Greetings from Space

I'm not gonna lie, this hasn't exactly been the easiest few months. You know how sometimes you get overwhelmed by life and instead of stopping to smell the roses you keep tripping through all the stuff you have to do until finally you fall flat on your face? Well that'd be me. I finally reached a burnout point and am looking up from the floor smiling because finally the sun is out and it is over 50 degrees and this semester is so close to being over I can smell it. Thank goodness.
That having been said, I hope now I may be able to return to my regularly scheduled programming. And for you support systems out there who unfailingly lift me up when my going gets tough...thanks.

Some Good Things

   Because life sometimes requires us to take a break and smell the roses (instead of dog pee), I thought I would take said break and relish some good things going on in my world right now. First, and possibly most importantly, Obama is pretty much housebroken.  I'm not sure who is trained - him or us - but somehow or another we've all figured it out.  This means we can now work on getting the carpets cleaned.  Professionally. 

  School is really going well, and today I got the highest grade in my class on our quiz.  In the long range (and the short) this really doesn't matter, but to my inner competitive self, being top of the class is of imperative.  It's really a self-actualization thing, and being good at school makes me feel valid.  I kind of have that "jack-of-all-trades-but-master-of-none" perception of myself.  I enthusiastically engage in all sorts of cool things, but fall sadly short of being exceptional at any of them.  Except in school.  I am a really good student, and thus want to stay a student forever.      

   Next on my list of good things, Brandon has weekends off and way better hours this month.  Hooray!  He also has a lot less stress, and less stress + fewer hours = happy Brandon = even happier wife.  We've been spending quality family time together taking the puppy out to the park, and even hope to go winter camping this weekend up at the Hoh Rainforest.  Should be fun (if I survive the freezing wetness)!  

   Also, I've been getting jobs to sub.  Any opportunity to work is a welcome one, especially since substituting is so much fun!  Last week I worked at a two-room schoolhouse on an island, and to get there got to enjoy a ferry ride across the Sound.  It was really neat!  I hated leaving the puppy alone all day, but thankfully have good friends who are willing to potty break in a pinch.  

   So that's what's happening on my side of the States.  Not too much excitement, but just enough to keep me smilin'.  

You Might Be a Psychotic Dog Owner If...

Your dog cost more than having a baby.

You speak German to your dog.

You brush your dog's teeth (NOT an easy feat).

You name your dog after the President.

You won't leave the house with your dog without his diaper bag containing doggie treats, favorite toys, paper towels (in case of any "oopsies"), and a blankie.

You assume everyone wants to hear about your dog as much as you want to talk about him.

You cry whenever he cries in his crate.

Your whole day revolves around pooping, peeing, sit, stay, and naps.

You talk more to your dog than to human beings.

You don't trust dog-sitters to do a good enough job so you just don't go anywhere.

You turn up the heat when your dog is cold, but laugh when your wife is.  

You spend way too much money on a Costco membership just so you can buy the dog's favorite food.

Your dog only eats organic.

You refer to your dog as your child.

You've forgotten what life was like before having him, but wouldn't dream of going back.

Obama-Rama!

A Puppy Tale

    In a momentary lapse in sanity, Brandon and I decided to bring a baby into our home; a four- legged, curly-haired, scallywag of a pup with whom we have fallen absolutely and unequivocably in love.  In a move most controversial to our family members, we decided to call him Obama.  Our reasoning is very simple: First, like the new President, he's a cute little biracial boy, only in this case his mother was chocolate and it's dad who was cream-colored.  Second, we adopted him the day before the inauguration and we wanted to commemorate the occasion so we'd never forget when we got our first dog.  Third, like the President, we are confidant that Obama the pup will be bringing many changes to our lives.  

   My groom is completely enamored, and I am so excited that he has something to brighten up his days when work gets especially tiresome.  Brandon's a natural trainer and we have high hopes for our young son, although he's spoiled rotten already.  After the adoption was official we paraded into PetSmart and spent a small fortune getting everything our special boy could never need: specialty dental chews for his developing teeth, brain-stimulating toys, blueberry flavored snacks - you name it.  Needless to say, we were far more excited about his stuff than he was.  

