Some people just don't realize how lucky they are. It is Thanksgiving weekend. They spend their days being "thankful" with huge family parties and get-togethers where there is food galore and love abound. They sit around a table with family and friends. Children and parents. Husbands and wives. Brothers and sisters. Grandparents. Aunts and uncles. Cousins. Friends. Brothers from other mothers. Boyfriends and girlfriends.
I spent my Thanksgiving afternoon with my Mom, Dad, and three siblings. That morning I saw my oldest friend/soon-to-be brother-in-law. But I did not see the smallest bit of the man I'm going to marry's face. I didn't get to talk to him. I sent him a text or two but did not get to hear from him until the next day because he had duty. On Thanksgiving. Because he's in the Navy. And that's the story of our life. A holiday comes up and he'll be on duty where he sits at work all day. I have no idea what goes on during that work day. It's all classified stuff and/or stuff he doesn't want to talk about when he finally gets to talk to me. But I know it isn't exactly a wonderful way to spend a day. Much less a holiday where normally you'd be surrounded with loved ones.
He was not surrounded by loved ones. He was at work. With people he cares about, perhaps, but I somehow doubt it even crossed his mind that it was Thanksgiving. I talked to him Friday. He had been watching football all day. But we didn't talk about Thanksgiving.
I didn't get to see him on Thursday. Not even talk to him. And I see people all over being angry at their significant other for some silly little reason over the holidays. He forgot to put the lights up when he said he would. She didn't bake my favorite pie. He doesn't cut the turkey the way I like. She made us late again.
Is it really that big of a deal? He or she has elected to spend this holiday with you. You are so special to them that they are spending a family holiday with YOU. You are important to them. YOU are their family now. YOU are the reason they wake up and smile each morning. YOU make the bad days good and the good days better. YOU are their life and love. Doesn't that make you smile?
This is the time of year when you are supposed to be thankful for all you have. You are reading this on a computer screen... or maybe even cell phone screen... so you can't be that bad off.
Stop worrying over the little things. Overlook the little accidents and incidents. That's all they are: accidents and incidents. They won't happen all the time. They weren't intentional. It's ok. Look around you and think about how wonderfully blessed you are. It's gonna be alright. It's Christmas-time. Smile.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
A Compare and Contrast of New England and South Alabama
Reasons why New England could possibly be better than South Alabama:
1. In July and August, the weather is still bearable. Dare I say, even pleasant.
2. You can walk or bike almost everywhere.
3. One word: snow.
4. You technically don't need AC. Yay lower power bills.
5. It is less likely you will be robbed blind. Leave your doors unlocked, windows open. Doesn't matter. For the most part, people won't mess with your stuff.
6. The beach water is COLD. Really cold. Like ice cold.
7. NO SALES TAX!
8. Antique shops are all over the place. And they're pretty.
9. Lighthouses.
10. The houses are gorgeous. And big.
11. I don't know personally, but I'm told the trees are gorgeous when they change in the fall.
12. I don't think I've ever seen a billboard on the side of the interstate here...
13. My love is presently there.
Reasons why at the end of the day New England could still never be quite as awesome as South Alabama:
1. There are pedestrians and bicyclists E V E R Y W H E R E up there. Ugh.
2. It snows ALOT.
3. "Lane ends Merge left" = traffic jam in New England.
4. Bama is home:)
5. You can wear flip flops year round down South.
6. Our beach water is not freezing. It's cool, but not uncomfortable. Sometimes it's even warm. :)
7. My family is here. And my besties. And Dustin's family. It's like one big family get together...
8. People still wave in G-Bay when they pass you.
9. It's green:)
10. There are laws prohibiting excess vehicular noise in NE... making both Dustin's vehicles technically illegal there.
11. South Alabama Jaguars.
12. Pretty rainy days.
13. Sandy non-rocky beaches.
14. I-10 meets I-65. Yes. We know where Northbound begins and the East-West converges with it.
15. Bay Bears. Bet you've never seen one of those before.
16. Bellingrath.
17. The Battleship.
18. Dauphin Island.
19. Un-ridiculously-crowded beaches.
20. We're closer to DisneyWorld.
21. Billboards = knowing where the next hotel/restaurant/attraction is. Plus when you play the alphabet game, you can't win without these. :)
21. Uh, I'm here, duh:)
1. In July and August, the weather is still bearable. Dare I say, even pleasant.
2. You can walk or bike almost everywhere.
3. One word: snow.
4. You technically don't need AC. Yay lower power bills.
5. It is less likely you will be robbed blind. Leave your doors unlocked, windows open. Doesn't matter. For the most part, people won't mess with your stuff.
