Party over here, party over there....?

So, Thanksgiving is NEXT week!  Whoa, seriously?!?!  Yeah.

The holiday season is officially upon us.  I can tell 'cause my planner is starting to fill up again.  Thanksgiving dinners, birthday parties, awesome concerts, reunions with friends, Office Christmas Party, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day...oh man, so much! 

Now if the cold weather would just stick..I'd be good.

Fully clothed, but feeling naked...

Why is it that we can't live without our cell phones?  I mean, of course, we CAN quite literally LIVE without our cell phones...but its almost painful for some of us to have to go a day without it.  I'm not actually in pain, and I'm really doing just fine...I feel slightly naked though.  Definitely missing something.

This morning I woke up earlier than usual, as I had an appointment with someone from Craigslist to get something for someone (heehee, vague much?).  So Preston and I rushed out of the house, already running late (of course!).  That's not where I forgot my phone...I did, however, forget Preston's backpack there - oops.  Anyway, despite running incredibly late and changing the meeting location, I got the thing for that person and had time left over before I needed to drop Preston off at Grandma's house.  Since I ran out of the house without coffee, I figured it'd be fine to stop by Starbucks for my first Gingerbread Latte of the season (mmm!).  The drive-thru line was ridiculously long, so I got Preston out of the car and we went inside.  Got my Gingerbread Latte, a coffee for my MIL and a scone for Preston (he was being good, deserved a reward for putting up with me).  Got back in the car and headed to MIL's house, dropped off Preston, the coffee, the scone, but not the backpack obviously...and finallyed headed off to work.  About half way there I realized I wasn't sure where my phone was.  I realized this 'cause at the stoplight I fully intended to take a picture of my beautiful Gingerbread Latte and send it to Facebook/Twitter (yes, I know...I have problems).  I didn't think much of it at that point though, 'cause I figured it was either in my bag or fell in the floorboard or something.  It should be noted that I daily lose my phone inside my own bag...it always finds the tiniest nook or cranny to hide in, so being lost is quite normal for my phone.

I got to work, tore through my bag and car and finally realized...it really is missing.  I used it on the way to Starbucks to call MIL, so it was either a) at Starbucks, b) in the parking lot of Starbucks, c) in front of MIL's house somewhere - since I didn't go in, d) lost forever 'cause I left it on the roof of my car and drove off.  I called MIL and knocked c) out...she didn't find it.  I was busilly looking up the number for the particular Starbucks I had visited when the receptionist said my mom was on the phone.  My mom?  Weird. 

Me: Uh, hello?
Mom: Hi.  Did you....lose your phone?
Me:  Uh....yes....how did you know???
Mom: Some guy just called me from it and told me he found it in the Starbucks parking lot.
Me: Hallelujah!

So, thank you, kind stranger for picking my poor phone up out of the parking lot and turning it into the kind folks at Starbucks.  Thanks to my kind MIL for going to pick it up for me.  Thanks to my kind mother for taking a phone call from a stranger.  Thank you, kind Lord, for not letting it be lost forever...there are a lot of numbers in there I need and do not have anywhere else (note to self, write down or store numbers somewhere!!!).

Whew.  At least I know where it is, but with that...it's not here, in my pocket or bag...meaning, I don't have it.  And I feel slightly naked without it.  Back to my original question, why do we depend so much on material things like that.  It's just a cell phone.  There are a million other ways to contact me if you need to right this very minute.  And yet...my day is completely out of whack because that little bit of technology isn't around.  Strange.

Having some abandonment issues...

So...uh...hey, ya'll.  Whatever happened to that whole bringin' Xanga back movement?

I feel... so...alone.

Portrait Innovations Is Awesome.

After my terrible ordeal with Wal*Mart's Portrait Studio last year, I knew I wouldn't be going back there this time around for Preston's Birthday/Christmas portraits.  I considered Target, the studio inside Babies 'R' Us and Sears, but then...I received a flyer in the mail for Portrait Innovations.  They had a nice deal going and it looked like a nice place, so I thought I'd give it a try.  It had to be better than Wal*Mart, right? 

It was!  I called to just ask a few questions and the lady spent 20-minutes with me, explaining how everything would work.  I was already convinced because they were taking their time to answer my call, even though I could tell in the background that they were busy.

