Orange Basket

See this GORGEOUS orange basket???

It has been sitting there for over a week. Teasing me.  My husband NEVER voluntarily does the laundry, but last week he amazed me by picking up this basket and throwing all colored items into the wash. Now, I am not having a bashing party here, but he left the basket in front of the dryer and there it has continued to sit. This spot is right in front of the garage door so that means any time I want to come in or out of my house, I am continually blocked by a large orange object. Even if we do manage to kick it out of the way, it still ends up landing in a place that does not allow the door to fully open. So, it is a constant circus show of trying to angle ourselves correctly so that we may exit out of the door.

I keep asking myself why I keep putting up with this? Why don't I just throw the clothes in the wash and move this ridicules basket out of my way? Honestly.... I don't know. I think I must have some subconscious thing working on some level here. Maybe I am tired of always doing.... it is a continuous effort to keep my house at some level of sanity. I didn't put the basket there, so why should I move it. The funny thing is, I know that if I left it up to Andy to move it (without me saying anything) it would be there forever. It's not that he is necessarily being lazy, it truly just doesn't bother him (or is it all a cover?). This is something I have come to understand over the years..... mmmm well, I guess I don't really UNDERSTAND it, but I am aware of it now. But the time has come for the thorn to be removed from my side ...... I am throwing the clothes in the wash and walking away with an orange basket in my hands.

oops

Ok, I just realized that "February" is spelled wrong in my header, but I am not about to go back and redo the whole thing. SORRY! Basically my "r" made it to its spot a little late. This is classic Elizabeth. For the record, I do know how to spell the months on the calender. I am just to lazy to double check and look over my work. Perfectionism is not a quality/fault that I possess. So, you must deal with these types of errors if you choose to read my blog. Happy Thursday!

This Is The Stuff Lyric Video

This song is really cheesy and cute at the same time. I get it though.... this really is the stuff!

After what seems like WEEKS of endless rain and gloomy days, we FINALLY had some sunshine and temps in the high 50's! Perfect chalking weather!

The man across the street was mowing his yard....although I am pretty sure
the grass hasn't grown since October.

This was Addi's first experience with chalk and she seemed to know just what to do with it. Chalk is one of those things that bring out the chid in me. I am not very artistic, but perhaps that is the joy of drawing with chalk. The more childlike it looks...the better. Really, I was just thankful to soak up the sun's rays on my face and to feel its warmth seep through sk. I was sad that I missed the first big snow back home, but only for a day. Being able to sit out on my driveway in the middle of January far outweighs months of freezing cold weather.

Gotta love kitty booty :)

P.S. ............................................

Yep, you read it right! Baby Walters #2 is due August 8th which puts me at 12 weeks. #2 is due a day after Andy's mom's bday and a day before Andy's bday.  I am feeling pretty good! No morning sickness = a smiley face in my book. We are excited and think that Addi will love having a baby around the house. Sometimes I wonder if I am crazy for wanting another on so soon, but I LOVED having a sister that was so close to my age. Best Friends! I am not ready to announce it on Facebook so if you want to leave a comment, you can leave it on here or you can leave a generic comment/happy face on the facebook link. YAY!

Just Because....

Is it too early for chores?

I know... I have been horrible about blogging regularly. I don't know how some of these bloggers do it..posting every single day?? HOW? For one, how do they have the time? And two, my list of interesting daily events is limited to snack time and walking the dog. Basically non-existent. Addi's stage is not particularly my favorite age range either. I honestly don't know what to do with her. Give me a three or four year old and I'm set, but a one year old?????....

I am taking an online class in a last effort push to finish school before next fall. Yes, I have been in school for SEVEN years. I take part of the blame. It is not generally wise to switch majors your senior year, but moving to Houston has taken a huge toll on my completion. Anyway, homework every other day... blah. 

So, Addi has turned into a helper around the house, which I encourage.... obviously! She literally gets excited when she hears the dish washer being opened. At this rate I figure we can have her loading and unloading the dishes(with the help of a step stool)in a years time? She also seems drawn to the laundry so maybe I can cross that off my list as well. Hey, a Mom can dream, right?

