Day 7, Blog Every Day in May

Here we go! One week into the Blog Every Day in May Challenge! How's it going for you? Leave a link in the comments so I can check out your posts!
In the mean time, here's day 7, a hard one for me to write!


Day 7, Tuesday: The thing(s) you're most afraid of.

I will go with an obvious, but still  something that gives me basically panic attacks almost every single time I leave the house.

I’m not kidding. If I am heading home and hear sirens when I get close or see smoke near where I know my house is, it takes all of my self control not to put the gas pedal to the floor and get home as fast as I can.

I mean, look at that face... Why wouldn't you rush home to see that? ;)

It’s probably (almost certainly) irrational, but I am absolutely terrified of something happening to my fur-babies…

And now that I am responsible for three more souls? O my anxiety is through the roof.

The other night I was reading a blog and stumbled upon a post where the blogger was saying goodbye to a pup she’d had to put down. I immediately started sobbing and before I knew it all three babies, LG, GS and Ms. Mae were all over me, snuggling and worried. It took me far too long to calm down.

 

I haven’t had to leave them alone yet, MP has been (thankfully) home every time I have left, but today, I have to drive over two hours round trip to Tampa for a dentist appointment that could take up to two hours. I’m not looking forward to leaving everyone alone for that long, but I will plan carefully and also make sure that I’m ready to take care of the baby cats as soon as I get home.

O goodness, please pray for my nerves, I’m going to need all the happy thoughts I can get this afternoon!

 

What are you most afraid of? Head over to Story of My Life and link up with us to participate in the Blog Every Day in May challenge!

And don't forget to check back tomorrow for day 8, for some advice from little old me!

Catch up on previous Blog Every Day in May challenge posts here!

What I DO {or} Day 6 of Blog Every Day In May

Quick note: Sorry about the lateness of this post, something went wonky with blogger when I scheduled it and it was somehow set to go tomorrow rather than today. I didn't sign on to blogger until just now so I'm just catching it. But, here is day 6 and make sure you check back tomorrow for day 7 where I talk about one of my biggest fears.

 

Day 6, Monday: If you couldn't answer with your job, how would you answer the question, 'what do you do'?

I mulled for a while over this one… I wanted to pick something that you all didn’t know just from seeing my blog; I wanted to portray myself as more than just a student and a part-time telephone sales person. I wanted to find something beyond raising my fur-children…

But then my door-bell rang early Saturday morning and it became clear that I know the exact answer happened and I couldn’t really avoid the fact that what I do… is obvious and everything.  What I do…is save animals’ lives.

The past two days I have adjusted my sleep schedule around three little souls that stole my heart the second their big round blue eyes found mine.

 

My life for the next four to six weeks will revolve around those three little kittens, so new, innocent and delightfully dependent.

 

They already recognize my voice, they already know my face. If they aren’t in their container they are wandering around my sun-room, adventurous and happy to explore. Their little feet move quickly but they trip over paws often, slowing them down and making them easier to catch.

This one though?

She’s a mischevious little one. She is the only girl and immediately had a home with a good friend of mine the minute he found out she existed. He wants to call her Figaro, but I (secretly) call her Clementine. She’s adorable.

The other two, little boys, don’t have names yet, but we call them “blue-dot” and “black-dot”, referring to the small dots we put in their ear with (non-toxic) marker to tell them apart. The two boys are adorable, look exactly alike, and MP already said he can tell that one of them is going to be a “foster-failure” (in which we keep a baby that was meant to find a forever home elsewhere).

These little babies make the sleep-less nights, extra cleaning, extra responsibility during an already impossibly fully time in my life, but I love it and like I said… it is what I do.

I laughed out-loud Saturday evening when I realized what this post was ultimately going to be written about, how I would answer this prompt.

I had told MP, literally, the night before the kittens were found, how much I had loved hand-raising Cubby, and would love to do it again, but knew that now was not the time, with a move just three short weeks away and summer semester looming close. Money is also (always) tight and the extra burden of formula for a litter of kittens is overwhelming. I guess fate had other plans for me though! Told you it's what I do.

It wasn't long though before my door-bell rang again, and I'm sure that my neighbor with the $20 bill was sent by God. Literally. My neighbor has offered to help cover costs. Even a little bit helps a lot.

These little babies are so worth it, and make what I “do” so worth-while and so fulfilling. The day the little babies are grown and their forever homes contact me to let me know how perfect their new family member is, I will smile and completely forget how much sleep I lost and the scratches on my hands. I will just remember those big eyes locking onto mine with recognition evident, the little cries that let me know my babies need me, and for now I’m their momma.

