Organized Mess.

We have 20 days until we move into our more permanent place. I'm using that as my newest excuse to not clean as much as I normally would, but it's starting to show.

I strongly believe that a person's home is a reflection of what is going on inside. Example: clean home, clean mind, messy home, messy mind.

I must have a messy mind because my home that is normally neat and tidy is a mess.


Enough venting. Off to church.

7 Years of Waiting... worth it!

I just got the BEST news!

Just over seven years ago, on April 26, 2005, I decided I was done with my horrible marriage and moved out and got a divorce. Part of that divorce we agreeing to leave my ex and daughter alone and live my own life. Well, that lasted all of a few months before I got my head out of the clouds.

Here we are seven looong years and the moment I have been waiting for has FINALLY come- I was invited to come to their house for a visit!! This may not seem like a big deal to most, but this is an amazing leap in our chain of events since the divorce. A big part of it is thanks to his new wife- a saint! She has been an amazing addition to this chaos and is proving to the ex that I really mean the best for the kid and am not going to come over and steal her (I attempted to get out of our marriage once and I took my daughter to get out of the emotional abuse... I ended up flying back that next day). That instance was when my daughter was 18 months old and on Monday, she will be turning 10!

I just had to share my excitement. Usually when I come to visit, we meet up at the mall, hang out, go shopping and then part ways. The last time I saw her was back in November with my sister in town. We had lunch and then went to a park and the step-mom took some photos of us. So, that's what we will be doing on Saturday! I can't believe my little ladybug is turning 10!!!


Time for another... (wink)

Bucket List Item- Check!

Looks like I started the blog and never finished.

I got the amazing opportunity to sing the national anthem at a professional sport! As part of the Portland Engisn Choir, I was invited (as well as 119 other people) to sing the National Anthem for the Portland Trailblazers!! Here is a video my husband shot of us singing (blurry, sorry):

 

What a fantastic night! Even the family I used to nanny came out to support me. They had better seats then us, so we eventually went and sat by them. What a great night!

Life is Good... no, GREAT!

I said on my last blog that I would put some photos up (since most reading don't have access to my Facebook). Life in Oregon and in the Pacific Northwest has been amazing over this past year. It's taken almost 2 years to get to the point where life is starting to normalize. Proof is that at the end of this month, both of us will be going on VACATION!! Moving to and from Denver did NOT count as a vacation. I will be flying back home to see family over Memorial Day weekend (thanks to my mommy for giving me some cash on my birthday to help pay for it), and Ben will be going back to New Mexico to go see his son (first time since we saw him on the original move to WA/OR two years ago). We haven't had a chance to fly anywhere in 5 years, (well, Ben hasn't) so we are finally doing it!

I haven't seen my parents since we moved last January, and I am very excited to see them! I have been feeling a little homesick, and this will hopefully cure it. I did hear from my family that they will be coming up to Portland for a few days. I'm So excited to have my dad up most of all (sorry mom and sisters). My dad is a lot like me- we both love museums, nature and learning. My dad will be here Thursday night and I plan on picking him up and then going to the Japanese Gardens (free passes through our library) and the International Rose Test Garden (free to the public and over looks Portland skyline). There are a million other places I'd love to show him, so I am making Friday a short work day and going to show him downtown. I own lots of books of "tourist" things to do in Portland that is either free or cheap that I have been wanting to do.


Actually, I was going to go and do a few of them this weekend since the sun is out, but the husband got really sick Thursday. We went to urgent care and they said it was "bronchitis with wheezing". We got home, drugged him up and now here I am blogging! That's been our most excitement in a while. Most weekends we take road trips all over the area as part of our new hobby- geocaching (www.geocaching.com for more). It gets us out of the house, we've made many friends from it and it keeps us busy! It's also one of the things I want to introduce my dad to when they come (another reason I am STOKED to have him here before the rest of the family gets here).

Here are a few photos from the last few months. First hockey game (Portland WinterHawks), home grown eggs from a co-worker (I didn't like them very much), my adorable cubicle (gotta personalize, right?), the capitol building in Salem and a photo of the "Welcome to Dallas" sign. It's the closest Dallas that I'll get to visit!

Who Knew?!

Hello! I haven't been on here on a while.. and not too sure a lot of excitement has really happened. Not sure if the last post mentions this, but I got my dream job. I work for an insurance company here in Portland (we take up 5% of the national market!) and have amazing coworkers. Monday was my birthday and they showered me with fun little gifts.

Not too much else really happens in my life.

I was chatting with my daughter's step-mom and she mentioned that my daughter has been in trouble for being too "chatty". Her response, "I can't help it.. I just have to talk!" Totally my kid! I'll put up some pictures when I get home..