Too Young to Die

I have been working later the last few weeks, but I work at home, so it's no big deal. However, I've been training at work this week, so I've been leaving at 8:15ish by myself when the building is scarce.

It's not bad enough that I'm walking to my car late at night as a pretty girl, but this is what I got to see last night in one of the world's sketchiest elevators... I would have taken the stairs, but that's just as bad in my mind (how do you outrun a pyscho in the stairwell?!). I spent the entire time praying the bag would not start moving.

Mysterious Ways

An example of my husband's stupid brilliance/pure luck (and that God still works miracles):

Chris woke up yesterday remembering he was to have finished a book (that looked to be about 350 pages) before yesterday because he was to be tested on his knowledge that day. A book he hadn't even started. He has classes in the morning, so he definitely did not have time to read an entire book. Boy, was he ever in a panic!

His solution: he looked up online the theme and summary of the book (cliff notes, basically) and while WALKING to his class, he opened the book randomly to one page so that he would have a specific example he could draw from the book.

When the test was passed out, here is what that man was tested on: the first four questions were about the theme and summary of the book. The fifth question was a specific example taken out of the book. The very example he opened his book randomly to that very morning. What's worse? Those who had actually read the book were completely confused because they had read the entire contents of the book and could not remember this specific example.

Are you serious?! Granted, I said a little prayer for him because he was so worried, but I NEVER expected him to Ace the test. The Lord helps those who help themselves, and this man hardly did anything in the way of preparation... Oh, well. Counting my blessings. :-)



Also, on a completely different note, here is Christopher petting my sister's cat, Luke. We called this guy Louie because we could not remember his name. This is why we are never getting a cat...

It's Autumn Time

I forgot to tell you a few months ago, I was released from my calling in Nursery and asked instead to be the Primary Chorister (singing with the kids ages 3-12).  Um, hello?  Have you met me?  OF COURSE I WILL THE PRIMARY CHORISTER!!  Could this be any more perfect for me?  Kids + Singing + Fun activities = Every day of my life (ideally...).  Unfortunately, this lasted a quick second  because Chris and I moved out of the ward about 2 months later.  Sadness all around.

The calling may be gone, but those songs have been with me my whole life (thanks, mama), and will stay with me the rest of my life.  I love each of those songs.  With living right near Old Town in Fort Collins, and seeing the gorgeous trees, I have one song in particular stuck in my head a lot lately.

Cheesy, I know.  But if this is what you got to see every day, you would fully forgive me making you listen to that song.  (We both know you listened to it twice.)

I don't care for the cold times one tiny bit.  Not one bit.  I do, however, love the vibrant colors.  I love the days when the temperature is just warm enough to wear fall clothes without a jacket.  I love winter clothes.  I love that the holidays are just around the corner.  I love the decorations, the smells, the feeling.  I love autumn.

Another thing I love is making new friends.  Anyone who isn't behind me in the interest is a liar.

Last semester, Chris took a Marketing Class where he made a new friend.  A fellow Mormon.  Through discussion, he found out that Calvin was to be married soon.  Jackpot.

Yesterday, Chris went to his usual Saturday football game, but managed to drag me along this week.  I was there to watch, but my friend Brittney and I went to Target instead as our hubs ran around the Oval with a football.  

After the game, I finally met the infamous Calvin, and Chris had made plans to sit with Calvin and his new bride at the adult session of Stake Conference last night, where we made further plans to get together.  Chris hates dinner and board games to get to know people.  So Mormon.  I actually love it, but Chris just feels so awkward, so instead, we made plans to carve pumpkins.

This is too perfect for me.  We had a great night laughing, carving, and attempting to bake pumpkin seeds.  I can't get enough Fall activities, and it's always so much better with friends.  (And we didn't even have to use our safe word in case they were lame, so that's always good.)

This just makes me want to hop on Pintrest and go nuts!!  (Maybe this time next year when I have a home.)

It's Autumn time, it's Autumn time!

Que Sera, Sera

I love consistency.  

