Marriage

What marriage means to me:

Growing up, I saw a lot of troubled marriages, and the resulting divorce. I saw how hard it was for all parties involved to go through a divorce. I always thought to myself, "that will never be me." So I didn't get married until I knew that he was the one. He isn't perfect, he has his faults, but so do I and every other normal person in the world. There aren't many, and I try my best not to be picky. We never yell when we fight. We always make up. Sometimes it is hard work, but mostly it is a great life. I think we balance each other out, and match each other with faults so much that we don't mention them to one another. We don't lead an exciting life, but often dream of one. Someday this, and someday that. We keep it real, and honest. I wasn't great at trusting due to past relationships and getting hurt time after time, but slowly but surely my walls came down, and he had 100% of my trust and love. There were some scares where he almost lost my trust, but once I forgive, I forget, and we move forward. We are at a rough part in our marriage, and I am having a hard time letting go. I know I need to, and I know that in the end, we will still be together, so the sooner I forgive and forget, the less I will torture myself. So here I write, to remind myself that he is the one. He chose me, and I chose him. Our love is true and strong, and we will get through this, together.

We got married on November 10, 2001. It was a very eventful year. There was the 9/11 tragedy. It was the year that we lost our precious little angel to a miscarriage. It was the last year that I worked in Excursion Inlet because that is where it happened. It is the year I started my job at the state of Alaska. So, there it is. Us in a nutshell. Still in Alaska after all these years even though there are all the some days and dreams of warmer weather.

Amazingly enough, had some time to kill! =)

I copied this from my friend's blog, 32 flavors, it looked like fun so here goes:

1.Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain-three day hike! it was awesome!!
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped -(wanted to, but chickened out and skydived instead!)
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea- right before I hiked the mountain =)
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child- (so very desperately want to!)
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables- every summer! =)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked-hmmm....yah that was a bad idea.....in Seattle, at night, alone!
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort- all my childhood life! =)
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping.....um... yah.....what happens in Nevada...... =)
27. Run a marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset-one of my favorite past times that I can never do in Juneau, AK!!
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors-I am LIVING in the birthplace! lol
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke-had enough drinks to do it =}
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa- lifelong dream.......
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling-I had a blast! J hated it!
52. Kissed in the rain....mmmm...memories
53. Played in the mud-lol! mud pie story, must blog later!
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business-home business- does that count? want to start a Hispanic store here
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching-watched the whales while fishing...
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving-SO much fun!! want to do it again!
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check-was hungry-needed groceries
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar-mmmm....used to make ginger caviar with Kubo yum!
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job-almost! but talked my way back in! =) What can I say, I was just a kid.
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle-hated every minute of it- 3 times a week in Phoenix one summer long ago
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book-my childhood dream...
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car- love my 2008 Honda crv
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible-one goal in life that I actually accomplished! =)
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one-love and miss you Terry
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit- consigned a truck and got ripped off along with several others here in J-town
98. Owned a cell phone-can't live without my cellphone!
99. Been stung by a bee-once, under my nail! was my fault, I used to catch them in a jar! lol
100. Totally copied a post from someone else's blog to your own

Tag, YOU'RE it!

Reminiscing

Sometimes I really miss the good old days. For some reason lately I have been thinking a lot about when I was in high school, or even right after high school. When I was with my old boyfriend. When I could go where I wanted when i wanted. There are a lot of people that I really miss, especially the ones that I know I will not see again. Then there are all the "what if"'s. I love the "I remember when"'s. But sometimes they bring me down. One of my favorite quotes: "When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us." ~Helen Keller

I guess I need to stop looking at the door that closed, and concentrate on the doors that are opening for me. Wow, it has been a long time of looking back at that closing door. I have been looking to the opening doors for a long time, but once in a while steal quick glances at the closed door. One could always hope. Does this mean I am getting old? My goal, enjoy life to the fullest. Get all I can out of every great situation. Choose my attitude. Plain and simple, have fun. Do what I like to do when I should be doing what I have to do, and don't feel guilty about it. This must have to do with the fact that I am boggled down with school work right now. And there is still no end in site. *sigh*

I have been tagged!

I have been tagged, but have no one else to tag! lol

1. Link to the person who tagged you: http://32flavorsandthensome2.blogspot.com/
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.


OK, here we go. 6 random things about me.



1. Only fresh in my mind because for the 2nd time this season, I had to do it last night. I sleep with warm fuzzy socks on at night. If my feet are cold, I can't sleep. My whole body feels cold. Once I have my warm fuzzy socks on, my whole body warms up, and I sleep like a baby. =) My feet want to cramp when they are cold, and for some reason they are always cold when I first get into bed. Maybe it is those hardwood floors.



2. I keep journals. Not daily, but randomly. I have journals that date back to when I was 11! When I write in them, I try to update from the last time I wrote (sometimes I go for a year or 2 without writing) Sometimes I go back and read- usually when I am alone. Quality me time. =) I don't know if that really is a good thing though because sometimes I wish for the good ole' days. And then I read something horrible that happened, and am glad that I am in the present day.

3. I spent an entire winter (5 months) in Mexico. I wish I could say that it was the best experience in my life, but it really wasn't. I went down there to meet J's family. 5 months was way to long for my first experience. We stayed with his parents. The entire time we were down there, I was on my own. He was either hunting or working on our house. Wow this one is depressing. On to the next! =)

4. I like to draw cartoons. =) Artistry runs in my family. Mostly native art. I haven't taken any classes, though I would love love love to. I have never drawn native art. I like to stick to the fun stuff. When I was extremely bored (everyday) in Mexico, I was drawing every cartoon I could find. Ran out of things and started drawing Chester Cheetah! You know, the ones on Cheetos chips. They actually turned out to be one of my favorites! =) Here are two of them: (will figure out how to move them side by side later)

5. I have been skydiving! My good friend and I went down to Shelton WA and went skydiving. I have pics, but they are not digital. I will try to scan one in later. It was the most amazing thing in my whole life. I would like to say that I would do it again, but at my age, I don't think that I would. This was 10 almost 11 years ago. Now I think too much about all the possible dangers of everything. When I was free falling down to earth it was like floating in the air. I didn't even feel like I was falling. I felt like I was looking at a huge painting, or panaramic photo. Then he pulled the chute, and whammo! Whiplash. I was ready for it- but not, if that makes sense. I was in pain for about a week. But it was SO worth it. =) Aw heck, I would do it again if given the chance! =) Maybe that is why I went on the stratosphere in Vegas 2 years ago. Fun!

6. I like challenges. I like to be busy all the time. If I am idle I go nuts. Sometimes if I can't think of what to do, I will be like a pathetic puppy, staring out my living room window. My husband promptly pulls me up off the couch, and takes me for a drive, or a hike, or to the shooting range. Lately I have been so busy that I haven't had time to sleep, but I thrive on it. Sometimes I think what in the heck am I doing. But truthfully, this is how I want to live. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have something to do every minute of every day. I guess that i why I read books, because when I am sitting idle, then I have something to keep my mind busy. I don't even know how I find time to do these blogs! =) I like it though, one other thing to keep me busy.

Ok, if any of my friends that follow my blog and have created thier own, you are tagged! =)