frustrated with one another and will often find a corner to go curl up in a ball while we argue. When I cry he acts almost desperate to get up next to me; trying to lick my face or just snuggle up close. When I am experiencing something medical like a dizzy spell or low blood sugar, again, he wants to be right with me the entire time. Walking with me, laying with me, or simply laying on the floor next to me on the couch. He is very protective of Brandon and I; but especially me. I've learned to pay attention to his reactions and act accordingly when he gives me a warning.

I love how he sets his mood and energy level to ours. If we are ready for a walk he is bouncing off the walls to get going; if we want to lounge around the house he calms down and finds a bone to chew on or gives us that puppy dog look that gets him to snuggle on the couch or in the chair with mom or dad.

He KNOWS when he's done something wrong because when you come into the room after he's done it he looks like a guilty 3 year who just got caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

Despite his previous chewing habits that include the destruction of a couch, a computer mouse, a pair of shoes, a wallet, a candle, a pair of headphones, and a cell phone... we still love him very much! He has learned not to chew and is fairly well behaved; when at home obeys commands with astounding speed and learns very quickly. We've even got him trained to walk with out the leash; something he loves to do and he puffs up a little when we take the leash off. :)

I could talk about my dog for days and share a 100 stories of how great he is or how crazy he's been. Although I may be biased I find him to be the best dog and companion there is.

So here's to my awesome and lovable dog Tiko!He just turned 2 1/2 years old, I hope he lives another healthy 15 0r 20.

Now That's Real Love

Over the 4th of July Brandon braved 3 whole days of Lawson fun at my family's Lawson Reunion. After many hours of sharing fun reunion memories I was stoked to get the opportunity to see family I haven't seen in many years. My attempt to get Brandon as pumped as I was didn't work as much as I would have hoped; however, he did have a good time.

The weekend was filled with lots of laughter, Frisbee golf, egg collecting, horse petting, cards, and 4 wheeling. Saturday morning Jesse and Brandon Kennedy climbed on one 4 wheeler while Brandon and I got on the other. With BK leading the way we headed out across the farm and up the hill. Keep in mind this was my first time on a REAL 4 wheeler. I've been on smaller fake ones, but never a full sized 4 wheeler, so I knew what to expect with all the bumps and bouncing around. I was having a blast and feeling as adventurous as my hubby when we came across a fallen tree on the path. The 4 of us sat and debated jumping it and in the end Brandon and I vigorously volunteered to conquer the tree. We sped forward, hit the tree and stopped dead; inertia took over and I kept going. I slid right off the side of the 4 wheeler, hit a tree, and landed square on my butt in a pile of brush and leaves. Needless to say I was glad I was wearing a helmet; I had refused to get on it with out one.

In a split second: I was shocked and didn't fully understand what had happened, I saw the 4 wheeler tipping toward me, I saw Brandon settling it on all 4 wheels, and the next thing I knew Brandon is asking me if I'm alright. I still have not figured out what had happened and then as Brandon reached for my hand it hit me:

Brandon threw me off the 4 wheeler!!!

I busted out laughing! I wasn't hurt thanks to my helmet and the brush. Brandon helped me up and we turned to find two VERY concerned faces. Jesse and BK saw me go and in Jesse's words: "It was like an apparition, one second I was there and then poof!"

As it turns out Brandon didn't have the 4 wheeler in 4 wheel drive, which caused us to straddle the tree and spin out. Once he figured that out he hopped it just fine with no problems and then offered to let ME drive. Laughing and teasing that he was lucky I was willing to get back on with him I climbed on behind him and we drove on and made our way back to the farm. I will admit though I was not willing to go for round 2; the boys dropped off us girls and headed back out.

I could feel Brandon's love as he threw me and he could feel mine as I got back on the 4 wheeler with him. Now THAT'S real love! Ü

Breaking and Entering

This weekend Brandon is taking part in a soccer referee certification class. For 20 hours he is required to sit in a class room and go over every rule that is involved in the game of soccer; needless to say I don't envy him. I took the opportunity to do some much needed deep cleaning that included getting all the recyclables out of my kitchen and into the garage.

While on a quick trip out to the garage the door shut behind me and I found myself locked out. Walking around the house I grew frustrated as each door was locked. Luckily, I had the windows open and I proceeded to pop out a screen and climb in the window; bending the screen frame in the process. When I shared the story with Brandon that night he just laughed; only me right?

