Tidbits

I’m having some trouble forming complete thoughts since moving, so you’re gonna get tidbit forms!

{Last week was a hot week! The locals say it isn’t usually this hot. We have nothing to compare it to, so we just enjoyed ourselves at the pool and the beach. But Barney? He was so hot he couldn’t even stand up long enough to eat. All in all, laying down with your face in a food dish doesn’t sound all that bad to me either.}

{Seriously y’all. This is the lake across the street from our apartment. Literally a two minute walk. There is a 4 mile walking path around it. We walk here every night, in awe of our new hometown beauty.}

{Mom came to visit, and we were so busy having fun that this is literally the only picture I took. Two buddies playing games on their iPods – probably with each other. But we also signed papers for our new house which will break ground on in August!}

{Oops, I lied. I forgot I took this picture at our first introduction to the Golden Corral. More importantly, our first introduction to THE CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN. Can you believe I only dipped 3 things in it?! That’s self control people.}

{Oh, the tread-climber isn’t for holding my milk while I eat a fluffernutter and watch TV? Psssshhhttt.}

{One of the more exciting things that has happened? WE TRIED RITA’S. No, no. Well we did. But more importantly, it was Kenya of Here’s the thing… and her son that introduced us to Rita’s. Kenya is one of my very first blogging buddies, and we were SO excited to meet up in real life!! Can’t wait to see more of these fabulous folks. Go check out her blog, and she published a whole book of her son’s funny quotes. Well worth the investment.}

{Introducing the tentative layout for our cross country trip!!! We are planning to leave the first weekend in September. Watch out, US – here we come!!!!!!!}

{So that’s what we’ve been up to, what’s new with you?}

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Kid Quotes Friday


It might be the last for awhile, being that I no longer have a J-O-B.. but here are a few fun kid quotes for your boring Friday! And go ahead and link up, because I could use some laughs!

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Me: What is something that your new therapist should know about you?

Kid: Well, she should probably know about my moves.

Me: You mean when you moved in with your Grandma?

Kid: NO-OOOOO. My master major dance moves. I can really bust them.

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Kid: So, you are moving to North Korea?

Me: No, I’m moving to North Carolina.

Kid: That’s what I said.

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Me: What is the nicest thing you could say to your Mom right now?

Kid: Mom, you have awesome choices in kids.

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Me: Why do you think it’s so hard for you to pick your things up at home?

Kid: I dunno. But let me ask you this. Why is it so hard for Mom to stop telling me to pick my things up? It’s obviously not working.

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Happy Friday, everyone!

 

Posted in Kids quotes Friday | 4 Comments

Finding Home

 

Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go


So make the best of this test, and don’t ask why
It’s not a question, but a lesson learned in time

It’s something unpredictable, but in the end it’s right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

So take the photographs, and still frames in your mind
Hang it on a shelf in good health and good time
Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial
For what it’s worth it was worth all the while

It’s something unpredictable, but in the end it’s right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

It’s something unpredictable, but in the end it’s right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

(Lyrics – Green Day “Good Riddance”)

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Linked up with Molly Jo for “What’s the Word Wednesday”

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Letters

Dear North Carolina,

Bless your heart! Thank you for the very warm welcome to the south!

We love your low gas prices, your warm ocean temperature, your friendly attitudes, and listening to all y’all talk.

We look forward to more exploration!

_________________

Dear Maine,

We miss you – well some of you. Especially the delicious buffalo chicken pizza at our local place – and oh yeah, our friends and family. We are working hard to convert y’all to move down here. Or at least come visit. PLEASE?! We are a smidgeon lonely.

__________________

Dear Jobs,

We miss you.

NOT. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

__________________

Dear Faithful Readers,

Our move went fine. We have internet back, and I promise we’ll get back on a blogging schedule soon. Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and well wishes! We are here safe, sound, and enjoying our couple of months off from work! Hope y’all are doing great!

Love always,

Jenn & Casey

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Some things are hard to say.

In case you didn’t know, I’M MOVING TO NORTH CAROLINA TOMORROW.

Ahem.

Pardon the MAJOR minor freak out.

Anyway, ever had something on your mind that you want to blog or talk about, but you feel embarrassed? Or shameful? Or uncomfortable?

Yeah, me too.

Perhaps I can entice you to go check out a little guest post I wrote over at Shell’s place?

It might save my sanity.

Or not.

But, go read my words there. They are important ones (in my opinion, of course).

See y’all in sunny NC!

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Echoes

As the house begins to empty, they grow stronger.

Echoes of the memories that hover in all the rooms of this house that is becoming less ours and more theirs every moment.

The corner of the kitchen where Casey proposed, and the floor that we laid on minutes later – laughing and dreaming.

The kitchen table where Monday night dinners with Stacey were eaten and many games of Heroclix, Yahtzee, and Taboo were played.

The bedroom that was green, and then blue, and then beige. As it went from his, to ours, and now to theirs.

The bathroom drawer that hid our one and only positive pregnancy test for months after we had already lost our baby, until I was strong enough to throw it away.

The deck where many starry nights have been witnessed, enjoyed, and cherished.

My eyes are often teary these past few days as each belonging is put in a box, each particle of dust gets swept away and every memory packed tightly in my mind, my heart, my body.

This house is part of our history, our story – us.

But it’s time for it to be part of their history.

In days, just a few moments really, its front door will simultaneously open to the next chapter of their lives, and close this chapter of ours.

