over here, over there, funny things are everywhere

So, we've come to that lovely time of year when I start asking what hoochie outfit will I wear this year? :) Only half kidding but it's true as can be seen by any adult women's costume section...that the point of Halloween is to be as hooched out as possible.

Where does one go for hoochification of this magnitude? Why, Goodwill, of course! So, Greg and I shall traverse the fluorescence and bohemoth that is the Aurora branch on Saturday evening. It should be fun, since he doesn't work for an uptight e-ang-lical college (did you like that cg?), he actually gets to dress up for work. Fun fun. So, this year I wanted to go as Clue characters (the board game not the movie). I wanted Greg to be Mr. Body and wear all black and just do a chalk outline and then maybe have a knife sticking out of his chest or something. However, he said that wouldn't fit under the apron. Alas. So, I am Ms. Scarlett with the wrench in the Library. He has yet to determine which character he is, he will likely be with the revolver or wrench in the kitchen (at least while he's at work with the apron on). So wish us good luck as we have determined to triumph in the arena of Goodwill.

In other news:

Well, I'm sitting here printing out pages to a jabillion paged guide to one of our collections. I only figured out how to print it because Paul had to show me where the "print odd pages" button was located. I am usually a great problem solver and so I don't understand how I keep missing really easy things like that. It happens what feels like daily, though I don't think that's actually the case...but I think it keeps me humble. So, I was just sitting here thinking about that. I guess it's good that I feel stupid like that sometimes; it really does work on the knocking me back down to size thing. I suppose that means I should be thankful then for these opportunities to exercise virtue...but unfortunately that's not really the first thing that comes to my mind :(

We went to Maryland this past weekend for Greg's mom's husband's 30th birthday party. It was a surprise that we were all coming for it and because of that, she hadn't been able to frantically clean earlier in the week. So, we helped her clean frantically while we were there, which was actually pretty fun. I mean the house was pretty clean by the time we got there anyway. I'm trying to think of non-mundane things to tell you about that weekend, but my dear, I'm not sure there were any. We had the party; Greg and I fell asleep on the couch at like 10 which apparently is when everyone decided to show up and the party got bumpin'. Oh well, we lived. On Sunday, we visited Greg's old fellowship...we were late but that was ok because it was basically a celebration of his ex-fiance's dad's (who's the leader) 30th anniversary of ministry. It was good to be there and to see how important this guy had been in his life and why. We saw a few of Greg's old friends, ex-fiance and her new husband and her sister who's prego...it was crazy...then just sort of vegged with his mom a lot, played computer games, etc.
We had a die hard game of Looney Tunes monopoly...and literally I've never seen anyone actually get a monopoly before but Greg's friend, Ashley ended up having every single property and all of our money. Weird. Anyway, so that was about it, a good weekend with the fam...which was good since they're visit here probably wasn't all that good. At least I'm not sure they had a good time...and I'm not sure whether or not his mom reads this so we'll just stop there :) oo. Also. In the airport, I found a really cute outfit for my nephew (who hasn't yet been born) and it had crabs and lobsters on it and it read, "It's all about me, I'm Shellfish!" heeheehee So cute...

[Meanwhile, the paper printed in the wrong direction for the first 20 pages, gotta re-do it! And apparently I accidentally left the last page in it which was not being printed on both sides and one of my co-workers just printed a legal document onto it...oh the joys!]

Oh, Rez is buying land! Exciting stuff, its' really beautiful...of course I've only seen it on Google Earth but it looked awesome. It will take some time before it's officially ours and definitely before we can build on it but it's still good that we're doing it. Please be lifting that up. Oh yeah, and I guess I'm officially your Barnabas team person....funny

I will add more later if I think of it...but for now that is all. I hope you feel much much better...thank goodness that you don't have to teach today or tomorrow or yesterday...heehee...

Alright, back to my paper problems...I mean humility building exercises. Here's a little treat about my current attitude. (Second row, it's "I don't care Friday")

2 rings!

I love how it bugged you so much to know what it meant. Sorry I missed ya earlier. You'd think with how bored I am at work a lot of the time that I would fill it with things like writing blogs. As soon as I sit down to write my mind wanders and I have no idea any longer what glorious things are worthy of my blog.

