Chaos I Call My FaRmily: July 2012

I'm an aunt, daughter, sister, friend, believer, etc. There is a long list of words that make me giggle. I believe in having ice cream for dinner, making strangers smile and finding magic in the smallest of moments. Let's face it, if you found your way here, you probably already know me... I have nothing significant to offer the blogosphere, so this is my online diary so when I'm insane one day and lost all my real diaries that I started a million times and never finished - I have this.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Blenders, Blogs and Blessings

It has been consistently so.hot.out. Annnd conveniently, the air conditioner in my car has a leak and will not work. Yay. I also cannot put an air conditioner in my room and have to stick with the fan that just recirculates the hot air that stays in my room, because my psycho cats need to be locked out of the room at night. Needless to say, it’s warm pretty much everywhere I go but my office, in which case I’m FREEZING. But I refuse to complain about these things, because I’m pretty sure I could find some rants on here about how cold/dreary the winter was and how much I wanted summertime to be here. Now it’s here – I won’t be the complainer! I will tan and drink water and look at my tan and smile.

So one of my last posts had something about how much I love having my music blaring and my windows down driving in my car, well, it should go without saying that that’s my favorite thing ALL summer long. The other night I was driving home from Hayley’s and had my music blaring (I just downloaded a ton of good songs… my iPod was my oyster) and I’m singing/belting along with probably Carrie or Patty, waiting at the red light. My heads bobbing, I’m using the steering wheel as my drum – you know the scene. I look to my left… Yup. 5 people literally 4 feet away from me staring at me waiting for the crosswalk sign to release them from the pain of hearing me not doing my best version of anything. I have to admit I was actually a little embarrassed. The embarrassment lasted until the next light when I decided to just try harder to hit the right notes so if I was putting on a concert, it was at least worth their time waiting on the corner.

J I just looked at my summer calendar and it’s going to fly by!

Mom – if you’re reading this… (which you better be, because you’re retired now and have plenty of time… haha) you should start updating your blog on your daily adventures!! Take more pictures and blog! I won’t promote your site until you have it up and have some posts, but get going so I can link up with you! J

It’s getting closer and closer to all these wedding events! Hopefully I’ll have a lot of pictures and good memories to show for it

Shout-out to Hayley for her AWESOME margaritas made with her AWESOME new pink blender. Seriously. So good.

In a some-what related area, those who know me or Hayley at all, know that we are devoted blog-readers and aspiring influential bloggers. Recently, a few of the brave authors we follow have been going through some life-changing struggles which they are sharing on their blogs. (In case you are also avoiding your work today, here are a couple: Punky and E-Tells-Tales) In a way, there is a certain safety in blogs. It helps us be real and ourselves without having to watch a reaction we may not understand or like and perhaps shields us from criticism or negative feedback, but it helps us get it out and is a way for us to connect across the miles and try our hand at being a (somewhat amateur) writer. (So apparently I speak for all bloggers now - “we” and “us”… perhaps it is just “I” but either way… stay with me) In another way, it is the scariest and bravest thing to blog about yourself and your life. Opening yourself up to strangers and allowing others to look inside your life and thoughts and possibly judge them. A lot of blogs are all rainbows and butterflies and I tend not to continue following or reading these. I love a blog written about someone who I can relate to – who I can empathize with. Sometimes I admire them, get good ideas, struggle along side them, learn to forgive myself, learn I’m not alone… It’s a real talent to pull people in in this way. A talent I have not even come close to acquiring – but I’m trying. I absolutely admire and respect people who are willing to share their struggles in an effort to be vulnerable, connect, share and touch. My absolute favorite thing about blogging/bloggers is the support. The following. The fact that an absolute stranger can comment or send you a message of complete support or share a similar struggle that they themselves made it through. That someone whom you may have never met can share words from across the country that could change your life. I’m gonna get a little cynical now: especially in today’s world, it’s harder and harder to trust people and connect and feel like you’re not alone. At the end of the day, we only have each other and don’t we all need a little help and support sometimes?

Okay, that was my long-winded way of saying that if you have time to read a story about a lovely, hard-working family who have come upon hard times and an uncertain future, go to: http://loveforelizabeth.blogspot.com/ . A bunch of her followers started this donation site that will go directly towards helping her family. Whether you decide to just pray for the family, or even to donate $5, it’s definitely worth reading.

If you need a little joy after that: http://www.kellehampton.com/

While I’m on the grateful train:

My favorite things:

1- My work study leaving a quote on my desk : “We don’t see things the way they are because we see things the way we are” – Awesome. He also calls me “Peach Meghan”. Adorable.

2- Eating lunch outside at the picnic table in the gorgeous weather

3- Keeping secrets from my BFF ;) …For a little while longer at least

4- The smell of suntan lotion

5- Fresh fruit and corn on the cob!

