March 31, 2008

lottery winner.

I have a doctors appointment on Friday. 9am.
Sweeeeet.


Brett is gone, he left this morning. Blah.
So far today it has been: sunny, raining, hailing and a little snow mixed in. Weird.

Sometimes I love my coffee shop a whole whole lot:
Daniel is reading a book off our our bookshelves ( Daniel is actually one of Brett and my friends...who's leaving very soon for Iraq so until he leaves he's not very "busy")

Americano-in-his-own-travel mug-guy is sitting in the corner on his lap top.

Sugar Free, Non-Fat Vanilla Latte lady ( who I'm currently writing about in a separate piece) is working by the window.

And four little old ladies are looking over their calendars together up in the front.

All in all there is a happy vibe in here today.

March 30, 2008

The lost Day(s)

Good grief! I have nooo idea what that was! But, boy howdy, I hope its over! I am feeling much better today...no insane headache, no fever, no need to sleep continually for hours on end....I do however have sever pains in my legs ( eh?!)...but whatever, its official. I'm an old lady in a young person's body.
I'm going to try to go to the doctor this week ( I dont know if I've ever taken the time to explain the army "way" of doing doctors appointments but its somewhere between the short story "The Lottery" and the Ebay auction from hell. ) basically appointments "open up" twenty-four hours before they happen...so at 8am tomorrow I could "possibly" call and get an appointment for 8am on Tuesday...and so on. Also, its "possible" to get appointments that people have canceled so calling back, over and over again is the only way to go. It stinks.
But its free, right? :-P

I suppose it would be worth it, however, if the doctors told me why I am perpetually sick. As long as I dont have some rare blood disease that will leave me lifeless at the age of twenty-five I'm good.

So, hey, what DID I do other than sleep this weekend?! Well, I hung out with Brett...which was very important since he's leaving tomorrow for four days. Blah.
So we watched Pride and Prejudice: The Colin Firth Edition ( that's what it should be called) in bed. It was grand, and by the way...it was NOT my idea to watch it either! Brett read Pride and Prejudice some months ago and has been on a quest to watch all the "worthy" adaptations of it ever sense...oh yes! We also watched Bride and Prejudice last week. HAHAHAHA! I've got myself quite the awesome army guy, havent I? But it shoudl be noted that we watched Babylon Five ( after all, Brett isnt very girlie at all, it turns out)
And today we listened to an old Navigator's sermon and we did our Bible Studies.

March 29, 2008

but of course...

woke up with a 101 fever on Friday. Slept pretty much twenty-four hours straight. Dont feel good.
bye

March 27, 2008

For the path is narrow...

As I was trying to come up for a title for this post I was trying to think of something along the lines of, "this is for my friends who have chosen to do the Harder thing...go the Difficult route".
And then I thought of the verse, "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." ( Mat 7:14)
You know, if a path is "narrow" than that means you dont have too many people walking along beside you, now does it?! And so sometimes it feels pretty lonely walking along doing what you feel is Right.

Anyway, after reading a blog post of a friend today, absolutely understanding where she was coming from...and then reading a letter from another friend bemoaning the insults of a fellow Sister who didnt seem to think she was "focusing on the right things"...I started to think just exactly what it means to choose Christ over Man. It may seem "easy" enough to stand firm against non-believers ( after all, they wouldnt understand, right?) but what about your fellow brothers and sisters?! Shouldnt they understand what your sacrifices are all about? Shouldnt they understand that you've had to make choices in your life? Had to make certain things priority over other?!

Ahhhh...there's the rub! It is no incidental thing that Christ said that He would turn Son against Father, Brother against Brother...its because it would Happen to you too.
Days will come when you will be called, maybe in something little...maybe in something much bigger..to do that which seems Crazy. Or wrong. Or weird. Or just plain stupid.