Anyway, 2 rings! simply means that Greg has narrowed down his ring hunt to a mere 2 rings and is now deciding between them. I suppose he might've already and I'm just in the dark, but yes, only 1 ring left to find them, rule them and in the darkness bind them, you get the picture. And by a ring, I mean engagement ring :)

That is all. Well, that really wasn't so difficult, I'm really not sure why it took so long to get out.

Now, ahem, excuse me, I am hunting for reception sites. I'll send you some links soon. Love you much, I hope you are now able to have a relaxed uneventful day since you now know the origin of the 2 rings!

Shoot, and I can't believe I didn't mention this: Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day! or I guess observed since your there and I'm here.

the Not as Great Flood of 2007

...point in fact, there wasn't much flood about it. The sump pump didn't even have to come on. And unlike last year, when the damage was detrimental due to water (see image for evidence)

However, 3 o' clock produced sheets of rain, high winds (several trees flew into houses), a black out strong enough to know out Wheaton College's power and last but not least, my first real Tornado warning ever. So, picture it: Wheaton's finest trapped with a battery-operated radio in the Graham Cracker with no lights, nowhere to go, not even cell phone reception. Ah yes, it was great. Too bad we scheduled a going away party for a co-worker that day. But, it worked out ok, the light obstructed the party-goers views my greedy fingers reaching for more of Jean's mom's awesome egg rolls :)

Got to go home early to find two of my other roommates, who also work at Wheaton, in what can only be called perfect seance conditions...several candles and no lights working. Though, each of tried every time we walked in the bathroom to turn the light and vent on...to no avail. Jenn and I thought about going to watch Nancy Drew but as if straight from a movie, the moment I stepped onto the porch, there was an amazing thunder clap and lightning smack and the rain poured like it wasn't going to stop for 40 days. But it stopped about 2 hours later.

What's the best option for a night with no power? Monopoly by candlelight. Maybe you didn't think of that first but we certainly did. Awesome. We also prayed Wheaton wouldn't have power in the morning but alas, here we are at work, writing blogs...heeheehee. Even though, the power already went out once which subsequently set off the fire alarm. TGIF, ya know?

That is all for today...Happy Bartholomew's Day! Some cool readings in the good Book for his day (check em out through BCP). That is all. Good night and good luck.

And it makes me wonder...

If there's a bustle in your hedgerow
Don't be alarmed now
It's just a spring clean for the May Queen

Yes there are two paths you can go by
but in the long run
There's still time to change the road you're on

Your head is humming and it won't go in case you don't know
The piper's calling you to join him
Dear lady can't you hear the wind blow and did you know
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind [Name that Tune]

Oh, sorry. Got a little carried away there...Don't you ever hear a phrase someone says or something and then it makes you sing a little tune outloud or in your head (as correct social protocol may dictate)? So I thought, "It makes me wonder." And then, the rest, as they say, is history.

What I meant to write about is this exciting new prospect:
the New Seven Wonders of the World brought to you by YOU, the voting public!

Isn't that cool? I'm glad they went ahead and gave the only surviving original Wonder of the World its complimentary spot (the Pyramids of Giza). Anyhow, go vote for your fave now!!! I will post again once I actually put my decisive hat on and choose. Till then, adieu, adoring fans. Adieu.

the summit

I'm ba-ack! Sorry for the very long hiatus from blogging. So busy lately.

Last Monday: pick up brother at airport at 8:30 pm, drive to San Antonio whilst listening to John Stossel and Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince and pseudo-sleeping off and on.

Tuesday: arrive 3 hours ahead of schedule at 3 pm in San Anton. slept until 6 pm or so...then bummed around.

As of Wednesday, it was Go Time as we like to call it. Got the 15 passenger van which I mostly drove all weekend-awesome. Everyone came in from the airport, lots of screaming and shrillness.
Can't remember the rest to be honest. Shopped for a corset to go under the bridesmaid dress-they are way harder to find than you think! I mean seriously, the only place I could find them was a bridal store...ridiculous.
Barbecue to introduce to the fams. That meant that I mostly found things to do in the kitchen and serve people food, etc. Yes!

