Beautiful Moments

Life is full of beautiful moments, of that I am sure. At times, this beauty is shrouded in mystery, in the form of pain, sorrow, or loneliness, but even in those, there is beauty. Pain, or at least emotional pain, is the reflection of love, sorrow a reflection of empathy and compassion, and loneliness a reflection of opportunity for more. Of course, in the moment of those times, it can be hard to see any beauty at all. Apart from these, however, are moments of pure, unadulterated beauty. Perhaps this means a warm summer's day, the comfort of an old friend, or the happy squeals of a newborn. 

During the last week, I was blessed with perhaps more beautiful moments than I could ever hope to count. Smiles, laughter, and quiet moments abounded, and again I was reassured that I am exactly where I am supposed to be.

Things are finally falling into place, and life is showing me just how every step, breath, and decision has led me to where I am in what seems to me to be far more than coincidence, more than just a beautiful mistake. 

Life is full of beautiful moments, of that I am sure.

Dawn of a New 'Age'

Well, it's official. My life as we know it has ended. A terrible thing happened this weekend that brought it to a screeching halt: 

My sister found four grey hairs on my head. FOUR. It may not seem like much, but it's certainly enough to be unsettling, to say the least.

It's no secret that this picture of Duchess Catherine is the kind of hair I would love to have. 

But as soon as my sister so gleefully announced her discovery, all I could picture was:

Yes, this may seem silly. Yes, I still have my youth. And yes, I am very lucky to have my health.


But FOUR GREY HAIRS?! That is something I was totally, completely unprepared for. They were long, too, and that's almost the worst part, because that means they have been there, hiding, for a while. I am here to assure you, though, that I had my sister ever-so-gently pull those four pesky grey hairs from my dark locks. Only she wasn't so gentle about it.

Sigh.

I've never once dyed my hair, I've never even so much as highlighted it...but this certainly got me thinking that I may have to get those caramel colored highlights I've always thought about after all.

I quickly sent out a panicked text to some of my close girlfriends, and quickly got responses something along the lines of, "how fast did you go buy hair dye?! I've been dying mine forever!" I guess I just didn't realize how common this apparently is, but that doesn't make up for the sinking feeling in my gut that I got the second my sister made the information public that I was starting to go grey.

Bye, bye, youth. I suppose you are headed out the door.

Productivity Burst

I don't know about you, but I tend to have what I refer to as "productivity bursts." Normally, once I get home from work, I am tired, and I mean tired. My job keeps me moving around a lot, dealing with a lot of people, demands a lot of attention to detail and a whole lot of patience. So, once I get a chance to come home, cook dinner, and finally sit down, I'm usually pretty close to exhausted.

Needless to say, my after-work productivity levels are generally fairly low. On some days, though, I surprise myself with how much I accomplish. Today was one of those days. In a nutshell, I succeeded in the following:

Two loads of laundry: check.
Dishes washed and put away: check.
Clean clothes folded: check.
Bathroom cleaned: check.
Mirrors and windows washed: check.
Dinner made: check.
Two blog posts (not including this one) completed: check.

Not bad for a Tuesday, huh? Here's to hoping this happens tomorrow too, because those clothes certainly aren't going to iron themselves.


Do you ever have productivity bursts?

Something In The Water

I'm sorry, did I miss something? Yesterday (ish), I was just graduating high school, and by the afternoon, I graduated college, then by the evening, I was moving into my own place. Somewhere along the line, it seems like everyone started doing one of the following:

1) Getting engaged
2) Getting married
3) Becoming pregnant
4) Having a baby
5) A combination of two or more of the above.

I won't say who, but I know of at least five people who are having babies, a handful of weddings to come, and honestly, I have lost count on engagements within the last three months.

At first it was all happy and exciting, then it was "gee, this is getting to be a normal announcement..." and finally, it turned into "I am no longer convinced the timing here is all coincidence, there must be something in the water that is producing rings, flower arrangements, and babies."

 It's making me a little unwilling to get my daily intake of water because I don't really feel old enough to be attending so many weddings as a friend rather than extended family member, and I definitely do not feel old enough to know of people I graduated high school with who have been married, had a couple kids, and then got divorced. 

