Dream Life

I don't know what the average woman's dream life might entail. A google search was not at all helpful getting some idea of that. Apparently when you type the words "average woman" into Google combined with any or all of the terms "dream, fantasy, or idea" what comes up is mostly related to either sex or weight, which should tell you something.

However, this is about my dream life.

In my dream life I continue to be best friends with the boy I've known since I was five, who has stuck by me through thick and thin, always shown compassion and interest in my life, and never been jealous of me. I am a mother of two amazing children, a boy and a girl who are four years apart. We have plans to adopt a third child from North America. I remain happily married to my husband, T. I have the luxury of staying home with my young children. I have visited England with my husband. I still play fun survival horror games sometimes after the kids have gone to bed. I attending school for my Master's in Clinical Psychology. I have the right shoes to wear for every occasion. I get pedicures once a month and I cook a healthy dinner for my family once a week. I run 10ks with my husband every other month. I live in a three bedroom, two and a half bath house. I have a happy, healthy Kazu cat.

Back on Track

Marahon shoes (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This past Saturday T and I ran a 5k at the Zoo. We also got to see my brother and crash at his house. It was awesome! My brother G came to cheer us on and I hope we inspired him to get back into running himself. They used little orange tags on our shoes for timing and my husband said he was going to keep it on his shoes for a while to remind him of his goals. We also got super-cute long sleeve shirts.
Running through the zoo was amazing! We saw elephants, meerkats, tigers, a cougar, a lynx, kangaroos, and lots of exotic birds! A trainer gave the elephant a little flag and it waved the flag as we went by. It was so cute! My favorite part was rounding a corner and glancing up to see a cougar standing on a ledge above my head. It was in an enclosure of course, but it was still exciting! My crazy imagination turned it into a dangerous and dramatic moment and I think it gave a boost to my speed.

Cougar conservation depends on preservation of their habitat. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

My husbands favorite animals were the kangaroos. They were hopping around like crazy! It was especially nice that the race didn't start until 3pm. Even though it was in another city, we didn't have to leave our own apartment until that morning. As hard as I try, early morning exercise just doesn't come naturally to me! After the race, we goofed around for a little while taking pictures and trying snack samples, including some delicious veggie chips.
We were also super impressed by the people who won awards, including an amazing lady in her 50s who had started the race right next to us! She finished in less than 30 minutes and is my new hero. They actually had a little 3 place podium for the winners to stand on, so that was cute. They also fed us! There was some great pasta with alfredo and/or marinara sauce waiting for us and it was delicious! It was also fun to sit down, relax, and chat a little with the other runners.
Oh, right. Our time. We clocked in at 44:03. Not our best, but a good start to the new year. I also wonder if we might have lost a little time slowing down to look at the animals. (It was worth it.) I'm already excited about our next race on February 16th! We will be aiming to finish that one in 40 minutes or less. First step? Running Week 4, Day 1 of Couch to 5k this afternoon! Allonsy! 

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We had Ari and Tay over for dinner last night. That was nice. T made some amazing onions and some pretty good chicken. The onions though...I swear they were like candy. I showed Ari and Tay some Azumanga Daioh and Kazu stretched out in Ari's lap until Tay annoyed him because he kept shaking the couch. We watched stupid Youtube videos and Tay ate all our Oreos. It was fun.

Kazu is kind of being a big butt today. At the moment, he is sitting behind me on the computer chair, but he has been rattling blinds, trying to pee on the papers in the shredder box, and jumping on the table. I think we're not showing him enough attention.

The apartment is still a horrible mess, though everyone claims that it gets better each time they see it. My next project is the bedroom. For starters, reorganizing and cleaning out our clothes. I have an Oprah magazine with some good ideas to that end.

T and I went running for 20 minutes at the Farms yesterday. Next time, (which I'm thinking will be Thursday) we step it up to jogging 90 seconds, walking 90 seconds, jogging 3 minutes, and walking three minutes. Lather, rinse, repeat. 5K here we come!

can't sleep, clowns will eat me

I'm getting old. I say this not because my birthday is tomorrow (which it is. Pi day. I know you're jealous), but because of other things. Because I don't await my next dvd purchase with bated breath. I'd rather save my money towards a three day trip to the next state with my husband. I talk about things like life insurance and taxes. I get excited about changing my name at the bank.

I worry about my Mom and Dad. It's difficult to find the balance between the new family that T and I are creating and my family of origin. I don't want to leave them behind. I worry about them. I'm terrified of losing them someday. I know I don't call me Mom nearly as much as I used to. Where do they fit into all this? It was beautiful today to sit outside with my Mom, picking at my sandwich and talking about marriage and respect and identity and femininity. She can be so smart when she puts her mind to it. That was a flicker of the old her, before a drunk driver and diabetes and an arrogant father took her strength away. Maybe I'll see more of that soon. I think it's also a result of the spiritual renaissance I've been experiencing. She and my Dad have been getting closer and closer. I gave her my copy of "Love and Respect" to read. Perhaps through my faithfulness and the testimony of my marriage, we can help bring my Dad back to the fold.