6- My Passive-Aggressive Notes calendar:)

A note on one of my not-so-favorite things:

Oh hey, creepy guy in the parking booth at school: I’m pretty sure you’ve been a student here since I started my first degree in 2005. Your ambition and attempts to climb the corporate ladder are only matched by your stylish fashion sense and your efforts toward hygiene. So when you whistled at me this morning I thought to myself... “You’re right. For the past 7 years I have just been denying this magical attraction to you. But right now, just then when you whistled twice at my very normal and NOT inappropriate-at-all outfit, you unlocked my outrageous feelings for you. It was all I could do to resist the urge to come over and lay one on you.”

D-bag. WHY do gross guys whistle?? The Brad Pitts and Paisleys of the world don’t whistle. Neither should you.

Moving onJ….

Yesterday I had the best day off with Joyce! We did some secret wedding/summer sneaking around and it was a great day! It was a beautiful day for a car ride and a good catch-up session with her. I love having a day off in the middle of the week, because I feel like I need a break by Tuesday at 5pm, but… the down side is that I thought yesterday was Friday, pretty much all day. However, by the end of yesterday (while filling in my thankful book, which YES I am keeping up withJ) I got to sit and thank God for the wonderful people he put in my life. I know I started this blog because of them, so obviously they’re pretty special, but being able to spend a whole day with someone whose selfless wish is for everyone else to just… be happy - is a Wednesday blessing if I’ve ever heard one.

So here's to connecting to friends, new or old, near or far, in-person or in-ternet.

Xo.

Meet The Fam

Mom- The strongest woman I know. I attribute my humor, sarcasm and momentary lapses of sensitivity to her. My neurotic organization and timeliness could also be traced back to her, easily. I keep telling her I will make a shirt that says “only my Mother gets me”… She not only has the ability to laugh at herself, but the suspense of what may come out of her mouth next is completely worth every minute you spend with her. Every day I aspire to be as selfless as she and hope to have the same energy that she has every day! The time we spend together is rarely productive, but most often taken up by running to the bathroom with tears of laughter streaming down our faces. Or… spitting things out of our mouths- which dad loves.

Dad- The person I most often, unintentionally mirror. So many ways to explain him, but none more effective than: a Portuguese, work-a-holic, addicted to caffeine and nicotine, impressed by callouses and blood, who doesn’t know what it feels like to sit down, be bored or not know something. The man carries the most random, seemingly useless, facts and knowledge around with him. I joke that there won’t be much more room left in there if he keeps memorizing what I call “trivial” and he calls “necessary” facts about life and the world. Although he IS very handy when converting units for recipes, etc. He, too, is able to laugh at himself and always finds time to teach a good lesson. His wilderness skills are something to be admired, although his instinct to seek medical attention should not. He prides himself on still being able to run faster than me and beat me up, regardless of my age or weight. I’m still waiting for the day he isn’t expecting me…

Shauna- The milk man’s delivery, as I like to call her- Like every abnormal family, sibling rivalry was at its finest until we both traded in our stone-washed flared jeans for our big girl pants. We couldn’t be more opposite, she and I. Some of you would think, “Well, opposites attract” - you’d be wrong. We’ve worked through the years to a place of acceptance and support that is coated with humor and tough love. She’s always been a 40 yr old stuck in a whatever-age-she-was-at-the-time’s body and I exist as the sister to bring comic relief and nonsense to her carefully arranged life. But her protectiveness and respect for her family is unmatched by anyone I have ever met. She is widely known for her smile and constantly takes you off guard when she trades in her pensive stare for a witty one-liner. My victories with her stem from how many abnormal acts I can talk her into doing (which is a lot). Although her life always seems to be enveloped in constant chaos she has a resilient way of finding the blessing and purpose in every day.

Derek- The brother-in-law. We have always wanted a boy in the family. Until Derek came, I was the closest thing to it and played the role accidentally when it came to following dad around covered in grease. Derek or “the trainee” as I so lovingly like to refer to him, is carefully walking the line between finding his new family quirky and loveable and… crazy. It’s not a secret (or won’t be for long) that I play a rough game of tough love and hard-ass. As he works at earning every inch, he is finding our humorous and good-intentioned family a place where he belongs. As with every boy, he has his set-backs, but I think we will find that if he can handle us, he can handle anything. We all have to give him some credit for sticking with it and not to mention he contributed 50% of himself to my favorite treasure… my nephew.

Blane- Who knew the above two could create such a nugget of perfection. He is 4 and already such a wonderful human being! It’s all happening so fast! He seems to fit in juuussstt fine and already spends most of his time organizing his cars and using sarcasm. (I have no clue where he got that from by the way). He is SO smart and SO sensitive and caring. He's not a huge fan of sharing with his brother, but hey, I'm 26 and I still don't have the sharing thing down.I spend most of my time imagining the days when I will be able to take him to do all of the things Shauna/the law won’t let him do. What are Aunts for anyway?

Brooks- AKA Mr. Snarky-pants.What a handful! He reminds me of myself as a monstrous child. He is, however, the most polite little snark you'll ever meet. His adorable pronunciations of things and his constant questions won't keep you mad for long. In his almost 2 years of life the only thing that can get him to sleep when he's having one of his meltdowns is my singing to him. Melt. My. Heart. He has SO MUCH personality and his voice has one volume. Loud. What an entertainer though. I could watch him for hours.

