Whistle while you work

Snow White is probably, no definitely, my favorite disney movie. This has come to light through the following set of circumstances in my life,

1. Visiting the Disney store as a child I wished and wished and wished that I would someday own all 7 dwarf stuffed animals. You know, the big giant display of stuffed animals at the back. They had the 7 dwarfs in all sizes, and at first I wanted the biggest ones, but then I realized that wasn't practical as they all wouldn't fit on my bed, so I settled for dreaming about owning the smaller ones.
2. In high school, a personality test told me I am prone to collecting... I was in denial until in college when I realized I was collecting all 50 state quarters, license plate key chains from states I had visited, and remembered my desire to have all 7 dwarfs, the list of collecting goes on and on. It is most recently displayed in my love for kitchen towels. Seriously, world market tea towels are killing our budget. I am trying to fight this personality trait as collecting can quickly equal hoarding, please have an intervention if needed.
3. I married a man who grew up in a family of 7 chillins. When I first visited his family, I stayed in the guest room where written on the wall was a depiction of the 7 kids all assigned a snow white dwarf character. If I remember right, I married Dopey.
4. The new show "Once Upon a Time", fabulous. A couple of weeks ago, a girl in my dance class told me I look like Snow (snow whites character name in the show if you didn't know). Made my day.
5. I work, a lot, and whistling always seems to help get through the days. :) I have been working in our downtown office these past weeks. Late nights and early mornings have continued as we finish up busy season. In our break room, we have a flavia machine which brews us fresh coffee and the view of downtown brings a smile to my face.

Until this past week, I've never been in our downtown office through the evening hours, but as I ventured out of my cubical one evening, most likely for a coffee refill, the glow down the hall from the setting sun was picture worthy. Oh, the things I think are cool when I've been sleep deprived and stuck in the office for too long...

We continue to be workaholics. Pushing hard towards deadlines. And missing our pup grow up. Thankfully, last week our friends gave our little guy some much needed attention. What would we do without community?? I have no idea.

 

Our trip to Lincoln, Nebraska

Yesterday we took a day trip to Nebraska. Words are hard to find to describe our visit to Lincoln, NE. Three weeks ago today, a friend, and dear sister in Christ suffered through multiple strokes resulting from a blood clot at her brainstem which has left her fighting for her life. She is in her early thirties. There is a rehab center in Lincoln that is a perfect fit for her while she continues to heal. Four of us and their beloved dog-daughter, Piper, went up to visit.

 

I don't remember where we first met her and her husband, but last fall we reconnected through our church and as God would have it, they joined our gospel community group. We meet on Sunday nights and my heart hurts to be without them tonight.

I cling to the words of this song:

Be still, my soul, the Lord is on your side. Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain. Leave to your God in order to provide; in every change, he faithful will remain. Be still, my soul, your best your, your heavenly Friend, through thorny ways leads to a joyful end. Be still, my soul, your God will undertake to guide the future as he has the past.

Chris and Alison, we trust God with His perfect plan for your both. We will miss you tonight.

 

Doggie Dreams

Okay, imagine you're a dog. an over-active, under-trained puppy trapped in a full-sized dog body, named Neosho. You look like this:

What's your puppy life been like? That's easy. Since you were born, you've dreamed of the day when 3 things would happen:

1. Your owners trust you enough to leave your kennel door open when they go to work.
2. It's a rainy day, and without any desire to go outside, the inside of the house must keep you entertained.
3. Enough doors are left open, such that when 1 and 2 happen... you have access to the magical place. What's this magical place? The magical place is the storage area, under the stairs, where all of the bulk paper items are stored. Yes. Jumbo packs of toilette paper from Costco.

Now, imagine that these three planets align, and your lifelong dream is finally realized. Yes, indeed, today... you look like this:

I hope it was worth it.