Today, as I tackled the rest of the house that didn't get done yesterday, I once again stepped out into the garage and the door swung shut behind me. As I turned and found the door locked I stood in shock that I had done it again. Even though I already knew, I checked all the doors and found them locked. I sighed and attempted to pop the screen out again; however, this time I couldn't get it completely out with out breaking the frame. I had to wiggle under the screen and into the house. Diving in head first I was immediately attacked by the 2 dogs that had conveniently woken up from their nap and were full of energy. I had to fight them off yelling and punching to get my whole body through the window. Despite the fact that the window is only 2 feet off the ground it really hurt when I hit the ground full force, using my shoulders to break my fall. I'm sure my hysterical laughter didn't help...

Twice, in two days, I've had to break into my own home. I think it's time we invest in a hide-a-key.

We're an Old Married Couple at 24

While Brandon and I were in college we would often stay up till 3 AM and then get up for a full day at 7 AM. The lack of sleep while our love was blossoming never seemed to bother us. Those days are long gone and we often find ourselves in bed between 9:30 and 10 PM. Although we may pillow talk for a little while it is a rare occasion that we say goodnight after 11PM. We both understand that we're still young and should be getting out and having fun; however, we really do enjoy our quiet evenings at home with just us and the dog.

Last Saturday night, as we do on most nights, around 9:45 PM we prepared for bed. We both crawled into bed exhausted from the late night before (1AM) and were ready to call it a night. We laughed and chatted, tickled and giggled before finally deciding to say goodnight. Out of no where my stomach growled and with full intentions of getting up and getting some milk and cookies I mentioned to Brandon that I was hungry. He conferred that he was too and then told me that Waffle House sounded really good. After thinking for a second I realized that it DID sound really good, really, really good!

We looked at the clock and saw that it was 10:45 and neither of us were dressed; Brandon asked if I want to get up and go. Unsure if I had enough energy for it I said nothing and laid there contemplating if it would be worth it. The more I thought about it the better it sounded and we laid there in silence for almost 10 minutes before Brandon gave me a nudge and told me to get up.

Laughing at how silly we felt for getting out of bed for Waffle House, and how when in college we would have done this in a heartbeat, we got dressed and got in the car. Both of us with our hair a mess and in raggedy clothes; although, neither of us cared what we looked like, we seemed to fit in with the small town crowd that filled the booths. As it turned out Brandon was right, Waffle House was an awesome idea and totally hit the spot. The best part was we got in, ate, and got out with in an hour and were back in bed before midnight.

Creepy Crawlys Give Me the Willies

Summer: a time of hot days, lots of sunshine, flowers in bloom, fun at the park, ice cream, and bugs.

Lots of bugs! Anyone who knows me knows how much I HATE creepy crawling things; anything with more than 4 legs. But alas summer = bugs. Most of the time I hate summer and see it as Mother Nature playing a cruel joke on me as I find spider after spider and creepy thing after crawly thing in my house, on my car, or in my mailbox.

Unlike last summer when Brandon and I were visited by probably the largest spider I have ever seen in real life (It was HUGE with a yellow zigzag on it's back; it's body alone was the size of Brandon's palm with a leg span that spread out much larger than this whole hand. When Brandon saw it even he jumped back and said: "WHOA!") this summer has had fewer spiders and more mosquitoes. With the humidity being so high we haven't spent as many night out on the back porch sipping lemonade as we would have liked and we've missed being able to watch the birds. We've been a little bummed by the lack of humming birds this year; last year there were SO many of them they were fighting one another to the death to get to the bird feeders. But that doesn't mean we haven't had our fair share of visitors of the creepy crawly variety. This summer, luckily, the abnormally large spider's friends have not come over for a visit; maybe the sight of their friend squashed on our back patio pavement last summer was deterrent enough.

We have been visited by 2 VERY prego wasps with a full nest of little babies; wasps are quite the vigorous little baby makers causing us to invest in plenty of RAID for the future. We caught sight of a gorgeous praying mantis, who was camera shy, and a beautiful dragon fly who seemed put out that the praying mantis was on his turf. The spiders have remained, for the most part, out my sight and are welcome to stay as long as they remain that way. I have yet to scream as I've come across anything and am proud to say I've even killed a few small spiders all by myself.

