Let's Play Dress Up!

Last night, my circle of friends had a Halloween Party. I'm not really creative when it comes to solo costume choices, so Saturday morning, I drove to Red Bank to Beauty & The Beast Costume Shop. (If you are ever, and I mean EVER, in need of a costume, they are the place to go! I rented a bear suit from there two years ago, and I still have pictures from it.) Well, although it had not be actually said, this was one of those Halloween parties where you just knew that Ghosts, Goblins, Witches, and devils weren't acceptable attire. So, being limited to not have to wear something with a head (i.e. The Bear Suit), or something devilish in nature, I resorted to funny costumes.

Oh, but I was reduced by size as well, dontcha know.

'Cause they don't manufacture alot of costumes above a size 12.

(Next time one of you size 12 or below is griping about not having something to wear, do not be surprised if an unsympathetic bear shows up on your door. Consider yourself WARNED.)

Back to the topic... I tried on a flapper costume that was sadly, too sheer, and the saleslady proceeded to compliment me on my matching underwear to the entire floor ('Cause you know, EVERYONE needed to know that I had on matching underwear(!)). Then I tried on a habit, as in, AHEM, a Nun, but I just look weird. I mean, I'm kinda prude sometimes, but not Nun-material if you know what I mean. I really like the Wilma Flintstone costume, but it was too tight, and I couldn't see myself dressing up as Dolly Parton and being able to have any shred of dignity. So, I settled on a French Maid costume.

I can try on things in a dressing room and love them, but then, when I HAVE to put them on, I have totally shopper's anxiety and moments where I realize I have the worst taste ever. And I did last night.

Plus, the whole being a 'Big Girl' Thing didn't help either. I felt like a FAT French Maid. But then I had an epiphany!

My friends, God Love them, ask me some of the most random questions ever. I know alot of random stuff -- I can't help that -- and my friends know it and use it. I am affectionately called "411". So last night, after I decided I looked like a cow in Black taffeta and Crinlen, I thought I'd be funny. So I taped a bunch of "Answers" to my apron, and wore a nametag, and went as 411 dressed up as a French Maid. Ironically enough, very few people got it, but didn't ask alot of questions. :)

But ... HANDS DOWN... the best costumes of the night went to my friends M. & L. who dressed up as Dog & Beth Chapman. They were AWESOME. ALOOOOOOOOOOOO-HA.

Here are the group shots:

The Defender and Protector

I spent the night at Bitsy's house on Thursday. Her grandson did the cutest thing. (She told this story way better than I, with lisp and accent correct.) Her youngest grandson, R., wanted to make sure that I was safe when I took a bath, so he put Darth Mal, a Ninja Turtle, and a Power Ranger in there so that I would be safe, and put up some duckies so that I wouldn't fall.

I would totally ask him to be my boyfriend if he weren't 5 years old.

Isn't that the sweetest thing???

Brace yourselves...

Lots to recap in the last few days:

Thursday night -- Bible study in d-town, and I stayed with one of the Ladies, PTL. It saved me $10 in gas (might not seem like a lot but I spend $80 a week so,... it was a blessing!), and about 100 miles on my car. Serious serious PTL.

One of her grandsons did the SWEETEST thing for me... I'll post that later. I even took pictures. :)

Friday night -- I was wiped out. I actually went to be at 9:30. Another PTL. :)

Saturday -- Saturday's are fun for me. I have a ritual of breakfast, followed by a quick trip to my storage unit. Since my mother came up last week and I no longer have a storage unit, I took a trip to Chatt, Wal-mart, and Hobby Lobby. I did not get back home until after 2:00.

I did buy a lovely bed ensemble that I will try to take pics of tonight.

Sunday -- found out I have the TROJAN virus on my computer (I didn't even know that virus was still around), had to wipe my computer out (may have lost six years worth of pictures... :( ...) and had a Halloween party last night.

WHEW.

Eventful yes.

I'm going to try to post individual blogs for all the stuff that happened so that it all makes sense. But before I do... here's why my post is mean.

~ then I was going to write this really NASTY post on people living in America for more than 5 years and not learning the language, and just decided that I'll save it for another day.

Various and unsundries... Part Cinco

I actually started this post yesterday, and got distracted so I made the executive decision to scrap it and start all over.

First off... can I just say Thank you Lord for the rain? We need it desperately. I got an email this morning asking for people to pray for a daily rain in the evenings, so that people who work in construction can still complete their jobs without interference. So Pray!

