Things I Learned in College

I'm sad to say my habit of procrastination when I should be studying is a habit I have now, I had in college and I probably had in high school (if only I could remember back that far).  When I was getting ready to graduate from college, I was feeling especially sentimental and nostalgic. You know the drill, soaking up every last moment with friends who are about to move home, forcing yourself out of bed for one last class with your favorite professor (Oh wait- only slightly OCD type A personalities like myself do that) and listening to Greenday's "Time of Your Life" on repeat. I hate to say it but I am not having similar sentiments as I get ready to graduate from law school. I think something in me finally just snapped, and after 20 years of being a full time student (including every summer but one for the past seven years), I think I am just DONE. Maybe one day in the near future, I will be able to articulate some sentimental thoughts about law school as I do feel like I have learned a lot and made some really special friends, but since I am unable to do that right now, I thought I would share a post I wrote upon college graduation. I think for the most part it still rings true today, however, I am glad I learned some of the lessons sooner rather than later.

Its late…Its exam week…I can’t sleep…Go figure…here goes nothing:

Things I have learned about myself throughout my college experience:

1. If you try to dye dark brown hair at home, it will most likely end up orange and take approximately 2 years to return to its natural state

2. If you go to the tanning bed for 20 minutes a day, everyday for two weeks, your skin will turn the color of your home dyed orange hair

3. I have a pretty steady relationship with caffeine

4. I clench my jaw subconsciously when I’m tired

5. I have my most profound thoughts late in the night or when I’m working towards a deadline

6. I would rather study for 12 hours while goofing off with friends than for 6 by myself. Misery loves company. Hard work is more fun when surrounded by other people doing hard work.

7. A little public speaking anxiety never hurt anyone, in many cases it can help.

8. Embarrassment is overrated. Better to laugh and get a good story out of it.

9. I am rather disorganized when it comes to my bedroom

10. Taking life one day at a time makes it seem more manageable.

11. I love to learn

12. I am a true political moderate

13. I love Washington, DC

14. I love to travel

15. Always save papers intermittently while you are typing them lest you delete the most brilliant thing you have ever written at 6:00 a.m. the day before it is due.

16. Time heals. Forgiveness heals more.

17. Never judge someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes.

18. Learn from those who are older and wiser than you are.

19. But, sometimes you have to learn things the hard way, on your own.

20. Change your major at least one time; its character building.

21. Don’t be afraid of people with different beliefs. Be open to growth and change.

22. Make time for the people who are important to you, you never know when time will run out.

23. Don’t take yourself too seriously, but take yourself seriously enough to do your best at everything you do.

24. I love people. I want to spend my life helping people.

25. My family means more to me than I will ever be able to express.

26. 12 minutes from home can be as far away or as close as you need it to be. Home is still home even when you are in a unfamiliar place with new faces and experiences.

27. Sometimes you can be as proud of a C as you are an A+

28. Its okay to fail. Just make sure you learn from your failure.

29. You can be okay in any situation where you make a conscious choice to be okay.

30. Miles don’t matter in true friendships.

31. Random acts of kindness can change your whole outlook on life.

32. Endorphins make you happy.

33. Its okay not to be engaged when you graduate from college, contrary to popular belief

34. Listening can go along way when people are struggling.

35.  I spend too much time on facebook and aim, guilty pleasure.

36. The work will get done if you want it to. It always does.

37. A good nap can solve a lot of problems.

38. So can a good conversation with an unbiased friend who isn’t afraid to tell you that you are being ridiculous

39. If you leave your emergency flashers on for eight hours, your car battery will definetely die.

40. Crying can be therapeutic

41. Always have access to a spare key.

42. There are often times more than one right answer.

43. If you eat cookies and french fries everyday of your freshman year, you will gain the freshman 15.

44. Find a major you love. Form relationships with the faculty. Allow your education to feed your strengths and improve your weaknesses.