"He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight." ( Luke 16:15)

"But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." ( 1 Sam16:7)

Now, don't get me wrong...I'm definitely not telling you to just ignore the Righteous advice of those you trust. But, what I am saying is to be encouraged in your Path. I'm saying that there will be times that you will be asked to lay aside your Pride ( that's right! Sometimes we care an awful lot what other people think of us: whether its our achievements or its what someone might think of us as a Christian...we care. ) sometimes taking up our Cross means laying down all sorts of things we didnt think necessarily "needed" to be laid aside....but Christ knows the hearts of man and He is faithful to show us the way to the narrow gate...you know, the gate made for just you. The gate that no one else was made to walk through. Its your gate. Your gate to God. So go ahead, start squeezing.

So Far...

Today I got up. Watched two episodes of Angel season 1.
Ate a bran muffin ( that I baked last night...I've switched over from love of cupcakes to love of muffins...) and drank coffee.
Read blogs.
Talked to God for a bit.
Went and lay in the "fake sun" ( it snowed last night...so I had to get some warmth from somewhere!) for about ten minutes
Went and worked out.
Ate leftover rice and veggies.
Took a shower.

And now its noon.


But, considering that I was up until 1am last night...I'm very happy with my morning of lazy. Last night I waited up for Brett ( against his orders of "go to bed without me") and made him an egg salad sandwich and gave him a shoulder massage ( poor guy had marched over 13 miles with heaviness on his back. meeh!) before finally falling into bed. Brett amazes me pretty much every single day, I would honestly have NOT been able to get up this morning at 6:30 to head off for an even LONGER day...he's truly amazing.

I'm now off to look for a dress to wear to my sister's totally amazing 30th birthday party. The sister of the birthday girl must look hot. Its required.

March 26, 2008

perspective and moms

I'm pretty sure someone should crochet this on a pillow or something because it's true: Moms are great...no matter HOW old you are, and even if they arent even your mother.

It seemed that I'm not the first newly wed to have a nice little freak out in the grocery store (or just about anywhere for that matter)....and apparently my blog post was a cry for some motherly love because I got some good Mom advice out of the deal ( can I just say its almost BETTER to have your friends MOTHERS read your blog than your friends themselves-no offense). I literally ( last time it was "figurative" crying over the Beef deep freeze) cried while reading my emails. Sometimes its just a relief to hear from women that you admire and trust that you need to take things in strides.

So, I'm not insane. Just a little crazy.

Now, I'm off to clean the kitchen and the bathrooms and wait for Brett to get home "probably after midnight"....what's depressing about THAT?! hahaha!

I need to blog more...

not necessarily because of my readers ( although I do feel a sense of obligation to some degree to keep you informed)...but more because lately I've been getting more...ME obsessed, and while you might think that me blogging is pretty much playing into that even more, you'd be wrong...
When I blog I read all my whining as I'm typing and then I start to realize, "hey, abigail, you're totally a me-monster right now!"

Like, earlier I was trying to buy my very first pot roast...and I didnt know which ones I was suppose to buy...and all I wanted right then was someone to ask, someone who'd know...I just wanted to cry, right there over the Beef deep freeze. And I think I'm getting like that more and more-little things are throwing me over the edge.
I dont feel like talking any more. Because if I tell someone just how rotten and despair-ish I feel all the time they'd probably ask me why and THEN what would I say?! "Ummm......uuhhh.....I dont knoooow..."

Not going to cut it. So whatever this is, I'm trying to at least be honest about it a little more. I'm going to go ahead and tell you that I'm tired and hungry no matter how much I eat and sleep and that it doesnt seem to matter what I do feel kinda empty and drained afterwards....and that the least little thing throws me over the edge into total self-critiquing in the worst possible way. And, WHHHHY?! Do you ask, WHHHHY?!

I have no idea.

But, seeeeeeee, if I BLOG about it I'll realize ( as well as you) that its really not SO horrible....and that, in fact, its humorous... because when I actually tell you about how I almost cried over big slabs of beef in the commissary , I'm pretty sure it wont be hard for any of us to not see the humor in that.
So here's to me trying to get over whatever this is that's bringing me down and doing my best to be to make fun of myself as much as possible from now on...because we all know, that's what I do best.

March 21, 2008

Good Friday!

