Flyers

Remember those flyers I was working on about a month or more ago? It was about 3,100 flyers? They were blank on the back and I had to stamp the Return address on all of them.
And stick the address label on all of them.
And then the mail center told us that they had to say the University's name on them. So we bought a stamp and I stamped the university's name on all of them.
Then they told us that they all had to be in Zip Code order from 00000 to 99999 and they wouldn't charge us for the sorting.

I sat here for a month putting all of them in Zip code order. Yesterday we get an email from the mail center saying that they are going to charge us no matter what for the sorting, so don't waste my time.

When I told my boss this he said just throw them all in a box and send them over to the mail center so we can be rid of them.

I did throw them in a box, but I wanted more clarification on the price before we just sent them over. Today I spoke to the supervisor of the DUMMY I had been dealing with. The supervisor said that there is a charge no matter what for sorting, but if they're in zip code order then they discount the charge half.

Remember what I said my boss said to do yesterday? Remember when I said I did that. I tossed them in a box, mixing up the zip code order I had slaved over. Remember THAT???

Livid.

I think fire may be coming out of my nose.

Step away from the remote!

So...I hate to admit it, but I love TV. I especially love getting hooked on a new show. And when I do get hooked, it's pretty serious. Jules jokes all the time that you don't even try to talk to me in the middle of a show/movie that I enjoy. Because, basically, I'll ignore you completely. I probably won't even hear you talking because I am so enthralled in my best friend: the telly.

When I went home to visit in April my mom and sister were watching this show called "Dexter." I had never seen the show before because it is a Showtime Original. They began re-airing the show on CBS or something, in an edited format. I watched one episode with my sister and mom and LOVED it. So later my sister bought the first season on DVD. This past birthday in August my sister sent the first season to me along with my present, so that we could watch it. So, I introduced the first episode (which I hadn't ever seen) to Jules and we were immediately hooked. We sat there and watched the WHOLE first season and finished around Saturday at noon. Then, because we are seriously addicted we went to Blockbuster and rented the whole second season. AND WATCHED EVERY EPISODE. :)

I know. but it was SOOOOOOO good. I love it. So, yay for next year being able to rent season 3!!!

Also, we watch...

....High School Musical: Get in the show....or whatever it's called. On Monday nights...with REAL teenagers as "contestants". It's so dramatic that it literally leaves you thanking the Good Lord that you're not 16 again! It's dripping with crying teenage girls, catty whispering, and much much waving of the hands paired with high-pitched squealing! The guys are all, "yeah. I'm hot. She's hot. We're hot. I like to be hot." all the time. It's so funny! I know it's not that long ago that we were teenagers, but it's such an awkward time and it cracks me up to think about us acting that way! Well, anyway, last night Zac Efron appeared on the show and you can only imagine the squealing that occurred. I muted the television just to protect my ear drums and the closed captioning just read ". Folks, that is NOT a good sign! We just laughed and laughed.

I love mindless TV. It's so nice to sit and watch some redneck with a mullet chase down his half-naked girlfriend who has, as chick would say, an inner-thigh tattoo, and just laugh. It's a nice reminder that no matter what problems you may have...you aren't that guy! :)

Jules had an interview today...

HEY!

Jules got a letter on Friday at 5:30 that said that a job she applied for was very interested in interviewing her. The letter also said you must reply by August 22nd to get an interview. Friday WAS August 22nd. Remember what time I said she got the letter?? YEP. 5:30. She called the number immediatley, but no one answered. She left a message saying that she was sorry, and that she didn't get the letter until after business hours today (friday). Our mail-man is fantastic and honest and hard working...but he is also overworked and so he's out there delivering the mail after 5 on most days. So, she got up early this morning and called the woman again and left another message. About 1o minutes later the lady called her back and told her that the only time they could interview her was today at 11. Jules got up and rushed a shower and such. She then stopped by here on the way to her interview because I had the makeup bag (i was running late to work AGAIN today). I walked back out to the car and got the makeup bag (which was no small feat in itself) and met jules at close to 10.
She got lost on the way to the interview, mostly because the buildings weren't labeled with signs or addresses. After multiple calls to the office she finally arrived close to 10:45. I didn't hear from her until about an hour later, and she said it was a great interview. Actually, she said it was one of the best interviews of her life. Great, eh?

