Growing Pains

A couple nights ago, we arrived home from Dallas after driving for 10 hours. We left Dallas at 5:15, so we didn't roll into STL till around 3am. Our car was packed full of stuff from my parents insisting upon boxes of things we "needed" to have in our new place. (Most of it was my old stuff that they've been waiting years to be rid of.) We listened to a lot of different music on the road, but for some reason, Michael Jackson's "Rock With You" had stayed glued in our heads the entire time. If ever there was a lull, one of us would mumble "feel that beat... and we can ride the boogie..."

Anyway, we pull up to the house, running on caffeine fumes and I insist to Todd that we unload the car now. There have been far too many window bashings in the past few weeks to leave our beautiful, brand "new" vehicle stocked with thief bait.

So we unload the whole car, hauling food, Christmas decorations, luggage, boxes, art supplies, pillows, sleeping bags and a vintage accordion up two flights of stairs. By the time we finish, we are exhausted. We fall into bed around 3:45am and both settle in, snuggling our pillows and brushing our toes together, which has become a habit.

Suddenly Todd pops up and looks at me.

"I have the Growing Pains theme song stuck in my head."

I laughed at him for a second, and rustled through my theme song memory bank, which was very fuzzy considering the hour, to try and remember. Finally, I hit on something.

"Is that the one that goes, "Show me that smile again..."

Todd: "Oooh show me that smile..."

Together: "Don't waste another minute on your cryin..."

We proceed to sing through the entire song very dramatically, (fudging only a couple of words), all the way to "sharin the laughter and-- sharin the laughter and looooooove." Then we both crack up and fall asleep.

I love my life. :)

It's early... well, it was...

I've been up since about 6:17 AM, cooking greens for thanksgiving lunch at the rec center. Apparently, after cooking the bacon and onions and cayenne pepper, I'm supposed to throw the greens in and boil them in apple cider for 3 hours.

I bought 6 pounds of greens from the market last week. Six pounds. I pulled all the leaves off the stems yesterday while watching the cast of NINE be interviewed on Oprah. I cut them up and washed them three times. No small task.

And now I'm up. It smells like bacon and apple juice. I think I put in too much cayenne pepper. But it works. I thought I'd go get back in bed with my husband, but I'm too afraid of our gas stove to leave it by it's onesie for three hours unattended.

So laid on the couch and watched the sky lighten up. I looked for a replacement for Todd's beloved, dilapidated Jack Purcell's online, even though we can't afford them right now. I researched natural hair styles and salons in St. Louis to help me in my upcoming transition back to my "napptural" hair. I'm sort of terrified. I have no clue how to maintain that, (especially in the snow?!) but I'm gonna give it a shot before I just cut all my hair off.

I stirred the greens.

I drank some orange juice. I answered the phone and the door at 7:10 when Emily came by to drop off her stuffing for the rec center before she leaves to teach school. It's gonna be a great event there today. 250-300 kids and old folks, coming for a buffet thanksgiving lunch at the local rec center. We set up tons of tables and chairs there last night and they've been cooking food since yesterday.

Yesterday, Todd sent out message into the Twitterverse, asking if anyone has connections at UMSL in the HR dept or otherwise. (I've got 3 applications in over there, 2 positions I could actually use my degree for). Last night, a totally random dude (who turned out to be a professor) emailed him and happens to be a good friend of another professor in the media department, which is precisely the department I applied in. After come conversation, we sent him my resume. So we'll see how it goes! If it works, I'll probably sign up for a Twitter account out of sheer gratitude.

Also, I broke our good car on Tuesday. Hydroplaned into the exit ramp sign on the highway. I'm fine. But I smushed the radiator. And the hood. Car's in the shop. Thank God for State Farm, but our deductible is no joke either. I really need a full-time job.

On the other hand, my part-time gig is going great and I'm VERY grateful for it. I'm a Brand Ambassador for Coke Zero. Which translates to, I load up giant coolers at university events and concerts and smile and hand out cans of Coke Zero to anyone who will take it. It's fun and the crew I work with is great. I'm very grateful for the income.

Time to stir the greens. I think two hours might actually be enough time, my stove is pretty beastly.

Also, I've pretty much peaced out on Nanowrimo. I'm never going to catch up. But maybe I'll upload the words I have, just for kicks. 3000! Woot! But good on all of you who have pushed through, maybe I'll join your ranks next year.

Okay, I think the greens'll be done in 36 minutes or so. And since it's soggy and gray outside, I'm gonna go crawl back in bed for a bit.

Speaking of countdowns that begin around the number 36... Christmas. 35 days. So crazy!

NaNoRAWRmo.

I am in over my head.

And a day behind already.

My concentration is shot.

I have a feeling I'm going to give up on this several times before I finish.

So...

I'm married!

I went to Mexico for a week and didn't pay for anything except batteries and aloe vera gel.

I live in St. Louis.

I'm temporarily unemployed.

I entered a writing contest today.

I'm doing NaNoWriMo this year, alongside Katie, Joey, Steph & Val.

I have Netflix... but not regular television.

I painted 3 rooms in my house last week.

The power is out in my scary basement, and it's pouring outside so I can't do laundry.

But I have a fireplace!

And a wonderful husband.

And a great church.

And a few possibilities for new work.

And last night I made claws for my husband out of cardboard, duct tape and aluminum foil.

You can't wait to see pictures. :)

6 Days...

Ohhhhh I'm gonna miss Grace Chapel. Next to my roommates and just above my co-workers, Grace Chapel is the thing I will miss the most about Nashville. The passionate, loud worship, the joyful giving, the solid teaching of truth, the community of God taking care of one another, my sweet sweet pastor and his wife and their family... I feel so privileged to have been a part of this congregation, even if only for a moment.

This morning was my last Sunday. I enjoyed every bit of it, from the powerful worship to the precious prayer at the end with my roommates. It was a perfect way to begin the day.

Holly's been in town rehearsing for her Bermuda industrial show, so we (me y roommates) got to eat lunch with her today at Miss Saigon. Yum! After a quick Target run, I made my way back to the house and proceeded to clean out the kitchen and reorganize the mass of unclaimed crap that is eating two corners of our living room. I helped Kish move some stuff to her apartment and then we sat down and made a list of EVERY thing that has to be accomplished in the next 6 days. It was really frustrating. But freeing too. I feel like my mind is lighter, though my paper is heavier. But... it'll all come together, I'm sure.

I came home to unwind for a bit. I nibbled at some overcooked mini sirloin burgers and wheat thins while I watched the best episode of Glee I have seen so far. I'm so sad I couldn't make my musical tv comedy work first!!! it's okay though... at least now I know there's a market and an audience.

20 minutes ago, I was unloading the dishwasher and rearranging coffee cups while I talked to Todd. But then we realized it was almost 2am... and now its after that! I gotta go.

It'll all be over soon... right? :)

ONE WEEK FROM TODAY...

Yesterday I woke up at 8:00. I immediately got sucked into my wedding to do list, and therefore accomplished quite a bit before 10:30am. Felt good. Sold my last piece of craigslist furniture too. I was down to the black nightstand... but I got two hits on it yesterday morning and was so eager to have it gone, I delivered it to the first person who offered me $20.Yesterday was also my last day of work at Saffire. Extremely memorable. I've participated in far too many "farewells" for it not to have been. I was a little surprised at everyone who got in on it though! Impressive. They managed to find my car, even though it has Texas plates and I parked it at the studio instead of the restaurant. They stole my keys, drove it over and then proceeded to drench in it chocolate syrup, bleu cheese biscuits, flour and toilet paper.

The back of the car says "Bye Bye Now" which is one of our bartenders most beloved catchphrases. Excellent job kids. :)

I made Vinny come with me to the car wash across the street and I hosed it all off so I could drive home safely. But at the end of the night, when i thought surely it was all over and they were tired of cleaning things up... Vinny smashed an entire pastry bag of whip cream into my face. It went in my nose. INSIDE my nose.

I felt loved. :) It was a good day. I'm gonna miss that place. :)

8 days...

I've realized that these blogs on the days leading up to my wedding are more for me than the blogosphere, so thank you for enduring them on your Reader or RSS Feed or whatever...

So we're 8 days out now...

For me, today was all about the bigness-- the magnitude of what's about to happen. The idea that I'm about to take part in this ritual, this tradition, this grand, timeless procession that billions of people have recreated in a billion different ways for ages and ages... the fact that I'll soon be adding to their numbers is not small potatoes to me. This event is not just for show; it's not just a schpiel of pretty liturgy to spout off and make things official... This is epic. This is forever! I mean for me-- for us-- it is. This is a really huge deal. Its the second biggest decision of my entire life; a decision that will shape the rest of my life, and has already reshaped it in many ways.

And I'm so excited. :)

I can't believe it. I can't believe that this thing I've dreamed and wondered about and longed for since I was about 6 years old is about to become a very raw and uncensored reality. I've realized over the past 9 months that this relationship, in every facet, is exactly what I want-- but in many ways, entirely different than what I expected. Yet no part of me is disappointed. I think I'm more shocked by how beautiful this entire journey with Todd has been, and that even after all my daydreaming, I never thought to imagine it this way.

I'm so grateful that God knows me better than I know myself, knows what I want and NEED even more than I do. I'm so glad he wouldn't let me stay comfortable in a place I didn't belong, with a person I didn't belong to. I'm so grateful, for ALL the heartbreak, really. Because without it, I'd still be there. In one of those places. Without Todd.

I'd have missed out on SO much.