:: Brinna's ::

:: Sunday, October 30, 2005 ::
:: new day ::

Hello all who don't read my blog... ;)
Today not much is going on. Sarah returned from India last night, she got to have a 25 hr (approx) layover in Munich. Muy jealous. I long to visit Europe. Since she has returned I feel different. I woke up this morning and I realized, I feel like I'm on vacation!! After two weeks of babysitting Reagan, her daughter, who took the whole 2 weeks to stop hating me, has been wearying. I got used to it I guess but it wasn't very fun.

Not sure what I'll do today with all my new time...I can't post more cause my bro-in-law is home.

:: Brinna 7:17 AM [+] ::
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(Written Oct26 at 10pm...I was unable to post at the time, John unplugged me from the phone line...rrr...as if our turn is 'up' after about 15 min, even though he's on the entire rest of the day...I'm serious, if he's not at school or eating dinner with the fam he's online)

Here I am once again, writing my blog. at least it's only been a week or so since I've written. Alice is sleeping right now, I should be too. I have had hardly any time to myself since Sarah left, I've watched Reagan all the time. All I have time for online is a quick check for new personal email. Sarah returns this Friday!

Tomorrow we're going to Roanoke to shop. Woohoo! I've already been doing a bit of shopping lately..but I've basically stayed within my 'allowance', and we've saved a couple thousand over the past couple months.

Today I shopped for fabric for my dress. I was going to wait until I got home and shop at Hi-Fashion Fabrics, which has a great selection of fabrics for formals, but I realized I won't have time to pick out fabrics and sew my dress if I wait. I decided to put an embroidered chiffon over satin for the skirt and use a velvety patterned fabric for the bodice. I'll have to post pics when I get done. It's all dark red (except for the velvety stuff--it's black). Also if I get it done in a couple weeks (it all depends on Alice--pre-baby it would take me a couple days), I can have my old sewing boss pin up the hem for me. I used to work under her altering formal dresses at a bridal shop. The job burnt me out but I liked her.

My jewelry came in a week and a half ago, the Saturday after I last posted. A couple pieces were not as I imagined (or quite as pictured in the magazine) but I adjusted to the one and was more pleased with the other than I imagined it would be, so it worked out.

Debbie's doing well, we've started doing things together again. I enjoy her company. We're quite similar, we both enjoy designing things.

I get along with John, my bro-in-law, much better than I used to. I used to dislike him, and I don't think he liked me much either. Although when you're staying in the same room for 2 months (well divided of course...we made a wall of bookcases and shelves, but there's still a couple feet between the 'wall' and ceiling...sort of like a cubicle! hehe) you get used to each other. He went with me to Kings Dominion (the amusement park) instead. It was ok...he's quiet and indecisive, but we got along fine. It was all decked out for Halloween. Looked kinda cool, but very irritating in that they didn't have all the rides open. The best ones, the woodens, were closed because the workers were at the Halloween type attractions. There was a maze and a haunted house, and on the derby car track people would jump out at you randomly, in costume. In my opinion the woodens are the best part, if you're in the back seat it's quite a ride. Last time I rode for at least an hour in the back seat, there was basically no line so we went round and round. And when there was people wanting on, they got on in the middle or front. Crazy people...woodens are only painful unless you're in back.

As my dad noted in a recent newsy email, God has flipped the switch from 'heat' to 'A/C' outside, and not only in Colorado. Here in Virginia, one day it was high 70's, the next low 50's, and it's stayed there. Near freezing in the mornings. I don't know what my favorite season is (other than Christmas season, and that doesn't quite count). I love them all, although fall is probably my least favorite if I had to choose. Winter is wonderful for its snow and cold (despite getting cold easier than most people, I still enjoy the cold on my face), and spring for it's freshness, as well as being warm and cool at the same time. Possibly I'm the happiest in spring, I feel so optimistic in the spring. Summer is great for its warmth, I love heat. I can rarely get enough heat. When I was pregnant I could, but not normally. Fall I like for the holidays and that's about it. I could skip it and go straight to Christmas. ;)

