Day 08- A Moment

A blogworthy moment I suppose? Or perhaps just a moment I can't forget? One that inspired me? One that speaks to my character? A transcendent moment? (Thank you, Brad Maule)

Hmm...

On my last choir tour in 2010 we were singing "Choose Something Like A Star" from Randall Thompson's Frostiana. Dr. King always told the story of his choir singing it after a classmate had passed away so it made the song mean something more each time. At one of the schools I couldn't sing because I couldn't stop crying. I was doing fine and then I looked at TK and something in his face moved me so. I tried looking around the high school choir room for something to distract me from the crazy emotion I was feeling but then I looked at our choir and stopped on the face of Jake Taylor (a good friend) and what was he doing? Crying too! I noticed a few other red faces and really couldn't stop crying. We were a family doing something we all loved to do, together, and it was amazing.

I guess that's something that fits all of those categories of what kind of "moment" I should write about.

Here the poem from the song:

O Star (the fairest one in sight),
We grant your loftiness the right
To some obscurity of cloud --
It will not do to say of night,
Since dark is what brings out your light.
Some mystery becomes the proud.
But to be wholly taciturn
In your reserve is not allowed.

Say something to us we can learn
By heart and when alone repeat.
Say something! And it says "I burn."
But say with what degree of heat.
Talk Fahrenheit, talk Centigrade.
Use language we can comprehend.
Tell us what elements you blend.

It gives us strangely little aid,
But does tell something in the end.
And steadfast as Keats' Eremite,
Not even stooping from its sphere,
It asks a little of us here.
It asks of us a certain height,
So when at times the mob is swayed
To carry praise or blame too far,
We may choose something like a star
To stay our minds on and be staid.

I miss choir...

Here's a YouTube video of the song. Not us. I want our recording..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dg2iE2ixeE

Day 07- Your Best Friend

I totally typed "Breast" the first time. Oh Bethenny..

I've had so many "best" friends over the years that I don't know who is currently in that spot! I mean, obviously Steven is my best friend because he's my husband and we do everything together and tell each other everything (I hope?), but as far as outside of marriage friends... Hmm...

Most recently has to be Lara Dixon. She and I became super close last year and I just adore that girl! She is so free spirited and hilarious. We are so goofy when we are together. We grew closest over choir camp 2009. She and I shared a hallway as counselors and had a great time getting to know our girls. On the last night of camp it is tradition for the kids to order pizza and it's insane and pretty pricey for the kids. By the time the pizza gets there the kids are not allowed to go down to the lobby to get their order or pay the driver so we collect the money (which rarely includes tips) and try to figure out whose pizza is whose. Lara and I had the brilliant idea to go to Taco Bell and get those party packs that have 10 hard/soft tacos or 10 bean burritos and they would all give us like, $3. So we gather the dough and head to TB. We got three packs, one of each and ended up making like $7 a piece after we gave them back their change (muahaha). We got to eat all the leftovers too, so it was an awesome deal. Afterward we hung out in my room and dyed my hair and had a blasty blast.

Once school started we got even closer and spent most of our days together. In the spring she convinced me to take tap (while pregnant) and it was so much fun! We developed an ICEE addiction together. It was most joyous. I miss her face now. She's about to have her first baby and I can't wait to see him!

Oh delicious ICEE... How I long for thee.

Day 06- Your Day

I planned to write this yesterday and talk about Saturday, but Steven was off yesterday and he sticks his flag in the laptop on his days off so I couldn't write.

So I'll write about yesterday!
Peyton sleeps with me so Steven and I have been sleeping in separate beds for the last... 3 months? Maybe? It's not a terrible thing considering the beds we have are fulls and they are barely big enough for him and me let alone add a baby in between us. He enjoys having his space to sleep however he wants and I don't have to hear him snooze his alarm from 6:30-8:00 am. Well, because he was off yesterday we decided to have a sleepover in the living room on our queen sized air mattress Saturday night. It was fun. We stayed up watching Judge Judy and just enjoying being in the same bed again.

Since the sun shines into the living room in the morning Peyton woke up at 7:30 (le sigh). We changed her into some clean clothes because he diaper had leaked a little onto her jammies. Then she and I played on the air mattress for a couple of hours before Daddy woke up. She was up for almost 4 hours before her morning nap! I was shocked. She's hardly up for 2 before her first nap normally. She went down for about an hour and then we got up and started doing stuff.

We've had a flea problem and finally had a chance to use the spray I bought. Steven and I cleaned up the bed in the living room and put everything away so I could vacuum every inch of the carpet. I took Peyton and Maddie outside so that Steven could spray the flea stuff. It was so nice yesterday. After Steven finished spraying we went for a long walk. We walked up to Main St. and then down to the river. Peyton got to see the river, a few other dogs and lots of people. She even got to see a homeless couple's "shelter" across the river. (so sad) We got back to the apartment and I fed her lunch out on the patio while Daddy vacuumed the floor again.

