Seriously people, it’s Valentine’s Day. Yes, it’s a contrived holiday created by American consumerism. Yes, it is much better when you’re in a relationship. But when you’re not, it’s not the end of the world. Celebrate your friends, your families, people who mean anything to you. It’s a day not only to show appreciation for significant others but just to give a heightened appreciation to everyone in your life that you overlook or don’t give enough attention to on a daily basis.
Today, I am thankful for those cynics who tried to bring down the mood for everyone. Because 9 times out of 10 I saw many people trying to turn their attitude around and paying attention to what the holiday should be. <3
So, life has been insane.
There were the holidays. Then there was January when I worked four to five days a week while in school. Now it’s February when I’m working five to six days a week while in school. But, I think I should start posting here again.
Two days from now my Dad will have been gone for six months. Which is kind of terrifying. So, I’m making an effort to remember what I am thankful for in life. And today, that thing is the chance to start over again with a clean slate. :)
I’m currently on my way down to Georgia for my uncle’s funeral. It’s not been a great trip so far and my mom has already gotten a ticket before we passed the first state line.
Fortunately, I have a smart phone. And I can play words with friends and just ignore everything else. Although my friends tend to actually have jobs or work to do so only my sister who is in the car with me is consistently playing. But I’m still thankful for the somewhat educational distraction.
So in an effort to spruce up our very pathetic yard, we cleaned the leaves away today. Traditionally, that would entail easily five to six hours of labor and just as many blisters.
Fortunately, my mom chose to do something untraditional. My next door neighbor has a behemoth leaf blower. It is the size of a lawn mower and you simply push it along and tell entire piles of leaves where to go. Today I am thankful for cleaning our entire yard using technology and coming out on the other side sans blisters.
Today I’m thankful I slept on an actual bed last night. After a week on an air mattress, I was ready for some actual sleep. Last night I finally got some after I forced myself to stop inhaling cookie dough at a rate faster than light speed.
So, I am incredibly thankful that there was a real bed available for me to sleep on for as long as I could before I had to wake up super early for an eye exam.
After a stressful day of driving back to my home state after not sleeping well at all, I had a relatively great day. I got home, unpacked, read the Christmas cards that had accumulated after being gone for a week. Then I went to my boyfriend’s home for Sunday night dinner, when they invite over extended family to catch up every week.
I drove home from my boyfriend’s because I have a 9 am optometrist appointment in the morning and I started to feel a little sour again. So I resolved to stop by the grocery store and pick up new milk, which we needed for breakfast in the morning, and some chocolate chip cookie dough to eat away a small portion of my worries.
When I walked in the door this evening, my mother came to meet me. Apparently, my uncle passed away late Saturday night or early Sunday morning. He was not the best uncle in the world and in fact has had problems with alcoholism his entire life. But apparently he had an ulcer and had severely hurt his back last week. He was taking over the counter medication to dull the pain, but in combination with his ulcer he suffered a heart attack.
A day like that does not leave a girl with too many things to be thankful for. My family is now going through another funeral much too close after the last one. My mother lost one of her younger brothers in addition to everything else that has happened this year. But, the one thing I can resolutely be thankful for is the chocolate chip cookie dough I am currently munching on that magically allows me to somehow keep going despite everything that is transpiring in my life.
I don’t know why, but I have always loved weddings. There’s something great about standing up in front of everyone and declaring love for another person, even with the statistics that prove most of them will end in divorce.
Today I am going to the wedding of one of my extended cousins. I’ve never been to a wedding in winter, so I’m intrigued to see how it will look. But no matter what, I know I’ll enjoy the experience.
This week has been amazing. I was able to drive down to visit extended family and stay with a good friend who graduated this year and is now in graduate school.
It was wonderful to just spend the week lazing around in his apartment and hanging out. Also, he has an absolutely adorable cat. So that was fun too. And when he was at school, I just played Fable III. So, all around awesome week.
So my grandfather’s house that my Mom grew up in for the latter part of her childhood was sold in March.
Apparently, the huge tree that was always outside the house fell down like two weeks after the house was officially sold. Which I just found out today. So thanks to mother nature for waiting for the sale to be official.
I honestly believe no explanation is necessary. Burritos make a day wonderful. As taste yummy.
