Adopting in Ashburn

You know how sometimes you are just having one of those days: everything seems crappy, nothing is going right, decisions you've made were all wrong, your life is not going in the right direction, etc. etc. If you couldn't tell by this morning's post, today was one of those days. Self edit: it started out as one of those days. I called a bunch of people in my phone book just wanting to catch up with friends, to not feel so alone. Then, I called Dana and we made plans for the afternoon. We didn't do anything overly exciting, just shopping (Christmas present craft supplies, poster frames, etc.) and errand running for her. But she let me vent for more than an hour about everything that I thought was bothering me. It turns out that most of what sucked this morning was fine by the time we got back from shopping. Now, I have not become some ridiculous girl who is quelled by purchases. I actually needed the stuff I got, and so did Dana. But the company, and having someone...

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. If the "you" changes and the event(s) that lead to the fooling really aren't foolish, how bad of a policy could it be? Does it really make me foolish? Though the circumstances and technique have changed since the hallway outside Mrs. Strong's reading class, I still get basically the same result. I'm not sure if it was better then; when I felt foolish and humiliated right away. Now, it is more like the silent treatment. In the Tequesta cafeteria, back in the day, I got the quiet retreat. Back then, I preferred the noiselessness of it to the personal humiliation. More than 12 years later, I'm glad the "yous" have finally matured to the level I was hoping for - then. I just wish they could manage to get to the level I'm at now. So many, like Mrs. Strong, promised it would be different by now. And even after all the so-called fooling, that they were wrong is the most disappointing part. R...

Tonight I decided that my mission would be to make new friends and delve better into my faith. I'm not sure I was successful at either one. At the church near my house they have a Tuesday night book study. Because I was new, I just went to listen and see what it was like. Because I am me, I couldn't restrain myself from comment when I thought there was a discrepancy. This is how we got into a discussion about whether or not the bread at communion is actually the Eucharist if it isn't blessed by a Catholic priest. I personally think that "wherever two or more are gathered in my name, I am there" (paraphrase, I know) and the whole John 6:46-59 (Bread of Life discourse) means that it doesn't matter who blesses the bread - Jesus is present and in that bread regardless. This of course has nothing to do with Catholic doctrine. So, my disagreement not only helped me not delve into my faith (just Catholic history and a little catechism - which is religion, not f...

En France, Veterans Day est le meme chose do la journee d'Armistice. Please take a moment right now and say a prayer for the health and happiness of veterans everywhere. Today was Veterans Day across the US and along with my friends Katie and Dana, I decided to celebrate by spending the afternoon at Arlington Cemetery. We went to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and watched the changing of the guard. We also got to see two wreath laying ceremonies - one for the French War (French Guard and probably the ambassador laid the wreath) and the other for the 3rd Battalion Division Society. I didn't cry at the bugle song during the first wreath, but when those men stood there - some being helped down the stairs by their comrades who were equally as old as they were - you couldn't help but well up with pride at their sacrifice. The three of us talked about it afterwards and decided that we probably couldn't do it - join up in the military. But I have an incredible amount of g...

I know it has been ages ... my only excuse is that after spending all day at work staring at my computer screen, I can't even fathom why I would turn my computer on when I get home at night. This isn't a good excuse, but it's the best I can offer you. Aside from having the flu last week (first flu since elementary school, so really, I had it coming), life has been healthy and happy. I work five days a week and try to relax as much as possible on the weekends. I haven't quite settled into a church down here yet, so I still drive to Bethesda each week to sing in the choir. I'm making friends at work - which is a nice feeling. I recently got to go on a business trip and spent time in NJ visiting family. Halloween was spent party-hopping dressed as Titania from Midsummer Night's Dream (which took more explaining than I hoped it would). This weekend, I'm reaching out to try and make new friends. I'm paying off old bills and starting to make Christmas pr...