  While Obama has proven to be quite the little love (all puppy kisses and happy scampering about), Brandon and I both underestimated how unpleasant potty training could be in 27 degree weather.  Every hour we bulk up in all our cold-weather gear, then drag poor Baby 'Bama out to freeze while he sits there looking at us like we're morons as we continuously chant, "Go potty!  You can do it!  Go potty!"  He has this uncanny skill to make us sit outside for fifteen minutes begging him to go, only to relieve himself the minute we give up and walk inside the door.  Lovely.  Thankfully, we live in an apartment with all the original fixtures when it was brand spankin' new in 1978, so the carpet has certainly seen rougher days.  Don't worry, we've got a date with a carpet cleaner as soon as he figures it all out.  

  Meanwhile, he has already mastered two commands that don't involve trying to guess the speed of his metabolism.  For some strange reason (I blame it on the fact that we are new parents), Brandon and I decided to teach Obama German, a language neither of us claim to know.  Thus, with the aid of pocket translators and my meager memory from German class in undergrad, we are using all German commands to train.  Whenever he hears "Achtung!" (attention), he already knows to stop what he's doing and look into our face.  I'm really excited he got that one so fast!  Next he has is "Setzen", which means sit.  He's gotten pretty good at that, although now whenever he hears "Achtung!" he immediately looks at us and sits. Could be worse.  We are quickly memorizing more German so we can continue training.  Now if we can just get him to pee outside...

Baby it's cold outside

Here I was, naive little Floridian Rachel, thinking that winter was a whole new season in which to explore fashion and style.  I was so excited, planning the knit outfits with boots, coordinating scarves and hats, wearing holiday-themed earrings and adorable pea-coats.  Of course, with it 29 degrees outside, reality is now in full swing, and this is what I have worn for the past month of cold: 

1) Two pairs of socks, one with long neck to stretch up to my knees, the other nice and thick to keep my toes warm

2) Stretchy pants that act as long johns, since I don't actually own long johns

3) Sweat pants - big, awful, purple ones (they are sooo comfy and warm!)

4) If I feel like dressing up, I'll manage to weasel into some jeans...don't even think about a skirt or thin dress pants

5) Camisole with built-in bra

6) Long sleeve stretchy shirt

7) Sweat pant-matching purple sweatshirt

8) My fantastically warm albeit not-too-aesthetically-pleasing Goodwill sweater (It keeps me nice and toasty, at the expense of looking like I've been mauled by a dog)

9) Bulky jacket that smells of Wiemeraner, even after I washed it

10) The closest, warmest scarf I can find

11) My hat I crocheted

12) Faux-fur lined boots that have a lovely crust of mud along the bottom

That's it.  That's my fantastic winter wardrobe; a hodge-podge of the thickest, comfiest, warmest articles of clothing I can get my hands on.  Gone are the days of excitement and revelry; now I know all-too well that "winter fashion" is a big fat farce.  I'm waaaayyy too busy trying to keep my tookis warm to worry about anything matching, let alone looking at all presentable to the public.  The worst part is, I will try to get away with wearing the same thing as long as I possibly can because it is too cold to shower and once I do, I must sacrifice my warm clothes to the laundry basket and search out new ones.  If that isn't gross enough, I actually found myself thinking in the car yesterday, "Man, it is a good thing I haven't shaved my legs in five months.  If I tried going smooth again, my legs would be so much colder right now!"

This, my friends, is why all our future babies will be conceived in the summer.   

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

So quickly the season comes and goes, and I can't help but feel that I was standing on the sidelines for much of this one.  Christmas is still tomorrow, I know, but I have this strange detachment since I'm not at home wrapped up in the coziness and familiarity of my family.  I have my Washington family here, no doubt, but it's just never the same.  My sweet groom, however, has made Christmas so special for me; he never fails to cheer me up.  Last night he surprised me with tickets to the Pacific Northwest Ballet's Nutcracker.  We got all dressed up and drove into Seattle for the most wonderful performance ever.  That was my Christmas.  I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, wishing every moment that I was a ballerina.  The dancers floated on air, and the symphony moved me to tears.  In attendance there were many beautiful little girls dressed in their Christmas best, holding their mother's hands and tip-toeing like the ballerinas.   Little boys in suits and ties were equally adorable, and I imagined one day holding my own children's hands on our way to that magical show.  It was truly the perfect Christmas gift, and as we walked through the snow among white-twinkling trees through downtown Seattle, I couldn't help but feel that this was one of those sweet moments that Brandon and I will cherish when we think of our first Christmas together as husband and wife.  