6. The beach water is COLD. Really cold. Like ice cold.
7. NO SALES TAX!
8. Antique shops are all over the place. And they're pretty.
9. Lighthouses.
10. The houses are gorgeous. And big.
11. I don't know personally, but I'm told the trees are gorgeous when they change in the fall.
12. I don't think I've ever seen a billboard on the side of the interstate here...
13. My love is presently there.
Reasons why at the end of the day New England could still never be quite as awesome as South Alabama:
1. There are pedestrians and bicyclists E V E R Y W H E R E up there. Ugh.
2. It snows ALOT.
3. "Lane ends Merge left" = traffic jam in New England.
4. Bama is home:)
5. You can wear flip flops year round down South.
6. Our beach water is not freezing. It's cool, but not uncomfortable. Sometimes it's even warm. :)
7. My family is here. And my besties. And Dustin's family. It's like one big family get together...
8. People still wave in G-Bay when they pass you.
9. It's green:)
10. There are laws prohibiting excess vehicular noise in NE... making both Dustin's vehicles technically illegal there.
11. South Alabama Jaguars.
12. Pretty rainy days.
13. Sandy non-rocky beaches.
14. I-10 meets I-65. Yes. We know where Northbound begins and the East-West converges with it.
15. Bay Bears. Bet you've never seen one of those before.
16. Bellingrath.
17. The Battleship.
18. Dauphin Island.
19. Un-ridiculously-crowded beaches.
20. We're closer to DisneyWorld.
21. Billboards = knowing where the next hotel/restaurant/attraction is. Plus when you play the alphabet game, you can't win without these. :)
21. Uh, I'm here, duh:)
Monday, August 30, 2010
Ah, Summer.
Welp. Summer is over. The mental summer, not the physical summer. Yes, back here in good ole Alabama it is hot and sticky and raining. As usual. But August is almost over... So we've almost reached the peak. Almost.
But my school time summer is done. I had to leave the lovely New Hampshire and come back here. I almost typed "come back home" back there... but I've discovered something kind of interesting. You see, my friend Levi told me about this line in the movie Garden State where Zach Braff's character is talking about a point in your life where the house you grew up in is no longer your home. The scene goes like this:
"Andrew: You know that point in your life when you realize the house you grew up in isn't really your home anymore? All of a sudden even though you have some place where you put your shit, that idea of home is gone.
Sam: I still feel at home in my house.
Andrew: You'll see one day when you move out... it just sort of happens one day and it's gone. You feel like you can never get it back. It's like you feel homesick for a place that doesn't even exist. Maybe it's like this rite of passage, you know? You won't ever have this feeling again until you create a new idea of home for yourself, you know, for your kids, for the family you start, it's like a cycle or something. I don't know, but I miss the idea of it, you know. Maybe that's all family really is. A group of people that miss the same imaginary place..."
When I was growing up, I hated leaving home. I would go for weekends to see my besties Michael and Erin and get homesick just for the two days I was gone. I hated being away. I'm a homebody. I can't help it. It's just the way I've always been. My older sister used to have to go to slumber parties with me so I didn't feel so bad. Well I flew across the country in July. And I was nervous mainly about being around all these people I straight up did not know. But at the same time, I was going to be with Dustin... and once I got there, I did not get homesick. For over a month, I did not crave seeing them or worry about missing something... It was strange. But amazing, too. The leaving though... killed me. When it came time for me to load up the truck and watch Dustin leave for work before I myself left for several months, I could not stop the tears. Driving home I cried until my eyes were drier than the Desert of Maine (which I saw while I was up there, btw) and could cry no more. For days I went through the motions. Randomly breaking out into tears and the stomach ache never ending. It's still there, but luckily I have gotten busier so I don't have as much time for it to hit me and make me cry all the time. I think the transition Zach Braff talks about has hit me, but not quite how he described. I think I have a home and know exactly where it is... with Dustin. I just can't be there all the time right now. Where ever the "there" is. (I know. "Jasmine. You're such a dork. Why do you have to be all sappy and cheesy? How lame." I just do:) I have to wait like everyone else... Just a bit differently...
