Back Pain

I have a theory….that back pain is contagious. Two of my co-workers have had their backs out of whack this past week and just yesterday I was talking to a friend here in town, and she was hardly able to walk. She could barely get out of her home to get to the chiropractors.

And so this morning, when I woke up, whatdoyouknow, my back hurts. I have this one spot on the lower right side of my back that periodically will go out and everything swells up and I walk around like an old lady all day.

And of course this happens when I'm on my way to a concert for the evening, followed by sleeping in a strange bed with someone that I don't know very well. (Don't worry-I'm not sleeping around on my husband, and then blogging about it – but I will be sharing a Queen sized bed in a hotel, most likely with one of my neighbors…hope she likes snuggling!)

So I'm wearing flats, no cute heels for the evening, and when the concert is over, I'll be lying flat on my back all night, with one of those great little bags of hotel ice under me, and perhaps a pillow to my side, to keep me from spooning anyone. I'll make sure to keep you updated!

A List for you to read

1. I have attended four showers in the past 8 days. I have decided that I love sherbet punch and I suck at fill in the blank nursery rhymes.
   
2. While on my way to the aforementioned baby shower, I realized I had not yet signed the card. There's construction on the road at a bridge, and so they have the stoplights in the middle of nowhere so you can go one lane at a time. I was stopped at the light with a car in front of me, so I decided to sign the card real quick. I pulled it out to on top of my wheel and began signing with my usual flourish – but when I pushed too hard on the pen….I honked the horn. I honked the horn, while behind another car – at a red light! I waved my hands frantically and shook my head no – "Sorry Sorry Sorry!!" I doubt they heard me though.
   
3. I had a garage sale yesterday. I forgot how serious some people are. I had a guy here 30 minutes before the advertised start time, just jamming out in his car right in front of my house. I had about 5 or 6 cars total all watching me put out my stuff and come running at about 6:55. My wonderful, sweet, awesome, badass of a husband helped me out all day. I love him. And yes, I might be trying to suck up a bit after all he did.
   
4. Mark also tilled up a garden for me. We got some green beans, peas, spaghetti squash, cucumbers, green onions, maybe some other stuff. We'll be getting some tomatoes that have already been started. Basically Mark and I have decided that we don't have enough things to argue about, nor do I have enough stuff to kill. And it will only be slightly annoying when our nice tilled up rectangle remains empty…..on our corner lot that everyone drives past. I kinda feel like a farmer who has their land on the highway.
   
5. We've had some ups and downs as a family the past few months. Health problems, job changes, and big decisions. Through it all though, I have seen the hand of God present in our lives more than ever.
   
6. I'm going to see the Civil Wars this weekend with a co-worker and some other good music devotees. I am terribly excited, and you should be jealous. If you're saying, "The Civil Wars? Who's that? I thought that was just a time in our nation's history." And to that I say, please check them out. Your ears and your soul deserve it.
   
7. We bought a king sized bed a couple months ago. Mark and I really like it! And Cody loves it. Sometimes, he's harder to get out of bed than I am.
   
8. Yes, my dog is spoiled.
   
9. There's no nine.
   
10. Or ten, sorry….apparently I am out of words for the evening. Or just the energy to type them out and make them into complete sentences, specifically sentences that make sense and are interesting.

Decorating with the husband

I love decorating my home and I tend toward the shabby chic style. Lots of antiques and re-purposed items and mainly just lots of stuff. But I love the cozy feeling and I love it all just kinda put together in a natural come-together kind of way. Tonight, after I finished my coffee filter wreath, my husband asked me where I was going to hang it....

I said, Ok, you'll have to follow me with this. I want to move the coat rack by the door out and move that mirror in the kitchen over there. Then the screen that hangs behind the tv will go where the mirror is and my wreath will either go over the screen or maybe just where the screen used to be or Maybe I'll just put it right here in the middle of this wall and move all of these picture frames somewhere else...

And my wonderful husband, he understood the whole thing, didn't question it, told me that he thought the wreath might be too big to go on the one wall and I should try it over in a corner. And then, he told me I should hot glue the scrabble pieces that spell out our last name onto their little holder so they don't get knocked off (and so my Cody dog doesn't eat anymore letters.)

How I love that guy, not only does he not question my craziness - he actually helps and encourages me.

Something sweet to say for my sweetie...

Nothing says "I love you" like Bertolli out of a bag, with a little extra cream cheese....and a little K-State basketball.

I Love You, Mark Donald. Happy Valentine's Day!

You have always had so much faith in our relationship and in me. I thank you for that. You've always been my biggest fan.

I tried saying this to you on your birthday, and I ended up blubbering like an idiot. But I want you to know that I am your biggest fan-and that I believe in you so much. You are going to make amazing things happen for our family, and I have no doubt of that. I can't wait until you are able to follow your dreams of being a farmer. And I can't wait until you are the father of our children (all 5 of them!) You are mi corazon. You are my favorite.