 

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Daydreams and Reality

 

I daydreamed about getting out of Standish.

The reality is that I’ll miss the local restaurants, and walking trails.

I daydreamed about peeling out of my office parking lot, while cranking Bon Jovi’s “Have A Nice Day” on my last day of work.

The reality is that I’ll miss everyone, and that I’ve been tearing up a little while saying some goodbyes.

I daydreamed about living close to my mother-in-law, especially since I’m not too close to most of the family members I live near now.

The reality is that  I’m still happy about living with my mother-in-law, but I’m finding that some goodbyes are hard.  Especially with elderly relatives that I might very likely never see again.

We daydreamed about moving to Wilmington on June 30th, taking the summer off, and going on an RV trip across the country with my mother-in-law.  That has become a reality, and the happiness that reality will bring us far outweighs any hard goodbyes.

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Kids Quote Friday – On Leaving

Me: I have to tell you some hard news. I’m going to be leaving, and moving to North Carolina so I won’t be able to work with you anymore.

Kid: What, I’m so bad you have to leave the country?! –8 y.o.

****

Me: I have to tell you some hard news. I’m going to be leaving so I won’t be able to work with you anymore.

Kid: <refuses to talk for 45 minutes> Well, I’m just going to say, whoever gets you in North Carolina is really lucky <storms out of office> –14 y.o.

***

Me: I think you’re really going to like your new therapist.

Kid: New therapist? Who was my old one?

Me: Well, me.

Kid: Oh. What’s a therapist? –7 y.o.

***

Me: Sometimes part of the lesson I can teach you is how to say goodbye in a healthy way.

Kid: Well, I think that part of the lesson just really sucks. — 10 y.o.

***

Happy Friday, everyone!

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On Blind Dating Your Blog Friends & Cooking in a Teapot

I thought that when I got married, it meant that I would never have another first date.

Never have to throw on outfit after outfit trying to look “cool,” again.

Never have to check my hair in the mirror (or the iPhone’s front facing camera), again.

Never have the thoughts that bring nervous butterflies – will we recognize each other? do I have something in my teeth? Is that a real laugh or a OMG-This-person-is-a-psycho-nervous-laugh?

But, it turns out… meeting a blogging friend is a little like a blind date.

And low and behold, I had the pleasure of meeting Another Jennifer, IN PERSON!

And seriously, she was awesome (go check her out, seriously. Especially if you love bacon). And I’m pretty sure she doesn’t think I’m a psycho. And she recognized me right off. And I probably didn’t look cool, but it was 90 degrees and no one looks cool then. And hopefully she wasn’t afraid of the semi-afro I get in this kind of humidity.

It was kind of cool, because we already know so much about one another (from each other’s blogs – not because we are stalkers – except blogging sort of is stalkerish, but not really) that the awkwardness disappeared quickly (though I may have gone in for the first hug too quickly, d’oh!) I’m so glad we got together before I’m no longer a Maine-ah. And I got to practice before I meet all of the North Carolina-ian bloggers (there seriously a LOT of you, are y’all trying to take over the world?)

Do you see how my hair is taking over her face? OUT OF CONTROL HAIR.

Anyway, after that fabulous coffee date, I went home and was packing more. And I got hungry. Then I realized we have no bread for my go-to fluffernutter, and all of my pots and pans are packed. Which was horrible, because I had a craving for plain macaroni. A CRAVING MUST NOT BE DENIED.

So, I zeroed in on this.

Because, obviously. Who doesn’t want to pretend like they are 20 again and cook macaroni in a coffee cup over a mug warming plate with random kitchen objects? By the way, I would NEVER cook macaroni on a mug warmer. It is very dangerous, I’ve heard.

Anyway, in case you need a cooking tutorial that is totally (not) worthy of Pinterest, I present to you…..

How To Make Macaroni in a Teapot

{1} Boil water and pour macaroni in.

{2} Stir, cook for 8-10 minutes

{3} Drain (which is actually quite handy in a teapot, truth be told)

{4} Put into your Leonardo (of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) bowl, butter, and enjoy!

Clearly, I am destined for the Food Network!

****

Have a great day, everyone!

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The Right Way

Have you ever had experiences where you just know things?

The day I saw Casey on his dating profile, I was drawn to him. I wasn’t nervous about meeting him, because something in me knew him.

When I drove out of my driveway three weeks ago, as Casey prepared to show our house to prospective buyers, I got an overwhelming feeling that these people were going to buy our house. 17 minutes after seeing our house, they were working on putting an offer together.

I wouldn’t say I’m psychic. I don’t see dead people (except on the cool Zombie Swipeout game I play on my iPhone).

But sometimes I get a little nudge from the universe that says, yes… this is the right way.

And I love that little reassurance, because if we’re being honest here? Life is pretty freakin’ scary. Sometimes I feel directionless and hopeless. What am I doing here? What is my purpose? WTF, life?! And then, pieces of the puzzle become clear and things feel right.

A new adventure is coming our way. There are lots of unknowns. Moving. New Jobs. New Friend. New Lives. Kids. Adoption. Fertility treatments. I don’t know how it’s going to all happen, but I keep moving forward. With faith in my little family, faith in myself, and faith that the universe will keep reassuring me when I need it the most.

(right, universe?!?!?!?!?!)

Posted in growing up, joy, marriage, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments