I'm at home with Ashlyn today (it's a Feast Day for her daycare provider) and even though she has only been up for less than 2 hours I have had to fuss at her at least 5 times already. Plans are to take her to the zoo, but of course I have to check my work email (launching a new product on Wednesday) as well as catch up on the oh so important news of Heather Locklear's arrest. Kidding!
I have spent the last 30 minutes trying to find a picture to post on my profile for a new social networking site that I have just joined. It's specifically for UTC alumni and I am wondering why I even joined since most people who attended during the years that I was there have no idea who I am. It's not that I was a loner, but I don't deal well with the cattiness that women have a tendency to have, so I kept to myself most of the time (as I listened to the drama that was being talked about outside of my bedroom door and rolled my eyes). Most probably only remember that I dated DeMonty (and experienced many ups and downs during that time period) but at least I can say "Na-na-na-boo-boo" to all of those who didn't think we would make it. SO..... "Na-na-na-boo-boo"! It's good to now that I have matured so much at the age of 30.
After the zoo, we have a few errands to run, so I am trying to decide if we forego naptime and just see how things go, which this morning's behavior is probably not a good sign, so maybe naptime is needed (for both mother and child). We'll see what happens, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed (as Ashlyn walks in to see if I am done on the "cumpuder").
Monday, September 29, 2008
Thursday, September 25, 2008
So... I'm 30
I’ve been 30 for approximately 7 days and I have found that those who make a big deal out of the big 3-0 should be ashamed. I mean, now that I am 30 (and even though I was never concerned with being 30) there is not that much of a difference in the person that I was when I turned 20. (Only speaking for myself… I know others may beg to differ). I am the same person in many ways, but my circumstances have definitely changed (examples below).
20’s- Most mornings I saw the sunrise because I had stayed up until 5:30 or 6:00 am getting fresh with my boyfriend (who is now my husband, so it was okay to get fresh with him) only to miss all of my classes that started before 1:00 pm.
30’s- I am in bed by 9:30, 10:30 at the latest and I am getting up when the sun rises to ensure that I am at work by 8:00.
20’s- I drove a green Dodge Neon with a personalized airbrushed plate on the front (I was so cool). The middle console was filled with tapes CD’s and I blew out the speakers listening to Aaliyah’s “Are you That Somebody”.
30’s- I can’t remember what the personalization on the Neon’s plate read (I think it was U.T.C), but I do remember throwing it away still attached the bumper that a Suburban tore off during a 5 mile an hour traffic incident. BTW: I now drive a white Infiniti G35 that is full of books, stuffed animals, and a car seat, with a middle console full of pens (for writing the unexpected checks) and napkins and wipes (to deal with the daily spills and messes from the little person that occupies the aforementioned car seat).
20’s- My weekend trips home were filled with meeting up with my girls and going to the club.
30’s- My weekend trips home are filled with favorite dinner requests and driving back and forth between my mom and dad’s houses so that both grandparents get equal time with their grandchild.
20’s- Gas was only 99¢ a gallon and many days were filled with me trying to find spare change to get just 1 gallon of gas (to make it to the club).
30’s- The cost of gas is inconsistent (currently at $3.99 a gallon) and I would have never made it to the club if that was the cost during my 20’s.
20’s- I received money for my birthday.
30’s- I received a card wishing me a “Happy Birthday” with no paper (dollars or checks) included. I told my mom that someone had opened my card and taken the money. She didn’t find that to be amusing.
20’s- Childless
30’s- Mother of 1 and thinking of having another.
20’s- Minivans were never going to a car purchase.
30’s- The Honda Odyssey is kind of cool.
20’s- I thought my boyfriend was the one.
30’s- That boyfriend is now my husband. How lucky am I?
20’s- I was often asked to show people my right leg extension (where I would promptly take my ankle to lift my right leg to the side of my face… similar to this image). Requests were only from men, go figure.
30’s- I have trouble lifting my leg to tie my shoe.
I know that I have only be 30 for a few days, but so far so good. Remember… age is nothing but a number people!
20’s- Most mornings I saw the sunrise because I had stayed up until 5:30 or 6:00 am getting fresh with my boyfriend (who is now my husband, so it was okay to get fresh with him) only to miss all of my classes that started before 1:00 pm.
30’s- I am in bed by 9:30, 10:30 at the latest and I am getting up when the sun rises to ensure that I am at work by 8:00.
20’s- I drove a green Dodge Neon with a personalized airbrushed plate on the front (I was so cool). The middle console was filled with tapes CD’s and I blew out the speakers listening to Aaliyah’s “Are you That Somebody”.
30’s- I can’t remember what the personalization on the Neon’s plate read (I think it was U.T.C), but I do remember throwing it away still attached the bumper that a Suburban tore off during a 5 mile an hour traffic incident. BTW: I now drive a white Infiniti G35 that is full of books, stuffed animals, and a car seat, with a middle console full of pens (for writing the unexpected checks) and napkins and wipes (to deal with the daily spills and messes from the little person that occupies the aforementioned car seat).
