I'm slowly getting closer to celebrating my 2-Years in B-more Party in August, but the longer I live here the more I realize I still haven't learned it all. You see, I thought I had finally found the grocery store, gas station, running path (actually still haven't found this one), and ice cream stop that I can now call home in confidence, but after a drive with Mike yesterday, I realized I still have a lot of learnin' under my belt.
In Idaho, you would have found me spinning my cart full of sugar and carbs at Winco, pumping my Isuzu Rodeo with fuel from Sinclair, running up 8th Street into the foothills of the land I love, and you may have found me 4 nights a week at the State Street Baskin Robbins (not attached to a Dunkin Donuts (think it's an east coast thing)) licking away 2 scoops of Raspberry Cheese Louise.
Fast forward to now > I'm slowly coming around to liking Giant for my pantry purchases, enjoy Royal Farm's gas prices (as much as one can love $4.00 for the "reg"), have yet to find a running path I like, and love the cream from Taharka Brothers!
BUT after yesterday's drive and listening to Mike's "wait, you still haven't tried ____ or you don't know what a ____ is?" I realized my recently found favorites could quickly be replaced. Most of the places or suggestions that have now been added to my To Do list revolve around food, desserts, and more desserts. He truly knows the key to my heart!
Now my question goes out to you - Have you ever moved and found that your favorite places and spots didn't move with you? How did you move on (semi-joking)?
P.S. East coasters, I'm welcome to any and all suggestions!
Happy Friday!!! It's been a few weeks since I've posted up and greeted ya'll with a Friday Fav, but those days are long gone and I'm here with something to rant about.
Over the last few weeks, I've been dealt some pretty hard-to-understand thoughts... I've witnessed some terrible car crashes (as in 3 very bad crashes), read a text from my best friend indicating her friend's sister had passed away, received some sad news that struck too close to home, and felt the impact of my job sink my heart after reading a back sign that said, "In memory of My Mom." These last few weeks have felt like the first week you get a new car and it seems like everyone else around you also has that car. Where were they 2 days ago? Why am I noticing it all right now, and can't I just kick it to the curb?
This week's lesson learned is all about living and learning. I've always wondered when I'll feel "grown-up?" When does that moment strike when you know, "Ya this is me, grown-up, doing my own thing and figuring it all out!" I know we simply never grow up, but that these "mature" moments strike us when they most seem to be out of our control. I've learned that life, and my life up to now, has boiled down to one lesson after the next. No matter where you go, the crashes you witness, the grief your dealt, and the questions you can't answer, in the end "you're [still] not as breakable as you think."
My Pops has always reminded me, "You're given bad days so you'll know when to appreciate the good." Growing up is all about the good and the bad. It's knowing both, enduring both, being able to lean on someone through both, and learning from both that you somehow grow-up. (It's also when you can miraculously make a car payment every month on top of every other bill.)
Growing up you never really understand or appreciate the people who teach you the most about life, what lessons are worth learning (which ones to avoid), and are there for you no matter what. My brother and I couldn't be any luckier to have been gifted the parents we have. It really sets in your mind just how amazing your parents are when they become your best friends and the ones who know more about you than you'd like to admit. It also sets in your mind when you've reached your mid-20's and you still depend on them for things like, "Where would I find ground ginger if it's not in the seasoning section? Can I use anything to substitute it?" or "If my car sounds like this is it going to blow up?"
Today is my Pops Birthday. Today I wish I could have called in sick, caught the earliest flight back home, and surprised my Pops with a cup of coffee and a cupcake. You see my Pops is a guy who deserves everything in this world bundled up in happiness and wrapped with love (and obviously more than a b-day cupcake). He has always been the guy who has given everyone else the world.
I could write for days about how amazing he is and how lucky I am to call him my Pops. I can't tell you enough how much my friends know about him, even if they've never met him, and how much they love him. I can't tell you enough how much my brother and I make fun of him and get on him for the littlest things, but at the end of the day he is still the one we always turn to. I also can't stress enough how much I tell Mike about my Pops and how no one will ever replace the footsteps he's put in front of me, or the lessons he's taught me.