45. Don’t download active x controllers on tv watching websites unless you want your computer to be overtaken by virtual beetles.

46. The things you are most afraid of are often the most worthwhile. 

47. You can probably handle more than you think you can; socially, emotionally, physically and academically

48. Life sucks sometimes.

49. Getting a bread tie stuck in the dishwasher will break the dishwasher.

50. Driving through a car wash with your antenna up may cause it to disappear.

51. Parking down hill when you are low on gas never ends nicely.

52. You can’t switch flights if you have checked your luggage. Taxi rides to airports are extremely expensive.

53. A 6 a.m. aerobics class does not enhance productivity.

54.. You don’t have to know what you want to be when you grow up when you graduate college. I’m still in the process.

The Last First Date

Two years ago tomorrow, Kevin and I both went on what we didn't know at the time but what ended up being both of our last first date. One of the main reasons I write on this blog is to keep a record of special and funny moments that we will be able to look back on years down the road and smile at so in honor of our "dating" anniversary, I thought I would take a moment to reflect on how the night progressed.

Kevin and I had talked a good bit on the phone and over e-mail before we ever actually went out. His travel schedule and my school schedule made it a little bit difficult to meet up. Actually, we had plans to go out on April 24, 2010 but due to threat of severe weather, we decided to postpone. I spent the day Sunday doing some school work and preparing for what I anticipated to be the hardest exam of the semester. Around 4:00 p.m., I started getting ready so I could leave by 5:00 to meet Kevin at Rojo at 5:30 p.m.

A little side note about my sweet husband- he had really already wooed me before I even met him. When we had a found a date that would work for both of us to go out, he told me he wanted to give me clues and have me guess where we were going to go. I remember one of his clues was, "What's your favorite color," and one of my questions was "What drink would people ordinarily drink in this type of restaurant?" I can't remember what the rest of his clues or my questions were but I remember the guessing game was fun and gave me some insight into his witty, thoughtful personality.

So I drove to Rojo and went inside and Kevin was already sitting there. I was a little nervous but felt sure from talking to him that we would at least be able to find enough to talk about to get us through dinner (he would probably tell you I started talking that day and haven't shut up since!) I still to this day remember what he was wearing, blue shorts, a blue and white checkered shirt rolled up at the sleeves, and rainbow sandals. The first thing that struck me about him was how cute his dimples were when he smiled. I sat down and we chatted for a while and then Kevin got in line and ordered for us. While he was standing in line, he handed me a local newspaper to read while he was ordering so I wouldn't be bored.  I also remember the table we sat at was really close to the ordering line in Rojo. Both of us being a little claustrophobic, Kevin asked if I wanted to move to a table in the corner when it opened up (10 points for him).   I remember we both had chicken quesadillas and pineapple salsa for an appetizer. We had a very enjoyable dinner and spent lots of time smiling and laughing. As we were getting ready to leave, he asked me if I wanted to go to a movie. Going to a movie was something we planned to do on Saturday night, but he had told me he didn't think he would be able to do on Sunday since he had to get ready to go out of town, so I was pleasantly surprised and eagerly agreed. We drove to the Vestavia Rave where we really wanted to see Date Night with Tina Fey and Steve Carrell. Since Date Night wasn't starting for a little over an hour, we settled on the Backup Plan with Jennifer Lopez. However, about 5 minutes in we both decided waiting for Date Night would be worth it and switched theaters. I already loved his sense of humor. After the movie, we both walked to our cars and I remember thinking what a great date it had been. I also remember thinking that I would be disappointed if I didn't see him again. I really didn't expect to see him for a week or so as he was headed to the beach for work and told me he might stay over the weekend. Much to my surprise, he called me Wednesday night and asked me out for Friday. I guess the rest is history.....

Charles and Co.