Well, here we are folks. Apparently, Brett has "today off"...although, its 9am and he's been at work since...oooooh.....five-so he's coming up on a half day of work already. However, I shouldn't complain about it, right? I mean, he's supposedly coming home soon and then we're going to go to Bellevue ( about an hour away, close to Seattle...poshy shopping and good restaurants= we're going there.) and that's definitely something we couldnt do on a NORMAL work day....

Anyway, I'm blogging right now because I'm procrastinating the running on the treadmill thing that is inevitably the only thing I need to do this morning...and the only thing I dont want to do this morning....so blogging is the thing I'll do till I finally give in.

But, in honor of today, today being Good Friday-the day we traditionally "celebrate" Jesus's suffering and finally death on a Cross, a feat that basically means that you and I no longer have to face Death along with our sinful selves-because Jesus took ALL the bad, blatantly anti-Godlike things you've ever done and took them on himself and therefore recieved the FULL brunt of God's wrath.....which means that Sin no longer has any power over my life and yours if you'll have it, it means that the wrath of God will never knock on my door, because Jesus already paid the price....so while the whole death and dying thing seems rather awful to be celebrating-what that death and dying means for my life is rather amazing and wonderful. And so celebrate I will....

God showed His own love for us in this, that while we were still sinners, Christ Died for US.

After the last few days of seeing myself fall short and be very un-Godlike, I'd have to say that verse has definitely hit home.

March 20, 2008

Because you're awesome blog readers!

Look at me blogging twice in one day after almost a week of silence! How's that for inconsistency that will keep you guessing all day long!?!
Anyway, just wanted to thank all of you who went and voted for my Papa's picture and gave good comments...because the more votes and the more attention his photos get the GREATER chance he will have to win the totally AMAZING grand prize. But, we're not done yet-so here's this months picture for you to go "oooo" and "aaaaaahhhh" over! Lovely!

everytime...

It seems lately that my hijacked internet access has thwarted me every time I mean to blog...but here's what I've been doing/thinking lately.

Finished reading The Hobbit. Considered reading Lord of the Rings next ( even though I was going to try going a year without reading it...) but I just started a really fabulous book on Burma ( now Myanmar) ....so I'll probably forestall that plan..

Brett had Monday and Tuesday off from work ( yay!) and he did important things like do our taxes ( although we're still waiting on last minute info before we can completely check that one off the list) and fixing the comfy chair in our living room ( that finally gave in to all the "flopping" that it endured day in day out. He also did some sleeping in and some hanging out with guys he doing bible studies...so that made me extra happy.

This week I have also been extra worried about the new uprising in Tibet and the consequent added persecution of the people of Tibet. I'm totally turning into a human rights activist. ;-)

Other than that I just finished editing the short story of one of my customers. That's right, after a 45 minute chat with a guy, hearing all about his story he came back several days later, tracked me down and asked me to edit his short story...for free of course. Not that I mind. Its kind of crazy that this is the stuff that happens when you're a barrista! And speaking of which, I'm working on a few more little vignettes on some of my regular customers...we'll see if I end up putting them on the blog or not, but either way its a good exercise of the mind.

Of course, its not all roses in the coffee world. Continuing drama between coworkers has come to include even myself. I cannot TELL you how upsetting this is. I have tried ever so hard to STAY OUT of the backstabbing and the gossiping-but I have fallen prey after customers started to complain about other coworkers to me in the morning about when they come in at night...of course, no matter WHAT customers might say, I feel bad that I repeated what I'd learned...uggy. Its hard to know what to do sometimes. And I hate it when I find that even *I* can fall into the gossiping trap. BLAH.

March 15, 2008

Mostly Muffins

"mostly muffins" is the name of the company that supplies our muffins, scones, and breads everyday...I like the name. its cute.
But, last night I made two batches of my OWN muffins for the girls brunch this morning...I think they were a hit..and more importantly, I think the brunch went well.

Luckily, God hit me over the head with a "its not all about you" stick a few days ago and I've been doing a bit better in the discouraged department.