And you buy me massages....so I really like you too.

You are not 13...and even if you are...

Never use the word lurve...ever. Just never ever say that. Not lurve, not luurve, not lurrrve, and please never ever LLUURRRRRVVE.

Just gross.

Life Lessons

I have 25 wonderful years under me. I am a married woman, I drive a stick shift and have a college degree. And yet….. I still have no idea how to paint my toenails. I am just in general nail painting incapable. Why is it such a difficult task? I'd get them done professionally more, but it never lasts that long, and it costs too much – it costs about the same as getting a full body hour long massage here in town. So ya, the nails are not quite worth the $40 price tag to me. But then again, considering the amount of talent and skill they must have (and that I lack) I can kinda understand it.

And while we're on the subject of things that are ridiculously hard for me….have you ever noticed that the side of the Kraft Mac and Cheese box says "To Open Push Here"? There is no way that you can actually open the box by pushing there. No way, I promise. And yes, I realize the irony of talking about my maturity level and Kraft Mac and Cheese in the same blog post….whatever.

And yet I do have one redeeming factoid (factoid? Really?) to actually prove that I am a functioning adult capable of ……..well adult-type things--- when you use cling wrap or aluminum foil or something along those lines – on the sides push in the little triangle things-they will hold the roll in the box, as you pull out the cling wrap.

You are welcome.

You probably don’t want to come over if I’m cleaning

I've decided that I want to be more intentional in life. I want to be intentional about how I spend my money, how I spend my time, what I eat, etc. So, one night last week Mark and I sat down to work on our budget and talk about a "daily to do list" to help keep our house a little cleaner (a la flylady.net).

As I worked on inputting stuff onto our mint.com budget (you should definitely check out mint-easy to use, and it's important to know where you plan to spend your money and where already have spent your money) I handed Mark my chore list that I had use previously and told him to add anything or change anything that he thought needed to be done, and to add some stuff that he normally does.

I love me a list…at work I will often put something that I have already done or am in the process of doing-just so I can cross it off. Every day I check my email, and yet I still put it on my to do list, so that I just have that feeling of accomplishing something. And so I try to do a little of the same with my clean the house chore list.

But anyways, back to the list that Mark was working on. He had been trying to humor me with my sudden need for order and action, but I think he had had enough. He handed me back the list I had used before, with his few changes. On Monday nights, apparently I'm now supposed to vacuum the upstairs naked. Tuesdays call for dusting naked. And how exciting for Wednesday, can't wait until I can cross off grocery shopping naked.

So ya, I got what I was probably asking for. But I guess I've figured Mark doesn't really care if I leave clothes on the floor….just so long as mine are there as well.

Just keep swinging, just keep swinging

Well I finally did it….I got off my ass-and off this damn computer- and went running. I went to the dirt road a little down the way from us and ran "flat mile." Mark told me it's probably a 2 ½ mile roundtrip from our house. I estimated it at about 7 or 10 miles. I haven't measured it yet though to be sure, because I can't get my legs working long enough to get all the way out to my car to go drive it.

I didn't take my iPod with me, and so I was forced to sing to myself to help keep me going. I tried all those tricks I had from back when I was in 8^th grade running the two-mile for track. Yes, I even sang the President song that I learned back in 5^th grade. I kept picturing the mother of one of my classmates, yelling at me "Just keep swinging your arms!" And so I did, I kept swinging and singing the President song, repeating my memory verses for the Beth Moore Scripture challenge. And yet, it seemed when I would look back up to see the literal end of the road, it had gotten further away.

But I did it, and I'm at least one day in, hopefully with tomorrow I'll be two days into making myself healthier and more importantly, skinnier.

At least I can’t make it through the whole alphabet

I try to be very polite and courteous and considerate of others, for the most part……and yet…..

……..I just burped at work

 

I just burped at work, LOUDLY….

And someone was in the kitchen, which is right next to my office, and you can't cough and cover that up. You can't light a candle to try to hide it. There's nothing I can do.

I've never burped at work before, well maybe when I was at the bank, but that was for the entertainment value, so it doesn't really count.

I don't know what to do, how will I ever be able to walk out of my office and face anyone again?! This is pure mortification.

 

Whoops-just did it again….at least it makes me feel better!

2011 Goals

Screw resolutions, I'm going to try to make actual goals. Goals are measurable statements with a time frame. My time frame will be all of 2010, some shorter. Cause Lord knows that just saying "I'm going to try to be healthier" isn't gonna really make me change anything. So here goes…

Goals for 2011:

1. Lose 20 pounds by my sister's wedding-June 4, 2011
   
2. Memorize 24 verses, as part of Beth Moore's challenge
   
3. Create and keep track of a budget every month (notice I didn't necessarily say "stay within" – I want these goals to be reachable.)
   