In the interest of continuing to procrastinate studying because it is such a beautiful day outside and I am more interested in watching the birds that are stopping by our new bird feeder, I thought I would dedicate a post to Charles's best friends. Yes, we are the people who talk about our dog when we go out to dinner and schedule play dates for him with other dogs. We have accepted the fact and now are embracing it. One of the things we liked most about the corgi breed was their friendly disposition. Charles has a never met a stranger, human or beast, and we have really been trying to socialize him so he will get along well with other dogs. Minus a few only child tendencies resulting in aggressive behavior when he has to share food or toys (which we won't hassle him too much over as he was the runt of his litter and had to stand up for himself) Charles loves to play with other dogs.

Dixie- They say you can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family, I think this sums up how Dixie feels about Chuck. Dixie is an old girl and likes things her own way and generally has no patience for Chuck's nonsense. But usually barking him off a few times will keep things in control.

This is how Dixie felt about my parents leaving her with us for the weekend.

Maggie- Maggie belongs to Christopher's girlfriend's family. Maggie is a good playmate for Chuck as she is about his size and has almost as much energy as he does. I would like to thank Maggie for teaching Chuck to scratch at doors when he wants in. We will forever be indebted to Mags for teaching Chuck this skill. I hope Chuck didn't teach Maggie any of his destructive habits.

Wyatt- Wyatt belongs to our friends Wes and Jill and is a 90 pound ball of fur and energy. While Wyatt outweighs Chuck by at least 50 pounds, Chuck takes it upon himself to hoard Wyatt's food and toys. I think if Chuck were a golden retriever, he would be just like Wyatt.

Benji and Zeus- Benji was Chuck's first friend. Benji and Zeus belong to our friends, Alexis and Tim. Benji is an older mixed breed who still likes to play, and Zeus is a bull dog puppy. They say two's company, three's a crowd, and that's what happens when Chuck, Benji and Zeus get together. Poor Zeus can't quite keep up with his older, more agile friends, but he sure does try.

Baby Cedric- My grandfather adopted Baby Cedric a few months ago. Baby Cedric is an English bulldog who is still very much in the puppy stage. Yesterday was the first time Baby Cedric really showed any interest in playing with Chuck. Right now, Chuck still has a little height and weight on Baby Ced so Baby Ced can't quite take him in a wrestling match, but I think the tables will turn in just a matter of time.

Millie- Millie, aka Millicent, is the first girl who ever got Chuck into trouble. Millie belongs to my dad's sister's family, and her and Chuck began their little love affair at the lake last summer. Due to Millie's taunting and wanton behavior (Of course, Chuck was being a perfect angel and not aggravating Millie at all), Chuck was first introduced to the snoot squeeze. If I had to guess, he probably has regretted his decision to get involved with Millie since he now gets a snoot squeeze at least once a day. We are anxiously awaiting their reunion at the lake this summer, and we will see if Chuck learned his lesson about messing with bad girls.

Charles's One Year Anniversary

A little over a year ago, our fur baby officially became our first born child, or our first pet- our dog trainer has had to instill in us the fact that Charles is a dog and not a family member and should be treated as such so he doesn't continue to run the house, but I digress. So in honor of Charles and We's Anniversary, I thought I would share the story of how Charles and We came to be.

Kevin and I had been engaged for about three months, and he had just gotten his new job (meaning no more travel!), when we started to get fur baby fever. We knew we wanted a dog that would be good with kids (one day), have a sweet disposition, be fairly easy to train and do well as an inside dog in our town house with a small backyard. We began researching dog breeds and perusing the Internet to see what was out there when we came across the cutest little corgi we had ever seen.

I think it was love at first sight. We e-mailed Troy's owner and to make a long story short we decided it wasn't the right time because we were going out of town to a wedding that weekend. A few weeks later when things started to slow down, we were still talking about Troy so we got back on puppyfind.com and much to our excitement he was still available. Kevin called and talked to his owner, and we arranged to meet them at a gas station in Livingston, Alabama that coming weekend. We went to Petco and loaded up on dog supplies, a crate, toys, bones, a dog bed etc. and anxiously awaited Sunday afternoon. Looking back, we should have been puppy proofing our house, but oh well, you live and you learn.

