Oh How I Have Missed Thee! Note To Self.....

How on earth do I let my life get so crazy that I stop blogging?? No more. I have decided to make a commitment to myself (and my loyal 14 readers) to write once again! But it isn't enough to just say I am going to do it. Many of the blogs I love have a theme for different days. I have decided to implement this idea myself. As of.......now!

Mondays will be Life List Day! Every Monday I will share with you a "To Do" item from my life list. I would love to hear some of your ideas too!

Wednesdays I will share a "Note To Self" moment from throughout the week. I find myself learning new things everyday, and feel as though I am depriving you all of all of my new found Educational Gold Mine.

Yeah....so, those are the only ideas I have. But I welcome any thoughts that you may fancy.

Before I get to the only reason you are all still reading this post, (Clearly my new Note To Self moment), let me catch you up on a few things.....

And you are all caught up. Okay DRUM ROLL PLEASE.....

Note To Self:

 When "stalking" an ex on Facebook, do not accidentally friend request him.

Peacocks and Romantic Walks

Wow, I suck at the upkeep of a blog. So much has happened the last few weeks! Everything from pet peacocks to more mourning over the tornado.

Where do I start? Well, for one thing, my mom is getting married! True, they haven’t been together too long, but in my mothers words, “When you know, you just know.” I love seeing her so happy, and I am so excited for her! She even asked me to sign their marriage certificate, which means so much to me! She also may have me standing up there with her. What an honor : )

Gary (step dad to be) has several acres, and apparently they have been accruing quite the farm. So far they have welcomed a cat, some deer, a dog, bunnies, and most recently a PEACOCK! That’s right, folks. A peacock showed up put of nowhere. She is feeding it so it sticks around : ) I told her it was a very Swiss Family Robinson thing to do!

Joe and I went to Movie in the Park on Friday, but when we got there we learned that we were told the wrong night! So sad……But it was an amazingly beautiful little park! It was full of flowers and trees, and little ponds with bridges. We walked around for awhile and watched the ducks. It was very romantic!

We ended up going to see Green Lantern, which was good, but not quite the atmosphere I was going for. Saturday night we watched some movies and then went for a walk around the neighborhood. We went down to this convenience store got ice cream, and then strolled through the fish hatchery!

We are going to go to a carnival this weekend and then watch the fireworks! We are both poor, so we like to find free things to do. I look forward to just walking around and people watching. Don’t worry Wichita, I’m sure they won’t have anything on you! They can’t possibly touch your mullet count.

Sunday was Father’s Day. Shout out to my Dad! But something happened at Church that Day that I don’t think I will forget anytime soon. They asked all of the fathers to stand up and the kids were bringing around little rocks that said “Dad’s rock!” Joe and I were sitting in the balcony with our friend Leah, when I spotted someone out of the corner of my eye. He was standing off to the side waiting for his Dad’s Rock rock. He had stood up carefully out of a wheelchair, his leg in a walking cast, and his hand all bandaged up. There were some stitches on his head, and it only took me a split second to see who it was. Mark Norton.

*For those of you who don’t know, Mark is a great man who I used to work with at Keller Williams. He is so kind and warm. He was in the car with his son, Will when the tornado hit. He tried to cling to his son as the tornado sucked him out of the sunroof. About a week later, they found Will’s body in a local pond.

I watched as Mark received his rock, and made his way back into his wheelchair. Throughout the rest of the service, I sat quietly in my hiding spot in the balcony, watching Mark. Yes, he still has a living daughter, but I will never understand the strength of this man. How do you get up, go out in public, and celebrate Father’s Day, mere weeks after losing your oldest son? He clearly has a Faith that we can all learn from.

He sat throughout the service, occasionally bringing a tissue up to wipe his face. I think I was crying more than him. He has every right to lay in bed for months and be crippled with emotions. What an inspiration to see him out, celebrating his son and our Father, the way that Will would have wanted him too!

Don't drink Gold Peak Tea. It's got nothing on Red Diamond!

Boy has this been a strange week. It has been full of highs and lows, tears and laughs. I sometimes get a little carried away by my emotions, as evidenced by ‘crazy’ shown all week, but I think I finally have myself under control. I love how God is so faithful! Even when I fail to trust Him, he continues to show me how much He will provide for me. Shout out to God! Woot! (Yes, I understand that I just gave a ‘shout out’ to the savior of the world)

So, good news! I get to go home this weekend! I can’t wait to see all of my friends. I have a whopping 4 friends here in Joplin, and one of these is my boyfriend, so he doesn’t really count. But in Wichita I have approximately 1 million friends, so I should be pretty busy : ) On Friday night Daphne and I are going to go see some of my JTW friends! Holla! I miss you guys so much! Saturday we are having a family dinner where we will be meeting my mom’s newest boyfriend. I hear good things, so I am expecting it to go well. Plus he has a tractor. I think that tractors are a sign of an honest person. Think I am making that up?? I am. But it sounds pretty legit, so I will stick with it. What is more trusting that a retired truck driver with a tractor??

Sunday my momma is coming to Church with me! I am so excited! Journey The Way has been such a big part of my life, and I am excited to let her see this side of my life. Hopefully she will like it : )

*Side Note- Although random, this is very important! Gold Peak Tea is gross. Don’t drink it.

    Peace Out.

    Alyssa

Joplin Tornado

Tornado. The word alone has always terrified me. I’m from Kansas, so although I have never been in a tornado, I have had my fair share of “close calls.” Ever since I was a kid I would get sick to my stomach if we were under a tornado warning. Oddly enough, I will get so worried, that my body starts to shut down, and I start falling asleep wherever I am. Haha is that normal?? (Joe says it’s not!)

Sunday evening, I was at Joe’s house in Neosho, when I received a call from my Dad warning me that there was a really bad storm headed towards Joplin. We turned on the tv just in time to hear warnings that a tornado was probably producing, but that it would not be visible because it would be so rain wrapped. (I only threw up a couple times!) As they said this, we were watching a tornado on their tower cam! Joe and I just stared as we watched this massive black cloud hit power lines and shoot blue sparks everywhere….

Before we knew it, it was over, and 35% of Joplin was wiped out. The death toll is at 117 and counting. Many many people are still missing as well, some of which I know myself. I was overwhelmed by the number of my Wichita friends and family who called to check on me! Thank you guys so much for your support and prayers! I was very lucky to have my family and friends safe! Our home was spared, and my Uncle Audie’s business was missed as well!

I couldn’t get to work yesterday because of all the closed roads, so Joe and I went and volunteered at the main shelter. We sorted and folded clothes and did whatever we could to help. I was so glad that he was there with me. I really don’t think that I would be able to handle everything by myself. He has been so supportive and comforting the past few days! I did good when I picked him : ) We finally left when we were approached by a lady and her husband asking for directions. Their faces were cut up, but they appeared to be okay. She said that they didn’t want to leave because they were waiting to identify their children at the morgue.

My heart sank.

I looked at the husband who made eye contact with me, and then he immediately looked down at the ground. How does this happen?? My heart was broken, and I felt sick. I turned my head, angry and confused. She had said it so matter of factly. She didn’t sound sad (I’m sure it was very unreal to her still). She sounded mad. Why did this happen? Why could she keep her kids safe from strangers, and illness, and everything else that life throws out you, but in 3 mins flat, she loses her children to a storm. I was mad with her.

I’ve heard many stories very similar. One nurse was on the 6^th floor of St. Johns hospital when they got the warning. They got everyone in the hallway and watched helplessly as the windows starting blowing out. Suddenly she say a 300 lb man get sucked out the window. Can you imagine??

A friend of mine works at Home Depot, which is no longer there btw. He got everyone in the back of the store, and then was sucked out of the back door. It threw him about 50 ft and dropped him into a ditch. From what I hear, he is bruised up, but okay!

The worst of what I’ve heard actually happened to a friend of mine. He is the nicest man you have ever met. I worked with him at Keller Williams and ran into him a month or 2 ago. We talked for almost 2 hours and most of that time was spent with him bragging about his son. I believe his sons name is Will. He was about to graduate HS and Mark was very proud of him for getting into a very prestigious film school in California. Sunday was his graduation, and afterwards, they were headed to meet the rest of their family for dinner. They were in Matt’s hummer, and when Mark watched Will get sucked out of the sunroof. Mark is in critical but stable condition, but is completely distraught. Will has yet to be found.

Please continue to pray for everyone hear in the area!

Here are a few pictures. The first one is the church I have been going to. Luckly it is just church with a little "c"!

Facebook Official

Well, I suppose you can all tell my new relationship status on Fbook, that my date went very well! We really ended up hitting it off. He shares my sense of humor (Which is a great one, if I do say so myself), and he is a good kisser (Which we all know is a must.)

**Disclaimer- For all of you who are worried, I didn’t kiss him until our 4thish date.

More pluses- He’s tall- 13 inches taller to be exact. He goes to Church on his own, and I don’t have to beg him to go with me! AND he is a 5^th degree black belt. Aka- Ninja.

On another note, I told you all that Daphne was spayed a couple weeks ago. It was a horrible experience! More so for me, than for her. I even freaked out at one point because she pulled out some of the stitches. I drove her to the vet, 45 mins away, with no make up on. To those of you who know me, this is a big deal. Not the driving part- but the no make up part. I’m surprised my face didn’t scare the stitches out of her. Anyway, after the 45 minute drive, the vet took .35 seconds to tell me that she was fine and send me on my long journey back home. Daphne looked more irritated than anything. Her little puppy eyes were saying “You woke me up for this??” At least I think that is what they were saying- I’m still learning to read “dog eye.”

Today is one of those cloudy/rainy/I would rather be in sweats days. My favorite! Except I am here at work. I’m pretty sure I would rather be at Joe’s house. By the way- Pray for me! I am making him dinner on Saturday night. This could be a make or break moment people. What if I suck, and he throws me and my food to the curb?? On the Menu- Enchilada Casserole. Trust me- It’s good!

I need your help though! After dinner, we need a fun creative idea of something to do. Cheap, and preferably something we can do at home. It will be rainy outside, so please don’t send me out there! Ideas?

Alyssa

Friday Night Date Night :)

So here I am. Yet again wasting company time on my blog. Unfortunately this job doesn’t allow for near the “free” time that I was able to sneak in at my old job. The job’s gone well so far. Started out kind of negatively, but the more I get to know everyone, the better it gets. It still doesn’t beat NB though! I have to admit that I was hoping to lose weight when I switched jobs, due to lack of eating Meleah’s baked goods every day, but it turns out that isn’t going to be the case. These people keep ordering out! Darn them….

Wow, so a lot has happened the past week! Last weekend I was blessed enough to help out a Church in Cameron, MO. Their youth group was doing a D- Now conference, and I got the opportunity to get to know 4 amazing girls! We all stayed in a host home by someone in their family. Let me just say that they were so great, and their home was amazing! They had 50 acres full of ponds, creeks, rabbits, goats, sheep, cows, donkeys, cats, and dogs! And hidden in the garage were baby chicks! They aren’t cuddly chicks though. I tried.

We spent the weekend growing closer to Christ, and got an awesome chance to eat and fellowship with some people in a homeless shelter. It was such a great experience, but I’m not going to lie- I didn’t eat. I really just shoveled my food around until someone came to pick it up. For one, it really wasn’t that good. Of course, this just shows how spoiled I am. But I had a really hard time stomaching that it was on a tray that everyone else used. In all fairness, it wasn’t necessarily because it was a homeless shelter. This would have grossed me out at home. But after we “ate”, we helped clean all the chairs and tables, all the while trying to avoid Taylor, who was spraying everyone with a water hose. Later that night I was able to wash the feet of some of the girls in our group. What a humbling and sacrificial thing to experience! That was defiantly the best part of my weekend : )

On another note, Daphne had to get spayed a couple of nights ago. Now if you don’t know me, let me explain why this is a huge deal. Daphne is my little precious, amazing, sweet, angelic, almost-potty trained puppy. She has separation anxiety like you wouldn’t believe!  If I leave the room, she starts shrieking like a pig about to be slaughtered. But I do have to admit that I love coming home to a puppy who is so excited to see me she starts convulsing and crying.  It was so sad making her stay in a strange place over night. I’m sure she was terrified! The good news is that she is now at home! The bad news is that I barely slept last night because I kept trying to make sure she wasn’t licking her incision.