Anyways. Enough sappiness. I just thought I'd share that since it was on my mind and I was feeling the urge to write anyway.
So school is back in session, my bank account is very empty, but books are paid for and school supplies bought. My job started before my classes even did, but I only get paid once a month. Therefore: first month of work = late Sept. paycheck. *sigh* Oh well.
Life is pretty good though. I have a well-running vehicle, I still get to talk to my love almost everyday, (it's not every day anymore, but I'll take what I can get while we're apart and he's still on land:), and I am one week closer to being done with college... Just a few more...
...
Ok, so "a few more" actually comes closer to just under two years... but I'm working on that:)
Anywho.
I have a really awesome photo frame from someone very special. Yay ^_^
I want to collage. I started cutting out clips yesterday to start one but I could even get through the one section I started, lol. I forget how bad I am at cutting straight lines and such...
I hate when time flies by and then all of a sudden feels like it slows down at the worst possible moment. Summer was not nearly long enough. And now classes are just d r a g g i n g o n . . .
Ugh.
Come on, Christmas!
;)
Or at least cooler weather.
Later daze folks!
~Jazz~
~Jazz~
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
A Ride Around New Hampshire
It has been an eventful week, to say the least. I spent days getting ready, and then Sunday morning wandering about airports and sitting in the back of planes trying to arrive in New Hampshire in as little time as possible. Yay! I made it. Now I am sitting in the living room of a house my man lives in with several other folks... But I'm watching Big Bang Theory waiting till it's time for Dustin to get off work.
Monday was the best though. Dustin had duty so I didn't know what I was gonna do for two days... So Monday I drove. A while. I found the town of Hampton where I drove past several beaches and... the topic of this blog... an old antique shop. It is called the Drake Farm and they have an entire barn full of books. It was awesome. They also have a "Fairy Glen" inside the antique area where it's just fairy books and figurines and little girls' ribbon-y headbands and wands. It was adorable.
As I went to leave, the gentleman working stopped me to see if I had found everything I was looking for. I said I had merely stopped in because some of my friends had suggested I find some New England antique shops and look around... He asked where I was originally from, so of course I told him, and it turns out, he grew up in South Alabama, too. His brother was born in Birmingham and they lived near Montgomery. He then asked how long I had been here and if I had seen a lot yet. I hadn't to which he asked if I had the town map yet... I did not. Then this lovely man proceeded to give me a decorated map of Hampton, and then a few minutes later, another of Portsmouth and Kittery. He grabbed a sharpie and circled the best places to go, told me what was good where, and indicated the directions to get to those places. He told me where the best Mexican food was, the best ice cream (and what flavor and what type of cone to get), the nicest, not crowded beaches, and even when the places had a good bar (not that it helps me since I can't drink, but it was a sweet gesture anyway). He recommended so many places and was just so nice. It made my day. He told me he just had to take care of folks from back home.
Needless to say, it was a great way to start what had until then, been a very stressful time in a new place full of people I don't know. I am hoping I can encounter more of these people like him up here in the next few weeks. If they all turn out to be so kind, I will be doing well. :)
Later,
~Jazz~
Monday was the best though. Dustin had duty so I didn't know what I was gonna do for two days... So Monday I drove. A while. I found the town of Hampton where I drove past several beaches and... the topic of this blog... an old antique shop. It is called the Drake Farm and they have an entire barn full of books. It was awesome. They also have a "Fairy Glen" inside the antique area where it's just fairy books and figurines and little girls' ribbon-y headbands and wands. It was adorable.
As I went to leave, the gentleman working stopped me to see if I had found everything I was looking for. I said I had merely stopped in because some of my friends had suggested I find some New England antique shops and look around... He asked where I was originally from, so of course I told him, and it turns out, he grew up in South Alabama, too. His brother was born in Birmingham and they lived near Montgomery. He then asked how long I had been here and if I had seen a lot yet. I hadn't to which he asked if I had the town map yet... I did not. Then this lovely man proceeded to give me a decorated map of Hampton, and then a few minutes later, another of Portsmouth and Kittery. He grabbed a sharpie and circled the best places to go, told me what was good where, and indicated the directions to get to those places. He told me where the best Mexican food was, the best ice cream (and what flavor and what type of cone to get), the nicest, not crowded beaches, and even when the places had a good bar (not that it helps me since I can't drink, but it was a sweet gesture anyway). He recommended so many places and was just so nice. It made my day. He told me he just had to take care of folks from back home.
