30 January 2009

Memory Lane



So, those of you who facebook have inevitably seen the "25 random things about me" note floating around. It got me thinking and I decided to post some random pictures of me that remind me of funny (if, perhaps only to me) stories that accompany them. I hope you enjoy... but if not, I at least had a great time meandering down memory lane.

<---The first picture is of me at about 6 months old. I was born with a thick head of jet black hair... and then bit by bit i lost it ALL and was blad for quite some time. My mother tells me that she would take my hat off and there would just be big chucks of hair in them. My hair did eventually grow back (thankfully) but it grew back significantly lighter, almost blonde and then darkened to the brilliant brunette that it is today. Strangely, the one color I wish my hair were is the only color it hasn't been.... :)
--->This is not a particularly clear picture, but it one of the few I could find that had me with this stuffed animal. His name was Marzipan. And he was one of my absolute favorites. I got him for Easter when I was two, or near to two.
<---I'm not sure why, but this is my absolute favorite picture of me as a child. I don't even know where it was taken. School perhaps? I don't know...seems to good to be a school pic. I think it is the necklace. I remember that necklace and I remember thinking it was the most beautiful thing in the world. I was two in this picture as well. I don't think I look anything the same now. --->This was me in my room when I was about four years old. And that is Mother Goose sitting on my bed :) You could lift up one of her wings and it was a tape player She would read a story, her mouth would move with the words and there were books you could follow along with... six of them i think. I LOVED her. She didn't last long because she had no handle and so kids typically picked her up by the neck and it broke her. I kept mine in a basket, so I still have her in my closet and she still works... I hope it still works when/if I have kids. By the way, yes, I realize I just referred to a toy as a her, but when I was four I believed she was a her... not just a toy :)
<--- I was about four here as well. Our family (me, my parents, my aunt and uncle, and once they had her, my cousin) all would go to the beach every summer for many years. This was one of the first years I really remember going. I remember that i felt so beautiful in that big yellow hat and with a suit that had a skirt on the back AND a bow... I just thought there could be nothing prettier.
--->I was five here. The picture itself isn't that special, but I remember the day quite well. My mom wanted some black and white pictures of me so she had me dress up in all sorts of outfits and she took my picture... a lot. I remember liking this one and one where i put on as many pieces of jewelry as I could find. I think she has that one framed in her house.
<---This picture has two stories. The first is the doll I'm holding. It was my favorite doll the entire time growing up. Her name was Samantha... I named all my dolls either Samantha or Elizabeth, and called them all either Sam or Lizzie. The second thing is the fact that I had the chicken pox. I was in the first grade. I got out at noon for Christmas break and me, my mom, aunt and cousin all went shopping and i complained that my back was itching... it was the chicken pox... and it took exactly 2 weeks to get over, i never missed a single day of school. Go figure.
--->This was also when I was in the first grade. It was the only year I actually took dance lessons. I decided to take piano instead because my 6 year old brain thought it was more practical. I danced in the recital to 2 numbers Tap - the song was "five foot two" and ballet - the song was "mickey mouse's birthday party" Yes, I thought the song was stupid when I was 6 too.
<--- This was my first time to ever wear hair rollers. I thought I was officially all grown up. I still remember how it felt outside as I took the picture.
---> This was nothing but a total and complete Diva moment. But it was out of character for me and I think it is hilarious that it was captured on film.
<---This was a picture of me in kindergarten, I'm not sure of the year. I have no idea as to the reason, but I simply refused to smile. I don't know if I was mad, or upset, it seems I was just stubborn.
---> When I was in the second grade I got really really sick. It started from an allergic reaction to cigarette smoke (which, by the way I am quite allergic to). I ended up with Microplasma. I would just lay in bed for days at a time not sleeping, just laying. Or I would get up walk across the room, get a book, then be too exhausted to read it so i'd have to rest first. I missed close to a month of school and whn I came back it could only be for a few hours at a time. Picture day was one of those days and my eyes tell how tired and sick I was.
<---The picture on the far left is a picture me dressed up as a doll. I was going to be in my first church musical and I was so excited, but I got sick the day after that picture was taken and never got to be in it. I was however in the next musical. I sang a song.. I don't remember the name of but one of the lines was "down in a creek bank by the old holler log" - That song still gets in my head from time to time.
--->These were taken at my seventh birthday party. I was obsessed with Elvis and my dad had a plumber friend who was also an Elvis impersonator. and so I had an Elvis birthday party. I was in absolute Heaven. I liked Elvis so much at this age that I even had Elvis trading cards. Yes, the dorkiness started early with me :)



There are probably more pics with much funnier stories, But these will do for now. Thanks for going down memory lane with me. Hope you enjoyed the ride :)

19 January 2009

Updating 1...2...3...

