It would happen eventually...

So, I ran over a curb in my new car today.  I have always had a bad habit of hitting curbs.  I forgot after four years of driving my Jeep that cars do not handle curbs as well as SUVs.  I scratched the wheel, but didn't hurt the tire. Actually, some small chunks of rubber DID come out of the tire, but it didn't puncture it. So, alls fair in love and bad drivers, right?  I figure that since nothing is preventing the car from driving, it's fine.

I told the Boyfriend, who thinks he is the world's best driver, and he was not pleased.  I'm pretty sure he said, "Brittany! That's a brand new car!!" about 3 times before he just gave up and remembered he was talking to the girl who drove us into a ditch in January, in an SUV that was in 4wd, with all weather tires.

All I can really say about this is...

Oops.

:-/

Miscellany Monday #9

1. Work
Last week was the week from HELL at work.  I had planned to work this weekend, but just could not muster up the energy. I made up for it today, though.  I worked until 6:30 pm.  The lucky thing about last week is that with days like Wednesday (billing 10.2 hours), and beating expectations less dramatically the rest of the days, I made up a lot of the deficit I somehow incurred in the month of June.  I need to bill just a little more than the normal requirement by Thursday in order to get close enough to our requirement to still be justified by me being a newbie.

2. Family
My Grandpa has been really sick for about two months now.  He has been in the hospital/rehab this whole time.  My Grandpa and I have been incredibly close my whole life.  My family could really use your prayers.  The doctors told my Grandma today that they think he only has 4-6 weeks to live.  I really hope that's not true.  I haven't cried since hearing the latest news because I just can't believe it.  It cannot be true. So, pray for us please.

Grandma, mom, me, Grandpa. One Christmas while I was in law school. 2007? 2008?

3. Friendships

I'm making some good friendships with the girls at my office.  There are quite a few young attorneys there, and it makes work a lot less terrifying.  I would have had several more cry-fests and "I'm not cut out for this" breakdowns if it wasn't for those girls.

4. Relationship

The Boyfriend and I are counting down the minutes until we get to see each other! I cannot WAIT. A month is way too long to go without a hug from the person you love. I'm also excited to finally see this surprise he's been working on for 2 weeks.  We are planning a BBQ and I'm going to make a cake I practiced this weekend.  

5. Baking

The practice cake took HOURS.  After it was done I delivered it to my dad and sister.  They said they liked it.  They don't really love sweets but I left it there anyway. I mostly just like TO bake. I will eat it, but not really quick enough before anything goes stale.  The only thing I've baked that I could have eaten the whole batch was blueberry muffins.

Anyway, it was a Fourth of July theme cake, inspired by the rainbow cake over at Lag Liv.  I made the white cake from scratch.  I selected my recipe (and shopped for the ingredients) without reading the directions.  It was pretty complicated and took a long time, but it's BY FAR the best cake (including cupcakes) I've ever made. Delish.

Because it was just practice, and I realized I don't have a bread knife in my new apartment, I didn't trim it down or even it out.  I also made it in throw away cake pans - which were not smooth along the sides.  This is why I practiced!

 

Thankful

I have had a really incredible Sunday. I have had some sort of cold/horrible allergies since Thursday.  I finally stopped for some NyQuil last night. I slept almost 11 hours, and woke up BEFORE my alarm.  I had a peaceful morning getting ready and right as I was walking out the door to pick up my dad and sister for church, the Boyfriend called.  We haven't had much time to talk this weekend because Small Town was having a 24-hour softball tournament.  He told me his mom stopped at the pound and gifted us with TWO kittens for the shop (to eat the mice - and for me to love and snuggle when the boyfriend isn't looking).  They are so freaking adorable! They don't have names yet, so that should be a fun task this weekend when I (FINALLY) get to visit.

Then, my sister brought a friend to church.  She drove with us and went to lunch.  It was so wonderful! I can't even put into words how amazing it has been to go to church with my dad and sister every week.  I have prayed for them for so long.  This morning my dad told me he looks forward to church all week long. What a glorious thing to hear! My sister's friend has never been to a church as contemporary as ours and watching her expression was just so fun. She was amazed :D.  They also said this weekend that the weekend attendance is up to TWENTY THOUSAND! How insane.  My sister and I signed up to serve in the kids ministry, and she signed up for a new small group.

We went to lunch at in 'n out, and sufficiently stuffed our faces. I ran some errands and have been resting on the couch.  I also used half of my iTunes gift card from Ford to download a few new Christian CDs.  It has been a really perfect Sunday.  Last week was really terrible.  I had a horribly stressful time at work where I felt completely overwhelmed and just generally incompetent.  I needed a day of peace and rest in the Lord to start this week fresh.

And, it's only 4 days, 7 hours and 12 minutes until I land in Small Town and get to see the Boyfriend for the first time in a month.