Needless to say, it was a great way to start what had until then, been a very stressful time in a new place full of people I don't know. I am hoping I can encounter more of these people like him up here in the next few weeks. If they all turn out to be so kind, I will be doing well. :)
Later,
~Jazz~
Monday, June 7, 2010
It's about that time...
Yup. Summer. It's here. I can tell. "Why?" you ask? Well you see, here around town, there are signs all over the place. Vacation Bible Schools are in session. School parking lots are basically empty. Love bugs show up in between the many many maaaany thunderstorms. The grass is growing... a LOT. And the ants are biting. Ouch. And oh, are they hiding from the rain. I know because they keep trying to take refuge in my bathroom. very frustrating to go dy your face in the morning to have an ant attack your eyelid. Not especially pleasant.
Oh. And then there's the ever-so-crucual, little tiny detail of... It's HOT. Ugh. So hot. And humid. Oh yes. Totally summer in south Alabama.
In my geography class this last semester, my teacher discussed with us how, those of us who live here in lower Alabama find it funny when, in movies, people seem afraid of thunderstorms... I always found that sort of behavior rather odd as, while I am not fond of lightning, I don't exactly hide under my covers when the thunder claps. Thunderstorms don't scare me. Apparently though, there are many places in the world where there are few to NO thunderstorms. Some people could go their whole lives without seeing them. I don't think I would enjoy life as much without them. It's very odd to even think of it... Actually, odd doesn't even cover it. No thunderstorms? Sad day, dude.
Wow. FX just cut off a commercial at the wrong point. I bet it was a really good one, too. The kid was playing a video game with his dad and they were making bets on who would win. Dad: "If I in, you get to buy my next tank of gas." Son: "Chyeah. If I win, you get to buy my next bag of weed." Dad: *Sideways stare* And then they cut it off as one syllable of sound came out of the narrator's mouth. Ugh. I wish I knew what he was going to say. That was a wakeup call commercial if I ever saw one... The kid said it and I was thinking "WHAT? Did he really just say that to his Dad??"
Oh Men of Honor. Your ending gets me everytime...
People keep asking me how wedding planning is going. Well, dear friends who care, it is at a standstill. You see, my love is working extraordinarily hard and is forced to stay at his post for the time being... and "the time being" isn't going to end anytime soon it seems. So for now, I am here. He is there. And it sucks. As is life, I suppose. But the best and most awesome news is I'm supposed to get to go see him after another trip I'm going on... so just a few more weeks! :D :] :) C: Ah. Yay
This is good. Because Mon Kie misses Mon Kette., too
I will NOT wake up before 6 A.M. tomorrow. I'm forcing myself to stay awake just so I will be sleepy and not wake up super early without cause again. It's been happening for a few days now. I don't like it. Unnecessary early morning wake up calls are silly.
It's about that time again... yup. Time for bed. Sweet dreams all. Until next time.
~Jazmyn~
Oh. And then there's the ever-so-crucual, little tiny detail of... It's HOT. Ugh. So hot. And humid. Oh yes. Totally summer in south Alabama.
In my geography class this last semester, my teacher discussed with us how, those of us who live here in lower Alabama find it funny when, in movies, people seem afraid of thunderstorms... I always found that sort of behavior rather odd as, while I am not fond of lightning, I don't exactly hide under my covers when the thunder claps. Thunderstorms don't scare me. Apparently though, there are many places in the world where there are few to NO thunderstorms. Some people could go their whole lives without seeing them. I don't think I would enjoy life as much without them. It's very odd to even think of it... Actually, odd doesn't even cover it. No thunderstorms? Sad day, dude.
Wow. FX just cut off a commercial at the wrong point. I bet it was a really good one, too. The kid was playing a video game with his dad and they were making bets on who would win. Dad: "If I in, you get to buy my next tank of gas." Son: "Chyeah. If I win, you get to buy my next bag of weed." Dad: *Sideways stare* And then they cut it off as one syllable of sound came out of the narrator's mouth. Ugh. I wish I knew what he was going to say. That was a wakeup call commercial if I ever saw one... The kid said it and I was thinking "WHAT? Did he really just say that to his Dad??"