We came inside and played for a little while before her afternoon nap. She slept for another hour and then woke up for more play time. She wandered all over the living room pulling up on the couch, the stool and her exersaucer (giving me heart attacks). Daddy and I watched MythBusters on NetFlix all day and I did 4 loads of laundry. I don't understand how we can have so much laundry in one week. Part of it was sheets, but still.

Peyton had green beans for dinner and then played some more. Daddy wasn't feeling good so I didn't have to make dinner (yay!) but I made some rice for us later. Around 8:30 Peyton and I got ready for bed and read a story. We went to bed at 9:00 and that was my day!

Day 05- Your Definition of Love

Love is a many splendid thing. Love lifts us up where we belong. All you need is love!

That being said, love is different for everyone in some ways but it's exactly the same in others (I think..). Love takes a hold of you sometimes by surprise but it's hard to deny that feeling you get when you see the person. Whether it's a great friend, your lover (haha), a family member or your child (yes, I am aware that children are your family members), your heart warms and you can't help but smile.

So my definition of love is a heart warming, smile spreading feeling that makes you want to do anything in the world to make that person happy. Love is feeling that you would sacrifice your happiness to make that person feel better because in return you are happy that they are happy.

So sing to love, love we never knew before. Let it flourish and bloom forever more.

Here are my loves.

Day 04- What You Ate Today

I'm writing what I ate yesterday since today just started.

Breakfast:
Two flour tortillas with honey butter
Glass of water

Lunch:
Two turkey tacos with salsa and cheese
Glass of water

Snack:
5 gnocchi with garlic butter and Parmesan cheese
Glass of water

Later Snack:
2 cookies

Dinner:
2 bowls of spaghetti (I don't know why I was so hungry!)
Pepsi
Glass of water

Zee end!

Day 03- Your Parents

So many parents!

My mama

With Peyton of course! A fabulous lady whom I adore and am so glad to live close to! She is a strong and loving mother who raised 6 kids who are all thriving and reproducing like rabbits. She is a crazy cat lady (but will not admit it) with 5 broken cats. Fred, Tigger, Gary, Gabe and Dewey. We love them all and love her for taking such good care of them (and us!). My mom has always been everyone's "mom." All of my sisters friends used to call her Mom. She's easy to talk to and always has been. I love to watch her interact with Peyton and all of her grandchildren.

My Dad

I was such a daddy's girl when I was little. Well, I guess I was both a mama's and a daddy's girl. Anyway, after my parents got divorced I hardly ever saw him. Like, twice I think. It was hard for us, but I know it was hard for him too. When the four youngest kids were moved to Texas to live with him I blamed him more than my mom for sending us, but it was absolutely a blessing. We all got reconnected and got to connect to Cindy (my stepmom). When Steven and I moved to Washington I cried for two days after saying goodbye to my dad. Silly, I know, but everybody has left them! We will visit, don't worry about never seeing Pey!

Cindy

This is from a play they did together. It was super cute.

Cindy has two boys (older and married) so she was excited to suddenly have two teenage stepdaughters to dress up. She's a very thrifty shopper and would randomly bring us an outfit from an excursion to SteinMart or a consignment shop (I just stopped getting those packages once Peyton arrived hehe). She got me through my first hard break ups. We had ours fights too, but I know she's always there for me.

There, Day 03, like waaay late.

Day 02- Your First Love

My first love (singing Endless Love)

Well let's see what we consider as love. Butterflies, can't wait to see him, can't think of anything but him? That was 6th grade. But if we're talking in love I'd say that was high school into college. Why not do both?(Since I'm a day late on this anyway!)

6th grade first love was Steve Mann. We were "going out" for not all that long, but something about that boy made my heart go pitter pat. I used to race home from the bus stop and wait for him to call. Because that's what you did when you had a boyfriend in 6th grade. You waited to have that 5 minute long conversation about nothing and you skated the couple skates when you had skating parties once a month.

First in love was John Green. It seems weird to write his name. We don't even speak to each other anymore. We were such good friends and then it became more. We dated for 2 1/2 years and it was a great relationship. We were so stupid together! It was a fun, carefree love. I don't really know how to go any further into the relationship without feeling like I don't deserve to care about him anymore. I ended the relationship and really ruined any chances of a friendship. But I really miss his friendship. I miss his goofy hair and ridiculous laugh. I find myself wanting to write him a letter apologizing for hurting him the way I did. I want to tell him how proud I am of everything that he has done for himself. But I figure he doesn't care to hear from me so I never write it.

Isn't this supposed to be a happy post? Haha!

So anyhoo, Love love love! My current loves are Steven and Peyton and I love them with all my heart!

On to Day 03!