Miscellany Monday #8

1. Saying Goodbye
I didn't tell you guys... but I spent last Sunday (as in, not yesterday) recovering from a really emotionally draining, 1 day visit to my hometown.  One of my uncles passed away due to throat cancer a few days before that.  

My Uncle Rick and I, Christmas 2005, in the plane he built and flew to Big City.

My Dad, sister and I left Big City at 8 am on Saturday, drove to my hometown, ate some lunch and went to the funeral at 1:30.  We had only planned to stay for a little while because my Dad isn't really the most social man and none of us wanted to stay the night. 


Well, that ended up being a totally bad idea.  I guess we forgot that once you get my Dad's side of the family together we can throw quite the party.  It was a total blast filled with laughter, tears, fun stories of my Dad's childhood as the youngest of six, tears, self-written songs played on the guitar and sung by my grandpa, great uncle, and one of my uncles, tears, tears, prayers, the planting of a memorial garden, hugs, and more tears.  It was an awesome day.  We left my hometown at 10:30 pm.  It's typically a 4 hour drive but somehow, on cruise control even, I did it in 3.  I dropped my Dad and sister off at their house at 1:30 and was home at 1:45 am.

The saddest part of all of this is that he has left my Aunt Donna a widow.  They have been married for 39 years.  She held a candlelite vigil that night in his memorial garden, burning the candle he used at their wedding to light their unity candle. It just broke my heart.


2.  Uncomfortable
I had my "annual appointment" today. I had to leave the office around 2:15 to get there in time for their last appointment at 3:00.  What kind of office shuts down by then??? Anyway, it was as uncomfortable as it always has been and I have to wonder... can't there be an easier way?  As if it weren't bad enough, I spent the last two hours working to make up the time that I was out of the office. Granted, it was in my PJs, on my couch, but still. I would have rather worked AT work, than been to THAT doctor. gah.


3. Ford loves me (...
... because I will be paying them interest for quite some time.) Ford sent me a FIFTY DOLLAR iTUNES GIFT CARD, all for buying my pretty new 2012 ford focus SEL.  I'm pretty stoked.  I'm also aware that part of their motive was just so I'd go on and tell all of my friends all about how much cooler Focuses are now than they used to be.  I don't care that I'm falling for it.  I only care that I love my car and I love iTunes and now I will have all kinds of jams to accompany me on my travels to see the Boyfriend.

The fabulous salesman, teaching me how to use it.

4. Long Distance is Hard
I've been doing really well, compared to how I was doing when I moved here and post our short break up period.  However, I've been slowly crumbling. Tonight I had a full on sob fest for about 20 minutes before I just got out my work computer and got to working (I work really efficiently when I'm sad, for some reason).  We have not seen each other since memorial day weekend. We've agreed that one month is too long, but with his little one it's not as easy for him to come down. So, tonight we bought his next ticket to visit at the end of July and I'm going to try to come up in the middle of July.  I will be there in TEN days and 1 hour.  I cannot wait.  I feel like I NEED his hugs and to be in the peace and quite of Small Town.  I need baby kisses and snuggles.  I need to get out of Big City.  I am so thankful to be able to have a job that allows me long holiday weekends and a lot of vacation time, even if I constantly feel haggard about the billing requirement. 

Just another day in Small Town: 

The Boyfriend, exploring the wilderness on a snowmobiling date.  

He stopped us there because there was a campsite with a bathroom for me. 

Now that's love. haha

Walking with John

I recently went on an amazon book-ordering spree.  It was so ridiculous that at one point I had to check my order history to see what I ordered. haha

A book I'm really excited about is Beth Moore's 90 day devotional John: 90 Days with the Beloved Disciple.  To be honest with you, I chose John because it was cheaper than the other ones. I have bought these studies for friends for holidays before, but never done one myself.  The book is super fancy and sturdy.  It's making me really wish I had night stands (just haven't gotten around to it since I moved to Big City).

Since I only made it to March on my "read the bible in a year" plan, I hoping to be successful in this.  I'm almost finished with Get Out of That Pit.  If I wasn't pacing myself, I'd be done already.  That book is just amazing.

In other news, my very exciting Saturday involved working from Starbucks all morning, getting my hair done by my favorite hair stylist, running around piecing together my dad's father's day present, sitting on my couch watching a marathon of lockup, going to Target to return some mascara that I didn't realize was waterproof and get money back for my missed coupons, and stopping for a frozen yogurt date at about 10:30 pm all by myself.  LOL

(The best thing about U-Serve is that I only need to pay for as much as I'll eat! 

Which isn't much. $2.45 worth.)

And to think, I always thought the life of an attorney would be so glamorous. haha!

