It's a dog's life...

So I decided the other day that I might have a slightly over active imagination. This revelation came shortly after my sister came home from Alaska. For those of you who don't know, she was there visiting her boyfriend for 9 days. Perhaps I should back up though, because there is crucial information that needs to be included here. So while Joe and I were in Oregon visiting my parents, someone tried to break into our house while my sister was here! Super duper scary...anyway. When I came home I was maybe a little freaked out about it but I did ok because Shawna was home and I had Ramsey here to protect me. Or something of that nature...haha. Those of you who don't know my dog will not get that joke. Anyway...so now to the more present day...

Shawna left and I was fine. I could sleep at night. But then after a day or so, I started to get a little bit nervous. I started hearing things in the house...noises that of course could only be made by a person...these noises would lead me to get out of bed and walk around the house, carrying something hard- usually my boot, and turning on all the lights to scare away whatever intruder was in the house. Of course no one was really there, but one night I had myself completely 100% convinced there was someone walking down the hall that I decided I had to do something.

And so began Operation Barricade Self in Room. My first line of defense was to add another protection unit in the form of Joe's dog Brody. Now Brody may not be the brightest, but he can be very mean. People might not take my dog with her floppy ears, lopsided eyes and freakish coloring very seriously, but Brody is a dog to be cautious around! So I was off to a good start. Then I installed my second line of defense- a shotgun which I named Priscilla and placed right next to my bed. I also placed a trash can in front of my door as a sort of alarm system. It's a loud trash can. That wasn't enough though so I put my rather large vanity chair right in front of the door to block it from being opened and placed a night light in the hall so I could see the shadow of anyone trying to sneak in. I took this all very seriously and made certain everything was in place before I went to sleep at night. In retrospect, I think I'm a little bit crazy! haha

To further prove my point, I spent the whole day on Monday walking around the woods and planning how Joe and I would survive an attack by dinosaurs. I actually came up with a totally legit plan in case anyone is wondering. It's all about the triceratops!




Since earlier I was speaking of my dog...I decided something tonight, while I was standing on the porch yelling my dog's name at 10 o'clock at night. My dog does not listen to me. At all. Every morning around 6, I stand on my porch and yell for my dog, who does not stay in the yard longer than 46.8 seconds after I put her out. I scream her name over and over and my obnoxious voice bounces off all the houses full of sleeping people and I think to myself, "I'm that neighbor. The neighbor everybody hates based solely on the sound of my voice, because that's the only way they know me. I'm the crazy one who's always on the porch in her pjs yelling for her dog who clearly does not respect her." And I am that neighbor. And my dog is that dog. She goes around eating the other dogs' food, eating the neighbors' toys, gloves, tools, etc., and pooping in people's yards. She gets away with it because she's sweet...and her funky coat allows her to blend into the trees so she can just sneak around destroying people's lives. At least she came back tonight. That's a bonus. I'm going to pretend that she's becoming better behaved! Haha...I do love that dog though...

Enough of my rambling...
I'm leaving for PA in 6 days- pray for my g-parents please!

And in 70 days I get to marry the love of my life! woohoo!!

When life hands you lemons...

I'm doing it! I'm writing my first blog ever! Some of you...ok, the only one of you who will probably read this (Katie), will be proud of me! So here I go...

Now since I am getting married in exactly 82 days, you'd think that my first blog would, of course, be about my excitement, my planning, my stress levels, my cake, or something else of the wedding nature. And believe me, I am more excited than I could even put into words right now...but that is not what weighs the most heavily on my mind at this moment, so I will defer those thoughts until later.

I've been thinking about the saying, "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade." I have decided lately that I do not like this saying. I think it sucks. I don't like lemons. I don't want lemons. When life gives me lemons, I would like to have the option to say, politely of course, I don't want your stupid lemons, give me something better. Something that's not sour and hard to swallow, that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth and makes my eyes water. Instead I would like...otter pops...or something of the sort.

Why all this talk about lemons? Well you see...I am starting to feel overwhelmed by all the lemons everyone seems to be getting handed right now. I feel like I am being surrounded by cancer, sickness, and death. My heart breaks every time I hear a new diagnosis for a dear friend or the latest updates on a precious family member. Granted, suffering is a part of life. We are refined through suffering and perseverance. I am well aware of that. But does that mean I have to be happy about it? I don't think so.

Anyway, so since my Mimi and my Pops have been handed a giant lemon, I am on my way to see them in three weeks and do what I can to help out. It feels strange to leave in the middle of my wedding planning and so close to my wedding day, but I know it's the right thing to do. So if some things at my wedding are a little bit funky or nonexistent...don't judge me!

Now on a brighter note, since I promise I am not all doom and gloom right now, my invitations are almost all completely printed! Only a few minor setbacks involving me smearing about fifteen of them while pulling them off the printer, but not a big deal! Have a dress fitting on Friday so I can get another box of invitations from Michael's. Which, p.s., has climbed steadily on my fave store list and is now pretty close to the top! I could spend the fortune I don't have in Michael's. I'd buy things that I would probably never use, like canvases. Every time I walk by the canvas aisle I think I should buy some. I don't know why because I have never really painted and I don't even own paint. Something about that store though...makes me think I could reach my full artistic potential...or something. Ha!

I feel like I need to say bye or something...is that weird? So...peace out!