Thursday: my sanity arrives in San Anton at 11 am...Sanity is also known as Greg. And so do the rest of the masses, we shop even more for a corset-yes, I did drag him along. Then we hunted and hunted and hunted some more...for handmade paper for the program cover. Oh yes, 2 days before the wedding, we were hunting for the program paper. Then rehearsal and rehearsal dinner...not too much excitement there. It was on the river which was fun and then we walked on it after dinner. Much confusion over toasting and proper etiquette. Mom and her Emily Post whatnot say rehearsal dinner but everyone there assumed reception. Now, I loathe public speaking and the gastrointestinal spasms that accompany it and I also felt all this pressure (from myself, no doubt) to make it the best one ever in the history of the world. So much worrying but Joe's dad toasted a little and a couple others also and that was...interesting, to say the least. Joe's dad's kind of like Mike Ditka and funny once he's had a little to drink. Our common point for the weekend was "The Billy Graham Center"; every time he saw me he'd ask me about how much I liked it. EVERY time...

Friday: Tubing on the river!!!! So fun. No pictures. Sorry.
Got back 2 hours later than we thought we would...but we got barbecue from Rudy's so totally worth it :)

Bachelorette party! We totally partied like it was 1999...except more like 2004 or so...anywho, it was a good time had by all. I wrote all the bridesmaids and asked them to give me some songs that remind them of Hope or Hope and Joe and I compilated...or compiled rather them into a CD. It's pretty good...odd, but good. Black Eyed Peas, Jack Johnson, Robert Palmer, Celine Dion, Alison Krauss, Dave Barnes- they all made it onto the CD. I made frozen Strawberry Margaritas (they were way girly!) and we ate fajitas and a version of brownie pizza formerly unheard of by the girls. Then, off to bed before the big, ridiculously huge, life-changing day!

Or so we thought...Hope and I were up really late discussing the ins and outs of family and weddings and disappointments and fears; she had a really good cry, I cried a little bit and then to sleep at somewhere around 2:30 in the morning...Is that how the night before your wedding s supposed to go? Oh well, we decided that we'd start planning my wedding now and then that would at least help SOME of the stress be less...but hey, it's nerve racking to come to the day that will alter the rest of your life. Weird.

WEDDING DAY: wake up early but not early enough...oops! what can we say? anyhow, T-2 hours to get Hope and Joe's slideshow done. But hey, we did it...cuties. But, please take note: do not plan a picnic on your wedding day. It was a really nice gesture to out of towners and extended family but it just didn't work! My sister, her fiance, my brother, Greg and I ended up sitting together. It was fun, but sort of nerve-racking because we didn't really see anyone else just hung out in a clump. My brother and I are kind of like that, the 2 minorities in the corner :)

So, then, crunch time, I ran around to find a guest book, oh yes, little things left undone, then had to make it by 2:30 for the hair appointment. As it turns out, all 8 bridesmaids plus my mom ended up going so that makes for a lot of opinions and cuteness. But, alas, they had already done their hair and make-up so that was tricky. I missed a lot of Hope getting ready and getting ready with everyone. Kinda sad but oh well...there's always next...oh, wait a minute, no there won't be! But, I'm not bitter...;)

Pics before wedding=good idea. Ceremony beautiful, read from Song of Solomon, reception-open half bar, sitting at rectangular table for bridal party with bride and groom sitting as the heads of the table=bad idea. A good time had by all, dancing with my brother and my baby, catchin' up with old Albuquerque friends who I haven't seen in years = priceless. Seeing them drive away in the Model A=relief. Realizing Hope's purse was in the trunk of her friend's car=ugh. Taking to her in church parking lot and giving a big hug and checkin' out smile=worth it all!

Pictures on Picasa soon!
AND THEY ALL LIVED HAPPILY (albeit sleepily) EVER AFTER

wedding mania

Well, I think we're finally here. Wedding mania...more challenging than wrestle mania, by far. It's so odd that such a nice thing, a beautiful thing really should be met also with trepidation, horror, and just good ol' stress.