On Sunday afternoon, we piled into Kevin's Milan and that was the day our lives changed forever. We met his owners in Livingston and knew he was a perfect fit. We didn't really have a name picked out, but when I was calling him "Troy" his owners thought I was saying "Charlie." We thought about it, and Charlie seemed like a good strong name, and eventually Charlie turned to Charles, Chuck and the many different variations of Charlie he responds to today. He sat in my lap the whole way back to Birmingham and was a perfect angel. I don't think he barked for the first four days he lived with us. Little did we know how spunky the little guy would turn out to be when he adjusted to his new home.

So here we are a year later, and we honestly can't remember what our life was like before Charles became a part of our family.  I can't count the number of pairs of shoes he has eaten, the number of socks that now have holes in them, or the number of times he has darted out the door and provided the whole neighborhood entertainment as he engages Kevin and I in his "corgi" games. I'm sure you are thinking what kind of morons continue to leave things on the floor when they have a dog who chews, but bringing a fur baby into the home was an adjustment for everyone and it took us all a little time. We're still learning.  We have had our share of frustrating moments for sure (like when we thought Charles was doing well with potty training during a power outage and really he was peeing on the fireplace and we just couldn't see it or when I took him to Rascal Day at school and he growled and barked all during class making me feel like an unfit parent whose child was having a temper tantrum in the grocery store), but those moments are far outweighed by the joy and happiness we experience everyday when we pull into the driveway and two little brown eyes are anxiously peering at us from the window, when he snuggles up on the couch and snores ever so softly and when he hears the word "walk" and dashes over to the door to wait for his leash.

Below is a photo dump of some of our favorite Charles moments from this past year

Friday's Letters

As I need to remove any potential distractions from studying for tomorrow, Friday's letters are coming a little bit early.

Dear Law School- Our days are numbered. With each passing day, I get more and more excited to tell you goodbye.

Dear Husband- Thank you for your continued patience and support. I can't believe it was almost two years ago when we had our first date at Rojo (don't worry, I won't tell anyone you were dying to see that Jennifer Lopez movie, and I had to beg you to see Date Night!).

Dear E.L. James- Your books are providing me much more entertainment than the Payment Systems book staring me down from the kitchen table. You are also probably cutting into Kevin's required 8 hours of sleep per night. I think he will be more excited for me to finish you than I will be.

Dear Charles- While I like to believe your behavior is improving, I just don't think we will ever quite train the mischievous out of you. I hate to admit it, but I do love your Corgi games. You make me laugh and bring so much joy to our lives. Mr. Busby has big plans for you tomorrow. Try to contain your excitement.

And now I am going to get a little sentimental as per how I deal with major life changes:

Dear Molly- I think you have been teaching me things far longer than I should be willing to admit. From forcing me to learn how to ride a bike to teaching me to never give up, you are one of my role models. College graduation can be a scary time but have faith that you will land on your feet. You have worked hard, accomplished much and your successes won't go unnoticed.  I don't have any wise words of wisdom for you upon your impending graduation, but I can tell you follow your heart and even when the times get tough, things will work out like they should.

Dear Christopher- I can't believe you are about to graduate high school. I still remember the day you were born. Nana dressed Molly and I in matching denim dresses with straw hats. We were lookin' fine. I remember coming into the hospital room and seeing the tiniest most perfect little baby and asking Mom and Dad, "what is it?" Dad took us to the McDonald's in Northside hospital to get a bite to eat and tragically they put onions on mine and Molly's happy meals. Dad was so excited about having a son, he ordered us new ones instead of telling us to scrape them off. That should tell you a lot about how much he loves you. I'm thankful to have you as a little brother, and I am so proud of the young man you have become.  They often say hindsight is 20/20 and as I near the end of my "college" years, I look back, and I would urge you to make the most of the time you have. Make friends, study hard, invest in relationships, listen to the advice of those who have come before you, have fun, and learn a little a long the way. These coming years will be some of the best years of your life, but never lose sight of who you are, where you came from or where you are going.

