is there any calgon in the house?

Stressed. Stressed at work. Stressed with life (moving...gaaaaaah!). Stressed about feeling stressed. Here's to hoping work slows down, the boxes get packed (by themselves would be nice), and the next two weeks fly by.

That's about it on a Saturday morning. My brain, thanks to all this stress, is complete and utter mush.

it's one of them

Around 8:15 this morning, I realized I was running 15 minutes behind schedule. Sigh. Running late is not a good way to start the day.

At 8:43, when literally running out the door and cursing that I'm 13 minutes behind schedule, I fell down the (two) stairs that lead from our kitchen to the back door. Um- ouch.

Got to work, and was told one of my projects that was supposed to go-live on ford.com tomorrow was now not going live. Put that fire out, got the project back on track.

Immediately after, I found out another project that was going to have a three-day turnaround time now has a one-month turnaround time. Perfect.

Upon realizing the only thing that was going to make me feel better at that moment was an overpriced pop-tart, I headed down to the store on the first floor but saw the line was out the door and around the corner. At this point, I didn't have the time nor the patience to wait it out. Geez, I couldn't even stuff my face with a caloric, crappy breakfast!

Yup, it's one of them days. BUT! I have a hot date with my handsome Hubs tonight. Thank goodness for sushi, wine and love.

Hope your day is going better than mine :)

it's the weekend!!!

I live for the weekends. In fact, right about this time on a Friday is my most favorite time of the whole week. It's the afternoon, work tends to be on the quieter (read: not crazy) side and everyone is in a great mood. All this and two whole days of freedom await.

I am having a much needed mom/daughter day tomorrow with my momma. We have an apt for mani/pedis in the morning at a great spa downtown Ann Arbor, followed by lunch out and then going to the movies. Cannot. Wait. We haven't had a day of fun just the two of us in quite some time.

On Sunday, we are having our last Sunday Funday with the Hamels. We are the only two couples currently living on the east side of the state, so we make it a point to hang out as often as we can. Life is constantly getting in the way, and they have two small children, so we don't see each other as often as we should. Sadly, once we move, it will be even less :(

Speaking of moving...this will likely be the final weekend of fun for awhile. I MUST start packing so I don't have to do it all the night before the u-haul shows up. Wish this procrastinator luck...

;)

the patron saint of motherhood

Have you ever heard of Saint Gerard? No? Well, neither had I until about two weeks ago when I received a prayer card in the mail from one of my sweet Mitten Kittens.

O good Saint Gerard, powerful intercessor before God and wonder- worker of our day, I call upon you and seek your aid. You, who on earth always fulfilled God's designs, help me to do the holy Will of God. Ask the Master of Life, from whom all paternity proceeds, to render me fruitful in offspring, that I may raise up children to God in this life and heirs to the Kingdom of his glory in the world to come. Amen. 

Powerful words, don't you agree? I have to admit, I get choked up almost every time I read this little card. It's been seven long months of trying to conceive. And while that may not seem like a very long time to you, to this girl it seems like an eternity. Seven, now eight, months of being on a schedule. Seven months of waiting. Seven straight let-downs. Seven months of reading and trying every possible conceiving trick/advice there is. Seven months of unanswered prayers. Seven months of trying again. Had I not miscarried, perhaps my attitude would be different. But, you see, I should be a mommy right now. So seven months, to me, IS an eternity.

It's funny how we receive certain things in our lives at just the right moment. I can't even explain how much hope this little card, and the potent prayer it contains, has given me. See how tattered  loved the card is? It's been in many hands before mine. It has history! More importantly, this card, this prayer, has brought women the happiness they desperately sought, and now has found its way to my hands. I've been told a couple of the stories behind this very card, and better yet, I'm currently witnessing firsthand one of its miracles. My dear friend suffered three miscarriages (all before 11 weeks), but is now 21 weeks pregnant! O good Saint Gerard is right!

We shall see what Saint Gerard has in store for me. He has a permanent spot on my nightstand so that twice daily I can absorb the comforting words, and gently be reminded there are many times in our lives we need to let go and put our full trust in Him.

keeping it real- the marriage edition

Ryan is home from his three and a half week stint in Florida, and I'm oh-so-happy. It's great to have my buddy back, and it's so comforting to know he's there, even if we aren't together in the same room. I missed his company, missed sleeping next to him, missed hearing him do his things around our little home.

However. I have to confess that this week feels what our first few months of marriage would have been like had we not lived with each other before. In just those few short weeks, I quickly got accustomed to things my way. Now, I'm not saying that my way is the right way. But when you're the only one home for an extended period of time, you can do things whatever way you like. I had the thermostat set where I was comfortable. I ate what I wanted to eat (which meant I barely went to the grocery store, but rather picked at the things I already had on hand). I watched what I wanted to watch. I went where I wanted to go. I turned the lights off if I wasn't in that room. I did all the chores required to keep a house running. I tended to and cared for our babies (ok, dogs) the way I felt was best suited.

Ryan came home this past Saturday, and after I got annoyed at something really petty, I realized I was way too comfortable having things go my way. So these past few days, I've reminded myself that this is a marriage. A team. Both people have to give 100%, not 50/50. So what if a light was left on. Or if he took out the trash on Wednesday morning rather than Tuesday night. What does matter is that he's there, and that his little quirks are what makes him....him. After all, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts and we are just plain better together!

I know my issues have nothing to do with Ryan, and everything to do with me. I'm learning that with marriage, sometimes you just need to let go of the inner control freak or any other idiosyncrasy and roll with the punches. A few short months ago I promised to love this man unconditionally. Gym shorts left on the bathroom floor and all ;)