My Wednesday God moments

1. After spending hours (six-ish to be exact), I was unable to locate a $36 discrepancy in a pile of engineering invoices.  I was, however, able to thank the Lord that I did not major in accounting and I did not have to spend my days solving money conundrums.

2. When I got home from work, I discovered a padded envelope inside my mailbox-slot-thing.  Inside said envelope was a hilarious sign.  It was one of those great signs that makes you laugh outloud.  My friend Gloria had brightened my Wednesday!!!  And once I take it to work, I am sure it will brighten many more.

3. After leaving work LATE, I ran in to Rhonda at Hobby Lobby.  We perused row upon row of wall decor.  The Lord knew I needed a friend after a stressful day.  He also knew Rhonda needed a friend too. 

4. My last God moment technically happened yesterday but it's still very much on my heart today.  I am so very thankful for my new boss *whispers* and supervisor.  For seven years I have prayed about the changing of the guard and God has graciously blessed me with a wonder dynamic duo.  I love this blessing ever-so-much!!! 

When I was sharing with my small group about the blessing at work, one of the gals said, "Seven years is a loooooong time to remain faithful and prayerful!!!"  During those seven years, it felt like a lifetime.

Some randomness...

1. I went to Woodman's the other night and nearly passed out!!!  "Why?" you ask.  Let me tell you...  My favorite peanut butter, Maranatha Smooth No-Stir Peanut Butter, normally is around $5 for a large jar.  Not anymore...it's now $7.99!  Why not just call it $8 and be done with it!  Eight dollars for a jar of peanut butter...UNBELIEVABLE!!!!  As I stood in the aisle staring in amazement at the peanut butter sticker, I remembered something my wise friend Ruthie told me.  Last summer, Ruthie had heard that (for whatever reason) the peanut crops had been compromised.  Since it's been 12 months and no real price hike, I thought for sure the news she heard had been pure rumor.  Well, not anymore.  $8 for peanut butter!!!!  I believe I have blogged about my love of peanut butter...but just in case you have forgotten, I would totally give up chocolate in lieu of supporting my peanut butter addiction.  I would NOT, however, give up coffee for peanut butter.  A girl's gotta have standards.  (Wink, wink!)


2.  Today I read a funny part in my new book, Latte Daze, and I laughed outloud LOUDLY...and then I remembered that I was sitting in my cubicle.  I felt the need to send an apologetic email to the department for my outburst.  I didn't act on that.  :)


3.  This morning I wanted to wear a cute red, white, and blue skirt that I thought was in my closet.  It was a sad moment when I realized that I had donated said skirt to the thrift at the end of last summer.  Plan B -- still red, white, and blue...just not the original skirt.  


4.  Also, this morning, I went to get my lunch ready (I like bringing my lunch to work that way I can stay inside and enjoy the full 30 minutes instead of running somewhere to pick up some unhealthy lunch choice!)...where was I?  Oh yes, I went to make a spinach salad.  Talk about bummer when I realized I was out of spinach and mixed salad greens.  I ended-up enjoying half-a-chicken breast, a yogurt, and some raw veggies.


5.  My favorite co-worker, "What did you order at Chipolte on Saturday?"  
Me:  "A burrito bowl!"
Favorite co-worker:  "Did you eat the entire thing, Fat Girl?"
Me:  "Ummmmmmm...YES because I had a light breakfast.  And who are you calling 'Fat Girl'?  I ate nearly a pound of raw green beans for supper -- talk about sans calories, Crazy!"
I do like my favorite co-worker.  He keeps me accountable and he's only teasing when he calls me "Fat Girl."  We aren't mean like that!!!


6.  Why am I numbering these???


7.  My new book, Latte Daze, is fabulous and funny.  Maya, the main character, loves all things coffee.  I honestly think if she weren't fictional that we would be the best of friends.


8.  One more day to go 'til I get a day off of work.  It's sad, isn't it...I mean, really, I just had 2 fabulous days off and did fun things...and here I sit thinking about the 4th of July.


