My Cousin, Ryan

Yesterday, the kids and I travelled to Cincinnati for a family dinner. My mom hosts holidays and family dinners. She does the cooking and baking. He rhouse has room for everyone to sit at a table together. Her house has a front yard and back yard that my kids love to explore and play in with their uncles. We all have our favorite dishes that my mom makes and our favorite desserts. We generally gather for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter. Yesterday, we gathered for a farewell dinner for my cousin, Ryan. Ryan is in his late 20's. Ryan is a handsome young man. Ryan is smart and funny and friendly.

Ryan looks very tired in this picture because he is. He's got major changes coming in the next week. Ryan went to college, went to law school. Now, he is joining JAG and will be a military lawyer. Yesterday, I took some time to sit and talk to Ryan. It's so easy, when you know you will see family at the next holiday or gathering, to forget to really stay connected... to really know what they are like.

Ryan became part of our family when he was 3 years old and his mom married my uncle (my mom's little brother). I remember going out to California and spending time with them a couple of summers and having a ton of fun with Ryan and his older brother, Jason (who just recently became a dad, by the way). They had a pool and 2 dogs (black labs) and we would swim and play outside and play with the dogs.

Ryan and his family moved to Ohio many years ago and became part of our regular gatherings. It's how we got to know each other and kind of grow up together (even though he's about 8 years younger than me). Ryan's parents and brother moved back to California a few years ago and Ryan opted to stay in Ohio, finish law school, and then see where life would lead him.

Ryan shared with me that he originally wanted to be a lawyer for... the money. But, as he's gone through school and life, he's come to realize that fancy, expensive things aren't what life is all about. He's come to realize that being a lawyer doesn't make you any better than anyone else- but it does offer you fantastic opportunities to help others. He became interested in JAG as he learned more about wha tmilitary officers really do- helping a military mom get child support or financial assistance, helping military families keep their legal affairs in order, work in prosecution or defense in military court.

I think that change in focus is called maturity.

Ryan intends for JAG to be his career. It's what he intends to retire from. Which means he won't be settling down in Cincinnati or Indianapolis or anywhere else near family. He will be moving every 2-3 years and will end up stationed in all kinds of places.

I'm going to miss him. My mom is going to miss him. We're all going to miss having him at family dinners and gatherings because he's a part of this family. I'll miss his smile and his stories and his intelligent conversation and, most of all, his hugs.

We love you, Ryan! We are so proud of you and are eager to follow your adventures as you start this new life path!

Observations

I just wanted to share a couple of observations... about this new, fit, smaller body. 1. I'm still large. My size is going down but I'm not skinny and the past 2+ months of work weren't some weird insta-slim session. I sometimes have to remind myself of that. 2. I can no longer just buy clothes online. Kinda bummed about that. But clothes fit completely different now. I went to Target on Friday evening with Christy and tried on 8 different shirts in styles I would have liked pre-weight loss. All shirts I most likely would have just bought off the clearance rack at some point- no trying on, just buying a size I now will fit. But this time, I tried on all those shirts and discovered that clothes can actually be flattering. And unflattering. As I was pushing into a size 18 (XXL), I was just buying what looked roomy, was a color or pattern I liked, and was cheap. Now, as I bounce around in 14's and a few 12's, I want my clothes to be flattering and look nice. Which means actually shopping and trying things on. This is a good thing... but I will miss the ease of online shopping or just grabbing stuff off the clearance rack without a thought! 3. I have bones! My clavical (that front bone on either side of the neck that stretch out towards your shoulders) is more pronounced, defined. I'm really noticing my hip bones lately, too. When I lie down, when I'm sitting- I have hip bones that stick out. Other parts of my body that have been well padded are starting to stick out, be defined. 4. I can jog across a ________. If I need to get across the backyard quickly... if I want to cross the street or parking lot faster... if I'm trying to catch up to the family... whatever it is I'm trying to accomplish, I can jog a distance without being winded, exhausted, done. 5. As I get myself in better shape, I want my surroundings to be in better shape, too. I have more desire and energy to straighten up the living room, put away clothes, garden, and so on. It still isn't something I'd call a top priority- I really don't think Jeff or I inherited any sort of cleaning genes. But it's interesting that I have this drive, this energy, this need to move more and that housework is sometimes how that energy needs to come out. The journey continues... as for this morning, I'm off to run before church and a mom-and-kids trip to Ohio for the day!

From Plant Sale to Garden

The sale was from 8-2.  We arrived at 8.  We were greeted with a line that went out the door, followed the sidewalk across the building, curved around, and trailed to the end of the parking lot. 

We got inside and started checking out the plants.  It was a bit overwhelming- so many people, so many plants.  I started with veggies and then moved on to herbs.  I picked up some new gardening gloves.  Christy picked up a few things- including a really cool gardening knife.  I also picked up a birthday present for her; a potted edible flower garden. 

There were Master gardeners everywhere you turned to answer questions and help you find plants and plan your garden. 