So, they said they'll be in touch. It really seems that something positive is going to come from this interview. They said they love her and they really want to hire her, but if they cannot get it to work out then they will hire her in a couple weeks when they open another lab position. It seemed really promising.

I know Jules is afraid to get her hopes up...after all she's been through. So, if you are a praying person, please pray that this works out one way or another.

thankyouverymuch.

House Sitting

We are house sitting for our friends.

They house-sat for us when we were gone to visit our fams in April.

They have a cat.

They're cat, as it turns out, is not Satan.

They have movies....and caramel popcorn...so we've been enjoying their house.

Yesterday when Jules went to check on the cat one last time before coming home...

The cat shredded a bag that held cat treats.

SHREDDED it. and ate EVERY treat. Of a FULL bag.

The thing is...the cat treat bag was up on a shelf.

A shelf with nothing around it.

No counters, fridges, desks, furniture of any sort.

Now, unless in the past few years where I have been cat-less cats have grown wings or frog legs that hide under they're allergen-infested fur, I just cannot understand how this cat got to his treats.

Perhaps someone broke into our friends' house, gave the cat the treat bag and left. Without taking anything. Because THAT seems more possible than the cat somehow getting the bag himself.

The focus is all wrong...

So, I was reading That Chick's blog today, and it was a post about a certain politician (i don't want people to google that politician's name and land here) having an affair. The post was about how someone said that the politician cheated on his wife and it was acceptable because she is overweight. I was infuriated by this person saying this and so I went to comment on her comments page and as I started reading what others had commented I ran across several HATEFUL and ignorant comments made by some coward who wouldn't list their real name. They only commented about 48 times under "anonymous" because they KNEW they'd be stoned by the other readers who love That Chick. I was infuriated to the point of 1,000 fiery suns by what this idiot said. I won't quote him, because he's probably typing in the ignorant things he says in a google search right now, just to make sure SOMEONE is talking about him. That's all he wants. But, he basically said that the reason men cheat on their wives is because the wives have gotten fatter and the men want someone who is prettier/thinner/whatever.

You know...I just feel sick to my stomach thinking about that. I feel angry towards this man who said this...this disgusting pig who admitted that his wife can't "SATISFY" him because she's gained a few pounds, so he went and found himself a 'better model'. PUH-LEASE. Judging by the way this guy talks, he's probably only someone a mother could love...and I'm sure we're pushing it to say that. But anyway, this post is not to bash him. It's to express something that I have learned from reading several strong women's blogs here on the interweb.

These are things that I believe because I am a Christian. You don't have to believe them...or even read them. But, this is what I have learned.

A man who has morals, values, and integrity...a man who searches after God and loves Him...a man who is looking for a woman who also loves God and who also has morals, values, and integrity...that man will not be so concerned with the size of a woman's pants. A man who is trying to be 'in the world' but not of it will not discriminate against a wonderful woman because she is not a size 0. I refuse to believe that EVERY good man in the world, especially Christian men would be only concerned with body size. A God-centered man will have other objectives and qualities to look for.

I stand firmly next to that belief. So, the guy who supposedly cheated on his wife because she gained weight...well, I'm sure he'll finish with that mistress, move on to another and another trying to fill the emptiness that has hijacked his life. The only thing is...he's looking in the wrong place for the answer. Real men do not trade in their wives for newer models. REAL men see the beauty in their wives in each stage of life.

I know that the whole world does not believe this. I also know firsthand that there are a lot of Christian men who DO cheat. But, the point is, if you are focused on God, size really doesn't matter.

OOPS...I did it again!

I used to have longer hair. My dad was weird about me cutting my hair, so I kept it fairly long forever. Then, when I was in college I thought about cutting it, but my boyfriend at the time just begged me not to cut it, so I didn't. Once he broke up with me I wanted a fresh start, so I went and got my hair cut. And I had it cut SHORT. It was about an inch long all around my head except the top and my bangs. It was flippy and cute and I loved it. Because it was so short I had trouble keeping it out of my face when I was exercising or needed to pull it back some. That's when I started using Bobby Pins, and I have never turned back since that fateful day.
My hair is not nearly as short as that now, but When I pull my hair in to a ponytail there are always pieces that stick out. So, I still use bobby pins everyday. I have them in my purse, in my pockets, sometimes they're clipped right onto the sleeve of my shirt, just in case I need them at a moment's notice. There is nary a place I can go where a bobby pin is not readily available. This poses a particular problem with bobby pins turning up stuck in the carpet, in the change bowl, in the car, at work in exam rooms, at the desk. They're everywhere! It drives Jules crazy because she will pick them all up and put them in a central location, like my bathroom drawer, and then in two weeks they're scattered all about again!

