THE LAST TWO DAYS

THE LAST TWO DAYS HAVE INCLUDED A LOT OF GOOD.

MOST DEFINITELY THERE IS AN ABUNDANCE OF THINGS TO BE THANKFUL FOR, THINGS THAT BRING HAPPINESS, AND THINGS THAT MAKE WAKING UP TO THE CHALLENGE OF A NEW DAY VERY MUCH WORTH THE EFFORT.

HERE IS ME THIS MORNING AT SCHOOL WONDERING IF I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO DO THIS...AGAIN. TEACHING IS EXHAUSTING...AND REWARDING.

GURU'S SWEET POTATO FRIES MAKE ANY DAY A GOOD ONE. I SERIOUSLY ATE THIS ENTIRE PLATEFUL, AND I'D DO IT AGAIN TODAY IF I COULD.

FINDING BJ ASLEEP ON THE COUCH LIKE THIS WHEN I GOT HOME FROM MY SECOND ROUND OF WORK FOR THE DAY. HE LOOKS LIKE HE'S NAKED. ONLY I KNOW IF HE REALLY WAS...

USING SOME OF BJ'S CHRISTMAS GIFTS THIS MORNING IN THE SHOWER. SEA SALT SCRUB FROM THE DEAD SEA DOES A PREGNANT BODY GOOD. MY SKIN HASN'T EVER FELT THIS SOFT. I GUESS THOSE ISRAELI PEOPLE WHO RIPPED US OFF SELLING US THIS REALLY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.

SHRIMP TACOS NOT ONLY TASTED FANTASTIC, BUT THEY ALSO SAVED ME FROM ANOTHER NIGHT OF COOKING THIS WEEK! THANK YOU MINIATURE SHELLFISH!

AND LASTLY, SEEING THIS SIGHT IN MY BATHROOM. BJP+EJB FOREVER.

JUST WONDERING

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER WHEN YOU'RE ALL ALONE?

DO YOU WATCH AMERICAN IDOL AND LAUGH YOUR FACES OFF?

I DO.

DO YOU PERFORM YOUR WILDEST DANCE MOVES FOR EACH OTHER?

HE DOES.

DO YOU SMOOCH AND SEDUCE?

WHO ME???...........OF COURSE!!!

DO YOU SMILE?

ALWAYS.

BJ SAID IT WELL LAST NIGHT AS WE LAID DOWN TOGETHER ON THE COUCH TO WATCH A MOVIE. "THIS IS THE BEST PART OF MY DAY. RIGHT HERE. THIS IS ALWAYS THE BEST PART OF MY DAY."

AMEN BROTHA!

GLORY, GLORY, MORNING TIME

ONE OF THE PROSPECTS THAT EXCITES ME MOST ABOUT BEING A STAY-AT-HOME-MOM NEXT YEAR IS THAT EVERY DAY I WILL START MY MORNING IN MY OWN HOME.

 I NOW START MY MORNINGS BY PRESSING SNOOZE AT LEAST FOUR TIMES, SHOWERING FOR TOO LONG, TAKING WAY MORE TIME THAN I ACTUALLY HAVE TO GET READY, AND EATING MY BREAKFAST IN A FREEZING COLD CAR AS I DRIVE DOWN STATE STREET. THIS ASPECT OF MY LIFE WILL NOT BE MISSED.

I LOVE THE MORNINGS. AND I LOVE TO BE IN MY HOME FOR THIS SACRED TIME OF DAY.

BJ HATES THAT OUR CHURCH STARTS AT 12:30 THIS YEAR. I LOVE IT.

YESTERDAY I HAD TIME TO LAY IN BED AND WAKE UP SLOWLY. AFTER THAT I SAT ON THE COUCH AS I SLOWLY ATE MY BREAKFAST. I HAD TIME TO READ, WRITE, AND PONDER, AND OF COURSE, LOUNGE AROUND IN MY FAVORITE PLUSH BATHROBE.

I THINK EVERY DAY WOULD BE CHRISTMAS WORTHY IF THEY ALL COULD BEGIN LIKE THIS.

 THE ANGELS SING ON MORNINGS LIKE THIS WHEN THE BLINDS ARE DRAWN OPEN.

I REMEMBER THE WAY MY DOG HUDU USED TO LIE ON THE GROUND IN THE SPOTS OF SUN THAT FLOODED THE CARPET IN THE MORNING. I REMEMBER ALWAYS FEELING ENVIOUS OF THE WAY HE COULD COMPLETELY SURRENDER HIMSELF TO THE ENJOYMENT OF THE MORNING AS I WAS CORRALLED OUT THE DOOR TO SCHOOL.