It's been a relaxing summer and I think that this summer Mother Nature and I have reached an understanding and are totally at peace. *(I'll post pictures later) We're ready for the trees to change and the weather to cool, but only when sweet Mother Nature is ready.

Now that I've posted this blog I hope I don't go home and find one of those spiders in my house...

I Think I Broke a Mirror and Forgot All About It

Thursday night LaGrange was hit by a HUGE storm. The thunder was constant and the lightening took on more of a light show effect. For at least 3 hours our house was hammered with rain, shook by thunder, lit with lightening, and filled with the sound of Tiko crying. Even when we had him climb up in bed with us like a child he still continued to cried and whimper. Nothing we could do would settle him; making it a long night that was topped off by our power going out.

As I left for work Friday morning Tiko began crying again. Feeling horrible, tired, and a little grumpy I caved and threw the dog in the back seat; Tiko was going to work with Mommy. He was well behaved all day, as usual, and thoroughly enjoyed the attention that comes with having a dog at the office.

We were not quite 1/2 way home when the car in front of me frantically swerved out of the lane. I didn't have time to process why until I myself hit was they were attempting to miss, a long steel piece of something. I heard the tire run over top of it and it hit the underside of the car before fully realizing what had just happened. I slowly pulled over to check my tires and when I got out was shocked to find that gas was gushing out of my car at an alarming rate; luckily, I only had about a quarter of a tank left. Annoyed, I called 911 to report the accident, let them know where I was, and that there was gas spilling all over the highway. I then made several attempts to call Brandon, to no avail. 15 minutes after my call to 911 my patience began to wear and I got out of the car to check the leak again. It was still draining but I noticed a tow truck pulled over and the had gotten driver out. He had a smile on his face and when he smelled the gas made sure to throw his cigarette far from the mess. My first thought was that 911 had sent me a tow truck, how odd.

He introduced himself and asked if I needed help; explaining that he was out driving and saw me. He quoted me a VERY reasonable price and started to get my car ready to tow. While he worked a firetruck pulled up and 3 firemen got out; keep in mind this is now almost 20 minutes after I have called 911. They asked if I was OK, what was my situation, then stood back and watched the tow man do all the work. When they realized they were being of no help they drove off.

We left Tiko in that back seat and I got in the tow truck with the driver, his wife, and daughter and headed to LaGrange. The drive was pleasant and his daughter was adorable. It was during one of her stories that I received a call from Jefferson County Emergency Services. They couldn't find me and were wondering if I was OK and could I tell them, again, where I was. Seriously confused, I explained that I was in a tow truck on my way home. The firetruck had stopped by and I was already taken care of. I apologized for not realizing I needed to call and let them know I was fine and mentioned that I assumed the firetruck was from them. The man on the phone told me that they did NOT send a firetruck out to me that there was a police cruiser looking for me. After putting the pieces together I made sure they knew I was taken care of and thanked them for their help.

As it turns out the firetruck that stopped was on it's way to an accident on the same highway I was on. They believed that I was the accident they had been called to; when they realized their mistake they made sure I was OK and went off to find the other accident.

As I sat on the side of the road, unable to get a hold of my hubby, with a dog in the backseat I was rescued by a random tow truck and checked on by a random firetruck. By the time the actual police got to the scene I was well taken care of and 1/2 way home. Needless to say, I'm not overly impressed with Jefferson Counties emergency response time; however, Jefferson County sure does have some really nice people.

The Hyundai, or Good Car as we call it, is out of gas and commission for who knows how long. Currently I am driving the Saturn, or Around Town Car, that has no radio or A/C, leaks oil, and the engine has a tendency to over heat. Normally this car is just driven to and from the bus stop. The fact that I bruised the "good" car just figures, I have the worst luck!

"Just Get Me to the Church on Time"

Being a fan of musicals I can't help but smile when I hear the song or tune "Get Me to the Church on Time" from My Fair Lady. Although the song is silly and the man talks of his bride to be in a negative light I can't help but hope there is an underlying feeling of love that he must feel for her and that is why he feels the need, not pressure, to be there when she comes walking down the isle.