But mostly- it was plants.

And llamas.  It was the 4H Fairgrounds, afterall!

There were also gorgeous displays of flowers outside and I had to snap a lot of pictures.  There is also a huge iris garden- with irises for sale, of course.  The flower pics look best on a black background so I’m adding those over at the Lizdom Pics blog.  Click the balloons to go see them!

Christy came over and helped me plant most of the plants purchased today.  Jeff and I ran out and bought a few more veggie plants from our local garden center.  And I now have a fully planted garden!

We have tomatoes (black cherry and mule team), chocolate bell pepper, leeks, some variety of winter squash, butternut squash, cabbage, spinach, cauliflower, jalapeno and some flowers.

I also planted a butterfly garden!

In the background, we planted milkweed.  This is a host plant for Monarchs (and other butterflies)- a place for them to lay their eggs.  The nectar plant (where they feed) is Asters.  We also planted Bergamot.  The unplanted plant is sneeze weed- haven’t decided where that will go yet (it gets pretty big, apparently).

The garden is set in front of my stone wall flower bed in front of the house- lots of morning sun, the stone wall is a great place for butterflies to warm up (a basking site).  There is a small metal “bird bath” that will hold a small amount of water for the butterflies.

I also picked up a lovely pink peony- not sure where it will go yet so it hasn’t been planted.

 

I also plan to plant these lovely herbs in a large pot that I will have on the deck, right outside my kitchen door!  Christy brought me over some lemon balm.  I purchased french thyme, rosemary, 2 types of basil, and cilantro.

Hopefully I will soon be able to share stories of consuming the “fruits” of my labor!

Hamilton Co 4H Fairgrounds

TGIF Cuz I Feel Good!

I am so, so, so glad it is Friday! It's been quite a week- lots of busy-ness at work, some drama that played out a bit here on the blog (but seems to now be done), lots of commitments to keep. The good news is that I don't have a super packed weekend like we've been having! I'm going out tonight with a group of women in celebration of a couple of birthdays. Saturday morning, I plan to head out first thing and hit the Hamilton County Master Gardeners Plant Sale. Teagan has soccer at 10:30. Then the rest of Saturday is wide open! Sunday we head to Cincinnati for a farewell family dinner for my cousin, Ryan. He's a lawyer and has been accepted into JAG and is off to "lawyer boot camp." Here is my official Feel Good Friday offering: A couple of weeks ago, I attended the Indiana Tourism Media Marketplace and learned about tons of way cool stuff to do right here in my home state. I found places I want to go with Christy, with my mom, with my husband, with my husband and kids. And I made connections with people from various counties and cities in Indiana- people who are part of their county's convention and tourism office. I am VERY excited that my family and I will be heading out for a couple of overnight trips to a couple of spots in Indiana that we've been wanting to visit. In June, we are going to Spencer County and will spend some time at Lincoln's Boyhood Home (they have a living history farm), checking out the town of Santa Claus, and spend a day at Holiday World / Splashin' Safari. We will stay at Lake Rudolph in a rental RV (where I will totally pretend to be Garret... or Jim). Lake Rudolph looks like a lot of fun- they even have camp activities and a pool and other fun family things! It's not scheduled yet, but we will also take an overnight to Fort Wayne! I've been wanting to do a quick trip to Fort Wayne for a while now because I've heard such great things about what they have to offer families. There is the award winning Fort Wayne Children's Zoo. There is a small Amish community- Grabill, IN. Maybe a trip to Science Central. And I hear it's a ton of fun to take in a Tin Caps game! 2 summers ago, we took a 3 year old Teagan and a 9 month old Zach on a long drive to Pennsylvania. We had an awesome vacation at Sesame Place and then driving up north to spend time up in a small mountain town called Dushore with my mom, dad, and brothers. We even got to spend some time at the beach- with a very cold lake! I've been wanting to repeat that trip ever since. We had such a good time and were all so relaxed and happy for so much of that trip. I had really thought it might be stressful to do that much travel with 2 small kids- but it was really the kind of vacation that sold me on how important it is to have that fun time away from everyday life. It was that trip that taught me that a family vacation is important. We stepped away from our normal routines and comfort zones and stepped away from our computers and phones and jobs and commitments. When I was a kid, there weren't a lot of vacations. There wasn't money to afford vacations. We did go to Disney when I was 5 (the only time I've ever been). My mom and I went to Jacksonville, FL for my aunt's graduation from something. My mom took me down to Orlando to see the Mouse. I don't remember most of the trip aside from the pics I've seen- but I very much remember the "It's A Small World" ride. When my mom and dad were dating, we would go to the Zoo or to a local park and hike through a forest. Once my parents were married (and I was adopted), trips consisted of visiting family. We certainly did fun things on those trips- but the trip was always focused on visiting family and that meant that we always traveled to the same places. So I never really experienced the classic "family vacation." Maybe it's because I didn't have it that it has become so important to me. But it's truly become a value for me- that time away from the norm and insulated in our own family unit. So we won't be venturing very far from home this summer. A trip to the southern end of our state... a trip a little north of here... maybe a weekend in Cincinnati... and maybe just enjoying the fun things we have right here in Indianapolis. The important thing is that we will be on an adventure together. We will play and laugh and let loose and just all be kids together. And that really leaves me feeling good on this Friday!

