So Close...

It's so close to the end of the semester... I can taste it... I will sleep deeply knowing this semester is over. Then I will blog more as well. Until then... I am exhausted both physically & mentally... Night night.

God bless.

Laundry Day

So today I have done somewhere between 8 to 10 loads of laundry. Reason being? I haven't done it in about three weeks... yeah. Even though it's just my husband and I, we have a lot of clothes. However I have been incredibly busy with school. I was lucky to even find time tonight to do it. I was going to wait until this weekend but not being able to move around comfortably in my own bedroom is not something I love. So I finally pulled all the laundry into the living room and separated it and washed it! Hooray for me.

As for school I am becoming more and more stressed out. The end of the semester is in two weeks. Finals are a week from Thursday. How am I staying so calm and collected? Laundry. And the occasional back rub from the hubby. I love him for that by the way. Now tomorrow I will be making chili and tonight we ate extreme hashbrowns. Delicious. Otherwise I am creating some pretty neat looking designs for my classes. I am looking forward to the end of the semester while also dreading it. I have no idea if I will survive it or not. I really truly hope so.

I do believe my laundry should be done soon. Otherwise I might just ask Cliff to stay awake and get it... I am so exhausted. Yeah... I'll see if he can do that for me. Night night, everyone.

God Bless.

Some Thoughts...

School for me has become incredibly stressful. I'm not 100% why either. I love my classes and I try to work hard in all of them. However, I still somehow seem to become incredibly stressed out. I sit here trying to figure it out and I can't seem to think of anything. I have become very down on myself lately because I don't think I'm creative enough anymore. I see all these awesome designs other people come up with and then I look at mine and wonder what I was thinking. I love scrapbooking and am even making my niece and nephew their own Christmas presents. I love doing things like that but when it comes to applying my own creative touch to my designs I just can't seem to do it.

There was one design I came up with last semester that  I looked at as a scrapbook page and it came out looking really good. However, it seems that this semester it just isn't hitting me like that. I look at things and wonder what would I like to see in my design? But we're taught that we have to look at it like how the consumer would want it and I am stumped. How am I supposed to know what people like? Everyone has different opinions on different things so how am I supposed to please them all? But I can't please them all. So then do I fail as a designer?

Of course not! Everyone can't be happy because everyone will always find a problem with something. Someone will be offended by something. So when I get out into industry, I will try my best to please the majority. As of right now though, I need to design stuff the way I like it, not what I think will make everyone else happy.

I still thank God that I even have the opportunity to go to school and get an education. Thank you, God.

Remember to be thankful. God Bless.

Retail has ruined Christmas time for me. I become so stressed out at work that I come home and take it out on my husband and cat. I get so upset that people are so selfish. I know that the economy is bad and that everyone is pinching pennies. However, people still aren't satisfied when they are saving more than they're spending. They expect everything to be free and will kick and scream and throw a tantrum in the store just to make it so. They don't realize that when they purchase our products they are helping us get money so I can still have a paycheck in the morning. Gosh. People are so selfish. Now I'm freaking out on my husband over the simplest of things like decorating the Christmas tree. Something that I enjoy so much and I love spending that time with him. However, I sit here and I think about the entire day's events and can't help but wonder where my blood pressure is at. I need to just take the time to sit back and relax but it seems like that won't happen until the last day of finals. Sadly, that is two days before Christmas itself. Maybe some day I will be able to work and come home and enjoy the time with my family like I used to. I have no idea when though. I am incredibly exhausted as it is without all these added annoyances. I guess I will sit back and assess my temper and hopefully be able to come out a better person because of it. But please, anyone who's shopping this holiday season please be nice to the people behind the counter. They're trying their hardest to make things go by quickly for you while saving money in a way that's still legal. The employees may be having a hard time or just dealt with a customer who threw a tantrum in the store. Please forgive them and be patient. If you do that I can guarantee that this Christmas season will go by much more smooth. Thank you.

God bless.

Today my husband and I put up our Christmas tree. I can honestly say that I absolutely love the Christmas time. I get to spend time with family and friends. Eat lots of food and give lots of presents. I know growing up I was always excited for the reverse. I wanted to receive presents and when I didn't get what I wanted I was always so upset. Now when I make something for my family or get something for them that I know they'll really like I am always so excited to give it to them and see their faces when they open it. I love being able to sit around the table with my family cracking jokes and playing cards until midnight or one in the morning. I love traveling across the country to visit Cliff's family. We sit around and play board games. The guys go and compete with each other on who's the strongest while the girls and I sit around the kitchen and they tell me stories of their family growing up. I love how wherever you drive everyone's yards look so beautiful lit up with lights. I think everyone does that because the snow is white and so dull and sad. But when the lights reflect off of it, it glows and is absolutely gorgeous.