So, tonight is Friday Night Date Night. That’s right folks, I got me a date : ) I really hope he isn’t reading this. Remember when I told you about Shane and Leah from my last job? Well this guy is good friends with Shane. The 4 of us will be going to Downstream Casino tonight, and I’m pretty pumped about it. Stats: 31, No Kiddos, Never Married, Non Smoker, Occasional Social Drinker, and Impeccable Wit. We should have a great night! I will let all you folks know how it goes!

You guys have any advice for me??

Alyssa

Good News and Bad News.....

Good News: I was offered a full time job!

Bad News: I have to leave my current Job.

When I first started at my job now, I was pretty nervous. I make friends easily, but you never know the dynamic of a group you are about to join, or where you will fit in to their already adjusted world. After I met the 8 other people that the company insists on keeping in the basement (away from the “normal” folks), I became even more nervous. There is such an incredible energy here, and  I was sure that I would mess up their group. My fears went completely unwarranted as they ended up including me into their dysfunctional family with open arms!

All 8 of my new family members has such a unique and endearing character, and they somehow fit together better than anybody could have planned. There’s:

Mark- “The A-hole boss that everyone can’t help but love”- If he can pick a fight, he will. He seems like such a jerk, but nobody worries about it, because deep down we all know he has an incredibly big heart. To this day he pretends to not remember my name (He is old, so maybe he really doesn’t remember…). As often as he tells me he can’t wait for me to switch jobs, I know that He will miss me most of all ;) And I will miss him trying to convince us, rather successfully might I add, how the government is taking all of our rights away. Oh Mark…

Cheryl-“Hippie Lady”- Such a sweet lady! Seriously, I want her to be my rocker hippie friend. She feeds the birds outside of our windows, supplies Dunken Donuts Coffee, and lets us all know the best concerts around town. When her new chair arrived, she allowed me to put it together and never once asked me to stop despite hearing “Oh no” and “crap” about a dozen times. To top it off, this woman takes a Stained Glass Class. Who does that?? Awesome people, that’s who. And I can always count on Cheryl to whistle with me. I will start a song, and she finishes it. Every once in awhile, we will tag team it until we start laughing and can’t whistle anymore.

Tim- “The Angry Mormon”- If had a nickel for every time Tim threatened to get HR involved in something that somebody says…….. He plays “tough guy”, but like Mark, has a heart of Gold. He hides away in his corner, but I love to hear him shout his responses over the cubicle! (I named him The Angry Mormon in hopes that he would threaten to call HR for religious harassment.)

Leah- “Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice”- Leah’s cubicle faces mine diagonally, and we love to chit chat throughout the day! We talk about books, and paint wars, and whatever else comes our way. She seems to be the peacemaker of the group and has a great way of making everyone simmer down. She has such a sweet soul!

Tony- “The Dancer”- Oh Tony. Tony has some dancing bones in his body! He loves to break out in a sassy dance, but only goes until we all catch him. On occasion, we try to set him up. We start to play a song that we know he won’t be able to sit through, get the camera phones ready, and try to use the video for black mail. He even started stripping for me yesterday. I consider it a going away present. Tony knows more about dogs and bird hunting than anybody I know…..I don’t think that is too hard though.

Andy- “Andy ‘Zeppelin’ Noah”- Andy is the best. One moment he will be giving me the scoop on how to deal with the more “difficult” people in the company, and the next, he is sharing his theory on how to keep out “those darn illegal’s.” And just so you’re warned, never bring up the subject of a pit bull with this guy. Andy is a big fan of Led Zeppelin, US Citizens, and Cocaine Tuesday. And he taught us how to freeze and shatter everyday objects by holding a can of dust spray upside down. Who could ask for more in a friend??

Meleah- “Who needs Google when you have Meleah??”- Meleah has become one of my good friends since I’ve started here! We tend to interchange her name with the word Google, as she seems to know everything. Seriously, everything, And if she doesn’t know. She will look it up. And if she doesn’t look it up, she will tell you what she does know about a similar subject. Meleah is always bringing in cookies, and donuts, and whatever else she can use to fatten us all up, and make her look smaller. That’s right honey, I know your plan!

Shane- “The Jesus Look Alike”- Shane and I have a special connection. One of wit and typically inappropriate banter. He pops my thumbs, builds windmills, and is in love with Leah : ) I should also mention that Shane is Indian (feather not dot), so despite being 40, he looks no older than 28. Weirded me out for a long time. To be honest, I didn’t believe it until I saw his license a couple weeks ago. I was prepared for the truth to come out and for us all to have a big laugh. Then I saw it. 1971. It was true. Luckily he has the Indian thing going for him.