Frolicking with Frosty

Snow Day!!!!

Brandon got home early from work and we got to go play!  It's a winter wonderland *sigh*

Christmas in Washington

T minus Eight Days

Woah....who decided Christmas is just a mere eight days away?  Look Jesus, I love 'ya, but can't we wait until April to celebrate your big day?  I mean folks really....how are we supposed to get it all done before next Thursday?  And here's a better question:  since when have we been required to not only deck the halls and bake figgy pudding but also send out Christmas cards, buy or make Christmas presents and wrap them, see at least two Christmas concerts, attend at least three Christmas parties, run around like animals last minute at the mall, go caroling to ungrateful neighbors, visit family and friends and eat like pigs, cook like it's nobody's business for days on end, and spread holiday cheer in the form of fudge?  Why is Christmas about what we're supposed to accomplish instead of how we're supposed to feel?  And let's face it ladies....the men are NOT stressing the way we are.  So this year I am kicking my feet up and forgetting Christmas presents, avoiding fudge at all costs, and leaving up the decorations that took forever to make until mid-March.  And don't expect your Christmas card until summer.  

A Real Christmas Letter

You know how everyone always sends out those cheese-tastic Christmas letters tucked neatly away into their glittery cards?  Usually I love them...I mean, come on, who doesn't want to know the cute little story of how the Smith children out-performed all the other elementary school kids on their aptitude tests and have made the honor roll for the billionth time in a row? And who doesn't want to know about all the fabulous vacations, new cars, and promotions the Joneses enjoyed this past year?  Indeed, Christmas just wouldn't be the same if it weren't for those letters reminding us all of how insignificant our lives are compared to others.  I decided to write my own Christmas letter to pack into our cards this year, and this is a little preview of how it goes:

"Merry Christmas one and all.  This year has been pretty wonderful, and of course we wanted to share with you all the fabulous events that we've enjoyed in the past months.  Like, for example, the fact that Brandon graduated from Med school and started his residency out in the lovely Washington state with his new bride, me.  Also, we wouldn't want you to forget that we enjoyed the most beautiful wedding in May, and now are nestled in newlywed bliss.  And of course you should know that Rachel is busying working on her Master's degree in marriage and family therapy.  However, instead of going into detail about all this we thought we'd spare you the 'same old same old' and let you in on some things that you may not know.  They are as follows:

1.  Brandon is a bed hog.

2. Rachel practices therapy she learns in school on Brandon, who somehow always sees through her ruse.

3. Brandon has taken up knitting in his spare time to ease the residency stress. Unfortunately, he is better at it than Rachel and she somewhat resents him for this.

4. Rachel has a liking for vintage clothing she'll never wear, and thus is not allowed to travel to parts of the Olympia antique district without Brandon as a chaperone.

5. Brandon is the envy of all the other interns because of the killer lunches his wife packs him, which is interesting because he protests getting the same thing every day.

6. Rachel has learned the ancient art of bread-making by hand and uses this talent to bribe her husband.

7. Brandon has learned that cuddling is less expensive than turning on the heater at night.

8. Brandon has also learned that turning on the heater at night means his wife might actually shave her legs. 

9. In her spare time Rachel has taken up sewing, quilting, digital scrap-booking, knitting, crocheting, and needlepoint - and has yet to finish one project.

10. Rachel and Brandon enjoy 'thrifty date night' in which they go to Barnes and Nobles and read for four hours, then leave the store without purchasing the book.  This date night continues until their respective books are completely read.

11. Brandon makes a mean french toast on the weekends, but it takes Rachel getting mean for him to actually make it.

12. Rachel loves Brandon's uniform.

13.  Brandon does NOT love Rachel's pink felt vintage dress.

14. 440 square feet is the perfect amount of apartment space for newlyweds, assuming you own nothing.

Well there you have it, that's our Christmas letter.  We hope this year finds you all swimming in wealth and material goods...oh yeah, and peace and joy and all that too!"