Think of all those wonderful memories. God bless.

Officially the Holiday Season

Now that it's after Thanksgiving I can't help but think of what's ahead. There's only a few weeks left in this semester. I know I need to buckle down and get as much work done as possible. It's just hard since it's right before Christmas. All I can think about is buying the perfect Christmas gifts and spending time with family. Sometimes I need to slow down and just remember what this whole season is about.

God gave His son to us so we may be saved from the worst torture imaginable. I am so happy that He did that for me. It's just so hard to remember that when all of these other stresses consume our lives. I love my husband and am so blessed to have him in my life. It's just hard to enjoy time together when bills and expenses are always coming up. We always wonder what we're going to do to try and save money when we are living from paycheck to paycheck. All these random, unplanned expenses come up. Mostly car problems. So it seems like as soon as some money comes in it's right out the window again. It's always for necessities, but it's still hard nonetheless.

Which brings me back around to school. I know that when I graduate and get into a career of my own I will become the main source of income. All I need to do now is get through school. Which makes me work harder. Not because I want the money, directly. I want it so that Cliff and I won't be struggling every few months every time something goes wrong. So even when something does go wrong and we need to fix a part of the car, we don't have to think twice about it. So when someone says I'm an overachiever or compliments me on working hard, I'll let them know that I am like that because I have to be for my husband and I.

Thank you, God for your Son. Please keep reminding me that You're the reason for the season. But please forgive me if I become consumed in my school work. I want to make a better life for my husband and I as well as our future family. Thank you for everything, Lord.

Please think about these things as well as your own distractions. Why do they distract you? Keep focused on Christ and His love for us. He is the reason for the season. God bless.

Thanksgiving Day

Good evening, everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I had a very nice one with Cliff. This morning I made cinnamon rolls for breakfast and we ate leftovers for lunch. I took a nap and then we had a nice dinner. Nothing too exciting. A day like today just makes me realize what all I'm thankful for. I love my husband and my family. I miss them so much but I am always so happy whenever I get to see them. I look around and I see the home I live in and I am so grateful that we have it. Thank you, God for everything.

I do need to get to sleep though. I have to work Black Friday. I'm not looking forward to it. But I have a ride so I'm still thankful. Night, all. God bless!

Thanksgiving Eve

I suppose you could call it that. I am relaxing on the couch with my husband. Nothing too much to report but that. We have both been incredibly busy. I am now second assistant manager at Yankee Candle and have been working incredibly hard at school. For as much as I have been doing I just can't seem to catch up. Oh well. The semester is almost over and I am very much so looking forward to Christmas break. It will be much needed. I am working quite a bit but that's amazing. That's just what I need as well.

Cliff and I will be celebrating our second Thanksgiving together. That's nice. We don't have any family in the area so we won't be with anyone else. Sad yes, but since I work retail I have to work Black Friday. I am just not looking forward to parking that day. The people and the shoppers don't bother me as much. It's just the parking. Well, I suppose I should get to sleep. I have to get caught up on that before Black Friday rolls around. Scary!

God Bless everyone and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

July 5, 2009. 5:14 a.m.

I woke up again in the wee early morning hours again and decided to do a little blogging. Clifford is still asleep in the bed next to me and I am sitting here wondering if/and/or when I will be falling back to sleep. The air smells faintly like skunk which is kind of gross but all in all, the cool crisp air feels good. July 4th was quite enjoyable even if I did have to work and Cliff and I went to see the fireworks with only each other for the first time. However, it was our first Fourth of July as a married couple so that was reason to celebrate. We played Go Fish until about 9:45 and then sat back and watched the fireworks. As I was sitting there snapping away pictures on the camera, I started humming a song. "Blessed Be the Name of the Lord." Now looking back on it, I know exactly why I was. His name should be blessed even when we go through trials & tribulations because in the end we will find rest in His name. So even when the land is plentiful or when I walk through the desert place, blessed be the name of the Lord. I am so blessed by God with a roof over my head, a car to get me to work & school, and of course- my wonderful husband. Clifford has stood by me through it all and I couldn't ask for anyone better to spend the rest of my life with. (Not that I would want to of course). My family is amazing. They have supported me through all of my decisions. Thank goodness for that otherwise I don't even know where I would be today. I don't want to know. Although, I suppose I should try & get some more sleep. I have a feeling I might be able to curl up with the hubby and do so now. But that you again, Lord, for everything that you have given me; even when I deserve it the least. Please count your blessings. For the fact that God has given you life in the first place is a blessing in of itself. God bless!