I mean, honestly, I'm thinking back now on all the summer afternoons I wished would speed up because I was just "sooo booorrreeddd, Mom," and yes, it's disgustingly cliche, but I am feeling like time is now in fast forward and I don't have time to adjust to all the new things coming my way before another comes along.  I say this as I think "the vacuuming and bathroom cleaning needs to happen this weekend, and I should really get to that mounting pile of laundry, and oh, I need to call the insurance guy, and I need to decide what crock pot to use for the chili I'll be making..."
 
Meanwhile, my un-old brain thinks "I am within 20 minutes of three breweries and that snow looks like more than a lot of fun to play in this weekend."

All I'm saying is, while everyone else is either planning a wedding or buying a lifetime supply of diapers that really only lasts a week, I'll be at the brewery, because it appears beer is safe...because something is definitely in the water.

Christmas Memories

So glad Cameron loves Christmas as much as
I do!

Recently, I have noticed something, something a little exciting: this Christmas, as I sat beside the family Christmas tree (kudos to my mom, it was beautiful!), I realized the little things really bring me lots of joy, perhaps more than I thought. A good book (not surprising) can keep me entertained for hours, but put me in a kitchen with all the right ingredients, and I could probably spend the whole day just putting a dash of this, and a tad bit of that into a glorious-smelling concoction. You can imagine my excitement, then, when I opened a brand new panini maker (for the record, I could live off paninis if it was socially acceptable...). It's safe to say I had visions of sun dried tomatoes and fresh mozzarella dancing in my head. Yummmm!

Then came the biggest moment of the season...drumroll?

I GOT A KITCHEN AID MIXER! Yes, the stand-up kind that makes me think of adorable little 1950s housewives. and it's RED, my absolute favorite color in the whole wide world. I am beyond excited to use it and have all kinds of plans for home-made breads and pizza dough, not to mention all the cookies and muffins.

However, what I have been unequivocally blessed with this season is a group of incredible people who constantly surround me with love and support. My family and friends mean the world to me, and I could not have been happier to spend the holidays with them. My grandmother has always loved Christmas, and I can remember her asking in June for our lists ever since I was a kid. Seeing her kid-like joy on Christmas is a memory I will always treasure, and watching my  expanding extended family laugh and talk was so fulfilling to me.

Perhaps the most meaninful gift I received this year was a box from my grandmother filled with old family photos. Everything from photos of me as a baby, my dad growing up, and my family as we grew together was included, and I must say, the note she included made me tear up.

Here's to a wonderful year, to health, to friends, and to family. May your New Year be filled with joy and the happiest of memories.

...Remember Me?

I cannot believe how long it's been since I last blogged. It's horrible.

This is me trying to keep track of my life.

In the last month, I have been getting accustomed to my new job, I have officially moved, spent a week (yes, WEEK!) without internet, washed more dishes/pots/pans/appliances in my new place than I care to count, and fallen asleep pathetically early during the week, only to go back to my parents' house every weekend to pack up all my stuff, attend Christmas parties, and continue on my path to the proverbial Loony Bin.

Whew.

I'm exhausted.

The holidays have completely suprise-attacked me. I am no where near as decked out in Christmas decorations at my new digs as I'd like to be, and I feel like I do not, and will never, have enough time to decorate before, you guessed it, I make the trek back home for Christmas.

It is for this reason that I have decided I need an unpaid personal assistant intern. He or she would need to feed my coffee addiction while keeping me headed in the correct direction, keep my schedule straight, and go grocery shopping for me (because honestly, it is not fun to live on a college diet of pizza and Ramen noodles anymore. It was fine before I had my dishes unpacked, but this is getting unreasonable).

And so help me if I have to make one more trip to Target to get a random assortment of things I can't seem to remember to write on my ever-growing list. I mean, come on, why do I keep forgetting to buy trash bags?! Wal-Mart bags are only going to work for so long until I get irritated with going to the dumpster every other day because the bag is full.

Ay.