 

How would you answer this? Head over to Story Of My Life and link up for the Every Day in May Challenge, we’d love to hear answer!

Happy Monday!

Catch up on other Blog Every Day in May posts here.

Day 5, Blog Every Day in May {or} An ode to my best friend Courtney

Before we dive in to Day 5, I just want to say hi to everyone who is stopping by from the challenge! So many people have linked up and it is so much fun going through the different links and finding so many wonderfull blogs to read! Also yay for making it to day 5!! We can do it y'all! Only 26 posts and days to go!

All right, enough rambling! Here we go!

Day 5, Sunday: Publicly profess your love and devotion for one of your blogger friends. What makes them great? Why do you love them? If you don't have blogger friends talk about a real-life friend or even a family member.

There was one person that came to mind that fits really into all three of the above categories… My friend Courtney at Courtney’s Organized Chaos

It was Halloween 2007, my first Halloween away at college. I had just decided to move out of my current suite and was having (just a few) issues with my current roommate. I remember bringing up the issues very vaguely and (at the last minute) a sweet girl I had a few classes nvited me to get ready with her and her suitemates and then to a party that they knew of that evening.

I arrived at their suite just as it was getting dark, and was let in by the girl I knew from class as well as another girl that I didn’t know. We went into the dormitory and to a double room up a flight or two of stairs. There was barely room to move around the small space, I don’t remember exactly how many girls had squeezed into that tiny room to get ready that Halloween night, but I do remember the room being busy, loud, music was playing, and there was a lot of laughing and glitter and hair spray flying around. I felt incredibly welcome, every single girl in the room was incredibly sweet and definitely were the kind of people I had been hoping to find in college.

Little did I know that the girl who ended up dressing as Alice in Wonderland would still be my best friend almost SIX years later.

 

(From left to right: Tom, Me, (edited for privacy), Courtney. This picture seriously makes me laugh so hard. The guy sitting on the end? That’s Tom, Courtney’s husband! Neither of them even really knew each other before this picture was taken, but the following night would change that!)

The next day, on a whim, after Courtney and I had “friended” each other on Facebook, I wrote on her wall that we should hang out again. This is so out of character for me, especially because we didn’t even really talk much on Halloween. I still don’t know to this day what made me do it, but I do know I am so thankful I stepped out of my comfort zone that day!

Courtney responded almost immediately, inviting me over to her room to go out that night with her and some of the girls from the group on Halloween.

The plan was basically the same, minus the costumes, to get ready and then go across campus to the dorm where we had spent Halloween evening. I came to find out later that night that the group of girls that I was with was close with the group of guys’ who lived in the suite where we’d spent Halloween. The second night though, the feel of the room was completely different. It helped that it was a much smaller group but really it was just a comfortable feeling. Everyone was laughing and joking and getting along, it was like Courtney and I had always known each other, and she was hitting it off so well with Tom!

And then...

Campus security walked in.

I’m not going to incriminate anyone but I will just say that most of us ended up spending a significant amount of time in the Dean’s office talking our way out of some serious trouble.

I do want to take a quickmoment though to thank those Campus Security officers though.

Why you ask?

Well, without them, I’m pretty sure things would have been completely different, and really, I count them at least partly responsible for the friendship that ended up blossoming between Courtney and from that night forward.

Over the next few months, Courtney and I became inseparable, she and Tom started dating, I spent time with her family, and the rest is history.

The next year, MP and I spent the first six or seven months of our relationship double dating with Tom and Courtney.

 

 

We road tripped to quite a few football games, we drove to Georgia for our fall break to stay with my Aunt for a weekend. When Kevin and I moved away though, things obviously changed, but Courtney and I still keep up with each other to this day, no matter how far apart we are! She is actually the entire reason I blog. She started one long before I did and it was her adorable blog that inspired me to start my first one, which has now brought me here.

Courtney, I can’t wait for the day when we live next door to each other and we can sit on our front porches and sip sweet tea and chat all day. I miss you girl, and I don’t know where I’d be without you today!

Thanks for being an amazing friend!
 

Day 4, Blog Every Day In May

Day 4, Saturday:

Favorite quote (from a person, from a book, etc) and why you love it.

I was looking through my planner the other night and I saw this as one of the “inspirational quotes” that are included on a few of the pages, and I really feel like this is what I needed to see right now and need to make my personal mantra in the coming months.

I have to choose soon how many classes I think I can take in conjunction with work and also taking care of the fur-children.