Blessed Be Your Name

Blessed Be Your Name 

In the land that is plentiful  

Where Your streams of abundance flow 

Blessed be Your name  

Blessed Be Your name 

When I'm found in the desert place 

Though I walk through the wilderness 

Blessed Be Your name  

Every blessing You pour out  

I'll turn back to praise 

When the darkness closes in, Lord 

Still I will say  

Blessed be the name of the Lord 

Blessed be Your name 

Blessed be the name of the Lord 

Blessed be Your glorious name  

Blessed be Your name 

When the sun's shining down on me 

When the world's 'all as it should be' 

Blessed be Your name  

Blessed be Your name 

On the road marked with suffering  

Though there's pain in the offering  

Blessed be Your name  

Every blessing You pour out  

I'll turn back to praise 

When the darkness closes in, Lord 

Still I will say  

Blessed be the name of the Lord 

Blessed be Your name 

Blessed be the name of the Lord 

Blessed be Your glorious name  

Blessed be the name of the Lord 

Blessed be Your name 

Blessed be the name of the Lord 

Blessed be Your glorious name  

You give and take away 

You give and take away 

My heart will choose to say 

Lord, blessed be Your name

Fourth of July

I know it's been a while since I last wrote on here but I have been incredibly busy! School went very well and I am quite excited to go back in the fall. I turned 21 almost a month ago and that was fun as well. I went to the beach with some friends and then afterwards Cliff & I as well as some more friends went to TGI Fridays. Mixed in there we had three friends get married and Cliff was in the hospital for Ludwig's Angina. Yeah, fun stuff. I know. What else is there? In a little over a month Cliff and I will have been married for a year. It's pretty crazy I know. Actually, in only five days Cliff & I will celebrate 11 months of marriage. Even crazier. I am still working at Yankee Candle. I have been working a ton of hours there and will be working more at the end of the summer. Apparently working hard is a good thing! We had a perimeter reset. Which means we have to move all of the candles into their new hutches. Which doesn't sounds so hard but you also have to re-shelve the shelves & clean them all off with Windex & Goo-B-Gone. And those shelves are heavy! Oh well. I did most of the reset and the managers were very impressed. So even though I am 'rushing through summer,' I am really looking forward to September. My sister Alicia is pregnant by the way! We are having a baby shower for her in a couple of weeks. She is due October 25th. (I think it's still the 25th). We are all very excited. Sonshine is on July 16-18 as well! Now that I am ecstatic about. Each year is pretty much the same thing, but it's always so much fun. Anyway. I guess it's time I go and get ready for work. I am very happy that I even have a job and now I am even looking for a second one. Oh well. Some day I will have a career and we won't have to worry about money anymore.

God bless!

Spring Break & Time & Such

Spring Break is all over. It wasn't incredibly exciting anyway.  I worked Monday through Wednesday when I was only supposed to work Tuesday. I don't mind too much though since Cliff and I need the money and my co worker had a concussion and couldn't work. Then Thursday was good. Cliff and I went to my sister's house and hung out with most of my family. No Alicia & Nate, sad. But I will be seeing her in about a month! Then on Friday my mom, dad, nephew and I went to a motorcycle shop to look at some stuff but that was a total bust. After that Cliff and I went home and I had to work Saturday morning. After work though Cliff and I went back to Rachel's house and we had celebrated her and Andrew's birthdays and had a really good time. That night we played cards once the kids went to bed. I must say... it is an absolute blast! The next morning Cliff and I had breakfast with my family (they made waffles!) and we had to go home because I worked that afternoon as well. I was expecting to come home from work to an empty apartment only to find Cliff sitting on the couch. The poor boy wasn't feeling well! So he and I sat and talked and didn't do too much the rest of the night. Finally we went to bed at around 10:00 and I didn't wake up until 9:00 this morning.

So now here I sit in the SCTC commons. Hungry. Tired. Really wanting to go home but I have to work again tonight. So sad. But Cliff and I will be moving this Saturday so I am really looking forward to that.  But I need to get through this week first.

It's strange to think that time goes the same speed all the time. Sometimes it feels like it's going faster while other times it just seems to creep along. Like right now... time is going by so slowly but last week flew by faster than I imagined. I hate time... I wish it would go by slowly during the fun times and fast during the slow times. How great would that be? Oh well. I am just happy God gave me any time at all! So anywhoo. I can't say there's much more to report. Unless you want to bring me food within the next 30 minutes I guess I will see you around.