COME JUNE I WILL BE LIKE MY LITTLE DOG, BASKING EVERY DAY IN THE GLORY OF MORNING TIME.

A HOMEMADE PHOTO BOOTH

DEAR WEEKEND,

WHY DO YOU PASS SO QUICKLY? STAY A WHILE LONGER PLEASE. I LOVE YOU.

-MRS. PUGMIRE

YOU ASKED FOR IT

I AM TWENTY-SIX WEEKS PREGNANT TODAY AND FEELING GREAT.

BJ STEPPED IN FOR AN IMPROMPTU PHOTO SHOOT LAST NIGHT AFTER I GOT HOME FROM WORK- ABOUT 9:30 PM. I WAS DISCOURAGED AFTER I POSED FOR PHOTO AFTER PHOTO BECAUSE I DIDN'T LIKE WHAT I WAS SEEING ON THE DIGITAL CAMERA PLAY-BACK SCREEN.

A CLOSE FRIEND OF MY MOM'S FROM TAIWAN HAS CALLED HERSELF FAT BEFORE. TO US, SHE'S A TINY ASIAN WOMEN THAT IS NOT FAT IN THE LEAST BIT. HER REBUTTLE TO OUR DISAGREEANCE IS THAT HER "BELLY STICKS OUT FURTHER THAN HER BOOBS."

AFTER LOOKING AT THESE PICTURES, I WISHED MY BOOBS WEREN'T STICKING OUT QUITE SO FAR BECAUSE, RIGHT NOW, MY BELLY AND MY BOOBS ARE TIED.

AS I TOLD BJ LAST NIGHT, I FEEL LIKE MY TORSO LOOKS LIKE ONE GIANT BLOCK.

PREGNANCY HAS BEEN A STRANGE JUXTAPOSITION OF BATTLING FEELINGS OF DENIAL, ACCEPTANCE, EXCITEMENT, AND WORRY ABOUT THIS BODY METAMORPHOSIS.

AND PLEASE EXCUSE THE CHRISTMAS TREE IN THE BACKGROUND. IT IS FEBRUARY 4TH AND I HAVE NO PLANS IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE OF TAKING IT DOWN.

I SHOULD'VE BEEN A BIRD

FOR ME, PREGNANCY IS NOT NECESSARY TO PUT ME IN THE NESTING MOOD.

90% OF THE TIME, HOME IS WHERE I'D LIKE TO BE...WASHING SHEETS, PREPARING A MEAL, ORGANIZING CLOSETS, REARRANGING DECOR FOR THE CURRENT SEASON, OR BURYING MY HEAD IN DESIGN MAGAZINE AFTER DESIGN MAGAZINE.

TODAY, BEFORE MY TEACHING EVEN STARTED, I WAS DREAMING OF WHAT TO MAKE FOR DINNER, CLEANING PROJECTS I'D LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH TONIGHT, AND A FEW ODDS AND ENDS I MAY PICK UP ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK TO BEAUTIFY THINGS

I AM A PERMA-NESTER.

 TO PROTECT MY OWN SANITY, I DON'T LET MYSELF VISIT THE DREAMLAND OF THE LIFE I'LL BE LIVING NEXT YEAR... AT HOME, ALL DAY, EVERY DAY. IT'LL BE LIKE LIVING AT DISNEY LAND PEOPLE.

LAST SUMMER I DIDN'T WORK AT ALL BECAUSE I HAD A FEW CLASSES I HAD TO TAKE TO REMAIN ELIGIBLE TO TEACH. BJ WAS WORRIED I WAS GONNA BE BORED OUT OF MY MIND.

I. WAS. NOT.

I RELISH THE DAYS THAT I SPEND AT HOME, FEATHERING MY NEST, CHECKING OFF TO-LISTS THAT TRANSFORM MY HOME INTO A CELESTIALLY CLEAN DWELLING.

THERE ARE FEW THINGS THAT BRING ME MORE SATISFACTION THAN SITTING BACK AND LOOKING AT A CLEAN HOUSE- MY CLEAN HOUSE.

WITH THAT SAID... THIS SWEET GUY...

 

HAS YET TO UNDERSTAND THE EXTENT OF MY OBSESSION TO KEEP MY CLEAN HOUSE CLEAN. DON'T GET ME WRONG- HE DOES A GREAT JOB TO HELP OUT WHERE HE CAN- TAKING THE TRASH OUT, FINISHING DISHES WHEN I CAN'T FIND IT IN ME TO, KINDLY OBLIGING TO FOLD THE GIGANTIC PILE OF CLEAN CLOTHES I REGULARLY PLOP IN FRONT OF HIM. HE EVEN LETS ME MAKE HIM LISTS ON DAYS WHEN THERE'S A LOT TO DO- JUST LIKE MY MOM USED TO DO FOR US ON SATURDAY CLEANING DAYS.