*For the record, I actually do like the letters and I hope I have not intimidated you into not sending me one.  I have only received one so far this year, and unfortunately it was one of those that made me gag in my mouth.  Hence why I wrote this post.  So for the rest of you, happy Christmas letter writing!

Jingle Them Bells

With the Christmas season in full swing, I have channeled my inner Martha Stewart and have been in a crafting hyperdrive.  I'm not making gifts, mind you...simply decking the halls with as much holiday cheer as I can muster.  I'll post pics as soon as everything is completed.  Meantime, my groom is off training to save lives in combat and I am training to save stitches in knitting what with all the unfinished scarves we have in our "to-do" basket.  What I should be doing is getting ahead on school work...but somehow the desire to do so evades me.  Instead I am busy sniffing Christmas tree needles and cinnamon pine cones as I awkwardly attempt to fashion them into a wreath.  (For the record, the wreath idea was quickly abandoned in favor of a swag, which also failed to actually resemble that which I was going for.) On that note, I think it is safe to say that there is nothing that smells more lovely than fresh Christmas trees.  Like my mother, I have inherited the deep appreciation of sticking tree clippings all over my house so the smell never goes away, and hence have greenery in all sorts of hard-to-reach places.  I can't wait until Brandon sees it all!  

The Dark Days of Winter

The days have become shorter, and darkness consumes much of my waking hours.  When there is light, it is a dull gray and seems to turn the air into a raw chill.  This is, unfortunately, effecting me.  I have admittedly not been as productive as I'd like, and much of my time is spent eating or staying under the warmth of my blankets in bed.  I've decided that I need brighter lights inside the apartment, and need to schedule in more gym time.  The trouble is sticking to my schedule, however.  I've had a bad tendency to cancel appointments, outings, and activities as of late and have favored the solitude of my home.  Problem is, I've been too cold to do anything at home, either.  My groom has finally relented and turned on the heat, so I am hoping that will turns things around a bit.  

It's interesting, I never thought that such a trivial thing as light could effect me so.  I have taken for granted the years in Florida with the sun constantly shining, and while this weather is certainly more romantic, I need to continue adjusting.  I know I will, I'm of hardy Norwegian stock anyway, right?  This should all be in my blood, so I'm just waiting for that side of me to emerge and take on this foreign season.  

One Angry Voter

I'm pissed.  Yeah that's right, I said it.  Brandon and I wrote to our congressman who voted "yes" for the $700 billion Bailout, just to let him know we think he's a weenie.  Well, perhaps not in those exact words, but you get the point.  So, I am encouraging everyone I know (and so should you!) to look up their congressmen/women that voted yes and write them angry letters too.  Over 60% of Americans were against the bill, and despite that Congress still passed it.  And the market still isn't improving, and people are still foreclosing, and you know what?  Maybe that's what needs to happen so this country can humble itself a little and learn that having everything you want requires hard work.  We are among generations of people who believe that they are entitled to whatever they want because they've been spoiled their whole lives.  It doesn't work that way, and the idea that Big Brother can come in and magically clean up everyone's slop with my money really gets me going.   Anyhow, here is a website so you can check to see how your congressman/woman voted.  Let those who represent us in Congress know that we will not stand for such ridiculous misrepresentation!

The Bailout Bill: Who Voted For and Against It - The Home Front (usnews.com)

Trees outside Madigan

 This is why I love going on Post!  There are so many beautiful trees changing color, and breathing in the sweet smell of those leaves makes me realize how much I love this gorgeous place.  It breaks my heart that I can't tangibly share this; I would do anything to show my family around all the beautiful sights Washington has to offer.  Oh well...someday I hope.

Fall

   My favorite time of year has arrived.  The trees are blushing their vibrant yellows and reds, the air is thick with the smell of pine, and pumpkins are appearing at every doorstep.  I have a legitimate excuse to wear boots and scarfs, and I find myself craving apple cider more and more each day.  Cinnamon is becoming a staple in my kitchen, and I can't help but seek out a good book to curl up and read as a soft breeze comes through the window.  

   I am desperately trying to convince my friend to throw a costume party for Halloween (I will have the grandest costume balls some day - I was born for it), and I am itching to buy every overpriced garment I see in the Halloween isles.  I'm dying to add just a few wigs to my collection, but I will wait for the after-holiday sales for those.  Why do I want these?  Heaven knows.  I tell myself that I am amassing play clothes for my daughters-to-be.  If they are anything like me (and what will I do if they are not?!) they will wear at least thirteen different outfits a day and make strange headdresses out of random clothing.  It's what I do.  My sweet groom, good thing he loves me despite the fact that he married a nut!