Dear Mom and Dad- What a year y'all have had! From a wedding to a law school graduation, a college graduation, a high school graduation and an empty nest, it has been a year for the books. It seems like just yesterday, I was putting on my backpack and nervously boarding the school bus from 4368 Burnleigh Chase. I don't think I can put into words how much our family means to me and while things are changing, I am excited to see what the next era will bring for the Jayne gang. I think I speak for all of us when I say, thank you for loving us, teaching us, supporting us, pushing us, and above all never giving up on us. Thank you for loving us (okay, me) through the attitude, the smart mouth, the high drama, and emotional meltdowns. Thank you for loving me when I was at my best, but thank you even more for carrying me through when I was at my worst. Thank you for teaching me to never settle, and when it was time for me to fly the nest, thank you for loving Kevin as one of your own.  Y'all have set the bar high for each of us and our families as we move into adulthood, and I couldn't be more willing to step up to the plate.

Fun Giveaway

So I am just getting into the blogging world and am starting to look for blogs to read on a regular basis. Here is a link to one of my favorites that is doing a great summer giveaway! Head over and enter yourself :)

http://acrazywalkonthesafeside.blogspot.com/2012/04/summer-favorites-giveaway.html

Sunday Funday

So every once and a while, Kevin and I will decide to forego going to our traditional church service at our friendly neighborhood, Methodist church, sleep in a little, try out a new breakfast recipe, and listen to one of Pastor Jim's sermons on the trusty old computer (We don't think God minds!). This morning was one of those mornings so I was cruising Pintrest for a recipe to try and we came across this (and by we I mean Kevin found this recipe and I am so glad he did):

http://www.justataste.com/2012/02/banana-and-nutella-stuffed-french-toast/

Banana and Nutella stuffed French Toast. I have just discovered Nutella, and I will say I am impressed. My epicurean husband has apparently known about it for years (But let's be honest, this is the man who just came inside and set to me, "For future reference, Pelligrino is not to be refrigerated but stored at room temperature over ice"), but it is a new delight for my tastebuds. This recipe was very easy and turned out great. The batter cooked nicely, and it was quick and easy to make. It will go in our recipe arsenal for next time. I think it would work for any kind of french toast for those who aren't a fan of bananas and/or Nutella.

Here are a few pictures from our experiment:

Breakfast this morning was much more successful than the Great Potato Disaster. Hope all of you are enjoying a Sunday Funday of your own!

A Word of Advice to Soon-to be Weds

Many of you probably know our wedding didn't go off exactly as we had planned (This however is another story for another day and not the reason for this post). However, at the end of the day on October 15, 2011, Kevin and I were husband and wife and off to the beginning of a wonderful honeymoon.

I think society puts a lot of pressure on "brides" to be to make sure their wedding day is perfect, after all you only get to do it once. Every young girl dreams about her wedding, walking down the aisle hand in hand with her dad, and staring into the eyes of her "prince charming." I was guilty of it as I believe most brides are of obsessing over every tiny detail trying to make our wedding day pintrest picture perfect.

However, I stand here today to tell you that no matter how many phone calls you make, how many wedding napkins you have monogrammed, how many pearl picture frames you buy to display your perfect engagement pictures, and how many times the wedding party has practiced walking down the aisle, sometimes things just don't go quite as they are supposed to.

That being said, I look back on our wedding day and the festivities surrounding our wedding with many fond and happy memories. I remember the night of our rehearsal dinner hanging out in the hotel with some of my best friends who I don't get to see that often. I remember riding back with Kevin to my grandparent's lake house holding hands and thinking about how lucky I was to get to marry such an amazing man. I remember the morning of our wedding eating a donut with my dad and riding with my dad to get a key from Kevin. I remember trying to put the way I was feeling on a piece of legal paper to give to Kevin so he would know and I would always remember how I felt on that day. I remember the first time I saw him, falling in love with him all over again and hoping that our wedding day would be the worst day of our marriage, that each passing day would be filled with more happiness and more love.

