Friday, March 30, 2012

The Story of Us- Chapter I

I sat at the computer in our dining room, scrolling through the website for the college I was currently attending, and reading and rereading the list of majors offered. “I don’t want to do any of this!” I exclaimed, feeling utterly defeated. I had recently decided against my initial major, and was now feeling totally lost. I’d taken a career assessment test after I decided to change majors, but the results seemed kind of vague, and I felt just as confused as I had been. My mother looked up from cooking supper, and said, “Then go somewhere else.” I left my seat at the computer, went to my room, and flung myself across my bed. I lay there wondering where to go from here. My childhood dreams had never included attending the college I was attending in the first place. I’d always thought I’d go to my Dad’s alma mater. I wound up at this small university, 25 miles from home, because it was close and it was safe. Several of my classmates were going there too, and I assured myself that after a couple years I’d still transfer to the college of my dreams.

Somewhere in the business of college life, I’d let the idea of transferring fade. Laying in the quiet of my familiar bedroom, staring up at the ceiling, my mother’s words rang in my ears and that lost dream became clear again. So, I sat myself back at the computer, and typed in the address for the school I’d always said I’d attend. Scrolling through the information, I wasn’t finding what I wanted to know. I found an email address and shot a quick email requesting more information. I hit send, and sat thinking maybe I should broaden my scope a little bit. I didn’t know why, but I found myself typing in the address for their rival school. Finding an email address there as well, I sent a similar email requesting more information. There. I’d taken a step. Now, it was time for supper.

Over the next few days, I still felt unsure of what to do. I had gotten a reply from the college of my dreams that told me I could find information on their website, which left me unsatisfied and discouraged. Then, I got a packet in the mail from the rival school. It contained a plethora of information on majors, applying, housing, and anything else I might want to know. Now, this was helpful. As I perused the list of majors offered, I stopped when I read the single word “Communication.” This was the same word that I’d gotten in response to my career assessment test. My interest was piqued.

To Be Continued...

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Lists

I have this thing with lists lately, it seems. There was my list of goals for the year, the list of specific prayers for the year, I have a wish list, a list of things to do...you get the idea.

This past week, I turned 29. A few weeks before, I got started thinking about turning 30, and the things I have or haven't done and accomplished. So, I started making a list. I was going to think of 30 things to do by the time I'm 30. Unfortunately, it was harder to do than I imagined. Well, that and I procrastinated. So I've come up with 8 so far. Maybe 30 things isn't realistic. What is my deal with making my lists contain a specified number, anyway? Remember 13 by 2013?

I've tried to make the items on my list reasonable and attainable. After all, I only have a year. I may add to it, but so far, here's my list:

1. Potty train Dinah (she'll be 2 1/2 by that deadline)
2. Pay off a debt
3. Visit friends/family not seen in awhile
4. Go to a MLB game
5. Do/see something new in-state (I've lived here all my life & there's so much I haven't seen)
6. Learn a new skill
7. Sift through old pics with Grandma
8. Read 2 new books in their entirety

And now, I embark on the last year of my twenties.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Birthdays, Half & Whole

Good news! This week was my birthday. I made it through another year. Whew!

There’s something special about my birthday these days. It happens to be Dinah’s HALF birthday, which was kind of a big deal last year because she was 6 months old and we started her on solid food. Hooray sweet potatoes! And this year is sort of special because she’s 18 months, so it kind of feels like a milestone. Her future half birthdays probably won’t mean as much. Well, not to anybody else, anyway.

She continues to grow and change way too fast, but she’s just getting more and more fun. She’s communicating better, partly because she’s learned a bunch of new words, and partly because she uses hand gestures to get her point across. Her personality is blossoming more and more…as is her temper. She’s a little spitfire. But, at the same time, she’s so sweet and tenderhearted.

Her favorite things at this age are her cousin Lyla, her pink boots (she always brings them to us & wants to put them on), reading books, dogs, and playing outside (especially in her sandbox or on her swing set). When I say she loves being outside, I mean she LOVES being outside. She starts pointing to the door and saying "outside" as soon as she wakes up and she wants to stay outside every second for the rest of the day.

Friday, March 16, 2012

I Get Bored Sometimes

One of the best things about my handy dandy, spiffy phone is that I have access to tons of games. They make waiting at the doctor’s office or slow days at work go by a little faster. And they’ve come a long way from the phone games of the old days. Remember snake? I liked it. Oh, but it’s no Words with Friends, is it?
The first games I downloaded when I got my phone were Angry Birds and Words with Friends. Not surprising, I’m sure. Everybody plays those. Most of the games I’ve gotten since then were in response to invitations from friends. The interactive games you play with other people are way more fun, although, I do have a couple of the single player games that I like.
Here are the games I play:

Words with Friends
Hanging with Friends
Dice with Buddies
Family Feud & Friends
Drop 7 (single player)
Jewel Solitaire (single player)
Angry Birds
Draw Something

Want to play? My username is raisingdinah.

What games do you play?


Spring

I’ve been longing for weeks to get back to some kind of normal.  The 2012 that I had such high hopes for has so far been wrought with heartache, uncertainty, exhaustion and worry, providing yet another reason to make me eager for spring.  The most trying times in my life have occurred during the dark days of winter.  Oh, but finally, I’m starting to see a glimmer of spring.  Warmer temperatures are cropping up, bringing with them bits of green, and a sign that hope is to come; hope of some normalcy returning to my life.  It’s been so long, though, that I don’t feel really sure what normal is anymore.  My insightful husband tells me that maybe it’s an opportunity to find a new normal.  I like that idea; starting fresh, along with the earth around me, like an old tree blossoming with new life.  I’m aiming for spring: a time of growth and renewal.  Here’s to a new season. 

 

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Cutting Back

Due to a change of Internet accessibility, my posts will likely be fewer and farther between for awhile. In the meantime, feel free to keep up with me on twitter. www.twitter.com/raisingdinah

Thanks for reading! I'll be around. :)