June 9, 2007 Brandon and I vowed to commit our lives to one another just as the couple in the song is about to. With daisies in my hair, flip flops on my feet, and excitement in my stomach I vowed: "to love and to serve, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, till death do us part." We have 2 years of marriage that include: an illness filled honeymoon, a water boil advisory anniversary, a puppy, a dog eaten couch and cellphone, lots of chocolate, and the purchase of a new home. 2 years later here we are, still married.

One of my biggest dreams in life is to have a 50th wedding anniversary. They are so rare in our modern world of divorce that I want to be able to say that I've accomplished something great. To be able to say I was married to Brandon for 50 years, if that's not an accomplishment of some sort then what is?! With 2 years behind us we only have 48 to go.

We have spent many nights screaming and arguing. We have spent many hours laughing and smiling. We have spent many days with family and friends. It has been 2 years of personal growth and insight. It has been 2 years of trying to figure out how in the world to live with someone other than family. It has been 2 years of creating our own family and in the end we still love each other.

I'll be honest, the past 2 years have been by the hardest in my life! No amount of marriage advice or counseling could ever have prepared me for what Brandon and I have endured. The long nights of tears, heartache, and pain were not because I have a horrible husband, he is just the greatest, but because I've been a disrespectful wife. Finally after 2 LONG years of my husband screaming, crying, and desperately trying to get me to understand his needs- I get it! I'm excited to say that I now have at least 48 years to show my husband what I've learned in the past 2.

So as my 2 year anniversary has come and gone, here's to 2 years of marriage, growth, learning, love, and most importantly patience.

Here's to my husband Brandon, the greatest man I know!

Rain, Rain GO AWAY!

3 Fun Days in Tahara

Day 2&3

Our second day in Taraha started out much rainier than the first. As we got up to get ready for school we made sure to grab our umbrellas and pull up our pants because we were walking to school. All of the students are required to walk or ride their bike to school, especially once they are in the upper grades, and we were no different. As in Japanese culture, we were required to remove our shoes at the front door and put on school appropriate shoes or indoor shoes. Mine were borrowed and thus were over sized slippers that made walking up and down the stairs quite difficult. Unlike in America, where the student change classroom, the teachers move from class to class not the students. From a teachers standpoint, that makes a MAJOR difference in teaching styles. It doesn't allow you to reference material that may be placed on the wall or even the board. Since we were at the middle school, all the kids were in cute sailor looking uniforms; the girls in skirts and the guys in pants. They all looked like American Navy soldiers about to go off to war. On this particular day they were reciting their show and tell speeches in English; there were some that were quite impressive.

Despite the Japanese/ American differences I couldn't help but notice the similarities with the Chinese classrooms I'd been in. The way the room was set up, their material and workbooks, and even their school supplies. As in China they eat in their classroom at their desks and not in a cafeteria or common room. It was neat to see the kids serving one another and very diligently cleaning their plates and their mess. In Japan it is rude to leave food and be wasteful and you can eat only when everyone has everything; leaving only a 5-10 minute window to scarf what they've put in front of you. Once their speeches were complete the students had fun asking me all sorts of questions like: did I have a boyfriend, did I like Japanese food, and how was I able to come to Japan? They were all very surprised to learn I was married and LOVED the food. It was a fun experience and kept us out of the rain for a couple hours.

After school we had a few options: go back to the apartment and hang out, head out and get and stay wet all day, or break the day up in spurts with time to dry in between. We decided to take time to dry in between because it's not really all that much fun walking around soaking wet all day! We stopped at the Tahara Castle since it was on the way home. We then sloshed into the apartment to dry off and rest before heading out again. Later we walked to the library that was closed for holiday, the park that had a foot of water surrounding it, and then on to the 100 Yen store and the grocery. We came home to dry off and eat dinner and then headed back out that night for some Karaoke with another English teacher, Nathan.

My final day of tourism in Japan Jen and I headed to the local coffee shop to borrow a bike. It didn't cost a thing, we just gave them our name and they gave us a key; I wish people were that trust worthy in America. The bike ride was TOTALLY in my top 3 favorite things about Japan. We rode through the countryside down to Long Beach. The ride was about 45 minutes and gorgeous! I had a hard time keeping my bike straight with all the looking around I was doing. I couldn't get over the unique features of the mountains and the green tea and rice fields. It all looked so beautiful.