Just had lunch with the sister which was good...nothing wrong with that at all. But, we're definitely in crunch time. Yesterday I rearranged all the tickets because I'm now driving my parents' car (which Hope's had through college) to Texas with my unsuspecting little brother (whose birthday is today and does not know yet that a plane ticket accompanies his birthday card).

Hope is in finals and finishing wedding stuff and the last day of her finals, her future mother-in-law will be in town helping them move into the new apartment. That should be good, but a little stressful for her. Friday we go for another fitting with the M-I-L. But, then Hope was talking to her future sister-in-law who's a .MAC make-up artist for their shoots and is doing Hope's, my mom and her own mom's make-up and she wants an hour for each. Between the picnic that day and the hair being done and the rest of us getting ready, I think that's a little much. Apparently, she was freaking when talking to Hope about it and totally stressing Hope out, who left to her own devices, was feeling good about everything. Why can't people butt out? Ya know, let them save their stress for their own weddings...maybe that's harsh but it's true, there's enough stress about weddings in general that people shouldn't add to the bride's stress. I'd like to have my whole wedding planned way in advance. Maybe I'll go work on that right now... :)

Anywho, I just got a call that my [bridesmaid] dress is in and I'm ordering the shoes really soon. Would you like to see them? Yes, well, you're in luck because you're going to get to :)



Pretty, right? Now, personally I wouldn't've gone with pink and green, but that's what makes us so great, we're totally different...but as pink and green dresses go, it could've been a lot worse...fo sho.

So, yes, lots of weddingness lately, but it's fun because we get to go tubing and I'm supposed to do a little pseudo-bachelorette party and stuff and a cool rehearsal dinner and it'll be a nice, hott, tan start to summer...hooray, it's coming!

Today has that beautiful warm air blowing, not the usual cold, this may be the day it turned to summer...hey, you should check out the e-vite to my birthday...and you would be invited to the girls day but alas, you are in China and I am here. Boo, but also good. I'm currently transcribing the story of a teacher in China, like you kind of. Very spunky and obedient. Kind of fun, makes me think of you more often.

I got your monthly letter. Thinking of you! More to come on general life later...

dinos

Hello Friend,

well, i decided i'm pretty much done for the day...yes! I got the last thing I wanted to do done...hooray.

So, plenty of exciting things happening here:

Jenn now has a job at Wheaton as well, in the Psych department...so now our band of musketeers is complete.

A brand new species of shark dinosaur was found in Utah...they say it's a cousin of a Dilophosaurus (i think that the right spelling)...i don't believe them, they wouldn't be able to pick my cousin and me out from a bunch of bones. I think they're just saying that because they're both shark dinosaurs...but maybe that's just me. It's pretty cool anyhow...read about it.

My sister got her dress fitted the other day for her wedding, she looks beautiful. It was pretty fun to go. The lady was awesome and I learned all about getting blood stains out of wedding dresses, busselling, 102 things to do with safety pins and the art of peeing in a wedding gown.

Sarah and Chris (Scherf) broke up...very sad. They've joined our "club". Not "good" happenings but something I should tell you about nonetheless.

I'm having a ladies night tonight and we're watching Princess Caraboo...I'm really excited. I'm also making Frito Pie :)

My car got a flat on Vigil day and then was vandalized a couple days later. They didn't steal anything of notoriety, it's just a mess and I have yet to clean it up (Greg finally put the donut on) and then after I cleaned it a little because I missed the train on Tuesday, I realized it wouldn't start...ho-hum.

Hmmm...what else can I fit here? I think that's all the exciting news I have...

Oh, yesterday the staff (Paul, Bob & Wayne) and I celebrate Coordinator's Day, the so-called non-"secular" version of the better known holiday of Secretary's Day (now dubbed "Administrative Professionals" Day). It's so nice to be in a job where they appreciate you and celebrate it, let alone take you out for a very nice lunch of your choosing and also bring you flowers! And to think, my birthday's in 2 weeks and they'll have to do it all over again.

Anywho, I hope you have a great weekend and I love you much. I will report more as it comes...
Adios!