I'm sick of being creative!

Between May 14th and September 3rd, Dan and I have 6 weddings to attend. I LOVE weddings, but when it comes to buying gifts, I'm sick of being creative.

The first two weddings lucked out. They got actual gifts from their registry. They were even gift-wrapped by the great people at Marshall Fields.

I went shopping today for the remaining four weddings. I figured I'd just get it over with. :) Well, it's hard to get it over with when people are registered for freaking EXPENSIVE stuff! For instance, one couple's place settings are $99 a piece. And they want 12 of them. That's $1200 just for their dinnerware. You feel silly getting something off of a registry like this. Basically because all I could really afford would be a toothpick holder. Honestly, the prices of MOST of the items on this particular list are in the triple digits. Scary. (Don't worry, I'm confident this couple will never come across my blog).

The next dilemma is when you are invited to a wedding that you weren't expecting to be invited to. You don't know them very well, they weren't invited to your wedding, etc. But even if you don't go, you are obliged to get a gift. Stupid wedding etiquette. :) Unfortunately, I'm good at following rules.

All of this to say that after a couple hours of shopping today, I came home with four giftcards. I am trying to get over my preconceived ideas that giftcards are impersonal. I remember we loved getting giftcards when we got married. We loved everything we got when we got married.

Well, except for that clearly recycled gift screwdriver set...

Better than last year

It's my birthday. It's only 9:45, and it's already better than last year.

Last year my mom was having her second lumpectomy. On my birthday. I remember going to the hospital to meet my dad and family friend Vicki. I made cookies. A birthday treat to share in the waiting room. Rather pathetic, looking back on it!

My mom had all of her one-year tests on Monday--CT scan, bone scan, and mammogram. She had an appointment with her oncologist this morning and was hoping he would have the results for her. Well, he did. My phone rang 15 minutes ago. My mom was on the other end and said "I wanted you to be the first to know that I'm free and clear!" In hidsight, I'm surprised I didn't start crying right then and there. I just said "YAY!" There is no sign of anything left in her body--not even early signs of arthritis in her bones!

God is good. More than one reason to celebrate today!

Now, on with the festivities. Or at least, on with getting Dan out of bed...

Killing time

I'm presently on the phone with nelnet student loan consolidation services. I've been on hold for about 10 minutes, and am expecting at least another 15. Of course, I have to stay on the line so that I can consolidate/refinance before the big rate hike on July 1st. The 'on hold' lady keeps reminding me of that.

So, since I'm bored out of my mind, you're going to be bored too. I'm going to think of things to tell you until I get someone to talk to. Buckle up. This is going to be exciting.

1. It's June 21st. That means it's officially summer. I like that. It also means that tomorrow is my birthday.
2. James Taylor was on the Today Show this morning. It was good. He has aged gracefully.
3. I took my friend Lisa to the airport at 3:15 this morning. She is going to Belize. When she asked if I could do it, she said she was trying to think of her friends that didn't have a job and she thought of me. When I told her that was a little offensive, she changed it to "I guess I was thinking of my friends who are lucky enough to have the summers off." Much better.
4. I went back to bed at 4:45. It was already starting to get light out. I'm pretty sure I totally messed up my body clock. Maybe not.
5. "Thank you for taking time to call nelnet." That's me being thanked for the 43rd time.
6. Dan is still in bed and his alarm keeps going off. It's really loud. He has probably pressed snooze 5 times.
7. I just finished reading The Things They Carried. It's a phenomenal book about the Vietnam war. I highly recommend it.
8. Ooh, the next nelnet loan advisor will assist me. I don't think that means anything.
9. We had friends over last night, one of whom is alergic to cats. So we had to lock the cats in my bedroom. They were quite angry.
10. Dan's alarm number 6.
11. The Kare 11 Today Show is on now. Roxanne Battle and Pat Evans bug me.
12. I have an orthodontist appointment this afternoon. I got my braces off in 7th grade and I have had to go back to the ortho every year for a check up. I still have permanent retainers in. I guess as long as I don't have to keep paying, I'll go until I'm 78. My doctor will be long gone, though.
13. This is Dan's lucky number. His birthday is June 13th.
14. Today is my friend Ben's birthday. I should e-mail him.
15. Between May 14th and Labor Day weekend, Dan and I have 6 weddings to attend. I like weddings. Is it rude for me to wear the same outfit to all of them? Luckily, I'm not in any of them. That would be expensive.
16. www.nelnet.net/consolidation. That's where you want to go if you want to consolidate your loans. So why am I on the phone? My mom blazed a trail before me last night and let me know she didn't get very far online. Bummer.
17. I went to the doctor with my mom yesterday. She had all of her 1-year follow up stuff. CT scan, bone scan, mammogram, etc. It was great fun. It's always interesting to hear other people's cancer stories. Hopefully she'll get results tomorrow when she sees her oncologist.
18. I was at Cub yesterday during the storm. It wasn't even raining when I went inside. While I was shopping, the power went out. They had some emergency lights on, and the registers still worked. But it was a little weird. And POURING outside. I had to put my clothes in the dryer and sit with a hair dryer on my dripping locks for a while.
19. I'm running out of ideas.
20. The weather looks pleasant outside. Haven't experienced it firsthand yet. The TV says it's 73 degrees.
21. My new favorite CD is Nichole Nordeman's "Brave." No singer/songwriter affects me quite like she does. God just uses her outstanding talent in amazing ways.
22. Dan's alarm number 7.
23. My brother killed a spider while I was on the phone with my mom last night. He's a bit of a wuss with spiders, so it was pretty impressive.
24. I made some vegetables on the grill last night in a grill pan. What a great invention. It's my new favorite thing.
25. This is how old I'll be in 14 hours. A whole quarter of a century. Hmmm.
26. I like Seattle.
27. I don't like the Denver airport.
28. Amazing calorie information: regular pancake syrup has 210 calories per 1/4 cup. Sugar-free syrup has 30 calories per 1/4 cup. And it tastes great.
29. My friend Beth is having twins in a month. They are both boys. Can't wait to meet them.
30. PHONE IS RINGING! Talking to a real person as we speak. Great fun.
31. Dan's alarm number 8. GET UP ALREADY!

My time here is done. Thanks for killing time with me. Have a FABULOUS first day of summer!!

Hold on

"So baby don’t look down, it’s a long way
The sun will come around to a new day

So hold on
Love will find you
Hold on
He’s right behind you now
Just turn around
And love will find you"

-new Nichole Nordeman

Happy birthday to YOU!!!

My dear husband Dan is celebrating his 28th year of life today. He is pretty sure he is getting old. Like without warning, all of a sudden, next year he'll turn 43. I've tried to assure him that despite a few grey hairs and a slight thinning of that very hair, he is not even close to AARP qualification. Although, the discount might come in handy...

So, many birthday wishes, my love. I hope it's a happy one!

Again I say, REJOICE!

I rejoice, because as of today, I have survived my first year as a middle school teacher. The last of my seventh graders stopped jumping off the walls long enough to exit the room for good at 3:15. It was a glorious sight.
I've had Alice Cooper's "School's Out for Summer" in my head all day. What a happy thought.
I am still getting a grasp on everything that I'll have a 3-month break from. No more last-minute lesson plans. No more grading mediocre work. No more returning the phone calls of ornery parents. No more answering the same question three times in one class period. No more "I BELIEVE I ASKED YOU TO STOP TALKING!"
It is with excitement that I embark on this summer with grad school classes, painting some rooms in our house, and getting away with my husband. Along with a few birthdays, a slew of weddings, and many backyard barbeques.
I'm ready for a break. Minnesota summer? Bring it on.