So even though we didn't get to walk down the aisle in the Church in the Pines, our wedding day was what a wedding day is supposed to be, a commitment of our love to each other while we were surrounded by the people who love us and continue to support us on a daily basis. I got to marry my best friend and here we are today figuring out what happily ever means for us.

 I want to encourage any soon-to-be weds to enjoy their time being engaged. Enjoy the events leading up to your wedding. Something will always go wrong, nothing will ever be perfect as is life, but what you will remember about your big day, is the time you spent with the people who made you who you are, the people who are your past, the people who are your present, and the people who will be your future. If you do these things, no matter what happens or doesn't happen on your wedding day, you will look back months (and years) down the road, and deep inside you, you will be filled with a warm feeling and know you are loved. 

Friday's Letters

Dear Husband- Thank you for being so sweet to me while I am trying to finish out my last semester. Just think, in a little over two months, you will never have to put up with me while I am studying again.

Dear Charles- Thank you for being such a good boy and doing so well with your training. My studying is much more pleasant now that you don't woof all day long. We are so proud of you, and your good behavior is making our whole family much happier. I can't believe we first met you at that little gas station in Livingston, Alabama almost a whole year ago.

Dear Mr. Busby- Thank you for helping us take our house back from our dog. He is happier, we are happier and life is just all around better. You are a real life dog whisperer.

Dear Dad- Thank you for writing stories from Chuck's perspective. It is a little bit scary how accurate they actually are. You have really outdone yourself this time and I think you finally deserve the crown of funny man.

Dear Law School- While we have had our good moments, I can honestly say I will not be sad to bid you adieu. You have taught me a lot about the law, logic, and even the nature of people. While you have probably taken years off my life, I think I am a better person because of you.

Dear Bar Exam- I am NOT looking forward to meeting you in a few months. Please play nice.

Dear Mary Scott- I can't wait to be at the beach with you. after the bar exam. We will make lifetime memories, and I am so excited to start a new annual tradition.

Dear James- Enjoy this weekend and all that it is. Remember that at the end of the day, all that matters is you are married and starting your new life together. Don't get caught up in the stress of trying to make every detail perfect, you nor anyone else will remember them. Soak it all in, and try to have fun!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Thursday's funnies

If Charles could text I feel sure he would say things like these to me and Kevin:

Hope these made you laugh as much as they made me! See textsfromdog.tumblr.com for more

The Great Potato Disaster

Despite the fact that I have already written today lamenting about how difficult it is to be a housewife, I have settled in this Monday evening with my Sam Adams Seasonal Lager to share a specific example of just how hard being a housewife really is. Late last week, one of my mom's best friends (Marissa- mother to Maggie) texted me that she had a recipe she wanted to send me. I eagerly sent her my e-mail address and she forwarded me a recipe for a baked potato casserole. The casserole called for potatoes, bacon, cheese and cream cheese so I know you are sitting behind whatever electronic device you are reading this post on wondering what in the world can go wrong making a casserole with those ingredients?

Well, let me be the first to tell you, lots.