What does this have to do with anything? you might ask...

....keep with me....I DO have a point.

So, Jules called me on Monday and said that she was doing laundry and the water from the washer wouldn't drain. I said to put it on spin cycle and see if that got it all out. She did, and it didn't work. So, we called the ol' landlord and he came over on Tuesday and said it was beyond him and he would have to have someone come out with him on Wednesday. So, Wednesday he returns with his handy brother and they fiddle and flip and unscrew and push and prod in this washer. Finally, Jules calls me and said that there had been a problem with the motor in the washer and that's why the water wouldn't drain.

Do you know what the problem was?


There were two bobby pins stuck in the little propellars of the motor.


OOPS.

Signs of Hope

So, Saturday night we went to church. (for the one person who reads this who doesn't really know a lot about me, my church is a Christian church but they are a very contemporary church, so they offer services on Saturday nights, Sunday mornings, and Sunday nights. This allows for a larger percent of the population to attend...especially if you don't do mornings..like me.) Anyway, we went to church and although the preaching was good, it didn't speak to me as much as the songs did. Lately my mood has been suffering. Not because I'm angry or depressed. I'm just "down". I am saddened by the misfortunes of Jules. If you've been reading lately you know that Jules quit her job because it was a very damaging environment for her. She did so with faith that she would find something else quickly. That was 3 months ago. So far, not an inkling of a job has come through for her, and we just can't quite understand why. So, we have passed the anger stages and moved on to the hopeless stages. Things have been rough, and even when good things happen we have a hard time celebrating because we are just waiting on that next shoe to drop. But Saturday, as we sat at church, the songs began to speak to me. They were words of hope. I felt a calmness that I haven't felt in a long time. Then, I began to remember that Satan would like me to feel forgotten. He will try everything to make me feel in a deep, dark, hopeless situation. But the truth is, we're not. In reality, we have NO IDEA what is in store for us, and God's plans are not to harm us. They are for us to prosper. So...I felt hope.

Sunday we went to the Rockies game with our friends from church, because it was Faith day and all the churches in the area bought tickets. After the game Steven Curtis Chapman played. He talked about how difficult it's been for his daughter to have been accidentally killed. He had his son there with him, Will Franklin. Poor kid. Anyway, SCC began to talk about how this song he wrote years ago called "Who's going to love Maria?" has new meaning to him. He was clearly fighting the emotion the whole time. Clouds started to roll in as he was talking. He made the comment that if we saw him take off towards the lightening to just let him go. He said he's ready to go Home, and see Maria again. The pain was clearly more than he could bear. So he started singing the song and slowly rain started to fall, like God was crying right along with Steven Curtis Chapman. Then, the brightest rainbow I've ever seen was painted across the sky right behind Steven Curtis Chapman, where it was impossible to miss. God created the rainbow as a symbol of hope and of a promise that he would take care of us. So...I felt hope (and I hope Steven Curtis Chapman did too).

It truly was a weekend of reminders that things would be okay. Yesterday the washer broke in our apartment. Luckily we rent, and the washer and dryer are included, so we don't have to pay for it. But, I think it was a desperate attempt by Satan to bring us down again. But, you know what, it won't work. I feel hope. Things will be OK.







And I will keep telling myself that until I am positive it's true.


Fake it till you make it. :)

Just search for it...

Someone arrived on my blog by searching for "boobie bungalow amber". I'm fairly sure that they were not searching for a blanket to cover you when breastfeeding...but instead probably a woman they met in the hills of Tennessee named Amber. Hahahaha!

That just cracks me up!

Miracles, Mountains, and...Rain! (I couldn't think of a word for rain that started with M)

Ok, so it's taken me a few days to actually get over the past week. I briefly mentioned that we have been spared major CREDIT DOWNFALL by a friend of ours and that I'd tell the whole story after I could, you know, breathe again! So, here's what happened.

