Over a year...

Well it's been over a year since my last post.

No one probably noticed because I haven't told many about this blog.

Maybe I'll start from here. I was planning on giving an update, but I don't really see why. Everything has grown better than it was a year ago from all that has happened this past year. All the ups and downs. Thankfully, Grover and I haven't had many downs, the downs have all been with family and circumstances. Mostly ups. How lucky we are. I remind myself of that every single day.

I have started riding bikes! Well, a bike. Tom's old bike. I am getting better! I used to be really bad at riding bikes, but his bike is super easy to ride. And I love it.

Tomorrow it is supposed to be at least 10 degrees cooler than it has been in months. And I am so excited. I hope to be outside all day.

I am coming off of a two-three week funk and I am so glad I have my excitement and energy back.

I hope you feel as grateful that you can move and breath this morning as I do.

Late Night Thoughts

It's raining outside. Storming actually. There was a tornado that ripped through a town North of here. Many people are missing. So many times I forget to remember how blessed I am. I forget that if something were to happen here, that people would care about me and wonder if I was ok.

The statistics say that almost 50% of marriages end in divorce. What a daunting number. They were all in love at some point. Were they in love as much as I think I am? I know that sounds awful to say, to think. It's just realistic. Obviously marriage takes work. It takes commitment and something more than just love. Is it possible that some people just work together so well that there is no reason for anything to change? I guess the problem is that you can't stop the change. A couple usually doesn't stay just a couple forever. There are usually kids. There are job changes, moves. No one sees it coming. Especially not on the wedding day. I think it can work, and it does for some people. And most realize what an accomplishment that is. Is it worth it though? Is it worth it to stay with someone for thirty years but not trust that person? I don't have the answers. I don't think anyone does. Everyone has their opinions, their experiences. No one has the exact yes or no answer. You cannot use the scientific method. It is not testable. Just beliefs, feelings, hopes. I can't see what the future holds, but I do know that right now I am one of the lucky ones. All I can do is live day to day being the person I was made to be.

Say a prayer for all the people in Joplin. And for those who are in a place they never thought they would be...and they don't know how to get out. The ones who are breaking inside. It's hard when you put your hope in something besides righteousness, but it happens. To everyone.

Oh.....What a day...

Well.

I have written two posts now and erased them both.

One was about my crazy day and all it entailed. It also described what I needed to get done before I have my last day of classes in THREE weeks exactly. (OH...btw....I have no finals this semester...So the last day of classes is my last day of undergrad) :)
This post also let you in on my job anxiety and talked about my broken car.

I erased it because it was more for me than for you... To be able to write it out and realize that it looks much less on paper than in my head. And that everything will be ok. Because it always is.. It just always is.

The second post was about my seedlings that you were going to see pictures of...but I tried to get the pictures off of the SD card, and it was not working... So. Fail.

The moral of this story.... I don't really have one. But the naked flowers aren't worrying, so neither will I.

B-out.

Spring!!!

It's Spring here in Arkansas! I'm crossing my fingers that last night was the last frost. I think our tomatoes are crossing theirs too...You know... If tomatoes had fingers...

Anyway. So, I'm coming down to a month until graduation. Holy Cow. Tomorrow will be a month until dead day. Dead day is the day before finals start and there are no classes. It is supposed to be for studying... I'm not sure I've ever studied on Dead Day. I do know that the taverns are very full on "Dead Day Eve". I think most people are recovering on Dead Day if I had to guess...

To update you on what has been going on here... Howard has a forever home now. A very nice gentleman has adopted him. It was hard to see him go, but I know it is for the best. Salm wouldn't let me keep him forever, and even though I blame it on Salm, I know that we couldn't have a puppy right now. Three dogs is way too many. Especially when you have one that looks like this:

And this:

And a goofy-ass cat that looks like this:

And there would be no more room on the couch...

Howard was very fun though. :)

I'm going to make an effort to post again this week with pictures of all of our plants! I have a paper to finish before Thursday, so I am sure that I will procrastinate and make another post. :)

Enjoy the sunshine!

B

Remember that time...

Remember that time I said I would show you a picture of my king cake???
Well, I know you all have been holding your breath..so here it is!

Close up!

This was my mess...

In other news. We are fostering a puppy!

We named him Howard.

He's funny. And cute. We will have him for maybe two weeks and then hopefully he will find a forever home! He would be such a fantastic pet for someone. 

There are his back spots.

He is a German Short-haired Pointer mixed with a lab. 

We don't expect people to keep the name Howard. Even though it is a fantastic dog name.

That's all the news I have! 

Go find a dog to foster.

Love,

Bee

Ohhh Goodness.

We've reached that time in the semester. You know the one!
Always tired, strained relationships, having to make decisions based on how much work needs to be done, no social life...

The good thing is, this is my last semester!! For now. Poor Salm has a few more years, but he chose his own path. :)

I've been trying to practice selfless love lately. This happens at least once a semester for about a month. Salm gets so busy with many deadlines and appointments that when he wants to unwind, it is definitely not to give me attention. I completely understand, but I still get upset sometimes (I'm very sensitive, you know). Then I remember what his days are like and realize that he has no energy left when he gets to me. And that is alright. It doesn't last forever. Just a little while. So I try to remind myself of these things and I try to make it a bit easier on him. I am NOT perfect. In fact I had a little episode yesterday, however, he knows that it is hard on me and is patient. It stinks for him too! So I try to do little things when I am not too busy with myself. We are such a selfish species sometimes.

And...
I haven't gotten to cook much lately. I did make a king cake for a mardi gras party last Saturday! It was my first. It was a bit dry, but I have some ideas for next year's cake. I will post a picture! Who knows when...but i will!

Have a lovely day,
B

Rainy day off..

And I just made an eggroll salad!!

Ignore the fantastically gnawed fingernail polish and gaze at the beautiful salad that I invented take credit for.

There's one thing you need to know about me. I love eggrolls. I love them so much. I got a box from the store and I wanted to eat them all for dinner. As it turns out, these are not the best for you... So I made two eggrolls and then made a salad to go around them!

The dressing is the part that makes it all come together. I didn't really measure, but I will give you the best estimates I can.

Take 1/4 cup rice vinegar mix it with 2 TB sugar. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Then add a teaspoon of soy sauce, some red pepper flakes, and 2 TB of sesame oil. The toasted kind would be best here. Then add a 1/4 cup if mayo. (I used vegan mayo because I love it.) Whisk that all together and then add olive or canola oil until it is the consistency you would like. Mine was pretty thick. 

I took spinach (I didn't have any other greens) and sliced up a red bell pepper, grated some carrots and some mushrooms and put them in my bowl. Then I drizzled the dressing on top. I had some "Chinese Noodles" (That's what it said on the package...it's ramen..) so I broke them up into little pieces and sprinkled them on top. I love crunch on my salads. Then slice up your egg roll and you're set!! 

I've had quite a few of these in the past couple of days. It makes me feel better about eating eggrolls...

Hey, it's the little things, right? :)

Oh. And exciting news... I got my cap and gown today!!!! yay!

Love,

B