 I got off work and stopped at our friendly neighborhood Publix (I generally refuse to stop at Publix on Monday afternoons but because we sat by the pool for just a little bit too long yesterday, we didn't make it last night as is our usual Sunday night ritual). The recipe called for boxed mashed potatoes, a rotisserie chicken and frozen broccoli. Because my husband makes killer mashed potatoes and we have a freezer full of chicken that I stocked up on when it was the rare $2.99 a pound, I decided to go for overachiever status (I should have thought back to the Chocolate Cupcake Debacle, but how quickly we forget). Looking back, I think Marissa probably sent me the recipe because it was supposed to be QUICK and EASY, but I missed that memo. I gathered my ingredients, braved the 31 traffic and arrived home just before Kevin. I unloaded the groceries and compiled all the ingredients and put the water on to boil the potatoes. Now if you have ever observed me in the kitchen, it is not a sight for the faint of heart. I always have ten different things going on and manage to trash the kitchen no matter how simple the dish I am making may be. So potatoes are in the water, chicken is in the skillet, and some how I manage to get all the vegetables chopped without burning the house down. I take the chicken out of the skillet and shred it while Kevin is "working" with Charles on learning his first command (more on this later), and perhaps this is where it all went sour.

I mentioned above that my husband makes killer mashed potatoes, yes that is right, my HUSBAND, not myself. If you know me at all, you know patience is not one of my strong suits. Since Kevin was with Charles and the chicken was shredded my slightly OCD self started to get a little antsy. I poked the potatoes with a fork. Still a little stiff. Paced around the kitchen for a few minutes, checked my Facebook, booted up my computer, you get the drill. Poked them again. Said to heck with it. I got the potatoes out and begin pounding on them with my handy dandy potato smasher, putting some serious effort into mashing those potatoes. Didn't work. Time to get serious. I get out the mixer. Pour in the milk and a hunk of butter. Turned the mixer on high and gave it a quick turbo boost. All this accomplished was spraying hot milk all over the kitchen and myself. At this point I started to get really frustrated. I grabbed handful of potatoes and put them in a microwave safe bowl. Chunk the bowl in the microwave in an effort to nuke the potatoes and force them into submission so I could beat them. Leave them in the microwave 2.5 minutes instead of the requisite 4. Take potatoes out of microwave and pour back in mixing bowl. Now potatoes are overcooked and still not of a proper consistency to mash.

This is the point at which my husband and dog walk in the door to a mess of mashed potatoes all over the walls and in my hair and still no dinner on the table. Seeing this as a turning point, I decided to forego the mashed potato casserole because it was just way too complicated. I defeatedly put two potatoes in the microwave and decide we will just make our own stuffed baked potatoes. I'm still feeling optimistic at this point and actually patting myself on the back for keeping my sense of humor throughout the incident. In my haste and probably a little bit because I am all puffed up being proud of myself, I forget to stab holes in the potatoes. About five minutes in, Kevin hears the sizzling and asks me if I poked holes in them. We fling open the microwave, seconds before the potatoes combust. Disaster diverted, husband to the rescue, Kevin pokes holes in the potatoes. Three minutes later, dinner is served.

Cooking lesson number 1: always follow the recipe!

An Ode to Housewives

Let me begin by saying, I am not really a housewife. For the next month, I am still a full time student working two part time jobs. Then for the two months following graduation, I will be a frazzled almost lawyer studying 24/7 with hopes of passing the bar exam in July. However, I think because I am taking 13 hours and working two jobs while trying to be a good wife and raise our "fur baby," I can take a moment to lament about how hard it is to be a housewife.

Before I married Kevin, I lived in my parent's house, a series of dorm rooms, and three sub par apartments that I was happy to call my own. So needless to say, not a whole lot of thought went into cooking and cleaning. I found small success in cooking a casserole once a week and having clean clothes to wear.

Now that I am married, I have a strong desire to keep a clean house, cook nutritious meals, pay lots of attention to Charles and Kevin, and do little things around the house that make our house seem like a home. Prior to getting married, crafting and decorating for holidays were not in my vocabulary. I will give a shout out to pinterest for making both of these tasks a little bit easier for a newbie.

I will just come out and say it. It is extremely HARD to come home after an 8:00 to 5:00 day and feel like cooking dinner, washing clothes or vacuuming up what seems to be pounds and pounds of what we affectionately refer to as "Chuck Funk" off every hard surface, high and low, in our sweet little Townhouse. I don't think I ever really appreciated the amount of time and effort my mom put into our "home" growing up. Dishes, laundry, dusting, windexing, sweeping, mopping, and all the various other household chores take time and energy. Making a house a home is something my mother did, and did well, with three small children clinging to her legs, and always a handful of furry friends wreaking havoc as well.

