I'm not laughing.

"Heelarious" - or "her first high heels" - are exactly that, your (infant) daughter's first high heels. I have one question and one comment: Why??, and obviously the creators have all sons (although their bios say differently).






I am pretty sure that Heelarious finally snatches first place of the world's dumbest inventions from this guy:

I was born in the wrong century.

All of my best friends are in nursing homes.

You Belong in the Silent Generation

You fit in best with people born between 1925 and 1942. You are a person of high values and character. Family, your country, loyalty, and hard work all important to you. You are willing to do what's right, even when it's difficult.

http://www.blogthings.com/whatgenerationdoyoubelonginquiz/">What Generation Do You Belong In?

'morning Sunshine!

It absolutely amazes me that I once lived the life of a college student.

This week I am celebrating the one year anniversary of "waking-up-at-5:30-am-every-Monday-through-Friday". Yes, for an entire year, I have had my alarm go off, peeled myself out of the warmth of my bed, taken a shower, gotten dressed, put on make-up (sometimes), and gotten out the door-- all before the sun is even up.

I have been reminiscant over the past week about this phenomenon. For 262* days in the past year, I have woken up at or before 5:30. Let me explain why this is such a big deal, and possibly deserves attention from The Washington Post:

1. When I first started my job in March of last year, I wept bitterly when my interviewer told me that I had to be in the office at 8:30 am.
2. I bawled hysterically when I was promoted 6 weeks later, and had to be at the office at 7:00 am. (Keep in mind that I commute from Manassas, VA to Tysons, VA everyday- that is approximately 20 miles, or 90+ minutes.)

1+ year ago, I was still in college:
3. 5:30 am meant bedtime.
4. I made fun of roommates/friends who went to bed prior to midnight.
5. I was borderline depressed if I had a class that had "a.m." listed after the time.
6. I stayed in college an additional 3 semesters just to keep this schedule. (Ok, not entirely true...)

There are many more reasons, but I think my point is clear: the college life and the work life offer an extreme difference in bedtime hours. Looking back to the college years, if I could do it all again, I would probably set my alarm for 10:30 am Freshman year, 9:15 am Sophomore year, 8:00 am Junior year, and 6:45 am Senior year. The gradual easing process would have prevented all that mid-interview crying.

*366 days (leap year) - (52 weeks * 2 day-weened)

A Wonderful Surprise

I love those kinds of days that start out as "just another day at work"--only to turn into a day you'll never forget.

I have been anticipating today for over a month. Two of my co-workers and good friends, Britny and Jessica, are both expecting. Jessica is having a girl any day now; Britny is having a boy around May 10.

Several of my co-workers and I have been planning a baby shower for weeks. We had the menu(Bertucci's catering!), the decorations, the registries, the gifts, the blue, the pink, the invitations, passing cards around the office to be signed...everything. We even did a surperb job keeping it a secret. (Secrets are difficult to keep in ANY office environment for those who don't know.)

So today comes. Everyone is running around, frantically whispering to each other about final plans. At 11:30- everyone disappeared, presumably decorating the conference room. Well that was my cue. I walked over to help... only to be denied. I was told that it was already set up; and that I was too late. Obviously I felt crushed. How did I miss decorating and preparing after weeks of anticipating? I went back to my desk to try and distract myself with work.

As the time approached for the shower to begin, I was told to escort the girls in so they wouldn't know anything was up. We walked in just as everyone shouted "Surprise!" I smiled as I watched Britny's face light up. She was staring right back at me with a confused look on her face. It was then that I noticed the room decorated with wedding gifts as well as baby. I was so surprised! On the table were framed pictures of Jim and me with "Congratulations Emily" written above.

It was such a gift to be able to share my wedding shower with these two young women who will be bringing children into this world any day now. Today I also had the opportunity to reflect on how blessed I am to work with such wonderful people. I complain a lot about my job- commuting, government loans, not having 3 months off in the summer, etc. But I truly do work with some of the greatest people I have ever known.

Thank you Lord for the gift of these people, this beautiful day, and my wonderful fiancee.

An Unlikely Running Partner

As the title suggests, I have taken up running. *Pause for laughter to subdue* Seriously though, I have been running for about 3 weeks now. *Pause for my OWN laughter* I know it's crazy, and again where did I come up with this idea. But I am one who loves to plan ahead. I am getting married in 46 (woohoo!) days, and I want to be in shape. I don't desire to lose weight or eat healthy, I just want to be in shape. Especially if I happen to get pregnant within the next few months.

I usually run with my brother and we chat about life as we go. But yesterday he courageously volunteered to cook dinner for my mother. So, the IPod was my companion. (I needed a dose of George Harrison anyway.)

I took off, jogging down the quiet suburban street. I had gone a good 1/2 mile when a car driving toward me slowed down almost to a complete stop- staring inquisitively as they passed. I smiled and waved and gave them my best "yes-I-know-it's-weird-to-see-me-exercising-isn't-it" looks. They finally passed, almost hesitantly. I shrugged it off and kept jogging. Finally, I felt that feeling that you get when you know that you are not alone. (The same feeling that my roommate Demi got in Europe when we were in London, in a hostel, and she was showering. After feeling overwhelmed with this "feeling" while 'pooing her hair- she looked straight ahead of her only to see a big brown eye staring at her through a hole in the shower wall. Ek!!!!) Anyway, my feeling is not perverse. I looked to my side and then toward the ground to see my dog George running along side of me. He glanced up toward me as if to say "oh? So you are going outside of the electric fence boundaries without me? We shall see about that. I don't let you run alone."

I was completely shocked! Not only had George escaped the highest power, "stubborn" dog-collar, but he was running aside next to me at my pace, and not escaping for his life! The last time that George escaped from our yard, my fiancee and I chased him through the neighbor's yard, past the county line, through the hunters' stray bullets, across to the Civil War battle zone! This dog has never made escaping easy on anyone! Yet here he was, as proud as could be, running along side of me.

Thank God Jim driving along just at that moment. I'm not sure how much longer this would have lasted.

...than the Road that Leads to Heaven!

I can't believe it, but I am actually starting a blog. I'm not sure what led me to this. Part of me would like to blame the fact that Facebook has been blocked at work for several months now; while the other part of me is slowly starting to face the fact that there are not enough minutes in my day to put a pen to a piece of paper and actually journal, the old fashioned way. (I journalled for 10 consecutive years up until last year when I got a full time job.)

I'm not quite sure where online journaling is going to take me. Most of those who know me would probably be shocked to hear that I have started a blog...which may mean that it will take a while for me to tell any of my friends! I have always been a very private person; rarely speaking about myself except to extremely close friends. The only reason for this is not because I am hiding some deep, dark life; rather I love listening to other people and their much more interesting lives!

I hope that this blog becomes an instrument of the Holy Spirit. Check out the blogs listed under "My Inspirations" that are instruments. They have helped me so much-- Just reading them when I'm having a bad day lifts my spirits and enables me to do whatever it is that I am called to do for that day. And as everything else in my life; this is dedicated to Jesus through Mary.