Wild Weeks (cont.)

  After recovering the rest of the week, the weekend had its fair share of activities also. I went straight from work to the Tween Olympic event. I didn't have much planning in on this one, the ministry director did though, and it was loads of fun! There were apple shot puts, 100m dash with potato sacks, synchronized routines, and a bonfire with all the goodies. It was a good time, and we had quite a few new kids that I didn't recognize. Yay for outreach!

Saturday we took my sister shopping as part of her birthday present. We spend the day out of town shopping, filled our bellies at Red Robin (yummm), and headed home. It was a fun and successful day. She got quite a few things, and I even ended up with new work shoes and a sweater. Sunday was usual, ending with a bonfire at youth group, and the leaders enjoying some fellowship over half priced appetizer at Applebee's.

Then it was Monday again. Do your weekends go by that fast? I wish mine didn't..

This week has just been alright, but I hope its gets even better. I came down with something the other day. It escalated and yesterday my eyes and nose were runny and itchy, I was achy, I had fluid in my ears, and just felt lousy. I came home from work at noon to rest, and didn't even go in today. Last night after Caleb got home, he said he was going to pick out new phones. I knew I shouldn't have, but I had to tag along and pick out my phone. It ended up taking a lot longer than we thought, but we were lucky and were able to take advantage of some major sales, cutting our checkout fees in half! So we retreated home with take out chinese and I stayed home while Caleb went to run the movie in the park. I was bummed I didn't get to go, but I just felt so lousy all I wanted to do was lay on the couch, so that's exactly what I did. I played with my new phone (ok, it was more like trying to figure out how to work it. That phone is too smart for its own good), blew my nose a zillion times, and watched a whole DVD worth of NCIS episodes.

So, here I sit on my couch, bored, in pajamas :) My morning started with green tea, ramen in a cup (because, when you don't feel good and nothing is appetizing, you eat anything that sounds remotely appetizing), and Live With Kelly. I'm starting to feel a little better, but I still have zero energy. Last night Caleb brought me some medicine, and chocolate, so I'm all set for now. At least I'm not as itchy today. It sounds like I'll be missing a jewelry party tonight, but hopefully I'll be feeling up to going out by tomorrow. Caleb's parents bought us tickets to see comedian Yakov Smirnoff tomorrow night, and I was so excited. He'll be about a half hour north of here, and I haven't got to explore that town much, so we were going to make a day out of it. I'll be really bummed if we can't make it.

Yakov Smirnoff

Well, that's all for now :) I'll be back eventually. 

   

Recap

Scenario: I'm sitting at church working the homeless shelter, wide awake while my husband is sleeping on the couch, and watching an episode of Walker. I'm so tired, but I can't fall asleep. Besides, someone has to be awake. So I guess I'll fill you in on what happened since I posted last.

Wednesday we picked my sister up from school and headed to my sister and I's hometown. It was great to be home and see everyone again, it's been a while since I'd been there. Thursday dawned with the usual festivities; people stirring around the house, getting up and around, EARLY. Because we were in a different house we woke up early, in part due to the fact that our air mattress had deflated also =] But we got ready and went to my grandparents' house. After dinner, we went to my other grandparents' house. And then after that we went to Caleb's grandparents' house. It was a late night to say the least. We got back and went to bed, and got maybe two hours of sleep before we got up for the black Friday sales.

Saginaw was filled with all the hustle and bustle you'd expect it to have, but without the fights and other things commonly associated with black Friday sales. We got our treasures, spent wayyy too much time shopping, and then decided to grab some breakfast. A new Ihop opened last month, so we went to that (even thought it was packed!), and then headed home. It was good to be able to spend some time with family that I don't see often, and good to relax. We haven't done much of either lately. Around 4pm we started our trip home, and with two extra stops we got home later than usual. After we got everything put away we crashed. I was asleep less than a minute after my head hit the pillow.

