It's a Wonderful Life

This week has been extraordinary. It was one of those weeks that you start off by taking a big breath and wondering if you'll make it back to the surface as you plunge in. Well, I made it back to the surface--perhaps frantically gasping for air, but make it I did. It's funny though, when I look back on my week, it's not the huge accomplished deadlines or the main events that stand out in my mind; my week was full of gorgeous little every day discoveries that shine brighter than the big things, like tiny simple jewels amidst a hodgepodge of bright blaring colors and noise. Here are some things I discovered this week:

1) I really do think it's unnatural to wake up before the sun. While walking to campus in the dark for a group meeting at 6:50 am I found myself thinking, "this feels so unnatural!" There was a certain quietness and serenity to that time of the day that my mind enjoyed, but my body itself felt funny and naked walking around outside before the sun had woken up...like it was breaking the rules or something.
2) I ADORE the color mustard. And as I walked out of a building on campus and watched 3 girls walk by in it, I said a little thank you prayer that it's in fashion right now. It just makes me happy to see it...I just want to hug anyone I see wearing it.
3) I love babies eating my face.
4) There are some awful, AWFUL Christmas songs out there. Ones that make me laugh HARD, nigh unto wetting my pants. I guess I hadn't fully realized the amazing capabilities of mankind until now. WOW.
5) The word "rigidify" is a word. While grading students' papers at 2 am in the library, I came across this word and chuckled to myself, shaking my head slightly for my poor student who was making up words in a college paper. I mean, I make up words, but at least it's in Scrabble with my family. Just to make sure though, I refer to the old trusty Dictionary.com which puts me in my place: rigidify--to make or become rigid. Who would have known? Now I had to shake my head and chuckle for the poor little TA who was so burned out and tired that she couldn't even recognize a real word when she saw it.
6) I like the cold. This was a significant discovery for me. I think I've always mixed up my feelings for the cold with my feelings for the snow. Snow=bad. Cold=cozy. Think of all the wonderful things the cold allows you to do! Wear cute scarves, drink hot chocolate, use the bum warmers in your car, cuddle up in blankets, wear slippers, blow puffs of air like a dragon when walking outside, use the words "biting," "frigid," and "nippy." What more could anyone want?

So, yes, I did go into my week seeing it as something to survive. But it ended up having sufficient beauty so as to render the ugly insignificant. Now I just want to sit down with George Bailey over a cup of hot cocoa (he preferably wearing a mustard-colored sweater) and talk about just how wonderful my life really is and the beauty that's all around us, all the time...even if it is found in a horrendous Christmas song.

--Heather

Okay, here's a question for you all: what is THE worst Christmas song out there? And what's something beautiful you've noticed in your life lately?

Don't Take It Personally

I guess you could call me a wee babe in the world of texting. I only gained texting abilities but a tender four weeks ago and still find myself getting used to the new-fangled form of communication. I’ll save my opinions about texting itself for another day—today I simply want to apologize for calling people “HO”s. Yes, HOs. You see, one of the things I’m still getting used to on my miniscule keyboard is typing the “Function” button to get symbols and the “Shift” button to get capitals. I mix the two up frequently. Usually that’s not a problem; however, there is one scenario in which I get myself into trouble…and that is the oh-so-cute smiley face. : ) Yes, the ragingly-popular little colon followed by parentheses that has become as common in our written vernacular as the words “the” and “lol” (which, although granted is not yet a word in the dictionary, very shortly will be). You see, the buttons that contain the “:” and the “)” happen to be the letters “H” and “O.” So, in my frequent feeble attempts at being a fast texter, I end up with “HO” instead of “: )” which provides for some pretty funny situations.