Today is a day (55 years ago) that the world was blessed with the most amazing son, brother, Pops, uncle and best friend! To 55+ more years ahead, Happy Birthday, Pops!
Oh hey there! Remember when I used to blog and talk your ear off? Remember when I had a lot to say and hardly any pictures to post about my stories? Well those memories and me are officially back. You see my life for the past few months, okay really just the past month, have been nothing but a crazy storm. It's not that my social life took over, I dropped the internet bill, or I got the bike I've been dreaming of and decided to give up blogging. Instead, I've been working like a mad woman and haven't had a chance to say hello.
I'm sorry. I hope you'll forgive me (I'm here either way). And just know I'm hoping to spice things up around here.
So what have I been up to these last few days/weeks? I've been working alongside an engine of a support system planning the Inaugural Ocean City Race for the Cure! That's right! I work for Susan G. Komen for the Cure (and damn proud, too), and we've been organizing a brand new Race. After nights of limited sleep, the constant need to always check my email for any updates, and the stress of a possible rain storm to crash down on this Race left me feeling pretty ill inside. But the funny thing is, I knew all along (with everyone else) that no matter what this Race was taking place and we were going to make it the best we could.
There is only so much you can put into planning, only so much you can stress over, and only so many updates you can lose sleep over, because at the end of the day when you're fighting breast cancer, the Race pretty much pulls itself together. The amount of support from volunteers, community members, advocates, donors, families, and Survivors and co-Survivors is what makes every Race one to be remembered (and one to see why we're still here - for the fight against breast cancer).
It was a weekend unlike any other, but one I'll never forget. If you look closely, you can see Mother Nature pelted us all with an out-of-control rain and wind storm. I had to remind myself over 1,000 times, "Brittanie, it's only water ... it's only water."
Thank you for your patience as I went MIA and be ready for this week's Friday Fav (and hopefully some updates in between now and then)!
I'm gonna make this quick. Work is crazy busy right now and while I am heading to the beach next weekend for work, I don't think I'll be able to really find a minute of relaxation that "we're going to the beach" means in my mind.
With all that being said, right now I'm falling in love (much different than I have fallen in love and per my usual Friday Fav) with the idea of a beach vacation, and this idea needs to be put on the books ASAP.
After all this work and stress, all I want is the sand, the ocean, and 24-hour sunshine.
One of the many reasons I want to have a big family, 4 kids to be exact, is because I want the holidays to be that much more full of love, laughter and of course attitude. Growing up my brother and I were spoiled (and I'll admit this now, but that's after many years of being a brat and insisting we weren't), and holidays like Easter were moments and memories that will never be forgotten. The thing is my mom, the leader of the pact, hasn't given up this role to make each year something more amazing than the year before.
It's being away from home that makes me miss everything that much more, but it's also the surprises that show up from "home" that make one girl very happy!
Someday I want to have a van full of kids is so that I can spoil them the same way my parents have spoiled me.
Happy (Opening Day) Friday! First off, I'm sorry about the whole getting a puppy story. I went full swing with that April Fool's prank and got more congratulatory wishes than I expected :) Thank you for the love!
Second, and probably the most important, it's my Friday Fav!!! I'm not going to go into excuses on why I slacked on blogging this week, but let's just say my hair is on fire at work and I'm trying to remind myself, "keep swimming, B, keep swimming!"
Today's Friday Fav is a note to myself (and you) about something I learned this week. Yup, I added a new lesson to my book of Save These for a Rainy Day reminders for life. With work being a little more than hectic, my stress levels and sleepless nights don't go unnoticed. Not only does my worry for the littlest things carry over into the rest of my life, but it keeps me thinking about a lot.
