Poor Ruby

Picture this. I am sitting in line at Costco waiting to get gas. It's a Saturday morning so of course the lines are long but nothing like they usually are. I am talking to my friend about her baby shower that afternoon when I look up to see a big white truck backing up. Surely they see me, I think two seconds before they back right into me. As it is happening all I can think to do is say out loud "oh my gosh, someone is...someone just backed into my car." My dear pregnant friend, always thinking always cool headed replies with "Hang up the phone! Turn off your car!" I say bye and do both. I have never been in an accident before and this one was so weird. I wasn't even moving. My car hardly even moved. The guys bumper just went over top of my bumper and crunched my hood. Just like that, split second and poor Ruby is in line to get a face lift. We called the police, exchanged all of the important information and then went merrily on our way. Without the merrily part. From that point until today I have been all out grumpy pants and I can't shake it! My car is now at the shop awaiting her new face lift. She was said to be unsafe to drive because the hood might fly open, which I was grateful for because now I can have a rental car instead of finding rides or worrying about the hood on my car flying open as I drive down the street. My.rental.is.hot. It's definitely a Taurus. What a laugh! I thought I was done with those cars. I thought renting a car meant you get some fancy schmancy car with a sun roof, especially when you aren't the one paying for it. Apparently this here Taurus is an upgrade because the approved car from the other guys insurance wasn't available. Woo! Upgrade! Really though, I'm grateful for a vehicle and it kind of drives nice. I went for a long, somewhat pointless drive today and I sang at the top of my lungs. It was probably the lightest this weight on my shoulders has felt in awhile. I needed some alone time I guess.

My sister said something awhile ago that has been on my mind ever since. We were talking about her current waves of moods because of pregnancy and how she is so grateful for her husband because he is so patient with her. At one point in the conversation she said something along the lines of "It's nice to have someone that has to listen to what you say and that has to care." And I think somewhere in the conversation we discussed that not only does he have to but he wants to. It made me want that. And the last few days, I really wanted it. I had to deal with all of the crappy insurance stuff and make a lot of phone calls that made me uncomfortable and on top of that I had to deal with one of the most stressful weeks at work I have ever had and all I wanted was to come home to someone that would really hear what I said. Someone that really cared about what I was feeling and someone that could make all those dang insurance phone calls for me. I'm not picky, I would take a mom or an eternal marriage :). I didn't have either of those but there is someone. Someone that is always there, and He may not be able to make my phone calls for me but He'll hear what I am saying. And that brings me peace and strength to keep going. What more could a girl ask for. Okay, so maybe a hug. Yeah...a hug.

Here is poor Ruby.




And a cute pregnant Crackers.

Random

So it has been awhile. So much has been going on lately that I don't really feel like updating but I will say that I love summer. The weather isn't my favorite but I am even getting to the point where I don't even mind that. But my favorite part of summer is that for some reason it brings people together. Maybe because it's BBQ season or because people are less busy with school and such, but whatever the reason, I love it. Since the summer started I have seen my old Raintree pals several times which I always love. I'm curious what it will be like in 10 years if we are still in touch. I bet we'll sit around and tell the same stories we tell now. We have a few favorites that are told over and over but then every now and then little gems...memory gems if you will, come and it's beautiful. I loved sitting in Jays backyard last weekend at the annual birthday bash. It felt comfortable and right. I have also seen a lot of my Baltimore girls recently which is something I can never get enough of. We had a girls night last night and it was everything I needed. I have felt a little off this week, nothing is really wrong I just don't feel like me, but last night I felt SO me. We ate at Applebees, watched and cried over an episode of Oprah and then looked at scrapbooks from the old days when life was easy. (*sigh*) We decided we were just going to rewind and go back to that time. I think we should. I know for a fact that even though our lives are changing and Heatherfer is taking a big step away and getting married and moving to Texas we will all stay close. Years from now we'll get together and our kids will be best friends (they have no choice...) and they'll call all of my friends Aunt so and so and they won't realize until they are 12 that those women actually aren't their aunts (thats how it happened for me). I'm sad to see Heather go but I am so happy for the things that are happening in her life, and I am even happier because as much as I hate change I am handling it quite well, which in the past usually meant I was in denial but whatev, bring it on! Enough of that babble. :)

Recently I made the decision that if I get a small thought or feeling that I should do something, and it is a good something I am going to do it. I have thought about this in the past but always chickened out in the end because calling someone out of the blue just because you thought of them can sometimes be awkward, but it can also be a good thing. I thought of the many times a friend has called or texted or emailed me and said exactly what I needed to hear, or even just the fact that they called was what I needed and so I'm going to try it. I've had a few failed attempts this week but it's kind of fun, and it is a good way to get out of my shell and talk to people I usually wouldn't or contact old friends that I don't talk to as often as I should. It'll be a fun experiment I think.

One last thing, I experienced a tender mercy today. I hesitate to use that phrase because I feel like it has been somewhat...hmmm, can I say this without sounding horrible. I'm just going to say it, I think it has been overused in the last few years. I think tender mercies are amazing things, but until I heard Elder Bednars talk I hadn't really thought about using that phrase to explain things (yes I know it is in the scriptures and maybe I have heard it but, you get what I'm saying.) Anyway, I don't use that phrase often but a cute little thing happened today that I would consider a tender mercy and since I'm trying to be a more grateful person here it is! As I said before, I have been kind of off this week. I'm trying to figure out why but still not sure. Today at work I was feeling especially weird and I had just expressed this to my co-worker. As I was saying it I opened my fantastic 100 calorie pack and pulled out a cookie, which happened to be two cookies stuck together in the shape of a heart. I held it up and my co-worker said "Oh look! You are loved!" That ridiculous little cookie made.my.day. I took a picture of it and set it as the wallpaper on my cell phone. Silly little things like that seem pretty meaningless but today it made me smile and that is all I needed. And so you can all smile with me, here is the picture! Have a fabulous day!