0

thankful

I wish I were brave enough to post pictures of how messy our apartment is right now, but I don't want to embarrass myself. Things have really slipped through the cracks lately. Dishes are spilling over the sink, laundry is stacked in piles, and trash bags are crowding the kitchen. Then there are the thank you cards that I still haven't written from Lilyan's Baptism and her 6, 7, now 8 month pages that remain blank in her baby book. Time is passing by so fast and Lilyan is growing so quickly. I feel as if I will wake up tomorrow and she will already be 1 year old. Plus, it doesn't help that for the rest of the year, the project I am on will keep me at work from 8am-8pm and during "shut-down" where every other employee gets the week off over the holidays, my team will be working hard to meet our go-live date. What's the point of making a living if you can't fully live?

...and just like that, as quickly as that thought enters my mind, it leaves. Because while I'm complaining that my apartment is messy, I know that my relatives in the Philippines are all crammed into one living space where the dirt ground is their floor. My laundry is piled by the washing machine, theirs hung out on clotheslines. Our trash bags crowding the kitchen, their neighborhood crowded with trash. Baby books, thank you cards, the many things that I have on my to-do list, they will never own or see. And my job, a stable job that could support all of them. Meanwhile, here I am complaining of long hours! My sister Tracy was fortunate enough to make the trip out there with my Mom, Llew, my grandparents, and my Aunt a few weeks ago. Although I couldn't experience it firsthand, the pictures and stories made me appreciate my life so much more. Our cousins both male & female used to wear our clothes we had passed off to them and still use our baby blanket that we had when we were little...and I used to complain about getting hand me downs from my older sister!

[tracy found our baby blanket!]

[my sister, mom, and relatives]

[my mom and relatives]

[laundry, hanging out to dry!]

[my grandma passing out gifts]


I am so thankful for everything I had as a child growing up. I only wish I could appreciate it while I was younger. I remember my mom would always say, "You don't know how good you have it!"...and all I could think was how I wanted that thing...whatever insignificant thing it was...because all of my friends had it.

So, while its hard not to get wrapped up in the everyday stresses of life, I've learned that it helps to take a step back and appreciate every little thing I have. Not just the great material things (like my new Nikon D5000!) but also the job that drives me crazy, the small apartment we live in, and the old car that I drive.
0
Sometimes I shouldn't read other people's blogs during the day at work...because a post like this makes it seriously hard for me not to laugh out loud...!

http://www.dooce.com/daily-chuck/2009/09/15/canine-coup

Dooce might be my all time favorite blog. It's funny how someone you have never met can inspire/humor/influence you.

Another blog worth noting is Cooley's blog...and after reading this post, I'd swear it was written by Brian!

http://chriscooley47.blogspot.com/2009/09/fp-coping-with-redskin-loss.html
0

FĂștbol Americano

I can't believe the weekend is already over! We spent Saturday watching college football with some friends at our place, then headed up to the Steakhouse across the street to watch the Tech game. I really wish I had a team to root for. I blame the fact that GMU didn't have a team. Who knows if this is true, but it was rumored that the Skins were going to help build a stadium for them so they could practice there, meanwhile giving GMU the chance to build up a team. Supposedly the Dean didn't want GMU to become that kind of school. Well, I wanted to go to that kind of school!! Anyways, without a team to root for, I am left with certain teams to pull for - WVU, Notre Dame, & Navy. Naturally I have to pull for the hubby's team, WVU, since he went there for his freshman year. The other two teams, I have always liked, plus my Dad was in the Navy. Having said that, Saturday was a good day for all of those teams. Well, except Navy of course, who almost pulled off a win against the Buckeyes...I still think they should have ran the 2 pt conversion in. Why is it that college games are so much more exciting than the NFL? It seems like once players reach the NFL they no longer have to play their hearts out since they are guaranteed $$$. I wish they would just play each game as if they needed to get signed. Then maybe the majority of the Skins games wouldn't be decided by an OT field goal! Wishful thinking of course...


0

finally the weekend

Time flies by so quickly these days. It's already Labor Day! Last weekend we went down to DC to partially celebrate our 1 year anniversary. Of course we had to choose the day of Ted Kennedy's funeral, which baffled us as to why it was sooo crowded, until we finally realized what was going on. So while everyone else was waiting for the funeral procession, we took pictures by the Capitol.






Our main reason for going downtown was to try out Granville Moore's , which claims to have the best Mussels according to Bobby Flay's Throwdown. The food was aaaamazing. We went with our friends Matty and Jodie and decided that we would start a new tradition and try a new restaurant twice a month. Every time I'm in DC I always tell myself we need to go more often. There's so much to do and we take for granted that we live so close!





Last week was a super busy week with workdays lasting from 7:30am to 8pm. I couldn't be happier that it is finally the weekend! That means football & BBQs! After this long weekend there is so much more to look forward to. On Tuesday, Brian and I are going to the Kings of Leon concert! Then, Friday afternoon I leave with the girls for a weekend at Ocean City to celebrate Sarah's bachelorette party. Can't wait!







Happy Anniversary to my amazing husband!