Pretty Weekend!

I would like to start by saying that I legit have zero reasons to complain (don't worry, there will be complaining later) because this was the best weekend.  It was super sunny and it even got up to 50!  Just let that sink in for a minute.  50 degrees on December 17 & 18 in North Dakota.  Seriously, thank you Jesus.   We took the dogs for two long walks on Saturday and another long one today.  It was so incredible walking around in the sun, and watching the snow melt.  I can't tell you the joy in my heart when I can see the snow and ice melting.  Imagine watching evil people dying a slow painful death-- Hitler, Bin Laden, Michael Vick, Kim Kardashian, Muammar Gaddafi.  It just makes you feel like the world is getting a little bit better.  That's how I felt watching the ice melt. 

We went to the Lutheran church this morning and were both surprised to see that the worship service included the children's program.  Oy.  I don't necessarily consider myself a Scrooge, and I don't envy the poor volunteer who had to write the script for this program, but....it was rough.  I'll say this--it started with Adam and Eve.  Yep, they went all the way back.  There was an obvious antagonist, a girl wearing a hat with her hair tucked inside playing the role of "Spike", a skeptical boy who knew nothing of the true Christmas story.  It included dialogue like "Christmas program?  Where's the fat guy in the red suit?"  It's not like I expected Julliard trained acting in this thing, but it was awkward.  And a little confusing to me, because despite having kids playing the roles of Adam, Eve, King David, and Isaiah, the only person in costume was the one playing John the Baptist.  Not sure why that kid needed to wear a shepherds cloak and head cover, but the little girl playing Isaiah could wear a purple dress covered in rhinestones.  Also, I'm super confused about why the people planning the program decided "well, we have equal boys and girls, but you know what?  Let's not have people stick to their gender-specific roles.  Too traditional."  Typical Lutheran church.  Always busting down societal conventions.

A lot of work was done on our house this week, but for some reason I don't have any pictures to show you.  We haven't been in the house for several days because the flooring was done, and there was a note on the front door saying no one could go in because it was wet.  So we haven't seen the flooring, but that should be done.  They did the brick on the exterior as well, and I got to see that.  I like it, but I wish our siding was lighter.  I like the color of our siding and I like the brick, but together it's just a bit too brown for me.  If I had known from the beginning that they were going to have us put brick on, I would've gone for the lighter tan siding color, so it would contrast the brick more.  Oh well.  I still think it looks okay.  Hopefully I can get some pictures up here before too long.

Jacob and I had planned to go to the gym together today, but when we realized how beautiful it was outside, he decided he was going to run outside.  I figured I'd go too, so we suited up in some warmish running clothes and headed out.  Our plan was to run to the gym, go inside and do some abs, then run home.  I was doing okay for about the first mile, but then the wind hit us.  At this point it was probably high 40s-50.  My legs were already covered in goosebumps, and then the wind hit right as we started going uphill.  I struggle uphill in perfect conditions, but when it's cold and you're running into 20 mph winds, it's basically hell.  I tried for a little while to be a trooper, and just pumped my arms a little harder to really push through the resistance.

 It didn't work.  I had a temper tantrum on the streets of Dickinson.  I just started screaming.  REALLY LOUD.  I was like 'THIS IS SO MISERABLE.  THIS IS THE WORST MOMENT OF MY LIFE!  I HATE THIS!!!!"  Sweet Jacob.  It's a really good thing he's an oldest child, because my youngest child was spewing out of my body at a rapid rate.  We had to stop at a corner to cross the street at one point, and I was crying and flailing my arms and stomping my feet.  I'm hoping that people who drove by just assumed that since Jacob's a giant, it's feasible that the bratty girl standing next to him was just his giant 4 year old daughter.  Jacob was a good sport, though, and he let me whine.  Once I'd snapped myself out of it and we turned and crossed the street, the wind started hitting us from the right side.  My ponytail, which was tied by two hair-things and secured extremely tight, got blown over to the left side of my head, so that when we got to the gym, it had worked itself all the way over to the side to give me the most ridiculous side ponytail ever.

We did abs really quickly and then headed home.  Thankfully the run home went way better since the wind was with us, but I was still super cold.  For the next hour, my veins felt like they had Slurpees running through them.  All together we ran just under 5 miles, which felt pretty good, so I'm guessing it's just the track at the gym that makes my legs feel like I'm trapped under a steel pipe.  Not sure what I'm gong to do about that, since I won't be able to run outside anymore. 

The boys were in rare form this weekend with the pretty weather.  The long walks have them totally exhausted, and Oscar's sleeping even more than normal.  When we came back from our walk today, I told the boys they couldn't get on furniture until I'd wiped their bellies with a towel because they had walked through so many wet, slushy puddles.  When we lived in Houston and it would rain, I would take a towel outside and wipe their paws, bellies, and legs really well before they came in so that the carpet didn't get really dirty.  If they cooperated, I gave them each a treat after they got wiped.  Today, when I wiped them off, I said "Okay, good dogs!" and they both SPRINTED to the treat jar.  I think they're just a bit too conditioned, perhaps.

I'm getting super excited about going home this week and also really excited to stop in OKC to see my sister.  I drew Hilary's name for Christmas this year, and I just finished buying her presents and I'm SO PUMPED.  Let's just say she's gonna get her GURL on after she opens these presents.

I've already sunk into my Sunday pre-work funk.  Haven't even been working for a week.  The lady I'll be working with the most is going to be there tomorrow (she was out all last week), and I just want things to go well.  I'm just already convinced she's going to pull me off from what I was working on, and then I'll get major anxiety about not finishing that book, and I'll be overwhelmed with the new stuff she'll give me.  It really shouldn't be stressing me out, but it totally is.  Also, I keep trying to type and every time I start typing, Jacob starts talking about the logistics and possibilities of our trip down to Houston.  I have told him probably one thousand times that we just need to see how we're feeling during the first day of driving rather than trying to stick to a schedule and driving too far when we're tired.  Despite my constant efforts to essentially shut him up, he continues to throw out different possibilities.  I'm not listening to him, but it makes it SO DIFFICULT to write when you keep hearing "OR we could get up and leave by 3 and try to make it to..." UGH SO BORING.  Stop talking.

 I love him, but sometimes he just needs to figure out when I've stopped listening and when he's distracting me from more important things.  Like complaining.

I almost forgot!  Today saw the return of Om, the nosy cashier at Walmart.  In case you've forgotten, here's the story where Om asks about the plans for my womb.  Thankfully I didn't go through his line, but as I was checking out, I realized he was at the register right in front of me.  At one point we made eye contact, and I was terrified to see a look of recognition in his eyes.  My stomach was blocked, but I'm sure he looked to see if I was with child.  He followed that up with some finger guns

then went back to scanning his customer's groceries.  So......now more than ever I am certain that I have an awkward conversation lining up in my future.  Who knows where he can go from the last conversation, but I think it will pick up where it left off.  "I see no baby.  Did you find someone to do that abortion for you?"