God bless!

Weekend Update.

So I have been enjoying work quite thoroughly ever since I started. It has been very low maintenance and the people I work with are very nice. It's quite slow most of the time and so I am not running around like a chicken with my head cut off. On top of that, I love working with candles! It is so much easier than working clothing retail. Granted there is still quite a bit to remember. Such as proper burning of candles and how long each one burns. Then there's also the reed diffusers and electric burners. Plus potpourri and tarts. Oh yes, quite a bit to remember. I can do it. Of this I have no doubt. But still...

Other than that I can't say life has been too exciting. I am on my spring break right now but it pretty much consists of working and packing. I am so happy that Cliff and I will be moving to our new place. It will make so many things SO much easier! Only 10 days!!

Hm... My friend Adam came down to visit Cliff & I this last weekend. That was fun. We went to the St. Paul Science Museum and then to the Mall of America. After that we came back to the apartment and played Nintendo Monopoly. That was an absolute HOOT!! Haha. Poor Mario died in a tragic accident. Haha.

Anywhoo, I should probably be going to bed and try to get some sleep instead of killing my sleep cycle like I already have been the last few days. So good night everyone and, as always, God bless!

Thoughts

I am done with my classes right now and so I am sitting here looking at facebook and shoes and thinking. I need to stop doing that. However I have been thinking about someone quite often lately because he keeps popping up in dreams and out of the blue. It's really starting to upset me because I don't know what to do about it. I don't want to talk to him again and even more so I never want to see him! And yet here I find myself thinking about everything went wrong and I wonder if maybe I should have done something different. Like stop talking to him a long time ago. Granted it's already been about four months but still. So what am I supposed to do when I see pictures and hear things? I have been able to walk away unscathed for quite some time, but now it's starting to catch up to me. Then I start to wonder if he's thinking about me. If he ever remembers when we were friends and nothing was wrong in the world. I doubt it though. He has his own little world right now and nothing else can come in there.

Oh well. I have my husband and things have been going incredibly well the last few months. I am loving school and I have a new job which I am really looking forward to. I start that in less than a week! Yay! Cliff has been enjoying his job at Kia but is still waiting for that call back. Please keep praying that he does! We are moving in a few weeks and I have never been more excited. I cannot wait until we are in our two bedroom apartment! We will have so much more room for EVERYTHING! When people come to visit, they will have their own room to sleep in instead of worrying about waking them up in the morning. Oh goodness! How exciting. Can't I just move now?!

But I suppose I should head home and get to work on some more cleaning and packing and what not. I'm not looking forward to it, but it needs to be done. There will be a lot more cleaning to do soon! God bless!

My Soap Box Moment

So I have decided that people who smoke and then throw their butts out the window really really annoy me. I see it so often when I drive down the road and there's this little white thing falling from someone's window and it's a cigarette butt! Seriously? Why do so many people do that?! Is it so hard to keep your butts in your own car? I have even seen some people, while at a red light, open their car door and dump out their ash tray right into the gutter!!! How is that helping anything?! So those of you that do smoke, please keep your butts in your own car or else dispose of them properly! Why is that so difficult to do? I am sorry for this little rant of mine, but I have seen it happen all too often and now I just cannot take it anymore! I am done with my soap box moment for now. I am sure it will come back again though. God bless everyone! (Yes, even those who can't keep their butts in their car).

A Chili Kind of Day.

Today was, as you could guess, very busy! Cliff and I woke up this morning and slowly got dressed and went to church. While there, Cliff decided he was going to enter into the Chili Cook Off competition. I was already helping out with the bake sale that night so I figured, why not? Cliff and I sat through the service, (a very good one again today). Afterwards Cliff and I were talking to another contestant of the chili cook off and he was telling us that he had been preparing his chili for FIVE DAYS! Cliff and I were amazed by that! Then we got back in the car and went to Coborn's to pick up stuff for Cliff's chili. He and I then went home and he got to work while I playing Animal Crossing. (It's a new obsession of mine, rather sad really!) Cliff cut up some peppers and mixed in some beans and the chili was really starting to smell good. He would have me taste test it every now and then. It wasn't until the third time that it was finally too hot for me! Cliff said it was ready and we finally headed out around 4:54. We get there and we are instantly busy. I get to setting up the table and the baked goods while Cliff finishes getting registered and gets his stuff ready. We are both completely separate for the rest of the evening until I finally get to go and eat some chili. I only ate one kind, but it was very good.  Hooray for Cliff, he won second place in the "Hoo Doggie" section. The chili that one was just plain hot, not really much flavor or taste to it. Cliff's chili was good for the first few chews and then it would hit you! People loved his chili because of it. I was very proud of him. I told him that this was completely cliche, but he won the cook off to me because his had flavor and was hot. The bake sale went very well too. We raised a lot of money for the Youth Group so they can go to CIY this July. I was very happy with the way things went tonight.