Becoming a housewife is definitely a challenge for me, but it is a challenge I'm willing to take on. I will proudly say with the help of e-mealz, I with the help of my wonderful husband, managed to cook a healthy dinner at least 4 nights a week. Now, our bedroom may be a disaster area and the laundry bin may be overflowing down the stairs, but cooking dinner at home during the week is a baby step for us (Don't give me too much credit- Friday and Saturday are still out to eat nights for us!). My project for the next couple months is to get on some type of cleaning schedule to at least keep out house "organized chaos" instead of "tornado just blew through" chaos.

So there you have it, my lament about how hard it is to be a housewife. But instead of a lament, I think I'll call it more of an ode to the housewives who I have had the opportunity to watch make a house a home, my mom, my mother in law, various aunts and friends. May I one day as adept at being a wife as each of you are! Thank you for setting the example. Now I think a month's worth of laundry is calling my name.

How Can We Be Easter People?

As I was walking Charles on this beautiful spring afternoon, I had a few quiet moments in the midst of a busy busy few months to collect my thoughts. Easter is one of my favorite holidays, and spring is one of my favorite seasons. As I think about this Easter season, I began to ponder what Easter means to me. Easter is about starting over, about second chances, and about a gracious God who gave an undeserving people, an unbelievable gift of everlasting life. As a recipient of such a blessing, I began to think about what it means to be a good steward of the life I have been give on this earth.

Implicit in the understanding that we live on this earth is an understanding that one day our time here will come to an end. I hope the end of my time on earth comes when I am many many years old with a face full of wrinkles, two hearing aids, and a handful of great grandchildren I've gotten to love on, while I am laying in bed next to me sweet sweet husband who I love a million times more than the day I met him.

As believers, we find peace and hope in that our time on earth will be followed by everlasting life in heaven. I think this is a hard promise to grab hold of sometimes. I have been very blessed in many ways. I have a hard time comprehending a day when I will be ready for my life on earth to come to a close because I find such joy in the life I have been given. I think faith allows us to believe in the promise of everlasting life when it is not something logic will quite allow us to comprehend. I think of the times in my life when I have experienced great joy. Beach trips and holidays with my family, my dad's recovery from heart surgery, graduating from college, spending a semester in Washington D.C., meeting, falling in love and marrying my husband and bringing Charles home for the first time are all experiences that top my list. My mind cannot comprehend how wonderful everlasting life must be to exceed the joy I have felt in those moments. Yet this is what God promises for his followers, and in that promise I find great comfort.

I pray that with the time I have been given, I will be a good steward of God's blessings. I will use my gifts and talents to glorify God. I will try to love others who I don't feel like loving in the same way God has loved me when I haven't deserved it. I pray for myself and my loved ones to live full lives. That when we near the end of our days, that we can look back on our lives and feel fulfilled, satisfied, and flat out tired from living and loving with everything we have in us.

Then I began to think about death. I think people deal with knowing a loved one is dying in a myriad of ways. Two primary ways come to mind. I think many people when they learn a loved one is dying seek to surround that person with love and comfort, to keep them company, and help them know they are not alone. I think others pull away in an effort to distance themselves so the pain won't be quite as strong when the day comes that they have to say goodbye. I tend to be more of the type to want to spend as much time as possible with people I love when I know their days are few.

How different would my life be, if I loved those around me so fully and completely everyday as I seek to love them when I know we are running out of time?  I want to strive to live my life and love people every hour of every day. I want to surround those around me with love, comfort, friendship and companionship while they are living not just when they are dying. I know with certainty this is not an easy task, nor one that I will be able to execute with perfection.  To me this is how we can be Easter people living the meaning of Easter every day of the year.