It is a good, warm day

On the plaza with my men. :)

Anxious heart

I hate the waiting game. For most of my life I feel as if I have been waiting for something to happen. I think back to middle school, and how I longed to be in high school. In high school I was quickly ready for college. College also quickly turned into a short means to an end. Even during our engagement season, all the hubbub and pomp got old quickly and I just wanted to be married. And, I know that should the Lord bless us with children, a family, that 9 months of such life changing anticipation is going to be hard. Right now we are at a spot where I'm not sure where to go. I have an issue with contentment, patience, trust.

I think this is a product of humanity in me. Revelation! I'm human! But, seriously, we are all longing for something with eager anticipation, whether that's the perfect career, perfect husband, perfect home, perfect kids, perfect relationship.... Problem is I all too often find myself focusing energy where it doesn't belong and frankly where I have no rightful control.

So there you have it, random thoughts that are on my anxious heart.

In other news, aside from finishing work deadline #1 on Friday (woohoo!!), we have had some fun outings lately. Last Saturday we met up with some friends for a fun night at Lucky Strike. Here are the boys resting their arms from bowling ball speed throwing contests.

This weekend, we visited Shawnee Mission Park and coerced Neosho to get into the lake. Success! It took us a while to find a stick that he'd even consider getting wet for. And, he still won't swim. He'll only go as far as he can touch. Baby steps.



Oh, and last night I went with a friend to the Kansas City Ballet's performance of Romeo and Juliet at the new Kauffman performing arts center. I laughed out loud and choked back tears. It was spectacular.


FYI, it is nearly 60 degrees here in Kansas on February 26th. Craziness! 

My love

Happy valentines day, love. I don't deserve you.

Thank you for the flower delivery, love. They brighten my cube, made me blush, make me smile, and bring lots of "ooos" and "awwws" from my female co-workers.

Happily yours,
Julie

a whole month has gone by?

it's true. and it's because i've been working. and working. and working.

two things have brought comedic relief to my world

1. hoops and yoyo, love them.

2. ke$ha, the below lyrics probably won't make sense to you, but they define me right now.


To the tune of TIK TOK:

Wake up in the morning feeling like John V.
Read my FASs, I’m out the door, I’m gonna vouch this beezy.
Before I leave, grab my keys with my secure ID
‘Cause when I leave day, I ain’t coming back.

I’m talking 10-keys and our phones, phones
Freshly laundered clothes, clothes
Ready to confirm loan, loans
Fast-talking, requestin’ our PBCs,
Staff barely in their twenties,
Bookin’ forty - workin’ fifty…

Don’t stop, Alex sucks
eAudIT please just hurry up,
Fortnight, it seems like
Since I’ve seen the sunlight,
Tick tock, on the clock,
But the audit don’t stop, no

Ain’t got a friend in the world,
But the team I have here.
Ain’t going out Friday night,
Got review notes to clear.
Now the work is piling up,
Cuz they know we know better,
And we’ll keep it till the end
Until we get that Rep Letter.

I’m talking about errbody workin’ through lunch, lunch.
Fluxes due to credit crunch, crunch.
Gonna sit and drink my audit punch, punch.

Now, now we work until they kick us out, out.
But my laptop won’t shut down, down,
laptop won’t shut down, down,
laptop won’t shut down.    

Don’t stop, Alex sucks
eAudIT please just hurry up,
Fortnight, it seems like
Since I’ve seen the sunlight,
Tick tock, on the clock,
But the audit don’t stop, no

DJ, you build me up,
You break me down,
My heart, it pounds,
Yeah you’ve got me.
Look your KAM up,
Book Vaycay now,
If you’ve got free time,
Yeah, book Vaycay.

Look my KAM up,
Look your KAM up,
Look your KAM up.

(And the Senior says, “Nobody can leave ‘till I say so…”)

Don’t stop, Alex sucks
eAudIT please just hurry up,
Fortnight, it seems like
Since I’ve seen the sunlight,
Tick tock, on the clock,
But the audit don’t stop, no