Jealousy

Jealousy. I think that every one has experienced jealousy- and most likely on both sides of the fence. We've all been jealous of someone or something else and been the object of someone else's jealousy. Jealousy: "feeling resentment against someone because of that person's rivalry, success, or advantages" A few months back, I told someone I was jealous of them but based on that definition, I don't think I used the right word. See, when I find that I am feeling jealous, I'm not resentful of that person. I don't resent their success. So what's the word I should be using? I'm proud of that person and wishing, hopeful that I can achieve that success or have what they have or feel what they feel. But there are definitely people who feel jealousy in the truest definition of the word and it can come out in ugly and petty ways. Here's what I don't understand... I get that everyone is different. It's like the world of Pooh. Some people are Rabbit- hard working, focused on work, matter of fact. Some people are like Tigger- bouncy, peppy, and full of constant energy. Some people are like Eeyore- taking more of the hard knocks of life but continuing to trudge forward. We all have different qualities that make us special and unique and wonderful. And we all have things that annoy us about other people. And sometimes, that annoyance is really jealousy. Sometimes, the things we see in other people are things that we wish we had. I don't think there is anything wrong with that. Feelings are feelings. We feel jealous, we feel resentful, we feel annoyed, we feel joy, we feel bliss, we feel a lot of things. The part where I get confused is when people choose to take that annoyance, that jealousy, that resentment and use it to hurt someone else. There are often unintended consequences when someone chooses to try to hurt someone else. Personally, I don't really get my feelings hurt easily. I'm pretty good with keeping perspective and having a thick skin and all that jazz. Because I know who I am and I know my purpose. Sometimes, there might be someone who has an annoyance with me and how openly I live my life and how honest and out there I am. And they might want to sling some arrows my way. What they don't realize, what they don't think about... is that when you sling an arrow, you don't always know who you are going to hit. True jealousy- when it is based on resentment- can blind common sense and lead to some pretty poor choices. If I've ever expressed jealousy of you, please know that I sincerely did not mean it with any resentment or ugliness. To me, jealousy can be a form of flattery. I've been fortunate enough that when friends have expressed jealousy of me, it's been from a positive place and not meant with any venom. And to anyone who feels the need to fill the space around them- be it in real life or online- with negativity, sarcasm, insults, cruel teasing, bullying, and other negative choices that stem from resentment, jealousy, low self esteem, lack of confidence, and who knows what else... well, honestly, I pray for you. I pray for you to find joy, peace, contentment, happiness within your own life so that you can overwhelm and inspire others without causing pain. I pray that you someday know how it feels to honestly be so happy that it just spills out of you and seeps into the lives of others. I pray that you someday find your truly authentic and beautiful self and that you understand and live your life's purpose. And when that day comes... I bet I'll be my own version of jealous of you.

Verizon HTC Incredible

For the past couple of weeks, I've been enjoying some play time with the Verizon HTC Incredible. That's a pretty big name to live up to- Incredible. Is it really? Well, yes, it is! For me personally, the HTC Incredible is not the right phone because I really like a flip open or slide out keyboard. The HTC Incredible only has touch screen. That is literally my only complaint. This phone has an 8 megapixel camera. 8 megapixels!! I didn't find it totally user friendly at first but I did eventually get the hang of how to use it. It's got auto focus and auto flash and video. Totally easy to load pics from the phone to Facebook or send by e-mail. I love having a good camera phone and I love being able to very easily load up pics from my phone! One thing I loved about the HTC Incredible is that I could e-mail multiple pics at once. I used the map feature a few times- very handy. I used a bunch of apps. I had fun with a bunch of "sound boards." You pull up the app and touch different buttons to hear quotes from whatever sound board you've opened. I had Star Trek, Sesame Street, Monty Python, and Step Brothers. What a hoot! I also used apps like JogTracker when I would go out for my runs. I could turn on the app and it would track the time I spent running and the route that I took and the distance of my route. What I liked about JogTracker was that it kept going even when my pace slowed to a brisk walk. The HTC Incredible has plenty of the "stay connected" features that I'm hooked on. I love being able to access my e-mail, our Google family calendar, and Facebook from my phone. Especially the calendar thing- having our schedule at my fingertips at all times is pretty handy! One little thing I love about the HTC Incredible (and I know this is a feature on other HTC phones) is that I get a weather snapshot as soon as I turn on the phone. It has great little graphics to show if it's sunny or cloudy or storming. So if you are looking for an Android technology phone, I would definitely recommend checking out the HTC Incredible from Verizon!