As I look at the clock, I am realizing that I am in my 20s and thinking "gee, it's getting kind of late"...and it's 8:00. Must remember to negotiate a mandatory nap time meeting at work. Maybe after HR just laughed when I proposed my personal intern idea, they would go for this one. I'd consider it a Christmas miracle.

Anyone else feel blindsided by the calendar this year??

Moving Up In The World

Well, gone are the days of endless wonder as to what I want to do with my life...for now. Today, I completed my first day at work on my real, grown-up job, and I loved it. There was so much to take in and lots to be done, but I really think this will turn out to be a great fit for me.

So what is it that I do, exactly? Great question. My title is Volunteer Coordinator, and my job description is essentially to be determined...intimidating, right? This is a brand new position, and all I (and my boss!) really know is that I need to find, recruit, and maintain volunteers for some awesome programs in four counties, and perhaps an additional three. I'll be talking, driving, calling, emailing, and organizing like mad. I'll be writing my own job description as I shape and mold the position into something vital to the organization. Breathe. I must remember to breathe.

At this point, easier said than done.

The good news is that I have volunteered since I can remember. I love it. Volunteering could be a career path for me if it weren't for the fact that I actually need to, you know, survive. I've been that volunteer wiping down nasty food-covered lunch tables and I've been the volunteer passing out prizes or meeting some awesome people. I've volunteered with kids, cancer patients, seniors, kids with disabilities, people with mental illnesses, and poverty-stricken people of all kinds of backgrounds. You name it, I've probably volunteered with it--or know someone who has. Here's to hoping all of that gives me some sort of special insight as to what makes volunteers tick, what tugs at their heartstrings, and what it is that they love.

Oh yeah, and maybe that psychology degree will come in handy. Let me take a  moment to point out how excited I am to actually be able to use my degrees to help people. It always makes me sad when people can't use the degrees they worked so hard and paid so much to get. Boo.

So fingers crossed that I can knock this job out of the park and learn a lot along the way...preferably not the hard way, but life is funny about that sometimes, huh?

Long Time, No Blog!

Wow, last week completely got away from me. Things are busy, busy, busy around here as I try to get organized and packed, in addition to getting in extra family and friend time. Whew!

Here's a little more good news: I found an apartment I like, finally, so I can officially discontinue my worries about being a nomad in the dead of winter. At least I know I'll be warm at night!

My apartment searching was certainly an adventure. I had my heart set on one complex that I had found online which was not far from where I will be working. A word to the wise: don't get your heart set on a complex you find online. When I arrived to walk through a model apartment, I was surprised at just how run down the place actually looked. While my mom and I waked through the apartment, we couldn't help but be completely grossed out by the smokey smell (I absolutely cannot stand the smell of smoke) and the full, stinking trash bags that were laying in the hallway. Seriously? Who could live with smelly garbage like that? Yuck. Aside from that was the fact that the apartment definitely did not have all the features the website listed. Boo.

The next one was even dirtier. Not cool. The young man that was showing me the model apartment had his sales pitch down, though, I will say that. Unfortunately for him, I have a psychology degree, so I learned all those tricks, meaning I was not about to fall for them. For example, the "so do you think you can picture yourself cooking a meal in this kitchen?" is a great way to get people thinking that yes, they could and why would they not sign a lease there?! Except that I definitely could not see myself cooking in that kitchen. There was barely enough room to turn around, and counter space was virtually nonexistent, which is very bad for someone like me who prepares food using every spare dish and inch of counter space. Wah, wah, wahhh.

Finally, I went to the third apartment complex. My boyfriend had called after we saw the second one, and I was quite concerned when I talked to him that I would never find the right place, because even the ones we drove by were less than ideal. I had a little mini panic on the phone, thinking I was doomed to live the life of a homeless nomad who wandered from place to place searching for a more permanent residence.

Thankfully, everything worked out and I think I'm going to love this new place...now I just have the overwhelming task of picking furniture to fill it, wish me luck!

Grown-Ups Have Boring Christmas Lists...

Have you ever heard the song "Grown Up Christmas List," which is a lovely, inspiring song that a number of different artists have recorded? It's one of my favorites, really.

