You know you're over him when...

1. When you hear his name you no longer smile in reaction
2. Your fond memories of him equal the number of bad ones
3. You go days without thinking about him
4. When you DO think about him it's not about the same things like if he misses you as much as you miss him.
5. You realize your life can move on without him

and finally

6. Another boy's name makes you smile =)

Where has the time gone?

Good EVENING!

I've had a time of of these last couple of months. I celebrated my 1st year anniversary booking field trips at the Zoo. I didn't have to go out there among the masses and jump buses, rally kids into the zoo, or park the buses! No, I was safe inside my little office area chatting it up with the bird...when I wasn't crazy busy BOOKING the field trips and dealing with crazed teachers. It is amazing how much a "Ma'am, how can I help you make your trip to the Kansas City Zoo as smooth as possible?" can soothe the ruffled feathers of any stressed out teacher.

We did have some interesting events. One lady was even put on our black list. Yes, apparently we have a BLACK LIST. And it was well deserved. Even my sympathy and compassion came to a nasty end with this person, but thankfully not on the phone. Let's just say that my capacity to handle liars has not improved much over the years.

Still riding the bus. Any new stories? YES. Any of them note worthy? Noooooooot really, but I'll write about it anyways

Story 1:

Was waiting at McDonald's for my bus, which takes about 45 min so I usually get a pop and settle down for a good book. Well it was a GLORIOUS day so I decided to sit outside and soak up the sun. Then, I hear honking. "Oh Great" I mumble and look up long enough to give the honker a scowl.

The Dude starts WAVING!


I can't help but wonder if this is his game, to pretend to know me or something so he get's another scowl...next thing I know he's pulling in and lo an' behold: It is my boss from Petco!!
Man do I feel horrible so I get up and we chitchat. He drives off to go through the drive-through and I go back to my book, face flaming at my shameful behavior.
He comes around and hollers at me again asking if I would like a ride. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth I gather all my stuff and hop in. It's a Mercury Cougar, which looked A LOT like this

Needless to say, we got a lot of stares. It was nice to get home before my bus would have picked me up, though. Ahhhh, to be so spoiled. =D

Story 2:

I was on my way to work to pick up the company car so I could drive it to work on Sunday. Buses in my city do not run on Sundays so by doing them a favor and picking up the shift they gave me permission to use the care. Sweet deal, eh? Awesome.

Well, I was down town KC, waiting for my transfer when a group of guys came out of a building kiddie-corner from where I was waiting. One guy parted from the group and came over. He said "Hello" and I asked him if he was waiting for the bus. He wasn't. Just wanted to talk to me.

He looked a lot like the guy on the far left:

I wasn't impressed.

Then he starts talking about himself for the next 5 minutes, blowing smoke in my face, and eventually tries to grab my hand. I shake him off and give him that "Are you crazy?" look and he proceeds to say, "I wanna show you something," and tries to grab my arm. I shake him off, freaking out a little, and just in time a bus comes around the corner. I don't care what bus it is, I AM ON IT. Thankfully it is the bus I was waiting for.

I don't know what he was planning on "showing me" but I wasn't about to let him take me anywhere.

Story 3:

I was at McDonald's (at the transfer) and some guy asked me if he could borrow my phone. He proceeds to call his mom and TELLS her to come and pick him up. He's rude to his mama.

On a side note, this is not attractive....

So he then proceeds to say in a sweet sweet voice, "Thanks for letting me use your phone. I didn't want to take the bus in the pouring rain." I'm thinking to myself, 'What, you made of sugar? You gonna melt?'

Then he smiles and says, "I'd really like to see you again." I simply nod and smile. He says it again but with emphasis, "I'd really like to see you again." and I once again nod and smile.

Saturday Night Live!

Last Friday I went to an In House Coffee Shop and had a blast. Basically it was at the house where I attend House Church every Sunday. Kenneth and Ruth, the owners, try to do this every month or so. There are yummy desserts, coffee, hot cocoa, and other goodies all up for grabs with amazing music from talented locals. Such talented locals include their son, Madison, and Ruth herself.

