I'm thankful for...

I'm thankful for people and their personalities. Yes...I'm being optomistic and trying to find the good things in the otherwise negative attitudes of some people, but none-the-less it still get's me thinking. I've met a lady tonight at my church service who's attitude surprised me. She definitly reminded me to keep my heart attitude in check. Of course I hear complaining and stuff from people like her and tend to judge them by saying, "now why do we have people like that in our church? Why do they even come? Are they here, volunteering, serving God or man?" I don't want them there because those are the types of people who complain if someone is sitting in their pew, or the two carpets on the floors clash. They gossip and focus on themselves. Sure, some of the may be true...so how do I react to them? I guess what I do when I hear someone complain or gossip is I try and spit out the first thing that comes to mind that's opposite of them. For example...they may complain saying, "I didn't like the way the church handled this matter." I'll just spit right back, "I liked it." I don't know if you can picture that but I think it sounds kinda arrogant, that's at least the way it could come across. I want to love them and not hear complaining or gossiping, and I don't want to continue their conversation if it's going to bug me like that, so what do I say? I do tend to be a very honest, straight to the point person sometimes but not with people I don't know well, or people who are older than me.

On the other hand I was able to talk to a sweet old lady tonight as well. You know she loves the Lord and her family and friends. She was such an encouragement to talk to. We also had a boy in our group meeting tonight. He is about 10 or 11 and he was sitting in there (in a group of about 60 adults and a few kids) in the back row by himself. When pastor asked people to volunteer to share what they are thankful for he raised his hand and said he was thankful for his parents because they provide for him, he also later volunteered to share his testimony. I must expect all kids to be like my family when we were that age. We were so shy we may as well have been glued to our parents legs. We would hardly say a word to anyone if they asked, let alone volunteer information. It is just SO fun to see kids like that who's parents are so sweet and love God and their families so much, and see their children following in their footsteps.

Speaking of my shyness, I've been thinking lately about how much I expect people to share information with me without my asking and how little I volunteer words of my own. I think that sometimes that's a good thing, lest I say something I may regret (which still happens alot!) but othertimes maybe it's rude? Balance! Where's the balance!? Here's a little peek into my mind, tell me if you can relate. Erickson's (family I nanny for) came home from their ultrasound appointment yesterday. I knew they were going because I was watching McKenna while they were gone. I also knew it was the appointment where they were susposed to find out the sex of the baby. The thing is, when they got home...only Lance walked in the door. I was ready to ask how it went but Maddie never came in the door after him. "Why? I wondered. I know they drove there together, was she sitting in the car crying and sent him in with a brave front because something had gone wrong? Or maybe she just dropped him off and ran to the store right away?" Of course, after those thoughts I couldn't ask how the appointment went so I just waited hoping he'd say something. He didn't. I guess I am a little worried. If they dont' say something Monday, I'll ask I guess...but I hope nothing is the matter! I mentioned that to a friends' mom and she said I was being respectful/thoughtful. Maybe that's it. Who know's. Anyways, people have the tendancy to amaze me. Pretty cool.

In other news I may be moving out soon. It's not set in stone and it's only temporary for now but I'm excited. I am one of those people that has really high hopes but is scared of reality so I've been dreaming for quite some time now about buying a house. I've saved up the money, learned the process, even looked at a few houses but have I done it yet? Nope. I just did that with tires too, ever since the beginning of last winter I've been scared of the tires on my car and now that my dad is actually going with me to look at certain ones and I see the total cost...I back down. Anyways... I'd be moving into a house with a friend of mine. Her and her fiance recently bought a house and decided that she could be the one to live there till they get married in April, but they weren't exactly keen on the whole safty issue of her living alone and stuff so we'll be roomies for a few months! Hopefully this situation will help me decide what I really want. Why do I want a house? Do I really want to live alone? (That's a whole 'nother book) So we'll see where that leads me.

I made carmel fudge today. I'm going to go try some and see if it's any good! First attempt at candy! I hope Thanksgiving is a thankful time for you:) See what you can do to encourage others.

Garlic....how do those people do it?

You could pretty much say that I'm not the smartest frog in the bog as of yesterday. Why in the world do I do such stupid things!! I got a book in the mail from a "naturopath" doctor. A friend of mine just introduced me to his research and ideas. So it says in this book that "Garlic is one of the strongest medicinal plants on Earth." This twisted man recommends eating 3 FRESH, RAW garlic cloves a day. So what does Marissa do but try it! I mean it's susposed to clear our your system like none other + they say it will clear up your skin. I just thought that was wonderful, so I chopped up 2 cloves, spred them with butter on a piece of toast (I mean, how different can it be from garlic bread...right!!??) So I'm eating...mm, this is pretty good! By the time i'm go my last couple bites I knew I had to keep eating even though it burned my throat. It was fine while I was eating it, but I've NEVER had such a horrible aftertaste! Sure...you are all like, "well, I could have told you that one." But, I didn't think it'd be THIS bad!! I guess I let the positives outweigh the negatives of it;) I tried everything in the book and my mouth still tastes horrible! So just think of this the next time you are tempted to pop a whole garlic clove in your mouth!

Challenge

Just a little challenge to all my readers and friends. Do something different this week. Wether it's something you've always wanted to do but never made time for...or doing something you've always done, just in a different way! Try it and make sure you tell me what it is! Cause if you don't I'll come find you and ask! I think it's fun:) And if only you needed the motivation to do it...here it is, no excuses!

Update

Our house is freezing cold today. We're hoping the replacement parts for our woodstove will come in this week because that's the only heat my dad likes to use on this house...free. That's all well and good but isn't there something in the Bible about deacons not freezing their children?