9.  I'm going to read.  I should watch the news but I cannot bring myself to do that...sorry.  

College Roommate, Hangers, The Marble, Trudy, Plant Killer, and Thrifting

Do you ever have a day that seems to just fly by and at the end of that day, you can pinpoint little tasks that you completed but nothing really big?  And it seems like all the little tasks you did don't really add up to the amount of time you were at your place of employment.  That happened to me today.  I'm not exactly sure what happened.  (Ok, when I typed "I'm not exactly sure what happened" - I have this voice in my head that says it like my college roommate, Brenda.  College was HOW long ago, Angie Good?  Seriously though...that's something Brenda, aka: Ol' Girl, would've said.  And actually she would've began the sentence with "I do believe..."  Oh the funny memories that pop into my brain at random moments and then get typed in a blog post.  It's scary what goes through my pretty little head, isn't it?  And yet, you still come back for more...some of you DAILY...my stalkers maybe even hourly.  No worries.  I'm not creeped out that you stalk my blog.  I'm honored that you actually wonder, What will the girl with curly hair say today?  It's like that moment in the movie, You've Got Mail when Meg Ryan types to Tom Hanks, "What will NY152 say today?")

I need to focus.  Wow!

I'm doing pretty well with the whole switch-the-hangers-after-you-wear-and-wash-your-summery-article-of-clothing project.  I think tomorrow I will wear something that I haven't worn.  I am, however, starting to notice that I have favorites...  I know, I know.  You aren't suppose to have favorites but I think that rule only applies to teaching...right?  

Speaking of teaching, I get asked if I miss it.  I don't really miss it because I work with grown-men who sometimes act like 2nd graders.  I have one particular co-worker, who happens to be my absolute favorite...perhaps because he frequently picks up our coffee tab at Starbucks...  This favorite found a glass red marble.  It's slightly larger than a golf ball but not bigger than a tennis ball.  He (said co-worker) believes we should ask the marble what we our goals for the day should be.  He also randomly will pick up the marble and hold it up to his temple and contemplate a question that I have posed to which he will begin his reply with "The marble says..."  He's crazy but honestly, he really is my favorite!  Tomorrow I am going to adhere a sticky note to the marble that says, "You should really pick up Starbucks for Angie on Friday.  Sincerely, the marble."  The marble has good manners.  :)

There - I have officially blogged about the marble situation.  I don't want to forget this weird moment in time.

I had the most amazing thing happen yesterday.  My friend Trudy was on my mind all day so I went to Hallmark and purchased a "Thinking of You" card because I had a $5 coupon and I wanted to find just the perfect card for her and my card stash is kinda low.  After purchasing said card, Trudy called me.  Apparently I had been on her mind all day.  We have determined that it's been too long since we last go together, so tomorrow night we are going to sit on her patio and drink decaf coffee.  Oh happy day!!!!  Also - she remembered that I want to attempt to keep alive another aloe vera plant so she graciously transplanted one of her aloe babies for me.  I really don't want to be known as the girl who kills aloe plants.  It's not becoming.  I mean - I don't have to have a green thumb...but to be known as a plant killer...well, that's just sad.  Downright sad.

On another random foliage note, I cannot wait to post a picture of my lilac shrubbery as in the my-neighbor-chopped-it-down shrubbery.  Guess what?  It's growing back and it seems to be slightly out of control.  Perhaps the thing needed a near-death experience...I don't know but I am thrilled to see the hearty green shoots coming up!!!!!  

Tomorrow is Thursday which is not quite Friday but oh so close!!!!  This Friday I am actually leaving work 2-1/2 hours early to meet my friend Sara for therapy/thrifting at our favorite thrift in Janesville.  And then after thrifting, I am returning to Rockford to watch Reagan and Jackson which I am sure will provide me with an excellent blog post.  Reagan is 3 and Jackson is 5.  I love the marvelous children in my life.  They sure do liven things up!

Well...I am going to publish this post.  I do apologize for the randomness this evening.  

Have a delightful Thursday!

Have you ever said something (or several somethings) outloud and then realized that you said that something (or, again, several somethings) OUTLOUD? 

Today I was working against a deadline -- two of my project engineers wanted stuff typed and edits made and then re-printed...and then handed both piles back to me AFTER LUNCH with pleading looks on their faces to get them completed by the end of the day.  Deep breaths.  Prayers...really petitions made.  I set about the tasks at hand. 

Some where around 2, two of my other co-workers (window and office) left...as in -- me all alone.  Thankfully the phones were quiet -- for the most part.  The window was rather quiet also.  I typed and typed...  One of the projects required the use of the typewriter.  (Confession:  I love the sound of the letters smacking the paper.  Click-click-click-click-click!  In my obsessive-ness, I love it that I type like a maniac and the letters just pour out onto the paper.) 