I took two classes this past semester and it was seemingly a full load for me. Granted one of the classes was calculus and that is just a given it is going to be a time-intensive course when it comes to the practice it takes to master the problems, and I also was raising 6 fur-children and running a 1000 sq ft 2 bedroom house by myself. I was quite busy this semester, but never once did I feel overwhelmed or like I couldn't get something done in time. I made sure I started assignments early enough to not feel pressure when the deadline came, I made sure I balanced my work hours around my exam schedules...

What gave me the most success though this past semester? Never once letting any kind of self-doubt enter my brain. My days were kept positive and full, I made sure I accomplished things in a timely manner and went to bed when time allowed. I also made sure to enjoy my days off so that I could let my brain relax.

Obviously, I want to finish my degree as soon as I possibly can. I have technically been in college since August of 2007, with a year off during what would have been my junior year, but really, the moral of the story is that I have been in school for entirely too long. I sincerly don’t want to be 25 and just finishing my first 4-year degree. Not that there is anything wrong with that at all, it's just it could have been completely avoided in my case and sped up considerably. My best advice to not end up in my predicament? Don’t transfer. Or at least if you do only do it once and make sure where you're going will accept your credits and also make your change worthwhile.

I will have five different schools on my transcript by the time I finally graduate. I’m not necessarily proud of that fact, but I am glad to have finally found a place and a degree that I think will be incredibly beneficial to what I want to do with my future.

The college where I plan to finish just recently began to offer four year baccalaureate programs, and I am excited to be one of the first classes to graduate with the Bachelor’s of Science degree they offer i Business Administration. I'm happy that the BS degree will show my passion for math, as well as offer something a little different on my resume from everyone else I will be competing with for the same jobs.

Also the college is mostly a 2-year school, meaning that there are a lot of extra programs that are meant to help you achieve your goals in a timely, financially sufficient manner, and because I am a part of the school, I can take advantage of all of these programs as a four-year student.

I’m getting off topic here.. Back to the wisdom from the founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics...

I can do whatever I tell myself I can do. I went into this semester telling myself that this Calculus class would be a breeze, and that I would make it through. I worked hard but I did exactly that. I know that if I have the option to finish in a reasonable amount of time by taking more classes at once, as long as I tell myself I can, and continue to use my time wisely… I can and will make it happen.

This quote will certainly become a wonderful framed piece in my new apartment when I move, and I look forward to starting each day telling myself I can accomplish any goal I put forth for myself.

What about you? Any favorite quotes? Motivational or not? Head over to Story of My Life and link up with us for the Blog Everyday in May event and share!



Why I don't talk about my relationship {or} Day 3, Blog Every Day in May

Linking up for Day 3 of Blog Every Day in May with Jenni at Story of My Life!

Day 3, Friday: Things that make you uncomfortable.

This was a hard one for me, I really want to only stay positive on this blog, but I also want to be honest with my readers but mostly myself.

Something that makes me really uncomfortable? When people ask me about my relationship. I don't mean the simple questions... I mean the down and dirty questions.

I made it a rule for myself a while ago that I wouldn't discuss the details of my relationship with ANYONE. This includes close girl friends and family.

Why?

Well, this is where I get honest... MP and I haven't had the easiest relationship ever, it has been far from a fairytale romance. We are both stubborn as mules, we have quite the temper when you put us together, and we tend to get strung out on the little details.

When things got rough at the beginning, before we knew what "hard times" really meant, I made the mistake of turning to my friends and family and complaining to them about disagreements or circumstances we were in... And because of this? This has made MOST people in my life not the biggest fans of MP, and I take full responsibility for that. Granted he hasn't been perfect but I also did not paint him in the best light when I was upset or angry.

You live and learn, right?

So, now, I don't discuss anything with anyone. It makes me incredibly uncomfortable when the subject of our relationship even comes up.

We have an argument? It stays between us. Something big goes down or we have a big decision to make? It stays completely between us. People tend to remember the negative stories a lot more vividly than they do the positive ones, and this has made my relationship with MP difficult to make and keep public. Another big reason for the new blog start.

While this is hard some (a lot) of the time, I make it work and I really think it is for the best.

What about you? Does sharing details about your personal life or relationship make you uncomfortable?

Link up with at Story of My Life for the Blog Every Day in May challenge and let us know what makes you uncomfortable!

WAH Tips AKA Blog Every Day in May: Day 2

Here we go! Linking up for day 2 of Blog Every Day in May with Jenni from Story of My Life!


Day 2, Thursday: Educate us on something you know a lot about or are good at. Take any approach you'd like (serious and educational or funny and sarcastic)

I am about to celebrate one year at my current job (longer than I’ve ever stayed with one employer) and this also means that I have been working from home for a year.

Let me just say… it is much different than I ever expected it to be.