I got my hair "done" yesterday, and ... I don't like it, which is no big surprise to ANYONE. I called my mom afterwards and she said, "Jenn, do you ever like your hair?".

So NOTED.

I get to stay in D-town tonight and *hopefully* get to work early so that I can leave early. That's kind of a selfish reason, but... it's my reason.

***

I started to write about my dentist and then I realized who crucially BORING THIS POST IS. Oh well.

Training the new guy is wearing me out. HE is wearing me out.

Other than that... everything else is good. :)

Letters to...

**I had originally hidden this post, but after an email, thought it best to re-post them. **

He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him.” Daniel 2:22 (NIV)

I have been thinking about blogging for a few days now, with thoughts and thoughts running through my head. I'm not entirely sure that I have everything that I want to say, but I'm as ready as I'm ever going to be, you know? Thursday night at Bible Study, the speaker (Jennifer Rothschild) spoke about familiarity versus intimacy, and how familiarity can creep up and steal intimacy, and that we don't realize it until we are FAR gone.

I have allowed things in my life in the past few months to escape true intimacy -- that is, intimacy in friendships -- and be overtaken by familiarity. The speaker correlated hers to her marriage, but as soon as she said it, I immediately thought about some of the friendships in my life. The last year of my life has been both a whirlwind and a snail's pace. I feel like I've said it a thousand times, but I can't help but see how much my life has changed in the last year.

Now, I want to close the windows for familiarity and open the doors for intimacy. Real, geniune, honest, heartfelt intimacy. Ugly and yet beautiful.

Almost a year ago, Chase walked out of my life. I was devastated (nowhere near how I was with Bradley, but close), and took it really hard. It's hard to try and understand why people don't love you back. And, it was not easy to get over someone that you put such a high, intangible value on, whether or not they did the same. So, here's intimacy:

Dear Chase,

Thank you for walking out of my life almost a year ago. For the first time, I now see, with clarity, that you had to be the strong one, because all my resistance had failed. I was weak. I was running out of reasons to say no. Also, thank you for doing all of it -- walking away, getting engaged, and getting married -- thank you for doing it quickly. Kind of like ripping a band-aid off the skin with one swoop. You kept my hurt to a minimum (although that was nowhere in your intention). I realized this weekend that I don't hate you. Thank you for being selfish and not loving me back. Thank you for not being the man of integrity that I was looking for. Thank you for showing me that in order to deserve more, I have to seek more, I have to set higher standards and expectations. Thank you for making me feel worthless so that now I know how priceless I really am.

I wish you well.

Jenn

(and...)

Dear Randy,

There is no way you will ever read this letter. Over two months ago, you took your own life. In doing so, you forced me, with wide-eyes, to examine my own. You made me painfully aware of some areas in my life where I was not paying attention. While I still cannot fully understand why you took your life, I see how God has used that to remind me daily how precious my life is. I only wish you could have seen while you were alive that you were loved so deeply, by your friends and family. While I can't but think you were selfish in death, I hope you had a second to make your peace with God Almighty. I hope you had a moment to ask for forgiveness, and I hope to see you in Heaven one day. But regardless, I want you to know that you did not die in vain.

Love,
Jenn

These are just two. There are more. But for now, these will do.

MUST READ!!!!

I was reading my blogroll today (not really, I was browsing), and ran across this website:

The Ongoing Adventures of ASBO Jesus

Y'ALL HAVE TO GO HERE!!! Some of his cartoons... RIGHT ON THE MONEY. Leave him a comment too, and share the love!



(And here's a sample)

REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE

Sometimes, I get tickled at why I do things.

Case in point: Yesterday, I had to box up several things for work. We order boxes in 10-packs with this plastic strip around it.

After I cut it initially, I cut it into small pieces.

And thought to myself, "Self, WHY do you do that?"

Then, I cracked up laughing.

Having grown up in the 80's, and I mean, in the midst of the entire Nancy Reagan "JUST SAY NO" program, as well as the "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" campaign, I realized I was cutting those plastic strips up, just as I do the plastic rings off a six-pack (OF COCA-COLA, Y'ALL), so that...

(big finish here)

Should any of my trash get dumped in the ocean, no sea life will die with my plastic strips or coke rings on it's neck.

And thus, I was transported back to a time when we had more than one recycle option in my house (paper, clear plastic, green plastic, newspaper, cardboard, aluminum, you get the point), and it made me very happy.

And it means I'm saving the Planet and I really DO want world peace.