I wanted Preston's birthday theme to be Fireman - 'cause he totally loves being a fireman these days.  My mom has one of those big firetruck ride-on toys, so I borrowed it for the shoot.  I was a little nervous about hauling that huge thing in there, but they were very accomodating and didn't mind at all!  From the moment we walked through the door, I felt comfortable with the location - the one we went to was located in the shopping center at Arlington Highlands.  Preston was excited to find a Lego Table to play at while waiting!

They called us back pretty quickly and as soon as we darkened the door to the little studio area, Preston freaked out...I DON'T WANT THEM TO TAKE MY PICTURE!!!  Oh dear.  I got him calmed down, assured him he could play with the Legos more later and the guy helped to distract him with a football.  Preston, being...well, Preston...refused to smile, of course.  Instead he just opened his mouth or growled at the cameraman.  At one point, the guy goes "Ok, then, mommy is gonna have to come tickle you" and instead of the hoped-for smile...Preston got up and ran away.  Yeah, that's not gonna work.  But the guy was very patient and understanding and just kept trying different things till Preston relaxed and started (mostly) following instructions.  After the first couple of backgrounds for Christmas, we moved to a different room and I changed Preston into his fireman costume for birthday pictures.  When we got back, there was another guy there to help entertain Preston.  This guy was great!  He would throw a ball and have it hit him in the head and he would kind of squeal...this, of course, made Preston laugh hysterically!  It definitely made for some fun, candid laughing photos of the boy.  I wanted to hug that guy!  Haha.

After the shoot, Preston went back to playing with the Lego Table and I had the difficult task of narrowing down which of the shots I wanted.  They had all come out pretty great, so it was hard.  I narrowed it down to my favorite 6 poses.  I felt like I was taking forever, but the guy again was so patient and understanding with me, I didn't feel rushed or anything like that.  I ended up spending more than I planned to, but the pictures were soooo great, I couldn't help it!  I let Preston play at the table with some other kids for just a little bit and the guy came over and (here's the best part) handed me the portraits!  Seriously, I waited like 5-10 minutes, and had my photos read to take home.  No waiting weeks for them to get back, then having to go pick them up.  I TOOK THEM HOME THAT DAY!  Brilliant! 

So, anyway, I felt the need to rave about this place, Portrait Innovations, especially after critiquing last year's Wal*Mart fiasco.  I would highly recommend this place to anyone for your family/kids.  They are fabulous!  See for yourself (I got a CD with ALL of the pictures the guy took, and here I've narrowed it down to the 'good' ones, all 40 of them!):

Just Imagine Patriotic Theme Music and A Flag Waving Behind Me...

My Fellow Americans,

My initial thought was, "Oh $#!+, we're doomed." My second thought was, "I'm totally gonna throw up."

But, thankfully, my third thought was this: The Lord is MY Commander in Chief and He's got big plans, so let's roll."

We cannot put our full trust in one man, or even a collection of men and/or women...or a single government.  Our HOPE lies in the TRUE SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST.  I do pray that God will use these next four years to bring together a country who is so obviously divided in so many ways; along political lines, racial borders, economic classes and religious backgrounds.  Neither of the candidates who so readily wished for this leadership role were perfect, far from it (as we all are), but they both claimed to know Jesus.  And it is my sincere prayer that President-Elect Obama truly allows the Lord to work through him to do the Lord's work in this great nation (the same prayer I would say if Senator McCain had been the victor).

Please, fellow Republicans, do not despair...God chose this leader for us.  And He knows what He's doing.  If we put our trust in Him, and Him alone, then we must know that all things work together for the good.  Let us not be angry, negative or mean...let us move forth and see what good will come out of this!

Dear Democrats who were so eager for change, I congratulate you on your 'win.'  I simply ask that you remember that Barack Obama is just a man.  He is not the Messiah, and he will not singlehandedly save the world (again, just as John McCain would not be able to either).  He does have a lot of work ahead of him, though...we all do.  Let us allow this 'change' and 'hope' to carry us to new heights, to be a better people, to make this once again One Nation, Under God, With Liberty and Justice For All.

I urge you all to pray for Obama and Biden, not only in the months ahead, but throughout the next four years.  Pray that they makes wise decisions on our behalves.  Pray that they are men of integrity, grace, strength and compassion.  While I don't believe that one single person has the capability of turning the entire country around in just a matter of days, I think what lies ahead of Obama is a potential for greatness.  I pray that this historic day is just the first of many for our country, in which barriers are broken down and hope springs anew.

God Bless America.