Before heading home Jen offered up a detour; since we had already biked about 16km we went ahead and stopped at Takigashira Park, I thought what's another couple km? The park is covered in Cherry Blossom trees that although they are no longer in bloom they were beautiful. The whole park was gorgeous. We hiked about half way up the parks mountain to see the waterfall shrine. Although we were tired, hot, and hungry it was well worth the hike and detour to see the park and shrine.


That night we met up with many of Jen's Japanese friends for a dinner party. The group showered me with gifts, which was very unexpected since Jen had forgotten to warn me, and asked a ton of questions. The food was marvelous and the conversation was fun. They all get together about once a month to practice English and go out for karaoke. It was a great way to end my trip to Japan.


The next morning I got up and packed my things and prepared for the trip back to the US. Jen took me as far as she could and then I was on my own. I had two trains I had to catch with out her and she was more than nervous about leaving me alone. Considering my ability to get lost no matter where I am, I didn't harbor any hard feelings toward her for feeling nervous. I didn't feel nervous at all; I was feeling adventurous and ready to prove that I could do it on my own. I had no problems finding my trains or getting to the airport. It was such a clear day I even got to see Mt. Fuji from the train; something even Jen has never been able to see despite her 4 attempts. The flight home was empty so everyone took their own row of seats to sleep; it was peaceful and relaxing and before I knew it I was running towards Brandon for a much needed hubby hug. It was an opportunity of a life time to travel to Japan and I throughly enjoyed every second of it.

Maybe one day I'll get to go back! :)

My 3 Favorite things in Japan:

3. Odeo Onsen

2. Bike Ride to Long Beach

1. Getting to see and spend an ENTIRE week with Jen!!!

Don't Let the Rain Ruin the Fun

3 days of fun in Tahara, Japan

DAY 1

As the train pulled up to the Tarhara station Tuesday night it poured down rain; it was raining so hard that we opted to take a cab even though it was only a 3 block walk. That night after settling in we debated what the plan of action for the next day was going to be. Jen left the decision solely up to me since I was the one in a foreign country. My choice: brave the rain, have some fun, and get wet. Who knows when I'd ever be in Japan again, I had no intentions of missing a thing!

So Wednesday morning we headed to the peninsula to catch the ferry to Ise. Ise is said to have the most beautiful shrine in all of Japan and although I have only seen a select few it was by far the most beautiful and serene I had seen. Jen and I both agreed that the rain added to the serenity and beauty of the entire park and we both we taken back by the view that surrounded us: the clouds in the mountains, the canopy of trees, the river and bridges, it was all amazing!

After touring the Inner Shrine we headed to the quaint little tourist town for some shopping and lunch. We dined on Ise's famous Udon noodles, found some Mikimoto Pearls for cheap, and I even tried some squid jerky; which I don't recommend. The shops were fun and the atmosphere, despite the rain, was filled with a high energy. We even stumbled across some Taiko drummers.

When it comes to traveling I really enjoy the off the beaten path type activities and am not one who likes to get caught in all the tourist traps. Even though this performance was strictly for the tourists I enjoyed the rich Japanese cultural display of music. They beat their drums in perfect sync, calling out commands over the sound. You could feel the music in your bones, literally. It was breath taking and I reveled in the moment, it was INCREDIBLE!!!

After lunch and shopping we headed back towards the ferry in hopes of squeezing in a tour of the Mikimoto Pearl Museum. It was not originally on our agenda but once we got to Ise and saw the museum we made room in the day. Jen immediately felt horrible at not bringing our parents over to Ise. Mom has been teasing Jen for months about Jen buying her some Mikimoto pearls; all this time Jen was a ferry ride away from their headquarters and never knew it. She had even taken them down to the peninsula but they decided not to take the ferry. To make up for it, we bought mom some pearls. :)

The museum was short and explained how pearls are naturally and unnaturally cultivated and grown. It was quite interesting to learn that the oysters actually undergo what is considered major surgery in hopes of growing a pearl. The insert a seed into the nucleus of the pearl and as long as the pearl can recover from the "evasive surgery" a pearl should form. Can you say GROSS?!

Every hour the famous Japanese Women Divers give an exhibition on their technique of pearl cultivation. These women got out in the freezing cold water in thin white suits and dived with out oxygen tanks. They explained that these women are trained from the age of 8 to be a diver and pearl cultivator; lucky for us we got to sit in a heated room to watch! It was a fun and rainy day!

