How I know my parents are A-Okay

My parents are in the first two years of an empty nest. Since all of us girls are so far away, I worry about them sometimes. I've stopped worrying.

Saturday was my first bridal shower. It was all family, hosted by my dear aunts on my mom's side. It was so touching and fantastic, and there were many moments that made me well up a bit. My mom wasn't there of course, and she was the only missing part.

So she calls on Sunday, and I'm ready to spill about the great family time and to thank her for the tear-jerking toast she had Deborah read. Instead she says, "Okay, well, I just wanted to call and say we're at the Folk Music Fest downtown, and we're listening to a guy sing a song called Guacamole! Ha ha! He's all 'Ay yay yay Gua-ca-mol-ay!' Ha ha! We thought you would like that. Okay bye!"

I did like that, by the way. :)

Video Game Mode

It's been a long time since I spent a Saturday morning watching someone play video games. Probably, mm, three years. In the thick of college. Three years ago though, this was a very familiar situation, so I know how to adapt. This time I have light pouring in the windows, which is a sharp contrast to the dimly lit dorm room or basement, and a full kitchen at my disposal, so I'm not trapped eating last night's 2 AM candy for breakfast (as delicious as that was).

Brian doesn't play video games that much, but it was his birthday this week, and FIFA 2009 was on the list. His video game mode is intriguing; he plays with a concentration unparalleled in his every day activities. In conversation-mid-play, he tilts his head, lifts his chin, turns his shoulders toward you but can keep his eyes trained on the screen, controlling 11 different characters at one time in the 3 square feet of sporting competition. He may nod, laugh, respond to you otherwise, but there is an intangible stream from the TV funneling through his eyes, soaking his brain, draining through his neck and into his arms, translating into nothing but his flying thumbs. And the hat-grabbing after an unbelievable play.

This may sound so very mundane that you quit reading; I apologize. Video games are ultimately boring to me as well. I'm just happy to be at a point in my life where though I'm watching video games on a Saturday morning, I have the freedom to make myself some coffee with cinnamon sugar toast and muse about it. My video game mode is really quite relaxing.

Sweet Summertime

Almost. I'll take springtime though. Today was just gorgeous.
Today brought Arizona to the Sweet Sixteen. Bethany, Brian, and I sported our AZ hoodies for the occasion, and enjoyed perfectly grilled hamburgers, pineapple, strawberries, salad, and roasted potatoes in them. I would've had a great visual to illustrate, with Brian standing over the tiny tiny grill, PBR in hand, but the camera was upstairs, so...so far away.
Kicking off summer was great though, and delicious. Cannot wait for the real thing.

Life Lessons and Attitudes on a Friday

This morning I am in a great mood. That is the attitude part of the post.

I learned a lesson yesterday morning. It had to do with selfishness and pettiness, or, the purging of these close aquaintances of mine. Read on:

This weekend I looked at plane tickets to go to Tucson for my June bridal shower (to quote Anna, "Who's it for?"/ "Anna. It's mine! My bridal shower! I'm getting married!"). I found a great price on a great flight, cleared it with the bosses, and...didn't act on it for three days. Tuesday night I looked, and the hiked price gleamed at me with squinty eyes, har-har-harring...
I was insta-grump, total victim, whiiining and b*tching. My poor fiance and sister tried to help and be logical, but Sarawitch would have NONE OF THAT!
Thursday morning rolls around and dearheart Alli forwards me Southwest's Huge Summer Sale ad, I look, my heart, it Leaps, and behold, my favorite flight is the rock-bottom price of $99, my freshman year regular fare. I teared up a bit.
I mean really, lesson learned. It's a flight, not a roof over my head or food for the week. It's faith that what happens is supposed to, and is a gift. In no way did I lift this insignificant issue up in prayer, or blame myself and concentrate on being smarter next time. I feel like God said, "There. NOW will you trust me?"

So, enough whining. More praying. More consideration. More grace and less grump.

Because Weather Talk is so stimulating

Today Chicago is windy and sunny and about 40 degrees, and sloppy. I wished this. I told everyone at work that I hoped I'd have to muck through gigantic puddles all weekend. It makes me almost as happy as the 50 degree weekend while I was gone for Christmas weekend, which melted about three feet of snow to nothing. Glorious.

I've realized something about myself though, on this introspective Saturday morning, and I'm catalog-ing (sp? yikes.) it under "Growing Up and Changing--It's for Reals:"

I do hate the winter, but I'm doing it this year. Not only doing winter, but walking in it everyday, bundling up against it as my routine. Carrying tissues to take the ice chunks out of my eyelashes when I get to my building. Tucking khakis into black snow boots and wearing hats and scarves with clashing prints.
I credit this to being here 5 winters, yes, and coming around, but I think it fits more into Growing Up and Changing. Because blogging is a perfect forum for airing personal revelations, I can state that this 40 degree morning in Chicago is showing me that I'm more ready for this adulthood than I thought. Even if it means I end up the kind of adult that tucks khakis into snow boots.
This makes me very excited for marriage :)

Love you love you long time

I've gotten engaged since my last post! Very exciting. I also can't believe I've been too busy (or maybe too boring) to write a bit since then.

Stages of engagement, so far:

It breaks: forth, the engagement "yes;" the news, to family and friends; the inhibition, as I tell and hug anyone and everyone

The realization: that I still need to go to work like normal people (WHA??); that I really should talk about it less; that I need to throw...a wedding...

The grunt work: more like hemming and hawing, when I start to regret not planning this since I was five. I turn into a stressball.

Decisions: one thing works out, then two things, then one huge thing, then four purple-colored taffeta things...and I'm SO EXCITED. I cannot wait for the wedding, and the marraige. It's taking forever to get here.

on my mind

hot chocolate, because Bethany said she'd make some

how I'm going to Christmas up this weekend as much as possible

how I must see Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2

my poor freezing turtle, and how he won't wear his sweater

the impossible-to-find balance of avoiding office or over-priced coffee by making my own and being able to walk/ride the train with it

how B needs her computer back. Guess that's the end of this one. I was just warming up. What a downer.