As you can see, everyone is so different, yet come together to make up an incredible bunch of people. I have never felt more like myself at a job, than I do while I am here. I will miss these people so much, and will definitely be keeping in touch!

Here are a few of us hard at work…..

What do you enjoy most about your coworkers??

Alyssa

Home Sweet Home

Boy did I have a great trip home this weekend! It was full of blessings, family, friends, chocolate, and great music!

Let me start by saying that God is so so faithful! It never ceases to amaze me that through my abounding selfishness, pride, and doubt, Christ has never kept me wanting. I would've slapped me in the face, and walked away years ago! I guess it's good that I'm not the Savior! In order for me to go home this weekend, I was depending on a check in the mail. I was under an extremely uncertain impression that I would be receiving my AT&T deposit before I left town. Ergo, I made plans publicly, and crossed my fingers secretly. Then I realized that it would be foolish to put my faith in the mailman! (I once sent a card to my brother and it took 3 1/2 weeks to get there! Come on now.) Instead, I prayed that God would provide for me as He has always done. And wouldn't you know it, 3 days before I leave town, I got a check in the mail :)


I left work a couple hours early on Thursday to try and miss all the storms on the way home. I successfully avoided all tornadoes, but as I struggled to see the car in front of me through the torrential downpour that they insisted on referring to as a "shower",  I suddenly realized I left my life jacket at home. *Note to self- Bring a life boat on next trip. We don't need a Jack and Rose situation on our hands. Let's face it Jack, you didn't stand a chance.


Friday night, a group of us drove up to Lawrence for the Civil Wars concert. Let me just say that it was the best concert I had ever been to! I have to admit that it even beat the Nsync concert that left me awe for 2 days when I was 12. The concert was at The Bottleneck, and I loved the atmosphere! The peculiar mix of excitement and composure seemed to fit the crowd well, as everyone fell silent during each song. You could here a pin drop. In my case it would have to be a fountain pen. My hearing isn't what it used to be. But the point is, that the whole way home, the seven of us had no words to describe what we had all just experienced. Honest-True-Simple-Blowing your mind-Music.

They make such a great team! Photo by Anthony Fiorillo.


Saturday we colored Easter Eggs! My little Sister Riley and little bro Nic did a fair job, but I was pretty impressed with my abilities ;)

Okay, Okay, they may have done a slightly better job. But that's not the point.


That night I got the opportunity to hang out with some good friends, and had a blast! Isn't it odd that the simple things in life can make you the happiest? We went to dinner at Old Chicago, and spent the rest of the night sitting in the kitchen and making up songs on the guitar. Just like old times. Matt even gave me an old mirror, providing me with my next DIY project! I will have before and after pics as soon as my creative bug bites, showing me what I want to do with it!


Sunday brought Easter, and I loved celebrating my Risen Savior with my family! My Dad, brother Brandon, and Ashley joined me at Journey The Way, and  it was fun letting them in on that part of my life!

My Dad even brought me a Cocoa Dolce Easter Basket! I am trying savor each bite, as I know how much my Dad valued his arm and leg before he bought me this yummy treat! He may say otherwise, but I would say it was worth it. Yes, the Raspberry one is already gone....


I finished off my weekend with lunch at my Momma's house where the Easter Bunny had made an additional visit! We ate lunch (Chocolate), watched Tron (took naps), and decided to have our previously mentioned game night, next time (Sad). It was a great time! On the way home, I stopped by Sonic to get a Strawberry Slush and they even gave Daphne a treat!

Turns out she is a big fan of ice cream!

Then she fell asleep next to her "Baby." She was tuckered out after such a big weekend!