However, now the day is done and I am absolutely EXHAUSTED! The time on this blog is off and right now it's 11:03 p.m. So I bid all of you a good night! Keep your chili hot, but flavorful! God bless!

My Day Today.

6:49 a.m. Cliff kisses me good bye as he heads out for work.

8:50 a.m. Alarm goes off. 'ugh time to wake up and get ready for school. Oh well I guess.'

9:15 a.m. Time to leave to go to school and hopefully get a parking spot!

10:00 a.m. First class, time to learn some stuff about Illustrator.

11:00 a.m. Second "class," Northway Group. Meeting with a client today to see if he likes any of our ideas for logos.

12:00 p.m. Now it's time for Visual Design. Today we get to present our Accordion Brochures but I forgot the paper version at home. I guess I will have to present it off of my computer.

1:00 p.m. I am going to sit in on the Photoshop class instead of waiting. It's snowing lots outside! Ewie!

1:30 p.m. Call Kate at Yankee Candle and bump up our meeting to two o'clock.

2:15 p.m. Meeting with Kate. =]

3:45 p.m. Finally home and out of the snowy roads!

4:00 p.m. Play a little Animal Crossing before Cliff comes home. Where is he anyway?

4:30 p.m. Get a text from Cliff saying he lost his keys and will be late.

5:45 p.m. Cliff found his keys and is finally home.

6:30 p.m.  On the phone with mom while Cliff is making supper!

8:00 p.m. Cliff decides to take out the guitar and play. Argh. I work on some cross stitch while he does that. Gr.

9:30 p.m. He finally stops and we watch some more Family Guy.

10:30 p.m. Cliff is brushing his teeth and says he's heading to bed. Doubtful.

10:45 p.m. Maybe I will go to bed, I am kind of sleepy.

11:00 p.m. Night night world. God bless.

A New Job!

So today was a very exciting day! I had an interview today and it went very well. So well, as a matter of fact, that I was hired on the spot! I am so excited! Everything was so spur of the moment. I wasn't even looking for a job when I asked for the application and then when I met with the manager the next she set up an interview with me two days later. THEN at the interview we ended up just talking for the first half hour and then the last fifteen minutes were actually the more business-type questions. When we went back into the store she had to make sure I didn't have to take the personality test (which I didn't!) So I was home free! She turned around after hanging up the phone and offered me the job right there! I was so excited and I got along with both the girls that were working that day very well. One was the head manager of the store and the other was the assistant manager. Very cool.

However, I am laying in bed right and probably should get some sleep! Be sure to praise God for me because I am currently employed and now Cliff and I have that little bit of extra money coming in. It'll be nice to have that little bit of cushion. But like I said earlier, I am in bed now and Cliff is falling asleep next to me. I should fall asleep too. So good night world! And be sure to praise God for every good thing in your life, and pray for help during those troubled times.

God bless!

An Update in the Life of...

I completely forgot that I even had this blog until a friend of mine, Jaime, told me that she was blogging.  It made me wonder... whatever happened to my blog?  So I came and checked it out and it was still here!  Wonderful no?  Maybe I will be more avid in writing in this now that I remember it is here.

An update in my life would be that I am currently married.  His name is Clifford and I love him very much.  We are currently moving out of our apartment in Clearwater and into St Cloud.  We couldn't more happy!  We have been married for about 6 1/2 months now but it seems like it's been much longer than that.  In a good way of course.

I am looking at craftsdirect.com for some beading ideas and even making some of my own.  I am absolutely loving this new spark in me to be creative!  I also hope that Rachel will be able to go scrapbooking with me next week.  That'd be a great big-sister-little-sister bonding time!

I am no longer going to SCSU.  I am now attending St Cloud Technical College.  I am loving it!  Why do ask did I go from a four year university to a two year college?  I will tell you why!  The programs are much more focused and the professors are more personal with you.  You're not just another face in the class, you are a student and they want to know who you, as a person are.  It is absolutely wonderful.  I am going for Advertising and Web Design. Heavily on the web design side. It's been a long time since I have been this excited about school, even my family has noticed!

As much as I love blogging and getting my happy thoughts down right now, I should go and do something productive; such as packing, eating, cleaning... but I'll probably just end up looking at beads and playing some more.

Have a blessed day!