The song is about a hope for a better world, one without suffering, one with compassion, and one with help for those who need it. It's a song that any peace-loving person would probably play on repeat as the holidays approach. What a nice thought, that especially during the holiday season, the world could enjoy peace, joy, and love. Sigh.

This year, my Christmas list is a little different, but still a grown-up one. Life is changing these days, and fast. I find myself thinking of cleaning products that need buying and cupboards that need cleaning. As I prepare for my big move before I start my new job, I keep thinking of things I need to acquire in order to have any sense of organization in my new place.

So what's on my grown-up Christmas list, which my grandmother nearly begged me to give her yesterday when I went for a visit?

A vacuum. A bright, shiny, quality vacuum. It's actually topping the list. I have been defeated by the Responsibility Gods, who have won the growing-up battle. Other items include a nice spice rack, a mirror/shelf/hook thingy so that I can hang up my coat and keys all in one convenient place next to my door. New sheets would be great, too.

Now that I'm looking at it, my Christmas list is a pretty boring one this year-it's all about practicality. Is this a trend in this economy, or is it just me? What's on your list this year?

A Little Inspiration

Easily one of my favorite icons is Mother Teresa of Calcutta. I find her ability to remain ever-humble in a world where millions looked up to her, to be nothing less than saintly. I have been reading a few quotes by Mother Teresa each day, and I found one recently that stuck out to me as an ideal way to live life:

"Joy is very infectious. We will never know just how much good a simple smile can do. Be faithful in little things. Smile at one another. We must live beautifully."

A few things struck me as I read this particular passage. Notice how much emphasis she has placed on finding happiness through the simple things. She is consistent with this idea right down to her sentence structure, using just a few words in each sentence, but in such a way that the meaning is clear: our actions, however small, have a ripple effect. Why spread anger when it is so easy to simply smile?

I am just as guilty as the next person of sometimes letting my frustrations get the best of me. Heaven knows I have snapped at people who certainly did not deserve it when I was under stress. I believe it is fair to say this is one thing that is easier said than done at times, but the importance of common courtesies, as well as a simple smile is overwhelming. In fact, it can get you pretty far in life.

The view from the hotel parking lot--the whole town had
recently been destroyed by a tornado

A quick example: In May, Cameron and I were headed to a good friend's wedding in Arizona, which is a bit more than a stone's throw from my beloved Michigan. After driving all night and day, we landed in a tiny town at the end of Kansas, quite exhausted and unkempt after about 19 long hours of driving. The couple ahead of us was quite rude upon discovering that no, this hotel did not have presidential suites, as they had just rebuilt after a tornado wiped out the entire town not long ago. The woman at the front desk of the only hotel for at least 70 miles gave us the price of a room, which was a bit more than we had wanted to spend for a few hours' sleep. I thanked her for her help and Cameron and I quickly discussed whether we should bend the budget a little. The woman heard our situation, and offered to give us a discounted rate. We of course gladly accepted and thanked her profusely for her help. We ended up loving the experience we had there, right down to the Hot Pockets we ate for dinner from the local gas station since the restaurants had not yet been rebuilt.

Life's little lessons often stick with people, and I think that on that day we learned that simply by being kind, we were able to enjoy a great night's sleep in a state-of-the-art and green-friendly hotel, for less than we would have otherwise. It's a simplistic example, yes, but at the same time, it fits.

Regardless, I am very much enjoying this collection of Mother Teresa's quotes, and it has certainly helped give me a new appreciation for the world around me, even just a friendly smile. It really is the simple things, isn't it?

Beyond My Years

Recently, I came across a letter hidden in the back of my desk. It was a letter to myself that I had written at the end of elementary school as one of my last assignments. I received the letter in high school when my 5th grade teacher passed away after a battle with cancer. I had been so surprised that she had kept the letters, but then, I wasn't surprised at all.

When we wrote the letters, she told us she would mail them to us when we were in high school, so that we wouldn't forget who we were as kids. I should have known that of all the people to follow through on their word, it would be her. My teacher was an incredible woman with the patience of a saint, and I am so grateful for the words she left with me, not least of all being the small note she had attached, reading, "Elizabeth-a quiet, thoughtful girl with a gentle spirit..." along with a few other memories from our class. I only hope if she were here today, she would think the same of me.