I went with Annetta to the library yesterday because she was going for a school project and I knew if I didn't go with her I'd probably never make it there. A while ago, I bought an "herb growing kit" and I planted those seeds, watered them, tried to get them as much sunlight as I could, but those dang sproutlings just started wilting and never returned. I was pretty disappointed, first of all because I spent like $20 on them, but also because I was really excited to cook with fresh herbs from my own house! Anyways, I was reminded recently that I still want to try and grow some herbs and so do a couple friends. I checked out some books and a DVD on the subject, which will hopefully be painting my thumb green in no time. Plus, as i was walking the isles I found a book by James Dobson called, "The New Dare To Discipline." I picked it up thinking of McKenna. I've heard both good and bad about Dobson so hopefully I'll be able to read it with a discerning mind, but also, I hope it'll give me some direction and purpose in enduring the discipline process (even though it never really ends). ALSO, I picked up a book called "The Herbal Detox Plan." I never knew what "detoxing" your body was until I went to stay with some friends a couple months ago. My friend has these herbal pills (which yes, I ordered and should be receiving this week) that are meant to cleanse/detoxify the intestinal tract/colon. They say all the junk we consume and don't get rid of (through bowel movements) builds up inside our intestinal tract and emits poisons to our bloodstream. It's kinda gross but I mean it makes sence, if you put something into the body it must come out somehow. My friend was telling me about how many times she was on the toilet in one day for a whole week long getting rid of all that junk! haha, I can't even IMAGINE what it's going to be like for me.

Enough on that! A friend and I are going to go get manicures Tuesday night. I'm really excited because it's a hot stone manicure! I've never gotten a manicure because I hate my finger nails painted so we'll see how that part goes but I guess they have you sit in these massaging chairs with cooling, scented eye covers over your eyes while they massage your arms with hot stones and then a paraffin treatment followed by the manicure! haha, I hope it's as relaxing as it sounds!

I've become addicted to Broadway lately. I guess not just Broadway, but plays...shows... The only thing I've really ever been to was the Blue Man Group in Chicago last year but I've seen a couple ads for broadway plays in comercials and segments from them on The Today Show. I guess I've added another thing to my list of things to do before I die! Go to New York (or London!) and see a real, cool Broadway show. One that you get to dress up for and everything! Just not by myself:( I was online looking up an ad for a show I saw coming to the Miller Auditorium soon and found out that Phantom of the Opera was coming there next year!!! I was so excited I called my friends and it looks like they want to go with us! (Nanc, if yer reading this...do you want to come too???) I wish it were sooner than May but I'm still really looking forward to a great girls night out, even if I do have to wait that long for it! I definitly at least want to go see Blue Man Group again sometime, I haven't quite gotten my fix of that one yet.

I have a hair appointment Saturday, to chop it all or do the same old same old? Hmm...

I have friends leaving for Africa next week. Isn't that so cool? Africa!

My dad really surprised me this week by saying he's been thinking about me and him starting up a business. So many things ran through my head...are you joking? Are you losing/quiting your job? Are you worried that because I don't have a college degree I won't survive unless I start a business? Do you just want more money or want me to have more money?...I guess he was serious, he had already picked out the place where we could set up shop and he even had a couple ideas he had too, one of them he had already talked to someone about it too see if they'd need that type of work! I don't know if I could do that, I've seen so many small businesses go under, plus I don't know the slightest thing about starting/running a business! It did make me think though, of an idea I had a while back. There is this one guy out in Holland who owns his own photography business and takes all of McKenna's pictures. You can view and buy them off of his website. Anyways, I copied a few off his site and put them in a simple slideshow to music. That got me thinking, what if I were to talk to him about some type of partnership deal where once he takes the photos, he gives them to me to make up a "memory disc" slideshow on DVD for customers to purchase from him. That's still an idea, what do you think?

Anyways, I suspose I should close.

10-4 good buddy

Supernanny...or not

"Nanny-ing" is such a strange job. Sure, there are parts of it that make it a great job, but on the other hand it is just so different than I would have ever guessed. It's been hard lately. I think a HUGE thing is communication between you and the parents, but that itself is usually really hard. How do I explain to 2 parents exactly what it's like to 'raise' their daughter every second for 10 hours straight, 5 days out of the week? There is no possible way for them to understand. They come home and ask if she was a good girl. Of course I say "yes". Except those few times that stand out where I feel I really need to try and expain their childs behavior to them. I try and explain the rough day by saying, "she threw a big fit right in the middle of the mall." They won't understand that unless they were there. Even if she's thrown a fit for them before, it's not the same. It's not like I can go on and explain the embaressment and "emotional breakdown" it caused, let alone those stares/glances you get from people who you can just tell what they are thinking..."that's what happens when teens get pregnant, they can't control their own children, they raise such brats, she's not even wearing a wedding ring."

It is so weird for me to make myself do things differently than how I have always dreamed I would do them when I raised my kids. Like when the parents tell you they have chosen not to use spanking, but you feel it may be best for her type of temperment and behavior. I have no idea where I am going with all this, It's just been a hard couple weeks trying to figure out my exact place. Of course I am going to punish her, try and not spoil her and raise her polite; but what happens when her parents come home and give her everything under the sun? I don't know, I think I should just quit thinking now, before I get too worked up;) I just hope someday I'll find someone who understands and will have some advice. I'm so attached I can't picure myself ever leaving (well except sometimes), and I don't want to (usually)...I just want the hard things to all be fixed to make this all better. Sometimes they call me "supernanny," maybe I should just dig my british accent out of the ol' closet, sit down with them and tell them exactly what I observe and what they should change;) hm, I wish.