I must've been feeling some pressure to get all of this stuff complete...because sometime around 3:30, I realized that I was talking outloud to myself...ummmm...talking in Spanish outloud....talking in Spanish in third person outloud.  It wasn't pretty.  When I realized it, I, first of all, felt awful for my co-worker who sits directly beside me.  (Her project was one of the projects I was working on...the one in need of the usage of the typewriter.)  I walked over to her cubicle and said, "About the talking from next door...about the talking in Spanish...and then the laughter, I'm sorry."  She informed me it was rather entertaining and not a problem at all. 

When the day was all said and done, I did finish one of the projects completely.  RE:  The typewriter usage one, I made my apologies, "Here's what I have done.  You may notice the contract documents are slightly amok.  I solemnly swear that on Friday, I will take a better look at them..." 

And with that I skipped out of the office...out in to the fabulous SWEATER WEATHER sort-of late afternoon.  I was so thankful that I had many layers of warm clothing.  59 degrees is chilly.

Tomorrow the high for Rockford is 59.  I haven't checked to see what it's supposed to be in Chicago.  A good rule-of-thumb that I used to apply was...subtract 10 degrees and you will know what Michigan Ave is like.  49 degrees?  Brrrrrrr...I kind of hope I'm wrong.  But the good news is....there's a Caribou Coffee on the way to the Metra train and from the Metra train to the Plaza Hotel, there's a Starbucks.  Two potential coffee stops.  Will I stop at both?  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  I cannot have two lattes in one morning...ummmmm, unless you want to hear some crazy laughter coming from the girl with curly hair. 

My plans for tomorrow actually changed a smidge-bit...my co-worker who was going to attend (who actually convinced me to go along with her) is not feeling well.  Soo I might be doing this trip alone.  I kind of wish I wasn't...but alas, I shalln't complain.  I mean really...a day away from the office learning tips that will help me better communicate with my boss and shortcuts to use with the Microsofts.  SIGN ME UP!  Well, they did already...technicalities.  :)  Sooo since I am going alone now (or potentially going alone)...I am going to start working on a scarf which will be a Christmas present.  Now the beauty of saying it's for Christmas is that I am not telling you WHICH Christmas...2011...2012...2013.  The same thing goes with a shawl that I want to make...  I need to get brave.  I've given myself the pep-talk...now it's time to put that into action.  I am going to buy circular knitting needles.  (sigh)  It must be done.  Maybe I can convince Leah to go with me...you know, for moral support.  :) 

For a back-up, I am going to bring my book about knitting and my new Bible study book.  I love to read.  I am thoroughly enjoying this new book. By saying "enjoying" - I should expound.  This book has brought to life areas that I need to change...and for that I am thankful.  As far as "enjoying" as in Oh-Someone-Brought-Me-A-Large-Pumpkin-Spice-Latte-AND-A-Dozen-Roses enjoying...not that kind of enjoying.  More of a painful enjoyment...because I want to be changed to more like my Savior.

Blessings to you!
Thanks for stopping by my blog tonight!

~ Angie

I heart my job.

Today I had a great day at work...and too be honest, I am not sure what made it great.  I have a theory that there are several factors, such as but not limited to...

1) I got 8 hours of sleep last night.
2) I asked the Lord to help me have a great week!
3) I enjoyed getting ready my leisure this morning.
4) I consumed a small amount of coffee today.
5) I took my vitamins.
6) I did something kind for someone else.
7) I hung my sheets and towels out on Nancy's clothesline.
8) I started reading a new book on my break - Long Journey Home by Sharlene MacLaren
9) I sang along with the radio.
10) I hit the gym after work!
11) I enjoyed having lunch with a fun, new co-worker.  (New-ish)
12) I took time to count my blessings.

Now that I think about it...I really, really, really had a great day!  I think it's a combination of those dozen reasons.  I hope your Monday was fabulous too.

Today's quote of the day comes from a co-worker who resembles Michael Scott, not in appearance...more in antics.  When asked by said co-worker how my morning was, I replied, "Delightful!  I threw open the blinds and saw that the 4-6 inches of snow did not happen last night and I said to myself, 'It's going to be a fabulous Friday.'"

Said co-worker replied, "Yeah. I was hoping for another 20 [inches] now that I know the yard can take it!" 

He said it with such exuberance that I stood there laughing...LOUDLY...

And then another co-worker came along and said, "Good heavens, Angie!  What is soo funny at this hour of the day?"

I replied, "We are talking about the lack of snow!  ______ said it was sad that we didn't get the snow because his yard can handle it!"

Yep - that's how my morning started.  What a great place to work.