“I’ll let you know after the date HO”

“Yes, please! HO”

“You’re so smart HO”

It’s bad enough that I’m accidentally calling people ho’s, but the fact that it’s capitalized makes it even worse. Like it’s not strong enough without the capitalization. I’m just glad I haven’t started using texting as a way of communicating with my parents or grandma yet. I’m looking forward to the Christmas season and with it the more common usage of HO-HO-HO that might allow people to mistake it for a sudden burst of Christmas spirit or something. So anyway, I guess the point of all this is that if you get a text from me in which I call you a HO, please don’t take it personally. : )

--Heather

My Inner Wendy Peffercorn

I guess it’s true that doing any one thing for a significant length of time will inevitably leave you with some habits. Well, my one thing that I did for a significant length of time (7 years to be exact) was lifeguarding. Now, the lifeguarding you see in the movies and lifeguarding in real life are two very different things; sure, I had my moments of adrenaline where I pulled a kid out of the pool who had drifted a little too deep, and I even called 911 once when a kid banged his head and couldn’t feel his toes. But the vast majority of my lifeguarding experience can be summed up in one word: “WALK!” If I had a penny for every time I told a kid to walk, I’d be swimming in a sea of copper. I never thought much about this until after my third year of lifeguarding. I was at the mall with some friends and we were talking and walking and having a grand old time, when, all of a sudden, a young child bolted past me. Without pausing, hesitating, or even consciously realizing what was going on, I immediately called out, “WALK!” Wow. And that was it. That was the moment I realized that a certain inner part of me, some quiet piece of my soul, was and always would be a lifeguard. Well, as time continued on its jolly way, I continued to hone my skills at biting my tongue and holding myself back whenever the unexpected impulses arose in any given situation: a child running around a playground at a park; a youth racing to catch a bus; a parent rushing to grab something they forgot. Walk, WALK, WALK!!!!

Eventually, I got to the point where I no longer had to stop myself. In fact, I wouldn’t even think twice when I saw someone running by. Aha! I had come off conqueror—I had broken the habit of 7 years to tell someone to walk when they were running. But my pride celebrated my victory prematurely. Indeed, this very day, as a 22-year-old super-senior college student who had long-ago ended their lifeguarding days, I had a relapse. I was walking through campus today, and another full-grown adult college student came pounding towards me. Without stopping, hesitating, or even thinking, my lips parted, my mouth opened, and just as the first sound emerged from my throat I realized, “WHAT THE HECK AM I DOING???” In the nick of time, and with only a slightly awkward guttural noise, I smoothly opened my mouth even wider and turned the whole embarrassing situation into a very believable yawn, if I do say so myself. So, I guess I’m not as much of a conqueror as I thought I was—and now I’ll believe them when they say old habits die hard.

--Heather

The Sights and Smells of Autumn

Don't you love the fall? For so many reasons this season pulls at my heartstrings. Its sentimental, musty smells and warm, cozy colors seem to infuse graciousness into everything.

Yesterday I paused at my front door as I arrived home to take in the richness of color. Looking down as I stuck my bronze key in the door, I saw my plum coat, mustard sweater, brown shoes and the orange jack-o-lanterns on the porch. Is it strange that I delight in rich colors? There is something soul soothing about these ones.

Autumn smells are another one of my sentimental delights. Like the slightly tangy, sweet smell of pumpkins freshly carved. The earthy, damp fragrance of crushed leaves that line the gutters and litter the sidewalks. How about wet cement after rain? Or smoky chimneys sputtering, implying the reawakening of fireplaces long asleep.

The stormy weather lately hasn't bothered me. I like to look out my window at work and see Y mountain, spattered with oranges, golds and greens, standing out against a blue-gray backdrop of ominous sky.

I had a special treat a few weeks ago to spend an hour on the Aspen Loop photographing color. The colors of change. I've shared some of my goodies with you. Isn't nature glorious in her 4 sectioned lifestyle? What are some of your favorite things about fall?

-Allison

The BEST of Times!

It was the best of times…and is seriously, the best of times. Through a series of unexpected events and flat-out miracles, two sisters are reunited again. This blog is a peek into our daily tales of living; the joys of the simple and unexpected, and daily deliverance from the silly and the sobering guillotines of life.