I love knowing what my game plan is and where I'm going.  I plan everything, and put events and reminders in my beloved phone daily.  I love knowing that I work Monday through Friday, 8-5.  I love knowing who I will see at work, who I will speak to, the challenges I am likely to face, and how my evening will lay out (working on my laptop in bed, catching up on my favorite shows while Emmi naps on my legs-- I'm a bit of a workaholic.).  I love knowing when Chris leaves and returns from work, his class schedule, and quite frankly, when he might need to take care of his business. (Sorry, you simply minds.  Everybody Poops.  Check it out sometime.)

I am a planner.

Lately, I have spent most of my time dreaming and trying to plan for the future.  It.  Is.  Frustrating.  I have no doubt that my planning is most frustrating for Christopher, who has to deal with my whining and complaining when life doesn't head the way it was supposed to.  I don't handle unplanned change very well, and I don't handle not getting my way very well.  (I'm a bigger person for admitting it.)

Plans for my life have had a couple changes so far:

Age 12-  Live in my parents' basement for the rest of my life, unmarried, of course

Age 16-  Serve a mission for my church when I turn 19 (about a year and a half)

Age 18-  ???

Age 18-  Take a few years to just figure out life while trying to avoid marriage as long as possible

Age 18-  Attend Oklahoma State University for Music Education

Age 18-  Attend the University of Northern Colorado for Music Education

Age 19-  Grow up a little Emotionally (pfff...) while still trying to avoid marriage

Age 20-  Marry Chris.  Whether he likes it or not.  Have kids immediately.

Age 21-  Buy my first home with Chris

Age 22-  Wait a few more years for kids.

Age 22-  Live happily ever after...

Chris's life is a little more flexible:

Age 18-  Join The Church of Jesus Chris of Latter-day Saints

Age 21-  Serve a two year mission for the church

Age 23-  Get hitched

Age 15+-  Get a good job.  Figure it out as it comes

He's doing better than I am.  Thanks for the reminder.  I just have to have plans.  And if they change, they change because I say so.

Well...

As life usually does, we've been thrown a few curve balls.  (You might remember me saying something along those lines right here.)  There is not much I can do in the way of making a plan.  Luckily, I'm great at problem solving (when I'm not instructed to be by Chris).  Clearly, if I make one game plan, I'll probably end up with another life altogether.

Solution:  I am going to list a few game plans, so when one falls through, and another seems more logical, I can pretend that was the goal all along.  (Some people call this a back up plan, but each of these scenarios are Plan A, so how can one be a back up?)  Here goes.

PLAN A

Chris will graduate college in may 2012, and we will immediately move to Milwaukee, WI where he will obtain a job at the Corporate Office of the company he has spent the previous three years working.  Housing is much cheaper than it is here in Fort Collins, so with low living expenses and Chris's (obviously) high income, I can stop working and become a momma.

We will likely live in this house.  6 bedroom.  Cheaper than a 1 bedroom house in Fort Collins.
Four car garage.  3100 Square feet.  This is true happiness.  Obviously.

These are the newly remodeled guts of our future home,
so I won't have to do anything.

PLAN A

Similar to the previous PLAN A, we will move to Wisconsin, but we may live in another home.  Still incredibly cute.  That is non-negotiable.  I will continue to work for OtterBox forever while I'm a mamma, but in another area (or possibly the same one if I'm able to move my equiptment.  Hint?).

PLAN A

Chris will get a job in Denver, and we will live there.  In an apartment high above the town.  Cool view, cheapish rent, temporary until we need a safe place for kids to play.

PLAN A

I'll have a happy surprise, and we'll bust chops to get by in our tiny 1 bed room apartment (or the basement of Chris's parents' home).  Luckily, I'm going to have freakin' cute kids.

PLAN A

Neither of us will work, I'll probably be infertile, and we will go around with a traveling circus.  I'll grow out my ginger facial hair and Chris will turn into a balding cartoon clown who juggles whatever we happen to have in the trunk of our car when the show starts.  I will likely develop diabetes.  And Chris will have lost all his teeth.

PLAN A

Chris will get pregnant and I'll be the breadwinner.

PLAN A

Yeah...
It's not ideal, but I'm really trying to plan for whatever could happen.

PLAN A

I'll stop being so stubborn and just trust Chris to get it figured it out.  There are too many Chiefs in my marriage, and not enough Indians.  

Que Sera, Sera.

What will be, will be.