I have learned a lot and have a few tips for anyone who may ever spend time working from their home office, whether for a few hours or long-term, follow these tips and I guarantee you will be more successful.

 

Tip 1: Isolate yourself.

While it’s not the most fun tip out there, it is one of the most important. If you have an extra room in your house, USE IT! Close the door, don’t let your husband, kids and yes, even your adorable pups into the room. Arrange care for your children, make sure your friends and neighbors know not to bother you. Leave your cell-phone accessible for emergencies but away from your immediate view. This is your work-space. You wouldn’t bring your entire household to your office job, would you?

Tip 2: Make your “office” exactly that and only that, as well as a space where you want to spend time.

If this means decking the room out in your favorite colors, special supplies or organization: make sure your “office” space is somewhere you are happy to lock yourself away for a few hours. Put up pictures of your kids or pups or whomever. Just make sure you are in love with your space. Trust me this will really help you want to work.

Tip 3: Focus on one task at a time.

Keep your work-space organized, and most importantly focused. If you have 1000 different things on your desk you are more likely to get distracted. Few will admit it but everyone knows that if you try to divide your focus you are way less likely to get things done, especially not in a timely manner. And yes, this does mean keeping facebook and twitter closed while you are working.

Tip 4: Set designated hours for work. 

If you are like me this might be non-negotiable so it’s easy; my shifts are scheduled for me. Otherwise, if you know you have all day to get a few hours of work done, set yourself aside a specific time frame (this should be the same every day if it’s a repeating scenario) so you can make sure you get your work accomplished in a timely manner.

Tip 5: Check your technology before you are set to start working.

I can’t tell you how many times I have gone to log on for work and my phone-line has been dead or my wireless internet hasn’t been working. Make sure that you have your provider’s number handy as well as your account information so you can get answers as quickly as possible as to when you will be back up and running. And this brings me to tip 6…

Tip 6: Have a reliable back-up plan

This one might be the most obvious but also the most important. If your services are going to be down indefinitely, or if your computer crashes, your power is out, whatever the situation… You NEED to have an alternate plan. If this means going into your work-place or having an alternative computer accessible, make sure that there wouldn’t be any surprises if you actually needed to us these services. Most employers that allow you to work from home will already have a contingency plan set up like for this, but definitely make sure you have one as well. This might also mean access to transportation or an arrangement for emergency child-care if that applies to your situation.

So there you have it! 6 tips to help you be more successful when you have the privelege to work from home!

Head over to Story Of My Life to linkup for the Blog Every Day in May Challenge to share your post for day 2!

 

Blog Every Day in May: Day 1

Here we go! Day 1 of the Blog Every Day in May Challenge! Let's jump right in, shall we?

Day 1, Wednesday: The story of your life in 250 words or less (or one paragraph... no one will be counting your words... probably) I went over... just a warning. This is a LOT more than one paragraph! ;)

I was adopted at barely a week old, and for the first years of my life I was raised mostly by my Nana. She moved to live with my Aunt when I was about ten, and then she passed my first year of high-school, but really I had lost her years before that to Alzheimers.

I guess my difficulties making friends started around then and continued through my younger years, always looking for affirmation from others; whether it was friends or parents or even, I admit, boys. I wanted to know that I was loved and I wanted you to show me or at least tell me.

I finished high school a Varsity Cheerleader and mostly a normal senior. I had two very close girlfriends and managed to stay out of trouble and make respectable grades that year. I was accepted by a great school and was excited about all the possibilities moving 800 miles away from everyone I knew held for me.

It was the day my parents left me to start my freshman year, I read a message on MySpace from my biological sister and we started messaging each other back and forth. Speaking to her and learning about my biological family is still one of my favorite memories of my first year of college.

Otherwise, that year was a roller coaster, you could say I went all out in terms of the “college experience”, but I did make wonderful friends that I still have today.

My first summer home was traumatic in many ways, and I realized I would never live at home again. I went back and started dating MP as soon as we arrived back at school.

We finished our sophomore year and stayed at school the following summer. In the middle of the fall semester I dropped out of college. Mr. Paws and I moved to a town about 45 minutes away from our college and got full time jobs. It was a darker time, but I have to say now, I’m a happier, more positive person. I don’t let the old stressors get to me, I’m not worn down everyday by anxiety that I can’t control or explain. My moods are stable. I’m happy. I’m working towards finishing my degree (finally) and I have a great job, and wonderful pups. I am set right now and don’t see life any other way than just taking things one day at a time.

More than 250, so sue me ;)

Head on over to Story Of My Life to link up for the Blog Every Day in May event!!