Hayley- You know that best friend in every movie that every girl wants? She’s wild, unpredictable, endlessly supportive, loving, hilarious, and driven and always finds an adventure out of a mere walk down the street. She vocalizes things most people just think, finds people she encounters fascinating and always makes time for everyone. Well… not to brag, but that’s my best friend Hayley. She is my conscience, my support, my free therapist, my teacher, my patience. No one loves life more. She is constantly challenging herself, improving herself, keeping an open mind about everyone and their beliefs and is never afraid to admit when she just “doesn’t know”.She is currently engaged to someone who literally fits her so perfectly, I would gag if I didn’t love her so much and I wasn’t so grateful to God that she can be blessed in this way. A day without a thought, message or text from her is a day you have missed out on. Her Hayley-isms keep everyone guessing, laughing and appreciating her.

Charlotte- Charlotte, Charlotte, Charlotte… where do I begin with her? Think of the last person on earth you would ever imagine getting along with, understanding or appreciating… and then meet Charlotte. No one has taught me more than she has. In the past 4 years that I have known her, I have watched her go from a tough-as-nails, pessimistic, don’t-need-anyone, who-needs-a-direction type; to a goal-oriented, independent, selfless, thoughtful, hilarious, irreplaceable person in my life. Most people that interact with us agree that we should have our own reality show, but that usually leads into a fight about who would be the star. Her Puerto-Rican/Southie accent lends additional humor to whatever she is saying and makes you want to know her, if not, be her friend. As all roommates require, we have a routine that seems to work and although there are the moments we would like to kill each other, it’s hard to hold a grudge with someone who forgets what the issue was 30 seconds after it’s over. I thank God every day that I did not follow my instinct to run from her the day we met, but chose to stay and am grateful to be included in the people who get to watch her daily performance.

Lindey - Partner-in-crime doesn't even capture the things I have talked this girl into doing with me. She's the Bonnie to my Clyde. We go wayyyy back. Back to the days of dances, horrible bangs, skipping class and going to each others' sporting events. Life eventually got rough (as it tends to do) and we broke up... (any "we were on a break, Friends fans?"). However, we found our way back to each other, picked up right where we left off and I wouldn't have it any other way. I still cannot believe we're allowed to be grown-ups. And even though she is one of the most amazing mothers ever, I still have SUCH a hard time believing she is a wife and is a mother of two! She's literally super-woman and I'm just blessed to be in her presence. Whether I have an awful impulse to do something dumb or a thought out impulse to conquer the world, she always supports me. I've never been so proud to be friends with someone who grew so seamlessly with me from immature tweens to grown-ups with joys and struggles. Since moving back home to PA, she has been my backbone and I'm so lucky to be a part of her life and beautiful family.

Joyce- It’s funny to think of our relationship at its beginning. As hard as it may be to be intimidated by someone with such an infectious warmth and laughter, there I was. She found me as a young student and gave me an opportunity that I didn’t even know I would rise to. As my supervisor, mentor and leader, our relationship only evolved out of the uncanny similarities that we share and perhaps by her nature of wide-acceptance. To this day, I owe her thanks for my full-time job, my Graduate Student status, comic relief from daily struggles, her constant support and much more. There are no two other people on earth that can cover more random topics than she and I can in 20 minutes. She’s almost angelic in her care, concern, empathy and support for others. Anyone who places us both on the same committee or even in the same room usually appreciate our productivity and similar thinking, but also regrets our A.D.D tendencies, our need for constant sugar and our inability to stay on topic. She is truly someone that has blessed my life.

Melissa- Melissa is the the best part of any day she and I get to interact. Her resemblance to a beautifully formed porcelain doll should not be mistaken for instability or frailty. At first, second and third glance you realize how selfless and sensitive she is to everyone, while still maintaining an instinct to preserve her charming and carefully formed life. Her work-ethic guides her tendency to be hard on herself while always keeping in mind her priorities. Most would describe her as shy and introverted, but those who get the great pleasure of getting to know her, quickly find that her wit and sarcasm are hidden jewels that immediately inspire and comfort. She also just got married in the most beautiful ceremony in the most beautiful place. Everything was perfect and so... "Melissa". I am forever grateful to her that I was able to share in her day.

Renata - A new addition to the family, who easily fits in anywhere like the perfect accent to any outfit you have and think to yourself "what would put this over the top?" She is a whirlwind of laughter, wisdom, care, cheerleader and intellect. I almost forgot to add her because I forgot she wasn't always listed here. I feel like I've known her forever. Like that old soul that felt like it was never missing, because you can't remember the last time it was. She seemed to have entered my life at a time when I most needed the words only she can phrase and the support and laughter only she can offer. She is literally the reason I haven't committed a crime at work and puts me in check daily about my expectations and my hopes. She inspires me to trust what I know and dig deeper into what I question. Any day without an interaction is a day I haven't laughed hysterically or thoroughly looked into my moon-sign. You're a rockstar Tutko.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Blenders, Blogs and Blessings

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