Miscellany Monday #7

1. Secrets
I have a secret I've been keeping from you guys... I'm planning father's day presents for the Boyfriend.


NO, NOT because I'm pregnant, crazy girls.  He has a little one of his own.  She is still a new little joy (only 5 months old) and it is a long story as to how he and I have been dating for 3 1/2 months longer than she's been alive. I'll just assure your nervousness and let you know that she was long gone before I ever laid eyes on my love.

Daddy-Baby nap

In any case, needless to say, his ex-wife was not going to be gifting him with any Father's Day goodness. 


Because no one should have a celebration-less first father's day, I ordered him a mug off of snapfish, with pictures of them.  I also bought a photo album, on the recommendation of my Dad as to what would be a good first father's day gift.  Lastly, I'm about to bake him some snickerdoodles. I don't know if he even knows what a snickerdoodle is, but hopefully he likes them. He can only get packages via UPS in Small Town so I will be wrapping it all up tonight and mailing it out during my lunch break tomorrow.  I'm pretty excited.  I had planned to make him a scrapbook with the help of my little (22 year old) sister, but we ran out of time.


2. Heartsy
I am SO excited about this new website called Heartsy.  It's like groupon, for etsy (and similar homemade websites).  I ordered a print from here and still have half of my voucher left! It's amazing.  They have all kinds of offers every day, and you can even vote as to which sites you'd want added.  Plus, if you sign up using my link, we both get five bucks.  It was a great surprise to see that the five dollars added to my first purchase! I spent $10 and got a $30 voucher. 


3. The Billable Hour
You know what sucks more than .... well, not more than law school, but more than having a job where you can take 15 minute breaks and not feel guilty about it? Billing time.  I am so SICK of billing hours already.  I got my first insight into what my time is really worth last week.  I saw my billables with lines straight through them.  According to the partners there are some tasks I spent an entire Saturday doing that took me entirely too long.  So they don't count at all.  Ouch.  Sure encourages you to keep up to the 8.8/day requirement, huh?  

Lazy?

I had planned to laze-around all day.  I brought work home that I could do, but I was thinking maybe only an hour or two.  I've been laying in bed on my computer (ultimate laziness), thinking about what I have in my house for breakfast (chewy chips ahoy = not ok?).  I've been trying, REALLY TRYING to be lazy.  But I just don't want to be.  What I'm thinking is a nice shower, put on a pretty summer dress because the high in Big City is in the 90's today, head to the coffee shop with my work laptop and bring a book to reward myself when I bill enough hours to be caught up for the week (which is about 5).

I've been making trips to my local library lately and really loving it.  As I was walking out last time I walked past a shelf called "Quick Reads."  My only purpose in being there was to pick up an audio book for the road trip to see the Boyfriend, but I stopped anyway.  Last night I made it over half way through The Smart One and the Pretty One.  I really like it.  It's a totally mindless read but the story-telling is good. I will either be bringing that one, or Get Out of That Pit, which I've been working through a few pages at a time before I pass out at night.  If you are at all interested in Beth Moore and don't own GOoTP, seriously go to Amazon and buy it ASAP.  It's selling used for a penny. A PENNY!

Fill in the Blank Friday #5

Rise and shine, dear friends! It is Friday! Thank GOODNESS! Even though this was a short week, and it flew by, I am looking forward to the weekend. I haven't had a normal weekend in several weeks, which means that my house cleaning and grocery shopping has suffered. I am ready for some rest and relaxation!  Of course, I wish I was still asleep right NOW, but what can you do...

1.   I love       reading   because      it takes me away to a place where I don't have to stress about work, think about my responsibilities, or miss the Boyfriend or friends that I am far away from  .

2.  A time that mama knew best was    when she told me "quality over quantity" when it came to friendships.  I am still friends with a select few girls from high school and I haven't spoken to the rest in years  .

3.  My first kiss went a little like this     it was with a boy I met at my apartment complex pool.  My friend was spending the night and she liked the boy's cousin.  So they came by my apartment and we took off the window screen and talked through the window.  It was very dangerous. LOL I don't think we kissed a second time, and I never had any sneak-meetings with a boy again  .

4.  My celebrity crush is   Patrick Dempsey. How can anyone watch a SECOND of Grey's Anatomy and not love him? swoon .

5.  My splurge of choice is     clothes and shoes, definitely.  I LOVE finding amazing deals and treasures on them.  I spent $71 at Nordstrom Rack the other night and got a pair of shorts, three t-shirts, a vest, a tank top, a pair of nylons and three pairs of knee-highs.  It was wonderful. haha  .

6.  My biggest accomplishment is       I guess passing the bar? I'm not really sure. That just feels like something I HAD to do, ya know? Maybe being able to put "Esq." after my name is more indicative of the feeling of accomplishment    .

7.  My dance jam of choice is       Anything by Britney Spears, embarrassingly enough haha  .