On another note, I need your help/advice. You know how it is human nature to want what you can't have? Well, I am struggling with this dilemma. Can your feelings be genuine in this case, or is it more likely that you are just wanting a challenge, and as soon as you accomplish it, your objective quickly turns to the next unattainable dream? Let's say that someone offers you a cookie. It's a good cookie. Nothing wrong with it. It is even still a little warm from the oven. Anybody would be lucky to have this cookie! But you politely reject the cookie, saying no thank you. Maybe you just ate. Maybe you aren't in the mood for a cookie. But then, you see them give their cookie to somebody else and you suddenly start craving a cookie! Do you take the cookie away from her? Maybe wait to see if she even decides she wants the cookie. What if you take the cookie away and then realize you are more in the mood for pie?? Then, thanks to you, all three of you go hungry. What should I do with the cookie?? Maybe it's not my cookie to do anything with.


Thoughts?


Alyssa

Clean Sheet Night

Is there anything better than clean sheet night? Picture this- You pull back the bedspread of a freshly made bed and slip right in to the middle of the tightly pulled sheets. You exhale a weeks worth of stress as you feel the crisp and cool fabric of your sheets rub against your legs. You lay still for a few minutes, not wanting to lose this euphoria. Then, slowly, you begin to move each leg until it catches a section of cold, untouched fabric allowing you to enjoy another minute or two of bliss. Okay okay, maybe I enjoy clean sheet night a little more than the average person, but it's the little things, ya know?

I, admittedly, do a poor job of living in the present. Not to say that I don't enjoy things or recognise things while they are happening (See paragraph above), but it seems as if there is always something I am trying to work for in the future. This weekend is one of those things. I get to go home and see my fam for Easter! I have been talking with my brothers girlfriend, Ashley, and we have decided to make this Easter one of fun and games. Nothing brings a family together quite like unhealthy, family rivaled, competition, right? I have prepared myself to dominate at any card game that gets suggested. I personally feel that we should bring in a few games from"Minute To Win It" as well. I will let you know how this goes. What could go wrong??

In addition to the family festivities soon to occur, I am also super excited about Friday! I get to go to The Civil Wars concert in Lawrence! I'm pretty stoked about this, I'm not gonna lie. Here is one of their songs. I am including this in my post because when my mother, (who swore she would kill me if I ever mentioned her in a post), heard that I was going to see the Civil Wars, she called me a "nerd of a daughter." She was relieved to hear that it was not a museum or reenactment, until I told her that I would actually really enjoy something like that as well. Sorry to disappoint you Momma! But in the interest of staying the favorite, I feel like you should know that Nic makes faces behind your back when you talk.

In other news, I started a new book this weekend! Pride and Prejudice. I'm only three chapters in, and so far I have been able to follow along. Before starting the book, the only things I knew about it were from You've Got Mail. Heck, if Meg Ryan has a hard time following the language, I don't stand a chance! But move over Meggy, I may just have some smarts after all :) I will keep you updated.

Alyssa

There's No Place Like Home

I’ve jumped. I saw the Blog Bandwagon coming and I hopped right on. I hope it’s taking me in the right direction, and doesn’t end up being comparative to desperately needing a ride, and opting to hitchhike with some balding middle-aged man named “Ike” who won’t stop talking about his 17 cats. Although to be fair, I would rather ride with Ike than “Serial Killer Stan.”

I guess I should begin with telling about myself. My name is Alyssa, I am 24, and I am living in Missouri. I moved here just over a year ago from a small town in Kansas. You made have heard of it- Wichita? On that note, I am pleased to announce that I am now on a path to heading back home! The only problem is that this yellow brick road may end up being about 6-9 months long. But at least I’ve started walking! Anyway, I live my life for Jesus, and try to follow a basic set of rules including, but not limited to,  ‘Never consume anything artificially colored purple’ and ‘Never trust a Chinese Buffet’ .

Here is a picture of myself. Of course I put up a good one, but in the interest of unbiased information, I have also included one that makes me look like an idiot.

My passion is reading, and I like to pretend that I am a writer.  *Notice how I use the term writer, because ‘author’ would suggest that someone would actually pay to hear my words. I’m actually working on a series of children’s mystery books! (Side note- Working= Think of ideas in my head and occasionally write them down.)

As a Birthday gift from my Uncle, I received the light of my life! Her name is Daphne, and she is a 3 month old dachshund mix puppy. Other than her peculiar anxiety issues, she is the most wonderful gift I could have imagined! But she makes up for it as she has truely been a God Send, and has helped me get through a very difficult time. Here is a picture of my baby:

Well, I hope this first installment will suffice in this bizzare yet tempting effort to document my daily life :)

Alyssa