And ultimately this week can only be cause for praise, since it seemed that every day when Brett got home from work he was telling me about a new development among those that he works with, of guys starting to do quiet times and asking Brett to help them and keep them accountable. Sometimes, I feel like these are the little lightening bugs in the darkness that light up for a few seconds to remind you of the true a bigger light that comes in the morning....

In other news, Brett has Monday and Tuesday and Friday off in the coming week. Of course, I am scheduled to work for ALL of said days, since usually I get Friday off I wasnt too worried about asking for time off, but then low and behold the schedule came out and I'm working EVERY day that Brett is off. :-**(. But, I wont complain too much, since the really important thing is that Brett only has work for two days next week and that's definitely cause for extreme excitment!!

Now, I'm off to make dinner, since Chuck and Bethany will be joining us I'll try to put a little more effort into my weekend cooking. Bethany is staying with us until Sunday, since her spring break just started and her dorms shut down on Friday...sadly, I dont know how "relaxing and quiet" our house can be described at the moment since I was kept up half the night last night ( as was Bethany...Brett slept straight through it all....) by our rowdy next door neighbors yelling and screaming outside the apartments with their friends....uuuuuggggg! Will Iever have nice, normal neighbors?!

March 11, 2008

aint no sunshine when you're gone.

Dang it if yesterday wasnt a bad day. It could have been the rain, it could have been that stupid hour that we all lost on Saturday or it could have been the fact that Brett had to stay at work until 10pm.

Probably the last one.


Anyway, today I resolved to have a better day, even if it meant going and sitting with my group of old men that come the coffee shop on Tuesdays to talk about water aerobics and the weather.... and it did make me feel better when the boss brought his ten month old son into work. That kid had the chubbiest cheeks ever. I have also decided I'm not watching any project runway today......this is mostly because I need to be extra holy this week since I have three, count'em, THREE bible studies to prepare for...I definitely don't feel spiritual enough to answer some of the tough questions that the girls in my bible study on Thursday threw my way for our Ladies Brunch on Saturday....but then again, that's probably really a good thing! Much more room for God to actually DO something ;-)

Hey, you know what? You'd think that after living with Army for the past, ooooh, eight months I'd get use to crummy way they treat their soldiers and I'd learn how to be totally ok with them giving my husband four 16 hour days in a row...but, hey, you know what? I just can't. Growing up in a America and its whole "everyone has a right to live a cushy life" ( haha) I have come to expect some particular decencies...and in particular "people with degrees shouldnt have to work for two bucks an hour to keep our countries freedoms intact."

I feel better just typing that. :-P

Now, I'm off to buy light bulbs for the kitchen.

March 06, 2008

I'm tired.

Today I:
Tried to make whip cream out of half&half instead of heavy whipping cream (didnt work)
Made a blinder sound like a dying witch ( by accidently knocking it off its axis)
Broke a plate


Yup, I'm really, really tired. This week has been long, fast, and full of snot.

Yet, because I'm-crazy-go-nuts I told Genevieve and Kristen I'd go to Seattle with them tomorrow...and I'm helping Amy register for wedding gifts on Saturday. So that makes TWO days of walking around and shopping. It doesnt sound exactly like "resting" should but, hey, it seems that when I DO rest I still get sick....so forget you, stupid body, I'm going to go live like a 24 year old should! *me sticking my tongue out at the universe*

After reading over this post I realized that I am acting like a two-year-old who REALLY needs a nap, and yet resists, making themselves and everyone else miserable in the process. HAHAHA. So true.

March 05, 2008

Mouth Breather

So, I didnt even know what this meant until I watched Napoleon Dynamite for the first time...but usually ( and I hate to stereo type) "Mouth Breathers" are nerds.

Well. I'm a nerd.

Because my nose is like an ever-flowing fountain.