Oh Men of Honor. Your ending gets me everytime...
People keep asking me how wedding planning is going. Well, dear friends who care, it is at a standstill. You see, my love is working extraordinarily hard and is forced to stay at his post for the time being... and "the time being" isn't going to end anytime soon it seems. So for now, I am here. He is there. And it sucks. As is life, I suppose. But the best and most awesome news is I'm supposed to get to go see him after another trip I'm going on... so just a few more weeks! :D :] :) C: Ah. Yay
This is good. Because Mon Kie misses Mon Kette., too
I will NOT wake up before 6 A.M. tomorrow. I'm forcing myself to stay awake just so I will be sleepy and not wake up super early without cause again. It's been happening for a few days now. I don't like it. Unnecessary early morning wake up calls are silly.
It's about that time again... yup. Time for bed. Sweet dreams all. Until next time.
~Jazmyn~
And so it begins...
I have a blog. Yay. It was an interesting process trying to figure out what to call the darn thing. I spent 27 minutes looking up other blogs that had the names I wanted... (Ok, so 27 minutes is a wrong estimation... but you totally believed it, right? I hope so. Cause I thought it was pretty believable. It was actuallly longer than that. But I didn't want to get crazy with my approximation of time... anyways.)
It was also difficult to pick a name because quite frankly, I am still not quite sure what my focus here is. But I do know, despite uncertainly starting this, it is something I want to keep up. I did my Myspace shpeels for a while... And then I couldn't quite get into Facebook notes... They were typically just Myspace blogs copied and pasted into Facebook notes... the difference being I could attach pictures and such easily... But yeah. That was all kind of... Meh. Boring. So here maybe I can make it more me and keep it up longer.
I considered the title "A Day in the Life of a Sailor's Wife." That was taken. And I'm sad to report the couple is now spliting up. It made me sad.
Then while searching for a similar title but instead using "Submariner's Wife" I found a cute little book I'm interested in ordering now.
And then it occured to me I am not yet a wife... not quite. And I wanted a name that was timeless... because then I thought of the "Sailor's Wife" 's blog and she is now splitting up with her sailor. While I am not trying to be morbid about such things as to think mine or anyone else's marriage won't last, I figured I needed a cooler title anyway... So this is the one I settled on... I think it is suitable. As if to say "Here. Here's a small taste of what it's like to live my life..." Whether it is a nervous, anxious and scary moment. Or, perhaps, a happy, joyous, exciting moment... Or even the everyday boring but somehow still intriguing to hear about kinds of moments. I figure it'll be hit or miss most of the time. But I'm willing to see how it goes.
So here goes.
~Jazmyn~
It was also difficult to pick a name because quite frankly, I am still not quite sure what my focus here is. But I do know, despite uncertainly starting this, it is something I want to keep up. I did my Myspace shpeels for a while... And then I couldn't quite get into Facebook notes... They were typically just Myspace blogs copied and pasted into Facebook notes... the difference being I could attach pictures and such easily... But yeah. That was all kind of... Meh. Boring. So here maybe I can make it more me and keep it up longer.
I considered the title "A Day in the Life of a Sailor's Wife." That was taken. And I'm sad to report the couple is now spliting up. It made me sad.
Then while searching for a similar title but instead using "Submariner's Wife" I found a cute little book I'm interested in ordering now.
And then it occured to me I am not yet a wife... not quite. And I wanted a name that was timeless... because then I thought of the "Sailor's Wife" 's blog and she is now splitting up with her sailor. While I am not trying to be morbid about such things as to think mine or anyone else's marriage won't last, I figured I needed a cooler title anyway... So this is the one I settled on... I think it is suitable. As if to say "Here. Here's a small taste of what it's like to live my life..." Whether it is a nervous, anxious and scary moment. Or, perhaps, a happy, joyous, exciting moment... Or even the everyday boring but somehow still intriguing to hear about kinds of moments. I figure it'll be hit or miss most of the time. But I'm willing to see how it goes.
So here goes.
~Jazmyn~
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