After a few moments of reflection on her class and my childhood, I opened the letter and began to read. It was all I could do not to laugh. The letter began with this:

"Dear Elizabeth,
I hope you are doing well. I hope you are happy. Are you behaving? Are you doing drugs? If you are, you should stop. They are very bad for you. Be nice to your sister. I hope you are getting good grades..."

Wow. I must have had some really high hopes for myself as a high schooler. It's nice to know my 10-year-old self didn't have much confidence in my future character.

Granted, since I was young, I was always accused of being "motherly" for my age. I acted as a miniature mom to kids who were crying in preschool, bringing them tissues and giving them hugs (or so I'm told; I don't remember this). After my sister was born, I was convinced I knew exactly how my mother should be raising her, and I shared my opinions on her upbringing freely. (Disclaimer: my mom has always been an amazing parent to my sister and I--as has my dad-- and always made us feel loved and cherished) I'm not sure why I felt I knew better than they did how to be a parent.

Regardless, I'm happy to report that, no, I am not doing drugs, nor have I ever. Oh, and yes, I am aware of the dangers of drugs. I managed to keep my grades up, even though math has always been my enemy. I don't have much hope with physics either. I am happy, thank you very much, and other than my old lady knee that creaks when I go up a set of stairs, I am doing well.

Oh, But The Leaves

I have an announcement.

It's hugely exciting.

Are you ready??

The leaves are turning color!!! I love this time of year. It's beautiful here in Michigan during the autumn months, and even more exciting is the fact that fall means winter is just around the corner, and do you know what that means? Christmas. I love absolutely everything about Christmas. The lights, the music, the gently falling snow glistening under the street lamps, the hot cocoa by the Christmas tree..everything.

My boyfriend took this photo on Michigan State
University's campus last year--beautiful!

I'm getting ahead of myself. Fall. As a kid, I looked forward to packing up all my new school supplies, unpacking, and then repacking them and heading off to school in the morning. Fall also meant my birthday had arrived (even though now it means I'm getting older, apparently), and that provided an excitement all its own. Plus, what's more fun as a kid than raking up the leaves into a huge pile and promptly throwing yourself into them, effectively destroying the newly raked lawn?

This year, fall meant a new beginning for me, in a way. It felt a little strange not packing up my possessions to move back into a cramped dorm room, but not doing so also began to solidify the thought that if I so choose, I could be done with school forever. Very strange feeling, indeed.

I'm officially not a student now, though I believe I will always be a student at heart. New things fascinate me, and I thoroughly enjoy soaking up the information contained between the binding of a brand new book. The amount of books I read increases tenfold as the weather turns cooler, I think. To me, there is nothing more satisfying than being surrounded by the beauty in nature with my nose in a book, curled up in a cozy blanket, and something warm to drink. Ah, perfection.

Another Year Older

Tuesday was my birthday, and what an interesting one it was.

You see, it began with a visit to the doctor's office, which is not exactly my idea of a good time on my birthday. I was there for a routine check-up, but decided to mention that lately I have been wheezing after some time on the treadmill. Odd, right?

After a breathing test (don't ask me the technical term) and an EKG, what did the doctor report? Perhaps I'm just getting older. Excuse me??OLDER?? I'm just into my 20s! I've only become a real adult in the last couple of years! How could that possibly be a real explanation? This is supposed to be the best shape I'll ever be in...and if this is what it's like...well, it's just not a good sign at all.

This came on the heels of an elementary student inquiring about my age, and responded with, "you're over halfway to 40!" Thanks, Kiddo, you know just what to say.

Later on, I was blessed to celebrate with my family and boyfriend after what seemed like the longest birthday I've had. They know me all too well, of course. From my boyfriend, I received a few essentials for my growing bar collection including new martini and shot glasses, as well as some handy tools to go with them.

My family gave me things dealing with Duchess Catherine (or Kate Middleton, as some still say). A new book and a magazine? Awesome.

All in all, it was a pretty good birthday, and I'm grateful to be surrounded by so many well-wishers. Honestly, I'm excited about what I can accomplish between now and my next birthday...even if it means I'm getting older.