Bobble Heads Will One Day Rule the World

Everyone loves a bobble head. The way the head jiggles and bounces around always brings a smile to my face and these days you can find anything in the form of a bobble head; there are even companies that let you create your own bobble head design. My cousins created a bobble head wedding favor; a figurine of the two of them in their wedding getup with their names and date painted on the bottom. The likeness of the bobble head to the real thing was quite impressive.

Anything and everything is or can be a bobble head, even the Great Buddha of Kamakura.

On a side wall of the Diabutsu's surrounding park it explains the history of the Great Buddha of Kamakura; although the exact year that the Buddha was cast is unknown it was originally built with in a wooden temple. The temple itself was washed away in the 1498 tsunami and only the Buddha remained; to this day the Buddha remains as an open temple for people to come and see. You can even pay 20 Yen to crawl inside him; which I find kinda creepy. The fact that you crawl up Buddha's bottom does not sound like a good time to me; however, my father seemed disappointed that we didn't take advantage of such an experience.

Over the years the Great Buddha has had to under go repairs to protect it from future tsunamis and especially earthquakes. During the 1960 and 1961 repairs the workers were given the task to fortify the neck so that the head would not break off and crash to the ground. In this construction a spring like mechanism was created to allow the head and neck to have a little give and take in the event of an earthquake.

The Great Buddha of Kamakura is in fact a Bobble Head; how awesome is that! :)

3 Days of Fun in Tokyo

Or first day out Jen and I leisurely strolled around the market and shrine close to our hotel in Asakusa. I saw my first Japanese shrine and Buddha's sandle. Then it was onto the subway as we made a beeline for a park near Tokyo Tower for some geocaching. Tokyo tower itself is ugly and we were not impressed; even the fact that it is suppose to be taller than the Eiffel Tower didn't seem to amaze us.We think the reason it's taller is the LONG spike at the top but I believe the reason we didn't like it was because it's bright orange. Either way we made sure to snap a few pictures and continue on our geocache hunt.


The hunt for buried treasure eventually lead us to the Meiji Shrine. While there we stumbled across a Spring Festival, some traditional dancers, and an older gentlemen who was thrilled to be talking to Americans. He talked our ear off, took way too many pictures, and even gave us some cakes. We would have stayed for what looked like a really neat ceremony with the gentleman but hunger won that battle and we headed to lunch instead.

After lunch and no luck with any more caches we headed to Shibuya for some more sightseeing. This included 1.5 hours of people watching from the second story Star Bucks. Shibuya's main intersection is definitely something to see and we enjoyed our moment of rest and caffeine.




Day two we hiked from Kamakura to Daibutsu where the Great Buddha rests. The hike was long, strenuous, beautiful, and I had blast! We made stops along the way at a really neat mountain side cafe and a couple shrines; including one where they wash their money. It is believed that if you spend the money you wash at this shrine that it will come back to you multiplied. You can be the judge on whether or not you believe that one.
After finally reaching the Great Buddha we picked up our cache hunt once again and it lead us all around the town. Along the way Jen caught sight of some women selling one piece kimonos; they would let you try them on in an attempt to show the Japanese women how easy they are. Feeling brave I stepped up and let the women dress me. It took longer than I would have thought and it was much heavier than it looked but it was gorgeous!

Day three was spent bathing! The Japanese are known for their Onsens or baths. The Odeo Onsen, where we went, is the Disney world of baths with 17 different types of baths to choose from; since Jen and I both are serious bath takers we were in heaven and spent 5 hours bathing, eating, and lounging. This definitely ranked in my top 3 favorite things in Japan!



After our baths we hopped on a train and headed to Jen's apartment in Tahara.


*Coming Soon- Fun in Tahara

Traveling TO Japan

I consider myself extremely lucky to have had the opportunity to travel to Japan and the fact that I was getting to spend a week with my sister who I haven't seen since Christmas was definitely icing on the cake.

Brandon and I got up early Friday (5-1-09) morning and made sure that I had double checked everything. Being the obsessive compulsive person I am when it comes to traveling I checked my bags twice the morning we left even though they had been packed for two days and checked twice each day before that. I can't help it; too many bad travel experiences I think.