20’s- My weekend trips home were filled with meeting up with my girls and going to the club.
30’s- My weekend trips home are filled with favorite dinner requests and driving back and forth between my mom and dad’s houses so that both grandparents get equal time with their grandchild.
20’s- Gas was only 99¢ a gallon and many days were filled with me trying to find spare change to get just 1 gallon of gas (to make it to the club).
30’s- The cost of gas is inconsistent (currently at $3.99 a gallon) and I would have never made it to the club if that was the cost during my 20’s.
20’s- I received money for my birthday.
30’s- I received a card wishing me a “Happy Birthday” with no paper (dollars or checks) included. I told my mom that someone had opened my card and taken the money. She didn’t find that to be amusing.
20’s- Childless
30’s- Mother of 1 and thinking of having another.
20’s- Minivans were never going to a car purchase.
30’s- The Honda Odyssey is kind of cool.
20’s- I thought my boyfriend was the one.
30’s- That boyfriend is now my husband. How lucky am I?
20’s- I was often asked to show people my right leg extension (where I would promptly take my ankle to lift my right leg to the side of my face… similar to this image). Requests were only from men, go figure.
30’s- I have trouble lifting my leg to tie my shoe.
I know that I have only be 30 for a few days, but so far so good. Remember… age is nothing but a number people!
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
It's my Anniversary!
Not only is it my anniversary, it's also DeMonty's birthday! He feels cheated because he only gets 1 present. :) 3 years later we are still going strong.
I feel a little deceptive when I say that we have been married for only 3 years because I feel like I have been spiritually married to him for 8 or 9. We walked a long and hard road before we decided to get married, but during that time I always knew that he was the one. I can't really explain why I knew, except that during those rough times I only experienced a feeling a peace that only the Lord can give you. My prayers always left me with this peace, and even though I attempted to walk away many times, I was pulled back by a force that is greater than man.
Everyone doesn't have a fairtytale backstory, and DeMonty and I know that out marriage is spiritually ordained because of the different paths our relationship has walked down. There were many obstacles along the way, but we took those times to sit down and listen... not to those who surrounded us, but the one and only who could direct us down the right path. God.
If you ever question whether He is a miracle worker, please do not hestistate to ask me to tell you my (our) story. It is one of love and confusion. Hurt and healing. Faith and trust.
I am forever grateful to the Lord for blessing me with a man who is truly my partner! Happy birthday/anniversary and thank you for choosing to spend the rest of your life with me. I love you baby!
Oh... for those few of you who visit the site (I know... wishful thinking), add your blog to the follow me feature on the left so I can keep up with what you are doing. :)
I feel a little deceptive when I say that we have been married for only 3 years because I feel like I have been spiritually married to him for 8 or 9. We walked a long and hard road before we decided to get married, but during that time I always knew that he was the one. I can't really explain why I knew, except that during those rough times I only experienced a feeling a peace that only the Lord can give you. My prayers always left me with this peace, and even though I attempted to walk away many times, I was pulled back by a force that is greater than man.
Everyone doesn't have a fairtytale backstory, and DeMonty and I know that out marriage is spiritually ordained because of the different paths our relationship has walked down. There were many obstacles along the way, but we took those times to sit down and listen... not to those who surrounded us, but the one and only who could direct us down the right path. God.
If you ever question whether He is a miracle worker, please do not hestistate to ask me to tell you my (our) story. It is one of love and confusion. Hurt and healing. Faith and trust.
I am forever grateful to the Lord for blessing me with a man who is truly my partner! Happy birthday/anniversary and thank you for choosing to spend the rest of your life with me. I love you baby!
Oh... for those few of you who visit the site (I know... wishful thinking), add your blog to the follow me feature on the left so I can keep up with what you are doing. :)
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Dance is Not for the Weak Hearted
*Update: I recieved an email saying that I should receive my check this week. It was mailed on Monday. Something about having to deposit the check per the attorney's instructions (seems to be a lawsuit in the works). I received my check yesterday, I checked it out to see if it's real. It's the cynic in me. :) *
Ashlyn was supposed to begin her ballet/tap class at Morehouse Dance Academy on Aug. 18, so the weekend before I went and purchased her tap shoes and new leotards. A friend of mine called on the 17th to tell me that she had gone by the studio to talk to the owner only to find a sign posted on the door stating that the studio was closed indefinitely due to low enrollment and that registration fees and tuition would be refunded in a few days.
As I was writing the check for $47.50 a few weeks before class began that little voice in the back of my head told me that I needed to wait. Should have listened. I wanted to go ahead a pay so that I would know that I didn't have to think about it again until September. Even though I had paid in advance, the check wasn't cashed until... get this... Aug. 17... 1 day before Ashlyn's class was to start... the same day that I read the sign on the door (I just had to drive over there and see it for myself becuase I could not believe that the new owner would close the studio without proper notification).