:: Brinna 6:56 PM [+] ::
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Today is going okay so far, yesterday wasn't that great. Sarah has left on her missions trip to India and I'm the designated caretaker of her 15 mo. daughter Reagan. It all went ok, but Debbie (my other sis-in-law) scared the crap out of me, the day before she had pulled a muscle or something and her leg (which she'd recently had surgery on--they had to put a rod in her bone because it didn't develop properly) was hurting all day, pain killer didn't do a thing for her. Late last night while I was on the phone with Andrew, I heard her start shrieking/screaming. I went in after a couple (wasn't sure if she'd been watching a scary movie--it is October after all) and it was obvious she was in a great deal of pain. I've seen her handle pain well--she was in recovery from surgery still after all. I ran and got her dad, and they went to the ER. Turns out she didn't pull a muscle, she broke her leg. I guess it just finally shifted out of place last night. Not too surprising, her bone was pretty weak after all..and we recently bought tickets to a Christian concert at an amusement park. Well, if she feels ok after this (it's still over a week away) we'll probably still go, we'll have to see. At least we'd get to the front of the lines!

:: Brinna 8:31 AM [+] ::
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Ack, I feel like crying. Wait a minute, I AM crying! I had half of a long post typed out and wouldn't you know it I hit some key and it vanished in an instant. How do these things happen? I was in such a good mood and pouring out the post that you have all been wondering where it's been, and then it's gone. I sometimes feel that I'm not supposed to post anymore because this is not the first time I've taken hours to write a post and it's been wiped out. That's why it's been so long since I've posted, with a baby I don't have time to write for hours, much less rewrite it!! But I shall try.

I'll start with where I am: since Sept21 I've been in mid-Virginia, Lynchburg area. I flew out with Alice, visiting my husband's family until Nov17. Not much happens around here. I stay in half of my brother-in-law's room. He's a withdrawn sort that uses a quarter of his space, basically a space to sleep and a space to be on his computer. His computer is his best friend. I'm on it right now...I can't complain about him even if I want to because I took away his big brother, and now I've taken half his room, use his computer while he's gone, and generally make life miserable. ;) Not quite, we've gotten along a ton better this trip. It's the first time that I remember right now that I've visited without my husband. I really start to feel like part of the family. I usually feel just like an add-on, but when I mentioned lately that I came by my surname second-hand, my dear mother-in-law reminded me that so did she. It really made me feel welcome, because even though she's a good friend, I'm still just a kid really. She's the backbone of the family and it seems odd to think that she's not a Samson by blood. It really meant something.

After I fly back home it will be Thanksgiving time! I give thanks year-round but this season is tied with spring as my favorite (spring has great weather and feels so fresh and happy) because of parties and food! Presents fell by the wayside after I matured (somewhat-- I (somewhat) matured and they (somewhat) fell), but yummy food and getting together with ppl still lightens my heart. I am a social butterfly, though I dislike the term. This year T-giving is stationed in my birthtown of Yuma, Arizona. I'd post a teeny banner saying 'Arizonan' like my sis (http://luinel.blogspot.com) if I knew where to find them and took the time out of my baby's livelihood to post them. Anyway, this year we're combining celebrating the holiday and that my grandad finally married his girlfriend. Everybody's coming down (I hope) and for many people, it will be the first time they meet the new great-grandchild, the first on my dad's side besides his cousin, I believe. I hope it will be a grand occasion; every year I hope just about everything will be a grand occasion and that I'll be gifted with numerous invitations to parties both tgiving and christmas, but generally I have to be happy with one or two. Maybe this year will top them all: a family reunion in Yuma, and...a trip to Korea!

My hubby managed to persuade his CO to not assign him a roomie till I leave, mostly successful because he hasn't met Alice yet. There's usually a couple parties on bases that are quite formal (or so Andrew reports--he said to make sure to bring evening wear), and I'm very excited about going to one. I've wanted to make a lovely gown for awhile now, especially since seeing a gorgeous one at the fair that a 4-H person sewed. It was nearly like the dress of my dreams, and I was stupid enough not to take a picture of it with my handy dandy camera phone. I have drawn up a similar dress that I'm happy with so far, but there's still a few details to work out. I'm trying to decide whether to use a satin for the skirt or a chiffon overlay style. The chiffon makes a gorgeous iridescent-like color but satin is unparalleled. I'm already using chiffon a bit in the bodice but I don't want to overdo it; at the same time I don't want to have too many differnt types of fabric.At least I'll have lovely jewelry to wear with it. More on that later.