4. Finish the basement of our house, and get halfway through either the kitchen or the bathroom-or at least halfway saved up to what it'll cost
   
5. Create and follow a weekly chore list (for me and Mark) because doing a little bit each day is way better than freaking out on the weekend or having a case of the CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome)
   
6. Run a half-marathon (crap I've never told anyone that-but right now, I'm all for putting it out there- you might understand why if you read my last post.)
   
7. Buy a new car-and by new I mean newer than what I have now.
   
8. Be a better wife – ok that one's kinda objective, and might not be measurable….but I'm guessing Mark would have a few things we could count (less fights and more….I'm not gonna say it, but I'm sure you can guess it.)
   
9. Get pregnant, yes another "I'm putting it out there" moment. Prayers for this one from you guys…. And maybe Mark will get a "better wife" this way.
   

That's it. That's what I've got. We'll see where we stand this time next year!

God's Blessings for your New Year!

My secret dream

On Sunday, February 1, 2009 - I wrote in a note on Facebook my "25 Things." Do you remember when everyone did that? 25 random things about yourself. I tried to then further explain and tell 25 random stories on myself on this here blog, but I didn't quite have the follow through. But anyhow, #21 on the FB list states "I secretly would love to have a job on the radio. I love music and talking, so it seems like a natural fit." And so, almost 20 months later, I began my new career at the Radio Station. I have a Marketing/Promotions position, but I also do live remotes, on air "featured businesses", and basically live my dream. I'm not even close to famous, in fact, I still feel like most people have no idea who I am in this town. But sometimes, just admitting to myself, I feel a little bit cooler than I ever had before.

I always knew that I would enjoy working in a radio station. I had considered applying while in college…but different things prevented me from ever doing so, namely confidence in myself. But I had completely forgotten that I had ever put it out there in the world, put it out in a way where others could see it.

And as I laid there that night, in bed, re-reading what my early-2009 self had wrote, I was reminded how amazing it is to have your dreams come true, even those secret dreams that you forget about and don't even consider for yourself anymore. I had at times felt like I really missed out on my calling when I left the Athletic Department, and when the job there didn't pan out the second time. I felt like I was wasting away at my job in the bank, and that I was never going to be able to find my dream job, while still living a life where my husband could follow his dreams as well. It was a stuck feeling, and a feeling of being forgotten.

But more importantly, I was also reminded that I need to have more faith in my God. That He will put me where I need to be when I need it, that He gave me my talents and abilities, so who am I to think that He wouldn't provide a way for me to use them. So while I may have a job where I "get paid to talk" as Mark and I joke, I need to also remember to be quiet more and listen and know that what God has in store for me is better than anything I can imagine for myself.

Our Christmas Card Poem

For the most part, no one really wants to read those long, boring, detailed, long, bragging, long Christmas letters. When they're funny, or when they're cute, it's ok. Now Mark and I have no kids, so there's not much chance of us being cute. But I tend think I'm funny (don't ask Mark's opinion, I don't believe we share the same thought always.) And so what we did last year, and again this year, is highlight the important (and not so-) moments of our past year through verse. That's right, a little iambic pentameter makes everything more interesting-well actually I doubt our poem is true iambic pentameter, but it's one of the few terms i remember about poetry. (it's like a horse going down the road, ba Dum ba Dum ba Dum - use two coconut halves if you need to.) And so without any further ado (because really that's some horrible ado that I just did) here's our Christmas Card poem, circa 2010. And just for fun here's last year's Christmas letter.

Then Meenen's are "living the dream"
In Clay Center, Kansas
We don't know what the dream is yet
So just don't ask us

Been married three years now
For rich or for poor
Best three years of our life
So here's to three more!

Mark had a good year on the farm
Made 50 bushel beans
We're getting closer now
To making farming our main means

Miranda's got a new job
She talks on the radio
"Radio for grown-ups"
No, it's not a porno

She's the Promotions Manager
for the KCLY Radio Mall
You should tune into 100.9
It saves money for all

Mark got a new tractor
15 horsepower, I believe
It mows the lawn perfectly
Even though the mower's green

Miranda's on a bowling team
She once picked up a 3, 7, 10 split
Her girl's night out is real fun
Though most times, they play like...amateurs

With season tickets for K-State football
And even baseball tickets too
We've had fun cheering on the Cats
Especially when they beat KU

Mark and Miranda are table parents
At church on Wednesday nights
They help to practice memory verses
And love being a part of these kids' lives

Of course there've been many weddings
KC and Denton, TX for weekends away
A cool trip to Florida last January
And great memories with friends and family along the way

Many wonderful new friendships have been forged
A new job, and we bought the next door lot
Clay Center has become our home
We like it more than we ever thought

We hope you've enjoyed our stories
Professional poets we are not
We hope you got our humor
Sarcasm we use a lot

So, the Meenen's have had a great year
We're grateful for all the blessings we've had
We wish you all a Merry Christmas
And that your New Year is real rad!