My Husband the Hero

I just need to say that I felt like a million bucks today, and all because my husband stepped up and defended me!  Let me tell you what went down:  

I went to the post office because my friend who just lost her father needed me to overnight an outfit for her to wear to the funeral.  Of course I didn't hesitate to do it, and at the post office I was looking for the proper size box to ship it in.  As I was checking them out, this tall Asian postal worker brushed past me and didn't even excuse himself.  Whatever, I got over it.  So then I asked him if they had any thinner boxes, and he laughed at me in the most condescending manner and said he didn't know what I was talking about.  I then explained that by thinner I meant less wide or a little smaller, and he walked me over to a different section.  I got my box and started filling out addresses, and when I was ready to pay for it of course I got this same guy now behind the counter.  I explained that I needed the box shipped overnight to be received by Friday morning, if possible.  He said that the soonest they could guarantee it was by 3pm on Friday.  I hesitated for a moment because I wasn't sure if that would be good enough. As I hesitated, a man in uniform in the back room yelled to my guy, "Is that the last of the express deliveries for today?" to which my guy replied, "Yes, that is all".  I was floored!  I asked him to wait a minute and let him put my package in so it would make it in time.  He turned around to look at the uniformed guy, then looked me square in the face and said "Sorry, too late now".  Now I had had it.  The anger inside me was at a boiling point now, because not only had he been totally rude in his manner of dealing with me from the get-go, but he had the audacity to blatantly screw me over like that.  Needless to say, I took my package and marched out.  When I got home I relayed what had happened to my exhausted husband who had just gotten home from a long day at work.  When I was finished he told me to put back on my shoes because we were going to talk to the postmaster.  We walked in to the post office, my handsome husband still in his uniform and looking mighty formidable.  We asked to speak to the postmaster directly, at which point my hero expounded upon how poorly his wife had been treated and that he would not stand for it.  We only got an apology and a promise to "provide better service next time", but I got a whole lot more than that out of it than just that.  I got to see my soldier wage war on my behalf, and I got to see just how lucky I am to have someone who loves me that much.  

My best friend's father suffered a massive heart attack last night and died.  He was too young and too healthy to have expected it, if such a thing can ever be expected.  It is in these instances that we are faced with our own mortality and must ask ourselves if we are truly living life as we should.  All too often petty squabbles, depression, selfishness, pride and other such barriers jump in front of us and keep us from moving forward.  What's worse is that all too often we don't even realize it.  Or worse, we are not willing to confront it and overcome it.  So I challenge both myself and anyone who reads this to keep in mind the following as you go about your days:

*Savor each moment and don't sweat the small stuff.

*Pray and establish or strengthen your connection with your maker.  We cannot get through this life alone.

*If you love someone, tell them.

*Learn to forgive and do it often.

*Don't hold grudges.

*If you've got an issue with someone, talk to them and find a way to fix it.

*Make time for yourself, and make time for your family.  You are in control of your own schedule, and if you are not then it is time to be. 

*Indulge in something uplifting everyday, whether it is reading a good book, enjoying beautiful music, or just picking up the phone to call someone you love. 

*Engage in small acts of service.  Sometimes a smile or a friendly word is all it takes, and sometimes it is more. Either way, it is hard to wallow in ourselves when we are serving others. 

*Evaluate where you are in your life spiritually, emotionally, physically, and mentally.  If you are not where you want to be on any of these things, then take the steps to get there.  

Maybe it is because of the field I am going into (therapy), but I am a firm believer that we are in control of our own happiness.  You have to decide if you will be happy, and you have to work to sustain it.  It isn't easy and a lot of times life just isn't fair. But this much I know: it is worth the battle, and if you are not fighting then you are not trying hard enough.  You never know what day may be your last, so make it count my friends, make it count.  

My old Harem days

My theory is, if you can't find an excuse to dress up in a costume, find one!  It isn't quite Halloween yet, but for my birthday my friends knew that anything involving a head-piece would win me over, and thus our Moroccan-themed party commenced!