-So a while back I thought it would be a great idea to get a few seeds and planting supplies, not really thinking about the logistics of the operation. I now have a billion seedlings and plants. It's kind of ridiculous. The photo below was taken before I transferred the seedlings to individual pots (notice the window ledge, too). Now I have 30+. I want a yard.
-My little sister Dina (by only 18 months she would clarify) came and visited me for a few days.
She is a phenomenal person, smart, witty, hilarious, fiercely loyal, and so loving and generous. It's also kind of funny to see that even after becoming adults we are both very protective of each other but in different ways. When we were standing in line at Pappy's I somehow migrated between her and an obnoxious frat boy that was horsing around. And she is very protective of how other people treat me and actually how I treat myself.
-A couple days after Dina visited my other little sister Erika and my Dad came through town on their way to move her back to Maine. When they were pulling into the parking lot behind my building I ran outside and was pretending to wag my tail like a dog in excitement. My phone popped out of my jacket and landed face down and shattered the screen. That was a super special moment for me.
But spending time with them was wonderful! We just hung out, watched movies, and went to QT. Oh and I made Erika a red velvet llama cake as a belated birthday present. I have to say it is so far my favorite cake creation. Maybe next year to top this one maybe a herd of llamas?
Lately I have been struggling with trying to make sense of somethings in my personal life and I really needed to see and spend time with each of them in order to have a little emotional reboot. I was reminded that my family knows me like nobody else in the world; they get my humor and dish it back, they play off of my personality, they express gratitude and love, and they remind me how I deserve to be treated. I love them so much and am always so thankful for the time I am able to spend with them.
-I joined match.com and went on my first date last weekend. I ate sushi for the first and last time. He was a really nice guy but it wasn't an obvious love connection, however it was a really nice boost to my self esteem. But I remain open to new experiences and am open to meeting new people.
-I am not really feeling fulfilled in my job right now, I feel like an underpaid glorified drafter. When you are unemployed or struggle to find a job your self esteem is shot to hell and when you do finally find a job your ability to standup for yourself is compromised. I in-turn have been putting up with a lot of crap at work, far more than I should. Actually, when it got really bad I finally stood up for myself and others in the office to my boss, a couple times, and miraculously I wasn't fired, in fact turned out to be a good thing. But right now I am trying to figure out whether to continue to invest in this place and fight for fair compensation and treatment or whether just to throw in the towel and start looking for another job. I guess it's time for a good old pros and cons list.
-Oh a dog. I don't know what my problem is. I am having a hard time pulling my crap together enough to get one. I just feel that a dog deserves a yard to run around in and I don't have one right now...maybe that's it...???
-My dear friend Laura from grad school is pregnant with her and her husband's first child. I seriously almost started happy crying on the phone when she told me. They've struggled a lot in the past couple years with some serious issues and this is finally a bright beacon for them! She is an amazing, optimistic, loving, and hardworking person and is going to be the best mom. Ryan, her husband, already has matching t-shirts for him and their little girl! Hahaha, so cute!
-As previously mentioned I've been watching this show called Married at First Sight, the premise being a modern day arranged marriage where three couples meet for the first time over the alter. The biggest deterrents in the relationships were selfishness, immaturity, poor communication, and the most surprising to me was the inability of some of these people to be vulnerable. Of course this was all manifested through confusion and misinterpretation, which turned into anger, hurt and resentment. But there were also some very sweet moments and things that made the hidden romantic side of me smile. What it ultimately came down to was each person's attitude and decision to be dedicated to the experiment and be open to communicating and sharing without taking offense or harboring that resentment. Man, I should be a psychological expert on the next season. (I also realized that I say "dude" way too much.)
Speaking of vulnerability, my friend is having me read a book called Daring Greatly. So far I have only read the introduction but it's about the importance of allowing one's self to be vulnerable in all areas of life. I'll let you know what I learn...if I actually finish it.
Hahaha...I just remembered the two things I always prayed for as a kid were that 1. that my teeth wouldn't rot and 2. that my future husband would not be afraid to ask me out. Who knows where in the world I got those two things from but I do know that I want to marry somebody that isn't intimidated by me and all my craziness or by my at times gregarious personality. I also need somebody that is straightforward and upfront with me because that's the way I roll. I'm really not a hard person to please I just need effort and appreciation and I'll be putty.
-Oh, I am so excited for another one of my great friends from grad school to visit me!!! Peter is coming to Hotel Cassie for a couple days then we are going to go up to Chicago for the 4th of July weekend to spend with Adriane, Clayton, Steve and his family! It is going to be epic, and that is not an overstatement at all.
-I watched Jurassic World. After suspending my belief in logical science, ignoring half baked subplots, and overlooking the curiously superglued shoes on the heroine of the film I really enjoyed it! The CGI was really quite good and it kept my attention pretty much the whole time. It's actually the first movie I've seen in a really long time that I would watch again in the theater. I have always loved dinosaurs and at one point in my childhood I wanted to be an archeologist so I could dig up dinosaur bones. (I'll write about my fascination another time.) Anyhoo, now I want a dinosaur petting zoo.
-Honestly, I'm getting kind of burnt out on my church callings. But here are a few pictures from the SA outdoor movie & bbq and Girl's Camp.
Carlos and Bryan are such sweethearts, they both came early to help me setup. Bryan even brought his parents, who had literally just come into town, only because he knew I needed help. Really great guys.
Even though I was only at Girl's Camp for one day I was reminded why I only attended one year when I was a teenager. Seriously. Terrible. But the girls were sweet and funny. I had one of the young ones ask me what "year" I was, meaning she thought I was one of the teenagers! Hahaha! I'm guessing it was my juvenile behavior and not my youthful round face that confused her.
-One last picture of some random happenings in the recent past. A Cardinals game with Bryan, Julene, Mama and Papa Hoops, Carlos, and Chantal (aka Chanker). City Garden with Chantal and Carlos, I was absolutely mesmerized by the color splash water fountain. And I love this picture of Chantal with her tongue sticking out, it makes me laugh. Cute Tom's birthday at The Block in the CWE. For whatever reason he was very reluctant to celebrate it...but he seemed to at least like the bacon ice cream and I think I saw a little smile when I gave him the card I made (which I was quite obnoxiously proud of). Oh and my first birthday cheesecake...fail.
Okay, that's all for now.