Thoughts like, "Really this is nothing. Remember when you said goodbye to your amazing friend, Amana, not knowing when you would see her again? Remember when you found out your best friend's dad was diagnosed with cancer? Remember when it took you sending 117 resumes to receive your first response? Remember when you felt your heart break? Remember when you went through this same "how much more can I take on" thought less than a year ago? Remember when you moved far away from home hoping you're family would follow, but quickly realized that will take longer, if ever, to happen?"
Thoughts that like bring about song searches. Songs by some of my favorite artists. Songs just like this:
And then it brings about one of the best feelings in the world. Thoughts like, "Really this life is everything and more, and it's yours. Remember when you promised Amana you would be there for her no matter what, and in return she has been the one there for you? Remember when you saw your best friend after she walked 60 miles for her dad and everyone else who have, are, and might face cancer? Remember when you dreamt about working for a nonprofit and here you are learning from a new challenge every day? Remember when you felt your heart skip a beat for the first time because of someone else? Remember when you really did ask yourself, "how much more can I take on," and your first thought was, "a (whole of hell) lot more!" Remember when you moved because you're the on-the-go type of girl and one city wasn't going to give you what you wanted? Oh ya and remember that your parents want to be grandparents one day, and they're going to want to be a lot closer than they are living over 3,000 miles away, right?
So today's Friday Fav is all about singing "I won't give up!" Whether it's love, family, friends, work, health-related matters, life challenges, and 20 other thoughts on your mind, it's a lesson in life to keep up with the beat and never give up.
Eight months ago, I was getting ready to move into a new apartment and was under the assumption that pets were allowed (the tenants before my roommate and I had 2 cats), but after one month of settling in I sent an email to my landlord confirming that it was a-okay to bring a pet into the building and promptly received this, "Unfortunately, dogs are NOT allowed, but cats are. We will allow up to 2 cats. Hope this helps." Um no this actually didn't help, but instead crushed my heart.
For the past 2 years I've been set on getting a Golden Retriever. You've read about it on here, Mike thinks I'm going crazy over this dog that doesn't exist, and everyone at work knows about my future plans with "Nugget" (again the dog that doesn't exist). So where does this story leave us - to today, the most amazing day! Seven months ago after receiving the heart breaking news, I decided to start volunteering at Golden rescue shelter simply because if I couldn't have my own, I'd help out those who would soon be bringing their newest family member home. During this time, I filled out the necessary paperwork for puppy adoption and put a tentative date of 2013 on the application.
Last night I got a call from the on-shift coordinator at the rescue saying a young woman dropped off her 3-month puppy after realizing she had to move back home due to financial situations. Her parents sadly weren't on board of having a puppy in their house. The coordinator "thought about me" and called to see if my 2013 date could be bumped up to 2012. I about peed my pants thinking of what might be if I could bring home this puppy. I called my landlord at 8 am this morning, told him the story, let him know I would be more than responsible and would pay for any damage or clean-up necessary, and then held the phone waiting for a response (what seemed to take 5 minutes), and heard, "We'll make an exception. Go get her!"
Off I went without having anything ready for this new addition (I also thought I'd have Nugget's bed, food, toys, puppy pads, etc. purchased and waiting for her when she first came home). I arrived at the shelter, said hello to the other pups playing outside thinking I'd see her among the others, but then walked inside hoping she would be waiting with a big ol' pink bow looking at me with relief.
She was there when I first walked looking at me alright. I knew this was meant to be ...
She is already the best and my dream of having a Golden has come true! Welcome to the Family!
This was so cruel (especially for me). Unfortunately, I still can't have a dog, but I promise the next time I post about Nugget or make any mention of her, it will be legit.
P.S. Usually the pranks are on me, and I didn't think this would take off like it did, and thought about deleting the post, and then I remembered life is too short and couldn't stop laughing.
P.S.S. And then I realized again how cruel this was.
I laugh (a lot). I ask more than I should. Thursday is my favorite day. I am blessed with the most giving and supportive family. My best friends are so close, even when we are separated by a million miles. Someday I hope to have my own stationery line. I decorate in my dreams. I imagine a lifetime surrounded by love.