Since I do not play an instrument (Other than the Clarinet) I usually just sit back, listen, and enjoy the music. Ruth sang this beautiful song that brought tears to my eyes. I forgot to ask her what the title was but I think it was an original.

But this was Friday night. So you have to be wondering why this post is entitled Saturday Night Live, right?

WELL that Saturday I didn't have to go into work so I got to do a whole bunch of stuff, including getting my hair cut. While waiting for my appointment I walked down to the local cafe for some lunch and found out something AMAZING...Live music every Friday and Saturday Night.

Excited I quickly skipped over to my appointment all the while wondering who would go with me on such short notice. Texting a few people it finally dawned on me who I could bring. Who did I know liked music that he wouldn't discriminate against Celtic Music (which was the genre for that night). Madison!

It took a little work but we finally ended up going.

For the life of me I still can't remember his name =) but he was amazing.

And don't let Madison fool you...he really did have a good time too =)

We stayed through the whole show, which was packed, and had a awesome awesome time.

Did the same thing this weekend. I hope to keep this up!

Spring Time Loonies

I think that this upcoming spring and summer should provide more interesting stories. Like Bears and Beavers in winter I think the scraggly humans are ready to shake their fur free of winter's freeze and begin socializing once again.

Let's just hope they bathe more often than animals =)

The battle of the Retractable Mouse (the icing on a cake of badness)

I don't usually like to complain but today was an epic day. I told my mom about it and she said that there were some funny parts that should be shared. I'll give you the run down of my day.

It started last night when I walked to the dollar store to get change for a 10. I needed to get some stuff and since I'd forgotten Feb was a short month I'd been late in ordering my monthly pass so I was reduced to scrounging for bus fare until it came in the mail. I was so worried about not getting the right amount of COINS back that I walked out without getting my three dollars back.

Which I didn't realize until I got on the bus this morning and only had a 5 and .50 cents. SO....I paid a 1.50 bus fare with 5.50 and now have a 4.00 change card that I will do...nothing with. 7.00 wasted in less than 24 hours.

This puts me in a bad mood but then I start to listen to some music.

	Chris Tomlin - Happy Song .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

This song actually

And life was good.

Rode the bus and talked a bit with an old guy who said he might keep riding the bus in the morning if only to see my smiling face again. Awww

I get to work and find that i have a BUNCH of work to do. I try to work through the fog of the past week and remember if this school got THIS and that school got THAT. Once that's settled my boss mentions something about not getting any responses from the email I sent out a while back.

what email

Oh great...I was supposed to do that?   Yes, I was. So I run over to my computer talking to my boss about how assumed she was doing that etc. She took it in stride until we both found out my computer didn't have adobe. Guess what I needed in order to send out the email?

SO I hop on a laptop and proceed to send it out while the computer guy remotely added adobe to my computer. WHILE this is happening I'm trying to hook the mouse to the laptop. The retractable mouse. The retractable mouse that won't stop retracting!

This thing

I'm battling this monster with a snarl and my lip gnashed between my teeth when I notice out of the corner of my eye that the mouse is still moving on the desk top and is now going through my internet history. THEN it deletes the picture of the cheetah I had put on my desktop.

this one

Who can delet a face like THAT?! The tech guy can. Then my boss gets an email which she fowards to me. Apparently he felt concerned that I was using the computer for personal things and I should be told that it is a working computer only. That personal items such as desk tops and email accounts shouldn't be changed/altered/ or checked.

Discrimination is not just with sex and color. Age is also a problem...one I've fought with for a long long LONG time. =(

Anyways my boss stood up for me and responded with something like, "We didn't ask you to check for that. We wanted adobe. I will pass the message along. Thanks." Thank you

Still battling with the mouse I finally found a paper clip and clipped it so it couldn't pull back anymore SUCCESS!! Now to buisness.

Down the line I went sending emails about our neat little fliers we have from the zoo that would be great to send out to children.

Wait...fliers? That thing I was supposed to attach to the emails...duh. So AGAIN down the list I went attaching the fliers to the email.