I suppose I should go back to when we had company for about a month. The company we had was wonderful but the only problem was that she was used to blasting the a/c. So, in our house she blasted the A/c. I kept warning Jules that the power bill was going to be HUGE, but it didn't matter, because if we turned the air up, our guest would turn it down or complain about being SO! HOT!! So, we got the power bill and sure enough it was about DOUBLE what our normal power bill is. And while Jules is not working, my paycheck is all we've got and so I was concerned about having groceries since the small amount of left-over paycheck was going to buy us a few morsels of food. But, nonetheless, we went on with life. A few days after the power bill arrived I viewed my online statement at Comcast and noticed that it was FOUR TIMES what the bill was supposed to be this month. I had had some trouble with our internet service from Comcast, so after NUMEROUS phone calls with Comcast I got the internet fixed and they pro-rated my service for only the days the internet was working. So, we were expecting the bill to be 45 dollars, after all the pro-rating goodness. This turned out to be perfect when I saw the power bill, and we were thinking we could just use that money we didn't have to spend on the comcast bill for the power bill, still keeping us in the positive. All this was BEFORE i viewed my online bill. Turns out they didn't get the check I sent last month, adding last month's OUTRAGEOUS charges (part of the trouble I was having) to this month's measly 45 dollars. Making the bill $180.00. On top of this, both our cars were out of gas, and stuff kept coming up. Before I knew it I was in over my head. On Wednesday of last week was when my finances came crashing down at my feet. I knew there was no way we were going to make it this month, and job searching was not going great for Jules (not her fault, tho). So...I was angry and frustrated and hopeless. We have our weekly commUNITY group over on Wednesday nights and I even thought of cancelling that because I was so down-and-out that I just couldn't pretend things were okay. But we decided that it wouldn't do any good to cancel because it was so close to time for everyone to come over, and that night we were playing kickball (which could help me burn off some steam). So, after kickball I was feeling a bit better (mainly because of the endorphins, not because the situation had changed). Everyone was starting to leave when our friend Mike turned to me and quietly said that he needed to talk to me alone whenever possible, but he didn't want it to look weird or suspicious. So, I helped him carry some things out to his car and he handed me an envelope. He started talking and this is what he said,

"Each time my paycheck is deposited I go and get a little money out of the bank and put it in an envelope beside my bed. I keep this envelope of money and tithe every month or so with that money. For two months now I have been praying for y'all and I have felt like God wants me to give y'all this money. This is not a decision I have made rashly, and I don't expect it to be paid back. I just know that this is not my money, it's God's money. And He wants me to give it to y'all." So, then he said some things about how much we mean to him and his fiance and how he couldn't stand by and do nothing when we were having such a hard time.

So, once I peeled myself off the floor and thanked him as much as I could, I went inside and waited until everyone left. Once they were all gone I told Jules what Mike had done, and immediately she started crying. We called Mike and thanked him again, because now we would be able to pay our bills AND have food to eat. He just kept saying it was God's money.

We will never be able to express what this has meant to us. Mike and Erin have not known us a year yet. They have been the closest friends that we've had out here, and we have loved them dearly, but for them to do something like this for us just boggles our minds. We will forever be grateful.

After telling the church that we would not need to borrow money from the benevolence (spelling??) fund because of what Mike did, they asked us to allow them to tape us telling the story. Because our church is all about some community. And what Mike and Erin did for us is the perfect example of commUNITY.

So, that was the miracle part of the week. Here is the mountain part:

Our friend Ben was telling us on Wednesday night that he was hiking a mountain that was 14,000 feet high (we call those 'fourteeners'). He asked if we wanted to go, and after much discussion about how we might slow him down and how we aren't experienced hikers, he assured us that if we wanted to go then he'd love for us to come. So, we decided to go with him. After a series of random events we ended up at the wrong mountain. This was a blessing in disguise since this mountain was virtually empty contrary to the one we were going to hike. This mountain was 13,700 feet, and we hiked and pushed and heaved and sighed all the way to 12,500 feet and then I said I just needed to turn back. We travelled so far, and I knew that each step I took was another step I had to make back in the other direction, so I decided I better quit while I was ahead. So we headed back, only after having one of the BEST times we've had in Colorado. Ben was so patient and encouraging with us. He was nice and fun. We had a great time. I can't wait until our next hiking experience.


And, after 21 days of temperatures over 90 (this was a record folks) and not a single drop of rain it finally rained yesterday. The ground was actually WET! We haven't had precipitation at our house since the snow, so it was a much welcomed shower! Still, the temp rose steadily above 90 yesterday too. Tomorrow will be our first break with a high of 86. :) It's still not miserable like Alabama heat is!


So, those are my updates. Thanks for reading (all 2 of you).