The owner was nice enough to send me an email, 6 hours before Ashlyn's first class was to start with a "explanation" and I promise that my money would be refunded within the next couple of days. That was 3 weeks ago.
It seems as though they supposedly got the raw end of the deal when they rented the studio and could not afford the expenses due to the low enrollment numbers. The owner (is she really still considered the owner since the studio is closed?) also explained to me that she was pregnant and having some complications and that she could not risk losing her baby ( and her house for that matter) due to the stress of the studio. You know... I'm a pretty undestanding individual and there are other studios in the greater Nashville area (although this studio was mere minutes away from my house), but I want my money back. It may seem like a small amount to you, but that's $50 (yeah... I rounded up) and could potentially fill the tank of my car up with gas (and still have $6 left over if gas prices remain the same).
I have been patient in waiting for my refund, but it hasn't happened yet. Yep... sent her an email asking her where my money is and then strolled over to her myspace page to learn that she is now pursuing and Masters in Education and that she is lucky enough not to have to work during this time (I'm thinking my $47.50 has something to do with this). I wish I were so blessed not to have to work, but that's not the case.
I really upset about this. While it is about the money, it's also about the principle of the matter. I mean, seriously, why would you go ahead and cash a check knowing that you had no intentions of opening the doors to your business. How do you close the doors and wait until the day of class to notify the parents of the situation (my friend wasn't even contacted)? How do you then post on your page on a social networking site that you are so excited about how things are going, knowing that you have dupped someone who attempted to help your business get started out of their hard-earned money? How do you live with the fact of knowing that you intentionally waited until the last minute to close your doors, even though you had students who were eager to take, especially one very excited 3-year old, who cried when I told her that I would have to find her another class and still tells me that her teacher turned off the lights and locked the door.
I'll probably never see that money again. I'm out $47.50, but I'm even more upset that someone hurt my child. I know... it's just a dance class and she will eventually get over it (after I find another), but you did not have to endure the ride home after she saw that the door was locked.
Ashlyn was supposed to begin her ballet/tap class at Morehouse Dance Academy on Aug. 18, so the weekend before I went and purchased her tap shoes and new leotards. A friend of mine called on the 17th to tell me that she had gone by the studio to talk to the owner only to find a sign posted on the door stating that the studio was closed indefinitely due to low enrollment and that registration fees and tuition would be refunded in a few days.
As I was writing the check for $47.50 a few weeks before class began that little voice in the back of my head told me that I needed to wait. Should have listened. I wanted to go ahead a pay so that I would know that I didn't have to think about it again until September. Even though I had paid in advance, the check wasn't cashed until... get this... Aug. 17... 1 day before Ashlyn's class was to start... the same day that I read the sign on the door (I just had to drive over there and see it for myself becuase I could not believe that the new owner would close the studio without proper notification).
The owner was nice enough to send me an email, 6 hours before Ashlyn's first class was to start with a "explanation" and I promise that my money would be refunded within the next couple of days. That was 3 weeks ago.
It seems as though they supposedly got the raw end of the deal when they rented the studio and could not afford the expenses due to the low enrollment numbers. The owner (is she really still considered the owner since the studio is closed?) also explained to me that she was pregnant and having some complications and that she could not risk losing her baby ( and her house for that matter) due to the stress of the studio. You know... I'm a pretty undestanding individual and there are other studios in the greater Nashville area (although this studio was mere minutes away from my house), but I want my money back. It may seem like a small amount to you, but that's $50 (yeah... I rounded up) and could potentially fill the tank of my car up with gas (and still have $6 left over if gas prices remain the same).
I have been patient in waiting for my refund, but it hasn't happened yet. Yep... sent her an email asking her where my money is and then strolled over to her myspace page to learn that she is now pursuing and Masters in Education and that she is lucky enough not to have to work during this time (I'm thinking my $47.50 has something to do with this). I wish I were so blessed not to have to work, but that's not the case.
I really upset about this. While it is about the money, it's also about the principle of the matter. I mean, seriously, why would you go ahead and cash a check knowing that you had no intentions of opening the doors to your business. How do you close the doors and wait until the day of class to notify the parents of the situation (my friend wasn't even contacted)? How do you then post on your page on a social networking site that you are so excited about how things are going, knowing that you have dupped someone who attempted to help your business get started out of their hard-earned money? How do you live with the fact of knowing that you intentionally waited until the last minute to close your doors, even though you had students who were eager to take, especially one very excited 3-year old, who cried when I told her that I would have to find her another class and still tells me that her teacher turned off the lights and locked the door.
I'll probably never see that money again. I'm out $47.50, but I'm even more upset that someone hurt my child. I know... it's just a dance class and she will eventually get over it (after I find another), but you did not have to endure the ride home after she saw that the door was locked.
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