Random

Random #1
I like white wine. I love purple grape juice. I hate wine snobs. I like to go in and taste different wines because I like to taste the differences. I like to taste the hint of whatever was in the environment for that crop that year. I like to taste the added flavors. I like sweet wine. I can't stand dry reds. German Riesling is my favorite. Don't give me the stink eye when I only pick out white wine to taste at the cellar. You're no better than me in your jeans and t-shirt paying the 5 bucks to taste. You wanna look all cosmo, then go to the city wine bar.
Random #2
I am a beer snob. I don't like Budweiser, Coors, Vitamin R, or Michelob. I never liked the taste. I like full bodied, made at the restaurant beer. Or Guinness on tap or in the bottle. Never the can. I promise not to give you the stink eye when you order your Coors. Oh, I do love me some Blue Moon, though. With an orange slice. I'm still a girl.
Random #3
Watching people fight for their freedom this past week has made me weepy! It's beautiful to see! It's beautiful to see what our predecessors fought for. I think I'll write my senator today. To keep fighting.
Random #4
My heart goes out to the families of the hostages that were pirated on their yacht,and New Zealand. There is so much going on in the world lately.

Open Mouth, Insert Foot

Yesterday I had a tough day. I realized that I sometimes would do well in keeping my mouth shut, if you will. I like to be able to be an adult about things and I expect other adults to do the same. From now on, I am going to try really hard not to get involved in things that could affect my involvement in the future. It was something that wasn't important enough for people to get upset over. Now that I wrote it down, I feel better.

I know that I'm vague, but I try to be really careful about what I post on the World Wide Web.

Alone

I always picture myself in situations of being alone. I'm going back for my nursing degree. I want to finally do my dream. You think that I'm rambling, but I'm not. I sometimes sit and wish I had a man to spend my life with, but I really never picture a permanent man in my life.
Which brings me back to nursing. I want to be able to move or travel as a nurse. A man would be a tough sell on doing that with me. You see, I'm kind of a gypsy. I've never really felt at home anywhere. I love the Pacific Northwest and probably won't leave it, but I love to have "gypsy feet". I've lived in this apartment for 7 years and I've hated it for 3. The only reason I've stayed here is for family reasons. Even though my darling daughter only has a year left of high school, we are moving 10 miles away when the school year is out. It's closer to my job and farther away from suburbia. That's all I want for now. Call me selfish. I guess I am.

Welcome Chloe!

Chloe:
You, little girl, are one of the most loved children on earth.
You were loved and fought for before your parents even knew you. Now that you are in their arms, you get to experience all the hard work that went into having you come home.
We got to see your adoption in steps that had us mad, sad, impatient, and, finally, full of so much joy!! Watching this moment is a miracle to all of us.
God has blessed the three of you with each other, and I know you will feel that love forever.

May God continue blessing your family and may you grow to be as beautiful, smart, and happy as you already seem to be!

Here's to Shirley!!

I'm sitting at Starbuck's typing this while I wait for an old acquaintance to come have Happy Hour with me in downtown Bellevue. I work here, but today I'm off, yet I'm not at home cuddled on the couch like I wish I was. Oh well. I need to stop sulking in my own world and hang out with people. Shirley was people. She passed away on New Year's after a 2 year battle with breast cancer, which she had been in remission for for 10 years before it was found again. Scary, huh? Yup.
Shirley was no-nonsense. She was really cool because she told you like it was without her voice ever being raised. I think she got a lot of respect that way. I have yet to tell you like it is without raising my voice, but there's hope, right??

All I must say is this:
Thank you, Shirley, for giving me words of wisdom that I still carry with me. I will always remember where they came from. I think I pick things up from people that I like to have, and your way of telling it like it is, is one of those.
Thanks for your giggle that you always had. It made me giggle just hearing it. Thank you for the times you went to lunch with me and let me think that our boss was wonderful. At the time, I didn't need to know what a bitch she was. I know that you were saving me from that. I had to find out for myself--which was the mommy in you. :D
Thank you for you. You have touched many lives. I'm sorry I didn't go to your service, but I'd rather you read this from your heavenly perch, and I hope when you do, I hear a giggle.

As I lift my plastic cup full of water, I salute you! You will always be in my heart!
FAREWELL until I see you in heaven!

Here, Here!!

I'm so happy this New Year! I went to church today and listened to a missionary family who lives in China! It made me decide to continue banning Wal-Mart, but I will go ahead and buy from China.:D

Anyway...I know, that was random, but it made me realize a few things....I so very happy and blessed! China has been on the forefront of my mind for a while now, thanks to Jim and Cora. Congrats to them, they will be going there in 10(?) days to bring home their daughter Chloe, who they have loved from afar for so long!

Also, I've been thinking about going back to school and getting my nursing degree again. It's been something that I don't WANT to do, but I really don't plan on retiring with a phlebotomy skill only. The beauty of nursing is I can do mission trips once in a while w/ my profession, which is something I've always wanted to do.

So, here's to 2011...a time for hope and happiness, starting a new family, and preparing for changes in an established one!

If you can't stand for something.....

My daughter and I did our traditional Christmas trek to the movies the other day, and a preview of one of the movies had an actor singing the old song "If you can't stand for something, you'll fall for anything." Well, it's not a song, but you get it.
It got me thinking. Yes, right in the middle of the theater, that I don't think I stand up to anything that well. You see, I get really wishy-washy sometimes. I think it's because I would worry how I was labeled. There are things I don't like. I don't like the idea of people hating people that are different, or homophobia, or people who think that all Christians are right-winged conservatives or that all people who wear turbanes are going to blow up a plane (which, BTW, a lot of people who wear turbanes are Seik, not Muslim, at least in my world, so a little education goes a long way). However, I can understand why people freak out about all those things. And that is where I have to walk the line.
My daughter called me a homophobe one day (or implied it) because I told her that I didn't accept homosexuality. Actually, it was more that I said that I feel there are things in our lives that are developmental issues more than genetic tendencies. It didn't mean that if someone was, I was going to convert them or condemn them. I will never try to sway someone another way. It's impossible for me to think that, but I still have my thoughts. I still have my opinions. I'm sitting here trying to figure out why I'm even bringing this up. I guess it's because I feel I don't have a steady and concrete foundation in what I accept or don't accept. I have a friend who has really screwed up in her life. She has done things (and still does) I don't agree with. Can I accept what she does? No. Can I accept her? Yes. Because she's my friend. Does she know how I feel? AB.SO.LUTE.LY!!
However, I sometimes feel that my boundaries, when accepting the friendship, can be shaky. In my head, I'm letting her know it's alright. But I think that's almost the mind of a child. As an adult, I don't have my parents telling me to not hang out with that kid because she's bad news. But I DO have my boundaries by saying that she's my friend, yet I don't condone what she does in her life. She knows how I feel. She expects a little nudge when she sees me. She also knows what she's doing. So. I guess because of that, and because I do value my friendship with her, I do know my boundaries. I just have to show people where I stand with them. Now if I could JUST convince my daughter..... :D

Congrats go out to Jim and Cora on a step closer to having their girl home! Contractions are getting closer together!!