I miss my friends dearly, lately. However, I am thankful for facebook and online messaging and texting. I defy anyone who says that technology has damaged our relationships. Anna is going to GP to be a GP. I'm insanely proud of her, not just for her assignment, but for taking on the difficult task of explaining her desire for it to her parents. And honored that she wants to hang out with me (in person!) in 2015. I don't want five years to go by between seeing one another again. I need someone to go on adventures with, and she's the girl for the job. Lyss will be getting her black belt next weekend, and I plan on being there. I want to encourage her like my grandparents always encouraged me at my dance recitals. If I have any say in it, she'll be the happiest, most confident 12  year old on the planet. I will see Ari Friday night at the salsa club. We have both been busy as of late, but my anniversary card to her made her laugh, and that made me smile. I am texting Cassie, who is in Korea now. I do need to call Garrard.

Kazu is a kitty. As of late, he has been more directly playful with T and I. He will occasionally run up behind me and grab my legs gently, thereby initiating a game of tag. I make silly noises, and run around corners and gently grab or tap him while we chase each other. Sometimes I hide behind things and wait for him to pounce me. Sometimes I get down on my hands and knees and crawl around. It is fun, and he is ever so gentle. When he does get too excited, he heeds my admonitions quickly.

Image via Wikipedia

We rearranged the furniture Saturday, in between a Spycraft session and a Doctor Who marathon. (3 episodes counts as a marathon, right?) The long suffering Nick and TM helped us out. T deserves special credit, since it was also his birthday. Of course, we did bribe him with thin mint cake and a party hat, which he insisted on wearing like a unicorn. Anyway, I'm happy with the end result. We've managed to make a large space look like three different rooms, while still maintaining a sense of space and not making the tv the focal point of the room.

pedal with authority

Image via Wikipedia

"We pedal with authority in here!" Hehe. That's what my spin class instructor said today. It made me giggle. I told Ari how I want to rearrange the living room. She approves. It was nice to have her and Tay over here for a change. I really want our house to be like Lou and M's was for me. Relaxing, welcoming, homey, and safe. Some of my best and/or most defining moments happened in or because of that house and the people in it. It would be an incredible blessing for our house to be that for someone else.
Kazu had company today too...cousin Julep came to visit. They both did very well. Kazu was relaxed enough to tease Julep a little bit, which was pretty funny. I think it's good for Zu to have a playmate. It keeps him physically active and also socially and mentally stimulated. Yay healthy kitty! And let's be honest. It's cute for Kazu's friends to be our friends and vice versa.

So Ari asked why I was taking pre-natal vitamins (To raise my vitamin D levels, not because I'm preggo, mmmkay?). I walked on Tay's back and he and Tony talked about their jobs. We talked about moving to new apartments and Tay showed us his silly Minecraft stuff. Ari complimented my kitty apron and said that we need to get Tony a cooler apron.

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She also said my buffalo chicken balls with blue cheese dressing were good. : D It was a really nice, relaxing evening.

Image via Wikipedia

Also, I made pie.

http://www.glamour.com/sex-love-life/2012/01/4-great-date-recipes-from-celebrity-chefs?currentPage=2 ^--chicken ball recipe

Comfortable Nattering

Image by Marjorie Lipan via Flickr

I get to see my little friend Bri tomorrow. I haven't seen her in at least four months. She's started middle school since then. I bet she's grown so much! I know she's going to be taller than me one day. I can't wait to hear how she is enjoying middle school. She's a smart girl and I know she going to do awesome. We'll be working on invitations for my upcoming wedding, in which she will be a junior bridesmaid.

I lost a kitty on Monday. His name was Jeffrey. I'm still uncomfortable using the past tense when talking about him. He deserves his own post in memoriam and I will do that as soon as I feel able. I miss him. I still look for him everytime I walk out the door. He's at the firetower now, as he deserves. My Mom and Dad were kind enough to take care of that for me.

I keep trying to clean and straighten my apartment. I've made some progress, but I still think that by the time I get it how I want it...it will be time to start moving everything into the fiance's apartment. I'll start doing that around the first of October, a box at a time. We've worked out most of the major furniture issues. (I get to keep my 20-year old couch! Whee!) I don't think it will be too much of an adjustment...But yeah, I have been doing better with keeping my kitchen and bathroom clean. Also the living room. Really, everyplace but my bedroom, which becomes a dumping zone because no one (including me) goes in there. It's really just a big closet. My brothers (and sisters), this should not be.

Also, I painted my fingernails purple today. Yay depth!