Day 35: Living the Dream

Aha:
Question #7: What is your dream job, and why?
I want to be a stay-at-home mom who works part-time in the salon attached to her house.
I think the reason for this one's pretty obvious.  I have always dreamt of being a mom and have never felt like a career woman.  Though, as I've spent all these years working and have yet to become a mom, I have gained an appreciation for having something outside of motherhood that's just for me.  The appeal of cosmetology is that it's pretty flexible, I feel good helping others feel better about themselves and there's good money to be had there.
So, someday I hope to be the wonderful mommy who spends her days with her beautiful children, but I also want to be an individual and spend an evening here and there doing something that's just for me...and why not make some extra bucks on the side too?

Ha ha:

The other day Clinton and I went out to supper with some of his coworkers from his last rotation.  We went to this restaurant called "Juniper 61".  It's this trendy little place in Tosa.  Anyway, the food was fantastic and we had a lovely time.  When it was time to go, I headed for the car while Clinton headed for the restroom.  Once I got in the car I looked up and saw the following billboard.

At first I thought, Why would they call those ballroom jeans?  They aren't very fancy.  And then I realized they meant "ball room" jeans, as in, room for one's balls.  Then the slogan "crouch without the ouch" made even more sense and I started killing myself laughing.
Once Clinton got in the car, I pointed to the billboard.  He looked up and said, "I don't get it.  Those don't look very dressy to me."  I started laughing and said "BALL - room jeans".  He laughed and said, "That's actually pretty clever!  And it is pretty uncomfortable to crouch in jeans."
Anyway, thought I'd share.  I guess their other slogan is "crouch without singing soprano".  Also funny.

Day 34: God Bless Me

Aha:
Question 6:  What is the hardest thing you have ever experienced?
I think that without question, the hardest thing I've ever experienced/am experiencing is infertility.  There's something to be said of watching everyone around you so easily achieve what you've worked, cried and prayed for for so many years.  I ruined at least one really wonderful friendship and experienced strain in my marriage and family because of impatience, envy and jealousy.  One year in particular I lost count at 32 baby shower invites in a period of about 9 months.  Putting a smile on my face with every announcement or pregnancy story was literally more than I could bare.  I was bitter, I was angry, I was hurt and I was devastated.
One afternoon, I received a phone call from one of my family members.  She was hesitant and carefully told me that she was expecting another baby.  Of course, I knew it before then.  That's one thing I've noticed--a sort of sixth sense--I can often tell someone's pregnant before they know or decide to start telling others, it's what I would call a tender mercy.  Anyway, she apologized and started to cry.  I told her, "I have to go now." and then I hung up the phone and cried like I'd never cried before.
Had I really sunk so low that people felt they needed to apologize to me for being pregnant?  What had I let happen to so many people I cared about that they felt they needed to skirt around their happy news for my sake?  Why did this have to be so painful?  I couldn't take it anymore.  My heart was so broken.
I told the Lord I couldn't do this any longer; the hurt was unbearable.  I was so unhappy and so tired of feeling dark and bitter.  I needed to let all of this go but couldn't begin to know how.  I prayed that my heart could be softened, that the pain would go away and that I could be healed.
Now, I've heard people bare testimony of the power of the atonement and always wondered how they could possibly know.  Sure, Jesus died for us and all so that we could be forgiven and he'd know how to help us, but how could anyone really know or feel anything more than that?  I will tell you, that I know the atonement of Jesus Christ is real and it truly can heal our hearts and save our souls.  The moment I finally let go of all of the hate and bitterness I'd been clinging to and finally opened my arms to the love and healing power of Jesus' atonement--I was finally set free.  I'm not going to lie and say that I never feel pain over infertility because I totally do, and I still cry about it at times, but I'm not bitter anymore.  I can actually be happy for my friends and family (after a quick cry) and I am filled with hope that God has a plan for Clinton and me--and that it's better than anything else I would have or could have ever planned for us.

Ha ha:
The other day I was talking to a coworker and had to sneeze.  As she continued to talk I turned my head to the side and sneezed into my shoulder.
Ooo, that felt a little wet.  Best to take a peek.
So I looked on my right shoulder and noticed a giant booger clinging for life on my wool sweater.
Meanwhile, my coworker keeps talking and I sorta duck down, hoping she doesn't see it over our little wall between our desks.
I grab a tissue and wipe my nose and then "casually" wipe off my shoulder, hoping any residual sheen is absorbed by the barely-soft tissues they provide for us at work.
Talk about embarrassing!

Day 33: I Could Honk I'm So Happy

Aha:
Question 5: What are the 5 things that make you most happy right now?
Family and my husband are of course a given...
1. Food (Milky Way candy bars, peanut butter pancakes, sweet potatoes and cheese crackers. I was going to list all of these separately but then I realized that "food" would be almost all of my happy thoughts.)
2. Taking Peter on walks.  I love seeing the cute little smile on his face and the wind blowing through his hair.  When he's happy, I'm happy.
3. Taking links off of the countdown chain I made for how many days I have left at work (down to 127 now!!)
4. Getting ice cream cones from McDonalds every Saturday afternoon with Clinton.
5. Downton Abbey, The Walking Dead and Vampire Diaries.

Ha ha:
The other day I was listening to the scriptures from the Gospel Library on my phone.  I noticed the recording (Psalms 30) sounded a little weird, but I knew something was off when I heard a honking sound in the background.  Knowing I live on a busy street, I thought, Was that outside or on the recording??  I listened again and sure enough, there's a definite *honk* towards the end of chapter 30. Go on now, go listen to it for yourself.