BUT HE HAS YET TO TRULY UNDERSTAND THAT UNMADE BEDS MAKE MUCH FRIENDLIER TERRITORY FOR SEDUCTION THAN FRESHLY MADE ONES.

MEN, YOU'VE GOTTA KNOW YOU'RE AUDIENCE!

SO COME 3:00 TODAY, I'LL VENTURE HOME TO MY LITTLE BUNGALOW (NOT PICTURED ABOVE) AND JUMP IN FULL FORCE TO OFFER IT SOME MUCH NEEDED TLC.

I LOVE BEING HOME. I WAS MADE TO NEST.

I SHOULD'VE BEEN A BIRD.

LIFE IS A BATTLEFIELD

I WOULD PLEAD THAT LIFE, NOT LOVE, IS A BATTLEFIELD.

EACH DAY I FIND MYSELF CONTINUALLY CHALLENGED, CONSISTENTLY CONFRONTED WITH CURVE BALLS AND UNIQUE SITUATIONS THAT I ALONE HAVE TO NAVIGATE. SOMETIMES I TAKE THE WISDOM OF PARENTS AND ROLE MODELS, CHURCH DOCTRINE AND INSPIRATION TO GOVERN MY RESPONSES. OTHER TIMES, I SUCCUMB TO THAT NATURAL IDIOT LIVING INSIDE ME THAT ALWAYS WANTS THE EASY AND SELFISH WAY OUT.

IF YOU'RE A TEACHER, YOU BETTER MAKE DARN SURE YOU'RE A GOOD DECISION MAKER- THAT YOU'LL CHOOSE TO BE THE PATIENT AND WISE RESPONDER RATHER THAN THE SELFISH AND IMPATIENT REACTOR. BECAUSE EVEN YOUR MOST FAVORITE STUDENTS CAN PRESS YOUR BUTTONS IF THEY CATCH YOU ON JUST THE RIGHT DAY.

SO IT IS WITH LIFE- A CONSTANT BATTLE TO CHOOSE THE GOOD, TO DWELL ON THE POSITIVE, TO TAKE THE HIGH ROAD AND SWALLOW YOUR PRIDE.

LAST NIGHT AS I LAY NEXT TO BJ AND READ MY BOOK OF MORMON, I READ ABOUT HAPPINESS BEING RESTORED TO THOSE WHO DESIRE HAPPINESS.

"AND NOW...IS THE MEANING OF THE WORD RESTORATION TO TAKE A THING OF A NATURAL STATE AND PLACE IT IN AN UNNATURAL STATE, OR TO PLACE IT IN A STATE OPPOSITE TO ITS NATURE?...THIS IS NOT THE CASE...FOR THAT WHICH YE DO SEND OUT SHALL RETURN UNTO YOU AGAIN...THE ONE RAISED TO HAPPINESS ACCORDING TO HIS DESIRE OF HAPPINESS." ALMA 41

THIS SCRIPTURE CONFIRMED SOMETHING I ALWAYS HAVE KNOWN,

IF YOU WANT HAPPINESS- YOU'VE GOTTA MAKE IT.

HAPPINESS IS A CHOICE.

I DESIRE HAPPINESS, AND I ALWAYS WILL.

I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE DAYS WHEN THAT HAPPINESS COMES EASILY- BUT FOR THE DAYS WHEN IT DOESN'T, DAYS LIKE THIS LAST MONDAY...UGGHH- WE'VE GOTTA DO OUR BEST TO EARN IT.

THIS, TO ME, IS THE EVER-PRESENT CHALLENGE OF LIFE. WHAT WILL I DO WITH TODAY? WILL I HAVE A HEART FULL OF GRATITUDE OR MURMURING? WILL I CHOOSE TO LOVE OR TO BE IRRITATED? WILL I LOOK AT MY BLESSINGS AND DECIDE TO REJOICE AND BE HAPPY, OR GET HUNG UP IN THE INSIGNIFICANT ANNOYANCES OF THE DAY TO DAY? 

I THINK THAT LIFE IS A BATTLEFIELD. I THINK THAT YOU HAVE TO FIGHT THE FIGHT IF YOU'RE GONNA MAKE EACH DAY COUNT.

AND I KNOW, THAT HAPPINESS, IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING WORTH FIGHTING FOR.