Today we had planned to get up early to start our work day on the house. Caleb wanted to be at Lowe's by 7am, but at 8:30, and half asleep, I heard him telling me to look at the clock. 7am wasn't a reality, but it did feel really good to get some sleep. I was worried he wouldn't get any sleep this weekend, so that solid nine hours eased my mind quite a bit. So he got up and got to the house in a hurry and the day started from there. My sister-in-law and I put in insulation while everyone else did their thing. The guys downstairs ended up finding two basketball size bee hives IN the walls of our house. They were neat to look at, but I'm glad no one was living in the house when the hives were active. Those bees would've been nasty to fight with. We had to leave the house early to get ready for the shelter tonight. We don't have many visitors, and there are more of us staying as volunteers than as visitors, but it was an ok night. As this day winds to an end (err, yesterday, I guess), I'm definitely ready to get some sleep.

Tomorrow will be filled with stuff also. We have church, and then I'm sitting at the table to sell tickets for our 33 Miles concert next month. After that I think Caleb is going to work at the house and I'm not sure what I'm doing. We have a leaders meeting and then we're taking the youth group bowling.

Crazy busy. One day, weekends like this will really catch up with us. One day =] As of now, I think we're going strong. We'll see how long that lasts. Anyway, I hope your Thanksgiving was as great as mine was. Have a good Sunday and rest of the week!

Turkey and Shopping.. aka Thanksgiving

Tonight is one of those nights that no matter how hard I try to clear my mind and go to sleep, I can't fall asleep for anything. My husband sound asleep next to me, and I lying there wide awake... that has become too familiar of a scenario. So here I find myself in the kitchen, in my slippers, sweater, and extra warm pants (its really cold in this house at night!), with a cup of sleepy time tea. I sure hope it works tonight.

This weekend is going to be a whirlwind for sure, so I'd like to get enough sleep tonight that it tides me over and I don't get too worn out. Tomorrow we head out across state to my hometown for a few days. While there, we will see most of both parents' sides, and my husbands grandparents on his moms side. That will be Thursday, though. Tomorrow promises me lots of laundry and packing until we pick my sister up from school and embark on our three hour drive. Friday will be interesting.. Caleb's family has always went shopping on black Friday, and due to their excitement, I went last year as well. I was across state, so I went to a different shopping town than they did, and the two experiences couldn't be more different. Where I went was as calm as could be. People weren't stealing things out of each others carts, fighting, going crazy, etc. I was in an out of most stores in under a half hour. But Caleb's experience on the other hand, was pretty... intense. He was standing in line in one store while watching a man a few lines over drink a fifth of rum. When confronted by the authorities, this man proceeded to try and fight with the cops, complete with throwing a few punches. Really? Is it really worth that much? I couldn't believe some of the stories I heard. Last year during a conversation with my older brother, I told him I was thinking about doing the black Friday shopping and he very enthusiastically asked me why and what I was thinking. He told me that people get killed, trampled, fight, etc., and I told him that I just wanted to experience the madness. He told me I was nuts and to be careful. Well, now I'm hooked. Maybe its because the town I shopped in wasn't the typical madhouse, but either way, Caleb and I will be two of the crazy people shopping early Friday morning. And, just to clarify, we'll be shopping on the other side of the state, the town that wasn't a crazy madhouse =)

Something to keep in mind while reading this though, is that the only reason we know when black Friday is, is because of the holiday that it proceeds; Thanksgiving. This year as you celebrate, think about the things you are thankful for; family, friends, a home, food, clothes, freedom, and so many of the other things we take for granted so often. Thanksgiving is too often associated with a meal where many of us gorge ourselves, and not to be thankful for the little things. So this year as you overload on turkey, potatoes, and pumpkin pie, be thankful for the other little (and big!) things you have been blessed with. I'm so excited to be able to see my family. Being thankful for them is something I have definitely done more of since I moved three hours away. All of a sudden I couldn't drive across town, or some short distance, and see them. Our time together is limited to a few short hours every few months. Let me tell you, that was an adjustment. So, this year as I prepare to see them for this holiday, I am so thankful for the opportunity to be able to travel, for the opportunity to be able to spend time with them for yet another holiday, and for the opportunity to just relax in an atmosphere that brings back so many good memories.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Stay safe and warm, and have a truly blessed and thankful weekend!