Tears of Shame

I cried last night at bible study. I CRIED people! Those who know me well, know that I am not one to just bust out into tears. This wasn't like a tear just fell down my cheek, we're talking full on sobs that persisted for a good 5min. What has this world come to that I am breaking down over petty things? When Andy and I walked out the door at the end of the night, I turned to him and said, "I can't believe I cried!". Oh the horror! He was really sweet about it and appreciated my genuineness, but I couldn't stop thinking about it for the rest of the night. I know people like my best fried, Heather, are laughing over this blog post right now. She knows me well enough to know that I would be shocked by my own behavior.

Just to clarify, I think that it is perfectly fine to be a crier.... eh.... well, when the situation is right. When my sister was younger, she used to shed a lot of tears and I would always be like, "WHY ARE YOU CRYING?!?" I know, I was a really sweet big sister. But there are times when tears are good and real and need to happen. I am not sure last night was one of those times, but what can a girl do? The topic was something that I have been really sensitive to recently and I think I hated admitting my own fault. It was a blow to my pride. I know, I know... you are all wanting me to say what we were talking about, but I am not going to. First, do you really want me bawling over my keyboard right now? I don't think anybody really wants that. Secondly, it doesn't really matter. The whole world doesn't need to know my weak spot at the moment..... 20 people is enough for now. :) Well, I will at least give you a clue..

The weather has been so gloomy! A person can only handle so much dreary weather before it starts to weigh on you. I always thought it would be cool to live in Seattle, but after a week of cloudy weather, I can see why they have the highest suicide rate in the county. A person needs some sun! I have no motivation to put on anything that doesn't include elastic, let alone venture out of the house. So, we stayed in.... all week! Lord have mercy, I am sick of these walls. I have my fingers crossed for sunshine tomorrow and if it doesn't make a grand appearance....... I'm checking myself into a mental hospital. Ok, not really, but I have a little girl who is itching to ride her buggy on the driveway. How did I manage all those years of being stuck inside all winter?? I guess I was crazy enough, back then, to just bundle up and head outside for a jog. Those days are long gone.

Sundays are, however, good rain days. It is the perfect excuse to keep you snuggled up inside, spending hours curled up on the bed with the family. You don't have to DO anything..... simply enjoy the company of one another. That is exactly what we did.

...... but we are keeping an eye to the sky, beckoning (or pleading)the sun to come out tomorrow.

On Fanny Price

Confession: I LOVE Jane Austen! I mean, I own all of the books and have about 5 biographies on her. A good chunk of my movies have been based off of her books. My DREAM is to one day go to her home in England and attend one of the balls they put on..... and if they decide to let me live in her house, I would be much obliged. Yes, it's true... I am a little obsessed. I realize that most marriages were not as happily obtained as in the books, but I can't help but think that if I had lived during her time, I myself would have caught a Mr. Darcy or an Edmund. Although, Jane never got married.... which is quite tragic considering she sure did know how to dream those men up.

So, I just finished reading Mansfield Park and I LOVED it. I know a lot of people are not a fan of Fanny Price, but I honestly think she is way misunderstood. I get Fanny. She is me. Yes, I want to be an Elizabeth Bennet and I do see parts of me in her, but Fanny is my girl. Quite, overlooked, and under appreciated..... that is how I felt the first half of my life was spent. Ok, I am not as big of a pushover as Fanny, but she did hold her ground on the big issues.

So, this is where I see myself in Fanny:

• She was a loner. Fanny really didn't have a lot of friends and she was cool with that, but the ones that were close to her she loved deeply (except for Miss Crawford who kind of shoved herself on Fanny). Yes, I am not a "friend collector" as I like to call it. I don't want a whole bunch of friends just for the sake of having friends. I want a few that I can keep really close to my heart and once they find their way there..... they stay there forever.
• The girl knew what she wanted. Ok, maybe I am projecting myself on her a little, but I believe she did. She for sure knew she didn't want to marry Henery and was not going to be forced into it. Not even by her Uncle, who was a bit intimidating at times.
• If she didn't have anything to say.... she didn't say anything.
• She loved her family, despite their faults.
• She fell in love once and only once and then married him. Best way to go, I would have to say. I fell in love with Andy and that was it..... done deal.
• She gained strength from being alone or with those closest to her.
• Social situations are a nightmare. Amen sister. Ok, I saved this one for last because I have a lot to say and was probably the one I most relate to. There is a part in the book where all her cousins and friends are putting on  play. They have one tiny part left that needs to be filled and they pressure her to do it. THE GIRL DOESN'T WANT TO DO IT OK!!!! Good grief. She knows that she won't enjoy it and that she would be horrible at it anyway.... so why force the issue? Yes, this has happened to me often. People used to try to force me into these type of situations and then would get all pissy if I didn't do it. OR if I DID do it, they would be mad that I didn't do it the way they wanted. BAH! I GET IT, FANNY! The other part I loved was when her uncle threw a ball for her and William and she is forced to be the center of attention. Haha... my wedding. I wasn't nervous at all for the actually marriage part, it was the being the center of attention part that killed me.

So, basically..... if you ever read Mansfield Park,

give Fanny a break. Try not to put your own personality on her. She deserves way more credit then she gets and thankfully Henery (although he was stupid) and Edmund realized it. That girl loved and cared so deeply. She was way more selfless then I could ever dream of being. Is she perfect? No, but who is? I purpose you go curl up by a fire right now and read a good Jane Austen book. It will do your soul good.

 

Reflections and Hopes

I hope this post is not as long as I foresee it being. I do not plan out what I am going to write on my blog,  most of the time. These things usually just come to me and I go with it. And speaking of plan.... I have finally come to the conclusion that I am NOT a planner. I have decided that there is a distinction between being a organizer and a scheduler compared to a planner. I like to organize and schedule my days, but I do not like to plan my future. This is why I am not a "New Years Resolution" kind of girl. I just don't like to plan my life or set goals. That sounded really horrible and lazy as I was typing that... but it is true.

 I like to take life as it comes and I know that if I set a goal for myself, it will most likely never happen. Now, that doesn't mean that I don't aspire and hope for things in my life. I do have dreams. But here is the deal, God's plans are so much bigger for me then I could EVER dream up for myself. I want to be open and ready for them as they enter my life. I know that God has something really awesome planned for me... I have known it for a long time. I can't figure out what it is..... I have tried. All I know, is that one day he is going to use me in some way beyond what I could ever plan for right now. I honestly wait in great expectation to see what it is. It really is amazing how much you discover yourself as you grow older. I have always felt that I know myself really well, and I do, but I grow and change and discover parts of me that I have never known.

So, as I have said, I don't do resolutions.... nope, sorry. I have, however, spent some time reflecting on 2010 and pondering about what I want to see in 2011. My first thought was, "2010 royally SUCKED and 2011 better be a year of serious blessing and easiness". Stop. NO, that is not what I want. Yes, it was a really hard year and in all honestly the past two years really haven't been that great, but if it hadn't been for these past couple years, I would not be the person I am right now. God has changed me SO much and it has been extremely painful, but I never want to be that girl I was two years ago. She was suffocating in small town Nebraska, desperate for God to stir in her heart. Man, I wish you could see how my heart has changed! The love and trust in my Savior has grown to a depth I never knew existed... or at least thought possible in my own life... and I DESPERATELY wish everybody could feel it.... experience it for themselves. Yes, I pray that 2011 brings blessing and peace, but not to the point where I become complacent in Christ. I will take every challenge that comes my way, if that means I will know my Savior better. Amen and Amen.

Here is a short running list of my prayer for 2011:

• That God would continually stretch me and that my trust in him would grow ever deeper.
• That I would parent with grace
• To be a model for my daughter and future children
• To get involved.... specifically at church (ok, here is the deal. In  k-town, I felt a little pressured to be involved in EVERYTHING at church... and it wasn't even a pressure that came from my parents. In Houston, I/we have sort of taken a step back and refreshed our hearts. It is now time to get back to business)

Here is to 2011!!!