A list of updates:

1. My Aunt - Doing much better. They determined that it was a medicine she was taking that caused the TIA. They took her off the medicine and gave her some blood thinners and they said that should fix things, well... cause things to not get worse. She is still in SICU and waiting to start physical therapy. She can't walk at the moment nor can she use her right hand well. We are praying just as much that she keep her spirits up and not get depressed.

2. My house - My bed is now in my new house. (Thanks to some wonderful friends). That was a weirdly emotional experience... Sort of a good-bye to an era type of thing. I'm not living at my house yet however, because i have no appliances and therefore no way to eat... well, i guess i could live on raman.... ;) I do have a refrigerator (thanks to a grandfather with an extra fridge in his basement), but it won't be actually in the house until tomorrow.

3. My new diet plan - Knitting. I've decided i stress eat too much so I've taken up knitting as something to do with my hands, something to keep my mind of snacking. I'm bound and determined to be healthier.

Not a long list, but I'm tired and would like some sleep and the house if finally getting quiet :)

16 January 2009

Please Pray

Last night my aunt, the one i am close to, went in the hospital. She had a small stroke and she has some bleeding on the brain and a possible mass in her brain. They are running more tests this morning. She is currently in the ICU. This is all I know at the moment.

my dad is going to be in the hospital today as well. He is having a test done because his heart is not doing well, at all.

It is going to be a long day. I'm at work now getting things lined up for my dad and getting payroll done, etc.. while my mom takes my dad to the hospital... then after i finish here, i have to get ready and go up to the hospital, see my aunt, then bring my dad home, because they have to put him to sleep and he can't drive... get him settled and comfortable here then go back to the hospital.

They are, however, thankfully, at the same hospital.

This is on 3 hours of sleep.

My family and I need all the prayer we can get the next couple of days.

14 January 2009

Precious Puppies


A couple of years ago someone abandoned this precious little puppy in my dogs pen. She was only about 5 weeks old and it was so cold out side. My parents decided to keep her. Her name is Olive (After Oliver Twist) but we call her Ollie. She is unbelievably sweet natured. Anyway, my dad's dog, a Jack Russel Terrier named Jack, along with Olive are now the proud parents of 5 beautiful puppies, all girls :) Here are some pictures of Olive, Jack and the puppies. They will need a good home in about six weeks... Anyone interested?

11 January 2009

Nerd Flags and New Homes

I never know just how to start these things, so I suppose I'll just dive right in. It has been quite a while since I posted anything here with any sort of meat to it. I had a conversation with a good friend of mine just the other day and he made a logical argument which convinced me to start posting again. This time I'll make an actual effort to post at least semi-regularly. I bought a new book the other day titled The Professor (which I'll mention more about in a moment) written by one of my favorite authors, Charlotte Bronte. There is a quote in chapter one that well describes how I feel about this blog:

"The leisure time I have at command,....I shall now dedicate to that of the public at large. My narrative is not exciting, and above all, not marvellous; but it may interest some individuals, who,....will find in my experience frequent reflections of their own. The above letter will serve as an introduction. I now proceed."

I must now issue a disclaimer for this next section. I am an English major and have a serious nerd flag. I am about to fly that flag high :) I, as previously mentioned, bought a new book just the other day. I had never read it, never even heard of it and I had no idea what it was about. I knew the author and that was about it. Still, I found myself almost unable to sit still because I was so intensely excited. It was not, is not, the book itself that I found myself to be so excited about but rather, the very idea of written word. I find it to be passionately romantic, regardless of the subject matter. I believe that language spoken aloud is a wonderful thing (as anyone who knows me knows full well). However, I also believe that it takes a certain amount of bravery, commitment and thought to put thoughts to paper. It allows people you never know, and may never meet to see you and get to know you. It is an extremely intimate. As William Makepeace Thackeray wrote about Charlotte Bronte: "Which of her readers has not become her friend?" I feel as though I make a new friend each time I read a book. As I read the same book over and over that friend grows with me, teaches me different things. I just find it to be such a beautiful process. Anyway, with that said, and as I lower my nerd flag and put it away for a while I'd like to state that I am enjoying my new book thus far. :)

On a totally different subject. My house is nearing completion. (Yay!) I may even get to move next weekend. I would have moved this weekend but the rain changed my plans. My library shelves will not be built until several weeks after I move, so my friends will have to remain in their boxes for a bit :( I have quite a few pics of the renovation process... it was quite a change. Let me know if you'd like the link to them. I learned a lot in the process and I'm quite glad I did much of it myself rather than having it done. However, I'm also glad the things are coming to a close.

Well, I suppose that is quite a long post, but it has been quite some time and I had more than a few thoughts to share. More to come later. Feel free to comment :)