Day went on as normal, thank God, and the after school program I co-teach went smooth. I get home and open up my email to find a message from someone at Calvin, my college.

Apparently there is a loan I had no idea about and it is past due. Called mom, again, and she said I haven't gotten any mail. I haven't gotten any mail here. So...why was I never sent a bill?

Stressed much? All I want is some time to save up some money so I can get a car so I can work more hours so I can PAY the loans back. Time...i've already had two years.

cute

Just a visual update =D

This is Sid our Green Cheeked Amazon that hangs out with us in the office

He's checking me out...he's not too sure about the camera

Now he's standing guard against Ruby. He doesn't really care for her =(

Ruby showing our ACE kids our Black Brazillian Tarantula.

Cheese!! End of class...you did great, guys =D

A Valentines Special

I was recently told this story about one of the couples at my house church. I've been saving it for this time of year and once you read...you'll know why.
To protect identies and whatnot I shall call them Bob and Betty.
(Now put this on in the background while you read this

	Clannad - I Will Find You {Theme from .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

Bob and Betty had been childhood sweethearts that had grown to high school. Typical fashion in those times was to marry your sweetheart soon after you graduted and before the boy went to college. Or promises were exchanged and they'd tie the knot after he had his degree. Satisfied to wait they held tight to dreams of a future together for there was no one else who could take each other's place in their lives. But the war changed things.

Yes WWII

While he was at war in Germany they lost touch. As simple as that. She was realistic in the knowlege that the chances of him coming back were slim to none and when communication stopped between them she moved on. No matter how logical she tried to be her heart still broke thinking that her Bob wouldn't be coming back and they wouldn't be sharing the life together they'd dream up when they were innocents in high school. She married and started a life on her own and when he came home he didn't come back to Missouri but instead the Carolinas. He married as well and they continued living very separate lives.

Betty's husband died of heart failure a few years after they were married but being the resiliant woman she survived. Years passed and once again she felt the stirrings of the heart and married again. But still, no one could yet compare to that special love she and Bob had shared when they were young.

Years and years passed. Bob's wife died and he considered himself done for when it came to finding another lady to fill her shoes. Comforted by friends and family he felt quite at ease with life the way it was. One day he got a call from a dear friend of his back in Missouri. Not too sure why but he made the trip back to good ol' Missouri but he did. Donna, a friend of his who had married a man by the name of Carl, finally tracked him down to make introductions. They'd corresponded through letters and phone calls over the years and she wanted to see him before he left town again.

Getting together one night Carl's sister stopped by, her husband was in the hospital with a heart condition, and she (I guess) was lonely and thought to visit her only surviving brother. Carl and Bob ended up knowing each other from the war and were talking about past times when Bob looked up at the unexpected visitor.

Can you guess who she was? Yes...Betty. After over 40 years of not seeing one another they'd finally met again. But she was married still and though they were happy to see each other again they both knew nothing could ever come from it.

Years past and they kept in touch through their similar contacts. When Betty's second husband passed Bob was there to comfort her. They kept their relationship on hold until she was through mourning the loss of another husband who's heart was too weak. Sadly, because they both had two separate lives (On in MO the other in SC) they really didn't see how they could make everything work. Bob had to go back to South Carolina one day and she would have to move on in her own life. A war had been what separted them before and now it seemed like time and family would be the cause for the second.


But they knew they couldn't fight destiny. They had finally found each other's first love and they weren't about to let go, not again. They got remarried, with their family's blessings, and now spend every day (except their holidays) together thankful for the other.

Now in their late 70's they sit next to each other at church. I can hear whispers and laughter between songs of worship. I think they're making up for all the lost time they had apart and my heart simply overflows with happiness.

I'm not a sentimental person. I see myself as more of a realist but I find it nothing short of a miracle that these two people, who had been each other's first loves, found each other again after so many years. Though they'd both led separate lives they'd still been a part of each other's memories and their hearts never forgot.



So this Valentines Day I won't mourn over the fact that I have no sweet heart to share the day with. No, because by their story alone I know that God has someone out there for me and he's missing me just as much as I'm missing him. Two separate lives that will one day come together.


Lyrics to the song