While in Korea Andrew plans to take me out to try delicious cuisine from the other side of the world, travel about seeing the land, and shop at the authentic Hello Kitty stores which I hear are priced significantly lower than American ones. Hoorah.

Alice is coming along quite nicely, a shabbily done measuring by moi says that she's about 26 inches now! Her cousin Reagan (Andrew's sister's daughter) is 15 months and about 30 inches. I don't know about you, but it sounds like Alice is going to be quite a bit longer than that. But, then, if you look at their parents, who's surprised? Our children look exactly like their parents. Me and Andrew: tall and thin. Sarah and ex-boyfriend: short and stocky. Also, Reagan has curly blonde hair and blue eyes. It looks like Alice will have blue eyes, but her hair is a mystery--neither of us had dark hair when we were born. (In fact, I had none.) As children, we were blonde-mine startlingly so, I was white blonde until junior high, I'm now dark blonde. (I think..my hair is currently red, but that will change I'm sure..for the meantime everyone who doesn't know, thinks I'm naturally red-headed. Woohoo!) Anyhoo, back to Alice. She smiles beautifully and she's very strong. If I hold her hands and pull forward then up, she pulls against my hands and sits up to a squat, then stands. Her head is quite steady, her standing increasingly so. She could use a bit more tummy time, but when she wants to she can hold her head up quite well. I'm not going to stress about it; when she realizes the worth of being on her tummy she'll be great at that too. ;)

Well what's going on...my sis has a link on her blog to a site called 43 things, where you basically record your goals and thoughts about them. A great site from what I can tell, I dont' know yet if you can only have up to 43 things or not. I love lists--I rarely make them but when I do just about everything goes on there. What's better, on this site ppl comment on your lists. I love it already. There's also a sister site, 43places.com, which as soon as I get a chance, I'm all over it. I love seeing new places!

Andrew and I want to do the same things in life, it's great. We both want a house with character (from the days when architecture was actually an art), and we want to live in the Pacific Northwest (Colorado or central Cali will do in a pinch). We like the same music, we like the same movies, we have the same (wacky) sense of humor. Only God could have made this match. I don't thank God everyday for my husband, but I should. Maybe I see a different side of him than other people, but he's my favorite person. And even though I still do (who doesn't), I'll never need to worry that he'll leave me. Because even though I'm paranoid (who isn't), I know I don't have to be, and that's what's important. I know he loves me, and he knows I love him, and we love each other all the more because of it. Isn't love grand?

Now, about the jewelry...my sister-in-law, Sarah, started selling jewelry for Premier Designs, a Christian company, sometime last year. She's done alright, she doesn't have the time for it really. Plus Lynchburg isn't exactly a great market to sell to. Mostly penniless college students and ppl trying to make ends meet. Sure, everyone tries to make ends meet, but some ppl have cars newer than 02's, and a car nicer than a Kia while they do it. The jewelry is real nice and she let me order some things half-off (her cost) because Andrew and I donated around $600 to her mission trip to India. I've been considering getting into it..it's direct sell like Avon or something like that. It's a bit steep of a start-up fee, but I think the only roadblock is getting people to host parties. That's Sarah's prob, people always buy jewelry, she just doesn't have a big circle of friends that aren't penniless. I'm thinking Colorado might be a better market. I'm going to take a catalog with me back home and see what ppl think before I decide for sure...but I have been coming up with oodles of great ideas to help market the stuff lately. Anyway, what I bought. 4 necklaces: one star charm that I already have a black leather cord for; a 60" pearl and silver necklace (pearls are spaced out), a three strand necklace with rhodium plated loops and a few pearls scattered in, it looks like David Yurman; and a little silver heart with a pinkish red crystal in it that looks a lot like the one in Love Actually. I also got earrings to match the 60" necklace, a silver ring with crystals similar to my engagement ring, and a gorgeous bracelet with crystals and real amethysts. A splurge, but I'm sure I'll wear it. I must remember to post pics when I get my order in!

:: Brinna 12:53 PM [+] ::
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