Better Late than Never... <3

So even though I was already super sappy once this week, I must share...

Since everyone in my family has a holiday birthday (Christmas, Thanksgiving, 4th of July, Easter, etc) we've always celebrated 1/2 birthdays. We used to just do cupcakes and 1/2 cans of soda to celebrate and the 1/2 birthday person got to pick a movie to watch or something silly like that. Just an extra fun day. And every time I hear someone's birthday, I instinctively think of when their 1/2 birthday is. I'm weird. It's okay.

Yesterday was my 1/2 birthday (24 1/2!!). and Jason apologized profusely for not doing anything for it. Since I started my new job, he wasn't sure if he could have stuff sent to me (flowers, etc) or where to send it, so I told him just for future reference.

But that little scoundrel cheated - he sent them a day late. :) They are BEAUTIFUL!!

I'm so excited that there are a few that haven't bloomed yet - I LOVE that!! :)

I love him

{swoon}

<3

Oh HECK YEAH!!!

So...a few months ago I posted about how excited I was to go back to school. I knew it would wear off but I was still excited.

I worked my tail off. Sorta. I could have definitely worked harder and studied more, but I'm terrible at "applying myself" as I think every teacher has told me (and most of my smart friends) but I tried harder this time than before. And I had to write my first paper in like 6 years. That sucked!

So...today's the big day to find out my grade from Spring Quarter. I was so nervous. I've called and emailed the professor and hadn't gotten a response, then I realized I was looking in the wrong spot for grades (whoops)

I

Got

An

A

!!!!!

I AM SO EXCITED!!!!

Summer classes start Monday.

Oh geez. :)

So Lucky

Jason's grandma (mom's side) had Parkinsons for a long time and had (in the year and a half we've been dating) gone from being able to walk normally to barely being able to move even with assistance in her wheelchair. Even though I didn't get to see her too often - maybe about 7 times total - I was always impressed by how this 80 year old woman was so sassy and witty. It took a lot out of her to make her sarcastic comments but she was so fun! It really was a mind over matter situation – her brain was as sharp as it was in her 20s, I’m sure, but time was getting the best of her and you could tell she was fighting it off hard.
About six weeks ago, a doctor that had been trying to figure out why she was having bad headaches often discovered that she had an advanced strain of brain cancer. He told the family she may not make it through the week but she wasn’t gonna have that – she made it five more weeks. She was such a fighter.
Jason’s mom has been so tough – she was mentally prepared for this and the emotions are starting to hit her and (as of today) she’s not doing so well. And Jason’s been so amazing. He has been helping his family so much lately in the only way he knows how – giving time, assistance, acts of service, everything. This past week I have seen a side of him that I knew was there but stole my heart all over again.
He was telling me today “Mom was crying and I felt so bad because I didn’t know what to say to make her feel better or to stop crying so I just hugged her for a really long time until she stopped crying and let go.” (I love that he honestly doesn’t realize that is exactly what she needed right then.) Right now he’s going with her to finalize some things and my heart is just so full right now with how amazing he is as a son. I’ve seen him do this type of thing for his brothers too, and even though he’s done it a thousand times for me too it’s something special to see that the person you love is really great at loving those around him.

I’m so blessed.

Ketchup...

First of all, congratulations to Ashley for getting into her program at UW!! It’s super selective and she is seriously the perfect candidate! Yay!

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There’s a commercial on the radio right now for abstinence and while I all for that, it ends with “No sex, no problems”. I think that’s just misleading.

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I’m seriously overwhelmed with trying to come up with a fun idea for Jason’s birthday. It’s the weekend after 4th of July and he and I both have the Thursday/Friday after the 4th off so he has told me he is expecting something cool. I just can’t think of anything. I went as far as looking into flying somewhere random (like…Milwaukee) or driving to Portland, Vancouver, WA or Vancouver, BC but once we got there – then what? I’m still looking into events in different cities, but since it’s a holiday weekend it’s still super tricky.

I was complaining to him about how hard this is (and also learned that, no, he does not want to skydive or bungee jump) and was saying that I can’t even go off what he has done for my birthday to get ideas because it’s nearly impossible to do anything significant for my birthday, as it’s right before Christmas. Even eating dinner at the Cheesecake Factory turns into a “situation” because everything gets SO busy. And now that I work at Amazon, time off in Nov/Dec is practically unheard of (until after Christmas) so Jason’s birthday next year won’t be any easier. Sigh.

The only idea that has seemed remotely possible is going to Moses Lake for a day or two and renting Jet Skis and going bowling, etc. But we could just do that here and then his friends or brother(s) could go with him. Sigh. And his neice/nephew will probably be born that week too, so maybe staying in town is the way to go. Lame.

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Saw this on Weddingbee (http://www.weddingbee.com/) – a scrapbook in a cd case with the journaling throughout the book being the lyrics to only one song (“Better Together” by Jack Johnson – which I adore, by the way). So cute. Must do.

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My Macroeconomics final is tonight. I’ve done VERY well in the class (including bonus points and such, I currently have 100% on both tests, and class participation points) but I haven’t gotten the score from our big paper and obviously the final to know what I will get in the class. I “just” need a 3.0 to get my scholarship for the rest of the year. Pretty sure I will be okay, but cross your fingers! The professor really likes me and is the Dean of Students at the Community College so getting on his good side was a smart move for me. :)

Ummm that's all...just thought I'd ketchup (har har har)

Makes my mouth water....

I'm the world's worst water drinker. Okay, maybe not, but I'm bad at it. I'll take Diet Coke any day, but that's SUPER unhealthy so I have to force myself. What do you know, the world of food loves me (obviously) and made some "make water better" fun stuff. Here are my ratings:

Crystal Light On the Go

Designed for a 16.9 oz bottle of water

Only 5 calories per serving

Taste rating: A-

Walmart Great Value Crystal Light Knock-off

(Can't find a pic online)

Designed for a 16.9 oz bottle of water

only 5 calories per serving

Taste rating A+

Kool-Aid Singles

Designed for 8 oz of water

30 calories per serving.

Taste rating A-

(too sugary for grown-ups…and kids!!)

Capri Sun Sport On the Go

Designed for a 16.9 oz bottle of water

25 calories per serving

Taste rating D-

(I LOVE Capri Sun but this was seriously gross. Actually, it made me not like life for a few moments.)

My favorite is definitely the Great Value from Walmart/Sam's due to the low calories and great taste. Kool-aid is SO sugary and you use 2 packets for a normal water bottle when the rest only use 1, and the Capri Sun, that's just mean.

Just some flavor for your water. :)