Oh yes, I have ANOTHER cold. And I am now officially thinking about changing the name of this blog to Abigail's Current Physical Affliction ( the only drawback is the name is too long) because I feel like I'm always writing to tell you what is wrong with me now. *sigh*

I promise there has to be something better to talk about....but whatever....I'm doing it anyway.... last night I was so excited about getting some nose spray shot up my nose ( if you know the women in my family, you know we have a tendency to like nose spray a little too much) so I could sleep like a baby....but NOOOOOOooOOO...this nose spray, for whatever reason, decided to drip into my MOUTH and make it feel numb/on fire ( yes, both) and it was AWFUL! Poor Brett listened to me moan for longer than any man should have to endure such things after a long day at work....but eventually the other drugs I had taken kicked in and knocked me out....so I could dream about giant scorpions attacking babies in Amy King's house....yeah. pretty much.

In other news, even with my cold I followed what my calendar told me to do ( something I'd written last week when I wasnt ill) and joined Curves. Yup, I was a member of Curves for two years in Nacogdoches and it was beneficial...and i loved it...mostly because my sister and I would go together and we'd talk for the straight thirty minutes of work out time. It was great. But, I pretty much felt like I could never go to a different Curves because Anna wouldnt be there and that thought was too much to bare....however, about ten pounds of fat rolls and the resurrection of my "fat pants" have sent me back, Anna or no. So, yesterday I talked to Crystal the Curves Worker for an HOUR and shared all sorts of personal things with her ( no social skills on her part) and worked out with two old ladies. Just my style :-) And, I'm pretty sure if I wasnt working at The Coffee Shop I'd probably want to work at Curves...because basically it would be JUST like my job now ( getting paid to talk to people all day) just without the coffee ( which, lets face it, would be a huge drawback).

Brett has to go to work at 2am tonight ( tomorrow?! how do you classify that?!) and therefore will have to go to bed as SOON as he gets home tonight. This stinks. But, I'm trying to remain positive and think about the loverly month of February-when he hardly had ANY horrible days/nights.

March 03, 2008

"If I could turn back tiiiimmme."

That is what Mike was singing on the way to Bible Study last night, and we all had to laugh. For one thing it was funny to hear mike singing a high eighties song. And then, it was also really true. We'd all had a really short weekend.

I suppose I shouldnt except any less considering my WEEKS fly by really quickly, of course, the weekends are going to do the same.
Anyway, weekend in review:
On Friday night it was like college all over again. And by that I mean we played a whole bunch of party games like Mafia and the Namegame which I pretty much played ALL the TIME in Dunedin. And we stayed up until 1am again.
That would be two weekends in a row. I dont know WHAT we were thinking. Brett and I need our sleep. Or at least, I do.
And this is proven by the fact that right now I'm drinking tea and honey and blowing my nose every 15.5 seconds.

So, that was Friday night.

Saturday Brett and I bought things, things like running shoes for Abigail, presents for other people, and avocados. We also went and saw Vantage Point, which I DO recommend even though there was a part of the movie that *I* felt was SO unbelievable that I said, ( rather loudly) "OH PLEEEAAAASE!" and Brett "shh"-ed me. And then, when the movie was over we stayed in our seats while the credits rolled having a very heated "conversation" about movies that have stupid unbelievable elements to them and why or why not we like them. Brett got very animated.

It was intense.


And then we were going to have a "quiet night" in which was going to include me making homemade "samosas" ( not to be confused with the alcoholic drink "Mimosas" ) from leftover mash potatoes, curry and frozen pie crusts....they were YUMMY and EASY to make and if you want the recipe let me know...I share.
Anyway, it turned out we were in need of some one-on-one chatting with our friend Wes and so over he came and then, I felt like we needed more girls at this gathering so over Genevieve and Kristen came and of course Chuck and Bethany came over much later ( because they pretty much always do) and there I was with a full house again! hahaha! This just proves, sometimes I cant help myself.

I'm really running late this morning so I'll close this blog now by saying that Sunday included another REALLY good sermon at church. Seriously, I am continually overwhelmed by how blessed I have been by being given such wonderful fellowships whereever the Lord has taken me. Our pastor Bruce is preaching on all cylinders and its really really good. :-) And this sunday was potluck sunday, which meant I got to eat two desserts and not get judged so, of course, I'm down with that.

And now I'm off to run errands before work. Its raining again, and my nose is seriously out of control. Oh the life of a girl with a bad immune system!

"If I could turn back tiiiimmme."