why Bobby Ham is so wonderful #3

He always warns me when there is a dog around, and stands between the beast and me. And he doesn't make fun of me about it, either.

why Bobby Ham is so wonderful #2

During Christmas break, walking on the boardwalk, holding hands.

why Bobby Ham is so wonderful #1

When I was walking toward the apartment, after doing a bit of shopping, Bobby called to see where I was, and asked if I had eaten. I said no, he said good. I thought, sounds like this evening is working out well for me.

I walked up the stairs, hoping that the smell in the hallway was the smell of my dinner. Opened the door and sure enough, Bobby had cooked me something that smelled a whole lot like sweet curry. He sat me down and served me the cashew curry with chicken he made, and it was so yummy. When we were done, he packed some up for me to have for lunch today. And he remembered to tell me to look out for the bones in the chicken because the chicken I had at dinner he'd bought without bones especially for me, but I ate all of that, so now there's bones in the chicken.

I'll fall too

I can’t believe I forgot to write down one of the funniest events of the Christmas trip. On the 26th, Carol (Bobby’s mom), Bobby, myself, and the twins went up to Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center at Cape Disappointment, and then walked over to the lighthouse. On the muddy path there, Zarah tripped and slid, sliming her leg and her new clothes. Understandably, she was upset. So Alex said, completely serious, to her, “If it will make you feel better, I’ll fall too.”

How sweet and hilarious is that? I love those girls.

Fortune cookie computer

So you know that little dialogue box that pops up when you hover your mouse over a desktop icon? The one the tells you what it is and gives you a little description? Right. Well here's a quick run down of what they read at OHSU.
My Computer: Displays the files and folders on your computer
My Network Places: Displays the computers on your network
Recylce Bin: If you think you are, you really are.

My recycle bin is giving me fortune cookie messages.

cuties

I am so hungry. Stuck at my desk, starving. At least I have pictures of baby and four year old Bobby, and a wicked hilarious picture of one year old, terrified twins with Santa.

vacation

The drive to Montana to get the girls was grueling, leaving me exhausted and stiff. It was well worth it, though. All those hours with my beloved and getting to spend Christmas with two of the coolest girls in the world. It was well worth the hours crammed in the car, the fast food meals, the scary passage through Montana in a snow storm, that awful rest stop (check Bobby’s blog for a description. Ugh), the knee pain, and the little cold I picked up along the way.

Christmas in Ilwaco was good, I like Bobby’s family, and they seem to like me, which is nice. I was given more presents than I know what to do with, and was wicked excited to see people, Bobby and the girls especially, excited about the gifts we got them. I got to see the lighthouse at cape disappointment, get a tour of Bobby’s past, and walk down the beach, in the sun, holding hands with my darling.

Missing my family only got really bad once, and it wasn’t so much wishing I could be with them right then, but wishing I could be with them years ago when everyone was still together.

And the most random incident of the holiday, Skylarr called and left me a message wishing me and Bob a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

tomorrow

One of my first thoughts when I woke up this morning was "Oh. I wish it were tomorrow."

Bobby and I wrapped everyone's presents last night while listening to the Peanut's Christmas Special Soundtrack. Being a couple is so much fun.

Thanks to Amanda, Melissa, and Missi for the fantastic Christmas Party. I appreciate the work you do to host us all.

what a potentially depressing day

survey says

I've been typing people's comments from feedback forms that were filled out at a recent conference my office put on. Some of these people say ridiculous things.

Under the question "What changes do you expect to make in your workplace as a result of the material presented in this program today?"
"I have peers and further assistance" (Yes, but do you have grammar?)
"To find a beginning to begin to make changes" (to which a co-worker responded, is that supposed to be a haiku?)

When asked what the attendees would change about the conference, one responded,
"no lunch class"

When asked: "What part of the material presented today, do you applaud the most?"
"only time will tell" (more attempts to be poetic?)

Under "additional Comments"
"This was a wonderful "kick in the pants" for me, I needed the "boost up"

And in a section of the feedback form where you rate items from 1-5, someone scribbled in a comment under the "folder content" section that said, "too much paper!" Which makes me wonder what they were expecting their folders to contain. Engraved metal slabs? A felt board and figures with which they can reenact the conference?

he's the best

Can I brag about something for a minute? I have the best boyfriend, ever. Last night Bobby was making me dinner, as he so often does, and he asked me to stir the sauce while he went across the street to buy us something to drink.

