A Smile For The Day.

You know how I love bear bums so much I could die?

You. Are. Welcome.

Well Kayla loves manatees just as much as I love the squishy bottoms of bears.
 I found this the other day and I watch it daily, multiple times a day. It NEVER gets old.

As Kayla would say... "Oh my heart."

No Thanks

A few weeks ago at church a well meaning friend approached me:

"I just learned about this class for singles over 31. I thought you might be interested in checking it out."

"Thanks, But I am not that desperate yet."

"Well I just meant that maybe you would enjoy the class."

"That's kind of you, but I find those settings so depressing. The room is always filled with crazy people, people who argue with the teacher, and men who wear sweatpants into the chapel. You leave with one of two thoughts either 'I was the most attractive person in that room and I still didn't leave with a date.' or you leave thinking 'are those really my peers? This is what is left and I am one of them?' Either way it is very depressing."

"Well my husband and I sneak in from time to time because the lessons are so good. Give it a try if you have a Thursday evening free."

Cut to yesterday when my Thursday night plans for naughty fries at Rooster's were canceled because my hot date needed to attended all the Chinese New Year Events ever. Ha (Em and I rescheduled for Tuesday because... well.... naughty fries) Anyway, I thought geez, I guess I better go, I mean I can't pray to find my lover and then ignore opportunities to meet single men.

I roped Amanda into coming with me, because terror and awkward should be shared between besties. On the way we cranked up some inappropriate Jason Aldean. Not too inappropriate, it wasn't 'Burnin' It Down', which by the way we also love. Just a little 'Just Gettin' Started.' We changed the lyrics a little "Baby I don't know if we're even going to make it to *institute.*"

Amanda turned down the radio as we pulled into the chapel parking lot. She is a better person than me and didn't want people to know we listen to the radio too loud, you know we might be judged by all those girls walking in wearing denim skirts. "Amanda, I want to find the man who will listen to this with us, not be ashamed of it. Turn it back up." It stayed off. "Amanda, pull in next to that big truck, probably that's my future husbands ride."

The class was AWFUL. Worst institute class of my LIFE. So, so horrible. But my friend was right, there were some seriously attractive men there. We walked in and sat in the back row, I made eye contact with the hot dish sitting right in front of us and he smiled. The class was so horrible that we couldn't stay. It was really so bad. But I was torn, if we didn't sit through the misery how was I going to meet the love of my life sitting right in front of me? I mean my entire eternal future was sitting within arms reach. Amanda is a genius! "Pass him a note" So I wrote him a note with my number on the bottom. I wrote a few drafts because it had to be perfect, funny, and endearing. I almost passed him the paper with all the drafts on it. OOPS! We got up to leave and I passed him the note. He smiled the biggest smile of my life and I went weak in the knees. I met Amanda in the hallway where we giggled like teenage girls. " He was so cute right?" "So cute!"

"Amanda, that probably is his truck right there."
"Umm that's probably his Subaru."
"As long as that isn't his Prius we are in business. What do you think the name of my love is?"
"I think he looks like a Dan."
"Yeah, certainly not a Kevin."
"His name is probably Kyle."
"Ugh I can't handle ANOTHER Kyle. He probably IS Kyle, Kyle 3 that is what we'll call him."
"Third time is the charm."
"I bet his name is Blake."

Just In Case

I was listening to an interview today with the guy who was trapped in his body for years. He was completely there mentally but had not way to communicate.

And then it hit me. Is that what life is like for mom? No body and no way to communicate? Is she sitting right there screaming at me to listen, to hear her, to know she is still there? How frustrating it must be to not have a body and to be able to observe those you love and not be able to communicate with them.

Maybe I'll talk to her more.

Out loud.

Like a crazy person.

Just in case.

My Pleasure

Does it irritate anyone else that at Chick-Fil-A they say "my pleasure" after everything you say?

"Can I get 5 a lot of Chick-Fil-A sauce?"

My pleasure

"Can you make my diet lemonade the most jumbo size you have?"

My pleasure

"Ok but don't judge me. Can I have TWO 12 piece nuggets?"

My pleasure.

"With enough Chick-Fil-A sauce to drown myself in?"

My Pleasure

Now is when you should probably tell me that YOU don't go to Chick-Fil-A that often.

 Hmmm....

Your loss I say.

Taking Care

Have you ever been in trouble with a friend for not doing enough for them?  I'll give you an extreme example.  I had a roommate in college that was insanely needy.  I happened to live her when my mom died.  A few weeks later she freaked out and started yelling and crying about how I'd changed, and I wasn't there for her anymore.  About how selfish I was being.  Crazy right?  I feel like it was fair to be taking care of me at that point. 

While less extreme I feel as though I've been in similar situations since then.  The friend that is mad that I'm not checking in on them everyday.  But maybe they forgot it's the ten year anniversary of losing mom,  maybe they don't know I reinjured my bad arm and am in constant pain,  maybe they don't know I'm closing on a multi-million dollar project at work this week. And maybe through all of that I've had the worst/weirdest stomach pains of my life. 

And maybe other people around me have babies dying,  and mom's dying, and husband's deployed, and friends threatening suicide, and cancer diagnosis, just to name a few.  Life is hard from time to time. We all have our somethings. I wish we didn't, but we do. 

It's ok to take time for yourself.  I know we are supposed to forget ourselves and go to work.  But sometimes we need to think of ourselves, take time to heal our hearts,  be selfish for a moment. If you don't take care of yourself then there might not be much left to share with others.

If someone isn't "there for you" exactly how you expect them to be and exactly on your time table,  it doesn't mean they don't wish they could be. It doesn't mean they don't love you and aren't giving you everything they are capable of.

We can't expect even our best friends to know how and when to help if we don't tell them.  If I don't know you need help how can I give it?  Even if what you are going through appears on the surface to be something I might be an expert in,  like losing a mom, it doesn't mean I have any idea how to help you.  I have to tell even my best friend "my heart is hurting because of this and I need you to talk it through with me." Or "can you just put your arms around me for a minute?"

We all have our days,  and weeks, and months of rough patches. Let's be gentle with each other.  Tell people when we need help and what flavor of help we need. 

Goodnight

As I lay in bed tonight I've been reflecting on this night ten years ago.  It was the last time I spoke with my mom.  It was so normal,  so warm and happy, so comfortable.

"I love you,  goodnight."

I was so secure in that love, so confident in myself because of it. How grateful I am to have been born of goodly parents, who gave me so much love.  Through that love came confidence, testimony, trust, independence, security, and the ability to become Annie. Just Annie, and know that it is enough. 

"I love you too, mom. We'll talk in the morning."

Weak Stomach

I have the weakest stomach when it comes to smells. SO bad. Tonight I was getting into the car and saw dog droppings in the yard.  I gagged for like two minutes. (I'm going to be bad at growing babies).

"Of all the things I love about you, your gag reflex might be my favorite." ~Kayla