I wasn't really looking forward to a 12 hour plane ride by myself so I made sure to stock good meds to knock me out; my biggest concern was not that I was alone it was that I was going to end up sitting next to a talkative person who would refuse to let me sleep or that I would finish my book too soon and have nothing else to do.

The flight from Louisville to Detroit was uneventful and I was thankful for my short layover in Detroit. It allowed just enough time to eat, use the restroom, find my terminal and prepare for the 12 hour flight I had ahead of me. Right as I started to get bored they made the call for us to board the plane. All through the airport were warnings and announcements that everyone needed to board the plane at least 30 minutes before take off or their reservation would be threatened to cancellation. A hour and 15 minutes before take off they boarded us. As soon as I got on I climbed in my seat, stowed my bags, popped two melatonin and a benadryl sinus and laid my head on the window ready to sleep. I barely even noticed that we took off an hour later. I woke up in time for dinner and then went right back to sleep. I woke up 3 hours later in time for a midnight snack and conked out again. After 6 hours sleep, which I was amazed I got, I was fully awake and ready to read. Ispent the rest of the 6 hours reading and eating breakfast.

Luckily the seat next to me was empty and the girl on the isle was small; over the 12 hours we rotated who got to use the spare seat to lay on or prop our feet on. Before I knew it we were landing in Tokyo. As the entire planned began to move around and get up the flight attendants blared over the intercom that no one was to move, get up, or remove their seat belt. Due to the swine flu the health department boarded our plane in full gowns, gloves, caps, booties, and goggles. They carried cameras that read every body temperature on the plane, they collected health surveys, and asked everyone at least 5 questions a piece. Those that were not satisfactory were given a red dot and asked to remain on the plane; everyone else was free to leave. The health department was taking temperatures with thermometers and doing mouth swab tests; those that didn't pass that test were quarantined and had a blood draw. We sat on the plane for 45 minutes waiting for them to collect their data and decide; I was only too glad to be released :-P

After getting off and going through customs and immigration I met up with Jen and we hopped on a train for Asakusa, but not with out Jen making sure I was ready for Japan first. ;) Jen gave me a survival kit for Japan that included Green Tea Kit Kats that I don't recommend, a fork and knife for when chopsticks wouldn't do the trick, a cell phone charm (they are huge in Japan), a hand towel for when there were no paper towels in the restroom, a cloth tissue holder for when there was no toilet paper, and mask to wear if I got sick or didn't want to get sick.
YAY for being in Japan!!

*(coming soon: Fun in Tokyo)

"They're so friendly"

Daisy (or "day's eye"):

(photo compliment of inphotos.org)
meanings include innocence, purity, and are a classic symbol of beauty. Also known to be associated with simplicity and modesty; some believe that when ingested daisies have healing powers for stomach ulcers and when consumed over time can cure insanity. Dreams of daisies during the summer and spring are thought to bring good luck while dreams during the winter and fall are thought to bring a bad omen. Often their petals are plucked by a fair maiden to discover if her true love loves her or not.

While some women dream of a man riding up to them on a white stallion carring a large bouquet of red roses, I prefer a simpler method. My dreams consist of a man walking up to me with a quirky grin on his face carrying a bouquet of white daisies, formally known as bellis perennis. I find that the daisy embodies my personality and that is why I'm so drawn to it. Meg Ryan said it so eloquently in the 1998 Romantic Comedy You've Got Mail: "They're so friendly. Aren't daisies the friendliest flower?"

It wasn't until I decided to grow my own stash of: bellis perennis, shasta alaskian daisy, or what I call white daisies that I learned a little more about the flower itself. It originated in Europe and is more commonly known as a wild flower. At one time it was thought to bring bad luck to pluck them from a field and plant it into your garden; however, if they made their way there on their own you were said to be blessed for years to come. It embodies the ideal of purity and childhood innocence and has been said to have incredible healing powers.

Wow. Who knew such a little flower could mean so much. I couldn't help but stand amazed as I gazed at the picture of daisies I had scrounged up off the internet. This simple flower, that some find plain, had so much history and meaning. If God, my creator, put so much thought and meaning into a simple daisy then the amount of thought and meaning He put into me is so much greater!

As I watch them grow (hopefully) in my garden I will allow them to be a constant reminder that Christ knows who I am, loves who I am, and created who I am. I don't have to worry about picking their petals to see if "he loves me" or not. I know he loves me.

"But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation." Psalm 13:5