And what does he walk back through the door with? Flowers, a card, and chocolate to congratulate me for doing well my first term at PSU. How sweet is that?

adult?

Sending Christmas cards makes me feel like an adult.

My boss bringing me peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for breakfast does not.

I was talking to a co-worker yesterday and for reasons I don't recall, the period of time when I had no where to live came up in conversation. And it got me thinking about how strange my life has been and how wonderful God is. Technically, I've been homeless before. I've never been close to having to sleep on the streets, there have always been kind people more than willing to take me in for a few days or a few months. But still, for many months I didn't live anywhere. And now I'm working at a decent job, I have an apartment of my own, and I'm sending out Christmas cards for heaven's sake. It's so bizzare and so great to see how far God has taken me.

hijack this

Hey everyone! Look at Bob's band's updated website: Reclinerland
One of my favorite features of the sight is a fantastic picture of Bob with a total drummer face.

My work computer has been hijacked. Stupid internet.

I'm so glad that I'm going to Montana on Tuesday! Only five days to wait. I'm also so glad that wearing my mom's wedding ring still tricks guys into thinking I'm engaged or married.

the never ending story gave me nightmares

In a dream I had last night Bob and someone I don’t know were playing around in a hole in a house, and the hole was the end of the universe, and there was nothing there. But it was the like the never ending story sort of nothing, not like lack of matter sort of nothing. Bob was jumping in it and grabbing onto the fragments of existence, and then jumping back out, and every time he was wearing different clothes, because the fragments of existence aren't very solid and so his outfits didn't hold together very well. But then I fell in and I wasn't strong enough to hold on the last bits of solid matter, and I fell into the nothing and it was really scary, suspended in nothing, completely alone, in a state of complete sensory deprivation. I woke up feeling really panicked; the dream was scary as it was happening, though it’s funny to me now.

Another busy Monday morning

afer a long, productive weekend. How weekends are supposed to be, I think.

One week and one day until we go get the girls!

this is going to be harder than I thought

Last night I finished my first term at a real university. I did not do as well as I would have liked. I will have to work harder next term.

things I learn while wearing a skirt

Steps to Avoid Unwanted Male Attention

1) Never make eye contact
2) If accidental eye contact occurs, do NOT smile
3) If an automatic response smile occurs, look away immediately and increase hostile body language
4*) If all else fails, begin speaking to yourself

*Thanks to Bobby for the addition of this fourth step

kitty

There were no bow ties on the bus this morning, but I did sit next to a woman that smelled like kitty litter.

festive

This morning, my bus driver was wearing a bow tie made from ribbon you use to wrap presents. It was silver and sparkly.

dreidal master

Today I mastered the game of the dreidal, and won all the chocolate gelt. Now I have lots of chocolate and feel like a winner.

picture

I don't like all the exploding dog pictures today, but I did enjoy this one.

in response to Jasmine's post

I have also discovered the love of all things penguin and wearable. I have two penguin shirts, one that is pink, with two penguins and a heart, and one penguin is wearing a tie. The other shirt is blue with a little bundled up penguin that says "I'm cold, hug me."

So freaking cute.

I want a nap

I am struggling so hard to stay awake right now. I will not fall asleep at work... Oh my it's hard though, my limbs are heavy, eyelids drooping, vision blurring, thought slowing...

weekend update

Halfway done writing the paper, with (hopefully) all the research finished. I'm not quite sure I have enough information to stretch this out for ten pages. It's also rather difficult to put the thing in some sort of order.

I will not stress out about this. I had a great weekend, overall. Got to hang out with Cherise and talk about her big news, as well as pick out some pants and shoes that my work is going to buy me for Christmas. I had a lot of fun researching and writing the first part of my paper, hanging out with Bobby while he wrote his paper, getting to see Pedro the Lion play, and getting a wonderfully cute pink Pedro the Lion scarf.

anxiety

I will not freak out about this Russian history paper. I won't. I have a week to write it, I have a lot of research done already. Everything will be fine. I need to believe this. I feel very anxious.

regret

I wish that I were not so tired, and that I were doing better in school.

feeling worn out

Today is a struggle. I feel really depleted. I won't really have time to rest for a week and a half. I need to better learn to rely on God's strength and not my own.

"And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Cor. 12:9-10

penne

I exauhsted myself enough yesterday that even though I slept for about eight and a half hours last night, I was still tired (and hungry) enough to fall asleep on the bus and dream about pasta.